24. Evangeline

My eyes fluttered open, and I was greeted by white light. I sat up and looked around at the white void. Well, this wouldn’t do. I needed to get back to my men.

“You’ve done well, Evangeline,” a soft voice said behind me.

I whirled around to see God herself standing there. “Am I dead?”

“Not yet,” she replied.

That wasn’t ominous. “And how do I make sure that doesn’t happen?” I asked.

“As I said, you’ve done well, but rules are rules, even for the death angel.”

Oh, for crispy cracker’s sake. “I’ve kinda had a long day. Do you think we could cut out the riddles?”

“You have a choice. I could heal you—“

“That one,” I said, cutting her off, “I choose that one.”

She gave me an admonishing look as she continued speaking. “I could heal and reinstate you as an angel, but you would have to denounce the hellhounds as your mates.”

“Or?”

“Or I let you die,” she replied. “You know how this works, Evangeline. You can’t be saved while also fornicating with the enemy.”

“They aren’t the enemy!” I yelled in frustration. “Have you learned nothing from all of this? Not everyone who is “good” is pure, and not everyone who is “bad” is evil. The world needs both to survive and maintain balance.”

“Are you choosing death, then?” she asked, ignoring my statement.

“How could you be like this? After everything I’ve done, how could you possibly stand there and tell me I have to die or choose you over my mates?”

“Angels don’t have mates, Evangeline. I’m not sure why you feel that connection with them, but it can’t continue if you choose to become an angel again.”

I stared at her dumbfounded. She was serious. She would let me die rather than save my life and let me live the rest of it with my mates.

“What is your decision?”

“My mates. Always,” I replied firmly. “If you’re making me choose, I’ll pick them every day, all day.”

God sighed sadly. “Suit yourself.”

She disappeared, and I sat cross-legged on the white floor and wrapped my arms around myself. I’ve placed all of my eggs in Lucifer’s basket now. Maybe there’s something he can do once my soul arrives in Hell.