Halfway Wicked (wildes On The Hunt #1) 4v5j44

Halfway Wicked Halfway Wicked © 2021 Dara Kent

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the author. The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. First Edition: August 2021 Published in the United States of America by Tik Tok Press. The Tik Tok Press Logo is a trademark of Tik Tok Press. Cover Art, Dara Kent Logo, & Interior Book Graphics by Lindsay Tiry of LT Arts Tik Tok Press Logo by Jordan P. Fremgen of Eye Of The River Media Design Edited by Melissa Ringsted of There For You Editing

Proofread by Ren Reidy Print ISBN: 978-1-955950-00-8 Kindle ISBN: 978-1-955950-02-2 EPUB ISBN: 978-1-955950-01-5 For more information visit: darakent.com

To Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Therapy, and Haagen-Dazs Triple Chocolate Fudge Cookie, You complete me.

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Also by Dara Kent

1

Everyone you meet is fighting a war. For most, it consists of battles waged with personal demons from the past and present, the pain coloring every aspect of their lives. For others, like my sister and me, the demons are very real and often come with a body count. Who’s to say which is worse? Who am I kidding? The demons I fight can’t be drowned with a fifth of tequila. I’ll take the figurative demons over literal any day. “I don’t think it’s coming tonight.” Scowling, I peered around the edge of the dumpster at my sister, who was leaning against a scarred and tagged brick wall a few feet in front of me. “Stop talking, or it’s going to know something’s up and then yeah, it won’t come tonight.” She clicked her tongue. “Perhaps I’m not its flavor. Maybe you should have been the worm on the hook with this one.” I shot Lily a patented death glare. Her small, gymnast build, combined with her heart-shaped face, large, blue eyes, flawless ivory skin, and golden halo of curls made her the catnip of demon bait. Me, on the other hand, only served to attract a certain kind of demon. One looking for a challenge. Just shy of what was considered a tall girl, I was curvy but muscular, and no matter what I did my dark eyes never appeared guileless. I wasn’t fooling any demon sniffing around for an easy mark. It was obvious I would put up a fight. Plus, most demons were ever the cliché, choosing the blond nine times out of ten, no matter their other physical characteristics. It was the odd one out that zeroed in on a brunette like me in a crowd. “Riss, seriously, I’m cold and tired, and I don’t even get the luxury of a face mask to filter out the stench of this disgusting place.”

“Oh, now you want a mask when all I’ve been hearing lately is how ridiculous I am for still wearing one?” I wiggled my nose under the three-ply, black cotton on my face. I’d forgone adding a filter, which I thought was progress on my part. Lily huffed out a dramatic sigh. “Well, you are a tad paranoid. The virus is long gone since someone took out Pestilence.” Annoyance simmered at the reminder that we missed our last target, some unknown hunter taking out the demon before us when we’d been hot on its trail for months. Pestilence was one of the big ones, aka one of the Fab Four demon lords, and surely carried the kind of extra points we needed in the game we were being forced to play. Although more powerful than the average demon, contrary to popular belief, Pestilence and his three brothers did not portend Judgement Day. Of course, if left to run amuck they most certainly could cause an apocalyptic event of some sort. So I should have been glad Pestilence’s visit to our realm had been cut short, even if it wasn’t by us. Should be glad but am definitely not. We need to take out every last demon we can find to hopefully stack things in our favor. Dropping back into a crouch behind the dumpster, I hissed, “Just shut up and act innocent or whatever.” “What more do you want me to do?” Lily demanded. “I’m already wearing this ridiculously outdated baby doll dress that barely covers my ass and standing in an alleyway by myself because apparently innocent and stupid go hand in hand.” Personally, I thought that was a given, but I kept quiet, refusing to give in to the temptation to engage my sister in conversation again. She was clearly bored. As for the baby doll dress, it was the only thing I could find amongst our local thrift store’s current choices that were remotely sexy enough to play bait. I only picked it up because Lily had been griping about ruining her nice clothes on hunts. But it would be the last time I bothered since obviously, she’d still find something to complain about. “Can we please call this mission a bust for tonight and go home? Riss? Come on. Please?” My hand closed around the closest piece of trash, an empty cigarette package, which I lobbed in her direction as my response.

“Fine. Just a little bit longer and then I’m gone.” She muttered something to herself I couldn’t quite make out, and then louder she said, “La, la, la, look at me, all by myself and completely vulnerable. I hope my big, strong boyfriend gets here soon before trouble finds me. Because I’m so alone and … innocent.” Rolling my eyes, I resisted the urge to slap my palm against my forehead. Lily was the queen of ive-aggressive behavior, but I could out stubborn her any day. Silence descended on us as we waited. And waited. Each individual second turning into an eternity. Truth was, I would have called it a night a while ago if Lily hadn’t kept complaining. Flames, burning bold and bright, skittered in front of my eyes, dropping a red haze in front of my vision. Shaking my head, I dispelled the familiar imagery, remnants from a repetitive nightmare I’d been having for several months. Was I dozing off? Sighing, I contemplated how much longer I should make my sister suffer in the cold for being a pain in my ass. I wasn’t faring well myself if I was falling asleep on the job, literally. My senses came alive, sharpening with adrenaline as a door creaked open farther down the alleyway, followed by heavy tread against the pavement. Sliding one of my wickedly sharp, custom, stainless-steel blades from a sheath inside of my boot, I held it loosely between my fingers, my muscles tensing for action. “Oh, hey, do you know what time it is? I’m supposed to meet my boyfriend and my phone died.” My sister’s voice was slightly higher than normal, signaling her nerves. “What kind of boyfriend would suggest meeting you in a place like this?” a deep, gravelly voice asked, a hint of mirth in his tone. Or was it hunger? Sometimes it was difficult to tell the difference between human predators and demons. Although, in my book, taking out either would suit me fine. It was just the law that might take issue with a trail of corpses leading to me. Thankfully, demons didn’t leave any evidence beyond a pile of ash. “Ummm … what’s wrong with meeting my boyfriend here? We’re going into the

club, you know, Zeffer?” “Underage then. I could get you in if you want. I work at Zeffer.” Lily laughed nervously. “Underage. No. Don’t be ridiculous. I’m twenty-one.” In truth, she was twenty-four, and clearly, human or demon, the guy was interested. I just had to wait for an indication of which from my sister. “Look at you,” the guy growled. “So innocent … so hard to resist.” “A voyeur? Or do you think you’ll be able to help her?” Swallowing a gasp, I spun on my jean-clad knees before propelling myself to my feet. I was so focused on Lily I didn’t hear the second guy walk up behind me. His features were difficult to make out in the dim lighting, but I could tell he was tall and imposing. Not someone most would want to meet in a dark alley behind a dumpster. Brandishing my blade, I inched backward. “You shouldn’t sneak up on someone you don’t know. You could end up stuck like a pig.” “Riss!” my sister yelled. “A little help here!” The guy in front of me grabbed my arm, yanking me into his chest. His fetid breath washed across my face, discernable even behind my mask. That’s what I get for not wearing a filter. “Not so fast, hunter. You laid a trap for a demon and now you’re just going to walk away?” Shit. Looks like Lily is right after all. She isn’t our demon target’s flavor du jour. This one wants a fight. And lucky for him I’m happy to oblige. Dropping low, I managed to break the demon’s hold on my arm. “Yours is human. Just knock him out,” I yelled to Lily before rolling to the side to avoid being snagged by the demon again. “He’s definitely not human!” Two demons? Double shit. I miscalculated this one badly. Usually, more than one demon left behind more than one body at a time. Somehow, I’d missed clues. My gaze darted to the side toward the fight already in progress, and then back to

the demon in front of me. Lily wasn’t as skilled at hand-to-hand combat as me, but she could handle herself when she needed to. And she needs to right about now. Bending at the waist while keeping my focus on the immediate threat, I slipped a second blade from a sheath in my left boot and quickly slashed at the demon’s stomach in an effort to distract him. Blood spurted briefly from the laceration before mending to leave nothing but a torn shirt behind. I wasn’t worried though. Slaying demons wasn’t a one size fits all kill shot. The toughest part was figuring out the breed, so I’d know where its weaknesses were. The big guy in front of me was humanoid in form, from what I could tell, and since he was using his fists first and foremost, I guessed he was what I called a basic bitch demon or BBD. They weren’t terribly smart and simply liked to cause death and mayhem wherever they could. They also usually underestimated me, and Lily for that matter, failing to realize we weren’t run-of-the-mill hunters. Kicking and slashing at the demon’s knees, I opted for the time-honored plan of making the big ones fall hard. Once down, I’d decapitate him. Then it’s ashes to ashes time. Easy peasy. “Gemini!” Lily yelled, her voice strained. Ducking another of the demon’s fist, I ground out, “Please tell me you’re joking.” “If … you … don’t … believe … me … check … for … yourself.” Each word was interrupted with a grunt or the sound of flesh hitting flesh. Lily seemed to have the upper hand for now, but I knew things could go sideways fast. Her stamina wasn’t infinite even if she had a little extra beyond what normal humans did. Spinning to avoid the charging demon, I stabbed him rapid-fire in the back, the act only serving to bide me some time and doing no real damage. “Which side do you have?” “The … right.” Okay. If she has the right half of the Gemini pair, that means I have to stab mine in the left eye. Or is it the opposite? Left side, right eye? Ugh.

Gritting my teeth, I continued to spar with the demon. The thing about Geminis was that they didn’t manifest in their own form; instead, they possessed humans. And killing a demon while they were in a meat suit would ultimately kill everyone involved. It wasn’t a typical possession either. Geminis came in pairs, a right one and a left one, mirror images of each other. They would each slip into a human, taking up residence in one side of the human’s brain. My issue was trying to if the left side liked the right side of the brain or the left. If I stabbed him on the wrong side, I’d merely piss him off more, and I wanted to end this quick so I could get to Lily. Glancing down at the blades in each of my hands, I internally shrugged. Let’s go for the double whammy tonight. I scrambled up the side of the dumpster, and leapt off the top, landing with my knees in the demon’s back just below his shoulder blades. He lurched forward, slamming us both into the ground. Shit. He’s face down. I didn’t think that move through at all. Grabbing the sides of his head, I wrenched to the right, my blades pressed in between his temples and my palms. The demon bucked and roared, shoving off the ground. Swinging my arms around as I stumbled backward, I stabbed wildly at his face, hoping to hit something good. He spun around, his shallow wounds knitting themselves together. Baring my teeth, I rushed him, feigning to the right before dodging to the left to get behind him again. Eyeing up the back of his skull, I plunged the blades in as hard as I could. The demon slowed but didn’t stop, pivoting back in my direction. Two silver points protruded from his face, neither hitting their mark. I’m so off my game tonight. What the hell is going on? Pulling my smaller spare blade from inside of my leather jacket, I performed a quick eeny-meeny-miney-moe in my head, and again rushed the demon. Snarling, he grabbed my shoulders, putting me in the perfect position to connect my knee with his groin. Releasing me as he doubled over, I thrust my blade into his right eye, crossing my mental fingers.

The demon dropped like a puppet with its strings cut, and I released a sigh of relief as I went to retrieve my weapons. Leaning over, I grabbed the handle of the blade in the demon’s eye, placed my boot on his neck, and pulled. With a click and a pop, it slid free. His lips turned up into a smirk. “Got you,” he growled, his meaty fist slamming into my temple. Stars burst across my vision, causing me to falter. The demon was up and on me before I had a chance to recover, his fists pummeling me over and over. I went down hard, confusion muddling my thoughts. “Show me what I want to see, hunter.” Shadows erupted from his mouth, their icy tentacles lashing against my skin as they converged around me. I was hurtled into a pit of oblivion.

2

“S how me what I want to see, hunter.” Music blared, a somewhat familiar tune pounding a steady rhythm against my skull. “Lily,” I mumbled. “Turn it down. I’m trying to sleep.” The song continued on its merry way, ratcheting up my annoyance. “Lily, come on. You’ve got to turn it down.” Groaning, I twisted, finding myself rooted in place. My eyes snapped open, confusion fogging my brain. It was dark, the only illumination coming from the muted interior of my car’s dashboard and the headlights bouncing off the mound of snow in front of us. Us. Me and Lily. My thoughts crystallized, icy dread digging its claws into my spine. We were driving home. I hit a slick patch of road already frozen over. I lost control. Swinging my head to the right, my gaze landed on my sister strapped into the enger seat beside me. “Lily!” I reached for her, unable to move. My fingers fumbled for my seatbelt, too numb to function properly. Frustration shot through me. I have to get to Lily! I have to get to her now! Craning my neck down in another attempt to locate my seatbelt, I stilled, shock ricocheting through my system. Sticking through my sternum was a piece of metal, long and cylindrical. Blood saturated my clothes. I sucked in a shallow breath, realizing I couldn’t feel it. It wasn’t just my fingers that were numb.

I’d watched enough medical dramas to know my situation wasn’t good. So much blood. I’ve lost so much blood. I’m in shock. I don’t think … I’m not going to make it. “Lily, you have to wake up. Please.” My sister’s lashes fluttered, but her eyes didn’t open. Blood dripped down her face from a nasty gash on her forehead. I couldn’t tell if she had any other injuries from my vantage point, but she did at least appear to have fared better than me. “Lily, you have to wake up and call for help. Please wake up.” That was assuming one of our cellphones had survived the crash, or if we could even get a signal where we were. Panic washed over me. What if no one gets to her in time? What if I die right here, unable to help my baby sister? I have to do something. I have to help her before I die. Please. I cast my thoughts heavenward, praying sincerely for the first time in years. Please, God. Help my sister. I’ll do anything. Anything. Just help her. I know it’s too late for me. But it’s not for her. I know it’s not for her. Please. She’s a good person. The best. Exactly the kind that deserves to be saved. Everything stopped between one heartbeat and the next, time itself seemingly frozen as a man appeared in front of my car. Before I could focus on him fully, he was beside me, pulling the driver’s side door open. Leaning in, he grinned. “I’m here to save your sister.” I blinked, the man eluding my focus no matter what I did. For that reason, he formed more of an impression than supplying any real details. I knew he was beautiful, and yet something about him was chilling, setting off internal warning bells on every level. “Save my sister?” I finally managed. “How? Are you an angel?” I decided to ignore the likelihood of my sister’s would-be savior being a figment of my imagination and went with it. I wanted to believe in angels and miracles in that moment.

Ignoring my question, he asked me one of his own. “Is it true that you would do anything to save your sister’s life? Because, if so, I would like to offer you a deal.” His choice of words caused fear to shoot through my hope, addling it with holes, but I persisted regardless. “Yes. Anything.” “When you die, you will belong to me. That’s the deal. Your soul for all of eternity in exchange for your sister getting to live.” Not an angel then. Most likely a demon. Even that’s better than a figment of my imagination if it means Lily gets to live. I never thought of myself as the selfsacrificing type. Especially when it came to my sister. There’d been many times over our years together that I thought I might actually kill her with my bare hands. But I supposed things looked different at the end of your life. I only got a short nineteen years, but Lily hadn’t even gotten that being five years younger than me. “No tricks. Lily is to be fully healed and gets a long, healthy life.” The man chuckled. “No tricks, of course.” I nodded slowly. “My soul for her life. Deal.” What are you doing? Your soul? That’s forever. But again, I couldn’t seem to by the urge to do anything to save my sister. Even sell my soul to a probable demon. He leaned into me, his breath painfully hot against my ear. “They’ll come for you when I’m done here, I’m sure of it. I can feel them waiting to pounce on this opportunity. But no matter, you’ll still be mine in the end. I’ve lived long enough to learn patience.” He snapped his fingers, and pain seared my left wrist, wringing a scream from my raw throat just as everything went dark.

I was weightless, warm, and content. A comforting, masculine voice curled through my awareness as I slowly fought my way back to consciousness. “You’ve been marked by Lucifer himself, daughter of his blood, you and your sister both. But because of your selfless motives, you both will also be given a second chance.” Confusion nettled, but I listened without comment, somehow knowing the rest would become clear momentarily. “You will seek your redemption through the elimination of demons. Hunt them down and kill as many as you can. Upon your death, if you’ve done enough good in this world, then I will break your deal and reclaim your soul for Heaven.” My left wrist became uncomfortably warm, and I squirmed against the slight pain. It abruptly stopped, and I settled, waiting. “You are now twice marked, once by Hell, and once by Heaven. Use your second chance wisely. Both of you.” Both of us? Knowledge filled me to the brim, like some kind of massive info drop directly into my brain. Before Lucifer fell, becoming the King of Hell, and the bane of Heaven, he fathered dozens of children with human women. He’d cared and loved those children, in his own way, but his exile from Heaven twisted his emotions, ultimately causing him to want his descendants with him, despite the cost to them. He kept track of his bloodlines, watching and waiting. For when one of his descendants, no matter how diluted the blood was as the centuries ed, called for help, he heard, and he offered a deal. But of course, Lucifer never played fairly. While I lay dying, offering up my soul to save Lily’s, she’d done the same. We would both live because of our forefather, but he marked us as his, bound for Hell upon our deaths.

But there was a game being played, already in progress when we entered the arena. Heaven, taking every opportunity to thwart Lucifer, rewarded Lily and me for our selfless deals by giving us a second chance. We were marked as theirs as well, under the condition we hunted demons on their behalf. We were the perfect warriors, having latent abilities—no longer latent apparently, thanks to them— that made us stronger, faster, and more durable than the average human. Plus, because of whose blood ran through our veins, Lucifer wouldn’t simply dispose of us for killing his subjects. He would let us play the game, watching and waiting to interfere again. It seemed to amuse him. Others had come before us. So many others. More than I could count. But I wasn’t shown their fates, therefore I didn’t know if any were successful in making it to Heaven instead of Hell. All I could see was that they died painfully and in turmoil … Jolting up, my gaze immediately locked with my sister’s, who was sitting next to me in the snow outside of my car. “What did you do?” I demanded, even though I already knew. Bewilderment danced across her face. “Me? I bargained to save your life. And now I’m twice marked or something.” She blinked rapidly. “None of this is real. It can’t be.” I stared down the line of my body, not even a spec of blood marring my ensemble. Flicking my gaze to my left wrist, I ran my thumb over what appeared to be a fresh tattoo. It was a black starburst filled in, surrounded by a black outline of a second star with four points. Two stars. Twice marked. Glancing back up at Lily, I swore under my breath. “This is real. I know you feel it in your bones, too.” I tapped my temple. “I know you also got the brain of everything. And we haven’t just been twice marked … we’ve just been doubly damned.” A losing battle. Pawns in a war we didn’t sign up to fight but would anyway because we had no other choice. I could see it all clearly. Lily and I lived, but our lives had been sacrificed all the same. No matter who won in the end, we were already lost.

3

Coming to instant awareness, I sat straight up, nearly smacking into Lily’s hovering face. She staggered back with a squeak, muttering to herself about how she should have known better. “What the hell happened?” I rubbed my temples, a lingering headache throbbing there. A shadow of a memory flittered through my mind, dissipating immediately. “I’ll tell you what happened. You got sloppy, and then you got your ass kicked,” an achingly familiar voice practically growled. My eyes widened briefly before narrowing at my traitorous sister. “You brought me to Jensen’s?” It came out as a question, but I already knew the answer. Now that I had a chance to notice, I recognized the worn-in, black leather couch situated on the maroon area rug directly in front of the massive TV screen. I’d spent many hours cuddled on that very same couch while watching movies and doing … other things. Lily waved her hands wildly back and forth in front of her while shaking her head. “No. Nope. He showed up right after that demon got a hold of you. Which, by the way, was not a Gemini as it turns out. Mine was. So totally not my fault because where is the other one? But yeah, yours was something else.” Swinging my gaze around, it landed on the man in question, Jensen Blackwell, aka my on-again-off-again boyfriend, who was currently in off status for exactly the thing I suspected he’d done tonight. His large frame leaned against the entranceway to his tiny kitchen, both his stature and presence combining to shrink the space around him. Faded jeans and a rumpled T-shirt clung to his lean, muscular body, his dark hair artfully disheveled, and his angular jaw covered in a day or two of scruff, showcasing his sensual, full lips. Fuck me. Did he get more attractive since the last time I saw him? Jensen’s ice blue eyes met mine with challenge. “Yeah, I did it again. And I

won’t apologize because it saved your life.” “Saved my life?” I scoffed, pulling myself to my feet. “I highly doubt that.” “Weeell …” Lily interjected. “He’s not completely wro—” “This is between me and him, Lily. Stay out of it.” “Whatever,” she muttered, flopping down in the spot I just vacated and grabbing the remote off the floor. The TV blared to life a moment later. I stalked across the room, fists balled at my sides. “Where is it, Jensen? Where did you put the tracking spell?” And when for that matter? It’d been two very long months since we’d seen each other in the flesh. Had he been keeping tabs on me the entire time? My eyes slid shut briefly, already knowing the answer. Son of a bitch. He’s been magically stalking me. “How about we skip past this part,” he crossed his arms over his chest, his muscles rippling delectably, “and you tell me what you saw while you were out because that demon was searching for something in your mind.” I quirked an eyebrow. Ah, that’s why he’s claiming he saved my life. Probably true since he most likely used magic to yank it out before it could do any real damage, but there’s no fucking way I’m itting it. “It was in my head and I’m not a vegetable? I call bullshit. That’s not the MO of any demon I’ve ever heard of before.” “You’re calling bullshit on me?” “Mmm-hmm, yep. I don’t think it actually got in at all. I think you just want to play hero so I’ll forgive you.” Twice marked were naturally resistant to demon mojo of any kind. Not completely impenetrable, although pretty close to it. For the demon in question to have gotten in, and so quickly, it was powerful. Given enough time, it would have ripped through my skull, leaving nothing but mush behind. Jensen knew it, and I knew it, but I was going to stick with denying the entire incident. A low growl of frustration escaped him. “It was stomping around in your mind, and we need to figure out what it wanted. And if it found it.”

Shit. Did it get away after he yanked it out? Is that why he doesn’t know? And more importantly … does that mean I lost another set of blades? Closing the last little bit of distance between us, I poked my index finger into his chest. “No. I’m not going to let you redirect my focus. Where is it this time? Spit it out.” His lips pulled back from his perfect, white teeth into a feral smile. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” My body vibrated as anger swept through my veins, heating my blood. I wanted to yell and scream. To punch him. To shake him hard enough that it rattled some sense into his thick skull. To kiss— No. Through gritted teeth, I ground out, “Yes, I would like to know. Which is exactly why I asked!” My chest heaved as I sucked in shallow breaths, my heart thrashing against my ribcage. The man infuriated me like no other. He brushed a calloused thumb along my jaw. I snapped at it, causing him to withdraw. “Come on, Riss. Don’t you think it’s about time we made up?” His demeanor suddenly softened and warmed, his pupils dilating as his gaze swept up my body, letting me know exactly what he had in mind for our reunion. Our sex life had never been a problem. It was everything else about our relationship that got in the way. Jensen Blackwell was a powerful warlock from a long line of powerful warlocks. He’d put some distance between himself and his family because he didn’t see eye-to-eye with them about how his life should go. Unfortunately for me, he picked up some bad habits from them before the separation. Like his idea that it was okay to use magic on someone without permission as long as it came from a place of caring. The tracking spell in question was a magical brand burned somewhere on my skin that let him know where I was at all times. It also let him know if I was in distress. Then he’d portal in to save the day like he did tonight. My issue was that I wasn’t anyone’s damsel in distress. What he was implying about my abilities to take care of myself was unacceptable and different from merely helping. Help, yes … saving, no. One was fine, the other not. I couldn’t seem to make Jensen understand the difference. Or to grasp the concept of boundaries.

Jensen reached for me again, and I flung his hand away before he could make . He huffed out an annoyed sigh. “Don’t you get it? If I hadn’t put the tracking spell on you, then who knows what would have happened tonight?” “I’ll tell you what would have happened. Either I would have woken up and kicked some demon ass, or I wouldn’t have. I risk my life every time—” “Yeah, I know you risk your life every time you go up against a demon. You and Lily both do.” Running a hand through his hair, he flicked his gaze away, the muscles in his jaw jumping. “Riss, please. Can’t you see that I’m trying to protect you? You and Lily. If you don’t care about your own wellbeing, then you —” “Oh! Oh no you don’t! Don’t you dare try to use my sister to guilt me. Don’t you ever try to do that again!” I shoved at him. “You’re pulling out all the stops tonight, aren’t you? What’s next, huh? You going to tell me how much you’ve missed me?” He lifted his gaze to mine again, his eyes glistening as they filled with remorse. “I did … do miss you. So much.” He shuffled closer, his breath intermingling with mine, and his voice breaking low. “Come on, Val. You need to understand. I only track you because I worry. And I worry because I love you.” Don’t you dare fall for his crap again, Riss. Don’t you friggin’ dare. He’s working you over. He knows exactly what to do to get what he wants from you. He’s a master manipulator. Even the switch from Riss to his nickname for you, Val, is carefully deployed. It’s such a stupid nickname, and yet he’s totally Pavlov’d you with it. Val equals warm, fuzzy feelings. He wants to remind you that he calls you Val because he thinks of you as his Valkyrie, strong and powerful. And while you’re preening under the associated praise, and also thinking of all the intimate times he moaned that name, he’ll slip past your defenses. But … he does love you. There’s never been any doubt about that. And the nickname isn’t new. Maybe I’m just not communicating my side well. Perhaps if I just— No! See. This is what he does. He does whatever he wants and then he manipulates you into forgiving him. He’s never going to change. He’s never going to compromise.

But … you don’t compromise either. A relationship shouldn’t be all or nothing. You have issues of your own. Issues that you expect him to live with when you refuse to accept his. That hardly seems fair. No! He’s making you doubt yourself again. You don’t even want to be in a relationship. Never did. He manipulated you into that, too. Look away from him! Don’t let his baby blues suck you in! Don’t think about how amazing it would feel to let him hold you right now. Don’t— “Val?” Jensen cupped the side of my face. I fought to not lean into the caress. “Please forgive me.” Swaying toward him, my gaze darting to his full lips, I internally groaned. The man has some kind of super-powered pheromones, I swear. I lose all resolve when I’m within ten feet of him. Sensing my weakened state, like a shark scenting a gushing, open wound, he ensnared my lips with his. I sank into the kiss, letting his tongue dance fiercely with mine, warmth blooming— My phone vibrated against my ribs, blaring to life from the inside pocket of my jacket. Breaking away from Jensen, I fumbled to answer. “Hello?” I breathed, not bothering to look at the caller ID. “Riss!” My mom’s worry pierced my eardrum. “Are you okay?” Swiveling on my heels, I glared at the back of Lily’s head. “You told Mom?” I hissed. Without turning around, she lifted her hand to give me a middle finger salute. It was her way of telling me that she had indeed let our mom know because it would cause an immediate halt to the drama developing between Jensen and me. “Chrysanthemum Rose Wilde, don’t you dare ignore me! Your sister told me a demon got the best of you and I’m worried sick!” Hanging my head, I turned back in Jensen’s direction in time to catch his smirk, which he quickly covered with a cough. He knew how much I hated my full name. Who names their kids Chrysanthemum Rose and Lily Daisy? Especially

with the last name Wilde attached. I’d gone by Riss for as far back as I could … because, seriously, it had been cruel and unusual punishment to expect me to learn to spell that monstrosity. I still screwed it up every now and then. Luckily, it was only required on legal documents. “Mom, listen, whatever Lily told you was most definitely an exaggeration. I’m fine.” “Mmm-hmm. I want to talk to your Jenny.” I scowled. Exactly how much had Lily managed to communicate to her while I’d been distracted by my dastardly ex? “He’s not mine anymore, Mom. We broke up.” “I want to talk to your Jenny,” she demanded again. My mom simply would not accept the end of my relationship with Jensen. Somewhere along the line, she concluded that we were meant to be, and she considered him the son she never had. For his part, he played along with her ridiculousness, even tolerating it when she called him Jenny, something no one else would ever think of doing. I sighed. Once my mom got something stuck in her head there was no point in arguing with her, although I still did often enough. “There’s no need to yell. You’re already on speakerphone and Jensen can hear you.” “Oh, good.” Her tone changed when she addressed him. “Hi, Jenny, sweetheart. Since my stubborn daughter doesn’t want to explain what happened tonight, I’m going to rely on you to tell me the details.” I rolled my eyes. Me, stubborn? Please. Who do you think I learned it from? Flashing me a million-watt smile, Jensen slipped in closer to me and my phone. “Hi, Iris. I’d be happy to fill you in on what happened with Riss and the demon.” While Jensen chatted with my mom, I went to sit next to Lily on the couch, blankly staring at the TV screen. She nudged me with her elbow.

“Traitor,” I hissed in response. “Flower power!” She ducked away from me before my open palm could connect with the back of her head. No matter how old I got, it was like I was fifteen again when both my mom and sister were involved. “Lily, seriously, are you ever going to outgrow the flower power thing? You’re twenty-four years old for god’s sake.” “What? I like it. How many families all have flower names?” “Yeah, exactly. The practically non-existent number should tell you something.” “Whatever. You’re just grumpy because—” “Because I got my ass kicked by a demon, and then I found out my ex put another tracking spell on me. Oh, plus my traitor of a sister got our mom involved. Yeah, those things might make me grumpy.” Sometimes I wondered if I was the only one who acknowledged the seriousness of our situation. Lily and I were fighting for not only our lives but our souls. Meanwhile, my family, and Jensen for that matter, acted like we could have relatively normal lives. As if the demon-hunting gig was merely a dangerous job with consequences that wouldn’t affect us for the rest of eternity. “Just forgive Jensen already. He means well.” I snorted. “The road to Hell is paved with well-meaning intentions. In our case, that could end up being more than an expression.” “He’s a good guy who happens to be slightly overprotective. He—” “You say slightly overprotective, I say controlling. And by the way, let me reiterate, it was a shit move to tattle on me to Mom.” Lily crossed her arms over her chest and glared resolutely at the TV. “It got the job done, so I’m not sorry. Plus, who are you to call anyone out on controlling behavior? Hello, pot, let me introduce you to kettle.” “Whatever.”

We fell into a tense silence, broken when Jensen leaned over the back of the couch to hand me my phone. “Iris— I mean your mom said she expects a call later.” Tilting my head back, I stared into Jensen’s mirth-filled eyes. It would be so easy to forgive him. It wasn’t like I would even have to apologize. I’d merely have to stop pushing him away. To let him settle back into the Jensen-sized chasm in my life. No. I can’t. I can’t give in. If I do, he’ll just push my boundaries further next time. And there especially needs to be boundaries because of what you are. It’s for his own good, too. He could end up dead if he gets any more involved with your hunting. “We’ve got to go.” Grabbing Lily’s arm, I yanked her to her feet. Jensen snatched my free wrist, pulling me away from my sister and over the couch. I let out a muffled sound of protest as his lips smashed into mine. Fuck. Where’s my mask when I need it? I bit his lip hard, and he recoiled with a few choice curse words of his own. Giving him a smug smile, I marched toward the front door. “Come on, Lily. We’re going now.” Jensen’s lips pulled back from his teeth in a savage grin, blood welling up from where I’d bitten him. “Oh, come on, Val, you know I like it when you play rough. I just wasn’t expecting to need my safe word tonight.” Notching my chin up, I continued our two-person procession toward the front door, slamming it behind us once we were out. Lily stared at me with wide eyes and mouth hanging open. “Umm …” She cleared her throat. “Does he really need a safe word?” I rolled my eyes. “Mind your business.” “Oh my god! You guys are freaks! I knew it! I need you to tell me everything!”

There were some things I preferred not to discuss in detail with my sister, or anyone for that matter, and sex happened to be one of them. Lily, on the other hand, had decided to wait until she found her ‘true love’ before handing in her Vcard, leaving her with a seemingly unquenchable curiosity about the topic. Shoving my hands into my pockets, I trudged the few doors down to our condo. I wish I’d thought about the potential fallout of hooking up with someone who lives on the same block as me. “You have to tell me!” Lily whined. “It’s why he calls you Val, isn’t it? I thought it was because you’re a badass hunter, but it’s because—” “I don’t have to tell you anything.” “It’s for research.” “Maybe you should try a little bit of hands-on research instead of interrogating me and watching The Princess Bride for the billionth time.” Jamming my key into the front door, I bustled in, Lily hot on my heels. “Jensen is your true love though, and I want to know what’s possible in the sex department. I mean, most people make it seem as if kinky sex is only for shortterm relationships or hook-ups, and not—” Shrugging out of my leather jacket, I sighed heavily. “Everyone is different, Lily. You have to experiment to find out what you like. And Jensen is not my true love. There’s no such thing.” She scrunched up her nose. “I don’t think that’s one hundred percent true. I’m a bisexual virgin, and I know I like both girls and boys, yet I haven’t technically tried either.” Rubbing my throbbing temples, I scowled at her. I didn’t miss the fact that she’d ignored my denial of Jensen and all things true love. She was getting to be as bad as our mom. “Sexual orientation is not the same as discovering what you like in the bedroom. Some things you have to try to figure out if you like them or not.” “But—”

“I need some sleep.” Pivoting, I dashed up the stairs, making it to my room before she could follow. I turned the lock and sagged with relief against the door. Between a demon getting the best of me tonight, and my unplanned interaction with Jensen, I had a lot to think about, and I wanted to be left alone to do so.

4

Iknew the status quo—that Lily and I were fucked—but healthy doses of denial combined with bravado, snarky attitude, and just a touch of the oh so dangerous emotion of hope, propelled me through my existence. I had vivid and clear memories of my life before I was twice marked, but those times were brightly painted masterpieces that belonged to someone else. I was irrevocably changed that day on the side of the road, and I despised being reminded of it. I didn’t need to think about a life that could have been. One that didn’t include knowledge of demons and angels, and quite possibly would have allowed me to be truly happy, even if it was fleeting. Underneath it all, as much as I hated to it it even to myself, fear constantly simmered. I’d already lost so much … I couldn’t deal with losing everything. It was Lily and me against the world, with a cheering section made up of our mom. We were lucky in that sense. How many mothers would take both of their daughters becoming hunters by force in stride the way she did? Certainly, it had taken proof in the form of coming face-to-face with a demon before she believed us not to have lost our minds, but even still, she handled it better than most would. Then there was Jensen. The warlock who had chosen to not only move to Nashville, Tennessee shortly after we migrated there, but into the Harpeth Trace condos several doors down from my and Lily’s residence. I’d been unable to resist—or avoid—him from practically day one. But the truth was, I was always looking for reasons to break it off with him. There was no need for me to add any other essential people into my life that could be ripped away at any moment. Sure, he was less likely than the average human, but the sooner I cut him loose, the better we would both be. Plus, what business did I have getting involved in any kind of romantic relationship when my focus needed to be on killing the denizens of Hell? My time was limited before I shuffled off from this mortal coil, and if my kill tally wasn’t high enough, well, Hell would be getting a new resident. Lily and my mom didn’t accept my excuses to push Jensen away, insisting that I simply had

to believe in good things, and they would follow. I wasn’t like them though; I couldn’t believe in fairy tales. Life is disappointing. Fact. It doesn’t matter if you believe it or not. Fact. No amount of positive energy is going to change anything. Fact. “Another.” I motioned to the empty shot glass in front of me, obviously needing more liquor to wash away the pensive lean of my thoughts. It would do no one any good, least of all me, to contemplate the disastrous state of my life. It was never going to change. Benny eyed me warily, his grip tightening on the bottle of Don Julio Blanco in his right hand. “Um … maybe you’ve had enough?” I narrowed my eyes. “Remind me why I hired you again?” Benny was a sweet kid, twenty-one years old, and emotionally barely out of diapers by my estimation. Tall and lanky, bronzed skin, soulful, dark brown eyes, and a set of dimples in his baby face to boot. He did well behind the bar of my eighties-themed bar Wilde Stallions, where he served libations several nights a week. That’s how it was done in Music City. With an oversaturation of talented musicians, they worked for tips-only when performing at live venues, needing a job to their music habit. Some eventually got lucky, but most didn’t. I did my best to my employees, but the bar business had taken a huge hit during the pandemic, the recovery slow, and I needed to keep food on my table as well. The demon-hunting job didn’t pay top dollar … or at all. “Because I begged you.” What? Oh, yeah, why I hired him. Focus, Riss. Snorting, I tapped two fingers against my shot glass. “Yes, yes, you did. And don’t you forget it.” Benny leaned forward, dropping his voice. “I’m serious, Riss. You’ve had more than your usual tonight. Maybe you should slow down, have a glass of water at least.” “Fill it up, Benny. I mean it.” “Are you at least going to take off your mask, or are you going to keep lifting it to drink and putting it back? It’s kind of weird.”

I sighed heavily. “If I close my eyes, I could probably convince myself that you’re my sister.” Ripping my mask off, I flung it on the bar. “Fine. I don’t care anymore anyways.” “The pandemic is over,” Benny offered. “There really isn’t a need for—” “Just give me the damn tequila and go, Benny. I’m not in a good mood tonight, and I don’t want to say something we’ll both regret.” Snatching the bottle from him, I resisted the urge to douse myself with alcohol before shooting more. I was a bit of a germaphobe before the virus, and now every day was a battle to not don a hazmat suit. Hesitating only a moment, Benny scooted down to the other end of the bar to start breaking down his station. It was the close of the night, and only me and the staff were left. The manager was on sight in her office, so without any pressing business, I was there simply to get drunk. After about twenty minutes alone in my room with my thoughts earlier, I’d hopped out my second-story window and called a taxi to my East Nashville bar. Lily was going to be surprised when I stumbled home at sunrise. “Riss.” No nickname now, huh? What’s your new game going to be? Snatching up my mask, I quickly hooked the loops around my ears before spinning around on my stool. “You’ve gone into full on stalking mode, I see.” Narrowing my eyes, I shot Jensen a death glare. Both of him. Huh. Maybe Benny was right about needing to call it quits with the tequila tonight. “If looks could kill,” Jensen muttered, shoving his hands in his pockets. “I can feel your death glare even from behind that thing.” “You’re meant to.” “Hey, Jensen!” Benny hollered from the other end of the bar. “Long time no see!” I didn’t miss the unspoken part of “Glad you’re back.” Because everyone loved Jensen. Especially when it came to dealing with him over me. Apparently, I was intimidating despite my best efforts, so I’d given up trying.

Leaning close, Jensen’s breath fanned across my cheek, his lips skimming the shell of my ear. “We need to talk. In private.” I shivered, my tequila-addled brain failing to remind me why I should be mad at him. Then an errant thought sprung to the forefront of my mind, causing slight panic to surge. Was my mask up or down on the bar when I picked it up? How long ago was that part of the bar wiped off? Fuckity-fuck-fuck. I put a contaminated mask back on my face and it’s all Jensen’s fault! That’s so much worse than not wearing a mask at all. Oh, god— My breath hitched as adrenaline surged, my world spinning out of control. I swayed on the barstool, clutching at my chest. I’m infected. It’s too late. I’m going to die. I’m going to die and go straight to Hell for all of eternity. “Hey, hey, hey.” Jensen’s hands slid up to grip my shoulders firmly. “Look at me, Val. What’s going on?” No. No. It’ll be fine. Pestilence is gone, and the virus went with him. You’re not contaminated. It’s— Unless— What if … I tugged at my mask, locked in indecision, my thoughts muddled and laced with unbridled fear. Fuck. Why am I like this? Blinking rapidly, I stared up at Jensen, the concern in his eyes all-consuming as he hovered close. But I wouldn’t … couldn’t let him or anyone else know how bad it was for me. How it was easier to deal with live demons than the ones within my head. As if to prove my point, flames erupted in my peripheral vision, serving as a blazing sign of my current instability. Whipping my mask off, I spun back to the bar and grabbed the bottle of Don Julio, my hands shaking as I poured another shot, downing it immediately. Even not chilled—like I preferred—the liquor left a pleasant burn in its wake, somehow dousing the hallucination of flames, and convincing me a few more shots were exactly what I needed to calm myself. “Planning on drowning your emotions?” Jensen grated. Ignoring his comment, I lifted the glass to my mouth and tipped it back. Jensen had lost the right to comment on any of my life choices when he became my ex. It didn’t matter if what he’d done had saved my life, or if it was kind of sweet

when you looked at it through the lens of our world. I had no business hoping for any kind of happily-ever-after. We lived in the real world, not a romance novel. “Val,” Jensen rumbled, my name sounding like a curse. And back to not so subtly using his term of endearment to remind me of … everything. But it won’t work. I’m not falling for his tricks. “I’m busy. You know where the door is.” Jensen grabbed me by the shoulders and spun me back around to face him. His nostrils flared as he fought with his temper. I was well aware that as much as he pissed me off, I had the same talent with him. But who didn’t like a good fight? Especially when it ended with— No. Don’t even think about it. Stupid tequila is trying to make my clothes come off. Not acceptable. “Tomas is dead.” I blinked, my mind reeling from the abrupt change of topic. “What did you say?” “Tomas is dead.” Tomas McReeves was a twice marked badass who made the rest of us look like we were playing in the minors. In his prime, he was only a few years older than me. We struck up a friendship a few years back when our paths crossed, mostly because being twice marked was rare and we understood each other in a way neither the Hell or Heaven single marked could. It was the kind of bond one might share with another when you’re stuck in a foxhole together fighting the same battle. Or at least I imagined that was the case. “H-How?” I sputtered, still trying to process that someone or something had taken out Tomas. He had always seemed invincible to me even if I knew such a thing was impossible. “And wait … how did you find out before me?” “Lily sent me to find you.” Seriously? She knew how pissed I was about the tracking spell and she still asked him to use it to track me down. “Traitor. She’s lucky she’s my flesh and blood.”

Jensen pulled me to my feet, and I awkwardly stumbled into him. “Come on, let’s get you home. We can talk about everything there. This conversation isn’t for everyone’s ears.” I prodded him in the chest, the edges of his face blurring as I stared up at it. “Where is it? Huh? Where’s the tracking spell? Don’t think I forgot about it. Because I didn’t. And I want it off. O-F-F,” I drawled out. Or I’m pretty sure I did since I couldn’t tell by my ex’s reaction. He merely slid his arm around my waist, ing my weight. “My coat. I need my coat.” “Benny,” Jensen called down the bar, “have you seen her coat anywhere?” Benny shrugged. “Not sure I saw her come in with one.” I blew raspberries at him. “Of course I did. It’s cold out.” Jensen chuckled. “It’s sixty degrees out, Val. Chilly, maybe. Cold? Not so much.” “Still jacket weather. I’ve lived in the south for a long time. I’m not used to the cold anymore.” Lily and I had been living in Nashville for quite some time. Between meeting Jensen and acquiring the bar when I killed off the previous demon owner, it was a convenient home base. Wilde Stallions brought in a moderate-income and didn’t need my constant attention, which gave me time to focus on my life’s purpose. Lily did freelance photography on the side, which also was booming in Nashville with artist headshots and other music-related jobs. After leaving our mother behind in Pittsburgh when Lily turned eighteen, we’d lived in half a dozen cities before accidentally putting down roots in good ole Music City. But maybe it’s time we move on again. Jensen turned us toward the door, half dragging me beside him. “Benny will put your jacket in the office if he finds it.” Benny nodded. “Yup.” “Fine.” I didn’t want to it it, but I was beginning to think I didn’t wear a jacket. Ugh. Why is tequila such a good idea until it isn’t? “And I’m just letting you take me home because it’s easier than calling an Uber or taxi or waiting for

Benny. Don’t read too much into this.” “Wouldn’t dream of it.” I let Jensen lead me outside, narrowing my eyes when I saw my and Lily’s Nissan Leaf parked at the curb. “She lent you our car, too? Because of course she did.” The green hybrid was hard to miss with the ridiculous flower airbrushed along the side. That’s what I got for leaving my sister alone with our car for a few hours after we first bought it. Well, that and a flower power sticker on the dash. “Couldn’t exactly let you on my bike when you’re like this, you’d fall right off the back. And forget ing a portal, you’d probably puke on me again.” A grin tugged at my lips at the memory. “We should portal, it’s the least you deserve.” Jensen opened the enger side door for me, and I slumped inside, nausea roiling my gut. “Food,” I muttered. “I need food.” Curling into a ball, I let my eyes slide shut. Colors danced behind my eyelids, flashes of images, most of them including Jensen. I wanted to hate him. It would make my life so much easier. Unfortunately, he had the annoying habit of popping up when I needed him the most. “Why can’t I hate you?” Warm, calloused fingers stroked the side of my jaw. “For the same reason I’ll never give up on you.” Shit. Had I said that out loud? Darkness took hold, swirling and undulating with bursts of white before completely pulling me under.

5

Bass pounded through my skull, vibrating my teeth. I barely resisted the urge to drop-kick the speakers set up along the side of the stage. I was positive my eardrums would be permanently damaged if I didn’t move soon, but I didn’t have a choice. I was on the hunt. Swaying along with the music, I eyed the stage, making sure not to lose sight of the bass player who was pretending to be human for the crowd, his fingers deftly tapping along the thick strings. I brought Lily and a few of her friends to hear one of their favorite bands at Summerfest for her sixteenth birthday. I should have known I wouldn’t be able to make it through the night without spotting a demon. And it wasn’t like I could simply ignore the thing, especially since I was almost positive its attention had been drawn by none other than my sister. Glancing in her direction, I took note of her obliviousness. Her head was thrown back in genuine laughter as she flirted with some boy her age, flipping her long curls over one shoulder. Let her have tonight. I can take down one silly demon by myself. I’ve done it before. She deserves to have a good birthday. It’s the least I can give her. The real problem was figuring out how I was going to get the bass player alone so I could take him down without being discovered. If he wanted Lily, but I didn’t want to involve her in the hunt, was there a plausible way to still use her as bait? I considered my demon problem as I made my way through the crowd toward my sister. A few well-placed elbows made my journey an easy one despite the tightly packed space. Bending down, I shouted in Lily’s ear, “I’m gonna go grab a drink and maybe a snack. You want anything?” She shook her head and gave me a quick hug. “I’ll meet you by the lemonade stand at ten.”

I gave her a thumbs-up, officially being dismissed. It was at that moment I locked gazes with the demon. A haphazard plan formulated, and I winked at him. A small smile curled the corners of his mouth and he jerked his head to the left. I bit my lower lip and nodded once in understanding. Yep, the dumbass demon thinks he’ll use me to get to Lily. Couldn’t have worked out better if I tried. Waiting off to the left side of the stage in the grass, I noticed I wasn’t the only one there. Quite a few guys and girls were gathered, the air thick with excitement. I wondered how many had been invited and how many were merely hopeful. The minutes dragged by, the set finally ending with a few distorted words of thanks from the lead singer and cheers from the crowd. Finally, the bass player jogged down the stairs, beelining it straight for me. I bit the inside of my cheeks to contain my smug smile. I loved it when they made it easy for me. Sure, it lessened the thrill of the hunt, but I wasn’t in the mood for anything messy when I was on birthday chaperone duty. Stopping directly in front of me, the bass player regarded me with open appraisal. He tucked his shoulder-length, blond hair behind his ears, a few strands catching on his earrings. “Hey.” When Lily and I first began hunting demons, we had a steep learning curve when it came to figuring out who was a Hell escapee and who was just a shitty human. The knowledge of demons had been given to us, but we didn’t have any kind of innate sensing powers or radar when it came to recognizing them. In that respect, we went at it as blind as regular humans. Now, after a few short years, the tells presented themselves a lot easier, although we weren’t infallible. Showtime. I plastered a coquettish grin on my face while twirling a piece of my long, mocha-colored hair around my finger. “Hey yourself.” A flicker of flame sparked behind his pupils, gone before most would notice, and if they did, they would think it was imagined. It was what I spotted before, or at least I had been nine-nine-point-nine-percent sure until I got a closer gander. The flame confirmed the demon’s status as a lust demon, his goal to burn up a target with an overload of the stuff. Being in a band was the perfect cover. And deciding to be the bass player, absolute genius. They were the most inconspicuous of any band almost one hundred percent of the time.

Several other people had encroached upon our one-on-one session, gushing and throwing compliments at the bass player, who I learned was going by Aston. His attention waned and faltered, the other potential playthings shinier than me. Shuffling closer to Aston, I ran my hand down the front of his chest, eliciting a full-body shudder. Ah, those lust demons can’t resist being touched. “I was thinking that we could go somewhere private,” I bit my lower lip again, “to talk.” “That girl I saw you with—the blonde with curly hair—think she might want to us for a little after-party?” Revulsion twisted its way through my gut, but through sheer force of will, I remained pleasant on the outside. “Maybe. If I let her know there was something … interesting, she’d us.” Aston slid his hand into my hair, cupping the back of my neck to pull me closer. “I’m more than up for the challenge.” Goosebumps erupted along my flesh, the demon’s allure settling around me. Fortunately, I could resist because of my status as being twice marked. I moaned in the back of my throat, hoping I sounded convincing. “Yeah? How about you show me then?” Aston’s grip tightened. “Let’s get somewhere private and I will.” Welcome to my web, the spider said to the fly. “Yes, please.” Gripping my wrist tightly, he dragged me through the crowd, not even attempting to hide his eagerness. “Our tour bus is this way.” I snorted internally. Tour bus? Do girls just let themselves be dragged off to a tour bus because a hot guy in a band wants them to? Of course I know the answer to that. Ugh. Not that I have an issue with being a sexually empowered female, it just feels tacky is all. At least make him buy you something to eat first, or— “Come on, baby, I don’t got all day.” Aston yanked me up the stairs of the tour bus roughly.

Yeah, and neither do I. “I hope you don’t plan on rushing everything or I won’t have anything good to report to my friend and she won’t us.” Pulling the lever to shut the door, Aston turned on me with a scowl. “Don’t worry, you’ll feel amazing when I’m done with you.” My gaze darted warily around the interior of the bus. “We alone?” He prowled closer as I took a few steps back. “Absolutely.” “Great.” Rushing him, I clapped my hands over his ears, a startled gasp mingled with pain escaping his chest. “That’s for even looking at my sister.” Then I jabbed my thumb into his throat, his breath whooshing out on a wheeze. “And that’s for thinking I’d actually fall for your shit.” I reached into my small crossbody purse and produced one of the blades I never left home without. It was smaller than my custom sets made for easier decapitation, but those were difficult to carry when not dressed properly for a hunt. Coughing and clutching his throat, Aston reared to the side, falling against a counter, knocking several empty beer bottles to the floor. “Who are you?” he choked out. I raised my left arm, allowing the bangles to slide up to my elbow, exposing my marks. “I’m doubly damned, and today is your unlucky day.” A feather-light touch brushed along my spine, and I spun. A tall and bulky man was smirking down at me. “This isn’t what I was looking for.” “What?” “Show me what I want to see.” “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Glancing over my shoulder, I took note of Aston, who was frozen in place. “A second demon,” I hissed. “Show me now, hunter.” Pain sliced behind my eyes, and I gritted my teeth. “It won’t work. Whatever you’re doing.”

“You won’t be able to hide it from me forever.” Wait. This isn’t right. This is a dream or a memory, this already happened, and the second demon was not here. My vision blurred and I cried out. “I might let you live if you show me where it is. Otherwise, I will rip your mind apart.” A shadow slithered behind the demon, accompanied by a hiss. Flames exploded. My fist shot out, connecting with air, my eyes popping open an instant later. Disorientation muddied my thoughts as my world spun and tilted briefly before righting itself. I found myself once again sprawled on Jensen’s couch, much to my annoyance. “What happened?” I groaned, stumbling toward the kitchen. Sitting at the counter, deep in conversation, were my traitorous sister and my exboyfriend. They turned in unison to regard me warily. Lily cleared her throat. “You ed out on the way home, and Jensen brought you here to sleep it off.” I shuffled into the kitchen in search of water to cure my cotton mouth, my pulse pounding in my ears. “This is not my home the last time I checked.” Jensen grunted something under his breath as his gaze tracked me. Not bothering with a glass, I stuck my head under the faucet and sucked down as much water as I could. Most of it ended up on the side of my face and chin. Wiping at my mouth with the back of my hand, I stood tall, glaring at Jensen. “Don’t think I forgot about the tracking spell. I want it off.” He shook his head, fighting a smile. “You’re like a damn dog with a bone sometimes, you know that?” “We have to talk about Tomas,” Lily interjected. “It’s the whole reason I sent Jensen after you while you were in the middle of a bender.” She narrowed her eyes while simultaneously raising her eyebrows, a silent promise of a chat to come about my drinking when we were alone.

I rubbed my temples, and strode back to the couch, flopping down. “A bit hungover. Any conversation with me needs to be over here.” Fortunately, my body would recover faster than a regular human, even if I had to continue to suffer for the moment. Lily shoved my legs out of the way and sat. I put them right back, eyeing her with challenge. She flipped me off. I stuck my tongue out. “Okay. None of that shit right now.” Jensen perched at the end of the couch, arms crossed over his chest. “We need to talk about Tomas.” “Yeah, yeah, yeah. So you both keep saying. Get to it already. That way I can go home and sleep in my own bed.” The demon from the alley, the one who had cameoed in my dream flashed across my mind. “Oh, and we also should probably talk about the demon from before because—” I sighed, hating to it I was wrong. “Okay, fine, it was kicking around in my head searching for something. I ed it being in there.” Jensen’s eyebrow quirked. “Not news. But glad you decided it’s worth discussing.” There was an “I told you so” in the subtext, but I was too drained to put up my usual fight. I wouldn’t even still be on Jensen’s couch if not for the tequila remnants coursing through my bloodstream. It was also why I was going to discuss any of it with Jensen present. I simply couldn’t muster enough give-adamn to exclude him when I knew he could help. Warlocks were good to have in your corner with … a lot of things. Lily pinched my calf through my jeans. “Monica called to let us know about Tomas.” “Why didn’t she call me?” Monica was a Heaven-marked hunter who was intimately involved with Tomas. I considered her a friend as well, even if I didn’t feel the same kinship with her as I did with Tomas. “She tried.” Lily’s face puckered. “But you weren’t answering your phone.” “Oh.” “Yeah, because you were on the bender.”

“I’m allowed to have some fun once in a while, Lily. You’re not my mother or even the older sister.” She pinched my calf again, and I kicked at her. “What you do isn’t fun.” “You don’t get to decide what’s fun for me either.” She pinched me several more times, and leaned toward me to yell, “Just make up with Jensen and stop all the self-destructive behavior!” Her voice reverberated within my skull, and I grimaced. “Don’t tell me what to do.” “Enough,” Jensen rumbled. I pointed an angry finger at him. “You don’t get to tell me what to do either.” Sighing heavily, he dropped his head, his chin hitting his chest. I sucked my teeth, hating that he didn’t even have to say anything out loud. Yeah, Lily and I were acting like children. Not only to each other, but I was actively attempting to avoid talking about Tomas. It was as if some part of me believed if I didn’t hear the details then none of it was true. The world wouldn’t start working that way because I wanted it to, though. My cheeks heated. “What did Monica say?” Lily sniffed. “Tomas was tortured.” I swallowed around the sudden lump in my throat. When a hunter used the word tortured, it meant something more substantial—something horrid and graphic … something even I probably couldn’t handle, and yet I had to know. “How bad was it?” Lily turned her head, her features twisting with a mix of revulsion, dread, and sadness. “She wouldn’t say.” “So she called just to let us know he’s dead?” Hot pins prickled along my scalp, my heart pulsing erratically. “No,” Jensen said. “She wants you … us to come to his funeral.”

I blew out a breath, unsure of how to react. “Where and when?” Jensen’s gaze bore into mine. “She wants to have it at a church, so arrangements need to be made. She’ll let us know when it’s locked down. A few days from now, max.” I blinked several times before flicking my gaze away from his. Only he knew how I felt about churches, or really, how I felt about God. My mixed emotions were something I couldn’t even share with Lily given our circumstances, but I’d spilled many secrets to Jensen postcoital when my guard was down. The truth was, I didn’t know exactly how I felt about The Almighty, or whatever one chose to call him … or her, I didn’t know, which was kind of the point. The whole concept of God was contradictory at best, as far as I was concerned. I wasn’t sure I believed in God’s existence at all. I was a teenager when I cast my thoughts and prayers heavenward, but Lucifer was the one to answer. He’d proven his existence, and in the aftermath, Lily and I had been given a second chance by Heaven, which was the real issue. A second chance for a wrong that wasn’t truly ours? Lucifer came because of our bloodline which wasn’t our fault. The deals we subsequently made were under coercion no matter what anyone said. We weren’t being tested—it was all a joke. Perhaps the voice in my head before I’d been Heaven marked was God, but I got the impression it is was an angel, which their existence had already been proven by Lucifer. All I knew for sure was that angels and demons existed. I had no proof of God. I would have given up the hunting game a long time ago and made the best of my life, if not for Lily. I could risk my soul, but not hers. If there was even the slightest chance to save her from Hell, whatever that meant, I would do it. Although deep down, in a place I couldn’t bear to touch, I considered the point that if God did exist, and he let two teenage girls be punished for things beyond their control, giving them no real choices … maybe Hell wasn’t as bad as d. What if God simply had better PR? What if Lucifer didn’t mind us killing demons because he didn’t want them alive either? Could they be annoying neighbors he wanted to oust in the home he had to make after falling from Heaven? Perhaps God was a narcissistic father gaslighting humanity, and the whole good versus evil thing was merely perspective? But then again, Lucifer had created the Fab Four …

Quite possibly, it was all a test, and I was simply failing it. I certainly didn’t take out demons for the right reasons. I didn’t hunt to help people even though I did like that side effect. I killed demons because I wanted to save our asses, plain and simple. I wasn’t sure if I was being tricked and what would happen when I died, but the best option would always be to play by the rules as I knew them until they changed. Lily snapped her fingers in front of my face. “Hello? Anyone in there?” Scowling, I snatched her hand and squeezed. With a yelp, she pulled back. “I’m hungover. My brain is slow to process all of this.” I avoided Jensen’s gaze and the knowing glint I was sure was there. “Where do you suppose Tomas’ soul is right now?” Lily whispered. Pursing his lips, Jensen offered, “Tomas killed a lot of demons.” “Probably Heaven then?” Her head dropped, her hair tumbling forward to conceal her face. “Sure,” I muttered. After all, with his kill record, if he didn’t make it to Heaven then none of us stood a chance. And maybe none of us did, which was really what Lily was asking and not one of us would or could answer. A raw tension swept through the room, holding the three of us hostage for a few moments until I decided I’d had enough. Clearing my throat, I half rolled, half tumbled off the couch, lurching to my feet. “I’m going home and going to bed. We can talk about all of this later.” Lily trailed along behind me, her silence unnerving. Even Jensen didn’t protest my hasty retreat. Well, I definitely should take advantage of the calm while I can. It never lasts long, and my gut says shit is about to hit the fan. Once I got to my room and I was cocooned within my bed, I fell asleep almost instantly.

6

“R iss.” Monica captured me in an engulfing hug, nearly suffocating me. “Lily and Jensen are already inside. I thought for a minute you didn’t come.” Pulling away from her, I nibbled my bottom lip. “I … umm …” Turning my attention to the front of the Cathedral of the Incarnation, I shifted from foot to foot while Monica waited for a reply. She wore a muted cream suit cut to hug her curves, offsetting her flawless, dark brown skin tone. Her dreads, which were normally worn down and free, were pulled away from her face in a subdued look. All she was missing was wings to complete the vibe. Heaven marked indeed. “How— I mean …” Swallowing, I shoved my hands into the pockets of my own pantsuit, mine black. “I can’t believe he’s gone.” Monica smiled warmly, the edges of her lips slightly wilting with the effort. “He’s not truly gone. You know that.” A deluge of questions hung on the tip of my tongue, but I bit them back, nodding instead. “Even still. It must be … difficult.” “Yes, it is. But I’m thankful for the time we shared, and one day we’ll meet again.” She assumes he got into Heaven, and that she will, too. How nice it must be to be so certain about such things. Shoving the bitter edge to my thoughts aside, I gave her a wan smile which was the best I could muster. “I guess I’m not as good with this kind of stuff as you are.” She took my hand in hers and squeezed. “No one is good with death. Not really. But I have faith, and that faith will get me through.” I liked Monica, considered her a friend, but sometimes I wanted to sprint in the opposite direction when she started spouting such platitudes as if she was creating some kind of cognitive dissonance within me. She was even more of an

optimist than Lily and my mom combined, which was a lot to handle for a pessimist like myself. “Right, faith.” Just as she went to turn away, I pulled on her arm, and she raised her eyebrows in question. “Do you feel God?” I often wondered if the Heaven-marked hunters had some kind of intrinsic sense of a higher power I didn’t since I was also marked by Hell. It would definitely make the faith thing a whole lot easier if that was the case. Monica regarded me with sympathy and an edge of annoyance. “How many times are you going to ask me that?” It was true, it wasn’t the first time I broached the subject with her, my curiosity insuppressible. But she never gave me anything concrete, just a bunch of cryptic bullshit. I figured if she was ever going to give me a straight answer it would be now. I smiled ruefully. “At least once more.” “Come on, the service is about to start.” She tugged me up the stairs and into the ornate cathedral, the finer details of my surroundings instantly blurring into the background. I couldn’t help but finger the mask I had stuffed in my pocket, the urge to put it on as a shield both physically and emotionally difficult to resist. Somehow, I managed. Spotting the back of Lily’s blonde head in the first pew on the right, I groaned. She had to sit in the front, didn’t she? But then again it wasn’t like Tomas had packed the place, so hiding in the back wasn’t a legitimate option. A wave of sadness crashed over me as my gaze fell on the closed coffin sitting up on the dais. Inside the polished mahogany box was all that was left of my friend—an empty shell. He died, but did he ever truly get to live life for himself? Sure, he had Monica and a handful of friends, but how would his life have been different if he’d had an actual choice? Monica dropped my hand, continuing on to meet with the priest who hovered just beyond the coffin, the two of them beginning a hushed conversation. Sliding into the pew next to Lily, I pretended not to notice Jensen on the other side of her. Instead, I turned my attention to the picture of Tomas sitting front and center

on a small table adorned with flowers. He seemed happy in it, the grin on his face crinkling the corners of his green eyes. His long, dark hair was windswept, a few strands stuck within the stubble on his chiseled jaw, the faintest tan lines from sunglasses visible. The background was out of focus, but the colors hinted at an outdoor scene, which fit with the rest. Wringing my hands in my lap, I kept staring at the image of the dead hunter— Tomas—my friend, my gaze tracing every inch of his face over and over. Was he finally at peace? Or was he beginning a new battle, another he would eventually lose? This is a joke. All of it. Tomas was the best of the twice marked and what did it get him? His life cut short because that’s what happens to all of us, isn’t it? I didn’t know of any old, twice-marked hunters because they didn’t exist. We all died young and horribly. I was witnessing my future. And it could come at any moment. For me, and for Lily. My heart set off at a gallop, tapping erratically across my ribcage. I should have been prepared for something like this. After all, Tomas was a hunter. But I wasn’t. Or rather, I was relying on denial of our situation far too much lately. It was exactly why I couldn’t afford to continue any kind of romantic relationship with Jensen. Even though he was a warlock and existed in the supernatural world, my world still wasn’t his and he didn’t deserve to have to worry about putting me in the ground, my life cut short in the same manner as Tomas. The existence of a warlock wasn’t all sunshine and roses, but those with power generally lived to a ripe old age, most of them having large families to on the best magical genetics. I probably wasn’t going to be around long enough to even have that discussion with him. We were ill-fated, and it was time we both accepted the truth of our situation. Lily scooted closer to me, her shoulder bumping mine as she threaded our fingers. Turning, I glanced down into her wide, blue eyes, the raw vulnerability in them causing my stomach to twist. In that moment, she was a little girl again leaning on her big sister for . I squeezed her hand. My fears would be hers as well, which meant my strength would be, too. I needed to stand tall for her, as always, even if I was crumbling inside. Lily depended on me, and I refused to let her down. Perhaps God didn’t exist, and we were all fighting a losing battle, but for now, none of that mattered. Knowing the truth, and getting answers, wouldn’t change the here and now. All I could do was my best with the

cards I’d been dealt, regardless of how shitty they were. Steeling my nerves, I shoved every bit of emotion deep down into the bottomless pit held in the recesses of my psyche. Calm settled over me, and I sat up straighter, my chin notching up. Lily immediately sagged a bit as if she sensed the change, my resolve settling her nerves. I’ll get us through this, just like I always do.

Lingering about a half dozen steps from the front door of the small pub my friends were in, I pulled out my mask and studied it. Pestilence was gone, and along with him the virus. Humans thought it had run its course, but we hunters knew differently. Sure, vaccines helped clean up the remnants, but even the best scientists wouldn’t have found the correct concoction to ward off a sickness that kept mutating due to demon interference. Continuing to wear a mask had become a security blanket, a small comfort, a way to feel like I was doing something to protect myself. It was simply another way, even if irrational, to guard myself. But it was useless. The real danger threatening me was the same as what had taken Tomas from this mortal coil. No mask could protect me from my fate. Marching to the trash can on the corner with determination, I tossed the leopardprint piece of useless cloth inside, kicking the bin lightly with the edge of my boot. “Dramatic, aren’t we?” I whipped my head up at the sudden intrusion, spotting an unfamiliar man leaning against the wall a few feet away. The guy was tall and lanky with short, dirty blond hair. Dark blue jeans and a long-sleeved, faded band T-shirt hung loosely on his frame. A small smirk adorned his angular face. “Do I know you?” I demanded, nostrils flaring. He drummed his hand rhythmically along the bricks behind him. “Nope, but I know you.” I quirked an eyebrow. “You knew Tomas then?” “In a sense. I tried talking those demons out of killing him … because, you know, what good was he going to do anyone dead? But you know demons.” He shrugged. I’d gone immobile, my muscles twitching with the effort. “What do you want?” He sucked his teeth and tilted his head. “Lots of things. But mainly I want to not

burn in Hell for all eternity.” “Hell marked,” I spat. Twice marked and Heaven marked often intermingled, their goals overlapping, but Hell marked were a crapshoot. Some strove to live the best lives they could, hoping to become twice marked or to stumble upon any opportunity for redemption. Others lived their lives with resignation and a bit of quiet desperation. And ones like the guy standing in front of me opted to go for the ‘sucking up to Lucifer’ option by way of helping demons. The guy raised his hands, smiling. “You got me.” He shoved off the wall, causing me to take a step back, readying myself for a fight. “Whoa, calm down. I’m just here to talk. This time.” “Gee, well, now I completely trust you.” “I’ll say what I have to say and then I’ll be on my way.” He chuckled. “Hey, I rhymed, how about that?” I glared, angling my body down so I would have faster access to the blades I had hidden in my boots. “Spit it out already, and maybe I’ll let you walk out of here without a limp.” He scrunched up his nose. “Oh, you’re mad about Tomas, huh? Not sure why though. We all know he was Heaven bound. He’s probably playing his little harp up on a cloud watching us as we speak.” “We don’t know any such thing. Time is the twice-marked hunter’s friend, and you let demons steal it from Tomas.” “Tomas had more kills than any other twice marked. Even us Hell marked have heard of him. If he didn’t make it into the pearly gates, then none of you have a shot.” Don’t I know it. “Like I said, spit it out already. I’m not much in the mood for small talk, especially with someone like you.” I wouldn’t kill him unprovoked, only because I didn’t know if it would be held against me when I died. “You’re no fun, but I didn’t expect you to be.” He moved one step closer, and I took another back in tandem. “I wanted to make you an offer to us.”

Laughter exploded from my gut and erupted up my throat as I doubled over. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” He raised his eyebrows. “Listen to what I have to say before you laugh.” He came closer and dropped his voice. “Pestilence is dead.” He swiped his hand through the air. “And before you say anything, I do mean dead. It’s not supposed to be possible, I know,” he rushed on, “but someone did it. They killed him, not just banished him back to Hell. And with his death, everything changed.” “Not exactly everything. Maybe if I could figure out how to kill demons as powerful as the Fab Four and not just banish them, I’d earn a few extra points. But in the end, I’m still twice marked.” “Don’t you get it? If there’s a way to kill demons of that power level, then we could kill Lucifer himself.” “Lucifer is an anomaly, one of a kind, and nothing like Pestilence and his brothers. This whole thing is ridiculous.” “If we all forces and find the way to take out Lucifer, the one who marked us for Hell, then we’d be free." I rolled my eyes and pivoted on my heel, heading toward the front door of the pub. “Wait.” He grabbed my arm, and I stomped on the instep of his foot before connecting the back of my fist with his nose. “Don’t touch me,” I snarled. Blood spurted from his nostrils, and he wiped some of it away with the edge of his sleeve. “Think about it.” “There’s nothing to think about. Now leave me alone. If I see you again, you might not walk away with only a bloody nose.” I paused, glancing over my shoulder. “Who killed Pestilence? If I actually believe what you say is true.” “Tomas knew.” He shook his head. “But those damn demons killed him before he could talk.”

My left eye twitched. The truth of why Tomas was tortured and killed was surprising, but it changed nothing. Twice-marked hunters were forced to risk their lives in a battle not of our choosing. Death by demon was inevitable, no matter the reason. “Tomas would never risk a fellow hunter by giving up a name for any reason.” “The hunter who killed Pestilence must have found some kind of weapon, maybe a spell or a blessed object.” He narrowed his eyes as if he was considering me as the possible culprit. “We want it, and with or without your help we’ll track down the hunter who has it. It would be easier if we cooperated though. After all, we do all want Lucifer dead.” “Whatever,” I muttered, yanking the door to the pub open. Blaring music swallowed me whole as I made my way to the bar where Lily, Monica, Jensen, and a host of other familiar faces mingled. But even as I prepared to celebrate the life of Tomas into the wee hours of the morning with my friends and family, I couldn’t help but wonder if what the Hell marked had told me was true. Had the game changed? Was Tomas keeping secrets? And if so, did they truly die with him? No, the Hell marked was just trying to start trouble before Tomas’ death celebration slash wake. I won’t let him win. Donning a brittle smile, I took an offered beer from my sister and forced my mind to happier times with Tomas, listening as Monica shared an embarrassing story about him. “And I kid you not, he ran out of the house completely naked with nothing but a katana and a …” It didn’t take long for her words to fade into the background, my thoughts consumed despite my best efforts. But what if … what if what the Hell marked said is true? What does it mean exactly?

7

Forgive. Forgive and forget myself for a little while. Lose myself in ion. Feel something other than anger, fear, and regret. It would be so easy. Under the influence of beer and tequila, the mix churning heavily in my stomach, my thoughts crystallized with the kind of clarity that only came when I was just shy of completely trashed. In that in between place, where I was too exhausted to overanalyze, my neuroses took a break, leaving me blissfully free to simply exist. Look at him. Why am I wasting what little time I probably have left pushing him away? He loves me and I love him. Is he controlling, or am I? Chin propped on my hand, I stared into Jensen’s baby blues, their churning depths having fully ensnared my attention. It was as if he could see into my soul, which normally was unnerving, but at the moment it was oddly comforting. In a world where I kept most people at arm’s length, even my family and those who I considered friends didn’t know me all that well. They knew surface-level things, like what I liked to do for fun, what I watched on TV, what I did for a living … basically what you’d see on a dating profile, or social media, or maybe even a resume. I envied the deep connections others seemed to always form around me, those bonds never quite touching me. But I wasn’t wired that way. I didn’t trust easily, even before becoming twice marked. If I had to guess why, it was because of my father, the narcissist, who thankfully wasn’t in our lives anymore. Of course, I was no psychologist, and I could have simply been born paranoid. And yet … I’d let Jensen fully in. He knew parts of me that I would never share with anyone else. My dark thoughts, my anxieties—my true self. I regretted sharing every vulnerable moment with him most of the time, and others I yearned to revel in it. To crawl under his skin and merge completely with him. To lose myself forever inside of his soul. Those feelings, both kind of creepy and overwhelming, terrified the shit out of me and sent me running for the hills. I wasn’t capable of handling— “You’ve got a weird look on your face,” Jensen rumbled, his voice pitched low

and for my ears only. He dragged his teeth over his lower lip and then smiled. “Makes me want to get you somewhere alone.” “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Clearing my throat, I took another swig of my lager. “Why are you here anyways? You’re not one of us.” Jensen leaned forward, his nose scant inches from mine. “I’m here for you. Just like I always am. The rest doesn’t matter.” I grunted, hating how he made sense at the moment. “Maybe warlocks shouldn’t mix with the twice marked and Heaven marked. You at least stand a chance of living to a ripe old age.” His rough fingers smoothed an errant piece of hair away from my cheek, eliciting a shiver of delight. “I’d rather take what I can get with you.” My heart clenched like a fist in my chest, making it difficult to breathe. I knew we were still in the pub with everyone else, but they had all ceased to exist a while ago. Two shots and a beer ago to be exact. “Jensen, please.” Please, what? I simultaneously wanted to grab onto him and never let him go, and to run away as fast as humanly possible. Damn tequila. I’ll never learn. “You could have any woman you want at the snap of your fingers. Why don’t you get the hint that I want you and your tracking spells to leave me alone?” My words said one thing, but my body language said another as I leaned closer, caught in the crushing gravitational pull of everything Jensen. Startling me, he snapped his fingers right in front of my nose. “If I could have any woman, then we’d be alone right now with your legs wrapped around—” “Stop. Just stop.” I chugged what was left of my beer, slamming the empty bottle on the bar. “That’s the thing, isn’t it? You don’t want me to stop. We both know it.” “No, but I want to want you to stop.” Shit. Why the hell did I say that out loud? I internally cursed my levels of tequila consumption again. “Val.” Jensen grabbed the seat of my stool and yanked, causing me to tumble into him, my hands landing on his chest. His lips curled up seductively as I

gazed at him, my breaths ragged. “I knew within the first five minutes of meeting you that I was a goner. I’ve accepted my fate.” Unable to help myself, my mind conjured the memory. I slowed my car long enough to get a gander into the back of the moving truck before pulling into my driveway. Although brief, my gaze snagged on a very nice, jean-clad ass, the owner of it turned away from me. Nibbling my bottom lip, I considered the potential value of being neighborly. My curiosity had officially been piqued, my libido no longer satisfied with my battery-operated boyfriend. I wasn’t a stranger to no-strings-attached hookups, but usually, they were more trouble than they were worth. Even so, every so often I craved actual human . I’ll just meander over to say hello. Check him out. Find out if the rest of him matches his ass and if he’s single. No hurt in doing a bit of reconnaissance. I should know who lives in our neighborhood, for safety reasons at least. He could be a demon. Yes, I need to make sure a demon didn’t move in a few doors down from us. Clambering out of my car, I straightened my tank top and ran my hands through my hair. There was no point in doing more since I didn’t want to seem overeager. Forcing myself not to sprint down the sidewalk, I focused on the ramp at the back of the truck, hoping to time my arrival as he exited the truck. Tall, dark, handsome, and covered in a gleam of sweat, my new neighbor hit the pavement with a medium-sized box in his leanly cut, muscular arms, his attention conveniently not on me, giving me a chance to study him. Dark hair curled around his ears, poking out from under a beat-up baseball cap, the logo long since faded. Strong, angular features, just shy of too pretty, housed a pair of ice-blue eyes that were staring right at me. Shit! Waving awkwardly, I smiled. “Hey! I live a few doors down.” I motioned vaguely toward my condo. “So I came over to check out … I mean, greet my new neighbor.” Oh, come on, Riss. You’re not that out of practice with men. Keep it together! One side of his mouth curled up, and his eyes twinkled with mirth, but he merely nodded instead of segueing my greeting into a conversation.

Shifting from foot to foot, I continued, “I’m Riss, by the way.” He continued to stare, tilting his head slightly to study me openly. I glanced at the truck. “Do you need any help?” “What did you have in mind?” I blinked a few times before responding. Let’s see, you asked if he needed any help, and he asked what I had in mind? Is he propositioning me? And if so, where do I sign up? “Umm … what do you need?” I bit my lower lip, hoping it delivered the message of my interest. He chuckled, the sound dark and delicious. “I think I’m going to like it here.” “Okay, sooo … help, yes?” “Sure, you can take this in if you want.” He nodded at the box in his arms. “Set it anywhere. I just have to grab one more thing before I can take a break.” Please let taking a break lead to me and you christening your new condo. “Okay.” Good thing I wasn’t interested in more than getting him naked because we seemed to be conversationally challenged. Granted, we just met about five seconds ago. I strutted over to him and reached for the box. The leather band I usually wore to cover my twice marked brands on my wrist snagged on the corner, unsnapping. Shifting quickly to take the majority of the weight of the box on his bent knee, my neighbor grabbed my wrist, brushing his callused thumb over it. He lifted his gaze to mine. “Twice marked. I didn’t expect that.” I stiffened, glancing at the inside of his left wrist, which was hidden behind cardboard. “Are you—” “I’m a warlock. It’s nice that I don’t have to keep it a secret from you.” He flashed perfect, white teeth at me. “I’m Jensen, by the way. Jensen Blackwell.” “A warlock, huh? Is that a male witch?” He snorted. “No. If I was a male witch, I would have said I’m a witch. Warlocks

work differently than witches.” “Oh.” Interesting on a level, but I didn’t care much. I was still focused on getting him naked. “So, umm … how about we take this conversation inside?” He grinned. “Good to know my instincts aren’t off. I had a good feeling about moving here.” Impatience and frustration nettled. He’d pretty much said he was good to go for some down and dirty time with me, and yet here we still were having awkward introductory conversation in front of his condo. Suddenly emboldened, I ripped the box from his hands, dropped it to the ground, and fisted the material at the neck of his T-shirt. “Are you going to take me inside or not, Jensen Blackwell?” He smirked. “Lead the way.” I snapped back to the present, pushing aside the warm fuzzies the nostalgia blossomed in my chest. “The only thing I knew within the first five minutes of meeting you was that I wanted to get you naked. Our entanglement wasn’t supposed to get so complicated.” He slid his hand into my hair, tugging just the right way. “I like complicated.” “Obviously,” I grumbled. “And as I recall, you were quite aggressive. Dragged me into my condo, tore off my clothes, and rode me right there in my empty living room.” He leaned closer, purring, “My Valkyrie. So wild and fierce.” Flashes of us naked and entwined assaulted my mind, causing my pulse to quadruple in time. I swallowed, all moisture gone from my mouth. “I didn’t drag you. You were extremely willing.” He chuckled. “And you were pretty pissed when I showed up on your doorstep the next day wanting to take you on a real date.”

My lips curled up against my will. “You wouldn’t take no for an answer. Still won’t.” “You call me controlling, but the real reason you keep pushing me away is because you don’t like not being able to control me.” He skimmed his lips along my jaw, and I bit back a moan. “But if you could control me, then you would have lost interest a long time ago. My Val doesn’t suffer weak-willed people and she likes a good fight.” “Just shut up and kiss me, you arrogant asshole.” Not waiting for him to react, I attacked his lips fiercely with mine. Jensen reciprocated instantly, his tongue wrestling with mine for dominance. Heat raced through my veins, settling in my core like molten lava. “Demons!” Lily’s shrill voice shattered my haze of lust, and I pulled away from Jensen, the room spinning briefly. Chaos erupted around us as the dozen or so hunters, most intoxicated, brandished weapons to face off with the handful of demons scuttling through the front door of the bar. With jet-black skin, two heads, and a multitude of arms and legs, this brand of demon served as foot soldiers in Hell itself. They were rarely seen on our plane of existence because they didn’t blend well, and for that reason had difficultly performing most tasks beyond smash and grab or assassination. Shoving me behind him, Jensen raised his arms, fire sparking along his fingertips. “You’re too drunk to fight right now.” “So is everyone else.” Throwing my elbow at his side, I moved past him, my steel blades already gripped tightly in my hands. “Val,” Jensen growled, “let me take care of you just this once. Please.” Ignoring him, I let loose a battle cry as I dashed forward. I’ve got this, drunk or not.

8

Focusing on a demon to the far left, I wobbled a bit, adjusted, and decided instead to take on whichever demon got to me first. Jensen was right. I was compromised by the alcohol coursing through my system, so I would have to take that into with my fighting tactics. Bracing myself, one blade held high, the other low, I waited to make my move. Just as one of the gnarly creatures neared, blue flames shot over my head, sweeping through the throng of demons, leaving nothing but ash behind. It happened in an instant. Demons there one minute, all of them gone the next. Pivoting on my heel, much to my chagrin, I grabbed onto Jensen’s forearm to keep from toppling over. Despite that, I jutted my chin out and narrowed my eyes. “I told you that we could take care of it ourselves.” He smirked. “No, you raced off to take on the demons even though you can’t stand up straight without my help.” I ground my teeth together. “It was implied.” He lifted one arrogant eyebrow. “Was it?” “You know it was, you—” “Thanks, Jensen.” Monica patted him on the shoulder, giving him a lopsided smile. “That could have gotten ugly. None of us are exactly sober.” Yeah, of course, the Heaven marked isn’t worried about her demon kill numbers. As long as the demons are dead or banished, she’s happy. To me, Jensen’s help translated to lost numbers on my final tabulation. It could make the difference between me belonging to Lucifer or sailing past the pearly gates when I died. Lily staggered over to my side. “I bet that was the whole point. Send those demons up to take us all out while we were vulnerable. Phew.” She feigned wiping her forehead. “Good thing Jensen was here to help.”

Okay, fine. I’m the only one worrying about numbers at the moment. “And good thing the only people in this bar are hunters,” Monica added. “It would have been tough to explain that away.” Gnawing on the inside of my cheek, I attempted to focus on the demon issue and not my seething anger at Jensen. “I’ve never heard of an attack like that out in the open happening in modern times.” Lily wildly motioned to the hunters around us, most huddled in small groups like ours having heated discussions. “It was a hit. They knew we were here.” She swallowed audibly, her curls bouncing around her face as if they were charged with nervous energy. Taking a few steps away from Jensen, I leaned against Lily for . “It’s not exactly like we were secretive about Tomas’ funeral or anything surrounding it.” Wait. The Hell marked! My brain finally supplied the information I’d been fumbling for. “There was a Hell marked outside the bar before I came in. He could have encouraged the demons to come. But no …” I drummed my fingers along my thigh. “He wanted our help finding something, so killing us wouldn’t line up with that agenda. Unless—” “Umm … hello? There was a Hell marked outside the bar and this is the first we’re hearing about it?” Lily pinched the back of my hand. “Ow.” Rubbing my skin, I swayed back into Jensen, meeting his hardened gaze. “What?” “The Hell marked wanted the hunters’ help finding something. Tomas was tortured and killed, probably for information. The demon who slipped into your mind was searching for something.” The muscles in his jaw jumped as his mouth pressed into an angry slash. “Do you not see the connection?” “I mean …“ Fuckity-fuck-fuck-fuck. I completely missed it because I hadn’t been paying attention. I’d been consumed with both mourning Tomas and with the Jensen drama. There hadn’t been room for anything else. Which only served to prove my point why having a romantic relationship with a warlock was a bad idea for a hunter.

Monica leaned into me, her voice dropping to a choked whisper. “Did he say what they’re after?” “He claims a hunter killed Pestilence with some kind of weapon he or she stumbled across. But they don’t know if it’s a spell or something more tangible. They’re looking for the hunter and the supposed weapon.” Three pairs of startled eyes were locked onto me. I shrugged. “I didn’t believe him. Which is why I didn’t mention it. I thought he was just trying to spoil Tomas’ celebration by getting up in our heads.” Monica’s expression steeled, and she turned to address the crowd, her voice carrying over all the individual conversations. “It’s time we call it a night. Thank you all for sharing your love for Tomas with me.” “I can’t believe you didn’t at least tell me,” Lily hissed. “The four of us need to have a private chat.” Monica’s gaze slid from me to Lily, to Jensen. “Meet me at your place in an hour.” I internally groaned. Four? Why does Jensen keep getting included in everything? It made me wonder how I managed to avoid him for two whole months. “Jensen doesn’t need to—” Monica silenced me with a death glare that put mine to shame. “Now is not the time for your petty anger.” I scowled but kept my mouth shut. “Come on.” Lily tugged me along with one hand, and Jensen with the other. “We’ll ride together.” “And who is going to drive?” I scoffed. “None of us are sober.” Jensen snorted. “I am.” Dragging my feet, I spun toward him. “What? No way you’re sober. You went toe-to-toe with me on drinks.” He regarded me steadily. “I cheated.”

“Magic,” I spat. “You used your stupid warlock magic somehow, didn’t you?” “Why wouldn’t I? I knew you’d get sloppy tonight and I wanted to make sure I could take care of you.” Breaking away from Lily, I invaded Jensen’s space, smacking him in the chest with the side of my fist. “You mean take advantage of your drunk ex-girlfriend.” He sighed. “Please. You kissed me.” “Because I’m drunk!” “Because you wanted to. Just like you do right now.” “I’m still drunk!” “I can fix that if you want.” He crossed his arms over his chest in challenge. “It’s only fair!” The entire time I’d been pounding shots, Jensen was pretending to partake, lulling me into a false sense of security. It was one thing if I got sloppy alongside him, but to do so when he was stone-cold sober was another. He knew I had no filter when I was mainlining tequila, and he was probing and pushing, trying to wiggle his way back into my good graces via seduction. Jensen rubbed his palms together while mumbling something under his breath. I glared up at him as he placed his palms against my temples. Heat lashed against my skin, penetrating slowly, before spreading down through my body. The fog in my head cleared steadily, sweat beading on my forehead and upper lip. “There. Happy?” The wicked warlock dropped his hands but made no move to put any additional space between us. I shook my head, missing the pleasant haze, but not the vertigo. “No. You could have done that so I could have fought the demons.” He sighed heavily. “I can’t win, can I? You told me before, and I quote ‘don’t use your weird warlock voodoo on me ever.’” “I didn’t mean it. At least not with that. Plus, I think I was drunk then, too.” I wouldn’t have minded an offer of a magical hangover cure the other day, but

then again, I probably wouldn’t have accepted the gift out of stubbornness. Why am I like this? Jensen bared his teeth, biting back a snarl. “How am I supposed to know when to disregard what you say and when to take it to heart?” “You should just know.” Yep, I was being unfair. I knew it, and Jensen knew it, but I wanted to stay pissed at him, even if I had to go into irrational territory to do so. “I’m not playing this game with you right now.” I quirked my brow. “Then stop playing.” He grabbed me by the shoulders, his fingers digging in enough to cause a jolt of pain. “I love you. I’m not giving up on you just because you’re determined to sabotage our relationship for some idiotic reason.” Puffing out my chest, I raised the volume on my voice. “I’m not sabotaging anything! I just want you to leave me alone!” My body chose that moment to stage a rebellion, overcome by the proximity of Jensen, and I lurched forward, my lips slamming into his. Our teeth and tongues clashed violently before my brain wrestled control of my mouth back. No! You don’t even have alcohol as an excuse anymore! Rearing back, my fist connected with the side of Jensen’s jaw. I blinked up at him, startled. “Take off the tracking spell.” Wiggling his jaw, he cupped the side of his face. “No.” Lily grabbed my arm and spun me toward her. “I can’t believe you hit him. And not a sexy kind of hit, like a love tap or a consensual dominatrix type hit, but a real hit. You straight up hit him. Hit him!” Her expression was thunderous. “What kind of feminist can you claim to be if you have a double standard like that?” Glancing over my shoulder, I sneered. “He’s more than welcome to hit me back.”

“Do you hear yourself right now? What the hell is wrong with you? Huh? Because right about now I’m tempted to hit you myself.” My sister shoved me, her eyes flashing with barely controlled rage. “I just … I don’t … I’m not—” Fuck. She’s right. What I’d done was unforgivable and I had no excuse or recourse. “This is classic Riss,” Jensen growled. “She panicked and wanted to do something, anything that I wouldn’t forgive her for.” He leaned in to whisper in my ear, his voice curling in and around me, causing all the fine hairs on my body to rise, “But it won’t work.” My emotions were twisted and gnarled, and I was at a complete and utter loss of what I should do. I was pretty sure it was clearer when I’d been seeing the world through my tequila and beer-colored glasses. Sobering up was a mistake. I took a tentative step toward the bar, eyeing the liquor. “No!” Lily grabbed me again, yanking hard enough that I stumbled after her as she stalked for the front door. “No more stupid for you tonight. You are officially cut off.” “You’re still drunk. I’m not. Plus, you don’t get to decide—” She whirled around, her lips curled back in a ferocious snarl. I froze, never having seen her appear so brutal. “Tonight I do get to decide, drunk or not. End of story.” “Fine,” I grumbled, shoulders sagging. “And you!” She stabbed her finger in Jensen’s direction. “No more crap from you tonight either.” His lips twitched as if amused, his hands going up in surrender. “Want me to drive?” Lily groped in her pocket, producing the keys. “Yes.” She tossed them to him, and he deftly caught them out of the air.

This is going to be a difficult ride home. At least with Jensen driving, I won’t be tempted to throw myself at him again … or hit him. God, I’m a friggin’ mess. Seriously, why am I like this?

9

Apparently, brooding takes a lot of energy. After spending the entire ride home lost in unpleasant thoughts, I arrived at our condo completely exhausted. I wanted to go to bed immediately, to escape the last couple of days in dreamless oblivion, but unfortunately, there were more pressing matters to deal with first. “Monica should be here soon.” Lily handed me several mini Twix bars. I raised my eyebrows in question since I hadn’t asked for anything from her. “You always feel better when you have chocolate.” Sinking in lower on the overstuffed couch cushion, I stared at the shiny, golden and red wrappers. It wasn’t a lie. I did always feel better when I had chocolatey goodness to nosh on. But that simple fact made me feel every bit the toddler I’d been acting like all night. I side-eyed Jensen, who was on the other end of the couch, staring straight ahead, showing off his annoyingly perfect profile. He wanted to seem relaxed, but the tension in his muscles was a dead giveaway. I cleared my throat, and his jaw muscles rippled in response. “I’m sorry I hit you.” He turned his head slowly in my direction, his baby blues glacier cool. “I’m not removing the tracking spell.” “I didn’t even bring it up.” I shifted, crossing and uncrossing my legs. “Yet. You didn’t bring it up yet.” “Well, yeah, I was definitely going to bring it up again. And soon. But for now, I was just going to apologize for hitting you before Monica gets here.” He studied me for a moment, his gaze blatantly assessing. “Are you actually sorry? Or do you feel guilty because Lily called you out for being a hypocrite?” Lord give me patience with this man. “Of course I’m sorry for hitting you.” Mostly. Or I was until you opened your mouth again. Fuck. I am a hypocrite. A

shitty, anti-feminist, assholey hypocrite. A lukewarm apology won’t make up for what I did. Not even a little bit. Which is exactly why I did it, just like he said. The doorbell chimed, echoing through my condo, effectively putting an end to our conversation. Tearing into a Twix, I stuffed one into my mouth, chewing quickly. “This conversation isn’t over.” Jensen grunted, his attention turning to Monica, who swept into the living room with Lily close behind. Monica positioned herself on the green suede loveseat across from the couch, her body locked with tension, mirroring everyone else in the room. “Riss, you need to go over again what the Hell marked said to you exactly.” As I polished off the second Twix, I ran over the conversation again in my mind. Swallowing, I said, “He told me that Pestilence was dead. Killed by a hunter. The demons, and by demons, he didn’t say which ones, so I figured a bunch of underlings, and some of the other Hell marked like him, thought that if they could find the weapon the hunter used then they could take out Lucifer.” I shrugged. “He wasn’t the most eloquent, and I wasn’t interested in listening. Not much else was said. Well, except for the part where he also thought Tomas knew who the hunter was.” Monica ran a hand down her face, sighing heavily. “Tomas didn’t tell me anything about any hunter killing Pestilence or a weapon.” “Would he, though, if he did know?” Her gaze snapped to mine, and I raised my hands. “I mean, you know how he was. He wouldn’t have wanted to put you in any danger if he could help it.” “Stupid man. If he got himself killed over something I could have helped him with—” Her nails dug into her thighs. “Stupid man,” she repeated, tears glistening in her eyes. Lily deposited a plate of chocolate chip cookies on the coffee table before sitting down beside me. “We don’t know that’s what happened. How much can we really trust what a Hell marked had to say?” She motioned at the cookies. “If anyone wants any, help yourselves.”

Lily and I were both comfort food eaters, something that seemed to be a family trait. I leaned forward and snagged a few, as did she. Both Monica and Jensen ignored the offering. Monica abruptly stood, pacing back and forth in the small space in front of the loveseat. “Tomas was mutilated. I thought it was because of who he was but … but now that I know demons are searching for something that may or may not exist … who’s to say that they won’t do it again and again? One of us could be next.” The bite of cookie in my mouth turned bitter. I hadn’t considered that. If the weapon didn’t exist, it could mean the demons would possibly never stop looking for it. Add in the Hell marked who were desperate to be free of their bargains … “We need to figure out if there is a weapon.” “To get our hands on it if there is,” Jensen spoke up, a wicked gleam in his eyes. “Because if it does exist, then the Hell marked was right. We could take out Lucifer. Think about what that would mean for you.” Monica stilled, staring at him, slack-jawed. “Umm …” she sputtered. “We can’t kill Lucifer.” Jensen ran his hands through his hair, his excitement palpable. “If this weapon exists, why not?” “Yeah, why not?” Lily asked around a mouthful of cookies, crumbs spilling onto her shirt. “Because it would be utter chaos without him in Hell. He may not be anyone’s favorite, but he does keep things … maintained.” I scrunched my nose. “Maintained? What’s that supposed to mean? It makes sense to take out Lucifer. Who cares about the rest? We can kill all the demons who come at us if we have that kind of power.” Plus, taking out the ruler of Hell would guarantee me a spot in Heaven when I died. Lily and me both. The more I mulled it over, the better the plan seemed. If the weapon did indeed exist, that is. “We need to temper our excitement.” I hated being the voice of reason,

especially about this. “The weapon probably doesn’t exist. For all we know Pestilence is having tea and crumpets with his brothers right now.” Jensen nodded. “So the first thing we need to do is the kill.” “Yeah, exactly what I was thinking.” “And how are we going to do that?” Lily asked, her head swinging back and forth between the two of us. “No, absolutely not,” Monica interjected. “If this weapon exists, we hand it over to Heaven.” And here is the reason why twice marked and Heaven-marked hunters don’t always see eye-to-eye. Fuck their holier than thou attitudes. If that weapon exists, I am not handing it over to anyone. My lip curled into a snarl. “And why would we do that? We’ve been tasked with killing demons. If there’s some extra special weapon that can help us with that, including killing Lucifer, then it’s in our rights to use it. Don’t go all goody-twoshoes on us with this. We wouldn’t be doing anything shady or wrong.” “It just doesn’t feel right.” Monica sank back into the loveseat, her lower lip caught between her teeth. “None of it does.” I pursed my lips, considering. “Yeah … None of it does. I get that. And it’s because of Tomas. Of course, if this weapon, even if it indirectly caused his death, you’d want nothing to do with it. But if he died protecting information about it then maybe there was a reason for that.” I grabbed another cookie. “Or the existence of this weapon is greatly overexaggerated. Which is why we need to whether or not Pestilence is alive. We can’t make any decisions based on hearsay from a Hell marked.” Lily waved her hand in the air, cookie crumbs scattering in all directions. “And again I’ll ask, how are we supposed to do that?” Jensen caught my eye, his lips curling up devilishly. “Fortunately for you, you happen to know a powerful warlock who can help you with that.” I ground my teeth together. “No. Absolutely not. Working with that kind of black

magic is—” “Part of who I am. I gave it up because of you.” He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back. “But since we aren’t together, as you keep reminding me, you don’t have a say about my life choices anymore.” My face flushed as anger burst through my system. “You gave it up because of me? Really? I thought that kind of magic didn’t interest you. Served no purpose in the life you wanted to build for yourself outside of the family business.” One side of his mouth quirked up. “All of that was true because of you. But if I can help you get free of being marked …” His nostrils flared. “I’ll do whatever it takes.” He never indicated that my being twice marked bothered him in the least. He treated it like it was just another fact about me, like my hair color, or height. It was what it was. But his excitement to free me from my demon hunting obligations said otherwise. What else has he been hiding from me? Oh. Wait. I’ve already established that he’s a secretive motherfucker, putting tracking spells on me without my knowledge and hiding his true feelings. I leaned over Lily as if she wasn’t there, jabbing my index finger at him. “It’s none of your business, Jensen. None. Not anymore.” “Hey.” Lily flicked the side of my face with a half-eaten cookie. “I sat here to keep you two apart so you wouldn’t break into a weird, sexual tension-filled brawl.” I reared back as if she’d slapped me. “We’ve never been in any kind of sexually charged altercation.” A huge grin slowly pulled Jensen’s full lips apart. “Sexually charged, huh?” “I’m just repeating what my sister said. I didn’t supply—” “Uh-uh-uh-uh. She said sexual tension, you said sexually charged.” His grin widened, his gaze flaring with heat.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Now is not the time for this.” “I don’t know,” Monica spoke up, “maybe now is exactly the time for the two of you to work your shit out.” “Traitor,” I hissed. “She’s right,” Lily chimed in. “The two of you can’t be in the same room for more than a few seconds without getting all caught up in the sexual mojo you two have. It doesn’t even matter if demons are attacking. You need to resolve your shit now.” I scowled. “There’s nothing to resolve.” Lily poked me in the cheek with another cookie, and I swatted at her. “You hit him, Riss. After you kissed him. You need to figure your shit out. Now.” Closing my eyes, I inhaled several times. “Fine.” My eyes snapped open, gaze locked onto Jensen. “We’ll talk at your place.” I raised my hand in the air. “But talk only. Got it?” “Got it,” he rumbled, smug expression firmly in place. Yeah, he doesn’t got it at all. Not even a little bit. Prepare yourself for another battle. Just don’t hit him again.

10

“S ooo …” I drawled, leaning against the inside of Jensen’s front door. There was no way I was going any farther into his condo. Where I was served the purpose. We were alone, therefore we could have our private conversation. As if sensing exactly where my thoughts were, Jensen motioned to his living room, brows raised. “You going to come in?” I shook my head. “Nope. I can talk just fine right here.” He delivered me his patented smug smirk, complete with dimples. “Don’t trust yourself?” “To not hit you again? Nope.” I knew that wasn’t what he meant, but if playing stupid saved me from doing something idiotic, so be it. “We both know you only hit me because you were trying to force both our hands. Typical Riss move.” “I still did it. I hit you.” “I forgive you.” “No, you don’t. I hit you. I abused you. That’s unforgivable.” He sucked his teeth. “Not how I see it.” “It’s not my fault if you refuse to acknowledge the truth. What’s true is true. I hit you, and therefore we can—” “Enough with this bullshit, Val. Motives matter. You’re not an ab, although you’ve been trying exceptionally hard to be one lately. But it’s not going to work. I see what you’re doing.” “And what is that?”

He stalked closer, and I pressed back against the door, my strategy suddenly a mistake since I’d essentially trapped myself. “Put up an impenetrable wall between us by any means.” I clenched my teeth hard enough to make my jaw ache, biting back my reply. It was true. And I hated that he could read me so damn easy. “Nothing to say? Huh?” “It doesn’t matter if you know what I’m doing, it won’t stop the inevitable outcome.” “Why?” he snarled. “Why won’t you let this go?” “Because we can’t be together, Jensen. You’ll thank me down the road once you’ve settled happily with someone else. I’ll be dead and just a memory from your youth.” The words turned to ash on my tongue, just the thought of him with someone else burning me from the inside out. Dark lashes narrowed around sea-storm eyes, piercing me to my core. “And what if the weapon that can kill Lucifer exists? What then?” “If I’m not marked then I’ll be just a regular human with a regular lifespan. You’ll still be a warlock. I’ll age and grow old long before you do in that scenario. No matter what angle you come at our situation from, we simply won’t work. You need to accept that now before we both end up more hurt than we already are.” “I can extend your lifespan with magic or I’ll give mine up. It doesn’t matter. You’re who I want.” My heart fisted, and I sucked in a ragged breath. “Sometimes we can’t have what we want.” “Not this time.” Closing the scant distance between us, Jensen captured my lips and plundered my senses, stealing all awareness except for him. I had no choice but to submit, the pressure from both his onslaught and the raging desire sweeping through me undeniable.

Pressing the long line of his hard body into mine, I bowed into him, wanting … needing more. My defenses were nonexistent, crumbled under the weight of repeatedly denying our lust. His thumbs skated up my shirt and over my nipples. Moaning, I fumbled to undo his pants. His hands slid into my hair, tugging as his mouth made its way down my neck. I shoved his pants down his hips. He spun me, my face pressing into the door. I writhed against him, seeking more of his touch. He ripped my pants and underwear down my thighs, tipping my ass up. Wriggling in offering, I was nothing but desperate need. He slammed into me, groaning, his fingers digging into soft flesh. Gasping, I clawed at the door for purchase. In and out, in and out, he slammed against me, his teeth grazing my earlobe. I trembled around him, my entire body a live wire. His fingers circled my clit at a maddening pace. I squeezed my eyes shut, tension building. He slammed into me harder and harder. A kaleidoscope of colors exploded behind my eyelids, and I struggled to breathe. Biting the sensitive flesh of my neck, he slowed, grinding his own release into me. We stilled.

His ragged breaths heated the side of my face, his heart pounding against my back. I stiffened, all languidness draining from my body. What have I done? Jensen cupped the side of my face, turning my head as far as it could go, snagging my gaze. “Don’t you dare,” he rumbled, his voice rough and low. Bucking my ass against him, I shoved at the door, hating how my body clenched with residual need. “This was a mistake.” He stepped away from me, not bothering to pull up his pants. “No. You and me are never a mistake.” Yanking at my clothes, I glared. “Sex is not a relationship.” “It’s a good start for one.” Frustration, anger, need, confusion, and a myriad of other emotions I wasn’t even sure I recognized flitted through me in quick secession. “I don’t— I just … I can’t do this, Jensen. Please let me go.” Because I obviously can’t let you go no matter how hard I try. “Never.” Anger won, my face burning with it. “Fuck you, Jensen. Fuck. You.” Finally pulling up his pants, he sneered in my direction. “I believe that’s what you just did.” Turning, I slammed my fists against the door before flinging it open. Good job sorting that out, Riss. Way to unmuddy the waters between you and Jensen. “Don’t follow me,” I yelled, knowing he would show up soon enough regardless of what I said. Stalking back into my condo, Monica and Lily regarded me warily. “How’d it go?” Lily asked. “’Cause, you don’t look very happy.”

I closed my eyes and counted to ten, none of it doing a damn bit of good. “It did not go the way I planned.” “Your hair is a bit all over the place.” Monica pressed her lips together, suppressing a laugh. “Okay, then it went exactly the way Jensen planned.” Lily snickered, sharing a knowing look with Monica who pressed her lips together harder in response. “Shut up.” “I don’t know much about this type of thing,” Lily bounced up to lean her arms over the back of the couch, “but I’m pretty sure if you keep having sex with someone they aren’t going to want to leave you alone.” “Especially if they’re in love with you,” Monica added with a snicker. “I’m not talking about this.” Lily snorted. “Is that what you said to Jensen?” “Enough.” “You definitely didn’t say that to Jensen.” She fell back on the couch, laughing demonstratively for my benefit. Monica stood, her mood shifting to business. “We need to put a plan into action, and the first step is confirming or denying what the Hell marked said.” Great. I know where this is going. “You want me to ask Jensen to use his magic.” She fiddled with her hair. “I’m sorry, Riss, I am. I know things are complicated between the two of you right now, but this is more important.” I squinted at her. “Doesn’t anyone know another warlock we can use for this?” “Not as powerful as Jensen.” “What about a witch?”

Lily rolled her eyes. “Stop being an idiot. You know there isn’t anyone as powerful as Jensen who we can trust with this. I’m sure you don’t want to put anyone else at risk because you’re being petty right now.” Ignoring my sister, I continued, “How about a druid? Or a voodoo priestess? There has to be a hunter somewhere who has a close, personal relationship with a powerful magic-.” Monica’s lips twitched. “I’m sure there is somewhere, but we need to act now. Not go on a wild goose chase for a resource we already have access to.” My shoulders slumped in defeat. “Fine.” “Great.” Monica strode toward the door, pausing to peer over her shoulder. “Coming?” “What? Now?” “Time is of the essence with this.” Hanging my head, I shuffled after her. Why does it feel like I’m doing some kind of walk of shame? But in reverse? My finger trembled as it hovered over Jensen’s doorbell, images of our recent tryst assaulting my mind. It hadn’t even been half of an hour since I’d been on the other side of the very same red door, him buried deep inside of me. He’s in there somewhere feeling all smug, I know it. Probably thinks things are going to go right back to the way they were before. That he won. I gritted my teeth. But they’re not. And he didn’t. I’ll show him. Yep. I’ll pretend none of it happened and it’ll drive him insane. Which is only a bonus and not the point. Because I want him to leave me alone, nothing else. Lily nudged me. “Are you going to ring the bell, or do I have to do it for you?” “He knows I’m here,” I hissed. “He’s just being an obstinate asshat.” “Yeah, takes one to know one.” She reached around me and pushed on the illuminated button, the bells chiming within.

Not even a full second later the door swung open, Jensen greeting us with the exact smug expression I pictured him having. It made me simultaneously want to punch him and throw him down to go for another round. Neither one of those options gained you any headway with him. You need new tactics. Jensen tilted his head. “Yeees?” he drawled. “Is there something you need, Val?” My nostrils flared. “We would like to take you up on your offer to find out about Pestilence.” He lifted his arms, bracing himself on the doorframe, his T-shirt stretched taut over his muscles. “Let me make sure I got this straight, you’re asking for my help?” “We—” “Uh-uh-uh-uh.” He shook his head slowly, gaze locked with mine. “I want to hear you say it, Val. Ask me for my help. Otherwise, how am I supposed to know if I’m confused again and doing something you don’t want me to do?” My upper lip curled. “Stop being such an asshat.” “Me? I’m simply doing what you want, aren’t I? Making sure you’re actually asking for my help. Hmmm … that is what you were pissed about before, isn’t it?” Oh, okay, this is the game he wants to play now. All right. Fine. “Take the tracking spell off.” His countenance shuttered, all mirth washing away. “No.” I fluttered my lashes at him. “But, Jensen, I thought you were going to do what I wanted? Hmm …” “Oh, for the love of everything holy,” Monica interjected, pushing up beside me. “The two of you are giving me a headache.” “We—” I started, but she cut me off. “No. I’ve had about enough. I understand that the two of you are having a

difference of opinion or a fight or whatever you want to call it, but—” She choked back a sob. “Do you know how lucky you are to be able to do that? I would give almost anything to have Tomas with me again and the two of you are wasting time you’ll never get back.” My chest tightened with guilt and regret. A part of my hyper-focus on fighting with Jensen the last few days was because of Tomas. It was easier to put all of my energy into something I could somewhat control rather than face how truly powerless we all were when it came to matters of life and death. In fact, Tomas’ sudden death had shaken me more than I wanted to it. For one, I’d finally been able to ditch my mask habit because I realized the real reason behind that particular anxiety. Grabbing Monica’s hand, I squeezed. “I’m sorry.” There was nothing else I could think of to say in that moment. I knew I was being every bit the asshat I was accusing Jensen of being. I turned back to Jensen. “Will you please help us find out the status of Pestilence?” “Yeah.” He moved to the side to make room for us to enter. However, as I ed him his baby blues narrowed on me, determination sizzling. This is not going to end well for either of us.

11

“W hat do you need from us? Candles? Chalk? Some blood?” Lily bounced up on the balls of her feet, a bit too gleeful under the circumstances for my taste. After all, Jensen was about to summon and force a demon to do his bidding. “I’m not a witch,” Jensen replied, glowering. Lily shrugged. “Yeah, I’m well aware. What does that have to do with anything?” Her eyes widened. “Oooh, do you need a special dagger or something? Wait. What are they called? An athame? Do you need that to do your blood magic mojo spell to summon a demon?” Jensen glanced at me, his left eye twitching. I fought off laughter. He liked being confused with witch stereotypes about as much as I enjoyed my full name. Monica placed her hand on Lily’s shoulder. “Jensen is a warlock. Their magic doesn’t work the same as a witch’s.” Lily twisted a blonde curl around her finger. “Okay, but how are they different?” Jensen pinched the bridge of his nose, hissing out the answer, “Witches have internal magic, but they use spells and mingle them with other elements, like things from nature or their blood. Warlocks have specific powers or a range of powers. We don’t need spells or anything else. We merely have to intend to do something.” “And what’s your specialty?” Lily regarded Jensen like he was an insect under glass. Jensen sighed, knowing my sister wouldn’t let it go until she got the answers she craved. “I have more than one, which is what makes me so powerful.” “And he also has the ability to work witch spells and magic,” I added. Lily scratched her head. “If you can do witch spells and magic and your warlock

mojo, then— I don’t … I’m confused.” I wasn’t going to it it out loud, but that would make two of us. No matter how many times I asked Jensen to clarify his powers and the differences between what he could do and what witches could do, I was sure I ended up with the same expression Lily currently had etched into her face. “It doesn’t matter,” Jensen grumbled. “I don’t need anything fancy to summon a demon. Just me and willful intent.” Lily’s lower lip crept out. “Oh.” I flicked the back of her head. “What were you expecting, something straight out of a movie?” Shrugging, she mumbled, “Maybe.” “I may not need all the trappings of a witch to summon a demon but I do need quiet so I can concentrate.” After drawing all the curtains and blinds, and pushing the table and chairs against the wall, Jensen settled himself cross-legged in the center of his dining area, elbows resting on his knees, hands up. Lily bit her lip to contain the pout that just wouldn’t go away. “What should we do?” “Wait,” Jensen grated. Grabbing my sister, I hustled her to the couch, where we could still observe, but were out of the way. Monica followed in respectful silence, positioning herself next to me. I eyed my Heaven marked friend. “You okay?” She nodded once. “Yep.” However, I couldn’t help but notice the shadows under her eyes and her peaked complexion. Despite all her talk of faith and meeting with Tomas again in the afterlife, I knew his loss had to have taken a bigger toll on her than she would it. Although, as the reigning queen of all things in denial-land, I would not be the one to call her out on it. If she wanted to pretend she was fine and

everything was normal, then I’d play along until she requested me to do otherwise. Lily poked me in the shoulder. “When is he going to start?” “As soon as you shut up,” Jensen snapped, his eyes squeezed shut. “Oops, sorry. I’ll be quiet now.” She leaned back, her foot knocking into the coffee table, sending the TV remote crashing to the ground. Jensen growled under his breath. Lily’s cheeks flushed. “Starting now. I’ll be quiet starting now.” I snickered, causing Jensen to peek at me from under his dark lashes. I bit back my smile, waving at him with a flourish to continue. He grumbled something under his breath, his nostrils flaring as his eyes fully shut again. Blue flames erupted around Jensen, the scent of ozone filling the air. “Isn’t that going to damage the floor?” Lily hissed. “Or burn off his clothes?” I sure as shit hope his clothes stay where they are or I might accost him in the middle of the ritual, audience be damned. Ugh. No. Stop. I slapped my hand over her mouth, hoping her outburst hadn’t screwed with Jensen’s concentration. A humanoid shape formed in the space in front of Jensen, wavering a bit before solidifying with an audible pop. A red haze filtered over my vision, and I blinked it away. Jenson jumped to his feet, towering over the crouched demon, flames slithering from him to encom the thing as well. It lifted its head to gaze at Jenson, onyx eyes unreadable, set in a face of perfection. “What kind do you think it is?” Lily whispered against my ear, having been freed from my constraint, but obviously too soon.

“Shut up,” I mouthed at her. She snorted, returning her attention to the scene in front of us. I glanced at Monica, who seemed completely enthralled. “You will do my bidding, Amattican.” Jensen’s voice was low and commanding, brokering no room for challenge. “Yes, master.” The pretty-boy demon bowed low, touching his forehead to the ground. It was only then I noticed that it was naked, the rest of its body as much of a work of art as its face. Guess with Jensen in the room I hadn’t even noticed. Yeah, and with thoughts like that, how the fuck am I supposed to ever say no to him? The demon scrambled forward a few inches, lifting its gaze to Jensen once more. “You merely need to tell me your bidding and I will obey.” Jensen nodded his approval. “You are tasked to discover whether or not the demon lord Pestilence is alive or dead. I require proof of your findings.” “It is done.” It remained frozen in place, waiting. “That is all.” “Yes, master.” The demon disappeared, leaving an increased scent of ozone in its wake. Flames fizzling, Jensen clapped his hands together, causing the three of us to jump. “Amattican will inform me as soon as he gets the information we seek.” Lily stared at him, doing her best baby owl impression. “Wow. Just like that?” “Just like that.” Monica and Lily’s voices swirled around me, their words no longer making sense. All I could see was Jensen, his eyes blazing, filled with something I’d never seen in them before—something I couldn’t quite define. Whatever it was, I

knew it meant trouble for me. “Val,” he purred. My fingers turned white gripping the back of the couch. I was afraid to move, to respond because the inevitable outcome of me doing either of those things was me falling prey to Jensen’s allure. It was only then I ed a snippet of a long-ago conversation between the two of us. “What does it feel like after you do magic like that?” “Like I’m a god.” “Seriously?” “Yeah, I have all this energy coursing through my system and it’s like I’m supercharged. It’s difficult to describe. Only those who know that kind of power truly understand.” “How do you come down from that?” “Grounding is one way. But it’s boring. I prefer sex.” Sex. He prefers sex. The words circled my mind on an endless loop as he stalked across the room, his aura sucking the air from my lungs. And I conveniently forgot that part until now. Glass exploded inward, all of the windows shattering at once. With a flick of his wrist, Jensen placed the four of us in an invisible bubble, protecting us from the shards. Ratta demons oozed into the condo from every available opening. Small, green, their bodies completely covered in razor-sharp spines, the nasty little herd demons were easy to kill one on one, but in a horde, which was how they preferred to travel, they could be deadly. And just like the last species of demon encountered at the pub, they weren’t usually spotted on our plane of existence. Leaping over the back of the couch, a blade in each hand, I dropped into a defensive position. Monica and Lily were seconds behind me, each adopting their preferred battle-ready position, one on each side of me. Jensen glided up in front of us, flames erupting from his hands, roaring through

the throng of demon invaders. Ashes lifted into the air, flitting around us. Thrusting my blades back into my boots, I stalked forward, shoving at Jensen. “Damn you! Why the fuck would you do that? Again? It’s exactly what you did in the bar and you don’t even have a decent excuse this time!” Jensen’s eyes glowed, lit from within. “Don’t I? This is my home. I have a right to do as I see fit when it comes to protecting what’s mine.” What’s his? Oh, yeah, sure, he’s talking about his condo. Except he’s also talking about me. “Maybe I shouldn’t have been fighting at the bar because I wasn’t exactly sober, but this time I was ready and you know it.” He grabbed my wrists, yanking me against his chest, his hot breath mingling with mine. My heart rattled within my ribcage, threatening to break free. If I thought he exuded seduction pheromones regularly, his body was working overtime at the moment. It was all I could do not to melt at his feet and beg him to fuck me right then and there. The only thing holding me back was my iron will, which I was pretty sure was about to be smelted if I stayed in close with him. “Val,” he purred. “It’s time we stop playing this game. You want me, and I want you.” He bent to nuzzle my neck, and I bowed back, allowing him access even as I considered a way to make my escape. “If it was only sex, we wouldn’t have an issue. It’s you wanting more.” My fingers threaded in his hair, and I ordered my body to push him away, but instead, I pulled him closer. Come on, Riss. Do not do this. “You want more, too. You’re just afraid.” I wiggled, grasping at anything that might force him to let me go. “We’re not alone. Lily and Monica are here.” He nibbled on the tender flesh along my jaw. “Not anymore.” Traitors! I’ll deal with them later. “What about the windows?” “Already taken care of.” He tore at my shirt, the fabric falling down my shoulders.

His magic. Of course he would use it when he was like this, practically high on the stuff. “The demons,” I moaned as his fingers skimmed along the apex of my thighs. “We need to figure out why they attacked like that again. They’re targeting one of us.” “We’ll figure all of that out later.” Grabbing him by the ears, I tugged his head up, forcing him to meet my gaze. “This will be the last time we do this.” His upper lip curled, baring his teeth in a savage grin. “Then I better make it count.” He hefted me over his shoulder and palmed my ass, turning toward the stairs. I smacked at his back from my upside-down position. “I mean it, Jensen. This is it. After tonight we’re one hundred percent officially over.” He smacked my ass hard. “If you say so.” I opened and shut my mouth with an audible click. Yeah, okay, Riss, you don’t believe it any more than he does. You’re just giving yourself permission to give in to what you really want. But it’s too late to turn back now. Enjoy it tonight and punish yourself tomorrow.

12

Sun streamed through the cracked room-darkening curtains, a thin slice running along Jensen’s muscular back. His face pressed halfway into the pillow, he snored softly, the epitome of being at peace. I was the opposite of peaceful, having been awake for hours, my thoughts ping-ponging between selfflagellation and considering waking him for more of his blissful attention. My body was all too eager to make up for the Jensen deprivation I’d suffered over the last two months, despite my mental protests. I was frozen, locked in indecision. I should have escaped, slipped from bed the moment I woke up, but instead, I lingered, delighting in the delicious soreness in my muscles and between my thighs. I lovingly traced the hard planes of Jensen’s body with my gaze, sweeping over his wide shoulders down to his narrow waist, and settling on his perfectly round ass. I was lucky to have spent any significant time with a man like Jensen, not only because of his carnal skills, but because he was the full package. Smart, funny, handsome, and yeah, just the right amount of domineering to get my blood boiling. But you can’t keep him. It’s not in the cards for you two. Never has been. If you love him, and there’s no point in denying that you do, it’s time for you to let him go. For real this time. “You don’t get to make decisions for me,” Jensen rumbled, his face still pressed into the pillow, although his eyes were slitted open, locked onto me. I scrunched up my nose. “I didn’t say anything.” “You didn’t have to. It’s written all over your face. Plus, I knew last night you were going to do this as soon as our sweat cooled. It’s the same thing you’ve been trying to do for months.” He flopped over, running his hands through his hair in frustration. “You think you’re doing what’s best for me—for us. But you don’t get to make that decision for me.”

Slumping back against my pillow, I eyed him warily. “It’s not as simple as that.” He pushed up onto his elbows, his hair an adorable mess. “Isn’t it though?” Maybe it was the familiarity of being in his bed again. Or possibly because I was emotionally exhausted. Whatever it was, I was horrified when the words, “I’m scared,” slipped from my mouth. Jensen sat up, and slid in beside me, pulling me against his chest. He stroked my hair gently as his breath fanned along the top of my head. “It’s okay to be scared. But we can get through this together.” “And what if we can’t?” I inhaled his inviting spicy scent, letting it comfort me, and yet hating how it did. “We’ll never know until we try.” Jensen’s heart thrummed a steady rhythm under my ear, the sound another comfort I detested. “If I get used to having you there, and then one day you’re not, then what?” Just the mere mention of it caused my heart to twist with fear and set off at a gallop. “Let me get this straight … you’re afraid of losing me, so you’ve decided to push me away using any means necessary?” He snorted. “You knew I was a bit neurotic when you met me.” I traced a circular pattern on his chest, goosebumps rising along his skin. He snorted again. “A bit?” I smacked his chest lightly. “Hey.” He kissed the top of my head and squeezed me to him. “But you’re my neurotic Valkyrie.” “It’s just … I don’t know if I can do it. This. Us. I never wanted a relationship. My focus needs to be on hunting demons. My life will never be normal.” “Come on, be realistic. My Val would never be in a relationship unless she wanted to be. She doesn’t do things she doesn’t want.”

I nipped at his nipple, causing it to pebble. “I do lots of things I don’t want to.” “Not when it comes to men. You are the most stubborn woman I’ve ever come across.” He had no idea how much power he truly wielded with me, but I suppose it’s like that when you love someone—they hold your heart in the palm of their hand. He was partially correct though. If I didn’t want to be with him on some level, there would be nothing he could do to coerce me, no matter how sexy he was. “We’ve been apart two months.” He trailed his hand down to palm my ass. “Yeah. I’m aware.” “Two whole months.” “So you’ve said.” “You didn’t hook up with anyone while we were apart? You know, pull a Ross Geller on me?” His fingers dug into my flesh, his pulse picking up speed. “Is there something you want to tell me?” “No,” I squeaked. “This isn’t about me.” Suddenly, I found myself on my back, his expression thunderous. “Were you with someone else while we were apart?” I bucked against his hold on me, jutting my chin out. “I asked you first. Answer the damn question.” He leaned into me, his eyes wild. “Did you fuck someone else? Tell me.” “Did you?” His nostrils flared. “You should know better. There are no other women for me.” I turned my face to the side, idly tracing my gaze over the random items on the nightstand. “I tried.”

“What does that mean, you tried?” His voice broke low, a guttural sound of anger and hurt intermingled. “Just what it sounds like. I picked out a hot guy at Wilde Stallions when I was there one night and decided I was going to force myself to get over you by getting under someone new.” His grip on my wrists tightened, but he remained silent, waiting for me to continue. “We made out. He groped me a bit.” I sighed heavily. “But it didn’t do anything for me.” I swung my gaze back to meet his. “He wasn’t you.” Jensen stared at me, chest heaving. “In fact, it made me want to get away from you even more.” “Not a chance,” he rasped. “I’m never letting you go.” He shook his head. “I can’t believe you were going to fuck some random guy.” “You were some random guy once upon a time.” He pressed himself into me. “I was never some random guy.” I snickered. “Ah, but you were.” “No, I wasn’t.” He ground against me. I grinned. “Are you going to fuck me so hard I won’t be able to think of another guy ever again?” I wiggled in offering. “Because, if so, I’m totally okay with that. In fact, I read this romance novel a few weeks ago where the—” He stole my words as he flipped me over and drove into me. Yep, I definitely wasn’t going to tell Jensen about my little fib until after he was done erasing the memory of the fictitious guy from my flesh. We still had some issues to work out, the tracking spell for one, but sex had never been our problem, and for the moment I was going to revel in our strengths.

I strolled into my condo a few hours later, sore and satiated. Slumped on our couch, Lily peered at me over her Flower Power mug. “Where’s Monica?” “Home,” she grunted, taking a long sip from her mug. “But she’ll be in touch.” Swiping Lily’s mug, I took a swig of the sugary concoction. “Blak! How about some coffee with your sugar?” She took it back, scowling at me. “Nobody offered you any. Plus, you know how I take my brew.” “Brew?” I flopped down beside her. “Okay, if that’s what you want to call it.” Nudging me with her foot, Lily grinned. “You and Jensen back together now?” “Maybe.” She kicked me. “Well, that’s a yes coming from you.” Imbibed with a burst of energy, she pushed up to her knees. “Tell me what happened. Was he all romantic? Did he profess his undying love for you, and then you fell into his arms after confessing you felt the same?” I rolled my eyes. “Here we go again. Enough with all your Hollywood romance crap. Jensen and I made up, yes. But we aren’t exactly the mushy kind of couple.” She nodded, her curls bouncing around her face. “Oooh, right. You guys are more the dominant couple trope like from a shifter romance. Was he all growly then? Like ‘you belong to me.’ And you were like, ‘I belong to no one.’ Then he was like—” I whipped a flowered accent pillow at her head. “Hey! You almost made me spill.” “What?” I tapped my chin in feigned confusion. “Isn’t that what those are for?”

Lily was always adding flower touches around our condo. A pillow here, a picture there, until I felt like I was living in a botanical garden gift shop. “Well, it doesn’t matter how as long as the two of you are back together. And don’t try to lie to me, I know you have romance novels hidden in the back of your closet.” I have no privacy with her. Seriously. And just because I read romance doesn’t mean I think it’s reality. At least not for me. Which is something she’ll never understand, hence why my stash is hidden. Shifting, I sighed heavily and stared out the window. Jensen and I were back together, but we hadn’t made any real progress in our relationship. Although, it wasn’t exactly what I’d been after to begin with. Yes, I still wanted the tracking spell removed, which was bound to start another fight, but my goal had been to end things with Jensen permanently. Not fall back into bed with him. When I looked at it that way, I’d completely failed. “What’s that dramatic sigh about?” Lily groaned. “Are you going to break it off with him again? Why, Riss, why?” She slammed her fist against her thigh. “No.” I pulled my lower lip between my teeth. “I mean, I don’t think so.” But nothing had changed. I’d merely given in to the pull between us, tired of fighting it. Lily slammed her mug onto the coffee table, glaring at me. “You’re lucky to have a guy like him, and you take him for granted. If you’re not careful, someone will come along and steal him right out from under you.” My chest tightened. “No one is going to take him from me.” “Ah, so maybe deep down you never thought you were going to lose him. This was all another one of your twisted games.” “Twisted games?” “Mmmhmm … you heard me, twisted games. I don’t know why you do them. Is it a test? Are you testing him?” She snagged her mug and shuffled off to the kitchen, calling over her shoulder, “But you need to stop. One day he won’t be there when you expect him to be if you keep pushing him away.”

“I’m going to hop in the shower.” Heading upstairs, Lily’s words followed me, swirling around in my brain for consideration. She was my baby sister, but sometimes she made a bit of sense. At any point during our breakup period had I even considered the option that Jensen wouldn’t be waiting with open arms? No, I hadn’t. Maybe I did take him for granted, just a little. Quite possibly, Monica, Lily, and hell, even my mom, were right, and I needed to enjoy what time I had with Jensen. To stop pushing him away because I was afraid of what could happen if I lost him. And yet, I was terrified of grabbing onto even the little piece of true happiness Jensen offered, because I was sure it would be ripped away. It’s easier to live in the dark when that’s all you know, but turn on the light for even a few minutes, and you’ll always what things looked like. Jensen had turned on my light, and I didn’t want to be plunged back into darkness. Lily scrambled past me in the hallway and slammed the bathroom door shut. “You snooze you lose!” she hollered, followed by an evil laugh. “You’re an asshole, you know that?” I kicked the door. “You love me!” “Whatever.” If she wanted to play that game, I’d have to eat all of her double chocolate chip cookies she thought were hidden but weren’t. “Enjoy your shower,” I singsonged, a malicious grin pulling my lips up. Yep, I traded my soul to save her life, but let her steal my shower time without any repercussion? Definitely not.

13

“I don’t want to be at your crappy eighties bar,” Lily whined, swinging her legs on the barstool. “I have a shoot tomorrow.” “You’re the one who said our next hunt should be proactive because you didn’t want to play bait again.” I motioned at the crowd packed into the small bar. “There’s bound to be a demon here somewhere. You know this place is like a magnet to them.” “All bars are magnets for demons. Pretty much this entire city is a magnet for them. We could have gone somewhere else, anywhere else. Like that nice wine bar in The Gulch.” “We get to drink for free here.” I took a long pull of my beer to emphasize my point. “And I’m always the one paying no matter where we go.” “Because you make more money than me.” “You mean this crappy bar makes more money than you.” She fluffed her curls, gaze darting over the crowd. “So far no one is looking like anything more than the run-of-the-mill douche or asshat.” Nudging me, she took a dainty sip from her Kahlua and cream. “Why tonight though?” “Because I’m getting antsy waiting on information about Pestilence.” I couldn’t shake the feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop. First, there was the demon who’d been searching for something in my head, then Tomas, then the demon attacks. Add in the Hell marked offering up an alliance, and a pattern was beginning to form. But until we had the one vital piece of intel, whether or not Pestilence had been killed, we couldn’t form a viable plan. “You could have spent some quality time with Jensen.” Lily waggled her eyebrows. “He has a job he has to do sometimes, too, you know.”

“He runs a private security firm. How much work does that really involve?” “Dunno.” I took another sip of my beer. “His involvement seems sporadic. I think since he runs and owns the company he just does troubleshooting and whatnot.” “Sounds boring.” I nodded. “Yep, which is why I don’t know a whole lot about it. My eyes glaze over every time he talks about work-related stuff.” Lily shoved at my shoulder. “That’s shitty. You’re a shitty girlfriend. Seriously. How do you have someone like Jensen all starry-eyed about you when I can’t get any more single if I tried?” “I can’t help it. I try to pay attention, but then I usually—” I clamped my mouth shut, cutting off the rest of my sentence. No way was I going to it to my baby sister that I got distracted by Jensen’s sensual lips, and then the next thing I knew I would be kissing them, that leading to … other stuff. The tips of my ears heated; luckily my hair was covering them. “Never mind. Let’s just say Jensen doesn’t mind.” Lily smirked. “Freaks.” Ignoring her, I finished my beer and motioned to Benny to grab me another. “You want a Yazoo hefe again?” Benny yelled across the bar. I quirked an eyebrow. “Duh. local.” Plus, it was a damn good beer. He set the fresh bottle on the bar, his gaze lingering on an oblivious Lily. He reluctantly heeded the call of another customer when she didn’t so much as notice him. I elbowed her. “You’re too hung up on this true love, soul mate thing. Now, I’m not going to say that I agree that Jensen and I are fated or any other bullshit like that, but you do. You want what we have, and I can tell you that the only thing I was after when we first met was getting him naked. I had no idea how things would turn out.”

She sipped on her drink, staring at me. “Don’t give me that look. I did not know on any level, even deep down in my subconscious.” She raised her eyebrows, continuing to primly pull liquor through the tiny red straw. “It wasn’t fate that he moved in near us either. All of it was chance.” Her lips curled up around the edges of the straw. “Oh, whatever.” I picked up my beer. “You’re insane.” She slurped the end of her drink and set the empty glass on the bar. Benny was already making her a new one without a word from her. “Speaking of insane … It’s sixty-five degrees outside, why are you wearing knee-high, leather boots?” “You know why.” I preferred boots as a method of weapon concealment to all others. I had several pairs altered to fit my needs. I would wear them as long as I could get away with it weather-wise. After all, we did live in the south, and the humidity in the summer did not mix with my leather footwear. “I thought you were working on a bra holster or something?” “I still am. It’s not as easy as I thought though. Not with the blades I like to carry.” Lily grunted as she scanned the crowd. “You know, no matter what you say, I’m still bait. I’m always the bait.” Benny chose that moment to set her refill on the bar. Glaring, I waved him off. Frowning, he retracted the drink. “That was your last one.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I was done anyways. I’m not a complete lush like my sister.”

“I’m not a lush.” Sure, I’d been hitting the bottle a bit hard during my time apart from Jensen, but as a girl in her twenties, I was permitted a bit of normalcy … or a bit of recklessness, depending on perspective. Monica slid onto the barstool next to me, having appeared from seemingly nowhere. She never outright itted it, but I was sure Heaven-marked hunters were gifted with more than superior speed and healing. “Didn’t see you walk in,” I muttered. “Your hair!” Lily exclaimed. “I love it! I mean, I loved it before, but I love it natural! Not many people can pull off short hair! And speaking of the eighties, you kind of remind me of a young Grace Jones. Totally fierce. Grrr!” Of course, I hadn’t noticed the change in style of Monica’s hair until Lily pointed it out. She’d worn dreads since I’d known her, but now her hair was cut short, the natural, curly texture released. I had to it, with her high cheekbones, and long neck, she was even more stunning than before. Monica ran her hand over her hair self-consciously. “I’m not used to it yet. But I needed a change.” The rest hung in the air unsaid. She needed a change after Tomas. It didn’t mean she was moving on or pushing him into the past, it was a clear attempt to make peace with her new reality. It was a way to exert power over something when she felt out of control. “I agree. You look good. And yeah, a ringer for a young Grace Jones. I think there’s a poster of her here somewhere.” I took a swig from my beer. “How’d you know we were here?” “Had a feeling.” She glanced at the empty stage. “No live music tonight?” “Only Thursday through Sunday,” Lily responded. “The rest of the time it’s golden oldies from the eighties from the sound system.” “Hmm …” Monica shifted. Her gaze flitted around as if she didn’t know what to do or say next. It only then occurred to me that we’d never hung out casually before without Tomas. It was either the business of hunting that brought our small group together or if we were socializing, Tomas and Jensen were usually present as well. Now it was just us girls with a pile of subjects none of us wanted to breach.

I waved Benny over again and pointed to Monica. “Get her whatever she wants, on my tab.” Lily leaned back on the bar with her elbows. “I’ll have another Kahlua and cream, Benny.” She smiled, and the poor boy stared as if dazzled. Snapping my fingers, I got his attention again. “Lily’s still cut off.” Benny’s shoulders slumped. “Sorry, Lily.” I scowled. “Don’t apologize to her. And get Monica a drink.” Shaking her head at me, Monica said, “I’ll have a Yazoo, um, the Dos Perros.” Benny hurried off to fill her order. “Over there.” Monica nonchalantly tilted her head. “Three o’clock.” Casually, I turned my attention to the right. “Ah, Mogwais.” Lily and I had nicknamed the demons in question after the cute little guys in the 80’s movie Gremlins because of their aversion to bright light. We’d also been at Wilde Stallions that night with the decade in the forefront of our minds when we first came across them. Monica chuckled. “Mogwais. Huh. Guess I can see why it works.” She chuckled again. “You two with all your cute little nicknames for demons. Do you use any of the real ones?” “Sometimes. If we know them. Like the Ratta demons from the condo.” Lily played with a few strands of her curls, unabashedly staring at the Mogwais. The group of them, four if there weren’t any more wandering the bar, lurked in the shadows together, scoping out prey. To the casual observer, they were a lot like vampires—pale, skinny, attractive in a brooding goth sort of way—but the big difference was their meal plan. Mogwais fed on souls instead of blood. Plus, vampires weren’t demons. They were just another brand of supernatural. A type that I ignored unless they got carried away with feeding and killed someone. Then it was a stake through the heart from me, free of charge. Peeling at the label on my beer, I considered. “It’s a no-brainer to lure them

away from the crowd. We all know that needs to happen.” “Yep.” Monica took a sip from her fresh beer. “And we also don’t want any to escape so they can warn other demons to stay away from Wilde Stallions. I quite enjoy the easy marks the bottom feeders that come here are.” Lily and I went after bigger problems often, especially the ones who drew attention to themselves by way of a body count, but there was something to be said for taking out the low-hanging fruit. It added up our kill totals and kept my business open to continue making us money. Rolling her eyes, Lily slipped off her stool and tugged down her already low tank top. “I knew I’d end up being the bait, as usual.” She wasn’t wrong, exactly. I hadn’t planned on asking her to be bait, but if she was willing, my sister was the obvious choice on how to wrangle the Mogwais. “Get them back into the office. Heather won’t be in until later.” Sighing dramatically, Lily trotted over to them. Like she wielded her own special brand of magical demon lure, all four Mogwais trailed along after her with only a few words. Monica’s eyes widened. “That’s amazing.” Preferring to normally hunt with Tomas, Monica had never seen Lily as bait before. “If only we could bottle and sell it to other hunters, we’d be rich by now.” Hopping off my stool, I bowed with a flourish. “Shall we?” Monica grinned. “Yes, we shall.” In unison, Monica and I skulked after Lily and her adoring fans, hot on their heels. Lily could stall, and hold her own against four Mogwais if she needed to, but I didn’t want to put her in that position. Besides, missteps could happen. “What’s going on?” Mogwai one hissed as we ed their little party in the office. They’d been clustered around my sister, who was backed into a corner. My lips curled up into a sneer as I reached into my boots to produce my blades. “Oh? We weren’t invited to the party?” I flipped the light on, and hisses filled the room as the demons covered their sensitive eyes.

Charging, I swung my arm in a wide arc, connecting with the Mogwai on the right and taking his head in a clean sweep. Ashes lifted into the air, swirling behind me as I moved quickly to take out the demon to the left of me in the same manner. I halted, gaze connecting with Lily’s then Monica’s. “That was …” I sighed. “Who wants to go look for more demons?” Swiveling on my heel, I led the three of us back to the bar, our seats no longer vacant. “We could see if any demons are lurking around that cute wine bar in The Gulch,” Lily suggested. “Fine,” I growled. After all, the chances of us finding any more demons at Wilde Stallions tonight were pretty slim. Not only did I want more of a fight, but I had a feeling Monica did, too. She needed to focus on hunting instead of the Tomasshaped hole in her heart. “I’m in,” Monica said, all but confirming my suspicions. Lily linked arms with her, skipping through the crowd. “This is going to be fun!” Rolling my eyes, I followed behind them. I didn’t want fun. I needed a real fight to get my aggression out. I more than needed, I craved. But I would take what I could get.

14

My fist connected squarely with the side of the demon’s face, spinning her head a full one-eighty. She whipped around, lunging at me with her claws. Dodging to the right, I bounced on the balls of my feet. “Can’t for human anymore, huh, bug?” I laughed, the sound echoing off the brick walls sandwiching us into the alleyway. “Bug?” Monica’s question reached me from a few dozen feet away, where she stood with my sister. “It’s because they’re so bendy, like a bug,” Lily replied, tone cheerful. “I came up with that one myself.” “How long is she going to play with it before putting it down?” Monica stage whispered in an attempt to chastise me without actually uttering the words directly to me. “Dunno,” Lily mumbled. The bug scampered from side to side, arms held at an awkward angle, reminding me of a praying mantis with its head on backward. With a crack and a pop, the demon rectified the situation, hissing with anger. It crawled up the brick wall, muscles coiled, large, black eyes tracking my every move. Pushing off the wall, the bug sailed through the air at me, claws extended. Ducking low, I punched up, throwing her off balance. She toppled to the ground, landing on her side. Quickly scrambling to her feet, she glared at me, hissing again. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. I get it. You’re pissed.” Finally growing bored with the game, I slid my blades out of my boots and waited. So hopped up on fury, the bug didn’t even hesitate to rush me again.

With one swipe of my blade, her head toppled from her body, turning to ash before it hit the ground. I sighed demonstratively. “I bet fighting a bug would be funner if it wasn’t in an alley.” Sadly, it seemed as if ninety-nine percent of our dealings with demons took place in alleyways. It made sense, since our prey was generally lured from bars and nightclubs when we were in Nashville. Plus, it was relatively private for what we needed to do. Even so, every once in a while, I got a jonesing for a real fight—something challenging. The incident with the BBD when I’d been caught off guard wasn’t what I was talking about either. I’d been off my game that night, not given an actual run for my money. Lips twisted as if pain, Lily tapped her chin. “Funner isn’t a word.” I smirked, knowing how my penchant to make up words bothered the crap out of her. Although, in this case, I was fairly certain funner was legit. “It is.” We both turned to Monica in unison for her input. She raised her hands in surrender, backing away slowly. “Don’t look at me. I have no idea what is and isn’t a word anymore. I heard irregardless was added to the dictionary, so …” Even I grimaced at that one. “If that’s true then funner is definitely a word.” “Ugh!” Lily grated, storming away from me. Monica fell into step beside me as we trailed my sister, heading in the direction of our transportation. She cleared her throat. “Tomas was that way, too.” “What way?” But I already knew. Tomas and I both enjoyed fighting demons. For us, the numbers were the most important thing, but we also enjoyed a good hunt. “The fight. He reveled in it. The brutality of it.” “And your point is?” She halted abruptly, resting her hand on my shoulder. “Be careful. Violence is a slippery slope.”

Is she serious with this shit? “They’re demons.” She clicked her tongue once, turning to follow Lily again. “Heed my warning.” “That’s not why Tomas was killed,” I called after her. But I was met with silence. “Whatever,” I grumbled. “Next she’ll be talking to me about demon rights and their feelings.” My good mood effectively squashed, I shuffled down the sidewalk, ready to call it a night.

The tall corn stalks swayed in the wind and I sneezed. “Bless me,” I muttered, not sure why. I supposed it never hurt to cover my ass on all bases. Yeah, because a ridiculous, antiquated superstition is going to be the thing that puts you over the edge, ultimately letting you into Heaven. A trill of laughter, shrill and multi-layered, drew my attention to the field on the left. “Just what I need, some real-life children of the corn.” In actuality, what I was dealing with was an infestation of farm demons. Lily and I had dubbed them the trite name because of their tendency to end up on farms. They enjoyed spreading blights and diseases, feeding off the strife of the family living on the land, eventually killing them in the end as well. They could go anywhere, infect anyone, but they perpetually surfaced on farms. This particular case had been uncovered after I unearthed a pattern of dead and dying farms in the rural parts of Pennsylvania with no scientific explanation. I’d been too late to save the last farm. This time the little bastards weren’t getting away. “Are they being all creepy and hiding in the corn?” Lily crowded in beside me, her shoulders raised up to practically her ears. “Yup.” Tilting my head, I listened for more signs of the demons. Hiding in the corn was a good tactic, I had to it. They were small, resembling what books and movies usually portrayed as goblins, their size easily hidden in the stalks. “Too bad we can’t just burn them out.” Lily fidgeted with the steel blade in her hand. It was one borrowed from me, so the grip was a bit off since mine were custom. She was still figuring out what her favorite hunting tool was, not yet settling the way I had. Although, she struggled with the killing part of hunting a bit more than I did, preferring to do things at a distance if she could. In fact, she’d played with the idea of a crossbow until she realized she would have to get close for the kill strike regardless. She had time to figure it out, though—at seventeen most things remained undecided. “If we torch the fields, then we’ve kind of defeated the point of saving the farm.” “Yeah, I guess.” She tugged on the gumband in her hair with her free hand. “What did you tell Mom we were doing this time?”

“Research for school. On agricultural stuff.” Lily snorted. “And she bought it?” “I know. I barely have to try. Almost makes me feel bad that she trusts us.” We turned to each other and said in unison, “Almost.” Taking a few steps closer to the corn, I gripped my blades tighter. “All right. We’re going to have to go in there eventually. , we’re faster and smarter than them. We got this.” “We got this,” Lily repeated, all the blood draining from her face. I smiled encouragingly. “We do … got this that is.” If I could hunt alone and share my kill numbers with Lily I would. She was not built mentally to be a hunter. If I didn’t drag her on regular hunts, she would no doubt end up in Hell due to her lack of participation in the game. “Riss.” I whirled, Tomas’ unexpected voice catching me off guard. Staggering, he went to his knees as he reached for me. His hair and face were covered in blood, pieces of skin hanging off his battered frame. “Please.” My heart thrashed against my ribcage, and my stomach twisted, bile pushing up my esophagus. “What are you doing here?” Rushing toward him, the distance between us remained the same, the landscape distorting. What the fuck? “Please. Don’t do this.” “Don’t do what?” Wait. This isn’t right. This has to be a dream. I didn’t know Tomas when I was twenty-two years old. He doesn’t belong here. “Riss. Fight it. This isn’t you. I refuse to believe it’s you.” Tugging at my hair, I continued to run. “Tomas! What are you talking about? What isn’t me?” A flash of the Hell marked skidded across my mind, followed by the demon who nearly killed me, dark tentacles lashing against me.

Everything went black before erupting into flames. A scream erupted from my throat, and I kicked the blanket off of me. My bedroom slowly came into focus as I blinked away the nightmare. Rolling over, I checked my cellphone, the message alert lit up.

Still trying to fix this mess at work. No news about Pestilence. See you tonight.

Jensen’s absence was disappointing since I would have liked to drown out the images from my nightmare with some naked time with him. Instead, I tumbled out of bed and shuffled across the floor. “Oh, hey.” Benny paused outside of Lily’s bedroom door, his head dipping sheepishly. I rubbed my eyes to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating. “What are you doing here?” “Oh, um … I gotta get goin’.” He thundered down the stairs, the front door slamming shut a moment later. I shuffled over to Lily’s door and pounded. “What was Benny doing here?” Without waiting for a response, I entered her room. Leaning against her headboard, my sister grinned at me. I frowned. “If it was anyone else, I’d assume you slept with him.” I arched my eyebrows, silently demanding an explanation. I knew Benny had a thing for Lily. Anyone with eyes would know that the way he followed her around like a puppy when she was at the bar. I frequently teased her about it but never thought I’d have to have the talk about not scaring away my employees. Especially the good ones. She gathered her wild curls on top of her head. “We stayed up talking all night.” Climbing out from under her comforter, she clambered to the edge of the bed,

her hands clasped in front of her chest. “It was amazing.” I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. I didn’t want to take away from her obvious delight. Personally, postcoital whispered words, deep thoughts, and secrets topped the up-all-night thing anytime. But to each is own. Plus, you kind of had to be sexually active for my preference to happen, and Lily was not. Leaning against the door frame, I crossed my arms. “Sooo … you like him?” Settling in the center of the bed, she crossed her legs. “There are no red flags yet.” “Could he be your true love then?” I bit back a laugh at her horrified expression. “No! I would have known right away if he was.” “Okay, now I’m confused. I thought you didn’t want to waste your time with anyone other than your true love slash soul mate.” Flopping backward, she sighed dramatically. “I don’t know what I’m doing anymore. I mean, how many twenty-four-year-old virgins do you know of?” “Don’t worry about anyone else. Do what makes you happy.” She sighed again. “That’s the thing. I’m not sure I’m happy waiting anymore. I have urges and needs, too. I’m a grown woman.” Clapping my hands over my ears, I retreated to the hallway. “I do not want to hear about your urges and needs. Talk to someone else about those.” “Like who?” she called. “I don’t know. Anyone but me. If you need advice that doesn’t involve those come and find me … but, you know, you have the whole Internet at your fingertips.” No matter how old we got there was a part of me that would always see Lily as a little kid. A child too young physically and emotionally to handle a complicated relationship involving sex of any kind. I knew her innocence wouldn’t last forever, but I could pretend otherwise as long as she’d let me.

Groaning, I made my way downstairs, my mind clouded with things I didn’t want to think about. My nightmare with Tomas, Pestilence, Lily’s sex life … Maybe I should start my day with a tequila sunrise. No one but me would have to know.

15

Blinking away a red haze from my vision, I staggered back, narrowly missing a claw puncture to the stomach. Swiping at the sweat on my face, I backpedaled, giving myself more room to maneuver. “Riss, look out!” Lily screeched from behind me, too little too late. Fighting another bug so soon—the mate of the female I killed—was supposed to be another fun jaunt into the world of demon hunting, a release of aggression in the only productive way I knew. But something was wrong. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it either. I was slower than normal, almost sluggish, my muscles weak, as if fatigued, and my concentration was shot, my mind wandering to things it shouldn’t when my life was on the line. Most of it could be explained away from my lack of decent sleep, but it was more than that. Maybe I’m getting sick. Twice marked were immune to demon bred pox, such as the one Pestilence let loose, but we were still susceptible to human ailments such as colds and the flu. We fought them off quicker, our immune systems robust, but every once in a while, one of us went down for the count due to a mundane virus. Gritting my teeth, I ducked another onslaught from the bug, claws meeting steel blades with a dull ping. Drawing on every last bit of reserve, something I rarely had to do, I lunged, taking the bug’s head. Burnt embers turned to ash, floating to the ground as I hunched over, hands on my knees, gasping for air, chest heaving. “I think I need to get home to bed.” Dancing up onto her tiptoes, Lily pressed the back of her hand to my forehead. “You don’t feel hot.” Shirking out from under her, I lurched toward the entrance of the alleyway. A headache bloomed, shooting pain through my skull. “Maybe I don’t have a fever, but I don’t feel right.” She fell into step beside me, offering herself for me to lean on. I did my best to

resist, but that only lasted for a moment or two before my forearm was on her shoulder for . Grunting under my weight, even if it was partial, Lily led me slowly toward our car, each step labored. “If I didn’t know you, I would have taken you for a regular human hunter.” Ungifted hunters, or unmarked human hunters, trained like nobody’s business and were nothing to laugh at, but compared to the marked brand of hunters, they were playing in the minors. “Which is why I think I’m getting sick.” “Do you want to go to the doctor? Or the clinic? Or … I know! Have Jensen work some warlock healing magic on you!” She grinned as if she’d found the solution to world hunger. “You know I don’t like him messing with my innards. What if something goes wrong?” Okay, fine. There was a possibility I’d watched one too many witch flavored shows when I was a kid where spells had a host of side effects, making the cake not worth the bake. I was paranoid to let Jensen do anything on me unless it was an emergency. If I was bleeding out, go for it. Anything short of that, no thank you. Lily rooted around in my jacket pocket for the car keys. “You don’t take advantage of dating a warlock nearly enough.” Folding myself into the enger side of our Leaf, I couldn’t help the smile that tugged the corner of my lips up. “Oh, I take advantage plenty.” “He doesn’t use magic during sex.” She stuffed the keys in the ignition and cranked. “I wouldn’t be so sure,” I muttered. Lily’s lower lip jutted out into a pout. “You don’t get to say things like that without expounding.” “Whatever.” I closed my eyes, drifting as Lily drove us home.

Staring at my bedroom ceiling with the covers tucked tightly under my chin, my thoughts turned to the situation with Jensen. With the snap of his fingers, or really, a couple of orgasms, we were back together almost like nothing happened. We’d been split up for two months, me determined to stay separated from him permanently, and I’d pushed all of that under the rug. How exactly did that happen? Did I ever actually want to be broken up with him, or had I fooled myself into believing it was the best thing in some self-fulfilling, self-destructive rampage? I did like to play the self-tortured twice-marked hunter often enough. Or that’s what both Lily and my mother claimed. My door swung open, and none other than Jensen himself strode in. Nibbling my lower lip, I tracked the way he moved with such confidence, his body all smooth efficiency. The man also had charisma, most falling under his charming spell immediately. Even I’d fallen prey. I often asked him if it was a part of the magic that makes him a warlock, but I never got a straight answer, or rather one that made sense to me. It was a yes or no question as far as I was concerned, but Jensen didn’t give me a yes or no answer. After toeing off his boots, Jensen slid into bed beside me. “Lily said you think you’re getting sick.” My sister chose then to burst into my room, hands waving frantically. “Monica’s on her way over. They found Devon dead.” Shock mingled with misplaced guilt twisted my gut. “What happened?” “He was found tortured just like Tomas.” Sucking in ragged breaths, she dropped her arms, staring blankly at me. I glanced at Jensen, attempting to ocularly communicate. The demons were searching for the weapon, regardless of its existence, just like we thought they might. “No news about Pestilence yet,” he said. Throwing the covers off of me, I reluctantly got out of bed. “Looks like we’re going to have to make a move with or without the full intel on Pestilence.”

Jensen nodded, his expression clouding over. “You need to rest up before you do anything though. You won’t do anyone any good if you’re sick.” He was wrong. Even sick I would find a way to protect my fellow hunters. After all, who was to say Lily and I were any safer than the rest? Tomas had been the best of us, and he was dead. A flash from my nightmare, Tomas bloodied and reaching for me, skidded across my mind. Shaking it off, I jogged down the stairs, ready to get down to business.

16

“I t’s like déjà vu all over again.” Normally, if I said something like that, Lily would correct the redundancy, but the current mood of the room was somber. I couldn’t help it, though. Here the four of us were again in our living room, discussing the murder of a twice-marked hunter. Monica’s features were pinched, her body tense. “Devon was in as bad shape if not worse than Tomas.” Jensen grimaced, pushing his hand through his hair. “He was just a kid.” While not technically a child anymore, Devon was young, having just turned eighteen a few short months ago. Being a Nashville native, born and raised, the rare bird that made him, we shared some of the same hunting grounds. Travel for him before legal adulthood was complicated. Especially since his parents had no clue about his twice marked status or that he’d been hunting demons since the age of twelve. Even younger than Lily had been. Drumming my fingers along my thigh, I considered. “First Tomas, whose home base was Tennessee, and now Devon, whose home base was also Tennessee. Was there a connection besides that?” Lily nibbled on her thumbnail. “I don’t like that at all. It’s a little too close to home. My chest constricted, and I turned to Jensen. His eyes darkened as they swept over my features, and I knew what he was thinking. He was worried about my safety the same way I was about Lily’s. “How long until you think the demon will have news about Pestilence?” “Hard to say.” He inched closer to me, his nostrils flaring. “You should let me put a protective barrier on your condo.” My face contorted to contain my laugh. “Lot of good that kind of thing did for your condo. Those Ratta demons came bursting right through your windows.”

Jensen glowered. “I had to take the barriers down when I summoned the demon.” “Mmm-hmm …” Lily jiggled her foot, her anxiety palpable. “You mean we don’t currently have that?” She glared at me. “Seriously, why do we not have that?” I flicked her forehead once before she could lean back out of my reach. “Because we shouldn’t rely on warlock magic. It’ll make us complacent and sloppy.” What I didn’t say, which by the knowing glint in my sister’s eyes she already knew, was that I didn’t want to rely on Jensen because he might not be at my disposal at some point. Like during a two-month break-up for instance. Turning to Jensen, Lily stuck out her lower lip, whining, “What, you can put a tracking spell on Riss without her permission, but you can’t seal us inside our home in a nice, little, protective bubble without full consent?” “I need resident participation.” “Nope,” I said. Lily delivered me a smug smile. “Well, I’m a resident here, too. Bills come in my name and everything. I would be delighted to participate in raising a protective barrier around our condo.” My nostrils flared. “You will do no such thing.” “You’re not the boss of me!” Lily countered, her eyes flashing. “We need a plan,” Monica interjected. “We can’t sit by and let anyone else get mutilated the way Tomas and Devon were.” Glaring at Lily, I silently made her a promise that our conversation was not over. “Anyone have any ideas?” I lifted my palms up. “Because I got nothing.” Monica leaned forward, attention locked onto Jensen. “If there was a Hell marked at the scene, do you think you could track him?” Jensen straightened, his lips curling up ever so slightly. “Since a Hell marked is

technically human, yeah, I’m pretty sure I can.” Seriously? We were not getting him any more involved with our hunting business than he already was. Next thing I know he’ll be wanting to accompany me everywhere I go as backup. Nope, nope, nopity, nope. “Hey, now. I’m sure we can track down anyone we need to on our own.” Monica stood, her dark gaze sparking. “But why make it that much more difficult when we have a warlock’s magic at our disposal?” I slapped my hand against my forehead. “Et tu, Brute? We don’t need him.” “You can cut the crap, Val,” Jensen grated, the muscles in his jaw jumping. “We’re back together. A couple. Doesn’t that mean we’re supposed to be a team?” I scowled. “In theory.” “Which part is supposed to be a theory? Huh, Val? The part that we’re back together or that we’re a team?” Grimacing, I tugged on my hair as I rapidly thought up excuses and rejected them. The truth was, just because we’d gotten back together, I wasn’t magically cured of my fears in regard to our relationship. Nothing had changed on that front. However, I had a feeling if I mentioned that little factoid to Jensen, especially now, he wouldn’t take it well. Jensen slapped his hand against the arm of the couch. “It’s taking you an awfully long time to answer the question. What? Can’t think of a believable lie to save your ass?” As often as it seemed like he plucked the thoughts right out of my head, it was surprising he was clueless sometimes. Then again, he could be willingly ignoring what he didn’t want to acknowledge. “I don’t want to fight with you right now, Jensen.” There, complete and total truth. Lily’s eyes flashed with annoyance even as her mouth stretched into a saccharine sweet smile. “Yeah, the rest of us are kind of sick of you fighting, too.” I stuck out my tongue at her, ever the mature older sister. “I’ll tell you what I’m

sick of … you not minding your own business.” “It is my business.” “No, not the part—” Monica slid in to stand in front of Lily, temporarily blocking my view. “Emotions are on high. Hunters, our friends, are dead. I get it. At this point in the game, we need to use every available tool at our disposal whether we like it or not.” She was right about all of it. Also, Lily and I had been bickering more than normal. It wasn’t just my stamina as a hunter that was off. There was a chance, although a minuscule one, that I was being completely insufferable since Jensen and I had split two months ago. Even though we were technically back together, I hadn’t worked through all the issues with him yet. For one, the tracking spell violation. Opening and closing my mouth several times, I bit back my words. Now is not the time to bring up the tracking spell again. After sex would be better when Jensen has his guard down. Or possibly during sex? Raising my eyebrows, I gave my boyfriend an evil grin. He frowned. “How about it, Jensen?” Monica’s voice broke into our stare-off. He ran his hand down his face, scratching at his scruff. “Um, how about what?” Shoulders slumping, Monica hefted out a long sigh. “Track the Hell marked? Will you do it?” “I’d be happy to help.” One side of his mouth tugged up, exposing a dimple, causing me to scowl. It’s okay. If you find the Hell marked from outside of the bar from the other night before Jensen gets a chance to wow anyone with his magic, then we won’t need him anymore. Even if the Hell marked wasn’t involved with Devon’s torture like he had been with Tomas’ he was a good lead. “All right then. Do you have the time now?”

Shit. Why, Monica, why? You’re not supposed to ask him to do it now. You’re supposed to say later, or tomorrow, or even next week. Lily popped a piece of gum in her mouth, chewing loudly. “Maybe Riss should stay here since she’s not feeling good.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “Not a chance in Hell.” She grinned, letting me know I played right into her plans. “I’m driving!” She grabbed the car keys off the table as she scurried toward the garage. “Shotgun!” Monica called, jogging after her. Great. I’d be stuck in the back with Jensen. Hadn’t I woken up lamenting his absence? Now I was pissed off at him again. All it took was being reminded of the tracking spell issue, another dead body, and being forced to let Jensen use his magic to help us. “Don’t think I’ve forgotten about the tracking spell. I still want it off. Just because we’re back together doesn’t mean I changed my mind.” He flung his arm around my shoulder, his chest rumbling with unappreciated laughter. “Oh. That’s what this is about.” “Duh.” It wasn’t completely but let him believe that if it caused him to let his guard down. He was more pliable when he wasn’t on the defensive. “I’m still not taking it off.” I shoved away from him. “We’ll see, asshat.” “Now, is that any way to talk to me after I worshipped your body with my tongue yesterday?” Sometimes I wondered if I would even like Jensen if not for our ridiculously pleasurable sex life. I stalked to the car, flung myself into the backseat, and waited for the show to get on the road.

17

Anger had been my constant companion for the last few days, and even when other emotions seeped to the forefront, anger still simmered within, boiling my blood. I wasn’t sure if it was the sudden death of Tomas alone, or if it was the loss of a friend combined with all the minor things shifting within my life that culminated to form the perfect cyclone of animosity. It didn’t matter. I did know for certain that when I leveled up to rage, it was because of the scene that lay before me. A concrete box, four walls, one door, no windows, a wannabe bomb shelter, covered in Devon’s dried blood. The images painted in crimson were chilling, and I couldn’t help but picture what happened there, the pain Devon must have endured in his last hours before his young life was cut viciously short. The details of the deal Devon made with Lucifer was not something I was privy to, but the fact that he was twice marked told me all I needed to know. He’d called to God for a selfless reason, but instead met with the first fallen angel, his ultimate reward the same damnation Lily and I both had been given—to become one of the twice marked. None of it was fair. If I hadn’t cast my voice Heavenward on that fateful night, I would be dead, but my soul would be safe. My fists balled at my sides. What’s the point to all of this? None of it makes a damn bit of sense. Is Devon burning in Hell, or resting in peace in Heaven? I shouldn’t have to wonder about such things. Death is tough enough as it is for those left behind. And what about Devon’s parents? The twice marked world that Devon lived in was unknown to them. Why did they also have to suffer for something their son shouldn’t have been punished for? Standing beside me, Lily’s small frame shook, her teeth chattering. I put my arm around her, pulling her into a side hug. “You okay?” She grabbed my hand as I went to pull away, squeezing it tightly. “I don’t think I am. It’s horrible—horrible that it happened to Devon.” She swallowed audibly. “But I can’t stop thinking what if it was me or you? Is that bad? I mean, he’s the one who died, and I can’t stop thinking about myself.”

Monica strode to the corner, lifting a blade I hadn’t previously noticed. “This was found … with Devon’s body.” With recognition came the burn of bile pushing up my esophagus. “It’s one of mine.” I’d lost many of my custom steel blades over the years, but I’d never had one show up at the scene of a murder before. Monica set it gingerly down at her feet, shuddering. “It means something. It’s a message of some sort.” She was right. There was no way it was a coincidence that one of my blades was used to torture and kill a twice marked, specifically someone I knew. “What kind of message is it if I don’t understand the meaning?” Jensen paused his slow perusal of the bloodied room, catching my gaze. “You lost a set of blades the night that demon got the best of you in the alley. The blade left behind could mean two things. One, he plans on targeting you next, or two, he wants you to know he’s involved.” Either was possible. Demons sometimes locked onto a perceived victim if they got away, and the demon from the alley might be working his own side agenda. Or he was gloating about getting away that night. Whatever the reason, it was a clue I was being taunted or baited. What the demons expected my reaction to be was anyone’s guess. Even after years of dealing with Hell’s denizens, occasionally their twisted logic was beyond my comprehension. The invitation from the Hell marked also factored into the puzzle. Could it be that they thought to threaten me into helping them find the weapon? Were they telling me more twice marked deaths would come if I didn’t help, therefore their blood was on my hands—or technically blade? Lily tugged my hand, stirring me from my inner musings. “I don’t care what you say, Jensen’s putting the strongest, most badass protection magic on our condo he can muster.” My mind conjured an image of Lily’s bloodied and broken body splayed in the center of the room, my blade protruding from her chest. Dread oozed from every pore in my body, my pulse surging with adrenaline. “Yeah, okay.” Even I wouldn’t put my stubbornness ahead of Lily’s safety.

Jensen cleared his throat. “I need everyone out of the room for me to work the tracking so I have as little interference as possible.” The three of us shuffled to the door, the heavy metal swinging open with a clang as it hit the concrete behind it. Jensen spun me to him before I could manage my exit, his arms wrapping around me tightly, his breath fanning across the top of my head. He didn’t say anything, giving me his comfort in his steadying presence alone. After pressing a soft kiss to my temple, he released me. “I love you, Val.” Yanking his head down, I briefly smashed my lips to his before slipping from the room and closing the door behind me. I loved Jensen for some inexplicable reason. Because, yes, when I attempted to pull our relationship apart, I usually ended up questioning everything, aside from the sex that is. What was it about him that pulled me in, causing me to seek him out in a way I never had with any other guy before? Or maybe that was the way it was with love—the heart wanted what the heart wanted, no explanations. After all, it couldn’t be easy for Jensen either. I knew I drove him every bit as bat-shit insane as he did me. There was no way he didn’t question why he put up with me. Any sane person would. Or maybe that was just it. Love makes us all a bit insane. “Devon wanted to go to college,” Lily whispered, jolting me from my unwanted introspection. Monica pulled her into a hug before I had the chance to react. “This life is hard.” Anger surged, loosening my tongue. “Yeah, it is. And none of us chose this life either. How is it fair that we ended up here?” Releasing Lily, Monica smiled sadly. “It’s not our place to question the plan of God.” “Like Hell it isn’t!” I punched the closest wall, earning me a moment of pain. “Because I’m not so sure there is a plan or a God.” Monica reared back as if slapped. “You—a twice marked—question the existence of God? How can you possibly doubt with everything you’ve seen and know?”

I threw my hands up in the air. “What? What have I seen? Lucifer, demons, death—the cruelty of humanity. Where are the miracles? The redemptions? Proof of any kind of plan at all?” Monica stared at me a few moments, her head eventually lifting until she focused straight above her. “God is there. But humans are given free will, and a part of that is choosing to have faith or not.” “After what’s been done to us—we were nineteen and fourteen years old—we did nothing wrong, and yet every day we fight a battle to save our immortal souls.” Monica leveled her gaze on me. “You were given a choice. You could have let nature take its course. Instead, you made a deal to save your sister’s life, and she made the same deal. If you’d said no to Lucifer, then your souls would be safe.” My chest heaved as I sucked in ragged breaths. “We’d be dead.” “All life comes to an end eventually.” We stared at each other a few moments, silence hanging thick between us until I spoke again. “I was ready to die. I’d accepted my fate. But I couldn’t let Lily, my baby sister, die before her life even got a chance to start.” It was something neither Lily nor I ever spoke of. We’d forfeited our souls to save each other’s lives. I wasn’t sure why Lily avoided the topic, but I for one didn’t want to dwell on things we couldn’t change. Plus, despite our nearconstant bickering at times, we knew we loved each other. There was no question about that. Monica shook her head with pity. “You tried to play God.” “No!” The word burst from my lips, loud and raw. “I was a kid, and I was scared. I wasn’t even sure what I saw was real. I didn’t truly comprehend the consequences of my actions.” “That’s enough.” Lily moved to stand in between us. “We’re friends.” As a Heaven marked, Monica and I did not share the same opinions on everything, but I did consider her a friend. Only in that moment did I begin to

question it though. First, there was her plea to hand over the weapon to the angels if it existed, then there was her holier than thou attitude. Did she consider herself better than us because she was Heaven marked and we were twice marked? Flames sparked around the edges of my vision. I bared my teeth. “Do you think you’re better than us?” “No, of course not. I just think you need to stop playing the victim. You were given a choice and you chose poorly. We all make mistakes.” She shrugged in an effort to come off easy-going about the subject, to disarm my anger, but I wasn’t falling for it. “We were victims.” “You were given a chance at redemption which is more than any Hell marked gets. It’s because you made a bad choice, but for a selfless reason, for love. If you were truly victims, you wouldn’t get even that much.” “Just agree to disagree.” Lily pulled on my arm, trying to avert my attention to her. “Please, Riss. You exploding at Monica doesn’t change anything. And we’re all friends here.” Grinding my teeth, I turned to look into my sister’s guileless eyes, tears shimmering in them. She was never one for conflict and generally stuck her head in the sand whenever possible. Which was one of the reasons the life of a twice marked was not meant for her in any way. The punishment should have been given to me alone. Shaking her off, I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Fine.” “We’re all on edge,” she persisted. “I said fine. Now let it go,” I snapped. Rage burned low in my gut, dark and inky, seeking to punish. I needed some distance before I did something I would regret. “I’ll be outside.” I sprinted through the warehouse housing the torture room, sucking in several deep breaths of humid air when I reached the parking lot. The things I said to Monica weren’t new threads of thought. However, I’d never said them out loud to anyone but Jensen, and not with the accompanying fury.

Dropping my face into my hands, I bit back a scream. I don’t know what I’m doing anymore. I follow the rules, but nothing is guaranteed. What if after everything I can’t protect Lily? I peeked at the fluffy clouds in the sky, glaring. “But I won’t ever pray again, because look where it got me the last time.” I rubbed my left wrist, tracing my thumb over the two brands marking me for what I was—doubly damned. Footsteps sounded behind me on the pavement, and I whirled to see Jensen, Lily, and Monica emerging from the warehouse. “Did you find something?” Jensen smirked. “You doubt me?” Blinking away another ing red haze, the knot in my stomach eased just a bit. “Good. Because I’m ready to kick some ass.” “You drive,” he said, tossing me the car keys I’d sworn were in my pocket. “I’ll need to concentrate to follow the trail.” Ignoring my sister and Monica, I raced to the car, eager to find a better target for my anger.

18

“T his is it.” Jensen peered out the window, gaze resolute. “Of course it is.” I slowed at the iron gate blocking our path onto the driveway of the gigantic mansion in Belle Meade. “Why does evil always seem to be flush with cash? Maybe once in a while, someone ridiculously rich could turn to demon fighting.” Seriously, the house Jensen led us to was one of those old, plantation-style houses that reeked of old money. Lily rolled down her window, leaning out to get a better look. “No kidding. We could use Batman on our side.” I snorted. “Batman is fiction, which is exactly my point.” I tapped the steering wheel. “How do you suppose we get in without getting the cops called on us?” Doing a demon hunting version of smash and grab was not beyond my willingness, but I didn’t want to end up on the wrong side of an interrogation table again. Monica leaned forward between the two front seats. “Are you sure this is the place, Jensen?” “You doubting my magical prowess, too?” He placed his hand over his heart. “I thought better of you.” “If Jensen says this is the place, then this is the place.” I quirked an eyebrow in challenge, still pissed from our unresolved argument. Pausing, I bit my lip. Since he was already involved, despite my best efforts, we might as well use him to get in, too. At this stage, what was the point not to? Other than my stubbornness, which was outweighed by my impatience. “Can’t you open the gate with magic?” “Opening things isn’t a specialty of mine.” His baby blues roamed over my curves with heat, suggesting otherwise.

I definitely opened my legs to him often enough. Ew, no. Stop. Just stop. My heart fluttered with anticipation, my pervy mind tugging me to naughty places, my concentration splintered. I swallowed to return moisture to my throat. Focus. Now is not the time, even if your libido claims the contrary. “I thought you could just—” “I’m not a witch.” “Yeah, I’m well aware. But you can work witch magic.” “I’m clumsy at the witch spells unless I use them often, it’s not like with my innate warlock talents.” He huffed out a breath in familiar agitation. “Warlocks work completely different than witches, even if using the same magic at a particular point in time.” Interesting. So, he’d never had cause to practice breaking and entering. It’s something I would use a lot if I were … well, if I came across anything I wanted to open that was locked. I would be everywhere I wasn’t wanted, and I would know so many secrets. I sighed. Alas, I possessed no such magic. “How about —” “We can pretend we’re here to deliver something,” Lily suggested, ignoring the tension brewing around her. “Like what?” I continued to tap the steering wheel. “And why does said delivery require four people?” “I know! A singing gram!” I held back a laugh. My sister was one of a kind. “Umm … I’m not sure those exist outside of fiction either.” “It doesn’t matter if they do or not, we just have to convince the people who live here that they do.” She grinned in triumph like she’d solved one of life’s biggest mysteries. Monica pulled out her cellphone. “I know a Heaven marked in the Nashville PD. I’ll give him a head’s up that we’re about to cause some commotion.”

I swung my head in her direction, narrowing my eyes. “Wait. You’ve known a Heaven marked in the Nashville PD and this is the first I’m hearing about it?” There had been more than one tricky situation that I narrowly avoided jail time because I couldn’t explain the truth of my demon hunting ways. Lily rested her chin on the back of Jensen’s seat. “Does the Nashville PD even have jurisdiction here? I thought Belle Meade had their own squad.” Monica scrolled through her s, deciding to follow Lily’s lead to ignore any of my potential fight-causing comments. “I’m not sure if Belle Meade does or not, but either way, my friend will be helpful since Belle Meade and Nashville are neighbors.” She tapped the call button and pressed the phone to her ear. Zoning out, I jumped when Jensen brushed his fingertips along my arm. “You okay?” “Yeah, sure.” Me and patience weren’t friends on my best days. “I want in there.” He tucked a stray piece of hair behind my ear. “We’ll figure this out.” None of us knew exactly what we were going to find inside the mansion. Jensen had isolated a human essence at the scene of Devon’s murder. It could be a human servant of a demon or a Hell marked. Either way, the human in question had information we needed, and I was going to get it one way or another. The scent of ozone crackled through the interior of the car, a naked male popping into existence in the backseat in between Lily and Monica. Screaming, my sister lunged out the open window, falling awkwardly beside the car. Monica produced a small dagger, holding it at the demon’s throat. I brandished one of my own blades, my heart punching against my ribcage. “Stop!” Jensen commanded. “He’s here to see me.” My heart rate slowed when recognition hit. It’s the demon from the summoning. Nervous anticipation surged. The demon had news on Pestilence to report. I waved my hand at him. “Well, spill it. Tell us what you found.” The demon notched his chin up. “I only answer to my master.”

Rolling my eyes, I shoved at Jensen’s shoulder. “Hurry up and command him, master.” Grumbling under his breath, Jensen turned around, narrowing his eyes at the demon. “Report,” he said, his tone curt. The demon’s expression softened as if in awe. He bent down, his head on his knees. “Pestilence is dead, Master.” My chest tightened, all the air sucked from my lungs. The news meant the weapon, whatever it was, actually existed. It was good and bad news simultaneously. The good news was that if we got our hands on it, we could lay waste to demonkind. The bad news was the demons wouldn’t stop searching for it and potentially killing more of our kind. Plus, if they were able to take out Lucifer—that part still questionable—I wasn’t sure what it would mean for our plane of existence. Would a new demon, most likely another fallen, rise to take the crown of Hell? Or would demons simply run amok, causing more trouble than we’d ever witnessed? After all, Lucifer did have some rules, such as which kinds of demons were allowed to interact with humans. My forefather played the game with Heaven, cheating whenever possible, but things weren’t as bad as they could be with him in charge. Although … taking out Lucifer would free Lily and me from our purgatory. We wouldn’t have to worry about burning in Hell for all of eternity after we died. That little tidbit held massive allure. “Do you have any more pertinent information?” Jensen demanded. “Like the circumstances surrounding Pestilence’s death?” The demon shook his head against his knees. “I was not able to find out who killed Pestilence or by what means. All I could uncover were theories.” My knuckles went white on the hilt of the blade still in my hand. “What theories?” The demon remained silent. I huffed out a sigh. “Answer her,” Jensen commanded. The demon hissed before responding. Guess he wasn’t as big of a fan of me as

he was of Jensen. Go figure. “A hunter—a twice marked most likely—is in possession of a weapon capable of killing even the most powerful among us.” The muscles in Jensen’s jaw quivered as he ground his teeth together. “Do you have any idea who the hunter could be, or what type of weapon they supposedly wielded?” “No, master. But many search for those answers as we speak.” Grunting, Jensen flicked his wrist in the demon’s direction. “You may go. There’s nothing else I need from you at this time.” The demon disappeared, and I glanced over at Lily who was still outside the car. “I did not expect a naked demon.” She nibbled her bottom lip, the tips of her ears flushing. “Most demons don’t have the power to teleport like that.” Jensen ran a hand through his hair. “He’s only able to teleport to me. Technically, he’s borrowing my magic in order to fulfill my command. Once completed, the connection is broken.” Lily opened the back door and scrambled in. “I hope my freak out didn’t draw any unwanted attention to us.” She swung her head around, curls bouncing. “I didn’t think of it before, but places like this usually have security cameras everywhere. Especially at the gate.” I slammed my fist against the steering wheel. “The weapon is real, and we need to get to it first.” Revving the engine—which would have been much more impressive if we were in a muscle car of some sort instead of a Nissan Leaf—I threw our car into drive. “Don’t you dare!” Lily shrieked, throwing herself into the front seat and landing with her cheek awkwardly pressed against the steering wheel. She turned, giving me one angry eye. “Do not ram the gate with our car!” She blew a curl out of her face. “I happen to like our car.” She reached to her right, patting the dash where the Flower Power sticker was, or close to it. “We have insurance.”

She pushed herself up, flailing. “I’m pretty sure it won’t cover gate ramming of any kind. Nor is there a demon clause either.” Monica cleared her throat. “My friend, you know, the one I just called, is on the way. He’ll get us in without any … ramming necessary.” “How long until he gets here?” I growled. A feeling of desperation had wound its way through me, making it so I was willing to do just about anything to get some answers. Even destroy my main mode of transportation. Jensen rested his warm palm on my knee. “Calm down. There’s no need to panic.” I scoffed. “Did no one else hear the naked demon? Pestilence is dead. A hunter managed to do something that is supposed to be impossible. Whatever kind of weapon made it possible can’t fall into the demons’ hands.” Jensen’s baby blues snagged mine, imploring me to listen. “Getting the information only changes how we move forward. The demons already believed the weapon was real.” “Right.” I glanced at his hand, wanting to both throw it off of me and revel in its warmth. “But this means there’s a hunter out there that has the information, and he or she let both Tomas and Devon die because of it.” I gnawed on the inside of my cheeks. “They must think it’s a male twice marked, though, because of who they targeted.” I didn’t know that for sure, but it made sense, some of the tension oozing out of my core. I wanted to keep all of my fellow hunters safe, but when it came down to it, Lily was my top priority. My welfare coming in at a close second. “Listen.” Monica placed a steadying hand on my shoulder. “I know there’s tension between us right now, but I want you to know that I understand.” My mind reeled. She understands? What exactly does she think she understands? Nothing about our conversation earlier pointed to that at all. Maybe she was sympathetic, but it wasn’t the same thing as empathy which was about as close to true understanding as she could get under the circumstances. I dug my nails into my jean-clad thighs, both wanting to reignite our fight and to

let it go. I wasn’t going to get anywhere with Monica on the subject of God and free will pertaining to the twice marked. If I kept pushing, I’d lose her as a friend, and when not reminded about our huge differences of opinions, I did consider Monica one of the few friends I had. Plus, she’d just lost Tomas. She was going through shit of her own. There’s only one way to deal with this, at least for right now. “Let’s just drop it.” Talking about your doubts in God with a Heaven marked ranked right along with talking about vaccines on the Internet. There would be no winners, and no one’s opinion will change. Monica and I could argue until the end of time, and unless she produced irrefutable evidence of The Almighty’s existence, I was going to continue right on doubting. Monica leaned back, disappointment leaking into her gaze. “Yeah, sure.” What does she expect? That I’ll accept what she has to say about God without any proof? That I’ll blindly agree with her? My nostrils flared as I bit back a retort. No. Stop. We don’t agree, but that doesn’t make her the enemy. I swung my head forward, staring at the mansion. In there are the enemies. Save it for them. “How long until your cop friend gets here?” I drummed my fingers along the steering wheel, wishing I could ram my way in. No wait, no fuss. Well, maybe a little fuss. Monica tapped the display on her phone. “He said he was on the way, so it depends on where in Nashville he was when I called. Not long though. Unless there’s traffic.” Nashville traffic was a bitch. It used to only be bad during rush hours, but then the population exploded. I wasn’t sure what did it, all the celebrities making the move to Music City, those TV shows that unrealistically portrayed what Nashville living was all about, or a combination of several factors. All I knew was that the small-city charm with big-city amenities was long gone. I lamented the old days from when I first moved to the city. Maybe it really is time to move on. Glancing at Jensen, I fidgeted. What would it mean for us if we suddenly pulled up our roots? Would he follow? Did I want him to? I loved the asshat of a warlock, but my doubts about a long-term future between us remained intact even after getting back together.

I slumped in my seat, grinding my teeth together. “I hope your friend gets here soon or I will be forced to ram this damn gate.” As if on cue, a Nashville PD vehicle rolled to a stop behind us. A tall man with dark hair and brown skin slipped from the driver’s side, no one else visible in the car. He appeared to be about in his early to mid-thirties, carrying the stunning good looks that all Heaven marked seemed to possess. I often wondered if they all got upgrades with their marks. Heaven did seem to have a thing about beauty, which left a bad taste in my mouth. Perfection should never be a prerequisite for hunting. Or pretty much anything outside of the fashion industry. Even then … Ugh. Maybe I’m jealous. I wasn’t the type to be overly concerned with my appearance, but every once in a while, a bit of insecurity snuck its way in. Usually when an exceptionally hot girl put the moves on Jensen right in front of me. It happened more than once, although I’d worked my issues out in between the sheets. Because nothing boosted my confidence like witnessing the awe on my man’s face after I rocked his world. Focus, perv. Now is not the time. How often do you need to be reminded? Monica hopped out of the car, speaking in a hushed whisper with her friend. He responded with a few clipped words before marching up to the gate. Glancing around, he tapped on the bars. “Hello? Anyone there? This is an officer from the Nashville Police Department, and I need to speak with the owner of this house.” We all waited, peering around for some kind of security, or a response from a hidden speaker. There was no way a house like the one we were parked in front of relied on a gate alone. Although it was keeping us out, but only because we didn’t want to make a scene. With a click and a groan, the gate swung inward, the lock released. I grinned. All right. Here we go.

19

Jensen made a grab for my hand, and I shirked to the side, wanting to keep it free for fighting. Frowning, he didn’t give comment but remained a bit closer than I would have liked as we made our way to the front door behind Monica and her police officer friend. Monica paused on the front step of the porch, turning to face us. “Let Regan do all the talking until we get an assessment of the situation.” Her gaze locked onto me as if I was the problem child. “I can behave when I want to,” I grumbled. Lily bumped my arm with her shoulder. “Yeah, the issue is you hardly ever want to.” I smirked. She did have a point. I could restrain myself when needed, but most of the time I didn’t see the point. Ugh. Whatever. As long as we find the human we came here for. Monica turned back around without another word, but not before she rolled her eyes blatantly in my direction. Please, as if she is the epitome of maturity at all times. Oh, wait. She is. Which was kind of the problem at the moment. Nudging Jensen, I hissed out of the side of my mouth, “Do you still feel the human’s essence from the warehouse?” Words couldn’t begin to describe the level of pissed I’d be if he or she got away while we were stuck outside of the stupid gate. “Whoever it is, they are definitely still in there.” “How are you feeling?” Lily asked, her voice hushed. Right. I thought I was getting sick. At some point, the symptoms abated, and I hadn’t noticed. “I forgot about it, so I guess I’m not sick anymore.”

Lily pulled her teeth along her lower lip. “That was fast, even for a twice marked. You sure you’re not psyching yourself out?” I shook my head. “No. I feel fine now. Honestly.” “Okaaay,” she drawled, dragging her gaze across my face as if she could spot a lie of some sort there. “But if you start moving in slo-mo like you did before I want you out of there, no excuses.” I chuckled. “Okay, Mom.” “I’m serious.” She pinched my arm. “Ow, stop doing that.” Lily was one to call out my hypocrisy for hitting Jensen, but my sister was free with the minor forms of violence when it came to me, like pinching and kicking. Apparently, aversion to violence didn’t apply to sisters. “I’ll stop doing it when you stop needing it.” She stuck her tongue out, swallowing it back quickly when she ed where we were. Her cheeks heated. I grunted, resisting the urge to stick out my own tongue. Because we were mature adults on a hunt. “What’s taking so long?” I stage whispered at Monica. Without turning around, she shrugged. “Someone opened the gate for us, obviously,” Regan stated, “but there’s no sign of movement in there.” He rang the doorbell again, frowning as he cocked his head to listen. I rubbed my hands together. “Time to break it down then.” “Or,” Monica raised her voice, causing me to jump, “we check around back for another way in.” I scrunched my nose. “We’ll still be breaking in, what’s the difference?” She squeezed her eyes shut, rubbing them with the fleshy part of her palms. “I know you’re smart, Riss. And I know you’re being antagonistic by playing stupid about this right now. But please, stop.”

She wasn’t wrong, but she wasn’t right either. The truth was somewhere in between, as it usually was with me. I knew there was a difference, technically. Checking for an unlocked back door or side window wasn’t as problematic as kicking in the front door for appearance's sake, which regular humans were all about. But in the end, we were illegally entering a house without a warrant. Why worry about appearances when it only wasted precious time? And yes, I was deliberately taunting Monica with my comments to be antagonistic. Apparently, ive-aggressive behavior was genetic in my family. Either that, or all the years spent in close quarters with Lily caused some of hers to rub off on me. Our little group clambered around the side of the mansion, stopping to rattle windows and peer inside. We let Regan lead, but by the time we moved around to the back, it seemed fairly likely no one was coming out to greet us despite opening the gate. “A place like this and no one around to shove a gun in our face,” Lily whispered, her gaze entranced by the pool a few dozen feet in front of us. It was enclosed in glass, condensation gathering. She slapped a hand over her mouth. “Oh, god, I really hope there’s not a little, old lady with a shotgun waiting for us in there.” Regan withdrew his firearm from its holster, edging up to the back door. “Nashville PD, if anyone is inside, be advised that we have a warrant and are entering.” “I thought they had a legal thing they had to say,” Lily commented, crouching low as if she was about to start dodging bullets. She grabbed my arm, yanking hard so I’d her. “I think you mean the thing they say when they arrest someone, and they have the right to remain silent. I’m not sure about the rest. Plus, we don’t actually have a warrant, so there is that.” Jensen stopped beside us, mirth dancing in his eyes. “You two can get up. If a little, old lady starts spraying the area with buckshot, I’ll throw up a protection bubble.” Interesting. “Is the bubble a warlock or witch thing?” Because if it was a witch spell of some sort then that would mean he had people shooting at him enough to have cause to practice a protection bubble. Or maybe not. There were lots of things a protection bubble could come in handy for.

“Warlock,” he grated. “Mmm …” What else was there to say? The last few days had revealed to me more about his magic than the entire time we’d been together. Did that make me a bad girlfriend? Probably. Although it wasn’t like he offered up a lot of details and I ignored him. Jensen simply didn’t talk about his magic or history. For most it would be a red flag, a guy not wanting to talk about his past or personal details, but I never thought I’d stick around long enough for it to matter. Maybe now it did. Regan twisted the doorknob, and surprisingly it turned. He paused long enough to sweep his gaze over us before raising a finger to his lips. I nodded and made a little shooing motion with my hand. Come on, let’s go! Slowly, we single file made our way into what appeared to be a mudroom. A few pairs of shoes were precariously flung in the corner, near a dropped beach towel. Nothing nefarious or unusual. Regan proceeded farther into the house, the rest of us fanning out behind him, weapons ready. “Hello, Nashville PD. Anyone home? Please announce yourself.” A wave of putrid air, the level of acrid stench I’d never experienced before, punched me in my face and I gagged. “Oh, shit.” I pressed the back of my hand into my nose and mouth, my eyes watering. “What the hell is that?” I bet everyone wishes masks were still a thing right about now. I know I do. Regan and Monica jogged to the right, while Jensen, Lily, and I stayed in a holding pattern where we were. My heart thrummed against my eardrums as I scanned our immediate surroundings, no sign of life making itself known. “Someone opened the gate,” Jensen muttered, his gaze bouncing across the same areas mine were. “Do you still feel the human?” “Yeah.” But his expression closed off, pulling into hard lines.

“What?” I poked him with my elbow. “What aren’t you telling me?” Monica and Regan came back into view, both appearing slightly flustered. “Well?” I shifted from foot to foot. “Tell us what’s going on.” Regan scrubbed a hand down his face. “You can take a quick look around to see if the guy you tracked is here, but make it fast because this is a murder scene and I need to call it in.” Murder scene? Oh, yeah, the smell that’s currently eating away at the inside of my nose. “How many?” Monica’s face paled. “Hard to say. They’re in pieces. Three or four, maybe? Possibly more.” Lily wobbled, leaning into me. “Demon kills?” she asked. For some reason my sister was reassured when murders weren’t carried out by humans, as if it was better when she understood why something happened. Demons were evil, she could accept that. But humans doing such horrible things, she had a difficult time wrapping her mind around it. Monica glanced at Regan who nodded once. “Seems to be, yes.” Lily heaved a relieved sigh as she straightened herself. “But someone opened the gate? Someone or something is alive in here.” My thoughts exactly, and since Jensen had said the same thing, it seemed as if we were all on the same page. Not surprising since none of us were complete idiots. “Let’s fan out.” Raising my blades, I made my way straight ahead, no intention of imprinting the images of the carnage permanently on my psyche. I already had enough horrible shit I wished I could scrub from my brain. Footsteps sounded behind me, and I whirled to find Jensen trailing me. “I should be leading the way, Val. I’m the one with the—” “Yeah, right. I forgot.” He caught up to me in a few strides, giving me one of his patented smirks, but no

further comment. It was all there in his mirth-filled eyes though. Yep, I’d rushed off without thinking things through … again. Or maybe I should say as usual. Lily scrambled to catch up with us, eyes darting around in every direction, her blades trembling in her hands. She was rattled, but I wouldn’t call her on it because she always did what needed to be done. Fear was only problematic if it froze a hunter, and fortunately, that wasn’t the case with my sister. I witnessed her crying while she beheaded a demon once. She simply didn’t enjoy the thrill of the hunt like I did, her personality geared to the softer things in life. It never stopped her from succeeding at our missions though. In fact, I personally felt it made her more badass than me in a lot of ways. Doing what comes easy isn’t an accomplishment. Doing what goes against your nature because it’s what needs to be done, definitely more impressive. She was just as much a survivor as I was. So I never made fun of her antics while on a hunt. Besides, there were plenty of other things to harass her over in the other parts of our lives. Like the whole flower power thing for instance. Talk about stupid. Jensen crept up the stairs, his hands raised and ready to disperse magic, with Lily and me hot on his heels. Once at the top of the landing, he jerked his head to the right. A figure sped from a doorway, masculine, my gaze snagging on the knife he held high in the air, the sharp edge pointing ominously in Lily’s direction. A red haze flickered over my vision, rage pounding through my veins. Without a thought, I leapt around Jensen, barreling toward the would-be attacker. A screech escaped my target as we slammed into the ground. Teeth gnashing, the now confirmed male attempted to bite me, his face twisted and borderline feral. “We’re all free to do whatever we want because soon Hell will be empty.” I recoiled as spittle flew from his mouth. “Silence him,” an insidious voice slithered through my mind. Snarling, I freed one of my hands long enough to run my blade over his neck. Blood spilled out, and he gurgled around more insane words, hardly seeming to notice what I’d done.

“Riss!” Lily’s voice filtered into my consciousness. “Riss! Stop! What are you doing?” Strong arms banded around my middle, lifting me into the air. I kicked and screamed, arms and legs flailing. No! I need to finish this! Pain spiked through my skull, black pressing around my vision. “Val, shh … it’s okay.” Within Jensen’s embrace, I was rocked back and forth. “No!” I struggled, trying to break free. “You don’t understand!” Monica and Regan had appeared at some point, but I was unsure when. The two of them worked over the limp body, probably trying to save him. “He deserves to die. Human or not, he’s a murderer. He was crazed. He was going straight for Lily.” Jensen stroked my hair, the motion meant to be soothing, but instead riled me up more. “Just let me go.” Lily stood directly in front of me, blocking my view of anything but her face. Her blue eyes met mine, imploring me to listen. “I’m fine. Look,” she patted her cheeks, “I wasn’t hurt.” She notched her chin up. “Plus, I can take care of myself.” “He was coming straight at you,” I huffed out, slumping a bit against Jensen. “No, he ran at us in general, but he wasn’t coming at me.” She nibbled her thumb, studying me. “We need him for information.” That’s right. We tracked the human who was present at the scene of Devon’s murder to get answers. How did I forget something so important? We’d confirmed the existence of the weapon via the true status of Pestilence’s death. I rubbed my temples. “I-I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.” I had no excuse, no true rationale. I’d quite literally seen red before snapping. Lily frowned. “I’ve never seen you move like that. You were lightning fast.” Jensen’s fingers dug into my stomach as his grip tightened. “You’re still sick and you’re pushing yourself.”

Lily’s mouth pressed into a pale, flat line. “That’s it, isn’t it? You’ve been running off adrenaline which made you react the way you did. That and the way you moved. You pushed yourself past your limits.” My body was suddenly drained of all energy, and I slumped forward. “Yeah, that must be it.” Everything went dark.

20

Lily moved through the dense crowd at the club, smiling and laughing as men fell over themselves for her attention. She wore a tiny, silver dress, the slinky material hugging her curves in all the right places. I followed her at a safe distance, my all-black attire meant to have the opposite effect as my sister’s, lending me the shadows as she captured the light. She was the bait for the prey we sought, a demon who frequented the area, luring partygoers to their demise with the promise of a never-ending high. The target in question was a Dio demon, a species of demon we nicknamed in honor of Dionysus, the party god. Lily paused to accept a drink from a tall man with dark hair dressed in a suit, her gaze flicking briefly in my direction. She brought the glass to her lips, moving to hold two fingers in front of it. Bingo. We have the Dio on the hook. The goal was to get the demon isolated, which was the simple part of taking down one of these deceptively easy-to-kill nasties. Because in order to kill a Dio, he had to be in his true form. Devon stepped out of the crowd, blocking my path to Lily. “Riss, please. You have to help me.” “I will. But first I have to go after Lily.” Shoving around him, I dashed in the direction my sister and the Dio were headed. Grabbing my shoulder, Devon spun me back around to face him. “No, Riss, please. This isn’t you.” Blood and bruises covered his face and hands, his clothes in tatters. “Help me.” He dropped to his knees, several teeth falling from his mouth. A scream erupted from my throat, and I stumbled back. “What’s happening? Is there a demon?” “Help me!”

Gasping on a strangled cry, my eyes flew open, the familiar ceiling of my bedroom coming into view. “What the fuck was that?” The bed creaked, Jensen sitting down beside me, the lines of his face etched with concern. “How are you feeling?” My muscles ached, and my head pounded. Aside from that, I didn’t feel all that bad. “Fine.” “What do you ?” “? Do you want me to tell you who I am and where I live? Do I have a concussion?” Normally, my sarcastic comments brought a touch of mirth to Jensen’s gaze or a wry quirk to his lips. Even when we were fighting, I could pick up on traces of how I amused him. He enjoyed my snark. It was one of the reasons he kept coming back for more Riss. I kept him on his toes in all things. However, at the moment, nothing but worry swirled in the depths of his baby blues, his lips pressed into a thin line, the corners pushing down. Scooching up in bed, I leaned against the headboard, dread brewing in my gut. “What is it? What happened?” He continued to study me for a moment before picking up my hand. His thumb rubbed a circular pattern in my palm, relaxing me. “I guess Lily’s right. I guess you’re just sick.” His gaze flicked away briefly, and he swallowed, his Adam’s apple dancing in his throat. “Liar,” I hissed. “You’re not telling me something.” He forced a smile, the emotion not reaching his eyes. “You’ll be fine.” He leaned forward, pressing his firm lips against my forehead. His spicy scent swirled around me, and my arms shot out to encircle his waist. “Hey,” my voice dropped low, “how about ing me in bed for a while?” I let my hands trail down to rest on his ass, squeezing. Hmm … come to mama. Seriously, he has the best backside I’ve ever seen. “Val,” he warned, wriggling to extradite himself from my grabby hands. “You’re

sick.” “And endorphins make sick people feel better. You know what would give me lots of endorphins? A handful of orgasms.” He chuckled. “You’re worse than me sometimes.” “I’m a woman with needs.” He cupped my cheeks, staring into my eyes, the indecision in his on display. Time to be a bit more persuasive. In one smooth move, I jumped up, and managed to flip him onto his back. With my knees straddling his hips, I pressed him into the bed, his hands held above his head in my tight grip. “Jensen,” I purred, “I need you.” “Fuck, I love you.” Rolling us over, he reversed our position, the hard length of his body pinning me to the mattress. I lifted my pelvis, rubbing against him, causing a groan to escape his lips. “Jensen, please. I need you now. What’s the hold up?” Usually with the slightest bit of encouragement, even when we hadn’t been a couple, he would take over, giving me exactly what I wanted. But hesitation was making him falter. His chest heaved, his fingers digging into my wrists. “I have an extremely pressing matter to attend to.” I ground against him again, laughing. “Yes, you do have an extremely pressing matter to attend to. Now get to it.” His eyes twinkled. “I set myself up for that one.” He arched his middle, breaking with me, much to my complete and utter disappointment. “But I mean it. As much as I want to right now, I can’t.” “A quickie then. That’s all I’m asking for.” Suddenly it was about more than just sex, it was a test. For what? I wasn’t exactly sure, but I couldn’t let him walk away. “Jensen, please.” I stopped myself just short of whining, which I wasn’t above doing, and I would. Even if I was hoping I didn’t have to.

He pulled away from me fully, standing tall. “I’m sorry. I have business to take care of. It’s important.” Adjusting himself, he hissed under his breath, “But we are picking this back up as soon as I get done.” “Didn’t you have questions for me when I first woke up? You know, before I tried to seduce you?” And failed. Although, if I could keep him around a bit longer maybe my second shot would hit its mark. “I’m sure Lily’s eager to see you. She can talk to you about everything.” “Talk to me about what?” Moths divebombed my stomach, causing nausea to roil my gut. The nightmare mingled with flashes from the mansion were beginning to play across my mind. “What am I supposed to ?” Jensen ran a hand through his hair, pieces sticking up at odd angles. “Lily,” he called, “you can come in now.” My sister burst into my room, tripping over her own feet, and landing awkwardly at the end of my bed. “Ew, she muttered. “I don’t want to sit on your sex sheets.” I scowled. “Unfortunately, we did not just have sex.” She tucked her hair behind her ears. “Not just now, but you probably did recently.” Jensen slipped from my room silently, glancing back at me with regret before I heard him trot down the stairs. Folding my hands in my lap, I stared Lily down. “Now, what the hell is going on?” She situated herself across the room in my overstuffed chair, kicking her feet up. “How are you feeling?” I huffed out a long breath, several pieces of hair floating around my face. “Fine. I wish everyone would stop asking that. I feel fine.” “You were sick.” She leaned forward, gaze darting over me. “What do you ?”

I threw my hands up in the air. “Did you and Jensen write a script? Seriously, what the fuck? Just tell me what all the concern is about!” Lily crossed her arms over her chest, her cheeks tinged pink. “I’ll tell you what it’s about. You were sick and you pushed yourself to the point of snapping. You almost cost us the only lead we have to date.” “He deserves to die. Human or not, he’s a murderer. He was crazed. He was going straight for Lily.” An echo of my frenzied voice replayed in my head, the accompanying images following. “Fuck. I almost killed the guy.” I sat up straighter, my heart setting off at a gallop. “Or did I?” I glanced at my hands, shuddering. “There was so much blood.” Which didn’t bother me at the time. Nor did killing our only lead before we got the information we needed. Why did I do that? Then another memory surfaced. “Silence him,” an insidious voice slithered through my mind. Sweat trickled down my spine, nausea resurfacing. There had been someone or something in my head. It commanded me, and I listened. I opened my mouth to tell Lily when the same voice wound its way through my brain. “Don’t. I’m your little secret.” Nostrils flaring, I bit back my words, muscles trembling. Am I possessed? That has to be it. But it’s not supposed to be possible for the twice marked. A demon could get into our mind, kick around inside, but take control of our will, not so much. Maybe I’m just losing my mind. Does our family have a history of schizophrenia? I choked on a laugh. Only in my world would a severe mental disorder be a relief. “Tell me already, did I kill him?” I snapped, pushing the rest aside for the moment. Maybe it would all just go away. Or quite possible I was feverish, having audible hallucinations. There was no need to panic … yet. “Regan and Monica saved him. They have him at—” Leaping from bed, I fumbled to strip out of my loungewear to put on respectable hunter clothing. “Come on, take me to them.”

“First of all,” Lily peeked out from behind her hand, “I know we’ve seen each other naked plenty of times, but warn a sister next time … literally.” “Sorry,” I muttered, pulling a black T-shirt over my head. “I’m in a hurry.” “Secondly, you’re sick. I’m not taking you over to Monica’s to finish what you started.” Placing my hands on my hips, I grinned. “At Monica’s, huh? Thanks.” “Shit.” Lily slapped the arm of the chair. “I wasn’t supposed to tell you that. You’re on a need-to-know basis. Only until you’re better though.” “I’m better. And I need to know this.” “Riss, come on. Why won’t you rest?” I bared my teeth. “That weapon is out there, and we need to get to it before the Heaven marked do. I know Monica is our friend, but we can’t let her hand it over to the angels or some shit like that. We could use it. We should use it.” “I don’t know.” Lily nibbled her thumbnail. “What if having that weapon out in the open is too dangerous?” “We could kill the most powerful demons. Why is that bad? The Heaven marked mean well, but they don’t understand what it’s like. That weapon could mean the difference between Heaven and Hell for all eternity for us.” “I mean, when you put it that way … but I still don’t know.” She moved on to nibble her pinky nail. “How about this? We concentrate on finding the weapon first, that way we get to decide what happens to it. We don’t have to decide what that is until we find it.” At least that’s what I’d let Lily think. My mind was made up. We would use that weapon to our advantage. “Yeah, okay. I don’t want to lie to Monica though. She is our friend.” She was almost as bad as the Heaven marked with attempting to walk the straight and narrow. I fought the urge to roll my eyes, which wouldn’t serve to

help me convince her. “We don’t have to lie to her. In fact, we don’t have to tell her anything at all. We’re already on the case of tracking down the weapon, soooo … we just keep doing that, and make sure we put ourselves in the position to get to it first. No harm, no foul.” “Okaaaay,” she drawled. “I guess.” I fist-pumped. “Let’s go!” Thundering down the stairs, energy surged through me, my mood buoyed with our new goal. Even the niggling feeling in my gut about the voice in my head wouldn’t drag me down. If we could just get to that weapon first, we could change our entire lives. Nothing was going to stand in my way. Not even a bit of potential mental instability.

21

Bass thumped against my chest, and I ground my teeth together, gripping the steering wheel tight. Beside me, Lily bounced in her seat, singing loudly and out of tune with the song pumping out of our speakers. “Lily,” I grated. “Turn it down. I can’t think straight.” She dramatically mouthed a line of lyrics, pausing to boop me on the nose with a laugh. “That’s the point. I don’t want to think for a little while.” “But I do.” Tapping the volume button on the steering wheel, I internally cursed when nothing happened. Either it was broken, or Lily had somehow temporarily disabled it. I reached for the volume control, but she slapped my hand before I could make . I growled at her. Or I think I did since I couldn’t actually hear or feel it. My mind kept circling back around to the voice in my head. It hadn’t exactly commanded me, making suggestions instead. Although, I did obey. Or did I? It told me to silence the guy at the mansion, but I was already on the warpath, pissed and ready for a fight. I was nudged. And when it told me not to talk about it … well, that made sense, too, because if it was a symptom of me being sick then it would go away naturally and there was no need to worry everyone. Could it be possible a demon was watching and listening, and trying to shove me in a certain direction? Technically, it wouldn’t be possession if that was the case. Was telepathy a power a certain breed of demon used to its advantage? I’d personally never run across it before. Groaning, I tapped the steering wheel. My thoughts were fragmented, and my emotions snarled, Lily’s car jam-out session not helping in the least. It doesn’t matter. Focus on the goal of getting to the weapon first. No. It does matter. Something hasn’t been right with you since that day in the alleyway when that demon knocked you the fuck out.

You just need time to process and heal. A lot has gone down in the last few days. Duh. What’s new about that in the life of a twice marked? I shook my head, attempting to pull myself out of my internal battle. Focus on the here and now, and what you can change. Overthinking absolutely everything isn’t going to do anyone any good. Fiddling with her playlist, Lily cued up a new song, one I recognized. I’d heard the morose ballad enough times in Wilde Stallions. After all, “Total Eclipse of the Heart” was a popular 80’s song. But I suppose I’d never stopped to consider the lyrics before. I found myself merely nodding along at first, seeing my plight within each line. I am lonely sometimes. I am tired sometimes. Fuck, I do get nervous that the best of my years are all gone, and yeah, I’m terrified. And then I look into Jensen’s eyes … By the refrain I was swept away, singing along, and every bit as out of tune as Lily. When we reached Monica’s house in Spring Hill, Tennessee, I was itching to call Jensen, my mood having shifted to full-on sappy. Ugh. What the fuck is wrong with me? I’m falling apart. One minute I never want to get back together with Jensen, and the next I want to crawl under his skin and live there. And it’s not with just him. I’m all over the place lately, even more so than normal. I pinched the bridge of my nose. Fuckity, fuck, fuck, fuck. Is this what a nervous breakdown feels like? Perhaps I wasn’t completely insane, just falling to pieces. Sooo … good news, right? “,” Lily gave me her best stern look, falling a mile short of intimidating by my estimation, “you need to be on your best behavior, or I’ll help Monica and Regan drag you out of there.” “Hmmm …“ “I mean it.”

I pulled the keys from the ignition. “I heard you.” “But are you going to listen?” “Yes.” I studied the small house as we made our way up the pathway to the front door. My chest constricted. The last time I’d been here for a visit was when Tomas was alive. A part of me expected him to swing the front door open to greet us like he had the last time. Instead, Regan opened the door, his dark gaze on me. I raised my hand. “Hey. I’m not going to cause any trouble this time, I swear.” Regan didn’t know me well, our paths crossing for the first time at the mansion, but hopefully, Monica had made excuses for my bad behavior. He frowned but moved to the side to allow us entrance. “Monica’s upstairs with our guest.” I snorted. “Guest. Right. Did you get anything out of him yet?” Regan shut and locked the door, stepping in behind us. “He hasn’t been conscious since we healed him.” That brought up an interesting question. “Sooo … Heaven marked have healing abilities, huh?” It made me wonder what else their kind hid from us when I thought we were basically on the same side, working for the same goals. “Yes.” Good to know. “It was the first I’d ever seen any of you use them.” He corralled us toward the back stairs. “They’re limited. The powers.” Forcing myself from focusing on any pictures or reminders of Tomas, I held myself stiffly. “How so?” Clamping his mouth shut, he waved us on. “Monica’s waiting for you. I’ll be standing guard down here.” Alrighty then. Guess I wasn’t going to get any more information about his

healing powers out of him. I wasn’t surprised, but it was worth a shot. The Heaven marked were notoriously tight-lipped when it came to their abilities. I still hadn’t been able to get Monica to reveal whether or not they had any kind of innate demon sensing abilities that we didn’t. When we got to the top of the stairs, Lily paused in front of a photo on the wall. It showcased Tomas and Monica hugging each other, wide smiles stretched across their faces. “Do you think she’ll move?” she whispered. What would I do if Jensen died? I pushed him away because I didn’t want to have to worry about losing him. Our relationship remained unsettled, and I doubted we had a long-term future, but death was final. You couldn’t take it back. I didn’t want to think about it. Add it to the list. “I don’t know.” “You’d probably pack everything up the next day and forbid me from ever mentioning his name again.” No one could say my sister didn’t know me. Sure, there were minute details she wasn’t privy to, but when it came to predicting my behavior, she had a Ph.D. in the subject. “And you wouldn’t let me forget.” And I had a Ph.D. in Lily behavior science. “You’d try to make me talk about him all the time. Put up pictures everywhere.” “And you’d rip them down.” She traced another framed picture with the tip of her index finger. “Monica’s all alone out here.” Oh, shit. I know where this is going. “She wasn’t even alone when we got here.” “Regan doesn’t live here.” I slashed my hand through the air. “No. Monica’s not coming to stay with us.” She opened her mouth to protest, but I cut her off. “We don’t have any extra bedrooms. And no, we can’t stay out here either.” “Jensen has a spare room.” “I am not going to volunteer his guest bedroom for him.” “Why not?”

Why not? Why not?! Because if I made decisions for him it would only encourage him to do it to me more than he already did. I was still stuck with an unwanted tracking spell until I could convince him to remove it. “Just no. If you have the nerve to ask why not, then you clearly won’t understand.” She didn’t obviously, which was evident from her advising me to forgive Jensen for his oversteps with me before. Lily’s lower lip jutted out. “You could at least ask him before saying no. Because if you say no for him, then you’re still making a decision on his behalf. Just the one you want is all.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “No. It’s not like that at—” Monica stuck her head out of the last door on the right. “You two can’t help it, can you?” We both blinked at her. “Help what?” Lily and I asked in unison. Monica chuckled. “I swear, you two are a trip. Like night and day.” Deciding it was time for a subject change, I bustled down the hallway. “Any news?” As if only just ing, Monica’s face turned to stone. “What you did back there was not okay. What got into you?” “I told you she was sick,” Lily chimed in, eager to defend me. That’s right. Only she can criticize me. “I feel better now, though, I swear.” “You went halfway feral.” Monica pulled the door closed behind her, leaning against it protectively. Lily snorted. “Halfway? She nearly ripped his throat out with her bare hands.” Whose side was she on anyways? “I perceived him as a threat. He came running at us with a knife.” “Yes, how scary for you, a twice marked, for a human to attack you with a tiny kitchen knife,” Monica deadpanned.

I raised my hands in defeat. “I don’t have an excuse. I was sick and I should have stayed home, but I’m stubborn. I guess I’m like an injured animal when I’m sick and I lash out.” Yeah, and hear voices, too. Nope. Don’t go there. “Let me go!” followed by a thump, came from inside the room. “He’s awake.” Lily backed up a few steps. “Thanks, Ms. Captain Obvious.” She stuck her tongue out at me, and I smirked. Monica gripped the doorknob, meeting my gaze again. “You two can come in while I question him, but stay back.” I pursed my lips. “What if I have questions of my own?” Monica sighed. “Let me ask mine first.” I nodded once. “Seems fair.” She was the one with the crazy S.O.B. in her guest room. The three of us entered the room, fanning out around the bed. In the center of a queen-sized mattress was the man from the mansion, who, now that I got a better look at him, was most likely a boy. Probably no more than sixteen or seventeen years old. It was in that moment I wondered how Monica and Regan had managed to remove the kid from Belle Meade when the house was filled with dead bodies. Regan mentioned calling it in as a homicide, but then I’d blacked out and missed the rest. Funny how I didn’t bother to consider the oddity of how we were getting away with this at the moment. For instance, how did they get him into Monica’s house without any of the neighbors getting nosy? Did the ease at which they moved through all of the red tape that would bind me, point at more hidden powers of the Heaven marked? Could they glamour? Influence minds? Teleport? And if so, why the hell didn’t the twice marked get any cool powers? We were also claimed by Heaven, just not completely. “Let me go!” The boy thrashed against his bindings, arching off the bed. “You have no right to keep me here!”

“You’re lucky you aren’t behind bars becoming someone’s bitch,” I muttered. Monica side-eyed me, and I snapped my mouth shut. Yeah, yeah, yeah, she gets to ask the questions first. No snarky comments from me either, apparently. Monica turned her attention back to our captive, crouching down closer to his level. “We’re not going to hurt you. Calm down.” “I don’t give a shit what you do!” he screeched. “None of it matters anymore!” I winced. Doesn’t he have another volume level besides eleven? Damn. “Tell me why none of it matters anymore.” Monica’s tone was low and soothing, a complete contrast to our prisoner. “I’m not telling you shit!” He writhed, face contorting into a mask of rage. “What about your family?” His lips curled back from his teeth. “I told them exactly how I felt, with my knife.” He laughed maniacally, sending chills up my spine. It was like sitting front and center inside a horror movie. Dealing with demons was one thing. Dealing with a deranged human who was completely off his rocker was another. I’d never come across anyone so completely twisted before. “Do you think he used to be normal?” Lily whispered, earning her a chastising glance from Monica. Grunting, the kid continued to fight his bonds, only managing to cause his body damage, not that he seemed to notice. Welts appeared on his wrists and ankles, despite the cloth wrapping the interior of the leather cuffs. Blood dripped from his mouth, his teeth tearing into his flesh. “Hell will be unleashed! You’ll all see soon enough! And then it won’t matter! None of this will matter!” And there he goes, back up to eleven. “What did your family do that made you angry?” Monica tried again, her tone remaining patient and calm. “They existed,” he replied, finishing up with a cackle.

Monica sighed. “What about the demons?” The kid stilled, staring up at the ceiling, a small smile curving his bloodied lips. “They freed me. The demons freed me so I could do what I always wanted to do.” “And what did you do for them in return.” “Ask her.” He jerked his head in my direction. “She was there, too.” His words triggered the images from my nightmares of Tomas and Devon, and I recoiled. “What are you talking about?” His lips stretched wide, his crazed eyes meeting mine. “You watched your friends die and you did nothing about it because you’re weak.” “What are you talking about?” I repeated. “You saw everything, and you just watched.” He erupted into more laughter. “Poor, weak hunter. You’ll be next.” Without conscious thought, I leapt across the room, my hands going around his throat. “Coming to finish what you started?” he spat. “I’m ready to die. Are you?” “Tell me what you mean by I was there!” He thrashed against me, even as Monica and Lily pulled on my arms. “Riss, no. We won’t be able to heal him again so soon.” My grip tightening, my thumbs pressed into his windpipe. “Why am I next? Tell me, damnit!” “Hell is coming,” he gasped out, defiant even as his eyes glazed over. Falling backward, Monica, Lily, and I landed in a heap on the floor. “I wasn’t going to kill him. I just wanted him to think I was.” Jumping to her feet, Monica glared down at me. “How’d that work out for you?”

I rolled my neck, before hopping up. “I got more out of him than you did.” Lily stood, her hands trembling. “Yeah, you got more out of him, but none of it made any sense.” She punched my arm. “Ow,” I muttered. “Was that really necessary?” She glared as she pushed her mop of curls out of her face. “I told you not to cause trouble. And what do you do? Cause trouble.” Crossing my arms over my chest, I glared right back. “I didn’t cause trouble. I merely asked him a few questions. Which I was allowed to do after Monica was done.” I shrugged. “She seemed done to me.” “Out, out, out.” Monica shooed us into the hallway, closing the door behind us. Inside the kid could be heard muttering about Hell coming, over and over. I threw my hands in the air. “I’m sorry. I guess I freaked out when he said I was there, and I was next. I wanted answers.” “We all want answers,” Monica hissed. “We all need them.” She scrubbed a hand down her face. “Look, Riss, I’ve always liked you. And I know you don’t mean anything by what you do, but lately, you’re like a loose cannon ready to explode everything around you. This is important. Quite possibly the most important thing we’ve ever dealt with.” Lily tugged on my arm. “He said you’re next.” “Yeah, I’m well aware.” “No.” Her lower lip wobbled. “He said you’re next. As in … like with Tomas then Devon. You’re next.” “Come on,” Monica slung her arm around Lily’s small shoulders, “let’s go get you something to eat and drink. Calm you down a bit before we talk about this.” I shuffled along behind them, Lily turning back to glance at me several times on the way to the kitchen. Regan approached us, a scowl on his face. “Problem?” His eyes landed on me.

Monica somehow mustered an assuring smile. “Nothing I couldn’t handle.” “I’m going up to stand guard until you’re done down here.” “Thanks.” Without another word, he marched off. Lily floundered, letting Monica place her at the kitchen table. I ed my sister, taking her hand within mine. “Everything is going to be fine. We’ll figure this mess out just like we always have with everything else.” “But what if we don’t this time? What if this time it’s different?” “Psst … we got this.” Hopefully, I’m not lying right to my baby sister’s face.

22

“H ere.” Monica set a steaming mug in front of Lily, and then me. “It’s hot chocolate.” Lily scrunched her nose. “No coffee?” “Thought we could all use something less stimulating.” Monica brought her own mug to her lips, sipping gingerly. Unfortunately, she was probably right. Lily was clearly shaken, her small frame still trembling, and I was beyond wired. I wanted to fix everything, especially my sister. I hated when she was upset and I couldn’t do anything about it. But you can. You can do something about this situation. You can find the weapon and kick some demon ass. My phone vibrated in my pocket. “Mom,” I blurted. “She always calls at the worst times.” As soon as my phone stilled, Lily’s began ringing. “Tell me about it,” Lily grumbled. “Hello? … No, nothing’s wrong. We’re fine.” She nodded even though Mom couldn’t see. “Yeah, I know. But we can’t answer all the time. … She’s right here. Because you know she keeps her phone on vibrate. … No. I know. We’re at Monica’s. … Hmm hmm … in Spring Hill. … Yes, business. … Okay. Okay. Yep. I’ll tell her. … Okay. Love you, too.” Ending the call, she glared at me. “What? It’s not my fault you answered.” “You never answer.” She scrunched her nose up. “Mom wants you to call her later.” “Mom always wants me to call her later.” I knew it was unfair. Mom worried . How could she not when she knew we were demon hunters? But that wasn’t what her latest round of calls was about. She wanted to talk about Jensen

and how things were going since we got back together. I wasn’t sure what exactly I was supposed to say. I loved my mom, but sometimes it felt like she wanted me to be someone I wasn’t—someone more like Lily. “We wanted to invite you to stay in Jensen’s guest room,” Lily blurted. I kicked her under the table. She kicked me back harder. “We haven’t had a chance to ask Jensen about it yet.” I narrowed my eyes at my sister. I should have known she’d do this. It was her move. Monica’s shoulders slumped. “Is it that obvious?” “No,” Lily said, “please don’t think that. It’s just,” she paused to clear her throat, “it would be hard for me if I was in your shoes.” Monica cradled her mug, gaze averted. “I want to cherish the memories I have with him. To all the good times.” She choked back a sob. “But it’s so hard. I don’t think I’m ready. His stuff, it’s … it’s still exactly where he left it. Even his dirty socks.” Lily slid to the chair closer to Monica, patting her on the back. “You’re not alone. And you shouldn’t stay out here if it’s making you uncomfortable.” She shot me another glare. Oh, for fuck’s sake. I’m not a monster. It wasn’t like I didn’t want to help her. I had empathy for her, too. But offering up Jensen’s spare room stepped over a line with him that would cause repercussions in our relationship I didn’t want to deal with. But, of course, Lily couldn’t keep her damn mouth shut. One can’t simply uninvite someone in this type of situation without coming off as a major asshole. I gripped my mug. “But, you know, I’m sure he’ll be okay with it. He can just stay over at our condo more often.” Lily’s mouth popped open, realization setting in. Jensen’s condo had a similar layout to ours, with the bedrooms being right across the hall from each other. It offered a bit of privacy, but not enough to keep Lily from complaining about our sex noises every time Jensen stayed the night. With Monica at Jensen’s that would force us back over to my bedroom, because if someone was going to hear my nocturnal delights, I’d rather it be my sister than Monica.

“Can Jensen cast some kind of spell to soundproof your room?” Lily sat up straighter, hope dancing within her eyes. I gave her a tight-lipped smile. “If he could, don’t you think he would have by now?” “I don’t think I can, though,” Monica interjected. “I appreciate the offer, but maybe I can convince Regan or one of the other Heaven marked to stay here.” That surprised me. “Why?” “The demons. A group of them attacked us at Regan’s.” I blinked. “And this is the first you thought to mention it?” She turned her mug slowly on the table before picking it up again. “I had other things on my mind.” Don’t we all. “You know what this means, don’t you?” Her brown eyes met mine. “I’m the target. They’re after me.” “Yep.” It made sense. She was the only one who had been at all three attacks. “But what do they want? Do you think it’s linked to Tomas?” She played with an intricate key-shaped charm on the end of a long chain. “It’s the only explanation.” Lily leaned over to tap at the necklace. “That’s pretty. I never noticed it before.” Monica traced her fingers along the edge idly. “Tomas gave it to me a few days before he died.” Her eyes filled with tears. Slapping my palm against the wooden table, I caused them to jump. “We need to get down to business before we lose anyone else.” I pursed my lips. “How long are you planning to hold the kid captive, and what are you going to do with him when you’re done?” “Regan is going to take him into custody for the murders.” “Did they just let you check him out like a library book?” I couldn’t help but

wonder, the entire situation bizarre even for me. I never brought my work home with me for a reason. I wasn’t willing to pay the price. “There are other Heaven marked on the force,” she murmured into her mug. “They’ll take care of it.” I narrowed my eyes. “How many work for Nashville PD?” “Not nearly enough to counteract the Hell marked.” Lily’s eyes widened. “Are they battling it out like good versus evil? Why did we not know anything about this?” Monica shrugged. “There’s a lot the two of you don’t know. You stick to yourselves mostly.” She took a sip from her mug. After swallowing, she said, “To be fair, twice marked tend to do that. Tomas was the same way. Completely and utterly focused on taking out demons.” I ground my teeth together. How could she be in love with a twice marked and still not understand? How many times were we going to breach this subject before she finally got it? Unless she didn’t want to on some level. “Because we have to be.” My mouth opened to form another retort when Lily’s foot connected with my shin. My gaze flew to hers as I bit back a growl. She shook her head once. “Fine,” I muttered. She didn’t want us to fall back into that argument again. And it wasn’t that I was pushing for a fight, especially about something that was clearly beyond Monica’s grasp. It was just that I was frustrated—frustrated about everything lately. “These things that we don’t know, any of them necessary for us to know?” Monica stood, shuffling over to the sink to deposit her mug. “No, there’s nothing that could be linked to Tomas’ death.” “That’s not what I asked.” She arched one dark eyebrow. “Isn’t it?”

Lily kicked me under the table a third time. “Say you’re sorry.” “Look, that didn’t come out right. I’m not trying to put blame on you for Tomas’ death.” Monica slumped over the sink, head hanging. “I’m sorry, too. I’ve been touchy about everything lately. I’m not handling Tomas’ death as well as I should.” She exhaled a heavy sigh. “I have a lot of guilt over not being able to save him.” What could I say to that? I didn’t blame her, but if I was in her shoes, I would definitely blame myself. If something ever happened to Lily or Jensen on my watch, I would never be able to forgive myself. “Yeah, I get it.” Pain lanced my skull, spiking from temple to temple. “Hello?” I rasped. “Riss.” I glanced at the red clock lights on the old alarm clock in the hotel. It was three a.m. “Tomas, what is it?” “I’ve got a lead on Pestilence.” I dropped to my knees, duel images taking up my vision—one of Tomas waiting for me in a booth at a diner, and the other of Monica’s kitchen. White spots sparked, bleeding everything away, sending me hurtling into nothingness.

23

My eyelids fluttered open, cotton candy filling my head. Groaning, I sat up, my heart bouncing around my chest like a trapped bird. I was in the middle of a completely white room, no windows, and no doors. Staggering to my feet, I pulled my tangled hair out of my face, a few pieces sticking to my sweaty cheeks. “Hello?” I rasped. “Riss.” I whirled in the direction of Tomas’ voice. Appearing in front of me out of nowhere, he went to his knees as he reached for me. His hair and face were covered in blood, pieces of skin hanging off his battered frame. “Please.” This is the same displaced image I saw in my nightmare. Is that what this is? Another nightmare? Despite that thought, my gut still twisted, pushing bile up my esophagus. “Please. Don’t do this. Riss. Fight it. This isn’t you. I refuse to believe it’s you.” He collapsed in a heap in front of me, his breathing labored. “You’re in there somewhere. Fight it.” A fresh wound appeared on his throat, and he gurgled on blood. “It’s not your fault. I forgive—” His chest stopped moving, his eyes fixated. No! Wake up, wake up, wake up! What the fuck is this? What does it mean? “You tried, though, didn’t you? To fight? To save your friend? But in the end, you were too weak to do anything but watch.” The insidious voice slithered through my mind, sticky as tar, contaminating everything it touched. Tomas’ body disappeared, there one moment gone the next, replaced by Devon. “Riss, please. You have to help me.” He clutched at my shirt, panic widening his eyes. “No, Riss, please. This isn’t you.” Blood and bruises covered his face and

hands, his clothes in tatters. “Help me.” He dropped to his knees, several teeth falling from his mouth. “Help me!” I screamed, tearing at my hair. “Now, now, now. If you want to forget, to move on from all of this, all you have to do is let me help you. I can take full control.” “What?” Please wake up. That’s all this is. A horrible, horrible nightmare brought on by the stress. A woman replaced Devon’s prone form. Completely naked, she was tall and emaciated, her ribs protruding from her hairless body. She was also missing genitalia of any kind, the place where they should be smooth like a Barbie doll. Her eyes were large and luminous, regarding me with shrewd intelligence. How I could tell she was female was beyond me, but I just knew. She smiled, her white lips twisting to reveal razor-sharp teeth. “Don’t play coy now. We’re already well acquainted I would say.” Backing up a few steps, I shook my head. “I don’t know you.” “You do. I’m the one who’s been sharing your body since that night outside of Zeffer, that quaint human club.” I stilled. “No. I fought a BBD and was knocked unconscious. I got sloppy. But Jensen came and—” “And what?” “I don’t know. Took me home. Made sure I was okay.” I hated to it even to myself that Jensen possibly had saved my life. She laughed, the sound like nails on a chalkboard. “I never thought I’d have much use for a boy in love, much less a warlock, but I must it, having him cover for us has been useful. We probably would have been found out by now if not for him”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” And I didn’t. I’d been thrown into some kind of whacky nightmare I couldn’t seem to escape, or even understand for that matter. “Let me put all the cards on the table for you. After all, it’s why I brought you here. I grow impatient of sitting in the dark corners of your mind, waiting to take over. It’s time for me to have full control.” Spinning in a small circle, I studied the box we were in. “Where exactly is here?” She prowled closer, her smile growing wider. “In your mind.” “No. Twice marked are immune to demon possessions. It’s one of the few perks we enjoy.” “Who said I’m a demon?” I opened my mouth and snapped it shut, blinking rapidly. “What else could you be?” “There are other things.” My gaze roved over her, assessing, as I tried to any information about a supernatural creature that might fit her description. I came up empty. “Enough with the games. What are you?” “I’m not the one playing games. I’m not the one who locked me in this box in your mind.” She inched ever closer. “I’ve been searching for a way out for a long time. Our goals are the same. If you let me help you that is. Give me control.” A brittle laugh rattled my chest. “I can pretty much guarantee our goals are not the same.” “Mmm … can you then?” She began circling me, and I turned with her to keep her fully within view. “I want to be free of both Lucifer and God’s game. You speak of not wanting to play any games, and yet you play theirs every single day of your life. Don’t you want to be free, too?”

“I have to play the game.” She was just another demon attempting to prey on my weakness, which was my desire to no longer be twice marked. To have the freedom to live my life without worry of burning in Hell for all eternity. I should be immune to possession, but she somehow managed to slip in. Occam’s razor. She shook her bald head slowly. “Ah, but you don’t have to play. Or rather, we can start our own game, make our own rules.” I crossed my arms over my chest, growing weary of the conversation which wasn’t going anywhere. “Get to your point so I can tell you to fuck off.” She made a chuffing sound. “I do like you, human. If you let me, we could be friends.” “I don’t pick demons for friends.” “Good, because I’m not a demon.” “So you’ve said, but I don’t believe you.” “I am angel. Or at one time I was. But I chose to fall. I was the first. Not kicked out from Heaven like Lucifer and all that followed him. Once humans were involved, Father got cranky about things.” She lifted one shoulder in a casual shrug. “But I left before the birth of man, motivated by my desire to be free of rules. All rules aside from my own.” “Lies,” I spat. “You lie just like every other demon. Lucifer was the first of the fallen, the first—” “As he would have you believe. He was not the first fallen angel, but he was the first male fallen, and just like every other male of any species, he decided to ignore what the woman did first because it inconvenienced his narrative.” Laughter bubbled up, exploding from my chest. “No, please, stop.” I waved my free hand in front of me, the other clutching my middle. “You’re trying to tell me that Lucifer wasn’t the first fallen angel, but he was the first misogynist. No. You took it too far. The lie is too elaborate. You need to go with something simple, seriously.” She growled, low and long. “I want to end Lucifer and God. I want to start a new

world. One where we all have choices. And together we can make that happen.” “If you’re the first, then that means you’re powerful. Likely as powerful as Lucifer—” “Not as powerful as Lucifer,” she hissed, claws extending from her hands. “Because when he fell, he imprisoned me. Even now, my true form, my body, is held captive by him. He has yet to figure out that I can send my essence to Earth now to climb into human’s bodies.” I tapped my foot against the ground, impatience taking hold. “I’m over this entire scene. You’re a demon, somehow in my head, trying to convince me to give you control of my body. Not going to happen.” Questions raced through my mind, too many to count. What had she meant about Jensen covering for her slash us? Why did I keep seeing Tomas and Devon, bloodied and dying? Why did the crazed kid from Belle Meade claim I’d been present and unable to help my friends because I was too weak? The answers seemed obvious—I was possessed—but more than likely the demon wanted me to think I had less control than I actually did. She wouldn’t be in the process of trying to convince me to give up my body if she could snatch it away at her own accord. “Fine, I can feel your doubt. You don’t believe me.” I raised my eyebrows. “Yeah, I don’t think you need to feel anything to come to that conclusion. I’ve told you that point-blank.” “Let me show you.” A barrage of scenes flooded my mind, all of them playing out at once, bits and pieces of disted conversation in a language I’d never heard before, but was able to understand and retain. “Lilith,” Lucifer purred. “I never thought to see you again. Can’t say I’m glad about it though.” “Just leave me be and I’ll leave you be, Lucifer. I have no quarrel with you.” “Ah, but I won’t wait around for you to become a problem.”

Screams filled my ears, raw and agonizing. “Calm down, Lilith. You won’t feel anything at all soon.” A low chuckle. “Or maybe you will. Not that I care either way.” More screams, a flash of a fire-consumed body from first-person point of view, skin regenerating before immediately blackening again. Abruptly it all stopped, the pressure within my skull subsiding. Tears streaming down my face, I lifted my gaze from the ground, meeting Lilith’s. “How do I know that wasn’t just another trick?” “I left Heaven on good with God. At least I thought that to be the case. I fell, but it was a choice that was seemingly accepted. When Lucifer was pushed from Heaven, he took it upon himself to imprison me and to make me suffer. I prayed. I begged for mercy. A daughter to a father asking to return home. But I was ignored. Punished for daring to think for myself.” “I don’t think—” She slithered closer. “I’ve been to every dark corner of your mind, exploring. You are like me, the one I’ve been searching for. The one who can help free us all. Only together we can win.” “Why can’t you do it all by yourself? Or with some random meat suit?” “I burn through regular humans, and the Hell marked. It’s the special combination of the twice marked that can hold me. Help me.” “All of this seems mighty convenient if you ask me, and you are since you’re in my mind. You show up spouting off about feminism, because face it, you are, equal rights for fallen male or female angels, am I right? Then you claim we’re the same—that our goals align. I know a snow job when I hear one. And lady, fallen, demon, whatever you are, this is a snow job. Next, you’ll be presenting me with charts and Venn diagrams. “Wait!” I raised my hand in her face before she could offer another perfect reply. “Let’s not forget the ‘I’m special’ part. Because everyone likes to hear that.” “Not special in the way you think. But kindred spirits.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m still holding out hope that this is a nightmare I’m going to wake up from at any moment.” “It’s not.” Her lips twitched as if she thought my suffering was funny. Stalking forward, I narrowed my eyes at Lilith, or whatever her true name was. She stood her ground, watching me come, not intimidated in the least even though she was playing on my home turf if what she said was true and we were indeed in my mind. “Tell me why I saw Tomas and Devon, first in my nightmare intermingled with memories and then now before you appeared in this box.” She tapped her chin with her razor-sharp claws, blood blooming. “You won’t like the answer.” “If you want me to believe anything you said, you can start with the hard truths.” “I did manage to take control of your body for a time. To break free from this prison in your mind. And while I was free to play, I was searching for the same thing everyone else is—the weapon.” My eyes slid shut, my body wracked with shudders as Tomas and Devon’s faces danced behind my eyelids. “I was there, or my body was. And on some level, I ed it.” “Yes.” What must they have thought of me in those last moments when their lives had been ripped from them? Tomas begged for me to fight, Devon for my help. I let them both die. I watched. The kid had been right. I watched, too weak to do anything. And I’d woken up afterwards with no knowledge except what was buried deep in my psyche. I laughed and smiled, mourned and cried, went about my life as usual when I could have prevented all of it. Dropping to my knees, I slammed my fists against my thighs. “You let my friends die, and now you want me to work with you?” My eyes snapped open, a growl vibrating my chest. “It’s never going to happen.” She tilted her head, the light glinting off her bald scalp. “Now, what is it that you

humans say? Never say never, isn’t it? I do believe that applies here. You want the weapon, and together we can get it. We can work together to a satisfactory ending for both of us. We can make a bargain.” “Can you bring Tomas and Devon back?” “No.” “Then you can fuck off. Fallen angel or demon, I’ll find a way to kill you.” “I can’t bring your friends back, but I can prevent more of them from dying. If you work with me.” I grinned. “Haven’t you gotten the memo? I don’t need anyone’s help.” Leaping to my feet, I hurled myself at her, my hands wrapping around her throat. Her eyes met mine as she gasped for air, claws dragging down my arms. “Do you think you’ll die if I kill you in here? Guess we’ll find out soon enough.” Her claws and teeth peeled the flesh from my bones as she struggled against me, but I held on, ignoring all of it. Physical pain was fleeting. Knowing that she forced me to stand by while Tomas and Devon had been tortured—it gave me the kind of mental fortitude to cling to her, to steel my will to outlast hers, especially while in my own mind. Here I was the most powerful of all. I simply had to realize it first before I could take control. Screaming my rage, I tore at her with my blunt teeth, mirroring her every move. Blood and gore, some mine, some hers, intermingled. Her claws sliced at my neck. I laughed as a metallic tang, thick and heavy, sloshed down the back of my throat. Spots danced in front of my eyes, and still, I held on. Together we collapsed, both of us still fighting, my vision dimming. “I’ll never let you win,” I choked out, the words barely audible. Heat erupted around me, all-consuming, burning me alive. Together we screamed until our lungs blackened and shriveled. Together we died.

24

Standing in front of my childhood home, I blinked, confused about how I’d gotten there. The last I ed, I was trapped in my mind with Lilith, locked in a battle to the death. Did I win? And if not, what happened? “Risss!” Lily ran around the side of the house, ponytails flying. She grinned up at me, both of her front teeth missing. “I losst another one. Do you think the tooth fairy will bring me more money?” Frozen in place, I stared at the younger version of my sister, who seemed oblivious to my adjustment in age to an adult. I have to still be lost in my mind. When I didn’t respond, Lily crossed her tiny arms over her chest. “Stop being pisssy, Risssy.” She stuck her tongue out. “Pisssy Risssy.” I couldn’t help but laugh. I’d almost forgotten how Lily had called me that when she was a kid. Add in the slur from her missing teeth, and it was damn adorable. I’m pretty sure I didn’t think that back in the day though. “Iss not funny.” I offered her my hand. “Of course not. And don’t worry. The tooth fairy will give you more money for your tooth.” She led me around to the backyard. “Do you think I look weird with no front teeth?” She curled her upper lip under, making a sucking noise. “It feels weird.” “Everyone goes through it. And your new teeth will grow in soon.” “Mmkay.” “Where are we going?” My mind was clearly trying to communicate something to me, so I figured I’d go along with it. Hopefully, it didn’t end in a disturbing mess of gore, but I wasn’t optimistic about that prospect.

Lily didn’t answer, continuing to tug me along after her. My head whipped around as we made our way through the house, nostalgia warming my chest. Suddenly, we stood at my bedroom door, my sister staring up at me expectantly. “What? Do you want me to go in?” “There’s something in there.” “What? What’s in there?” “Make it go away, Risss. Peeaassse.” Dropping her hand, I pushed into my childhood bedroom, gaze darting around warily. The door swung shut behind me, kid Lily on the other side. Things seemed normal inside, nothing out of place as far as I could tell. I let my fingertips graze over various items I hadn’t thought about in years, longforgotten toys and knickknacks. “What is this?” Whipping around, I came face-to-face with a younger version of myself. She peered up at me with curiosity. “What is this?” She pointed at the wall behind my desk, which she’d pulled out to get a better look at something. Skirting around her, I stopped short. There along the wall was a deep crack, dark veins stretching beyond it. I reached out my hand, then recoiled. “I don’t know.” “Has it always been there?” “I don’t know what it is, so I don’t know.” Teenaged me tilted her head, pursing her lips. “I think I know what it is.” “What?” “I’m infected. I can feel it spreading.” She shuddered. “It’s dark. And cold.” My chest tightened, and my heart thrashed against my ribcage. This is it. This is what I’m trying to communicate to myself. And fuck if I didn’t take it to the next level to make it literal by actually talking to a younger version of myself. “Did something change?”

“You couldn’t kill Lilith. You absorbed her. She’s in us now.” My breath lodged in my throat. “What does that mean?” I choked out. A myriad of images crashed through me, some of the same from what Lilith had already shown me, others new and disturbing. I was filled to the brim with her knowledge, all of it ed into my brain. I had indeed absorbed her essence and her knowledge. It was like harboring a ghost of her within my soul. She wasn’t truly sentient, and yet she wasn’t obliterated. “We’ll be stronger at least,” teenaged me said. “And we know a lot more than we ever thought we would.” “God does exist,” I breathed. I finally had proof. There it all was laid out in front of me in Lilith’s memories. She’d told me the truth. Color me shocked. It all led me to one inevitable conclusion. I know what I have to do. Closing my eyes, I shoved my consciousness into the waking world.

Sound filtered in first. “Is she going to be okay?” Lily’s voice. “I’ve done everything I can. The rest is up to her now.” Jensen’s voice. “I don’t understand what happened.” Monica’s voice. Jensen’s voice closer. “Please, Val. If you can hear me, fight. I’ve given you the power to fight. Please. Just fight.” Ah, so that was how I’d prevailed over Lilith. Jensen found a spell to absorb demon powers, and he adjusted the dark magic to suit the situation. Too bad he didn’t know Lilith wasn’t a demon, and things hadn’t worked out the way he’d planned. If she had been a demon, once I absorbed her in my mind, that would have been the end of it. She would be gone. But because she was something else, something older and more powerful, her powers, her memories, and her ghost would live on within me. We were forever bonded as far as I could tell. My arms and legs tingled, and I wiggled my fingers and toes. “She moved!” Lily exclaimed. “Did you see it?” A featherlight touch flitted across my forehead, and I fought to open my eyes. “Val, baby, please. You can do this. It’s what you do—fight. No one is stronger than you.” And now I’m even stronger. “She’s going to fight her way out,” Jensen whispered. “Why didn’t you tell us?” Monica demanded. “What you did was reckless … dangerous to all of us, not just her.” Warm hands moved through my hair gently. “I don’t owe you any explanations.” “You did with this! She could have endangered everything!” “And what would you have done? Killed her?” Jensen snarled. “Because I would

have ripped your heart out with my bare hands for even trying.” “I would have done what I had to do. It’s the burden I’ve been charged with.” “Would you say the same if it was Tomas instead of her?” “I don’t know.” Monica’s voice dipped low. “Weeell,” Lily drawled, “at least we know why she was acting so bizarre lately.” My sister, always the one trying to iron out conflict and find the silver lining. “She had a friggin’ demon inside of her. I guess that’s why she was even more of a bitch than usual.” Thanks, Lily. Sister of the year right there. As if she had a sixth sense about my annoyance, she said, “And if she has a problem with me calling her a ginormous bitch, then she needs to wake up and tell me so.” I internally chuckled. She’s ridiculous. Warmth fanned across my cheek, lips pressing against the shell of my ear. “Val, I know you can do this. There’s no one in this world or any other I believe in more than you.” Oh, Jensen, my idiot of a warlock. I love you so fucking much. I wish I didn’t let my insecurities and issues get in the way of our relationship. I held us back, when all you ever wanted to do was love and me. I truly don’t deserve you. But maybe one day I will. If I live long enough to see this to the end. My eyelids fluttered open, bright light washing my surroundings into a blur. “She’s waking!” Lily exclaimed. Ms. Captain Obvious strikes again. “Val, thank fuck! Val, can you see me?” Shadows moved across my field of vision, as colors and shapes began to normalize. My gaze met Jensen’s panicked orbs of blue, relief washing through

them. “I’m okay,” I croaked. “Is it her though?” Monica demanded. “Is it actually her?” “Who the fuck else would it be?” I shoved up to lean against my headboard, only then realizing everyone was congregated in my small bedroom. Lily grinned. “Yep, that’s her.” She leapt at me, wrapping her arms around me in a too-tight bear hug. “Don’t ever scare me like that again. I can’t do this without you.” Jensen lifted her off of me, regarding me warily before he pulled me into his arms. He didn’t say anything, just held me as his heart beat a staccato rhythm under my ear. “We need to know what happened, what she re. Everything.” Monica paced at the foot of my bed, nervous energy rolling off of her in palpable waves. “We need to make sure—” “I’m fine.” I lifted my gaze to hers, brown on brown clashing. “I saw her in there. Lilith is who she said she was.” Monica’s eyes widened. “Lilith. That can’t be possible. I’ve heard rumors of her existence, but—” “It’s true,” I cut her off again. “It wasn’t a demon inside of me at all, but a fallen angel. The first if what she told me can be believed.” And I believed it all now. I had millennia’s worth of memories to sift through, their presence changing me in unexplainable ways, and yet, I was still essentially me. Jensen’s fingers dug into my flesh, his arms trembling. Did the news cause him worry? He’d cast a spell with limited information—information he now knew was wrong. “Val?” I heard so much there in his use of my nickname. So many questions lingered between each letter. Most that I couldn’t and wouldn’t answer. At least not yet. “I love you.” I pressed my face into his chest, inhaling his spicy scent. I’d wasted too much time with him, causing my fears to become potential self-

fulfilling prophecies. I’d been dumb and immature, carelessly throwing away things that most creatures would kill to possess, even a creature such as Lilith. Unlike demons, Lilith had the ability and the desire to love and be loved. It was her presence within me that had propelled me back into Jensen’s arms sooner than I’d been willing. That fact didn’t diminish my love for Jensen in the least. To Lilith, I was a silly child who needed a push, one she was happy to give. In her own strange, twisted way, despite her willingness to let Tomas and Devon die, she’d come to care for me. She’d wanted Jensen for me, rationalizing the notion away but calling him useful to her overall purpose. Which was also true. Somehow, before I managed to absorb Lilith, we were already on a collision course, hurdling for one another, one of us destined to be destroyed. Surprisingly, I’d been the one to survive, thanks to her matchmaking ways. If Jensen had remained distant from my life, like he had been for the several months prior to the incident, he wouldn’t have been there to help … Crap. He did save my life, didn’t he? But when did he realize something was off with me? That first night when he tracked me to the alleyway outside Zeffer, or afterward when we’d been intimate? Was that why he kept popping up everywhere I was? And holy hell, he’d been completely okay with having sex with me when he thought a demon was riding shotgun inside of me. Talk about risky. But then again, he was arrogant enough to think there would be nothing to worry about because of his magic. Shifting, I put some space between us, cupping the side of Jensen’s face. His jaw muscles jumped, his lips pressing into a hard line as he stared at me. “Talk to me, Val.” “What did you do?” One side of his mouth curled up, showcasing the one rarely occurring dimple in his cheek. “What I do best. Help you when you didn’t ask for it.” Is the asshat actually trying to make a joke right now? It made me want to punch and kiss him simultaneously. “How did you do it without me noticing?” The left side of his mouth curled up to match the other. “I’m that good.” I guffawed. “Is it possible for your ego to get any bigger?”

“Guess we’ll find out when we’re alone later.” Our interaction felt so … normal. As if it was just another day fighting demons, and not the day I went up against a fallen angel inside my brain and came out on top. With Jensen’s help. He fortified my mind and wound it tight with a spell to help me take on what he thought would be a demon. Was that the reason Lilith thought I would fail? Because of what she was—or rather wasn’t? Or maybe she knew. After being imprisoned and tortured for an unfathomable time to a human, could she have grown weary of her existence, seeking something else? Not quite death, but close enough as far as I was concerned. But then again, it was possible that I now had a soft spot for the creature because I truly understood her. Without having actually lived her life, I retained all her memories, and garnered empathy for her because of my newfound knowledge. “Are we not going to talk about this?” Monica demanded. “We need to—” “I need a few minutes alone with her.” Jensen’s grip on me tightened even further, as if he was afraid I would disappear right out of his arms. “And then we can talk.” Lily grabbed Monica’s arm, dragging her out of my room. “Come on, I’ll get you some yummies while we wait.” I heaved a sigh of relief, letting Jensen continue to hold me, enjoying a moment of peace while I still could.

25

Jensen’s chest heaved, ragged breaths rasping out of his lungs. I endured the thick silence, considering what I could say to him. I had to walk a blade-thin line between the truth and what I could afford to let him know. In the past, I might have considered ditching him in the effort to keep him out of trouble, but he’d proven with his little stunt, yet again, that he wouldn’t stop meddling in my life. Gritting my teeth, anger boiled over. I slapped my open fist against his back. “Why would you do that without telling me?” I could feel his lips curl up against the top of my head. “You would have fought me.” “Of course I would have. As much as I hate to it it, Monica’s right. You risked all of us by keeping what you knew a secret and acting on your own.” “I wouldn’t have let you hurt Lily.” “And how would you have stopped me? You weren’t even here half the time.” He pulled away from me, his eyebrows rai to practically his hairline. “You think I let you or her go unprotected? She’s like a sister to me now, too.” He chuckled. “One I never wanted. But one all the same. Although, isn’t that true of all siblings?” “So you cast more magic without us knowing? Compounding the issue?” I glowered, loving and hating him for everything he’d done. He saved me. There was no way I could deny it anymore, at least to myself. But he’d also left me in the dark. “I’m more powerful than you know.” He brushed his supple lips against my forehead, eliciting a pleasant flutter in my stomach. “Which is why I know you’re not telling me something.” I grimaced. “What makes you think that?”

“Please, it’s me. I know you, Val. I know you better than you know yourself sometimes. Give me some credit already.” I flicked my gaze away. “I’m still processing. What happened was … a lot. And before that, everything with you, and Tomas, and Devon … all of it. I was fighting through—” I waved my hand in front of my head. “I don’t even know. Things seem clearer now, but …” But what? Everything is different? I’m different? How could I tell him that without giving anything else away? Jensen tipped my chin back in his direction with his finger. “Even now I can tell that you’re trying to figure out how to lie to me.” His lips pulled back in a snarl. “When are you going to understand that I’ll always be on your side? Huh, Val? You can trust me. No matter what.” I nibbled my bottom lip, my heart and mind warring, as per usual when it came to Jensen Blackwell. “Why?” “Why what?” “Why will you always be on my side? What did I do to deserve that kind of loyalty? I know I don’t treat you as good as I should. You deserve better than what I can give you. I’ve known that since day one.” He cupped the sides of my face, his large hands nearly engulfing my head. “You don’t see yourself clearly. You’re loyal and fierce, and yeah, a huge asshole. And you’re violent.” He grinned. “Have I told you lately that your penchant for violence is a total turn on?” “Ooooh, now I get it. You’re insane.” He skated his lips over mine, leaving me wanting more. “Does anybody ever know why they love someone? They can list out reasons until they’re blue in the face, but that’s the brain talking. Love comes from the heart, and when it wants something, it simply does. End of story.” He kissed me again, lingering longer. “And my heart wanted you from that first day when you—” “Oh, so your heart is in your dick then? Got it.” “You’re never going to make this kind of thing easy for me, are you?”

I smirked. “Well, I am an asshole.” Reaching for him, I fisted the front of his shirt, yanking him to me. I swept my tongue into his mouth, his meeting mine eagerly. Groaning, Jensen pulled away. “As much as it pains me,” he palmed the front of his jeans, shifting his erection, “and let me tell you, it does … we need to discuss what happened with Lilith before we do anything else. Plus, Monica and Lily are waiting for us downstairs.” I quirked an eyebrow. “When has that ever stopped us before?” I suddenly didn’t want to talk about anything. I didn’t want to deal with anything—to think about plans or what needed to be done. I wanted to lose myself in the ion Jensen could give me, at least for a little while. “Damnit, Val. You had a goddamn fallen angel in your head, and you want to pretend it didn’t happen?” “I haven’t gotten this far in my life without healthy doses of denial.” “Talk to me. Talk to me right the fuck now.” Delving my hands into his silky locks, I tugged. “We can talk later. Right now,” I kissed along his jawline, his scruff abrasive, “I want to pretend.” His fists trailed down my back as if he couldn’t help but touch me even as he resisted. “Pretend what exactly?” “That everything is normal. You’re just a guy, and I’m just a girl, and we have all the time in the world to simply be together. No complications. No worries.” “Fuck. I want that. I do. But—” He groaned when I rubbed the heel of my palm over the front of his jeans. “But what?” I smiled against his skin, his muscles thrumming with tension. He was about to break, and then I’d have him right where I wanted him. “I’m a fool for you.” He nipped at my earlobe. “A complete and utter fool. And some days I hate it.” “And others?”

“Others I fuckin’ love it.” He rolled me beneath him, smashing his lips to mine. Lust exploded, taking all coherent thoughts out in the blast. I needed skin on skin, flesh pounding into flesh, all of me touching all of Jensen while he offered me temporary oblivion. “Fuck, yes,” I whimpered. Or maybe that was him. “More.” “Faster.” “Now.” Pleasure and pain intermingled, taking me higher and higher, my senses alight. Abruptly, I dropped, falling headfirst into euphoria, drowning in it. Chests heaving, we held each other tight, a sense of foreboding clinging to me. “I don’t know how you do it,” I mumbled against his neck. “But you somehow make even quickies a revelation.” “Seduce me, and then heap praise on me for my sexual prowess … what are you after now?” His tone was light, but the question was serious. “Can’t I give you praise for no reason?” Propping himself up on his elbows, he stared down at me, his dark hair falling across his forehead. “Maybe. But now is not one of those times.” Batting my eyelashes at him, I smiled. “So cynical.” “As I should be. Especially with you.” “I thought you said you’d stand by me no matter what?” “Val,” he grumbled, “I will stand by you because I love you. It doesn’t mean I don’t know who you are. I know when you’re trying to manipulate me.” “And you still let me.”

“I’m a guy.” I tapped my chin. “That’s right. Men aren’t as strong as women. I forget sometimes.” He glowered. “If I’m weak, so are you.” I patted his shoulder. “Tell yourself whatever makes you feel better.” One dark eyebrow rose. “Really? And I suppose it wasn’t you in my condo a few days ago who couldn’t resist me long enough to even make it to the couch?” “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” “Right. And I believe that for one second.” “Whatever. Don’t use reality to fight my world of fiction.” He laughed. “Fuck. I love you and all of your bullshit. Fuck if I know why.” “Because I keep you on your toes, and predictable is boring?” He extradited himself from me, leaving me strangely bereft. I watched as he made quick work of pulling on his clothes. “You got what you wanted. We can talk later.” He narrowed his eyes at me. “But we will be talking later. About everything.” “Sure.” Biting my lower lip, I fished around the bed for my discarded clothes. When we were both presentable, he swung the door open, heading downstairs. I followed reluctantly, not in the mood for another meeting of our Scooby Gang. Lily’s lips twitched when she saw me. “You really are feeling better.” Monica wasn’t as amused. “We don’t have time for the two of you to go at it every five minutes when the balance of Heaven, Hell, and Earth is in danger.” My cheeks warmed, annoyance sparking. “We don’t go at it every five minutes. Maybe you’re just jea—” I bit back my retort, knowing it was taking it a bit too far. Tomas had just died, and even if I hadn’t been thinking of him when I’d gone to say it, the comment definitely would come out wrong. “We don’t go at it

every five minutes,” I repeated, clearing my throat. Sadness rolled across Monica’s features, her lips pressing into a thin line. “We need to know everything that happened with Lilith and how we could have been compromised, and we need to go after the weapon.” “I told you pretty much everything there is to tell.” Lie. But what else was I supposed to say? I couldn’t trust Monica with my plan. Nor did I want to explain how I was there when both Tomas and Devon were killed. “I didn’t know she was in there, poking around in my psyche, thanks to Jensen.” I spared him a glare. “I haven’t forgotten about the tracking spell, by the way.” “I’m not even the tiniest bit surprised.” He blew me a mocking kiss. “We’re just supposed to accept Lilith was in your mind, and now she’s not, boom, time to move on?” Lily asked incredulously. “I have questions.” She waved her hand in Monica’s direction. “We both have questions.” “And I don’t have answers.” Lie, lie, lie. Lowering my gaze, I could feel Jensen’s eyes burning into the side of my face. “I can only tell you what I know. And like I’ve said, it isn’t much.” “The spells I cast on her kept her in the dark,” Jensen offered. Surprise pinged through my system. Why was he helping me with this? He was pressing for answers as well. Unless he’s showing me how much on my side and no one else’s he is. I had a ton to consider, and little time to put my plans into action. “Look.” I rubbed my temples, feigning a headache. “I’m fine, really. I keep saying it because it’s true. But I’m tired and could use some rest. So, okay then. I’m going to bed, and we can start fresh with everything tomorrow.” Forcing a yawn, I trudged back up to my room, not waiting for any responses. Hushed voices filtered up to my ears, but I didn’t pay them any mind. It was time to put the first part of my plan into action.

26

Knowledge is power. And even though I didn’t get any added benefit physically from absorbing Lilith’s essence, I’d gained her knowledge. It was a big win as far as I was concerned. Except for the whole burning alive flashbacks I kept getting. Curled in a ball, I rocked back and forth, clutching at my skull. “It’s not real. It’s not real. It’s not real,” I muttered to myself over and over. Echoes of screams tore through my mind as chills wracked my body. “Fuck.” Jensen crouched in front of me, his sudden appearance not surprising in the least. He no doubt felt my emotional turmoil, then used the damn tracking spell to find me. He tipped my chin up, and I gave him a watery smile. “Who knew angels could get PTSD?” Realization donned, furrowing his brows. “You got her memories.” I tapped the tip of my nose. “Bingo.” “Tell me what’s going on.” “I keep seeing myself … her burn alive. Over and over. As soon as I—she heals, it starts again.” Tears streamed down my face. “She was down there, in Hell, for longer than I can even fathom. Even while she was in my head, her body still burned.” Jensen pulled me against his chest, a string of curse words spilling from his mouth. “I’ll figure out a way to build a wall in your mind. Maybe the same type of spell I used to block her off inside of your mind to start with.” He stroked his hand down my back. “Maybe if I—”

“No,” I rasped. “I’ll lose all her memories then, and I need them.” “Because they seem like they’re doing you a lot of good now … while you rock yourself back and forth in an alleyway, behind the trash bin of your bar.” I gestured vaguely behind me. “I took out like five demons before it took hold. It was so easy with knowing exactly what they were and therefore all their weaknesses.” I’d never felt stronger or more in control, and I didn’t even have the coveted mega-weapon yet. “And what would have happened if your meltdown happened during the fight?” He ground his teeth together, glaring down at me. “It’s like you’re determined to self-destruct lately.” He grabbed me by the shoulders. “I won’t let you.” Shaking him off of me, I pulled myself unsteadily to my feet. “I’m feeling much better now.” I simply needed to find something else to focus on to force away the unwanted memories. “I’m going to help you.” I clicked my tongue. “I swear, only you could make an offer of help sound like a threat.” “Pretty sure I learned that from you.” Raising my hands in the air, I let them drop a second later. “What are we even doing?” He frowned. “What? Now? Or in general?” “We can’t be near each other for more than five seconds without fighting lately. If we can’t even—” Jensen stepped into me, sliding his hands into my hair roughly. “That’s not true. We do just fine when—” “When you’re inside of me. Yeah.” I shook my head. “But what does that say ?” He smirked. “That we should have lots more sex?”

I smacked at his chest. “You drive me insane.” But I loved him. With every molecule in my body. Even Lilith had recognized the unique connection we shared, despite me wanting to rip it apart, being the neurotic fool I am. My shoulders slumped as I curled into myself, wrapping my arms around my middle. “I’m tired of fighting. Not just you, but demons. I’m burnt out. I want to end it.” And I can end it. I finally had a way to make it all stop. Would Jensen help me with my plan? Or would he attempt to stop me? Because I wanted him to be there in the end, him and Lily both. After all, I was doing it all for them. To keep them safe in a world I otherwise wouldn’t. Jensen’s baby blues met mine, sadness welling within them. “I know.” There had been a time when I enjoyed the hunt like an adrenaline junkie in search of their next thrill. But somewhere along the line, I’d become jaded. Although inconvenient at first, Lilith choosing me was an answer I didn’t know I was searching for. She could give me the miracle I didn’t think possible. “I don’t like it when you’re quiet,” Jensen said, drawing my full attention back to him. He drummed his fingers along the side of his thigh. “What? Am I making you nervous?” One side of his mouth kicked up. “A quiet Val is a plotting Val, and yeah, it makes me nervous.” His expression flattened out, losing all mirth. “Tell me what I can do to help you. I’ll do anything.” I pulled teeth over my bottom lip. “Anything?” Could I risk trusting him with this? Or should I continue to keep him at arm’s length until I fixed my predicament? I truly didn’t know. As per usual with him, my heart and mind had different answers. His lips brushed against my ear, fanning his hot breath along my cheek. Goosebumps erupted across my flesh. “Anything,” he rumbled low. Yep, chemistry is definitely not a problem with us. His voice, his scent, the way I burned when he was close … I could never stay away from him permanently. I couldn’t deny that fact any longer. Leaning back, I drew my thumb along his lower lip. “Even fight Heaven and

Hell and everything in between?” He grabbed my wrist, pulling my hand away from his mouth. “I’ll take on Lucifer himself if it means getting to be with you.” “You just might have to,” I grunted. Anger worked its way into the lines of his face, causing him to appear harsher, older. “Let me use my powers to help you. I’m strong—stronger than you realize.” Bits and pieces of information flitted across my consciousness, some in black and white images, some in vivid color, and others merely emotions. Shock accompanied each one, my heart quadrupling in time, my body stiffening. I fisted Jensen’s hair at the nape of his neck, and he stilled, eyes darting back and forth between mine. “Ah, but Lilith knew. Which means so do I.” He sucked in a ragged breath. “And what do you think of me now?” Jensen Blackwell wasn’t merely a human known as a warlock, who had powerful magical gifts. No, it was more complicated than that. Within his family line ran the blood of Azazel, a fallen angel almost as powerful as Lucifer himself. Jensen was far more gifted than I ever guessed. His magic dark and twisted, tied in with the very system I fought. And even with all her knowledge, Lilith still thought Jensen a good love match for me. I wasn’t sure if that was a statement about me, or her. “Was it really a coincidence that you moved in a few doors down from us?” “I think you already know the answer to that.” I did. But I wanted to hear him say it. “You were going to what? Kill us and take our twice marked energy?” He nodded once, his jaw muscles twitching. “And the way you pretended to discover what I was that first day. When you saw my marks?”

“I thought it would make it easier.” “To kill me and take my essence as a descendent of Lucifer?” “It’s what we’ve always done. It’s part of the curse—the Blackwell Legacy. It’s how we remain free of servitude in Hell, free from being slaves to Azazel. Each Blackwell has to give him two twice marked—their energy. Two twice-marked hunters from each Blackwell by our thirtieth birthday, and in exchange, he lets us keep our power, our lives, and our souls. Otherwise, he would punish us. But you know all of this now.” “Not all of it. Only what Lilith knew. Which wasn’t the why, simply what it means to be a Blackwell warlock.” “I couldn’t do it because I fell in love.” “Sucks to be you.” I didn’t know what I felt about any of it. Jensen was going to kill me and Lily both, to steal whatever energy that made us special as twice marked. But then what? I’d seduced Jensen into changing his mind? Even I didn’t think I was that good between the sheets. “It wasn’t love at first sight. I don’t believe such a thing exists. We were insta-lust, sure.” I clicked my tongue. “You trying to tell me I fucked you into submission? How about giving me something I can believe.” Lurching forward, Jensen pressed his face into my neck, wrapping his arms around me. There was a vulnerability to him I’d never witnessed before. “I never lied to you. What I told you when we first met was true. I knew I was a goner within the first five minutes of meeting you.” “Why didn’t you kill me then? Right away? Before you had the chance to get attached?” “I couldn’t,” he croaked out. “I wanted you. I’ve never wanted anyone or anything as much as you.” “The distance between you and your family is because of me?” It came out as a question, but I knew the answer to that, too. “They had to cut me off to put some distance between me and them. They were worried about Azazel’s wrath.”

“And why hasn’t he come for you yet?” “He would have, and soon. You know my birthday is a month away. I could feel his attention turn toward me, burning within me for months now. I grew desperate, begging for more time, doubtful that I would get it—that he would even listen. All the while we were together, I searched for a way out, willing to do almost anything.” He swallowed hard. “But then the opportunity presented itself … and I finally saw my way out. A way to save both of us.” He clutched me tighter. “You already know what I did. I’m sorry. So fucking sorry.” Everything was a lie. Jensen hadn’t shown up in my life exactly when I needed him, he’d come to kill me. I let the thing I feared most in the front door and I’d been fucking it ever since. He was my potential demise in all ways, and yet I couldn’t blame him. Not really. He was fighting a battle for his soul just the way I was. The way all twice marked were. We were more alike than I realized, both pawns in a game we didn’t sign on to play. A dry laugh escaped my throat. “And I thought you didn’t understand what it was like to fight for your soul.” “Val, baby, please. You have to understand.” I hate when he tries that baby bullshit. “I don’t have to understand anything,” I snarled. I leaned heavier into him, softening my voice. “But I do.” Strangely, finding out the truth, getting a look behind the curtain of Jensen’s life in a way I never had before, made me trust him more. He could have killed me a thousand times over, and instead, he kept me safe, even when I didn’t want him to. Sure, he lied, but how was he supposed to explain his past? I probably would have shoved one of my blades straight through his heart and never looked back. “Where do we go from here?” “That’s a good question.” One I wasn’t sure I had the answer for. Jensen was trustworthy when it came to me, and even Lily, but he’d seized the opportunity to solve his Azazel dilemma by offering up Tomas and Devon on a silver platter. He betrayed my friends, and I was blindsided by all of it. “The demons would have killed them regardless of my involvement. It was a way out and I had to take it.”

What would I do if I was in his shoes? Probably a lot worse. “I don’t know what it says about me as a friend, and as a person, but I understand.” There went my chances of getting into Heaven no matter how many demons I slayed, unless … unless my plan worked, and then none of it would matter anymore. He blinked repeatedly, as if unable to comprehend my words. “I thought if you ever found out you would—” Wrenching away from him, I staggered to my feet. “But it doesn’t mean I can just forget about it. I need time.” Unfurling himself to his full height, his fierce gaze met mine. “Let me help you with Lilith’s memories.” “Back to this, huh? Take off the tracking spell and we can talk about it.” I quirked an eyebrow. “Or are you afraid you’ll never see me again if you do?” His lips flattened out, and his left eye twitched. “No. Nothing has changed on my end. The tracking spell stays.” “If you want me to trust you, if you want me to eventually forgive you for the horrific thing you did, if you want to have a relationship with me, you’ll take off the goddamn tracking spell.” His nostrils flared, his mouth opening and closing several times. “All right. Against my better judgment, I’ll remove it.” He twisted and moved his fingers in an intricate pattern, and a warm sensation shot along the back of my head. I prodded along my hair at the base of my neck. “In my hair. Really?” He shrugged. “In the off chance you ran into someone who could see my magic, I wanted it in a place even they wouldn’t be able to spot it.” “I’m surprised you didn’t put it on my ass.” He smirked, his dimples popping out. “Thought about it.” “Hmm,” I grunted. And there we stood, the two of us staring at each other in the back alley behind

Wilde Stallions, about a million miles of emotional miles between us. “I guess … I guess I could use your help.” The words were like acid on my tongue. But the truth was, I didn’t have time to wait around for circumstances to be the way I preferred as opposed to the way they were. Jensen and I would work things out in the long run, or we wouldn’t. Tonight was not the time to decide. “I’ve already told you I’ll do anything for you.” “Good.” Before the Blackwell revelation, I doubted whether or not Jensen would want to involve himself in my plan, or if he would attempt to stop me. I never thought of him as being strait-laced and virtuous like Monica, but I viewed him as more cautious than me. And maybe he was, careful that is, compared to me. Which was an unbelievably low bar, I was beginning to learn. But now— Maybe he really is willing to do anything for me. “I’m going to need you to open up a portal.” He groaned. “Please don’t puke on me this time.” “I’ll try not to, but it’s the least you deserve.” He pressed his lips together, his teeth audibly grinding in a clear effort to contain a retort. “You need to get us into Monica’s house. Unseen. Preferably into the room they’ve got their guest hanging out in.” He tilted his head, curiosity and concern warring. “All right. I can do that.” “Then do it.” Ozone singed my nose, adrenaline surging. Here we go.

27

Hovering over the prisoner, I gripped my blades tightly, my knuckles white. Jensen leaned against the door, arms crossed as if he was relaxed, but his strained neck muscles belied his nerves. He hadn’t spoken a word to me since we arrived, his steely silence grating on me. I could tell he wanted an explanation, but even someone like Jensen knew when it was time to back off, and now was one of those times. He was probably content to simply know where I was and what I was doing, to a certain extent. The kid appeared peaceful in his sleep. I supposed all humans did, even the murderous, demon-driven ones. Killing him would be easier in his current state of slumber, but it felt wrong somehow, even if the outcome would be the same in the end. Leaning forward, I brought my weight down on the kid’s chest, a startled gasp escaping him as his eyes flew open. “I won’t tell you anything,” he rasped, sleep still clinging to his vocal cords. “Your family.” I was grasping at straws, wanting him to say or do something nasty so I could feel justified. “Did you enjoy it … killing them?” His eyes burned brighter, a feverish glint to them. “I cut them into tiny little pieces, one after each other. Their screams were music to my ears.” He grinned, his lips stretching wide. “They couldn’t understand why I would do such a thing.” “Why did you do such a thing?” I pressed. Him talking of enjoying their screams wasn’t quite enough, I wanted more. “Because it was fun. It was fun to torture them. To watch the light go out of their eyes.” He giggled. “I wish I could do it over and over and over again. And I would if I could.” Yep, that should do it. Drawing my blade across his throat, I finished the job I started at the mansion. I understood why Lilith wanted the kid silenced. And now

I agreed. It had absolutely nothing to do with the dead bodies piled up in Belle Meade, and everything to do with him being a witness to both me and Jensen being involved in Tomas and Devon’s deaths. Eventually, it would all come out, but I needed to put a cap on it until I was ready—until my plan was set in motion. Glancing down at the pool of blood seeping into the pillow and sheets, I idly wondered how Monica would react. The Heaven marked were squeamish sometimes. And perhaps, at some point in my life, I had been, too. Not that I could conjure a single example in my mind at the moment. Jensen moved away from the door, his gaze flinty. “We need to get out of here.” I nodded once. “Val.” He snagged my wrist, deftly avoiding the blade still in my hand. “If you don’t pick a destination, then I will.” Right. I’m the one with the master plan. “Take me to your place. I don’t want to see Lily right now.” “Monica could be there,” he reminded me. “She was planning on staying in my guest room.” I wiped my blade on the edge of the comforter before sheathing it back in my boot. “Right, Regan is here supposedly guarding this kid while Monica gets settled.” A lump formed in my throat. She was staying in Jensen’s condo, the warlock who’d stolen Tomas’ essence and handed it over to Azazel. And I was there, too … even if I had been locked away while Lilith took the reins of my body. Pushing the guilt aside, I forced myself to focus. “A hotel then.” Jensen raised his eyebrows in question. “Oh, for fuck’s sake. Just pick one, I don’t care.” He lifted his hands in surrender. “I don’t want you to accuse me of being highhanded or some shit like that.” “We’re going to play this game now? The one where you pretend to be subservient to me to a fault?” A different day, the same old Jensen. He was

repentant for all of five minutes for his Azazel connection before he went right back to being an asshat. “Wouldn’t want you to cut and run. I don’t have a way to track you now.” I believed he took the mark off right up until the moment he said he couldn’t track me anymore. Great. He can still totally track me. “Yeah, like I believe that for a second.” “Believe what you want, you always do.” “We are not going to have this fight right now.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Where are we going? Because I don’t want to have to take out Regan, too.” “Just pick a hotel, damnit. I don’t know which one.” My mind was blank, not able to come up with a single hotel name in all of the Nashville area. He smirked. “All right.”

“Opryland, really?” In all the years I’d lived in Nashville, I’d never actually been to the famous resort hotel. I peeked out the small window, watching as clusters of people meandered by. “I don’t think Lily, or anyone else for that matter, will look for us here.” “I’m not trying to hide. I just don’t want to see Lily and Monica while I figure out what to do next.” Jensen lounged on the bed, his hands under his head, and his ankles crossed. He’d kicked off his boots, making himself comfortable. “Thought you had this grand plan?” A dimple popped out on his cheek as he delivered his patented smirk, his eyes dancing with mirth. “I did … do. I just need a minute to think.” “All right then.” Glaring at him, I couldn’t decide if I wanted to punch him or strip him naked and climb on. “You came to Nashville to kill me.” His full lips twisted into a frown. “Before I knew you. We went over this.” “Yeah, we went over it, but that doesn’t mean I can move past it just like that.” I snapped my fingers. No, now is not the time for this. You can deal with the complicated Jensen situation after … after all of the rest. “The only thing that’s changed between us is now you know my past. Everything that happened since you dragged me into my condo that first day and fucked me into—” “Stop. I know what you’re doing. And no, it’s not the only thing that’s changed. You were off doing who knows what when you weren’t with me. Your bloodline has direct ties to my enemies. We’re on different sides of this game, Jensen.” Which was another reason I had to put an end to it all. “Azazel has been paid. I don’t need to worry about him anymore—we don’t need to worry about him at all.”

“You sure? What if he finds out about me?” “It doesn’t matter. My part of the deal has been fulfilled. Beyond that he—” “He’s a fallen. He can change the of the deal anytime he wants.” Pacing back and forth across the room, I flicked my gaze around the cushy room Jensen had portaled us into. “And don’t think I haven’t noticed the whole honeymoon suite thing. You hoping to get lucky while we’re here?” He shifted, moving his hands to rest on his stomach. “I’m always hopeful when it comes to getting you naked.” Such a cocky asshole. I have no idea why I put up with him sometimes. Especially knowing what I do now. There was simply something undeniable about him. Maybe Lily was right. Perhaps there was some kind of special love slash soul connection between us. Why else would Jensen risk his life to save mine with Azazel? He didn’t even know me when he decided to choose me over his future. Plopping on the edge of the bed, I shot him a death glare, promising violence of the non-sexy kind. “Are you keeping any other life-altering secrets from me? I want it all on the table now.” “There’s nothing else, I swear.” “Good, because it’s time for us to go.” Disappointment sparked in his eyes. The asshat really was expecting some naked time. Wow. And why did that level of self-confidence, at least when it came from him, do something sinful to my insides? Fuck it. I didn’t know if I was going to live or die, my master plan nothing more than a Hail Mary in the last seconds of the game. I pulled my T-shirt over my head, then dropped it on the ground, my fingers already hooked under my bra before Jensen could react. The corners of Jensen’s mouth slowly curled up. “There’s the Valkyrie I fell in love with.” I paused, my bra dangling from my fingertips. “Is that really how you see me?

As some kind of warrior?” “You know it’s why I call you Val.” He sat up, tugging his own shirt over his head by the back of the neck, his glorious chest and abs on full display. His muscles bunched as he stood, and he prowled across the room to stand directly in front of me. “That’s what you did. You battled me for control that first day and you won.” He inched closer, his body heat melding with mine. “And you pillaged my heart.” I chuckled. “You’re mixing metaphors and lore.” “I don’t give a fuck. You’re my Valkyrie, and I’m not ashamed to it that you own me completely.” He bent over, his warm mouth closing around my left nipple, a moan rattling the back of my throat. “I don’t want to think about anything but you right now.” Threading my hands into his silky locks, I tugged, and his eyes lifted to meet mine. “Make me forget everything but you, just for a little while.” My past was a lie, my future uncertain, but while I was within Jensen’s arms, flesh to flesh, I could live in the truth of our ions for each other, nothing else mattering. Hoisting me up in his arms, Jensen tossed me onto the bed, a startled gasp escaping me. In the span of a heartbeat, he was already tugging off my remaining clothes, my weapons hitting the carpeted floor with dull thuds. When I was completely naked and splayed out before him, he regarded me with raw and primal need. “How do you want it? Nice and slow, or fast and rough?” I swallowed to return moisture to my throat, the sight of him in only jeans still something that dazzled me. “Do I ever want it nice and slow?” I scrunched up my nose. “Can you even do nice and slow?” He chuckled. “I’m more than capable of doing it any which way you want. Even nice and slow.” “Have you ever wanted it nice and slow?” “I want you any way I can have you.”

“That doesn’t answer my question—” I squealed as he lunged for me, grabbing me by the ankles. Twisting, I kicked at him, his full body weight coming down on top of me. Caging me in, he nipped at my earlobe. I wiggled my ass against the front of him. His jeans having magically disappeared in the last five seconds. “Did you just use warlock mojo to strip yourself?” Sliding his hands under me to cup my breasts, he tweaked my nipples hard enough to cause a bit of pain followed by a surge of pleasure. All questions were silenced, my focus narrowing down to Jensen. Rocking against me, he tilted my hips up, his cock pressing against my entrance. “Jensen, please.” That was the real reason we never did slow; I didn’t have the patience for it. He shifted again, his fingers digging into my hips as he rammed home. Fuck, yes. He rode me hard and rough, just like I wanted, his fingers doing double duty on my clit. Before I knew it, I was screaming his name into the comforter, colors exploding behind my eyelids. ing me in release a few moments later, Jensen collapsed against my back, pushing me into the mattress. He licked the back of my neck, and I squirmed. “Give me about five minutes and I’m going to give it to you nice and slow. Excruciatingly so.” He languidly thrust against me, already half-hard again. “Just to prove a point that I can.” I snickered. “And then I’ll have to take control.” “Not this time.” He slapped my ass playfully. “What are you going to do, tie me up?” It was pretty much the only way he could keep me under control. “Exactly.”

Renewed warmth pooled in my middle, the concept tantalizing. It was something we had yet to try, with me that is. We experimented a bit with bondage and submission in the past, with me being the top. It’s where I usually preferred to be —but not every time, especially when Jensen was so good at dominating me in just the way I liked it. “Mmm … and then what would you do?” I asked him huskily. He flipped me over. “Why tell you when I can show you?” I grinned. “Okay, then.”

28

One more round turned into two more rounds, then three and four. Minutes turned into hours, Jensen and I trapped in some kind of sex haze. It wasn’t the first time we tuned out the rest of the world to get lost in each other. But it was the first time we did it when so many other important things hung in the balance. I knew what we were doing—playing my denial game with each other. Neither of us wanting to face the real world and the mess we left in it. I can’t hide anymore. The time for action is now, before I miss the opportunity. “Jensen,” I whispered, poking him in the chest with my index finger. He snatched my hand, eyes remaining shut, dark lashes fanning across his cheeks. “Now I’m convinced you’re trying to sex me to death.” “No, that’s not what I want.” He peeked at me with one eye. “You sure?” It was going to be … difficult to get out of bed when he was like this. Playful, rumpled, and sexy as hell. “We have to go.” He groaned. “Go?” He tugged me against his chest, forcibly spooning me. “Not yet. “You know,” he murmured against the back of my neck, “this world wouldn’t work without you in it—my world wouldn’t work without you in it. That’s the real reason I couldn’t kill you, because I knew your death would be worldending for me.” “You’d just met me. How could you have known any of that?” “Magical intuition.” “Sounds like a cop-out to me,” I muttered, rolling away from him on the bed.

“You just don’t like dealing with sappy sentiments.” “Duh. Because they’re stupid.” Both of his dimples appeared as his eyes fluttered open to focus on me. “You don’t actually think that and we both know it. You like to hear me tell you how I feel, but you don’t want to have to respond.” Sadly, it was true. I would never be as open and honest with my emotions as someone like Lily, but deep down … way deep down, I cherished each and every love saturated and sappy word Jensen uttered to me. I valued his thoughts and opinions. I simply didn’t want him to know that. I was better at showing him in other ways how I felt, like with sex. Sitting up, the thin sheet pooled at his waist, once again showcasing his chiseled chest and abs. “Do you forgive me then?” All mirth had vanished from his countenance. Do I? “You mean for all the lies and secrecy? Oh, and for Tomas and Devon?” He frowned. “Yeah, all of that.” “I already told you I forgive you. I’d be a hypocrite not to. But it’s going to take me more than an afternoon in bed with you to truly move past it.” “Understood.” He slid out from under the sheet, scouting the floor for his discarded clothes. “I’m going to need you to do a tracking spell.” My words were muffled as I tugged my T-shirt over my head. “I guess I should be glad you need me right now.” Ignoring him, I plowed on. “But before we do anything else it’s time we stop back at your condo.” His brow furrowed. “I thought the whole point to coming here was to avoid dealing with Monica and Lily for the time being?” “Well, we didn’t come here for what we ended up doing, that’s for sure.” I pulled

on my boots. “There’s a few little details I have to take care of.” “Like what?” “Monica has something I need.”

“Where were you?” Lily crushed me in a hug. “I was starting to get worried even though I knew you were with Jensen.” Taking her by the shoulders, I crouched down to her level. “What happened?” Monica strode into our living room, clothes disheveled. “Demon attack at Jensen’s place. Thankfully, I ed the added protection on your condo, and I made it over here.” “There were too many for her!” Lily exclaimed. “Even if I’d been there, we would have been toast since it was just the two of us.” “And,” Monica added, “Regan called. Let me know the kid was taken out. Not sure by who or why exactly, but it wasn’t like he was exactly forthcoming with any information. He had to have known something, though, if he was shut up.” I fought a smile. I was worried I’d be a suspect, but there was little to no chance of that. Yep, I’d been worried for nothing. Plus, even if I’d been discovered, after my previous two interactions, I’m sure no one would have guessed my true motivations behind killing him. Jensen grimaced. “I haven’t gotten around to putting up stronger wards around my condo just yet. I should have thought about that before I told Monica it was okay to stay there.” She patted his back. “It’s okay, you’ve been distracted.” She narrowed her eyes at me like it was all my fault. I mean, it was in a roundabout way, but still, she didn’t actually know that to be the case. “Hey, Monica,” I called, making my way into the kitchen. “Since I’ve decided to go all-in on using Jensen’s magic for our benefit, I asked him ing your necklace to get something on Tomas.” She crowded into our small kitchen behind me. “Get what exactly on Tomas?” Her fingers traced the small key charm, pulling it back and forth across the long chain. After filling a glass of water, I took a gulp, my gaze locked on the necklace.

“Like what he was thinking when he gave that to you, his emotional state, anything like that. Jensen can read psychic residues if the situation is right.” She turned toward Jensen, expression hopeful. “And you think this situation might be right?” Jensen glanced at me before nodding. “Yeah, I do. I would have suggested something earlier, but I wasn’t aware of the necklace, and you know Val with her aversion to my warlock voodoo.” He cracked a smile, seemingly relaxed. I wasn’t sure if I was impressed or not at the ease with which he went with my lie. I cleared my throat. “So, um, yeah, if you want to give him the necklace, he can give it a try.” Monica stared down at the intricate key. “Give it to him? What exactly does he need to do?” “Well, I—” Jensen started. “He needs to work some warlock mojo in a circle or some shit.” I raised my eyebrows. “I think that’s what you said, right, Jensen?” “Yeah, and I need to be alone to do it.” I internally fist pumped. Maybe bringing Jensen on as backup for my scheme wasn’t a bad idea after all. “Oh,” Monica said. “I get it. You need to concentrate, and we showed you how well we let you do that the last time, huh?” He cupped the back of his neck, forcing himself to look embarrassed. “It’s better if I do it alone this time.” Unclasping the chain, Monica held it out to him. “The sooner the better, I suppose.” He took the necklace, hesitating for only a moment. “I’ll head over to my condo now. You’ll have this back in no time.” I caught Jensen’s gaze. “And I’ll be upstairs getting a quick shower.” Please let

him understand what I want him to do. Jensen strode with feigned purpose for our front door, not giving any of us a backward glance. As soon as I heard the lock click, I bustled toward the stairs. “I really want to get that shower.” Lily rolled her eyes. “We know what you were doing. Stop trying to be covert about it.” I stiffened. “What? What do you think I was doing?” “Please.” She fluffed her curls. “Off sexing up Jensen to make up for lost time.” Monica paced, all of her usual cheer glaringly absent. “His magic won’t damage the necklace, right?” She chewed on the end of her finger absently. “Because Tomas gave that to me.” My chest constricted. I couldn’t stand to look at her for one second more, or the guilt would drown me. For what I knew, for what I did, and for what I was about to do. I waved her off. “It’ll be fine.” And hopefully, in the end, when it was all over, that wouldn’t be a lie. But things were going to get a whole lot worse before they got better. If they got better. Otherwise, we were completely fucked. In other words, it was just another day in the world of a twice marked.

29

Flames consumed me, licking ruthlessly at my flesh. There was no one to help me, nowhere to turn, no escape. I screamed, losing the battle, yet again, plummeting into temporary oblivion. It was in those breaths of time between life and death, the end and the beginning, where I had a brief reprieve, my plans began to take shape. They were crystallized in billions of moments, the broken pieces of me coming together to form an entity, one that would find a way out … a creature who would make their tormentors suffer. “Look at me,” Jensen’s voice demanded, although it was far away and tinny. “You need to snap out of this.” Realization seeped in as cold water pattered along my naked body. I’m in the shower. I came up here after— I reached over and spun the lever, putting a halt to my icy purgatory. Jensen swaddled me in a towel as I stepped out of the tub, my teeth chattering. “You were lost in one of Lilith’s memories again, weren’t you?” He brushed my wet hair back from my face. I blinked, panic surging. “You can’t be here. Or, well, I wanted you to come get me. Or I was going to sneak over after my shower. You’re supposed to be doing that spell …” Sweeping me up in his arms, Jensen moved us through a portal. We appeared in his bathroom. My stomach churned, and I slapped at his shoulder. “Put me down. Gonna—” Lurching to the side, I revisited my last meal, displaying it for Jensen all over the inside of his bathtub. He groaned. “The last few times I brought you through you were fine.” Dizziness assaulted me, the room spinning. I slid down to the floor, not caring that I was in a damp towel. “This time was different.”

“No shit,” he muttered, flipping on the shower to wash away my puke. “Feeling better?” He crouched down in front of me, baby blues dancing over me with concern. “Yeah, I guess.” The vertigo and stomach issues had subsided, but the memories of burning left me feeling shaky on a level I couldn’t quite put into words. Deal with it and move on. Shoving myself off the floor, I wobbled to my feet, Jensen hovering as if he would have to catch me. I stuck my head under the sink faucet, rinsing out my mouth. When I was done, I stole some of Jensen’s mouthwash. “Are we going to talk about what’s going on with you?” Jensen asked, his gaze meeting mine in the mirror. “No.” Snatching a second towel, I wrung out my hair. “Are you going to tell me why you wanted Monica’s necklace?” “Because it’s a key. An actual key. I’m not sure how Tomas got his hands on it, but Lilith recognized it, and therefore so did I.” Jensen dangled the chain off the tip of his finger, the key swinging between us as I turned toward him. “And what does it open?” “Many, many things.” I palmed the key, excitement zinging through my body. “But before we can use it, we need to get our hands on that weapon.” “The one that killed Pestilence?” I raised my eyebrows. “As if there’s another.” “One can never be too sure lately.” He did have a point. “This key is going to do more than open things. It’s going to lead us to that weapon.” Jensen nodded slowly, understanding donning. “The key is what opened a way to the weapon to begin with, so there’s a connection and I can track it.”

I grinned. “Exactly.” Why was I ever opposed to using Jensen and his ridiculously useful warlock magic? Whatever paranoia I’d previously harbored was long gone, erased like it never existed. Perhaps it was the integration of Lilith’s memories into my psyche, and with her understanding—which became mine in the end—it brought the realization that Jensen’s powers could be extremely useful to me, especially under the current circumstances. Jensen cupped my cheek, and I leaned into him, seeking his warmth. “You sure you want to do this? I don’t know what you have planned,” he glowered, “mostly because you refuse to tell me, but I have a bad feeling about all of this.” Huh. Guess his magical intuition was an actual thing, and not just a figure of speech. “I have to do this.” Expelling a long sigh, he dropped his hand. “I’ll be downstairs when you’re ready.” He left me alone in the bathroom, pulling the door shut behind him. I stared at myself in the mirror for a moment, my dark hair slicked back from my face, highlighting the shadows under my eyes. I leaned forward, meeting my own gaze. “Are you still in there?” Gripping the sink, my upper lip curled into a snarl. “I didn’t absorb you at all, did I?” It’d been too easy. I knew that now. Jensen might have been able to box Lilith in temporarily, but after a five-second fight in my mind, I overpowered an ancient fallen angel? Please. It was nothing but hubris to believe such a thing. “Stop hiding. You’re pushing those burning memories on me to make it believable. What, did you pull on some old CW show in my head and decide I needed the tortured hero vibe for me to fall for it?” Nothing stirred within my head except my own thoughts. “I don’t care how long you play possum in there. I know you’re not gone. You’re giving me memories as I need them. I don’t have free access, which I would if I absorbed your essence.” Silence swirled between and around my presence. Either I was alone in my brain or Lilith deserved an academy award. I was guessing the latter.

“I’m not going to let you sneak in and steal control when I’m not paying attention—because I’m always going to be paying attention. I won’t let you win.” I slammed my fists against the porcelain edges of the sink. “I’m winning this one. The game is mine now.” Silence, thick and heavy, continued to push in around my thoughts. I let out a low growl. “Fine, have it your way. Hide in there. Meanwhile, I’m going to be getting things done.” Whirling away from the mirror, I stalked into Jensen’s bedroom, rooting around in the dresser for some of my spare clothes. Sure enough, he hadn’t touched anything in our time apart, unlike me, who had tossed all of the possessions he left at my place. I pulled on a faded, black T-shirt, dark jeans, and a pair of boots. I’d even stashed a set of my custom blades under my things in one of the drawers. Jensen lingered in the hallway just outside the door. “I heard you in there. Talking to Lilith.” Shoving past him, I headed downstairs, where he was supposed to be waiting for me. “I’m not talking about this with you.” Thundering down behind me, he grabbed my shoulders and spun me toward him. “I know you’re still pissed at me for all the lies. For how we met under false pretenses … and all the rest. And I get it. Normally, I’d give you time and space to get over it. These are not normal times.” He leaned into me, skating his lips across mine. “Plus, after what we did in that hotel room, I kind of thought we—” I dug my nails into the tops of his hands. “Sex is sex. You’re good at it—I’m good at it. We’re really good at it together. None of that means you deserve to be forgiven just like that.” I hung my head, deciding he deserved the truth. “But I do. Because I can’t help it. I love you. I love you even though that love was built on a foundation of lies.” “I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you, Val, I swear.” I smiled. “Yeah, you will. And part of that is for right now you don’t get to ask questions. You’re my warlock bitch, along for the ride until this is over.” He ground his teeth together, eyes flaring with annoyance. Jensen didn’t mind

me dominating him in the bedroom … in fact, he quite enjoyed it. He also enjoyed our verbal sparring on the regular. What he hated was the same thing I did, to be told what to do. “That’s not who I am, and you know it.” “No one said you had to be excited about the plan. But if you want me to get over all the horrible things you’ve done, then you’ll get on board. Consider it your version of groveling.” “I did what I had to do with Tomas and Devon. The demons were going to kill them anyway.” I tapped his cheek just shy of a slap. “You could have saved them.” “Them or you,” he growled. “I chose you. I’ll always choose you.” I couldn’t blame him when he framed it that way. Who were Tomas and Devon to him in comparison to the woman he loved? Wouldn’t I choose him over them as well if I had to choose? Him being involved in their deaths didn’t hurt my heart any less just because I understood the truth though. “We don’t have time for this fight right now.” I kept saying it, and yet I kept falling into the trap. “We need to get our hands on that weapon.” “What about Lilith?” “What about her? If she’s still in there she’s doing a damn good job of hiding.” Jensen’s nostrils flared as he dragged his hands through his hair. “Okay. All right.” He stabbed his hand into his pocket, producing the key. “I’ll track the weapon down. But don’t think we’re not going to talk about all of this when this is over.” If my plans went the way I wanted, we’d have all the time in the world to talk … eventually. I rubbed my hands together, nervous energy zinging through my system. “Do you need me to do anything?” “Sit down and shut up.” I opened my mouth to make a retort, but quickly closed it again. I was not going to let him bait me into another fight. No one else in existence could piss me off

the way he did. And maybe we bickered and fought the way we did because the makeup sex was phenomenal, like on a scale of one to ten, a twe— Nope. Don’t go there. Don’t think about it. From now until all of his is over you are an asexual being. You desire no one. Not even Jensen with his piercing blue eyes, and his chiseled— Nope, not even him. At least not right now. I scrubbed a hand down my face. What the hell is wrong with you? Get your mind in the game. And that was partially the problem. I’d lived my life for so long with the attitude that it could end at any moment, that my next hunt could be the last. And for that reason, I’d given free rein to let my impulses control me. If I wanted sex now, then I would have it now. What I was doing, what I was working for, was a world where I could live my life without having to worry about it ending abruptly. Sure, a toilet seat could fall out of the sky and smash my head in, but if that happened it was my time. Having my life cut short because I was roped into being a twice-marked hunter, those days were coming to an end. Crossing my arms over my chest, I sat down on Jensen’s couch and glared. I would do what was needed for him to concentrate, but I didn’t have to be happy about it. A smile tugged at his lips as he settled in to do his magic thing.

30

Eyes open, but unfocused, Jensen knelt on his dining room floor, hands loosely hanging at his sides. Tiny particles of illumination dotted the air around him, swaying with his breath. He moved suddenly, and with a few odd motions of his hands, the dots zoomed around Monica’s necklace, which was placed directly in front of him on the floor. The dots wiggled and buzzed, gathering momentum. Then they popped out of existence, leaving a zing of ozone in their wake. Is that it? Is it over? Or is it just the beginning? I bit my lip to keep my commentary to myself, eagerness thrumming within me. Jensen rose, his head snapping in my direction, his eyes burning bright with what seemed like thousands of tiny stars dancing within them. Gasping, I covered my mouth with my hand. Is he seeing me, or did I make a noise without realizing it and disturb his magic? His lips slowly twisted up, revealing his dimple. “A part of me wanted to wait to see how long you could stay quiet.” I scowled. “Really?” I mean, I probably would have done the same thing to him to be antagonistic, but it wasn’t funny when he turned the tables on me. He offered his hand. “I can portal us if you want.” Gulping, I swallowed around the sudden lump in my throat. “Yeah, sure.” I didn’t toss my cookies every single time we portaled. Just one out of three times. “But just out of curiosity, is there another travel option?” He shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t know exactly where we’re headed, and it could take a while.” “Do you have a ballpark idea at least?” He closed his eyes and tilted his head. “It seems, close, and yet far at the same

time.” His illuminated gaze met mine again. “The magic is right. I can feel that much. But something about the location is … off.” “What does that mean?” Frustration nettled even though I knew he was doing his best. “Not sure.” “I thought you were powerful.” “I am,” he snapped. “But powerful doesn’t equal infallible or omniscient.” “Well, portal it is then.” “You want to grab a barf bag?” He regarded me with not a hint of amusement. Huffing out a long sigh, I stomped into the kitchen and snatched up a small trash bag, lifting it into the air for him to see. “Happy now?” “Yep.” “Whatever, jackass,” I mumbled under my breath. “What was that? I know you didn’t just insult me because I pointed out a fact about you when you travel through portals, as if it’s my fault you have a delicate constitution.” Whipping the trash bag over the kitchen counter, it fluttered to the ground. “I do not have a delicate constitution!” “What would you call it then?” My chest heaved as I considered too many different responses at once, my mind short-circuited by my high levels of annoyance. “Just shut up!” I finally settled on. “Or I swear to God, Jensen, I will hit you again.” He scrubbed at the stubble on his jaw as if confused. “But what would Lily say? Doesn’t that go against your feminist sensibilities?” “You know what, if any feminist in this entire world spent more than five minutes with you, they would forgive me for hitting you.”

He smirked. “Mmm-hmm … sounds like something a very unfeminist person would say to rationalize their penchant for violence.” “Why do you keep pushing my buttons, Jensen, why?” “Because I like you all fired up.” He stalked toward me, crowding into my personal space. “And I get to see how much you care.” “You know I care. I tell you I love you and—” He leaned in, touching his forehead to mine. “You’re safe with me. I want you to know that. You can be whoever you want when you’re around me. I can take it. In fact, I revel in it because I know no one else gets to see the version of you I do.” “Am I safe with you?” “You’ve always been safe with me. Even when I came here to kill you, you were safe with me. Think about that.” His hands ran along my back, settling on the curve of my hips. “Did you ever think that you get so angry around me because that’s what burns in you constantly, and you can only express it—be your true self around me.” I’d been pissed off at the universe since the day I became twice marked. I’d never been able to roll with it like Lily seemed to be able to, or even Tomas or Devon. None of them held the anger that I did. Or maybe we all hid it and expressed ourselves in different ways? How much do you ever really know someone unless you’re in their head? Not wanting to delve into more emotional bullshit at the moment, I leaned into Jensen, delivering him a rough kiss. He groaned when I abruptly ended it, moving away from him completely. “Yeah, yeah, yeah, I love you, even if you’re an asshat.” He raised his eyebrows. “Thanks, I think.” I grinned. “Now portal us, please.” He bent down and snagged the discarded trash bag. “Don’t forget this.”

“Jackass,” I muttered. Grabbing me around the waist, he opened a portal with a wave of his hand and dragged me through.

We stood in a barren wasteland, cracked earth and empty sky, no sun or moon. Despite that, the air was humid, causing sweat to dapple every inch of my skin. My hair clung to the side of my face and neck. Jensen pulled me into his side, ignoring the heat. “We need to leave this place.” His gaze was fixated on the same spot mine was. A large cage hung over an open pit, flames consuming it. We’re weren’t close enough, but I knew what, or rather who, was inside. I felt it in my bones. “Lilith,” I whispered. “Something went wrong. We shouldn’t be here.” Jensen’s grip on me tightened, but he didn’t move, his gaze remaining as transfixed as mine. “Or maybe nothing went wrong at all.” “No. You’re not going over there.” “Who’s going to stop me? You?” Pivoting away from him, I easily escaped his hold. I broke into a jog, kicking up dirt in my wake. Falling into line beside me, Jensen sighed heavily. “I shouldn’t have to tell you this, but this is a bad idea.” “We don’t know that—” Pain spiked through my skull and I staggered, bending over. “You’ve come,” Lilith’s voice snaked through my mind, followed by her laugh. “As if I gave you much choice.” “You’re still in there, aren’t you?” My surroundings blurred, going black for an instant, and then I found myself in the white box with Lilith once more. A wide grin stretched her lips to the limit. “You are correct. I’ve been in here, biding my time, waiting for just the right moment to strike.”

“You have to know I’ll never give you full control of my body.” “I never expected it. Besides, your body has too many limitations. I lied about the rest before.” The pieces finally clicked together. “You want me to free you … your body.” “And then I will be happy to vacate your mind.” “What’s the catch?” She prowled closer, her eyes luminous. “No catch. Although I can offer you something you want.” “Mmm-hmm … and here it is. What can you offer me that I supposedly want?” “The weapon. Isn’t that what this has all been about? The weapon used to kill Pestilence? The weapon that could potentially put an end to all of this madness?” “You don’t have the weapon,” I scoffed. “This is all a classic ploy. Dangle what I want in front of me to get what you want, and then when I free you, I’m left in the lurch. No thank you. I’ll just keep you boxed up in here,” I tapped my temple, “until I can figure out a way to kill you.” I smirked. “I wonder if the weapon can kill you, too?” “Good luck with that.” She popped her hip and crossed her arms, mirroring me. She obviously picked up a few of my expressions and mannerisms while hanging out in my brain. As if she wasn’t creepy enough before. “I don’t need luck.” “Do you know why no one has been able to find the weapon yet?” I knew what she was doing, but my curiosity was piqued anyhow. I couldn’t help it. “Why?” I hissed, the question bitter on my tongue. “Because Tomas knew, and the secret died with him. I made sure of that.” “That doesn’t make sense. If the secret died with him, then how do you know?” “I’m the last who knows the truth. Work with me, and I will give you the

weapon.” “Even if I believed the first part, why in the world would you give me the weapon?” She grinned, sharp teeth glinting. “My memories are yours. Use them. But first, we should start with the ones you’ve been forced to forget.” She waved her hand at me, white light exploding around me, washing away everything.

31

Jolting from sleep, I sat up in bed. The dimly lit motel room came into focus, the confusion from a deep sleep lifting. We’re tracking Pestilence. We’re in Florida. Swiping at the drool on my mouth, my eyes snagged on my illuminated phone on the nightstand. Several voicemail alerts waited, and I reached for it just as it started to vibrate again. “Hello?” I rasped. “Riss.” I glanced at the red clock lights on the old alarm clock. It was three a.m. “Tomas, what is it?” “I’ve got a lead on Pestilence.” I was on my feet before I made a conscious decision to move, fumbling for my clothes. Shit, where is my mask? “I’ll wake Lily.” She was in the ading room connected by a door, which was currently closed. My baby sister snored like a truck driver, even though she vehemently denied it. Even with video proof. “No,” Tomas snapped. “Just you.” Silence extended between us for a moment. “Things could get a little dicey … more than normal.” I choked back a laugh. He had to be joking. “Dicier than when we normally fight demons?” “Just don’t bring her, okay?” “Yeah, sure.” I left Lily behind whenever possible as it was. I didn’t need that to get back to her though. Tomas wasn’t one to blab, but if he even mentioned it in ing to Monica, I could imagine a scenario where she made a joke about it to Lily, and then boom, trouble for me. “Where am I meeting you?” “Local twenty-four-hour diner up the road from you. Can’t miss it with the big

fluorescent sign announcing itself as E-R ty-fo hours a day.” I snorted. “There’s one in every small town, I swear. They make the best coffee though.” “Yeah, always the best coffee. See you soon.” The call beeped, signaling he’d hung up. Scrambling around the room, I did one last check to make sure I had everything I might need. Clothes, weapons, mask, good to go. With keys in hand, I slipped silently into the night, the parking lot mostly empty of cars, and not a soul besides me in sight. It was surprising, because evidently, even during a pandemic there were idiots who didn’t have two bits worth of common sense to rub together. I half expected a random street party packed with non-mask-wearing dummies basking in their stupidity. Thankfully, I was resistant to demon-born illnesses, even if I did get skeeved out regardless. Of course, the regular humans invited what Pestilence brought, convinced their freedoms were above the good of all. If God existed, those were the kind of selfish people he or she would not be welcoming into the pearly gates. Huh. Maybe they’re making more room for me and I should be thankful. Laughing to myself, I hopped into my car and sped down the road to meet Tomas. It was only about a three-minute drive, and he’d been right, the diner wasn’t hard to miss. Spotting my dark-haired friend already seated at a booth, I hurried inside. Sliding in across from him, I grinned behind my mask. Not that he could see. “Thanks for the coffee.” The cup was still steaming. “Figured you’d need it since I woke you up at this hour.” His eyes crinkled at the corners, signaling a smile of his own behind his all-black mask. Glancing around, I lifted my mask to take a sip of coffee, before hastily replacing it. “Ah, that’s good shit. Doesn’t even need anything to cover it up.” I pushed the plate of cream and sugar away, yearning for some hand sanitizer. Tomas tore his mask off his face. “I’m sick of this thing. We aren’t the ones who need it.” I grimaced. “Mine makes me feel better.”

He rolled his eyes. “It would.” Letting his jibe slide, I took another sip of coffee, the bitter liquid rolling over my taste buds and warming my middle. “All right. Time to spill exactly why you dragged me out of bed at this hour, why you wanted me to leave Lily behind, and how you ended up at the diner down the street from our motel.” “How I ended up here seems pretty obvious. I tracked Pestilence … you tracked Pestilence …” “Mmm … did you see our car or something?” “Or something,” he muttered. Reaching under the table, he produced a small, archaic-looking book. The cover was a rusty-colored brown with no title. My eyes widened, my interest piqued. “Where’d you get that?” The room suddenly buzzed with energy, my fingers itching to touch the aged bindings. “Doesn’t matter where I got it, just that I did.” He smoothed his callused hand over the top. “And there’s some very intriguing information in here—” “On how to take out Pestilence?” I resisted the urge to clap my hands together with glee. We’d all been tracking Pestilence, but none of us had a clue how to deal with him when we found him. I assumed we’d have to take him on like any other demon, but finding his weakness ahead of time could make the difference between life and death, therefore Heaven and Hell in the long run. “Yes. And not just send him back to Hell, hoping he doesn’t one day find his way back to Earth for another round, but to actually kill him.” Dumbfounded, I slumped back in my seat. “Kill him. Like, kill him, kill him? Like dead and gone forever?” My mind reeled. Since demons didn’t have souls, that meant Pestilence would never be reborn, he would be erased from existence for all of time, in theory at least. “I know. It seems impossible.” He gulped down some more coffee. “But—” “Need anything else?” a waitress with a mask and face shield tentatively asked, standing a bit farther away from the booth than pre-pandemic times.

“What kind of pie do you have right now?” Tomas asked, drumming his fingers along the edge of the table. I motioned to his face. “Put your mask on, Tomas, don’t be a rude asshole.” He narrowed his eyes at me briefly before complying. “Sorry,” he muttered. “S’okay,” the waitress mumbled in response, before rattling off the list of available pies. I tuned her out, my mind still processing what Tomas had revealed. When the waitress finally tottered off to retrieve whatever flavor of pie Tomas wanted, he whipped off his mask again. “I seriously can’t breathe in this thing.” “Oh, waaah, stop being such a huge man-baby. You can fight demons, but you can’t wear a mask?” I tapped the edge of mine, which was back in place. “I’m thinking I might have to revoke your badass hunter card and recategorize you as the weakest man-baby hunter in existence.” “I don’t know what the big deal is, we can’t get demon born—” “How do you know we can’t spread it?” His mouth snapped shut. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. So you better put your damn mask back on when the waitress brings your stupid pie.” He grumbled as he reluctantly tugged the loops over his ears. Tapping the cover of the book, I said, “Back to the whole killing Pestilence thing. Umm … I need more details.” He palmed the book, then stuffed it inside his jacket. “A witch gave it to me.” “A witch? What do you mean a witch gave it to you? Like she popped out of nowhere and was like ‘Hey, I’ve got some information for you that might help with the whole Pestilence pandemic thing’?” He snorted. “Pretty much.” “Yeeeah, I’m going to need more than that.” Seemed extremely suspicious to me. If a witch, or most likely a coven of witches, had the information on how to

take out Pestilence, and the rest of the Fab Four, why was this the first we were hearing about it? And not just us, but the entire community of twice-marked hunters? Or really, hunters in general. He expelled a long breath, his fingers continuing to tap along the edge of the table. “I know it sounds far-fetched and suspicious, but I-I don’t know … I believe her.” “Oooh, a her.” I nodded. “Does Monica know?” “Don’t be like that, Riss. I didn’t let some witch fuck me into submission.” I quirked an eyebrow. “But did you?” I lifted my mask for another sip of coffee. “Fuck her?” He slammed his mug down. “No! I love Monica! I would never betray her like that!” “Just checking.” “And you say I’m an asshole,” he muttered. “We can both be assholes. Maybe that’s why we’re friends.” “As I was saying.” He resumed his annoying tapping along the edge of the table. “The witch told me that she and her coven had been in possession of this information for a long time, but only now were they at liberty to it on.” “Sounds super shady to me.” “That’s what I thought at first, too, but … but what if a way to kill Pestilence and his brothers exists? Think of what that could mean.” Major bonus points which boded well for all the twice marked involved. “It could mean our ticket straight to Heaven.” I leaned across the table and grabbed Tomas’ hand, putting an end to his drumming. “Or, it could be some kind of elaborate trap.” He tucked his hands under the table, the faint sound of tapping resuming. I narrowed my eyes, but he ignored me. “I’ve considered that. And any other

possible angles. It’s just—” “It’s too tempting to up. I get it.” It was the reason Tomas didn’t want Lily involved. If we were falling for some kind of elaborate witch ruse, ones in league with demons, he didn’t want to risk more hunters than he needed to. “Before I decide whether or not I’m going to help you with this galactically stupid idea, I’m going to need you to tell me more than a witch gave it to me and it sounds pretty good.” “She told me that her coven’s seer predicted this was the right time to release the book. She said they aren’t exactly fans of Pestilence either.” He was giving me more of the same, talking in circles. None of what the witch supposedly shared with him was convincing. “What was her coven name? Who do they pray to? Are they dark or light witches?” I rubbed my temples. “I know hardly anything about witches, and even I know we need to know a bit more background on this coven before we blindly trust them.” “There’s a spell to conjure a weapon.” Okay, now we’re getting somewhere. “A weapon. What kind of weapon?” The waitress chose that moment to return with a slice of some kind of fruit pie. Peach, or apricot maybe? She set it on the edge of the table and slid it closer to Tomas with the end of her finger. “Can I get you two anything else?” I shook my head. “No, just bring the check, please.” “I’ll bring it right over.” She sounded relieved, probably because she wasn’t going to have to deal with Tomas anymore. “Thanks.” I turned my attention back to Tomas. “We’re going to move this discussion somewhere more private. Any ideas where? If we don’t want Lily involved, then my motel room is not an option.” “I have the perfect place,” Tomas said around a mouthful of pie, his cheeks puckered out like a chipmunk’s. “Hurry up and eat then.”

Anticipation surged. Despite my best efforts to temper my expectations, I couldn’t help but be … hopeful? Excited? I wasn’t sure. I wanted the information from the witch to be legit, but I was a realist bordering on full-on pessimist. I wanted it, but couldn’t afford to let myself believe it. I also couldn’t afford to up an opportunity that it could be real. Most likely Tomas and I would probably end up dead for our efforts, but what if … What if?

32

“Y ou brought me to a huge, empty warehouse?” I crossed my arms over my chest, glaring at Tomas. “You know more than you told me back there at the diner. It’s a spell, isn’t it? And you’re ready to try said spell now, aren’t you?” He dropped his head. “Can you blame me? I want— No, I need to know whether this thing is for real or not.” Tomas and I had both been twice marked for over a decade now, him for a bit longer than me. And I’d personally only known him for a handful of years, but I’d never known him to be impulsive. That was usually my MO. “What’s got you so bajiggity about this? Slow down. We don’t want to rush into this without having enough information.” I hated being the responsible one. Especially when Lily wasn’t around. I internally cursed the unknown witch for putting me in the position. Unless she wasn’t setting us up … in that case, I was only mildly annoyed at her. “She—the witch—she told me I had to move quickly.” This is looking less and less likely to be anything more than some kind of trap or ploy. What could their end game be? To take out some twice-marked hunters? To enslave us to their will? There were quite a few options, none of them ending well for me or Tomas. “Great. So not only did this witch from an unknown coven pop out of nowhere to offer you never heard of before information about a way to kill Pestilence, but she urged you to move quickly. And what, cast a spell? What do you know about magic?” Tearing the mask from his face, he stuffed it in his pocket. “That’s why you’re here.” It took me a second for his words to . “You think because of Jensen I know how to cast a witch spell?” Throwing my head back, I laughed. “He’s not even a witch.” I wasn’t about to fill Tomas in on the fact that I wasn’t exactly sure what the difference between witches and warlocks were. The best plan was probably to keep it simple.

He produced the ancient book—aka witch propaganda—again, flipping quickly to a marked page. “You must have picked up something during your time together.” I frowned, not that he could see from behind my mask. “Not really.” Why did everyone think that? It wasn’t like Jensen sat around doing magic all day. In fact, he hardly ever used it when I was around. Tomas sidled up beside me, practically shoving the book in my face. It was open to display a series of sketches of arcane symbols, runes, and other unfamiliar images, accompanied by directions on how to cast a spell in search of the ultimate weapon. I widened my eyes dramatically. “Why is it in English? I feel like a super-secret ancient spell should probably be in some other language.” “They translated it for us?” Slapping at the book, I took a few steps back. “Come on, Tomas. You’re smarter than this. I know you want to believe it’s possible. Hell, I do, too. But come on. None of this—” “I’m sorry, Riss.” Tomas spun, his fist connecting with the side of my head. Spots danced in front of my eyes as I stumbled back, surprise rippling through me. “What the fuck, Tomas?” “The spell needs your blood.” Before I could process, he was behind me, binding my wrists and elbows. “Tomas, this is all a scam. Stop now before you do something we both regret.” “It won’t kill you. They promised me that.” Tomas pushed on my shoulders, and I fell to my knees, pain spiking up my thighs and down my shins. I felt a sharp prick, followed by a burn spreading down the side of my neck. Did the motherfucker, my supposed friend, just drug me? “You better not have done what I think you did, asshole.” “But I need your blood to get the weapon.” He sounded crazed, or more than

likely under a hex or spell. Twice marked hardly ever have dealings with witches, but this was exactly the reason I was wary of magic. “Ow moof oo bood oma?” My tongue was a dead slug in my mouth, my lips numb, producing a nonsensical sentence. He gently placed me on my side, my entire body locked in paralysis. “It won’t kill you. I would never do that to you.” Barely able to blink, tears leaked out of my eyes and trailed down my face. Screams of rage were trapped in my chest, fizzling out as I sucked in steady breaths. I wasn’t sure what he’d given me, but I was thankful my awareness remained. I wanted to know what was happening, even if I couldn’t do anything about it at the moment. Panic surged, my heart beating erratically, threatening to claw its way out of my rib cage. Anyone who came along could do anything they wanted to me and there was nothing I could do to stop it. Perhaps Tomas thought he wouldn’t permanently damage or maim me, but a demon could find me and rip me to pieces … or worse. Would he tell Lily what happened? My mom? Jensen? Or maybe if Tomas is caught off guard no one would ever find out what happened to either of us. I tracked what I could of Tomas’ movements, what I could see limited from my position on my side. He had the book open while he drew symbols along the ground in front of me. His face was puckered in concentration, sweat dribbling down his temples. I trusted you. You were my friend. Maybe still are. If I get out of this alive and you’re not under some kind of hex … I will kill you. I will rip you apart with my bare hands and there’s nothing anyone can do to stop me. Even if you are under the influence of the mystery coven, I’m still going to kick your ass. An eternity seemed to tick by as I waited there, prone and helpless, my body frozen and my mind frantic. If he takes much longer, the effects of the drug will wear off, I know it! Commanding my fingers to move, disappointment and desperation intermingled. Come on, damnit! Move! Any second now you’ll be able to move!

Tomas made a satisfied grunt as he studied his work, mumbling to himself, “That looks right.” Move, move, move! You need to move now! But even if the drugs miraculously wore off in that instant, I was still bound. Tomas walked back over to me, and hefted me up, setting me back down amidst the chalk drawings on the ground, the chill on the concrete sinking into my bones. I sent violence and hate through my eyes at him. “Now, Riss, don’t look at me like that. You’ll thank me once we have this weapon.” Doubtful, asshole. If you wanted my blood that bad, then all you had to do was to tell me the truth, and maybe I would have given it to you willingly. After all, a weapon that could take out Pestilence sounds awesome. But no, you had to go behind my back and then drug me! I’m so going to fuck you up! Oh, and then I’ll take the weapon and you’re not allowed to play my reindeer games anymore. Rage boiled my blood, the impotence of it maddening. Now would be the time that most people might look Heavenward, to send a heartfelt prayer for divine assistance. But I knew better. God wasn’t listening, not to someone like me, not even when I’d been nothing more than a confused kid. Shifting behind me, Tomas tugged up my sleeve, the touch of something hard and cool pressing along the top of my left hand. “I just need to place these symbols on you …” I wasn’t sure if he was talking to himself or me. I appreciated the commentary, though, if only so I could keep track of what he was doing. “And a few drops of blood …” Pressure along my fingers. “That should about do it.” Light exploded from the ground, blinding me. Wind rushed past my ears, blowing my hair and drowning out any ambient noise. Fear choked me, making it difficult to breathe. Not like this. I can’t die like this. If it’s my time at least let me put up a fight. Please …

Abrupt silence dropped around me, my ears popping with what felt like a pressure change. “Stop!” Tomas called. “Who are you?” “Did you not call for me?” a feminine voice inquired, the tone saccharine sweet. Something metallic clattered on the floor. “No. I cast a spell for a weapon. A weapon with the power to kill Pestilence. I did not summon a demon.” Soft laughter raised all the fine hairs on my body. “I am not a demon, you fool.” This is about to go even more sideways than it already is. Move, damnit! Get up and move! “Whatever you are, go back from whence you came!” Tomas bellowed, his voice full of command—command I was positive wouldn’t do shit. I need to at least see what’s going on! Fuck. If I get out of this alive, I’m seriously going to kill Tomas, hex or not. “You wanted a weapon that can kill Pestilence? I am that weapon.” Okay, now I’m intrigued. If this female, whatever she is, isn’t a demon, then maybe—just maybe this will all work out. I’m still killing Tomas for doing this to me though. “Will you kill Pestilence then?” Tomas asked. “Is this the human whose blood you used to call me?” Nope, never mind. I don’t want that thing’s attention on me. I couldn’t see her from my position, but in my mind’s eye, I pictured a horrific monster with boils, sharp teeth, and claws. Tomas had mistaken her for a demon at first sight, so it tracked. You need to move now, Riss! Mind over matter. Mind over matter. My heart nearly exploded out of my chest when the creature leaned into my field of vision, her bald head gleaming as she smiled. She reached her clawed hand

down to caress my cheek. Internally, I cringed, wanting to scream for her not to touch me, but instead lay there motionless. “I’ve been waiting a long time for you. I began to doubt you would ever be born. But my brother is nothing if not predictable.” Okay. That doesn’t sound good. “I will kill Pestilence for you,” the creature stated, her hand still on me. “But I will need to borrow her body. I am not as … whole as I might seem at the moment.” “I was told she wouldn’t be killed … that she would walk away from this unharmed. That I just needed her blood to bring forth the weapon.” I’m going to haunt your ass so hard, Tomas! And if I go to Hell, I will claw myself out of there somehow just to pull you back down with me! The creature leaned closer to me, speaking in a conspirator tone. “Men. No matter the species, they don’t ask nearly enough questions.” She ripped the mask from my face, then tapped my cheek with a claw. “But don’t worry, I don’t want to kill you. I’m going to need you. We’re going to need each other.” “No, I can’t let you have her. I made a mistake. Go back to wherever you came from.” Nice to know Tomas actually believed I would walk away from this in one piece, even if that made him a complete idiot. Maybe if he would have shared his plan with me, I wouldn’t be at this thing’s mercy, bound and immobile on the ground. The creature exploded into black dust, millions of tiny particles swarming into my nose and mouth. As if electrocuted, I convulsed, control of my body returning enough that I choked, a scream lodging itself in the back of my throat. A soft laugh echoed through my mind, ricocheting through my skull, dragging me into a bottomless pit of pain.

33

Ripping the bindings from my wrists, I stood tall, tilting my head as I regarded Tomas. I was no longer the driver of my body, but an unwilling enger to the creature. An observer pushed to the back of my own mind. “Is she still alive?” Tomas’ gaze held dread, assuaging a smidgen of my anger. Not nearly enough though. “She is alive in here, but she will not any of this.” Tomas nodded. “Good. Yeah, that’s good.” He shoved his hand through his hair, his expression haggard. “Will you kill Pestilence now?” “Yes.” My eyes closed, the creature’s senses roving outward, searching for the Lord of Hell. A smile twisted my lips when she located him. “He’s close by.” Tomas nodded again. “We’ve been tracking him.” He means the girl was tracking Pestilence and he tracked her. I should kill him for the betrayal. I can sense her rage. But I will not. At least not right now. My fingers snapped, and the scenery changed. A man jumped from a bed, his massive silhouette towering over my body. A light flicked on, revealing the man to be a wall of bronzed muscle, with shoulder-length, blond hair. He was quite attractive in a Conan the Barbarian kind of way. “Lilith,” the man growled, taking a step back warily. “I did not expect to see you here. Or at all.” My eyebrows raised. “Because I’ve been burning in my cage since before you were created? I can see why you would think that. But you should know that one such as me cannot be caged forever. It was only a matter of time before I found my way out and began to take my revenge.” He crossed his arms over his chest, frowning. “You can’t harm me. No one but Lucifer can, for I am Lord Pestilence.”

My body blurred across the room, my arm punching through Pestilence’s chest, ripping his black heart free. Dark blood dripped from my hand and arm, bits and pieces of gore flecking my skin. “I inhabit the body of a very special twicemarked hunter. Together we are quite powerful. Some might call us the ultimate weapon against Lucifer.” Pestilence crumpled to the ground, his body dissolving in flame. Fingers snapping, my body stood back in the warehouse, Tomas blinking in disbelief. “It is done.” My lips moved, Lilith controlling my voice. “Give me back Riss’ body then. She wasn’t part of the bargain.” “As if I’d leave now.” Don’t worry, little hunter, I will not keep your body forever. Just until I can free my body as well as my soul. The scent of ozone reached my nose, Jensen stepping out of seemingly nowhere, his gaze backlit with power, his expression etched with determination. Upon spotting my body, he rushed forward. “Val!” My head tilted, Lilith studying him with curiosity. Warlock of Azazel, this could be interesting. I will allow it to play out. All washed out in an explosion of white light.

I was back in the box with Lilith in my mind. “Would you like to see more? I could show you how I tricked Jensen into thinking he contained me then, but before I did, I offered him the solution he needed to take care of his Azazel problem. Also, wouldn’t you like to know exactly how the demons and their little helpers were involved?” “I don’t understand. I thought you infected me that night I fought the BBD behind Zeffer.” The timeline didn’t quite add up. Or did it? “Jensen twisted the truth a bit more than he led you to believe. He didn’t lie to you about his intentions.” “Why are you defending him? Why are you … are you helping me?” None of it made any sense. Lilith was a fallen angel. She had no care for humans such as us. She frowned, appearing more human than ever before. “I care about what happens to you because you are my niece. The first in centuries. It’s why I could connect with you the way I have.” “You’re confused. I have Lucifer’s blood running through my veins, not—” Oh. Her brother. “Yes, Lucifer is my bratty little brother. Not endearing to me like your little sister.” “I’m still not your niece. Lucifer’s blood is diluted by who knows how many generations of humans.” She shook her head slowly. “No. You are Lucifer’s daughter. His first child with a human woman in centuries.” “No, that’s not possible.” My mind reeled. “You’re lying.” “It’s true. After all the time we’ve spent sharing the space inside of your head, you know I’m telling you the truth.”

Dropping to my knees, I stared up at her, my mouth swinging open. “I— No, it’s not possible.” But maybe it was. No, it can’t be. Or it could be. Mom has a friggin’ lot of explaining to do the next time I see her. No, she would never. Although … “Haven’t you wondered why you’re so much faster and stronger than Lily? Haven’t you ever thought about—” And there it was. A tiny spark, vibrating insistently, tucked away in the corner of my mind, the recognition—the knowledge I’d always held somewhere deep inside of me, available because of who I was. It roared to life, burning brightly, the connection to Lucifer, the powers hidden just beyond my reach. It’s true. I’m Lucifer’s daughter. Falling forward, I practically choked on my tongue. “Give me a minute here. I think I’m having my very own Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker moment.” “I unlocked your powers.” Complete understanding finally donned. “Because I can free you.” She grinned. “Now you’re getting it.” Fuck, she sounded more like me every time I talked to her. Which was technically only twice. “The key? What is it?” “I may have planted some false flags within my memories and fed them to you to get you here, where you need to be. That key is nothing more than a hunk of silver.” “If I free your body, you’ll leave my mind for good?”

“Yes.” “And then what?” “And then we have our revenge against Lucifer and the absentee God who doesn’t deserve his place in Heaven.” “Oh, okay, so you want me to help you to overthrow Heaven and Hell. Sounds easy enough. You think we can be done by next week because I promised Lily I’d take her shopping.” “I thought you’d be on board to topple the ultimate patriarchy.” “Don’t get it twisted, I would love to do exactly that.” I laughed. “We don’t stand a chance.” “We stand more than a chance. We will win. I’ve had eternities upon eternities to formulate my plan. I merely had to wait for the last piece to fall into place.” “Me.” She nodded. “You.” I can’t seriously be thinking about doing this? Trusting Lilith? Attempting to topple the basis for reality as most know it? What will happen to Earth if we succeed? “Can you promise me that Lily, my mom, and Jensen will be safe?” “I won’t make a promise I’m not sure I can guarantee, but I will do everything in my power to protect your family.” Her demeanor softened. “After all the time I’ve spent kicking around in your psyche, I’ve developed quite the soft spot for them.” I was only in the twice marked mess to begin with because I’d literally sold my soul to save Lily. “If you can’t guarantee their safety, specifically my sister’s, there isn’t a point to any of this.” “Isn’t there?”

Closing my eyes, I inhaled and exhaled several deep breaths, the exercise futile since I was inside my mind. Not that it usually worked to begin with. However, girl had to try to center herself when having a tête-à-tête with Lilith. “You’re different than you were before. When we first met here,” I tapped my forehead, “and you demanded control of my body.” “It would have been easier if you’d given it to me. Instead, I had to play games of intrigue. Lure you here to me when I could have used your body to free myself.” “You let Tomas and Devon be killed.” “For betrayal, and for Jensen.” Wait. Jensen—Azazel. No, no, no, no, no. I shuddered in revulsion. “Am I related to Jensen because of the fallen angel connection?” “Azazel was not an archangel.” Relief surged. “So, no?” “No. You’re only related in the same way all humans are related.” “Mmm …” Plopping backward, I sat there on the ground staring up at the creature claiming to be my aunt. “You don’t have any, you know …” I circled my hand over my crotch. She threw her head back and laughed. “You’re asking me how Lucifer produced a child because I’m his sister.” It reasoned that if she didn’t have reproductive parts, and she was his sister then he wouldn’t either. Maybe no angels did. What did I know about how angels made babies? That was kind of the point. “Well, yeah.” “My body has them.” “Oh. Okay.” I didn’t have time to think about this. I couldn’t seem to help myself, though—the questions kept popping into my head. What I learned was a lot, and I was in a kind of mental stupor brought on by the shock.

What do I do with all of this? I hated being twice marked, unlike Lily who thought every moment we lived since our accident was a gift because we would have died on the side of the road that night. This, going along with Lilith, could be my only shot at truly freeing us. Sure, there was risk, no guarantees, but that was true with being a twicemarked hunter as well. Every day I fought for the future of my soul. “Since I’m Lucifer’s daughter, does that mean Lily is, too?” “No. You have different fathers.” Oh, yeah, my mom has some major explaining to do. “Lucifer overpowered and imprisoned you. He could end my life with merely a thought. How do you plan on staging some kind of coup when you consider those facts?” “My dear brother overpowered me only because I did not expect the betrayal from him. We are evenly matched.” “He has an army of demons at his back. So, yeah, not evenly matched.” “Which is why we are going to cause a distraction. One that will capture the attention of Heaven and Hell simultaneously.” Dread dropped into my stomach. “What kind of distraction is that big?” “We’re going to release War.” Yeah, I did not see that coming.

34

What seemed like a million years ago, I followed my gut and ended up in a binding deal with Lucifer himself, my biological father. That little tidbit screamed of the unreliableness of my intuition. Could I trust it now? Or was I being manipulated yet again? After everything you just learned, can you just walk away and go back to your life as it was? The simple answer was no. Things had to change one way or another, and it seemed I had the means to bring about a catastrophic shift in the status quo. Could I take the chance though? Risk everything? The upside would be freeing Lily and myself from our deals. Definitely worth the risk. And the downside … well, I often wondered if any of us twice marked actually stood a chance at getting into Heaven. If we were most likely bound for Hell anyways then we didn’t have anything to lose except perhaps the lies our lives were steeped in. So I’ve decided then? Yes. It seems like I have. Pulling myself to my feet, I stepped toward Lilith. “Tell me what I need to do.” She grinned. “You can start by waking up.” Darkness surged, followed by bright light. “Thank fuck.” Jensen crushed me to his chest, his pulse thundering beneath my ear. “I thought I lost you there for a second.” Clutching at him, I steeled my resolve. “I need … I need to free Lilith.” He tipped his head down, regarding me with shock. “You can’t be serious.” “But I am.”

“Whatever she told you is a lie. You can’t trust her.” I shook my head slowly, my mind still reeling from the revelations Lilith had shared. I was sure lies were surrounding the truths I learned, but it didn’t change the rest. The part where I could maybe, finally, get what I wanted. “I don’t trust her, not entirely. But this is my chance to free me and Lily.” “No. You can’t—” “I’m Lucifer’s daughter. Not just a descendant of his bloodline, but his daughter. As in my mom has a hell of a lot of explaining to do.” Jensen’s arms dropped from me as he swayed back, his expression dazed. “That’s not possible.” “But it is. And I need to do this. For all of us.” Leaning into him, I caressed his cheek tenderly, the scruff on his face prickly under my fingertips. “You should probably go.” He covered my hand, squeezing roughly. “I won’t leave you. Not ever.” “You have the power to send him away. Use it,” Lilith’s voice snaked through my mind. Seizing on Jensen’s magic, I used it to open a portal, one he failed to notice because his full focus was on me. “Promise me you’ll keep Lily and my mom safe.” His eyes darkened with a mix of anger and determination. “I’m not leaving you. It’s not going to happen.” “Promise me, Jensen. Now. You have to keep Lily and my mom safe.” His lip curled up into a snarl. “I promise. But it still doesn’t mean I’m leaving you—” “I love you,” I murmured. “And I’m sorry.” Crushing my lips to his, I kissed him roughly, briefly, trying to communicate everything left unsaid between us. He clutched at me, desperate to hold on. But I couldn’t let him. This was something I needed to do without him.

Breaking the kiss, I shoved him as hard as I could. He stumbled back, rage and horror flitting across his features as he fell through the portal, disappearing from view. With the key in my hand, and his tracking spell removed, I knew he wouldn’t be able to find me anytime soon. Gulping, I renewed my resolve, my heart thundering against my eardrums. Slowly, one agonizing step after another, I trudged closer to Lilith’s cage. Her screams were absent, something I’d only now realized. “My body burns, but my consciousness remains within you.” “Makes sense,” I muttered, even though I wasn’t sure anything made sense at all anymore. Or ever would again. Heat like I’d never experienced pressed along my skin, engulfing me. It was so hot it was cold, causing chills to rattle my body. “What do I do? How do I get you out?” I was still about ten to twenty feet away from her cage, and already it was nearly unbearable. My teeth chattered uncontrollably, cold sweat erupting from every pore. “Your blood and intent are all you need.” My blood, of course. Lucifer had imprisoned Lilith, and I carried his blood within my veins, more potent than anyone else in recent history. I was quite possibly her only way out. My skin reddened and blistered, my clothes plastered along my body, and still, I persisted. “You’re almost there.” Halting just outside the touch of fire, I swallowed, my throat like the Sahara, my lips dry and cracked. Unsheathing a blade from my boot, the metal hot, I drew it across my palm, a line of crimson welling up. It bubbled, lifting into the air as if it was water evaporating. “You have to get closer.” “If I get any closer, I’ll be in the fire.”

“Yes.” “Fuck me.” Shuffling forward, I made a second cut next to the first, thrusting my hand into the flames before I could think better of it. Excruciating pain shot up my arm, but even as I opened my mouth to scream, the flames ebbed, receding away from me. My skin pinkened and healed, cool air swirling through my hair. A blast lifted me off my feet, slamming me into the ground, my vision wavering. My pulse fluttered against the ringing in my ears. Scraping up to my elbows, I peered at the cage. It was empty. “I didn’t lie to you.” Swinging my head to the right, I scrambled back, kicking up dust. I coughed, my eyes watering as I struggled to focus. Looming over me was Lilith, or at least I presumed so. She bore almost no resemblance to the creature I’d confronted in my mind. Her long, black hair spilled down her back in waves, intermingling with the midnight feathers on her wings—wings that moved up and down restlessly behind her. Her skin’s pale luster was luminous and utterly flawless like she was carved from moonstone. Her large, dark brown eyes met mine with mirth as she offered me her hand. Accepting, I allowed her to pull me to my feet. “You look … well, you don’t— I thought—” “I appeared to you as I could. A burnt husk of my former self. Now I am whole once more.” She inclined her head. “Thanks to you, niece.” Holy fuck. I swiped my hand down my face. This can’t be real. But it was. Would I come to regret my choices? Would I end up only aiding in the destruction of the world, or create a new better one? Personal worlds are formed through perspective, like how I considered being twice marked a curse, and Lily thought it to be a blessing. Technically, we lived in the same world, and yet we didn’t. I’d based my choice to help Lilith on my world views, but what if I ended

up being wrong? My perceptions might have been tainted by bitterness and skewed by cynicism. I was flawed, more than I liked to it most days, and my flaws equaled flaws in my world. That was a problem. Because to me, in the end, all that mattered would be what I thought—what I saw. Which meant I could think myself working toward the ultimate good, when really I was helping evil get a better foothold. My vision was of a better future, not just for those I loved, but for all of those who had their lives ripped away from them by Lucifer’s deals, and God’s lack of interest. The world—my world, as it currently existed, was a fucked-up place, and yeah, those responsible needed to pay for their actions, or lack thereof. It didn’t matter who they were. Not to me anyways. Everything that’s happened to me since that day on the side of the road has led me to this moment. There I stood, in Hell, next to Lilith. Her, the sister of Lucifer; me, apparently his daughter. I’d never felt more empowered, and yet more vulnerable at the same time. Once I thought my life was made of up choices, big and small, and then that illusion was ripped away in an instant, forcing me into a game I didn’t want to play. Now, that game had shifted, revealing something new—something I had a chance to win, if I played my cards right. “Ready to start a war?” Lilith asked. I still had so many questions, and the doubts that accompanied them. Could Lilith have me under her control in some manner? Did she brainwash me while she was inside my mind? Had I merely replaced one set of lies with another? So many things surrounding Lilith remained suspect, even certain timelines didn’t quite add up. Plus, my sudden and easy acceptance of her explanations and assurances pointed to a problem. And yet … my yearning—my nostalgia for a life I’d never gotten to live, one filled with freedom and choices, and no demons —surged within me, forcing everything else aside for the moment. But … War? War. I rolled the concept around in my head. For such a tiny word it packed a wallop of a meaning on a multitude of levels. Fear and anticipation intermingled at just the mention.

War. Was I ready to start one with Heaven and Hell? Could I deal with the consequences of my decisions? I suppose only time will yield the true answers.

Acknowledgments

And here we go again, the acknowledgments. Aka the part of the book that most people never read … unless they might potentially be mentioned in them. Which is why I get completely flustered writing this part. I worry that I’m going to forget someone, for no other reason than I feel the pressure not to forget anyone. I really don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. So, if for whatever reason I did forget you—I’m sorry!!! Please scold me, and I will attempt to make it up to you in the future by putting an entire page dedicated to you or something. Trust me, there were no intentional snubs here. If I don’t like someone, or am mad at them, oh yeah, they know it without a doubt. I’m not what anyone would consider ive-aggressive. Heh. Anywho … Got a bit distracted there. On to the actual acknowledgments part of the acknowledgments. First and foremost, I’d like to thank my hubby, aka Super Hubby, for being the most ive human being on the planet. Words can’t begin to express all that he’s done to help me in every part of my life, especially when it comes to encouraging me not to give up on my writing. This book, and none of my other books, would exist if not for him. He was the spark that encouraged me from day one, and the fire that helps me find my way in the dark. He makes my world better every single day just by being in it. Or let me put it this way: Even stuck in the house with him 24/7 during plague times, I don’t want to kill him. ‘Nuff said right there. Next, I’d like to thank Melissa Ringsted, my illustrious editor. She is always the first person to get a gander at my books in all their raw glory. And when I have doubts about publishing, she encourages me to stay the course. Halfway Wicked, along with all of my recent books would have died a silent death if not for her, suffocated by my insecurities.

Then, of course, I’d like to thank Ren Reidy, who not only proofread Halfway Wicked but always helps me out with all the book-y advice about everything from font choice to formatting. She’s been there for me since my first release as D.T. Dyllin 26 books ago, and I’m pretty sure all of said books would have disappeared into the ether if not for her. Ren is my not-so-secret weapon. Also, I’d like to thank my amazing cover designer Lindsay Tiry. Although calling her just my cover designer simply isn’t enough. She not only has done all of my covers, but she does interior book graphics and logos, and … she makes all of the pretty things for me. Aaaand she has to create them from my crazy ideas. I mean, seriously, it takes a special kind of person to be able to handle someone like me. I’ve been known to send her paper cut-outs of stock images, arranged just-so, with colored marker illustrations on them to show her exactly what “I’m thinking”. She deserves all kinds of awards for that alone. Or maybe sainthood? And finally, I’d like to thank all of my readers. Without you, I wouldn’t be able to continue writing. All of the encouragement, , and love keep me going. You are all extremely special to me. Although, I still don’t know how I managed to get lucky enough to have people want to read any of my stuff without a gun pointed at their heads.

About the Author

Dara Kent is a pseudonym for bestselling romance author D.T. Dyllin. Dara writes darker worlds, where good doesn’t always win, villains are cool, and magical mayhem rules. Dara was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Black & Gold for life, baby!) She now lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with her husband, and spoiled mini-poodle.

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