Page 142 of Hell’s Weapon

“It’s okay. We’ve still got you. They can’t have you.” She attempts to soothe him, but it’s not working on me, so I can’t imagine he’s feeling any calmer. “You’re mine, remember? Mine and Wyatt’s and that isn’t changing.” She brings her forehead to his and gets him to copy her breathing. I simply hold him upright, but I do look across to Hades, meeting his eyes and seeing sheer power radiating from his pupils.

“You can fix him,” I tell him rather than ask. “He doesn’t want to be an Angel. You gave him a panther, he’s a panther shifter.”

“I didn’t give him a panther, if we are born with a demonic side, the form chooses us. Humans simply can’t access it until they enter a realm that allows the magic to flow.”

“Fine. Whatever, but he’s not an Angel.”

“Technically, he is. But he also isn’t. I don’t think they ever took him to the Heaven realm. We’d have seen his wings emerge in the weeks he’s been in the compound if that were the case. But they seem to have found a way to reincarnate him enough that they can share some of their magical abilities with him, which makes him some kind of half-breed. We’re still trying to figure out the details.”

“Well, take it away? You can do that, right? You must be powerful enough.”

“There is a way. Although, it might be risky as he isn’t fully one thing or another.”

“What. Is. The. Way.” I’m losing my patience now, my eyes shifting to their reptilian slits.

“He has to fall,” Garrick supplies.

“What does that mean?”

“You’re aware of the Dark Angels. Some of them were on my guard team at the compound.”

“Yeah, so?”

“They were Angels once. They chose to become fallen.” It's Khaos that speaks this time.

“Is it possible for supernaturals to change forms? Switch realms?”

“Only the Angels as far as we can tell,” Khaos explains. “And only from the Heaven to the Hell realm. An Angel can cross the Styx and emerge as a Dark Angel. They lose their elemental magic, and most of their memories, but they re-emerge a demon. They get to keep their wings and the supernatural abilities we all share; the heightened senses, strength etc. But they lose everything else.”

“But you said, Milo doesn’t have those anyway. And he’s a panther.”

“Indeed. Which is why I said it was risky. We don’t know of any Dark Angels with shifter forms. We’ve been searching the records. There are certainly none alive currently,” Hades says.

“But it would sever his connection to them?”

“Again, that is speculation. But from all the Dark Angels we’ve tracked down in the last day since we learned this information none of them have retained any ability to reach out to the Angels. The telepathy we’ve seen in recent weeks wasn’t a power we were aware of that they had. None of the Dark Angels we’ve questioned can recall it either, although as their memories get affected with the change they might not. It’s all a little unknown at the moment but if the Styx severs the rest of their powers, it is a legit theory that it would break this connection as well.”

Tacita and Milo, whose breathing has returned to near normal, turn to join in the conversation once more.

“I won’t risk him on a hunch,” Tacita says.

“It’ll be Milo’s choice,” Hades replies. “Did you hear all that was just said, Milo?”

He nods before moving his hands so he can sign. “I want to get rid of them. I want to be here, in this realm.”

“Milo, are you sure?” Tacita asks him. “I don’t care if you’re half Angel, or whatever.”

“I want my mind to be free of them.”

Tacita searches his eyes, the two of them doing that thing where they have an entire conversation without speaking or signing before she eventually concedes. “Fine. But when can we do this?” The question is aimed at Hades.

“If you can wait a couple of weeks, I think it’s best that Milo goes through the Styx with the rest of the contestants. This way it’ll raise the least suspicions about his current nature. I don’t want to cause any rumours that might affect his life here. I’ve already spoken to Charon, and he said it's the same route for the humans that are converting as the one the falling Angels take.”

After some back and forth we agree, and ultimately, it’s Milo’s decision. He is worried about the Angels trying to contact him in the meantime but agrees that crossing with everyone else, including me, is the best solution.

Hades and Khaos stay a while longer, and we all find ourselves relaxing onto the sofas again as conversations move onto lighter topics. Whilst the power Hades emanates is a bit unnerving at times, he and Khaos are a fun couple. I guess I’ll have to get used to hanging out with them if they’re my girlfriend’s best friends.

Much later, after Hades and Khaos had left and the four of us had been hanging out and eating a massive take out of noodles and meat dishes, I pull Milo up and tell Tacita and Garrick to stay put. They seem happy to get some time alone as I drag a confused looking Milo down the stairs.