Mason walks over to me and wraps his arms around me.

"You know you're driving me crazy with this surprise thing right?"

"It'll be worth it," I tell him. "Trust me."

He kisses me quickly on the lips and lets me go.

"Text me," he tells me.

"I will."

After Mason leaves, I go take a shower and dress for the day. Just as I'm putting my sweater on, I hear my visitor rocking on the porch. I grab a coat and go out to see Lucifer.

"Two mornings in a row," I say to him. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Do you find my company pleasurable, Jessica?" Lucifer teases.

The expression on his face is almost playful. It's not something I'm used to seeing.

"It's not disagreeable," I admit, realizing it's the truth. In a way, I've almost come to enjoy my little conversations with Lucifer.

What's wrong with me?

"I guess even you aren't immune to my charms," he says with a genuine smile.

"Are you playing with me?" I ask him. "Is this all an act, you being something like a friend to me?"

Lucifer's smile falters. I can tell he doesn't want to answer my question.

"Would it matter?" He asks.

"Yes," I say. "It matters to me."

Lucifer lowers his eyes from mine and seems to be lost in thought.

"I'm not sure what this is, Jessica," he admits. "I'm still trying to figure it out."

"I think you need friends," I tell him, "true friends who won't stab you in the back the first chance they get."

"Can you say you would be such a friend?" Lucifer asks. "It seems to me you're recruiting people to do just that to me."

"If you would stop whatever it is you're planning, I could be that sort of friend to you."

"I can't do that."

"Why?"

"Because He deserves what I'm about to do!"

"G.o.d?"

"Who else?" Lucifer says with a roll of his eyes.

"Why can't you let go of your hate of Him?"

"I don't hate Him."

"Then why do you keep trying to do things you think will hurt Him?"

"Because He hurt me!" Lucifer roars. "He had Michael just leave me here! My best friend left me and never looked back. He treated me like I was a piece of garbage that needed to be gotten rid of."

"I don't think Michael thought of it like that at all," I say, knowing I'm treading on thin ice. "Maybe he thought it would be good for you to come here and live with humans for a while."

"My father built this universe to stroke His own ego," Lucifer says scathingly. "Do you really think He cares about you? Don't you think if He did, He would do more to help you? You're nothing but a science experiment to Him. He just lets you go unchecked to see how far you will make it. He knows as well as I do that one day you'll do something stupid and end this world. All I'm doing is speeding things along their merry little way."

"What do you mean?"

Lucifer leans back in his chair. "I'm going to help the monkeys destroy themselves."

"How?"

"By scaring them so badly, they'll want to decimate this world instead of live in it. You're species is p.r.o.ne to self-annihilation. You act before you completely think things through. And G.o.d forbid you come face to face with something you know nothing about. You scurry around like mice in a flood, not knowing which way to go so you end up drowning."

It's the most he's told me about his plans, but I still have no idea what he's going to do.

Before I get a chance to dig for more information, Malcolm phases onto my front porch. He's dressed in a pair of tight fitting faded blue jeans with rips across the thighs, a blue and black flannel shirt tucked into the jeans but open at the front down to the waist band. A leather tool belt hangs from his hips and his long wavy black hair is tied back in a pony tail.

Malcolm looks at Lucifer and sneers. "Well, look what the hounds of h.e.l.l drug up this morning."

"h.e.l.lo, Malcolm," Lucifer says, looking Malcolm up and down in disgust. "I see you still haven't learned how to dress yourself properly."

Malcolm grins but there's no friendliness in his smile, only contempt. "The ladies don't seem to mind it."

"Does it really matter what the ladies think?" Lucifer says. "From what I hear you're still pining for that b.i.t.c.h Lilly."

I see Malcolm's fists clench and his jaw muscles tighten. I don't want to be the cause of Malcolm's death.

"You need to leave now," I tell Lucifer. "If you want to come back to see me again, you should go before you do something that ends this between us."

Lucifer shrugs. "As you wish."

He gives Malcolm one more scathing look before phasing.

"I'm sorry about that," I tell Malcolm. "He can be a real a.s.s sometimes."

"Most of the time," Malcolm amends.

"Thank you for doing this for me. I know it's asking a lot and I could probably do it simpler but I want to make it special for Mason. Something he won't ever forget because I know that's what he would do for me."

Malcolm's shoulders lose their tension as Lucifer's words slowly leave his mind.

"It's not a problem, Jess. Mason deserves to be pampered for once in his life. I don't think anyone has ever arranged so much just for his benefit. It will show him how much you truly care."

"I hope so."

Just then ten Watcher phase onto my front lawn.

Gotta love Watcher punctuality.

Malcolm and his crew work in my backyard for most of the day. Mama Lynn, Faison and Leah all come over to enjoy the show.

"My G.o.d their gorgeous," Faison says, openly leering at my backyard full of Watchers.

I have to agree. They are nice to look at.

At one point, Malcolm must notice us all staring at him because he stops hammering on one of the buildings and proceeds to take his shirt off and stretch his arms over his head so we're sure to get the whole picture.

"Oh...my...G.o.d..."

These words from Faison would be natural, but they aren't from Faison. They're uttered by Mama Lynn.

"You know he's just showing off," I tell her. It's not hot enough outside for Malcolm to be shirtless so I know he only did it for our benefit.

"Baby, I can honestly say I don't have a problem with that. He can show off as much as he wants."

I cover Leah's eyes with one of my hands. "I think that's enough of your male anatomy education for today," I tell her, as I lead her into the kitchen to start another pot of coffee.

"I've been meaning to ask you," Leah says, leaning against the counter as I pour water into the coffee pot, "have you heard from your dad about Remy? When will I be able to see him again?"

"No, I haven't seen my dad since he came and got Remy. I tell you what. I'll call to my father tomorrow and ask him. I want to tell him how tonight goes anyway."

"Thanks," Leah says gratefully. "I know I can't see Remy everyday like I used to but it would just be nice to know I can call him whenever I want."

"I completely understand. That's the way I feel about my dad. Just knowing for sure that I can see him when I need to is all I need."

"Jess!" Mama Lynn calls from the living room. "You've got to see what they just brought over!"

Leah and I walk back to the window Faison and Mama Lynn seem to be permanently stationed at. When I look outside, I feel sure I'm hallucinating.

"I didn't even know they could phase things that big," Mama Lynn says, completely dumbfounded by what she's seeing.

"I guess I knew," I say. "It just never even occurred to me that they would."

"Wow, I've never been on one of those," Leah says as they phase in another large object to sit by the first one.

"Oh sweetie," Mama Lynn says. "They must really care about you and Mason to go through so much trouble."

I tear up by the Watchers' sentiment and know in my heart that the night will be one neither Mason nor I will ever forget.

Chapter 14.

The Watchers continue to amaze me by putting up what seems like a million twinkling white lights in the tall standing oaks and newly built buildings in my backyard. They even bring in a plethora of accessories to fill the small buildings and make them look authentic. Everything is so wonderful, I feel a bit guilty that only a few of us will be able to enjoy all of their effort. It makes me form a new plan.

Mama Lynn, Faison and I get on the phone and call everyone we know in Cypress Hollow and invite them over to share in my special evening with Mason. I'm in such a happy place emotionally I figure the more the merrier, which is odd for me. I realize I've never felt so content in my life.

Around three that afternoon, I text Mason.

Be at my house at exactly 5.

Should I already be naked when I come over? Please say yes...

Dear Mr. Incorrigible, Please do not show up naked. There will be impressionable young minds present and I would hate for them to be scarred for life by seeing little Mason in all his glory.

Scarred for life?? That seems a bit extreme.

The girls will go through life thinking all men are so well endowed and the boys will feel inferior to you for the rest of their lives. So yes, scarred for life. I do not want to be the cause of years of therapy for them. So please, arrive with clothes on and dress warmly because we will be outside quite a bit this evening.

Can you at least promise me there will come a time this evening when I have you to myself to satisfy my incorrigible, insatiable appet.i.te for your heaven sent body?

Yes, that is a promise I can make. In fact, I have something new I would like to try with you.

Oh really?? Would you like to expound upon this brilliant new idea of yours?

No, it's a surprise.

How many surprises do you have planned for me this evening?

Just the two that I can think of...

I wish it were already 5. At least then I would have you in my arms...

We will be together soon and I promise you it will all be worth it. I love you.

I love you too As planned, Isaiah brings Chandler, JoJo and Rafe over to my house so we can try to connect with the sixth vessel again and so they can help me with my surprise for Mason. All three of them stand at my back window and stare in awe at what the Watchers did to my backyard.

"It is magnifique," JoJo almost purrs. "I never could have imagined they could do such a thing in so short a time."

"I know," I say. "In my mind it was much smaller and frankly not nearly as elaborate. But Malcolm certainly out did himself."

"He is such a sweetie," JoJo says and it reminds me that she and Malcolm were friends even before we knew she was one of the archangel vessels.

"How well do you know Malcolm?" I ask JoJo.