I slowly brought the car to a rolling halt. I was damned thankful I’d made a quick stop at home and snared my car. I fled with my bike last night, belongings strapped to the seat, but I wanted breathing room as I went about my day.

I looked at the Renard home through the windshield. It appeared the same as always, gorgeous and timeless. Which it should considering Momma Renard gave the place a magical facelift every decade or so.

Climbing from the vehicle, I shoved the door closed and turned toward the house. I’d spent countless days with the Renards over the centuries. While my demon nature kept me snarling and quick to anger, the Renards were bright and loving. Something I desperately needed over the years. The women in the family kept my rage at bay and brought a smile to my face.

True, my fathers loved me, but only Papa Percy played with me. And my mother… was not the most maternal woman in the world.

Which was why I valued Momma R so much.

A whiff of sweetness and sulfur carried on the breeze and I didn’t need to look around to identify my visitor. The heat from his presence and the way my body called for his was a hint as well.

“Took you long enough,” Sam murmured.

“Yeah, well, I prefer not to be stranded when my feathered friend leaves me behind.”

His voice belied his anger. “I wouldn’t leave you behind, amica. You’re too important to me.”

I snorted. “Right.”

“I want my hands on you and that’s very, very important.”

Cocky asshole. I ignored the fact that my wolf said, “Yes, please.”

When had I turned into such a whore? About the time I laid eyes on the half-fallen angel.

“What’d you do while I drove here?” I murmured.

“This and that.” He shrugged.

Before I could prod him for a better answer, the front door of the Renard house squeaked as it pushed open, drawing my attention, and Momma R stepped onto the porch. She was trim and gorgeous, hair perfectly in place and makeup magically applied. The only thing that marred the woman’s appearance was the ever-present stained apron. Even at our distance, I spotted the flour and purple-blue ruining the fabric.

Smiling widely, I left Sam in my wake as I rushed up the stairs. I’d held things together so far, pretending that fighting green-eyed zombies and vamps didn’t bother me in the least. But with Momma R so close…

I didn’t stop my jog until I crashed into the lithe woman. I wrapped my arms around Momma R’s waist, holding her close and breathing in the woman’s homey scent. The witch could destroy a city block with a few whispered words and was dangerous to anyone who annoyed her, but to me, she was simply a surrogate mother.

Momma R enveloped me in peace and love.

“Hello, my little demon.” Her voice was a soothing song and the remaining tension bled from my body.

Those small hands skated up and down my back and I ignored Sam’s heavy tread as he climbed the steps.

Momma R did not and I sensed the woman’s anger whip out at the angel. “What brings someone from On High to my door? We have an agreement.”

The scrape of Sam’s boot on the porch alerted me to the fact that Momma R shoved the man without laying a hand on him.

I slowly pulled from my surrogate mother’s embrace. “I brought him with me. Sort of.” It was more like Sam attached himself to me like a barnacle. “He helped me out of a couple binds yesterday.”

Hours ago.

Sam snorted, but a stomp told me Momma R shoved him again.

“He’s okay, Momma. Let’s go inside and I’ll fill in you and Jezze.” My best friend was practically bouncing inside the house, anxious to burst onto the porch. But since Momma R was the more powerful of the two women and I brought a stranger along, it was Momma who met us.

The woman cupped my cheeks, those powerful eyes boring into mine as if hunting for the truth.

And… Sam was an idiot because he just had to interrupt. “What are you doing to her?” He rushed forward and clamped a hand on my shoulder. Probably ready to rip me out of the woman’s embrace. “Leave her be.”

The witch froze, and I sighed.

“Excuse me?” Momma R’s voice was too calm and smooth.

“Momma R, he doesn’t know better.” I pulled free of the woman’s gentle hold and stepped back. “You can’t blame a guy for worrying. He’s spent the last eight hours keeping me alive and you’re… Well, to everyone else you’re very scary.”

“Hmm…” The witch’s searching eyes didn’t miss anything as her gaze flitted from me to Sam and back again. When her attention remained on me, a knowing gleam filled her features. Ugh. Even Momma R knew I wanted to ride Sam like a cowgirl. “Come inside. I made muffins and we can discuss this unpleasantness.”

With that, Momma R spun and entered the house.

“Blueberry?” I hoped it was blueberry. Nom, nom, nom.

“I knew you were coming,” Momma R called over her shoulder. “Of course they’re blueberry.”

I moved to follow her and a soft hand on my forearm stopped me as Sam’s presence invaded my space. “You have an unholy love of blueberry muffins.”

Unholy. That was me, despite my mother’s attempt otherwise.

I turned my head to the left, lips hovering near his ear. “Baking goes hand in hand with love and affection. With… with having a real mother.”

Cursing myself for revealing too much, I pulled away from him and entered the house, not slowing until I hit the kitchen. Jezze was bouncing around the room, snaring bits of muffin while avoiding her mother’s glares and whips of magic. My friend’s laugh filled the area and my heart clenched. My best friend acted like a kid—even at three hundred seventy-two—and it was something I envied. Had I ever been so carefree? Ever been able to laugh and tease my mother? No.

“Caith, ohmahgahd, you have to try some of this.” Jezebeth ducked yet another smack and flashed me a grin. “So good.”

“Caith can have her own.” A small plate holding a single, large muffin glided through the air.

When Jezze reached for it, her hand slid right through the food and her friend frowned.

“Neat trick.” Sam’s words halted all movement.

Momma R stilled and then slowly placed her mixing spoon on the rest before carefully turning. Oh, crap, she had that look in her eyes.

I leapt to my feet and bolted to stand before him. “Now, Momma R, you can’t kill him. He’s half fallen so taking his head only gives him a fifty-fifty chance of ending up back in On High. I mean, you don’t wanna curse a mostly good guy to Uncle Luc, do you?” I smiled, hoping the witch agreed with me. When Momma R didn’t immediately respond, worry filled my veins. “C’mon, I actually like parts of him.”

The woman tried to look past me. “Which parts?”

“Yes, amica, which parts?” He placed his hands on my hips and held me steady as he rubbed his half-hard cock against my ass.

Momma R’s eyes widened, Jezebeth squeaked, and a heated blush stole over my cheeks. The man no longer needed to worry about Momma R sending him to Hell. I’d save the woman the trouble.

“I see,” the witch murmured.

“No, there’s no seeing needed. He just chopped off a head or two and that’s all.” I rushed the words out, hoping the two women believed me.

Their echoing snorts told me they did not.

Caith’s got a boyfriend… At least it’s only one. Jezebeth’s voice floated through my mind.

“This is the first time my little demon’s brought a boy home.”

Sam’s chuckle filled my ear and I jumped forward, putting space between us. “No, this is not bringing a boy home. This is appreciation and I thought he might be able to help. That’s it.”

“That’s not it,” Sam piped up, and I slowly turned to face him. He grinned widely, hands deep in his pockets. He was having way too much fun with this.

“Oh, that’s so it.”

“Then what do you call what we did when I was—”

The ground could open and send me straight to Uncle Luc’s now.

I rushed forward and slapped my hand over his mouth. “I call it nothing.”

He smiled wider against my palm and mirth filled his glacial eyes. He slowly raised his arm and grasped my wrist, gently tugging my hand away. “I call it being more than just friends or even ‘help’ with your problem. Much, much more. Why won’t you admit it, amica?”

“Now, I understand,” Momma R’s voice rang out in the ensuing silence and I turned to face the witch. “You would have beheaded him for calling you sweetheart if you didn’t care for him, little demon.”

A spear of anger smacked me a split-second before Sam spoke. “Stop calling her that.”

Yes, Uncle Luc could call me home any second.

“Why?” Momma R’s lips twitched.

“She’s not a demon.”

“But she is.”

Sam growled. “Not only a demon, then.”

“Hmm…” Momma R pointed at the kitchen table. “Sit, I’ll get you a muffin.”

I released the breath I’d been holding and let some of my tension drain away. Even if I disagreed with half of what had been said, I was happy Sam hadn’t been killed. Or worse.

I snared his hand and tugged him to the table, only releasing him when I pulled my chair out and lowered into a seat. The moment he took a seat, a treat was placed before him. The muffin was still hot and I stared at it longingly.

The butter would melt so nicely…

As if reading my mind, Sam swapped our plates, giving me a wink before he took a bite of my cooled breakfast.

I ignored the dreamy sigh from the other side of the table. Both dreamy sighs. I also ignored Jezze’s wistful expression and Momma R’s knowing smirk.

“What brings you two to my door? I imagine it was not just to introduce me to your young man.” Momma R’s voice was smooth as silk.

“He is not my young man.” Besides, he was probably as old as dirt.

“Hmm…” How was it that Momma R could make a simple sound say so much? The witch focused on Sam. “Tell me, Sam, why are you on On High’s bad side? Do not get me wrong, I believe my little demon needs a man who skates the line of right and wrong since she does so herself. I would simply like to ensure I will not have to kill you later.”

“Gah… We are not doing this. No intimidating my dates. Seriously.” And that was when I realized I’d said…

“I think we’re more than dating, aren’t we, amica?” I didn’t have to turn my head to know the stupid angel was grinning.

Desperate to change the topic, I jumped into the real reason I dragged Sam to the Renards’ and it definitely had nothing to do with me introducing Sam to my surrogate family. I’d deal with my crazy fathers later. And my mother… Dammit. No, I wasn’t introducing him to anyone because we weren’t dating.

“Green-eyed zombies killed Mrs. Jenkins.” I blurted the words without any warning.

That got everyone’s attention.

“Aw,” Jezebeth frowned. “I liked her. She grew a whole plot of wolfsbane just for me.”

Heat whipped through the room, bringing a wave of sulfur with it and I sighed. “You’re pushing against that half-fallen status, Sam.”

“Wolfsbane is dangerous to werewolves,” he snarled.

I rolled my eyes. “I know. Jezze grew it to annoy Papa Al and the local pack. It’s not like I have pups on the grounds, so we used it to tweak their tails. The local alpha and I have—”

“I’d love to see you swollen with…” I wasn’t sure if he was joking or not. His grin was teasing, but his eyes were drifting from blue to red.

“No. No. We are not having that discussion because we’re not… we aren’t… we—”

Jezze snorted. “You so are. Give up already.”

Trying to refocus the group, I began again. “They weren’t mindless. They attacked me, they didn’t come running when I sliced my arm, and that one guy was strong as a mother trucker.”

I ignored Sam’s chuckle. I was ignoring a lot about him yet I was still attuned to his every move and breath.

Ugh, I was gone for him.

Stupid, stupid, Caith.

“Really?” Momma R leaned forward and Jezebeth practically bounced in her seat.

I nodded. “And vamps. They appeared in our hotel suite this morning.”

“You shared a suite?” Of course Jezze caught that. “Caith and Sam, sitting in a hellcave…”

“The point is a crap-ton of them attacked and kicked some serious butt.” I was doing so well with not cursing in Momma R’s house. “We dusted them and came here.”

“Hmm…” Another sound that meant nothing and everything. The low ding of the oven silenced whatever else Momma R was going to say as she turned to pull another pan from the heat. “Jezebeth. Go to the attic and bring the book.”

“The book?” Jezze’s eyes were large.

“Yes, yes. There is something there, but I cannot remember. Perhaps a notation from seven hundred years ago. It could be eight hundred. The book will tell me.” Momma R was distracted as she poked and prodded muffins. “Off you go.”

Jezebeth shot me a confused look, but did as her mother asked.

“As for you two… Caith, I believe Francois misses you.”

The casual words were an order and I rose from the table, ignoring Sam’s furious snarl. Stupid men who couldn’t bother finding out all the facts before getting angry.

I snatched my muffin and wrapped it in a napkin before padding toward the back door. When Sam didn’t move to follow, I glanced at him over my shoulder and ignored his glare. “Coming?”

“I dunno, do you need some alone time with Francois?”

I snorted. “C’mon.”

I stepped through the backdoor and tromped down the porch steps. I strode over the patchy lawn toward one of my favorite places. Overgrowth blocked my path, but it was easy to nudge aside. Sam’s heavy tread told me he followed albeit at a distance. His low grumbles reached me, but I couldn’t quite make out his words.

The gnarled and twisted shrubs gave way to the clear bank of the river and I plopped down on the moist ground. It took less than a second for one of my favorite men in the world to climb from the water and rush toward me. He was large, the largest of his kind, and nothing more than a big puppy dog. He slowed as he neared, crawling forward until his massive head rested on my lap. His nostrils flared and I knew he caught scent of Momma R’s muffin. He gave me those sweet, pretty, pretty please eyes and I chuckled.

“I’ll split it with you,” I murmured and the big guy’s tail twitched and wagged ever so slightly as he opened his mouth widely.

“Caith?” The crack and snap of twigs announced Sam’s imminent approach and his shout was unsurprising. “What the fuck?”

Sam’s shoes slipped and slid over the wet bank and I simply smiled at Francois.

“Sam, meet Francois. Also known as Franky-baby.” The gator huffed and I grinned. I tore off a hunk of muffin and popped into the massive alligator’s mouth.

“You… He… Caith, leave the gator alone. They’re not pets and I know demons are supposed to be resilient, but getting eaten isn’t exactly something you can recover from.”

Aw, he sounded so worried.

“Franky-baby’s not gonna eat me.” I popped another bite into his mouth and then rubbed his chin. “He lubs me, don’t you, sweetheart?” That got me a gentle nuzzle to my stomach. “That’s right,” I cooed.

“Caith…” Worry was evident in his tone and I sighed.

Knowing I was running Francois off before we had a chance to visit, I popped the rest of the muffin into Francois’ mouth and then nudged him. “Off you go. You’re scaring poor Sam.” The gator whined. “I’ll bring you a nice treat later. If you’re lucky, I might even have one of the Hell’s Chapel customers for you. I’ve been annoyed lately and you know what that means.”

The gator flicked his tail with happiness and gave me one last nuzzle before he left. Once Francois was in the water, Sam slowly approached.

“What the fuck was that?” His voice trembled and I inwardly smiled. So, the big, bad angel was afraid of a gator.

“That was Francois. He’s one of Jezebeth’s babies, but I hatched him at my house. The mother’s nest was destroyed save for Franky-baby. I took care of him until he was big enough to survive on his own and then Jezze and I released him here.”

“You took care of him?” Disbelief was plain, but I didn’t get offended.

I supposed I could understand his surprise. It wasn’t every day a guy discovered his girlfriend—no, friend—snuggled with gators on the riverbank.

“Yup. He stayed in the house while I had a lake built just for him on the property. Once he was too big for that we brought him here.” Large eyes rose from the river water and were joined by two other pairs. “And now,” I gestured to the small trio in the water, “he has a couple of girlfriends and he’s one happy gator.” I sensed Sam’s intent gaze and I turned my head to meet his stare. “What?”

He simply shook his head and lowered to the ground beside me with a sigh. “You’re a good person, Caith.”

I ignored the growing knot in my throat and pretended a nonchalance I didn’t feel. “I try. I mean, sometimes it works and sometimes it goes down in a flaming city-wide ball of hellfire that burns for days and kills hundreds of people.”

I tore my gaze from his and turned my head toward the river, staring at the water but not seeing a single thing. I pretended I hadn’t just exposed a part of my heart and prayed—a demon prayed—that he’d pretend he hadn’t heard my words.

“Well, this turned out okay. He hasn’t eaten anyone has he?”

“Well…” I winced. “A little bit, but the brownie was tiny. A quick wash and patch job and he was just fine. He works for me now and manages the brownies at the bar. Hell’s Chapel wouldn’t be shiny each night if it wasn’t for Dead Nettle and his crew.”

Man, I loved those brownies. Every night they came into the club and cleaned it from top to bottom. It was a win-win situation. They loved to clean and I paid with finger food. Remembering Dead Nettle’s little encounter with Francois, I realized I hadn’t left a bonus for the brownies last night. Dammit. I’d take care of that later.

Sam chuckled and shook his head, dark hair falling forward to cover his forehead. My fingers itched to brush the strands aside, to sift through the waves, but I held myself in check. I squeezed the napkin into a tight ball, fighting the urge.

The river continued to flow past. Francois eventually got tired of watching us and floated off, his girlfriends tagging along.

“Still turned out all right.”

“Yeah.” I took a deep breath and slowly released it. “It did. Sorta.”

I let the soothing bubble and gurgle of the river roll over me, stroking my frazzled nerves—the events of the night catching up with me. Memories of those livid green eyes haunted me, drifting across my vision only to be followed by splashes of black blood and sprinkling ash. A tremor hit me and I refused to accept that it stemmed from fear.

Re. Fused.

Sam leaned against me, bumping my shoulder with his. “Like I said. Good.”

I hummed, mind still rolling the violence through my head like a never-ending movie.

He lowered his chin, lips a hairsbreadth from my ear. “Stop thinking about it. Breathe for a minute. Relax.”

“I am relaxed. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

He chuckled, moist breath fanning my skin. “Liar. On High doesn’t like liars.”

I grinned. “Good thing I’m not trying to get in with the higher ups.”

“Eh, I’ll put in a good word for you.” He lowered his voice to a whisper. “Amica.”

My body reacted to that low word, nipples pebbling and pussy growing heavy and achy in anticipation. I was like one of Pavlov’s dogs. Ring a bell and I panted for food.

“Sam…” I leaned away, catching myself by placing my palm on the damp ground, but he wouldn’t have that. He slid an arm around my shoulders and tugged me back, and I couldn’t complain. I wanted his touch just as much as I disliked it. “This isn’t a good idea.”

“Hush.” He brushed a soft kiss against my temple. “I think it’s a wonderful idea. So do you if you’ll stop thinking for a minute.”

“But—”

“No. No monsters. No gels, no dems, and no tweens.” Sam was so very, very tempting.

“I…”

Sam nibbled my earlobe. “What’s your favorite color, Caith?”

“Um…” I was supposed to talk while his mouth was on me?

“Favorite.” He licked my neck. “Color.”

He captured my skin between his teeth and bit. Not hard enough to break flesh, but enough to send a hint of pain through me. My wolf took notice of the sting, whining and huffing. It wiggled its tail in a rapid swoosh, urging me to give Sam whatever he desired.

“P-p-pink.”

I felt, rather than saw, his smile, those sinful lips curving against my shoulder. “Not red or black? No mistress of the night?”

I grinned and decided to give in to him. For now. I tilted my head to the side, granting him greater access, before I answered. “No, I grew up wanting to be a fairy princess and…” I forced a laugh from my mouth and pulled away. “Not a good thing when one of your dads is the pixie king whose ex was the fairy queen and—”

Sam growled, a sound that aroused my wolf and did lovely things to my pink parts. It got even better when those familiar, large hands reached around me, grasped my hips, lifted me from the ground and then hauled me onto his lap.

“Don’t change the subject. I’m not talking about your fathers.” He forced me to straddle his lap and I didn’t put up one hint of a fight. “I’m talking to you, Caith Belinha Morningstar. From the battlefield and a promise of God. Isn’t that what your names mean?”

Sam’s cock grew and hardened beneath my ass and I swallowed the whimper that threatened to break free. Instead, I tried to focus. “Why are you asking?”

“Because,” his deep voice vibrated through me, the sound pinging off my nerves. “I want to know everything about you. Because… because something in me says I have to know your every secret.”

“But, Sam—”

His hands left my back and I whined only to have that replaced with a soul deep moan when his lips captured mine. He tasted like sweetness, and pure life, and the smoky warmth of my mother’s home. Heaven and Hell in one and I craved him. Craved.

Sam’s tongue tangled with mine, stroking and petting and sampling… I did the same, exploring and committing every one of his flavors to memory. Something this good couldn’t remain forever and I wanted to savor each snippet of happiness.

Demons didn’t get a happily ever after.

Though, I wished they did because I could see myself with Sam in the future. Maybe not every day or every hour, but… there.

He cupped my ass, fingers kneading my flesh and using his hold to encourage me to rock and shift against him. Once again his cock was hot and hard between my legs, our clothes kept us separated, but pleasure still managed to span the barrier.

I sucked on his tongue, pretending it was the thick length of his shaft. My mouth watered at the thought of tasting him, learning every inch of him. My wolf nudged and shoved me, begging me to do just that.

Mine. Mine. Mine.

I fought the desperate need to consume him, to claim him with every part of my body. Hellfire devoured my veins, making me burn for Sam, but I fought its attempt at branding him as my own. Not here, not now, not exposed and unaware.

He snaked beneath my top, touching every part of me he could reach. Nimble fingers reached around and flicked the button of my pants and lowered the zipper. I whimpered, anticipating his touch and I whined when his hands returned to my back. Returned and dipped beneath the waist of my leathers, palms making room and exploring my ass.

“Sam…” I needed so, so much.

He pulled away to murmur a few words. “So hot. Caith…”

I didn’t slow my rocking motion, using the friction to increase our shared pleasure. I’d come, any minute now, his body giving me everything I needed to find release.

“That’s it, Caith…”

My pace stuttered. Would he tell me to give? Would he be another man who took and too—

“Take what you need, Caith.”

The right words. The perfect words.

My wolf howled, announcing its choice in mate and I echoed the sound aloud, sending it flying through the air. I screamed to On High, taking the bliss and letting it course through me. It slid along my nerves and the rush eased the hellfire, overriding it with the power of my release.

My pussy clenched and tightened on air, pulsing with the desire to be filled, overtaken by Sam.

Mine. Mine. Mine.

Blunt teeth latched onto my shoulder, adding a hint of stinging pain to the ecstasy that enveloped me and yet another tsunami of joy struck. I wondered if this was what being in On High felt like, if every day was a life of orgasm and wonder.

Sam chuckled, the sound vibrating through me and sending pleasurable aftershocks pinging through my body. He released my shoulder and slowed his attentions, gentling me until I was merely slumped against him.

“Not so much, amica.”

“Hmm? Not so much what?” I ignored the fact my words slurred.

“Being in On High is not twenty-four seven orgasms.”

“Sucks to be you guys then.” I snuggled closer and Sam moaned. His hold shifted and he stilled my movements. It was then I noticed he was still thick and solid against my. “Sam…?” I eased away from his chest. “You didn’t?”

He gave me a rueful smile. “No, I—” I was quick to reach between us, fingers connecting with the button on his pants, but his large hands stopped me. “No, it’s fine. This was for you.”

“I’m not a selfish lover, Sam. Lemme take care of you.”

His expression was pained, raw desire warring with his resolve. “If I… If we… I can’t go—”

The snap of twigs and rustle of the nearby bushes warned me of someone’s approach and a second later Jezebeth stumbled into our small area. My best friend’s eyes opened wide and then she whirled around with a squeak. “Uh, sorry to interrupt, but Mom wants to talk before we go to the bar.”

I nodded, not really paying attention to Jezze’s words and mulling over Sam’s. “Gimme a second.”

“Go back to the bar?” Disbelief filled Sam’s tone.

When did I begin thinking of him as Sam and not just another gel?

“Yeah, green eyes or not, Hell’s Chapel has to stay open.” I eased backward and rolled to my feet.

Sudden embarrassment flooded me and I looked away as I buttoned my pants and then brushed off mud and grime coating the leather. Maybe Sam could give them an angelic once over before I left.

“Go ahead, Jezze. I’ll be there after I talk to Sam.”

Jezebeth snorted. “Talk?” she scoffed. “Right.”

With that, the witch disappeared, leaving us alone again. The moment I knew Jezze was out of hearing range I turned back to Sam.

“You said that if you… You can’t what?” I focused on him, waiting for his answer and recognizing the pain in his features.

“If I take pleasure in you, if I accept your touch and finish, then I…” he tore his attention from me and I noticed the strong line of his jaw and the muscle that tightened in his cheek. “I can’t go back to On High. I’ll be stuck in the tween. I can touch you and stroke you, but I can’t… I’m pushing the boundaries as far as I can, but taking you, finding the ultimate pleasure with you… I just can’t.”

I forced myself to remain standing, to not crumble beneath the weight of his words. My wolf howled its protest, but I couldn’t be bothered with the animal, not when little cracks were marring my heart. Could I have become that attached to him in so little time? Been turned into that needy girl in less than a day?

Yes. The answer was yes.

“I see.”

I did, but I didn’t.

“Thank you for your help last night, but I’m sure you can understand why I never want to see you again.”

Ever. Fucking asshole. “I want you, I’ve been teasing and tormenting you, but I can’t finish the job. So sorry. Oh? You think I’m your mate?” Yeah, not happening.

Sam turned his attention back to me and took a step forward. “Caith… Don’t…”

I shook my head and backed away.

I wished I was able to vanish in a puff of sulfur and smoke like my mother, or even a swirl of golden air like my pixie king father. But what I could do was run. Shift and race away and forget Samkiel. I tore through the bushes at a run, increasing speed as I let the wolf rush forward. From one stride to the next, I went from two feet to four, clothes vanishing with a mere thought.

At least Papa Percy gave me that. All five of my fathers gave me so many things, but no one had ever given me the cure for an aching heart.

Fuck it, I didn’t need anyone anyway. I had my friend, my bar, and… nothing else. And I’d never want anything more again.

Definitely not a half-fallen angel who made my pulse race and hellfire burn with just a look.

Definitely not him.