Sariel

Standing outside Galen’s house, I listen to the noises of a family settling in for the end of their day. High-pitched giggles assault my ears, working their way into my heart. Through the wide window, Galen’s tall frame appears, a broad smile across his lips as a dark-haired little boy clings to his father’s back. He’s happy. Truly happy.

“All right, little man. It’s time for bed. You heard your ma. You should have been asleep an hour ago.”

Sean only holds tighter, laughing hard as Galen pretends to shake him off. “Da, I need a story.”

“Fine. One story, but then it’s to bed with you, understand?”

Sean nods his head and climbs down from his dad’s back. He looks so much like Galen, there’s no question of his parentage. A pang of hurt lances me at the thought of the child Selah and I should have had together. The baby we lost. Would he have had my eyes? It isn’t fair to know I gave Galen and Reese their son when my own was taken. As Galen takes his boy’s hand and leads him out of the room, I find myself following, searching for any way to keep them in view. I don’t want the spell to break. I don’t want to face the reality of my situation.

“What the hell are you doing?” I don’t recognize the deep voice coming from behind me. “You’re pathetic, Sariel.”

Turning on my heels, I ready myself to fight, but the sting of a needle in my neck and the burn of something being injected into my bloodstream stops me. The world blurs, tilts, and goes dark before I can utter a single word.

* * *

Devin

What the actual fuck just happened? The last thing I remember was drifting off enveloped in Willow’s beautiful scent, with her warm body against mine. Now I’m lying in a fucking ditch, my blood burning as the sun begins to rise. Trying to get to my feet, I realize quickly that I’m bound in chains. Had Willow done this? Was it all just a ploy to hunt and kill me after all? No. I’d seen deep inside her heart the last time we’d been together. But, how did I get here?

“Shit!” No one is around and I have no fucking clue where I am. Out in the open, that’s for damn sure.

As my skin itches and tingles, panic sets in. I can’t die like this. I have a job to do, a soul to save, and a woman I don’t want to leave.

“Sariel!” I shout the name into the hazy gray morning.

He doesn’t answer. I can feel his presence, but only faintly. He’s quieter than he has been the last five years we’ve been together. Something is not right. And considering the fact that I’m about to be vampire barbecue, I’d say, multiple somethings aren’t right.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck.” I twist and work my limbs as I try to break through the metal holding me. If I can get free, maybe I can find some way to hide from the sun. I’ll bury myself in the damn ground if I have to. But I’m not able to move. I’m weak, and I don’t understand why. My head is pounding. My eyes feel gritty and heavy.

I call out Sariel’s name again, pleading for some kind of assistance. Nothing. Not a single pulse of energy from the lazy ass. If the Watcher won’t help, I’ll have to call my least favorite angel.

“Gabriel!” I feel like an idiot, shouting the name of the messenger of God into the lightening sky, but I’m desperate. I think I’ve been drugged. “Oh, come on, Feathers! Please! This is my hour of fucking need right now.”

I heave a sigh of relief when my ears pop as the pressure changes in the air. Craning my neck, I look behind me to see Gabriel standing over my bound form, his arms crossed, a confused expression on his face. “How?”

I shrug to the best of my ability. “I just woke up like this. I don’t know what the fuck happened.”

“Where’s Sariel?”

The sun is cresting over the hill. It’s the last line of defense before I’m toast, and if the heat on my skin is any indication, I have to get the hell out of here, like, five minutes ago.

“Not to be ungrateful or anything, Gabe, but I need you to poof me out of here and to a dark space before I go up in flames.”

His eyebrows rise as he clearly realizes I’m right. It’s disorienting. One moment his hand is making contact with the crown of my head as I feel a sickening tug in my belly, and then I’m safe, unbound and in my own room, in my own apartment. The smell of something burning fills the air around us, and when I look around, I realize it’s me. My skin is an angry red, curls of smoke rising around me.

Gabriel clears his throat, an obvious attempt to get my attention, because he doesn’t do human very well. Small things like breathing and blinking tend to be the last behaviors he remembers.

“Thank you,” I grumble. God, he’s such a pain.

“That’s not what I want. I need to figure out how this happened.”

Shaking my head, I sit on the edge of my bed, exhaustion weighing on my shoulders. “I have no clue.”

Then the fucking angel grabs my wrist and slashes it open in one swift movement before he takes a taste of my blood.

“What the fuck, man? Angels don’t drink blood.”

“I’m not drinking it. You have fed from the dead. Why would you do that?”

I drank dead blood? When the hell had that happened? “I’m not stupid. I’d never willingly drink dead blood.”

But it explains why I feel this way, why I’m weak. Dead blood has none of the properties contained in the blood of the living. The essence of life is what feeds us. Not drinking from the dead is one of the few rules we have to abide by.

“Willingly. I think that’s the key word.” He places his hand on my head and closes his eyes. “Sariel is weakened as well. But his damage is deep inside. He’s been bound. The only one who could do that is an archangel.”

“Awesome.” The sarcasm is thick in the single word. “So, which one of your brothers is working against us?”

Frowning, Gabriel shakes his head. “None.” He runs his hand over his face and looks up. “Rest. I will return when I have more information. I think it would be best if you stay here for a few days. Someone is obviously after you.”

“Wait. Can you unbind Sariel?”

“I can, but before I do, I need to make sure it wasn’t Sariel himself who did this. You said you don’t remember. Is it possible that he took control? Has he tired of your vessel?”

That doesn’t make any fucking sense. Sariel and I have a deal. Why would he destroy the body he’s waited to take full control of for so long? We’re months away. But, he might have hijacked my body for his own devices. Selah comes to mind.

Gabriel puts his hand on my head again, and I can’t do anything other than sit uncomfortably as he pokes around inside my mind. Pressure fills my head, until I feel the wall separating Sariel from me crack and then crumble.

“He had control, but it wasn’t him who made you drink.”

“Well, then, who the fuck was it?”

“Lucifer.”

Oh, shit.

* * *

Willow

Had that really happened last night? I swear I’d been in the afterglow of lovemaking with the most beautiful man I’d ever met, both of us feeling a lot more than we’d expected, and then, he walked out my door. He’d told me it was … fun. Asshole. A small part of me wonders if Sariel had anything to do with Devin’s behavior, but he hadn’t sounded or felt any different. This is why I don’t get attached, right here. Now, instead of focusing on my class, I’m torn up over Devin—a fucking vampire.

Squaring my shoulders, I widen my stance. My sparring partner, Brent, is on it tonight, landing way too many strikes for my liking. As I work to give him a run for his money, I’m finally able to leave Devin’s hurtful dismissal behind. Right now, I need to have my head in the game to avoid a fist to the face. We both bounce on the balls of our feet, dodging and striking over and over as we demonstrate for the class. Typically, teaching is my favorite part of the day, but I can’t be happy and enjoy it today.

Glancing up at the clock, I smile inwardly when I realize there’s only five minutes before class ends and the studio closes. All I want is a hot bath, a big glass of alcohol—any kind will do—and maybe a session or two with my vibrator. Just because I’m mad at Devin, that doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten his amazing tongue and thick, long cock.

Pain blossoms across my lip and jaw as my opponent’s foot connects. I fall backward, unprepared for the blow. The room goes silent as the students all seem to collectively hold their breath. Wincing, I roll my head from side to side and bring my fingertips to my burning lower lip. It comes away bright with blood.

“Shit,” I mutter as I ignore my partner’s offered hand and get to my feet. “Okay, so that’s a good example of why you need to stay focused.” My face throbs, the swelling in my jaw already causing stiffness in the joint. “I think it’s time to close up. Have a good week, everyone.”

“I’m sorry, sensei.” Brent has been a student at the dojo for a long time, and we’ve sparred countless matches. None of them where Brent got in a hit on me. Until today. Fucking Devin.

Waving a hand, I shake my head and start for the door. “I wasn’t paying attention. You were just doing what we’ve been taught. I’m the one who let my face get in the way of your foot.”

“You want me to get some ice?”

“I’m going home. I’ll take care of it. Besides, I’m sure it looks worse than it is.” I’m lying. It hurts like a motherfucker, but the last thing I want is for Brent to think he needs to care for me.

He shrugs and walks with me until we leave the studio, locking up and parting ways. My phone chimes with an incoming text, and I sigh. I don’t want any distractions tonight, especially now.

Drinks at McCoy’s. You coming?

Oh, Alanna. In all honesty, if I didn’t have a split lip and a jaw that might or might not be dislocated, I might take her up on it.

Can’t tonight. Split my lip. Need to ice and rest. Be careful and have fun.

I know she’s going to be disappointed. I barely spent any time with her at the bar crawl, and haven’t seen her since.

I see someone you know.

She sends me a photo message immediately after. It’s Devin, his long hair combed and tied back at the nape of his neck. He’s wearing a leather jacket over a dark shirt, and my nipples stand at attention at the memory of his body.

Alanna sends me another text.

Come on. You know you want to. He’s been sitting here, nursing a beer, looking like you kicked his puppy. I thought you two were sort of a thing.

Examining the photo again, I can see dark circles under his eyes. His face is drawn and paler than normal. He looks hungover, which I know is impossible. My heart gives an uncomfortable squeeze at the idea of him being distraught. Is that over me? Or is something else happening, something sinister enough to upset a vampire?

As soon as I arrive home, I strip and step into the shower, washing away a day’s worth of sweat, and now some blood from Brent’s well-placed kick. Devin’s face keeps flashing in my mind as I shampoo my hair. Then I’m filled with the fire of righteous anger.

He’d cast me aside like a booty call. I am not a fucking booty call. Towel drying my hair as quickly as possible, I twist it into a high bun and inspect my lip. It’s swollen, but not terrible. There’s a shadow of a bruise on my jaw, but it’ll look worse tomorrow. Tonight, with a little help from the concealer I bought at Sephora, I’ll be able to camouflage and minimize the damage.

By the time I’m ready, dressed in a tight-fitting top with a plunging neckline, and low-waisted skinny jeans, my stomach is in knots. He’s probably already gone. I send Alanna a message, asking if she’s still at McCoy’s. Her response sends a thrill through me.

Yes. And so is he.

Hailing a cab, I make it to the firehouse-themed bar in only a few minutes. I straighten my shirt, make sure my tits are on full display, and walk through the door, smiling through my turmoil. I catch sight of him instantly. But my heart drops when I see him smiling, with a blond-haired beauty sliding her hand over his thigh. He’s giving her the look. The one that says, baby, I’m going to rock your world if you say yes.

Stalking to the bar, I order a beer and make my way to Alanna. She’s seated on the other end of the bar from Devin, her beer is half-empty, and she’s clearly got her eyes on someone.

“Who’s the lucky guy tonight?”

Jutting her chin forward, she directs my attention to the table in the corner. Two handsome men, all broad shoulders and kind eyes, wave at us. Perfect. If Devin thinks so little of me, he won’t mind if I find entertainment elsewhere. Orgasms are like currency: some people are charitable and giving; others make you work for it. I’m feeling rather giving tonight, and I think this new guy is in need.

“Well, come on. Let’s get over there.” I think I surprise her when I say this. I’m not one for the overly predatory gestures.

“Uh, okay.”

We take our beers with us as we approach the two men. Both offer us wide, beaming smiles. I slide into the seat next to the one named Alec, while Alanna sits by Drake. After only a few minutes we learn that they’re both marines, stationed across the water in Bremerton. Marines. That explains the shoulders—and the muscles.

The hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and a chill runs through me.

“You okay?” Alec asks, his arm going around me and pulling me closer. “It’s kind of cold in here with that door open.”

Devin is staring at me, I don’t know how I know, but I do. I can feel his eyes like daggers on me. Snuggling closer, I turn and whisper, “I don’t mind the cold as long as you’re here to keep me warm.”

Alec chuckles, and I see his gaze drift to the valley between my breasts. “I’ll keep you warm all night long, baby. Just say the word.”

A firm, cool hand grips my forearm, and I turn, face-to-face with the man who holds the power to break me.

“What do you want, Devin?” Acid coats every word that falls from my lips.

“You’re kidding, right?”

He does look terrible—and beautiful. Those icy eyes are blazing with fury, and they snap from me to Alec’s hand as it tightens on my shoulder.

“Get your hands off what’s mine.”

I laugh, a harsh and bitter sound. “Yours? Now I’m yours? I don’t think so, Devin. Go back to your snack. I’m busy here.”

I know I’m flirting with disaster at the moment. Devin’s jaw clenches as I lean closer to Alec’s warm body, and I swear, my blond-haired vampire lets out a feral growl low in his throat.

Alec puffs out his chest. “Back off, man. Lorelei, do you want to get out of here?”

Lorelei? Shit, right, I’d given him my alias. Devin laughs, his self-satisfied smirk sending rage through me.

“Oh, I see. Fine, Lorelei, have your fun.” He walks away, shaking his head.

“What the fuck was that?” Alanna breathes the words on a sigh. She’s flushed and flustered.

“That was a wolf trying to mark his territory.” I can’t help but flick a glance Devin’s way. The blonde is gone, and he’s back on his stool, facing me now. His intense gaze is locked on me, following every move I make, until he pulls his phone from his pocket and begins typing. A grin lifts one corner of his mouth as my own cell begins chiming. Text after text light up my phone.

You can’t even give him your real name. How do you expect him to make you come?

I can make you scream around my cock so many times, you see stars.

I can sink myself inside your body so deep, I touch parts of you no one else can reach.

A heated blush races up my cheeks as the visual of exactly what he’s talking about flashes before my eyes. Clenching my thighs together, I shift in my seat. And another text comes through.

You’re wet right now. Because of me.

“Excuse me,” I mutter, shoving my phone in my pocket and heading for the bathroom in a rush.

As soon as I round the corner, Devin is there, locking the bathroom door behind him. He pushes me up against the wood, his hands caging me in. His lips meet mine in a desperate kiss, teeth and tongues, breaths coming harsh and unbridled as his hand finds my breast.

“You’re mine, Willow.”

I stiffen at the words before I knee him in the balls and unlock the door.

“Fuck off.”