Raffe smiled like he knew something Penryn didn't. It was one of those lazy, almost-smirks that she really wished she could ignore. But she didn't, she couldn't because it was RAFFE. And she really wished he would stop giving her bedroom eyes when her sister was in the room, for goodness' sake!

No no no no they are NOT bedroom eyes, he is a freaking archangel and he is not gonna fall just for me. Not that it would be much different from his current predicament... And I do NOT have to let him affect me. Not at all.

"Raffe, just... Can't you stop playing games with us for ONCE, and TRY to be helpful?" a very frustrated Obi asked, clearly running out of patience.

Right. The meeting. Focus. On. The meeting, Penryn.

That infuriating smirk, like he had all the time in the world. Without lifting his eyes from Penryn, Raffe began to speak in a low, enchanting voice. "You want me to give up my family, my home, and my people? Is this what I'm hearing?"

Ugh why why why does it feel like he's trying to seduce me?

Penryn felt like she was iron and he was a magnet. He was simply irresistible.

Obi sighed, as if he knew this was coming. Actually, he probably DID know this was coming. "Yes. I know you have to be the one to ultimately make that choice, Raffe. But I am not above torturing an angel. I have done worse things to survive and keep my men alive, and I will not hesitate to do this. But it is your choice."

Raffe seemed to turn this over in his head, all the while wiggling his eyebrows obscenely at Penryn. "Okay, just checking. What do you need to know?"

Penryn breathed an actual sigh of relief. She didn't know exactly what she felt for Raffe, but he certainly deserved better than torture.

He deserved better than having his wings cut off.

Penryn looked over at Paige. The younger girl insisted on going everywhere with Penryn now. At first she thought it was because Paige was afraid in this new place, surrounded by strangers, but then she realized: her little sister didn't trust Raffe. Maybe it was because she had been experimented on by angels, or maybe it was because their mother didn't trust him. Either way, it became more evident the more she was in a room with Raffe.

Right now, Paige just looked tired. Like she carried the weight of the world on her shoulders.

Then again, who DOESN'T carry the weight of the world on their shoulders nowadays?

Penryn stood up, drawing the gaze of everyone in the room. "It's getting late, and Paige is tired. I'm going to take her back to our room." Nobody seemed to object. Paige made everyone just a tad bit nervous, with the odd exception of Raffe.

Note to self: find out why Raffe isn't scared of my sister.

As Penryn left the room, she was well aware of Raffe's smirk following her, almost like it was a puppy. Granted, it was a very cute puppy, and she might be a little glad it was following HER.

No, not glad. Not glad at all.

After Penryn had made sure Paige was asleep, she ever-so-quietly opened the door and slipped out. She had to go make sure Raffe knew it was NOT ok to try to seduce her in front of her innocent little sister. Also, how the HECK was she supposed to keep her cool in these meetings with him looking at her like he'd rather be doing much more... INTERESTING things with her?

She stopped outside of the room where Raffe was "staying." The guards outside looked at her with an amused look, but she gave them a look that said, "Hello, I've killed an angel with my bare hands! What have YOU done with your lives?" and they brought their expressions back to normal.

As she entered the room, it struck her that perhaps he was asleep. In the dark, she could make out a form under the blankets, and a soft sound that suggested he was- Penryn snickered- SNORING? seemed to accompany it. She turned to leave, because she started to feel immensely creepy. Think: EDWARD CULLEN creepy. That's when she heard her name.

At first, she thought she was imagining it, but then it came again, a little bit louder. Was he... Murmuring her name in his sleep? He suddenly flipped his body over, his new beastly wings getting tangled in the sheets, and let out a word that was not very angel-like. His blue eyes seemed to glow in the soft light coming through the tiny window in the corner.

"Am I dreaming, or are you finally waking up to the marvels of my beauty?" His voice sounded sleepy, yet with an alertness that reminded her that he is, or was, a soldier.

"I'm sorry, I thought you were very opposed to the very idea of doing anything that would get you kicked out of heaven. And do you mean to say you actually DO like me after all?"

Everything seemed to slow down, and something seemed to give way inside Raffe, because the next minute he was sighing and making room for her on the bed, as if it were some great imposition. Penryn gaped at him.

"I am NOT here for that, Raphael. I am here to tell you to quit giving me those..."

"Scandalous? Steamy? Breathtakingly captivating?" Raffe supplied.

"I believe the word I am looking for is CONSTIPATED. Quit giving me those constipated looks while my sister is in the room, if you please." Penryn felt a small triumph, but then Raffe moved quicker than she'd ever seen him move, and then his hand was on her wrist dragging and his body was pulling hers against it, and his arms were wrapping around her. She swore she heard him let out a sigh of relief, and she realized that the last time he had held her in his arms was when he thought she was DEAD. This was his assurance, that she was alive, that she wasn't going anywhere. He was walking them slowly backward, toward the bed. She pulled away, only to tell him that she had to leave, but there was something in his eyes that begged her to stay, to not leave him alone with his demons. With himself. So she didn't object when he pulled her down onto the bed with him, and she almost expected him to kiss her, but he just pulled her in as close as he could to his chest, his new wings loose against his back, scratching at the wall behind him. He pulled her to him, and he buried his face into her neck, inhaling the scent of her hair. He stayed like that for a long time, until Penryn started to feel wet drops fall onto her neck. He was crying.

"Penryn?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry I said I didn't like you."