I leaned back and closed my eyes, shaking my head. “There has to be another way. There has to be—,”

Jared cupped my jaw and his thumb brushed my cheek. “As long as your heart is beating, so is mine.”

I tried to forge a brave expression on my face. “I love you.”

Jared’s eyes grew soft and the corners of his mouth moved upward. “I love you. I’l see you soon.”

Claire gently rested her warm hands on my shoulders as we watched him pul from the curb and then disappear around a corner down the street.

I felt my insides wrench. “Tel me he’s going to be al right.”

Claire turned me to face her and grinned. “I wasn’t overdoing it, earlier. He wil come back. And if they piss him off, he’l come back with a few demon notches in his belt. Jared doesn’t know how to fail.”

We walked upstairs and I sat on the couch, trying to relax so Jared wouldn’t be distracted by my fear.

Claire sat beside me, fidgeting.

“You want to watch a movie?” she asked.

I slowly turned my head toward her in disbelief.

“You want to watch TV?” she asked, leaning over to grab the remote from the coffee table.

“No,” I snapped.

Claire blew her bangs from her face and sat quietly beside me for awhile. After a long, awkward silence, she took in a deep breath of air.

“I was a daddy’s girl,” she mused. “When we used to go on vacations, tagging along with your family, of course, I’d get so jealous when my dad would compliment you or even mention your name. When he would be away, with Jack, I would get so angry that you were spending time with him instead of me. My mom would try to explain, but…to a little girl that would rather be with her dad than at an amusement park, I refused to even try to understand.”

Claire’s eyes darkened. “When Jack died…I hated him,” she swal owed. “When my father started feeling weak just an hour later…I hated you. My Dad was an Archangel. I never thought I would lose him. He was lying there, fading away, and al I could think about was that I had al of this strength, this speed, the intel igence…I was built to be a savior and I couldn’t save my own father.

“As hard as it was for me, Jared took it harder. When Dad took his last breath, I thought Jared was going to die with him,” she closed her eyes and a tear fel down her cheek.

“I was angry with him at first. I felt betrayed that he went to you. But now I see that he didn’t have a choice. You were the only hope he had left…you were the only one that could make sense of his purpose for existing, and he needed you. He needed to know that our lives were worth something. I can see that now. And I’m glad you have each other.”

I didn’t realize my mouth was open until she looked at me with wet eyes and chuckled.

She scooted closer. “I shouldn’t have hated you. My father loved you like family and it was just as important to him to keep you safe as it was any of us. It didn’t mean he loved me any less, I know that now. I’m sorry for the way I’ve treated you.”

I wanted to hug her, but thought better of it. To my surprise she clasped my hand between hers.

I shook my head. “I owe you for so much—for the time away from your father, for my life…for Jared. You don’t owe me anything.”

A warm smile spread across Claire’s face and she squeezed my hand. “So we’l start over.”

I started to speak but her eyes widened, and in the same second she stood with her back to me. I peeked around her to see the door slowly open, and for one fleeting moment I expected Jared to walk in.

But it wasn’t Jared.

A man in a charcoal-grey suit and tie strol ed in through the door, looking around as if he were appraising the loft. When he smiled at me, Claire’s hands bal ed into fists at her sides, and her knuckles turned white under the pressure of her grip.

He was extraordinarily handsome, teeth gleaming white, black hair perfectly trimmed and slicked back. At first glance he seemed benign, but I recoiled when his black eyes bored into mine.

“How nice to see you, Claire,” he spoke, a low hissing sound underlying his voice.

Claire reached down and gripped my shirt in her fist, slowly pul ing me up behind her. “You just missed Jared, Shax.” Claire said.

My blood ran cold. A Duke of Hel was standing just feet from me in my home. I gripped Claire’s arm and she reached around to pul me against her back, slowly side-stepping until we were standing exactly between the kitchen and the front door. Shax watched us shift with his shark’s eyes, as if he were alert to our every breath.

“Jared is looking for me?” he said, dropping his chin to look straight at Claire. “How interesting.”

The iron stairs clanged with heavy footsteps, and five men encroached upon the doorway. Shax took a few casual steps forward as the men positioned themselves in a half-circle behind him. I dug my fingers into Claire’s arm when I saw a familiar pair of eyes. It was Grahm.

“Nina,” he nodded with a smug smile.

“You take one step near her and you’re a dead man,” Claire seethed.

A wicked smirk twisted Shax’s mouth. “Now, now, Claire. That’s no way for a young lady doing His work to behave.”

“What do you want, Shax?” Claire snapped.

The demon looked down, and then his eyes shot up to target me from under his thick, black eyebrows. “I think we al know what I want, Claire.

Nina’s father took something from me,” he tilted his head and stretched his long neck, “it’s quite an embarrassment for a thief to be stolen from— especial y the greatest thief that’s ever lived.”

Claire laughed without humor. “You’ve never lived, Shax. And it’s nice to see that you’ve developed some humility.”

“I want the ring, Claire,” he hissed.

“You don’t need the ring. Jared has your stupid book.”

Shax’s beady eyes narrowed. “Where is he?”

Claire shrugged, slowly pushed me back as she took a half-step forward. “He took it to you. I’m sure he’s in your building as we speak.”

“And why would he do that?”

“He didn’t want a filthy demon for a house guest,” Claire growled.

Shax eyed me with curiosity. “Or was he trying to avoid us coming near his Taleh? I understand he’s fal en in love with her. How precious.”

“You can leave, now,” Claire said, more of a demand than an offer.

Shax’s crooked mouth pul ed up into a half-smile. “Thank you, Claire. We were just on our way out. But we’l be taking Nina with us. Jack owes me that.”

“And I owe Jared one,” Grahm said with a smirk.

“I’l rip out your throat before I’l let you touch her!” Claire snarled. The guttural sound that came from her throat when she spoke was frightening.

Grahm signaled his men, and they walked cautiously past Shax. Claire gestured behind her for me to stand back as she crouched slightly, set to defend me. One of the men lunged at her, and so quickly that I missed some of her movements, she incapacitated him without effort. The second man tried to swing at her, but she jerked to the side just as two other men rushed from the side. I took a few more steps back as I watched her head butt one of the men, blood spattering in the air, and then strike another in the throat with her fist. The man made a horrific gurgling noise before fal ing to the ground.

Just as Claire turned to face Shax, Grahm pul ed out a gun and held it to Claire’s forehead. She froze.

“I was just going to take Nina, but I think it would better settle the score if he came home to see your pretty face blown away and a sweet little note to let him know we’re violating his girlfriend in a hundred different ways before we kil her.”

I felt my legs disappear, and I reached back to steady myself against the table as Grahm gave me a lewd once-over with his eyes.

Claire smirked. “You’l fit right in where Jared’s going to send you, Grahm.”

Grahm cocked his weapon, and I felt a solitary tear seep from my eye and trickle down my cheek. Time passed in slow motion as I looked at Grahm’s arrogant expression and then back to Claire. The scene was surreal: Ful grown men sprawled on the floor in pools of their own blood, and tiny Claire, a fair-haired teenaged-girl moments away from execution. I held my breath as I watched her slowly close her eyes and wait for the bul et to leave its chamber.

In the same second that Grahm’s finger pressed against the trigger, Claire’s body blurred. The bul et from his gun whirred past me and into the tile above the stove, and Claire rammed her elbow in Grahm’s face, sending blood exploding from his nose. The blow sent him flying through the air, landing at Shax’s feet. Grahm sat up on his knees, teeth gnashing in pain. The blood pooled in his palms and dripped through his fingers onto the floor.

“Enough!” Shax commanded.

Claire immediately backed up against me. She turned her head slightly, stil keeping her eyes on Shax. “I’m going to hold him off, Nina…you’re going to have to run. Jared wil find you,” she whispered.

“You think you can hold me, Claire? You’re nearly human.”

Claire smiled. “Maybe so, Shax, but my angel side can stil kick your ass.”

Shax wasn’t amused. He crouched in preparation to attack, and a strange snarl emanated from his chest. Inside his throat, a screech and an animalistic growl intertwined. It was the most terrifying sound my ears had ever experienced. The demon’s black irises bled into the whites of his eyes, and I braced for impact.

As if I had blinked and missed a second of time, a dark massive figure stood between us and Shax. Claire’s body relaxed and she maneuvered us around him, bringing Shax back into view.

Jared stood in the doorway, glowering at Shax with a lethal expression. Sensing my fear and relief, his attention broke to me and instantly he was at my side, pul ing me from Claire’s grip to the safety of his arms.

Shax was cautious in the Archangel’s presence. “The book is mine, Samuel!” His sinister eyes were wild and shifted between each of us like a cornered animal.

Samuel tossed the book at the demon’s feet, just beside Grahm. “Take your blasphemous book and leave from here. In the name of the Most High, I wil end your existence if you come near this family again, foul beast!” Samuel bel owed, his voice shaking the wal s.

Shax recoiled from the command of the Cimmerian and backed slowly out the door, hissing at his injured minions to fol ow.

Grahm smiled at me with blood-stained teeth. “I’m going to see you again soon, baby dol .”

Jared lunged at him, but Samuel held his hand to Jared’s chest. “Let them go,” he ordered.

Jared watched Grahm, reluctantly al owing him to retreat with his wounded partners. Claire stood at the entryway and made sure they were gone before she closed the door.

“Has anyone told you that you have excel ent timing?” Claire asked, smiling at her brother.

“Once or twice,” Jared said.

Claire ran towards Samuel at ful speed, leaping up to wrap her arms around him, her legs dangling two feet from the ground. I jumped at the sudden movement, but as soon as Samuel hugged her and a wide smile flashed across his face, I sighed in relief.

“I think you missed your cal ing, little girl. You were meant to be Cimmerian,” he chuckled.

Claire giggled and squeezed his neck. “I’m half human so it evens up the odds, Sam. If I were Cimmerian, you’d be out of a job.”

Samuel bel owed a laugh and shook his head. “And you accuse Shax of lacking humility!”

Jared turned to me. “Are you al right?”

I didn’t want to lie, so I remained silent.

Jared pul ed me into his chest and kissed my hair. “It’s over.”

“Not according to Grahm,” Claire said after Samuel set her on her feet.

“It’s over,” Jared said in a firm voice.

Claire wiped the blood from the floor and straightened the furniture. She skipped about, the confrontation and victory making her a tad giddy. I watched her as she hummed an indistinct tune while she cleaned.

An hour later, Claire said her goodbyes to drive to Ryan’s hometown as the sky outside faded to deep blue. The loft was as before, the furniture in place, the broken glass hidden in the trash, the blood mopped up and the red stained rags thrown away.

“Are you hungry?” Jared asked, poking his finger through the bul et hole above the stove. I shook my head and Jared turned to face me. “No?”

I shook my head again.

“Nina,” he chided. “You’ve barely said a word since I’ve been back. Are you sure you’re okay?”

I closed my eyes. “I’m fine.”

“It’s normal to be afraid. Talk to me.”

“Just…don’t leave me again. Okay? Claire was prepared to defend me with her life, but I was so scared, Jared. I was so afraid they were going to kil me and you would die.”

He walked across the room and held my cheeks gently in his hands, raising my eyes to his. “You were afraid to die only because I would?”

I smiled, but my face crumpled around it. “I’m so weak, Jared. I’m just a stupid, weak, human, and that makes you so vulnerable. It’s not fair.”

Jared chuckled in amazement and shook his head. “Nina…,” he breathed out a smal laugh, rendered speechless. He leaned down and kissed my lips, his mouth conveying what he couldn’t say.

Chapter Nineteen

Saving Grace

Over the next weeks life had returned to normal. Jared and I spent our time painting and rearranging the furniture, and the space metamorphosed from Jared’s dark loft to our bright and cheerful home.

I wouldn’t have thought to change a thing, but Jared insisted I add a feminine touch. I hung up self-portraits we’d taken of ourselves, bought a new floral comforter, and even picked out new china. Jared regarded the transformation with wholehearted gratitude. There were times that I thought Jared wanted me make the changes so that he had tangible proof that I was in fact living there.