Zuureth totally got her hesitancy as well as her stubbornness in joining them.  What if the tables had been turned, and a pair of angels beckoned him to tag along with them?  Two words immediately popped into his head.  The first began with an<i>F</i>, and the second ended in a<i>U</i>.  Juniper’s reaction was understandable.<br/><br/>The expression engraved on the face of Orias, on the other hand, was way more worrisome.  His companion demon stared at Zuureth as if the latter had sprouted two more heads with a pair of angelic wings tossed in for good measure.  With a golden harp slung across his back.  Right off the bat, it was clearer than Madame de Louvier’s crystal ball that his mentor disapproved of the blonde angel’s linking with them.  To his credit, however, he held his acidic tongue in check.  The deal was for him to track and return the tattooed names to their Dark Prince.  No one said anything about who could or couldn’t join their seek-and-destroy party.<br/><br/>Still, Zuureth felt it best to at least attempt to put her at ease.  With an outstretched palm facing her, he stated, “Look, I mean you no offense and I certainly don’t think you’re weak.  But you could hear for yourself the ferocity with which that pack of demons wanted you.”  He sighed with a heave of his shoulders.  “And you know very well, Juniper, that you will not see tomorrow’s sunrise if we go our separate ways right now.”<br/><br/>Following a heavy silence, she relented and agreed to their unexpected and quite possibly volatile union.  Listening to her terms, Zuureth quickly approved, before she had a chance to change her mind.  “That sounds more than fair,” he said, nodding as if to back up his statement.  “We’ll protect you from . . .” The icy glare from Orias halted the remainder of his words.  “<i>I’ll </i>protect you from any harm,” he said, fully aware of how much Orias must be despising this sudden arrangement.  “You have my word,” he finalized.  Realizing this was a demon-to-angel bargain, he shrugged with a smirk, and said, “For what that’s worth.”<br/><br/>Zuureth found the manner in which she addressed Orias to be extremely amusing.  He must be squirming inside with a bitter loathing, probably wishing to lash out at the angel if not physically, then at least verbally.  But again, his mentor held his silence, and his succinct nod of his head toward her sealed the deal.<br/><br/>With a nod acknowledging her effort at gratitude, Zuureth said, “Don’t mention it, and you’re welcome.  And hopefully, none of us gets killed.”  He locked onto her azure eyes, until Juniper looked away.  Their eyes no longer engaged, he continued to gaze upon her, not knowing what in the Nine Circles of Hell was going on with himself and the fallen angel.  But mostly himself.  He’d have to get used to the mellow throbbing over his heart, now that she’d constantly be nearby.<br/><br/>All the while, Orias’s own eyes flickered from one to the other, as he watched them both.