It hadn't been hard convincing Azazeal to scale down the assault on Kaeleer.
"Just be confident and practical," Elizabeth had told Cassie, "He's not likely to get offended, it's not really in their nature, just tell him you were thinking of something smaller and work with him to pare it down to just essentials."
Cassie had nodded.
"Oh, and Bilarel's coming too," Elizabeth had said and Cassie had made face indicating that, while she loved Bilarel, she didn't want to have to convince Azazeal that he was essential.
"Don't argue with me, he's not going to leave my side anyway and he might be helpful."
"Alright, fine, but he's your responsibility," Cassie had admonished in mock authority and went off to handle Azazeal.
When the considerably smaller group was introduced to Jaenelle and Daemon before they would be allow to enter Kaeleer, they were pleasantly surprised at how much they liked all of the angels (of course Cassie could have told them that they would). Azazeal introduced them to each one and explained their function, not that either Jaenelle or Daemon really understood, but it felt right to know.
So, discussions were had and strategies were developed and a date was set for the roll out of the project to give Mother Night some teeth. It would take time, quite a bit of time in fact, but it was a process and Jaenelle hoped that it would help the people of her world monitor themselves.
Cassie had been infected by Azazeal's excitement and they were quickly absorbed in the details and intricacies of the undertaking.
Elizabeth, however, was initially distracted by a heart-wrenching calamity that shook her to the core. As soon as Bilarel saw Surreal, he latched on to her. Now, Elizabeth liked Surreal and deep down she knew she deserved someone that loved her like Bilarel could but she just couldn't let him do this.
"Bilarel, please," she pleaded, "Don't do this."
But he just smiled at her with his warm and knowing look and said, "She needs me."
Elizabeth knew this would happen the next time he found someone. It was always as if he forgot all of the pain he'd just been in or that somehow after finding someone that needed him, he was willing to risk it again. And she could not stop him, well, she could order him not to see her, she had that kind of authority, though she'd never used it, but what would be the point? It was his calling and who was she to gainsay that.
"Just don't fall in love with her," Elizabeth said, in hopes it would work, "She's a good woman but she's a hard woman, don't force it."
Bilarel beamed more brightly at her and his smile of deep understanding comforted her even in her worry for him. He bent down and kissed her cheek before turning away to find he's new friend.
All Elizabeth could hope now was that he didn't fall in love with her. He had helped many people over the years without getting too attached and had a large group of friends for whom he was always there, though they didn't know that he used angelic powers to do so. It was the ones that, for whatever reason, he fell head over heals for who caused the profound grief that Elizabeth had helped him through so many times. She knew she would do it again and as many times as he needed, but she didn't want to have to see the reason for his pain right in front of her every time she visited Kaeleer.
Eventually, Elizabeth shook her concern off and focused on the matter at hand. They all visited Kaleer regularly for several months working with Jaenelle, Daemon, and Lucivar through Kaeleer and then began preparations to take on Terrelle.
For a little break the Ladies decided that another trip to the beach was required. Mostly for the relaxation this time, rather than swimming, so Elizabeth took them to a favorite spot of hers with soft white sand and no one, literally, for miles. Cassie didn't even know where they were and didn't want to ask.
Before they had left, they had been gathered in Elizabeth's California home to equip themselves, when Cassie snickered and whispered something to Jaenelle. She then asked rather loudly if Elizabeth had some baby oil because she liked to mix her suntan lotion with it. Elizabeth suppressed a smile and said, "Oh sure!" but the real fun was watching Lucifer's face go slack and his eyes widen comically.
When she got a chance later, Jaenelle said, "You have to tell me what gets Lucifer to worked up at the mention of this stuff."
"Just put a little in your hand," Elizabeth said, "and knead it into Daemon's skin and you'll find out. It's not actually the best stuff for a massage, but…it does the trick."
On a whim one day earlier in their relationship (and after their sons were on their own), Elizabeth had decided that she just wanted to touch Lucifer. It happened sometimes, this strange urge to just run her hands over him, but she felt she deserved to do what she wanted considering all the time she had spent under the spell of his skillful attentions.
She'd laid out towels on the bed and he'd rather cockily stripped and stretched out on his stomach for her when she asked. In a moment of inspiration, she'd grabbed the baby oil and the rest was the satisfying feel of his hard and slick muscles beneath her hands and the low rumble of his contentment. When his rumble had died down, she turned him over and sound returned with renewed force until eventually, after she'd covered every inch of him, she left him in a half dozing state in which he looked extremely cute.
About fifteen minutes later, he had appeared in front of her in the living room, still nude, still glistening, and just looked at her and then himself and then her again, until she motioned for him to come over to her and, with utter disregard for the mess he was making, he laid on the couch, putting his head in her lap. She slid her hand onto his chest and continued reading her book. He didn't put on clothes or move out of her reach for the rest of the day.
Lucifer had told Azazeal and Azazeal had informed Cassie, of course this was before Cassie had realized that to be 'informed' of something by Azazeal generally meant it was important. Azazeal had started to develop his whole theory of the significance of touch around this occurrence and what Lucifer had told him about it, but Cassie merely found it entertaining to randomly mention baby oil and watch Lucifer's reaction. She knew more about the incident now but it was still uplifting to get under his skin.
Lucifer had explained to Elizabeth later that in that moment as he had stood there in bewilderment he hadn't known what to do with his body anymore, he hadn't known what it was for if it wasn't experiencing her touch and that had made the separation between them distressing. He'd always thought of himself as hers but that was the first time he'd felt it as a physical imperative that went beyond mere sexual desire. It was on that day that solidified his fascination with feeling her touch him, elevating it to the level of meaning that it currently held. Conversely, it was also the day he suspected that if she ever actually punished him in anger again that it would hurt now in a way that was completely unlike their sex play.