"Did I hurt you?" Eve asked, dropping her hands.
"No. But that reaction was...." He shook his head slowly. "Your instinctive defense mechanism is significantly stronger than I anticipated. Most newly awakened succubi at your stage of development would have felt the intrusion and been unable to prevent access for the first several attempts. You expelled me before I'd gotten past the surface layer."
"Is that good?"
"It's extraordinary," Raphael said, and the pride in his voice was clear. "Your mother had similar instincts. Lilith's mind was essentially impenetrable once she knew someone was attempting access....her barriers were legendary in the Court."
Eve felt the glow in her eyes recede, her heartbeat steadying. "So I did it right?"
