Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

ASMODEUS

" M aybe this is exactly the sort of thing to bring both sides back into the gray." I brushed a stray hair out of his face. "It's been black or white for so long for so many of us. Each side thought they were the right side to be on. Maybe Fate brought us together to show us a better way into the future."

"I agree." Mal stood and refilled his mug from the coffee carafe. "If we can get both of your families on board, which will go a long way in soothing other families' fears about a war breaking out. "

"The younger generations don't care as much as the older generations about things that happened in the past, so if we went out in public and announced an alliance of the two families, it would be well received by us younger angels and demons. Then, if we can get your parents to speak out, the older population will accept it as well." Jo took a bite of his Danish.

"Then, we will go to our parents and tell them of our mating and encourage them to give their blessing publicly." I closed my notebook and laid down my pen. Now, why don't you tell us where you two went off to yesterday and why we had to postpone this meeting? No lies and no evading. The truth. Now."

"We don't have?—"

"He's the guy from last year." Jo shrugged when he interrupted Mal with the truth. "We had some things to figure out before we could start working together."

"And is everything worked out?" Zadkiel raised his brow. He apparently knew much more than I did about this situation and would need to catch me up on all the details later.

"As much as we can for now. We don't know what tomorrow holds for us, but we will work together and put our past on the back burner." Jo looked at Mal, and my friend nodded in agreement.

"Are you sure that's what you both want?" I had a strong inkling that was not what either of them wanted.

"Right now, that is what we need to do. We can't have you two mating and them simultaneously introducing another demon/angel match. We can figure out our stuff later. We need to focus on you two and the future of the earthbound demons and angels."

"Okay, I'll let it be for now. But, once we have this situation worked out, we will revisit this." I hugged my friend and saw Zadkiel hug Jo. "Now, let's go talk to our parents and introduce the new world."

***

"We cannot have this," my father bellowed from his office desk chair. "My son cannot marry an angel. We are demons. The two do not mix."

"But they do." My mother placed a hand on her husband's shoulder. "Who are we to defy Fate, my love? To deny our own son the happiness of his true perfect mate? Stop this nonsense and let the boy introduce his idea on how this can help us mend the bad blood between our two peoples. I would love to be able to go to the angels' clubs again. Don't you remember how much fun we used to have there?"

I never saw my father blush before, but my mother's words had him fighting a grin and turning a bright shade of crimson. Whatever they had gotten up to at those clubs, I hoped I never found out if that was how the memory made my father react.

"You're right, my sweet." My father kissed my mother's hand and pulled her down to sit on his lap. "I seem to have forgotten that we are not in control of who Fate has deemed our perfect match. And I know that if anything had stood in my way of mating with you, I would have burnt down entire cities and killed generations to overcome the obstacle standing in our way."

"But our kids shouldn't have to go to such lengths." My mother smiled at my father before looking back at Zadkiel and me. "We will call for a meeting with the heads of the councils in the demon districts tomorrow night. We will advise the council if you have also received your parents' blessing by tomorrow night. The following morning, all news outlets for demon kind will be broadcasting that a new treaty has been made between the earthbound demons and earthbound angels and that no longer will there be a threat of war between our kind."

"Thank you, Mother." I hugged both my parents and loved it when Zad happily hugged them afterward.

"Go and make sure your parents are on board, Zadkiel." My father stood and walked us toward the door. "This will only work if both sides agree."