“Of course!” Michael sounded offended. “I’ll try to get word to Metatron, see if he can share any insight.”

Raphael sighed again, longer and deeper that time. “Do not bring our brothers into this. Metatron has firmly taken his side. We’ll deal with it.”

“She’s awake,” Gabriel said, and my eyes snapped open.

What the hell had they been talking about? I didn’t want to know, but the reason for my fainting had all come back to me. I moaned and sat up, feeling dizzy.

“Brielle, are you feeling all right?” Raphael swam into view.

I nodded. “I guess.”

“Of course she’s not all right. She’s scared.” Michael looked concerned.

I straightened my shoulders. “I’m fine.”

Michael grinned. “That’s my bravery.” He winked.

I blushed.

Raphael rolled his eyes. “Let’s not start taking credit for everything she does. Brielle, you have to be back in Demon City in five hours, but it’ll take that long to get your tattoos of light. Are you okay with proceeding?”

Ever since I’d seen all those symbols light up, something wild had unleashed within me. I figured it was my power, and it frightened me. If the tattoos would help contain that, harness them, or whatever, I wanted them sooner rather than later.

“I’m ready.” I stood, hands fisted at my side.

Michael was staring behind me, looking sad and longing at the same time. I spun around, expecting to see Lincoln, but he was nowhere in sight. Instead, I saw my wings. They must have come out as some defense mechanism.

I shifted uncomfortably.

The Archangel of Protection and Strength stepped forward, and placed a strong hand on my shoulder. “It was admirable what you did for your mother.” His eyes rested on the crescent moon tattoo on my forehead. “Not a wise choice, but admirable.”

That close to him, I could feel his power pressing in on me like a heavy blanket. He must’ve sensed it, because the moment I thought it, he pulled his hand back and stepped away, walking over to the desk where Raphael had four golden goblets set out.

I frowned, stepping closer. “You guys drink? I had no idea.” Maybe we were going to toast before getting my tattoo. This school already seemed more relaxed than what I’d heard.

“Blood of my blood,” Raphael said, and slashed the golden dagger across his wrist.

My hand flew to my throat as the goblet filled with the thick crimson fluid.

“Blood of my blood,” Michael stated and took the dagger from Raphael, doing the same thing.

I started to back up, fully intent on running the hell out of there and never coming back, but on my third step, I slammed into a warm, hard body that smelled familiar.

Strong hands came around my arms and spun me, and I came face-to-face with Lincoln. “You okay?” His voice held genuine concern, which shocked me.

“B-b-b-blood.” There was no way I was drinking angel blood. No. Way.

He peered past me and dawning shone on his face. “Raphael, you have to explain things, remember?” he scolded the archangel.

A human scolding an angel like a friend. What an odd thing to witness.

“Oh, right. I’m sorry. Brielle, our blood will be mixed with tattoo ink, and that will be what’s used to help you harness your power,” Raphael explained cheerily.

I’m getting angel blood tattoos? Umm, what the what?

Lincoln finally released my arms, looking down at me with pity. “This is the weird part. Tomorrow you’ll start your studies, and get your ass kicked like every other student here. Trust me, it’s best to just get this part over with.”

Four angel blood tattoos? Should I call my mom? I mean, I’m eighteen, but coming home with four tats is going to throw her into a frenzy. Should the blood be tested for diseases? That was probably a stupid question; they were angels, for crying out loud.

I was still standing there in shock when Michael approached me. “It’s been an honor meeting you, Brielle. Now I must go and… tend to some things.”

“Oh. Right. You too,” I answered nervously.

“Peace be with you, child.” Uriel offered with prayer-clasped hands, then exited after Michael.

“May we meet again.” Gabriel’s feathery voice came from behind me, and then he too was gone.

I wasn’t sure what to say in return, so I just stood there covering my arms. My stomach was eating itself after giving Bernie my breakfast and chucking my coffee at Lincoln.

“Is our escort assembled?” Raphael asked Lincoln.

He nodded. “And Marleen is waiting.”

“Brielle, dear, would you like something to eat for the road?” Raphael asked from behind me.

I spun around, no longer able to hold it in. “You totally read minds, don’t you?”

His cheeks reddened. “You’re a very loud thinker.”

Lincoln was giving me a smug grin. Ugh.

“I’d love some breakfast. Thank you,” I grumbled, because I wasn’t sure what to say about the ‘loud thinker’ thing.

Raphael nodded and disappeared into a hallway at the back of the office. When he emerged, he was holding a muffin and coffee. “Cream with two sugars?” he asked.

My eyes bugged out. “How did you? You know what, never mind.”

I snatched the coffee and chugged it just as a loud knock came at the door. Lincoln stepped forward and opened it, letting three insanely hot Celestial guys in. My eyes immediately fell on the one to the left, his wings glowing a pearly white that gave his dark chocolate skin a luminescent glow. He seemed to notice my attention on him and gave me a wink.

Oh. My. God.

“Brielle, these four fine gentlemen will be your Celestial master guides during your studies at Fallen Academy,” Raphael instructed.

My master what?

“I’m Darren,” the one who’d caught me looking offered. “I’ll be your Uriel master guide.” He stuck out his hand.

I shook it. “Brielle.”

The next guy stepped forward, super tall with bright blond hair and blue eyes. He looked like a Norse god with tight muscles that wrapped around his arms as he extended his hand. “I’m Blake. I’m your Gabriel master guide.”

I shook his soft hand and just nodded stupidly. Shea would shit herself if she saw this many hot guys in one room.

The final guy stepped forward. He looked about twenty, with dark brown hair and arresting green eyes. “Hello, beautiful. I’m Noah, your Raphael master guide.” He winked.

My eyes flicked to Lincoln and then back to Raphael. “Can’t Lincoln teach me to control my Michael and Raphael powers?” Not that I wanted him to, but….

Noah burst out laughing. “Not if you want to actually learn anything. Trust me, darling, I’m better with the healing stuff. Lincoln doesn’t exactly have a tender heart.”

Lincoln groaned, giving Noah a death glare.

“Yeah, I noticed that,” I agreed, crossing my arms.

There was a chuckle behind me as Raphael stepped forward with a tray full of the blood goblets. “Still working on that humility, are you, son?” he called out Noah.

He shrugged. “Just educating her, sir.”

“Yes, well she’s only allowed to be here until noon, so we must hurry. I’d hate to imagine what it would be like to send her back to Demon City with half-finished tattoos of light.”

Noah shivered as if that would be an awful thing. At that point I had resigned myself to shock. I’d known being a black-winged Celestial wasn’t going to be an easy life, but I never imagined my first day at the academy would involve getting tatted up.

Darren eyed the four goblets and then me. “Four. That’s so dope.”

Raphael frowned. “And remind me again, dope isn’t about drugs?”

Darren laughed, showcasing a handsome set of straight white teeth. “Not in this context, sir.”

“Right. Let’s go.” Raphael flung his hand out, the set of double doors in front of us springing open. I stumbled backward and my wings slammed into Lincoln.

“Sorry,” I mumbled.

They started to walk outside when Lincoln reached out and tugged on my arm. “Let’s put these away for this little trip, shall we?” He said over my shoulder, right into my right ear, his warm breath cascaded down my neck, giving me chills. His fingers trailed the length of my left wing, stroking from the top to midway down. With a shiver they retracted, and then he walked in front of me.

“Come on, keep up. This is a dangerous mission,” he snapped.

Once I could gather my wits from that little wing massage episode, I ran after him.

“Why is it dangerous?” I asked, stepping out into the open atrium to see no less than twenty armed Fallen Army guards taking orders from Raphael.

Lincoln turned to face me. “One goblet of archangel blood will fetch a fortune on the black market. Four? It’s extremely valuable.”

Oh. “Why?” I hated asking him questions, because each one gave him the opportunity to be a dick, but I was a curious soul, and I needed to know.

He squinted as he glared at me. “Your demon friends buy them to sell to the Black Mages for dark magic. Don’t act like you didn’t know that.”

Anger ripped through me, and my wings popped from my back as I stepped into his space. “I don’t have demon friends, you prick, and I didn’t know. You don’t know anything about me, so how about from now on, you don’t assume, and only speak to me when absolutely necessary.”

I blasted past him, knocking into him with one of my wings, and went to stand next to Raphael. He seemed like the only sane one in the bunch.

I suddenly regretted letting my wings out, because now the guards were staring at me like I was the angel of death, fascination mixed with fear in each and every one of their gazes. Considering one of the guards was a Centaur, half his body a white horse, I shouldn’t have been the freak in the group.

Raphael smiled as I approached, seemingly oblivious to the effect my wings were having on everyone.

“This is Brielle, your charge,” he told the guards. Each one nodded slightly when I made eye contact with them.

Raphael then turned to Lincoln. “Protect her well and report back to me when it’s done.”

My eyes widened. “You’re not coming?”

He smiled softly. “If I went, it would be like painting a target on your back. It’s best if Lincoln and the others take care of you from now on.”

I swallowed hard. I felt so safe around him—probably because he was a freaking archangel, but still. I didn’t want to go anywhere with Lincoln. He was an asshole, who hated me, and treated me like a demon-loving piece of shit.

Raphael’s mouth turned into a frown. “Be patient with those who appear to be against you,” he whispered in my ear, patting my shoulder. “Not all is as it seems.” Pulling back, he gave me a fatherly look, and a feeling of warmth and peace trickled down my arm. My wings drew into my back again.