I expected the exertion from our love-making to send me off to dream world, but instead, my mind kept racing. I felt more energized than I should have considering I was two-and-a-half days past a good night's sleep.

Lucas had his eyes closed. His chest rose and fell in even breaths. I watched him for a moment. Peaceful. Untouched by whatever horror he'd experienced.

Had he experienced any horror?

I wrinkled my nose at the thought. He didn't look unscathed, but he also didn't look like he'd been tortured for almost three days. Hell, he'd looked worse after a half hour with the sentinels. If this angel was the same one who had killed his parents like I suspected why did he seem so unconcerned?

"Lucas?" I shook his shoulder until he opened his eyes.

"Yeah?"

He sounded half asleep. Figured. Five minutes after sex and he was passed out. It was a stereotype for a reason.

"What happened while he had you?"

He sighed, annoyed. "You want to talk about this now?"

"He's still out there. Who knows what he will do while you get your beauty sleep."

He narrowed his eyes.

I rested my chin on his chest and softened my voice. "I'm sorry. It's bothering me that it isn't bothering you. I feel like you're keeping something from me."

"I'm not keeping anything from you. If we keep going after the angel, our luck will run out. We aren't strong enough to stop him."

"What about Terrance and the others? The angel didn't let them go. Who will avenge them?"

"Vengeance isn't for the dead, love. It's for the living."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means no matter how many times you say this is about righting the injustice, the truth is, you're doing this for yourself."

His words hit a nerve. Damian had said something similar. It sounded worse coming from Lucas though. Lucas was supposed to be in my corner, and yet he called me out.

"What do you think I get out of this?" I asked.

"I don't know, babe. That's something only you can answer."

His non-answer irritated me more than his original claim. I wouldn't deny I could be selfish, immature, and short-sighted. We all had our faults. But no matter if there was truth in Lucas' words, it didn't change that something had to be done.

"What happened to liking me because I don't let fear keep me from the right thing?"

He sat up and wouldn't look me in the eye. My suspicions rose. He knew something he was holding back. I couldn't figure out if it were because he was trying to protect me or trying to protect someone else.

There was only one person he would protect other than me, but I didn't want to go there. I feared voicing my thoughts would destroy the bond between us. He was wrong about me. I let my fear keep me from doing what was right.

"If we do nothing, he'll keep killing. Can you live with that?" I asked.

"Gods, do you have any idea what losing you would do to me? It would destroy me. I love you. Your safety trumps any guilt I'd feel for doing nothing."

"What makes you think we're safe?"

"He let me go, and he thinks you're dead. Unless we keep poking the boar, we should be okay."

"It's poking the beast, not a boar. Where did you get boar?"

He lifted an eyebrow. "Now you're just arguing to argue."

"So he said nothing?"

Lucas averted his gaze, looking a bit guilty. "He told me to say hi to my dad for him."

His words confirmed the suspicions I hadn't even wanted to think. "How many nephilim are a part of your father's network?"

Lucas jumped to his feet. "Don't go there, Lex."

"How many nephilim have turned up dead or missing on his watch?"

"For fuck’s sake, Lex. Shut. Up."

The denial was strong with this one. It broke my heart. I wanted to take back my words. But just like a loose thread, I needed to pull until I unraveled everything.

"Was he the same angel who killed your parents?"

His face turned red. I'd pushed too hard. I should have apologized, backpedaled even. Dragged him back down into the sheets and slept the rest of the day away.

Maybe things would have turned out differently.

Hindsight was a bitch.

"I know you don't want to believe it. I don't blame you. But can you really dismiss my suspicions?"

"I'll go talk to him, but I will not jump to conclusions because of baseless accusations."

I didn't think they were baseless at all. Then again, if someone had told me Damian was responsible for the deaths of six innocents, I'd probably flip out on them, too.

"You're too close to this."

"He raised me as his own. He taught me to ride a bike, drive a car. He is a good man." There was an edge of pleading in his voice like if he could convince me I was off base, he could wash away his doubts.

I could understand where Lucas was coming from, and I hated putting him in this position, but I trusted my gut.

The doorbell rang.

Speak of the devil.