Naberius was silent for a moment. "My girlfriend."
Asmodeus could barely control the urge to crush the phone with his hand. Had Naberius learned nothing? Had the Rebels continued mating with the humans after everything they had been through? He kept his voice level as he addressed his brother. "You are with a human?"
Asmodeus caught sight of the expression on the witch's face. His eyes had likely changed back to black, causing her to become concerned. He would have tried to alleviate her fear, but her silence served him well. Perhaps she had finally figured out exactly who she had summoned.
"No." Naberius sighed. "It's a long story, but don't concern yourself. I have handled the situation and the echelon is not ignorant of the circumstances. We can discuss it when you get here."
Asmodeus held his hand out in gesture for Brianna to leave. She opened the door and he followed. The air fell against his skin, warm and refreshing as he stepped out of the house. A half-moon hung in a sky with very few stars surrounding it. The city he was currently in seemed to light the night sky, making it difficult to see the cosmic wonders.
"So she is not a human?" he asked, unwilling to let the matter drop.
"Listen, Asmoday. Valencia is a vampire. She's unable to get pregnant."
Asmodeus stopped just as he reached for the handle to the car. "A vampire?"
"It's a long story."
"Well—"
Asmodeus jumped when a sharp sound came from the vehicle. He bent down and looked inside the window to see the witch with her hand on the steering device.
"You can get in and talk on the phone at the same time, you know," she yelled at him.
"Woman," he warned. Truth be told, he was surprised to find that he liked the defiance in her much better than the fear he'd sensed from her earlier.
When he settled in his seat he tensed as the witch leaned across him, laying her body over his.
"It's easier to buckle you than explain the process."
Her hair tickled his face. Her wildflower scent wafted up to him. The feel of her body pressed against his ignited a hunger he hadn't experienced in centuries. This feeling went far beyond his appraisal of her earlier. The arousal. All he had to do was wrap his arms around her to keep her body against his.
She finished strapping him in with a long piece of material.
"It's the law. You have to wear this when riding in a vehicle."
Naberius spoke. "Do you want me to give her directions?"
"Yes." He handed the phone to her and began tugging at the strap that lay across his chest.
"Yeah, I know where that is. Okay. Sure will." She snapped the phone shut.
The constrictions of the strap she placed around him didn't seem necessary, and it set him on edge. For so long he had been forced to endure all measures of torture, and though this paled in comparison, he felt controlled, as though he had no choice in the matter. He needed to take his mind off the restraints. "Your fear faded quickly."
She turned in her seat and started backing the vehicle up. "I plan on dropping you off and coming back home, now that you know someone in the area. I'll face whatever consequences pertain to my summoning, but I want my knife back."
Her defiance was becoming less and less amusing. "You will summon Michael first. Then if you are successful I will release you and return your dagger."
The muscles in her jaw moved under her skin and anger pulsed off her. Like him, she did not tolerate being controlled. "Fine."
He settled back in his seat as much as the small space would allow. His body still ached from the Abyss. He was starting to feel cold and weary. The foreign feeling did not settle well underneath his skin. It would take some time to decompress in this realm. The pain was a far cry from what he had grown accustomed to, but the ache in his joints and muscles nagged him.
The stop and go of the vehicle made him ill, though her control of the vehicle made the strap he was wearing understandable. More than once he had to put his hand on the door to the vehicle to keep his body upright.
His stomach objected to the food she had given him, though he had not eaten much. Different colored lights coming from overhead metal, lights from other vehicles coming and going, all added to his sense of unease. He closed his eyes, convincing himself they would arrive at Naberius's soon.
In the Abyss he hadn't slept as it had not been an option available to him. No matter how tired you became, no matter if you thought you couldn't take the pain any longer, relief was always denied.
Pleasure forbidden.
He allowed the vehicle to lull him, seduce him to give in to sleep. In this realm he could do as he pleased. He now had the free will the Angelic host lacked.