I came to lying on a warm body with white wings that smelled of roses wrapped around me.

"Azza..."

"Olivia," he breathed, "come back to us."

I could feel him trickling his energy into me. It was slow enough not to create the overwhelming need for him but fast enough to revive me.

I wanted to ask what had happened, but I was still too weak. It turned out I didn't need to.

"I'm tellin' y'all, Lucifer, I did nothin'! I swear!" Laz was proclaiming. "I couldn't portal anymore. Olivia decided to boost me rather than to portal me everywhere. I had no idea she was here without your knowledge."

Lucifer mumbled something.

"She came, released all this energy, and then passed out. I fetched y'all when I couldn't revive her."

Again, mumbling.

"I didn't take anythin' she didn't give. I didn't know she was givin' too much. Are you sayin' she doesn't know what she's doin'?"

My voice came out dry and thready. "Stop." I was enough for Azza to hear.

"Lucifer, she's asking for the two of you to stop arguing," Azza announced with a rough voice.

The bed moved, and Azza's wings opened. I protested to the loss of warmth, but Lucifer pulled me onto him and wrapped me up while Azza got up to talk to Laz.

"Azza, why haven't you taught her?" Death asked. I caught a glimpse of him pacing.

"I didn't know she'd advanced this fast, Laz."

I sighed. "What are they talking about, Lucifer?" I wiggled into a more comfortable position in his arms.

Lucifer tried to keep his voice neutral. "You have the ability to draw in, then release energy, love. Only, you do not yet have a feel for what energy is yours and what is not."

"So, I gave him everything?"

"Nearly so, Olivia. You were unresponsive and nearly gone when we arrived. Azza, once again, helped you recover." He hugged me as his voice broke. "I will have him teach you," he whispered. "Death cannot have you yet."

My brow wrinkled. "Why would that be bad. I mean, why would dying be bad? Wouldn't I just go to Hell? How would that be different than my life now?"

He shifted under me and rolled me off to one side so he could look at me as we talked. He kept me covered in softness as he did.

"I do not know what would happen to your soul, Olivia. By all accounts, you should come to Hell with me. But..."

My eyes grew wide. "But, there's a chance I'd go to Heaven?"

He lifted a curl from my face. "Maybe," he whispered. "I do not trust He would allow you to stay with me."

I sighed and closed my eyes. "More pettiness."

"Yes. I do not want to risk it. Not yet."

The bed moved again.

"Olivia?" Death asked me, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." I no longer had a deep rage I'd felt from what seemed like so long ago. Maybe I'd fed it to him, too. "I'm just cold, tired, and hungry."

"Do you have a tub, Laz? And something sweet to eat?"

"I don't, but I do have some brownies." He moved off the bed and headed to his kitchen.

"Do you feel like sitting up, Olivia? You still need more energy before we can move you properly. I can hold you, and Lucifer can feed you."

"Yes," I agreed. Once Azza was situated, sitting against the headboard, Lucifer helped me crawl into his lap. I sighed when his power began to fill me again, ever so slowly and dropped my head to rest on his chest.

Death returned with a breakfast tray complete with a plated brownie and a glass of milk. He held it while Lucifer got comfortable next to us and then handed it to his friend.

"What can I do?" he asked, looking awkward while my Fallen Angels were tending me.

"Go check on the candidate," I suggested. It's what started this whole mess, after all.

He nodded. "Right." He opened a portal and stepped through.

I didn't have the strength to hope. So, I focused on taking the treat Lucifer offered me. It wasn't hard to allow myself to be distracted; the brownie was extraordinary. "Mmm, that's so good!" I couldn't help but exclaim around the bite I was chewing.

Laughter rumbled in Azza's chest. Even Lucifer's severe facade smiled. I was almost finished with the chocolate pastry when Death returned. I knew before I even looked at him the young woman had said no.

"We will keep tryin', Olivia," Laz assured me.

"Yes. We will." I agreed with conviction.

He thrust his hands in his pockets and looked at the floor. "May—May I join you?" he asked, almost a whisper.

Lucifer looked at me; it was my decision. I nodded.

Laz crawled up on the bed to join us and reach out to touch my leg. I think it was as much to comfort himself as it was to comfort me. But, when I felt his warmth on my skin, everything I'd gained from Azza blossomed and began to drain away.

Laz immediately withdrew his hand and stared at it. "I'm—I'm so sorry, Olivia!" he stammered, wide-eyed.

I instinctively drew up my legs, but he was sincere.

"She's still open to you," Azza explained. "Olivia, I need you to do something for me." He shifted under me, getting more comfortable. "We need to close the connection between you and Laz. Visualize a door. Can you do that?"

I closed my eyes and nodded, doing as he asked. I didn't explain my door was black with a skull carved in it. It seemed a private thing. "Yes. Okay.

"Good. Now, the door is open, and you see Laz on the other side."

Laz appeared wearing jeans and nothing else. My desire for him began to rise. Azza stiffened a little, so I knew he felt my response.

Azza cleared his throat. "Now, imagine the door shutting. Laz will still be on the other side. You can sense him, but you can't touch him."

My door turned into transparent crystal. I reached for the knob and gently shut it, creating a barrier between the two of us, but I could still see, hear, and even smell him. The attraction remained.

"Okay, the door is shut. What now?"

"Hold the image and let Laz touch you again. Focus on not opening the door."

I nodded and braced myself. Azza gave a nod to Laz, who touched me again. This time, it was just a touch, not a siphon. We sat, his hand on me, and Laz moved his thumb to caress me. I couldn't help it, but it excited me. I swallowed against the rising lust, whimpering.

Azza knew precisely what was happening. "Don't give in, Olivia," he whispered. "You have to keep your energy for yourself. Pull back and step away from the door."

I envisioned the door again. Laz was reaching for me, palms on the crystal. All I needed to do was turn the knob... I whirled away, turning my back on the door. It locked, and I blew out a sigh of relief.

"Good." Azza nestled me closer. "Now you have a way to help control when you share and how much. It will take practice, though. Lucifer and I can help."

"Thank you, Azza." I lifted my head. "Lucifer?"

My Fallen Angel smiled at me, reaching for another curl. "Yes, love?"

"Can I have more brownie?"

It was not what he expected to hear, and it took a moment before he began to laugh.

"Hey, it's a good brownie!" I proclaimed, smiling.

It took another one, the glass of milk, and cuddling with Azza for about an hour before I could move sufficiently to try and walk. I asked to go home.

Laz and Lucifer helped me out of Azza's lap and off the bed. I was wobbly but functional. Death stepped in front of me and cupped my face with a hand. "I am sorry, Olivia."

With a half-smile, I answered, "I know, Laz. I also know we might need to do this again before all this is over."

He sighed and closed his eyes. "Yes, probably."

"We will deal with that when the time comes," Lucifer announced. "But, for now, we are taking her home."

Laz waved a portal for us, and we stepped through into our bedroom.

The morning proved to be better for me; I was much more myself. Lucifer was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when he woke and kissed me goodbye as he portaled off to some function at the Vatican. Azza, on the other hand, looked haggard. He'd stayed up and seeped energy into me all night. He slept while I got started for the day, but I made a point of hugging him when he stuck his head in my office door.

"Stay here with me today?" I asked.

He was surprised. "You haven't wanted us around when you're working."

"Well, I don't want you to risk interfering, but I'm worried about you. Just take it easy today, and go back to bed. I'll wake you for lunch when Deirdre and Mrs. Hamilton get back from the museum."

He yawned. "Yes, I think that would be a good idea." He shuffled away back to the bedroom.

My phone dinged.

~

Deirdre: Can I go to Melissa's for the rest of the day? She wants help planning a pool party!

Me: Will her parents be there?"

Deirdre: Her mom is.

Me: Okay, yes. Be back before dark!

~

I went back to work and found a candidate I sent on to Laz. When I asked the mirror to find another one, it stayed murky. It wasn't the first time there was no immediate response, so I thought nothing of it.

I decided to take a break and nap with my second love. He pulled me close in his sleep when I snuggled up with him.

Something woke me just before I drifted off completely. I sensed before I looked the robed figure would be at the bottom of the bed. Only this time, it was broad daylight.

The sun being out made me brave. "Who are you? What do you want?"

The figure said nothing, but its boney hand lifted to point at me, causing my stomach to flip-flop. I was grateful when it faded from sight. Azza slept on beside me, oblivious. I drew a shaky breath and gently pulled away from him to return to work. My pounding heart guaranteed I wouldn't be able to nap more.

I wasn't too concerned by the lack of response from the mirror until sunset.