sit. Luke could have pulled up a chair, but he chose to hover behind her.
She inspected Michael. He was dressed in the customary sweats and shirt. Poor guy looked like he could use some sleep. But although a little ragged around the edges, he was still something to look at. Especially with his hair grown out a bit. He wasn’t tatted up, and his masculine beauty seemed much more refined than the wilder look the other male Nephilim favored.
Lost in her own thoughts, she realized she had missed a good part of the conversation—and all of them were staring at her.
“What?” she asked.
Luke leaned over the back of her chair, grinning. “Nate asked if you had any input on the rookie’s training.”
“Oh! Um,” she fumbled as she turned to Nathaniel. “He’s doing really well, picking up the jujitsu and grappling training faster than I thought he would. He does need to improve on his knife fighting, but that’s expected. Also, his blocking could improve.” She stopped, sparing Michael a smile. “He has the determination and stamina of a Nephilim. He will make a good fighter.”
Michael looked like he’d fall out of his chair.
“Good,” Nate answered. “Luke?”
“He still needs improvement,” he said bluntly.
She tipped her head back. “You spend what—an hour or so a day with him? How can you even answer that?”
Luke cocked a brow. “Nate asked for my opinion.”
Ignoring him, she looked at Michael. His brows had knitted together. “So, how do you think you are doing?” she asked.
“I’m doing damn good. Take into consideration that a week or so ago I would’ve thought you all were on crack,” he retorted. “Not to mention my training consists of me getting my ass handed to me on a regular basis, and I am still standing.”
Nathaniel had remained quiet up until that point. “That may be, but in reality, out on the streets your ass won’t be handed to you if you fail. You will die.”
A red flush traveled over Michael’s features, and his lips thinned. “I know I can improve.” He leaned forward, meeting Nathaniel’s gaze with his own level one. “Lily is right. I need better blocking. I need to not end up on my back every five seconds, but I can get this done. I can do this.”
At the moment, Lily was sort of proud of him. Like a mother who just saw her child do something right.
“I don’t believe you can do this,” Nathaniel said. “I believe you can master this.”
Michael once again looked startled. “Thank you.”
He continued. “I know you are curious about the Contract and what it entails. I think at this point in your training, it’s a good idea to discuss what it is.”
“What? Are you for real?” Luke exploded. The chair Lily sat in rocked forward.
She pushed his arm off the back of her chair. “Jesus,” she muttered crossly. “Not necessary.”
Luke stood straight, crossing his thick arms. “Nate, he’s only been training for little over a week. He didn’t even know he was Nephilim until recently. There’s a lot for him to learn, to experience before he can accept the Contract. He’s nowhere near ready for such a commitment and responsibility!”
Nathaniel regarded him calmly. “Is there anything else you wish to add?”
“Oh, give me a few seconds, and I’m sure I can come up with a dozen or more reasons why he shouldn’t be offered the Contract.”
Michael shot to his feet. “Is this a conversation you’d rather have without me here? I have this feeling it doesn’t matter if I’m here or not.”
“I happen to agree,” Luke responded, forever the smart-ass.
Michael whirled on him. “Man, what the fuck is your problem?”
Lily sighed wearily. This wasn’t going as planned. “Michael, sit down. Luke, shut up.” It was a sad day for Nephilim around the world when she played mediator. “If you guys want to pull out your dicks and see whose is bigger, can you go ahead and do it so we can move on?”
The men looked at her like she had sprouted two heads, but Michael did sit down at least. Luke seemed like he was going to do as she asked, which she seriously hoped he didn’t. That was something she didn’t want to see. Ever. “Luke?”
He stared at her for a moment. “Whatever. Go ahead.”
“Thank you for your permission,” Nathaniel said evenly. There was a glint in his eyes that warned Luke against any other outbursts. “Michael, once your training is complete, you will be paired up with hunters. Nephilim like Lily and Luke.”
She hoped he didn’t pair Michael with Luke anytime soon. One of them wouldn’t make it back.
“What is this Contract exactly?” Michael asked.
She slid a curious glance at Nathaniel. How was he going to explain this? Eternal life and all that jargon wasn’t going to be easy.
“The Contract is an agreement between you and the Sanctuary. It entails your duty to the Sanctuary, and what’s expected of you as a hunter. Hunters do not guide souls. You’re the hand that moves against evil. You’ll agree to stand against the Fallen, the Nephilim that have turned minion, and the disposal of humans who have become possessed by souls. You agree to protect your fellow Nephilim—even if it means with your life.” He paused long enough to take a breath. “You will be rewarded greatly; monetarily on Earth and spiritually in Heaven. You shall want for nothing. There is no limit to what you are paid.”
That was the God’s honest truth.
Lily didn’t know how much she had in her bank account. She stopped counting about two years ago. She could buy and sell half of the DC elites. Money was never an issue.
“There would be no need for you to keep your job as a police officer unless you want to. Danyal is the example. He has successfully done both jobs for years, and he has proven to be an invaluable asset.”
There was no hesitation. “So where do I sign up?” he asked.
He has no idea. Nathaniel had left out some very important details. “Michael, it’s not your kind of lifetime agreement—like twenty years till retirement and you get to spend your golden years playing golf down in Florida.”
He looked at her blandly. “Gee, really?”
“You won’t get the golden years. Once you sign the Contract, you will not age. It’s forever.” She stopped with a slight frown. “Or till you die. Whatever. But it’s not just a job. It’s a duty you will always have to uphold.” Something she was desperately in need of being reminded of. “Your life will become your duty. It is everything.”
Michael stared at her, clearly unsure that he had heard her correctly. “Not age?” he repeated dumbly.
She nodded. “The Nephilim who accept the Contract do so knowing they could walk Earth for eternity, fighting the Fallen and their creations.” She tipped her head at Nathaniel. “God knows how old he is. Luke is well over eighty.”
Michael’s eyes widened. “Shit…”
“What Lily is trying to say is the Contract is not something you can take lightly,” Nathaniel advised. “It is until death in most cases—and that death could be eons from now. Very rarely do we ever revoke the Contract once it is made. If you accept this, Michael, you will have a very long life ahead of you.”
Michael paled by several degrees. He sat back in his chair, blinking rapidly. “Wow.”
It didn’t pass by Nathaniel. “I think that is enough for now. You can have the rest of the afternoon and evening off. Take some time and relax. I don’t expect an answer from you anytime soon.” Nathaniel paused, meeting Michael’s wide-eyed stare. “Frankly, not until you’ve made your first kill will I even consider your answer. This is the kind of life you have to experience before you can decide it is what you want.”
“And if I don’t?”
Lily glanced down at the floor. She had never asked that question. Signing the Contract had been all she ever wanted. When she was younger, she idolized the ones who accepted the Contract, leaving every night to hunt the Fallen and their creations. To her, they were like superheroes, and she wanted to be one of them. Now, hearing Michael ask a question she never considered, she was curious as to how Nathaniel would answer.
