In a sizzling prequel novella to her new series The Dark Elements, #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout draws readers into the extraordinary, irresistible world of Wardens and demons.

Dez wasn’t just Jasmine’s crush. A gargoyle Warden like Jas, he helped her come to terms with her destiny—fending off demons and maintaining the balance between good and evil. He was her everything...right until the moment he disappeared without a trace. It didn’t help that Jas’s father had just announced that she and Dez would one day be mated. Hard not to take that personally.

And now he’s back, three years older, ten times hotter, ready to pick up exactly where they left off. But Jas isn’t taking that risk again. Dez has seven days to meet all her conditions and earn back her trust. Seven days filled with terrifying danger and sweet temptation. Seven days to win her heart—or shatter it all over again...

Don’t miss White Hot Kiss, book one in Jennifer L. Armentrout’s The Dark Elements series from Mira ink

Bitter Sweet Love

Jennifer L. Armentrout

www.miraink.co.uk

Dedication

To all the readers out there that make writing possible. Thank you.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Excerpt

Chapter One

Nothing in the world compared to flying, to the feeling of the cool air rushing through my loose hair or sliding over my warm skin and along the curve of my spine, between my wings. I was so high, so far above the domes of the Adirondack Mountains that when I opened my eyes, I felt as though I could reach out and touch the stars or rise straight to the Heavens.

Which would be problematic if it happened. Somehow I doubted the Alphas would appreciate a Warden suddenly breaching their pearly gates. I laughed at the thought; the sound lifted and blew away on the wind. One couldn’t just fly into heaven. As with Hell, there were doorways all over the world, giving entry to those who knew how to find them and had reason to cross their thresholds.

During the past three years, much to my father’s displeasure, I’d spent every evening in the sky. Females weren’t supposed to fly alone or do anything other than pop out babies and raise and teach the young, but none of the males were as fast as me. At least none that were around or mattered or...

I cut off the train wreck of a thought process before it could derail me and ruin the lovely early-summer night.

Down below, the caps of the Adirondacks didn’t seem so large and unmovable. No. They appeared soft, like marshmallows. Between the peaks, lakes glistened like shiny vats of onyx and the forest was thick and virtually uninhabitable. Once, I had flown to all forty-six peaks of the Adirondacks, traveling into Canada and then back to Washington County.

A burst of wind caught the underside of my wings, causing their horns to tingle as the current lifted me up as if I was caught in a bubble. For a moment, the change of atmosphere, the pure quality of the air, caused my lungs to constrict and I couldn’t pull in enough oxygen.

There was a brief spike of panic at not being able to breathe, but it faded in the rush, in that moment when instinct took over and my brain held no control over my body.

I freefell, wings tucked in close, eyes wide open and mind blissfully empty of thought, as was my chest, void of the haunting ache that usually festered like an untreated wound. These moments were rare, when there was no obligation to my race or threat of death or memories of those I’d loved and lost. I cherished those brief, beautiful times.

And as always, this one was over too quickly.

Halfway back to Earth, I unfurled my wings, slowing my descent so I didn’t pancake into the side of a mountain. Soaring over the peaks for several miles, I dipped into the valley above Greenwich and glided low over the modest town.

Six years later and it was still weird not to worry about being seen by humans. Nothing like scaring the bejeezus out of a human or two by swooping down on them unexpectedly like a giant bird of prey.

The Wardens had stepped out of the shadows, making themselves known to the human world when I was twelve, and as expected, there had been a teeny-tiny bit of chaos among humankind in response to seeing legends and myths become a very real truth.

For thousands of years, my kind had been thought of as nothing more than the stone sculptures perched upon the rooftops of homes and churches. Aka gargoyles. And technically, that’s what we were―but the depiction of a gargoyle was vastly exaggerated. Even the ugliest of all Wardens didn’t have a bulbous nose or fangs jutting from his mouth. It was rather insulting when you thought about it.

Leave it to humans to get their facts wrong. Just as they misjudged the true nature of our kind, humans also had no idea that demons were everywhere. Some looked just like them, while other demons had no hope of ever blending in. But everything changed six years ago when there was an uprising in Hell. It wouldn’t have been the concern of anyone topside, except that hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of demons had been forced out of Hell by the Big Guy, causing them to spill into the human realm at a rate never seen before. No one, not even the Alphas, seemed to know exactly what caused the uprising, but the level of demon activity all around the globe had gone through the roof. Wasn’t like demons hadn’t mingled with humans before and we’d managed to stay in the shadows and in our human forms, but there were just too many demons now, causing way too many problems and appearing way too human.

The Alphas—those who called the shots—had decreed that the Wardens come out of the shadows. That due to the increasing demon populace, we could no longer operate without the public knowing about us.

So the gargoyle was out of the stone, so to speak.

Alphas were like urban legends. I’d never seen one with my own two eyes, but I had felt them when they’d come to speak with my father. They were the most powerful of all angels and also the most frightening. Alphas were not warm and fuzzy or nice or even generally friendly on a good day. They saw things only in terms of black and white, evil versus good and wrong versus right.

And since they’d created us, they could also undo our very existence if they wanted. I pushed those thoughts away. Thoughts of being obliterated were a mood killer.

After the panic and chaos died down, there had been a million questions we didn’t answer and all of us had become skilled at deflecting. Most humans thought we were like Loch Ness or Big Foot. A legend that had been proven true.

If they only knew...

There were rules that even demons had to follow, and the biggest one was that humans were to remain ignorant of the presence of very real evil in the world. Some kind of BS about free will and what not—that humans needed to have faith that a Heaven and a Hell existed without proof. Seemed stupid to me. If the Wardens and humans could rally together, then maybe many lives would’ve been saved, including my mother’s.

But it was the way it was. Humans either thought the Wardens were superheroes fighting crime, or that we were the Devil incarnate.

You win some. You lose some.

I landed on the flat roof of our ancestral home a second before I registered another shadow in the sky, drawing close at a fast clip. A jolt of surprise shot through me as I recognized my father’s regal silhouette. He wasn’t supposed to be home! I shed my true skin quickly, taking on my human form a half breath before he hit the ledge in a crouch.

One look at him and I knew it was too late.

Yep. He knew.

Crap on a cracker.

My father rose to his full height, standing close to seven feet. His wings, spanning several feet on either side of him, rippled as he stepped over the ledge, causing the roof to tremble under his sudden weight. In his true skin, he was an intimidating sight to see. His flesh was the color of granite and would be just as hard to touch, making him and all Wardens almost indestructible. Two dark horns parted his mane of black hair, each curving into a fine, wickedly sharp point. His nose was flat, nostrils thin, and his eyes, normally the color of the sky at dawn, were now a vibrant electric blue.

He was my father, but as the head of the New York clan, he was the most powerful of all Wardens here. Even I knew to tread lightly when he was in a mood. And apparently he was in one now.

The curve of his jaw jutted out and his eyes flashed. “Jasmine.”

My back straightened, as if steel had been dropped down my spine at the sound of my name. “Dad?”

“You were out there again.” It wasn’t a question.

He made it sound as if I was chilling in the Gaza Strip instead of merely flying over mountains. I decided to play the old avoidance game. “I thought you were in New York City.”

“I was.” As he strode toward me, he too took on his human form. The effervescence of his eyes faded as his wings receded into his skin and his features became more commonplace. But he was no less fearsome as he stared down at me, and it took everything I had to match him, glare for glare.

I got my dark hair and my height from my father, but the rest was from my mother—the fair skin and more curves than the back roads of Greenwich.

“Where are your sister and Claudia?” he demanded.

At nearly forty-two, Claudia was the oldest female in our clan and our token matriarch. Most females didn’t make it to that age. Not when they regularly died during childbirth or were gleefully picked off by demons. It was a worrisome trend. Without females, the Wardens would eventually die off.

“Danika is with Claudia.” We took turns distracting her so we could sneak out. “I think they’re doing some late lesson plans.” Or Danika was currently banging her head against a wall. Like me, she was keenly aware that being shut up in the house, as pretty as it was, was still being caged.

In the sky, the fat moon slipped behind a cloud, as if taunting me. I took a deep breath. “Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t go very far. I was just—”

“It doesn’t matter.” He waved it off, and immediately the tiny hairs on my body prickled. Unease poured into me. Since when did my sneaking off not matter? He placed a heavy hand on my shoulder and squeezed gently. “Things are going to change. You won’t be able to take flight whenever you feel like it going forward.”

My brows rose. “Wh-what does that mean?”

His lips curved up, and some of the tension seeped out of my rigid muscles. When he smiled, it meant something good, and he hadn’t smiled much since Mom was killed. Unlike most Warden matings, theirs had turned into a love affair, going beyond their duties to our race. Once upon a foolish time, I had hoped the same thing would happen to me.

“I have good news for you, Jasmine.” He moved his hand to my back, steering me toward the door leading toward the top floor of our home. “You are going to be happy.”

“Really?” Now excitement gripped me like a warm hug. “Are you going to take me to New York City? Or to DC?” Apart from my late-night flights, I’d never been anywhere besides this little section of the world and there was so much I wanted to see. I was practically bouncing at the prospect. “Or are you going to let me go to the mall without Leo and an entire fleet of Wardens? Because they make it seriously hard for a girl to do some shopping. And they scare people. So it’s awkward.”

His lips twitched up at the corners as he waited for the door to open. Our house, which was the size I imagined a high school to be, was as heavily guarded as Fort Knox. “No. It’s better than that.”

“Better?” Holy Christ, I was going to have a stroke from the anticipation.

Once inside the house, he turned to me. Warmth radiated from his gaze. I tensed up, seconds from squealing. “Dez has returned.”

Blood rushed from my head so fast I thought I’d faint. I knew I hadn’t heard him right. There was no way. “What?”

My father’s smile spread. “He’s back, Jasmine.”

There was a roaring in my ears.

“And he’s claimed you,” he continued, completely oblivious to the fact that I was seconds from dying on the roof right in front of him. “You will be mated in seven days.”

Chapter Two

I was not happy.

I was knee deep in freak-out mode.

Dez was back after leaving for three years, without so much as saying a “Hey, I’m skipping out and leaving you,” or a goodbye or anything? He’d just up and left after...

I tried to swallow, but there was something huge in my throat. I hadn’t heard from him in three years. Not a single phone call, email or letter. Nothing. I hadn’t even known if he was dead or alive. No one in our clan had known. He’d vanished, his sudden departure as horrifyingly abrupt as the death of my mother. There one second and gone the next.

Home hadn’t even been home since he left.

“Are you breathing?” my sister asked, her voice floating from somewhere behind me. “Jasmine?”

Consumed with not hurling all over the place, I wasn’t sure if I was breathing or not. I stared at my reflection in the vanity. Light blue eyes stared back at me, set in a face way too pale against the darkness of my hair. Even my lips looked leeched of blood. My cheekbones appeared too sharp, too angular.

The last hour had blurred. Somehow, the entire clan knew that Dez was back and they’d swooped in on me within a nanosecond of my entering the house. I’d been shoved into a shower, because apparently, I needed one. Danika had dried my hair, letting it fall loose in long waves down my back because I was beyond the ability to do it myself. Then Claudia, who either didn’t know I’d sneaked out or had chosen to ignore it in light of what was happening, had brought in a blue gown that I’d never seen before. It was tight around my chest and I knew if I bent too low, my breasts would be coming out and saying hello.

It was tradition to look your best when a male claimed you. The whole ritual was barbaric, absolutely wrong on so many levels. Part of me understood the necessity of having to mate and produce some babies. Our kind was dying off and what the Wardens did was a necessity to maintain the balance of good and evil and blah, blah. The other part wondered why in the world I would sign up for something that would most likely result in my death at some point.

We were given seven days after the male made his claim to say yes or no, to ensure that both parties understood that mating was a lifelong commitment. There was no such thing as divorcing or separating among our kind. We weren’t forced to say yes, and the male, even if he was embarrassed before the whole clan, had to accept our refusal. We could keep saying no until we wanted to say yes and there were female Wardens who did say no, like Claudia. She hadn’t yet found a male she wanted, but...

But my father had announced his intentions of mating Dez and me three years ago. The night before Dez had disappeared.

I dragged in a gulp of air, but the dress was cinched too tight, constricting my waist. “He came back,” I whispered, not sure why I felt the need to say that. Maybe because it didn’t feel real.

Danika’s reflection appeared above my shoulder. We shared the same features, except she was a younger version of me. “He did.”

I squeezed my eyes shut and counted to ten. “Have you seen him?”

“No.”

Why had I even asked that question? I didn’t care.

Danika placed a hand on my shoulder. “Everyone is waiting downstairs. The whole clan.”

The whole clan could go jump off Algonquin Peak.

Opening my eyes, I didn’t see my reflection or my sister’s. Images of Dez and me flashed together in a walk down memory lane that I didn’t want to take, but once I saw him in my mind, I couldn’t stop them.

Dez, short for a name I couldn’t even begin to pronounce, had been a member of a West Coast clan and should’ve never crossed paths with mine. But when he was ten years old, his entire clan had been wiped out in a brutal demon attack. He’d ended up in New York due to the ties that his mother had had with our clan. The first night he had been brought to our home, he had been angry and withdrawn, almost like a wild animal who’d been cornered. He’d been in his true skin, hissing and clawing at anyone who’d come close to him. When my father hadn’t been looking, I had offered him the pudding I had been served for dinner.

Dez hadn’t wanted anything to do with me at first. Crouched in the back of the library, he’d swiped at me with his clawed hands, coming close to splitting the skin on my arm. Fear had shivered its way down my spine, but I’d felt too much sympathy and concern for him to tuck horn and run away. Instead, I’d cautiously sat a safe distance away and begun to talk about anything and everything I could think of. It had taken hours of me rambling about my dolls, my assignments and my favorite books before he took the pudding from me. Afterward he’d asked for more and I’d managed to get him into the kitchen. I’d stayed up the whole night with him, while he ate everything the cook put in front of him and I watched him, oddly drawn to the unfamiliar, quiet little boy.

And from that night on, we were inseparable—at least for the next eight years.

Everywhere he went, I followed, and vice versa. He had been with me the first time I flew high above the mountains, and I had been with him the first time he had finally broken down and mourned the loss of his clan—his entire family. When I had snagged my wing for the first time and cried like a fat, angry baby, it had been Dez who’d guided me back to safety and taken care of me. I watched him learn to drive when he turned sixteen, and when I turned fifteen he said we’d always be together, no matter what.

Now I was eighteen, and he would be twenty-one, and he’d broken that promise in the most heartless way.

“You can’t stay up here all night,” Danika reasoned calmly. “He’s waiting for you.”

I turned quickly, causing her to jump back. “I don’t care.”

“Yes, you do.”

“No, I don’t.”

“But you love him.”

A soulful pang hit me in the chest. “Loved,” I whispered back.

That much had been true. I had loved him since the moment he’d taken the pudding from me. When my father had announced on Dez’s eighteenth birthday that he supported a match between us, I’d never been happier than I was in that moment. I was young. And stupid. When Dez had disappeared the very next day, I experienced a heartache that I thought would swallow me whole and never spit me out. He’d been more than a crush. He had been my best friend, my confidant and my world.

Danika tucked long strands of hair behind her ears as she leaned against my bed. “Will you tell him no then, when your seven days are up?”

I stood, surprised my legs would hold me, and took a step forward. The dress swished around my legs in a way that made me yearn for my jeans. “I can’t forgive him.” My hands balled into fists. “And for him to just show up? Announce that he wants me after what he did? Screw him!”

Danika arched a brow. “You haven’t talked to him yet. You don’t know why he left.”

My eyes narrowed on her. “Like that matters? Whose side are you on anyway?”

“Yours. Come on. Let’s get this over with then.” Pushing away from the bed, she herded me out of the room and into the long hall. “This is going to be so awkward. Glad it’s not me.”

“Thanks,” I muttered. My heart was pounding like a big drum.

“You look beautiful,” Danika said, giving me a not-so-gentle push toward the stairwell.

Did I have time to run outside and shove my face in mud? The last thing I wanted was to look special for Dez. Nervousness caused my breath to catch as I gripped the banister. Or maybe it was the dress? I couldn’t breathe either way.

Voices from the first floor floated up to us, and I strained to pick out who they belonged to as I made my way down the stairs. Blood roared in my ears, and my mouth dried as I reached the second-floor landing. I started to lean over, to take a peek, but Danika caught my arm and all but dragged me down the remaining stairs.

I couldn’t even remember the last time the entire clan had gathered in one room together, especially at this time of the evening, when most would be preparing to leave for the nightly hunts. The crowd was enormous to me in that moment. The males tall and broad, dressed in dark leather pants. A few females were among them, trying to wrangle the children. One of them, a little boy no more than three, rushed across the atrium. Under the sky dome, he phased out of his human form. Halfway. Horns sprouted among his blond curls. Gray wings grew from his back, thin and uneven. One arched into the air and the other drooped to the side. He giggled as a large male stepped out and swooped him up into his arms.

Danika elbowed me forward.

I tripped, sending her a dark look.

“There she is.” My father’s voice was like a clap of thunder, heavy with pride, and I felt as if I was trussed up for the auctioning block.

An older Warden with gray hair and a heavily lined face grumbled, “It’s about time, Garrick. None of us are getting any younger.”

Hands fisting once more, I kept my eyes trained on my father as I forced my legs to keep moving. The crowd parted as I walked in a numb daze. I couldn’t look at any of the faces I passed. My stomach twisted and ached.

My dad said something and he was still smiling, but I couldn’t follow the conversation. Every muscle in my body locked up as he stepped aside. Against my will, my gaze moved to the spot he’d stood in.

And there he was.

My heart skipped a beat and then sped up.

Dez stood before me, taller and broader than I remembered. He was the same in so many ways, but so much had changed. His hair was a deep auburn and when he’d been younger, it had been cropped short on the sides, the middle a spiky Mohawk. Not anymore. Now his hair fell in soft waves, barely brushing his shoulders. His eyes were the same—pale blue framed by heavy, thick lashes. The lack of the Mohawk wasn’t the only change. The rest of him? Nothing of the young man who’d left three years ago remained in the face that was both a stranger’s and familiar.

The round boyishness of his face had been smoothed away in the last three years and replaced with hard lines. His jaw was cut, cheekbones broad and high. There was a slight hook in his nose, as if it had been broken and not set correctly. His brows formed graceful arches over his eyes and his lips appeared fuller than before. A traitorous thought seeped in: Were his lips as firm as they looked? Those lips weren’t pulled into a smile, and Dez had always smiled for me. They were parted now, and as I dragged my gaze to his, I realized he wasn’t the boy I’d fallen in love with.

Dez stared back at me, pupils slightly dilated and starting to stretch vertically. Shock splashed over his striking face, and I couldn’t understand why he was so surprised. I hadn’t changed in the three years he’d been gone. Well, I wasn’t as naive as I’d been then and my breasts were most definitely bigger. So were my hips.

His gaze dipped for a fraction of a second, and my eyes narrowed. Irritation pricked at my skin. Was he seriously standing here checking me out? But my annoyance warred with a sense of heightened awareness that I was unfamiliar with. Warmth flooded my veins as his gaze met mine. Electricity sparked in the air between us as our stares locked.

Dez moved so quickly that I didn’t even have a chance to prepare myself. One second he was a foot from me, and the next, his hand cupped the back of my head, his fingers threading through my hair.

My heart leaped into my throat when I realized what he was going to do. I opened my mouth to protest, but it was too late.

Dez kissed me.

Chapter Three

Astonishment poured into me, shorting out my senses. Part of me was too taken aback to do anything but stand there. My fist burned to connect with his jaw. How dare he kiss me after all of this? Without even saying hello, for crying out loud? But the feather-light brush of his lips stunned me.

The roar of many voices swirled through the atrium, deafening me to everything except the sound of my own heartbeat. In the back of my head, I knew that was also a part of the tradition. A kiss to seal the claim before the entire clan, but the last time I checked, I hadn’t accepted crap. That snapped me back to reality.

Dez tightened his hold around the back of my head and snaked an arm around my waist as I started to pull away. The pressure on my lips increased when he pulled me against him. Every thought scattered. His chest was rock hard and broad against mine, his arm a steel band even I couldn’t break. Heat pooled low in my stomach at the profound sound rumbling up his chest. My pulse thrummed when the kiss deepened. Somehow my hands ended up on his shoulders and I wasn’t pushing him away.

My first kiss...and it was everything I’d imagined it to be, with the exception of there being an audience for it. But it was hard to acknowledge them or their cheering and whistles. Flames scorched my already heated skin. Dez’s lips moved against mine, working the tight seam open. I gasped, wondering where in the world he’d learned to kiss like that. Jealousy flared like a beacon on the heels of that thought. Okay. I didn’t want to know how he’d learned.

Someone cleared his throat loudly. “As thrilled as I am that you are happy to see my daughter, I do believe you can stop now.”

Dez slowly lifted his mouth, breathing heavily as he tipped his forehead against mine. The quick glimpse of his eyes showed the pupils dilated, and the irises were a deeper blue, like a pair of shimmery lapis lazuli. He closed them, exhaling raggedly. “Jasmine.”

At the sound of his deep voice, so different than I remembered, I broke his hold and jerked away. Stepping back, I placed my hands against my flaming cheeks and then lowered them, folding my arms over my breasts. Confusion swelled in the wake of conflicting emotions. Happiness. Fury. Excitement. A whole lot of lust. And then another heaping of anger. Added to the fact that his reappearance was so sudden, I didn’t know what to make of it all.

Dez’s eyes never left my face. Not for one second since we parted. The stare was as intense as the sensation of being pressed against him, as searing as his kiss. The door to the front lawn loomed beyond him and I had an urge to make a run for it.

I was slow to pick up on the chatter around me, but it was my father’s words that cleared my thoughts of the haze.

“So it’s settled,” he said, causing my jaw to hit the floor. “The ceremony will take—”

“Wait!” I spun toward my father. “Nothing is settled.”

“Excuse me?” Dez said, speaking two words for the first time.

I ignored him. “Nothing is settled. I have not accepted the claim.”

A hush fell over the gathering clan. Needless to say, this was about to get a whole lot more awkward.

My father’s brows furrowed, and I was acutely aware of Dez moving to stand beside me. “It didn’t look like you were going to say no a few seconds ago.”

Dez touched my arm. “Jas—”

A sick feeling bloomed in my stomach at the use of his old nickname for me. Stepping away from him, I met his stare. “No. You do not get to call me that.” I kept my voice low, but I knew we were being overheard. The clan, mostly male, was worse than old ladies when it came to gossip and drama. “You do not get to walk back into my life and—”

“Okay,” my dad said diplomatically. “I think you two need to talk.”

I tipped my chin up. “I’m not sure there’s anything to talk about.”

Dez held my stare for a moment and then looked away, a muscle thrumming along his jaw.

“Jasmine, the pair of you need to come to terms. You have seven days to make a decision. No reason to make a hasty choice.”

“My decision isn’t—”

“We’ll talk,” Dez interrupted, grabbing hold of my arm in a firm but gentle grip. “And we won’t need the full seven days.”

I glared up at him. I was tall, but Dez towered over me now. “Oh, it’s so good to see that your arrogance hasn’t changed.”

Dez’s lips tipped up in one corner. “I think you’ll find that a lot hasn’t changed.”

“I don’t think I really care.” I tried to pull away, but he held on, his grin going up a notch. “Seriously.”

His eyes glittered with challenge and something else I couldn’t put a name to. “We’ll see about that.”

Finding privacy inside a houseful of people who obviously had nothing better to do with their time than eavesdrop proved difficult. We could’ve gone upstairs to my room or the one that used to be his, but that seemed too intimate and would’ve been too much for me right then. I was already off kilter enough.

We ended up outside, in the garden along the back of the mansion. The moon glinted off the stone walls built around the peaceful patch of land. On any given night, you could find a couple sneaking off among the thorny rosebushes and juniper trees. Not that anyone needed to sneak. Wardens were almost always in the way of making babies, but perhaps it was the appeal of doing something seemingly naughty. I honestly didn’t know.

“You look beautiful.”

I stared at the roses. At night, their petals looked like black velvet. “Do you really think that’s going to get you anywhere?”

“I’m not trying to get anywhere.” His voice was closer, and a tingle of awareness skimmed down my spine. “It’s the truth. You were always something to look at, but damn, you’re beautiful, Jasmine.”

My heart jumped at his words no matter how badly I wanted to remain unaffected. A cool breeze stirred my hair and caused the hem of the stupid gown to float around my calves.

“Look at me,” he cajoled, tone gentle, even a little bit teasing.

I rolled my eyes. “I was serious inside, Dez. There’s nothing we need to talk about.”

“Are you sure about that?” His heat warmed my back, warning that he was closer still. “Because the way you kissed me tells me something totally different.”

“The way I kissed you?” I spun around and had to take a step back. He was right there. “I didn’t kiss you, you jerk. You kissed me.”

“Technicalities,” he murmured, and in a flash of a heartbeat, he was so close we were breathing the same air again. “You kissed me back.”

Although that might be true, I’d be damned before I admitted it. “I was too shocked to think clearly. Trust me, it won’t be happening again.”

“Is that so?”

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Yes.”

He dipped his head so we were eye level. “I’m going to have to disagree, Jas. That was only our first kiss—and it wasn’t even a real kiss.”

If that wasn’t a real kiss, what the hell kind of kiss did he consider real then? I pivoted on my heel, stalking off down the path.

Dez followed silently for a few seconds. “This wasn’t how I expected you to greet me.”

My mouth dropped open as I stopped in front of a stone bench. I turned around slowly. “Are you serious?”

He stared at me in a way that made me wonder if he’d lost brain cells during his absence. Dez wasn’t stupid. He was very much the opposite, so how could my reaction to him be a surprise?

Staring at him, it was hard to reconcile the young man I’d once known with the male standing before me. Tears burned the back of my eyes, and when I spoke, my voice was hoarse. “I had no idea what happened to you.”

He closed his eyes, tensing. “Jasmine—”

“For three years, I didn’t know if you were alive or dead!” A knot rose in my throat. “No phone calls. Not even an email or a text. Nothing. How could―” My voice cracked and I turned my head, inhaling deeply. “I didn’t know what to think.”

He cupped my cheek, his thumb smoothing down my face, chasing something suspiciously wet. “Please don’t cry.”

“I’m not crying.” Stepping sideways, I hastily wiped at my cheeks. “It must be sprinkling. I think the weather was calling for showers.”

Fondness seeped into his striking face, and I didn’t want to see it. “You’re still a terrible liar.”

“Shut up,” I muttered, clearing my throat. “And you have nothing to say for yourself?”

His brows pinched. “I’m sorry.”

I gaped. “That’s it?”

“You wouldn’t understand, Jas.”

I crossed my arms. “Oh, I don’t know, I might be able to grasp an explanation if you speak slowly and use small words.”

Dez’s eyes flared bright for an instant and then dulled. “I know you’re not stupid.”

“Doesn’t seem that way.”

“Look, I’m not entirely proud of why I left and it’s not something I really want to get into right now.” He thrust his hands through his hair, causing strands to stick straight up between his fingers. “Can we put that to the side, at least for the moment?”

I started to tell him no, but a look of vulnerability had crept into his eyes and as much as I wanted to hold him down and make him tell me everything, I couldn’t hurt him. He’d deserve it if I did, but the memory of him crying on my shoulder, holding on to me like I was the only anchor in his world, was too fresh.

“I’ve missed you, Jas. You have no idea,” he continued, reaching toward me again but stopping short of touching me. “I thought about you every damn day. All I wanted was to get back to you and the clan. But mostly you. Always you.”

Shaking my head, I held my arms more tightly around myself, as if I could keep my heart from getting outside my chest and doing something stupid. “I don’t think you understand. I can’t forget these three years. I can’t forget that you left because my father announced he wanted a match between us. Just because you decide you want me now after doing God knows what, you think I’d be with you? I’m not desperate.”

“Wait.” He barked out a laugh. “You think I left because of that? Are you insane?”

I shot him a droll look. “You’re really not helping your case.”

“That is not why I left, Jasmine. You can believe me.” He stalked forward, and I found I couldn’t move. “I have never lied to you.”

“No,” I whispered. “You just left.”

“It didn’t have anything to do with what your father said. I promise you.” Just the tips of his fingers touched my cheeks, but it was still a shock to the system. “Let me prove it.”

Our gazes locked, and I could feel my heartbeat in my veins and the warmth of his body, even though he barely touched me. Dez lowered his head, and the breath caught in my throat. Was he going to kiss me again? I couldn’t let him, but I also couldn’t deny the bittersweet swelling of yearning, of wanting something that could easily turn back around and strike where it hurt most.

He didn’t kiss me, though. “I want you, and I know you feel the same way. Neither of us could’ve changed that much. I believe in that. And I want you.”

So many times over the past three years, and even before then, when I was old enough to recognize how I felt around Dez, I had dreamed of this moment. But if what he said was true, then why had he left me? Why didn’t he have anything to say except I’m sorry? Accepting the apology was the easy way. Truth be told, it was what my heart wanted, but it wasn’t the only thing I wanted.

I closed my eyes. “I don’t know.”

“Seven days.” His nose brushed my cheek and his warm breath blew over my ear, causing me to shiver. “Give me these seven days, Jas. Please.”

He hadn’t said why he left and he hadn’t professed undying love for me, but an idea sprang to mind, and once it took root, it flourished. Excitement rose like a budding flower. “Only on one condition, and still, I make no promises.”

Dez chuckled in a way that was infuriating and yet wholly sexy. I blinked my eyes open. Had he sounded like that before? He pressed his palm to my cheek. “What is the condition?”

I took a deep breath, concentrating on my words and not on how his hand felt. “There are things I want to do.”

Interest flared, deepening the hue of his eyes. “What things?”

“Not what you’re thinking,” I said dryly, although the idea of those things was interesting. “I’ve never been anywhere and I want to go places. I want to see things.”

His eyes narrowed, but my muscles tightened when his hand slid to my neck, threatening to wreak havoc on what I was trying to accomplish. “Where do you want to go?”

“New York City. Washington, DC. Maybe even Philly,” I said in a rush. “I want to walk through a mall without a horde of males guarding me. I want to learn how to drive a car and not have someone give up on me when I grind the transmission.” Driving wasn’t necessary. Obviously. We had wings. We could fly, but driving...driving was so divinely human. “I want to go skinny-dipping.” At that, he looked way too engrossed, so I hurried on. “And I want... I want to hunt a demon.”

“Jasmine, that’s unacceptable. Demons aren’t—”

“Those are my conditions.” I squared my shoulders. A little wisp of guilt poked at me. I was using him to get what I wanted, and that wasn’t right, but when would I have this chance again? As a female Warden, there was so little that I could do. “Take them or leave them.”

He held my stare for so long that I was sure he was going to say no. Then I’d probably choke-slam him―I knew how to do that because he had taught me. “And I have seven days to help you do all that?”

That wasn’t a no. My hope grew. “Yes. You have seven days and then...well, then we’ll see.”

Dez sighed deeply, as if I was asking him to raise the Titanic, and then he kissed my forehead. “Okay. You’re on.”

Chapter Four

Face shoved into my pillow, I groaned. It was early and beyond the four walls of my bedroom, I could hear the soft calls of birds chattering with one another. I wasn’t sure what stirred me awake.

Something soft whispered down my bare skin. I moved my arm, trying to shove it under the covers. The fog of sleep cleared a little when the sensation traveled along my shoulder, skipping over the thin strap of my tank top. I huddled down under the covers, bringing my right leg up. I hit a rather immovable obstacle.

The rest of the haze of sleep cleared when a deep chuckle rumbled through the room, sounding way, way too close.

What. The. Hell.

Flipping onto my side, I sat up, pushing at the hair that had fallen into my face. Two pale blue eyes framed with dark, reddish lashes met mine.

“Good morning,” Dez drawled, lounging on his side as if he had every right to be in my bed.

I jerked back, gasping. Would’ve tumbled right off the bed if his hand hadn’t shot out, catching my arm. He pulled me across the bed, so close that his scent, a mixture of the outdoors and a cologne I couldn’t place, was everywhere.

“What are you doing in my bed?”

“I wanted to see you.”

Was I still asleep? “And you couldn’t have waited until I got up?”

“Nope.” He brushed a lock of hair over my shoulder, his fingers grazing my skin. “This isn’t the first time I’ve woken you up this way.”

“But that... that was before,” I sputtered. He did the same with another strand of hair. My toes curled at the slight contact of our flesh. “You shouldn’t be in here.”

“No one knows.” He leaned in, eyes glittering with amusement, and I was sucked back several years. “It will be our little secret.”

I blamed being half asleep, because I couldn’t formulate a response. I was at a loss as to how to handle Dez. When we were younger, being close like this had been safe. Because we’d been little kids just sharing a bed, and even when we grew older, I’d been too self-conscious to make a move of that kind on him.

Dez’s gaze traveled over my face slowly, and a flush followed. I tensed when his stare dipped lower. The thin tank top left nothing to the imagination.

Nothing was safe about this.

For a moment, I froze. The way he stared at me... well, when any other Warden looked at me that way, I felt nothing more than annoyance, but I wanted Dez to look. A strange fullness expanded my chest and it was suddenly too hot in the room.

One side of his lips curved. “I could get used to... this every morning.”

I sucked in a breath when his lashes flicked up. Yanking up the cover, I glared at him. “Keep dreaming, bud.”

He chuckled as he stretched out, resting his cheek on his fist. “Do you have studies this morning?”

“No. I’ve finished. I’m done.” All the Wardens were homeschooled and, as with humans, most of us completed our studies around age eighteen. We were provided with a lot of book smarts, but many of us, especially the females, had no real sense of the world. I peeked up at him. “Why?”

“Good. We can start on those conditions you mentioned now.”

“Now?” Stretching up, I looked at the alarm clock. “It’s not even seven!”

He grinned. “You have a lot of conditions and I’m not wasting a moment.”

Well, I’d kind of brought that on myself.

“And I also have a condition,” he added.

“What?” I sat up, eyes narrowing. “You can’t do that now. We already agreed—”

“We didn’t sign a binding contract, Jas,” he said dryly as he pushed up. As big as he was, he took over the whole bed.

“What is your condition?”

My insides coiled tight at the slow smile that crept over his face. “That we complete each of your conditions with a kiss.”

I gaped at him. “Seriously?”

“Seriously,” he murmured. “You’re getting something out of this, so should I.”

“Well, that’s real nice to hear.”

He shrugged large shoulders.

“My company should be enough,” I shot back.

“Your company is, but take it or leave it, Jas. You want to do these things and I want you. And you want to play this game, so I’m going to play.”

The stubbornness he’d displayed as a boy when he wanted something hadn’t changed. Usually it had been reserved for arguments over video games or wanting to hunt before he was old enough, but never had it been about me.

My heart pounded in my chest as I stared at him. I had the sinking sensation that somehow the conditions I’d established last night had played right into what he wanted―and now he had the upper hand.

You’d think a Warden, with his ability to phase and turn his skin into granite and rapidly heal, wouldn’t be petrified of being inside a car.

But Dez looked as if he was going to be sick.

Both hands were planted on the dashboard as he stared out the windshield of the SUV. “Right! Turn the steering wheel right!”

I turned right and the car jerked to the side, tires uneven on the shoulder, jolting us. “Sorry.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t have taken the SUV,” he grumbled.

I giggled.

For six hours, we’d been in and out of the car and switching seats as Dez attempted to impart his driver’s education skills to me. We’d started in front of the manor, easing the SUV around the cul-de-sac and up and down the long driveway. It drew a lot of attention from the males and even more jests at Dez’s expense. He’d taken it in good stride and had been laughing up until the moment he’d deemed I was ready to take the SUV out on one of the many back roads that weren’t heavily traveled. We’d eaten a quick lunch and then hit the roads, and that’s when the real fun began.

Driving wasn’t so hard, I realized.

I straightened the wheel and smiled as he eased back in the seat, his legs stretched out, pushing against an imaginary brake. “It’s not that bad.”

He slid me a sideways glance. “You might want to ease off the gas pedal.”

My gaze dipped to the speedometer. Pushing sixty-five, I gripped the steering wheel as my smile spread to epic proportions. Trees blurred on either side of the narrow roads as I pressed down on the pedal, hitting seventy.

Dez braced a hand on the car door. “Remember, hands at the nine and three o’clock position.”

“I thought it was ten and two o’clock?”

“No.” He sucked in a breath. “Curve. Curve coming up. Slow down. Curve!”

I readjusted my hands and lessened the pressure on the gas, but my heart jumped in my chest as the SUV hugged the centerline. With the window down, wind blew through my hair and over my skin. “It’s like flying.”

“Except we’re in a several-ton death trap,” he muttered.

Laughing, I gunned it on the straightaway and giddiness swept through me. Driving for many Wardens wasn’t a big deal, not after they got their license and it became a method of getting from point A to point B, but there was something liberating in the tires eating away at the miles, in traveling almost as fast as we could fly. I was getting away from the house. I was escaping.

“You’re really enjoying this, aren’t you?”

I nodded. “It’s so... well, you’ll probably think it’s stupid.”

“I won’t. Tell me.”

“It’s freeing and it’s... normal and strange somehow.” I struggled to find the right words as we crested a hill. “Danika is the only girl close to my age and she’s always busy trailing after the guys, so she’s never been interested in this kind of thing or really anything I’m interested in.”

“She’s still trying to learn how to fight?” Amusement colored his tone.

My sister wanted to fight demons. That was never going to happen, but she’d manage to convince the males to train her for self-protection. “Yeah, and while that’s fun and passes the time, I like to...”

“Get out?”

I nodded again, silent as I remembered the past three years of being alone in so many ways. Dez had been my buddy, my partner in doing things I shouldn’t be doing, and when he left, a lot of things became impossible.

Dez shifted in the seat, his large body crammed into the spacious SUV. Seconds ticked by before he spoke. “Why didn’t you ask anyone else to teach you?”

“I did, but none of them had the patience or thought it was a good idea.” The constant irritation of being caged stoked to life like a fire. “They think that if we do this, then we’ll just run amok and get ourselves in trouble. That demons will find us and—”

“Demons will find you, Jasmine. They sense us just like we sense them. It isn’t safe for you to be out here without one of us.”

“I’m not weak.” I cut him a sharp look.

“I’m not saying that. You’ve never been weak. Not once.” His sincerity rang true. “But if you were ever to run into an Upper Level demon, you would not get away.”

I bit my lip. There were many types of demons. Most common were Fiends. They looked human and they were into general mayhem, breaking things down, starting fires, manipulating the emotions of large crowds. I’d heard they could be ferocious when cornered. Then there were Posers. They too looked human, but only for a short while, and they had one hell of an appetite, including the rare cannibalistic tendency. When they bit a human, things went downhill fast—like turning-into-a-zombie fast. There were dozens more, but most dangerous of all were the Upper Level ones—the princes and dukes of Hell—the very kind that had killed my mother and wiped out Dez’s clan. They were rare, but their threat was very real.

Suddenly, some of the fun was sucked right out of this experience.

“I’m sorry.”

His apology caught me off guard and I wanted to not be affected by it, but my chest spasmed.

“When I left, I knew it would impact you, but I didn’t realize all that it would change,” he continued quietly. “I didn’t think that you’d be alone, stuck there.”

“Stuck” was an accurate description. “Well, I guess in reality, you really didn’t owe me anything, right? You didn’t accept my father’s offer and you—”

“I did owe you.” His eyes flashed teal. “If it hadn’t been for you, well, God only knows what would’ve become of me. You helped me move on, for the most part. And you...” He trailed off, staring out the passenger window. “Anyway, I’m glad you’re enjoying this.”

I accepted the change of subject, wanting to recapture the earlier giddiness. “I think I’m doing pretty awesome.”

He chuckled. “You are. I think you’ve got it down. You’ve always been a fast learner.”

I smiled and then a jolt of nervousness hit me. Once I completed a condition, then I had to fulfill his. Kissing. Fire spread across my cheeks. Sweat dotted my palms. Would I have sweaty palms while I kissed him? Ew. I told myself I didn’t care if I did, but as Dez had reminded me, I was a terrible liar. I did care.

“Can I drive some more?” I asked.

“You can drive as long as—stop the car!” he shouted suddenly, rearing up in his seat. “Stop the car, Jasmine. Now!”

Tiny hairs rose over my body as a thick, smoky feeling invaded my blood. Something was wrong, something unnatural. I slammed my foot on the brakes. Tires squealed and the smell of burnt rubber filled the air, but another scent overshadowed it—the smell of rotten eggs.

Sulfur.

The back wheels spun out and the SUV fishtailed into the other lane. Desperately, I straightened the wheel and we slid to a bumpy stop along the side of the road.

Movement blurred from a thick cropping of trees crowding the road. The air shimmered and warped, as if a lens was out of focus and then was corrected. As if a veil had been ripped away, forms rapidly took hold. My eyes widened and I smacked my hand over my mouth.

Two of them stood side by side, their lean, muscular bodies covered in reddish matted fur. With clawed, four-fingered hands and hoofed feet, they didn’t resemble anything remotely cuddly or friendly. Their wings were black and fragile looking. Mouths gaped open, each exposing a ragged set of teeth that rivaled a great white’s. A large brown horn curved out from each camel-shaped head, sharp as a dagger.

My heart jumped into my throat as I processed what I was seeing. Humans believed these creatures to be nothing more than a legend, comically named the Jersey Devil. One part of that name was correct. I knew what these things were. I’d seen them in books I’d sneaked from my father’s library.

They were Terriers—demons.

Chapter Five

Stomach lurching, I studied the horrific-looking creatures. Terriers were lesser demons, ones rarely seen by the human eye. They were controlled by Seekers—demons who were in charge of finding something for an Upper Level demon or for Hell itself. If there were Terriers, it meant they were rooting around for something.

I’d only seen a demon once—an Upper Level one who had made it past the males protecting Danika and me while we’d traveled from a nearby town with our mother. I had been six, and a simple outing had turned into a tragedy.

“Stay in the car,” Dez ordered, throwing open the car door. “No matter what.”

In a second he was outside the SUV, slamming the door shut behind him. One of the Terriers cocked its long, narrow neck to the side as it lifted its nose, sniffing at the air. A squawking sound came when it opened its mouth.

Two more Terriers appeared between the trees, answering the call. I lowered my hand to the seat-belt clasp. Four of them? One against four? Icy fear embedded deep into my soul. It was like being six again, helpless and only able to watch the horror unfold.

A stuttered heartbeat later, Dez phased into his true form. The back of his shirt shredded and slipped from his body as his wings unfurled, arcing high on either side of his broad shoulders. The change took only seconds, but the end result was magnificent. His skin turned a dark gray and his jaw widened, nose flattening. Two horns erupted from the messy spikes of auburn hair, curving back.

Seeing him in his true form for the first time in years, I could no longer view him as the handsome boy I had fallen for.

Dez was now a full-grown male—a warrior at that.

A Terrier shrieked as it went airborne, wings flapping as it charged Dez. He didn’t hesitate. Leaning back, he planted his foot in the Terrier’s midsection, kicking the large birdlike creature into another. Both creatures hit the ground, a mess of rolling talons and beaks. Another raced toward Dez, and he bent at the knees, muscles tensing along his back. Launching into the air, he caught the Terrier around the neck. Dez twisted in midair, throwing the Terrier the way one might swing a bat.

The demon flew through the air, smacking into a tree. The impact cracked like thunder. Tree bark splintered and the tall fir snapped in half, falling into another fir. The Terrier hit the ground, unmoving. A second later, the body shuddered and then collapsed into itself, disappearing in a spewing of black smoke.

The three remaining Terriers were up, circling Dez. He spun under the closest, narrowly avoiding the razor-sharp edge of its beak.

His lips curled up on the sides as he rose into the air. Confidence oozed from Dez, but a Terrier struck, its claw catching and ripping through Dez’s jeans. Blood immediately welled and darkened the pant leg. Their claws could cut through our skin? Oh, God...

My heart leaped into my throat as fear exploded into panic.

Dez laughed as he dropped to the ground in a crouch. “Is that really the best you can do? A scratch?”

The Terrier responded with a shriek, lashing out. The other two rose into the air, swooping down on Dez. He didn’t seem afraid. If anything, the half smile said he was quite enjoying himself, but I knew how quickly a battle could turn. One minor slip and it would be all over.

And here I was, cowering in the car.

My mother hadn’t shown any fear. She’d battled the demon, as ferocious as any male. She’d lost her life protecting my sister and me, and I wasn’t going to sit and watch the same thing happen to Dez or anyone.

Fingers chilled and trembling, I opened the driver’s door and stepped out. Inhaling the scent of pine and soil, I forced my body to phase. The second my wings spread out from underneath my tank top, two of the Terriers whipped around, sniffing the air.

They shrieked shrilly, a cross between a bird being strangled and a bobcat, and headed straight for me.

“Jasmine!” Dez roared, kicking off the ground. He’d made it halfway into the air when the remaining Terrier intercepted. Grabbing on to him, it slammed them both into the soil, their impact eating up several feet of ground along the shoulder of the road.

Too late to reconsider the act of stepping out of the vehicle, I crouched and shot into the air, tucking my wings back. I was fast, but these things cut through the air, their outstretched hands inches from me. My stomach and chest seized as I powered through the air, reaching the tallest point of the nearest tree.

I grabbed the thickest branch, snapped it free and whipped around. The touch of the closest Terrier whispered over my skin as I swung the branch with every ounce of strength I possessed.

The branch cut through the Terrier’s elongated head. Black liquid spurted and the red, beady eyes rolled back as it fell down to earth, skull shattered. A plume of black smoke rose as I swung at the other Terrier. Having seen its buddy take a homerun swing, it darted out of my reach and then arced in the sky. Moving incredibly fast, it gripped the end of the branch and tore it free from my grasp, flinging it aside.

“Shit,” I muttered, flying back and then dipping down. Hair streamed out from my face and then fell forward as I landed on the ground in a crouch. Popping up, I lurched back a step and the Terrier’s claws caught the front of my tank top, tearing the fabric across my stomach and barely missing my skin.

Another burst of black smoke erupted, signaling the end of the Terrier that Dez was dealing with. He spun around, his eyes electric-blue pools. Loose soil and rock flew into the air as he pushed off the ground, catching the last Terrier from behind. A quick twist of his hands, and he’d snapped the creature’s neck. He flung black goo off his hands as he pinned me with a dark look.

Uh-oh.

Before the last puff of rotten-smelling black smoke evaporated, Dez was in front of me, his large hands slipping under the hem of my torn shirt.

“Are you okay?” he demanded. His warm palms flattened across my tummy, shocking me. “Jasmine.”

Heart pounding, I gripped his arms. “I’m fine. It didn’t cut me, but you—”

“I told you to stay in the car!” He withdrew his hands, but then clasped my shoulders. The pupils of his eyes stretched thin. “What were you thinking?”

“You were outnumbered.” I slipped out of his grasp and shifted into my human skin. The residue of adrenaline was a bitter taste in the back of my mouth. “I couldn’t watch and do nothing, but your leg—”

My words ended in a squeak as he pulled me into his arms, holding me tight against his hot, bare chest. His hand balled in the mass of my tangled hair as his wings curled forward, closing me in. I stiffened at the feel of him, so very warm and alive. When he held me last night, the embrace had scattered my senses, but it was nothing compared to this.

Dez shuddered. “When I saw you get out of that car, my freaking heart stopped.”

Muscle by muscle, I relaxed into his hold, allowing my cheek to rest against his chest. I could feel his heart pounding. “I couldn’t just sit and watch again.”

“Again?” And then his powerful arms tightened around me. “Your mom? This was different,” he said quietly, his chin dipping down. “I could’ve taken on five more Terriers, Jas.”

Closing my eyes, I didn’t respond to that.

His lips brushed the top of my head. “There was nothing you could’ve done to help your mother. You know that, right?”

“Yes,” I said, my voice muffled. Females weren’t expected to defend themselves, let alone fight, an ideology Danika and I strongly disagreed with. If our mother had been trained, she might’ve escaped the attack with her life.

He held me for a second more and then let go, stepping back. When I opened my eyes, he was in his human skin. I’d seen a lot of the males running around shirtless, but for some reason, seeing Dez in that state made me feel as if I’d never seen a male stomach before.

His chest was cut and his stomach finely chiseled. He was broad, yes, but his muscles weren’t bulky. His jeans hung dangerously low, revealing those curious indents on either side of his hips. There were little nicks in the skin of his stomach and chest; old injuries I imagined had to have been serious for them to leave a scar. Somehow those blemishes didn’t deter from his masculine beauty but only enhanced it.

I was staring.

Forcing my gaze up, I saw that he was grinning slightly. My cheeks flushed. “You can’t be too upset with me for getting out of the car.”

He arched a brow. “I can be as upset as I want to be over it.”

I shook my head while I struggled to keep my eyes on his face. Now, I knew how most guys felt. It was a lot of work. “You promised to hunt a demon with me. I can’t stay in a car while we do that.”

Sinew stretched and muscles bulged as he folded his arms. Good God... “Well, technically this would count as hunting a demon, so—”

“No, it doesn’t. We didn’t hunt anything. They just popped out of nowhere.” I glanced over my shoulder, back to where they had appeared. “Why so many?”

His stare turned icy when I faced him. “They’re hunting for the mansion. They know a Warden clan is nearby and they’re trying to find it.”

I gasped, horrified by the idea of these things descending on a homeful of children. “Is... is that common?”

He nodded. “More common than you realize. They just don’t usually come out during the day. They’re getting bolder.” His lip curled in disgust. “We must get back. I need to report this to Garrick immediately.”

How had I never known about this? Demons were getting that close to our home on a regular basis? How much did I not know? In a daze, I walked back to the car. Dez drove this time. I was cool with that.

Chapter Six

Dez had gone straight to my father when we arrived home, and I had gone in the opposite direction. As much as I wanted to hear what my father had to say about the Terriers coming out in the daylight, I didn’t want to be present if Dez decided to tell him I’d gotten out of the car.

And if Dez did tell him that, there was a good chance that my father would put a stop to my conditions.

I paced the length of my room, unable to sit for longer than a minute, it seemed. It had been this way since dinner. I hadn’t seen my father or Dez there.

Sprawled across my bed, Danika was... what exactly was she doing? Back against the mattress, arms flattened at her sides, she pressed her thighs together and lifted her legs straight into the air, holding still about six inches off the comforter. After a few seconds, she moved her legs up about a foot. Then she repeated the whole process.

“God, we need hobbies,” I muttered.

She laughed. “I’m working my stomach muscles.”

“Like I said, we need hobbies.”

Dropping her legs down, she sat up. Two thick braids bounced off her shoulders. “At least I’m being productive. You’re just walking back and forth.”

I stuck my tongue out at her and started pacing again.

A bright smile plastered itself across her face. “So what condition are you tackling next?”

I’d filled Danika in on everything—what happened today and my conditions, with the exception of the skinny-dipping, because I wasn’t sure I’d even been serious about that. “If Dez tells Dad about me being with him, there won’t be any conditions.”

“He’s smart enough to keep quiet.” She twirled the edge of a braid. “And Father is going to let you go with him. He’s always wanted you and Dez to mate. I’m so jealous. You’ll be traveling while I’m stuck here, wanting to claw out my eyeballs.”

“I don’t know,” I whispered. Mulling it over, I couldn’t imagine my father being okay with me traveling all the way to DC without a small army.

Danika flopped onto her back, sighing. “You’re going to get to see Zayne. I hate you.”

“You have such a crush on him.”

“I do,” she admitted, unashamed. “I hope he visits again with his father. That would make my year.”

I grinned. “It wouldn’t take much to make your year.”

She snorted. “True.”

Zayne was seventeen, Danika’s age, and extraordinarily handsome, even for a Warden. Danika had made no attempt at hiding her attraction when it came to the blond Warden, following him around like I’d done with Dez for many years, and Zayne had always been kind to Danika. If she had annoyed him, he’d never let it show. His father was the head of the DC clan, and it was rumored that in their household, there was a child that was both Warden and demon. I didn’t believe it. No clan would keep such an... an atrocity among them.

“So, did you kiss him?” Danika asked, interrupting my thoughts.

“What?” My cheeks heated. “No.”

Danika giggled. “Then your condition is not over.”

I opened my mouth and then snapped it shut. Dez hadn’t fulfilled his end of the condition with the driving, but fighting the Terriers hadn’t counted. We hadn’t been hunting for demons when they’d found us.

“You looked like you really enjoyed it when he kissed you last night,” she pointed out. “Brilliant idea, by the way, using your seven days as an opportunity to get out of the house, but you’re not going to tell him no in the end.”

My eyes narrowed on her. “I’m not telling him yes.”

“Whatever.” She rolled her eyes. “You’re mad. I totally get that, and you have every reason to be, but you haven’t looked at one guy since he left and you’ve definitely been looking at Dez.”

“Who wouldn’t look at Dez?”

She giggled and then her eyes darted to my door at the sound of a throat clearing. Oh, no. I scrunched up my nose, and Danika winced.

Dez, I mouthed.

She slid off the bed, and that was answer enough. As she hurried across the room, I turned. Dez stood in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest, looking entirely too pleased with himself.

Danika gave him a quick wave as she all but bounced out of my room. He nodded and then stepped inside, closing the door behind him. He was in my bedroom. Again. He’d been in here many times in the past, but that was before, and everything was different now.

“So...” He drew the word out, chin tipped down as he stopped by the desk that was covered in books, magazines and maps. “Who wouldn’t look at me?”

My lips pursed. “Is there a reason why you’re here?”

“Yes.”

I waited.

And then I waited some more. “Anytime now.”

Dez’s gaze moved from the top of my head to the tips of my neon-purple toenails. “I like what you’re wearing.”

Frowning, I glanced down at myself. I had on a camisole covered by a cardigan and a pair of god-awful sleep shorts Danika had bought me for my birthday. They were covered with teddy bears. Not the best fashion choice.

“Gets me in the mood for cuddling,” he murmured lazily.

“And that gets me right out of the mood,” I replied tartly.

“You lie.” He flashed a quick grin as he reached out, tugging on the edges of my cardigan. “It’s cute.”

Feeling like I’d lost my ability to communicate, I took a step back. He held on for a second and then let go. I folded my arms around myself, figuring he wasn’t going to leave any time soon, and I wasn’t sure I wanted him to. I sat in my desk chair. “Are you hunting with the clan tonight?”

He nodded. “I’ll be leaving in about an hour.”

I lowered my gaze. “Are you going into the city?”

“Yes. Are you worried about me?”

“That’s a stupid question. Of course I’m worried.” The cities were especially dangerous. The more populated they were, the more demons targeted them. “Shouldn’t you be resting then? You’ve spent all day with me.”

“I want to spend this time with you before I leave. Is that okay?”

I looked up sharply. “Yes,” I said quickly, maybe too quickly, but I didn’t want to take it back. I took a deep breath. “Stay.”

“Thank you.” He walked to where I sat and then wrapped his fingers around the edges of my seat. A mischievous glint filled his eyes. “Hold on to me.”

Having no idea what he was up to, I gripped his arms. Meeting my eyes, he winked and then started to pull the chair and me across the floor. It was silly, but a grin stretched my lips.

Dez sat on the edge of my bed and then pulled me into the vee of his legs. My knees pressed against the insides of his thighs. “Ah, much better.”

“You know, I could’ve just sat beside you.”

“That wouldn’t have been as fun.” He dropped his hands to his knees.

My gaze fell to where his fingers rested close to my bare legs. “How’s... how’s your leg?”

“Already healed. Told you it was nothing to worry about.” He paused. “I talked to your father.”

I cringed. “Did you tell him I was with you?”

“No. I should have, but I didn’t.” Dez leaned forward slightly. “I did tell him about your conditions.”

My eyes widened. “Even the skinny-dipping?”

Dez laughed loudly. “I kept that little detail to myself, but I told him that this was something we needed to do, that I owed it to you.”

Owed it to me. What could I say to that? I pulled my ponytail over my shoulder, twisting the ends. “What did he say?”

“He wasn’t too thrilled about it and he listed, in detail, all the reasons why traveling to DC wasn’t safe, but in the end he agreed.”

“He did?”

One side of his lips curved up. “Only after promising to rip me limb from limb if anything happens to you.”

I smiled widely.

He frowned. “I hope you’re smiling about him agreeing and not the ripping-me apart.”

“Definitely him agreeing.” I laughed, dropping my hair and punching him in the arm. “And maybe a little bit of him ripping you apart.”

He caught my hand. “That’s not very nice.”

I gave him a cheeky grin. “Sorry?”

“And I don’t think that’s a genuine apology.” He tilted his head to the side slyly and held my arm between us. “Your father is very frightening. I put my arms, my legs and my balls out on the—”

“Oh, my God.” I laughed. “Unnecessary information, Dez.”

“Look, you just need to know what’s at stake.” He tugged my arm, scooting me forward. “I have a feeling I’m going to need my—”

I swung at him with my other hand, but he caught that too. “You are definitely not going to be needing them any time soon.”

“I strongly disagree.” A wicked look flickered in his eyes a second before he tugged me out of my chair and into his lap. He clamped his arms around my waist as I started to wriggle away. “Jas,” he said, his voice dropping low. “You should stop squirming.” Then he paused. “Or not. I’m kind of partial to it, honestly.”

I froze, hands planted on his shoulders. Warmth crept over my cheeks. “You’re terrible.”

“I’m a lot of things right now.” He lowered his head to mine and inhaled deeply. “I bet you can figure out one or two of those things.”

My mouth went dry, and I didn’t dare move. Bad thing was that I wanted to, and the knowledge made my skin stretch too tight. “How can you be gone for so long and act like you haven’t been? Like this was the way it always was between us?”

“How can I not?” he said, and then shook his head a little. “That answer probably doesn’t make sense to you.”

“It doesn’t.”

He smiled slightly as he ran a hand up my arm and then back down. “When your dad announced that he wanted us to mate, I was happy, Jas.”

So happy that he’d promptly disappeared for three years? I kept my lips sealed shut.

His hand slid up again, but this time he guided my head to his shoulder as he spoke. “You were too young then, but I... well, I knew you wanted this and so did I.”

“You have a strange way of showing that,” I muttered, but in spite of my words, I relaxed into his embrace.

“I know. I messed up when I left.” His other hand settled over mine. Slowly, he lifted my hand and threaded his fingers between mine, squeezing gently. “I should’ve said something to you and I didn’t. I can’t change that.”

I wanted to ask him why he hadn’t, but Dez had always been evasive, even when he was younger, so I went a different route. “Where did you go?”

Dez shifted, settling me in his lap so that my legs dangled off his. “Many places.”

“Like?”

His chest rose against my arm. “I went south—to Florida and then to Texas, up the Midwest and finally to California.”

The significance of the last location didn’t pass me by. “You went home?”

He hesitated and then said, “Yes.”

A sharp pang hit my chest. “You went to the house?”

“It still stands, but it should be... torn down,” he said, and I peeked up. His gaze was fixed on the darkness outside my bedroom window. “The place is just a burnt-out shell. Couldn’t even go to the second floor.”

My father had told me what had happened to Dez’s clan. The demons had set fire to their home after the attack, leaving Dez for dead. It was a miracle he’d made it out alive. He never should’ve gone back there alone.

“The cities out West are teeming with demons, so I hunted.”

He continued, telling me about the cities he’d been to, but he never once told me why he left. I wasn’t sure he would ever willingly divulge that information. And while I knew that one day I could forgive him for leaving, I also knew I wouldn’t forget and I wasn’t certain that was something either of us could truly get past. For that reason, I couldn’t accept his claim. If I did, our relationship would become a bitter, sad thing.

But I couldn’t deny the rightness of being in his arms. I wasn’t naive enough to believe in soul mates or any of that childish nonsense that I had once clung to, but there had always been something tangible between Dez and me, and even after his absence, it was still there, stronger than before.

“I could hold you for a lifetime,” he said, so low, so quick I wasn’t sure I’d heard him right. “But I’ve got to go.” He sighed, sliding his hand back down my arm. “There’s one last thing, though.”

Lifting my head, I met his gaze. “What?”

His lashes lowered, hiding the sudden vibrancy in his blue eyes. “We haven’t completed your condition.”

I tensed. “You’re talking about your condition.”

“I am.” His hand moved from my arm to my cheek, and my heart jumped, betraying how badly I was looking forward to his condition. “Just a kiss.”

“Just a kiss?”

He nodded, smiling slightly.

A tremor coursed through me when he bent his head and his lips grazed my temple, then followed the curve of my cheekbone. “That’s not a kiss,” I whispered.

“Yes, it is.”

Even with my limited experience, I knew better. “No, it’s not.”

“It’s the beginning of a kiss,” he explained, spreading his hand behind the nape of my neck.

“The beginning?” My eyes fluttered shut as my anticipation rose in spite of the resolution to end these seven days with a resounding no.

His lips pressed down on my jaw, a tiny, hot little brand. He moved to one corner of my lips and then the other. Air caught in my throat as he slanted his mouth over mine, kissing me softly. It was such a sweet, tender kiss, little more than a brush of his lips. Still, the contact sent a rush of fire through my veins, and then the kiss deepened, as it had when he’d returned. The pressure of his mouth increased, and he flicked his tongue along the seam of my lips, causing me to gasp. He was quick to take advantage of the opening, kissing me in a way I’d only dreamed of. His tongue slid over mine, patient and coaxing; a slow seduction that demanded a response. A soft sound rose in my throat and the kiss captured it, but somehow he sensed it.

Dez’s hand moved from my neck to my waist, pulling until I was flush with his chest. I wanted to be closer, but the position made it impossible. The kiss lingered until he retreated, nipping at my lower lip.

I swayed when he drew away—swayed like a damn reed in a windstorm—and probably would’ve toppled right out of his lap if he hadn’t tightened his arms around me.

The male pride in his face was so evident when I opened my eyes that I wanted to pick up something heavy and smack him upside the head with it.

“Don’t even say it,” I warned, flushing.

“What?” An infuriating half grin appeared on his lips. “I wasn’t going to say a damn thing.”

Chapter Seven

The memory of his kiss lingered on my lips long after he was gone and well into the following day. I had no idea a kiss could hold that kind of power, and maybe that wasn’t common, but with Dez it remained at the edge of every thought, thoroughly distracting me.

I spent the better part of the morning pretending to learn the fine art of healing with stinky herbs before giving up. Since my homeschooling had finished, Claudia was now trying to impart what she’d believed was a more important education. Other girls my age were going off to college. I was learning the difference between witch hazel and lemon thyme.

Roaming aimlessly, I found myself outside of the room Dez was staying in—the same room on the third floor he’d been in before he left. He was still resting, and I knew that I shouldn’t go in, but a familiar restlessness had invaded me and when this happened, I was prone to doing inappropriate and even stupid things.

Wiping my palms against my jeans, I tried his door. It was unlocked. I took a deep breath and eased it open. Heavy curtains drawn over the windows cast his room in darkness, but my eyes adapted quickly. My gaze fell to the large bed first, but it was empty. I suspected as much.

I turned and saw him in the corner of the room.

We could rest two ways—in our human forms or entombed. Most of us slept like everyone else in the world, in a nice comfy bed, but those who hunted needed the deep healing sleep that only came from taking on the form that had inspired hundreds of thousands of statues.

Quietly, I approached him, drawn in a way that caused my skin to tingle. His wings were tucked close to his sides, their tips nearly brushing the floor. The horns on the graceful arches were large and thick, edges deadly sharp. His head was bowed and arms folded in, hands clasped over his pelvis.

In the darkness, the slate gray of his skin was dull, but in the light, I knew it would hold a soft sheen. His form was unmoving, not even his chest stirring beneath the stone. I didn’t like to sleep this way, and never having a real reason to do so, it wasn’t something I engaged in often. The sleep... it was too close to being dead.

I honestly didn’t know why I did what I did next. Biting down on my lip, I reached out and touched his arm. The shell was smooth and warm, completely unyielding. I moved my hand up his arm, following the hard swells of muscle. My hand drifted of its own accord, gliding to a stop on his chest. Under my palm, his heart beat―thump, thump-thump, thump.

Lifting my hand, I trailed my fingers down the curve of his jaw, touching him in a way I didn’t have the courage to do when he was awake. I sort of felt like a creeper, but I was too entranced by the feel of him to stop. My finger grazed over the bottom of his lip as I glanced up.

Two eyes the color of polished sapphires stared back into mine.

Oh. My. God.

His mouth opened and he bit down on the pad of my finger with just enough pressure to cause me to gasp. I was frozen and then I felt his tongue circle the tip of my finger.

I jerked back at the sudden flood of heat in my veins, curling my hand against my chest. “I was...” I really had no excuse for what I was doing.

Dez’s chuckle was deep and husky, and I shivered, backing up another step. He straightened and lifted his arms, wings unfurling as his back bowed. Stone and bone cracked. The outer shell glimmered red and then faded back into his skin as he shifted into his human form. Bare golden flesh rippled tautly as he lowered his arms. My gaze moved down.

He was naked and he was...

“Oh, my God!” I whipped around, squeezing my eyes shut. My entire face burned. How had I not noticed that?

Dez’s laugh caused my body to burn bright. “Oh, come on, it’s not like you haven’t seen me naked before.”

“When you were, like, ten, and it was by accident!” I clapped my hands over my cheeks. “And you weren’t so...”

“So what?” His warm breath caressed the back of my neck.

“Nothing!” Wow, I’d never be able to get the image out of my head. Not sure I wanted to, but still...

“You can turn around now.” Amusement danced in his tone. “I have clothes on.”

I might have been a bit disappointed as I peeked at him. He’d pulled on a pair of sweats, but they hung so low I wondered how long they’d remain around his hips. He parted the room’s curtains and light seeped in, spreading over the floor.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“Has something happened?” he asked, walking back toward me. He yawned when I shook my head. “So you just wanted to see me?”

I didn’t say anything.

He grinned. “And feel me up?”

I cringed. “You’re never going to let me live this down, are you?”

“Never.” He reached out and tugged on the edge of my ponytail. “Don’t worry. I enjoyed it.”

“Good to know,” I muttered.

“Let me shower and we’ll do the mall thing today. Okay?”

I folded my hands together to keep from clapping. “Try not to sound too excited about it.”

He laughed. “It’s a mall. Maybe if we were doing the skinny-dipping today, I’d be more excited. Correction. I’d be a lot more excited.”

I wanted to kick myself for suggesting that condition. “You know, I could probably think of something more important than that to do, like—”

“Oh, no, no take-backs.” He winked. “Can’t make any changes now. We’ve already started, and I know the perfect place for the skinny dipping. And honestly, I am counting down every second until then.”

My cheeks flushed. “I hate you.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Go shower.”

“I am.”

“Then go.”

“I’m trying to, but you keep talking to me and looking so damn adorable.”

“I’ll stop talking or looking cute,” I said, fighting a grin. “Go.”

He smiled widely. “I said adorable.”

“Go!” I laughed.

“Going. I promise. Right now.”

As he walked past me, he swooped in like a damn bird of prey. Dez kissed me before I realized what he was about to do. His lips were on mine, warm and firm. The kiss was brief, nothing like last night, and then he was going, walking into his bathroom, and I was standing there, feeling the touch of his lips for endless minutes.

My mind was in a thousand places while I packed a small suitcase for our trip, partly stuck on my mall condition, which we’d fulfilled yesterday. Dez and I had... we’d had a lot of fun. We hadn’t talked about the past and our conversations hadn’t been serious as I forced him from one store to the next. He’d displayed an inordinate amount of patience while I tried on clothes and sorted through a hundred scented candles, picking out the perfect one for Danika.

It had been hard not to look at him and blush after everything I had seen in his bedroom and it had been equally hard not tonotice how the human girls checked him out. He turned the heads of the young and old in every shop we went into.

And it had been damn near impossible not to want to tackle the chicks by the food court and rip their arms out.

We’d ended our trip at a tiny ice-cream parlor in town, and as we walked back to the car, Dez had completed his condition. When he kissed me, he had tasted like chocolate and man, a mind-numbingly intoxicating flavor.

He’d also stayed with me until he left to hunt with the rest of the clan, talking about nothing important while we pretended to watch a movie. No one bothered us even though I’d been in his room. I’d fallen asleep before it was time for him to leave and woke before he returned, scrambling back to my bedroom before I had done something stupid, like waited for him in his bed. It had been hard leaving. His scent had been everywhere.

And now I was preparing to leave my home for the first time in forever. I’d never been anywhere before, and I’d already packed and unpacked three times. Why did I think I needed two outfit choices for each day?

While we’d been at the mall the day before, Dez had announced that we’d be leaving the following afternoon and traveling by car. Excitement hummed in my veins at the prospect of all I would get to see.

Danika sat on my suitcase while I zipped it shut and then she bounced off. “I expect mementos. Something cheesy. Like an authentic I Love New York City T-shirt.”

“Okay.” I grinned as I pulled my suitcase off the bed. It thumped on the floor when I set it down. “What about from DC?”

“A naked picture of Zayne?” she asked.

I laughed, shaking my head. “And how do you expect me to pull that off?”

She shrugged. “He’s got to take a shower at some point, right?”

“I’m sure he does, but I have a tiny problem with Jasmine taking a picture of a guy naked.”

We both turned at the sound of Dez’s voice. He stood in the doorway, hair damp and an easy grin on his face. I flushed, but Danika looked unrepentant.

“But she’s doing it for me,” she reasoned. “It’s not like she’s going to be looking at his goods.”

All I could think about was Dez’s goods.

Dez’s brows rose. “No guy’s junk needs to be on display for her to take pictures of.”

“What about your junk?” she challenged.

“Wait. What?” I belatedly got in on the conversation. “Can we not talk about guys’ junk?”

He grinned as his gaze collided with mine, and I knew he was thinking the same thing I was. I turned before my cheeks burned off my face, and was tackled by my sister.

She hugged me tight enough that I squeaked. “I’m going to miss you,” she cried, head buried in my shoulder. “But have fun. Okay? And be safe. Promise?”

“Promise.” I blinked back sudden tears. Since Danika had been born, we hadn’t been separated longer than a handful of hours.

Danika stepped back, her smile wobbly. She ducked her chin as Dez strode into the room and picked up my suitcase. Together, we followed him to the ground level.

Herding two small children into the kitchen, Claudia glanced up with a tired smile as she passed us by. One of the toddlers was in his true skin; the other had only phased one wing. I stopped, watching them as the little one hopped, got some air with its one wing and then landed a second later, laughing in high-pitch squeals.

“Kids are frightening,” Danika murmured.

“I don’t know.” I smiled. “They’re kind of cute.”

Our father waited inside the foyer. As Dez disappeared outside with my suitcase, I walked up to him. He smiled, and I noticed how deep the skin crinkled around his eyes. He looked weary but happy.

He placed his hands on my shoulders, heaving a long breath. “Tell me I’m making the right decision by letting you travel with only him.”

“You are.” A knot moved into my throat. I was itching to get out of this house, but there was a part of me that hadn’t been prepared for the emotion behind leaving my family, if only for a little while. “I’ll be okay.”

“I know you will.” He sighed again. “I trust Dez. He’s a good Warden and I know he won’t let anything happen to you. He cares for you deeply, always has.”

I glanced out the open steel doors, watching Dez shut the back hatch on the SUV.

“Answer a question for me, sweetheart.”

My gaze returned to my dad. “Yes?”

“Do you still have feelings for him?” he asked.

I started to reply but stopped. Everything about Dez was complicated, and how I felt about him even more so. There was such an ugly, messy ball of hurt that had lingered after he’d left, but just thinking about him made my heart jump and my stomach tumble. “I do, but...”

“But he left?”

I didn’t respond, but he knew. Dad had been there during the worst; the days and weeks immediately following Dez’s unexpected departure. How many times had I asked Dad why? There had never been an answer.

My father pulled me in for a quick hug that felt good, grounding. I would miss him, my sister and my clan, but as he pulled back, I knew I was getting a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

He smiled as he patted my cheek. “Go easy on him.”

At first I thought that was a strange thing to say, but then suspicion rose. “Do you know why he left?”

Dad nodded. “I do, Jasmine, but it’s not my story to tell. It never has been.”

Chapter Eight

The couple-hour drive down Interstate 87 was blissfully uneventful and also very beautiful. The rolling hills were a lush green, the trees thick and stately, but the almost pristine wilderness gradually gave way to buildings larger than the tallest trees as we neared the city. My face was practically planted against the side window the whole time as I soaked in everything I saw.

“You haven’t been this far south?” Dez asked, and I looked over at him. One hand on the steering wheel, the other on his thigh.

I shook my head.

He grinned as he sent me a sideways glance. “You used to sneak out to fly when I was around. I’m sure you didn’t stop.”

“I sneaked out a time... or two afterward.” At his wry look, I smiled. “But I never flew south. I always went north. I didn’t want....”

“To get caught?” He laughed at my innocent expression. “That’s smart. You probably would’ve been seen if you came south.”

Driving to the city took a little more than three hours, but it took less than thirty minutes for one of us to fly. If I had dared to venture south out of curiosity, I would’ve been caught due to all the Wardens that covered the city, and I wouldn’t have been surprised if my dad locked me up.

It wasn’t too long before the last of the high hills cleared and New York City came into view in the distance. I leaned forward, grasping the dashboard. “Wow.”

“It’s something, isn’t it?”

I nodded as my eyes widened. The city created its own skyline, an elegant stretch of buildings against the backdrop of blue skies, some tall enough that they seemed to have their very own stairway into Heaven. I could almost imagine what it looked like at night, all lit up, dazzling and awe-inspiring. My heart thumped in my chest as the giddy realization that I would get to see that with my own eyes sunk in.

Traffic slowed as we crossed over one of the long, wide bridges, and only then did I feel Dez’s stare on me.

I looked at him. “What?”

He didn’t say anything as he picked up my hand and brought it to his mouth. Against the center of my palm, he placed a kiss, and my heart did another jump, this time a backflip. I started to ask why he’d done that, but realized that question would sort of ruin the moment and it was a very nice moment.

Instead, I smiled.

It took an absurd amount of time to make it into the city, to the point where the buildings were so tall and so crowded that they blocked most of the sun and the streets were in their shadows.

Dez parked the SUV in a large garage and I followed him to the back, my eyes darting over the never-ending line of cars snuggled tight in their parking spaces.

Too much was roaming through my head as I trailed after him, into the ground floor of one of the tall buildings we’d passed. There wasn’t much I knew about Dez’s plans for this trip. No matter how annoying I got demanding details, he wouldn’t tell me anything, but since he was carrying our luggage inside, that meant we had to be staying here. I could barely contain the squeal as I’d been worried we’d do a drive-by through the city. I had wanted to enjoy it.

A young woman behind the desk looked up when Dez and I approached. She blinked twice at Dez and then smoothed a hand over her already neatly coiffed hair. Her gaze moved to me once and then centered back on Dez as if I didn’t even exist.

I folded my arms.

“How can I help you?” she asked, smiling as though Dez was her own personal sun.

Dez leaned against the counter, one side of his mouth curled up. I rolled my eyes. “We have a reservation.”

We did? As Dez took care of our check-in, I noticed that he mentioned only one room, but I was too fascinated by everything around me to make an issue of it. As lame as it sounded, I’d never been inside a hotel before, and especially not one as trendy as this.

The lighting was dark and mysterious. Rock music wafted from unseen speakers. Black and red couches lined the walls, low to the ground and level with the tables. A bar separated the lounge area from the dining section. All the staff, male and female, wore black and looked as if they’d just stepped off a runway.

I glanced down at my jeans and T-shirt and raised my brows. I really didn’t fit in.

“Ready?” Dez asked.

Nodding, I turned and discovered the clerk watching him wistfully. Who could blame her? It wasn’t until we stopped at the elevator that I thought to ask, “Where’s our luggage?”

“They’re taking it up to the room for us.” He placed a hand on my lower back, guiding me into the mirrored elevator. Once inside, he waved a card in the air as he grinned. “Your eyes are so big, they’re about to pop out of your face.”

I flushed. “I’m sorry. I probably look like an idiot, but I’ve—”

“You don’t look like an idiot.” He reached up, tucking my hair back behind my ear.

The elevator moved smoothly, clicking away at the floors. “I know I look like I’ve never been anywhere.”

“It’s cute.” He draped his arm over my shoulders, causing me to stumble into his side. “And stop worrying about it. This is for you. Have fun.”

Reassured that I didn’t look like a total loser, I was bursting at the seams by the time the elevator stopped on the twentieth floor and the doors slid open. We hung a right and followed the curving hallway until Dez stopped in front of our room.

A knot formed in my belly. Our room. I doubted Dez had gotten one with two beds.

Dez opened the door after the handle showed a little green dot. How high-tech. Cool air greeted us as we stepped in. He moved out of the way, letting me investigate. In the small hallway, I found a closet and a door leading into the bathroom. A separate shower, wide enough to fit two people, was on one side, and a large circular tub on the other.

Clasping my hands together, I inched past a wet bar and a desk and into the main part of the room. A large TV was attached to the red wall...and across from it was a bed big enough for four people. My cheeks heated as I glanced away. Aside from a small chair under the TV, there was no other place for anyone to sleep. We’d be sharing a bed tonight. I wasn’t going to think about that right now.

I hurried toward the curtains and threw them open. Holy crap. Leaning forward, I pressed my forehead against the pane of glass as I stared down at the busy street below.

“Do you like the room?” asked Dez.

“Yes,” I whispered, and then louder, “Yes, I do.”

“This is supposedly one of the nicest hotels in the city, or so I’ve been told.” His voice was closer. “I figured we could stay for two nights and then leave Thursday morning. That should give you time to really see Manhattan and also give us enough time to get down to DC. You’ll only have a day there before our seven days are up, but I guess we can stay longer, if that’s what you want.”

As I stared out the window, my throat worked hard to swallow the sudden emotion clogging it. I knew that most males wouldn’t have gone to this amount of trouble. Sure, they would’ve attempted to woo me, but to meet all my demands and not fight me on my desire to enjoy the simplest of freedoms? Not likely. But Dez was doing all of these things. There was something to be said for that, but I wasn’t sure words would do justice to the feelings working through me. I had a feeling that if I attempted to tell him I’d mess it up somehow.

“Jas?” Uncertainty threaded through his tone.

Dropping the curtains, I spun around and launched myself at him. Dez caught me around the waist, stumbling back a step as I wrapped my arms around him, squeezing tight.

“Thank you.”

“What?” He laughed.

My face was buried in his chest, so I lifted my head and repeated, “Thank you.”

He looked at me. “You’re welcome.”

I didn’t think he understood the depth of my gratitude. Stretching up, I placed a kiss against his cheek. I knew it wasn’t much, but it was something, wasn’t it? When I pulled away, he was staring at me as if I was insane.

Then he lifted me off my feet and turned. “I would’ve brought you here the moment I returned if I knew it would make you this happy.”

A laugh caught in my throat as a different look seeped into his eyes. The hue brightened and then his lids became heavy as his lips parted. Slowly, he let me slide down so that I was on my feet, but he still held me to him with one arm. He cupped my cheek, smoothing his thumb along the curve of my bottom lip. Every nerve in my body zeroed in on that touch of his. His chin lowered, and I thought he would kiss me. My eyes fluttered shut and anticipation rose sweetly.

But the kiss never came.

He let me go, stepping back. “Well, we better get going if you want to see as much as you can.”

The pang of disappointment surprised me, but I nodded. It was probably better this way, though. Because I had wanted him to kiss me, and it didn’t have a thing to do with any of our conditions.

Chapter Nine

The first thing I learned about New York City was that people were everywhere—in elevators, on the sidewalks, in the streets and inside all the shops. I’d never been around so many at once, and while they knew that Wardens existed, none of them seemed to notice that we were any different—at least those who didn’t look too closely at our eyes. The color was too pale to be human, and in my small town, everyone noticed.

But not here.

Everyone was too busy trying to get to wherever it was they were going, or they were enthralled with the sights, much as I was.

I couldn’t stop staring up and I knew everything about me screamed tourist, but the heights of the buildings, and the sheer number of them, was truly astonishing. And then there were all the flashing signs and bright lights.

“Hungry?” Dez asked.

“Yes.” I placed a hand on my belly. We’d walked so many blocks I’d lost count. “You?”

“Always. How about some authentic New York pizza?”

A grin split my lips. Another block down, he spied a pizza shop right in the middle of Times Square. Pictures of all the famous patrons lined their walls, from athletes to politicians. We waited in line and ordered, then found an empty table in the back.

Dez watched me as I bit into the pizza and moaned. The taste—it was nothing like the pizza back home; the cheese, spices and crust.

His dark auburn brows lifted. “Don’t ever stop eating if you’re going to make sounds like that.”

I almost choked on my slice, flushing. “It tastes good!”

He laughed. “I can tell.”

Grinning, I watched him under my lashes. For someone so large, he had such delicate eating habits. He cut each slice into bite-size pieces while I shoved half the thing in my mouth and probably ended up with sauce all over my chin. Of course, I finished before him since I inhaled the pizza. As he savored each bite, I took the time to people watch.

Around humans I tended to feel as if I lacked worldly knowledge, especially in a place like this where there were so many people, all of them so very different looking. I hadn’t even had a human friend; the closest I came was the lady who worked at the ice-cream parlor. I wanted one, probably much like humans wanted a puppy, but my father was wary of growing too close to them.

After we’d left to investigate Times Square and Broadway, I was reminded of why my father was so cautious. On the storefront of a cute Italian eatery was a sign that boldly read WARDENS ARE NOT WELCOME. Underneath that was scrawled WE SERVE ONLY GOD’S CHILDREN.

I sucked in a shrill breath, unsettled. These were the kind of people that thought we were the Devil incarnate; the kind who believed we were monsters, no matter how much good we did. As sheltered as the other females and I were, we’d only heard of such bigotry but never actually seen it in real life.

“Hey,” Dez said, reaching down between us and clasping my hand in his. “You okay?”

I hadn’t realized I’d stopped until then. “I just don’t understand.”

His gaze followed mine. “Honestly? In a city like this, I’m kind of surprised, but it’s just one place out of thousands. And there’s no point in even trying to figure it out. They’re the ones who don’t understand. They don’t know what’s really out there.” He tugged on my hand. “Come on, there’s a lot to see.”

I let him pull me away. “It’s just—”

I stopped again as a cold, sharp series of tingles exploded between my shoulder blades. I turned before Dez said anything, sensing a nearby demon. My gaze sought it out among the crowds of humans hurrying up and down the packed sidewalk.

The demon had walked out of the eatery—the very one that supposedly only served “God’s children.” A laugh bubbled up my throat but got stuck. He didn’t look much older than me, and to human eyes, he no doubt appeared rather harmless as he stopped beside a red-and-white fire hydrant. His dark hair was cropped close and his profile revealed angular features. A stud in his right nostril glinted in the sunlight.

“A Fiend,” Dez said, his hand tightening around mine.

Although Fiends were the most common class of demons topside, I’d never seen one. Curiosity rose swiftly as I watched the demon. “He’s so... bold.”

“Of course. He knows we can’t do anything among humans. If I made a move, it would look as if I attacked one of their own.”

And that wouldn’t be good.

The demon looked as though he was about to catch a cab, except he glanced over his shoulder and his dark eyes met mine. An odd light glinted off them. I sucked in a breath, muscles tensing in preparation for an all-out attack.

Dez raised his free hand, flipping the demon off.

An impish sort of grin crossed the demon’s face in response and he reached down, brushing his fingers along the top of the fire hydrant. With a wink, he turned his back on us and pushed off the sidewalk, darting between taxis and work vans.

“Oh, no,” Dez murmured, stepping back as he shoved me behind him.

My heart jumped. “What?”

Before Dez could respond, the top of the hydrant blew with a bang. Water erupted, streaming high in the air. Another loud pop cracked farther down the street, and then another and another. Water jetted into the air as far as I could see.

I squealed as cold liquid rained down on us, the sound lost in the surprised shouts of pedestrians. Within seconds, I was drenched, as was almost everyone nearby. Traffic ground to a halt as water poured into the streets. Metal crunched. A taxi smacked into the back of another, resulting in a chain reaction of epic proportion.

A cabbie jumped out, fist in the air. “What the hell? You hit my car!”

“You stopped!” the other cabbie screamed. “You stupid mother—”

His words were cut off by blaring horns. Absolute pandemonium broke out, and the whole time, the Fiend was across the street, loitering on the curb, unaffected by the downpour. He was laughing.

Soaking wet, Dez pulled on my arm. “Let’s go!”

We ran, dodging people as we were pelted by water. Several blocks down, we finally reached a somewhat dry area. Stopping, I looked over my shoulder. Times Square was flooded.

“Dear God,” I murmured. No one appeared to be injured. If anything, what the demon had done was merely create a huge inconvenience, and for some really messed-up reason, I was smiling as I turned back to Dez.

He placed his warm hands on my cheeks, smoothing the wet hair out of my face. “Are you okay?” he asked, his expression taut.

I laughed, and he cocked his head to the side. “I’m fine. I can’t help it,” I said, grasping his wrists. “That was funny.”

“Only you would find that mess funny.”

“Whatever.” I rose, using his arms to brace myself. Adrenaline was kicking through my veins. Maybe that was why I did what I did next. Or maybe it was because I’d been wanting him to kiss me again since the last time our lips touched. Closing my eyes, I pressed my lips against his. On contact, he sucked in a deep breath. His lips were wet and firm and absolutely wonderful. I settled back on my feet, sliding my hands to where his tangled in my hair.

We stood there as a crowd gathered behind us, taking in the spectacle of the river that had taken over Times Square. People passed us by, and either we were invisible to them or they were oblivious to us in that moment. And there was no past between us in that second or future, there was just now—right now.

Dez’s eyes glowed with want. “I think I really like that demon.”

I laughed, thinking that must be a first. We reached for each other at the same time, so I don’t know who was holding whose hand, but the smile remained plastered on my face right up until it was late and we called it a night.

All the excitement exhausted me, but a different kind of weariness sprung alive when we stepped into the hotel room and my gaze fell to the bed. My heart rate tripped. We were going to be sleeping in that bed. Together. Just him and me. Us. Why I needed to run through the different ways of saying we were sleeping together was beyond me, but it still didn’t seem real.

Sleeping together in a room that was not in a houseful of others of our kind made everything seem so different, much more adult and intimate. As though we’d been playing at being grown-ups but not anymore.

I gathered up my sleep clothes and changed quickly. Part of me wanted to linger in the bathroom, but if I did, there was a good chance I’d crawl into the big tub and go to sleep.

When I returned to the main room, Dez was already in bed. A flash of heat shot through me as I stopped at the foot of the bed, twisting my fingers together.

Dez’s gaze slid my way. He’d changed while I’d been in the bathroom, wearing a white cotton shirt and hopefully bottoms to sleep in. His thick lashes shielded his eyes.

“What are you doing?” he asked, a smile in his voice.

I shrugged one shoulder.

He grinned. “Are you going to stand there and watch me sleep?”

My nose wrinkled. What did he think I was? A creeper? “No.”

“Then come on.” He patted the bed next to him. “I don’t bite. Unless you want me to.”

The kind of heat that flushed my face could fry eggs. Dez laughed deeply. “I’m kidding, Jas. Come on. I’m tired and I won’t be able to sleep without you getting in the bed.”

I cocked my head to the side. “Really?”

“Yeah,” he replied, yawning. “I’d be too worried about you being uncomfortable. And possibly staring at me while I sleep.”

“I’m not going to watch you sleep!”

“Whatever.”

I crept forward, until I was halfway up the big bed. He yawned again, casting his attention to the TV. Dragging in a deep breath, I grabbed the edge of the covers and slid in, settling on my back.

My chest was rising and falling so fast I swore I could see the blanket move.

“Good night, Jas.”

That was it? He was seriously going to sleep and wasn’t going to, I don’t know, test out this bed? I should’ve felt relieved, but... but I was disappointed in a way. “Good night.”

Seconds stretched into minutes and then Dez rolled onto his side, facing me. I held my breath. Another handful of seconds ticked by and then my body moved without my brain really catching up to it.

I rolled onto my side, and our gazes locked. There was a foot between us, but the space felt nonexistent as we stared at each other. In that moment I didn’t think I’d ever be able to sleep, but the beauty of his blue eyes and the slight smile on his lips was the last thing I saw before I slipped away.

Even dedicating a full day to touring New York City the following day, there was no way I could visit every museum, see every street I’d only read about or visit all the landmarks. We’d spent an ungodly amount of time in a toy store that seemed to have everything.

That night, together, we flew over the city to Ellis Island and then back to the Upper West Side, landing among the majestic statues of our kind and gazing down at the shimmering lights of the cars and street lamps below us.

I thought about that morning and felt warmth bubbling in my chest. When I woke up, I’d been half sprawled on him, my leg thrown over his and my head nestled in the crook of his shoulder. Unless he had dragged me over him in the middle of the night, which could be plausible, it had been me that had sought him out. He hadn’t seemed to mind, though. His arm had been secure around my waist.

Waking up like that had been... well, it had been more than nice.

“We can’t stay here long,” Dez said, stretching out his wings until they brushed over mine. I shivered at the intimate contact. “The clan is hunting and, while your father approved of this trip, I doubt he’d be happy to know you’re out here at night.”

I nodded as I leaned forward, my hands digging into the ledge. My senses were going off left and right. There were a lot of demons moving around down there, more than I imagined there would be.

“How many do you think are here?” I asked, glancing at Dez. “Demons, I mean?”

He tipped his head back, eyeing the stars. “Hundreds. Mostly Fiends like the one we saw yesterday. Some will be Posers and maybe an Infernal Ruler or two.” He stood, twisting his head from side to side, working out a kink in his neck. “They’ll come across an Upper Level demon at some point tonight. Whether they capture it is the question.”

Once a demon was captured, it was promptly sent back to hell or interrogated. I wasn’t supposed to know about these things as females were kept out of politics, but there’d been many times over the past, while suffering a never-ending case of boredom, that I had eavesdropped on my father’s conversations. I knew that there were locations in the city where demons were questioned, using tactics that had frozen the blood in my veins.

Tension radiated from Dez. It was palpable in the air. “You want to be out there, don’t you? Hunting?”

“It’s hard not to.” He glanced down at me, his eyes a deep blue and lips a dark gray. “It’s ingrained in us.”

So they said. I turned my attention back to the ground below. Carrying out my desire to hunt a demon here would be too risky. We could run into a clansman and that would bring this little trip to an end. Still, the idea of that many demons out when there wasn’t even a quarter as many Wardens to handle them was disturbing.

A cool wind tossed my hair and teased the thin membranes in my wings, causing them to flutter restlessly. “Why are there so many?”

“No one knows what went down in hell or why so many demons were cast out.” Dez turned and reached down, offering me his hand. “But the numbers are growing. They’re up to something—something big.”

I placed my hand in his, letting him pull me up. “But we’re going to stop them.”

He smiled as he hopped down on the rooftop and then placed his hand on my hip. I didn’t need the help, but he insisted and I let him. “Do you want to head back to the hotel or go down to the streets?”

It was late and I knew as the hours went by, a battle of sorts would take place in the streets and even in the skies. As badly as I wanted to be out here, I wasn’t stupid. A female Warden would end up being a demon magnet and getting Dez in major trouble. My desire to experience both a hunt and more of the city would have to wait.

“Let’s go back.”

Heading to the other side of the building, I darted in front of him, tossing him a grin over my shoulder. “Beat you back to the hotel?”

His laugh was deep and rumbled through the night. “It’s on.”

Vaulting the ledge, I hit air and spread my wings, using the burst of wind to carry me up. I didn’t have to look behind me to know that he was right there. I flew up between the two skyscrapers, my laugh lost in the rush of air as I soared over the building. We shot up, circling a long and thin antenna. Dez gained on me, but I dipped, gliding down, past so many floors I lost track in the fall.

It was like old times, when we were kids and would race over the mountains, back to the mansion. I glanced over my shoulder, spying Dez through the strands of my hair. The chase was different now in a way. My muscles quivered in anticipation, and not of winning the race.

We were neck and neck as I nosedived over the top of our hotel. As I’d done above the mountains, I let gravity do its thing. I tucked back my wings and the world spiraled as I picked up speed. Lights. Darkness. Lights. Darkness.

“Jasmine!” Dez’s shout became a mere whisper.

At the last second, a heartbeat before it would be too late, I unfurled my wings and flipped, touching down in the alley on my feet. Chunks of asphalt flew in the air at my impact, startling a man walking a dog at the end of the alley, sending them both scurrying down the street and into the night.

Dez landed half a second later and was in my face even quicker. “What in the Hell were you thinking?”

“I won!” I twirled, arching my wings. “That’s what I’m thinking.”

He caught my arm, stilling me. His eyes blazed with fury. “You could’ve killed yourself pulling a stunt like that.”

“Aw.” I patted his chest. “Were you worried?”

His brows slammed down. “What do you think?”

I laughed, unwilling to let go of the giddiness of victory. “I’m still faster than you.”

“It has nothing to do with how fast you were. You suicide-bombed it right there.”

Shaking my head, I inhaled and phased into my human skin. As always, my jeans and shirt were stretched out after the change. “Chill, buddy, I know what I’m doing. I’ve been doing it every night for three years practically.”

His mouth dropped open.

“Okay. That didn’t sound right. But I was in control.” I sighed. “I like the way it feels when I’m falling.”

He stared at me a moment longer and then phased. “That’s absolutely insane.”

“Maybe.” I shrugged. “I still beat you.”

Dez barely said a word to me as we headed up to our room. Like the night before, I commandeered the bathroom first, freshening up and changing into something to sleep in while he did who knows what in the main room. The same nervousness I’d experienced last night returned with a vengeance. Then, we’d both been exhausted, but tonight I was too amped up to go comatose so quickly.

I passed him on the way out. Grabbing the remote control, I dived onto the bed and tugged the covers up. I concentrated on finding something on TV while I heard the water come on and then shut off. My stomach dipped when the bathroom door opened and he strode out.

I believed he’d forgotten his shirt.

Nylon gym shorts rode low on his hips, low enough that I wondered what magic he was using to get those dark blue shorts to stay up. He tossed his clothes onto the floor while I eyed his chest. When he glanced at me, he caught me staring and holding the remote control like a complete idiot.

“Sorry.” He went to the other side of the bed and tugged the covers back. “It’s warm in here.”

“Turn up the air.” I watched him climb in and let the sheets linger at his hips.

He lay back, biceps bulging as he folded his arms behind his neck. The darkness of the soft sheets created a strong contrast against his golden skin. “Already did.” Pausing, he looked at me. “Does this make you uncomfortable?”

No. Yes. It made me want to drool. I shook my head.

“Fine.” His brows rose slowly. “What are you watching?”

I glanced at the screen and my eyes widened. I must’ve stopped on one of the premium movie channels. It was a sex scene. Boobs—big boobs—were everywhere. And a whole lot of breathy moaning.

I’m pretty sure my face had caught fire.

Quickly changing the channel, I finally gave up and tossed him the remote. Like an old man, he settled on a local news station. He dropped the remote on his chest. I eased down on my side, pretending to watch the news while I was really studying his profile. A muscle ticked along his jaw.

I squirmed. “You’re still mad at me.”

His gaze slid sideways. “I’m not mad.”

“Yes, you are.”

He didn’t say anything for a moment and then picked up the remote, muted the TV and dropped it on the small table beside the bed. He rolled onto his side, facing me. “When you fell, it scared me.”

“It shouldn’t have. Like I said, I knew what I was doing.”

“But I didn’t know that.” He reached over, plucking up a strand of my hair and twining it around his finger. “I had no idea what you were doing.”

I didn’t say anything as I watched him unravel the twist he’d created.

“It was a pretty cool tactic,” he admitted, and I grinned. “Just warn me next time.”

“Not if we’re racing. Then I won’t have the upper hand.”

He smiled slightly. “Wait. Do you think you had the upper hand?”

“Of course I did.”

“I’m going to disagree,” he teased, lashes lowered. “You did not.”

“Whatever.”

He inched closer, raising up on one arm. “You don’t believe me?”

“No.” I laughed, rolling my eyes. “You overestimate—”

Moving lightning fast, Dez shifted and I was suddenly underneath him. His arms were on either side of my head, caging me in. Our bodies didn’t touch, but I felt him to the tips of my toes anyway.

The teasing grin disappeared when I dragged in a deep breath and my chest brushed his. Everything changed in an instant. The playful mood faded, replaced by primal heaviness. Our gazes collided and locked. Neither of us moved. His closeness sent a series of shivers skittering across my skin and made it hard to take slow, even breaths. My body tensed when his gaze dropped to my mouth.

He tilted his head to the side. “I... I honestly have no idea what we were talking about.”

“Good. Neither do I.”

He shifted his weight onto one arm, bringing him closer. “Have you enjoyed your trip so far?”

“Yes.” I felt as if I couldn’t get enough air into my lungs.

“Good.” He lowered his head. His breath was minty as it moved across my cheek and then my lips. “I’m glad.”

I wasn’t really following the conversation and I wasn’t sure that he was fully aware of what was coming out of his mouth. I searched my hazy brain for something to say and wet my lips. I—

The sound that came out of Dez’s chest rumbled through me. A stuttered heartbeat passed and then his lips were on mine. There was nothing slow about this kiss. It scorched my skin and caused my body to stretch tight like a bowstring. The kiss deepened, spinning my senses. I shuddered when his hand curved over my shoulder and drifted down to my waist, his long fingers spreading out under the hem of my shirt, grazing the bare skin of my stomach.

I gasped, floored by the raw sensations pounding through my blood. My skin felt as if I was about to phase. Maybe I was.

“Jasmine,” he whispered, the word falling against my lips, and then his body was pressing mine into the mattress, heavy, sweet and hard.

Nothing could’ve prepared me for the weight of him or for how my body responded without thought. My hands went to his shoulders, skimming down the taut skin of his back. His muscles flexed under my palms as his mouth trailed a fiery path to my chin and then down my throat.

He paused, lifting his head. Dez’s pupils stretched thin and the heat in his smoldering gaze should’ve had me running from the bed, but all it did was make me want more. And I hadn’t wanted more with anyone else. I hadn’t even wanted a kiss beyond the curiosity of experiencing one, but with him, I wanted everything and that was frightening. Enticing. Thrilling. I moved again, and he shuddered, closing his eyes.

Those eyes opened again and met mine as he sat back. Disappointment rose swiftly, but then both his hands were on my waist, his fingers tangling with the edges of my shirt. Breathless, I lifted my upper body and he gently pulled the shirt over my head.

I lay back, eyes wide and dizzy. Cool air washed over my bare skin and tiny bumps spread across my flesh as his gaze, intense and heated, swept over me.

“You’re beautiful.” He moved his fingers with such exquisite delicacy, causing my back to arch and my skin to tingle. “So beautiful.”

I was beyond words. He lowered his head, kissing me deeply. When he pulled away, he nipped at my lip, wringing a sound from me that would most definitely embarrass me come light of day.

Dez trailed a fiery path of little kisses down my neck, across the curve of my shoulder, and then down, exploring in a way that spun my senses. Sensations raced through me and it was like freefalling through the sky.

Flames ignited inside me when his chest came down on mine. The feel of skin against skin was a startling experience. His lips were against mine again, and I wrapped myself around him, wanting and needing to be closer.

I wasn’t in control of myself and there was something wonderfully freeing in that moment of letting go. My hands flattened along his lean sides as I hooked my leg around his. He murmured something under his breath as he lifted his head, expression strained. My body curled around his and the pressure of that movement was shattering.

And then he rolled off me and onto his back, throwing one arm above his head, the other over his chest. He stared at the ceiling as his breathing slowed.

My heart was still pounding erratically, heightened by the confusion swirling inside me like thick smoke. I sat up and my hair fell into my face. I made no move to push it back. I was afraid if I did move, I would pounce on him. “Why did you stop?”

“Why?” Dez laughed, but it sounded strangled. He closed his eyes again, cursing low as he rubbed his palm down his jaw. “I’m not stupid, Jas.”

That was so not the response I was expecting.

As I stared at him, some of the heat burning me up from the inside faded. “I don’t follow.”

He dropped his hand and pried one eye open. A smile crossed his lips, but it was wrong—all wrong. “This can only go so far, Jas. And being here, in this bed with you, makes it hard not to take it all the way. And there’s one problem with that. I know you don’t plan to tell me yes at the end of this.”

Chapter Ten

We ended up not leaving the city until the following afternoon and the trip south, toward the nation’s capital, was quiet. It had been that way since last night. Dez hadn’t treated me any differently. Quite the opposite. He talked, he prodded at me and tried to coax me into conversation as we left New York and crossed into New Jersey, but I was too caught up in my own thoughts.

I lay back in the seat, head tilted toward the passenger window. Buildings and houses blurred in a steady stream. A bitter taste lingered in the back of my mouth, a cocktail of guilt, shame and confusion, and no amount of drink or food would wash it away.

I kept telling myself that I had nothing to feel guilty about. I hadn’t abandoned Dez. He’d been the one to leave me and I hadn’t made him any promises, but the reassurance rang hollow.

Even my sister couldn’t truly understand why I was so resistant to the idea of mating with Dez, especially considering how much I’d cared for him. But when he left and when I finally accepted, after the many months had turned into a year, that he wasn’t coming home, I had mourned him. Grieved him as I had my mother. I could recognize the blessing of him returning, but three years of mourning was a long time to let go of and I didn’t even understand why he’d left. He claimed it had nothing to do with my father’s offer and it was obvious that he wanted me, but I needed more. Answers for one thing, and I wanted what my parents had had in their life together—love and trust.

Part of me recognized that I was still in love with Dez, that I never stopped loving him, but I didn’t believe he felt that way for me. Not in the way I needed him to, and as for trust? What’s to say that a year from now he wouldn’t just up and disappear again?

I shifted in my seat, restless.

Maybe more than our past was keeping me wary. Perhaps it had to do with me. After all, the whole mating business was serious. I’d be pledging myself to someone for my entire life. The very moment I mated, I would be thrust into adulthood, facing very adult demands. I wouldn’t be the only eighteen-year-old to do so, but it was a lot to even think about. Maybe I wasn’t ready and my excuses were really just that—excuses. A crutch.

We’d crossed into Pennsylvania hours ago and as the SUV eased into an exit lane for a town called West Chester, I straightened in my seat and glanced at Dez. “Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.”

And that was all he said as we drove through the town and then beyond, onto a narrow winding road that was crowded by thick trees. He turned onto a road I hadn’t noticed. About five minutes later, he parked along the shoulder. Dust filled the air as we climbed out.

I looked at Dez expectantly. “You going to tell me what you’re up to?”

He reached down, took my hand and started walking down a worn patch of dirt that formed a trail. Twigs snapped under our feet. “After I left the clan and before I made my way to the West Coast, I did a lot of traveling and I stumbled across this place.”

My heart jumped in my chest. A lake! He’d mentioned before that he’d found a perfect place for the skinny-dipping condition. This had to be it. Oh, God, why had I suggested this?

“The place is off the beaten track, very peaceful.” He held a low-hanging branch out of the way so I could dip under it. “Anyway, I think you’ll like the lake.”

Yep. There. He’d confirmed we were fulfilling another condition. My palms felt sweaty, and I slipped my hand free, wiping both of them on my jeans. Dez didn’t say anything, but slid around me, clearing the branches. “Did you... come here a lot?”

“Twice. I stopped on the way back to the clan. I needed to clear my head. It was a good place to do so.”

I stared at his back, watching his muscles play under his thin cotton shirt. I wanted to make some joke or clever comment but nerves had a hold on me.

The heavy foliage and undergrowth thinned out into a small stretch of land that butted up to an outcropping of large, smooth boulders surrounding a lake.

“Careful,” Dez murmured. “These rocks get kind of slippery.”

I smiled absently. His concern was really sweet, but I wasn’t in any danger of falling and cracking my skull open.

Fading sunlight glinted over the gently rippling water. I wandered closer to the shimmering surface and knelt, dipping my fingers into the cool water. With the exception of the soft calls of birds and the rustling of leaves, it was quiet here.

“It’s beautiful,” I said, standing.

“I think so.” There was a pause. “I know why you think I brought you here, but I really don’t expect you to skinny-dip.”

Turning around, I smiled at him. “I thought that was what you were most looking forward to.”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong. The mere thought of you swimming with nothing but the water...” He trailed off, cleared his throat, and I flushed to the roots of my hair. “Anyway, all of this is for you.” He spread his arms wide, indicating the lake, and beyond that, the entire trip. “You’re supposed to be having fun, not feeling uncomfortable.”

I tucked my hair back as I sat, plopping my butt on one of the boulders. Lowering my hands to my knees, I willed them to stop shaking.

“Jas?” He inched closer, head cocked to the side.

“Why?” I asked, lifting my gaze to his. “Why are you doing this when you know I don’t plan to say yes?”

He stopped for a moment and then navigated the prickly bushes to sit beside me. Leaning forward, he propped his arms on his knees and rested his chin in his hands. “Well, there’re a lot of reasons, but mainly because I wanted to.”

Doubt crept in like a thick fog. “You really wanted to play tourist instead of being out there with the clan?”

“Yes.” He peered up through his lashes. “I wasn’t lying when I said I missed you and thought about you every day. I want to spend time with you and it’s been fun watching you experience all these firsts. I’m happy that I could do this for you. And just because you’re resigned to saying no doesn’t mean that’s what you’ll say in the end.”

I raised my brows. “Oh, really?”

He dropped his hands and straightened. “Maybe at the end of these seven days, you’ll still say no. That doesn’t mean it’s over. I’m in this for the long haul.”

Warmth bubbled up in my chest in response to his words. “What if I find someone else?”

His eyes narrowed. “I doubt that’s going to happen.”

“You never know.”

“Oh, I know.”

I rolled my eyes, but the grin I was fighting peeked through. “Just saying.”

“And I’m just saying that by the end of these seven days or maybe a week from then, or a month, you’ll say yes.” He cupped my cheek and leaned in, pressing his forehead to mine. “And I’ll be waiting. No matter how long it takes.”

As I closed my eyes, my breath caught at the way my stomach dipped and twisted. The question formed on the tip of my tongue. “Tell me why you really left, Dez. Please.”

He brushed my nose with his and then pulled back, sighing. “Jas, it’s not an easy—”

Bushes rattled behind us, the sound of something rustling around. We turned at the same time. A shiver of awareness snaked along my shoulders as the tiny leaves on a bush that was only a few feet tall shuddered.

Dez placed a hand on my arm and motioned for me to be quiet as we stood. We made no sound, but the spiky leaves stilled.

A thin branch, no wider than a pencil and shaped like a spear, parted the leaves. The spear swung left and then right and then stopped, pointing at where we stood.

“What the...?” I whispered.

The bushes shook as a small creature appeared between the leaves. I had no idea what the thing was. No taller than a foot, the thing’s skin was the color of aged leather, legs and arms thin and knobby. Some kind of loincloth had been fashioned out of leaves and its potbelly was covered with mud. The creature kind of resembled one of those heinous troll dolls that had been popular before my time. It didn’t have neon-pink or purple hair, but its dark brown hair did stick straight up in large clumps, twisting together at the end.

The small creature crouched down, pointing the spear at us as if daring one of us to make a move.

“Holy crap,” Dez said.

I clamped my hands together, under my chin. “What is it?”

Its big, round eyes narrowed at the sound of my voice, but it didn’t scamper off. Couldn’t picture the little guy running. Nope. It would scamper.

“It’s a pukwudgie.”

The thing’s oversize, floppy ears twitched at the sound of its name.

I looked at Dez slowly. “A what?”

“Earth demon,” he replied, brows knitted. “I’ve never seen one before. Thought they’d been eradicated years ago. Not much is known about them other than they caused a bit of mischief during their heyday. Usually they were only seen up north, near Massachusetts and places like that.”

“It’s kind of cute.” I grinned when his look turned dubious. “What? It’s so ugly it’s cute.”

Dez shook his head as the pukwudgie dropped its little spear and slunk forward, nearing the rocks. It disappeared behind them for a moment and then the tips of its ears and hair came into view. Finally, those big eyes and bulbous nose appeared as it peeked over a rock at us.

I giggled softly, and its mouth opened wide, revealing quite of bit of teeth in what I guessed was a smile in return.

“I think it likes me,” I said.

Dez’s hand grazed my back as he stepped away from the rocks. “Everything likes you, Jas.”

With surprising agility, the little guy hopped onto the farthest rock. It crouched again, watching us, and when neither of us moved, it inched closer, hopping the rocks until it was near the one we’d been sitting on.

I glanced at Dez, who shrugged and then started around the rocks, as if he planned to sneak up on it from behind. “What are you doing?”

He sent me a look. “What do you think?”

My mouth dropped open. “Come on. It’s not doing anything.”

Dez stopped, arching a brow. “Yet.”

My gaze fell back to the little guy. He was staring up at me with a toothy smile. He raised his knees, hobbling back and forth in a strange little jig when our eyes met.

“Jasmine...” Dez sighed, folding his arms. “It’s a demon. It might be a cute-ugly demon, but it’s still the enemy.”

“I know, but...”

But it wasn’t doing anything other than dancing and preening about. As sacrilegious as it sounded, I didn’t think it was right to kill it.

Dez shot me a look. “We can’t just let it go.”

The pukwudgie glanced at Dez and stuck out its tongue, making a very human raspberry sound.

I laughed. “Oh, I like this little guy. If we can’t let him go, can I keep him?”

“Uh, no.”

“I shall name him Herbert,” I announced, ignoring Dez. “Do you like the name, little puke-wedgie?”

“Pukwudgie,” Dez corrected, lips curving upward reluctantly. “Jas, we need to take care of this.”

The earth demon twirled around, hiking its legs up on either side.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” I slowly sat down, careful not to startle it. “Herbert is a good name for him.”

Dez choked, rolling his eyes. “Really? That’s the best name you can come up with?”

I flipped him off.

His eyes narrowed on me.

Herbert hopped onto my boulder, and I held my hand out. He bent at the waist, sniffing the air around my fingers.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Dez suggested darkly, stepping toward me. “God knows what kind of messed-up diseases that thing carries.”

Herbert spun around, doing another dance, and then brought his hand down on mine, as if he were giving me a high five. Then he raised his hand, formed a fist and shook it at Dez.

“Huh,” I said, eyeing it. “I really don’t think Herbert likes you.”

“That’s tragic,” he replied dryly. “I want you to move back from it.”

Ignoring him again, I chuckled as Herbert climbed to my side of the rock and wrapped his hand around my pointer finger. His skin was cool and soft. He jumped once and then again, moving my hand.

“I think he’s shaking my—ouch!”

Herbert had his mouth on my finger, his teeth clamped down! Sharp pain blasted across my hand, and I jerked back. Scrambling to my feet, I lost my balance and landed on my butt, clutching my throbbing hand to my chest.

“Herbert bit me! The little bastard bit me!”

The pukwudgie made a chattering noise that sounded perilously like a laugh, spun around and darted over the boulders. It jumped onto the ground and raced off, stopping only long enough to pick up its spear. Bushes rattled as it disappeared into the growth.

Dez was at my side in a second, kneeling down. He opened his mouth.

“Don’t you dare say I told you so,” I warned, glancing down at my finger. Blood welled up from three little indentations. “I can’t believe he bit me. I thought he liked me.”

“I wasn’t going to say anything. Let me see it.” He reached for my hand. “He broke the skin, didn’t he? Christ,” he muttered. “You’re bleeding. Come on, let’s wash it off and get out of here before more of them show up and decide to take a bite out of you.”

“You think there’re more?” I let him pull me to my feet and guide me to the edge of the lake.

“If there’s one, there’s probably a hundred.” He dipped my hand under the cool water, washing away the blood.

“You should’ve killed it,” I grumbled crossly.

Dez cast me a long look. “I tried, but someone—no names mentioned—thought Herbert was so ugly it was cute.”

I sighed. True. “He doesn’t deserve the name Herbert.”

He relented enough to snicker as he lifted my hand from the water. “Does it hurt?”

“Actually...” It did hurt. The sting from the pukwudgie’s bite radiated over my hand and down my arm. “Not really,” I finished. Dez already thought I was a big enough idiot. No reason to add to it.

We were halfway back to the SUV when a fine sheen of sweat broke out across my forehead. Heat traveled across my skin like a fever. I felt flushed, sticky. Stomach roiling, I glanced down at my finger and sucked in a shaky breath. The skin around the bite was blood red, and angry-looking streaks spread out from the otherwise-minor wound.

Uh-oh.

I stopped walking, but the trees kept moving. Odd. “Dez...?”

He turned to me, but something was wrong with his face. All his features blurred together. “Jasmine?”

His voice sounded way, way far away. “I don’t... feel so good.”

I took a step or at least I thought I had, but suddenly the ground was in the sky and the sky was no more. Somewhere, off in the distance, I thought I heard Dez calling my name, and then there was nothing.

Chapter Eleven

I was on fire.

It was the only explanation for the searing burn sweeping through my veins, cooking me from the inside, boiling my blood and blistering my skin. I couldn’t move, but I was gliding. Blissful cool air washed over my heated skin, a momentary reprieve, but the fire invaded every cell. Heat surrounded me, cradling me in a hard embrace.

In the rare moments when my brain wasn’t mush, I knew I had to phase. I had to reach the deep level of sleep necessary to heal, but I couldn’t will my muscles to do what I needed. Nothing responded to me. I was trapped in a circle of Hell.

Consciousness slipped in and out, and when I was awake, I wanted to be out—to be far away. My skin was slipping off my bones. Flames crawled up my throat. Unable to escape the pain, I shrank into myself, and a million miles away, I heard someone calling to me. The words made no sense, but I clung to the voice and tried to reach for it. Then the inferno spiked, consuming me until there was only darkness and the distant hum of that voice.

It felt like a stuttered heartbeat later when I became aware of the shift in my surroundings. There were more voices in the distance, but I couldn’t make out what they were saying and I couldn’t force my eyes open. Something was different though. The hard warmth that had surrounded me was gone and in its place was billowy softness. I didn’t understand, but I sank into it for a little while, dragging myself back out when something cool was pressed to my forehead and bitter, tangy liquid coursed down my throat. I tried to turn my head, whimpering as a gentle hand stopped me.

“You have to drink this. It will help you feel better.”

I didn’t recognize the voice. My heart rate skyrocketed. Where was Dez? I didn’t have a chance to spit up the liquid. It kept coming until I was drowning in it,and when it stopped, I dragged in deep breaths that hurt.

“That’s good,” said the stranger. He was moving away from me. “She’ll sleep now.”

The silence that followed was as frightening as the fire. Summoning every ounce of energy in me, I lifted my hand, searching for something—anything—to hold on to.

A strong hand folded around mine, and the softness shifted. A damp cloth caressed my forehead. My lips formed his name, but there was no sound.

“I’m here with you.” The coolness slid over my blazing cheeks. “I’m not going anywhere, Jas. I’m not going to leave you again.”

The fire was gone the next time my brain churned awake. A dull throbbing remained in every part of my body and my eyes felt sewn shut. My body came back on at the speed of a three-legged turtle. I moved, maybe shifted about an inch on the bed, and I felt as if I’d accomplished something major.

“Jas?”

I turned my head toward the sound of Dez’s deep voice. A hand curved around my cheek, and I sighed at the contact. It didn’t burn. Oh, no, it felt grounding and wonderful.

Finally, after an eternity, I pried my eyes open. I squinted at the low light in the room, surprised by the sensitivity of my eyes. As my vision cleared, I saw Dez sitting beside me.

I’d never seen him look so tired. Dark shadows bloomed under his pale eyes. His features were pinched with weariness, but the hand around mine was full of strength.

“Hey,” he said, scooting closer. “You’re finally awake.”

I opened my mouth, but what came out was no more than a hoarse, pathetic croak. Dez dropped my hand as he leaned back in his chair, reaching for the pitcher of water on the nightstand.

As Dez helped me sit up enough to drink, my gaze flitted around my surroundings. Beige walls, minimal furniture and heavy white curtains. It wasn’t a room in my clan’s home.

I felt as if I’d climbed a hundred stairs by the time I rested my head on the soft pillow again. “Thank you.”

Dez picked up my hand again, threading his fingers through mine. “How are you feeling?”

“Tired.” I turned toward him. My head was full of cobwebs. “What happened?”

“You don’t remember?”

I searched through my hazy thoughts, slowly picking up the important stuff. “Herbert bit me.”

He nodded. “A pukwudgie’s bite is poisonous. I didn’t know it would be. If I had—”

“It’s not your fault.” I cleared my throat, wishing I could sit up. “You didn’t know. And if it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine. God, I feel dumb.”

He smiled slightly. “Why?”

“Why?” I repeated dully. “You told me not to touch the stupid thing and I should’ve known better.”

He smoothed my damp hair back from my face with his free hand. “Well, trusting anything named Herbert is a bad idea.”

I croaked out a laugh. “That’s true.” Wetting my lips, I then let out a long breath. “Where are we?”

“We were too far from home to take you back.” He slid his hand to my cheek and then he sat back, still holding my hand in his other one. “I brought you to DC. We’re in Abbot’s home.”

My eyes widened. “We’re here? How? Did you drive?”

“Driving would’ve taken too long, and I didn’t know how dangerous the bite was. It was quicker to fly. And I’m glad I did. Turns out a pukwudgie’s bite isn’t something to mess with. Abbot sent one of his clansmen to get our car. All your stuff is here.”

I stared at him. He’d flown here? Carrying me? No wonder he looked as if he was about to fall over. “Dez, I... a thank-you isn’t enough.”

“You waking up and being okay is enough.” He squeezed my hand. “There were a couple of minutes I didn’t think you would. And I...” He swallowed hard as he closed his eyes. When they reopened, they shone the color of the sky before dusk as he brought my hand to his mouth and placed a kiss against my palm. “I was really worried.”

An ache pierced my chest at the agony in his voice. “I’m okay, though. Right?”

“Yes, but...” He lowered my hand back to the bed. “Jas, you’ve been asleep for a day and a half.”

“What?” I breathed. That couldn’t be true. I felt as though I hadn’t slept in days. “Oh, my God, I’m going to find Herbert and strangle him.”

Dez coughed out a laugh. “You need to get behind me in line for that.” His grin faded into a wince. “I had to tell your father.”

I cringed. “Oh, no.”

“He almost came down here, I think, to kill me. Abbot got on the phone and calmed him down, told him that you were going to be okay.” He smiled again, the twist of his lips tired. “Abbot said you’d feel better very soon, but he’s offered his house to us as long as we need to stay.”

“That’s really nice of him,” I murmured. My brain was stuck elsewhere, slowly turning everything over.

Dez let out a heavy breath. “Can I...?” He shook his head, starting again. “I’m exhausted and I need to lie down, but I’m not leaving you. Can I lie here with you? That’s all I want—to just lie here with you for a little while.”

My heart did a little dance in my chest at his request. Unable to speak because the words building in my throat were best left unsaid for the time being, I nodded.

“Thank you.” Dez dropped his head, and his large shoulders relaxed. Up until that moment, I hadn’t realized how tense he was sitting beside me.

Wordlessly, he made me finish off the rest of the water before climbing into the bed and stretching out next to me. I lay there for a moment, staring at him, and I forced my body to move. It took everything I had, but I rolled onto my side and wiggled closer, placing my head on his shoulder.

Dez was still for a moment and then he wrapped his arm around my waist, fitting me close to his side. For some reason, even though we’d shared the same bed in New York, there was something more special about this, a heaviness that had my overworked heart pounding. And as I relaxed into Dez’s embrace, I closed my eyes and could think of only one thing.

Our seven days were up.

Chapter Twelve

By the following evening, I was ready to be out of bed. I was giddy over feeling like myself again. Well, I didn’t feel a hundred percent, but I also didn’t want to sleep for another ten years, and after a quick shower, I called and checked in with my father and Danika, and made my way downstairs. The house in DC was much like mine. More the size of a hotel than a home, but the key difference was that there was no sign of children or women here.

The house was tomb silent.

I’d eaten in the room, devouring the food Dez had brought me for lunch, but that had been hours ago and I hadn’t seen him or anyone else since. I knew others were here, unless I’d been delusional when I was sick, which was possible.

Standing in the hallway downstairs, I was seconds away from seriously believing that Dez had left my butt in an abandoned house, when a door opened behind me. I spun around.

An older gentleman stepped through the door, closing it quietly behind him. Gray peppered his black hair and his light brown skin was heavily creased. His soulful brown eyes met mine, and as he passed me in the hall, a warm smile crossed his face.

He disappeared out the front door, never saying a word.

“Okay,” I murmured.

Turning around, I headed through a wide archway and into a large sitting room. I moseyed around restlessly until, tired anew, I sat on one of the massive, supple-leather couches. My mind immediately went to what was going to happen next. Our seven days were up and I hadn’t given Dez an answer.

Dropping my head, I rubbed the back of my neck. The unease in the pit of my stomach was like the pukwudgie’s poison, spreading until a fine sheen of sweat covered my palms. I wished I could slip into my true skin and take flight. Things always seemed to make more sense in the air, but Dez, wherever he was, would flip out. DC, much like New York City, would be overflowing with various demons. And although dusk was still hours away, it would be risky...

Since when had I started worrying about what Dez would think again?

The answer was obvious. From the very moment he’d swaggered back into my life.

My head hung on my neck like a wet noodle. The words formed in my thoughts before I could stop them. I was still so in love with him. During the three years he was gone, that love had turned to heartbreak, but it had never diminished.

Movement out of the corner of my eye caught my attention. Lifting my head, I sucked in a sharp breath of surprise.

Standing in the doorway was a tiny girl, barely coming in at five feet. She couldn’t have been more than thirteen. Then again, she might’ve been younger. She was so small, and I’d never seen anything like her before.

Hair that was so blond it was nearly white cascaded over narrow shoulders. Her lips were too full for her round face and her eyes were large and wide, like one of those exotic porcelain dolls I’d seen in shops before, but it was the color that was most shocking. They were such a light gray they were almost void of color. The vivid, unnatural beauty of the girl gave her away.

She had to be the half Warden, half demon that Abbot had adopted, the girl rumored to be able to steal the souls of humans and Wardens alike simply by breathing. She was an urban legend among Wardens, her existence not something I ever truly believed in; but Hell, I’d been wrong, because there she was, peeking around a door at me.

My heart rate picked up as I stood. For humans and Wardens, dying without a soul ended the same way. One became a wraith, doomed for eternity, existing between Heaven and Hell, plagued with endless thirst and hunger that ultimately manifested in a vengeful and violent spirit. The possibility of death without your soul was not something to take lightly, and I wanted out of this room. To be near something so deadly and dangerous raised the tiny hairs all over my body and caused my human skin to stretch tight.

She inched into the room slowly, as if she was waiting for permission. In the silence, she eyed me with unabashed curiosity. “Hi.”

Her voice was soft and unsure. I said nothing as my gaze fell to the open doorway. I could easily get past her. She didn’t look as if she could lift a chair, but with demons, looks could be deceiving.

Hello, pukwudgie.

“You’re Jasmine?” she asked, reaching up and clasping the edges of her pale hair with tiny fingers.

Moving around the couch, I put more space between us. Seemed unreal to be backing away from such a delicate-looking thing, but I liked my soul where it was―in my body. “I am.”

A wide smile broke out across her face in a stunning display, and for a moment I wondered if all the rumors were untrue, if maybe she was half angel instead of half demon. But no. “I’m—”

“I know who you are.”

The girl blanched, her skin matching the color of her hair at the unintended harshness in my tone. Or maybe it was intended? I couldn’t fathom why Abbot would allow something like her to roam freely through his home.

Her eyes widened further, taking on a shiny sheen before she ducked her chin, dropping her hair and picking at the necklace she wore, twisting the chain around her fingers. A pang of shame prodded at me, burning like a hot poker.

“Zayne and I were going to get ice cream,” she said after a few seconds, staring at the floor as she shifted her slight weight from one foot to the next. “I thought that you might like to come with us.”

My mouth opened, but there were no words. She was inviting me to go get ice cream? I’d slipped into an alternate reality. Before I could speak, a blond Warden entered the room, his easy grin spreading into a smile.

Zayne—the very object of my sister’s ever-growing crush.

One did not have to wonder why Danika was so attracted to Zayne. Wearing a light gray shirt, he was tall and built like all Wardens were, but he was an especially impressive specimen. His shirt clung to hard muscles and a lean waist. With that head full of blond waves and high cheekbones, his sculpted face could easily be mistaken for that of an angel’s. Zayne was divinely gorgeous, but my eyes... well, they’d always been focused on someone else.

“I’ve been looking everywhere for you, Layla.” Zayne walked right up to the half demon, displaying no fear whatsoever, and draped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to his side. “I’m ready if you’re...” He trailed off, his gaze narrowing on her and then flipping toward me. One look at me, and his handsome expression tightened in understanding. “Layla, why don’t you go wait for me in the foyer.”

She lifted her head and glanced at me. A small smile appeared on her lips and then she scampered from the room, gliding as fast as a shadow.

Zayne turned to me, legs spread and shoulders tensed, just the way Dez stood when he was angry. “Layla is nothing like what you think or have heard.”

I didn’t even have to ask how he suspected that our little meet and greet hadn’t been pleasant. The fact that I was hiding behind a couch like a total tool, looking as if I wanted to fly out of the room, was probably a dead giveaway.

He eyed me with cool, unfriendly pale eyes. “She won’t hurt you. The very idea of hurting anyone or anything would never even cross her thoughts.”

Flushing to the roots of my hair, I opened my mouth, but he cut me off.

“Layla’s not dangerous.” His gaze held mine, refusing to allow me to look away. “She’s more Warden than she is demon.”

My skin pricked with uncomfortable heat. “I’m sorry. I just wasn’t expecting to see her. I didn’t even think she was real. She’s... she’s really not a threat?”

Zayne stared at me for a long moment and then blew out a deep breath. As he finally looked away, he thrust his hand through his hair. “Unless you plan on kissing her any time soon, she’s not a danger to you.”

“Kissing her?”

“That’s how close you’d need to get for you to be concerned about losing your soul,” he explained. “It’s not like she just needs to breathe the same air as you. She needs to be close—that close.”

Well, since that wasn’t in my future plans, I nodded. Shame still burned like a flame inside my chest. God, I felt like a bitch. If she took a soul in that manner... the poor girl could never kiss. “I really am sorry. She seems like... like a nice girl. She invited me to ice cream.”

Zayne didn’t look surprised. “The other clansmen don’t want her in the main home with the other females and children. That’s why she’s here, in our headquarters, and there aren’t a lot of females that visit us here. She’s been excited to meet you since we heard that you were coming with Dez.”

Yep. It was official. Now I felt worse.

“I told Dez we were heading out. He said he wanted to come. You’re more than welcome to join us, but if you say one thing or act in any way toward Layla that is even remotely cruel—”

“I won’t,” I said quickly. “I’d love to join you all.”

He nodded curtly and turned. Feeling like a troll, I sighed and followed Zayne to the foyer. He went straight to where Layla waited in the corner, pressed against the wall and so incredibly small that if you weren’t paying attention, you wouldn’t have even seen her. My gaze followed hers to where Dez stood by the door.

Relief poured into Dez’s features as he looked at me. “I’ve been meeting with Abbot. I would’ve come back earlier if I knew you were out of bed and—”

“It’s okay.”

“Are you feeling up to going out?”

“I feel fine.”

I glanced back at Layla. Curiosity marked her face. There was also trepidation, as if she expected an identical response from Dez. It couldn’t be easy for her living among Wardens. I knew that most had to have behaved the way I had. Sympathy rose inside me. That girl could not have had an easy life.

Dez smiled at the young girl and though it didn’t reach his eyes, she smiled back—hopeful. He was wary, but he hid it a lot better than me.

“Everyone ready?” As Zayne spoke, he reached down, wrapping his much larger hand around Layla’s.

“Yep.” Dez looked at me in that intense way of his, and for a moment I forgot about my embarrassing reaction. “You sure?” When I nodded, he said, “We’re ready.”

A different kind of heat flooded my cheeks as I glanced back at Zayne and Layla. The girl was staring up at the Warden, smiling in a way that was painfully familiar.

She smiled the same way I had every time I’d seen Dez—that smile of adoration and love. There was something incredibly sad about that because the obvious love Layla harbored for Zayne would, no matter what, end in painful heartbreak.

Chapter Thirteen

We all stared at Zayne in varying degrees of morbid fascination, watching him happily take a Twizzler from a pack he’d brought into the ’50s-style ice-cream parlor and dip it into his chocolate ice cream.

“That is so disgusting.” Layla watched him, her spoon hovering above her banana split. “I mean, there’re really no words for it.”

“What?” Zayne laughed as he looked at her and held the chocolate-covered red licorice close to her face. “Just try it.”

“Ew.” She jerked back, scrunching up her nose. “Get that away from me.”

Beside me, Dez leaned back and smiled. Since he’d already devoured his cone, I expected him to start patting his belly. “That is gross.”

Zayne scoffed. “Whatever. It’s the best thing ever.”

“It’s not,” Layla said, scooping around the cherries. “You could try chips or French fries like a normal person.”

“What fun is being normal?” Zayne countered.

Layla pulled her spoon back as he reached over and plucked up a cherry, popping it in his mouth.

There was no doubt in my mind that these two were close, probably as inseparable as Dez and I had been. And just like my younger self, Layla made no attempt at hiding how she worshipped him.

The more time I spent in her company, the worse I felt about how I’d acted toward her earlier. She really was a sweet girl, and once she got comfortable around Dez and me, she opened up. The chick was spunky.

“Abbot is letting me attend public school next year,” she told us. Excitement sparkled in her odd eyes and shone in her wide smile. “I’m so—”

“I think it’s a terrible idea,” Zayne cut in, eyeing her. “You’re going to be at school during the day, when most of us are resting. If something happens, it will be damn hard for any of us to respond.”

“Nothing is going to happen.” Layla rolled her eyes. “And besides, you can’t keep playing at being my teacher. There’re better things you could be doing.”

Dez frowned. “Has Zayne been teaching you?”

She nodded as she twirled her spoon around. “Yeah, he set me up with this homeschool stuff on the computer and checks my work, but come on. No offense, but I’d like a real education.”

Zayne was quiet, gaze fixed on the old portraits of the ice-cream parlor’s previous owners adorning the walls. It was obvious, at least to me, that he was not a fan of this conversation. I didn’t know what to be more shocked over: that Layla would be attending a public school or that Zayne had been tutoring her.

I knew Zayne had said the other clansmen didn’t want her in their home with their families, but there had to be a female overseeing her education. Someone who’d looked past what she was. “One of the older females isn’t teaching you?”

Zayne scratched his cheek, answering for her. “The main house is outside the city, near Charles Town, where the females and the young ones are. Most of the females don’t travel here anyway, as I said.”

Which was normal. It was the same for us. Our clan had houses in New York City, though the main compound where the mated Wardens and children lived was several hours north.

“Not to sound rude, but why isn’t Layla with them?” Dez asked, and I winced.

Layla laughed. “I think they’d throw themselves headfirst out of a window before they shared the same roof as me.” She shrugged as she took the last bite of her ice cream. “Obviously none of them are willing to teach me, and Zayne can’t keep doing it, so Abbot relented and is letting me go to public school. All in all, it’s a good thing.”

I smiled at her. “I’m a bit envious. I would’ve loved to attend public school.”

“It’s dangerous, though.” Zayne shifted in the booth. “You know how the demons like to come after—”

“Not me,” Layla cut in. The smile faded from her face as she looked over at us. “Abbot doesn’t think it will be dangerous for me, and honestly, I’m not a huge asset to the clan or anything. I’m kind of defective.”

My mouth dropped open, but Zayne’s reaction was a whole lot more explosive. He turned on her, eyes flashing a teal blue. His fingers wrapped around her chin, forcing her gaze to him, and he leaned down, his head inches from hers. Knowing what Layla could do, I stiffened—as did Dez, who must’ve known more about her ability than I did when I met her earlier. Zayne was too close.

And he didn’t appear to be worried at all.

“You are not defective. There is not a single thing wrong with you.” His voice was low, but there was no mistaking what he said. “Do you understand me?”

Two pink spots bloomed on her cheeks as she held his gaze. “Yes, but—”

“No. That’s it.” He dropped his hand, but didn’t move back. “I swear to God, I want to strangle you every time you say something like that.”

The pink spread across her face as her gaze drifted over to us again. “I don’t have low self-worth or anything,” she said quietly. “I really don’t, but I can’t...” She took a deep breath. “I can’t phase.”

Desperately, I tried to keep my face blank and I hoped Dez was doing the same. If Layla couldn’t phase, everyone had to suspect that any offspring of hers could share the potential... defect. None of the males would want her. Not that they could really have her even if she wanted any of them.

I squeezed my hands together, until I felt my nails biting into my flesh. Sometimes I hated our world, and it became too hard to justify the reasons why things were the way they were. All of us, by our very existence, had our duties for the greater good, but...

But it was total shit.

“So...” Zayne drew the word out, clearing his throat. “How’s Danika?”

The change of subject caught me off guard. “She’s doing well. She wanted me to tell you she said hi.”

Dez snorted. No doubt he was remembering Danika’s real request, which involved a picture and Zayne naked.

Kicking him under the table, I glanced at Layla, who was currently studying her empty bowl as if it contained the answers to life. This might be a better conversation for Zayne, but it wasn’t for her. The pink had completely drained from her complexion.

As much as I wanted my sister to be happy—and the good Lord knew that she’d be happy with Zayne—my heart ached for the girl sitting across from me. She couldn’t be with a Warden. And she couldn’t be with a human either without putting them in danger. That left only demons, which was completely out of the question.

Layla only had a future of loneliness ahead of her.

“She still training to fight?” Zayne asked, completely oblivious the way all guys were.

I wanted to kick him now because with each question he asked, Layla grew quieter and quieter. By the time Dez suggested that he and I check out the city, the young girl practically had her face in her bowl. We said our goodbyes and headed past the line stretching nearly to the door.

We stepped out in the late-evening air and the warm breeze lifted the hair off the sides of my face. The wind carried an odd scent—a musky-sweet smell that reminded me of dark chocolate and sinfully wicked things that were done at night, between soft sheets.

Whoa.

That thought came out of nowhere.

My cheeks heated as Dez stopped at the curb and glanced down at me. His brows knitted. “Are you okay?”

I dodged the foot traffic and stood beside a late-blooming cherry tree. “Yeah.”

“You sure?” His fingers brushed my cheek. “You look flushed. We can go back if you need to rest—”

“I don’t need to rest.” I moved closer to him, tipping my head back. “I’m fine.”

He stared at me a moment and then he dipped his chin, bringing his face close to mine. “I know our seven days are up, but I’m glad to help you fulfill your conditions anyway. We can do whatever you want, but I can’t support the whole demon-hunting thing.”

I opened my mouth, but he rushed on.

“I’m sorry. I know it’s what you asked for, but whether you believe it or not, you’re not completely okay. And after seeing how hurt you were from a tiny bite, I can’t stand by and let you put yourself in danger just so you can prove something.”

“I know. I don’t have anything to prove.” The moment those words came out of my mouth, I knew they were the truth. What would hunting demons do for me? I’d held my own against the Terriers and had a near-fatal encounter with a pukwudgie. I’d say that ran the gamut of demon experiences. And honestly, I didn’t care about the stupid conditions right now or even seeing the city. “I think we need to...”

The sweet, heavy scent teased my senses again. “What is that smell?” I turned, my gaze crawling over the people and the glass storefront of the parlor. I could see Layla and Zayne inside, still sitting side by side. The wide smile was back on her face as she laughed at something Zayne said. “You don’t smell that?”

“No.” Dez placed a hand on my shoulder. “All I smell is exhaust and humans.”

I frowned. The odd, pleasing scent was stronger than those elements. How could he not sense it? Shaking my head, I started to turn back to Dez, when my gaze snagged on something.

I don’t know what it was about the boy that caught my eye, but once I saw him, I couldn’t look away.

He was leaning against the brick wall of the ice-cream shop, only his profile visible. He was tall—taller than Dez and Zayne, but not as broad. There was no mistaking that his body was nothing but powerful, lean muscle. The black shirt he wore revealed the sinewy strength in his arms, but it was that tattoo that held my attention.

The image was of a snake, but... each ripple in the skin had been shaded so that it actually looked three-dimensional, the underbelly gray and the scales defined. It looked real, like a thick copperhead had crawled up the boy’s body and wrapped itself around his arm.

The boy’s artfully messy hair was so dark that it reflected blue in the fading sunlight. The one eyebrow I could see was arched in the middle, as if he was enjoying a private joke. Although I couldn’t see his face fully, the high cheekbones and the tilt of his lips were set in a visage I knew would be beautiful—too beautiful. Like the pictures of all the fallen angels in the books my father kept in his library.

Somehow I knew that scent was coming from him.

And I was also pretty sure he was watching Zayne and Layla—namely, her.

Chills danced down my spine as the boy turned toward us, the sardonic twist of his lips spreading. My insides knotted as I lifted my gaze. Two eyes the color of polished amber locked with mine.

I sucked in a startled breath and stepped back into Dez. The eyes! There was no mistaking what the boy was. Only one thing in this world had golden eyes like that. My stomach dropped and my heart kicked into overdrive.

He was an Upper Level demon.

Chapter Fourteen

No sooner had that thought crossed my mind than Dez shifted so that I was behind him and he was between the demon and me. My heart pounded against my chest painfully. How long had he been there, watching us? That was one of the many problems with Upper Level demons. They could cloak their presence so we couldn’t sense them, giving them the advantage. The fact that I’d picked up on the sweet smell had been rare, and most likely he’d allowed me to. I didn’t want to know why.

“Get out of here, Jasmine.” Dez’s voice was low and hard. “Go now.”

There was no way in Hell I was going anywhere without him. I balled my hands in the back of his shirt. “I’m not leaving you.”

Dez cursed. “Go. Please, God, go.”

“Please, God?” The demon stepped toward us, cocking his head to the side. I’d been right about his beauty. It was unreal. Frightening in its sheer perfection. “Are you expecting a response? Because I’m going to go out on a limb and say he’s probably not listening.”

The muscles under my hands tensed as Dez drew in a deep breath, but before he could speak, the demon chuckled darkly as he swaggered forward, paying no heed to those passing between us. And he didn’t need to. Humans seemed to sense that any contact with him would probably be their last. He parted the crowd on the sidewalk like a twisted version of Moses, stopping directly in front of us. He looked no older than me, but there was a worldliness in the way he held himself, in the odd glint of his eyes.

“I don’t think your little friend is going anywhere,” he murmured, those amber eyes glowing slightly as he leaned to the side. He waved at me. “Hi, there.”

Dez shifted, blocking me. “Look at her one more time and I will snap your head off your neck.”

“Tsk, tsk, that isn’t how you talk to a stranger.” One side of his lips quirked up. “So rude.”

People were starting to watch us. No way was this situation going to end well. I could already smell blood in the air.

“I’m not playing with you.” Dez’s hands formed fists.

“That’s good, because you’re the last thing I want to play with.”

Dez stepped forward, going toe to toe with the demon. A shudder worked its way down his back. He was seconds from phasing.

“Oh, I wouldn’t try that, you heavenly reject.” The confident smile remained fixed in place. “You go all Warden on me and then I’ll go all badass demon on you, and then oops.” His eyes widened. “All the little humans in the world will know they’re not alone. And I’m not talking about E.T. Unless that lumpy creature was really a demon.”

For a second I thought Dez was going to say screw it and totally lose his head right there, and the demon’s smile stretched to epic levels. He spread his arms and curled his fingers back in the universal “come get some” sign. Along the underside of the demon’s biceps, the tattoo suddenly moved—the scales gliding over his skin as the tail disappeared under the sleeve of his dark shirt. Around the demon’s neck, black ink spread and the head of the snake appeared. One red eye shining like a ruby focused right on us.

What in the holy Hell?

Dez growled low in his throat. “You have no idea how badly I want to take you apart.”

“What’s stopping you?” the demon shot back.

He was purposely antagonizing Dez. Did he want exposure? I didn’t know what would happen if that occurred, but I was pretty sure it would involve the annihilation of both of our races.

But this moment meant more to me on a personal level. An Upper Level demon had killed my mother and, as strong and cunning as Dez could be, he could fall to this one. I couldn’t stand here, cowering, and do nothing. I wasn’t a little girl anymore.

I summoned my courage and grabbed hold of Dez’s arm. “What do you want?”

“She speaks?” The demon laughed. “And here I thought all female Wardens were incapable of even forming a single thought without the aid of a male.”

“Excuse me?” Disbelief gave way to anger.

Dez held his arm out, keeping me from making my way around him. “I’m going to give you five seconds to get out of here.”

The demon stood there as several heartbeats passed. “Five seconds are up. Next threat?”

“Aren’t you a smart-ass,” Dez snapped.

“Among many, many things.” The demon’s gaze seemed to find the tiniest part of me visible behind Dez. He sighed as his gaze softened. “I have no problems with the two of you, so...whatever.”

Whatever? Had I heard him right?

The Upper Level demon winked an amber-colored eye and then turned. Casting one last lingering look inside the ice-cream’ shop, he strolled away, humming under his breath. The melody poked around at my memory.

“‘Paradise City’?” I said dumbly, stepping to stand beside Dez. “He’s humming a Guns N’ Roses song?”

Dez didn’t respond, and I don’t even know why I was fixating on the song. Maybe it was shock from being this close to an Upper Level demon and then hearing him say he had “no problems” with us. He’d walked away. He’d walked away when the demon who killed my mother hadn’t.

I had no idea what had just happened.

Swallowing hard, I glanced at Dez. His body was trembling from the amount of control it took to stay where he was. The small crowd that had started to gather around us thinned out as interest was lost, but a few humans, ones who were clearly observant, were starting to look at us closely.

“Dez?” I wrapped my hand around his forearm, feeling the tension in his muscles. “Are you going to go after him?”

“I should—I need to.”

The unspoken “but” was that all Wardens, no matter how ticked off they were or how big their egos could be, knew better than to try to take on an Upper Level demon alone, even one who had turned his back.

Dez let out a ripe curse as he finally looked at me. “I need to warn Zayne.”

“Okay.” I started to let go and then tightened my hold on his arm. “Wait.”

“What?”

I took a breath. “I don’t know, but it looked like he was watching them—watching Layla.”

Dez glanced through the window to where the two were sitting. “If so, that’s not good. Not good at all.”

Dez had pulled Zayne aside while I waited with Layla, and told him what had happened outside. The moment Dez had relayed my suspicion over what the Upper Level demon was doing, Zayne wanted to get Layla home.

Nothing was said to her about why we all were heading back to the compound and she didn’t seem to suspect anything when Dez disappeared with Zayne to speak with Abbot. I followed Layla upstairs to her bedroom.

The room was a mess. Books littered the floor. Mismatched socks peeked out from her dresser and under her desk, but the room was decked out in everything a girl could want—laptop, desktop, stereo, a huge TV and a closet overflowing with clothes. In the corner, a large handmade dollhouse was placed near the balcony doors and, at the head of the bed, nestled between a fleet of pillows, was a teddy bear that looked as if it had seen better days.

Layla plopped down on the bed and bounced once before she crossed her legs. Hovering at the door, I couldn’t help but wonder why the demon had been so interested in her and Zayne.

“It’s okay,” she said, planting her chin in her hands. “You don’t have to hang out with me.”

I blinked. “I’m sorry about the way I acted when I first saw you.”

She shrugged. “It’s no biggie.”

Biting down on my lip, I joined her on the bed. “You get that a lot?”

Layla laughed softly. “All the time. I can’t blame those who react that way. I am half demon.”

“But you’re so...” What was the right word?

“Awesome?” she answered, and then giggled. I smiled as she tugged her hair over her shoulder, twisting it. Danika did the same thing. “Can I ask you a question?”

I tucked my knees to my chest. “Sure.”

“Are you and Dez going to mate?” She paused. “Sorry. That’s probably none of my business. I just overheard some of the guys talking and I was curious. Abbot is always talking about mating and I hate the word. It’s so... I don’t know. Can’t he just say get married? He wants Zayne to ‘mate’ with Danika. He talks about it all—” She cut herself off and pink swept across her cheeks. “Anyway, is that what you guys are going to do?”

“I...” I sure hadn’t been expecting that question. My cheeks heated as I focused on a crowded bookshelf. “It’s complicated.”

“Complicated?” Her face screwed up thoughtfully. “Do you want to mate with him? Because if you don’t, you can say no, right? That’s how it works.”

“Yes, but I... I don’t know.”

She dropped her hair and the waves unfurled slowly. “Do you love him?”

A pang hit my chest and the answer was right there, on the tip of my tongue. Instead, something totally different came out. “I’ve been in love with him since I was a kid, but he... he left me and he just now came back.” I couldn’t believe I was telling a thirteen-year-old this, but my mouth wouldn’t stop flapping. “And for three years I accepted that I’d never see him again and mating became something I didn’t even think about. I wasn’t prepared when he popped back into my life. I don’t know if I’m ready for everything that comes along with that.”

“That had to be shocking, his coming back like that.” Layla scooted closer and lowered her voice. “But he cares about you—loves you.”

I looked at her sharply and found that I really couldn’t say anything.

“It’s the way he looks at you. He watched you the entire time we were out and on the way back. Even when he left with Zayne, he was watching you. It’s... romantic.”

I jerked back in surprise. “He’s never said the words.”

“Have you?”

“No.”

Layla laughed. “Then why should he be the first? I mean, let’s take out the whole mating crap. Is he someone you want? Do you still love him?” she asked, her tone urgent. “Do you?”

“Yes.” I whispered the word, afraid it would be overheard, but dammit, it was already out there. Once something was spoken, it was true. No takebacks.

“Then there’s your answer, because that seems to be the most important thing. I mean, if he loves you and you love him, he’ll wait and everything will work itself out.”

I glanced at her, exhaling slowly. I still couldn’t believe I was talking to her about this, but the girl, no matter how young she was, was saying some pretty wise stuff. “You really think that?”

“Yes.” Layla’s lips spread, and once more, I was transfixed by her smile. “Nothing in this world is stronger than love. It should always be enough, no matter what.”

Chapter Fifteen

Pressure clamped down on my chest and a ball formed in my throat. There were so many knots in my stomach, threatening to tie me up.

I’d been pacing the length of my room since I’d left Layla. My thoughts were all over the place, which had made it impossible for me to sit still. I couldn’t stop thinking about Layla and the fact that she would never know love—not really, not like I would one day, no matter what I decided. She could never truly get close to another person. She could never kiss. Love had been forbidden to her and that was so unfair. And I couldn’t stop thinking about what she had said.

Love would always be enough, no matter what.

And I did love Dez. I was in love with him.

I don’t know what exactly had made up my mind. There were a lot of things I wasn’t ready for, but there was one thing I was.

Footsteps in the hallway caught my attention. Heart leaping in my chest, I froze—and then I sprang forward, rushing to the door. Popping my head out in the hall, I saw Dez.

He stopped, surprised. “Hey.”

“I was... I was waiting for you.” God, I sounded like an idiot. I started backing up as he came into my room. “What did Abbot say about the demon?”

“He’s concerned. It’s abnormal for an Upper Level demon to do nothing but talk smack and then walk off. They’re going out tonight to hunt him down.” He closed the door and leaned against it, folding his arms. “Obviously, the punk is up to something. They want to find out what.”

“Are you going out with them?”

“I should, but I think before we got distracted, you wanted to talk. And right now that’s more important.”

As his words sank in, I realized he was putting me before his duty. He had been for seven days. Catering to me. Playing babysitter. Following me around while I did a whole lot of nothing, and he hadn’t complained once. Even enjoyed himself because he... he had been with me.

Lifting my gaze, I could barely speak around my pounding heart. “I wanted to say that these... these seven days have been amazing.”

“Including Herbert?”

I laughed. “Yes, even Herbert.”

Doubt crossed his striking features. “Even though you didn’t get to see DC or hunt a demon?”

“I was telling you the truth. Those things don’t really matter.” I stopped, taking a deep breath. “Maybe they did before, but I don’t know what I was trying to do. Maybe delay the inevitable? Because I—”

“Wait.” He held up a hand, stretching the cotton shirt across his shoulders. “Before you tell me what I know you’re going to tell me, I need to tell you something.”

“But how do you know what I’m going to tell you?”

He laughed dryly. “I know, Jas.”

There was such obvious resignation in his voice that I squared my shoulders. “What do you want to tell me?”

“What I should’ve told you the first night I came back.” He cocked his head back against the door. Several seconds passed. “I should’ve said goodbye, but I didn’t. That was a gigantic mistake—one I can’t fix. And I know I made another by not being honest with you when I returned. I just didn’t want you to know the truth.”

Those words were forbidding. “The truth about why you left?”

He nodded.

A shiver coursed over my shoulders. “Well, if you didn’t want me to know, I’m pretty sure I can figure it out. I mean, you were eighteen, so I assume you were out doing your thing.”

Dez lowered his chin and pushed off the door. “My thing?”

There was a note of warning in his voice. Sometimes I needed to just shut up. This was one of those moments. Of course, my mouth kept moving. “Yeah, you know. Hooking up. Sowing your wild oats. Getting laid. Whatever.”

“Are you serious?”

I shrugged.

“There hasn’t been a single female I’ve thought about, let alone wanted to hook up with,” he said. “What I did when I left didn’t involve anything like that, Jasmine.”

I thought about the night in the hotel and my body flushed. He had to have experience, lots of experience.

“I wasn’t with anyone during that time,” he added.

I snorted. “Yeah, I’m not stupid, Dez.”

Anger flashed across his face as he stormed forward. “There’re a lot of things you could say about me, but I have never lied to you. I’m not lying to you now. I stayed true to you! This whole time! There has been no one else!”

I opened my mouth to argue, but his words sank in through the anger and confusion. My heart was like a balloon straining to float away. “Wh-what?”

Dez stared at me, his eyes now shining a brilliant blue. Two pink circles appeared on his cheeks and then he looked away, shoving a hand through his hair. “I haven’t been with anyone, Jasmine. Not like that.”

“Why?” I blurted out the question before I could stop myself, and the look he gave me said he wondered what was wrong with me. But I couldn’t comprehend that he had been with no one—no other female of our kind or human. It wasn’t as if he’d been hurting for attention. Females would cut off their left legs to be with him.

He blew out a deep breath as he dropped his hand. “I couldn’t.”

“You couldn’t?” I stepped closer.

“No. It wouldn’t have been right.”

I stopped, holding my hands pressed tightly against my chest as if I could stop my heart from jumping out of it. “Because mating with me was a duty, or—”

“Don’t put words in my mouth.” He prowled forward, stopping just in front of me. Air halted in my lungs as he dipped his head, his mouth inches from mine. “What is between us has nothing to do with duty or an obligation to mate and procreate. It’s only about us.”

My eyes widened. “It is?”

He placed a large hand on my cheek. “I wasn’t with anyone else because I couldn’t be. I didn’t want to be, because I always knew I was going to come back to you. There was never a doubt in my mind.”

“Never?” I whispered.

“Never.” He dropped his forehead to mine and breathed in unsteadily. His lips brushed my cheek, causing a shiver to rush across my skin. “I loved you the night you brought me pudding and stayed with me until I fell asleep. That was eleven years ago and my love for you has never faded, Jas. Not for one second.”

Oh, Lord, my heart escaped me, floating through the roof, up among the stars, but I didn’t understand. “Then why did you leave me without saying anything? Not even a goodbye?”

He closed his eyes, spreading his hands on either side of my neck. “I needed to find the demon responsible for attacking my clan—killing my parents.”

Stunned, I slipped free, the backs of my thighs hitting the side of the bed. “You went after the demon?”

His hands dropped to his sides. “I followed up leads, tracked the bastard across the country. He’d left California for a while, but that’s where I finally found him again.”

Placing my hand against my chest once more, I drew in a deep breath. “And you confronted him?”

“I killed him.”

My brain had stopped working. He’d spent three years tracking the demon responsible for massacring his clan? My father’s words made sense now. Dad had known what Dez was doing.

“Why didn’t you just tell me?” I asked.

A slight smile appeared. “You would’ve tried to stop me.”

“Damn straight I would’ve!” For some ridiculous reason, I wanted to cry. “You could’ve been killed!”

“I could be killed any night, Jas.”

“But that was different! You were out there by yourself. No one had your back.” Tears burned the back of my eyes, which was so stupid, because he obviously wasn’t dead. He was standing right in front of me. “Why did you need to do this?”

The smile slipped away, as if it had never been there. “You know how I was. So full of hate and anger. I needed to clean it out.” He palmed my cheeks. “I knew if I told you why I was leaving and you told me not to, I wouldn’t have been able to go.”

I wanted to push him away and I wanted to grab him and hold him close. Forever. “My dad knew?”

“Yes.” He pressed his lips to my temple. “It’s why I never called you or told you when I got back. It’s not a good enough excuse—it’s a shitty one, but I knew you would want me to stop... and that once you knew what I was doing you’d think differently of me.”

I blinked my stupid tears. “It was a shitty excuse, but you could’ve called me. You not doing so made me think differently of you. Not because you wanted to avenge your clan’s murder. You’re an idiot.” I laughed because I didn’t know what else to do. “For three years I thought you ran to escape me.”

“God, I hate that you ever thought that,” he said. “You were just so strong. You lost your mom. You saw her die, but you were strengthened by it. You didn’t let the hate swallow you up. I would’ve. I’m not proud to admit that, but...”

My hands shook as I wrapped them around his wrists. “But what?”

“But when your father announced his intentions for us, I knew I had to purge myself of the rage, because loving you... loving you was bittersweet,” he whispered against my lips. “Because I knew if I didn’t do this, if I didn’t get all the hatred out of me, I would never be the mate you deserved.”

“Oh, Dez.” My breath caught. “I...”

“I know it’s probably too little, too late.” He kissed me softly, just a brush of his lips, and then pulled back, his fingers trailing down my face. “But what I’ve told you is true. And like I said before, I’ll wait. No matter how long it takes to prove that I do love you, I will.”

So much was running through my head that it took a moment for me to process everything. “Too late? Dez, it’s not too late. God, we’ve both made such a mess of things.”

He opened his mouth, closed it, and then opened his mouth again. “What are you saying?”

There were so many things I was trying to tell him, but words or the lack thereof had been our problem all along. Either we weren’t telling each other what was really going on or we were saying all the wrong things.

Words sucked sometimes.

So I did the one thing that I knew we’d both understand. I crossed the small distance between us and placed my hands on his chest. He watched me intently as I stretched up. Sliding my hands up his chest, I circled my arms around his neck. He shuddered an instant before I pressed my lips against his.

I poured everything I wanted to say and should’ve said into the kiss. I pulled him close, breathing him in when he responded, when he took the kiss to a deeper level, sweeping his tongue over mine, drinking me in.

“I love you,” I gasped.

His hands settled on my hips. “Say that again.”

“I love you.”

“One more time.”

My lips curled up. “I love you, Dez.”

And that’s all I said. Dez kissed me, and that kiss—that kiss scorched me. It was everything that I felt given back to me. His hands slid up my back and our lips parted just enough for him to say my name and I knew the sound of it would stay with me to the end of my days.

We ended up on the bed, our limbs tangled together, our hearts pounding in our chests. I didn’t tell him yes. He didn’t ask. It didn’t need to be spoken. Because I had been his and he had been mine all along, and one day we would make that lifelong promise to each other. When we were both ready. And while that was bucking tradition, neither of us cared. Because right now, as his lips moved against mine and he pressed me closer to his body, I felt the way I did when I flew over the mountains back home. During the precious seconds when I was free-falling and there was nothing but that rushing sensation, of not being able to form a thought or breathe. In Dez’s arms, I had found what I’d been searching for every night I took to the sky.

I was free.

I was home.

* * * * *

To find out more about Layla and Zayne,

and the Upper Level demon watching them,

don’t miss WHITE HOT KISS,

first in the sizzling new Dark Elements trilogy,

Read on for a sneak preview...

Chapter One

There was a demon in McDonald’s.

And it had a powerful hunger for Big Macs.

Most days, I loved my after-school job. Tagging the soulless and the damned usually gave me a mad case of the warm fuzzies. I’d even given myself a quota out of boredom, but tonight was different.

I had a paper to outline for AP English.

“Are you gonna eat those fries?” Sam asked as he grabbed a handful off my tray. His curly brown hair fell over his wire-frame glasses. “Thanks.”

“Just don’t take her sweet tea.” Stacey slapped Sam’s arm and several fries fell to the floor. “You’ll lose your entire arm.”

I stopped tapping my foot, but kept my eye on the interloper. I don’t know what it was with demons and the Golden Arches, but man, they loved the place. “Ha-ha.”

“Who do you keep staring at, Layla?” Stacey twisted in the booth, looking around the crowded fast-food joint. “Is it a hot guy? If so, you better—oh. Wow. Who goes out in public dressed like that?”

“What?” Sam turned, too. “Aw, come on, Stacey. Who cares? Not everyone wears knockoff Prada like you.”

To them, the demon looked like a harmless middle-aged woman with really bad fashion sense. Her dull brown hair was pinned up with one of those old-school purple butterfly clips. She wore velvet green track pants paired with pink sneakers, but it was her sweater that was epic. Someone had knitted a basset hound on the front, its big, sappy eyes made of brown yarn.

But despite her drab appearance, the lady wasn’t human.

Not that I had a lot of room to talk.

She was a Poser demon. Her astronomical appetite was what gave away the breed. Posers could eat a small nation’s worth of food in one sitting.

Posers might look and act human, but I knew this one could snap the head off the person in the booth next to her with little effort. Her inhuman strength wasn’t the threat, though. It was the Poser’s teeth and infectious saliva that were the real danger.

They were biters.

One little nip and the demonic version of rabies was passed to the human. Totally incurable, and within three days the Poser’s chew toy would resemble something straight out of a George Romero flick, cannibalistic tendencies included.

Obviously, Posers were a real problem unless you considered a zombie apocalypse fun times. Only good thing was that Posers were rare and every time one bit somebody, its lifespan was shortened. They usually had about seven good bites in them before they went poof. Sort of like a bee and its stinger but dumber.

Posers could look like anything they wanted. Why this one was rocking an outfit like that was beyond me.

Stacey made a face as the Poser moved onto her third burger. She wasn’t aware of us watching her. Posers weren’t known for their keen powers of observation, especially when preoccupied with secret-sauce awesomeness.

“That’s disgusting.” Stacey turned back around.

“I think the sweater is hot.” Sam grinned around another mouthful of my fries. “Hey, Layla, do you think Zayne would let me interview him for the school paper?”

My brows rose. “Why do you want to interview him?”

He gave me a knowing look. “To ask what it’s like to be a Warden in DC, hunting down the bad guys and bringing them to justice and all that jazz.”

Stacey giggled. “You make the Wardens sound like superheroes.”

Sam shrugged bony shoulders. “Well, they kind of are. I mean, come on, you’ve seen them.”

“They’re not superheroes,” I said, falling into the standard speech I’d been giving ever since the Wardens went public ten years ago. After the skyrocketing increase in crime that had nothing to do with the economic downturn the world faced, but was more like a signal from Hell saying they no longer wanted to play by the rules, the Alphas had ordered the Wardens to come out of the shadows. To humans, Wardens had come out of their stone shells. After all, the gargoyles adorning many churches and buildings had been carved to resemble a Warden in his true skin. Sort of.

There were too many demons topside for the Wardens to continue to operate without exposure. “They’re people. Just like you, but—”

“I know.” Sam held up his hands. “Look, you know I’m not like those fanatics who think they’re evil or something stupid like that. I just think it’s cool and it would be a great piece in the paper. So what do you think? Would Zayne go for it?”

I shifted uncomfortably. Living with the Wardens often made me one of two things: a backdoor to gain access to them, or a freak. Because everyone, including my two closest friends, believed I was just like them. Human. “I don’t know, Sam. I don’t think any form of press makes them comfortable.”

He looked crestfallen. “Will you ask him at least?”

“Sure.” I fiddled with my straw. “But don’t hold your breath.”

Sam leaned against the hard seat back, satisfied. “So guess what?”

“What?” Stacey sighed, exchanging a woeful look with me. “What random piece of knowledge are you going to wow us with?”

“Did you know you can freeze a banana until it’s so hard you can actually nail something with it?”

I lowered my sweet tea. “How do you know these things?”

Sam finished off my fries. “I just do.”

“He spends his entire life on the computer.” Stacey pushed thick black bangs off her face. I don’t know why she didn’t cut them. She was always messing with them. “Probably searches for random crap for the fun of it.”

“That’s exactly what I do when I’m at home.” Sam rolled up his napkin. “I search for little-known facts. That’s how cool I am.” He threw the napkin at Stacey’s face.

“I stand corrected,” Stacey said unabashedly. “It’s porn you spend all night searching.”

The hollows of Sam’s cheeks turned bright red as he straightened his glasses. “Whatever. Are you guys ready? We’ve got some outlining to do for English.”

Stacey groaned. “I can’t believe Mr. Leto wouldn’t let us do our classics report on Twilight. It is a classic.”

I laughed, momentarily forgetting about the job I had to do. “Twilight is not a classic, Stacey.”

“Edward is definitely a classic in my book.” She pulled a hair tie out of her pocket, tugging her shoulder-length hair up. “And Twilight is way more interesting than All Quiet on the Western Front.”

Sam shook his head. “I can’t believe you just used Twilight and All Quiet on the Western Front in the same sentence.”

Ignoring him, her gaze bounced from my face to my food. “Layla, you haven’t even touched your burger.”

Maybe somehow I’d instinctively known I was going to need a reason to stick around. I sucked in a sigh. “You guys go ahead. I’ll meet up with you in a few minutes.”

“For real?” Sam stood.

“Yep.” I picked up my burger. “I’ll be down in a few.”

Stacey eyed me suspiciously. “You’re not going to bail on us like you always do?”

I flushed with guilt. I’d lost count of how many times I’d had to ditch them. “No. I swear. I’m just going to eat my food and I’ll be right there.”

“Come on.” Sam wrapped an arm around Stacey’s shoulders, steering her toward the trash can. “Layla would’ve been done eating by now if you hadn’t talked to her the entire time.”

“Oh, blame it on me.” Stacey dumped her trash, sending me a wave as they headed out.

I set the burger back down, watching Lady Poser impatiently. Pieces of bun and meat fell out of her mouth, splattering on the brown tray. My appetite was effectively slaughtered within seconds. Not that it really mattered. Food only eased the ache gnawing at my insides, never stopping it.

Lady Poser finally completed her feast of fatness, and I grabbed my bag as she ambled out the door. She plowed straight into an elderly man, knocking him right over as he tried to come in. Wow. This one was a real gem.

Her cackle could be heard inside the noisy restaurant, sounding as thin as paper. Luckily, some dude helped the man up as he shook his fist at the retreating demon.

Sighing, I dumped my food and followed her out into the late-September breeze.

Different shades of souls were everywhere, humming around bodies like an electrical field. Traces of pale pink and robin’s-egg blue trailed behind a couple walking hand in hand. They had innocent souls—but not pure.

All humans had a soul—an essence—good or bad, but demons weren’t rocking any such thing. Since most demons topside looked human at first glance, the lack of soul around them made my job of finding and tagging them easy. Besides the soulless factor, the only difference between them and humans was the odd way their eyes reflected light like a cat’s.

Lady Poser shuffled down the street, limping slightly. Out in the natural light, she didn’t look well. She’d probably already bit a few humans, which meant she needed to be tagged and dealt with ASAP.

A flyer on a green lamppost caught my attention. A fierce scowl and sense of protectiveness filled me as I read the thing: Warning. Wardens Aren’t God’s Children. Repent Now. The End Is Nigh.

Underneath the words was a crudely drawn picture of what I assumed was a rabid coyote mixed with a chupacabra.

“Sponsored by the Church of God’s Children,” I muttered, rolling my eyes.

Nice. I hated fanatics.

A diner down the block had the flyers plastered across its windows and a sign proclaiming they refused to serve Wardens.

Anger spread through me like an out-of-control wildfire. These idiots had no idea of all that the Wardens sacrificed for them. I drew in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. I needed to focus on my Poser instead of silently stomping my mental feet on my pretend soapbox.

Lady Poser turned a corner and glanced over her shoulder, her glassy eyes drifting over me, dismissing me outright. The demon in her didn’t sense anything abnormal about me.

The demon inside of me was in a hurry to get this over with.

Especially after my cell went off, vibrating against my thigh. Probably Stacey wondering where in the Hell I was. I just wanted to be done with this and go back to being normal for the rest of the evening. Without thinking, I reached up and pulled on the chain around my neck. The old ring dangling off the silver rope felt hot and heavy in my hand.

As I passed a group of kids around my age, their gazes moved over me, stopped and then swung right back. Of course they stared. Everyone did.

My hair was long. Big deal there, but it was such a pale blond that it looked nearly white. I hated when people stared. It made me feel like an albino. But it was my eyes that really caught people’s attention. They were a light gray, almost leached of color.

Zayne said I looked like the long-lost sister of the elf in Lord of the Rings. That was a huge confidence booster. Sigh.

Dusk had begun to settle in the nation’s capital as I rounded Rhode Island Avenue and came to a complete stop. Everything and everyone around me disappeared in an instant. There, in the soft flicker of the street lamps, I saw the soul.

It looked as if someone had dipped a brush into red paint and then flicked it over a soft black canvas. This guy had a bad soul. He wasn’t under the influence of a demon, but was just plain old evil all on his own. The dull ache in my gut flared to life. People pushed past me, casting annoyed looks in my direction. A few even muttered. I didn’t care. I didn’t even care about their soft pink souls, a color I usually found so pretty.

I finally focused on the figure behind the soul—an older man dressed in a generic business suit and tie, briefcase handle clutched in a meaty hand. Nothing to run from, nothing to be frightened of, but I knew different.

He’d sinned big-time.

My legs moved forward even as my brain screamed at me to stop, to turn around, even to call Zayne. Just hearing his voice would make me stop. Would stop me from doing what every cell in my body demanded I do—doing what was almost natural to me.

The man turned slightly, his eyes drifting over my face, down my body. His soul swirled crazy fast, becoming more red than black. He was old enough to be my father and that was gross, really gross.

He smiled at me, smiled in a way that should’ve sent me running in the other direction. I needed to go in that direction, too, because no matter how rotten this man was—no matter how many girls out there would hand me a gold medal for taking him out—Abbot had raised me to deny the demon inside. He’d raised me to be a Warden, to act like a Warden.

But Abbot wasn’t here.

I met the man’s stare, held it and felt my lips curve into a smile. My heart raced, my skin tingled and flushed. I wanted his soul—so bad my skin wanted to peel itself off my bones. It felt like waiting for a kiss, when your lips were moments away from joining, those breathless seconds of anticipation. But I’d never been kissed before.

All I had was this.

This man’s soul called to me like a siren’s song. It sickened me to be so tempted by the evil in his spirit, but a dark soul was as good as a pure one.

He smiled as he eyed me, his knuckles blanching around the handle of the briefcase. And that smile made me think of all the horrible things he could have done to earn the swirling void around him.

An elbow dug into my lower back. The tiny speck of pain was nothing compared to the exquisite anticipation. Just a few more steps and his soul would be so close—right there. I knew the first taste would spark the sweetest fire imaginable—a high for which there was no equivalent. It wouldn’t last very long, but the brief moments of pure ecstasy lingered as a potent allure.

His lips wouldn’t even need to touch mine. Just an inch or so, and I’d taste his soul—never take it all. Taking his soul would kill him and that was evil, and I wasn’t—

This was evil.

I jerked back, breaking eye contact. Pain exploded in my stomach, shooting through my limbs. Turning away from the man was like denying my lungs of oxygen. My skin burned and my throat felt raw as I forced one leg in front of the other. It was a struggle to keep walking, to not think about the man and to find the Poser again, but when I finally spotted her, I let out the breath I was holding. Focusing on the demon at least served as a distraction.

I followed her into a narrow alley between a dollar store and a check-cashing place. All I needed to do was touch her, which I should’ve done back in McDonald’s. I stopped halfway, looked around and then cursed.

The alley was empty.

Black garbage bags lined mold-covered brick walls. Dumpsters overflowed with more trash and creatures scurried along the gravel. I shuddered, eyeing the bags warily. Most likely rats, but other things hid in shadows—things that were worse than rats.

And a Hell of a lot creepier.

I walked farther in, scanning the darkening passage as I absently twisted the necklace between my fingers. I wished I’d had the foresight to pack a flashlight in my school bag, but that would’ve made too much sense. Instead, I’d put a new tube of lip gloss and baggie full of cookies in there this morning. Real helpful stuff.

Sudden unease trickled down my spine. I dropped the ring, letting it bounce off my shirt. Something wasn’t right. I slipped my hand into the front pocket of my jeans, pulling out my beat-up cell as I turned around.

The Poser stood a few feet away. When she smiled, the wrinkles in her face cracked her skin. Thin slivers of lettuce hung from her yellow teeth. I took a breath and immediately wished I hadn’t. She smelled of sulfur and rotting flesh.

The Poser cocked her head to the side, eyes narrowing. No demon could sense me because I didn’t have enough demonic blood flowing in my veins for them to pick it up, but she was looking at me like she was truly seeing what I hid inside.

Her gaze dropped to my chest and then her eyes flicked up, meeting mine. I let out a startled gasp. Her washed-out blue irises began to churn like a whirlpool around pupils that retracted into a thin point.

Crap on a cracker. This lady was so not a Poser.

Her form rippled and then scrambled, like a TV trying to digitally piece back together an image. The gray hair and banana clip disappeared. Creased skin smoothed out and turned the color of wax. The body stretched and expanded. The track pants and horrible sweater disappeared and were replaced by leather pants and a broad, muscular chest. The eyes were oval shaped and churned like an endless sea—no pupils. The nose was flat, really just two holes above a wide, cruel mouth.

Double crap on a cracker the size of my butt.

It was a Seeker demon. I’d only ever seen one in the old books Abbot kept in his study. Seekers were like the Indiana Joneses of the demon world, able to locate and retrieve just about anything their handler sent them after. Unlike Indy, though, Seekers were mean and aggressive.

The Seeker smiled, revealing a mouth full of wicked-sharp teeth. “Gotcha.”

Gotcha? Got what? Me?

He lurched toward me and I darted to the side, fear spiking so fast my palms dotted with sweat as I touched his arm. Bursts of neon light shimmered around the Seeker’s body, making him nothing but a pink blur. He didn’t react to the tag. They never did. Only the Wardens could see the mark I left behind.

The Seeker grasped a handful of my hair, wrenching my head to the side as he grabbed for the front of my shirt. My cell slipped from my hand, smacking on the ground. A stinging sensation shot down my neck, over my shoulders.

Panic flooded like a dam had burst open, but instinct propelled me into action. All the evenings I’d spent training with Zayne kicked in. Tagging demons could get hairy every once in a while, and while I didn’t have ninja-stealth skills, there was no way in holy Hell I was going down without a fight.

Rearing back, I brought my leg up and planted my knee right where it counted. Thank God demons were anatomically correct. The Seeker grunted and jerked back, ripping out several strands of hair. Red-hot pins and needles burned across my scalp.

Unlike other Wardens, I couldn’t shed my human skin and kick major behind, but hair pulling flipped my bitch switch like no one’s business.

Agony exploded along my knuckles as the Seeker’s head jerked to the side when my closed fist hit him in the jaw. It wasn’t a girlie hit. Zayne would be so proud.

Slowly, the demon turned his head back to me. “I liked that. Do it again.”

My eyes popped wide.

It rushed me, and I knew I was going to die. I’d be ripped apart by a demon or worse yet, pulled through one of the many portals hidden throughout the city and taken downstairs. When people inexplicably disappeared into thin air, it was usually because they had a new zip code. Something like 666, and death would be a blessing compared to that kind of trip. I braced myself for impact.

“Enough.”

Both of us froze in response to the deep, unfamiliar voice oozing authority. The Seeker responded first, stepping to the side. Turning around, I saw him.

The newcomer stood well over six feet, as tall as any Warden. His hair was dark, the color of obsidian, and it reflected blue in the dim light. Lazy locks slipped over his forehead and curled just below his ears. Brows arched over golden eyes and his cheekbones were broad and high. He was attractive. Very attractive. Mind-bendingly beautiful, actually, but the sardonic twist to his full lips chilled his beauty. The black T-shirt stretched across his chest and flat stomach. A huge tattoo of a snake curled around his forearm, the tail disappearing under his sleeve and the diamond-shaped head rested on the top of his hand. He looked my age. Total crush material—if it wasn’t for the fact that he had no soul.

I stumbled a step back. What was worse than one demon? Two demons. My knees shook so bad I thought I might face-plant in the alley. A tagging had never gone this horribly wrong before. I was so screwed it wasn’t even funny.

“You should not intervene in this,” the Seeker demon said, and his hands curled into fists.

The new guy stepped forward noiselessly. “And you should kiss my ass. How about that?”

Uh...

The Seeker grew very still, his breathing heavy. Tension became a fourth entity in the alley. I took another step back, hoping to make a clean getaway. These two were so obviously not on the same page with one another and I did not want to get caught in the middle of this. When two demons went at it, they were known to bring down entire buildings. Faulty foundations or poor roofing? Yeah, right. More like an epic demon death match.

Two steps to the right and I could—

The boy’s gaze slammed into me. I sucked in air, staggered by the intensity of his gaze. The strap of my bag fell from my limp fingers. His eyes lowered, thick lashes fanning his cheeks. A small smile pulled at his lips and when he spoke, his voice was soft, yet deep and powerful. “What a predicament you’ve gotten yourself into.”

I didn’t know what breed of demon he was, but by the way he stood there like he’d created the word power, I figured he wasn’t a lower demon like the Seeker or a Poser. Oh, no, he was most likely an Upper Level demon—a Duke or Infernal Ruler. Only the Wardens dealt with them, and that usually ended in a bloody mess.

My heart threw itself against my rib cage. I needed to get out of here, and fast. No way was I going toe-to-toe with an Upper Level demon. My measly skills would earn me a butt kicking to remember. And the Seeker demon was growing angrier by the second, clenching and unclenching his meaty fists. Things were about to blow and blow bad.

Grabbing my book bag, I held it in front of me like the lamest shield ever. Then again, there wasn’t a thing in this world besides a Warden that could stop an Upper Level demon.

“Wait,” he said. “Don’t run off yet.”

“Don’t think about coming any closer,” I warned.

“I wouldn’t think of doing anything you didn’t want me to do.”

Ignoring whatever that meant, I continued to edge around the Seeker demon and toward the mouth of the alley that seemed so incredibly far away.

“You’re running anyway.” The Upper Level demon sighed. “Even after I asked you not to, and I think I was really nice about it.” He glanced at the Seeker, frowning. “Wasn’t I nice?”

The Seeker growled. “I mean no offense, but I don’t care how nice you are. You’re interrupting my job, you tool.”

I stumbled over the insult. Besides the fact that the Seeker was speaking to an Upper Level demon like that, it was such a...human thing to say.

“You know what they say,” the other demon countered. “Sticks and stones may break your bones, but I’m going to demolish you.”

Screw this. If I got back on the main street, I could lose both of them. They couldn’t attack in front of the humans—rules and all. Well, if these two were going to play by the rules, which seemed doubtful. I whipped around, dashing toward the opening of the alley.

I didn’t make it very far.

The Seeker hit me like a freaking NFL linebacker, knocking me against a Dumpster. Black spots darkened my vision. Something squeaky and furry dropped on my head. Shrieking like a banshee, I reached up and grabbed hold of the squirming body. Little claws tangled in my hair. Two seconds from stroking out, I yanked the rat out of my hair and tossed it onto the garbage bags. It squeaked as it bounced, then darted into a crack in the wall.

With a low snarl, the Upper Level demon appeared behind the Seeker, grabbing him by the throat. A second later, he had the Seeker dangling several feet off the ground. “Now, that wasn’t very nice,” he said in a low, ominous voice.

Spinning around, he tossed the Seeker like a beanbag. The Seeker slammed into the opposite wall, hitting the ground on his knees. The Upper Level demon raised his arm...and the snake tattoo lifted off his skin, breaking apart into a million black dots. They floated into the air between him and the Seeker, hung for a second, then dropped to the ground. The dots oozed together, forming a thick black mass.

No—not a mass, but a huge freaking snake at least ten feet long and as wide as I was. I sprang to my feet, ignoring the wave of dizziness.

The thing spun toward me, rising halfway up. Its eyes burned an unholy red.

A scream caught in my throat.

“Don’t be scared of Bambi,” the demon said. “She’s only curious and maybe a little bit hungry.”

The thing was named Bambi?

Oh my God, the thing stared at me like it wanted to eat me.

The... the giant snake didn’t try to make me his snack pack. When it swung back toward the Seeker, I nearly fell over from relief. But then it shot across the small space, rising until its monstrous head hovered over the petrified lesser demon. The snake opened its mouth, revealing two fangs the size of my hand and, past them, a yawning black hole.

“Okay,” the demon murmured, smirking. “Maybe she’s a lot hungry.”

I took that as my cue to book it out of the alley.

“Wait!” yelled the demon, and when I didn’t stop but ran faster than I ever had before, his curse echoed in my head.

I crossed the avenues bordering Dupont Circle, passing the shop I’d planned on joining Stacey and Sam at. Only when I reached the spot where Morris, our chauffeur and about a dozen other things, would pick me up did I stop to breathe.

The gently hued souls thrummed around me, but I didn’t pay attention to them. Numb to my core, I sat on a bench by the curb. I felt wrong, off. What the Hell had just happened? All I’d wanted to do was outline All Quiet on the Western Front tonight. Not almost devour a soul, nearly get killed, meet my very first Upper Level demon or watch a tattoo turn into an anaconda, for chrissake.

I glanced down at my empty hand.

Or lose my phone.

Crap.

About the Author

# 1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell, Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories.... which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn.

Jennifer loves hearing from readers. Follow her on Twitter @JLArmentrout, look for her on Facebook and Goodreads, or visit her blog at www.jenniferarmentrout.com.

All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents are pure invention.

All Rights Reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II B.V./S.à.r.l. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the prior consent of the publisher in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

MIRA Ink is a registered trademark of Harlequin Enterprises Limited, used under licence.

Published in Great Britain 2013.

MIRA Books, Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road,

Richmond, Surrey, TW9 1SR

© Jennifer L. Armentrout 2013

ISBN 978-1-4720-7109-5