Bishop cocked his head to the side, a smile curling the corner of his mouth. “Oh, don’t worry, Samantha. I remember everything.”
I gaped at him. “You do?”
“And for the record, I wasn’t totally dead. Just mostly dead.” He swept his gaze over the area lined with trees that had lost almost all their leaves this late in the fall. “I’m glad you followed me. I needed to speak with you alone.”
I stared at him. “How can you act so ‘whatever’ about this? You nearly died! You were pulled back to Heaven and...it’s no big deal?”
“You’re angry.”
“Furious. Seven days, Bishop! I’ve been grieving you for seven days. I thought I’d lost you and...and you just randomly start going to my school? Why are you back?”
“I would have contacted you before, but I couldn’t.” He raised an eyebrow. “Sounds like you missed me.”
I crossed my arms, glaring at him even though my previously shattered heart was now pounding with sheer joy. “Less and less each moment that passes and you don’t tell me what happened.”
This made him laugh, and for the first time, there wasn’t an edge of insanity to it that I could hear.
“You’re fixed?” I asked, breathless. “The soul you had...”
He nodded. “Gone. They tried to fix me and they did a good job. However, it couldn’t all be reversed. I guess I’ll always be a little unhinged.” He crossed his arms and regarded me carefully. “You’re still a nexus. You gave your soul away to save Carly and Stephen.”
I tensed. “I had no choice. If I didn’t, they’d be dead.”
His expression turned serious again. “Heaven and Hell aren’t big fans of nexi.”
“So I’ve heard.” I took a deep breath. “So, what now? Are you back as a new student of McCarthy High, or an angel of death to take care of a little problem named Samantha Day?”
“Both. Heaven knows what you did, Samantha. What you were willing to do to save the world from your father, to save your friends. It’s earned you some respect. But you’re still a nexus, which means you need to be watched.”
“Watched,” I said tentatively. “Not killed.”
“No, not killed. So that’s why I’m here. I requested this new mission personally. Consider me your brand-new guardian angel.” He gave me a wicked grin. “If that’s okay with you?”
This was the last thing I expected. I had no words to reply—not right away. It was all too incredible.
Again, he sobered. “I mean, if you want them to assign someone else...I know Connor could handle it and...”
“No,” I said quickly, not able to repress my smile a moment longer. “I’m more than okay with this arrangement.”
His grin returned. “Well, good. And by the way, the future’s not set. As a nexus, you have the powers of both Heaven and Hell inside you and with your special status in the eyes of Heaven, you have the opportunity to be transitioned to fully angel if you choose to be.”
“Angel?” I said, startled. “Me? Are you serious?”
“Very serious.” He drew closer, until we were almost touching. “I think you’d make an amazing angel, Samantha.”
“Nah,” another familiar voice said nearby. “She’d make a way cooler demon.”
My gaze shot to the left to see Kraven approach.
The demon grinned at me. “For the record, I remember everything just fine and dandy, too, and I have my entire mental faculties intact, unlike ninety-eight percent over here.”
Bishop’s jaw tightened. “I thought you were going to let me talk to her on my own first.”
“I lied. Deal with it.” Kraven walked a slow circle around me, his gaze sweeping the length of my body. “So, sweetness, I’m back. Don’t throw yourself into my arms and embarrass yourself. We got plenty of time for that.”
I knew he was joking, but at this very moment, I kind of felt like giving the demon a huge hug since I was genuinely delighted to see him. Instead, I restrained myself and tried to act blasé. “You’re here, too? Why?”
“Balance. Duh.” He shrugged. “Heaven sent someone to keep an eye on the potentially dangerous little nexus. Hell had to ante up, as well. And I’m the one they sent. Shocker, right?”
“Total shocker.” Of course. The balance, couldn’t forget about that. Heaven and Hell working together yet again, and I was the reason for it this time. I was both amused and a little disconcerted that they thought I might be that much of a threat someday. For now, anyway, I felt as close to normal as I ever could, even with the supernatural energy emanating off both boys now nudging my inherited hunger back to life.
“Roth gives his regards,” Kraven said. “Back to his regular routine. Hopefully he’ll forget all about that angel.”
“You think that’s possible?”
“Not a chance. Anyway, don’t be too disappointed, but I gotta skedaddle. Things to do, places to go, gorgeous women to meet. I’m sure my little brother will keep a close eye on you and he won’t mind me slacking a bit. Right, kid?”
“Don’t call me kid,” Bishop said.
“Remember my offer on the demon thing, sweetness,” Kraven said. “Infernal transitions don’t always go smoothly, but there’s never a dull day. But for now I’ll leave you two alone. Enjoy it while it lasts.”