Azazeal, Lucifer and their Ladies did eventually make it down to dinner with the household that night, however to Jaenelle's irritation neither of them were in a mood for the debriefing she had in mind.
"It can wait until tomorrow, love," Daemon crooned to her and stroked her arm, "But you can interrogate me all you like."
She did a cute double take, glancing at him, back at the angels, and then back at him again when his meaning became clear to her. She would never get over how strong his sexual pull was, how it could distract her from anything, and how shocking it could be. She graced him with a feral smile and then turned her attention back to their guests.
Elizabeth was introspective and quiet. In her own thoughts, she was talking herself down from the heights of supremacy that she had risen to at Lucifer's encouragement. He had been particularly expressive: absolutely clear that his power was hers and that he belonged to her. Ela De he had vowed several times, "Only you." Ay Naneel Elusada Na Adno Ela De, he had insisted, "With my power at your feet, I obey only you." Elizabeth was used to his professions by now but sometimes even she was shaken by them.
Lucifer was calm but barely company ready, not prepared to acknowledge anyone, however something in him changed when he took in Azazeal's state.
Cassie appeared, not worried, but sort of uncertain about something, while Azazeal had eyes only for her. Elizabeth normally would have been more helpful but she was distracted.
When Cassie sat, Azazeal alighted next to her. As she greeted everyone and considered the table, he waited inconspicuously and then all of a sudden a piece of roast appeared on her plate. This would not have been strange if roast had been on the menu, but in actually Mrs. Beale had prepared a nice ham for dinner this evening.
Cassie jumped a little and then peered around the table to see if anyone had noticed. They had, although they were doing an excellent job of ignoring it. Cassie had no idea where he'd stolen it from but it was exactly what she had just thought to herself that she would have preferred for dinner. Elizabeth had told her that for the angels there was a fine line between reading actual human thoughts and those ideas that become more than just lines in our ongoing inner dialogue. Azazeal was apparently more sensitive than he usually was.
Cassie smiled at him in silent thanks and began to eat which thankfully encouraged him to begin the simple process of putting food on his own plate. Later on he stood unexpectedly and regarded her with a hopeful pride that made her blush a little, but she quickly got him to sit down by neglecting the idea that she should have him work on getting the Kindred accepted more in to the Blood society. That mission could wait.
They all eat in personable conversation about nothing important for a while until after desert when Azazeal leaned over to Cassie and whispered, not quietly enough, that he wanted to be inside her.
The whole room froze in shocked silence as Cassie blanched and then turn deep red. What was more shocking than his words was the languidly sensual warmth that spread through everyone in the room when he said it.
"I know how he feels," Lucifer rumbled a few seconds later with all of his naughtiness behind it to distract them from Azazeal, but it worked only for a moment.
"Oh, leave the boy alone," Lucifer said, "He's finally waived the white flag. Let him enjoy it because it may not come so easily next time."
Most of the group regarded Lucifer in at least partial confusion, but Daemon started some innocuous conversation and attention moved away from Cassie and Azazeal.
After dinner was over, Daemon and Lucivar went to consult with Saetan about the day's events and get his suggestions, while the Ladies chose to be on their own, in part in order to leave Azazeal in Lucifer's care.
"Tell me you knew," Azazeal said to Lucifer after they had sat together in a profound silence for quite some time.
"Hmm?" Lucifer responded as if Azazeal had interrupted him in the middle of reading a book and he hadn't heard the question.
"Tell me you knew Cassie would make me happy and that you were jealous. Tell me that that was the reason you wanted a woman of your own. Tell me you knew when you met her that Elizabeth would not abuse you…would not damn you further or abandon you if you…tell me you knew all along."
"Do you ever…?" Elizabeth started and then stopped, "Have you ever…? I mean…" she stopped again and looked at Jaenelle and Cassie for a moment before continuing.
"Do you ever think about the power you have…the power that you control and just marvel at it?"
Both girls considered her question thoughtfully.
"Would it make you feel better if I had?" Lucifer asked.
"At least then I wouldn't have to contemplate how lucky we both have been."
"It wasn't luck, Azazeal, but it wasn't fate either. You know His plan lies somewhere in between."
"His plan, huh?" Azazeal laughed and Lucifer smiled, but their discussion of the divine would go no further.
"I knew that you had found something important and it intrigued me," Lucifer said, "You know what I had always been looking for and I thought if woman could cared for me like Cassie cared for you, it might take some of the pain away."
Azazeal regarded Lucifer patiently and said, "That's not what I asked."
"I fell in love with her before I considered the consequences."
"So did I," Azazeal said.
Jaenelle spoke first, "I've always had this power and I've always known how to handle powerful males." She paused, "I have felt out of place, misunderstood, and alienated but…Witch is a part of me and our world revolves around power…I've never taken the time to be amazed by it."
"Oh, I didn't…I didn't meant to accuse you of…" Elizabeth stuttered, but Jaenelle just smiled and waved a hand in friendly dismissal of the apology.
"It's not the same for you, I understand," Jaenelle said, "And we all should be a bit more appreciative of what we have."
The girls stood in silence for a moment and then Cassie said, "I've been to afraid to consider it. To really let myself realize what Azazeal and I could do together beyond the tasks I set for him. But I can tell that he's not going to let me get away with that any longer."
Elizabeth laughed.
"But with Lucifer it's a requirement, isn't it?" Cassie asked having known and wondered for quite some time how Elizabeth could handle a Being like that.
"It's…there are just…endless possibilities that boggle the mind and he just can't help show them to me and want to do those things for me. Sometimes it feels like his waiting on the balls of his feet and the incantations for anything I could want are all on the tip of his tongue just waiting and it's…it's just astounding."
"You know, Elizabeth," Cassie said, being familiar with that same feeling coming from Azazeal, "I've always thought that a good measure of astonishment is a good thing when it comes to living with angels. The minute we get too comfortable is the minute we loss perspective and start using them for ourselves."
"You're right," Elizabeth said, "It just overwhelms me sometimes."
"I know," Cassie said, "Now, stop thinking about yourself and explain to me what's wrong with Azazeal!" Cassie exclaimed and they all laughed for a while before Elizabeth explained what she knew about his silly angelic behavior.
"And what does it matter now," Lucifer said, "We could never have loved so strongly if they were not who they are."
Azazeal considered this and finally asked, "And you loved her enough, after a few weeks, to let me…?"
"Oh, geez, not that again," Lucifer interrupted, "I was desperate, the sex was so good and she was so stubborn I knew she had the backbone. I would have done anything to get her to realize that I was telling the truth, to let me please her. That's just what she wanted in that moment. And, as it happens, she it let her understand me better and it taught us both what pain could do to me. I could always give her that when I could give her nothing else and then you know what happens when I start giving," Lucifer smiled naughtily and Azazeal, who knew the snowball that started when an angel obeyed, gave his own tight-lipped smile in response and understood how Lucifer could go from a willing victim to an angel intent on pleasing.
"Of course all of that torturing of Ella may you far too handy with a whip, I must say," Lucifer continued lightly, "Elizabeth's…erotic," he shivered, "You're just brutal."
Azazeal laughed, proud of being called brutal when it came to exacting revenge, and then his laughter faded.
"I'm lost, aren't I? There is nothing left. I belong to her now."
"Feels good, doesn't it?"
Azazeal nodded, resigned and at the same time relived.
"Enjoy it. We're servants," Lucifer continued, "I'm just better at it than you are."
At this Azazeal laughed again, not willing to get into the age-old debate about the differences in their personalities, the way they had served in heaven and the way they served now. It was pointless. They knew that each angel had their role but here, outside of the perfect organization of heaven, it caused a human like jostling for status and recognition.