Galen

Reese is gone when I wake. The sheets still smell of us. I don’t know when Gabriel will come, but I know it will be a matter of hours. I see her as I walk into the kitchen. Her hair is pulled back, a long, loose braid falling over one shoulder. I want to kiss the length of her throat, show her how much I love her until I’ve got to leave. Her gaze falls on me, and her haunted look kills me.

“I …” I start, but I don’t know what to say to her.

“We’ll see each other again. You know where I’ll be.” She offers me a watery smile. I can see something hiding behind those lips. Something she wants to say but won’t.

“What is it? What’s going on in your head?” I ask.

She shakes her head and looks away. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Pulling her close, I rest my chin on the crown of her head. “What’s happened?”

“It was just a dream. A really weird dream.”

Releasing her, I sit on the stool next to hers. “Go on, then. Tell me.”

“I’m not sure, but … I think I almost made a deal with the devil in my dream.”

My heart jumps into my throat. “What do you mean?”

“I’ve seen him once before. He’s a beautiful angel. We were walking on a beach, and he told me he could take Sariel from you without killing you. I just had to give him my loyalty.”

“Did he give you his name?”

“No. But he said he was God’s favorite. Isn’t that Lucifer?”

“Yes. I think so.”

Sariel springs to life, pushing for freedom.

Don’t you dare let her do this, Galen. Lucifer will take her soul and tear it to pieces. You’ll never see her again.

I know he’s right. Even though I desperately want to stay with her, damning her soul isn’t worth my happiness. “A ghra, you can’t. Don’t even speak his name. Promise me you’ll never entertain that idea again.”

She nods. “It was tempting. He was kind and gentle. Not at all the way I pictured the devil.”

He’s sin itself. Seductive, tricky, and willing to do anything to get what he wants. If he’s after me, this is even bigger than we thought. This will be a war between Heaven and Hell.

My gut clenches. There’s no way I’m getting out of this alive, but if I’m fighting for the right side, maybe my soul will end up in Heaven.

Devin’s voice fills the hall as he pads toward us. He’s singing an old Irish drinking song, blissfully unaware of what I’ve committed myself to. I don’t think I’ll tell him. He’d only try to talk me out of it.

“Hello there, you two. Enjoy yourselves into the wee hours? You might invest in soundproofing if we’re all going to stay here, Galen.”

Reese blushes scarlet and then pales. “Excuse me,” she mutters as she runs for the bathroom.

“Where’s Andrea? She can’t be out on the hunt already.” I haven’t seen much of her, but her determination to find the rest of the Watchers is admirable.

“She was out as soon as the sun was low enough to keep her from frying. Said she’s got some good information that she’s planning to share with us later.”

I hear the toilet flush along with Reese’s sigh. Sadness grips me as I think of her going through the trials of pregnancy alone.

“Devin, I need a favor.”

He locks gazes with me and nods. “Anything.”

“If anything were to … happen to me. I need you to watch over her.”

“Her being Reese?”

“Of course,” I bite out. I don’t want her to hear me making arrangements.

“Yeah, sure.”

“And the baby.”

He nods again. “No problem. It’s going to be fine, Galen. Andrea is forming a plan. We’ll stop these bastards before they can even get started.”

A heaviness fills my chest at his optimism.

Reese wanders back in, hand over her belly. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that.”

My fingers itch to touch her softness. Reaching out, I run my hand over her bare arm. “It doesn’t last long. You’ll be back to normal in a few weeks.”

Tears threaten to fall down her cheeks as she looks up at me, and I know I’ve said the wrong thing. The words, but you won’t be here, hang in the air, unsaid.

“Reese, I—” I begin, but she dashes from the room.

Devin lets out a whistle. “Wow. What did you just do?”

I go after her, but she’s locked herself in the bathroom. Knowing she needs time to pull herself together, I pace the living room, waiting until I can ensure she’s okay. A loud knock comes from the front door. As soon as I pull it open, a burning pressure pierces my chest. Gasping, I stare down at the wooden stake embedded in my chest.

Sariel screams for control, and I fall to the floor, heaving, choking on my own blood. It wasn’t supposed to happen like this. I’m not supposed to die.

I stare into a pair of strange, glittering orbs that can’t possibly be real. They’re set in a face I know and trust.

Andrea.

Sariel steps forward, grasping the reins as I start to lose consciousness.

She hasn’t been Andrea for a very long time. This is Gadriel.

* * *

Reese

I bolt out of the bathroom when I hear the loud crash. My head aches from crying, and with a lump in my throat, I race toward the strange gurgling I hear. My scream catches in my chest when I see Galen, struggling, his blood pooling on the floor. Andrea is standing over him with a pleased smile spreading her lips.

“What are you doing?” I shriek. “Help him!”

Devin’s footfalls aren’t far behind me. He pushes me out of the way and kneels next to Galen, hands hovering over the stake as if he doesn’t know what to do.

“Andrea, what happened?” he shouts.

She just stands there, her smile never wavering. And then I see her for who she truly is—a Watcher.

“No!” I shout. “You fucker. Save him.”

Shaking her head, she moves toward me. “You had your chance. Lucifer offered you everything you ever wanted, but you just had to stay on the straight and narrow. Well, guess what? The ones who suffer the most are the ones who choose the high road.”

I want to go to Galen but stay focused on the danger in front of me.

“Lucifer is lying to you. Heaven will fall if you breach the gates. You’ll burn along with the rest of the world.”

I see a flicker of fear at that. “No. Lucifer was His favorite once. He can be again. We just have to show our Father.”

I force a laugh. “Daddy issues. It’s always daddy issues.”

She snarls at me and lunges, throwing me to the ground before trying to sink her teeth into my neck. She’s smaller than me, but infinitely stronger, and I do my best to keep her from tearing my throat out by thrashing and twisting away as her fangs come at me.

Devin blurs across the room, jumping at her, but she tosses him aside as easily as she could swat a fly. A loud crash rattles the windows as he collides with the wall.

“Get off me, you bitch!” I scream, getting my feet under her hips and pushing away with all my might.

Her slight body flies backward, and, for a moment, I’m able to run, but she’s fast. Scary fast. She’s got me by the throat, and the hot sting of her fangs embedding in my shoulder makes me cry out in pain. A strange thing happens during that moment. I can feel Gadriel. His anger, his desperation, and most of all, his fear. He’s afraid I’m right about everything.

A bright flash of light distracts her, making her pull away from me when Gabriel appears. He’s magnificent, his entire body glowing as he approaches the vampire who is currently trying to murder me.

“Gabriel,” she yelps.

He says nothing, just touches her shoulder. With a scream, she evaporates into a pile of dust. I’m left shaking and bleeding as Gabriel calmly walks over to the spot where Galen still lies dying. He’s gone a pale gray, his chest barely moving, but his eyes wide.

“Devin? Is there anything we can do?” I ask. My voice is wobbling as I try not to cry.

He looks at me with deep sorrow and just shakes his head.

I lose it. Dropping to my knees next to him, I cradle Galen’s head in my lap. As I watch him start to fade away, I run my fingers through his hair, my tears falling on his cheeks.

“There’s a way,” Gabriel says, standing over us all.

We turn toward him, both desperate.

“Devin. If you are willing to take the burden of Sariel, I can restore Galen.”

Devin nods in earnest.

Galen shakes his head, trying to say something, but he doesn’t have the strength. His brown eyes stare into mine, pleading for me to tell Devin everything that goes along with Sariel.

“He wants me to tell you what you’re getting into. Sariel basically volunteered to go to war for the angels. In return, if he finds his soul mate, they’ll let him have her.”

Devin nods again. “How is this even a question? I can’t let Galen die.”

“It’ll mean eventually letting Sariel take over, Devin. You’ll fade to nothing so he can be happy.”

A shrug is all he gives. “I’ve been alive a long time. I’ve also been alone. Now that I know my soul can still be saved, maybe I can use this deed to help me win it back. Maybe I can earn redemption so when my time comes, I don’t burn in Hell.”

My chest tightens. “I could kiss you right now.”

Galen frowns.

“Okay, Gabe, how do we do this?”

Gabriel shudders when he hears the nickname and kneels down next to us, placing his hand on top of Galen’s head. “Devin, bring your wrist to Galen’s lips. He’ll have to drain you, and then Sariel will make the move. It won’t be pleasant.”

Devin regards Galen dubiously. “Listen, buddy, don’t get any ideas. We’re still just friends.” Galen offers a weak smile and tries to laugh but can only manage a cough.

As soon as Devin’s wrist is pressed to his friend’s mouth, he winces, and Galen begins drinking. I feel sick as I watch, not only because I remember the pain of Devin feeding on me, but during the first moments of this exchange, Gabriel rips the stake from Galen’s chest. It pulls free with a wet sucking sound, and I almost gag as I see the gaping hole. The term “sucking chest wound” never held much meaning for me, until now.

Minutes pass, and Galen isn’t healing. He seems to be getting weaker right along with Devin. Then it happens. I see the light leave Galen and, with a bright flash of silver, Sariel is part of Devin. Gabriel keeps his hold of Galen, muttering in some language I don’t recognize. But Galen doesn’t move a muscle. Doesn’t breathe. He stares dully at nothing.

“Liar!” I scream at Gabriel. “You lied to us so Sariel could still fight for you.”

Tears stream down my cheeks, and I’m tempted to call Lucifer, to give him whatever he wants if only I can have Galen back.

“Don’t.” Devin speaks, but it’s Sariel’s timbre I recognize. “Give it some time, Reese.”

With grief coming off me in waves, I sob, breaking down and pressing my forehead to Galen’s. I cry until I can’t feel anything else, sitting on the floor of a cottage in Ireland with an angel and a vampire, waiting for my love to come back to me.

* * *

Devin

We wait. Sariel is stretching his legs, testing out my body, and I’m useless, waiting for Galen to man up and come back. He’s a moody fucker, though, so I’m sure he’ll take his sweet time. Sariel assures me that Galen will wake up. Gabriel is powerful, wicked powerful, and if he says he’ll do it, he will.

My heart hurts for Reese. She’s really in love with Galen. I don’t think I understood it until Sariel showed me how it felt. Funny, though, he’s not drawn to her anymore. I’m sure my cock works now. It’s one of the perks of having a Watcher in my head, but as I look at her, there’s nary a stirring down below. Thank God. That would be awkward as fuck.

“How long is this going to take, Gabriel?” Sariel asks, annoyance in his tone.

The angel shrugs. “Days? I’m not sure. It’s been a long time since I’ve done this.”

“Well, we can’t just leave him here. Help me get him to the bed in the basement. He can come up when he’s awake.”

Gabriel places a hand on Galen’s shoulder, and they both disappear. Reese is left with nothing in her hands, just Galen’s blood on her fingers.

“It’s going to be okay, Reese. He’ll wake up.” Sariel reaches out to her, gripping her shoulders and helping her up.

She turns a watery stare on him. “Are you sure?”

He nods.

Gabriel clears his throat, leaning against the wall, one ankle draped over the other. “Sariel? Time to go.”

I sense Sariel’s apprehension and can honestly say I’m in agreement with him. I remember marching into battle during the Civil War. It’s not something I relish. “Wait. One favor before I go with you,” he says.

Gabriel arches an eyebrow, curious and, if I’m not mistaken, a little incredulous. “Go on.”

“Galen’s soul.”

“What about it?”

“Bring it back from purgatory.”

Gabriel laughs, long and hard. “You’re joking. I’m not traveling to purgatory to give a vampire back his soul.”

“Then I’m not coming with you.”

“I could always take you.”

Sariel grabs the stake and presses the point into our chest. Right now I really hate letting him have control.

The angel stands tall, taking a step toward Sariel. “Stop.”

“As soon as I’m sure Galen is restored, completely restored, I’ll go with you.”

I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Sariel is a fucking nutcase. He’s going toe to toe with the messenger of God to get my friend’s soul back. Reese is standing silent, watching with hope-filled eyes.

Gabriel nods, disappearing once again in a flash of brilliant light.

What the fuck was that? I think.

That was me playing my last bluff. Sariel’s voice in my head startles me.

Is this how it’s going to be? You keep control, and I don’t get to have any fun?

He laughs. No. I’ll share.

Good, because I plan to take full advantage of the incubus aspect of having a Watcher.

I’m not sure it works that way, Devin.

Seriously? I’m giving up my freedom and I can’t even get laid when I want?

We’ll see. It’s been a long time since I was awake.

I start to panic a little at this revelation. I thought having a working dick was the silver lining to giving Sariel a vessel. Now, I’m not so sure. Listen, give me five years. Five years to sow my oats, live it up. Then I’ll give you full control. You can use my body to find your soul mate until the end of time.

I can feel Sariel’s hope begin to burn a little brighter. Really? You’d do that?

I will. I’m tired. I’ve lived a long time, done some terrible things.

He stares at Reese. A feeling of warmth flows over him and bleeds onto me. You saved Galen. That’s not terrible.

I scoff. Just one good deed in the wake of almost two hundred years’ worth of bad.

Redemption is not about equalizing the good and bad, it’s about repentance and your choices moving forward.

I fight the urge to laugh. Says the fallen angel.

He doesn’t answer me, just reaches a hand out to stroke Reese’s cheek. Her big blue eyes focus on him, and she smiles. “Thank you.”

Offering her a curt nod, he shifts, a distance growing between him and me. It’s a weird-as-fuck feeling. My chest expands, tingles running down my arms and legs, and then I’m me again.

“Devin,” Reese says. ‘You okay?”

Shaking my head to clear the fog in my brain, I assess my surroundings. “That’s going to take some getting used to.”

She smiles again. “I don’t know if Galen ever got used to it.” A worried look crosses her face. “What if he doesn’t wake up?”

Heaving a sigh, I don’t know what to tell her. I settle for a lie. “He’ll wake up. Everything will be fine.”