Even at twenty years old, a girl still needs her mom.
Chapter Twenty-Four
The next morning, I awoke to a strong hand massaging my back. I inhaled and smelled bacon and coffee. My eyelids snapped open and drank in the sight of my man. Lincoln was sitting on my dorm room bed, rubbing my back in slow, soothing circles.
“Hey, it’s afternoon. I wanted to make sure you were okay,” he whispered.
I eyed the milky coffee, the plate of eggs and bacon on my dresser, and nodded. “I’m fine now,” I declared, shoving two full strips of bacon in my mouth in one go. If a man brought you coffee and bacon in bed, you marry that man.
Lincoln chuckled. “I’m glad to hear it.” He wrapped his hand around my left one and spun the ring on my finger. “Not exactly how I thought that night was going to end.”
Yeah, tell me about it.
He looked around the room at the balloons and toilet paper. “At least it looks like you got a little celebration.”
I chugged the coffee, feeling my soul finally join my body, something only coffee was capable of doing. “This is my life. Black wings, devil marks and… what happened last night.” I wanted him to know what he was in for.
Lincoln frowned. “But it won’t always be. This war is going to end, and we’re going to live… forever, really.”
Forever.
Whoa.
I’d conveniently forgotten about the immortality thing. Live forever unless killed.
I nodded. “But if it doesn’t, and I’m always going to be hunted by him…”
Him. I couldn’t even say his name anymore.
Lincoln shrugged. “Then we’ll deal with it. Together.”
I sighed, nuzzling my head into his neck. He always knew the perfect thing to say.
Tonight was Lincoln’s surprise captain’s promotion.
I glanced at the clock to see it was already three. I’d slept all day.
‘No more Celestial balls. Bad idea, not worth it,’ Sera exclaimed.
‘Agreed.’
“I should shower,” I told Lincoln and peeled back my covers. He looked at my bare legs and his eyes hooded.
“I could use a shower too.” He scooped me into his arms, lifting me off the bed.
Laughter erupted from my belly as he walked me into the bathroom. Threading my fingers through his hair, I couldn’t help but appreciate how perfect Lincoln Grey was in that moment.
I wanted to freeze it and capture it forever.
That night, Noah snuck me into the reception hall, and I sat at the large white cloth-covered table with Lincoln’s closest friends. Lincoln had been on the stage under the guise that he was helping Raphael honor some other Fallen Army soldiers, which they did. But when Raphael introduced his surprise promotion, I started to cry. He’d listed off my man’s achievements, including the numerous lives he’d saved, and families he’d brought to the safety of Angel City. It was a beautiful ceremony, and when Lincoln saw I was there, he’d beamed with pride.
Now we were at the after party. The archangels had gone home, the music was loud, and Shea, Luke, and Chloe had officially crashed the party.
I was dancing with Lincoln when he leaned into my ear. “I’m thirsty. Want a drink?”
I nodded.
As he made his away off the dance floor, Shea twerked her way over to me, much to the dismay of Noah who had been grinding up on her.
“So, I’ve been thinking.” Shea shouted over the music. “If you’re stuck on campus for the next few years, I’d bet we could convince Raph to give us our own dorm rooms next year, right next to each other.”
I smiled. “Really? You’d stay in the lame dorms with me, even though everyone else will be getting apartments?”
Shea nodded. “What can I say? I’m just that good of a friend.”
I laughed. She really was and I told her so.
After a nod, she leaned in closer. “Did you hear that Fallen Academy will only be open a few more years? After that, all of the children left will be human.”
Her declaration shocked the crap out of me. I quickly did the math and realized she was right. I was five when the war started, so five years after entering the academy, the last angel gifted or demon blessed teen would have their Awakening ceremony and then…
“What are they going to do with the school?” I’d completely stopped dancing by that point, enthralled with the conversation.
Shea looked left and right, as if she was about to reveal some big secret. “I heard Raphael was going to start a demon hunter academy. Training humans.”