Free To Hell and Back (Mel Goes to Hell Series Book 4) by Demelza Carlton

back into the pillow, reaching for him. "Lie with me for a few minutes?"
    Luce kicked off his shoes and stretched out behind her, spooning nice and close. Mel gave a contented sigh and settled against him. "I love you," he said softly.
    "Mmm, love you, too," she mumbled.
    Luce didn't have long to wait before Mel's breathing slowed to her normal sleeping rhythm. Carefully, he levered himself off the bed and returned to the kitchen.
    Patrick was still there, sipping his whisky. "Want one?" he asked, pulling a clean glass from the overhead cupboard. Luce nodded. Patrick poured two fingers' worth for him and picked up his own drink again. "To Mel getting a good night's sleep," he said, waiting for Luce to raise his glass before drinking.
    Luce took his time savouring the taste before he swallowed. "If you've poisoned it, I think I'll still drink the rest. This is too good to waste."
    "I'd not poison something as good as this. The alcohol in it is poison enough for me. If I wanted to add something to it, I'd give you the cheap stuff and not my best. Besides, you're hers. I'd never do something against her wishes."
    "How'd you know about the milk?" Luce asked.
    Patrick grinned. "She's a lady with particular tastes and they don't change. At least I didn't have to go out into the ice and snow to milk a goat for it this time. I bet she didn't sleep on the plane at all, either."
    "She insisted on economy class and spent the whole time just listening to the other passengers, she said, as she planned what to do when we landed. I could've paid for first class tickets so she could sleep, but she wouldn't hear of it." Luce shook his head. "What are you to her?"
    "I'm me. I manage the UK and Ireland, helping out with Europe as necessary. I do…whatever Mel asks me to do. And I always will." Another grin, another sip and the saint didn't continue.
    Luce felt his frustration build. Getting information out of this angel was like trying to seduce Mel when he'd still been a demon. "Have you slept with her?" he blurted out, betting he wouldn't get a straight answer.
    "Whenever she asks me to – of course. Same as you," Patrick said. He laughed. "You think I'd be wandering around wearing nothing but my kilt if it weren't for her? I never wore one of these things when I was alive. I wore one to an official meeting once, where I met her. Oh, centuries ago now. I've been hers ever since. I've only met one of her other close friends – a Japanese fellow named Koyane. She meets up with him whenever she's in Japan, Korea and occasionally China. No idea how many she has – not enough, I'm sure, though I can name plenty who'd be willing. She's very particular about who she chooses."
    "An angel with a harem of fuck buddies? I never picked Mel for someone who'd keep a man in every port."
    Patrick's eyes turned shrewd. "Is that what you think you are to her? She'd never put it so crudely, but I suspect she relies on you more than you realise. She wouldn't have brought you here with her without some reason for it. She wouldn't trust you if she didn't know you were hers – mind, body and soul."
    "What, like some sort of minion? Is she building an army to take over Heaven or something? Because it'll never work. I've tried that and…I swore I'd never do it again. She wouldn't be stupid enough to…"
    Patrick laughed. "Do you even know who she is?"
    "She's Mel. Lady Muriel of the Hashmallim. The one woman – the only angel – I'd do anything for," Luce replied, annoyed. "Of course I know who she is."
    "Lady Muriel, leader of the Hashmallim. The angel in charge of keeping order in all the realms of this world. Earth, Heaven and Hell. I heard she took charge of your little patch only recently, so perhaps you didn't know the rest, for she's left you to yourself for longer than I thought she would. She doesn't need an army to take control of Heaven. She manages it already. Oh, there are angels that outrank her in other respects, but she's the one who runs the