Brooks

“Are you feeling settled in?” I ask as Gwen fills her glass with water. I don’t usually work behind the bar, but I need to be close to her and this is the only way. The shift is almost over, and I’ve barely been able to talk to her.

“It’s not too taxing. Although, I haven’t worked a weekend shift. Liza tells me those are pretty awful.” She won’t meet my gaze, not completely, and I wonder if it’s because of the spark between us or if she’s uncomfortable with me.

“To be honest, I rarely work more than a few shifts a month. Most of the time I’m behind the scenes.” She lifts a brow in question. “It’s important for me to understand what’s going on. I see that now. I need to be more involved. More present.”

Her little smile makes me fight back a wave of want. That mouth of hers is perfect. Maybe I can do more than protect her. Maybe I can make her mine.

Everyone has a soul mate, one person destined for them. The problem is, it’s not easy to find your fated love. If it were, no one would get divorced. But I know it’s possible. My father fell from Heaven because he knew he would find my mother, and there have been others who did the same.

She reaches for the bag of lemons and accidentally hits a pint glass, knocking it off the bar. A soft yelp of surprise falls from her, but my reflexes are better than they’ve ever been and I catch it before it shatters. “There we are. No harm done.” Her fingers brush my forearm and I feel it, that pulse of connection.

She is made for me.

“That was…kind of impossible. You were too far away to get there so fast.” Her brow furrows and she backs away.

“I’m just fast.” I hate lying, but she’s not ready to know the truth. Is she?

“I don’t believe you.” Her eyes are wide, blue crystals. “Do you think I was born yesterday? What are you?”

“What?”

“No way can a normal human be that fast.”

Bugger. Do I play dumb? Make her think I’m harmless? I don’t think I can. “This isn’t the place to talk about such things.”

She sucks in a sharp breath. “I was right. You are…other.”

Then the beautiful little witch steps close, so close I could count her eyelashes if I wanted. She smells like everything I will dream about tonight. “Gwen…” I begin, but trail off when she links our hands.

“What are you?” she asks again.

The door jingles as someone steps inside even though we’re past last call. “We’re closed,” I call, but the customer ignores me.

“Sorry, mate. I’ve got business with Gwen.”

I glance at her and my defenses go on high alert at the fear in her eyes. When I swing my gaze to the man sauntering inside, my gut clenches. A demon.

“Kit?” she whispers. “But you’re…”

“Imprisoned in a sightless invisible circle in the middle of Manhattan?” He tuts and shakes his head. “Sorry to disappoint. Funny little thing, magic. It can be broken…for the right price.”

She holds my hand tighter, fear resonating in every move she makes. “Run,” she whispers.

“You can’t be serious.” There’s no way in Hell I’m leaving her alone with a demon. “You don’t have any magic. How are you going to defend yourself?”

A slight gasp is my only clue of my mistake. “What do you want, Kit?” she asks.

The demon takes a seat at the bar. “I want to make a bargain. Your magic for your knight.”

“No. You must think I’m desperate.”

“From the look on your face and the” —he leans in and takes a long sniff—“scent of normal coming off you, I’d be desperate if I were in your place.”

“No thanks. I’ll pass on stooping so low as to make deals with bottom dwelling demons.”

A low growl rumbles in Kit’s throat. “We’ll see who’s a bottom dweller.” With a slash of his hand, he goes for her throat, long claws barely missing her delicate skin. Almost without thought, I grab a knife and stab it straight through the center of his hand, pinning him to the bar. I focus my newly unlocked angelic grace on the hilt of the knife and send it into his wound. His blood reeks of rotten eggs and instead of screaming, he laughs. But I can tell it hurts. “Oh, that’s rich. A goddamned angel baby has me pinned. What are you going to do now?” He tugs at the blade, but it doesn’t move. “I’ll get free before long. And I can smell her a mile away. Her virgin cunt is begging to be broken in.”

Anger races through my blood, but I don’t have anything that can kill him. My grace will wear off sooner rather than later.

“Come on,” I say, tugging Gwen with me. “We have to get as far away from him as we can.”

Kit’s maniacal laughter fills the bar as we head for the street where I’ve parked my car. As soon as she’s safely in the vehicle, I step on the gas.

“Wait! Wait! We can’t leave Lance. He has to be with me.”

I hate that she wants the man, but she’s right. I ask for her address and head in the direction of her flat. We need Excalibur and, damn it all to hell, we need Lancelot.