The Hell Bent Series

Guardian Demon

Copyright © 2022 by Aurora Ascher

Cover art & design: Aurora Ascher

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or used in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

CONTENTS

Prologue

1.  Part of the Problem

2.  Sly Dog

3.  Hide And Seek

4.  Dance With The Devil

5.  One Fell Swoop

6.  The Devil’s In The Details

7.  Fight Or Flight

8.  Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing

9.  A Rare Bird

10.  As The Crow Flies

11.  Blood Lust

12.  Den Of Iniquity

13.  Conflict Of Interest

14.  Fuel To The Fire

15.  No Rest For The Wicked

16.  A Snowball’s Chance In Hell

17.  Rise and Shine

18.  Cold Shower

19.  Cat Got Your Tongue

20.  Guilty Pleasures

21.  Flip The Bird

22.  Angel’s Advocate

23.  Good Girls Go To Heaven

24.  Heart Of Gold

25.  Little Ray Of Sunshine

26.  Hell Is Other People

27.  A Drop In The Bucket

28.  Bird’s Eye View

29.  Fools Rush In Where Angels Fear To Tread

30.  For Heaven’s Sake

31.  Paint The Town Red

32.  Meat and Greet

33.  A Match Made In Heaven

34.  Something To Crow About

Epilogue

Dear Reader…

By Aurora Ascher

About Aurora

PROLOGUE

T  he Empyrean Library was the largest collection of knowledge in creation. Humans couldn’t hope to preserve accurate records, too misguided by wars and cultural bias, and most demons had no care for such things.

So it was Heaven that took on the duty.

To a guardian angel, the Third Sphere’s lowest rank, parts of the library were restricted, but Sunshine still had access to more information than a human could absorb in one lifetime.

Once, she had been a Principality, the highest rank of the Third Sphere, with a seat upon the Tribunal, the heavenly court of justice.

Her name had been Shamsiel then, and to this day, humans still looked to her for strength and guidance. They had no idea she’d been stripped of her title as punishment for her failings.

They had no idea she was a liar.

But I only told necessary lies, Sunshine reminded herself as she closed the cover of the hefty tome on her lap. Shafts of light poured through steepled lancet windows above, the library’s ancient air sparkling like gold dust.

Necessary or not, the lies weighed heavily on her conscience. She’d begun questioning her motives, second-guessing her decisions. It was the reason she was here now, surrounded by these texts.

The book in her lap recounted the history of the Grigori—angels who’d fallen from Heaven to mate with humans, spawning a forbidden race of angel-human hybrids called the Nephilim.

Many angels thought the Grigori were hypocrites. They considered themselves protectors of humanity, but they rejected the ascetic lifestyle of angels in Heaven. They exterminated unlawful supernatural creatures, but they tried to protect their warped offspring.

Sunshine had compassion for all beings and believed in forgiveness, but first and foremost, she was loyal to the Realm.

Yet, here she sat behind a pile of books, tangled in a web of lies. Plagued with indecision.

At that moment, a summons appeared in her mind, a shaft of light penetrating the dark clouds of her thoughts. She stiffened in surprise.

Her mentor was requesting her presence.

Nerves quickening her heart, she stood, smoothing out her robe. The books she’d borrowed returned themselves to their shelves, and she took a breath and flashed to Adriel’s study.

He sat in one of the armchairs by the window, his usual place for their meetings, and rose fluidly when she appeared. “Greetings, Sunshine.”

“Greetings, sir.” She bowed her head.

“Please, sit.”

She sat on the other armchair and folded her hands in her lap, and Adriel did the same.

“Tea?”

“Please.”

Adriel waved a hand, and a steaming pot and two cups appeared on the table between them. He leaned forward to pour. Not a single drop spilled.

Sunshine’s mentor appeared as a man whose age was impossible to determine. His face was matured beyond youth yet untouched by any mortal sign of decline. His hair was a pale curtain that fell to his chest, his skin the color of desert sand, and his eyes… Appearing at first glance to be dark blue, when one looked closer, they were full of stars, spiraling around his pupils like tiny galaxies.

Second Sphere angels were never involved in affairs of Earth, but a few offered guidance to those of the Third Sphere. Sunshine was grateful her former rank had granted her access to a mentor and that their relationship had continued after her demotion.

Adriel passed her a cup and then took one for himself. He sat with perfect poise, his starry eyes fixed out the window at the gardens. They sipped the tea in silence for several minutes.

Sunshine forced herself to be calm, waiting for him to speak when he was ready. One did not show impatience around a being such as Adriel.

“I have news for you,” he said eventually.

She blinked in question.

A human would be half blinded by Adriel’s physical perfection, but an angel knew better than to see only his beauty. As one of the Powers, the Second Sphere’s third rank, he had the ability to restrain forces of evil with his will alone.

Yet he would never interfere with any event on the Earth plane. Maybe the Powers were too disconnected from the world to understand it, or maybe they saw more than Sunshine did and knew some reason why they couldn’t meddle.

“Your time has come, Sunshine.”

“Time for what, sir?”

“I have petitioned the Dominations, and they agreed you are ready.”

Her fingers clenched around her teacup. She took a sip to avoid overspill.

The first rank of the Second Sphere, the Dominations oversaw all angels beneath them. They were genderless beings of unfathomable power and wisdom. The only angels higher were those of the First Sphere—the Thrones, Cherubim, and Seraphim—so lofty they were unseen by all.

“There is a book.” Adriel leaned forward to set his cup down, pale hair sliding over one shoulder. Not a strand out of place, it moved like liquid silk. “A grimoire, to be precise. Until now, it was in the possession of a witch.”

“Until now?”

“It was stolen by a demon. I am tasking you with retrieving it.”

Sunshine frowned. An angel charged with finding a witch’s grimoire was equivalent to the President of the United States being given a paper route. It was absurd.

“Retrieving it for…the witch, sir?”

Adriel shook his head. “The book will be brought to the Empyrean Library for safekeeping.”

Why leave it in the witch’s possession before, then? Why did he only care about the book once the demon had taken it?

Sunshine didn’t understand, but she didn’t want to ask either. Adriel never scolded her for her questions, but there was something about his profound equanimity that made it difficult to voice them.

“I don’t understand, sir,” was all she could say.

Adriel smiled. “Your inquisitive spirit will serve you well in the test to come. It’s something I admire about you.”

“Thank you?” She was unable to disguise her confusion.

His smile simply widened. “I’m sure you have questions.”

“Many.”

“I will answer those that I can. But there is more I must say first.”

She waited for him to continue.

“This task will also serve as your final test. If you succeed, you will reascend to your former rank among the Principalities.”

Sunshine jolted upright, sloshing tea on herself in her haste. To avoid further spillage, she quickly set her cup down and then fixed her attention on her mentor.

“Sir?” She almost couldn’t believe she’d heard him correctly.

“The Dominations have declared it so: if you pass, your penance will be complete, and what you have lost will be restored.”

She swallowed, unable to form words, her gratitude and hope rendering her speechless. “Thank you, sir.”

“You deserve this. There’s no need to thank me.” Adriel’s head tilted. “But remember, you must complete the test first. There’s still work to do.”

Yes, but all she had to do was steal a book from a demon. It was simple.

Perhaps too simple, she thought with sudden trepidation. If this was to be her ultimate test, it was only logical she would face real challenges.

Whatever happened, she would be strong. She would prove to Adriel that his faith in her was well founded, and she would finally regain the respect she had lost so many years ago. She would fix her mistakes. She would bury her past, her pain, and her fear for good.

She would be whole again.

“Tell me everything,” she said. “I am ready.”

1

PART OF THE PROBLEM

I t was way too early for conversation.

Raum slouched on the kitchen barstool, head propped up on one hand, the other wrapped around an espresso cup. It was his second one, but he was going to need a couple more before the ache behind his eyes went away.

“Raum was right before,” his brother Asmodeus was saying, making Raum regret whatever it was he’d said. He wanted no part in this. “It’s the safest course of action. It’s been almost a month since you reached out, and since no one’s turned up on our doorstep, we can assume that means he’s on our side.”

Asmodeus reached up to the cupboard and grabbed another cup. Though he lived on the floor below with his Nephilim girlfriend Eva, Ash often came upstairs for coffee in the mornings.

Over by the fridge, Meph was sitting on the counter—to Belial’s annoyance—with his arms around Iris, who stood between his legs, her back to his front. He was whispering shit in her ear, making her laugh and blush.

At least they weren’t making out. If it was too early for conversation, it was definitely too early for witnessing that.

As for the rest of their crew, Lily and Mist were at Lily’s apartment, and Eva was likely still asleep downstairs. She’d never been an early riser—constant gigging as a musician had made her a permanent night owl.

Raum could get behind that. Mornings were overrated.

The newest member of their weird family, a hellhound puppy Iris had named Faust, sat at Raum’s feet with his head in his lap, eagerly awaiting head scratches.

Raum gave him a few. Faust scooted closer, wanting more.

“He’s going to ask for another fucking favor,” Belial growled, slamming the portafilter against the knock box harder than necessary to dump the used coffee grinds. He was on barista duty as usual, since he never wanted anyone touching his shit.

“It’s not like we have any other options,” Ash said. “You’re supposed to meet with him tonight. We’re kinda past the point of reconsideration.”

“We do have another option: chop his fucking head off.” The grinder fired up as Bel prepared another shot.

Ash raised his voice to be heard over the noise. “We’ve been over this. Like, ten times.”

They had. And they still couldn’t agree.

As five powerful demons who’d escaped Hell, breaking every rule in the book, their number one priority was making sure no one knew where they were hiding. When Raum had first learned that Murmur knew their location, he’d been the one talking Bel into requesting a meeting so they could negotiate.

Murmur had been open to it before—in exchange for an open-ended favor from Bel, he’d helped rescue Mist, Lily, and Iris from Hell. Sure, he’d turned around and stabbed them in the back right after, tracking them back to Earth and then selling their location to the highest bidder. But if they worded the contract specifically enough this time, they could make sure it wouldn’t happen again.

But now…Raum wasn’t so sure.

“If you try to kill him and fail, we’re fucked,” Ash said, sliding onto the barstool beside Raum as Bel ran the next espresso shot. “He’ll retaliate out of spite.”

Ash was right, and only a fool would think Murmur would be easy to kill. The Necromancer was known for the army of souls bound to his service. No one knew how he’d prevented them from being trapped in the Nine Rings—the place where souls went upon arrival in Hell—but however he’d done it, they obeyed him mindlessly. Formless ghosts empowered by necromancy made formidable foes.

Then again…if anyone was up to the task of killing Murmur, it was Bel.

It was said that the only demon in Hell who could best Belial was Lucifer himself, and even that was a point of contention among many. There were factions of demons tired of Lucifer’s rule who plotted to overthrow the High King and put Belial on the throne.

Unfortunately for them, Bel had no interest in ruling Hell. He just wanted to be left alone in his kitchen with a fridge full of food and a cookbook.

“This would be so much easier if demons still wanted your first-born child,” Meph said unhelpfully. “We could just steal a baby and give it to him. Problem solved.”

Iris laughed, shooting him a look over her shoulder. “We’re not stealing a baby.”

“Murmur could be a good dad. You never know.”

“Yeah, and I could be the Easter Bunny.”

Meph grinned. “Oh, yeah? Then where are your cute little ears, baby?”

Iris stuck her tongue out, and he grabbed her jaw and leaned down to kiss her. As usual, they didn’t stop once they started. The mutual looks of disgust exchanged between the rest of them were a bonding experience no one wanted.

“This is a goddamn embarrassment,” Bel snapped, sliding the fresh shot towards Ash and smacking a palm on the counter. “We have no bargaining power and no choice but to give Murmur what he wants. It makes us look fucking weak.”

“What else can we do? He knows we’re in Montreal, and that’s probably the most valuable information in all of Hell right now. He already sold it to Valefor, and he’ll sell it to someone else now that we killed Val. His asking price for silence is going to be high.”

With that optimistic proclamation, Ash sipped his coffee and dragged his fingers through his hair, pulling it back from his face. That jet-black, hip-length mane was his secret pride, and as a former lust demon, he would always be a little vain.

“What if we found something to bargain with?” Raum suddenly said, and everyone looked at him. Faust lifted his head off his lap. Even Meph and Iris stopped kissing for a second.

Raum wasn’t shy about speaking, but he tended to stay silent until he actually had something useful to say. Meph was already good at filling every possible silence with noise, and there was no need to compete.

“If we find something he wants and take it first, then he’ll have to bargain on our terms.”

“And how do you propose we do that?” Bel asked. “Like Asmodeus so helpfully stated, if he thinks we’re trying to fuck him over, he’s going to fuck us back. Hard.”

“Kinky,” Meph said.

“Shut up, Meph,” everyone said simultaneously.

Except Iris, of course. She just laughed and patted his leg like he was adorable and not annoying. The poor witch had really lost her marbles since they’d started dating.

But then she stiffened suddenly and said, “The book.”

There was confused silence.

“Suyin’s book, The Book of Gamigin. Murmur had Valefor steal it for him, remember? That was his price for giving Val our location so he could go after Meph. Whatever that book is, it’s important to Murmur.”

“I knew who Gamigin was,” Ash said, sipping his coffee, “but I never heard of him writing a book. Demons aren’t exactly known for their literary endeavors.”

Raum snorted into his espresso cup. Speaking every language was just an innate part of a demon’s nature. If reading and writing had required any effort for them to learn, he was pretty sure all of Hell would be illiterate.

“I don’t know if he wrote it,” Iris replied. “Maybe it’s just named after him.”

“Pretty sure he’s dead,” Bel said, “so you won’t be able to ask him.”

“I still don’t get why Murmur wants it,” Meph said.

“Let’s steal it,” Raum blurted.

Once again, everyone stared at him. This time, he knew it was because he couldn’t keep the anticipation out of his voice.

He cleared his throat and tried to pretend he hadn’t reacted as he had, but Meph knew him too well. The bastard started to grin. “You would get a boner at that, wouldn’t you?”

Raum shot him a glare.

He didn’t like to talk about his addiction. It wasn’t even an addiction. It was just a mild itching that lived under his skin that grew into unbearable burning, crawling torment if he didn’t assuage its need from time to time.

So what if he had a stash of stolen goods in his closet so large he could no longer risk opening the doors? So what if no matter how often he fed the urge, it was never satisfied?

He could control himself. He could.

He’d once lived in constant war with other demons over territories he didn’t want, simply so he could raid their lairs for treasure like a fiendish dragon. He’d kept stashes of loot all across Hell in secret locations.

But he’d risen above that now. He was in control. The insatiable need no longer ruled him.

Yet he couldn’t deny that he liked the idea of stealing Murmur’s grimoire.

Until Belial said, “No.”

“Why not?” Meph jumped to Raum’s defense. “We know Murmur wants it. If we steal it, he’ll have no choice but to bargain with us to get it back.”

“It’s too risky.”

“And straight-up murdering him isn’t?”

Bel’s jaw shifted. “It’s simpler. Less complications. That’s how I like to do things.”

“You’re being obtuse,” Meph said.

“You’re so obtuse, I didn’t realize you even knew such a big word,” Bel retorted.

Ash looked at Raum. “Bel’s right. Way too much could go wrong, and once again, we risk Murmur getting wind of it and turning on us. Not to mention, you seem to forget that Bel is supposed to meet with him tonight. We can’t pull off that big a heist in so little time, and if we try to reschedule it’ll look suspicious.”

Raum made a sound of frustration. “But—”

“We’re not stealing the book.” Bel pinned him with a sharp look. “End of story.”

And that was that.

Belial passed out another round of espresso, and after a little more persuasion from Ash, he finally agreed to grant Murmur one more favor in exchange for his silence and a bunch of other carefully worded clauses typical of demon contracts.

After that, they fell into silence, interrupted only by Meph and Iris being gross.

Raum ground his teeth. Funny how they let the most unstable one in the group call the shots. Bel had a way of bullying everyone into going along with his plans, and sometimes they agreed to the dumbest shit just to keep him from losing his temper. It was amazing Ash had talked him into negotiating.

They were all treading on thin ice. While Raum was surprised they’d lasted this long as fugitives hunted by both Heaven and Hell, he couldn’t help thinking it was only a matter of time before someone slipped up again and the shit really hit the fan. Murmur was a wild card, and even with a contract keeping him silent, there was no telling what he’d do.

“Eva’s playing at the nightclub this Saturday,” Ash said. “I expect you all to show up and support her.” He pinned them all with threatening looks.

“You’re not playing with her?” Iris asked.

He made a face. “I play jazz. This is club music.”

“He acts all snobbish,” Meph whispered loudly, “but really it’s just because he can’t figure out the DJ controls.”

Ash shot him a murderous glare.

“I heard you train wreck at Iris and Lily’s birthday.”

“I will kick your teeth in.”

“I’ll cut your hair in your sleep.”

Iris gasped. Even Raum winced.

Ash’s eyes narrowed. “If you touch a single strand of hair on my head, I will peel the skin off your entire body with a butter knife until you don’t have a single tattoo left.”

Meph, being the idiot he was, just looked excited by the threats. “Oh yeah? Well, I will—”

“Shut. The fuck. Up.”

Everyone’s gaze shot to Belial, who suddenly appeared seconds away from a major temper tantrum. Completely out of the blue. Sure, Meph was annoying, but that wasn’t news. As far as Raum could tell, Bel had been unprovoked, which wasn’t normal.

A temper tantrum for Bel was not just an outburst of emotion. Things would burn. People would scream and possibly die.

Bel’s fists were balled so tightly, the veins bulged in his arms all the way up to his neck, and hellfire flickered in his eyes like a warning. He also looked several inches taller than he had a moment ago, and for a guy already standing at seven feet in human form, that made him pretty fucking big.

Faust whined softly.

“Okay, okay, we’re all good.” Ash held his hands up. “Just a little friendly teasing.”

Meph nodded and forced a smile, but his grip tightened around Iris. “Yep, we’re all buddy buddy. Everyone loves everyone. Best friends over here.”

While Bel took deep breaths, Raum stared into the empty bottom of his espresso cup. Great. Now he couldn’t ask for more coffee without risking setting Bel off, and his headache wasn’t even close to gone.

Ash inched toward the door, probably figuring now was a good time to make an escape. “I’ll be back later, and you can tell me how the meeting went with Murmur.”

“If he even tries to fuck with me,” Bel rumbled ominously, “I’ll make him regret it.”

“No one will fuck with you,” Meph assured him.

“Get the fuck off my counter.”

Meph wisely slipped off the edge and started backing toward the hall with Iris. He flashed a grin at Raum before the two of them disappeared from sight.

At the corner by the door, Ash turned back to Bel with a frown. “You know, you still haven’t told us how you contacted Murmur in the first place to set up this meeting.”

Coffee time having reached its conclusion, Bel started pulling pots and pans out of the cupboards and making a general lot of loud noise. “I have ways.”

“What ways?”

Raum raised a brow at Ash. Now didn’t seem the best time to be drilling Bel about his secrets.

“I don’t get why you’re always so cagey about this,” Ash went on. “We all know you have someone in Hell working for you. Don’t you think it’s in our best interest to know who it is?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“It’s none of your business.”

“Actually, it is, because it pertains to our safety and, consequently, Eva’s safety.”

“Ash,” Raum muttered.

Ash glanced at him. “We deserve to know.”

“Do we have to know right now though?” He shot a pointed look at Bel.

Ash blew out a breath. “Fine.” He pointed at Bel. “But we’re not done talking about this.”

Belial eyed the offensive finger. “Keep pointing that at me and I’ll rip it off.”

He rolled his eyes. “See you later.” The door slammed, and he was gone.

Silence reigned for several moments until Bel suddenly pinned Raum with a threatening look. “What?”

The hellhound still sitting at Raum’s feet whimpered softly, so Raum scratched behind his ears to calm him. “Nothing.”

Bel glared at him. A lesser demon would wither under that stare, but Raum had been on the receiving end of it many times, and he was used to it. He just stared blankly back.

Say what one would about him, he was extremely even-tempered for a demon. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d raised his voice above a conversational tone, and he never lost his temper.

On the flip side, he rarely smiled and sometimes forgot how it felt to laugh.

He was just…empty. Sometimes he thought if he were to peel back the outer layers of his personality and look into his mind, he’d find nothing but blank space.

“I know you’re thinking something, so just spit it out,” Bel said.

Because of that, Raum sometimes did stupid shit. He liked loud noises and crowds and parties because it distracted him from the hollow feeling. He was reckless and impulsive because the rush gave him a little burst of exhilaration. Every time he stole something, he felt alive for a split second before it faded back to nothingness, leaving him empty and wanting more.

And sometimes, he liked to poke the bear a little bit.

“You’ve been uptight lately,” he told Bel. The mother of all gross understatements.

Bel’s eyebrows climbed his forehead like he couldn’t believe Raum had the audacity, which was fair. Raum had just told Ash off for provoking Bel, and now he was doing it himself. Again: sometimes he did stupid shit.

“Your point?”

Raum tilted his head. “When was the last time you went into a full-on rage?”

Bel pinned him with the scariest glare known to man. But, to Raum’s surprise, he actually responded. “Few months.”

Raum’s brows rose. “That might be a record.”

Silence.

“Have you ever considered giving in to it? Maybe letting the rage out is good and holding it in isn’t.”

Bel’s hands balled into fists, and Raum knew he’d finally crossed the line. But he wondered if he was on to something. Maybe the key to mastering the anger wasn’t fighting it but expelling it.

But that meant controlling it. And Bel had never been able to do that.

While Belial continued to pin him with a flaming death glare, Raum slipped off the stool and headed toward the door. “I’m going for a run.” Faust scurried after him to escape the fury emanating from the kitchen.

Just as they stepped into the hallway outside, a plate smashed against the wall, right where he’d been standing.

Raum closed the door quickly, and he and Faust hauled ass to the elevator. They didn’t relax until the doors slid closed and the lift started to descend.

He blew out a breath. “Jesus.”

He’d been denied his espresso quota, had to watch Meph and Iris make out and listen to his brothers bicker, and had a plate thrown at his head. All before nine o’clock.

Today sucked.

2

SLY DOG

Raum and Faust walked side by side down the block, dodging pedestrians easily since no one wanted to get too close to Faust.

The hellhound puppy was still small enough that he didn’t have to shift to go in public, but he was still a big black dog with red eyes. He wouldn’t look fully hellish until he was mature, but there was still something off about him to the average human, and most people were instinctively wary.

The hound was technically Iris’s, but Raum had been spending time with him over the last couple weeks since he had the most success with his training. Faust was growing quickly, and he needed discipline to blend in on Earth.

Once they turned off the main drag and there were less people on the sidewalks, Raum took up a jog, and Faust fell into a trot beside him. Raum never put a leash on him when they ran together. He knew Faust wouldn’t take off, and he didn’t give a fuck about dog-owner laws or scaring people. Humans could suck it.

They ran until Raum’s body was warm and his blood was pumping, the bite in the air no longer cold against his heated skin. Eventually, they reached Faust’s favorite park, and he slowed to a walk as they stepped onto the muddy brown grass.

In the last week, the temperatures had risen, and the snow was finally melting. Patches of ice still persevered in the shadows and at the bases of the trees, but the air was fresh with the scent of early spring.

Faust took off to sniff and piss on every tree, and Raum walked without caring where he was going. He tipped his head back and watched the sparrows in the trees.

He liked sparrows. They were cute and tiny, but they were badass. They beat up weaker birds who got in their way. Their little cheeps were his favorite sound in the morning when he had coffee on the balcony. Without them, all he’d hear would be the traffic.

And the emptiness in his head.

It seemed like every one of his brothers had some new purpose. But what did he have? Morning walks with Faust. Watching his brothers bicker. Fighting the urge to tear his ears off when he had to listen to Meph and Iris fucking through the wall between their rooms. Going to the gym to work himself to exhaustion. Stealing pointless shit he didn’t want just to scratch the itch a little.

Escaping Hell was supposed to have been a new beginning, and it was for everyone but him. Worse, he didn’t even have Meph to keep him distracted anymore. Meph spent every spare minute with Iris now, and—

The sound of barking snapped him out of it.

Seconds later, an enormous brown dog bolted past him, so fast he felt the wind gust on his leg. The dog headed straight for Faust, who was currently sniffing the hand of a woman who seemed to have appeared from nowhere.

“Faust!” Raum shouted, warning his dog away from her before the inevitable occurred.

Too late.

The brown dog barreled into Faust. The woman, who had the unfortunate luck to be behind them, took the weight of two large dog bodies as Faust was knocked into her from behind.

By the time she hit the ground, Raum was already running. The dogs ignored her, now fighting viciously, their snarling and snapping inches from her arms held protectively over her face, their paws stamping on her prone body.

Raum reached the chaos and didn’t even think about hiding his strength. He picked up both dogs and tossed them. He wasn’t worried about Faust, and maybe getting the wind knocked out of the other dog would calm him down.

Animals out of the way, Raum crouched beside the woman. She lowered her arms and their eyes met.

And the world disappeared.

A stunning pair of dark eyes met his. Big eyes. Almost too big for her face. Her skin was light brown, and her hair was sleek and black and straight, wound into a thick braid that lay on the dirt like twisted rope. Swooping dark brows matched her complexion, and her nose was prominent, with a bump at the bridge and a point at the end, but it offset the unusual size of her eyes.

She stared at him, and he stared right back at her, neither of them saying anything.

Until he suddenly remembered she was flat on her back in the mud.

Shaking himself, he offered a hand and helped her stand. She looked a little shaken but otherwise unharmed, and as soon as he noted that, he started noticing other things about her body.

Like curves. So many curves. She wore a skin-tight matching athletic outfit that was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen. Full breasts overfilled her long-sleeve crop top, and her voluptuous hips were accentuated by the cut of the high-waisted leggings. Both were a soft pink. Against her brown skin, it was hot as hell.

“You okay?”

She nodded mutely, still staring at him, her eyes wide and unblinking.

He stared back at her.

He wasn’t the smooth talker Meph was, but he sure as hell knew how to charm a woman. Except right now, he didn’t. He wanted to make sure she wasn’t hurt. He also wanted to know if her ass was anywhere near as fine as he was imagining.

As the awkward silence lingered, the distant sound of barking and snarling filtered through the static in his head.

He swung his head around and took in the scene. Faust and the brown dog were battling it out, and Faust was kicking ass. Not a surprise. Puppy or not, he was a hellhound and had the added strength of any supernatural being.

Raum put his fingers between his lips and whistled sharply. The sound pierced the commotion, and just like Raum had trained him, Faust stopped dead. He opened the jaws fixed around the other dog’s throat and trotted back like everything was a-okay.

But then there was the matter of the giant brown dog who knocked down helpless women on his way to attack other people’s pets.

Raum looked at Faust, pointed to the ground at his feet, and said, “Stay.”

Faust planted his butt on the dirt.

Then Raum ran towards the other dog who was already up and swinging his big head around as if looking for someone else to attack. Raum whistled again, getting the animal to look at him. It started to growl, so he growled right back. They approached each other like a face off.

Raum stared him down.

The dog dropped his gaze.

As a rule, animals hated demons. Their instincts told them they were in the presence of something other, and they feared it. Cats went feral, dogs either cowered or went into attack mode, and other animals simply fled the vicinity.

But not with Raum. Animals always loved him, and he loved them back. And he had no idea why.

He kept staring, and the dog sank onto his haunches and dropped his head. He stared a bit more, and the dog slid forward onto his front legs, lying down. Still, Raum waited. The dog rolled onto his side and whimpered softly.

Finally, Raum crouched by his head and patted his neck. “Good boy.”

The dog’s tail thumped on the ground.

Raum noticed the leash and collar around his neck just as a woman with pale skin and a messy salt-and-pepper bun burst onto the path. She made a big show of waving her hands, shouting and obviously upset.

Raum inwardly rolled his eyes, thinking, Now what?

“I’m so sorry!” She was so distraught, he almost feared for her health. Or at least the hair on her head she was nearly tearing out as she clutched her temples. “I know how out of control he is, and I would never take him to a public park! I was just loading him into the van and he took off.”

Raum said nothing, still patting the dog’s neck, wondering why the woman was apologizing to him. It wasn’t like he’d been the one getting knocked on his ass.

Speaking of…

He twisted around, looking over to where he’d left Faust beside the woman in pink. Faust still sat dutifully.

But the woman was gone.

He fought back an irrational surge of disappointment. Like she was going to want to hang around after being flattened by a dog fight? And why would he care if she stayed anyway?

“How on earth did you do that?” the new woman asked. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Raum shrugged. He didn’t know why animals responded to him, and it was the last thing he’d tell a random human. He didn’t like even thinking about the black hole in his past.

“Is that your dog over there?” the woman asked. “Just sitting pretty?”

Raum glanced at Faust and nodded.

“Incredible.” She pushed her glasses up her nose, studying Raum with a calculating gaze. “You must work with animals? Are you a dog trainer? Or do you work with wildlife rescue, maybe? Or—”

“No.”

“What’s your job, then?”

He hesitated. He considered saying, I’m a wanted fugitive, but went with, “Unemployed.” Both were true.

“I’m Caroline,” the woman said, sticking out a hand, “but everyone calls me Caro.” She looked to be in her fifties or sixties. The sharpness of her eyes gave her a unique face, though it was obvious from her stained jeans and messy hair that she didn’t give much thought to her appearance.

Raum stood, his new canine friend remaining at his feet. He shook Caro’s outstretched hand but didn’t offer his name. He doubted she cared. Ninety percent of human interactions were just people finding excuses to talk about themselves. At the end, they walked away without remembering anything the other person said because they only cared about their own issues.

But Caro surprised him by saying, “What’s your name?” And she was still shaking his hand.

“Raum.”

“Nice to meet you, Raum.” Caro finally dropped his hand and tilted her head, sizing him up. The same way he often did to others. It made him a little uncomfortable. “Do you want a job?”

He blinked. It wasn’t what he expected to hear.

“I work at an animal shelter,” she said, surprising him yet again. “Tiny here is one of my dogs.”

Tiny? Jesus.

“We were coming back from a vet visit, and he’d been sedated, so I thought he’d be fine on the leash. But he got the drop on me and pulled it right out of my hand before I could get him in the van. I thought for sure he was going to do something terrible. Scared ten years off my life.” She shook her head. “Imagine my surprise when I ran here and found him lying meekly on his side.”

Raum glanced down at the animal. “He’s just scared.”

Caro nodded as if this pleased her. “So, you want a job? I’ll pay you to come in and work with the feral ones. If you can do half as much for others as you did with Tiny here, I’ll consider you a miracle worker.”

Raum rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t need money.” He and his brothers had amassed a fortune in Hell before they escaped, which they exchanged for Earth currency at the Blood Market. And if he ever ran out, he still had stashes of loot all over the underworld.

“Too bad. This job is too tough for volunteers.”

“You don’t know anything about me.”

“I don’t need to. We all have a past, and any man who shows kindness to an animal is a good man in my books. If you’re living…under the radar, I’ll pay you cash in hand. As long as you help my dogs, I don’t care where you came from.”

He couldn’t take a job at an animal shelter. It was too risky mixing with humans in that kind of setting. It was one thing to party and get drunk with faceless crowds he’d never see again. It was another thing to interact on a regular basis with people who didn’t know what he was. With everything going on with Murmur right now, it was an added risk they didn’t need.

So it surprised the hell out of him when he said, “Okay.”

Caro beamed. “You’ll do it?”

“Sure.” I’m an idiot.

“When can you start? Tomorrow? Eight AM?”

He winced. So early? But he said, “Sure,” again anyway.

The woman looked like he’d just handed her a million dollars. “Give me your phone. I’ll put in my number and the shelter address. Have you got transportation? I can pick you up if you need a ride.”

“Okay.” He didn’t own a vehicle, and Eva had sworn never to allow a demon to drive her car again because, apparently, they were reckless drivers. And he avoided public transit because so many people in a tight space made the itch unbearable. Everyone had bags and jackets with deep pockets. He had yet to take the metro without ending up with a new collection of wallets and phones.

He and Caro exchanged numbers and discussed wages he didn’t want, and then he helped her walk Tiny back to her van. Apparently, he was feeling saintly today. She’d caught him on a good day.

Tiny was terrible on the leash, pulling and leaping at every noise, but Raum’s strength was to his benefit, and he held him easily. By the time they reached Caro’s van and loaded him into the crate in the back, she was staring at him with undisguised awe.

“You have a gift,” she said, like he was bloody Jesus turning water into wine.

He made a face.

“I’m serious. I look forward to working with you. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

As the van peeled away from the curb and gunned down the street in a cloud of black exhaust, Raum looked over to where Faust was waiting for him on the sidewalk.

“Guess I got a job now,” he told the hound.

He swore Faust cocked a brow.

Raum narrowed his eyes. “If you tell anyone, I’ll kill you.”

Faust closed his mouth as if to say, Mum’s the word.

“Good boy. Let’s go home.”

Stupidly, Raum cast one last look at the park, searching for the woman in pink. There was no sign of her, of course.

He rolled his eyes at himself, and then took off at a jog, Faust at his side.

SUNSHINE REMATERIALIZED in her rental suite still gasping for breath. She immediately went to the long mirror on the wall and assessed her appearance. There were sticks and leaves in her braid. When she turned around, there was mud all over her backside. She’d had the wind knocked out of her by that fall, and she looked like it.

What a disaster. A colossal failure.

She’d had everything carefully arranged only for it to blow up spectacularly in her face. Ending up under a dog fight was not part of the plan in any way, shape, or form. Worst of all, when the demon had finally approached her, she’d…

Well, she wasn’t sure what happened.

She had looked into his bright golden eyes and lost her train of thought. Utterly. She’d forgotten what she was even doing there.

It didn’t make sense. She’d been in Montreal watching the demons for close to a month now. She already knew what they looked like. She knew everything about them, even their phone numbers. There should have been no surprises when she finally interacted with Raum in person.

From her spying, she knew he was athletic, so she’d dressed so she appeared to be exercising. She knew he, like most males, had a critical weakness easily exploited: a healthy sex drive. With a coy smile, maybe bending to display her cleavage, she’d been confident she could lure him into her trap.

But when the moment came, her mind had blanked.

He was just so…intense. His dark skin was rich with bronze undertones, his mouth sensually full, and his eyes… The golden color was so otherworldly, it nearly sparkled.

Ridiculous. She was an angel and was not plagued by the drive to copulate, else she would have fallen from Heaven and become a Grigori as her friend Daniel had. And she’d already known what Raum looked like, so there should have been no reason for her to react so oddly.

She’d watched him closer than the others. From what she’d observed, he was always calm, often quiet. She’d never heard him raise his voice, nor had she seen him smile, though his closest companion, Meph, seemed to grin without cease.

He was also detached, always a little separate from the others, even when they were together in a group, and that suited her needs in this case. She needed someone who could keep secrets, who kept their emotions hidden.

It was why she’d chosen him as her target.

You erred once, but you won’t again, she told her frazzled reflection. There is no harm in making mistakes so long as we do not repeat them.

She was in uncharted territory with this plan. A slip-up was likely inevitable and excusable so long as it didn’t recur.

Guilt assailed her. Not for the first time, the knowledge of who she would have to become to complete this mission—a liar, a cheat, a traitor—plagued her to the point of nausea, but she pushed the sensation away.

Everything was riding on her success. She needed this. She deserved to reascend and finally atone for the past.

She could do this. She just needed to modify her trap slightly.

The next time Raum left the safety of his apartment, from behind the wards where she couldn’t touch him, she would be waiting and watching. When the time was right, she would lure him, and she would ensnare him.

He would not escape her again.

3

HIDE AND SEEK

A t eight the following morning, Caro’s rusty van rolled up to the curb outside Raum’s apartment building, and she waved at him from the driver’s seat. Questioning his sanity, he climbed in, and she floored it before he’d even sat down.

“Morning! You have coffee yet?”

“Not enough.”

She laughed as the van peeled around a corner, suspension squeaking like it was ready to snap. Pulling over at a cafe, she handed him a twenty to buy coffees. When he got back, she hit the gas like they were in a road rally.

He couldn’t help his discomfort as she drove, humming some radio tune under her breath. This whole situation was just so…human. He wasn’t sure how to interact with humans if he wasn’t trying to manipulate them, steal from them, or party with them and get laid.

The latter hadn’t happened in an embarrassingly long time—since he’d stopped going out with Meph when his brother had fallen head over heels for a snarky blue-haired witch. Before then, Raum and Meph had been partners in crime, partying every night, sometimes with two or more women at once.

He remembered when he and his brothers first arrived in Montreal after escaping Hell. They’d gone out to party, thinking this would be their new life—total freedom from responsibility.

Then Ash had fallen in love with Eva and broken his curse, Mist had come along and teamed up with Lily, and then Meph had gotten into art and found Iris—Hell had probably frozen over at this point—and Belial… Who knew what was up with him.

Bel had sworn an oath of celibacy for six months, actually followed through on it, and then turned into a wrathful recluse, always on the verge of blowing a gasket.

And now Raum had a job. Working for a human. At an animal shelter.

What had they become? Maybe they should’ve stayed in Hell.

“I was hoping you’d do some more work with Tiny,” Caro said as they pulled up to the shelter. “He’s too sensitive for the kennel, but I can’t put him into foster care when he’s so out of control.”

They both climbed out of the van, tossing their empty cups in the recycling bin on their way inside. The sign out front read ‘Ange Gardien: Refuge pour Animaux.’ The building was an unassuming gray with an accessibility ramp to the front door and a notice board with pictures of pets for adoption and posters for fundraiser events. They headed inside, little bells jingling overhead.

“Chloé, this is Raum,” Caro said to the girl at the front desk whose head was down as she scribbled on some paperwork. “He’s going to be working with the dogs.”

Chloé looked up, and her eyes widened. Raum nodded in greeting, and her mouth dropped open.

“Come on,” Caro said, “I’ll give you a tour.”

Leaving the frozen secretary behind, he followed Caro through a door at the back of the room into a short hallway. She pointed down to the end. “The cats are through the first door on the right, birds and other animals through the second. My office is at the end. We’re a small shelter, but we take as many as we can.”

She pushed open the door to the dog kennels in front of them, and Raum winced as barking assailed his ears, already more sensitive than a human’s. Looking back at him and seeing his expression, she laughed.

“You’ll get used to that,” she said. “Come on, I’ll show you around, and then we can take Tiny outside.”

They passed rows of caged barking dogs, Caro pointing out the little signs on each stating the dog’s name, how old it was, and what kind of temperament it had. As they went, Raum tapped into that strange ability he had. It was an instinctual sense. He knew what the dogs were feeling, and he was able to reassure them if they were scared.

To this day he had no idea why or how.

Four and a half centuries ago—the day he’d met Meph in fact—Raum had awoken to discover the last three hundred years of his memory wiped clean from his mind. All that remained was a vague understanding that an angel had done it as punishment for a terrible crime…

A crime he now had no memory of committing.

That same day, he’d also discovered a new ability to communicate with animals. And because of the memory loss, he didn’t know when or how he’d gotten it.

The demon he’d been before those lost years was completely different to the demon he was now. He’d been a typical creature of Hell—violent, greedy, obsessed with stealing (that habit wasn’t new), with no impulse control or desire to change. But he’d woken up after losing his memories hating everything about who he’d been.

A dark despondency had plagued him for years afterward. It was the start of the numbness that still plagued him to this day. Only Meph’s presence in his life, and later Ash and Bel’s, had provided the distraction he needed to get through it.

That and his strange affinity for animals.

Now, as he passed each dog, he reached out to them and let them know they were safe. One by one, they fell silent and relaxed. Their calm affected the others, and by the time they’d made it to the end of the second row, the entire room was silent.

Caro slowly turned, staring at him with wide eyes. “How did— Did you do that?” She was giving him that Are you Jesus? look again.

He shrugged, hoping to brush it off.

The paranormal world was disguised from unsuspecting humanity by a natural glamor that fell over things that weren’t within the scope of their accepted reality. But some humans were born with the Sight—the ability to see through the glamor—and with repeated exposure any human could train to develop it.

Showing off supernatural abilities to random people was one of the stupidest things Raum could do. If he was smart, he’d disappear now and never come back.

But he’d already proven he wasn’t smart, and he figured that as long as Caro didn’t try to start a social media page for Dog Jesus or something, he’d stick around.

She coughed and shook her head. “Let’s continue then.”

He followed her to the last row of kennels. The cage on the end contained a familiar brown dog, who lay on the ground with his head between his paws. When he saw Raum, his tail started to thump.

“Unbelievable,” Caro murmured, glancing at Raum. She unlocked the cage and pulled a leash from her pocket. “Let’s take him outside, and I’ll show you the dog run out back. I’ll get you your own keys tomorrow so you won’t need me.”

Tiny leapt up, tail wagging, as Caro opened the cage. He was so big that his front paws reached her shoulders, and he nearly knocked her over.

“Down,” Raum said.

Tiny immediately jumped down and stood obediently while Caro clipped the leash on him. She looked at Raum like she was slightly afraid of him now, but she made no comment. They went out through the exit in the back corner. The outside had several small enclosures with high fences and muddy grass.

“It’s not much,” Caro said, “but it’s all the space we have. We already get complaints from the neighbors for the barking. Most dogs get walked by volunteers, but the untrained ones like Tiny have to spend a lot of time in their kennels.”

“I can walk him.”

“I believe you.”

Raum watched the over-excited animal trying to leap to freedom in a five-by-ten patch of mud. “Can I take him now?”

“Sure.” Caro unclipped a set of keys from her ring, handing them over. “When you get back, put him back in his cage and I’ll give you the rest of the tour.”

He took the dog down the back alley and onto the street, part of him disbelieving that Caro was actually paying him for this, and another part disbelieving that he was stupid enough to take the job.

He and Tiny walked around for a good hour, giving Tiny the chance to work off some energy. Half the reason he was so out of control was because he had no outlet for it.

As they turned back on the block for the shelter, Raum tipped his face up to the sunshine and realized he was actually enjoying himself. He liked the simplicity of animals, and he liked the sense of purpose he got from helping them.

People were complicated. Animals made sense.

As he lowered his gaze once more…he caught sight of a woman watching him.

Not just any woman. Her.

She stood at the edge of the narrow alley between the shelter and the building beside it, peeking around the brick. When their eyes met, hers widened as if she hadn’t expected him to notice her.

He missed a step, and she lurched back, though not far enough to hide behind the brick.

“Hey,” he called out before he could stop himself, but he didn’t raise his voice enough to be sure she heard.

He didn’t know why he wanted to talk to her so badly, but he did. Enough that he increased his pace. It took everything he had not to run. He had a sudden feeling that if he didn’t catch her now, she was going to disappear again.

He was right. She jumped like a startled rabbit and then ducked behind the brick out of sight.

He couldn’t help it; he started jogging, Tiny wagging his tail like this was the greatest shit to ever happen to him.

When they reached the alley, it was empty.

Raum came to halt, frowning. He spun around, seeing nothing. Where had she gone?

As he walked further down the lane, his eyes caught on a fire-escape door in the side of the neighboring building. She must have gone through there. It was some kind of medical office—he’d seen from the sign out front.

Maybe she worked there. Maybe she was on her lunch break, and she’d seen him and been as surprised as he was that their paths had crossed again.

So he’d shouted and run at her like a fucking creep.

He groaned. Why had he done that? Yeah, he hadn’t gotten laid in a while, but he wasn’t that desperate. She was just another human woman—a supremely hot one, but still—and there was no reason for him to get so worked up.

Tiny looked up at him like he didn’t understand it either.

“Don’t start with me,” he mumbled to the dog. “I already know.”

WHEN RAUM GOT home that night, everyone was out. Iris had taken Faust with her too, and when he opened the door, no excited hellhound came bounding over to greet him.

But he wasn’t expecting to find the kitchen empty too.

“Bel?” he called out, surprised. Belial rarely left the house these days. He usually even managed to offload the grocery shopping onto others.

“Yeah.”

To Raum’s surprise, the responding grunt came from the living room. Ditching his coat, he crossed the room and stared incredulously at the sight of his seven-foot-tall brother stretched out on the sofa.

He didn’t even come close to fitting. He lay on his side since his shoulders were too wide, one of his arms hitting the floor, and his legs from the knee down hung off the end.

“What are you doing?”

Bel rolled over, nearly fell off the couch, and then sat up with a grumble. “Taking a nap.”

Raum stared at him. “A nap.”

“Yeah.”

“When have you ever taken a nap?”

“Never. I was trying it out.”

“How’d it go?”

“Fucking terrible. Who the fuck picked out this tiny couch?”

Belial had, but Raum wasn’t about to remind him of that. “Why not sleep in your bed?”

Bel slumped back in the cushions and looked out the window. “Not sleeping there either.”

“You’re not sleeping…at all?”

“No.”

There was silence. Raum didn’t know what to say to that. “Why not?”

“Who knows?” Bel stood suddenly. “Probably because I’m so goddamn stressed out all the time.”

From holding in the rage, Raum guessed, but again, he wasn’t about to say that out loud. “How’d it go with Murmur last night? Did he take the deal?”

Bel’s expression soured. “Yes.”

“So you owe him two favors now.” He could imagine how it would grate on Bel’s pride to be one of the most powerful demons in Hell and owe favors to someone he considered inferior.

Raum was half tempted to bring up stealing Murmur’s grimoire again for revenge, but he refrained. For once, the itch wasn’t crawling under his skin, and he didn’t want to draw attention to it lest it start up again.

“When was the last time you got laid?” he asked suddenly, thinking Bel looked pretty damn strung out.

Bel glared at him. “We’re not talking about this.”

“You probably need to blow off some steam.”

“You probably need to shut the fuck up before I make you.”

Raum tilted his head. “You’re uptight as hell. Maybe if—”

“I can’t, okay?”

“Why not?”

“Because…” Bel took a deep breath. “If you repeat this, I’ll kill you, got it?”

Raum held up his hands. “My lips are sealed.”

“I can’t have sex because I’d hurt the girl.” His jaw shifted.

“Hurt, as in…”

“As in, I waited too long, and now I’m like a powder keg about to blow.” One hand dragged through his white-blond hair. “I’m worried if I let go even a little, I’ll go off. And if I do that with a human? She’s dead.”

“You’re talking about the hellfire?”

Bel nodded.

Raum winced. Bursting into flames in the bedroom would be a bit of a mood killer, that was for sure. And he was right: a human woman wouldn’t survive it. And that was just a bit fucked up.

“Well, shit,” Raum said.

Before they’d escaped Hell, this wouldn’t have been an issue. If Belial burst into flames with a demon partner, he might roast them a little, but he’d have to really try to actually kill them. But with a human… No way.

“You repeat this, I’ll wring your neck till your head pops off.”

“You need to find another outlet. Bottling it up isn’t gonna work long term.”

“You think I don’t know that? I tried napping, for fuck’s sake.”

“Drugs?”

Bel gave him a dry look. “You have no idea the shit that’s in my room right now.”

“What, like psychedelics?”

“No. There’s no way I’m getting so fucked up I risk losing control.”

“Right.” A flaming Belial high on mushrooms sounded like something out of a nightmare. Or a biblical apocalypse prophecy. “What about sleeping pills? So you can get some rest?”

“Last night I took enough to kill a human three times over.”

Raum winced. “And?”

“I made macarons at four AM.”

“Fuck, dude.”

Bel waved a hand. “There’s nothing I can do about it now, so there’s no point talking about it. Let’s get shitfaced.” He headed toward the liquor shelf in the kitchen like a man on a mission.

Raum lingered in the living room. He didn’t want to get drunk. He was tired from work and he was doing it all again tomorrow. Plus, unlike his brother, there was nothing physically preventing him from going out and finding a human to slake any pent-up lust with.

Except…he wasn’t in the mood. When he thought about women, he just thought about the mystery girl peeking at him from around the building. It was the stupidest thing, but something about her made him think that no other would do.

He shook his head. He’d exchanged all of three words with her, didn’t know her name and would probably never see her again.

Maybe he wanted to get drunk after all.

He followed Bel and sat on the counter, ignoring the glare Bel shot him. His issues aside, he didn’t want to leave his brother alone right now. Bel was going through some shit, and it would be to everyone’s benefit if he could get drunk enough to finally pass out.

Bel handed him an overfilled shot glass of tequila, and they tossed them back together. And then did it again. And again. And several more times after that.

Finally, Bel slammed the half-empty bottle on the counter and announced in a booming voice, “Let’s make cheesecake.”

THE WEEK PASSED QUICKLY.

Life went on business as usual. Raum worked at the shelter every day and managed to keep it secret from his brothers. Meph was out most days with Iris. Bel’s attempts to sleep remained unsuccessful.

On Friday, someone brought a little gray pit bull into the shelter, found half starved and stuck in a sewer. She was afraid of her own shadow, and her legs trembled so much she could barely stand. They named her Luna because she was found on a full moon.

After a full day of working with her, Raum got her to accept food and a few pets, and he was hoping to loosen her up more next week. It was obvious she’d been abused, and it would take time to convince her that no one would hurt her anymore.

He really didn’t fucking get humans. Sometimes he wished the apocalypse would just hurry up and arrive already.

On a happier note, Tiny was much better behaved, and Caro had told him she’d found a foster family who were willing to take him in. “I don’t know how you did it,” she rambled on as they drove home that evening. “He’s practically an angel now. It’s a miracle. I already know the fosters are going to love him.”

She pulled in front of his building, the side mirror narrowly missing a stop-sign pole. He really needed to find his own ride before he ended up in a terrible car accident.

“I’ll see you on Monday. I can’t wait to see how you progress with Luna.”

“We’ll see how she is after a weekend in the kennel,” Raum grumbled, apparently determined to be Mr. Doom and Gloom today.

Caro nodded. “That’s the hardest part about this job: knowing the animals are waiting for you to come back because they have no one else. But you have to take care of yourself first. You have to separate work in your mind or you’re going to end up adopting twenty-five dogs and having no life.”

He shot her a look. “How many do you have?”

“Seven.” She winced. “My house is a zoo. Don’t do what I did.”

“My brother would kill me if I tried,” he heard himself say, though he usually made a point never to reveal personal information about himself.

“You have a brother?”

“Three.”

“Are they as good with animals as you are?”

Raum snorted, thinking of the strong aversion animals had to demons. “No.”

“Their loss,” she said as he opened the van door. “They don’t know what they’re missing.”

He climbed out. “See you Monday.”

Caro said farewell and then gunned it before he even had a chance to close the door. It closed anyway from the force of her acceleration, and he watched her rip down the street with vague amusement.

“Where have you been?” Bel barked when he stepped into the apartment. “You’re worse than Meph, always sneaking out and disappearing.”

Nice of someone to even notice he’d been gone. “At the gym.” He didn’t know why he was lying so he could work a job like a shitty human, but he did know he wasn’t ready to stop yet.

Eager to escape the scrutiny, he headed around the kitchen past Bel, who was stirring a big pot with more force than necessary, spraying flecks all over the tile backsplash.

Meph stepped around the corner, blocking Raum’s path with an evil smile on his face. “Does going to the gym involve getting a ride in a rusty pedo van?”

“A what?” Bel asked, easing off torturing the food.

“A pedo van. You know, the kind moms tell their kids to stay away from.”

Raum pinned Meph with a glare, warning him to shut up.

“And you wanna know something funny?” Meph continued, ignoring him. “I saw you get out of that same van yesterday too.”

“Where were you?” Bel demanded. Raum was too busy glaring at Meph to look at him.

“I wondered that too,” Meph said, “but the writing on the side of the van told me everything I needed to know.”

“Don’t even—”

“Ange Gardien Animal Shelter. Interesting name.”

Raum narrowed his eyes at Meph.

His brother grinned. “Remember that time you blurted out my dirty little secret to everyone?”

He did remember. Meph had been hiding that he was having panic attacks, and Raum had told Belial. In his defense, he’d been worried about Meph at the time. He hadn’t known where he was sneaking off to and was worried he was on a self-destructive track. But he should have known Meph would eventually strike back.

“We’re good now,” Meph said, still giving him that evil grin.

And they were. That was always how it was with them. Retribution struck hard and fast, but after, it was forgotten. At least Raum could take solace in that.

Except…he couldn’t. Because shit wasn’t the same as before, and they both knew it. It was always Meph and Raum in the past. They would fuck up, get even, move on—together.

But now, Meph had Iris, and Raum was alone. It was a pathetic mindset, but it was how he felt. He wanted to brush it off, but the truth was, it made him feel fucking depressed.

“What are you doing at an animal shelter?” Belial demanded.

Raum spun around. Might as well just spit it out. “I got a job.”

“Doing what?”

“Helping animals.”

“You—” Bel rubbed his eyes. “You’re helping the fucking animals. At a fucking shelter. Jesus Christ. Why don’t you go join a goddamn church mission while you’re at it? You can go to poor countries and blackmail people into joining your religion if they want clean water.”

“What the fuck?” Meph said, laughing.

Bel threw up his hands. “I don’t know. Isn’t that what volunteers do?”

“Only the ones that go to Hell after someone murders them for being closet pedophiles.”

“What is with you and pedophiles right now?”

“They’re creepy! There’s an entire wing in the Nine Rings for torturing them—it doesn’t get much worse than that.”

“Can I go now?” Raum interjected darkly. “Is the interrogation over?”

Bel shot him a look. “Why do you want a human job?”

“Because.”

“Because why.”

Raum narrowed his eyes. Bel narrowed his right back.

“Because I like it.”

“Why?”

He wasn’t interested in answering that, and all of a sudden, he’d reached his limit for conversation. Turning, he crossed the room, opened the patio door, and leapt off the edge of the balcony.

“We’re not done talking about this!” he heard Bel shout as he fell.

This was his favorite part about shifting. His body tumbled through the air, defying the laws of self-preservation that told him plummeting rapidly towards the ground was bad for his health.

Halfway down, he shifted.

In crow form, he spread his wings, feathers catching the wind and launching him upward. He rose until he was higher than the tops of the buildings and then soared, head tilting around as he studied his surroundings through a sharp avian gaze.

He liked being in crow form. It was fun to fly around with other crows and caw at humans. The other day he’d joined a murder of crows perched in a neighborhood alley, and they’d screeched for hours until all the humans around them were losing their minds.

It was the simple pleasures in life that brought the most enjoyment.

After a too-short flight, he found the building he sought: an old warehouse in St. Henri near the Lachine Canal, its bricks worn and its windows too thin. Spreading his wings and stretching his talons, he landed on the sill of a window on the top floor.

The warehouse had been converted into rentable studios, and this was where Meph had started doing most of his sculpture making since Eva’s parents had moved back in together.

Using his beak, Raum jimmied the edge of the window until it cracked open. Meph knew the latch was broken, but he left it that way so Raum could pop by when he wanted without having to climb five flights of stairs. Not that Meph knew he sometimes came when he wasn’t there.

Raum eased his feathery body between the crack, shifting back to human form as he jumped down to the floor inside. Before him were several tables covered in unfinished pieces. Shelves lined one wall, packed with sculpting materials. The coat rack was overflowing with clothes, and there were a dozen pairs of sneakers lined up beneath it. Meph loved his shoes.

On the other side of the room, there was a couch and coffee table with a stack of grimoires, boxes of casting supplies around its base.

Raum pictured Iris and Meph working here together and felt that familiar pang of jealousy in his gut that he didn’t fucking understand. He recognized the emotion, he just didn’t know why he was having it.

Was he jealous because Meph didn’t need him anymore? He didn’t understand it and was tired of analyzing it, but the feeling persisted regardless. And sometimes—like tonight—it drove him to do stupid, embarrassing shit like this.

This was Meph’s space, not his. This was the first thing in Meph’s life in centuries that hadn’t included him.

So, of course, he felt the need to come here and pretend he belonged when he knew he didn’t.

Heading across the room, he sat on the couch, kicked off his shoes, and lay back on the couch with his arms behind his head.

He closed his eyes, but he didn’t sleep. He lay still, but his thoughts never stopped churning.

4

DANCE WITH THE DEVIL

Saturday night, the nightclub was packed.

Since they’d first met her, Eva had gained a lot of popularity with her solo DJ set. The club had offered her a twice-a-month gig, and she’d started getting a crowd coming out to see her, instead of just to get hammered and scream along to the same top-forty playlist on repeat at every other club on the block.

Eva looked badass on stage in a sparkly gold minidress, curls springing around her head, shredding her violin like a musical goddess. Ash hung out on the side like an overprotective bodyguard, shooting death glares at anyone that shouted in the silences or got too close.

Raum focused back on the random woman currently grinding her ass against him. Another girl was doing the same to him from behind, while a third danced with the girl in front of him.

So yeah, he was having a pretty good time.

But it wasn’t quite enough for him to dissociate. The dark thoughts still lurked at the edges of his mind. The hollowness still reverberated in his chest. He’d already stolen a few phones from obnoxious human men taking up too much space on the dance floor—pitching them straight in the trash just to be a dick—but the itch was still alive and well.

He was going to need a lot more stimulus to make it go away.

Mixed in the crowd a few feet away, Meph and Iris were dancing like they were trying to have sex through their clothes. Lily and Mist were somewhere further back since the tightly packed dance floor gave Mist violent urges, and poor Bel hadn’t come out at all.

The lights flashed and the bass pounded in Raum’s chest, and he kept pushing and pushing, trying to let go of the last tether of his control that didn’t want to quit. He closed his eyes, the lights still blaring through his lids, and he tried to pretend he was somewhere else, in another life, in a different body—

A sudden urge to open his eyes again struck him, so he did.

And then he saw her.

She was right there, dancing in front of the subwoofer like she hadn’t a care in the world. Like she didn’t have a clue that every time she popped into his life it drove him a little further off the deep end.

Instead of pink tonight, she wore a white sundress, contrasting against her light-brown skin. The black lights made the fabric glow blue and gave her an otherworldly appearance. She danced like she didn’t give a shit. Like there was nothing else in the world except her and the bass pounding out of the speaker beside her.

She reached up and lifted her hair into a bundle on top of her head, her hips moving with the rhythm. A few men around her tried to get her attention, but her eyes were closed. It was her dance, her moment, and no one else mattered.

But then she turned with the next drop, and her eyes opened.

And locked with his.

When she saw him, sandwiched between four women now, he expected her eyes to widen and that startled-rabbit look to come back into them. But that wasn’t what happened at all.

Instead, they went heavy lidded, and a sensual smile curved her lips. Like she’d known he was there. Like she’d been waiting all night for him to show up.

He got hard right then and there. Four women rubbing against him hadn’t done a thing, and one half smile from her and he was raring to go.

He stared at her, too transfixed to care about disguising the desire that was probably written all over his face. He’d done enough chasing after her though. He’d straight-up run the last time they saw each other. This time, she could come to him.

And he knew by her smile that she was going to.

He didn’t try to pretend he hadn’t been dancing with the other women. In fact, he let her see what he was doing with the girl in front of him so she would know what she was missing, inviting her with his eyes to come take that woman’s place.

He forgot about the fact that he’d met her in a park and seen her hiding behind a building outside his work. Nothing struck him as strange about it, and he felt no desire to ask who she was or how it was possible for her to have run into him three times in the span of a week.

Instead, his attention stayed laser focused on her as she began working her way through the crowd toward him, anticipation pounding through his blood along with the bass and alcohol.

The closer she got, the more he saw of her, and the more he wanted her.

Beneath the hem of her short dress, wide hips joined curvy legs that went on forever. She was tall, just under six feet maybe. Her breasts were full, her cleavage on display in that strappy little dress.

The women Raum had been dancing with sensed he was distracted, and they faded into the crowd with their friends. He liked that about club chicks. They just wanted to have fun. If you weren’t fun, they were outta there.

And then it was just him and Mystery Girl.

She reached him just as Eva triggered the next beat drop, the high notes of her violin singing over top of the thumping bass.

Those over-large dark eyes seemed to reflect every light in the club, and the prominence of her nose gave her a regal face. In that perfect white dress, she made him think of some desert princess from long ago.

The longer he stared, the more determined he grew to possess her.

She kept smiling at him, the two of them standing with only a small space between their bodies. He didn’t smile back.

“Hi,” she mouthed. It was too loud to hear her voice, but he watched her lips form the word and got even harder. Who was she?

He held out a hand. She looked from it to him and placed her palm in his. He curled his fingers around hers, a spark of electricity dancing up his arm from the contact.

He pulled her against him. The beat pounded into them, lowering their inhibitions. Or maybe they would have done this anyway. It felt like they’d been headed here from the second he’d seen her in the park.

She draped her arms over his shoulders, and his hands landed on her hips, his fingers tightening against soft flesh.

They started to dance, and he forgot the world.

He forgot Meph and Iris, and he forgot to care that he wasn’t with Meph like he’d always been when he partied. He forgot that Eva was on the stage. He forgot he’d been frustrated and restless and unsettled for the last four hundred fucking years since he’d lost his memories.

He forgot everything except her, her body moving like sin, her smile so wide it overtook her face. He swore it shone like the sun.

She piled her hair on her head again as she turned, moving an ass against him that was too perfect for words. He knew she could feel his hard-on through his jeans, but she was right there with him. She cast him a sultry look over her shoulder and ground against him more.

Bending her knees, she slid down his thighs and then slowly rose again. On her way up, her ass rubbed against his erection, and only the pounding music disguised the groan that poured out of him.

He gripped her hips and pulled her against him, aligning their bodies from front to back, wrapping one arm around her waist to cage her in. Using his height, he leaned over her, turning his face into her soft hair.

She tipped her head back, looking over her shoulder at him. Their gazes met, and he suddenly had to kiss her.

One hand on her hip, he spun her with a firm grip. Her eyes widened, and he saw rather than heard her gasp as she landed back in his arms, her front pressed to his.

Their eyes met again and he bent, hovering over her lips, hesitating before they touched so she would understand what he wanted. She wrapped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes.

He pressed his lips to hers, and suddenly, they were making Meph and Iris look like preteens at a chaperoned school dance.

He tangled a hand in her thick hair—freed from its braid tonight—and she gripped his shoulders like she was holding on for dear life. He shifted his thigh so it pressed between her legs, holding her against him with a tight grip on her ass, her core so hot he could feel it through his clothes. She moved against him, and he ground his thigh against her, suddenly dying to make her come right then and there on the dance floor.

Still gripping that gorgeous ass, he pressed her closer, moving against her in time with the music. Her head tipped back, exposing her throat and making her hair fall back, giving him more to wrap in his fist.

Her body writhed with the music and with the pleasure he was giving her. Fuck, if he actually made her come, he could die right now without a single regret.

The bass pounded and the lights flashed, and she moved harder against his thigh. She was humping his leg now, grinding herself against the muscle of his thigh, and it was the hottest thing he’d ever seen. He was completely focused on her, and he didn’t know or care how much time passed. The rest of the world had ceased to exist.

Her hips worked faster as her body tensed, and he knew he was getting close to his goal. He hauled her even closer, not giving her a single inch of space. Her fingers tightened, nails digging into his skin through his clothes.

And then suddenly, her head snapped up, and she stared at him with wide eyes. The rest of her started to shake, and he knew her climax had hit.

She looked shocked, like she hadn’t expected it. He didn’t know what she’d thought would happen when she ground on him like that, but he wasn’t complaining. Watching her come apart was so hot, he nearly came himself.

Instead, he bent his head and ate at her mouth like he was trying to consume her. Kissing along her jaw, he spoke in her ear so she would hear him over the music.

“You’re so fucking beautiful when you come. I want more.”

He didn’t know how long they’d been on the dance floor like this, and he didn’t care. It could have been half an hour, it could have been five. Time had ceased to have meaning. All he knew was that if he didn’t have her soon, he was going to explode.

Her eyes were still wide when he pulled back to watch her reaction, her fingernails still digging into his shoulders, but she kept dancing against him like she couldn’t get enough. He waited, half expecting her to get that deer-in-headlights look again and run away. He didn’t know why she was so flighty, but the mystery of her only made him hungrier.

And then…she nodded.

One dip of her chin, and he knew she wanted what he did. Lust pounded through his blood. He bent and kissed her again, a promise of the pleasure he was going to reward her with as soon as they got out of here.

She stepped apart from him, and he swore she looked nervous or apprehensive. He wasn’t going to force her into anything, so he waited to see what she’d do.

She grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the dance floor.

Okay, so maybe she wasn’t apprehensive.

He looked back and caught Meph’s eye through the crowd. His brother grinned and saluted him, and he felt himself smile back. At least he wouldn’t have to worry about texting to tell him where he’d gone.

Then he faced forward and watched the spectacular ass of the woman pulling him toward the door. When they reached the exit, she kept going without stopping at the coat check. It wasn’t summer yet and she had to be cold in that tiny dress, but then, club girls were hardcore. He’d seen them lining up outside in heels and miniskirts in a blizzard in February.

She stopped on the street and turned around to face him. There was determination and something else burning in her eyes. Saturday-night chaos surrounded them from the line-up outside the club, people rolling by in fancy sports cars, climbing out of Ubers, and the raucous laughter coming from the terrasse of the next-door pub.

“I live close,” she said.

Her voice was soft yet clear, soothing even. She’d barely said two words to him, but he already knew he’d happily listen to her talk for hours. He’d let her read the King James Bible to him as a bedtime story.

He was going to make her use that voice to scream his name.

“Works for me.” He knew better than to invite humans to his apartment while Bel was raging out in the kitchen.

Their bodies gravitated toward each other like powerful magnets. She leaned into him while he ran his hands up and down her curves.

“What’s your name?” he asked.

“Sun— Sunny.”

Cute. “I’m Raum.”

“H-hi.” She sounded breathless. Fuck, he’d never met a sexier woman.

She wasn’t some ignorant damsel—she knew exactly how hot she was and what she was doing to him. But she’d looked surprised by her reaction to him, and that excited him the most. He couldn’t wait to blow her mind with all the shit he was going to do to her. He hadn’t looked forward to anything so much in years.

“You wanna go?”

She nodded.

They stepped apart, and she led him down the street, holding his hand again. They turned down a back alley full of dumpsters and graffiti. “There’s a shortcut through here.”

He was too focused on her ass to respond.

Which was why he was pretty fucking surprised when she pulled a big syringe out of her bra and stabbed him in the neck with it.

She hit the plunger and his blood turned to fire.

5

ONE FELL SWOOP

T  he demon stumbled, but he didn’t lose consciousness.

How did he not lose consciousness?

Angel blood was a toxic poison to demons, and even a small amount could put them under for hours. But not this demon. Sunshine had injected him with an entire syringe full of her blood, and he was still standing.

Worse, he finally seemed to understand that Sunshine was not a human woman looking to hook up and was in actuality a deadly adversary. Though drugged and clouded, his eyes flared with shock and, strangely, betrayal.

And then fury.

“What the fuck!” he snarled, listing to one side. She went to catch him and flash them away, but somehow he found the strength to fight her. How is this possible?

He twisted out of her grip and shoved her away with enough force that she stumbled back. Her back hit the brick wall, and his did the same to the wall on the opposite side of the alley. He stumbled again but didn’t fall.

An angel could teleport with another individual, sometimes two if they were strong enough, but those individuals had to be willing. Transporting someone who didn’t want to be transported was a nigh impossible feat. That was why she’d planned on having him unconscious for this.

The dose of her blood ought to have knocked him out cold for at least three hours. A demon with a resistance to angel blood was simply not possible.

Yet there he stood.

He blinked heavily, clearly fighting the effects of her blood. If she waited, she began to believe he would succeed. Which meant she needed to get him out of here as quickly as possible.

Gritting her teeth, she rushed him, attempting to take him down. As she reached for him, however, he struck her in the solar plexus. Hard. She’d underestimated his reaction time and left herself open.

Wheezing, she stumbled back. He struck her again in the side of the neck with the edge of his hand, where the sensitive tissue joined her shoulder. They were measured strikes meant to incapacitate more than cause harm—again, she marveled at his level of awareness.

Pain radiated outward, and she staggered. And then he transformed into a crow and tried to fly away.

Tried, being the operative word. The bird’s erratic flight pattern had him hitting the walls repeatedly on either side of the alley. But Sunshine was back on her feet and she’d had enough. She’d also recovered from her shock and was done underestimating her opponent. Just before he cleared the top of the building above, she flashed in front of him and snatched him out of thin air.

He transformed into a man, his big body crashing into her. They fell three stories back down to smack the ground, Sunshine taking the brunt of the impact, his weight crushing her to the concrete. Dizzy, the back of her head screaming with pain, she wrapped her arms and legs around him and tried again to flash.

This time, it worked.

Disoriented from the fall, striking the wall repeatedly, and the energy used to shift twice, he was unable to resist her.

She teleported them straight to her rental apartment, into the Empyrean sigil trap she’d preemptively drawn on the floor. She had assumed injecting him in the alley was her safest option, since the sooner he was unconscious, the less time he would have to get suspicious and figure out what she was.

If she’d known he had a freak resistance to angel blood, however, she would’ve let him walk himself when he still thought he was about to get lucky and then injected him when he stepped in the door to save the hassle.

But never in a hundred years would she have expected that.

He tried a hold to immobilize her, but no one could trap an angel that didn’t want to be trapped—at least not without powerful magic—and she simply flashed out of the sigil to safety. Without her body underneath him, he landed on his stomach, cheek connecting with the hardwood.

He pushed into his hands, attempting to haul his bulk off the floor, but that was when his body finally gave out on him. Collapsing back to the ground with a groan, his eyes fell shut and he succumbed to unconsciousness.

Winded from the fight, Sunshine stood outside the sigil and stared at her captive, chest heaving.

His back was broad and built with muscle, so much so that it was clearly visible through the fabric of his black hoodie. The pushed-up sleeves revealed strong forearms delineated with muscle and healthy veins. His skin was dark, the highlights from the lamplight a golden bronze, the shadows an earthy brown.

And his eyes… They were closed now, but there was no forgetting that brilliant gold. Too bright to be human, it ought to have been a sobering reminder of what he was rather than another element of his beauty.

The longer she stared at him, the more her heart pounded. She couldn’t stop replaying what he’d done to her on that dance floor.

How her body had responded.

Stop that! She could never think of it again. She had done what was necessary to retrieve her target, and the rest was just…an unfortunate side effect. That was all.

Demons were sensual, seductive creatures, and to lure him in, she’d had to play his game. But she was above such base instincts and the need for sexual gratification. Desires of the flesh did not rule her.

It didn’t matter that the little bundle of nerves between her thighs still tingled with excitement. Nor did it matter that her heart had raced at the look in his eyes when he’d promised hours more of similar wicked delights.

When he awoke and found himself trapped in that sigil, the only promises he would make were those of her demise. But she was ready for that. A demon’s hatred, she could handle.

And she had a few promises of her own to make too.

RAUM FOUGHT through the intense throbbing of his head to pull himself back to the world. It was hard to remember what he was doing or why he was unconscious in the first place, but the need to stay alert never left him, and the harder he focused on it, the more his body came back under control.

Finally, he managed to blink his eyes open.

He was on his stomach, face turned to one side. When his vision focused, he saw dark-stained hardwood floors with chalk lines drawn upon them around his body—a sigil. An Empyrean sigil, judging by the pale-blue glow of the lines, which meant there was no hope of him breaking out of it. Temporal magic could be overcome if the caster couldn’t match the demon’s strength. Empyrean magic, not so much.

Further away, there was a small kitchen with stainless appliances. The light in the room came from pot lights in the ceiling, dimmed to a soft glow. Everything was chic and modern, and there were no signs of life. No dishes, groceries, stacks of mail or car keys. Not even a fruit bowl.

He moved his head and saw a window. It was still dark, which hopefully meant he hadn’t been out for long.

Orienting himself triggered the rest of his awareness, and the alarm that filled him gave him the energy to get up. He slid his palms under his shoulders and shoved, and even though it felt like his body weighed a thousand pounds, he managed to lever himself back onto his knees.

The world spun, and all he wanted was to sink back into unconsciousness.

The first thing he did was pull out his cell phone, even though he already knew it wouldn’t work inside of a sigil like this. The magic blocked any signal from coming or going and often short-circuited electronic devices.

Sure enough, the screen was black.

Pocketing it again, he closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths, and ran a hand over his skull, allowing the sensation of his close-cropped hair against his palm to ground him a little more.

When he dropped his hand and opened his eyes, the angel was standing in front of him.

“Greetings, demon,” she said.

He’d figured out what she was too late. Like a fucking moron, he’d been too busy gawking at her voluptuous body and shiny hair to notice the signs. He’d seen her stalking him all week—casing her target, evidently—and thought it was some kind of fate pushing them together.

Worst of all, he might as well have been trying to chat up a fence post. Angels weren’t sexual beings. They were celibate, and the ones that didn’t want to be became Grigori.

He hadn’t shared desire with her at the club. They hadn’t shared a goddamn thing. She’d put on an Oscar-worthy performance faking that orgasm, but it was still faked.

I’m an idiot. A class-A fucking idiot.

He might have wondered if this angel was a Grigori if he hadn’t already figured out exactly who she was.

What’s your name?

Sun— Sunny.

He’d thought the name was cute. As cute as her. So goddamned stupid. If he hadn’t been thinking mostly with his dick, he’d have remembered that Eva’s father, Dan, had a friend who was an angel—not a Grigori like him, but a legit heavenly angel—named Sunshine.

This was that friend. The angel who had searched the Empyrean Library for information on how to remove Mist’s slave brands. Lily had taken control of the brands when she pushed Mist’s former mistress into a pit of monsters, but they still remained on his body.

Dan hadn’t outright said that he’d lied to Sunshine about why he wanted the info, but it was implied. No angel in their right mind would help a demon. If Dan had been honest, she would have shown up with the cavalry and taken them all out. Much easier than removing Mist’s brands was to simply kill him. And seeing as they were rogues, it was completely within her rights to do so.

Sunshine had evidently become suspicious on her own and tracked them down.

The question remained, however… How much did she know? And perhaps more importantly, why wasn’t Raum already dead?

He decided his safest course of action was to play dumb. His knowledge of who she was was his only possible advantage right now.

She clasped her hands at her front. “My name is Sunshine.”

Great, so she didn’t care if he knew who she was. There went his advantage.

She stood at the edge of the sigil, just far enough away that he couldn’t reach her. Not a hair was out of place on that head of silky straight hair, even after their fight. Her white dress was unwrinkled, her smile sweet and polite.

Damn her for being beautiful. And damn him for still noticing, even after finding out what she was.

“I know who you are, Raum. And I know who your brothers are as well.”

It was meant to be a threat, but she couldn’t pull off threatening to save her life. With that sweet countenance, it was more like she was introducing him to her grandmother.

But she didn’t have to look threatening for the threat to be there.

She was a fucking angel. She had the ability to teleport, which gave her a serious advantage over him—one of the many bullshit ways the whole ‘battle between Heaven and Hell’ had never been a fair fight to begin with. And he was trapped in a sigil.

“Asmodeus, Belial, and Mephistopheles,” she went on. “And a new addition: Mishetsumephtai. You’re closest to Mephistopheles, who goes by Meph. Meph has a relationship with a blood-born witch named Iris, and her twin sister Lily has one with Mishetsumephtai, or Mist. And Asmodeus, or Ash, has a human girlfriend named Eva.” Sunshine continued to smile, but her gaze sharpened ever so slightly. “Or should I say half human.”

She knows about Eva. Raum’s blood went cold.

The angel knew what Eva was, which meant she knew Eva was Dan’s daughter. That meant she knew Dan was a big-time rule violator, harboring his forbidden half-angel offspring and throwing his support behind a group of rogue demons.

“What do you want?” he asked, abandoning the pretense. “Why am I here?” He didn’t ask what he really wondered—Why am I not dead?—because he didn’t want to give her any ideas.

She shifted on her feet and twisted her hands. If he didn’t know better, he’d say she appeared nervous. It was so at odds with the current power dynamic, he figured he was imagining it.

“When you and your so-called brothers escaped your duties in Hell—”

“They’re not my so-called brothers. They’re my brothers.”

“Demons cannot reproduce, and therefore they can’t have siblings. Only humans can.”

“Brothers are related by blood. We did a blood ritual and shared blood. So we’re brothers.”

“That’s not how brothers work.”

“Why not?”

She opened her mouth and closed it again.

“This is irrelevant,” she said with a shake of her head. “Regardless of the legitimacy of your brotherhood, you are living on Earth against the rules. If Hell finds you, you will face severe punishment. If Belial resists and attempts to gather forces in support, it may set off an underworld war of epic proportions. If Heaven catches you, on the other hand, you will simply be dispatched. The chance to eliminate five greater demons of such power is one we are rarely offered, and it will be taken.”

“You’re not telling me anything I don’t already know.”

But she was driving home how fucked he was. She was reminding him what would happen if they were caught—after having already caught him.

But she hasn’t killed me yet. It had to mean she needed him for something, which meant there was a chance he could bargain his way out of this.

“I know everything,” she said. “I’ve been watching you for the last three weeks. I should have gone to my superiors the moment I realized who you were, but by staying to observe, I learned far more than I would have otherwise. I learned about Daniel’s transgression and his forbidden Nephilim child.”

“I get it. You want something. What is it?”

She blinked those big dark eyes. “You’re very direct.”

“Considering my life is on the line, yeah, I’m not into small talk. Cut to the chase.”

“Very well. You are correct: there is something I need, and I want you to help me get it. If you do, I will agree not to reveal knowledge of your whereabouts or the existence of the Nephilim female. If you don’t, I will, and you will all lose your lives.”

His heart sank like a brick in the ocean.

No matter what she wanted him to do, he was going to have to do it.

Fucking angels. She stood there with that innocent little smile, threatening him with the worst kind of blackmail.

At the end of the day, the servants of Heaven were just as self-seeking and underhanded as demons, only they did it under the guise of being the ‘good guys.’ At least demons owned their evilness. At least they didn’t pretend to be anything other than what they were.

“And what do you want?” Raum asked through gritted teeth.

“You must agree to the deal first,” Sunshine replied.

“Not until I know what it is.”

“You have no choice. You will not let your family die.”

He ground his teeth. Damn her for being right. His only hope was to bluff his way through this.

“I’m a demon, remember? I don’t give a fuck about anyone but myself. Yeah, I live with them, but only because it’s convenient. I’d rather they not die, but I don’t care enough to make a deal with an angel without knowing the parameters.”

Sunshine studied him, her head tilted. She looked like she didn’t believe a word out of his mouth.

“Very well,” she said, surprising him. “Recently, a grimoire was stolen. I was charged with retrieving it for safekeeping in the Empyrean Library.”

Raum stilled. No way—no fucking way—she was after what he thought she was. The world was not that small.

But apparently, it was.

“Originally in the possession of a blood-born witch, the book was taken by a demon called Murmur, and it was brought to Hell. As you know, I cannot use my teleportation abilities in the underworld. I need help collecting it, and who better to aid me than another demon?”

She was smart to seek help. Angelic powers were useless in Hell, and she would stick out like a sore thumb on her own. Another angel would be just as incongruous. Blackmailing a demon into helping her was clever, and if he wasn’t so pissed off, he might have been impressed.

“If I do this,” Raum said, “you have to vow to leave us alone forever and never tell a soul what you know.”

“I’m willing to agree to that.”

It was a start, but it wouldn’t be enough. Almost no bargain was completely unbreakable. There was usually a hidden way out, an overlooked loophole. And Raum couldn’t take that chance. Not with Eva and his brothers’ lives on the line.

Immediately, his mind started reeling with plans.

Sunshine was after The Book of Gamigin, currently in the Necromancer’s possession. Raum had also wanted it to use as leverage against Murmur until Bel made him scrap the idea.

But now he was thinking…

He knew angels. Sunshine might swear never to reveal their location to anyone, but even if he got her this book and sent her on her merry way, it was only a matter of time before she showed up with her next form of blackmail.

Finding a way to get rid of her permanently was the only solution.

Angels were extremely difficult to kill, but it wasn’t impossible. Just like demons, to deliver permanent death to an angel, they had to be beheaded and the pieces of their body incinerated. The catch was that they had to be beheaded with a consecrated weapon and cremated with heavenfire.

While being in Hell increased a demon’s power, angels couldn’t teleport or use their healing abilities. One might think the underworld would be the ideal place to attack, but unfortunately, consecrated weapons had no power either, which meant no matter what you did to an angel in Hell, they wouldn’t die.

So, the killing had to happen on Earth…where an angel had full access to their abilities.

The other catch was that demons couldn’t handle consecrated weapons—it felt like sticking a hand straight into a bonfire—and only a rare few knew how to draw the Empyrean sigil to summon heavenfire. Even fewer could actually make it work. It was generally accepted that demons couldn’t use Empyrean magic, but there were always exceptions.

In this case, the exception was Belial.

Since Bel was actually a fallen angel, he was immune to consecrated weapons, and he was capable of summoning heavenfire—albeit with difficulty, since he was very much a demon now.

And there was a way around the teleportation problem too. Angels could be trapped within a special type of Sheolic sigil. It was so complex and difficult to cast that most demons weren’t capable of it, but again, Belial was.

And Belial really hated angels.

If he arranged things just right, Raum was pretty sure he could pull this off.

He would agree to help Sunshine steal the book, and then he’d find a way to destroy her and take it for himself. Murmur would swear to anything to get his precious grimoire back, and there would be no more angels that knew where he and his brothers were hiding.

Two birds, one stone.

He was rather fond of birds and would strangle anyone throwing stones at them, but the saying worked in this case.

First, however, he had to cover his bases. And no one was better at hashing out the terms of a contract than a demon.

6

THE DEVIL’S IN THE DETAILS

Sunshine spent the rest of the night—the entire night—negotiating the finer terms of her ‘deal with a devil.’ Dawn had begun to lighten the sky, a pink glow appearing on the horizon between the buildings.

She had come into this situation prepared, but it still surprised her how precisely every detail had to be examined before Raum would agree to anything.

Human lawyers ought to try drafting a contract with a demon. It would be the ultimate test of their abilities.

But even most humans knew better than to make such bargains. In this, however, she knew it was her best option. She could not traipse into Hell by her lonesome, her angelic aura like a beacon of purity amidst the tarnished landscape. She wouldn’t last five minutes before she was discovered, and then…

Well, she already knew what demons did with an angel at their mercy.

“And what happens in the event of my death?” Raum asked. “If I’m killed while working for you, the contract should hold.”

He currently sat cross-legged on the floor in the center of the sigil. During their negotiations, he altered between his current pose and stretching his legs out while leaning back on his hands. Despite the circumstance, he managed to look relaxed.

Sunshine, on the other hand, sat on a chair from the dining table and kept shifting from cheek to cheek. After so many hours, her rear end was quite numb.

“You will not die completing this task,” she felt the need to say, disturbed at the thought. “I assure you, I want assistance, not sacrifice.”

Raum shrugged. “Death is always a possibility. And if it occurs, or if I’m permanently compromised in some way, you have to keep up your end of the deal.”

How casually he discussed his possible demise. Was that what life was like for a demon in Hell? Constantly surrounded by violence and suffering? It seemed a dark and miserable existence.

But she had to remain cold. Her eyes narrowed. “Why should I owe your family protection if you’re incapable of fulfilling your end?”

“Because I’d only be killed because of our agreement. Sacrifice deserves recompense.”

She couldn’t argue that, nor could she reveal how the thought of it horrified her. “Fine. But you can’t seek a way to compromise yourself as a means of escaping your duty.”

His brow cocked. “I agree not to attempt suicide over one measly bargain with an angel.”

“Good.”

She studied him. There was a glint in his golden eyes that made her suspicious. He wasn’t cooperative—in fact, he was quite sullen and argumentative—but she had to wonder if he hadn’t formed some hidden plan of his own for how to make this arrangement benefit him.

Honestly, she’d have been disappointed if he hadn’t. It was what any smart person forced into a corner would do. But it meant she needed to be careful in her negotiating.

“If at any time we want to change the conditions of the contract,” he said, “we can.”

She shifted on her torturous chair. “Why would we want to do that?”

“Dunno. I’m just covering all the bases.”

“Fine. Agreed. If we both agree to amend the terms of the bargain, we may, so long as there is no coercion or manipulation involved.”

“I’ll need to visit my brothers before we go to Hell.”

“Absolutely not.” She couldn’t risk the slightest chance of him betraying her plans.

“They’ll get suspicious if I suddenly disappear.”

“Call them and tell them you’re going away for a time.”

His eyes narrowed. “They won’t believe that if they don’t see me for themselves.”

“Then tell them you met a human woman at the nightclub, and you want to enjoy her company undisturbed.”

His mouth pressed into a line, and the loathing that burned in his eyes would have given her pause had he not been safely trapped in the sigil. It seemed he didn’t like being reminded of what had transpired between them last night.

That was fine. Neither did she.

Yet she couldn’t resist needling him. “You can tell them you’ll tire of her in a week or so as you do all the women you’re with, and then you’ll return.” There was a bite to her words now, no matter how she tried to repress it.

She couldn’t help but wonder how many human women he’d danced with as he had her. How many women had he smiled at when he asked their name? How many women’s eyes had he stared into as he promised them a night of his undivided attention, focused solely on delivering their pleasure?

Why did it matter? It shouldn’t. There was no reason she should care the slightest. She pushed the thoughts and bitterness away.

“Fine,” Raum said, lip curling. “I’ll tell them that. In person. They won’t believe me otherwise.” The glare he aimed at her reminded her that promises of pleasure were far from his mind now.

Good. She had no need of them.

“Fine,” she replied.

They glared at each other.

“I want you to agree to protect Eva and my brothers in the future, after the contract is complete and you get your book.”

Her head came back. “I will not. I’ve already sworn not to reveal your whereabouts, which is enough to have me cast out of Heaven if I was discovered. The risk is too high.”

A part of her felt guilty for what she was doing. Associations with demons were so far beyond forbidden, the mere thought of what she was doing ought to have horrified her. But here she was, having captured one and forced him into her service.

But once she’d learned that the grimoire had been taken to Hell, her blood had gone cold at the thought of navigating the underworld by herself.

The Dominations had to know that she’d have to face her biggest fear and return to the place of her nightmares. Was that why they considered this worthy of her final test before reascension?

“All you’ve given me is a promise not to kill me and my family,” Raum said. “I get nothing else out of this.”

“Continuation of life is the ultimate goal of all beings.”

“I think you underestimate how little I give a fuck.”

She gritted her teeth. No one was dying if she had anything to say about it, so there was no point discussing this. “I am soon to be re-elevated to the rank of Principality. I cannot extend protection duties to rogue demons and half-angel abominations. It could jeopardize my position.”

“You’ll only be obligated to help if it doesn’t endanger you. And we won’t ask unless we have no other viable options.”

“Fine,” she grudgingly agreed. What are you doing, Sunshine? But it was too late to back out now. “But I will add a termination point of twenty-five years to this clause because I cannot pledge myself to unlawful protection duty for the rest of eternity.”

“Two hundred years.”

“Preposterous. Seventy-five.”

“One hundred fifty.”

“One hundred.”

“Fine. One hundred years.” He tilted his head from side to side in a stretch, and her gaze fixed on the tendons in his neck. She hadn’t thought necks could be attractive, but his undoubtedly was. How odd.

“But the time limit applies only to this,” he added. “The rest of the contract is indefinitely binding. You can’t betray us, try to kill us, or ask someone else to kill us—for the rest of time.”

By the Spheres, I am a fool. She should not be agreeing to this. No one knew what the future held.

But what option did she have? After three weeks of observation, her conscience would not let her act in the way she should. If the demon realized this and called her bluff, she would lose everything. Her only chance was to secure his assistance now before he realized her for the fraud she was.

“Very well,” she said, swallowing hard. “But let me also clarify that this contract works in reverse. From now for the rest of time, you shall not attempt to kill or imprison me nor enlist another to do so. You shall not speak of our association to anyone, including your brothers, and you shall not make any attempt to impart information through hints or uncharacteristic actions.

“Fine. But let’s add an out. If we both agree to end the contract for whatever reason, we can.”

“Agreed.” Honestly, that made her feel better too. “But again, consent must be given free of duress and manipulation. If there is any misunderstanding for either party, it shall not count as such.”

His eyes glinted with some kind of satisfaction. “Agreed.”

Her heart jumped at that look; she didn’t trust it one bit. But she couldn’t think of a single way to find a loophole from that clause. Once again, he had far more to lose than her.

Or so he believed.

And that continued belief was essential. Every second she wasted in negotiation was another second he could realize her farce and turn the tables.

In the end, she had no choice but to relent. “Then let us bind the contract and be done.”

A bound contract was unbreakable. Both parties were physically incapable of breaking their vows. She had no desire to trap herself so irreparably, but it was the only way to guarantee they couldn’t turn on each other.

Raum climbed to his feet, legs steady beneath him, gaze sharp. The effects of her blood had worn off completely after the first hour. She’d never seen such a thing before and wasn’t sure what to make of it.

He lifted his right hand, and she watched sharp talons grow from his fingertips, much like those on a bird. Her eyes widened at the sight, and she fought to disguise her intrigue. Only the highest ranks of angels could take multiple forms, and even if Raum was shifting into a beast of the underworld, there was a certain beauty in his strangeness.

Each of his fingers ended in a curved black claw, and his knuckles were gnarled and rough. His leathery skin, scaled like that of a reptile, was a shiny obsidian that reflected the light up to his elbow where it transitioned back to the dark bronze of his human skin.

Holding out his other, still-human palm, he slashed his foreclaw across it, and blood welled and dripped to the floor.

Lifting his gaze, he met her eyes and said, “On my own blood, I vow it.”

Nodding once, Sunshine finally rose from her chair and stretched her stiff limbs. She flashed into the bedroom closet where she’d stashed her weapons and retrieved a dagger in a leather thigh holster. Returning to the main room, she unsheathed the blade, cut her own palm similarly, and repeated the vow.

“On my own blood, I vow it.”

Empyrean, Sheolic, or Temporal, a blood vow was a blood vow. The magic worked equally for any being foolish enough to make use of it.

Their promise hung heavily in the air until the binding sank into their skin and crystallized. It was done, and there was no turning back.

She could only hope she hadn’t just made the biggest mistake of her immortal life.

SAFELY ENSCONCED in his underworld lair, the Necromancer jolted upright in bed, his skin slick with cold sweat, his chest heaving.

The dream had returned to haunt him. Again.

His chamber was quiet and dark, the thick drapes drawn over the windows to block out the blood-red sky. He shifted and realized the bedsheet was tangled with his legs and tail. Ripping the fabric off, he hurled it away, the slightest feeling of being restrained making his skin crawl.

The vision came now whenever he slept, so he avoided sleep as much as possible. He always avoided it, in fact, since it was one of the only times he was vulnerable—a secret he guarded with utmost vigilance.

But even a demon of his great power could not exist forever without sleep, and eventually, the exhaustion would catch up with him. Tonight was one such night. He’d finally succumbed to weakness and paid the price.

Around him, the black-stone castle was quiet. Murmur did not permit his subjects in his tower, and he rarely summoned his souls into his bedchamber. It was the one place he allowed himself to be free of the constant burden of their company.

Always their voices cried in his head. Crying for freedom. Begging to be released.

Always he ignored them.

They had been foolish enough to enter a bargain with the Necromancer, selling themselves to avoid the torment of the Nine Rings. Eternal service was the price he demanded, and it was the price they paid.

Murmur had no mercy for those too weak to face the consequences of their actions, and their pleas for it fell on deaf ears. They would remain in his service until such a time as he saw fit to release them.

Which would likely be never.

Then again, he thought, thinking of the dream, maybe they’ll be free before long. It plagued him more than ever before, rising when he closed his eyes for but a moment, convincing him that the time for its realization was fast approaching.

I am not ready.

There was still so much to do. So much to plan. So much to arrange.

But he was closer than he’d ever been. He had Gamigin’s book in his possession, and he was making progress with his spells.

Unfortunately, he’d also discovered he needed a specific ingredient he didn’t yet have in his possession. Yet another task to add to the seemingly endless list. The tasks spiraled around his mind like a thousand mini cyclones until he forgot how it felt to have a clear, focused thought. And the dream only made it worse.

It was always the same.

He was burning, his entire body aflame with what he assumed was hellfire, though he didn’t know for certain. Everything was white-hot, and the agony was so unbearable, he screamed.

Then he finally, mercifully separated from his body. But his death was not the nothingness that should await a demon—a creature with no soul—as his essence dissolved back into the energy upholding creation.

No, his consciousness remained, and he felt himself being tugged with impossible force into an impenetrable void. He cried out in terror, his voice echoing everywhere and nowhere. It mingled with the screams of the others trapped with him—the hundreds of others.

And then he woke in a cold sweat, fear pounding through his blood.

It was not death that scared him. The bliss of complete nonexistence was like a siren song to an immortal creature such as he.

What scared him was that his death was not the end of his consciousness. And what awaited him on the other side was something that should not exist.

Demons had no souls. Only beings with souls were granted an afterlife before eventual reincarnation. So what was this void he was to be trapped in? How did it exist?

Gamigin’s book contained the answers, and they had not been favorable.

Shaking his head to clear it, Murmur rose from the bed, abandoning further attempts to rest. He had no desire to return to that fathomless void of torment. As he roused, so did his souls, and he felt better knowing they were back on sentry duty.

He crossed his chamber, parting his hair around his horns and winding it back into a long braid. Tying it off, he tossed it over his shoulder and threw a robe over his bare upper body, the long slit in the back allowing his tail freedom.

His fingers had just closed around his bedchamber door handle when another vision rose. His eyes turned white, as they always did when he succumbed to the curse of his seer existence.

Indiscernible images flashed within his inner eye in rapid succession.

He saw a brown-skinned woman of radiant beauty smiling at someone he couldn’t see. He saw a crow fly over the face of the sun, blotting it out until it became night. He saw golden eyes beneath a furrowed brow.

He saw a book. He saw a sigil—dozens of sigils—covering the halls of his lair, every square inch coated in chalk outlines. He saw rivers of blood and severed body parts from all manner of creatures. He saw another woman with sharp eyes and jet-black hair.

And he saw himself…burning.

What felt like hours later but was likely only several minutes, Murmur’s eyes cleared, and he blinked as the door in front of him returned to focus.

His face morphed into a scowl.

A new vision to decipher. Delightful. As if I don’t already have enough to do.

The images had come too fast for him to immediately recall, but with careful concentration, he would be able to revisit them until he pieced their meaning together. But the vision had left him with one immediate conviction:

Someone was coming to steal something of his.

He flexed his claws and flicked his tail. No one stole from him. No one dared to cross the Necromancer who had visions of the future and an army of souls at his bidding. No one was foolish enough.

And yet he had the certainty that someone intended to do just that.

Very well, then. He would ensure it was the last thing they ever did.

7

FIGHT OR FLIGHT

“So?” Raum lifted a brow. “You going to let me out of this sigil now?”

They stood in weighted silence, palms still held aloft, blood dripping to the floor, gazes locked. Outside, the pink dawn had become the pale blue of a cloudless morning.

He was exhausted, but it made him numb, which was a good thing. If he’d been able to feel and think clearly, he’d probably have a Belial-level rage attack at how fucked up this situation was and how easily he’d been duped.

Yeah, he still wasn’t over that. And who could blame him? The sweet woman in a sundress who climaxed on his leg on the dance floor was actually a fucking angel. Who was going to murder his family if he didn’t do what she wanted.

He didn’t miss the way Sunshine kept an eye on him as she approached the edge of the sigil. He supposed an instinctive wariness around demons was smart. He’d just sworn a very complicated, detailed vow not to betray her…and was still planning on doing just that.

His plan was simple. And possibly stupid. But it was the best he could do on short notice. He had to make it look like he wasn’t planning a coup or Sunshine would have added more clauses to the contract. And she might have corrected the tiny loophole she had accidentally created.

Contrary to her assumptions, he wasn’t that big of a manwhore.

He didn’t disappear for days on end with random women, and when he was with a woman, he wasn’t a dick about it. He looked for girls who wanted what he did, and he was always straight up with his intentions.

If Raum told his brothers he was going to hook up with a random club girl for a week straight and then ditch her like trash bags on garbage day, they would definitely be suspicious. They might have believed it for Meph before he met Iris, but for Raum, it was totally out of character. There just weren’t any people he wanted to be around for that long.

He was going to use Sunshine’s judgments about him against her. He’d agreed not to do anything to arouse his brothers’ suspicion, but she had suggested the lie about his week-long hook up, which made it exempt from that clause.

He’d tell his brothers with a straight face exactly what she’d told him to say and then hope like hell they figured out something was off.

The minute any of them suspected an angel was involved, they would prepare accordingly. Belial would get the angel trap set up and get Sunshine to walk into it. Once she was stuck, it wouldn’t matter if Raum was still under contract.

Bel would do what needed to be done.

Raum was just protecting the people he cared about. If Sunshine hadn’t come after him in the first place, he wouldn’t have been forced into this. Sometimes surviving meant making hard choices, and he reminded himself that she wouldn’t show him any mercy were their roles reversed.

The angel stretched out one of her long, curvaceous legs and smudged the edge of the sigil with the toe of her high-heeled sandal. The blue glow extinguished, and he was free.

Except he wasn’t. Not even close.

Sunshine smiled sweetly. “So. Where do we begin?”

Good question. “I have to tell my brothers I’m going away.” He shot her a look. “We’ll meet back here later and I’ll draw the hellgate to get us to Hell.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Anywhere you go from now until your half of the bargain is complete, I will accompany you.”

He ran a hand over his head and fought for patience. Normally, he was calm, too calm—to the point where he doubted he was even capable of strong emotions. But right now, he really wished he had a baseball bat so he could find out how much force it took to break the safety glass in a swanky condo.

“Come if you want,” he bit out. “But you need to get us supplies, and the more time you waste following me around, the longer it’ll take to get your book.”

“What supplies?”

“We need disguises. I’m a fugitive, and you’re an angel. We won’t be able to stay hidden all the time, and we need to blend in.”

“What do you suggest?”

“Cloaks.”

“Cloaks.” She blinked. “That’s your solution? I’m afraid to ask what your plan is for actually stealing the book.”

He glared at her.

“Well?”

“Well what.”

“What is your plan?”

He ground his teeth. “Go to Hell, find a base. You stay there, and I go to Murmur’s lair and figure out how to get past his wards.”

“And then?”

“Then I’ll get what I need, break in, and steal the book.”

“And we’re supposed to do all this while wearing cloaks?”

She’s still hung up on that? “You’re not coming. I’ll stay in crow form. No one will pay attention to me. Problem solved.”

Her eyes flared. “I am coming.”

“No, you’re not.”

“Yes, I am.”

He ground his teeth. “Why? You want your book. I’ll get it for you. Why do you have to be there?”

“Because…” She seemed to be debating how much to tell him. She probably thought giving extra information wasn’t wise, which was probably true. He’d use anything she told him against her given half a chance.

“This task is more than just a job for me,” she said. “It is a test. One I must pass. While I wasn’t given any stipulations about how I complete the test, there is an understanding that I must at least be present for it. Simply enlisting another to do it for me will not suffice.”

It seemed like the kind of convoluted logic that angels used, which was why he believed her. In his mind, it shouldn’t matter how she got the book as long as she got it, but angels weren’t known for keeping things simple.

“Why?” he asked, tilting his head.

“Why what?”

“Why do you have to pass?”

She pursed her lips. “There’s nothing in our arrangement that states I must share unnecessary details about my life.”

“Fine.” It didn’t matter anyway. “You can come to steal the book, but you have to promise to follow my lead.”

“Within reason. So what is your plan for my disguise?”

“Wear a cloak.”

She suddenly looked close to snapping at him. He didn’t know why, but the thought of forcing her to ditch the mannerly composure gave him a rush. It was similar to the little burst of adrenaline he got every time he slipped a valuable from someone’s pocket or threw himself off the edge of a building.

“Fine.” She spoke through gritted teeth. “And where do we get said cloaks?”

He shrugged. “Do I look like I know where to get cloaks?”

Her nostrils flared. She took a breath before speaking again. “You’re the being from Hell. Shouldn’t you know things like that?”

His poker face was unbreakable, but inside he was grinning like Meph. “Just because I’m from Hell doesn’t mean I wear a cloak. You’re the angel. Don’t you have a closet of robes somewhere?”

A muscle flexed in her jaw. He could tell by the look on her face that she definitely did have a wardrobe full of robes, but she was considering lying about it just to prove him wrong.

“I may have something,” she finally said.

“Great,” he said smugly, and her glare intensified.

“The only dark-colored robes we have are meant to be worn at sacred atonement and purification rituals. To even think of giving one to a demon to wear in Hell is sacrilege.”

“Well, damn,” he drawled. God forbid he sully the sacred robes with his unholy existence. This is why everyone hates angels.

They glared at each other.

He’d been cured of any illusions he might have had of her as alluring and desirable. Now, she was just his enemy. It didn’t matter what she looked like. She was an obstacle that he would defeat, just like he’d defeated every other obstacle in his path.

Except one time. He didn’t know what had happened during the memories he’d lost, but something told him he hadn’t won then.

This could be like vengeance, he decided. Heaven had stolen something from him, something no one had any right to take from another. So he would steal something from them right back.

Tit for tat. An eye for an eye. A demon’s brand of justice.

Maybe then, he’d be able to purge his fixation with regaining the time he’d lost, because after four hundred years, he still wasn’t over it. Maybe then, he’d finally be able to let it go and move on with his life.

Turning away, he finally walked out of the sigil, suppressing the shudder that passed over him as he crossed the line. The traces of Empyrean magic felt like spiders on his skin, reminding him of the power it could have over him. Fucking angels.

He crossed the room and opened the patio door. The air was cold this early in the morning, and the wind gusting at the high altitude bit at his skin through his clothes. Walking out onto the balcony, he peeked over the edge and felt his head swim a bit from the height.

They had to be thirty floors up.

Lips curving slightly, he climbed up onto the edge of the glass barrier.

Sunshine’s startled voice echoed through the open door. “What on earth—!”

He leapt off the edge.

Free falling, his stomach left somewhere behind him, the air rushed by his ears as he plummeted. His heart raced, and his blood pumped faster as adrenaline flooded his system. The ground got closer, the cars growing larger—

He shifted into crow form, spread his wings, and swooped straight up toward the sky. If crows could smile, he might have been smiling. Maybe.

Angling his feather-light body, he swooped sharply around the edges of buildings, orienting himself and setting a path toward home.

When he spotted his apartment building, he also noticed the woman in a white sundress standing on top of it with her arms crossed, long hair whipping about in the wind. Even from far away, she was a sight to behold. As he circled above her, he definitely checked her out from the front, side, and back.

So maybe he’d lied when he said he didn’t find her desirable anymore. But he wasn’t stupid enough to let it blind him again. He wasn’t.

He shifted back to human form and landed in front of her.

“I could have flashed us here!” she snapped. “You didn’t have to leap off the edge of a skyscraper!”

“I wanted to fly.”

She sputtered, and if he didn’t know better, he’d almost say she looked worried. Probably because she didn’t want her contracted demon servant splatting on the concrete. Regenerating a flattened skull would take a while.

“I’m going to talk to my brothers and get changed. Then you can flash us back.”

“Just be quick about it.”

He wasn’t going to be, just to spite her. He was going to take the longest shower he possibly could, until Bel yelled at him for using all the hot water.

“Did you get the robes?”

“No.” She shot him a look. “I was planning to go while you inevitably take forever in your apartment because you know it will irritate me.”

He almost smiled. “I can’t cheat, remember? It’s all in the contract.”

She rolled her eyes. The sweet, charming angel blatantly rolled her eyes. This time he smiled for real.

She blinked, staring at him like she’d never seen him before.

His smile evaporated, and he shifted again and swooped off the edge of the building down to his bedroom window. Like Mist’s in the room beside him, he always left it open a crack when he went out in case he felt the need to return via flight. Mist’s window was currently closed, which usually meant he and Lily were there.

Perching on the sill, Raum slipped through the crack and shifted into human form once he was inside. The first thing he did was pull his phone out of his pocket—it was working again—and text Caro, letting her know he probably wouldn’t be able to come into the shelter next week.

She was understanding, but he still felt like an asshole. He’d made a commitment, and he knew she needed him. Luna, the traumatized stray, needed him.

This is the angel’s fault, he reminded himself. That’s why I have to get rid of her.

He plugged his phone in to charge and barely spared a glance at the room that had so depressed him a couple days before. He dug through his dresser for clean clothes. Though he normally preferred sweats or anything he could work out in, today he chose a pair of wyrm leather pants.

Wyrm leather was capable of growing or shrinking with a demon shifting forms and was one of the most common fabrics in Hell. He figured the pants would come in handy on his mission.

Tucking his clothes under an arm, he went into the hall and heard voices in the main room, so he detoured there before hitting the shower. He stepped around the corner and stopped in his tracks.

It was a disaster zone of epic proportions. The liquor shelf had been emptied out, and bottles were spread around like the aftermath of a frat party. There were cans lined up on the counter and the end tables by the sofa. Bel’s normally spotless kitchen looked like a bomb had gone off.

Mist stood at the sink, washing dishes. Considering he was in demon form—seven feet tall, dark gray skin, wings, and a whip-like tail—it was a strange sight. Lily was stacking dirty dishes into manageable piles by the sink for Mist. Across the room, Iris was tossing empty bottles into a big recycling bag. Everyone looked like shit.

Mist blinked glowing yellow eyes at Raum. “Good morning.”

“What happened here?”

“Iris and Meph took it upon themselves to attempt getting Belial intoxicated enough to lose consciousness.”

“But—” Raum rubbed his eyes. “I thought you guys were at the club.”

“We were,” Iris said, wiping her brow with the back of her hand and lowering the bottle bag. “But when we got home… After-party, you know.” She rolled her eyes at the look on his face. “I know it was stupid, but I felt bad for Bel. He wanted to come out, I could tell, but he refused. So we brought the party to him.”

“Where’s Meph?”

“Still sleeping, the fucker.” Her eyes narrowed in the direction of Meph’s room. “I tried to wake him up, but he didn’t even twitch an eyelid.”

Raum snorted. “Convenient.”

“Yeah. For him. We want to get this cleaned up before Belial wakes up.”

“Wait. Bel’s asleep?”

At this, Iris grinned. “Oh yeah. He passed out hard.”

Raum’s brows shot up.

Mist said, “He lost consciousness, and Ash and I carried him to his bed.”

Lily laughed at his look of shock. “Yeah, you missed a lot.”

Evidently, Bel had needed to empty out a whole liquor store in order to reach the oblivion he’d been after. Hopefully it would take the edge off his rage, but something told Raum it wasn’t an experience he’d want to repeat often.

And the aftermath… He shuddered to imagine what Belial with a proper hangover would be like.

“Meph said you left the club with a girl,” Iris said, bending back over the end table to swipe a collection of cans into the bag.

“Yeah.”

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at him, waiting for him to elaborate.

“Did you have fun?” Lily asked, smiling.

“Sure.” Fuck no.

Iris smirked. Mist was giving him an odd look.

Now was the time to say his suspicious lie—the loophole Sunshine had accidentally created in the contract.

Lily was too trusting to think he would lie, and she’d probably be too repulsed by his supposed manwhore plans to want to discuss it further. Iris didn’t know him well enough to know if he was acting out of character.

But Mist… Mist had thousands of years of practice hunting down liars and cheats, and he could spot one from a mile away.

This was Raum’s moment to plant seeds in his head and enlist the Hunter’s skills to track down the angel and take her out before she had the chance to ruin their lives.

But when he opened his mouth, all he said was, “I’m gonna shower.”

He couldn’t do it. What the fuck is wrong with me?

“Whatever you do, don’t make any loud noises,” Iris said. “Bel needs to sleep until we’ve cleaned the kitchen or all the good we did will be undone.”

Lily picked up a stack of pots and set them beside the sink. “I hope he doesn’t remember breaking that casserole dish.”

Iris snickered. “Or when he accidentally let his sauce overboil, and it sprayed all over the wall.”

Just as he turned to go, Raum caught Mist’s eye. The Hunter was still watching him with a curious expression, so he raised a brow in question. Mist just flicked his tail and turned back to the sink of soapy water.

The twins’ voices faded as Raum headed down the hall to the bathroom and turned on the shower. He berated himself ceaselessly as the hot spray pelted his neck and shoulders.

Why couldn’t I say it?

He should’ve despised Sunshine to the core of his being. The thought of her blood spilling should have thrilled him.

She is the enemy. Get that through your thick head, asshole.

Only a person who’d never felt the bonds of family could use it to manipulate. Sunshine might think herself above him, but she would never know what it felt like to have another person truly have her back.

That was the real reason he’d chosen to escape Hell. Not because of his own desires. Because Bel was losing his mind giving into rage attacks on a daily basis, Ash was slowly fading as his curse made him feel as invisible as he appeared to others, and Meph was losing the fight against his demon every day he stayed surrounded by darkness.

Yeah, Raum had his own shit too. But he had his brothers, and he’d chosen to be there for them. That was more than he could say for Sunshine.

She might scoff at their blood bond and tell him that wasn’t how brothers worked, but that was only because she didn’t understand. Maybe she thought him weak and manipulatable, but he didn’t fucking care.

She posed a threat to everyone he cared about, and he’d do whatever it took to neutralize it.

So why couldn’t I fucking say it?

8

WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING

Sunshine flashed to the outside of the Court of Ceremonies. Third Sphere angels could not teleport directly in or out of any buildings in the Empyrean City and had to arrive out front and walk in. With so many angels crowded together, it would be chaotic if everyone flashed around at their leisure.

It was slightly inconvenient for Sunshine in this case, however. She wanted to get in and out as fast as possible, hopefully avoiding interaction with anyone.

Climbing the stone steps, she smoothed her dress nervously, trying to remind herself she had every right to be there. If she didn’t act suspicious then she wouldn’t be. Angels were not accustomed to distrusting each other. She’d been spending too much time around demons.

Passing under the white stone arches into the hall, she hurried down the edges of the high-ceilinged chamber, trying to keep the clicking of her high heels to a minimum. It was customary to be in traditional angel garb here, but she hadn’t had time to change.

The Court of Ceremonies was not only where rituals were performed, but also where the Tribunal held court and issued verdicts. Artifacts of power were kept here and lent to archangels who went to Earth to dispense the Tribunal’s decreed justice.

Sunlight streamed through the high arches and flying buttresses, illuminating the paintings on the ceiling above. They featured famous angels in the midst of legendary exploits, beautiful nature scenes, and the odd lurking demon, frightened into submission by the glory of the Realm.

Her steps slowed as she studied one of the cowering demonic figures. It was depicted as quite hideous, and while she knew there were plenty of ugly demons, she also knew that many were inordinately beautiful.

But of course they would not paint murals of beautiful demons, lest it cloud an angel’s judgment. I must not fall prey to this. She would be spending an extended amount of time with a demon who was not only beautiful but enigmatic.

She dragged her attention from the murals and hurried forward. Halfway down the length of the grand hall, an arched doorway led to a long passage, at the end of which was a large room full of ceremonial robes.

There were white robes with golden threads, blue robes, golden robes, undyed robes, and…black robes. She pulled two of them from their hangers and draped them over her arm.

The hoods were thick and deep enough to hide one’s face completely. The sleeves were long and loose so hands could be tucked within them. The open front could be wrapped and tied shut or secured with fastenings, and there were slits in the back to allow wings to form.

Time to depart before anyone finds me here. Robes secured, she left the chamber and headed down the passage back to the main hall. She forgot about keeping her heels quiet as she hurried toward the exit as though her salvation lay beyond it.

She was so focused, she didn’t see the man step in front of her until she bumped right into him.

A tiny scream escaped her, and she stumbled back, holding a palm to her chest to quell her racing heart. Two big hands grasped her shoulders briefly to steady her.

“Apologies, Shamsiel. It was not my intention to startle you.”

She looked up into the glittering blue eyes of the archangel Raphael, and her nerves kicked into overdrive. His gaze flicked briefly over her person, and she knew he was noticing her lack of uniform. He made no comment, however.

Though she had changed her name well over four centuries ago, Raphael still persisted in calling her Shamsiel. She’d given up correcting him since it had never seemed to make a difference. She’d never had the nerve to ask him if he was simply oblivious or just resistant to the change.

“Oh, it’s no trouble,” she assured him with a smile.

“I wouldn’t have expected to see you here today.” He returned her smile.

Raphael was tall, a few inches over six feet, with light skin, blond hair that curled against his forehead, and blue eyes. His jaw was square and free of facial hair, and there was a slight indent in his chin. At his hip, his infamous sword was holstered by a sturdy belt. The consecrated weapon was forged of Empyrean steel and sharper than any material from Earth, and when he wielded it, white flames of heavenfire coated the blade.

Guardian angels protected humanity from demonic influence, archangels enforced the rules, and the Tribunal of Principalities passed judgments on rule breakers. The hierarchy was not always about rising in rank. Raphael was one of the most decorated angels of the Third Sphere, and if he’d had wanted, he could have been elevated to Principality long ago. But he preferred his status as archangel because enforcing was what he did best.

“Are those purification robes?” A crease appeared between his brows as he noticed the garments in her hand.

The urge to shove them behind her back was strong, but she refrained. “Yes. I— I’m just taking them to be mended.” The lie grated against her conscience like fingernails on a chalkboard.

“But you must know the Court guardians take care of these tasks?”

“Yes, but I…wanted to help out.” Her smile was so fake, her cheeks ached.

“How very thoughtful.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t— Well, thank you.”

There was a pause. Just when she opened her mouth to excuse herself, he said, “I’ve heard you’re currently on a special assignment from Adriel himself.”

“Yes, I am.” She hadn’t known he was aware of that.

“Don’t feel obligated to share it with me. I understand it is confidential.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re very privileged to have a mentorship with Adriel. As one of the Powers, he is unfathomably wise.”

“Yes, he is.” She shifted on her feet.

“I placed a request to receive mentorship from a Second Sphere angel centuries ago, but it has never been approved.”

“Oh, well, I’m sure you will get someone soon.” She offered a reassuring smile. “I was only allowed to keep my mentor because of, well…”

“Yes, of course.”

Because of who I was before my shameful incident. Everyone knew Sunshine had once been Shamsiel of the Principalities with a seat on the Tribunal, only to be demoted to guardian as a punishment for her failings.

Everyone knew, but they never spoke of it.

She knew it was meant to be a courtesy, but sometimes it made her feel like she didn’t exist. Her past had been swept under the rug, never to be mentioned again, until she began to wonder if it had happened at all. If she had happened. If she mattered.

When she’d been demoted after her incident, she’d become someone else, and she’d chosen a new name to reflect that. She’d picked Sunshine because she needed the reminder to keep her mind turned toward the light, to keep fighting the darkness that had haunted her since.

Shamsiel had been powerful and respected. Sunshine was broken, but she was also growing. Striving. Focused on her goal.

“If you’ll excuse me,” she said, “I must be on my way.”

“Of course. I apologize for detaining you.”

“It was no trouble at all. It’s always a pleasure to speak to you, Raphael.”

“And you, Shamsiel.” He bowed his head briefly. “Best of luck with your task for Adriel. And…” His gaze flicked to the robes over her arm. “Your mending.”

AFTER RAUM SHOWERED, shaved, brushed his teeth, and took his sweet time doing it, he headed back to the kitchen where the others were still working. It was starting to look less like a frat house, so progress was being made.

“I have to go,” he told them, “else I’d stay and help.” No, he wouldn’t. He wasn’t cleaning up a mess he had no part in making.

“No, you wouldn’t,” Iris said, immediately calling him on it. “But how nice of you to lie.”

He actually managed a laugh. Maybe she knew him better than he thought.

“By the way, I heard you got a job at an animal shelter.”

His eyes narrowed as he waited for her to tease him like his brothers had.

“I think that’s great. My cat loves you, and he hates everyone, even me. Obviously, you have a gift.”

“You’re working at a shelter?” Lily cut in. “That’s so cool! Can we come by sometime to visit?”

“Sure.” Please do not. “I gotta go.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Tell Meph and Bel that I…won’t be around much for a few days.”

Mist’s head swiveled around, and he pinned him with that look again. “Where are you going?”

Just say the lie. Open your mouth and spew the suspicious piece-of-shit lie that Sunshine blatantly gave permission for you to say.

“I just…need some alone time. I’ll be around though.”

Yeah, ‘alone time’ so he could punch himself in the head. Repeatedly.

“Is everything okay?” Lily looked concerned for his mental health now. Great.

“All good. I have my phone.” He failed to mention he would be in Hell where there wasn’t reception.

Mist was still giving him that look, and the twins looked like they wanted to pry him with questions, so he said a hasty farewell and got out of there fast. He shut his bedroom door and leaned against it momentarily, feeling exhausted. It didn’t help that he’d stayed up all night bartering with Sunshine.

After pocketing his phone, he shifted back to crow form. That was the handy thing about major shifts like his: whatever he was wearing disappeared with the magic that caused the shift. When he shifted to half demon form, however, his clothes would stretch or tear—unless they were made of wyrm leather.

Inching through the crack in his window, he flew back onto the roof, surprised to find Sunshine sitting on an air conditioning unit, jiggling her leg impatiently. She leapt to her feet when he shifted back to human form.

“Did you get the robes?” he asked.

“Yes. Did you have to take so long?”

“Yes.”

Her brow rose. “Interesting excuse you gave your friends.”

She’d been listening? Even a supernatural being couldn’t have heard what they were saying from all the way up here, especially with the city sounds around them. That meant she’d found some other discreet spying point. And it would have to be really discreet to avoid Mist’s hunter senses.

Impressive, yet creepy.

Her head tilted, sending her shiny dark hair sliding over one shoulder. “Why not make up a more elaborate lie about where you’re going?”

“The best lies are rooted in truth.”

“I suppose a demon would know that.”

His eyes narrowed. “Can we go?”

She stepped toward him, reaching out. Instantly, he remembered the nightclub and how she’d approached him across the dance floor. How he’d held out a hand, and she’d placed her palm in his and then ground that perfect body against him.

When she grasped his arm, he jerked it out of her grip, pinning her with a sharp look.

She returned it with an exasperated one. “I’m trying to flash you.”

“I don’t trust you.”

“I don’t trust you either.”

They glared at each other.

She reached out again, slower, fingers curling around his bicep. He couldn’t feel her touch on his skin through his hoodie, but he flinched at the contact nonetheless, resolutely repressing more memories of the club.

A sensation suddenly gripped him that felt like falling off a building, and he instinctively fought against it. The world steadied again.

Sunshine’s lips tightened. “Flashing with another person is only possible when they do not resist.”

“Is that why you drugged me first?”

“Yes.”

Well, at least she was honest. “Try again.”

Her grip tightened, and again, the falling sensation came and the instinctive aversion rose, knowing it was one of his enemies trying to spirit his body away to an unknown location.

She threw her hands up. “You keep fighting me.”

“I’m not trying to.”

“Well, you are.”

“It’s a little hard to relax.”

“Feel free to fly then if that’s what you want. I’m trying to make this easier for you.”

“Try again.”

Blowing out a breath, she gripped his arm once more. This time, when his stomach flipped, he pretended he was the one throwing himself off the building and not someone else.

The sensation consumed him, and for a split second, he was weightless. But not like a body falling through space. Weightless as in bodiless.

And then he opened his eyes and found them right back in Sunshine’s apartment.

She immediately dropped his arm and stepped away.

He headed toward the kitchen where he saw an open package of sidewalk chalk. Perfect for sigil drawing. “Let’s get this over with.”

“Where will we link the hellgate to?” Sunshine asked as he carried the chalk over to the living room area where there was another patch of clear floor space.

Hellgates worked by opening a portal of sorts, but they had to link to another hellgate at the desired destination. Unfortunately, Raum hadn’t left any open hellgates in safe places when he’d left Hell. He really hadn’t intended to go back any time soon.

There were public hellgates open in the center of the Blood Market for demons to come and go at their convenience, but the Blood Market was days of travel away from Murmur’s domain and Raum wasn’t keen on landing in the middle of a bustling crowd with an angel at his side.

There was one more secluded hellgate that he knew of, however.

Iris and Meph had used it to escape Valefor, the demon who had captured them thanks to Murmur’s betrayal. Valefor was dead now, and while Raum was sure there was an ongoing battle nearby to claim his territory, he also figured there was a pretty good chance that the gate was still intact.

Only one way to find out.

MIST HEARD Raum’s bedroom door shut and stood frozen, a plate in one hand and a soapy cloth in the other.

Then he shook himself. He returned his focus to washing, assuring himself he was imagining things. He wasn’t the Hunter anymore. Not everything unusual was a clue, part of a long trail he followed to his prey.

But the prickle of unease didn’t dissipate. He washed several more dish items before he couldn’t ignore it any longer. Dropping the cloth into the water and setting a clean pot on the rack, he stalked down the hallway, promising Lily he would return shortly. He didn’t explain where he was going, still certain he was imagining things.

He cracked open Raum’s door and crept in, inhaling deeply and scanning the sparse furnishings. He didn’t scent any traces of what he thought he’d smelled when Raum had spoken to him earlier. He must have imagined it, just like he’d thought.

The scent had changed after his shower, and it was highly possible he’d mistaken—

Unless…

Mist’s gaze landed upon a pile of black clothes on the floor beside the closet. He crouched beside it, lifted the clothing to his nose, and inhaled deeply once more.

His spine stiffened, and his eyes widened. He sniffed once more, but there was no mistaking it. But how…? And why had Raum not explained?

Unless…he couldn’t.

Mist dropped the clothes and went back to the hall, only to stop short as indecision halted him. His tail flicked restlessly. His first instinct was to tell Lily and ask for her opinion. But perhaps that wasn’t the best course at present.

He did not keep secrets from Lily, but she might not understand the severity of this matter without some explanation, and he had to act quickly. He would consult with her later, but first…

His head swiveled toward the closed door at the end of the hall.

Stalking toward it, he opened it and peered into the dark room. Heavy drapes had been pulled over the tall windows to block the sunlight streaming in, but he could still discern the sizable bulk sprawled across the mattress. Belial lay on his stomach, head turned to one side, arms spread out above his head. He must have awoken sometime in the night since they’d deposited him here, because his shirt was missing.

Normally, Mist wouldn’t dream of disturbing a sleeping Belial, but this was important, and time was of the essence.

“Belial.”

He didn’t so much as stir. Mist shifted uncomfortably. This was the last thing he wanted to do, but he told himself it was necessary.

He lifted his tail and prodded Belial in the cheek lightly.

Bel’s fist shot up and snatched it out of the air, and his eyes popped open. Hellfire flickered in them momentarily until he recognized Mist looming over him.

He groaned and released the tail, which Mist gratefully moved out of reach. “You’d better have a good reason for waking me up.” His voice was hoarse.

“It’s important or I wouldn’t disturb your sleep.”

“What is it?”

“I believe Raum is in trouble.”

“Raum?” Bel rubbed his eyes. “What’s he done now?”

“He came into the kitchen and told us he was leaving for a few days. Though he seemed calm, there was a scent on him. It was so subtle I almost didn’t detect it, but I went into his room and scented it again on his clothing.”

“A scent? What scent?”

“An angel.”

“An…angel.” Belial closed his eyes briefly as if hoping that when he opened them again, Mist wouldn’t still be there. “Like…a heavenly-ass angel.”

“Yes.”

“Was it Dan? Dunno why he’d be hanging out with him, but—”

“It was not Dan, nor another Grigori. It was an angel.” Angels’ powers were stronger than Grigori, and therefore, so was their scent. Mist could tell the difference.

Bel rolled over and sat up. Bending his knees, he propped his elbows against them and dragged his hands through his hair, leaving it all standing up. He looked quite haggard, truth be told, and Mist felt another twinge of guilt for waking him.

“Why the fuck… Raum? Makes no sense. He didn’t say anything to you?”

Mist shook his head. “I feared that perhaps…he couldn’t.”

Belial dropped his hands, and his gaze sharpened as he focused on Mist. They exchanged looks of mutual understanding, and then Bel said, “Fuck.”

“I will hunt him and find out where he is and what he is doing. But if my assumption is correct, we need to be prepared to trap an angel. I don’t have access to the necessary equipment—”

“I can get it.” His tone was anything but enthusiastic, and he rested his forehead on his palm. “I’ll get us whatever we need. Just…make sure we actually need it first.” He lifted his head and pinned Mist with a sharp look. “No false alarms, got it?”

Mist nodded.

“Good. Raum? Who would want to fuck with him? He’s too goddamn nice, the idiot.” Bel’s hand curled into a fist. “If some angel puts so much as a scratch on him, I’ll see how bendy their spine can get when I shove their head up their own asshole.”

Mist winced. “I’ll go hunt now. But I need to tell Lily—”

“Go. I’ll talk to her. I’m up now anyway, and I’m going to need a fuckload of coffee to get through this day.” Bel waved toward the curtained windows as he climbed out of bed. “Window’s open.”

Without another word, Mist dissolved into mist and ghosted through the window into the brisk morning air.

It was time to hunt.

9

A RARE BIRD

Sunshine and Raum stumbled out of the hellgate into a dilapidated study.

The place had been ransacked. Papers were swept across the floors, and the desk drawers were tossed haphazardly around. Books had been pulled from the shelves, their pages torn out. Underworld graffiti decorated the walls—Sheolic curse words and a crude rendering of a monstrous phallus—and the windowpanes had been smashed out.

“How…charming,” Sunshine muttered, hugging her arms.

In Hell, the skin of an angel glittered like light striking diamonds. It wasn’t bright, but it was decidedly incongruous with the dingey environment, and it was unmistakable. Nothing else gave off that ethereal glimmer, and if anyone saw it, they would know immediately what she was.

Raum looked at her, golden gaze sliding down her form, and…snorted.

“What?” She tried not to be offended.

“Ever heard of Twilight?”

“As in…the time before dusk?”

“As in, sparkly vampires.”

She frowned. “Vampires do not sparkle. Angels do, and only when they’re in Hell.”

He shook his head. “Never mind. Just put the cloak on. And make sure you stay covered.”

“I have no more wish to be discovered than you do.” She did so, lifting the oversized hood over her face. The sleeves were long and covered her arms, and she tied the opening securely shut.

Before they’d left, she had changed her clothes into something more suitable for Hell, and she now wore heavy lace-up boots, jeans, and a fitted t-shirt, all of which were black.

Two long knives were holstered at her thighs, and two shorter ones were strapped to her calves and tucked into her boots. All her blades were consecrated, but unfortunately, consecrated weapons had no power in Hell. Still, they were sharp, and she was a skilled fighter. She could defend herself in combat, but she hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

She had to admit, the cloaks were a good idea. Raum had donned one as well, and if anyone saw them, they would see only a couple mysterious strangers minding their business.

Turning away, he strode over to the smashed-out window and scanned the landscape. Sunshine followed, curious to see their surroundings.

He’d told her that the hellgate was taking them into a vacant territory that had belonged to Valefor, a Duke of Hell that was killed. As he’d predicted, a battle ensued to take possession of the territory. The fighting was chaotic and disorganized. Bloody brawling covered the land like a blanket, and there was even fighting in the air, winged forms silhouetted against the eerie red sky.

“By the Spheres,” she whispered. “It’s a massacre.”

“We need to fly around,” Raum said as if this was normal. She supposed it probably was. “We can’t go through that unnoticed.” He looked at her. “Are your wings as sparkly as the rest of you?”

“Yes.”

Raum scowled, turning back to the carnage below. “I’ll have to carry you, then.”

“Can you?”

He nodded.

“Okay, then. I trust you.”

His gaze sharpened and snapped to her face, and she flinched, swallowing back the urge to recant her words. She didn’t trust him, not even remotely, and she wasn’t sure why she’d said it. But she was too proud to correct herself. Nor, she realized, did she want to hurt his feelings.

She was well aware how foolish that was.

His mouth twisted into an expression that looked oddly like disgust. Did her apparent willingness to trust repulse him? Did he think her innocent and naive?

“I have to shift,” he said.

“Okay.”

He said nothing, and they continued to stare at each other in silence for several moments. She was glad for the protection of her hood, shadowing her face.

Was he…hesitating?

“I won’t be able to communicate in this form,” he said.

She nodded.

“But I can still understand you.”

“Okay…”

“Make sure to keep yourself covered by the cloak. It’ll be hard in the wind.”

“I’ll be fine.”

Finally, when the silence grew nearly unbearable, he said, “I’m still…me. So don’t scream.”

She swallowed, trying to hide her sudden trepidation. “Okay…”

She’d watched Raum with a near obsession in the last three weeks. She knew he had a penchant for theft and a fondness for animals. She knew his demon form was that of a crow—a demon crow—and that the Earth crow form he took was only a similar, miniature version of his true form.

What she didn’t know was what exactly a demon crow looked like.

Raum turned away, heading toward the more open part of the room. And then he shifted. One moment he was a man with dark skin and golden eyes, and the next, he was…decidedly not.

Her eyes bugged. So that is what a demon crow looks like.

He was huge, towering and formidable. His enormous body was covered in shiny black feathers, right to the tips of four massive obsidian wings. His head was strangely reptilian, covered in leathery black scales instead of feathers—the same gnarled scales she’d seen on his arms when they’d sworn their vow—and his jet-black beak looked razor-sharp.

His legs were scaled like his head, with huge curved talons. Though he had the same fan-shaped tail as an earth crow, there was something distinctly prehistoric about his scaled head and bright golden eyes.

He was a giant, reptilian dinosaur crow…from Hell.

That great head cocked suddenly, and only his earlier request held in the scream that rose in her throat. And because he’d explained, I’m still me.

“My g-goodness,” she said, swallowing hard. He was enormous. She understood now why he’d been so confident in his ability to carry her in flight. She felt positively miniscule compared to him.

The demon crow approached, and she flinched. It was pure instinct. The only times Sunshine had been close to such monsters were when she’d battled with them. Demons and angels were enemies. It was written into the very fabric of reality.

And yet she stood with as much calm as she could muster as one approached her and lifted a talon full of deadly claws. Good lord, he was going to carry her with those feet.

She forced a weak smile. “Shall we?”

His responding caw made her jump.

He made an unmistakable gesture with his beak toward the window, so she walked over there, turning back to him. It was hard not to look at him. “How do you want to do this?”

He gestured toward the window again.

She had no idea what he was trying to say, but she stepped closer. The window was big, which it needed to be to fit him through it. But there wasn’t room for them both, and she’d already figured out he planned to carry her in his talons.

When she glanced back at him, he gestured toward the window again.

“You want me to…jump?”

His long beak went up and down. Great. She looked out the window and glanced down. Way down. They were at the top of a high tower, which actually made her feel better. More falling time reduced the chances of her hitting the ground.

“You’d better catch me quickly, because if I feel like you won’t, I’ll use my own wings, and then we’ll both be in trouble.”

The crow demon blinked. He did so by sliding a whitish membrane horizontally across his eyeball. She suppressed a shudder.

“Okay. Here I go.”

She climbed onto the low windowsill, pushing down all thoughts about the insanity of this, and then leapt into space. She plummeted for only a second before she felt sharp talons closing around her torso.

Accustomed to flight, she once again managed to contain her scream, but it was perilously close to slipping out. Especially because they fell another couple seconds before he adjusted her in his claws, tucking her against his feathered body, and pumped his powerful wings—four wings!—to gain altitude.

And then they were flying.

And it was…wonderful.

She knew Raum’s demon form was unique to him, and therefore recognizable. If someone spent too long studying the sky, they might realize who it was flying up there. And god forbid they run into another flying demon.

But instead of worrying about that, after ensuring she was hidden beneath her cloak, she relaxed into his hold and turned her face up to study him.

He was quite impressive in this form. Magnificent, really. His feathers were sleek and shiny, outrageously soft against her. The way his head swiveled as he flew, scanning the ground beneath them, was even more majestic than the powerful birds of prey on Earth.

Skirting around the edge of the battle grounds, he flew them toward the sharp-tipped mountain range that bordered the territory. From there, he maintained a higher elevation and followed the rocky landscape.

They flew for hours. The air was hot and musty, but this high up and traveling at this speed, the wind made it cold. The red sky wasn’t bright, but somehow, it provided ample light to navigate by.

Another angel might have found it humiliating to be carried by a winged creature when they could fly themselves, but Sunshine didn’t mind. She had nothing to prove, and her desire to avoid detection in Hell was far greater than her need for independence. She would do almost anything to avoid a repeat of her past.

Eventually, Raum banked right, and they left the mountains behind, following the twisting path of a blood-red river as it wound through rocky foothills. Foothills that were scattered with bone fragments as numerous as rocks. How lovely.

They continued on for a while until, in the distance, the tips of tall towers became visible.

“Is that…?” she called into the rushing wind.

Raum’s great bird head nodded.

She peered into the gloom, trying to see the structure better. The castle was black stone and so lifeless, it seemed to suck what little color there was into its perpetual gloom. The towers leaned every which way and seemed to ooze misery and despair.

The tops were so sharp, they were like spears, and indeed, as they approached, she could just distinguish shapes stacked along them, and she realized they were demons impaled through their midsections, left to rot in the sky. They wouldn’t die like that either, which was somehow worse.

Just as she began to get chills from the foreboding surrounding the lair like a fog, Raum banked sharply and steered them back toward the foothills and the blood-red river.

They flew a short ways before he took a sharp dive, and she braced herself for impact, closing her eyes instinctively, so she missed where exactly they landed.

He released one foot from around her in preparation, and his great feathered body made a soft whump as it landed, but she wasn’t jostled much. She opened her eyes as he set her down, and they widened in surprise.

They stood on the edge of a rocky incline outside a small dwelling built into the side of the mountain, like a wall covering the mouth of a cave. Scrambling to her feet, she looked down and saw the red river running below, bordered by barren trees with banks of white stones. She had a feeling those stones were actually bones, polished smooth by erosion.

Besides that, the view was…nice.

If not for the fact that they were in Hell and everything in their scenery reminded her of that, she might have enjoyed herself. It was quite chilling and a little bit terrible, but compared to that castle, it was quaint and homey.

“What is this place?” she asked the giant feathered demon beside her.

He shifted back to human form in a graceful motion, wings folding and vanishing, feathers disappearing, limbs morphing back to human shape.

She was momentarily transfixed by the sight and forgot what she’d asked until he said, “Somewhere to stash loot.”

She blinked in question.

Being Raum, he offered no further explanation, turning and heading over to the front door of the cave house. It was rounded at the top and reinforced with spiked flat bars of steel. Similar bars were placed over the two windows on either side of the door.

A ward was painted on the wood in what she assumed was old blood, darkened to a near black with time. The magic would have prevented it from disintegration.

Shifting his hand as he’d done before, Raum used a claw to slice his finger and then pressed it to the middle of the design. The minute it touched the wood, the blood flakes simply blew off and dissolved into dust.

“You haven’t been here in a long time,” she guessed.

Without responding, he opened the door and went inside while she hesitated on the threshold.

The sound of him choking violently startled her, and she rushed inside without a second thought only to find him standing unharmed, fanning the air.

She immediately began choking as well. The dust was so thick, she could taste it, and a smell like rotten blood permeated everything. “What died in here?”

They backed outside to the fresh air—calling the air in Hell ‘fresh’ was a true testament to just how stale it was inside.

“Nothing,” Raum said. “No one’s been here in two hundred years.”

“So what’s the awful smell?”

He shrugged. “That’s just what dust smells like in Hell.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Of course it is. Because it’s not enough to have blood rivers and a blood sky. We need blood dust too.”

To her surprise, he laughed.

The change in his features was striking. His cheeks crinkled, and smile lines appeared at the corners of his eyes.

She blinked, and the expression was gone. He went back inside, holding his hoodie over his nose as he opened the two interior windows.

Unwilling to endure the smell again, she found a boulder near the front door and took a seat. Surveying the miserable valley that was somehow beautiful, she tried to plan and found she had no idea what to do.

She was completely dependent on Raum. Her strength was dampened in Hell while his was increased. Yes, she’d seen Murmur’s castle, but she had no idea how to get there now that they were on the ground, and she knew if she took to the sky, she would stand out like a sore thumb. A sparkling, angelic thumb.

This was why she’d made this bargain. This was why she had chosen Raum. Not because of his captivating eyes or mysterious allure, but because he was known for his skills of thievery and was the perfect accomplice.

He was the lone wolf. The quiet one. The silent protector. His even temper ensured he would think rationally and refrain from impulsive fits of violence.

And she’d been right. Everything had, thus far, gone according to plan.

She ought to feel excited. Determined. But instead, the deceit was eating a hole in her stomach. She may have sparkled like an angel, but what she’d done to get here made her feel no better than the demons eviscerating each other on that battlefield.

“I cleaned up a bit. It’s better.”

She twisted on the rock to find Raum standing in the doorway.

She stood. “Okay. Thank you.”

He disappeared, so she followed him, coming up short when she stepped over the threshold. The smell was still there, but it was vastly improved and overpowered by a sweet, smoky scent much like incense.

There was a small fire burning in a hearth she hadn’t seen before. A stash of mystery herbs smoked on a metal plate on a grate over top—the source of the improved scent. Across the hearth, a pile of furs was thrown over a narrow bed, ropes knotted around a wooden frame to serve as a mattress. There was a small table and two chairs below one window.

Behind everything, at the back of the cave…was a huge pile of gold.

Her eyes widened, and she realized Raum had not in any way been exaggerating when he called the dwelling ‘somewhere to stash loot.’ For that appeared to be exactly what it was.

“Where did you get all this?” she asked in awe, approaching the pile. It was stacked to the ceiling. Coins, goblets, plates, weapons, jewelry, crowns—if one could name it, it was here.

“I stole it,” he replied simply.

“From whom?”

“Everyone.”

She turned around with a frown, trying to understand.

For once, he elaborated without prompting. “I used to start battles with other demons if I heard they had good shit. Then I stole it and stashed it. Sometimes I’d camp out for a couple days to guard it if I thought they’d come after me. That’s why I built the bed.”

She surveyed the pile with renewed awe. “You must have fought in a great many battles to have amassed this much bounty.”

He shrugged. “This is one of the smaller stashes.”

“Wait— There’s more?”

He nodded.

“How much more?”

Another shrug. “I have a couple dozen more spots like this. I hid some so well, I forgot where they were. And I had a lot more shit when I still had my territory. I lost it all when we defected.” His jaw clenched like he didn’t like that.

He was…a hoarder.

A giant golden-eyed demon-crow hoarder.

She squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again. Okay. That’s fine. Humans came in many varieties, so why not demons? She imagined that his life had been very unstable, and she couldn’t imagine the trauma a demon amassed after thousands of years in Hell, but it had to be astronomical.

A compulsive urge like hoarding treasure was probably an outlet of sorts—a fixation with possession in a place where one could lose everything in a moment—and far be it for her to judge him for that.

Sunshine had plenty of her own baggage, and she knew what it felt like to feel singled out. To be looked at sidelong. To be the object of pitied whispers and stares. To hear uncomfortable silence fall whenever anyone accidentally brought up the past.

She spun back around with a smile, determined not to let Raum glimpse her sympathy. It didn’t take much to figure out he would detest such sentiment.

“This will make an excellent base,” she declared, turning her back on the treasure horde. She went to the table, unfastened her cloak, and draped it over the back of a chair. “What are our next steps?”

He narrowed his eyes with that distrustful look he often got. “You stay here while I fly to the edge of Murmur’s territory. I need to figure out what we’re dealing with.”

“How to breach the wards, you mean?”

He nodded.

“Can you carry me with you like you did to get here?”

“My demon form’s recognizable. If I go in crow form, it’s safer.”

She’d thought as much herself as they flew here, but that didn’t mean she liked the idea of being left alone.

“I’ll put the ward up again when I go,” he said like he knew her thoughts. “No one can get in.”

She didn’t like that he read her so easily. “I am capable of defending myself.”

“You’re still an angel in Hell. That’s why you blackmailed me in the first place, right?”

Their stares locked as the reminder of what she was holding over his head hung between them. No matter what happened, no matter what adventure they undertook to procure the book…they would never be true allies.

“You’re right,” she said. “I will stay here for that part of the task, but only that. My statement earlier stands. I must be involved.”

“Suit yourself.” He strode toward the door. “Need anything before I go?”

“You’re leaving now?”

“What else would I do?”

“We just got here. Don’t you want to rest?”

He glanced at the single bed and then back at her, and his brow lifted. “No.”

And seeing as neither of them required food or water to survive, if he wasn’t tired, there really was no need to wait, was there?

“Okay,” she said, unsure why she was reluctant for him to go.

He opened the door.

She lifted her hand in a feeble wave.

He stepped outside without returning the gesture, but before disappearing completely, his head popped back through the door frame. “If I don’t come back in twelve hours, take a hellgate back to Earth.”

“But—”

“Remember, our agreement still holds if I’m dead or compromised.”

She managed a nod.

“And tell my brothers not to come for me.”

“But—”

“Just write a note and slip it in the mailbox or some shit. They won’t know who you are.”

“But—”

“Just say you’ll do it,” he snapped.

“Yes. I’ll do it.”

The door slammed.

Alone, Sunshine sat heavily on the edge of the bed, nerves churning her stomach. This was her first time in Hell since the incident, and the past she’d worked so hard to bury suddenly seemed too close. She definitely didn’t like Raum being out there alone either.

Think of the task. The task had to come first. Her goal, her restitution, had to be her primary objective.

Everything else was secondary.

10

AS THE CROW FLIES

Raum shifted into crow form and took to the skies. Had he still been in human form, his face would have felt hot. There were several reasons for that reaction, but all of them narrowed down to one: Sunshine.

Perfect, smiling Sunshine and her sparkly skin.

Her reaction to seeing his treasure hoard was embarrassing. That careful smile, the tightness in her shoulders… It bothered him that she had the power to affect him that way, but he didn’t know how to change it.

Even more strange was his readiness to volunteer information about himself. She’d assumed this was his only stash, and he’d corrected her. Like he wanted her to know him.

He wanted to shock her with the ugly parts of himself and see how she reacted.

Why, he wasn’t sure. But he wished he could take it back.

Once high enough to see the Necromancer’s lair in the distance, he angled toward it and began his journey. The castle wasn’t his destination, however. He was seeking the perimeter wards on the edge of Murmur’s territory.

All powerful demons had different types of wards and magics they employed, best suited to their particular brand of evil. Murmur was said to be the most skilled at necromancy in the entire underworld.

There was more to the art than just the communication and raising of the dead, and Raum assumed Murmur would use it for his perimeter wards, though he didn’t know how it worked. That was the point of this little mission.

Oftentimes, demons took great pains to hide their perimeter wards so that potential invaders couldn’t find and destroy them. That depended on the type of ward, however. Weaker wards would be broken by simply disrupting them. Some could be disrupted, but the maker of the ward would be immediately aware. Others were too strong to be disturbed at all, and the creator would leave them proudly on display as a sign of their power and a warning to others that they were a fearsome enemy.

Unsurprisingly, this proved to be the case with Murmur.

As Raum approached the territory line, he noticed small stone towers spread periodically around the perimeter. Hellfire beacons burned at the tops, like Murmur wanted others to see exactly where his territory began so they wouldn’t dare stray upon it.

Raum’s avian gaze zeroed in on the closest tower, and he set a course for it. After several more minutes of flying, he tucked his wings in and swooped toward the tower below.

He perched atop a dead tree, letting out a caw to add credibility to his crow act. There were beasts and bugs in Hell nearly identical to those on Earth—vultures, mosquitos, cockroaches, etcetera—and Raum’s crow had always made an excellent disguise for that reason.

Scanning the apparently deserted area, Raum alighted and landed atop the stone tower. The hellfire torch was hot enough here to feel the heat on his feathers. Another few feet and he’d cross into Murmur’s territory.

Still, no one appeared that he could see, and he figured this was the best chance he was going to get to look at the ward up close.

Swooping again, he landed on the edge of the narrow windowsill. The entrance was barred with a sturdy door reinforced with metal bars, but the windows were high and too small for anyone to fit through, so they were open. Too small for anyone but a bird, that was.

Stooping his head, he slipped forward through the slit in the stone, all his instincts hating having his body confined to the narrow space. Once inside, he jumped down to the floor with a couple flaps to slow his descent. He looked up and studied the ward before him, drawn in blood on the flat wall at the back of the room.

It was necromancy, no doubt about it. In the center of the sigil, various items were suspended with string from the ceiling. There were bones of various shapes and sizes, a shriveled gargoyle head, an enormous dried heart from some unidentifiable monster, a few dried underworld plants, and—he shuddered—the amputated wings and feet of a crow.

He didn’t know for sure how the ward functioned, but he could guess. A breach would likely notify Murmur, who would send his army of souls out to attack with a vengeance. It was possible to draw wards that prevented anyone from crossing—like the ones they kept around their apartment on Earth—but it took a lot of power and simply wasn’t practical for a territory this size.

Raum wasn’t going to risk bypassing the ward and making a break for the castle, because he was pretty sure he’d end up regretting it within a very short time. That meant he needed a disguise. Not just a physical disguise—a magical one.

Cursing, which came out as an indignant squawk, he flew back to the narrow windowsill, squished his body through, and popped out the other side, immediately taking flight to perch on the tree branch he’d chosen before.

He checked the land and still saw no sign of life. But that didn’t mean no one was there. For all he knew, a whole pile of Murmur’s souls had gathered and were watching him now.

Could they go completely invisible? Or would there always be a faint outline of their forms, as there was when they swirled at Murmur’s feet? Raum didn’t know, and it bothered him.

Shaking off a shudder, he took to the skies with a caw, heading back towards the hideout with a detour along the way in case he was followed.

He knew what they needed to make it past the wards. He also knew what Sunshine was going to say. Neither of them were going to be happy about it, but it had to be done to get that fucking book.

Despite the undeniable thrill he felt at the coming heist, he already regretted getting involved in this. Not that he’d had a choice, thanks to Sunshine and her blackmail.

When she turned that sweet smile on him, it was easy—easy and tempting—to soften toward her. She exuded kindness and warmth. She was like a crackling fire on a cold winter night. A hot bath for aching limbs. A lungful of mountain air after city pollution. Everything about her was inviting.

But if she was a fire, she was the one that would burn his house down. If she was fresh air, she was laced with toxic gas. Everything appealing about her was a lie, and he wasn’t going to forget it.

AFTER A RIGOROUS BEATING with a tree branch, Sunshine carried the last of the furs back to the cot and draped it over the others. Stepping back, she planted her hands on her hips and surveyed a job well done.

Though she didn’t want to imagine what sort of creature had been skinned to make those silky furs, she would admit they were lovely. And now that the dust was beaten out of them, they were much more comfortable for sleeping. The bed looked almost inviting now.

But despite how long it had been since she last slept, she wasn’t tired. She was restless. She didn’t like thinking about Raum out there alone.

As she spun around and took in the rest of the dark cave, she was hit with the sudden urge to clean. It would be nice to keep her hands busy so she wouldn’t worry about the fact that she was currently in Hell, by herself, putting her life in the hands of a demon that likely wanted to kill her. Worrying about a demon that likely wanted to kill her.

After a thorough search of the house, she was pleased to discover a twig broom tucked in a recess of the cave wall. She pictured Raum sweeping his hoard cave and smiled to herself.

Throwing the door and windows wide, she got busy sweeping, starting at the back of the cave around the treasure pile and working the dirt toward the door and eventually outside.

When the fire in the hearth started to die, she ventured a little further out—though always within sight of the door—and collected more fallen branches, of which there were plenty since every tree here seemed to be dead. She wondered if they somehow grew dead, or if something had come through and killed all the life in what had once been a vibrant forest.

Whatever the origins of underworld trees, they provided excellent firewood, and Sunshine soon returned to the cave with an armful of branches, setting them in a neat pile beside the hearth to be used as needed.

Her urge to tidy still not satisfied, she sought another task. Back in the same recess where she’d found the broom, she also discovered several rags, so she set about dusting the table and chairs and other surfaces.

Then she turned her attention to the treasure pile.

It was a mountain of the finest pieces of gold and other priceless metals, of fine jewelry and art, of weapons and crockery. And it was all sitting in a pile while the rest of the cave looked quite primitive.

Inspiration struck, and next thing Sunshine knew, she had a rag in hand and was sorting through the mess. She found a candelabra studded with jewels that she cleaned and set atop the fireplace. Several solid gold plates were put in a neat stack on the shelf above the table. A pair of matching goblets was added to complete the set.

Somewhere along the way, she started to have fun, and the cave began to look quite lovely. This only spurred her on, and she dug back into the treasure pile with renewed vigor.

She found an elaborate necklace far too heavy to be worn and hung it over the door instead. She found a beautiful end table with inlaid jewels and set that as a nightstand. A thick rug with gold tassels was put in front of the fireplace. She hung several decorated shields on jagged rock points in the cave walls.

“How lovely,” she breathed as she lifted a gilded bodice from the pile. It was more like a metal bustier, in fact, crusted with jewels and carved with fine detail. She would never have cause to wear such an impractical garment, but she could certainly appreciate the beauty of—

“You broke the ward.”

She spun around to find a dark outline filling the frame of the door she had indeed left wide open. She couldn’t see his silhouetted face, but she still knew it was him.

“It only works if the door’s closed,” he said.

“I was letting in some fresh air.”

“Someone could have found you.”

“I was keeping an eye out.”

“It’s not safe.”

“I was being careful.”

“You were being stupid.”

She set the bustier down and planted her hands on her hips. “We may be temporary allies, but that doesn’t give you the right to insult me.”

There was a pause.

“If you think that was insulting, remind me to never let you hang around my brothers.” If she wasn’t mistaken, there was humor in his voice.

He stepped inside, closing the door behind him to seal the ward, and looked around. “I like what you’ve done with the place.”

“Things needed a little sprucing up. And you certainly have no shortage of decor.”

He was silent for a moment, still taking in her decorating efforts. “I’d never used it like this before.”

“The treasure you stole?”

He nodded.

“Why not?”

His shoulder lifted briefly. “I just took it, threw it in a pile, and went to get more.”

She laughed. “Well, if you ever need a decorator again, call me up. I could do this all day.”

The silence fell again, and she wished he would come closer so the fire would illuminate his face. As it was, she could only catch the faintest shimmer of his gold eyes.

Then she remembered what she should actually be asking about. “Did you discover a way past the wards?”

“Yes and no.” He finally ventured in, walking over to sit on the edge of the cot.

“Care to elaborate?” she finally asked when he didn’t speak again.

“I found the perimeter wards. I don’t know how to break them, but I don’t think we need to.”

“Why not?”

“Rather than breaking the ward, we’ll find a way to get in without setting it off.”

“Is that possible? Wouldn’t it defeat the whole purpose of the ward if it was easy to do that?”

“It’s possible, but not easy. All magic has a loophole.”

“So what’s the loophole in this case?”

Raum leaned onto his hands behind him. “It’s rare and expensive as shit, but we happen to be sitting in a cave full of treasure, and since there’s only two of us, I think we can swing it. It’s not useful in an invasion since it costs so much and wears off after only a couple hours.”

“Dare I ask what it is?”

“It’s a spell, inscribed on a stone and worn as an amulet. It’s risky to buy because the seller can’t be trusted as far as you can throw her, and as soon as you ask for it, it’s pretty obvious you’re planning a raid. Word spreads fast.”

They hadn’t even made a plan yet and already nerves were chewing a hole in her stomach. “And where do we acquire such a product?”

“The Blood Market.”

A chill raced down Sunshine’s spine, and she stiffened.

Slowly, she forced her muscles to unfreeze, swallowing hard. Raum was looking at the fire and didn’t seem to have noticed her reaction, and she wanted to keep it that way. The last thing she needed was for him to find another excuse to leave her behind. Especially when she would be sorely tempted to stay.

“The Blood Market is busy,” she managed to say. “People will see us.”

Raum nodded. “We’ll wear the cloaks. And we’ll need to do something to cover your scent.”

“My scent?” She raised her arm to her nose and sniffed. “I don’t think I have a scent.”

“It’s more like a psychic scent. Most demons couldn’t detect it, but some can. You don’t smell like anything to me, but if Mist sniffed you, he’d probably know exactly what you are.”

She dug her fingernails into her palms to keep her hands steady. “How do I disguise my scent?”

“You won’t like it.”

“Why not?”

He was looking at her now, golden eyes brighter than anything in the treasure pile. Would she ever get accustomed to the intensity of that stare? “You could stay here.”

“I’m not staying here, Raum.” Despite how badly I want to. “What do I have to do?”

“The easiest way to make you smell like a demon is to kill one and cover you in its ashes.”

Her stomach lurched. “Kill? As in…permanently kill?”

He nodded.

“Can’t you just use the blood?”

“You’d rather be covered in blood than ashes?”

She grimaced. “No.”

The corner of his mouth pulled up briefly. “The ashes are more effective anyway. The scent lasts longer. Trust me, it’s the worst thing you’ll ever smell.”

“Valefor,” Sunshine said before she could stop herself, remembering how Belial had burned the demon to ashes before her eyes. Well, she’d been perched on top of the building across the street watching through the window, but the effect was the same. And she’d certainly been able to smell it once Iris had opened the window.

Valefor hadn’t broken any rules—even the human he’d kidnapped had been a witch and therefore not under Heaven’s protection—and his death was unsanctioned. Those complicit would face punishment if they were caught. It was yet more leverage she could hold against Raum and his brothers if she chose.

Raum’s brow furrowed. “You saw that?” He’d mentioned Valefor when they’d taken the hellgate to his former lair, but he’d avoided mentioning how he died.

She shifted on her feet. “I told you I was watching you, didn’t I?”

He didn’t answer, but his stare didn’t waver. The silence dragged on, until he suddenly twisted and lay down on the cot, kicking off his shoes and lacing his hands behind his head.

“We’ll go in a few hours when I’ve had some rest. Haven’t slept in two days.”

“Does the Market stay open at night?”

“Days are twice as long as Earth and nights are three times as long, but demons usually sleep every twelve hours or so. So nothing in Hell is dependent on the time of day. It’ll be open.”

“That sounds confusing and awful.”

“It’s Hell.”

She stood in silence and waited for him to say more, until she suddenly realized he planned on sleeping right then. In fact, he might’ve already fallen asleep.

She looked around, suddenly uncomfortable. If she was wise, she would get some rest as well.

She looked at the bed—the narrow bed—and winced. She wasn’t that tired. She would lay down on the rug by the fireplace for a bit to stretch out her back.

The floor was hard and uneven, and the rug only provided so much padding, but she studiously convinced herself she was fine where she was. She had no need to share the bed with Raum. That would be ridiculous.

11

BLOOD LUST

“Say it again.”

“I would do anything for you.” Her voice was husky from prolonged cries of pleasure.

His hips flexed in a lazy circle, and the feel of her body gripping him was greater than any promise of Heaven.

“And I would burn down worlds for you,” he replied, tangling his claws in her thick hair and clenching his fingers to demonstrate his control. His arm was covered in black scales—as was the rest of his body.

He remembered the first time she had seen him in his half demon form. His full demon was little more than a beast, but this form was almost worse.

He’d expected her to shudder or at least carefully disguise her revulsion out of sensitivity to his feelings. Instead, she had risen to her toes, reached up to stroke one of his feathered wings, and whispered, “You are magnificent.”

She had asked him to take her in that form that very night.

Never had he thought his archenemy, the angel who had stalked and threatened him for decades, would become the most precious thing in his universe. Never could he have imagined she would look at him with trust in her eyes as she surrendered her body to his control.

How long had they hunted each other before their bond had formed and he’d realized he’d sooner cut his own arms off than harm her? Decades. A century, perhaps.

But he didn’t regret a moment of their rivalry. It had been the most exhilarating thrill of his life.

“Say it again,” he demanded, needing to hear her words.

“I would cast the innocent into flames to spare you from harm,” she promised, arching her spine as he drove deeper into her. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, spurring him to push further still. Beneath her, her glorious white wings were spread across the pillows, reminding him what she risked by being with him. A gift he would never squander.

“Again.”

“I would do anything for you! I would—” Her voice broke on a cry as he pushed still deeper, and her efforts at speech dissolved with her ecstasy.

“They could take everything from me,” he swore, tightening the hand in her hair until she met his gaze, “but so long as I have you, my little ray of sunshine, I will have lost nothing.”

He released her hair and stroked it back, baring the slender column of her neck. Her eyes, already hazy with pleasure, darkened further. He drove harder into her. Her body gripped him like a vice, and his head swam with unfathomable rapture.

“Please,” she gasped. “Take all of me, I beg you.”

He dropped his head and sank his fangs into her tender throat, and the rich flavor that filled his mouth transported him to ecstasy…

SUNSHINE HAD DRIFTED off only to awaken shortly after for no apparent reason. And try as she might, she couldn’t make herself go back to sleep. Eventually, she gave up.

Taking her polishing rag, she began picking through treasure in the pile, finding pieces she thought the demon they were meeting at the Blood Market might be interested in for their trade. She figured a sack full of finely polished treasure stood a decent chance of making the mysterious seller more amenable.

The next hour or so passed thusly. She selected a piece, turning it over in her hands to inspect. If she thought it useful, she polished it carefully and set it in the pile. If not, she polished it anyway, and set it back in Raum’s stash.

If he was going to have a hoard of treasure, he might as well take care of it. What good was a pile of gold if it wasn’t at least shiny?

The task was strangely meditative, and she found her thoughts drifting and her mind calming. So she was caught quite by surprise when Raum suddenly lurched upright on the cot.

Her eyes had long since adjusted to the dim firelight, and she could see his chest heave as he stared ahead with wide eyes.

“Raum?”

He didn’t move. She wasn’t sure he’d even heard her.

“Is everything okay?”

His head snapped toward her, and it was the first time she’d seen him make such a bird-like movement in human form. Staring at her didn’t seem to relax him. If anything, his eyes got even wider, and his chest never stopped moving with rapid breath.

“Is everything all right?” she asked again.

He blinked. Twice. The third time, he squeezed his eyes shut, and his throat moved on a hard swallow. “Yeah,” he croaked. “Just a dream.”

“A nightmare?”

“No. Well…kinda?” He winced, running a hand over his head. “Just a really fucking weird dream.”

Likely it was a nightmare, but he was too proud to admit it. She could sympathize.

For years after her incident, she’d been plagued with terrible dreams, snippets of her suffering mingling with nonsensical muddled memories. Eventually they’d faded as her mind healed with time, but she had never forgotten the dread that consumed her every time she contemplated resting, knowing what would haunt her in the darkness.

“Do you want to talk about it?” she dared to ask.

“No,” he said with uncharacteristic emphasis. “Nope. No. I’m good.” He swung his legs around and stood so suddenly, she tensed. “You ready to go?”

“Now?”

“Yeah.”

“I—” She looked at her treasure pile and realized that if it got any bigger, they wouldn’t be able to carry it. “Yes, I suppose I am. I compiled some items I think might make good offerings for our amulets.”

“Great.” He seemed unusually on edge and appeared to be avoiding her gaze.

“Are you sure you’re all right?”

“Fine. Let’s get going.”

Taking him at his word, she climbed to her feet, gathered her treasure in the rough piece of canvas she’d found and then pulled on the rope she weaved through holes at the edges, pleased when the whole thing tightened like a sack.

She’d also found a pair of fine leather gloves, embroidered with delicate gold threads, and she pocketed those too. They would be useful for hiding her angelic skin.

Hefting the considerable weight of the treasure sack, she went outside to wait for Raum, snagging their cloaks off the chair back as she passed. When he followed her out a moment later, he was shirtless.

She blinked, unable to stop her gaze from roaming his bared skin.

He caught her look and scowled. “I don’t want to tear my clothes if I need my wings.”

She offered a bland smile as if his explanation was unnecessary and she hadn’t been staring. “Is it dusk?” she asked just to change the subject. “The sky seems darker.” Instead of ruby-blood red, it was more of a burgundy, like the dried blood reinscribed on the door for the ward.

“Yeah. It’ll be night in an hour or so.”

Setting down the sack of gold, she donned her cloak and then held Raum’s out to him. He put it on, leaving the hood down. Pulling her braid over one shoulder, she lifted her own hood, donned her new hand coverings, and secured the fastenings at the neck.

“Nice gloves,” he said, and she realized he’d been watching her the entire time.

For some reason, her heart skipped a beat. “I found them in the treasure pile.”

She studied him. He was still watching her. She lightly cleared her throat, indicating her readiness to leave. He didn’t move, except to run a thumb over his lower lip.

She didn’t think he was aware of the action, but her gaze fixed on it, and she suddenly found herself admiring the fullness of his mouth and the contrast of his bright eyes against his dark skin and—

“I have to shift to demon form again,” he said, shooting her a look. What sort of look, she couldn’t say. He was very hard to read.

Was he hesitating? But why? He was an immortal, ancient demon, and this form wasn’t new to him. In fact, it would be understandable if he felt more comfortable in it than his human one.

Was it because of her then? Because he…cared what she thought of him?

“I enjoyed our first flight,” she said quickly, offering an encouraging smile. “Your demon form is very impressive, and it’s relaxing to be in the sky without using my own wings.”

His face morphed into a scowl.

Inwardly, she winced. Perhaps she’d read him wrong, and he was only hesitant because he despised touching the woman who had threatened to murder his family.

Unfortunately, that was more likely.

He turned away then, and a moment later, the enormous demon bird stood before her. His great beak turned in her direction, and he fixed her with that piercing golden stare, made even more intense by his drastic increase in size.

He was intimidating. Looming and covered in silky black feathers, with claws that could sever limbs with a single swipe.

He held out one of those deadly feet to her. Hefting the sack of gold, she bent awkwardly so he was able to wrap his talons around her torso. Tucking her against his body, he hopped with the other leg, spread his four enormous wings, and took to the darkening sky.

He didn’t secure her with his second foot even once they were in flight, and she wondered why. Still, she felt safe in his hold, and she found herself enjoying the sensation of his downy feathers at her back. She wished she could feel them against her skin.

He rose so high, the landscape turned into tiny specs below. Wind rushing in her ears, she craned her neck to see his face, watching his head swivel as he kept a sharp eye on their surroundings. He was hauntingly majestic, and she longed to tell him so.

As she dangled from his talons, she felt a strange ache well in her chest.

You’re a fool, Sunshine.

She needed to banish such sentiments from her mind for good. Not only was Raum her enemy, but she was soon to be reinstated as a Principality, a leader of all the Third Sphere angels. Romantic delusions about a demon, of all things, were not in the job description.

She was so tangled in her tumultuous thoughts that she was caught by surprise when Raum banked sharply and executed a neat dive. Frowning, she peered ahead, unsure of his target destination until she noticed a fire burning in a small clearing.

As they approached with rapid speed, she could discern a figure seated beside it, holding a stick of meat over the flames. The figure had horns and folded wings, with a short, stocky build. He was alone out there on the plains of Hell, and she wondered what—

Raum’s leg shot out—the one not holding her—and he snatched the demon in his talons and swooped back into the sky.

Sunshine stifled her scream as the creature writhed and shrieked as the bird’s powerful claws dug into its flesh, shredding its leathery wings. Higher and higher Raum flew.

And then he opened his talons and dropped his prey.

The demon plummeted, hoarse screams fading as it fell, torn wings flapping futilely. At the last second, Sunshine closed her eyes to avoid watching it splatter as it hit the ground, cries silencing abruptly.

Raum swooped again, and a moment later, he landed neatly beside the shattered remains. He set Sunshine down, who stumbled slightly from her shock.

“By the Spheres!” she shouted before she could stop herself. “Why did you do that?”

“We need to kill a demon,” Raum said, shifting back to human form. He stalked toward the bloodied remains that Sunshine was still trying not to look at.

“He was just sitting there, cooking his dinner. He didn’t do anything. We can’t just murder him in cold blood!”

Raum pinned her with a piercing look. “He’s a demon. They’re evil, remember?”

She sputtered. “But—”

“That’s why you made that bargain with me, isn’t it? Because you wouldn’t hesitate to kill a demon in cold blood. That’s why your threat worked, right?”

She swallowed her protest. If she denied it, he would know how she’d manipulated him. “You’re right,” she said stiffly, forcing her voice to be level. “I don’t care if you kill him.”

“Pass me one of your knives.” His stare never wavered. His voice was level.

With a hand that shook slightly, she unsheathed her blade and passed it to him. On Earth, he wouldn’t be able to touch it without it burning through his flesh. In Hell, however, the weapon had no extra power.

She watched with quiet horror as Raum swung the knife and decapitated the splattered demon with a single strike, the blade hitting the soil with a heavy thud.

He passed it back without wiping it, staring at her as if daring her to react to the violence.

She did not. She would not. Instead, she pulled a rag from the pouch on her belt, carefully wiped the blade, and resheathed the weapon at her thigh.

If there was one thing an angel was practiced at, it was maintaining an even temperament through any trial. Hours of meditation and strict discipline ensured they could remain level-headed at all times. No matter what turmoil raged within, she knew how to project a calm facade.

The next several minutes were equally gruesome as Raum proceeded to use the decapitated demon’s blood to draw a sigil on the ground. When he finished the last line, the entire circle burst into flames, and she realized he had just summoned hellfire.

Without hesitation, Raum dragged the pieces of the demon’s carcass into the flames and then stood back and watched them burn.

Demons could regenerate even from decapitation, but incineration with hellfire would permanently destroy it. It was a grave transgression of the rules to kill a demon without sanction. Yet here Sunshine stood, watching it happen.

Was there no line she wouldn’t cross to regain her rank? Would she even be worthy of it at the end, after all she’d done to get there?

She was discovering a side of herself she hadn’t known existed. There was a part of her that was calculating and cold and would do anything to achieve her aims. It scared her a little, but not enough for her to stop.

She and Raum stood side by side while the demon was cremated, her eyes stinging from the stench. He was right; the smell was awful.

“I can’t believe I’m complicit in murder,” she murmured, shaking her head.

“If it makes you feel any better, he was in the middle of roasting another demon.” Raum pointed to their victim’s campfire, and she saw the meat on a stick he’d been cooking over the flames before he’d been captured.

Upon closer inspection, she distinguished the shape of another creature impaled on the stick. Bones, skin, teeth, and all. Its charred face was still open in a silent scream, eyes burnt out of their sockets.

She grimaced. “How awful.” But she had to admit it brought a measure of relief. “Won’t a demon survive being eaten like that?”

“Yep. They’ll regenerate right in the pile of shit. And you know we don’t need to eat to survive. This guy was cannibalized just for kicks.”

“That’s horrific.” Her guilt had all but vanished at this point.

Raum had the audacity to laugh.

Finally, their victim finished incinerating, and the hellfire was extinguished. What remained at the center of the circle was a pile of gray ash.

“Now what?” she asked hesitatingly, staring at the pile.

“You’re not going to like it.”

“I already guessed that.” She wanted nothing to do with a dead cannibal demon’s remains, ashes or otherwise.

Pulling a small jar from his pocket that she recognized from the loot pile, Raum bent and filled it with ash. He stood again. “Come here.”

Warily, she approached. He dipped a thumb into the container and reached toward her face. When she lurched back, he cocked a brow. Grimacing, she leaned in again and forced herself to be still.

He swiped a streak of ash on each of her cheeks below her eyes like some hellish war paint. He drew another line across her brow. She wanted to throw up.

He leaned back and surveyed his work with a hint of a smile. “Looks badass.”

Even the sight of that rarity couldn’t make her feel better about this. “It smells horrendous.”

“That’s why it works. Take off your gloves and hold out your hands.”

She did as he bade, pushing her sleeves up, and he streaked a long line of ash down her arm, over the skin that sparkled in the fading light. Despite everything, despite her disgust and the awful smell, her attention fixed on where he touched her. Tingling rose the hairs on her arms where their skin connected.

What is wrong with me? She’d never been like this a day in her life.

“Hold your cloak shut and close your eyes.”

She did as he asked. “Why—”

He flicked a burst of ash at her, and it spattered down the front of her cloak. She couldn’t stifle her exclamation of disgust.

A smile twitched at his lips. “Turn around.”

She obeyed, flinching as he repeated the motion at her back.

“Ugh. Revolting.” Her skin was crawling with the urge to wipe the ash from her face. “This is possibly the most disgusting thing I’ve ever done.”

He looked amused by her plight.

Bending over the ash pile again, he refilled the jar and pocketed it. “So we can give you a refresh later,” he explained at her questioning look.

“Excellent.” Her lip curled.

“I can see your face. When we get there, make sure you keep your hood low.”

She nodded. “What if you’re recognized as we’re flying in?”

“We’ll take a hellgate from here. We’re far enough from the cave that it’s safe. The Market is a good day and a half of flying from here.”

“Oh.” She hadn’t thought of that.

She hadn’t thought of any of this, in fact. Her blood chilled with the realization of just how lost she would have been without Raum. She’d been smart in securing his aid, even if she felt terrible for manipulating him.

Dusting the ash from his hands, Raum set about casting the hellgate sigil, not far from where he’d summoned the hellfire.

There were several materials sigils could be drawn from. Most common was chalk, but since chalk didn’t work well on dirt, Raum used the blood of the demon they had murdered. The ground was cracked and dry here, and the fluid hadn’t absorbed immediately, so he was able to dip the end of a long stick into the remaining puddle like a gruesome paintbrush.

When he was done, he tossed the stick and turned around. “This gate will take us right into the Market. There are public hellgates there that can be used by anyone, so expect to immediately be surrounded by demons.”

She swallowed hard and nodded.

“Keep your hood up and your head down. Keep your hands inside your cloak. If something happens and we’re separated, find a hellgate and take it back to Earth. I’ll meet you at your apartment. If I don’t show up…” He paused. “What I said before holds up.”

He was referencing his request to tell his brothers not to come after him. Because he didn’t want his family endangered on his behalf. Because he was brave and selfless, even if he would hate being described as such.

She nodded mutely.

Raum pulled his cloak hood over his face until the faintest gleam of his golden eyes was all she could see beneath it.

And then…he grew.

He gained almost a foot of height, but as far as she could tell, he was still in human form. Until she noticed the claws and leathery skin of his hands.

“What—?” She cut herself off. It seemed rude to bombard him with questions about his appearance, but she couldn’t deny her curiosity.

“I’m half shifted.” It was impossible to discern his emotions with his face hidden behind the hood. “It’s safer to look like a demon at the Market.”

“That makes sense,” she said stiffly, but she was too busy wondering what he looked like beneath the hood.

Heading over to where she’d dropped the sack of gold, he hefted it over one shoulder. Then he returned to her and held out his free hand.

She placed her palm in his, and they stepped into the hellgate together.

12

DEN OF INIQUITY

I mages of that cursed dream haunted Raum worse than any nightmare.

Every time he looked at Sunshine, he saw her naked and writhing beneath him, whispering promises of devotion, begging him to take her blood. Obviously, he had a death wish because that was the only reason he’d be fantasizing about drinking angel blood in his dreams.

Demons weren’t vampires and didn’t need blood to survive, but they had fangs, and it tasted delicious and was always enjoyable to imbibe. Unless it was poisonous angel blood, of course.

Worse than the blood fantasy was how he had responded to her. He’d been so…passionate. He’d never been like that, even before his missing memories.

So why the hell would he dream it? It was disturbing.

He couldn’t seem to get his head straight in Sunshine’s presence, and since she was going to have to stick to him like glue while they were at the Market, that was really damn unfortunate.

The Blood Market was dangerous even when one wasn’t a wanted fugitive, and he needed to keep his wits about him.

As he’d warned Sunshine, the minute they appeared on the other side of the hellgate, they were surrounded by chaos. Bodies pressed into them from all sides. Shouting deafened him. He hadn’t formed his wings when he’d shifted because they were encumbering in a crowd, and he was glad for it now.

The hellgates were positioned in the center of the Market beneath a large pavilion with sturdy black pillars. There were over a dozen gates, full of demons coming and going. Even more crowded around, pushing and shoving, impatient for their turn.

There was no standing in line in Hell. It was first come, first serve. Every demon for themself.

As such, the instant Raum and Sunshine appeared, they were surrounded, claws shoving them from every direction, people fighting to push them out of the gate.

Someone shoved Sunshine back, breaking her grip on Raum’s hand. Gripping the sack of gold on his shoulder, he spun and saw more demons surrounding her, pulling her away from him.

He swiped the claws of his free hand into the crowd, forcing those in his proximity to duck or get cut. Rules of the Market stated that no blood was to be spilled within its boundaries—disputes had to be taken outside. But right now, he didn’t give a fuck.

He started shoving people who wouldn’t get out of his way, hard enough that they lurched back into the crowd. When he caught sight of Sunshine’s hood and saw her struggling to reach him…something stirred inside him.

It was likely that stupid dream making him delusional, but a sudden dark wrath filled him, a need to destroy anyone that put a hand on her.

He fought back the urge to start a bloodbath and kept pushing through the crowd, albeit a bit more violently. When he finally reached her, he gripped her arm tightly, pulling her against him. She was so much smaller than him when he was in this form.

Shaking the madness from his head, he started working his way through the crowd again, away from the hellgates, keeping Sunshine at his side and holding on to the gold sack.

At the edge of the pavilion, they descended the steps to the ground level. Here, the crowd thinned substantially, but the Market was still busy. Narrow lanes stretched in every direction, lined with ramshackle booths and bedraggled tents.

There was no system to the network of streets. Anywhere a lane could fit, it was made. Anywhere someone could squeeze in a stall without it being trampled, it was constructed.

Raum picked a random street and headed down it, just to get away from the worst of the crowd. Sellers hissed at them as they passed.

“Dried maggots?”

“Shriveled gargoyle hearts?”

“Incubus semen? So fresh, it’s still warm.”

“Currency exchange—we have all types of Earth money.”

“Inescapable chains! Even the strongest demons can’t break them.”

He ignored them and looked down at the angel beside him, making sure her cloak covered her properly. If someone caught even a glimpse of her, there would be a massacre.

Because of its unparalleled ability to incapacitate demons, angel blood was a valuable commodity in Hell where everyone was enemies with everyone. In fact, Raum was sure if he looked hard enough, he could find someone selling it for an exorbitant price. And here was a fresh, untapped source, standing right in the middle of it all.

He hated it. He hated that he’d brought her here, and he felt like shit about it. But she’d forced his hand. He ought not to feel sorry for her at all.

The fact that he was still blinded by this notion that she was sweet and gentle was so fucking stupid, it made him want to punch himself. The fact that he was having sex dreams about her made him want to gouge his own eyes out. It was one thing to be fooled by that innocent smile when he hadn’t known what she was, but that wasn’t the case now.

“Do you know where we’re going?” she asked as they hurried down another lane. “It’s like a maze in here.”

“Gorath saliva?” A demon with a hunched over spine stepped in front of them, holding out a bottle of liquid. “Dissolves bones in minutes. Finest quality.”

Raum sidestepped him and spoke over his shoulder to Sunshine. “I have some idea.”

“How?”

He pointed to a dark point looming in the distance over the tops of the stalls. “That’s her building. She put the spike on top so people could find it easier.”

“Who is she?”

Raum shook his head. “A psychopath.”

“You’ll have to be more specific than that.”

He didn’t get a chance to respond as another seller stepped in their path, brandishing what they claimed was the finest quality wyrm leather but what Raum could tell was just dyed gargoyle skin.

He steered Sunshine around the demon and they turned another corner, entering a small clearing where a dozen or so streets intersected. With laser-like focus, he pushed through the crowd, keeping the tower in the distance in his sights.

Sunshine tugged on his hand. “Look.”

He glanced back at her and then looked to see where she was pointing.

In the center of the clearing there was a tall noticeboard covered in dockets. Gathered around in typical demon fashion—pushing and shoving—were some of the roughest looking creatures in Hell, big demons with weapons strapped all over their armor-clad bodies.

Most of the dockets on the noticeboard had images with descriptions underneath. When Raum squinted to get a better look, he saw five recognizable faces at the very top of the board, all in a neat row.

“That’s you,” Sunshine hissed. “And all of your brothers.”

“They’re bounty hunters,” Raum explained. “And those are the job postings.”

“You’re at the top of the board!”

“We’re pretty high profile, Bel especially.”

“But— All these demons are searching for you?”

“Some, not all. There are other jobs there too.” The bounty-hunting business had likely taken off in popularity after Mist defected. There hadn’t been much need for it in the past when the Hunter was so damn good at his job.

Sunshine looked at him with alarm—he could see her eyes beneath her hood. “We need to get out of here now!”

He wasn’t keen on standing ten feet away from a bunch of bloodthirsty killers either, so he started forward again. He forced himself to walk casually. The primary objective was to avoid attracting attention.

They reached the edge of the clearing unscathed, and after several more twists and turns, dodging more sellers, the black tower finally appeared at the end of a shabby courtyard.

Even from here, the sexual energy coming from inside was palpable.

Demons were fucking on benches lining the walkway or up against the buildings on either side. They passed one openly jerking off who waved his dick at them in hello. Sunshine recoiled and stepped closer to Raum.

“What is this ungodly place?” she hissed.

Raum scanned their surroundings, noted a small alcove off the one side, and headed toward it. “It’s a brothel, a bar, and a sex club all in one. It’s a powerful succubus’s feeding grounds.” He guided Sunshine into the corner. “I need to put more ash on your face. We can’t risk anyone scenting you inside.”

She pressed her back against the wall, and he stepped closer, using his body to shield her from anyone behind him. It was dark in their little corner, but when she tipped her face up, he could see her grimace.

But she didn’t protest. He had a feeling she would take a bath in demon blood if she had to now that she’d seen the dangers of the Blood Market for herself. A little ash smeared on her face was nothing.

Setting the gold sack at his feet and pulling the bottle out of his pocket, he dipped his finger in and retraced the lines on her cheeks and forehead, his gnarled black claw decidedly incongruous against her cheek.

Fuck, her skin was so smooth. Honey brown and silky soft, it was the kind of skin meant to glow under sunlight. Not be tucked away beneath an ugly cloak and smeared with ashes outside the dirtiest brothel in Hell.

Damn him for these persistent idiotic thoughts, but he really wanted to get her out of here.

“The succubus owns the club?” she asked.

“Yeah.”

“And she’s the one who can get us what we need?”

He nodded, momentarily losing focus as he stared at her lips. The temptation to run his thumb over her bottom one to feel its fullness was so overwhelming, it was only the ashes on his hand that kept him from doing it.

“Why her?” Sunshine asked.

He shook himself. “She specializes in procuring things. She’s well connected, and she doesn’t pick sides. She’s like a neutral go-between.”

“I guess people are often at war here.”

“Always. Hold out your arms.”

There wasn’t room in the alcove for Sunshine to straighten her elbows between them. She lifted her hands hesitantly as if unsure what to do.

“Put them on me,” he grunted, hating himself.

Her gloved palms landed on his pecs, and he couldn’t stop the muscles from jumping at the feel of her touch. You’re a fucking dumbass. If she’d seen his scaled face, she’d probably think he was ugly as sin, and here he was getting all excited about her touching him.

Harder than was perhaps necessary, he smeared the ash up her forearms and then pulled her sleeves back down to hide her sparkling skin. He didn’t bother asking her to remove her gloves this time, since her hands seemed well covered.

He pocketed the bottle when he was finished. “We’re gonna go in there, make the buy, and get the fuck out as fast as possible, okay?”

She nodded.

“Let me do the talking. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but just go along with what I do.”

She nodded. “I trust you.”

He gritted his teeth. He hated when she said that. If she had any sense, she would know that a demon forced into service would seek any opportunity to spite the one who’d trapped him. She should be expecting him to stab her in the back at every corner.

“Who is the seller?” she asked.

“Naiamah, a Queen of Hell. A royal pain in the ass and a crazy-ass bitch.”

“That’s not very nice to say.”

He snorted. “Just wait until you meet her.”

NAIAMAH WAS one of the most powerful succubi in Hell. One didn’t earn the title of King or Queen of Hell without having serious cred. Raum didn’t know her personally, but he knew enough to know they needed to tread carefully.

A long time ago, she and Bel had had some on-again, off-again sexcapade-type relationship that was the height of dysfunction. Bel had been nearly mindless with rage back then, blowing up at the slightest provocation, and Raum remembered Ash telling him that he suspected Naiamah deliberately tried to rile him up.

All that had been before the four of them teamed up and became brothers, before Raum’s three-hundred-year memory gap even, and he didn’t know the dirty details. All he knew was that Bel hated her now, and hellfire would flicker in his eyes—the first sign of an oncoming temper tantrum—if anyone mentioned her name. So no one ever did.

And now here Raum was, waltzing right into her lair to do business.

To clarify: he was waltzing into a succubus’s lair, which was basically just a giant orgy, with an angel at his side, to buy a forbidden substance from someone who couldn’t recognize him or he’d be dead.

He was feeling really great about his life choices right about now.

Behind him, Sunshine sucked in a breath as they stepped into the dark structure and their eyes adjusted to the shadows.

It was set up like a club, with a dance floor and a stage and a bar at the back of the room. But it was more than that. The stage currently featured a train of a least a dozen people fucking, circling around another foursome in the center. On either side of the stage, bird-like cages hung from the ceiling, full of still more people fucking. The audience was either dancing to the throbbing music—which sounded more like disembodied war drums than club beats—watching the spectacle on the stage, or trying to imitate it themselves.

Around them, in every dark corner available, more people engaged in various sexual acts. Here, gender and sexual orientation were mostly irrelevant. Everyone fucked everyone. Sex was sex, and the potent energy coming from the queen of the establishment ensured all were equally enthralled.

Even Raum, who wanted to get out of here as soon as possible, felt his body hardening in response. His blood felt hot and his head spun, making it hard to focus.

“You good?” he whispered to Sunshine beside him.

She said nothing, so he leaned down, trying to see her face beneath her hood. He could just make out the shimmer of her dark eyes, wide with astonishment, as she stared at her surroundings. He could just bet she’d never seen anything like this before.

“Sunshine?’

“Mm?” Her gaze snapped to his. “Oh, yes.”

“Try to…focus. I know it’s hard in here.”

If he wasn’t mistaken, she was staring at his mouth. “Yes, very hard.”

Shit. Looked like it was up to him to be the sensible one.

Why do I always have to be the sensible one? From the day he’d met Meph in that tavern so long ago, he’d been filling that role, and it was starting to piss him off.

Tapping into that self-control he suddenly really resented, he tamped down the urges rising in him the longer the stared at her. Bold of him to think Sunshine even wanted him like that anyway. How many times did he need to remind himself that angels didn’t experience sexual desire before it sank in?

Grasping her hand, he pulled her into the crowd.

He pushed through various gyrating bodies, careful to ward off any groping hands that might inadvertently pull down their hoods and expose their faces. His half demon form gave him a height advantage over the shorter demons and put him at equal height with the taller ones. If anyone wondered about the cloaks, they’d probably just assume it was some freaky role-play.

Sunshine stayed pressed against his side, and it was hard not to imagine what sort of role-play she’d be into. Probably ‘we’re both holy, pure angels who hold hands and sing. And practice abstinence.’

What felt like a hundred years later, they reached the back of the club, and Raum steered them toward the double doors he saw guarded by two gargoyles.

“Private access only,” one grunted at him as he approached, just loud enough to be heard over the music.

“I have business with Naiamah,” Raum said.

“The mistress won’t see unscheduled customers. Make an appointment and come back then.”

“I have an appointment,” he lied. “I’m her biggest buyer for the night, and she’ll rip your dicks off if she finds out you wouldn’t let me through.”

The guards exchanged looks. Naiamah may have her people wrapped around her finger, but she couldn’t create intelligence where there wasn’t any to begin with.

Sure enough, they stepped aside. Raum pushed through the doors like he had every right to be there, Sunshine at his side. Ahead, a black staircase twisted out of sight, and they climbed up, the sound of their footsteps buried beneath the deadened music.

They found themselves in an open room with a black ceiling and floor, the walls decorated with thick red drapes. All around, naked bodies writhed in the throes of pleasure. At one end of the room, a curved wall of floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the activities of the club below. On the other, an intricate black throne sat atop a dais.

Atop it, sprawled with cat-like grace, was the Queen of Hell herself.

Here, surrounded by sex, she was at her most powerful. Her pale skin reflected the glow of candlelight, and her silky black curtain of hair was swept over one shoulder. She wore a dress of chains and strips of leather so thin, it could hardly be called clothing. Her claws were painted blood red to match her lips, but that was the only part of her in demon form.

She leaned on one arm of the throne, chin propped up in her hand, expression betraying no surprise at her unexpected visitors.

Raum and Sunshine walked up to the dais. No one spoke for several moments.

“Well?” Naiamah finally said, flicking her claws in their direction. “What do you want? I don’t recall scheduling any business for this evening, so you obviously had to trick my guards to get up here.”

“I need a spell to get past necromancy perimeter wards,” Raum said, throwing caution to the wind.

Naiamah blinked and went very still before suddenly snapping, “Everyone out!”

In an instant, all the demons stopped and turned their attention to their mistress upon her throne. She flicked her claws toward the exit impatiently.

In less than a minute, the room was empty. Raum didn’t know if this was a good or bad thing, so he said nothing.

“Necromancy wards, you say?”

He nodded.

Her eyes narrowed. “I don’t normally do business with those who won’t show their faces.”

Raum didn’t respond. He wasn’t going to take his hood off, and he figured she was lying about that anyway. There were plenty of hooded strangers in Hell. Nobody liked to broadcast their business when everyone was against each other. Loyalty was a fickle thing and could change with the drop of a hat.

She seemed to accept this from his silence and let the matter go. “I can get what you need, but it’ll cost you.”

“I have gold.” Stepping forward, he dropped the sack on his shoulder on the dais at her feet. He bent, loosening the tie so the contents were visible, and then went back to Sunshine’s side.

“Hm.” She did a good job of looking unimpressed. “I’m unfathomably rich already. What makes your gold special?”

Raum ground his teeth. There was nothing ‘special’ about gold. Gold was gold, and he already knew she accepted it for her services. She was fucking with him for some reason, and he didn’t like that he didn’t know why.

Naiamah stood, the leather straps and chains of her dress falling to the floor in a dramatic sweep. Two thin strips of fabric across her breasts and a slightly larger triangle between her thighs were the only thing that made the garment decent.

She was already tall, but the heels of her boots were so high, they added nearly a foot to her height, and that wasn’t counting the elevation of the dais. If Raum had been in human form, she would have been taller than him, which made him extra glad he’d chosen to shift.

She crouched in front of the bag and rifled around. Her fingers closed around the metal bodice and she stood again, holding it up. “Now this I like.” She held it in front of her body, blood-red lips curving. “Oh, this is fab.”

She dropped it again on the pile and cocked a hip, studying Raum. Then her gaze flicked to Sunshine standing silently at his side, and one sculpted black eyebrow arched. “Your partner is awfully quiet.”

Just as Raum was racking his brain for something to put her off going any further down that line of questioning, Sunshine spoke. “He’s not my partner. He’s my employee. He does the talking on my behalf.”

He blinked. His pride balked a little at her lie, but mostly he was just impressed at her quick thinking.

“Is that so?” Naiamah chortled as if this was all highly entertaining. Then she shrugged like she’d didn’t care either way. “I accept your payment.”

He exhaled in profound relief.

“But.”

His relief evaporated.

“I’m going to need something else from you as well.”

He ground his teeth. “What?”

She returned to her throne, revealing that the back of her dress contained only one long strip of leather down her spine barely wide enough to conceal her ass. He vaguely wondered if all the straps dug into her skin when she was sitting down, but the way she lounged gave no indication of discomfort. Rather, she looked like she was sinking into a hot bath.

“I want you to kiss her.”

Raum blinked. Looked around. His eyes landed on Sunshine, cloak pulled so far over her face it was obscured completely. Surely Naiamah didn’t mean…

“Yes, her.”

He turned back to the throne to stare in shock.

“I’m a succubus, sweetheart. I feed off sexual energy. And right now, your lust for her is so strong, it’s making my head spin.”

Raum curled his hands into fists, claws digging into his palms. Fucking great. This was just what he needed. A dose of humiliation on top of the rest of this shit-heap night.

“And her lust for you…” Naiamah made a kissing sound at her pinched thumb and forefinger. “So delicious and sweet. So…pure.”

He glanced sharply at the cloaked figure beside him. Sunshine had lust for him? No, Naiamah was lying. Angels didn’t experience lust, and certainly not for demons.

But why would she lie? What did she stand to gain from it?

The Queen of Hell’s eyes flashed. “I can get you two amulets to sneak past Murmur’s boundary wards. Once activated, the spells have a lifespan of three hours, so keep that in mind. They will activate as soon as they’re set against bare skin, so keep them wrapped until you’re ready to use them.

“I’ll also throw in, as a bonus for your cooperation, not telling Murmur that you’re coming to sneak into his territory. That one’s free.” She flashed a wicked grin. “All you have to do is leave behind that nice baggie of treasure…and kiss her so I can watch. You want each other, and I want to see it.”

They didn’t have a choice, did they? Sunshine had told him that getting the book was the most important thing to her, and if that meant kissing a demon, he was pretty sure she’d do it.

Plus, Naiamah had accurately guessed that they were targeting Murmur. If they didn’t give her what she wanted, he wouldn’t put it past her to tell Murmur just to spite them.

Raum turned to his silent companion, hating the way his blood heated with anticipation. Hating the way a part of him secretly rejoiced at getting to experience something he’d wanted more of since their interaction at the nightclub.

The worst part was, it didn’t matter if she wanted him back, because he still wanted her. Whether or not Naiamah was lying about Sunshine’s lust, she sure as hell hadn’t lied about his.

He stepped closer to her, peering into the shadows of her hood as she tilted her face up. And there she was. Her eyes—those big expressive eyes—were wide and sparkling with something unnamed. Her lips… He really wanted to kiss her. Damn Naiamah for putting him in this position.

“Okay?” he asked, though what he really wanted to do was grab Sunshine and crush his mouth to hers like they were the last people alive and the world was ending.

She nodded, but her eyes got even bigger. His gaze flipped to her lips, and she licked them. Did she have any idea how hot that was?

“Oh, this is perfect,” Naiamah purred from her throne, wriggling excitedly.

That succeeded in reminding him… This wasn’t some romantic fucking kiss. This was business. Lust or no lust, Sunshine wouldn’t have kissed him under normal circumstances, and he sure as hell wouldn’t have kissed her. Not when she was blackmailing him by threatening to kill his family.

Just business, he told himself, wondering if there was any part of him that believed that.

He wrapped a hand around the back of her neck over her hood, careful to keep her face hidden. She felt small and delicate, and the urge to clench his fingers, to dig his claws into her and force her head back, was strong.

Fingers tightening, he leaned down. She was still watching him with those big dark eyes, and he wished he knew what she was thinking. Her face was normally so expressive, but he couldn’t read it now. Or maybe he was just blinded, his own emotions obscuring his ability to decipher hers.

Sunshine’s gaze flicked to his mouth, and her lips parted. Involuntarily, he licked his own just like she had. The breath left her on a quiet exhale.

He couldn’t take it anymore. He leaned down and kissed her.

Her lips were full and soft and slightly wet from her saliva. When he pressed harder into her, they parted, and her hot breath gusted into his mouth.

He angled his head, fitting them together closer, and the fingers around the back of her neck clenched. His hard cock throbbed in his pants, and he wanted to grind it against her, and damn, he couldn’t even describe how badly he wanted to feel her breasts. All that flesh overfilling his hand… And what would her ass feel like if he grabbed it? Thick and luscious and—

Before he knew what he was doing, he was digging deeper into the kiss, sweeping his tongue into her mouth.

Naiamah hadn’t said anything about using tongue. She hadn’t even described what type of kiss or how long it had to last. Nope, this was all him, but he didn’t even fucking care. As soon as his tongue brushed against Sunshine’s and she made a tiny gasp against him, all else ceased to exist.

He did it again, head spinning when he felt a tremor roll through her. The way she relaxed into his hold, dropping her head into his hand, opening her mouth to make space for his searching tongue… He’d never been this turned on in his life.

That he could remember, that was.

For some reason, it was that thought that gave him the presence of mind to pull back, and he did, breaking the kiss with a jerk of his head.

Remembering his lost memories was the reality check he needed, though he wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was because it was angels who had stolen from him, leaving him feeling like an empty shell afterward with no explanation why.

It took him another moment to gain the control to release his hold on Sunshine’s neck and step back, especially with the way she was looking at him, her chest heaving through her cloak.

Almost dreading what he’d find after having completely forgotten her presence, he turned to face Naiamah upon her throne. She was grinning so widely, the tips of her fangs were visible.

And then she started to fucking clap.

Raum wished he had a dozen daggers hidden under his cloak so he could throw them at her, one by one, pinning her to her stupid throne like it was target practice.

“Good show,” she said, ignorant of his murderous intent. Or she just didn’t care. “That was delicious. Pure, untapped lust.” She closed her eyes and inhaled. “You can’t fake that kind of chemistry. I could sit in the midst of an orgy for a week straight and not get that much energy. Truly an invigorating display.”

He focused on flexing and relaxing his claws over and over again while reliving his knife-throwing fantasy.

“Honestly, I’d have given you what you wanted for that alone, but you already offered the gold and there are no take backsies, so it’s mine. But really.” She cackled, throwing back her head and tossing her silky hair. “I’m so supercharged from your lust, I feel like I could rip Lucifer’s head off with my bare hands and use his exposed spinal column as a dildo.”

Gross. “We gave you what you wanted,” Raum growled. “Now I want the amulets.”

“Of course, sweetheart. I’m a woman of my word. Mostly.” She winked. “I can get what you need, but I’ll need a few minutes to reach out to my contact. In the meantime, you can go downstairs and enjoy some top-quality entertainment. Or if you like, I could secure you one of our private rooms.”

“That won’t be necessary,” he bit out.

“Your loss. But you can’t wait up here. I’ll have one of my guards notify you when your product is ready.” She flicked her fingers at them in dismissal.

Grinding his teeth, Raum led Sunshine toward the exit, saying nothing.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” Naiamah called out just before he started down the staircase.

He turned back.

“Will you pass on a message to Belial for me? He’s playing hard to get lately, and I’m getting lonely.”

Raum froze.

“Tell him I say hi and ‘miss you, precious.’ He loves when I call him that.” She cackled. “Oh, and tell him I said, ‘Repression never works.’ He’ll know what I mean.”

Heart pounding, Raum turned to go, but Naiamah called out once more.

“Be careful with Murmur, yes? Poor Belial put so much effort into setting up that meeting and negotiating a truce. It would be a shame for you and your…employer to mess it up now.”

As the implications of that sank in, Raum grabbed Sunshine’s arm and rushed down the stairs, Naiamah’s cheerful farewell echoing after them.

13

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Sunshine hurried after Raum as he took long strides out of the club. They’d only had to wait a short time for the amulets to be delivered—securely stowed in a velvet bag, which Raum pocketed—but every second was excruciating.

He was radiating tension and she didn’t understand why. The thick scent of lust in the club clouded her thoughts and made it impossible to think about anything other than that kiss.

The minute they were outside, the haze she’d been trapped in vanished on the stale breeze, and she could think clearly again.

That didn’t mean she felt differently about what she’d just done. That didn’t mean she regretted it.

“Slow down,” Sunshine hissed as her companion strode across the courtyard so rapidly, he’d already made it halfway across before she’d finished collecting herself. She half jogged to catch up while trying to make sure her cloak remained covering her. “I can’t run and keep myself hidden.”

Raum stopped so abruptly she crashed into his back before righting herself. He spun around. Even beneath his hood, she could see those golden eyes boring into her, scowl drawing a line between his brows.

“We need to get out of here now.” Though he rarely smiled, he also never lost his temper, but right now, she could tell he was furious.

“What was that comment about Belial?” Sunshine asked. “How—”

“She knows.”

“Knows what?”

“She knows who I am or she wouldn’t have said that. I don’t think she knows who you are, or we wouldn’t have been able to walk out of there. But I don’t know what her endgame is, and it’s a big fucking problem if she decides to tell anyone I was here. So we need to go.”

Sunshine nodded mutely. Raum was here because of her. This whole situation was because of her. If anything happened to him, it would be her fault.

“Let’s go then,” she said. “I’ll keep up.”

He kept staring at her, and it was impossible not to think about the kiss. His claws gripping her neck, his lips pressed so firmly into hers, prying them open for his tongue to invade… How she wished she could have seen his face properly.

She was so conflicted, it made her head spin.

She had always thought she didn’t understand the hypocrisy of Grigori, falling from heaven yet still considering themselves heavenly protectors, but she’d just been kissed—for the second time—and all she could think about was doing it again. Taking more. Going further.

At least Grigori only mated with humans. Sunshine was lusting for a demon. And not just any demon. An outlaw who’d escaped Hell.

Raum’s gaze flicked to her lips, and she knew he was thinking about the kiss too. The awareness sent a bolt of desire straight down her spine, and this time she couldn’t blame it on Naiamah’s lair.

He tore his gaze away and shook his head as if to clear it. Without another word, he turned and started forward again down the narrow lane. She wanted him to take her hand to keep them from being separated again, but he didn’t.

Somehow, they made it through the winding alleys to the hellgate pavilion, though she didn’t know how he’d found their way and didn’t want to break the heavy silence to ask him. She could feel the anger rolling off him in waves.

With shocking ferocity, he shoved through the crowds of demons, tossing people left and right until he found an empty hellgate. Unfortunately, Sunshine couldn’t use the same tactics, since she needed to keep her arms covered, and without holding Raum’s hand, there was nothing to keep them from being separated.

Within seconds, she was swallowed in the crowd, pushing and shoving. Panic seized her. Thanks to the terms of their bargain, he couldn’t leave her behind on purpose. But what if he thought she was with him and left her by accident?

She wanted to shout for him, but she didn’t dare call out the name of a notorious fugitive into this crowd. One hand holding her hood down, she used the other to force her way through the tight press of bodies, praying her sleeve didn’t get shoved up.

Someone’s horn jabbed her in the head, inches from her eye, and she cried out. She was surrounded by creatures who would bleed her dry if they knew what she was. She knew that very well. She’d survived it once already. Fight the fear, fight the fear.

“Sunshine!”

She heard Raum’s voice over the chaos, and her heart pumped with determination. Giving a particularly violent shove to the demon in front of her, she cleared space enough to move forward a few steps.

She caught sight of a familiar hooded figure and lunged toward him. Bodies parted. He reached for her. She caught his hand. He tugged her forward to the hellgate.

Someone grabbed her from behind, trying to toss her out of the way. Drawn forward by Raum’s grip on her hand, their fingers only closed around the fabric of her cloak. Just as Raum pulled forward, they pulled backward.

With a sharp tug, her cloak tore off.

She stumbled into Raum as a hush fell over the crowd, somehow louder than the shouting. She glanced at herself and saw her sparkling skin, realizing that every demon saw what she did.

And then Raum’s arms wrapped around her, pulling her against his body. He stepped back into the hellgate, and they disappeared.

On the other side, back in the clearing at the dead demon’s campsite, Sunshine stumbled out of the gate and ran toward the bushes while Raum kicked dirt over the sigil to break the magic. Panting, she folded forward at the waist and waited to throw up, but it never came. Still, the nausea churned her stomach, and she couldn’t seem to draw a full breath.

“You okay?”

Raum’s gruff voice shattered the rising dark memories, and she straightened. Swallowing hard, she nodded.

He turned away, yanked his hood back, and ran a hand over his head. He was still in half demon form, but his position kept her from seeing his face properly. “I’m sorry.”

She blinked. “Why?”

“I should have made sure you were behind me.”

“It’s not your fault. I panicked. If I’d have kept my head, that demon wouldn’t have been able to grab me.” She wasn’t about to tell him why that scenario had triggered such blind terror, but she could tell he was curious about her reaction.

He finally turned, staring at her as if trying to glean the truth for himself, and she took the opportunity to study him in this form. It wasn’t fair, she thought distantly. He had four different forms, and all of them were beautiful.

As she’d expected, the scales covered his face the same as his hands and arms, but they were smoother and less defined, the texture almost disappearing around his eyes and mouth. His skin was black and looked tougher than human skin, and his golden irises seemed brighter, his pupils tiny black circles in the center. She couldn’t see his teeth, but she’d felt fangs when they’d kissed. She was also certain she hadn’t imagined the pointed tongue that tangled with hers. The memory made her heart skip a beat.

He forced his gaze away. “Let’s get back to the hideout. We’re sitting ducks out here, especially now that everyone in the Market knows there’s an angel in Hell.”

She nodded. The little cave seemed like paradise compared to facing that crowd again. “I was only uncovered for a split second. Do you think they figured it out that quickly?” She imagined all those rough-looking demon mercenaries hunting her, and her stomach churned.

“I’d rather not find out.”

On that, they could agree.

“I’ll have to carry you again.”

“I don’t mind.”

His eyes narrowed like he didn’t believe her.

She was suddenly too exhausted to hide her feelings, to care if she said too much. “Raum, your demon form doesn’t scare me. I think it’s beautiful, actually. All your forms are.”

His expression was so incredulous it was almost comical.

Without another word, he pulled off his cloak and handed it to her. “Wear this while we fly.”

She did as he asked, and a second later the massive demon crow was standing before her. He shifted his weight and shook out his feathers in a ripple that traveled down his great body to his tail. The feathers there ruffled and then spread, and then he opened his impressive wingspan.

“Hi,” she whispered, coming forward to stroke his silky plumage. She wanted to tell him how magnificent he was, how much she enjoyed flying with him, how safe she felt in his talons, but she reminded herself that he was still Raum. And she didn’t think Raum would appreciate such revelations.

He lifted a foot, so she bent into that awkward position so he could wrap his talons around her middle. His great wings pumped, and there was a jolt as he leapt and took flight. They circled, gaining altitude.

This time, his other foot wrapped around her below the first, and he tucked both legs close to his body. Knowing it was foolish, knowing she shouldn’t, she relaxed into his hold, a prey willingly caught. Her body limp, she closed her eyes as the last of her terror from the Market bled out of her.

He banked left and aimed them toward their final destination. Without even bothering to check where they were going or what was below them, she gave into the sense of security and let herself drift off.

HER LOVER’S hand tightened in Shamsiel’s hair, forcing her head back as he shoved deeper into her mouth, and she relished the prick of his claws against her scalp. She looked up into his eyes, loving his power over her, wanting to please him.

Tears blurred her vision as she dug her nails into his muscled thighs, swallowing when his thick length hit the back of her throat. The ridges along his scaled shaft heightened the sensation against her lips and tongue. A deep groan rumbled in his chest above her.

He pulled out suddenly and tugged on her hair, drawing her to her feet. She went readily, eager to offer her surrender. In everything else in her life, she was authoritative, in command of others. Yet here, when it was just them, she shed that mask and gave in to the urges deep inside that longed to be soft and under another’s control.

But only his control.

He was the only one who would ever see her like this.

“On your back,” he told her, and she obeyed, stretching out on the bed.

She wanted to hold him, to feel his warm, textured skin against her palms as he moved inside her. But she held her tongue. More than that, she wanted to do as she was told.

Maybe it was forbidden, but this was a safe space for her to feel whatever secret feelings she hid normally, and she allowed them free reign.

Without censure. Without shame.

“What do you want, my sunshine?” he asked, crawling over her. Palms planted on either side of her head, he held his body off her, his heavy shaft hanging in the space between them, so close to her dripping center.

She placed a hand on his scaled chest over his heart. He had given her permission to voice her wants, so she did. “I desire you to enter me like this, so I may hold your body close to mine.”

Those golden eyes burned with passion and love. Love for her, as she had for him. In her life of uncertainty, it was the only constant, the one assurance and safety she had, and it meant everything to her.

“And I want to grant your every desire,” he said, and he lowered his body over hers.

Parting her thighs, Shamsiel drew up her legs to make space for him to enter her. This act was forbidden for an angel, even more so with a demon, but she had burned that bridge long ago. And as he sank inside her, slowly, inch by agonizing inch, she felt no regret and knew she never would.

She threw her head back and cried out as he filled her, feeling his weight settle over her just as she had wanted. Her palms ran hungrily over the strength in his broad back, the silky feathers of his wings teasing the backs of her hands. His hips started to move, and the same ridges she had stroked with her tongue now stroked inside of her, heightening her pleasure.

“You’re mine,” he said, sliding a hand into her hair and pulling her head back. “My little ray of sunshine.”

He filled her completely, in a way no one but he could do, in a way that went deeper than just their physical bodies. The pressure mounted, and her head spun as she cried out his name, begging for mercy and for more at the same time—

SUNSHINE JOLTED AWAKE, finding herself sitting upright before she was even aware of where she was. Her heart pounded, her skin was electrified, and the fabric of her underwear between her legs was soaked through.

The cave. Its now-familiar walls surrounded her, reminding her where she was and how she’d gotten there. The room was dark, the shutters having been closed over the windows, and the fire burned low enough that it cast only a faint glow.

Her hand lifted to her mouth as the recollection of her dream passed through her mind. How on earth had she come up with such a scenario? Even subconsciously, it was…obscene.

Yes, she felt desire for Raum, she couldn’t deny it, but to have such a startlingly vivid dream that caused her to awaken in a state of maddening arousal… Nothing like that had ever happened to her before.

She recalled the dream feeling of him sinking into her, the stretch and the almost unbearable pressure, and before she knew what she was doing, the hand covering her mouth was sliding down her body into her pants, dipping into the slick soaking her core.

She hadn’t touched herself like this in… She couldn’t remember the last time. Had she ever? Touching her body in the past was clinical, practical. To clean and dress. It was not a vehicle of pleasure, and that had always been fine with her. An angel didn’t feel such desires. She was above them. In control.

But then she remembered that feeling of total surrender in the dream, of looking into Raum’s eyes and trusting him to take care of her, and handing him the reins and obeying his deep voice, and suddenly, her fingers were sliding over the bundle of nerves at the top of her vulva and finding it already swollen and sensitive.

And wet.

Her breaths came in sharp pants as she circled it, eyes fluttering from the pleasure. Sensation erupted, heating her skin and making it pebble with goosebumps at the same time. It felt…incredible.

She recalled the tears stinging her eyes as Raum forced his hard shaft deep into her mouth, his body covered in the scales of his half demon form…including his erection. Scandalized by the image her subconscious had conjured, she nevertheless felt a spike in sensation, heat scalding her, blood rushing —

“Sunshine?”

She ripped her hand away, chest heaving from how close she’d been to climax, and sat up in the bed, horrified to find Raum himself lying right next to her. She’d been so lost to her fantasy, she hadn’t even noticed him until then.

“Why am I in bed?” she asked as she finally took note of her surroundings.

“You fell asleep on the way back, so I put you in the bed. Your weapons are on the table, your boots are by the door, and I cleaned the ashes off you.” He was back in human form, though it was difficult to see in the near darkness. The dying firelight reflected off his golden eyes as he peered up at her.

He’d taken her holsters and shoes off? And…cleaned her? “Why are you in the bed with me?”

Even half asleep, his brow furrowed with his scowl. “Because I was tired too.”

“But…”

“You want me to sleep on the floor?”

“No.”

“Well, then.”

She stared at him. Her fingers were still wet from her arousal. Her clitoris still throbbed, her head still pounded. She felt like he could see straight through her and worried he knew exactly what she’d been doing.

Worse, the arousal hadn’t left despite the inconvenient interruption. It was still there, pulsing like a heartbeat between her thighs. And she couldn’t stop the sound of Raum’s voice, rough from sleep, reminding her of the words he’d spoken in the dream. I want to grant your every desire.

“Go back to sleep, Sunshine.”

Mumbled in his rough voice, the words seemed intimate. Something one lover might say to another. It was too close to the dream, too close to tempting the mind-fogging desire still hot in her blood.

“This is… I should not sleep in a bed with you.”

Raum rolled over to his side, facing her, but his eyes were closed now. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, she realized. Why wasn’t he wearing a shirt? “I won’t tell if you don’t. Or sleep on the floor if you want.” His words got progressively more slurred as he sank back into sleep.

He was right. She was overthinking this. He didn’t know she’d just had a frighteningly vivid erotic dream about him, so of course he’d think there was nothing wrong with them sharing a bed. And maybe, if she was silent and let him fall asleep again, she could finish what she started with her fingers—

No, she could not engage in such an act while lying beside him. She shouldn’t even be entertaining the idea.

Slowly, she lowered herself back to the pillow and lay on her back, eyes wide open as she stared at the ceiling. The dream repeated on a loop through her mind.

“Relax,” Raum mumbled. “You’re so tense, it’s making the bed shake.”

“I’m trying. But it’s a little hard with—”

He leaned in suddenly, far too close. When she dared to glance at him, his eyes were open and inches from her face. He was frowning.

Her heart gave a particularly violent jolt, and the wetness between her thighs made itself even more apparent. She’d never felt so exposed in her life, and she could only pray he didn’t discover her secret.

“You smell like…” He reached over and snatched her hand. The right one, the one that had been between her legs.

Before she grasped his intent, he brought it to his nose. She yanked to free it from his grip, but it was too late. She saw his eyes flare. Mortification suffused her, and she sat up again, eager to escape.

The damned demon grabbed her by the waist and pinned her back down on the bed. Had she enjoyed his domineering ways in the dream? Because she wasn’t now.

“What are you doing?” she demanded, trying to sound furious and not overwhelmed.

He held her down with only one hand, and a part of her knew she could escape if she really wanted. “My sense of smell’s not that good compared to some, but I know what I just scented on your fingers.”

Denial rose in her throat. Lies bounced around her brain, and she searched for one that would be most believable.

In the end, her pride won out. It wasn’t about extricating herself from the situation anymore, it was about regaining the upper hand.

Still, she surprised herself when she said, “It’s not for you.”

His eyes darkened into molten pits. Anger or arousal, she couldn’t tell. “Not for me, huh?”

“No,” she said haughtily, but her chest heaved with breath.

“Who’s it for then? Another demon you met today? Or some pretty angel boy who can’t even get it up?”

She bit her tongue, refusing to rise to the bait. But she couldn’t pull her gaze away from his even when she tried.

“Did you kiss someone else I don’t know about, Sunshine?” His tone was mocking. “Do you make a habit of kissing random men to manipulate them—”

“I haven’t kissed anyone!” she snapped, her temper getting the best of her.

“Except for me.”

She ground her teeth.

“And now you’re wet.”

Her nostrils flared. Why oh why did another spike of arousal pulse through her at that moment?

“For me.”

Her next inhalation shook slightly.

“Admit it.” His eyes were narrowed in challenge.

“No.”

“Say it.”

“Never.”

“Tell me you want me.”

“I will never.”

“Denying it doesn’t make it not true, Sunshine. Naiamah didn’t lie about your lust, did she? You want me—”

“Will you stop it!” she cried, jerking out of his grip and sitting up. “What I want is irrelevant, and it would be much easier to forget this entire incident if you stopped pestering me ceaselessly about—”

A hand fisted in her hair and yanked her head back roughly. She had a split second to be aware of burning golden eyes before his lips crashed into hers.

14

FUEL TO THE FIRE

P erhaps Sunshine ought to have been furious that Raum had kissed her without permission, but that wasn’t what happened at all. In a second, all the feelings from the dream rushed back, and her entire body—nay, her entire being—was inflamed with lust.

Lust. Pure, undiluted, untapped lust pounded through her bloodstream. Ten times what she’d felt in Naiamah’s cursed lair.

This time, it was Sunshine who pried his lips apart and plunged her tongue into his mouth, and the slight gasp he made indicated that he hadn’t expected it. The lust infuriated her—she didn’t want to feel this way—but she couldn’t fight it, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer to kiss harder. His bare skin was so soft, his shoulders so broad, it made her head swim.

No. She had to fight it. It was too frightening, too exposing, too—

He pushed her down on her back on the bed and came over her, his big body blocking what little light there was in the room. Still more arousal pounded through her. His hips remained beside hers instead of between her thighs, and the separation was excruciating.

She wanted him to pin her down. She wanted him to crush her with his size. To hold her so tightly she couldn’t move a muscle. She wanted him to seize what little control she had left, to steal it as he’d stolen the treasure in his hoard, until she had no choice but to melt into a molten puddle of desire. Until her thoughts and reason were a distant dream and she was nothing but a creature of sensation. Until the pressure and guilt she had shouldered for so long were incinerated in the fires of passion.

But at the same time, she wanted to run screaming from the room. These feelings were too much and she wasn’t ready for them. She wasn’t even sure what they were or how to define them or what it was she truly wanted.

Her heart pounded, and all her blood and nerve sensations traveled down to pool at the base of her spine. Her desire bloomed into something dark and intoxicating. Something that begged for more.

Instinctively, her legs parted, needing something to fill the space between that only he could give her. As if he knew her thoughts, he lifted one leg over hers and his thigh shifted higher until the hard muscle was firmly pressed against the front of her pelvis.

A moan rolled out of her unbidden. It was just like in the nightclub when he’d brought her to climax with nothing but that expert pressure and the friction of their bodies. And oh, how she wanted to experience that again.

“It was real, wasn’t it?” he growled against her lips. “You didn’t fake it.”

She knew exactly what he was talking about, but she couldn’t bear to admit it, couldn’t bear to expose herself, so she said nothing, kissing him harder as she fought to rub herself against his thigh.

“You wanted me from the beginning.” His thigh pressed down and rocked ever so slightly from side to side, and the starbursts of sensation made her gasp. “Say it.”

Still, she refused to speak.

He had the upper hand and he knew it. He proved it to them both by grinding against her and stroking his tongue along hers, his body weight pressing her into the furs.

She moaned helplessly, past trying to hide her desire as she shamelessly ground her hips against his leg. So close. She was so close but the relief hovered just out of reach.

At the same time, a tiny, frightened part of her cried out in dismay. That part longed to fall, desperately so, but it needed to trust someone would be there to catch her. And it didn’t.

“Say it, Sunshine, and I’ll let you come.”

A frustrated growl tore out of her. How dare he abuse his power over her. How dare he have such power to begin with.

“Say it—”

“I can’t!” she cried, the strain suddenly unbearable.

He stopped. The movement of his thigh, the heat of his kiss—he stopped it all, lifting his head and peering at her with that unreadable face. “Why not.”

“Because!” Being so close to her peak and being denied it—twice—made her nearly mindless with frustration. “I can’t admit it because I would lose everything!”

He frowned. “What would you lose?”

“Myself! Don’t you see? I can’t— I refuse to go back on everything I am because of your passing fancy. I can’t make that big a sacrifice on a whim.”

His brows rose. “My passing fancy.”

Damn him and his inscrutable non-expressions! “That’s all this is to you, isn’t it? A game. That’d be a great one for the track record, wouldn’t it? I’m sure all your demon friends would love to hear how you fucked a virgin angel.”

His head reared back, and she knew she’d gone too far. Not only did she know he wasn’t like that—she’d learned there was far more to his character than she’d initially given him credit for—but it was also too exposing of her feelings.

Sunshine didn’t crave sex for sex’s sake and she doubted she ever would. What she did crave was intimacy. Connection. And though she hated to admit it, the feelings she had for Raum were because she craved that with him.

And knowing what he thought of her in return… It wasn’t a pleasant feeling. It was gut wrenching, in fact. And she wasn’t ready to confront it, so she’d lashed out.

“Yeah, you’re right.” His voice was cold as he sat up. Even now, her body wept at the loss of his heat. “It’s all a big game to me. If you were smart, you wouldn’t touch me. And if I was smart, I wouldn’t touch you either.”

“Because I’m the terrible angel who ruined your life.” She sat up with a scoff, straightening her clothing, fighting to regain composure. Alone. She wanted to be alone. “If you find me so repulsive, why kiss me in the first place?”

He moved to the edge of the bed, and she half hoped he would leave, half hoped he would lay down next to her again. Instead he said, “Maybe I want to fuck with you. Maybe I want to ruin your life like you ruined mine.”

Her stomach clenched. “Well, congratulations, it’s working. I am currently in Hell, in bed with a demon who hates my guts and thinks I’m a liar, and—”

“I don’t think you’re a liar. I think you’re a manipulator and a blackmailer.”

His words cut like knives. “Oh, well, thanks very much for the clarification,” she snapped, hating that her voice trembled. “It’s a very important distinction—”

“I also think you’re selfish, and I resent you for forcing me into this. For threatening my brother’s lives.” He still wouldn’t look at her. “You know, Meph spent half his life in literal and figurative hell, and he only just made peace with himself. And now here you are, coming to take that away if I don’t steal your precious book.”

The words seemed to spill out of him as if they’d been collecting behind a failing dam. “And don’t even get me started on Eva. She may be a Nephilim, but she’s just an innocent fucking girl. She’s barely thirty years old. I don’t get why you think she’s Heaven’s public enemy number one when all she wants is to make beats and play jazz. Real dangerous, I know. Better kill her before she upsets the precious balance of—”

“I wouldn’t have done it!” Sunshine suddenly shouted. “I was never going to do it!”

In an instant, the lying became too much. She couldn’t hold it in anymore. She never should have tried.

Raum fell silent, and she blew out a breath. Time to come clean, I suppose.

“I wouldn’t have done it,” she repeated, softer.

“What does that mean.” His voice was flat.

“It means, even if you hadn’t agreed to the bargain, I wouldn’t have turned you and your brothers in. It means…I lied.”

She swung her legs over the edge of the bed to sit beside him, propped her elbows on her knees, and buried her face in her hands. She was done fighting this particular battle. She’d never had the stomach for it anyway.

“You called me a liar, and you’re right.”

“I didn’t—”

“Whatever. The point is, there’s a reason I watched you for so long before I orchestrated our meeting. A reason beyond what I told you.”

“What reason.”

“The first night I saw you, you were at a jazz club with Daniel, and Eva and Asmodeus were performing. I hid in the corner at the back and watched you. Once I realized you were demons, I couldn’t fathom what Daniel would be doing in your company. But…Daniel is my friend. He has been for a very long time. I knew I should have gone straight to my superiors and reported what I saw, but I couldn’t. I felt like I owed it to Daniel to figure out what was going on. So I stayed, and I watched.

“It didn’t take me long to realize Daniel had a daughter and that she was in love with a demon. And what’s more, the demon loved her back. It was obvious. I have seen love, and there was no faking the look in his eyes. I wanted to know more. I wanted to understand.

“I soon realized that none of you acted like demons. You were just…living your lives. Meph truly loves the witch, Iris, and Mist feels the same for Lily. And Belial… I couldn’t believe it was even him at first.” She shook her head. “The great King of Hell just wants to cook. I’d never… I didn’t even know such a thing was possible for a demon, and certainly not for him.”

She lifted her head and stared into the dying flames, thinking that the little sparks reminded her of Raum’s eyes. “And then there was you. You were even more different. Quiet and always frowning.” She smiled a little. “I watched you the most.”

“Why?”

She wasn’t going to answer that. It wasn’t necessary to make him understand, and it was far too exposing. “And then Adriel, my mentor and a powerful Second Sphere angel, summoned me and gave me my task. Retrieve the grimoire and I would reascend to my former rank.”

“Reascend?”

“I was demoted a long time ago for a transgression. I used to be one of the Principalities, but I was given the role of guardian angel to serve penance. But Adriel told me that if I could retrieve that grimoire, my former position would be mine again. I’ve never wanted anything more in my life. I was never cut out for guardian work. I am a commander, a leader. I need to succeed at this task.”

“So you saw an opportunity to use me to get what you needed.”

She nodded. “When I found out the grimoire had been taken to Hell, I…” She hesitated, not wanting to explain why she was so averse to entering the underworld on her own. “I knew I needed help, and I— Given your history…”

“You figured I’d be your best bet to help you steal shit.”

She nodded. His voice was hard, too hard. She couldn’t bear to look at him.

“So you lied and tricked me into this bargain so I would steal the book for you. Because you knew I would act to protect my brothers. You used my vulnerabilities against me.”

She nodded again. She couldn’t deny it.

Silence.

She could just imagine how furious he was. “I’m sorry, Raum. I know it’s no excuse, but I— I can’t explain how important this is to me. Nothing has ever mattered more, and—”

“I get it.” He stood suddenly, and she forced herself to look up into his gaze. There was nothing there to read; he masked his thoughts perfectly. “I would have done the same thing.”

She swallowed.

“I don’t know why you’d even apologize. I’m just a demon, and angels have always used whatever they needed to maintain the advantage. Why should you be any different?”

“Raum…”

“If it makes you feel better, I was trying to figure out a way to kill you and take the book for myself.”

Her heart skipped a beat. It stung hearing him say that, but she didn’t blame him. They were enemies, and she had manipulated him and threatened his family. Of course he would do whatever it took to protect them.

He turned away, grabbing his shirt off the table where he’d left it. “You know, suddenly, I’m not tired anymore. You can have the bed. I’ll be outside.”

“I don’t want—”

“Get some sleep. We should leave in a few hours. It’s time to get this done.” Yanking the shirt over his head, he headed toward the door.

“It’s not safe. The wards—”

“I’ll be right outside the door. It’s fine.”

“I don’t think—”

“Sleep, Sunshine.” The door opened, his frame briefly silhouetted by the maroon glow of the sky outside. And then he stepped through and closed it behind him, and she was alone in the dark.

RAUM SAT on the boulder beside the cave entrance and looked out over the barren valley. It was night in Hell, but since there was no sun or moon like on Earth, that meant only that the red sky had darkened to burgundy.

He wasn’t as mad at Sunshine as he probably should’ve been. In fact, he was more relieved than anything. And that was why he was mad. Not at her, but at himself.

He was mad because she had him pegged—he didn’t act like a demon anymore, and he would do pretty much anything to protect his brothers. He was quiet and always frowning, just like she’d said. She’d known exactly how to manipulate him into doing what she needed him to do, and he had to respect her strategy.

Of course she wouldn’t hesitate to use him to get her promotion. They were enemies—all of creation was set up to pit them against each other. And she’d shown him mercy really. If the situations were reversed and Bel saw an angel breaking the rules that he could kill without consequence, best believe that sucker would fry.

The fact that Raum didn’t know anymore what he would do was what unsettled him. His brothers had teased him about working at a dog shelter, but they were right, weren’t they? He’d gone soft. Weak. And if he didn’t figure out a way to get his walls back up, he was going to get himself killed.

That wasn’t some grand overstatement. It was what happened to demons who were stupid and broke the rules.

He needed to harden himself against the irrational soft spot he had for Sunshine. She didn’t hesitate to do what needed doing, and neither should he. No matter what he did, he couldn’t stop thinking of her as this submissive, sweet thing who needed protection, but she wasn’t even close to that.

She was a motherfucking warrior angel. The idea of her as soft was laughable, yet the fantasy persisted in his head and made him continually lower his guard.

It wasn’t that he saw her as weak or helpless, it was more that he was obsessed with the idea of her needing him for something. Even just comfort or support. He wanted her to lean on him, to trust him, to surrender to him.

So. Fucking. Stupid.

Starting now, he was done. No more wanting what he couldn’t have, no more hallucinating an imaginary relationship dynamic, no more feeble hopes. He would get this job done and steal the book for Sunshine. She would get her promotion, and he’d return to Earth, and that would be the end of it.

He stood suddenly. Sunshine wasn’t sleeping and neither was he. They had the amulets from Naiamah—he’d left them on the table inside. There was no reason to wait. It was time to discuss strategy and make a plan.

He headed back toward the hideout, but a shiver crawling down his spine had him stopping and spinning around. He searched the gloom, seeing nothing. The feeling didn’t leave him, and he decided his best bet was to get back behind the ward. He started toward the door once more.

A shadowy shape appeared in front of him, like the hazy outline of a person. He froze mid step, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. The figure loomed, bobbing slightly as it floated, like…a ghost.

It clicked a second later. A second too late.

He spun around just in time to see a tall horned figure with a corpse-like complexion swinging a huge spiked club toward his head. He ducked, but he wasn’t fast enough. The weapon smacked him in the temple, the nails—or whatever the fuck was sticking out of it—tearing up his skin like tissue paper.

With a shout, he dropped. He rolled, clinging to consciousness through the blood soaking his eyes and the pain in his head. The club smacked the ground an inch from where he’d been, and the demon wielding it tsked impatiently.

Suddenly, icy hands were all over his body, pinning him down. He thrashed against them with all his strength, but even when he managed to free his arms, his fists passed right through his assailants. One couldn’t strike a foe that had no body.

“Oopsie,” Murmur said, standing over him.

Just as Raum was gathering his focus to shift, Murmur swung the bat at his skull again. This time, he didn’t miss.

15

NO REST FOR THE WICKED

Sunshine didn’t even bother trying to sleep, though she did lay down again. She stared at the ceiling instead, wondering when things had become so incredibly complicated.

It didn’t take long for her to realize she was far too restless for sleep, and there was no longer any point trying. She sat up with a sigh, swinging her legs over the bed.

A muffled sound came faintly through the door, and she lurched to her feet, frowning. It sounded strangely like a shout. Another came, this one sounding like more of a hollow thud.

Skin prickling, she hurried toward the door, pulled it open, and—

Found nothing.

The clearing outside was deserted.

“Raum?” she hissed into the blood-red night. There was no response.

She stepped out of the hideout on bare feet, searching around. She hadn’t misheard the sounds of a scuffle, and she was sure that even if Raum was angry with her, he would’ve told her if he was leaving.

Her eyes landed on a dark puddle a few steps from the door. Crouching, she touched her fingers to it, and when she lifted them to her face, she found them wet with a liquid the same color as the sky.

Her heart lodged in her throat.

Hurrying to the cliff edge, she scanned the skies, and her eyes caught on a dark shape in the distance. Long taloned wings were working hard to suspend an awkward burden. It was too far away to see clearly, but she knew instantly what she was looking at.

They were heading in the direction of the lair. Based on the distance, she guessed they’d already crossed the boundary wards.

Murmur had taken Raum. It was the only explanation.

The heart in her throat suddenly sank like a stone.

The temptation was nearly overwhelming to launch into the sky immediately and chase after him, but she forced herself to think rationally. She would only get one chance to rescue him, and she needed to be smart.

How had Murmur found them? Had Naiamah betrayed them? She’d claimed she wouldn’t tell Murmur they were infiltrating his territory, but how good was her word? Strangely, Sunshine’s instincts told her that Naiamah hadn’t lied.

Maybe Murmur had seen Raum when he went to inspect the boundary wards. Or maybe he had scouts searching the land who’d seen them up here.

Whatever the case, he evidently didn’t realize Raum had a companion—proof Naiamah hadn’t betrayed them—otherwise he would have waited for Sunshine to emerge and grabbed her too.

She went back into the hideout, closing the door to seal the ward, and stared around the room at a loss. It looked even emptier than it had a moment ago.

Tears welled in her eyes, and she let them. There was no one here to see her failure. There was no one here to hide her feelings from except herself. This was her mess. She had found Raum living his life and forced him to be involved in her mission.

She was a powerful angel. Had she felt powerful, she would have crossed to Hell by herself, flown right over Murmur’s wards, and battled with whatever forces she encountered on her quest to retrieve the book.

Raum’s involvement had been all about avoiding the conflict she was so scared of, minimizing the risk that she would have to fight demons. And now, her fears had resulted in him being captured. Now, she had to not only steal the book, but rescue him. And she had to do it alone.

As she should have from the start.

This was supposed to be her test. The Dominations had seen that the book was in Hell and known Sunshine would have to face her fears to retrieve it. But rather than doing that, she’d made a forbidden contract with a demon, bending all the rules to avoid her true purpose.

Well, no more. She was going to prove her worth and do the task set for her. And if she was caught and tortured and drained of every drop of blood, then she would escape or wait for rescue as she had before, and then she would try again. And again.

This was her redemption. Nothing could be more important, not even her fear.

She stared around the empty room, and her eyes landed on Naiamah’s amulets on the table, nestled in the little velvet bag. Her holsters and blades were in a neat pile beside them. Her boots were beside the door, just as Raum had said. He’d even draped her socks carefully over the top of each shoe.

Her heart gave a twinge at the sight.

Nothing was more important than her redemption, she mentally amended…except him.

MURMUR TAPPED A RESTLESS FOOT, bored with waiting for his prisoner to wake. What was taking so long? He hadn’t hit him that hard.

When at last some moaning and groaning came from the demon trussed up on the wall, Murmur approached, tail snapping back and forth with impatience. He didn’t have time to waste with trespassers, but he needed answers.

Raum blinked and lifted his head slowly, as if it was too heavy for his neck to support. When he saw Murmur in front of him, he squinted, probably trying to get his concussed brain to focus. There was blood all over the side of his face.

“Th’fuck?” he slurred like he hadn’t the foggiest idea where he was or who was staring him down.

“Fancy meeting you here,” Murmur said, cocking a brow. Unfortunately, the expression was lost on Raum, whose eyes were still unfocused.

“Where…?”

“Allow me to fill you in, since you seem to have forgotten. Memory retention is not your area of expertise, is it?”

At that subtle jab, Raum’s eyes sharpened a little on Murmur’s face. He didn’t respond, but Murmur hadn’t expected him to.

“In case you’re suffering from further amnesia, I am Murmur, or the Necromancer, and yes, the rumors are true.”

“What rumors?” Raum mumbled.

Murmur ignored that. “I caught you sniffing around my boundary wards and lurking in the foothills, and I want to know why.”

His souls patrolled the edges of his territory with extreme attentiveness—as ordered by their master—and they hadn’t missed the golden-eyed crow who’d paid a visit to one of his ward towers.

Murmur might not have thought anything of it had he not had the recent transaction with Belial. The rogues had been at the forefront of his thoughts and as a result, he’d become immediately suspicious at the presence of that distinctive bird.

He’d sent a squadron of souls on a search party until they’d discovered a small hideout in the foothills of the nearby mountain range. It was a convenient coincidence that Raum had emerged from the cave shortly after Murmur’s arrival. After a light tap on the noggin with his trusty spiked club, Murmur had scooped him up and flown back to his lair, and now here they were.

Raum was about twenty-five percent more conscious now and seemed to have realized his current position. His shirt was gone—a prisoner always felt more helpless when they were unclothed. His wrists were cuffed, attached to chains that spread his arms apart and up. His feet were free to support him. Murmur had spread-eagle ankle chains as well, obviously, but he’d been in too much of a hurry to use them.

A shame. He derived great satisfaction from stringing up a body and watching them dangle helplessly. Even better if they were fully naked instead of just partially.

Was he perverted? Possibly. Depraved? Definitely.

Since Raum’s legs were free, Murmur made sure to remain a few feet back. He had no doubt Raum would kick him in the face if he got too close.

Raum tugged on his wrists, eyes widening with the realization of his predicament. When he yanked a few times and found no give in the chains, his next move was to attempt to shift forms.

Obviously, Murmur had thought of that, which his prisoner quickly learned. All the manacles employed in his dungeon were spelled against shifting and breakage via brute force.

A groan burst from Raum as electricity traveled over his body, and he remained very solidly in human form. Sagging in the chains when the shock passed, he accepted defeat and pinned Murmur with a murderous glare.

“Bit of an exposing position, isn’t it?” Murmur said, studying his claws to hide his smile. He truly enjoyed the sight of fettered limbs. “A shame I didn’t bind your legs too.”

“Why am I here?” The shock seemed to have sharpened Raum’s awareness a little, so at least there was that.

“You know, that’s exactly what I was wondering. Why are you here?”

When he didn’t respond, Murmur dropped his hand and fixed his full attention on the prisoner. “Why were you snooping around the borders of my territory mere days after I reached an agreement with Belial? I would think you’d have a vested interest in remaining in my good graces after your dear brother made such a sacrifice on your behalf.”

Raum gritted his teeth but still said nothing.

Murmur stuck out his lower lip. “I thought we were friends. I wasn’t even going to ask Belial to do anything that terrible with the two favors he owes me. Now, though, I’m not so sure. I’m feeling a little…” He stroked his chin with a foreclaw. “Vindictive.”

“Bel has nothing to do with this.”

Murmur tsked. “Oh but he does, considering he explicitly stated in our negotiations that my secrecy had to extend to the demons he calls his brothers. He also guaranteed that he and those brothers would leave me in peace and wouldn’t try to kill me for what I know. Assassination attempts are an inconvenience I don’t have time for at present. Yet now, here you are, in violation of Belial’s vow, which could render our contract void. Which, in turn, could—”

“I told you, Bel has nothing to do with why I’m here.”

“Then why are you here?”

Silence.

“I have ways of making you talk.”

Raum pulled off a bored expression well.

“If I wanted, I could summon my souls to pull out your intestines like rope and tie you up with them. I wouldn’t even have to lift a finger. I’d just sit back and enjoy the show.”

Raum looked unimpressed. Murmur smiled. He liked a challenge.

“Or maybe I don’t have to void the contract. Instead, I could use one of Belial’s favors to…” He paused for effect, tapping a claw on his chin as he searched for inspiration. “Well, the possibilities are endless. I could order him to pay a visit to Lucifer and bring back one of the High Lord’s horns as a souvenir. It’d be interesting to see how far he got.”

Raum’s jaw shifted.

“Or I could order him to burn your human city down in a five-kilometer radius around your lair, so the angels would have an easier time finding your hiding spot.”

“I know Bel put a clause in the contract that you couldn’t use the favor to endanger or expose us, so cut the shit.”

Murmur smiled. “Alas, you are correct. He was very careful. But I am just as careful as he. And remember: thanks to you, I can void the entire thing if I want. I wonder how much Lucifer would pay to find out where his nemesis is hiding?”

“You won’t. Bel’s favors are too valuable to you.”

“Maybe true. I haven’t decided yet. But either way, I have the power to make your lives very difficult, and I will do it if you don’t tell me what I want to know.”

Silence. Again.

“I’ll give you one more chance. What were you doing outside my territory?”

“I was spying. I came to make sure you kept your end of the deal. I don’t trust you.”

“And I don’t trust you, and I know you’re lying. Try again.”

“It’s the truth.”

“And I’m a soft little human with an eighty-year lifespan. Try again.”

Silence reigned as the two demons stared at each other. His prisoner’s stoicism was admirable, but at this point, he was just wasting both their time.

“You don’t want to cooperate? Fine. I have other ways of getting what I need.” Murmur lifted a palm. “For the record, I tried to play nice first.”

Raum continued giving him that bored stare, and Murmur smiled in anticipation. He waved a hand and immediately, a small swarm of his ghostly servants rose from their incessant spiraling at his feet. They crawled over Raum’s body, causing the demon to recoil, jerking in the chains. Murmur knew well how unpleasant the icy touch of the dead was.

He exercised his control over the spirits briefly, giving them the strength to restrain Raum’s legs. It took great power to allow that which was spirit to affect physical matter, but Murmur had that in spades. And right now, he only needed the demon to hold still for a second.

He approached and flexed his tail. It reared back behind him and then shot forward, the sharp barb on the tip stabbing into Raum’s neck. Murmur released his hold over the souls, who returned to his feet.

“What the fuck!” Raum growled as blood welled where he’d been struck. He jerked on the chains again and then tried to lift his shoulder to the wounded area, but he wasn’t able to stem the trickle of blood.

He gave up soon after. Already, his eyes had begun to cloud, and Murmur could see the confusion and alarm quickly fading into a drunk compliance.

“What the…fuck…”

“That’s better,” Murmur said as Raum sagged in the chains once more. It was all he could do not to cackle like a storybook villain. But this was just too good. A powerful prisoner bound on his wall, succumbing to the effects of his venom… Was there anything more satisfying?

Murmur lifted Raum’s chin with his foreclaw and thumb, peering into unfocused golden eyes. “Hello,” he said with a grin.

Raum just blinked, so slowly it took several seconds for his eyes to reopen. His features were slack, but a relaxed acceptance was settling into his muscles. In small doses, Murmur’s venom was euphoric. In high doses, it was a paralytic. Raum had received something in between.

“Let’s try this again, shall we? You were snooping around my territory, and I want to know why.”

“Can’t…” Raum slurred, trying to pull his chin out of Murmur’s grip.

He held him in place and forced their eyes to meet. “You were correct in assuming Belial protected his precious brothers in our bargain. But he didn’t protect anyone else. Your brother Meph… He’s fond of a certain witch, isn’t he? Blue hair, feisty attitude? I wonder how he would react if she were to, say…die in an unfortunate accident.”

Even through the venom’s haze, Raum’s eyes flared.

Gotcha, Murmur thought. Demons weak enough to develop emotional bonds were the easiest to manipulate.

It was a lie of course. Belial had very clearly stated that he, his brothers, and those deemed important to them could not be endangered by Murmur or any favors he might ask Belial to perform.

But Raum was high as a kite at the moment, and he wouldn’t be able to think clearly enough to figure that out. “If you tell me why you’re here, your brothers will be safe, and so will their precious humans.”

Murmur shook his head, thinking of the shamefulness of some of the most feared demons in history allowing themselves to be tamed like horses by mere humans. “I’ll ask you one more time—”

“Mine,” Raum mumbled. “Sunshine.”

Murmur made a face. Great. He’d obviously given Raum too much venom. He was delirious and spouting gibberish about sunshine and rainbows.

This was what happened to demons who left Hell. Their minds were truly addled.

Raum’s eyes were open, but he wasn’t aware of anything. Who knew what words would come out of his mouth now. Doubtful any of them would have much meaning.

“Mine,” the demon mumbled again. “She’s mine.”

“Who is yours?” Murmur asked just to keep him talking. Maybe he’d mumble something of value and this whole thing wouldn’t be a complete waste of his time.

“Heaven…”

Murmur stiffened as his last vision suddenly returned to him, the muddled images disentangling until it became crystal clear why Raum was here. He saw the book in his mind’s eye and remembered his conviction that someone was coming to steal from him.

The goddamn angels were after Gamigin’s grimoire.

How? How had Heaven learned of the importance of this grimoire? Surely they hadn’t discovered what Murmur was doing with it. No one else knew of its true value or his plan, he was certain. Not even the witch he’d stolen it from knew, though there was information within its pages directly pertaining to her.

“Heaven wants Gamigin’s book,” he guessed. “And you’re here to steal it for them, aren’t you?”

It was rare indeed for angels to have voluntary association with demons, but they weren’t above binding them into service with a careful contract when it suited them. And no angel in their right mind would come to Hell without backup.

Raum and his brothers were especially easy to manipulate due to the bonds they’d formed. Murmur had determined this within minutes of their meeting—an angel would likely discover such a glaring weakness just as quickly.

This was why Murmur abhorred personal attachments. The day he allowed himself such a vulnerability would be the day he was finally destroyed.

He dropped Raum’s chin suddenly and stepped back. All the enjoyment of harassing his prisoner had suddenly left him, and instead he felt vaguely depressed.

Raum had once been a worthy adversary. In the height of his day, no underworld treasure had been safe from his rampant thievery. The two of them had crossed paths, and swords, more than once, and Murmur had always respected him—coupled with the distaste he felt for everyone, of course.

But now…Raum was likely bound in service to an angel. He was worried about others because he cared about them.

It was sad, really. Pitiful.

But Murmur didn’t have time to feel sorry for him, and he couldn’t be bothered either. Heaven wanted his book, and he needed to make sure they never got it. He needed to double down on his defenses and accelerate the speed of his experiments.

A wave of exhaustion crashed over him so intensely that he swayed. When was the last time he’d slept? Not since that last cursed nightmare. Doesn’t matter. There’s no time for rest.

He gripped Raum’s chin and lifted his head again, but Raum’s eyes stayed shut. Unconscious. If he wanted any more information, he’d have to wait until he sobered up.

With an exasperated sigh, Murmur spun on a heel and strode from the cell into the low-ceilinged tunnel, slamming the bars to Raum’s cell shut behind him.

“Master,” the two gargoyles on guard duty said as he passed the dungeon’s entrance. They bowed deeply, but Murmur swept past without a backward glance.

On second thought… He stopped and spun around. “I have much work to do and require privacy. You’re not to disturb me except for the direst of emergencies. If anyone comes to my tower unnecessarily, I will put them on the spikes to rot for the next century, do you understand?”

“Yes, Master.” The eager bowing and scraping continued, and Murmur’s lip curled. The subservient were useful but distasteful.

Spinning forward once more, he began the long climb to his tower. A yawn tried to escape, but he stifled it by clamping his teeth together so firmly, his fangs pierced his lower lip. The blood that filled his mouth tasted like death. Bitter and rotten.

Fitting, since he was pretty much the walking dead at this point.

He never slept, and he had so imbued himself with necromancy, he looked more like a corpse than a demon. The visions of his own death ceaselessly haunting him only stoked the fires of his obsession and paranoia.

He was fully aware he was losing his mind, but there was nothing he could do about it. At this point, everything was riding on the success of his master plan. If he failed, the loss of his sanity would be the least of his concerns.

16

A SNOWBALL’S CHANCE IN HELL

Sunshine’s plan was laughably simple: Fly in. Create diversion. Find Raum.

The first two presented the biggest challenge considering she would have to expose her wings. She might as well fly a plane with a banner saying ‘I am an angel!’ for how conspicuous she would be in the sky. It would be difficult to create a diversion when she would already be attracting attention.

But she had an idea for how to make it work.

After safely stowing Naiamah’s amulets in her pocket, strapping on her knives, and lacing up her boots, she tidied the cave and sealed the windows. Collecting the one remaining cloak, she stepped outside and closed the door, effectively locking herself out as the ward resealed. It was only keyed to Raum’s blood and she would need him to re-enter, but she hoped they wouldn’t be coming back here at all.

Covering her shoulders with the cloak, she studied her surroundings, picked the highest nearby peak in the foothills and headed toward it. The moment her wings were exposed, the element of surprise would be lost. There wasn’t time to waste trekking all the way to the border of Murmur’s territory, but she wanted to at least have a clear flight path.

The hike only took twenty minutes or so. When she reached the crest, she could glimpse a distant turret. She had no idea where the boundary wards were located, but she supposed it didn’t matter. There was only so long she could delay the inevitable, and every minute wasted was a minute longer Raum was in the hands of an enemy.

Time to face your fears, Sunshine.

It hadn’t escaped her notice that she hadn’t been able to summon the courage to do this when she’d been after the book and her reascension. But now that Raum was in trouble, there was no question.

Pulling the velvet bag from her pocket, she withdrew one of the amulets from within and held it up. The black stone seemed to absorb any light that hit it, making it difficult to see the lines of the tiny red sigil inscribed on its surface. She hung it around her neck, dropping the stone inside her shirt. The moment it connected with her skin, she felt the magic spark to life.

The countdown had begun. Three hours until the spell wore off. Luckily, she had a second one just in case.

She pocketed the remaining amulet, and then, with a slightly trembling breath, she unfurled her wings.

Her bright white feathers spread wide, nimble bones stretching out and rustling downy plumage. One glance over her shoulder and she was nauseous with nerves.

They gleamed. Sparkled like diamonds in the purest sunlight. Here, with the gloomy red sky and desolate landscape, they were like a lighthouse on a dark night. Anyone scanning the horizon would spot her.

They would see, and they would come for her.

But there wasn’t time to cater to fear. Swallowing hard, she crouched and sprang, taking flight. She headed straight for Murmur’s lair, as fast as she could.

It was farther than it looked, but she pushed herself, pumping her wings and tucking her limbs together to aid her speed. Finally, the black stone castle began to approach, and she searched for the best place to enact her insane plan.

Far below, she spotted a crumbling courtyard beside a collection of dilapidated huts. Demons mingled about, busy with whatever demons did in their spare time.

She tucked her wings and dove.

When she got close enough, heads began to turn. Even with the wind gusting past her ears, she could hear gasps as they noticed her and pointed at the angel rocketing toward them.

Just before she hit the ground, she flared out her wings and swooped sharply up. A chorus of shouting followed, indicating she’d definitely been seen at this point. A few demons spread leathery wings tried to follow her in the air, but they were awkward flyers and couldn’t match her speed.

Time to make them angry.

She circled a tower and executed another dive toward the crowd. This time, she took a leaf from Raum’s book, swooping toward one unfortunate target and grasping him by the arms as she passed.

The demon was far heavier than he looked, and her flight path wobbled. A spear whizzed by her head, and she only narrowly avoided it. A flying demon swooped at her from the side, but she dodged him too. The demon in her grip struggled violently as she pumped hard to gain altitude.

When she was high enough, she dropped him. He fell with a scream that silenced as he hit the ground. Wincing, she circled the tower again and prepared for another swoop.

An arrow shot so close by her head, she heard the hum of its fletching.

She executed another dive, noting how the crowd had turned more into a swarm, ready to charge at a moment’s notice. As she shot down a narrow lane, low enough that her wingtips brushed the shingles of the buildings, she carefully scanned her surroundings.

There. A portico at the end of a deserted street led to a door into the castle. She could see from where she was that it was ajar.

She swooped back toward the crowd of demons. A spear hurtled right below her wing, parting her flight feathers and missing the flesh by inches. If it had struck, she would have been grounded.

Rising up again, she faked an erratic flight pattern as if her wing was injured. She spiraled around and then stopped moving altogether, her body going limp in midair.

She plummeted toward the ground.

At the last second, she spread her wings and took a sharp turn. Narrowly missing the roof of a building, she cleared the top and dropped to a crouch in the same deserted lane she’d spotted earlier, folding her wings.

She heard the shouts of the mob as they came for her. Reaching behind her, she roughly plucked several flight feathers from her plumage. Disappearing her wings completely, she tugged the cloak hood over her head and made sure her skin was hidden.

Then she raced forward, using her plucked feathers to lay a false trail leading away from the castle just as the first demon rounded the corner.

“It went that way!” she croaked in her raspiest fake-demon voice, gesturing to the feathers she’d dropped and then pointing down the street.

The demon didn’t even look at the feathers. It heard her shout, saw her point, and sprinted in the indicated direction with a battle cry, spear upraised. The rest of the mob followed suit.

She shook her head. She’d plucked perfectly good feathers for nothing.

As the mob raced by, she ducked into the shadows, huddling deeper into her cloak as she hurried down the lane in the opposite direction. When she reached the portico, her footsteps echoed on the paving stones, and she was forced to slow her pace to maintain silence.

At the end of the hall, she found the open door she’d seen before and slipped through.

She was in the lair of the Necromancer. Now she just had to find Raum.

MAKING her way down the dark passage, Sunshine stopped at each corner to peek around and make sure the coast was clear. It was eerily dark and silent, and the only sound she could hear was the distant dripping of water.

She’d heard stories of the lair’s former mistress. Paimon, Queen of Hell, had ruled this land with an iron fist. Anyone who crossed her was thrown into a pit of monsters and consumed for sport before a crowd.

Then, her most faithful servant, Mishetsumephtai the Hunter, had turned on her. It was said—though gossip from the underworld was often of questionable validity—that when Paimon fed the Hunter to one of her monsters, he cut it open from the inside after it swallowed him. In retaliation, he fed his mistress to the monsters instead.

Though Mist could have claimed her territory for himself, the promise of freedom appealed to the former slave more than the promise of power. He’d escaped to live as a fugitive on Earth with his human lover, and Murmur had taken possession of the castle.

As for the monsters, they were likely still here somewhere. Sunshine could only hope she didn’t run into them.

The lair was cold and lifeless, and it would have been pitch black if not for the occasional hellfire torch that burned from sconces on the wall. It was barely enough light to navigate by, but she didn’t mind. The darkness provided cover for sneaking.

It seemed her diversion had worked, as she didn’t run into anyone while exploring the ground level of the castle. She was looking for a dungeon, which was generally a below-ground situation, but as she wandered about, she couldn’t seem to find a single passage leading downward.

Eventually, she came across a spiral staircase climbing up the inside of a tower, and she decided she should at least explore the upper levels. Perhaps Murmur had a prison tower instead of a basement. Maybe he liked to enjoy the view while he tortured people.

She climbed the winding steps as quickly as possible, hating how exposed she was in the stairwell. She found a door to the second level, but something spurred her to keep climbing. She became determined to reach the highest point of the tower.

After what felt like hours, she did, barely believing her luck that she hadn’t encountered anyone, while simultaneously wondering if that wasn’t a bad thing. Here, double doors beckoned, so she opened the latch and slipped silently through.

A short entranceway greeted her, leading to two more sets of rough-hewn doors. She chose the one on the right.

Wincing as the hinges creaked, she peered into the gloom before her. It took a moment to realize what she was looking at.

It was…a bedroom. The drapes were drawn over the windows, but the outline of a large four-poster bed was discernible. The sheets were in a twisted pile on the floor, one pillow at the head of the mattress, the other at the foot.

The rest of the room was in equal disarray. There were stray garments tossed haphazardly about, and there were deep claw marks torn in the bed curtains. When she squinted, she could discern frantic writings on the walls, decorated with incomplete sigils, and haunting, abstract faces. The sight sent a chill down her spine.

Thankfully, there was no one within, and she backed out and closed the door behind her. The bedroom gave her the creeps, and she was now certain she hadn’t come to the right place—and may have in fact come to the very wrong place.

She decided to try the second set of doors just in case.

She pushed one open with care, exhaling in relief when the hinges didn’t squeak. That relief died when she peered into the dark room.

Bookshelves lined the walls to the pointed ceiling, so high there were ladders placed throughout to reach the upper levels. Any remaining wall space was covered in sigils. Dried herbs, unidentifiable organs, and all manner of grisly things hung by strings or were stored in jars on shelves.

A table next to the window was riddled with crumpled parchment, all covered in illegible scribbling. Beside it, a hellgate was drawn on the floor, the outer line clearly disrupted to render it inactive.

In the center of the floor was the strangest sigil Sunshine had ever seen. The patterns within were so unfamiliar, she couldn’t recognize a single one.

But that wasn’t what caught her eye. In fact, she barely spared the room a glance.

Facing that strange sigil, positioned off to one side, was another table. Seated at it, slumped forward with his head resting on folded arms…was the Necromancer himself. Sound asleep.

His skin was a ghastly pale gray, and the shadows around his closed eyes were so dark they looked like black bruises. Even his lips were whitish with only the faintest hint of color. She might have assumed him dead if not for the steady rise and fall of his ribcage.

His hair was silvery white and wound into a loose braid that had slipped over one shoulder to lay over his arms. Black horns swept back along his skull, curving up to sharp points above his head. His brow was furrowed, and the look on his face indicated his sleep was not restful.

Even sitting, it was obvious he was lean and tall, and the curve of his spine where he leaned over was strangely graceful. A long, barbed tail curled around the base of the chair he sat on, the end twitching slightly.

Sunshine had inadvertently wandered straight into Murmur’s personal chambers and caught him napping in this room of… What was this place? A workshop? Perhaps this was where he practiced the necromancy he was so masterful at.

That was when she noticed the book.

The book.

She hadn’t known what it looked like. She had never seen it before and had nothing to go on beyond a brief description given by Adriel. Yet somehow she knew with certainty that she was looking right at it.

It was there—right there—on the desk where Murmur slept. One of his arms lay half over it, as if he’d slumped forward in the midst of reading.

She could take it right now. She could creep forward and slip it out from beneath his grasp. There was even a hellgate, not ten feet away. All she’d need to do was complete the broken line, activate it, and she’d be gone in seconds.

Her mission would be complete. She would reascend. Her penance would finally be paid after all these centuries.

But she would have left Raum behind.

In the end, there was no question. She was fully aware she might never get such a chance again, but she simply couldn’t do it.

She was just beginning to back out of the room when, as if to illustrate the permanence of her choice, Murmur suddenly awoke.

He mumbled something incoherent and then jerked upright, head snapping in her direction.

She froze as he stared right at her, unsure if her heart was pounding or if it had stopped altogether.

His eyes were horribly bloodshot, his irises a blue so pale it was almost white, and the tiny prick of his black pupils looked unearthly against the unusual color. The dark shadows around his eyes, the sickly paleness of his skin… He was uncanny to behold.

“I specifically stated I was not to be disturbed,” he growled, but it came out slurred as if he wasn’t yet fully conscious. He flexed his claws, digging the long black tips into the desk. “And you dare to walk into my private chambers?”

He thinks I’m one of his servants. But of course he did. She was hidden by her cloak, and because of the amulet, he wasn’t aware his territory had been breached. And he was likely still half asleep.

“Get out!” he roared, so she turned and fled.

AFTER FLEEING THE TOWER, Sunshine snuck around the shadowy corners of the castle for another hour until she finally struck gold.

It seemed the demons had given up angel hunting, because more began to fill the halls of the lair, making it harder for her to find suitable hiding places. She overheard several heated debates over whether to tell their master they’d seen an angel in his territory after he’d given orders not to be disturbed. While she was sure that was something Murmur would want to know, it seemed their fear of being impaled on the turrets was enough to make them second-guess their logic.

Her luck came while she was hidden behind a statue of a dragon chewing on a severed limb.

“You’re late relieving the guards on the prisoner,” one demon shouted at another as he hurried past.

From her hiding place, she could peek over the statue’s wingtip, and she watched a pair of gargoyles rushing down the passage. They’d been stopped by a group going the opposite direction.

“Shut yer face,” was the tardy demon’s response, and that was the entirety of the conversation. But it was more than enough. ‘The prisoner’ could only mean one thing.

She waited until the group passed and then made her move, inching out of the alcove and hurrying after the guards, her hood so low she could barely see. They led her through a maze of passages, and she quickly forgave herself for not finding the way to the dungeons sooner. The castle was a labyrinth.

Once they took a set of twisting stairs below ground, the halls turned into rough-hewn tunnels with jagged low ceilings. After another minute or so, they reached a barred gate across the tunnel, currently resting open.

While Sunshine ducked into a crevice to hide, the gargoyles she’d followed were chastised by those they’d been sent to relieve. Quietly, she unsheathed one of her blades, pressed her back into the stone, and waited for her moment. Two demons she could handle, but four was more of a risk.

But if the dungeon guards were changing, that meant the original two would be coming this way where they would surely spot her. If she faced them, the other two would hear the fight, giving them time to gather defenses and potentially call for help.

Until now, she’d managed to avoid any combative situations. If she had her way, she would never have to draw a weapon at all. But for Raum’s sake, she would not allow herself to be ruled by her fear of the past.

She unsheathed her second blade.

And then she stepped out from around the corner and rushed the bickering guards before she had a chance to stop herself.

She stabbed the first two demons in the sides of their necks simultaneously. Then she jerked her knives free and tossed one blade and then the other into the eyeballs of the other two.

Hands free, she turned to the first stabbed demon, gripped his horned skull, and snapped his neck. She spun back with a high kick to knock back the second when he tried to grab her, and then she caught his head before he fell and snapped his neck too.

The other two were gathering their wits despite the blades protruding from their eye sockets, but they weren’t fast enough. She lunged forward, pulled her knives free with a jerk, and then swept both her arms out, drawing the razor-edged blades across their throats.

They hit the ground at the same time and bled out together.

Lowering her arms, she straightened, heart pumping at double speed. She felt…invigorated. Empowered.

She smiled. And then she stepped over the bodies and hurried down the tunnel to find Raum.

17

RISE AND SHINE

A  sharp pain in his shoulder had Raum dragging his mind out of the soup of oblivion he’d been swimming in. He felt the weight of his arm at his side, and the blood rushing into his hand felt like a hundred needles, which helped wake him up a little.

“Raum?”

There was light pressure against his face, like someone was touching his cheek. It was nice, and he relaxed into it with a sigh. He hadn’t allowed himself to feel anything good in a long time.

He needed to chill out more. He was always stressed out and in a bad mood. When was the last time he’d just enjoyed the moment?

“Raum, wake up—”

The sound of that voice… It was like music. He would commit gratuitous acts of violence just to hear more of it.

He tried to respond, but all that came out was an unintelligible mumble. Even he was aware enough to know it made no sense. Not that he cared. As long as that hand kept touching him, he was good.

“Raum, you need to wake up. We can’t take a hellgate out of here until you’re conscious.”

He tried to blink. He wanted to please the voice.

“Yes! Try again. Let me see your eyes.”

He leaned into the hand on his cheek. He felt like Faust when he wanted head scratches. If that hand pulled away, he’d shuffle closer to get more too.

“I’m going to unlock your other arm, okay? Try not to fall on me.”

He felt sensation on his other hand, but he kept focusing on trying to blink. She wanted to see his eyes, and apparently, he’d do anything for her.

A moment later, his hand dropped. The blood rushed into the limb, and immediately the pins and needles sensation started along with the burning in his muscles.

“Fuuuck,” was the first proper word he managed.

With his arm freed, his balance shifted, and he didn’t have the presence of mind to stabilize himself. He tipped forward and collided with a warm, soft body. He felt arms wrap around him as he slumped, and he heard her grunt of exertion when she caught him.

“By the Spheres, why are you so heavy?”

She hefted his weight, and he levered back until his spine hit the wall. To keep him from falling, she pressed her body against his.

“Sunshine…”

“Yes, it’s me. I came to get you. Can you open your eyes?”

He tried as hard as he could, blinking through the haze until he saw a darkish outline and vague impression of a familiar face. “You’re here.”

“You’re awake.” Cool palms framed his face. “Your head is covered in blood. What happened?”

“M’fine.”

“I can’t heal you until we get back to Earth, so we’d better get going.”

His eyes slid closed again, but not because he was passing out. Because it was the best feeling in existence to have her touching him like that.

“Feels nice,” he mumbled.

“What?”

“When you touch me.”

He opened his eyes again to find her frowning. Or at least that’s what the blurry shape of her face looked like. Perfect. Blurry or not, she was so damn perfect.

You’re perfect,” he told her, because it seemed important that he tell her. “Perfect ’n beautiful.” He squinted, trying to get her face in focus. “Skin’s so soft.”

“Are you drunk?” she asked, and he snorted.

“Drugged.”

“With what?”

“Necromancer…has a scorpion tail.”

Her eyes widened. “He’s venomous?”

Raum made a grunt of affirmation. Fuck, he was tired. How had Sunshine gotten here anyway? It was hard to think.

“Even more reason to get out of here. He was asleep, but he’s not now, and it’s only a matter of time before he figures out I’m here. It took me ages to find the key to your cell and those stupid manacles, and the guards kept waking up while I was searching, so I had to keep stabbing them.”

“Les’go then,” he slurred, leaning against her. Now that his eyes were focusing, the only thing he wanted to look at was her. Her body was mostly covered by a big ugly cloak, and that struck him as a shame. He wanted to see her naked. Hot damn, he really wanted to see her naked.

“Where’s your shirt?” she asked.

“Murmur took it.” It was a wild guess. He hadn’t even been aware he wasn’t wearing one until right then.

“I need something to draw a hellgate with.” She looked around. “I don’t suppose you still have a piece of chalk, do you?” She started patting around his pants pockets.

It took all of three seconds for him to get hard. “Little…over to the right.”

She followed his instructions until she palmed the bulge in his pants, and then she gasped and jerked back. “That is not chalk, Raum!”

“It isn’t? Better reach in and find out for sure.”

“Now is not the time for jokes,” she hissed, but she was definitely blushing. She stepped back, grabbed his arm, and slung it over her shoulder. “Just come with me, and don’t pass out again. We’ll have to use blood.”

Whose blood? His head throbbed from the aftereffects of Murmur’s venom, and his arms still ached from being chained, making it hard to focus. He let her lead him out of the cell, into the long tunnel, but his brain still wasn’t entirely with the program.

Neither was his body, apparently. A wave of lightheadedness suddenly crashed over him, and his vision tunneled. He stumbled into Sunshine, who tripped, and they both hit the ground.

They ended up slumped against the wall in a tangle of limbs, which seemed hilarious, so he laughed.

Sunshine stared at him like he’d grown a second head. “I’ve never seen you— You are not okay!”

“I’m fine. It’s just funny.” He stopped laughing anyway and marveled again at how captivating her eyes were. No wonder he’d been obsessed with her from the moment he saw her. He hadn’t stood a chance when she’d come after him in the club.

“Nothing about this is funny!” Those eyes weren’t full of seduction now, sadly. “We have to hurry.” Scrambling to her feet, she tried to haul him up by the arm. “Why are you so heavy!”

He sagged in her grip. “Use your angelic strength, baby.”

“Raum, you have to focus.”

“I am focused…on how incredibly fine you are.” He reached over to feel her up, but she swatted his hand away. He let her pull him to his feet and then steadied himself with a hand on the wall when the world started spinning again.

He felt like he needed to sleep for a week, and his eyes kept trying to close of their own accord. He still wasn’t even sure why Sunshine was here, how she’d found him, or where they were supposed to be going.

“Wait. Shit.” He forced his brain to work. “Did you get the book?” He assumed she wouldn’t have come down here to get him if she hadn’t.

“I found it, yes.”

“So that’s it? You’re done?” Why did he feel such a crushing sense of disappointment?

“Not until we get out of here.”

“Where is the book? Is it here?” He looked around. As if he’d even be able to see a book right now with his vision so blurry.

“I’ll explain everything once we get back to Earth. There isn’t time now.”

He shrugged mentally. She wouldn’t be willing to walk out of Murmur’s lair if she hadn’t found what she needed. Still, something about this whole thing struck him as too easy.

All he’d had to do was get his ass captured and drugged for Sunshine to get her book? He supposed the amulets would’ve done most of the work getting her past the wards, but still. Where was the book anyway, if she had it?

He tried to think, but it just made his head pound, and in the end, he trusted Sunshine to take care of herself. She said she found the book, so he believed her.

He let her lead him down the tunnel until they came upon a pile of bodies. He blinked at the sight. Two demons had their throats slit and knife wounds in their eyeballs, and the other two’s heads were facing the wrong way. All four had been stabbed in the chest repeatedly.

“Did you do this?”

“Yes, and now I need to use their blood to draw the hellgate. Just stay there, and don’t pass out again.” She pushed him against the wall to prop him up like he couldn’t stand on his own—a fair assumption—and then went over to the mangled demons.

“There aren’t exactly any paintbrushes around here,” she mumbled. “I’ll just have to use my hand, I suppose. How revolting.”

He watched in disbelief as she bent over one and then dipped her fingers into the blood seeping out of his grisly neck wound. Hand dripping, she quickly moved over to a clear spot on the floor and began finger painting the hellgate sigil.

Where was the Sunshine that had balked at killing the cannibal demon? And why was it so hot seeing her covered in blood, knowing she’d gone on a killing spree to get to him?

“We might need to stab them again,” she said after the third or fourth dip in the paint. “Their wounds are closing, and it won’t be long before they wake up.”

He stared at her.

She glanced up from the half-finished gate. “Would you mind?”

Would he mind stabbing a demon so she could have more blood for finger painting? Why, no, he wouldn’t.

Shifting his hands into half demon form, he trudged over to the fallen foes and slowly crouched, careful to keep from passing out again. His awareness was sharpening the longer he stayed awake.

Just to gauge her reaction, he stabbed all five claws into a demon’s stomach and stirred them around a little. The creature twitched a bit but remained otherwise unaware.

Raum watched Sunshine, waiting for her to react to the gore.

Instead, she leaned over, dipped her fingers straight into the blood-and-guts soup and then flashed a sweet smile at him. “Thank you.” And she went right back to drawing the hellgate.

Maybe he was hallucinating as a side-effect from the venom. Maybe this was all a fucked-up dream.

“How do you even know how to draw a hellgate?” She was an angel. She could teleport and had no need for them. That lent credibility to his hallucination theory.

When she glanced at him again, her eyes were somber. “I was once trapped and couldn’t flash to save myself. Afterward, I studied and practiced so I would never end up in that situation again.”

He wanted to ask her what happened, but even drugged, he was smart enough to know that now wasn’t the time. But the thought of her being hurt by anyone made him want to start stabbing eyeballs himself.

“It’s done,” Sunshine said a moment later, climbing to her feet. She bent and wiped her bloody hand on one of the demons’ shirts and then pulled a rag from the pouch on her holster to clean under her nails. Raum just wiped his claws on his pants. He was way past trying to be clean.

“I’ve had enough demon blood and ash to last an angel’s lifespan.” She glanced up. “Do you think you can activate the hellgate, or should I try? I studied, but I’m a little rusty.”

“You should practice then.”

She shot him a look. “I figured rescuing you from a dungeon wasn’t the best time to freshen up my skills.”

“No time like the present.”

“Fine.” Replacing the cloth, she went to the hellgate and closed her eyes, holding her hands out like she was feeling around for something in the dark.

“You don’t need to use your hands.”

“It helps me visualize. Now hush.”

His lips curved. He liked snarky Sunshine.

He’d sworn he was done with his fixation on her, but the drug in his system was lowering his inhibitions and making his resistance slip away. Learning she wasn’t actually planning to kill his brothers had pretty much dismantled his last wall of defense, and now he didn’t know how to keep her at arm’s length.

He watched her concentrating, a line between her brow, her lips pressed together.

She was just so…pretty. Pretty and perfect. Shiny. And he loved shiny stuff. Of all the shit he’d stolen, all the treasure he’d ever collected, he coveted her the most.

Which made no damn sense. That venom had really done a number on him.

Her eyes popped open a moment later. “I think it’s done.”

“You think it’s done?”

The look she gave him was priceless. “Yes, I think, because I’m out of practice and you insisted I do it, so if we end up in China, consider it your fault.”

“Alright.”

“Stop smirking at me.” She shook her head, but if he wasn’t mistaken, a hint of a smile played about her mouth. “I never thought that’d be something I’d tell you, Mr. Grumpy. Maybe I should get some more of that venom and give you a daily dose.”

“Har har. Let’s go.”

This time, she couldn’t hold back her grin. “There’s the Raum I know.”

He really hoped she didn’t know how much power that look had over him or he was doomed.

SUNSHINE DIDN’T TAKE them to China. In fact, her hellgate dropped them right where she’d intended it to: in the living room of her rental suite, at the very gate they’d used to enter Hell in the first place. It was night in Montreal, the city lighting up the overcast sky with a hazy glow, and she was glad she’d left a lamp on.

Back again only a few days later…and no closer to getting the book. They were further, in fact, since Murmur now knew they were trying to sneak into his territory. Worse, she’d used both amulets trying to find Raum.

The first had started wearing off after she’d fled Murmur’s tower, and she’d had no choice but to use the second. Something about the succubus queen they’d met made her think she wasn’t likely to help them out a second time.

But Sunshine wasn’t thinking about any of that right now. She was tired of thinking about it, and presently, she was more concerned with the very stoned, shirtless demon who stumbled out of the gate and would have fallen on his face had she not caught and steadied him.

He gave her a lopsided smile, and that right there was concerning enough. Raum didn’t smile. Well, he rarely did. And each instance where he offered a smile was precious and to be savored. The way he was throwing them around now was almost disturbing. It seemed against the natural order.

Her hand was still on his arm, and she couldn’t help but feel his hard strength and the softness of his skin. Why did Murmur have to take his shirt? It was making everything more difficult.

“Let me heal your head wound,” she said, reaching up to his temple and sending healing energy into him. Unfortunately, she couldn’t do anything for his state of intoxication. Angel healing only worked for superficial wounds like lacerations and broken bones. Toxins in the bloodstream had to be treated the normal way.

She watched as his skin knit back together and exhaled in relief, glad to have her abilities back now that they were out of Hell. She hated the helpless feeling when they were blocked.

Raum looked into her eyes the whole time, and she squirmed under the intensity of his attention. She dropped her hand when she finished and tried to pretend she was unaffected by their proximity.

“You’re so pretty, Sunshine,” he slurred. He was in her personal space, but it didn’t feel like an invasion. His eyes were too bright from the venom’s effects, and she tried to remind herself he wouldn’t have said such things under normal circumstances.

It didn’t work. In fact, her cheeks warmed from the compliment, and her body swayed into him as if it had a mind of its own. “And you’re still very intoxicated.”

She turned away and set about removing her cloak and weapons just to give her something to do besides look at him.

“You like me,” he said. “I can tell.”

When she glanced up, he was still giving her that priceless gem of a smile, but it didn’t feel like it counted as much as it would’ve had he been sober. She clung to that conviction as the last tether of resistance.

“You need to sleep off the venom in your system.” Finished with her weapons and cloak, she unlaced her boots and toed them off.

“Not sleeping until I shower. I stink like Hell.”

They both did, in fact. Now that they were back on Earth, she could discern the sulfuric scent emanating from them.

She approached Raum and hefted one heavy arm over her shoulder. “Let’s get you into the shower then.”

He obviously hadn’t figured out yet that she hadn’t retrieved the book—the venom probably made it hard for him to reason clearly. When he did, she knew they were in for an awkward conversation.

She flicked the light on as they entered, and she grimaced when she caught her reflection. Her hair was atrocious, and her face was stained with flecks of demon blood. She guided Raum to slump against the wall and then reached into the shower stall to turn on the water.

“You gonna join me?” The lopsided grin was back.

“Absolutely not. That would be inappropriate.” She swallowed around a throat that had suddenly gone dry.

He wasn’t listening, because he was already halfway through unfastening his pants. When he shoved them down the next second, she gasped and spun around.

“Raum!” Her face was so hot, she feared she might faint. “That is definitely not appropriate!”

She heard him moving around behind her and prayed he was steady enough to get his clothes off on his own. She didn’t know if she would survive it if she had to help him.

“Do they teach you in angel school how not to have fun?” His voice came from inside the shower, echoing around the tile, and she breathed a sigh of relief. And disappointment. No. Relief.

“Yes, we study very thoroughly in the art of being a killjoy,” she drawled. “We are forbidden to smile or laugh. Enjoyment is expressly prohibited.”

“I knew it,” he slurred, and she laughed despite herself.

Something crashed in the shower, and she quickly spun around in alarm. Raum was on the ground, and so were all the shampoo and bodywash bottles from the shelf.

Before she knew what she was doing, she raced into the stall to help him up and make sure he was okay.

She knew he was. He was a demon. Even if he’d fallen and cracked his skull and broken his neck, he would heal and be fine. She knew that. But something about this infuriating man drew protective instincts out of her that she’d never felt before and had no defense against.

She had the sense that she would violently decimate anyone that tried to hurt him, and that alarmed her. The person she was around him didn’t feel like the person she’d been for the last few hundred years.

And the more time she spent with him…the more she didn’t want to be that person anymore.

“You clumsy demon,” she chided. “Are you okay?”

He climbed to unsteady feet but didn’t reply. She kept a hand on his arm to make sure he didn’t fall again. The moment should have been funny, but there was nothing humorous about the way he was looking at her.

The spray pelted her clothing and quickly soaked through. It tunneled through her braid and splashed onto her face. But she was too busy staring into Raum’s eyes to care that she was getting wet. He was very naked, and she ought to have been fleeing. But she didn’t move a muscle.

Something made her feel like she’d been waiting for this for a long time.

“Sunshine…” His voice touched something inside her that he had no business touching. And yet, another part of her thought that only he had business touching her there. No one else.

He reached up. His hand moved slowly, giving her ample time to move back…had she wanted to. When his palm touched her cheek, her eyes closed involuntarily.

What was it about him? How did he have this power over her? Why did she want to surrender so badly?

His thumb ran across her lower lip, and her eyes snapped open, locking with his. His fingers traced back along her jaw and then curled around the base of her braid.

She didn’t move. Didn’t dare breathe. She was a prisoner to the moment with no desire for freedom.

The hand in her hair tugged her head back, and next thing she knew, their lips collided.

18

COLD SHOWER

Sunshine melted into the kiss. He tasted like heat and spice, and his lips were startlingly soft, in opposition to the firm grip he had on her braid.

Water cascaded down her back, soaking through her clothes and running over her face into her eyes. Raum hauled her closer, and her palms landed on his pecs to steady herself. His naked pecs. Warm water slid over smooth skin and hard muscle.

He pressed deeper into the kiss, and she heard the soft moan climb up her throat. Her fingers curled, nails digging into his skin.

He pulled back for only a second, and she shamelessly chased him. But he had no intention of stopping. When his lips crashed into hers again, he pushed her back until her spine hit the tile. He tugged her hair, exposing her neck, and then stooped to drag his mouth along the tender skin of her throat.

When he pressed his body into hers, there was no missing the hard length of his arousal against her stomach. She could have been wearing a snowsuit and she would have felt it.

The now-familiar sensation of desire electrified her blood. It sensitized every touch, every breath, every taste, until the need for more was all she could think about.

He did that amazing thing with his thigh again, shoving it between her legs until the hard muscle pressed against her pelvis, and her heart ramped up to a furious pace.

She hadn’t been able to stop thinking about kissing him since the first time it happened. She’d done it twice more since, but she was far from cured of the addiction. It had only made her want more. And this time, it was different.

This time, she was kissing him because she wanted to, not because she was trying to lure him into a trap or because a succubus wanted to feed off their lust. This time, there was no subterfuge, no hidden agenda, no lies between them.

This time…he was drugged with demon scorpion venom.

The remembrance was like a splash of cold water to the face, and she pulled back with a gasp. There wasn’t far to go. The hand around her braid kept her head immobilized, and his body and strategically placed thigh kept her pinned to the wall.

But he let her break the kiss, leaning back slightly to give her space.

She stared into his eyes, the temptation to kiss him again so strong she couldn’t think clearly. His eyes were clear in a way they hadn’t been before, but that wasn’t enough to make this right.

His body… If she let her eyes wander where they wanted to go for even a second, she was going to lose it. Just the peripheral view of the line of his collarbones and the divot between his pectoral muscles was nearly too much.

“We have to stop,” she panted, more to herself than him.

He didn’t laugh or smile or even twitch an eyelid. Stoic Raum was obviously back, but she still couldn’t do this.

“It’s wrong,” she reminded herself.

His brow furrowed, and those full lips that had been so deliciously soft against hers pressed into a hard line. He released her braid and dropped his hand, moving his thigh from between her legs and stepping back.

“Go, then.”

His words were neutral, carefully so. So much that she suddenly realized how he’d interpreted what she said.

“It’s not that,” she said quickly. I don’t care what you are, even if I should. I don’t care about the rules, even if I should. “It’s your…condition.”

His frown deepened.

“You’re under the influence. It’s wrong for me to take advantage.”

His eyes flared and a snort escaped him. “Take advantage?”

She nodded mutely.

“You’re worried about taking advantage of me.”

“Yes.”

“Me.”

“That’s what I just s— Don’t laugh at me!”

He was definitely still intoxicated, because his face cracked into a breathtaking smile, and he laughed at her anyway.

“I’m serious! It would be wrong for me to initiate intimacy when you’re not capable of giving full consent.”

One step forward and a firm hand on her hip, and she was pinned back against the wall, that big, wet, naked body surrounding her. Golden eyes melted to fire as he pinned her with an intense stare.

“And what if I initiate it?”

“Absolutely not.” Her words were decisive, but her tone was not. The glint of victory shone in his eyes like he knew it. “I mean it, Raum.” She groaned as he bent and ran his lips along her throat again. “I will not touch you in a sexual way while your judgment is impaired.”

He released her and stepped back suddenly, leaving her bereft. They stared at each other while her chest heaved and her fingers curled into her palms against the urge to reach for him.

“Fine.” His voice was flat, but his eyes sparkled with some mysterious wickedness. He turned into the spray and tipped his face up, letting the water pour over him.

She was momentarily stunned.

He looked over. “Pass me the soap?”

Mutely, she reached and patted the shelf where the soap was, only to realize everything had fallen on the floor and the bar was actually next to her feet. She bent, picked it up, and rose to pass it to him.

Her eyes slid up his very aroused body on her way up, and she suddenly forgot how to breathe. And now her heart was pounding twice as fast, and she couldn’t seem to focus on anything except the images seared into her brain. She didn’t dare look again, though she desperately wanted to.

She mutely handed him the bar of soap, and he started washing himself like it was normal to bathe with a fully clothed angel in his shower.

“But—” The sputtered protest came out against her will.

He glanced at her, and the corner of his mouth curved. There was an evil glint in his eye reminding her that even in human form, he was still very much a demon.

His next words proved it. “I know when to bide my time, angel.”

He turned away and kept washing, and Sunshine stayed rooted in place until she realized she was staring at his muscled shoulders, at the indent of his spine and the subtle arch of his low back where it curved out to the most spectacular ass in all the worlds.

She’d never particularly cared for the backside of a man until right this moment. Now she was obsessed.

A moment later, he looked over his shoulder again. “You’d better stop staring at me like that, or I’m going to pin you back against the wall and finish what you started.”

“I didn’t—”

“You’re the one that came running into the shower.”

“You tripped and fell!”

He just looked at her, one eyebrow arched.

Gather your wits, woman! She fled the shower, closing the glass door in a cloud of steam, and stood on the bath mat, her wet clothes creating a small lake around her. They were filthy too, and she had no desire to clean them. Any clothes that had been to Hell and back were ready to be repurposed as rags.

She needed a shower too, in fact.

She glanced back at Raum and nearly cried at the dark outline of his body discernible through the condensation-fogged glass. Surely this was a test harder than any the Dominations could think up for her. Surely she deserved some reward for her resilience.

For an angel who’d once thought herself not tempted by flesh, she was a wreck.

She left the bathroom, water trailing behind her. Thank the Spheres her apartment had two bathrooms.

She must have stayed in the other shower for half an hour, scrubbing every inch of herself and washing her hair, repeatedly reminding herself of her good intentions so she didn’t run back to Raum and take him up on his earlier offer. When she was done, she blow-dried her hair, running the comb through it while she stared unfocused at her reflection in the mirror.

Despite her conflicting arousal, she was exhausted and emotionally charged from everything that had happened in Hell. Facing her fear and revealing herself to the demons in Murmur’s lair was a big step, one she hadn’t thought she was ready for.

What shocked her the most was that she didn’t think she’d ever have been ready if it hadn’t been for Raum. Not even her need to find the book had provided sufficient motivation, but the minute Raum was in danger, all else ceased to matter.

What kind of angel developed such affection for an underworld enemy? How had her priorities shifted so drastically in so short a time?

And when had she stopped caring about the answer to those questions?

When she finally emerged from the bathroom, a fluffy towel wrapped around her middle, she tiptoed back to the bedroom and found Raum fast asleep in the bed.

Her heart softened at the sight of him sprawled across it, somehow taking up the majority of the queen-size mattress. His dark skin against the crisp white sheets was unbelievably enticing, and the voice reminding her such desires were forbidden faded a little more into the background.

She went into the walk-in and donned black-lace panties and a slinky satin nightgown that fell to mid thigh. She could have chosen a baggy t-shirt or flannel pajamas, but she didn’t. When she finished dressing, she could have gone to the guest bedroom, but she didn’t. She could have flashed to her chambers in Heaven or even slept on the couch. But she didn’t.

She padded across the room, pulled back the covers, and slipped into the bed beside the superheated body of the demon she was coming to care for far more than she should.

In his sleep, he turned to his side and instinctively pulled her against him. One hand got a surprisingly tight grip around a fistful of her hair, and the other reached around her body to cup her breast.

She snuggled into him, a smile stretching across her face. Closing her eyes, she exhaled slowly, feeling the tension bleed out of her muscles in a way even the hot shower hadn’t achieved.

Raum’s hand slid down the curve of her waist and over her hip, and then he cupped a possessive hand over her core, fingers trapped between her thighs.

She fell asleep loving the feeling of being held by him. Never wanting to give it up.

IT WAS his seventh and final day at the inn.

The worry and disappointment weighed so heavily upon him, it took a monumental effort just to drag his body from beneath the bedcovers. But it was nearly midday. He had lain in idle distress long enough.

Dressing in whatever clothes were strewn about the chamber, he retraced the path he had paced for hours, every day he waited. He stopped at the window, parting the curtains to peer out at the lane below.

There was, of course, no sign of her.

His initial disappointment had given way to concern and eventually fear. They always prioritized their short encounters, for they were only able to enjoy them once every few months. It was the most they could risk sneaking away from their respective duties without drawing attention to themselves.

He missed her desperately when they were apart, and he knew she felt the same. That knowledge was the only thing that got him through the months of separation.

She had never missed a meeting before.

With each day that passed, the ache of worry knotted itself deeper in his chest until it hurt to breathe. His inability to act felt like a noose around his neck.

What could he do? Being what he was, there was no one he could go to to inquire of her whereabouts. He could only continue to reassure himself that she would come at any moment with a logical explanation as to why she’d been detained, and he would chastise himself for assuming the worst.

Yet today, on the seventh and final day, those assurances no longer appeased him.

They were supposed to be enemies. Meeting as they did was dangerous for both of them—for her most of all. Their worlds had no place for each other.

But that didn’t mean that he wouldn’t search for her.

He turned from the window and began gathering his things, finally accepting that she wasn’t coming. He vowed he would not rest until he found her. He needed to know she was safe, that no harm had befallen her.

If anyone had dared to hurt her, the most precious thing in all the worlds to him, he would rain worse than hell upon them. The vengeance he wrought would make Lucifer’s wrath look tame in comparison.

A knock upon the door drew his thoughts from bloodlust, and his heart quickened with hope.

It would be just as he’d expected—she had been held up, and now she would offer an explanation as to where she’d been, and all would be right in his world once more.

When he flung open the door, however, it was not the face of his love that met his gaze.

It was a man—an angel. There was no mistaking what he was. He stared at Raum, eyes burning with loathing and…triumph?

“Where is Shamsiel?” he demanded.

Raum’s heart turned to stone and yet continued to beat at a frantic pace.

They had been discovered. It had finally happened.

But how? They’d been so careful. They had taken every precaution, ironing out every wrinkle in their plans over the decades they’d been arranging their secret trysts.

Was this why Shamsiel hadn’t come? Was she being interrogated at this very moment?

They had discussed this eventuality long ago, had decided the best course of action in the event their forbidden affair was discovered. But even if they hadn’t, Raum already knew…

He would die before he betrayed her.

Looking the angel in the eye, he adopted a bored expression and said, “Where is who?”

RAUM SUDDENLY SNAPPED TO WAKEFULNESS, eyes popping open as if his consciousness was a switch flipped on. A beam of sunlight streamed across the white ceiling. It took a moment of staring at it for him to realize where he was and how he’d gotten there.

What the fuck was that dream?

Weren’t vivid dreams supposed to have meaning? Because there was no reason why his subconscious would fabricate something so fucked up. Sex dreams were one thing, but this… This wasn’t even like a dream.

It was more like a memory.

A cold wave of dread washed over him before he quashed it with denial. He was pretty sure if he’d had some forbidden relationship with Sunshine back when she called herself Shamsiel, she would have mentioned it to him.

Come to think of it… He didn’t know why or when Sunshine had changed her name. Dan had told them she used to be called Shamsiel, but he hadn’t explained it beyond that.

And then there was the angel who’d knocked on the door. His face was obscured in Raum’s mind, and with every minute he was awake, it faded further until he couldn’t recall it at all.

It was the same with the first memory he had after his memories were wiped. He’d woken up with no idea what had happened to him in the last three centuries—except for a vague recollection of an angel telling him he was being punished for a grave transgression.

What transgression? It had always bothered him. How terrible could it have been that it warranted wiping his memory?

A chill ran through him.

His mind started to make a leap, but he erected a mental barrier before it could.

The dream wasn’t a memory. It was just a vivid remnant of the venom poisoning, one last fever dream before he worked it out of his system. It wasn’t real. It couldn’t be.

But it could be.

A warm body stirred against him, and the sound of a sleepy mumble had him glancing down.

Sunshine lay against him, using the space between his pec and shoulder as a pillow. Her hands were curled beneath her chin in an oddly adorable way, and one of her legs was draped over his, the tangled sheets uncovering the light-brown skin of her thigh.

The sight of her triggered what memories he retained from the previous night. She had shown up and busted his ass out of the dungeon, and then she’d finger painted a hellgate with demon blood, and—

What about the book? He frowned and tried to remember. She’d said she had it, hadn’t she? She said she’d found it.

Then why was she still here?

If she had it, then she had what she needed from him. But she hadn’t left. She was still here, and she’d kissed him in the shower before crawling into bed with him when she could have slept anywhere else in the world.

The knowledge did something to him. Warmth sparked in his chest, equal parts soothing and uncomfortable. He couldn’t identify the emotion for shit thanks to centuries of being numb as an ice block, but it felt…good.

It made him happy. It made him hungry.

He rolled onto his side, shifting Sunshine’s position because he wanted to get a better look at her. And touch her. And maybe taste her a little.

He’d gone to sleep naked because his clothes were filthy, and he hated wearing clothes to bed anyway. He sure as hell hadn’t expected Sunshine to climb in beside him and cuddle up with his morning wood, not that he was complaining.

She, on the other hand, wore a slinky little nightgown that clung to her curves perfectly. Even better, it had ridden up past her hips in sleep, and he could just glimpse the edges of the black-lace underwear she wore beneath it.

He smiled inwardly. For a pure heavenly angel, those were some pretty sexy pajamas.

He ran his hand up the silky fabric, starting at her hip, dipping into the curve of her waist, and then sliding back to the bare skin of her shoulder blade. In response, her spine arched, and she exhaled a contented purr.

He pet her a few more times, watching her react to his touch. If he was seducing her, she was seducing him twice as much. All that sighing and soft moaning was almost more than he could take.

Finally, her eyes opened, and she tipped her face up to meet his gaze. “Hi.” A lazy smile curved her lips.

He stroked her neck with a light touch and watched her lids flutter, and then he brought his fingers to her chin to tilt her head back. The touch was all he needed to communicate his intent, and he saw her eyes flare slightly with the realization. He waited for her protest.

Instead, her hand lifted. She placed her palm on his pec. He stayed still and watched, letting her lead the show for now, and he was rewarded by her hand sliding up to grasp the muscle between his neck and shoulder. He reminded himself again: She stayed. She’s here because she wants to be.

She squeezed slightly—an invitation. So he leaned down and kissed her.

She kissed him back like she was hungry for more, and he decided he was done holding back. No more playing nice. Sunshine had put on sexy lingerie and crawled into bed with a demon. She could face the consequences.

He tightened the fingers at her chin, pinching slightly to let her know he wanted control. She sagged like she would have melted away if he wasn’t holding her in place.

How did she know to do that? It was the sexiest possible response she could’ve given, like she’d taken the fantasy straight from his head.

He released her chin and wrapped a palm around the back of her neck, remembering how he’d held her in Naiamah’s lair and how desperate he’d been for more.

He’d had to stop then. He wasn’t stopping now.

He deepened the kiss, prying her lips open with his own and dipping his tongue into her mouth. When it brushed against hers, she gasped into his mouth. So responsive. The way she reacted to him made him feel fucking invincible.

Tightening the grip on her neck, he rolled on top of her. Her legs fell open to cradle his hips, and feeling those soft thighs wrap around him was nearly enough to make him lose it right there.

He broke the kiss just to look at her, resting his weight on his elbows and lifting his torso off her. She looked like a goddess with her hair spread all over the pillow and her breasts spilling over the top of her slinky nightgown. Her dark eyes were hazy with arousal, her swollen lips parted slightly, her chest moving with heavy breaths.

“Raum…” Her voice was husky, soft. Not quite shy, but she wasn’t playing games either.

This was trust, he realized. She shouldn’t be doing this with him. It was forbidden for her. Yet here she was, letting him pin her down and hold her by the neck, surrendering to his kiss. Because she trusted him.

He wanted to reward her.

He wanted to make her decision to stay the best one she’d ever made. He wanted to make her so drunk on pleasure that she forgot he was a demon, her enemy, and all the other shit that made this a terrible idea.

Shifting his weight, he reached down and gripped the flesh of her hip, taking a moment to squeeze and revel in its softness. Then he slid his palm up to her waist, pushing her nightgown up with it.

He bent and kissed her again because he couldn’t seem to stop for long. This time, it was her tongue that snaked into his mouth, making him groan. She clenched his shoulders, and her hips came off the mattress, seeking friction.

He’d give her friction. But he wasn’t going to jump right to the main event. Who said sex had to be the main event anyway? Given the chance, he would happily eat pussy until his face fell off.

Picturing Sunshine’s legs over his shoulders while she came in his mouth was more than enough to determine what he was doing next.

He broke the kiss and levered back onto his knees. Her hands fell away as he sat up, and a line appeared between her brows. She had no idea what he was planning. He would enjoy surprising her.

Hooking his fingers on her lacy underwear, he slid them down until her spread legs prevented him from going further. Dutifully, she lifted them, pushing her bent knees together so he could slide the underwear the rest of the way off and toss them away.

Trying not to fall on her like a ravenous beast, he put his hands on the inside of her knees, guiding them apart while he stared into her eyes.

She stared right back at him and let them fall open.

His gaze snapped to what he most wanted to see… Her glistening wet pussy. Her skin was darker there than the rest of her body, the hair above trimmed into a neat triangle. Her inner labia were bigger than the outer and hung out a little. He wanted to suck on them. Fuck, did he ever.

She was an angel, supposed to be free from sexual desire, and yet she trimmed her pussy hair into a perfect little triangle and owned black-lace underwear?

If Sunshine was innocent, then he was the fucking angel.

He released her legs, a dark satisfaction filling him when she left them apart for him. Then he reached between her thighs and spread her pussy open.

“God damn,” he breathed.

He’d never seen a sexier thing. Because a sexier thing didn’t exist. Except maybe the sight of his cock sinking into that perfect hole, but that would come later.

Right now, he had other plans.

“Raum…” She was pleading with him, squirming a little at the way he held her open. But she stayed right where he wanted, and that made him a happy demon.

Time to give her a reward.

19

CAT GOT YOUR TONGUE

A  pair of full lips, even fuller from the passionate kisses they’d shared, fixed over Sunshine’s most intimate flesh and sucked. She jerked so hard, she nearly sat straight up. Raum gripped one of her thighs and squeezed, fingers sinking into the flesh—a demand for her to stay put.

She forced herself to relax, but that didn’t last long when he sucked again. A gasp tore out of her at the overwhelming sensation.

She had never done anything like this before. She’d been around a very long time and wasn’t innocent or naive by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, she believed humans’ fascination with virginity was a baseless construct for the purpose of oppression. In her mind, it didn’t matter in the least whether a person was ‘untouched.’

It was only forbidden for angels to engage in sexual activity because the drive to procreate was a primal instinct and was therefore only to be experienced by those tethered to the mortal realm. Like demons, angels were created, not born, so there was never a need for copulation.

Demons, on the other hand, partook in sex because they were slaves to sensation. They were infertile and incapable of procreation, but they thrived on anything that kept a mind bound to its baser instincts.

But this didn’t feel like a base instinct. This felt like…connection.

Raum’s tongue trailed through her tender flesh, the pink muscle standing out against his dark skin, and her thoughts scattered.

Pleasure spiked through her body as his tongue swirled around her clitoris, and her body jerked once again as a most undignified moan came from her. But she wasn’t self-conscious of her reactions. She was far too invested in what he was doing to care.

His fingers spread her further apart as he fixed his lips around her clit and sucked it into his mouth. He released it, flicked it with his tongue, and oh dear god, she thought she might die. If so, it would be a glorious death.

He released his other hand’s grip on her thigh, and next thing she knew, his finger was pushing into her most vulnerable inner place. She felt every millimeter of it penetrating her, but it wasn’t enough. Pressing her feet into the mattress, she lifted her hips, wanting to spread herself open, wanting to feel overwhelmingly full inside.

He slid his finger in and out, mimicking the motions of sex, while his tongue and lips continued to suck, lick, and swirl around her swelling bundle of nerves. She had no awareness of the sounds she made beyond a distant knowledge that the air was full of her cries.

No wonder humans were endlessly tempted by the allure of sex. It was intoxicating. Exhilarating. Liberating.

As her clit swelled with blood and sensation, Raum replaced his tongue with his fingers, upping the pressure and stimulation. His tongue traveled down to her opening with his other hand, teasing her entrance with the sensation of fullness she craved so desperately but couldn’t quite obtain.

The pressure built beyond what she could stand, and she heard herself begging for something. Release, possibly. Or more pressure. More delicious torture.

He lifted his head suddenly, but his fingers never stopped working. His lips glistened with her arousal, and she had never seen his eyes burn brighter.

“Raum.” It was a plea, an invitation, and more she couldn’t name.

He didn’t respond verbally, but the promise was there in his eyes.

She let herself fall.

With a cry, her spine arched, her head tipped back, and a climax poured through her bloodstream. Her vision went dark save for bursts of lights in the blackness. She didn’t know if her eyes were open or closed. She didn’t know if she was even alive.

Yet she’d never felt more so.

When the peak passed, her body slumped on the mattress, her chest heaving, her sight still speckled with lights. Raum’s tongue flicked over her sensitized clit, and her body jerked. He did it again and she gasped, trying to snap her legs closed. His broad shoulders and a firm grip on one thigh prevented it.

“Raum—”

He looked up, and his eyes were all demon. Wicked and full of mischief. He bent and licked her again.

She cried out. “Raum, it’s too much.”

He did it again. And again. Until suddenly, she wasn’t flinching but writhing from the pleasure as it unfurled inside her once more.

She didn’t know if she could stand a second round. This time, it might actually kill her.

And yet, she found herself dropping her legs open again, pushing into her feet to grind against his fingers and tongue, her muscles clenching and unclenching with each fresh wave of stimulation.

He didn’t stop until he made her come twice more.

RAUM SUCKED the salty-sweet angel cum off his fingers and felt himself smiling like an idiot. Like Meph. But he’d have to be dead and a pile of ashes not to be a little giddy. Sunshine lay like a molten puddle of woman, looking at him like he’d just blown her mind. Which he absolutely had.

His smile broadened a little.

He was so hard it hurt, but he didn’t care about his own pleasure right now. Planting his hands on either side of her waist, he crawled up her body, mesmerized by her eyes. Heavy-lidded and drugged with pleasure, they were so deep he felt like he could fall into them. He wanted to fall.

He knew she was inexperienced, and he wasn’t expecting her to reciprocate. Nor did he want to push her into anything before she was ready. When he’d become such a fucking gentleman, he didn’t know. He didn’t care either. She was worth it.

He was just planning to sneak into the shower to take care of his needs when Sunshine said, “I want to do that to you.”

He nearly choked. He did cough a little.

“You don’t have to.” Shut up, idiot, and take the blowjob.

“I also want…” She trailed off and cleared her throat.

“What?” He focused his whole attention on her response.

She looked away and shrugged a little.

He turned her head back with a finger on her chin. “Tell me.”

Her lips curved slightly. If he didn’t know better, he’d have thought she was the world’s most masterful seductress. But there was no faking that kind of reaction. The way she stared into his eyes… What made it so impossibly intoxicating was that it was real.

He hadn’t known sex could even be like this. He’d always seen it as more of a contractual exchange—both parties got off and had a good time. But this was different. This was…more.

“I want… Well, I think I might like if…” She swallowed and then blurted, “I think I’d like it if you decide what we do. I had a dream, and—” She shook her head. “Never mind.”

He shut his eyes briefly. I think I’d like it if you decide what we do. He was too fixated on that to pay attention to her other words, already debating how he would grant her request. He decided to take a chance and go for gold.

“I want to fuck your mouth and then come on your chest.”

Maybe he wanted to push her a tiny bit. Just to see how far she wanted to go.

Her eyes widened…and then she nodded. “Okay.”

Really? Just like that? He might not survive this.

She started to sit up, but he pressed her flat with a hand on her chest.

“Are you sure?” he asked, trying to temper the urges he had to test her, dominate her, with the urges to take care of her. It was a strange opposition and something he’d never experienced before. “You don’t have to—”

“I want you to mark me.”

“Fuck.” His eyes closed for a moment as that sank in. “How do you know to say shit like that?”

“I’m just saying what I’m feeling.” She smiled with mock innocence when his eyes narrowed.

“Take off your nightgown.”

She sat up and pulled the slinky little dress over her head, tossing it away, and his entire focus was drawn to the sight of the dark nipples at the center of her breasts. Her body was an abundance of curves, her waist flaring out to wide hips, her stomach softly rounded, her breasts so full they would overflow his hands.

She was a goddamn vision of perfection.

“You’re fucking gorgeous, Sunshine.”

She smiled so sweetly it fried his brain. He was a wreck.

“Lie back and put your arms over your head.”

The way she complied instantly… Fucking hell. He climbed up her body until he was straddling her over her breasts, knees braced just below her underarms. With one hand, he gripped her head, fingers tangling in her thick silky hair. With the other, he braced himself on the headboard and bent forward slightly.

His cock was inches from her lips. She watched him with wide eyes, but there was no mistaking the anticipation there. She wanted this.

“Open.” He could barely get the word out.

Her lips parted, and she even stuck her tongue out a little. That pink tongue… Fuck.

He fit his cock between her lips, and she sucked him in. The moan that came out of him was like no sound he’d ever made before.

“Fuck, Sunshine.” He tightened the hand in her hair, lifting her head up a little more and thrusting into her mouth. Her lips stretched around him, and her mouth was hot and wet and the best thing he’d ever felt.

Her tongue stroked against the underside of his shaft, and he groaned, hips thrusting forward unintentionally. He briefly hit the back of her throat and saw the strain in her eyes.

“You okay?” Again, his brain barely made the words, and they came out like a hoarse grunt.

She nodded and hummed around his cock, which felt fucking fantastic and made him moan again. “God damn, I’m not gonna last very long. You’re so sexy I could die.”

She hummed again, and he tipped his head back, trying not to spill yet. He wanted more of this because it was easily the best thing to ever happen to him.

Lifting her head a little more, he thrust forward, careful not to push too deep even though he really wanted to. But he could control himself, since he highly doubted she’d done this before.

She gripped his hips, encouraging his thrusts, proving she was right there with him. She made that humming sound around him again, and the need to climax escalated. He was close, so damn close, and he didn’t think he’d be able to hold on for much longer.

But he remembered her words… I want you to mark me.

Who was he to deny such a request?

He released her head and pulled out of her mouth, shifting down her body a little. “I’m gonna fuck these gorgeous breasts,” he growled, sounding more like a beast than a man. “And then I’m gonna come all over them.”

He pushed her cleavage together, groaning at the way the soft flesh overflowed his grip. She placed her hands over his, her heated gaze making it clear she was on board with his plans. When he pulled his hands away, she kept hers in place, holding herself in position for him. He dropped forward, planting his palms on either side of her head, and slid his cock between her breasts, his shaft still wet with her saliva.

“Oh, fuck.” His gaze was riveted to the sight, his head swimming with pleasure. “Fuck, you’re so goddamn sexy. Can’t hold back.”

“Yes,” she moaned like she was equally turned on. Which was impossible, of course, but the fact that she was lying there letting him fuck her tits? The fact that he could still taste her cum on his lips, and the fact that his dick was still wet from her mouth, and the fact that she’d told him she liked it when he took charge—

Yeah, he didn’t stand a chance.

The climax caught him almost by surprise. He’d thought he’d be able to hold off another couple minutes, but no such luck. A hoarse shout tore out of him, and he shot all over her chest.

He’d never come so hard in his life. Or so much. He soaked her breasts and neck, and some of it even got on her face, which was so goddamn hot, no words could describe it.

Hips still flexing, he rubbed his shaft all over her, spreading his release around, reveling in the knowledge that he was coating her with his scent, his essence, his mark.

His. He was making her his.

SUNSHINE WAS DRUNK ON SEX. They hadn’t technically had penetrative sex, but as far as she was concerned, that was sex. Anyone who said otherwise had obviously never experienced what she had.

Raum’s body sagged until he nearly collapsed, and he finally dropped onto the bed beside her and stretched out like a lazy panther in the sun.

She liked the smile on his face the most of all the ones she’d seen. It was like the drugged smile from last night—easy and relaxed—only the reason for it now had nothing to do with a substance. And it was just for her. No one else would see this smile or be the cause of it.

And if someone tried, she would show them the meaning of ‘avenging angel.’

They lay in silence for a few moments, faces turned together, until Raum sat up suddenly, declaring he would start a shower and get her cleaned up. He looked pleased about the mess he’d made.

He went to the bathroom with a spring in his step that made her chuckle, and she heard the shower come on. She was indeed in dire need of bathing. His release coated her chest, neck, chin, and even one of her cheeks. There was even some in her hair.

How filthy. How wanton. Such behavior was so unsuitable for an angel, it was positively obscene.

A smile curved her lips.

Raum reappeared in the doorway in all his naked glory, dark skin glistening with sweat. His shaft was still half hard and hung against his leg in a way that made her mouth feel curiously parched.

Hungry. The sight of him made her hunger for more.

“You want me to carry you to the shower or can you walk?” he asked.

She stretched her arms overhead and arched her back, showing off her breasts because she loved the way his eyes darkened.

“Carry me? I’m not sure my legs would hold me right now.”

He stalked across the room, reminding her again of her panther analogy, and then bent and scooped her off the bed like she was weightless. Straightening, he hefted her higher up his arms, and a laugh escaped her as her body bounced in his rough handling.

She liked the way he gripped her a little too hard, as if he wasn’t quite aware of his strength and forgot to temper it. She liked thinking she made him forget about control.

He spun a little faster than necessary, making her laugh again, and carried her dutifully to the shower, leaving the door open behind him and stepping directly under the hot spray. Water sluiced over her, running into her eyes and mouth, splashing off their bodies and out the open door to spread all over the floor.

It was chaos. Disorderly and careless. She’d never felt more free.

“Raum, put me down!” she sputtered as water sprayed directly into her face.

He did, letting her slide down his body, keeping his hands on her until her wobbly legs were steady. On her feet, she stepped out from under the water and looked up at him. By the Spheres, he’s so beautiful.

Water poured over his rich-toned skin and trailed down his body. His golden eyes were so striking. Demon, human, angel—it no longer mattered to her what he was or what she was.

He was just Raum, and right now, when they were like this, he was hers.

He bent and kissed her, and she wrapped her arms around his neck and melted against him. The kissing quickly escalated, and she found herself pressing her breasts against his chest, feeling his shaft thickening against her stomach.

“I want to fuck you so bad,” he growled against her lips, driving his hips up in a lazy thrust to slide his erection against her wet skin. “Right here against the wall.”

She moaned, tipping her head back as he kissed along her jaw. “Yes. Mhm. Please.” That empty ache had returned, and she knew exactly how she wanted to fill it.

But he pulled back, that wicked glint back in his eyes—the very demonic glint she was coming to enjoy. He didn’t tease or play games often, and each time he did, she grew determined to encourage him to do it more.

But then he said, “Not yet,” and she decided this was one game she didn’t want to play.

“I’m gonna make you wait.” He looked at the scowl on her face and actually laughed out loud—even rarer than a smile.

He reached up and poked the end of her nose playfully. “You’re perfect, angel.”

She scoffed, but her whole body flushed with pleasure. “I’m probably the worst angel to ever have existed, so I wouldn’t say that.”

In an instant, all his humor vanished, that dark seriousness returning full force. She immediately regretted her words—that hadn’t been her intention at all.

“Will you get in trouble for this?” he asked. “For me?”

She shook her head, touching his cheek. “No one knows that I found you, and they definitely don’t know about this. And they never will because I’d never tell them, without or without a vow.”

He nodded, but something unsaid lurked in their air now. She knew what it was.

This…whatever this was between them…couldn’t last. They may have healed their own animosity, but that didn’t make it any less impossible for an angel and a demon to have a relationship. Or friendship. Or whatever they wanted to call it. Honestly, she didn’t want to jinx it by trying to give it a name.

It was just…Sunshine and Raum.

She tried to lighten the mood, to draw his playful side out once more. “So if you won’t ravish me against the tile, what do you plan to do with your day?”

He gave her a look like he was reconsidering his refusal, which made her wonder why he’d refused in the first place. “I guess now that you have your book, I wanna go check on the dogs.”

Her heart missed a beat as she remembered his erroneous assumption. She’d misled him so he would go through the hellgate without complaint, and he still believed she had the grimoire.

If she corrected him, he would insist they return immediately to Hell to plan their next heist attempt. But he wasn’t coming back to Hell with her. She had learned her lesson, and she would not endanger him again for something he should have no part in.

When she went back, she was doing it alone. Which meant saying goodbye to him, and she wasn’t ready to do that.

“And then I should visit my brothers,” he added. “I’ve been gone a few days, and they’re going to start worrying.”

She pressed her lips together to hold back the emotion tightening her throat. How simply sweet and adorable. How am I ever going to let him go?

“You…wanna come?”

Her brows flew up. “To meet your brothers?”

He coughed. “No. I meant to the shelter.” But then he glanced away. “Never mind. I’m sure you have lots of important angel shit to do—”

“I would love to see the shelter where you work.”

“It’s not really—” His words were mumbled and he was still avoiding her eyes. “It’s just something I’m doing… You know, ’cause I’m bored.”

“Of course,” she replied blandly, hiding her smile. “I’d like to meet the dog who knocked me over.”

“He’s better behaved now. I’ve been training him.”

His eyes lit up just speaking about it, and her heart melted further. The demon had really gotten under her skin.

She had to be careful or she might never be able to get him out.

20

GUILTY PLEASURES

I t took all of Raum’s self-control not to give in to his urges in the shower. He wasn’t entirely sure why he waited. He told himself it was because he wanted to build up the tension so when it finally happened, it would be next-level epic.

But he already knew it would be next-level epic, no matter when they did it. Sunshine was game—she’d said yes immediately—so why wait?

Was it because she was a virgin, and he didn’t want to sully her perfect angelic form with his demonic seed? Because he felt like a dirty bastard not fit to lick her foot, let alone thrust into her perfect, gorgeous body?

Yeah, he was pretty sure that was it.

Even now, the guilt nagged at him. He’d gripped her hair and fucked her mouth. He’d come all over her chest—the chest of an angel. Most humans would go their entire lives without even glimpsing an angel, and he had just jerked off between the tits of one.

But not just any one. Sunshine.

He didn’t give a fuck about any of the others. In fact, he’d happily jerk off on all their faces, but he doubted he’d be able to get it up once he looked at them.

Sunshine was different, and he supposed that was why he felt guilty.

Because he was definitely corrupting her.

After she dressed and realized he didn’t have any clean clothes to wear, she flashed away and returned shortly after with a pair of sweats, a t-shirt, and a hoodie for him, all brand new. When he asked her where she’d gotten them, she’d huffed and told him not to worry about it.

In other words, she’d shoplifted them.

Was it bad that he found that hot? That he liked the idea of his perfect angel being bad for him? Probably. Definitely.

After putting on his contraband clothing, she flashed them into a hidden corner outside of the animal shelter. She took his hand when they started to walk toward the front entrance, and he glanced at her in surprise. Her gaze dipped away, and she dropped his hand like she was embarrassed.

He grabbed hers again and tugged on her arm to keep her by his side. If she wanted to hold hands, they would damn well hold hands. She didn’t look at him again, but he could tell she was smiling.

They stepped inside the shelter building where Chloé was at the front desk as usual, bent over some paperwork.

“Hey,” he said, not because he cared about greetings, but because the one time he’d walked by without announcing himself, she’d screamed like an axe murderer had jump scared her.

It was obvious Chloé sensed something wasn’t quite right about him. It was smart to be afraid of a demon, so he didn’t go to great lengths to put her at ease. And frankly, he just didn’t care.

Today, she glanced up at the sound of his voice, and when she saw Sunshine, her mouth dropped open. Her eyes went as round as saucers, and she looked like she’d seen a ghost. Or an angel.

He could relate. He’d had a similar reaction the first time he’d seen Sunshine too.

“This is Sunshine,” he told Chloé.

“Hello.” Sunshine lifted a hand and smiled.

Chloé didn’t wave back. She continued to stare open-mouthed. Raum gave up and tugged Sunshine through the lobby toward the entrance to the kennels.

“Is she all right?” Sunshine whispered as he opened the door.

He started to reply, but a cacophony of barking assailed their ears as they stepped from the hall into the echoey room. Apparently, the dogs were worked up today.

“My goodness!” Sunshine cried, releasing his hand to cover her ears. “These poor creatures.” She went to the first cage and held out a hand to the dog within. It immediately quieted.

She went to the next cage and the next, calming each animal. Exactly as Raum did. He followed, watching in disbelief.

In just a couple minutes, all the dogs were silent.

“There.” She turned to him with a smile. “Poor things were in such distress.”

He stared. “How…?”

She shrugged. “Most angels have the ability to communicate with animals. It’s a skill that comes naturally.”

“But you— I—” He broke off, not even sure what he wanted to ask. How do I do it? He’d never heard of anyone with the same ability as him, and now Sunshine had it? And claimed it was normal for angels?

But that couldn’t have anything to do with him. He wasn’t remotely angelic. He may have lost three centuries of memory, but he still had plenty of memories before that of being one hundred percent demonic. He cringed when he thought about some of the shit he’d done back in his day.

So how had he gotten the ability? The dream he’d been studiously ignoring prickled at the edges of his mind.

“Sunshine, did we…” He trailed off.

What was he going to ask? If she’d known him in the past and just forgotten to mention it? If they had some fucked-up romantic history? If she’d somehow gifted him with the angelic power to communicate with animals? It sounded ridiculous in his own mind, and he couldn’t force himself to verbalize it.

Sunshine frowned and opened her mouth, but at that moment, Caro appeared at the end of the row. “Figured you were here when the dogs went quiet.”

Raum and Sunshine were still staring at each other, but he forced his gaze away to greet Caro with a nod. He wasn’t going to explain that he wasn’t the one who’d quieted the animals.

“You brought a…friend.” Caro’s eyes bugged when Sunshine turned around.

“Greetings,” she said with that radiant smile.

“Wow.” Caro’s eyes flicked between them.

“This is Sunshine,” Raum said.

“I— Yes, hello, nice to meet you, Sunshine. I’m Caro.”

“Are you the owner of this establishment?” Sunshine asked.

“In a manner of speaking, yes.”

“Your work is very honorable. In my…job, we watch over others with similar professions. You’re important to the upliftment of all humankind.”

Caro’s eyes were wider than the frames of her glasses. She opened and closed her mouth but didn’t manage to make a sound.

Raum cleared his throat. “When is Tiny’s foster family coming?”

Caro managed to drag her gaze away from Sunshine but kept glancing back. Probably expecting angel wings to burst from her back. Raum was used to being the freak show around here, and while he didn’t mind passing on the spotlight for once, there was a limit to what these poor humans could handle.

“Actually,” Caro finally said, “they came by yesterday. We had a look at him in the kennel, and I wasn’t planning on taking him out without you here, but…” She shook her head. “He was so calm. He didn’t even bark or jump up. So I took a risk and we took him outside. He was an angel. I don’t know what you did to that dog, but it’s like he’s a completely different animal. The couple loved him. Honestly, I think they’re considering adoption.”

Raum looked around. “So, he’s gone?”

She nodded. “I’m sorry. I wanted to wait until you came in, but they said they’d come by with him in a few days to check in. I figured I’d make sure you were around then so you could say goodbye.”

“It’s fine.”

“No, I want you to be there. You worked so hard with him. Part of what makes this job bearable is seeing the results of your hard work. I’ll let you know when they’re coming, and you make sure you’re here, got it?”

Raum shrugged. Sunshine was beaming at him.

“How’s Luna?” he asked to change the subject.

Caro’s lips pursed briefly. “The same. She’s still reluctant to eat—she doesn’t trust us yet. Maybe you could sit with her a bit today if you have time?” She looked at Sunshine. “Have you worked with animals before?”

“No, but I would like to.”

“She’s good,” Raum said, and he wasn’t kidding about that. Half the dogs were sleeping now.

“Well, it seems like she’s a great…friend for you, then.” Caro looked between them, shaking her head, and mumbled, “Talk about your power couples.”

“What is a power couple?” Sunshine asked, oblivious.

“Oh, um, just a couple who are both impressive on their own and then even more so when they’re together.”

“Oh.” Sunshine’s eyes widened as she glanced at Raum.

Awkward silence reigned.

“Anyway!” Caro forced a smile and pushed a lock of hair from her face. “I’ll leave you to it. I’ve got mountains of paperwork to do.” She focused on Raum. “You can take as much time off as you need, by the way. Come in when you can, but don’t force it. I’ll take you however I can get you. Just make sure you clock in when you’re here so I can pay you.”

He said nothing. He didn’t need or want her money.

Her eyes narrowed. “I mean it. Clock in or I’ll pay you a full forty-hour week, and the shelter’s already struggling so much, I don’t know how we’ll ever afford it.” She smiled mischievously.

He shot her a look. “Fine. I’ll clock in.”

“Good man.”

“Can I borrow your keys? Forgot mine.”

She patted around her pockets. “Here. And take some dog treats.” She shoved everything into his hands. “I’ll be in my office if you need anything. It was nice to meet you, Sunshine.” Waving over her shoulder, she disappeared through the door at the end of the row.

“What a lovely human!” Sunshine exclaimed once Caro had gone. “Do you think many humans are as generous as she is?”

“Shouldn’t you know? You’re a guardian angel. Your whole job is working with humans.”

“I rarely interact with them. Most of the time I remain invisible and pop in to my various assignments every week or so to make sure there’s no demonic interference. Otherwise, humans have free will, and there’s not much I can do to help them.” She sighed. “Those are the rules.”

He frowned. “So guardian angels only guard against demons?”

“Demons and other supernatural beings that exist outside of the rules. I’ve often wished I could interact with the humans and offer guidance when I see them going astray, but I’m not allowed to reveal myself. Angels can choose whether to make themselves visible to humans, you see.”

“That sucks you can’t help directly.”

She smiled faintly. “It’s partly why I was so eager to regain my former rank. I wanted to feel like I was making an impact. The Principalities oversee all the Third Sphere angels, and I suppose it gave me an inflated sense of importance.”

He frowned at the use of past tense when she spoke about her goals. When she’d first come to him, she’d acted like time was of the essence and nothing could be of greater priority.

If he was a better person, he’d probably have said something encouraging her not to give up on her hopes of making a difference. But he wasn’t better, and he didn’t know anything about helping people. He didn’t particularly care about it either.

She smiled, though it seemed forced. “Shall we go meet your friend Luna?”

He nodded, but as he led her down the next row of kennels, he still felt uneasy. Something was niggling at his consciousness, and he couldn’t get over the feeling that he was missing something big.

Luna’s kennel was at the very end of the last row so there were fewer dogs around since she was so scared of everything. When they reached it, she was cowering at the back, tail between her legs, eyes round and fearful.

When she saw Raum, her head lifted slightly, and her nose twitched as she sniffed the air. Her tail gave the barest flick of greeting, but it stayed down, and she didn’t approach.

“Poor thing,” Sunshine cooed, dropping into a crouch outside the cage. “She’s been hurt, and she doesn’t know who to trust anymore.”

“That’s what I thought too,” Raum said, glancing at her. He opened the cage with Caro’s keys. “I’ll go in first. She knows me.”

Sunshine stood and moved back. Luna looked freaked out when the door was open, but she didn’t cower when Raum went in.

“What do you do to calm them?” Sunshine asked. “She doesn’t want to trust anyone.”

“I usually just sit down.” He slid down the wall and leaned against it with his legs out in front of him. “Then I just wait for a bit.”

Sure enough, after several moments, Luna approached and sniffed his outstretched hands. He rewarded her by holding out a treat, and after several excruciating minutes of sniff and retreat, she finally took it.

Food was always the key to an animal’s heart. As soon as the dog trusted that he was a safe provider, her entire demeanor changed. She slunk along the floor, tail wagging low, and tentatively put her head in his lap, blinking at him with big sad eyes. He scratched behind her ears, and her eyes closed like she’d never felt anything better.

“Perfect,” Sunshine said, and when Raum glanced at her, she was smiling at him.

“I can do what you did,” he blurted. “Make the dogs stop barking.”

She frowned.

“Animals hate demons. But they don’t hate me. Why?”

“I don’t know.”

“You spied on me. You said you knew everything about me. Didn’t you notice? Didn’t you wonder why animals respond to me?”

“I— I guess I just accepted that you were an anomaly. I didn’t think much of it.”

“I haven’t always been like this. I don’t know why I am now or what changed.”

“I don’t know either. I’m sorry.”

He looked back at Luna, who was gingerly climbing onto his lap. She curled up and lay with her head on his knees. He didn’t know why this suddenly mattered so much. He’d gone over four centuries without knowing what had happened to him, so why was he so worked up about it now?

He glanced at Sunshine. And why did he think she knew something about it?

“Did you ever see me before you found us with Dan?” he asked.

She shook her head. “I had no idea who you were. I knew as soon as I saw you that you weren’t human, but I didn’t recognize you.” Her gaze wandered away. “I did feel a certain…” She shook her head. “But no, I didn’t recognize you.”

“Felt a certain what?”

She stared at him a moment before responding. “I was attracted to you.”

He wasn’t sure what to say to that.

“To be honest…I think that’s why I approached you for our bargain. I made a list of very logical reasons why you were my best choice, but I think they were just excuses.”

She offered a sheepish smile, but he didn’t return it. He just stared at her.

“Can I come sit down?”

He nodded. Luna lifted her head and then laid it back down again, which was as good as a nod from her. Sunshine entered the kennel and sat next to Raum, back against the wall, legs stretched out. Their legs pressed together on one side, and she tipped her foot to bump against his.

Affectionately? Playfully? That feeling sparked in his chest again.

His demonic nature channeled the warmth into something dark and a bit violent. All he could say for certain was that he would enjoy spilling the blood of anyone that touched her.

Sunshine reached over so Luna could sniff her hand. “Hi, sweetheart,” she said, and Luna’s tail wagged. “You’re such a good girl.”

Raum smiled inwardly. Luna wasn’t the only good girl.

THEY TOOK LUNA FOR A WALK. According to Raum, it was the first time the poor creature had been out of her kennel since she’d arrived. Apparently, she’d been too frightened by the leash and wouldn’t let anyone close enough.

Sunshine walked beside the demon and the little pit bull who was afraid of her own shadow, and she felt a certain lightness in her stomach. Like she was flying, though her wings remained hidden.

She couldn’t stop sneaking glances at Raum. The way he glared at the world as if it personally offended him, while still going out of his way to help a frightened animal…

How could she resist such a man?

Angels were not ignorant of human relationships or romantic entanglements. She recognized the butterflies in her stomach and the warmth in her chest for what they were, though she wasn’t entirely sure what to do about it.

She’d given Raum control of her body and hadn’t suffered a moment’s regret. Rather, she lamented that they had not done more. The images from her erotic dream still haunted her. What would it feel like for him to enter her in his scaled form?

And how wrong was it for her to crave such a thing?

Terribly wrong. Beyond forbidden.

It didn’t stop the desire.

As they headed back toward the shelter, poor Luna began to get nervous. It was obvious she hated the kennel, and it struck Sunshine as terribly sad that there was no better way to help the unwanted animals.

Surely of all the humans with pets, there was someone who would care for these abandoned creatures? Surely someone wanted to love them?

Yet another injustice of the human world, she supposed. It was why most angels preferred to dissociate from Earth and minimize contact. There was always strife. Unwanted pets were nothing compared to war zones and lost children.

Yet after spending the day ensuring one small dog lived a better life than she otherwise would have, Sunshine had to wonder…was turning their backs truly the best way? Yes, humans had free will and angels couldn’t force them to change, but wouldn’t an angel’s life be better spent influencing for good, even in a small way? How was she fulfilling her duty by turning away from suffering just because she couldn’t swoop in like a god and eliminate it?

“You’re thinking so loud I can almost hear it,” Raum muttered, glancing at her sidelong.

She scoffed, but it turned into a smile when their gazes met. She couldn’t stop smiling whenever she looked at him.

“Something on your mind?” he asked as they climbed the accessibility ramp to the front door rather than taking the steps.

She halted with her hand on the door handle. “Can we take Luna with us? She’s so frightened of the kennel. Look at her—she’s trembling already.”

Raum glanced down. Luna’s tail wagged, but her body did indeed shake.

“I have to go visit my brothers,” Raum said. “I think she’d be more afraid there than here.”

“I’ll take her, then.”

His eyes looked sad when their gazes met again. “You have to go back to Heaven, Sunshine. You got your book, remember?”

She swallowed. I can’t keep lying to him. It wasn’t fair, especially after everything they’d been through and how hard she’d worked to gain his trust.

But telling him would bring this little dream to an end.

“Well…I don’t have to go just yet.” She smiled while her stomach churned with guilt.

He searched her gaze. She would have given anything to know what he was thinking. So many secrets still between us. They stood outside the door in silence for another minute or so, Luna looking between them like she didn’t understand what the holdup was.

“Can you teleport with a dog?” Raum finally asked.

Sunshine nodded.

“Alright. We’ll take her. But I have to bring her back eventually. We’re only delaying the inevitable.”

She bounced on the balls of her feet. “Thank you!”

Picking up on her excitement, Luna’s tail wagged and she forgot to tremble in fright for several moments. Raum shook his head, turning to open the door, but Sunshine didn’t miss the hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth.

The butterflies started up all over again.

21

FLIP THE BIRD

When Sunshine flashed them to the roof of Raum’s apartment building, Luna freaked a little and ran circles around his legs, nearly tripping him with the leash.

Once she calmed, he disentangled himself amidst Sunshine’s laughter, fighting back his own laugh. He hid it out of habit. He wasn’t used to laughing, and the truth was, it embarrassed him a little bit when he did. He felt like he was exposing too much.

When he was untied, he handed the leash to Sunshine. The first time they’d been here together, he hadn’t cared a lick about leaving her alone on the roof. Now, he didn’t like it.

He glanced around at their drab surroundings. “You’ll be okay up here?”

“We’ll be fine,” she assured him, reaching down to pat Luna’s head. “We’ll get some sun and enjoy the view.”

“I’ll make it quick.”

“We’ll be here.”

He went to the edge of the building, pausing briefly before he jumped off. As he fell through space, he didn’t have the same urge to let himself keep falling as he normally did, and he shifted sooner than usual. The falling didn’t give the same rush or provide the same distraction from the emptiness. Because, he realized…there wasn’t much emptiness to begin with.

He didn’t think that was a good thing.

He was getting addicted to Sunshine. He could jump off buildings until he was blue in the face—or rather, a stain on the sidewalk—and it wouldn’t come close to how it felt tasting her as she came apart on his tongue. Or feeling his shaft slide between her lips, or spilling all over her chest.

Or…listening to her laugh. Seeing her smile. Hearing the way she said his name. Looking into those big dark eyes, so full of life. Catching her watching him from the corner of his eye.

Fuck, he was so fucked.

He landed on the windowsill to his room and squeezed through the crack, shifting to human form when he was back inside.

His room looked the same, yet it felt like a stranger’s space. He stared at the undecorated walls and felt no sense of belonging or identification. It was just a room he slept in. He might as well have been sleeping in a hotel.

Oh a whim, he crossed the space, moved the chair barricade, and whipped open the closet doors. It was the first time he’d done it in months. To keep his loot contained, he’d taken to slipping his new acquisitions through the crack between the frame at the top.

Now, freed at last, it spilled forth. The pile came up to about his ankles, covered the entire bottom of the closet, and overflowed a couple feet onto the bedroom floor. There were wallets, phones, jewelry, car keys, drugs, and other miscellaneous valuables.

He looked at the pile of his deepest shame…and laughed. Well, it was more of a silent snort, but for him, that counted as a laugh.

His brothers were right. He took things too damn seriously all the time. This pile haunted him like a vengeful ghost. He often lay away at night, trying not to stare at the closet doors, knowing what lurked behind them.

But it was just a bunch of mostly useless shit he’d jacked from humans. What was the big deal?

The humans probably had a shitty rest of their day when they realized they’d been robbed, but their lives went on. People who could afford Rolexes and diamond rings weren’t exactly impoverished. They could buy new shit.

So why was he so haunted about it? So he had an itch. Oh well. Could be worse. After countless centuries of being a bloodthirsty fiend, a little kleptomania was practically harmless.

With a shrug, he turned his back on the pile and threw open his bedroom door, leaving it right there on the floor for all to see.

As soon as he stepped into the hall, Mist appeared in front of him. Literally: he reformed from black mist.

Raum blinked in surprise, but then, he was used to Mist being weird.

“Hello,” the Hunter said.

“Hi…”

The Hunter cocked his head, and his nostrils flared. He drew in a long inhale, and Raum had a sudden suspicion, remembering his warning to Sunshine at the Blood Market about the importance of covering her scent.

Could Mist scent her on him now?

Nape prickling, he waited, but the Hunter gave no further reaction. “You good?” Raum asked, narrowing his eyes. Yeah, Mist was weird, but he wasn’t usually this weird.

“I am,” Mist replied evenly.

“Alright.”

When it appeared neither of them had anything else to say, Raum sidestepped him and headed toward the kitchen.

Unsurprisingly, Bel was there with a big knife in one hand, chopping through a pile of onions like he was competing in the Ultimate Chef Race or some other lame cooking show he watched when he thought no one was around.

Bel glanced up when Raum entered and paused his rapid dicing. “Where the fuck have you been?”

Ah, it was good to be home. “Around.”

Bel’s eyes narrowed—blue for now, thankfully. “Where?”

Why had Raum thought it a good idea to come by? All he was doing was opening himself to be interrogated. “Around,” he repeated, firmer.

“Around where.”

“Just around.”

They stared at each other. Bel’s stance with the knife started to seem more threatening.

And then he surprised the hell out of Raum by saying, “Is everything…okay?”

Raum frowned warily at his brother.

Bel rolled his eyes. “Don’t look at me like that. I’m just asking. Jesus.”

“I’m fine.”

Raum sensed a presence at his back and glanced over his shoulder. Mist was standing there, looming in all his dark intensity, fixing him with a yellow-eyed stare.

Raum looked back at Bel and narrowed his eyes. There was a vibe in the air that was beyond weird. Glancing between the two demons who were staring way too directly at him, he asked, “What’s going on?”

“Just making sure my brother is okay,” Bel said calmly. Too calmly.

Raum’s heart sped up. Something was way off.

“He’s been compromised,” Mist said suddenly. “The scent is clear.”

Fuck.

Bel nodded. “Go. I’ll deal with him.”

“Wait—” Raum began, but Mist was already gone, dissolved back into mist. “Where’d he go?”

“I got you. No need to worry.” Bel took a step toward him, knife still in hand.

Raum backed up, shooting a glance at the patio door and windows. All closed. Fuck.

He gave it a shot anyway.

Bel lunged. Raum shifted.

But Belial hadn’t earned his reputation for being the baddest motherfucker in Hell for nothing. He tossed his knife at the crow shooting across the room, and his aim was dead on.

It pierced Raum’s feathery body and knocked him right out of the air.

He shifted back to a seriously pissed-off man with a knife in his side and leapt to his feet. “What the fuck!” he roared at Bel, and he whipped the blade out and hurled it at his brother with as much force as he could muster.

The sonofabitch caught it straight out of the air. By the blade.

Raum started to shift again, but Bel was already across the room, grabbing him. Raum’s wings crunched under Bel’s grip, so he shifted back to human and punched him in the face. Bel didn’t even flinch. Hellfire blazed in his eyes instead, and he gained several inches of height and breadth.

The violence was setting him off. Fucking great.

Belial decked Raum back with a boulder-sized fist. Raum’s head snapped back and lights danced in his eyes.

Okay, now he was pissed off.

“You piece of shit.” He spat a mouthful of blood in Bel’s face.

“Sorry, bro,” Bel said, but his demonic eyes were alight with the thrill of violence.

Raum really didn’t have time for an intervention or whatever Bel thought this was. He needed to get back to the roof and get Sunshine out of here as soon as possible. So he did something he never did when he was on Earth—desperate times, desperate measures, and all that.

He shifted to his full demon form.

He was way too big to cram into this tiny human-sized apartment, but right now he only cared about beating Belial to a pulp.

His plan worked too. Bel momentarily froze, shocked by the sight of Raum’s demon—something he hadn’t seen in a long time. Raum used the opportunity to lunge, wings spread as far as they could in the confined space, and drive his beak into his brother’s throat.

Belial roared, and then he burst into flames.

IT WAS A SUNNY DAY, though the spring air was still fresh. On the roof, there were still a few piles of old snow, protected in the north-facing shadows behind chimneys and air conditioning units. Another day or two of warm sun and they would melt.

Sunshine took a seat on a raised ledge with a triangle-shaped skylight and decided to let Luna off her leash. It was an enclosed area, and there was nowhere she could run off to, and Sunshine figured it would be a good experience for her to explore.

Luna seemed much less timid now that they were away from the shelter, and when Sunshine reached down to unclip the leash, she didn’t cower. When she was free, she didn’t run as most dogs would have. Instead, she stood in place and looked up at Sunshine.

Her eyes seemed to say, Don’t you want me? As if she feared Sunshine was abandoning her by taking off the leash.

Sunshine wondered if that was what her previous owner had done. “You’re free to sniff around if you would like,” she told Luna, “but I’m taking you with me when we go.”

Her head cocked a little.

“I’ll keep you with me as long as I’m able. Don’t tell Raum, but I would keep you for the rest of your short canine lifespan if I could.”

Luna’s tail lifted a little, and then she put her little gray nose down and sniffed the ground. A moment later, she was off exploring.

Sunshine leaned against the skylight with a smile, enjoying the sun on her skin. She let her thoughts drift, which of course meant they went straight to a certain golden-eyed demon. She closed her eyes and gave in to the butterflies for once, and her smile broadened.

She couldn’t wait for them to be alone later. Perhaps she could convince him to take up where they’d left off after their shower this morning. Perhaps she could convince him to reenact her dream.

A sudden awareness had her eyes snapping open, and she lurched to her feet.

A demon was standing in front of her. Not the one she’d been daydreaming about.

He was not in human form and loomed above her. His skin was ashy gray, and his eyes were an eerily bright yellow. A whip-like tail snapped in the air behind him.

“Mishetsumephtai.” She projected calm though her heartbeat had increased.

“You are the friend of Dan,” he said. “The one he asked to research my…” He trailed off as if reluctant to speak of the slave brands on his neck and wrists in the company of an enemy.

“Yes.” Her gaze fixed on them. They were nearly indiscernible on his dark-gray skin, but she caught glimpses of the pattern where the light reflected.

She had the answers he sought, but she’d kept them to herself. Should she tell him now? Was it smart to pass such information on to the enemy? Were they even still enemies?

“You’ve been with Raum,” the Hunter said.

She nodded. How—?

“I scented you on him the day following Eva’s show. I hunted him and found your apartment, but you had already left for Hell. Lily told me it was too dangerous for me to follow you there, so I waited for your return. When Raum arrived now, the scent was stronger. I traced it here and found you.”

Her eyes widened. His hunter abilities were even greater than she’d imagined, and she felt foolish for not having taken them into consideration.

“You have coerced Raum into something,” Mist said, “or he wouldn’t hide from us.”

She swallowed. She couldn’t refute it. “I mean you and your family no harm.”

The Hunter’s expression didn’t change. She didn’t think he’d blinked once. “I don’t believe you. But it doesn’t matter.”

Her nape prickled, and she decided it was time to get Luna and flash out of here. In fact, it was time to stop procrastinating altogether. She would return Luna to the shelter and then go to Hell herself and get that damned book once and for all. Once she had it…then she’d figure out what to do.

“Is Raum still in the apartment?” she asked the Hunter.

The demon nodded.

“Please tell him I said…not to come after me.” She swallowed. “Tell him I’ll find him when I can.” She would get the book now, and then he’d never have to find out she’d lied to him.

The Hunter frowned.

She would pay Daniel a visit later and give him the information to help Mist, she decided. Demon or not, he deserved his freedom. Now, however, it was time to go.

She scanned their surroundings as discreetly as possible, searching for signs of Luna and finding none. She gritted her teeth. She wasn’t leaving her here, even if it made life difficult.

Without warning, she flashed to the other side of the roof, hoping to spot her.

Several things happened at once.

The Hunter dissolved into black mist. Sunshine spotted Luna on the other corner, pressed against a roof vent. She flashed again to her side, bending to grab her.

The Hunter’s enormous gray body reformed in front of her. Sunshine’s fingers brushed Luna’s soft coat. Mishetsumephtai slapped something cold and metal on her outstretched wrist, and then his sharp claws closed around her arm, tugging her back from the dog.

She tried to flash away but stayed exactly where she was.

Her blood went cold as she glanced down at the cuff on her wrist and saw the Sheolic sigils carved into it.

The Hunter bared sharp teeth in her face and said, “Tell him yourself.”

22

ANGEL’S ADVOCATE

Without her ability to flash, Sunshine was unable to overpower the towering demon. To his credit, Mist didn’t try to injure her, but he wasn’t gentle as he forced her to follow him.

He obviously knew the layout of the building well because he dragged her across the roof to a particular corner and simply dropped off the edge. His wings flared to break their fall as they landed on the balcony of their apartment.

Mist opened the patio door, keeping a firm grip on her arm. At this point, she was going along willingly, even if it was stupid. She wanted to make sure Raum was okay.

Her concern morphed rapidly into alarm as they stepped inside and were met with chaos. Raum’s enormous four-winged demon form was locked in a furious tussle with a massive flaming Belial.

Around them, the ceiling and walls were blackened with scorch marks. The dining table was on its side, and dishes and decorative items had been shattered. It seemed that anything breakable had been destroyed.

Mist and Sunshine had both frozen in shock, which told her that this had not been part of the plan. That small second of reflection was all she allowed herself before she sprang into action.

She reflexively tried to flash out of Mist’s grip, failed again, and then simply swung a hand around to strike him in the throat. Distracted by the mayhem, the Hunter didn’t see the hit coming, and his recoil gave her the opportunity to tug her arm from his grip.

“Raum!” she shouted, running into the fray. She had no idea what she intended to do against Belial, especially with her abilities bound, but she knew she had to do something. She didn’t want Raum to be hurt.

The giant demon bird swung his head around, noticing her. The hesitation cost him, and Belial struck him with a punch that would surely flatten a human’s skull. Raum retaliated viciously, flaring his wings and launching into Belial, shredding him with his talons and tearing at his skin with his beak. But Belial didn’t go down and continued striking with powerful blows, and of course, he was on fire the whole time.

“Stop!” Sunshine shouted, forgetting all sense of self-preservation and running straight toward the furiously battling demons. “That’s enough!”

Miracle of miracles…they actually listened to her.

They came apart, and Sunshine immediately put herself between them. Turning her back on Belial—possibly unwise since he surely wanted her dead—Sunshine faced Raum. She reached up to stroke his sharp beak. “Are you okay?”

Before her eyes, he shifted to his scaly half demon form, quickly tugging his hoodie off so his wings could appear. They were covered in glossy black feathers and looked silky to touch—just like in her dream.

She hadn’t seen them until this moment, but somehow she’d dreamed them perfectly.

Meanwhile, the flames surrounding Belial extinguished, and he regained his ‘normal’ towering height. He’d managed to retain his clothing despite the hellfire, which evidently didn’t burn him. His pale blond hair now hung past his broad shoulders—having grown when he succumbed to the rage during the fight—and his fists were clenched so hard she could count half a dozen veins on each forearm.

The two brothers pinned each other with furious glares. Hellfire blazed in Belial’s eyes, obscuring the blue iris and black pupil.

“Repair the ward, Mishetsu,” he growled.

Sunshine glanced back at the Hunter and found him already over by the patio door, using his own blood to complete the interrupted sigil on the wall, which had allowed Sunshine to enter. He must have interrupted it before coming to grab her with the cuff.

It seemed they’d had time to prepare. She wasn’t sure what to make of that.

“What the fuck, Bel?” Raum was vibrating with tension, and the hand Sunshine placed on his arm seemed to be the only thing holding him back. She’d never seen him so angry. She’d barely seen him angry at all, in fact.

“It’s for your own protection,” Belial said. “You’ve been compromised—”

“What the fuck does that mean!”

“I don’t know what kind of contract this angel forced you into, but I can’t risk letting you go until you get your free will back.”

“She’s not forcing me to do anything.”

“I can’t know that. You know how it is when a demon is bound.”

As much as she hated to admit it, Sunshine knew he was right. She had forced Raum into a contract. She had bound his free will. And he couldn’t tell his brothers about it because he was incapable of speaking about it.

But she wasn’t.

“He is bound by a contract,” she said to Belial. “That is true. He can’t tell anyone about it, as per the terms of the agreement, but I can.”

“What are you doing, Sunshine?” Raum hissed.

Belial fixed piercing eyes on her. “And what did you hold over his head to get him to agree to that?”

She glanced away. She had to admit Belial unnerved her. She’d learned much about him through history books, and his sacrifice had never been forgotten. Except by him, of course.

All immortals lost memories over the course of their lives to keep their heads from overflowing and driving them to eventual insanity. But angels had access to the Empyrean Library which held chronicles of all notable historical events.

Hell had nothing of the sort. Once Belial’s memories faded, he would not have had the resources to refresh them, and that struck her as a shame.

Right now, however, she wasn’t feeling particularly sympathetic, especially once she noticed the wounds on Raum’s body. Now in half demon form, his lip was split in two places, his nose bled slightly, and there was blood soaked in his clothing around what looked like a stab wound in his side. Belial had a particularly gory wound in his neck, and his fists were covered in blood.

“Don’t tell him shit,” Raum said when she glanced at him.

“I have to. This has gone on long enough, and there’s no point keeping it secret from your brothers now.” She looked back at Belial. “I told Raum I would report the whereabouts of his family to Heaven if he didn’t cooperate.”

She swallowed at the sight of the hellfire in Belial’s eyes. Despite his origins, there was no forgetting that he was very much a demon now.

“You realize I have to kill you for this?” he said. “You could swear a hundred blood vows, but so long as there’s an angel walking around with this information in her head, there’s a threat to me. And that’s not something I can abide.”

“You won’t fucking touch her.” Raum’s voice was low.

Sunshine had no intention of dying today, but that didn’t mean she wanted Raum and Belial fighting.

“It was a lie,” she said quickly. “I have no intention of hurting any of you. I only told him that because I needed his help.”

“Yeah, I don’t believe a word of that,” Belial growled. “I know how silver-tongued angels can be. You’ll justify anything for your ‘greater good.’”

She opened her mouth to reply, but Mishetsumephtai interjected with a question. “What did you need his help with?” Until now, he’d remained so silent she’d almost forgotten he was there.

She turned to address him, hoping his inquiry meant she had a potential ally. “I was charged with finding a grimoire for the Empyrean Library. It used to belong to a human witch, but it was stolen by a demon and taken to Hell. I wanted Raum’s help to get it.”

“Who stole it?”

“Murmur. The Necromancer.”

“You’re fucking kidding me.” Belial pinned Raum with a furious glare. “Don’t tell me you went and stole from Murmur five minutes after I bargained away another favor with him.”

Raum’s eyes flashed. He looked on the verge of taunting Belial back into fighting, which wasn’t a great way to argue her case.

“I mean your family no harm,” she said quickly, “and I can prove it right now.” She looked at Raum. “I want to break the contract. It was your idea to put that clause in, remember? If we both agree to terminate the arrangement, we can.”

He said nothing. His eyes bored into her.

“I will swear a vow to protect your family, but I want to release you from all obligations to me.”

His eyes narrowed. “What’s the point in doing that if you already have the book?”

She hesitated, her stomach twisting in knots. “Agree to dissolve the contract first, and I’ll tell you.”

He frowned, but it was Belial who spoke. “Swear the vow first.”

She nodded. “I’ll need a blade.”

Belial stalked to the kitchen and returned with a big chef’s knife, holding it out to her. She took it.

“Sunshine, stop,” Raum said.

“No. I have to do this.”

“Why?”

She looked at him. “Agree to dissolve the contract, and I’ll tell you.”

His jaw shifted.

There was a pause.

When he spoke, his voice was quiet. “You don’t have the book, do you?”

She swallowed, and her stomach twisted tighter. She knew she should have told him the minute they arrived back on Earth. The truth was overdue to come out.

“I never got it before I broke you out of the dungeon,” she admitted.

“But you said…” He trailed off, eyes widening. She hadn’t directly lied, but she had carefully deflected every question he asked about it, and she figured he was piecing that together now.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” She focused on making him understand. The other two demons could wait. “I know it was wrong, but I knew you wouldn’t want to leave Hell if I told you I didn’t have it.”

“No shit, considering that was the whole reason we went there in the first place, and why we went to all the trouble of getting those damn amulets.” His eyes narrowed. “Tell me you still have one left and you didn’t use them both.”

Sunshine pressed her lips together. She wasn’t going to speak any more lies.

“Fuck, Sunshine!”

Her eyes narrowed. “I don’t regret it, and why do you care anyway? I’m willing to dissolve the contract. No consequences. And I’ll swear the vow not to harm your family. Just agree and you’ll be free of all obligations to me.”

“Are you kidding me?” he snapped. “You think I give a fuck about the contract?”

“I…” Well, yes, she did.

A tense silence fell. Their gazes were locked, his golden eyes seeming to drill holes right through her. Belial and Mist listened in silence, but at this point, she’d all but forgotten they existed.

“You’ll be free,” she whispered.

“If you don’t have the book, you still need my help getting it.”

“No. This is my mess, and it’s my responsibility to clean it up. I never should have involved you. It was selfish, and I won’t do it again.”

“If you think I’m letting you go back to Hell by yourself, you’re delusional.”

“Raum…” Her throat constricted, and suddenly, she longed to tell him everything.

They stared at each other from only feet apart, though it felt like an ocean was between them. But for the first time…she thought they might be able to cross it. She thought they might be able to make it if they met each other halfway.

“Why didn’t you get the book, Sunshine?”

She shook her head. “Agree to break the contract.”

“Why did you care about leaving me behind?” His eyes glinted. He wasn’t backing down.

“Agree to break the—”

“I’m a demon. I belong in Hell because all demons are evil, right?”

“No! No, they’re not, and you already know I feel that way, so I don’t understand why you’re forcing me to say it right now. There was no way for me to get the book and free you. I had to make a choice, so I made it, and I don’t regret it. I care about you more than I care about the stupid book. I don’t even want to find it anymore. I’d rather just stay here with you.”

She closed her mouth with a snap, a little shocked by her own confession. Yes, she’d known she valued Raum’s safety above the book, but she wouldn’t have gone so far as to say she didn’t want to find it at all.

Wasn’t her reascension her top priority? Wasn’t that her ultimate goal? I don’t know what I want anymore.

Raum looked surprised too. They stared at each other for a moment in silence. There was so much she suddenly wanted to communicate, but none of it seemed to translate easily into words.

“Please, Raum,” she whispered into the heavy silence. “Agree to break the contract so I can prove to your brothers that I’m not coercing you.”

He stared at her.

“Please?”

His eyes softened and blew out a breath. “Fine. I agree. It’s done.”

The binding fell away, the magic needing nothing more than verbal consent—free from manipulation and duress, just as they’d agreed.

“Swear the vow now,” Belial interjected in a low voice. The threat was clear.

Nodding, she lifted the knife to her palm and prepared to draw the blade across her flesh. But Raum caught her wrist suddenly, forcing her hands apart. “Don’t even think about it.”

He yanked the knife from her grip and tossed it. The blade sank into the drywall across the room with a thunk.

She blinked. “How else can I prove to your family that I won’t harm them?”

“I don’t give a fuck. You will not bind yourself with a permanent, unbreakable vow.”

“She will if she wants to live.” Belial’s voice was ominous.

“Are you willing to swear the same vow in reverse?” Raum challenged him. “To swear you won’t lift a finger against her, no matter what happens, for the rest of eternity?”

Bel’s jaw shifted. His glare was murderous.

“That’s what I thought.” Raum gripped Sunshine’s arm. “We’re leaving.”

“Like fuck you are.”

“Until you’re willing to offer her the same protection she’s offering you, she’s not swearing shit.”

Sunshine protested, “Raum—”

“Here is the key to the manacle.”

To her vast surprise, Mist stepped forward and held out a small metal key.

“Mishetsu,” Bel rumbled in warning.

Raum took it quickly, and Sunshine held up her arm for him to unlock the cuff. She wasn’t going to argue that—every second her powers were bound was excruciating. She didn’t dare look at Belial, but she could feel the fury pouring off him.

She offered a smile to Mist. “Thank you.”

“Don’t make me regret it.”

“I won’t.”

“She’s not going anywhere.” Belial’s voice was a menacing boom. Despite the threat, however, he made no move to stop her.

The cuff fell away from her arm, and Sunshine took it from Raum, key still in the lock, and set it down at her feet. She kicked it across the floor toward Belial, who still hadn’t moved. She didn’t dare go any closer to him.

“Use this if I ever pose a real threat to your family. Mist has already proven he can trap me.”

Maybe Raum was right. Maybe an unbreakable vow wasn’t the answer. Maybe…they could learn to trust each other.

She straightened again and looked at Mist. “I know how to remove your brands. I only withheld the information before because I didn’t understand why Daniel wanted it. But I understand now, and you deserve to be free.”

Mist’s eyes widened.

“Any magical brand or binding can be removed by a consecrated blade, but that blade must be wielded by a full angel. A Grigori cannot do it. The skin must be cut from the body, removing all traces of the branding. When it regrows, the brand will be gone. It will be painful, but it will work.”

Mist seemed frozen with shock.

“I’m willing to do this for you once things are more…stable.” Her gaze flicked to Belial.

“Now, we’re leaving,” Raum said again, this time more firmly. He picked up his hoodie from where he’d dropped it on the floor and then held out a hand to her.

Figuring she’d pushed her luck enough, she took it and flashed them away.

They landed on the rooftop where she’d left Luna, and Sunshine called for her. As if sensing the danger had passed, Luna came running from her hiding place between two air-conditioning units. Raum scooped her up with one arm, and Sunshine flashed all three of them to her apartment.

The silence of the empty flat felt oppressive.

She released Raum and stepped back. He bent and let Luna go and then tossed his hoodie onto the sofa across the room. Luna’s tail wagged nervously as she glanced between them like she couldn’t understand where all the tension came from.

“You never had the book,” Raum said.

Sunshine shook her head.

“Can you really remove Mist’s brands?”

She nodded.

Silence reigned some more. Bored with the drama, Luna trotted away to explore.

“You’re hurt,” Sunshine said.

He shrugged.

“Let me heal you.”

“I’m fine.”

“It’s easy for me.” She took a step forward. “Let me.”

“Isn’t that against the rules? To heal a demon?”

“Yes.”

His eyes narrowed, but he didn’t move so she took that as a cue. As she stepped closer to him, her heart sped up. Would he ever stop affecting her like this? It didn’t help that he was so much bigger than her in this form. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, and she longed to know what his scaled chest would feel like beneath her palm.

She held a hand over the stab wound in his side and sent waves of healing energy into it until the skin stitched back together. When she finished, she glanced up and found his eyes on her. His wings flared briefly, and her heart skipped a beat.

Say something! she wanted to shout at him. She had just revealed her feelings in front of his brothers, and he hadn’t responded. The way he’d defended her to Belial and protected her from making an unbreakable vow warmed her heart, but it was hardly a confession.

For thousands of years—and longer than she could remember—she had solved everything by herself. She’d never leaned on anyone. She’d never willingly surrendered control. She’d never closed her eyes and fallen, trusting someone would be there to catch her.

What would it even feel like? To plummet into the unknown with complete faith that another would break her fall and protect her from harm?

A pang of longing struck her so hard she lost her breath.

But she couldn’t ask for it, not when it was something that had to be freely given. And Raum still hadn’t spoken a word.

23

GOOD GIRLS GO TO HEAVEN

Raum stared at the angel staring back at him. He knew what she was waiting for.

He wanted to speak, but he couldn’t seem to make any words come out. He’d never been great at expressing himself, and now that he actually had something to express, it was even more difficult.

It didn’t help that he was still reeling from everything that had happened back at his place. Bel and Mist had launched an insane angel-trap operation, and then Sunshine had convinced him to dissolve their contract after confessing she didn’t have the book.

Of course she didn’t have it.

If he’d actually thought about it for two damn seconds, he would have figured that out himself. She’d never actually said she had it, only that she’d found it. She hadn’t been able to meet his gaze whenever he asked her about it, and she’d quickly changed the subject every time. He’d been happy to keep living in his delusional dream world and pushed the doubts aside.

But she’d confessed that she’d lied because of him. Because she wanted to stay and spend time with him. She claimed she wanted it more than she wanted the book.

He’d heard it straight from her lips, but he still had doubts. As self-deprecating as it sounded, he found it hard to believe he could mean that much to her. She’d said getting her promotion was her ultimate goal, and now she didn’t care…because of him?

The pressure to speak suddenly became too much. Normally, he would’ve jumped out the window and flown off by now, but he didn’t want to do that to Sunshine. Instead, he turned away, heading toward the kitchen sink where he began awkwardly washing the blood off himself. There wasn’t much; it was mostly to give his hands something to do.

But his turning away was evidently the end of Sunshine’s patience.

“I just told you all my secrets and you haven’t said a word,” she snapped. “It’s not fair that you pushed me into saying what I did only to suddenly turn mute. I don’t see why I should have to expose myself and share my feelings while you stay locked up and refuse to—”

“I care too,” he muttered, wincing at his ineloquence. The water was still running, so he shut it off.

She fell silent.

He stared into the sink as he admitted, “I care about keeping you safe more than I cared about getting out of the contract. That’s why I didn’t want to break it.”

Silence.

He forced himself to turn around. “I’m not good at feelings.” An understatement. It was taking all his self-control not to leap out the window. “I’ve never really had them. At least, not in the last few centuries. And before my lost memories, I was just…cold. I don’t like thinking about it.”

Sunshine held perfectly still, as if the slightest disturbance might spook him into silence again. He wasn’t sure that it wouldn’t.

“But…” He stared at his claws and then watched Luna sprawl on her side in a patch of sunlight with an epic doggie sigh of relaxation. He swallowed, feeling pretty much the opposite. “I feel things now. Since you came along. I—”

Fuck. Inwardly, he was panicking.

He glanced at Sunshine. Her eyes were soft. So damn inviting. He stared into their depths.

“You make me feel…warm,” he admitted, feeling stupid. “Safe, I guess. But also violent, but in a possessive way, like I’d kill everyone except for you.”

“Raum…”

“I trust you. Maybe it’s stupid to trust an angel, but I trust you as much as I trust my brothers. Maybe more. I don’t know if that even matters, but—”

“I trust you too,” she whispered. “And it does matter. Your feelings matter. You matter.”

Why did his throat feel tight? He rubbed the back of his neck. “I have this feeling like… Never mind. It’s stupid.”

“Nothing you say is stupid. You can tell me.”

He swallowed. “It just feels like…we were meant to meet, and maybe…”

“To be together,” she finished softly.

He stared at her. “Yeah.” He wanted so badly to share his suspicions that they’d known each other in the past, but she’d already told him she’d never met him before, and he didn’t want to dredge all that up right now anyway.

She nodded. “I feel the same way.”

His heart tried to soar but reality kept plucking its flight feathers. “Does it even make a difference? You’re an angel, I’m a demon. We were doomed before we even began.”

“I don’t think I care anymore,” she whispered, taking a step closer to him.

He took one too. He was still in his half demon form, and he had to drop his head to meet her eyes while she craned her head back, but he didn’t think about shifting.

For once, he wanted to shed the human disguise he’d become so accustomed to wearing. He hadn’t lied—he trusted her. And part of that was wanting her to see him, the real him. Claws, scales, ugly past, crippled emotions, and all.

As if she read his thoughts, she lifted a palm and placed it on his chest. Her hand was so damn soft.

“I thought you had the book but stayed anyway,” he admitted. “I thought that meant you wanted—”

“I may have lied about having it, but I didn’t lie about my reasons for staying.”

He searched her gaze.

“The contract is broken, Raum. I have no book, no leverage, and no desire to use it even if I did. There’s nothing keeping me here anymore.” She ducked her head and glanced at him from beneath her lashes. “Nothing except you.”

“I should’ve asked why you stayed earlier, but I didn’t want to fucking jinx it. I couldn’t believe my luck.”

She smiled, fingernails curling against his scaled skin. “Then I’ll tell you now. I stayed because I wanted to spend a hundred days waking up in bed like we did. I wanted to do human stuff like buy vegetables from a market and look in thrift stores. I wanted to walk Luna and your hellhound in the park where we met. I wanted to hold your hand when other people were around and have them think we were a normal couple. I wanted—” She swallowed. “I wanted to feel free. I just didn’t want to be alone anymore.”

“Sunshine…”

A tear formed at the corner of her eye, but before it could escape, she dashed it away.

“We can do all that stuff,” he said. He’d give her any damn thing she wanted when she looked at him like that.

He stroked her cheek, trailing his claws and fingertips along her proud bone structure. Her skin was so soft, it made him feel like he was touching glass. He wanted to treat her like she was made of it.

He also wanted to grab her by the throat and throw her down on the bed. He wanted to own every inch of her. The dichotomy was infuriating. Intoxicating.

She swayed into him like she sensed his thoughts. Their bodies were so close they nearly pressed together from head to toe, but it still wasn’t close enough.

“I know this should feel wrong,” she whispered, “but it doesn’t.”

He gave into his urge and wrapped his palm around her throat. In this form, his hand was so big, his fingers nearly touched on the other side. He wanted to push her, to test her to see if she would recoil from him. From who he was, what he was—especially when he looked like this.

She relaxed into his hold instead, surrendering control. His blood heated.

“It’s the kind of wrong that feels right.” His voice had deepened.

She murmured her assent, unable to nod.

“I want you,” he said. “More than I think I’ve wanted anything.”

“Me too.” Her other hand landed on his chest beside the first.

“I want to do things to you…”

She swallowed, and he felt it against his palm.

“Bad things. Things that should scare you.”

“What things?” she whispered.

He shook his head. “You shouldn’t even let me touch you.”

“What things?”

His eyes narrowed.

She met his stare unflinchingly.

Alright, then. “I want to own you, Sunshine. I want you on your knees, begging for me. I want to fuck your throat until you choke. I want to take you in every possible way. I want to make you so fucking dirty, they’ll turn you away at the gates of Heaven. Baby, I want to ruin you.”

Her mouth opened but no words came out.

His brow arched. “You should’ve left when you had the chance.”

And then she shocked the hell out of him by rising to her toes and saying, “I want everything you just described.”

He froze.

With her on her tiptoes and him stooping, their faces were so close he had to look between her eyes, flicking from one to the other, taking in every detail of her face. Every eyelash. Every tiny freckle on her skin. The proud arch of her nose. The curve of her brow.

He bent and crushed their mouths together.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, her breath making a hoarse sound in her throat as she exhaled. She wanted him the same way he wanted her. He wouldn’t have believed it possible, but the proof was in her actions.

Releasing her throat, he fixed his hands around her waist, spreading his fingers and digging into that soft flesh. She was all curves, but he was still a lot bigger than her, especially in this form, and he loved the way he could almost wrap his hands around her. Just another way for him to own her.

God, the urges in his head were fucked up. He wanted to crush her, break her down into nothing. But he wanted to do it in a way that would simultaneously build her up, in a way that she would beg him for. In a way that would change her irrevocably.

He was a goddamn demon, the epitome of all the darkest things in existence, yet he had the audacity to try to claim something so pure for himself. And not only that, but he wanted to sully it. He wanted to make her so dirty, she would learn to love the darkness right alongside him.

He knew how wrong that was. He knew that if he was better, he would let her go.

But he wasn’t better, and he didn’t want to be. So he was going to do exactly what he wanted to do to her.

He angled his head to dig deeper into the kiss, pulling back and diving in again, prying her lips apart with his own to lay siege to her mouth. She met him head on, more than up to the challenge.

Maybe that was why he was so addicted to her. He may have wanted to ruin her, but it was clear she wanted to be ruined.

By him. Only ever by him.

He kissed her harder, bending her spine back, knowing the pressure would make her uncomfortable. Why he wanted that, he couldn’t say. Because he was a bastard, maybe.

She moaned low, stroking her hands up his back and under the base of his wings like the simple act of touching him turned her on, which made him feel pretty damn good.

Releasing her waist and breaking the kiss, he gripped her chin between his thumb and forefinger and tilted her head up. Their gazes met, and he held her like that, soaking in the moment.

Yeah, she submitted to him, but he was under no delusions about who was really in control here. The truth was, she owned him, and that scared him more than a little.

“You want more?”

She nodded.

He couldn’t help himself. He smiled a little and said, “Use your manners.”

She didn’t even bat an eye before responding, “Yes, please.”

God, those eyes. Perfect, guileless, eager.

“Good girl.” His smile widened.

She didn’t smile. She whimpered a little, like being called a good girl turned her on.

Had Bel put him in a coma when he’d clocked him in the head? Because no way he was actually living this.

“You like when I call you that?”

She nodded.

“Good, ’cause you are one. You’re a perfect angel, aren’t you? A sweet little ray of sunshine.”

But this time she shook her head. Those doe eyes filled with denial.

He was still riding the high of whatever insanity had taken over the moment he’d grabbed her throat. He spun her around with a firm grip on her shoulders and then pulled her back against him, his hard-on pressed against her lower back since he was so much taller than her.

He wrapped an arm around to take hold of her throat again and tipped her head back against his chest. And then he bent and spoke in her ear. “No?”

She shook her head, and he felt her swallow against his palm.

“You’re saying I’m wrong?”

“I’m not perfect,” she said breathlessly.

“Why not?”

“I…failed. I lied. I cheated. I stole clothes!” Her breath caught on the last admission.

He put his mouth against her ear. “So you’re not a good girl, are you? You’re a bad girl.”

“Yes.” She leaned back into his shoulder, her throat exposed, her chest thrust forward. Fucking perfect.

“Bad girls get punished.” Jesus, what the fuck was he even saying?

“Yes.”

He didn’t care. Sunshine was into it and so was he. He’d roll with it until she told him to stop.

He released her and gripped the bottom of her shirt. She dutifully raised her arms and he pulled it up over her head. Tossing it aside, he stepped back enough to pinch open her bra. It slid forward down her arms and hit the floor.

She glanced over her shoulder at him when he didn’t move immediately.

“Take the rest off,” he said.

She unfastened her pants and slid them over her hips and down her legs.

“Underwear too.”

Watching her bend, showing off that perfect ass, nearly made him lose his mind. The slit between her legs was so close to giving him a peek of what he really wanted to see, and the way her thighs jiggled when she stepped out of her underwear was the stuff of fantasies.

Everything about her was.

“You’re fucking gorgeous, Sunshine.”

She straightened and turned to face him, her arms at her sides, not trying to cover her body at all. Perfect. She could rob banks for a living and she’d be perfect to him. She could be a deranged psychopath and he’d worship the ground she walked on.

But she wasn’t. She was kind and sweet, and it pissed him off that she didn’t see herself that way.

“You wanna be a good girl, don’t you?”

She nodded.

“Then get on your knees.”

She lowered onto the floor immediately. She didn’t even pause to take a breath.

He stepped up to her, and she tipped her head up and watched him. He could give her commands and control her movements, but when she looked at him like that…

He wondered if she knew how much control she had over him. A part of him didn’t want her to. Another part did so she would never feel powerless or think she was alone.

He combed his fingers through her hair, and she held onto his thighs over his pants. She was naked on her knees in front of him, but her eyes held so much strength. There was nothing subservient about her even if she played along with their game. A game they both needed, even if he didn’t fully understand why.

“You’re beautiful. So sweet and perfect.” He kept petting her hair. “And I don’t like when I tell you that and you say I’m wrong.”

She swallowed, and he saw her denial rise. He opened his mouth to admonish her, but her fingers started crawling along the waistband of his pants. The little seductress was trying to distract him, and damn if it wasn’t working.

She curled her fingers around the elastic and stretched it, never looking away from him while he watched her like a hawk. Her fingernails scraped against his skin as she tugged his pants down and out of the way. He was commando underneath, so there was nothing else standing in her way. She wrapped a hand around his hard cock and then paused with it inches from her mouth. His wings flared with anticipation.

“There are ridges.” Her eyes were wide.

“What?” He couldn’t think straight with her mouth so close to him.

She trailed a finger down his shaft, over the raised rings of scales that circled it. Yeah, his dick may have looked freaky in this form, but judging by the look on Sunshine’s face, she didn’t mind a bit.

“Suck it,” he groaned.

She leaned in and her lips parted, and then wet hot suction formed around the tip, and he nearly fell over. She sank deeper, saliva coating his shaft on her way back out. As she repeated the motion, her tongue teased the sensitive underside, and he moaned.

Fingers clenching in her hair, he couldn’t help himself from thrusting deep again, chasing more of that sensation. She hummed around him and relaxed her jaw to fit him deeper. He was bigger in this form too, and it had to be a stretch for her, but that only made it so much hotter when she swallowed him.

“I’m gonna fuck your mouth,” he growled.

She hummed and nodded.

“Pinch me if I go too hard.”

Her eyes darkened like he’d just issued a challenge.

He got a better grip on her hair and thrust deep just to see how ready she was. Her eyes flared slightly like she was surprised by the pressure, but they narrowed again when he stopped, daring him to keep going.

The sight of his ridged demon cock sliding between the perfect lips of an angel was so goddamn sexy, he nearly came on the spot. The pressure and wet heat of her mouth was pleasure indescribable.

“Good girl.” He thrust again. “You’re such a good fucking girl.” She gripped his hips, nails digging into the taut skin over his hip bones. “God, that’s so good. You’re so beautiful on your knees like that.”

He gave her a few more warning thrusts, which she took eagerly, before he really cut loose.

Both hands holding her head still, he fucked her throat exactly like he’d imagined doing from the moment he’d started fantasizing about her. She took it like the goddess she was, her eyes tearing up, her throat working to keep from gagging, saliva pooling at the edges of her lips.

He was so fixated on watching his shaft slide in and out between her lips that he hadn’t noticed she’d let go of him with one hand and was stroking herself between her legs. Her eyes were heavy-lidded and unfocused, and he felt her moans vibrating around his shaft.

She was getting off on sucking his cock. God fucking damn it—

His head swam and pressure built at the base of his spine. He released her head and pulled out seconds before he lost control. He didn’t want to finish yet. He had plans.

24

HEART OF GOLD

“Y ou’re gonna kill me,” Raum groaned, petting her hair again. “That mouth of yours…”

Sunshine stayed on her knees, wiping the saliva from around her mouth with the back of her hand. Her eyes had teared up, but there was nothing but satisfaction in her smile. “Why did you stop?”

“Not ready to finish yet. Get up.”

Still giving him that sweet smile, Sunshine climbed to her feet.

He kicked his pants off the rest of the way, took two steps, and then scooped her up in his arms. She laughed as he spun her around and threw her arms around his neck, reaching back to stroke his feathers.

“Let’s go to the bedroom,” he said. “Don’t want to shock poor Luna.”

“Oh my—” Sunshine gasped and craned her neck to search for the dog. “I completely forgot about her!”

“She’s fine.” He turned so she could see where Luna was still sprawled in the sun spot on the floor. “See? Fast asleep.”

“Oh, thank the Spheres. That poor animal has been traumatized enough.”

He laughed as he carried Sunshine to the bedroom and dropped her on her back on the bed. Her breasts bounced when she hit the mattress, and his brain short-circuited.

“Are you going to give me what I want now?” she asked. Her knees were bent, legs together.

“Depends on what you want.” He knelt on the edge of the bed, gripping her feet. Her toenails were painted white, which struck him as adorable. And sexy as hell.

“You. Inside me.”

“What part of me?”

She swallowed and then her lips curved. “Your cock.”

His did too. Damn, he loved corrupting her. By the time he was done with her, she was going to be spouting the dirtiest shit known to man.

“Where do you want my cock? Back in your mouth?”

He expected her to get all shy at the prospect of saying it aloud, but she beat him at his own game. Her legs dropped open, and she reached down and spread her pussy open with her fingers, revealing a swollen clit and just a hint of her opening, all of it glistening wet with arousal.

“Right here,” she purred.

He groaned. “Fuck me.”

“That’s what I’m asking for.”

“You’re perfect. The sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.”

“Raum…”

“Don’t ever tell me you’re not perfect, got it?”

Her lips pursed.

“You’re gonna deny me again?”

“I just…” She moved her hand away and drew her legs together. “I don’t want you to have this idealistic view of me. I’ve done things… I was demoted to guardian because I screwed up so badly, and I—”

Shoving her legs back open, he crawled over her and silenced her with a kiss. His cock hung down against her stomach. Just brushing it against her skin made him want to fall on her and fuck her in a frenzy, but he held off his urges. For now.

“When I say you’re perfect, I mean it. The shit doesn’t matter to me. I kinda get off on making you bad.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means it turns me on when you do bad shit. Talking dirty, stealing clothes for me… It’s hot. I’m a demon. I’m trying to be better, but I’m always gonna be a little evil.”

“That’s okay.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, gripping the muscle between his shoulder blades. “I like being bad for you.”

Her legs spread wider to cradle his hips, and his cock slipped between her legs, her arousal guiding him right to where he wanted to be. But he didn’t thrust forward.

“I’m gonna corrupt you,” he said. “I should feel bad about it, but I don’t. Maybe I do a little, but a bigger part of me just loves it.”

She wrapped her legs around his hips. His flight feathers brushed her ankles. The tip of his cock pressed right there. One thrust and he’d push in. Holding off was making him sweat.

“You can’t corrupt me when I already have darkness inside of me,” she said. “I’ve always hidden it, pretended it wasn’t there, but it’s never gone away. I’m tired of pretending to be something I’m not.”

He bent to kiss her. “I still think you’re perfect.”

She scoffed. “Shut up and fuck me already.”

He pulled back to give her a look. Her words were bold, but he could tell she was blushing. “You’re cute, angel.”

She shoved his shoulder. “Shut u—”

Her words morphed into a gasp as he pushed an inch inside her. Barely at all, but damn, she was tight. And then he realized he was in half demon form, and she was a virgin. No way was she taking him like this yet.

He shifted to human form and then laughed at the look of dismay on her face.

“Why did you shift?”

“Sorry to disappoint, but we’re not doing it like that for your first time.”

“Virginity is a construct, and I don’t buy into it.”

“I’m not talking about some purity bullshit. I just don’t want to hurt you.”

She continued to frown, and he arched a brow. “Is my human form that bad?”

“Of course not. You’re beautiful and you know it. I just…want to be with you. The real you. You’re better at hiding in this form.”

It was an astute observation. “I promise I won’t hide from you.” He didn’t make the vow lightly.

She reached up and stroked his cheek. “And I must admit, the differences in your other form are intriguing.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yes. I wanted to…feel them.”

“Not yet,” he said, bending down to kiss her.

“Why are you always teasing me?”

Teasing her? He pushed his hips forward a little more to remind her that she had to put some work in before she was ready for the big guns.

Her groan as he stretched her was music to his ears. He gave her a little more, and her hands flew up to grip his shoulders, eyes going wide. “Oh.”

“Yeah.” He’d bet she’d stop asking him to shift now.

“Oh, wow.”

He tried to laugh. but it turned into a groan as her inner muscles flexed and then allowed him to sink in another inch. “Fuck, Sunshine, you’re squeezing me so tight.”

“I can’t— That feels so good.” Her eyes closed and her head turned back and forth on the pillow. “But it hurts too. But I want more. But I want you to stop. But I want—”

He stopped. “You’re not ready enough yet.” He made to pull out, but her legs tightened around him like a vice. Damn, she was strong.

“I’m ready now.”

“Let me warm you up a little more.”

“No.”

“Sunshine—”

“I want it now.”

He couldn’t help his grin. He’d smiled more tonight than he had in a hundred years. “What happened to the subservient little Sunshine on her knees, huh? Thought you wanted to be a good girl.”

Shameless seductress that she was, the defiance melted from her gaze, and she fixed those big doe eyes on him again. “Please fuck me now?” Even her tone was sweet.

He groaned. How was it that she could make him do anything when she was the one pleading?

He gave her another inch. He pulled out and eased back in, coating his shaft in her arousal. He bent to kiss her, his head already spinning from the pleasure. “You good?”

“So good.” Her nails scratched his back.

He gave her a little more. This time he felt her body resist him again, but her moan indicated pleasure. Again, he eased out and back in. “Hurts?”

“Feels so good.” Their mouths teased together, but they didn’t bother with a full kiss. “Raum…”

“More?”

“Yes.”

His lips curved against hers. “Good girls use their manners.”

“Please! Please, please, please—”

He thrust deep and finally filled her all the way. She was briefly overcome with trembling, her spine arching off the mattress.

The column of her throat exposed to him, the arch of her collarbones, those perfect fucking breasts… “God, you’re beautiful. Drives me fucking crazy.”

“Raum…”

He spoke through gritted teeth. “Trying to hold still so you can adjust, but you writhing under me is making it difficult.”

“Please—”

“What do you want?” He gripped her jaw, turning her head so he could kiss her.

“More. Everything.” Her eyes cleared briefly and she said, “I don’t want you to hold back.”

“I’m going to be gentle the first time.”

“No.”

“Yes. Don’t want to hurt you.”

“No. Doesn’t hurt.”

It was fucking hot that she was so eager for him to cut loose, but he would break his own back to make sure she enjoyed this. “It will if I give it to you as hard as you’re asking for.”

She moaned like just the description of it turned her on.

He decided to give her a taste. She was a big girl. She could tell him if it was too much.

Keeping a grip on her jaw, he surged forward, sinking deep, increasing the pace of his thrusts. She was so damn tight and wet and hot, and just the knowledge that he was inside her was nearly enough to send him over the edge. He’d never been so close to embarrassing himself in sex.

“You feel so fucking good.” He held her head still so he could kiss her hard, tanging his tongue with hers.

She did nothing but moan into his mouth, her legs tightening around him, pulling him deeper. She dug her heels into his ass, encouraging the pace of his thrusts as if she wanted him to go even faster. He transferred his grip to her throat and increased the pace. Her moans turned to cries as he filled her with each hard thrust.

“You good?” he panted, fixing his teeth around the tender skin of her neck beside his fingers. He wanted to bite so damn badly, but he knew better than to voluntarily take in a mouthful of angel blood. If he passed out right now, he’d never forgive himself.

“Yes! Oh my god, Raum!” She threw her hands over her head, gripping the blankets. Her eyes shut and her spine arched so high, it brought the middle of her back off the bed.

He released her neck and sat back onto his knees, held her legs up and open, and gave it to her. He poured all his pent-up lust and tension into her body, working out the angst with each hard thrust. And she held on for the ride and took it all, crying out until his ears hurt from it.

She reached for him, so he dropped forward onto his hands so he could kiss her lips. Shifting his weight onto one elbow, he reached between their bodies with his other hand and found that little clit he hadn’t had a chance to worship yet. He’d been neglecting his duties.

Keeping his thrusts slow and easy, he circled it with his finger, warming her up. When she was ready, he increased the pressure, spreading her wetness over the swollen nub.

Her moans were music to his ears. Her nails dug into his skin and her eyes squeezed shut. He pulled out halfway and kept working her with his fingers. She dug her heels in, trying to make him go deep again, but he held off.

“Raum—” Frustration was in her tone.

He smiled to himself and bit down on the soft skin of her neck again. The urge to let his fangs grow was so strong, he had to deliberately force them back. He worked her clit faster, putting more pressure right on it as she grew more swollen.

“Yes!”

Yeah, she was close.

He unleashed at the last possible second. Keeping up pressure on her clit, he pushed deep, sinking as far inside her as he could get with each thrust. At the same time, he forgot to check himself and bit down.

His fangs appeared from nowhere, and his teeth sank into her skin.

Hot blood filled his mouth. Sunshine cried out as she hit her peak, her body seizing and then erupting in waves of contracting muscles. Her inner walls clenched around him, gripping him like a fist, milking the climax out of him.

He didn’t stand a chance. With a long groan against her neck, teeth still in her skin, he fell into his own orgasm.

The world disappeared for a second. Or a minute. Or an hour.

Whether his eyes were open or closed, he saw nothing but blackness with bright bursts of light. Ecstasy raced through his blood, spinning his head around and around until he had no sense of up or down or where his body ended and hers began.

But when he expected the world to stop spinning and things to normalize, they didn’t. They kept going. The pleasure went on. He swore he was still coming. Or maybe he’d stopped and started again.

“Raum…”

His body felt weightless, but it also felt like he didn’t even have a body anymore. He was just a bubble of pleasure, drifting through space. He never wanted to come down.

“Raum!”

The voice penetrated. Once he heard it, he realized it had been going on for a while.

He forced his eyes open and found a pair of dark ones staring down at him. The richest flavor coated his tongue, and it was so good, he licked his lips to make sure he hadn’t missed any.

“Mmm.” He offered her a lazy smile.

“My god, Raum, you scared me half to death!”

He was on his back, he realized, and she was leaning over him. But he could have sworn she’d been on her back moments ago.

He frowned, trying to figure out what happened.

“You bit me!” she said by way of explanation. Oh yeah. “Why on earth would you do that?”

He glanced at her neck. There was indeed a noticeable bite mark there, with a bit of that delicious blood spread around it. “Did I hurt you?”

Her head came back. “Me? Of course not. You’re the one who just drank poison!”

He smiled. Man, he was woozy, but it felt good. “I’m fine.”

She groaned. “Oh no, you’re high again.”

“Nah. Just a little light-headed.”

“Why did you bite me?”

“Dunno. Couldn’t help myself. No regrets.”

She blew out a breath. “How are you not unconscious? I don’t understand.”

He shrugged. “I didn’t take that much.”

“You took enough. And when we met, I injected you with enough of my blood to knock a demon out for hours. You barely batted an eye.” Her head shook. “I’ve never heard of such a thing.”

He wasn’t that concerned. Mostly he was just glad he could bite her without passing out because it had been extremely difficult to fight the urge—and he’d failed, too.

“You sure I didn’t hurt you?” He sat up a little and turned onto his side to face her, propping himself up on an elbow.

Finally accepting he wasn’t at death’s door, she dropped onto her back, and the lazy smile he’d wanted to see on her face after the sex finally appeared. “I’m fine. Bit of a shock at the end, but I’m fine.”

“It didn’t hurt when I bit you?”

Her smile widened. “I may have liked it a little.”

Fuck. She was almost too perfect. “I liked it a lot.”

“I could tell by the way you moaned in my ear and wouldn’t let go of my neck.” Her brow lifted. “And then you went as limp as a wet noodle, and I thought I’d killed you.”

He snorted. He couldn’t die from angel blood and they both knew it. “It was a really good orgasm. Your blood made it even better.”

“I like making you lose control.”

“It’s easy with you.” He leaned over and kissed her. She hummed against his lips, and they ended up necking like crazy until he was hard again. It didn’t take much with her.

He rolled over top of her, feeling a little wicked, and grabbed her wrists, pinning them to the bed beside her head. “How sore are you?” he asked against her lips, nudging her pussy with his shaft so she would know what he was after.

She was still dripping wet from their orgasms, and the thought of his cum filling her up inside and spilling out made him want to fuck her and fill her up all over again.

“You’re ready already?” she asked.

“Yup. How sore?”

“A little.” She smiled. “But not enough.”

“If it hurts, tell me to stop.”

“I’m not going to tell you to stop.”

He slid his hips forward and sank all the way to heaven.

A FEW HOURS LATER, they went for a walk with Luna, taking her to the park and then picking up some dog food. They were both studiously ignoring the outside world. Raum’s phone rang several times until he finally turned the ringer off. It was late when they returned, so they stripped off their clothes and collapsed in the bed in a tangle of naked limbs.

Sunshine could hear Raum’s breath deepening with sleep where he lay beside her. The room was dark, save for the city lights casting a faint glow through the sheer curtains. Everything was perfect. Almost.

There was one thing she wanted.

“Raum?” she whispered into the dark.

“Hmm?” He sounded mostly asleep, and she smiled.

“Will you shift for me?”

The sheets rustled as he rolled over, and she turned her head on the pillow to look into his golden eyes, heavy lidded. He frowned in question.

“Into your full demon.”

“Why?”

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to.” She suddenly felt embarrassed about her request.

“I didn’t say that. I asked why.”

“Because…” She turned her face to the ceiling, shying away from his direct stare. “I like you in that form. Your feathers are so soft, and when we flew together, I felt safe against them.”

“You felt safe.”

She glanced back at him, finding his face as inscrutable as the inflection of his words. “Yes.”

He hesitated, and she remembered his hesitation to shift in Hell, and how he’d made her promise not to scream. He probably thought she was scared or repulsed by him.

She turned onto her side to face him. “I already told you I think all your forms are beautiful, remember? It’s your fault if you don’t believe me.”

He continued scrutinizing her with that unreadable expression, not responding.

A moment later, however, he sat up and shifted.

The massive demon bird was suddenly taking up considerable space on the bed, his deadly talons digging into the blankets. His weight caused the mattress to sag, and she slid into him. He unfurled his four wings for balance as he tried to make space for her to move over, but she kept sliding right back under him. He flapped around while she struggled until she burst out laughing.

“Perhaps we should have thought this through better,” she said, finally managing to scramble out from under him. She climbed to her feet beside the bed, wrapping the blanket around her to ward off the chill from the cooling air.

Raum looked at her, cocking his enormous scaled head as if to say, Now what? He blinked, membranes sliding horizontally across his eyes.

“You get comfortable and then I’ll climb in beside you.”

He seemed to shake his head at her, but a moment later, he spread his wings, shifted his feet around, and then settled in the center of the mattress, folding his wings once more. He cocked his head as if waiting to see what she’d do.

Smiling now, she grabbed a pillow and crawled across the bed, tucking herself as close to his warm feathers as she could with the blanket still wrapped around her. He opened two of his wings, and she snuggled even closer, sighing with bliss as they closed over her like another blanket.

He nuzzled her hair with his beak, so she reached out and stroked the downy plumage of his chest. His head tucked against his wing right over her head, and she fell asleep with a smile on her face.

25

LITTLE RAY OF SUNSHINE

“Raum…”

Sunshine was on her knees, gripping the headboard to keep from collapsing as he took her from behind. He grasped the wood beside her, strong hands next to hers, defined muscles flexed on his forearms.

“What do you want, angel?” He nuzzled her hair, and she tipped her head back against him. Her head spun from pleasure until her body felt like it would burst.

Turning her head, she looked into his eyes. “I want you to shift.”

She was sore when she awoke that morning, but she had discovered her angelic healing abilities had another useful purpose. It was the work of a moment to take care of any lingering tenderness, and all that was left was the tingle of sensitized flesh.

Raum’s movements stilled, hands clenching around the headboard. He searched her gaze. She found it sweet that he was concerned about hurting her, but she was tired of waiting for this.

“Please?”

He said nothing for so long, she started to think he would refuse.

And then…it started with his wings. The black feathers spread wide behind him. His skin darkened, those rough scales running up his arms and over his chest. His claws appeared at his fingertips.

And then he got bigger. He grew until he loomed behind her and he had to spread his knees further apart to keep inside her body. Still buried deep in her core, his shaft thickened and lengthened until she could feel every scaled ridge against her inner walls.

He stretched her. Oh god, did he ever.

She tipped her head back with a cry while he nipped at her throat with sharp fangs.

“You okay?”

“Yes,” she panted. “Feels so good.” The stretch was intense, but so was the pleasure.

He started to move, the textured edges of his cock stroking against her inner walls. She tried to cry out but couldn’t seem to draw a full breath. She could only hold onto the headboard for dear life and hope she survived. She honestly didn’t care if she didn’t.

“You’re strangling my cock, Sunshine.” His voice was a deep growl in her ear. “You feel amazing. So fucking perfect.”

She moaned helplessly, leaning back into his strong body, loving the way he surrounded her. His wings opened, feathers wrapping around them, closing them off from the outside world.

She was a powerful immortal being, but a part of her wanted to be soft and vulnerable, and he allowed her to express that. When he held her in his control and whispered his praises, she felt safe.

The trust was addictive. The pleasure was beyond compare.

“Do you believe me yet?” He released the headboard with one hand, sliding it up her body between her breasts to wrap around her throat. “When I say you’re perfect?”

She hesitated. He squeezed lightly in warning, reminding her not to disagree.

And suddenly, she didn’t want to. She wasn’t perfect, not by a long shot. But she did believe that he saw her that way. He told her he not only liked her flaws, but they aroused him.

How then could she not be perfect to him? For she had plenty of those to spare.

“Yes!” she heard herself gasp as he thrust particularly deep. Having him inside her was the most incredible feeling of connection she’d ever known. She never wanted to experience it with anyone but him. If he was gone, the urge would be gone. But while he was here, the need was endless.

“You’re perfect?”

“Yes!”

“Say it.” His thrusts increased in pace as he filled her to bursting.

“I’m perfect,” she gasped. “For you.”

“That’s right. I don’t give a fuck about anyone else.”

And that was what made it so special. Who cared about anyone else’s opinion anyway? His was the only one that mattered to her, and he thought she was perfect. It was liberating.

“You’re mine, Sunshine.”

“Yes!” He thrust forward. Again, she cried out. Every time he moved, the thick ridges stretched and rubbed her in places she’d never felt sensation before. Places she’d never even known she could feel sensation.

“You’re fucking mine.” His voice was an inhuman growl. He started moving at a steady pace, increasing in speed. Her nerves sang, her muscles screamed at the stretch, and she felt the beginnings of a climax creep down her spine.

“Yes!” Spots danced behind her closed eyes, and she gave in to the sensation of being held by him, claimed by him—verbally, physically, mentally. Her eyes closed and her thighs started to shake. He tightened his arm around her, holding her by the throat, keeping her upright when she would have sagged forward.

At the last moment, his other hand released the headboard, reached around, and cupped her possessively between her thighs. He didn’t rub or stroke, but the pressure of his fingers against her sensitized flesh was enough.

Fireworks burst behind her closed lids as she flew into climax. He moved faster as pleasure electrified her blood. A moment later, a deep groan in her ear told her he’d followed her over, and she felt his shaft swell, pulsing inside her, intense heat searing her from the inside.

His movements slowed to a lazy pace. The hand around her throat released her in favor of stroking her hair back from her face as he breathed against her neck. Every gust of air sent a wave of tingles over her skin. She thought she might die from happiness.

“You okay?” he murmured.

“Mhm.” She couldn’t form a coherent sentence yet.

“I didn’t hurt you?”

“No.” Maybe a little. She was definitely going to make use of her healing ability again.

“Can’t get enough of you.”

“Mmm.”

“Never been so obsessed with anything.” He stroked her hair again, his claws gently scraping her scalp. “Thought I’d be numb forever until you.”

She turned her head to catch a glimpse of his golden eyes. As usual, they were piercing in their intensity. She loved them.

“I feel the same way about you,” she said. “I wasn’t numb, but I felt…lost, maybe. I was fixated on my goal of reascending, but I’m starting to realize it was a distraction. I told myself that if I could just get back to where I used to be, my life would have purpose again. But all I was doing was wasting time. How can it be called living when one is so fixated on a future goal that they forget to enjoy the present?”

He nodded in understanding.

“You’re showing me how to enjoy the moment.” So much so that she was becoming skilled at blocking out thoughts of the future. Utilizing those skills now, she reached up to stroke his jaw. “Your eyes are so beautiful. You’re beautiful. In all your forms.”

He cocked a brow. “Whatever you say, angel.”

She smirked. “You know you’re pretty, demon. Don’t pretend to be modest. I’ll never believe it.”

Shooting her a look, he pulled out, going slowly because he knew she was sore. The rush of sensation and the flood of wetness that poured out between her thighs made her moan.

He gripped her arms suddenly, turning, and then flung her on her back on the mattress.

Spreading her legs with a grip on her knees, that fierce golden gaze fixed between her thighs and darkened to liquid amber. “Fuck, I love watching my cum spill out of you.”

She squirmed. His dark possessiveness stirred something primal in her.

He looked up, meeting her eyes, expression serious. “I love everything about you, Sunshine.”

She swallowed, her throat suddenly tight. I feel the same, she wanted to say. I never knew what love was until I met you. I never knew what happiness was. I never knew what freedom was. And now that I know what it feels like, I don’t think I can live without it.

But before she could speak, he smiled suddenly. That playful lopsided smile reminded her of the sweet animals he cared for. It wasn’t an expression she saw often on his stern face, and she adored it that much more for it.

“My little ray of sunshine,” he said.

The strange dream she’d had returned in a rush. The way he’d thrust so deep into her mouth and her core, the way he’d whispered sweet things in her ear… At the time, she’d been shocked at the things her mind had come up with. Now she had lived them first hand.

“You know,” she said with a smile as he disappeared his wings and dropped onto his back beside her. “You called me that in a dream I had.” She rolled onto her side and stroked a hand over his strong chest, feeling the texture of his scaled skin beneath her palm.

But when she expected him to smile again and maybe tease her for dreaming of him, instead he frowned deeply. “What dream?”

“It’s silly.” Her face heated at the prospect of admitting her secret.

But he sat up as if this was a matter of great importance. “What dream?”

She frowned at his sudden tension but explained, “That night we shared the bed in your cave in Hell, I had a dream about you of an…explicit nature. It’s funny I dreamed that because of course I hadn’t seen all of you yet, but somehow I imagined it perfectly.” Her cheeks flushed.

Once again, she expected him to laugh or perhaps tease her, but he did neither. Instead, he continued to stare at her with great intensity.

Her heart sped up as a sliver of alarm penetrated. She sat up as well. “What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I had dreams too,” he said.

She frowned.

“Dreams about you and me. A sex dream, and…another one.”

She laughed nervously, pulling her hair over one shoulder. “Well, I suppose we were dealing with a lot of pent-up tension, sexual and otherwise, and a dream is a logical outlet—”

“I called you Shamsiel.”

She stiffened.

“I know that used to be your name. Dan told us. I thought it was just my subconscious being random.”

“But…?” She searched his gaze, confused. “What are you saying?”

He took a breath before asking, “Did you know me in the past, Sunshine? Have we ever met before?”

“No,” she replied immediately. “Of course not. Like I said before, the time I saw you in the bar with Daniel was the first time I’d ever seen you. I had no idea who you were. I was drawn to you, yes, but that doesn’t mean I knew you. Why would you even ask me that? Wouldn’t you know if we’d met?”

“I’m missing three hundred years of memory.”

Her mouth dropped open.

“You didn’t know that? I thought you knew everything about me.”

“I— No, I didn’t know that! Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I just thought you knew. Or it didn’t seem important.”

“But…how? Why?”

“I don’t know.”

She squeezed her eyes shut. “That makes no sense.”

“I broke the rules in some major way.” His mouth twisted, and he bent one knee up, draping his arm over it. “I don’t know what I did, but it must have been bad. Because as punishment, three hundred years of my memory was erased. I have no idea what happened to me. I’ve been trying to figure it out for ages and never found a clue. Until now.”

“Why now?”

“Sunshine…” His gaze was intense. “I think we knew each other. In the past.”

“But that’s impossible.” She leaned over and briefly squeezed the hand draped over his knee. What he’d been through must have been terrible, and she wanted to help him, but she couldn’t give him false hope.

“I would remember if we’d met,” she explained, “and I can assure you I’ve never had amnesia. Well—” Her stomach flipped as thoughts of the past suddenly bubbled up. “There was one time I suffered temporary confusion while healing from a traumatic event, but it was a short period and I remembered everything afterward.”

His gaze instantly sharpened. “What traumatic event?”

“I—” She looked down at her hands. Talking about this was never easy, and it hadn’t gotten easier because no one dared mention it. Every angel in Heaven dodged around her past like it was a dirty secret that might taint them too if they admitted to knowing it.

But this was Raum. He wasn’t concerned with such things, and she trusted him not to react in a way that would hurt her. She took a breath and said, “I was captured by demons.”

His eyes flared. “You were what?”

“It was a stupid mistake. A group of demons were stirring up trouble in a human town, and I went to confront them. I was a Principality then, and it was normally a job for an archangel, but I wanted to help, I guess. I foolishly went alone. I underestimated their numbers. One managed to sneak up behind me and strike me with a blade so I was too injured to flash away.”

She gathered her courage and told him the rest. “They took me to their lair in Hell, and I was held for months in an underground cell. They drained me of blood again and again and cut my wings off to sell every time they regrew. I wasn’t sexually abused—these particular demons weren’t interested in that—but they did pretty much everything else. They sold my…parts at the Blood Market and became rich off of them. I supplied all of Hell with angel blood for years to come, I’m sure. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s still some out there.”

“What the fuck?” His hand dropped and he sat up stiffly. The gold of his eyes darkened to that same furious amber she’d seen before when he fought with Belial. “Who? Who took you?”

“I never learned who they were. They were careful to keep me from finding out anything about them or their lair, but I did know they weren’t powerful enough to have a title. Though after the riches they received from me, that likely changed.

“After I was rescued, I was…unwell for a time. I spent months in bed, haunted by what I’d endured. When I finally found the strength to emerge, I knew I would never be the same again. That’s why I changed my name. All I felt was darkness inside, so I picked Sunshine so I would always be reminded of the light.”

His eyes burned with rage like molten pits of lava. They were so intense she could barely stand to look into them. “What did the demons look like? I will go back to Hell right now, find them, and make them suffer ten times what you did. I’ll make them beg for death—”

“They’re already dead, Raum.” She reached out and squeezed his forearm, the muscle so tense it was like a rock under her hand. “When Daniel found me, he rounded up every one of them and burned them in a massive hellfire pyre. Their deaths weren’t sanctioned and the act was against the rules, but he did it anyway, for me. That is why I’ve always felt I owe him so much.”

“Daniel, as in Dan?” Raum’s brows climbed his forehead. “Eva’s dad?”

“Yes. Long ago before Daniel left Heaven, we were comrades and fought side by side in many battles. When Daniel chose to fall, we stayed in contact, though it was against the rules. He never told me he had a child, but I don’t blame him for hiding it.”

“But why was Dan the one that found you? After months? Why didn’t Heaven send in the cavalry to get you out?”

She shrugged, releasing his arm to twist her hands together in her lap. “Angels can’t just go charging into Hell when one of their own is taken.”

“Why the fuck not?”

“There are procedures to follow—everything has to be sanctioned by the Principalities first. And it’s very dangerous for angels in Hell—”

“You’re telling me they didn’t even try to send anyone after you?”

The incredulous look on his face, coupled with righteous indignation, made her insides squirm, though she wasn’t entirely sure why. “I’m only one angel. I’m hardly important to—”

“Bullshit. Demons all hate each other, but if an enemy took someone they considered an ally, they’d charge in there with an entire fucking army, consequences be damned.”

“And look at the amount of bloodshed in Hell. It’s horrific—”

“It’s better than doing fucking nothing!”

“Heaven did everything they could. They—”

“You’re telling me you were trapped there for months until a Grigori rescued you on some vigilante solo mission. Sounds to me like they did fuck all.”

Sunshine swallowed her next retort. She didn’t want to fight with Raum about this. She knew he was angry on her behalf, and she was grateful for that. She also couldn’t expect him to understand the complicated hierarchy of Heaven and why a single angel’s welfare wasn’t worth potentially endangering the Realm by sending groups of angels on dangerous missions.

After her rescue, the archangel Raphael had paid her a visit as she was convalescing and gently reprimanded her for allowing herself to end up in a position where she’d needed saving.

It is selfish to behave carelessly with the expectation that others will correct your mistakes, Shamsiel. I beg you to remember that in the future. Let this be a learning opportunity for you.

His words had always stuck with her, as had the shame that burned in her gut when he’d spoken them.

Raum blew out a breath. “It makes me fucking livid to think about that happening to you, and that nobody gave a fuck besides fucking Dan. Does make me hate him a bit less though.”

“They did give a fuck,” Sunshine said, the curse foreign on her tongue but strangely cathartic. “When Raphael visited me, he was very concerned and apologetic—”

Raum’s lip curled so quickly at the mention of Raphael that she broke off. At her questioning look, he said, “I hate that fucker.”

“Raphael? Why?”

“He’s a prick. He cursed Asmodeus to a miserable existence for three thousand years.”

“Raphael is one of Heaven’s most decorated angels.” She added gently, “And your brother did kill an entire village of humans before he warranted that punishment.”

“Doesn’t make it justified. Maybe at the time he deserved to suffer a little, but three thousand years of being invisible to any potential partner? Ash was a lust demon. It fucked him up. He started evolving not long after that, and his life was a living hell for no reason. Raphael could have lifted the curse at any time, but he didn’t. If it weren’t for Eva, Ash probably would’ve stayed cursed forever. Raphael’s a piece of shit.”

“I agree that it’s unfortunate what happened, but Asmodeus broke the rules. Raphael was simply the one who administered his punishment.”

“You don’t know what it’s like,” Raum said, looking out the window at the cloudy morning sky. “You spend your existence being told you’re the worst scum of the Earth with no chance for redemption. And a lot of us are the worst scum of the Earth and have no desire to evolve. But for the few of us who do, we’re forced to remain in Hell and play by stupid rules designed to make us lose. Pricks like Raphael think they’re so high and mighty when really, they’re just as bad as half the demons in Hell, but they get away with it because they’re angels.”

Sunshine bristled a little at that. “Evil has to lose. That is the way the world is set up. In order for humans to continue evolving, there must always be a struggle between good and evil. But good must always win in the end—”

“So why fight at all if you already know the outcome? And why am I forced to fight on the losing side? What if I don’t want to fight at all? Then I’ll be hunted by fucks like Raphael.”

“You’re making this about Raphael when it’s really about your problems with authority.”

“Problems with authority?” He looked sharply at her. “Is that what you call not wanting to get tortured or cursed for thousands of years or have your memory wiped for no reason?”

His tone was biting. He hadn’t spoken to her like that since they’d stopped being enemies. But then he’d been justified in his anger. Now, in her eyes, he was not.

“It’s what I call refusing to accept that good must prevail for the sake of all humankind,” she replied firmly. “Imagine what this world would be like if evil won the majority of the time. It would be awful. I can’t fathom the atrocities that would occur.”

Raum looked away again, shaking his head. “Whatever. Fuck. I don’t want to fight about this with you. I should’ve known it would come up eventually—you’re an angel. One of the good guys.” His lip curled. “I just don’t get why you can’t see how fucked up it was that your own people wouldn’t rescue you when you were taken. I would have torn the underworld apart looking for you.”

“I know, and I appreciate that.” She took a breath, glad to let the tension dissipate, and then thought about what he’d said. “I guess I’m not that upset because I’ve had years to think about it. It was a long time ago, and at this point, I would rather prove myself by regaining my rank than dwell on my many regrets over what happened.”

“Wait.” His brow furrowed. “You never told me why you lost your rank.”

“Yes, I did. Because of what happened to me.”

“I don’t get it. What’d you do?”

“I allowed myself to be compromised. I endangered the Realm and strengthened the underworld forces by giving them access to the weapons that can be made from my blood.”

Raum stared at her like she’d lost her mind. “You’re telling me that not only did they not try to rescue you, they punished you for being fucking tortured? That’s sick. That’s fucking sick.”

“I endangered the Realm. I failed in my duty.”

“How!”

“I—” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “I thought we weren’t fighting about this anymore.”

He said nothing, but the look of horror he was giving her made her stomach shrink with…embarrassment? Shame? But why? She’d chastised herself countless times for any feelings of resentment that sprung up against the Tribunal for her sentence. She’d once thought as he had, but she’d convinced herself it was selfish thinking. She told herself that a good angel would never challenge the Tribunal’s ruling and would accept punishment without complaint.

But Raum’s reaction…made her question things.

“How long ago did all this happen?” he asked.

“About four and a half centuries now. So long, the memories are distant now.”

His eyes widened again. The shock returned to his features. “Four and a half centuries.”

“Yes. Why?”

“That was when my memories were erased. Whatever angel fucked with my head left me with the understanding that it was a punishment for something I’d done, but other than that, I had no idea about anything. I had no idea where I was or how I’d gotten there or even when it was.”

“I’m sorry that happened to you,” she said, “but I don’t think there’s a correlation between our two circumstances.”

“In the dream I had, I was waiting for you in an inn, but you didn’t come. I remember thinking about how we only met every few months, and neither of us had ever missed a meeting before, and I was worried. What if that’s why you weren’t there? What if that was the last thing that happened to me before my memory was erased? What if that’s what I was punished for—being with you?”

“No, that’s—” She swallowed. “That’s impossible. The timing is coincidental, nothing more—”

“That’s a pretty big coincidence, Sunshine.”

“I’m not missing my memory, remember? I would know if we’d met. I would know if we’d been secretly seeing each other for years, or however long—”

“You wouldn’t if someone fucked with your memories the same way they fucked with mine.”

She froze, staring into his eyes.

It made sense, too much sense, and a feeling of dread washed over her, prickling like pins and needles. It’s impossible, she assured herself. They would never do that to an angel.

Not even as a punishment for a forbidden relationship with a demon?

Her stomach lurched. No, no, no. It’s far too strict a punishment—part of her noticed the hypocrisy of that statement after hearing Raum’s perspective—and besides, no angel of the Third Sphere would have the power to alter the mind of a Principality. Which was what she had been before her capture.

A Second Sphere angel would.

Like…Adriel.

No! Her mind balked, and she hit a wall in her head. She refused to consider that Adriel could be involved in such a thing. Second Sphere angels were above the politics of Earth and even Heaven. And her mentor was like a father to her. He would never betray her in such a way.

“It’s not possible,” she finally said. “I was a Principality then, and an archangel—the ones who enforce heavenly punishments—wouldn’t have had the power to affect such drastic changes over my mind. I want to help you regain your memories, Raum, and I can’t imagine how difficult it must be for you to have no idea what happened, but I’m not the answer you’re seeking. It is coincidental that these things happened at a similar time, but that is all.”

He started to refute her, but she pressed on, determined to quell his false hope. “If it helps reassure you, I was Shamsiel back then. Shamsiel didn’t break rules and wasn’t conflicted about her duty. Sunshine is broken because of what happened to her, but Shamsiel was not. There’s no way she would have had association with a demon.”

Raum stiffened, and she instantly knew she had misspoken. Her words hung in the air between them, and she watched him close off. His jaw set, and his muscles tightened with tension, and his posture angled away from her. Shutting her out.

“Raum—”

“No, I get it.” He shifted and swung his legs off the edge of the bed. “There’s no chance we knew each other, because you wouldn’t have had anything to do with the likes of me back then.”

“I don’t mean it like that—”

His eyes were hard. “Because at the end of the day, I’m still a lowly demon, and you’re a lofty heavenly angel, and Raphael’s your hero. And you’re only messing around with me now because you’re fucked in the head, right?”

She flinched. Now they were just taking turns hurting each other with words.

“Is that your plan? Fuck a demon and get it out of your system? Am I part of your healing journey before you take your rightful place back in Heaven?”

“Raum, stop.”

“Tell me I’m wrong. You’re still planning to get the book and get your old rank back.”

“Of course I am! That is who I am! I was never meant to be Sunshine, a lost and broken guardian. I’m supposed to be Shamsiel, an angel of the Principalities, and I can’t give that up because of a— a distraction.”

Even his hard expression couldn’t hide the flash of hurt in his gaze.

She slapped a hand over her mouth. Another poor choice of words. In the heat of the moment, her justifications were coming out all wrong. “I didn’t mean—”

He stood. He was so beautiful to her, his scaled body more a work of art than the finest piece of sculpture, his features proud and regal. His nakedness was the only reminder of their recent lovemaking, which seemed ages away now.

“I’d never ask you to give that up for me,” he said. “I wouldn’t let you if you tried. But it’s nice to know you weren’t broken up about it to begin with.”

“Raum…” How had she gone from contemplating love to this?

His lip curled. “Glad to help you work the demon kink out of your system.”

“Please don’t leave like this,” she said. “Don’t pretend this is over when we both know it’s not. I misspoke and I’m sorry, but you know what you’re saying isn’t true.”

He stared at her for a long moment before turning away with a shake of his head. “We can talk later when I’m less likely to say something I’ll regret.”

Without waiting for her response, he left the bedroom. He didn’t storm away or slam the door. He just left.

Sunshine sat on the bed, listening to the sounds of him dressing in the other room. He greeted Luna as she trotted over, her little claws clicking on the hardwood, and Sunshine heard the sound of him clipping the leash to her collar as she pranced around in excitement.

If Sunshine was going to stop him from leaving, now was the time. Do it. Tell him how you feel. Tell him he wasn’t an experiment or a way to pass the time.

She didn’t move. She didn’t make a sound.

The door to the apartment opened and closed softly, and the silence that fell in its wake was deafening.

26

HELL IS OTHER PEOPLE

L una walked so close to Raum’s leg, he might as well not have bothered with the leash. But she didn’t cower, and her tail stayed up.

He wished he could join in her newfound bravery. Instead, if he was a dog, he’d have dug himself a hole so deep he’d end up back in Hell.

Then again, he’d already dug a figurative hole deep enough for that.

Why was he so mad about this? Why did he feel like tearing apart Sunshine’s entire apartment when she told him so plainly she’d always been planning to get the book and return to her former angelic glory?

Of course she was planning that. If she’d tried for even a second to throw that away for him, he’d have dragged her back to Heaven himself.

She deserved the world. She deserved everything she wanted and more. She deserved to be elevated to the highest position an angel could rise to. He wanted that for her.

That she’d been through what she had made him so goddamn angry, he was liable to pull a Bel and burst into hellfire. Thinking about her trapped and suffering in Hell made his hands curl into fists and his claws shoot out of his fingertips, digging into his palms until blood dripped onto the sidewalk. The world disappeared in a wash of red.

A slight whimper had him blinking and looking down into Luna’s concerned eyes. He’d stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, and the people passing were giving him wary looks. Made sense. There were two little puddles of blood beneath his fists.

He retracted his claws, forced his fingers to uncurl, and examined his bloody palms. Fucking great. He wiped them on his hoodie. It already had bloodstains from when Bel had stabbed him, so he might as well add to the collection. At least it was black.

“I hear I missed all the fun,” Asmodeus said when Raum made it home fifteen minutes later.

His happy little demon family was all gathered there, minus the girls. Mist lurked by the fridge, Ash and Meph sat on the barstools across the island, and Bel stood with crossed arms by the stove, glaring at the world like a rage inferno poorly contained by thin glass walls.

Luna immediately shrank behind Raum’s legs.

He really needed to take her back to the shelter—she wasn’t going to like hanging out in a house full of demons—but he didn’t have a ride. He’d just have to keep her close and calm her if she got scared.

“Maybe if you weren’t such a downer, the fun would follow you,” Meph said to Ash. “That’s what happens to me.”

“That’s not fun,” Ash replied. “That’s total fucking chaos.” He looked at the quivering pit bull at Raum’s feet. “I hope you didn’t adopt that dog.”

Raum bent and picked her up. Yeah, Luna was no tea-cup poodle, but he was strong and she was scared. He could deal.

“How many damn animals do you people need?” Belial growled. “I’ve already got fucking cats coming out my ears, and now you’re bringing home a rat?”

Raum held Luna closer and pinned his brother with a glare. “She’s a dog. Not a rat.”

“She does kinda look like a hellrat,” Meph said. “Big, gray, and wrinkly.”

“Don’t insult Luna.” After shooting Meph a threatening look, Raum looked back at Belial. Evidently, Bel’s anger at him was very much alive and well. Considering the apartment was still trashed from their fight, it made sense.

Also, it was Belial. He was always angry about something.

Bel stared back at him, and tense silence reigned. The only movement came from Mist’s tail, flicking restlessly.

“Are you really under a contract with the angel?” Meph asked, always first to fill the quiet. “Are you going to try to kill us now?”

Raum looked at him, choosing to ignore Bel for now. He wasn’t in the mood to manage his brother’s perpetual shitty mood. “I was. It’s dissolved now. And it wasn’t for that. I just couldn’t talk about it to anyone who didn’t know.”

“You’re actually defending her,” Ash said incredulously.

“According to Bel”—Meph jabbed a finger at the enormous, scowling demon as if he wasn’t already the most noticeable thing in the room—“the angel threatened to sell us all out if you didn’t cooperate. And she made you go to Hell to steal some grimoire for her.”

“Yeah.” Raum chose not to mention that he’d failed to get said grimoire. That part was a little embarrassing.

“I’m finding it kinda hard to like this chick, not gonna lie.”

“I didn’t like her at first either.”

“But…?”

Raum looked at him.

Meph cocked the eyebrow with the tatts above it. “We all know there’s a but there.”

“But…I found out she was lying. She never planned to sell us out. She needed my help, so she said what she had to to get it.” He shrugged. “It was smart, honestly.”

Belial made a noise halfway between a grunt and a growl. “If by smart you mean the stupidest thing she could’ve done, then sure.”

Raum’s jaw shifted.

“Did she really think I wouldn’t find out? What was her clever plan for that? I would have been sweeping up angel ashes by now if you hadn’t tried to play the hero.” His tone turned biting. “Why are you cozying up with angels anyway? Sure, she’s hot, but is it really worth selling out your entire family for a piece of ass?”

Raum gritted his teeth and breathed through flared nostrils. The only thing that kept him from launching at Belial was the frightened pit bull in his arms. He could feel Luna trembling as the tension amped up.

“Whoa, you made Raum mad,” Meph said like he was studying a frog dissection in science class. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him proper mad before.”

“Everybody calm down.” Ash sounded tired. “Bel, chill. Raum, you owe us an explanation at the very least. If Bel can relax long enough to hear it, I think we would all benefit.”

Ash was right, but that didn’t make this any easier. But if Raum was going to say anything besides threatening or cursing Belial, he needed some space.

He headed over to the couch, dropping into the cushions and setting Luna down beside him. She proceeded to climb right back onto him, curling up like a lap dog when she was so heavy he could already feel his legs going numb. But she’d stopped shaking, so he wasn’t moving her.

Mist stalked across the room to lurk over by the windows like he also needed space from Bel. Meph and Ash turned on the barstools to face the couch, putting Bel at their backs.

The distance made everyone calmer, and after a minute, Raum forced himself to start talking. He started with Sunshine kidnapping him from the nightclub—which Meph found hilarious. Then he explained their contract and what happened in Hell, including Naiamah and the amulets, Murmur busting him, and Sunshine saving his ass. Which Meph also found hilarious.

“Naiamah knew who I was,” Raum said. “She left me this weird message for Bel.”

Bel gave no physical reaction, but the energy around him churned like a brewing storm.

“What’d she say?” Meph asked, oblivious.

“She said he was playing hard to get, and some other creepy shit.”

“What creepy shit?” Meph looked way too excited.

“She called him ‘precious.’ And she said, ‘repression never works.’”

Everyone went silent and tried to look at Bel without making it obvious they were looking at him. Except Meph. Meph burst into laughter. “Precious? Fucking precious? Beautiful. That’s absolutely beautiful, I can’t even—”

Ash elbowed him, and he managed to limit his laughter to silent wheezes.

Meanwhile, Belial was now vibrating with tension. It was clear that if he allowed himself to move an inch or speak a word, he was going to lose it, so it was probably wise not to push him. But Raum was dying to ask about Naiamah.

“She knew about your bargain with Murmur,” he said, watching Bel carefully. “She knows you set up a meeting and negotiated a truce.”

“What?” Ash spun around to look at Bel. “How?”

Silence. And a fuckload of tension.

Ash figured it out first. “Holy shit. It’s her, isn’t it? Naiamah is the mysterious contact you’re always reaching out to for favors that you won’t talk about. That’s why she knows. Because you used her to set up the meeting.”

“Oh damn,” Meph said.

“She was the one who got us the Nephilim blood when we first arrived,” Ash continued. “She was the one who bargained the first favor with Murmur to get him to help Mist. She’s the one who set up the second meeting with Murmur, and she’s the one that got you that cuff for the angel.”

Belial might as well have been hewn from stone for all the reaction he gave.

“I know you’re not stupid enough to trust her on her word alone, and I doubt she’d be keen to be your errand boy anyway, so what do you have on her? How do you control her?”

Bel unclenched his jaw enough to say, “She owed me one thousand favors.”

“One thousand?”

“We’re down to the last hundred now. It was a long time ago.”

“Well, fuck me sideways,” Meph said.

“What the hell did you give her to make her agree to owing you a thousand favors?” Ash asked.

But Bel shook his head. “None of your fucking business.”

Ash opened his mouth.

“I mean it,” Bel growled. “Don’t push me.”

“That information is irrelevant at present,” Mist said, speaking up in Bel’s defense. “We should focus on the matter at hand.”

Ash and Bel were still glaring at each other, but a moment later, Ash exhaled and dragged his hair out of his face. He spun around on the stool to face Raum again. “What happened after you saw Naiamah?”

Crisis averted, Raum continued with his story. As much as he didn’t want to talk about this with anyone but Sunshine, he knew that telling his brothers everything was the best way to get them to stop trying to kill her. He finished by explaining the dreams, how he was certain there was something in his past with Sunshine, and their resulting argument.

“So you stole her dog?” Meph said. “Low, dude.”

“I didn’t— Luna’s not her dog.”

He didn’t look convinced. “Wanna hear some wisdom?”

“No,” Ash, Raum, and Bel said simultaneously.

“Talking about shit is always better than running away like a bitch. It’s something I learned with Iris.”

Raum ground his teeth.

“Last time I did that, I ended up in Hell, and we had to go through a whole thing before we had a chance to make things right. Granted, Iris was the one that fucked up that time, but still.”

Meph looked smug about that. Made sense, since ninety percent of the time, anything that went wrong was his fault. He must have loved not being the culprit for once.

Unfortunately, he also had a point. Raum already knew he shouldn’t have left. Despite their argument, they both knew this wasn’t over between them. Not even close.

“He’s right,” Mist agreed. “I’ve also learned this the hard way.”

With a groan, Raum pulled his phone out of his pocket, only to realize he didn’t have Sunshine’s number. Did she even have a phone?

His notifications showed an unread text from an unknown number that had arrived since he’d last checked. Frowning, he opened it.

Hello, Raum, this is Sunshine. I would like to apologize for the hurtful things I said. It was not my intention to be cruel, even if I allowed my emotions to control me in the moment. I regret my words, and I ask you for the chance to explain myself properly.

I hope you understand that I don’t think any less of you because of what you are. Maybe you are right about some of the things you said about angels and Heaven. You’ve given me much to think about.

I realized I might be able to find answers about your past in the Empyrean Library, and I’ve gone back to the Realm to do some research. I will contact you when I return. I sincerely hope you answer when I call.

Sunshine had obviously never learned the art of casual texting, and it was kind of adorable reading what might as well have been a letter signed with ‘Yours Truly’ and dated two hundred years ago.

There was one more message. It said simply, I already miss you.

Raum closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. This was what he got for getting involved with an angel. She was always going to make him look bad, wasn’t she? Her apology was so perfectly worded, she ought to be a press-release writer for half the politicians in North America.

He immediately started typing out some garbled, ineloquent reply, only to stop, delete it all, retype it, and delete it again. He rubbed his eyes. All the while, his brothers shamelessly watched him.

“You’re trying to apologize by text, aren’t you?” Meph said.

Ash whistled low. “Bad idea.”

“Terrible,” Mist agreed.

Raum looked up. “She went back to Heaven. I have to.”

“Don’t think there’s cell reception there, man.”

“I know that,” Raum said through gritted teeth. “She’ll see it when she gets back.”

“Not to be a downer,” Meph said, “but you realize you can’t date an angel, right? Talk about your doomed relationships. If you ever got found out, I shudder to think what they’d do to you.”

“Perhaps erase his memory?” Mist said with a lifted brow.

“I always thought that was a stupid punishment,” Ash mused. “You know how many times I thought about what I did over the years, thinking that if I’d just…not killed those humans, then I wouldn’t have been cursed?” He blew out a breath. “Erasing your memory defeats the whole purpose.”

“But if it’s not about punishment and more about cleaning up a big messy mess, then it’s perfect,” Meph said. “Damn, that’s one hell of a scandal.”

“Why doesn’t the angel believe it?” Belial grunted. It sounded more like a threat than a question, but at least he was trying.

“She doesn’t have memory loss,” Raum said, slumping back into the couch. That was the one thing he couldn’t figure out. “I suggested that the angels messed with her head too, but she swears it isn’t possible.”

“So what are you gonna do?” Meph asked.

“I don’t know.” He scratched Luna behind the ears. “Wait for her to come back. Apologize for being a dick.” He winced. Apologies sucked, and most of the time he’d rather be loathed eternally than bother with one. But he’d do it for Sunshine.

And she wasn’t even mad at him—she was too goddamn nice. It just made him want to apologize more.

“Look.” Belial blew out a sigh. “I’m fighting my instincts here. I believe you believe the angel is trustworthy. But how can we know that for certain? She’s a fucking angel.”

“She told me how to remove the brands,” Mist said.

“She wants to cut your skin off with a consecrated blade. You’d be dead before you realized she’d lied.”

Mist looked at Raum. “I don’t believe she lied.”

“She didn’t.” Raum looked skyward. “I don’t have the energy to waste convincing you, Bel, and frankly, I don’t give a shit what you think either way.”

Bel dragged a hand through his hair. “Damn it, Raum. I’m trying.”

“Well try harder.”

Bel’s jaw clenched.

“Raum,” Ash warned.

Raum shot him a glare. Yeah, he was being petulant, but Bel had pissed him off.

“I know you’re mad I knifed you and tried to kill your girlfriend,” Bel said, “but—”

“You knifed him?” Meph cut in. “And I missed it?”

“But I’m trying to keep everyone safe, and sometimes that means making hard choices. And I’ll do it every time. I don’t give a fuck who hates me for it.”

There was a silence in which everyone stared everywhere except at each other.

Eva had once told them their level of emotional constipation was equivalent to an impacted bowel requiring emergency surgery. They’d all grimaced at the image, but she was right. They really were terrible at talking about feelings, and Bel was probably the worst of them all.

But he was making an effort, so Raum supposed he would too. “I get it.”

That was all he said. But it was better than nothing.

“You’re always so sullen and quiet,” Bel muttered. “I never know what the fuck you’re thinking. Truth is…I worry about you sometimes.”

Meph coughed. Ash looked vaguely nauseated. Mist found something really interesting outside to look at. Raum grumbled, “I’m fine.”

“You never tell us shit.”

“Thought you didn’t care.”

“We care.”

“Alright.”

“Next time, tell me you have a girlfriend first, so I don’t try to kill her when I meet her.”

“Fair enough.”

“Good. That’s settled then.” Bel uncrossed his arms and everyone relaxed. “I’m going out.”

Ash spun around to look at him. “What? Where?”

Now everyone was staring at Bel. Poor guy hadn’t left the house much lately because of his anger issues.

“For a fucking walk, I don’t know,” he snapped. “Calm down.”

First he was napping and now he was going for walks? Raum was almost afraid to find out what would come next.

At least he didn’t have a car. Belial with road rage was a terrifying thought.

27

A DROP IN THE BUCKET

Sunshine had stayed in bed a long time after Raum left, tangled in the sheets and lost in her thoughts.

First, she’d assured herself repeatedly that Raum was wrong, and there was no possible way her memories had been rearranged. Then she’d remembered the first time she’d seen him, and how she’d been transfixed by his golden eyes and the glower he projected at the world as if daring it to challenge him. She’d thought of the desire that awakened in her as they drew closer, the need for intimacy growing as they formed an emotional bond.

Why him and only him? In all of her life, no one else had reached her that way. One would think such a deep connection would take years to form.

Three hundred years perhaps…

Why not look into it? What could it hurt? If she found proof Raum’s theory was wrong, then at least he’d have closure. If his idea truly had no merit, she shouldn’t have felt such resistance to discussing it.

It was almost as if she was deliberately avoiding it…because she was afraid of something.

Surely somewhere in the Empyrean Library it was recorded what he’d done to warrant his punishment. Surely once she had that information, her questions would be answered.

And she owed it to him to try.

Suddenly charged with purpose, Sunshine opened the nightstand drawer and dug out the phone she’d purchased back when she was planning the trap for Raum. She didn’t want to leave things as they had, so she typed out a brief text message to him, explaining where she’d gone.

Then, flashing from the bed to the closet, she dug out a fresh robe from the back and donned it with a small sigh.

Truthfully, she detested wearing traditional angelic garb.

Angels did not suffer from misogynistic delusions, but as celibate beings, they respected each other’s efforts to remain chaste. The men dressed just as conservatively as the women, for it was well known that one gender’s identity did not determine their susceptibility to sexual desire. As such, their traditional garb was a gender-neutral robe that hid their body shapes, with subtle slits in the back for their wings.

Sunshine hated feeling like a shapeless sack. She felt most like herself when she dressed in Earth clothes that accentuated her figure. It empowered her, made her feel like her own unique person. Not just a tool to be used by the Realm.

Someone who belonged to no one except the one she chose to give herself to.

Hair braided and robe fastened up to her chin, she studied her reflection in the mirror, pursing her lips. An angel of the Realm once more. Looking at her now, no one would guess that she’d spent the night in bed with a demon, letting him ravish every inch of her body and loving it.

Loving him.

She swallowed the lump in her throat. Answers. She was going to get answers. The rest of her questions and uncertainty about the future could wait.

She took a breath and flashed to the Realm.

Back in the Empyrean Library, she climbed the grand staircase, heading straight for the wing devoted to chronicling underworld events. High above, sunbeams shone through the stained-glass windows, casting a golden glow over the murals painted on the ceiling.

She passed one of Adriel, his long hair streaming behind him, his palm held aloft. The artist had captured his serene face perfectly.

There was another of Raphael, dispensing heavenly justice as a demon wept for mercy at his feet. Wielding his legendary flaming sword, Raphael’s proud face appeared indifferent to the groveling creature’s pleas. The demon was red-skinned and horned, and Sunshine suddenly realized it was meant to be Asmodeus.

She winced, halting her steps to study the mural closer. Good thing Asmodeus would never see it, because he was sure to be offended. She doubted very much he had begged for anything, even when Raphael had bound his lust-demon powers and effectively turned him invisible.

As she gazed at the insensitive mockery of what was surely a traumatic moment for Asmodeus, she finally understood Raum’s point of view. Next time they talked, she resolved to approach the subject with more sensitivity.

Next time they talked, she vowed to have answers about his past.

Leaving the mural behind, she headed down the long passageway toward the area she sought, ducking under a stone archway. Here, the light seemed dimmer, as if the information contained within tainted the purity of Heaven’s air.

Sunshine perused the shelves, passing rows of texts chronicling such and such a coup for power in Hell, or such and such an uprising, or the rise of some King or Queen of Hell and the fall of another.

While the Empyrean Library was maintained by the Principalities, the angels who actually compiled the information were of the Second Sphere and never interacted with anyone from the Third. The separation was maintained so that the accounts would remain unbiased.

Only those who hadn’t tasted the excitement and confusion of the lower realms could be trusted to remain truly subjective. They had a way of muddling the thoughts of even the deepest thinkers.

She located the section dedicated to cataloging notable demons, and her heart quickened when she found the one she sought. Her hands trembled slightly as she pulled a volume from the shelf with nothing but a name inscribed along the spine:

Raum, Earl of Hell.

Feeling like she held something precious, she sank to the floor right there, crossed her legs, and opened the book in her lap.

Its pages contained more information about Raum than he probably knew himself. Immortals lost memories with time, and while Raum wasn’t among the oldest of his kind, he’d still existed long enough that his earliest memories would have faded.

The tales of his early years weren’t pleasant. She was exceedingly glad he’d changed since then because he’d really been quite terrible. She winced as she skimmed some of his notable exploits and decided she would rather not know all the details of his history after all.

No one should be defined by their past—she knew that better than most. She would not allow Raum’s demonic deeds of thousands of years ago to color her opinion of him.

She flipped ahead until she found the time period she was looking for.

Roughly seven hundred years ago—the beginning of Raum’s memory gap, she noted—he’d been given an assignment on Earth in Egypt, aiding rebels in overthrowing the current dynasty. Heaven had sent angels in to combat him, but they’d apparently lost that particular dispute, and a point was scored for Hell when they claimed the souls of most of the humans involved.

Funny, Sunshine thought. She thought she had a distant memory of being in Egypt around that time as well.

She turned the page.

As the parchment slipped through her fingers, an image suddenly flashed through her mind. Vanished as quickly as it came, it left nothing but a faint imprint in her thoughts.

But she saw it once. And once was enough.

Standing beneath the desert sun… Rich bronze skin… Golden eyes narrowed in challenge… My enemy. There would be no rest until he was defeated.

The library returned, her fingers now clenched tightly around the book in her hands. She’d had no recollection of such a moment until right now, which could only mean one thing—

With hands that shook, she scanned the next page, needing to see what came next. But as she started to read, she noticed a rough edge near the spine. She peered closer and froze in shock.

A section of pages had been torn completely from the book.

It was done carefully, the tear so close to the spine it was nearly indiscernible. But there was no mistaking those rough edges.

The record had been defaced.

It was an atrocity to even accidentally damage any book from the Empyrean Library, but this was deliberate. These pages had been purposefully torn away to stop someone from learning what was recorded.

To stop someone…like her.

Heart racing now, Sunshine climbed to her feet. Her head spun, and she felt nauseous. She could feel her careful world starting to crumble around her as all the things she believed in shattered into pieces. Lies. How much of her life was a lie? And how deep did these lies go?

Fighting to draw a level breath, she returned the book to the shelf, and—

“Shamsiel.”

She yelped with surprise at the tall figure suddenly beside her. She’d been so lost in her thoughts she hadn’t seen his approach.

“Raphael!” She clutched her chest. “My goodness, you startled me.”

The archangel smiled sheepishly. “My apologies. I saw you arrive at the library, and I wanted to speak with you.” He nodded toward the book she’d just returned to the shelf. “I see you’ve been researching the infamous rogues?”

Her nervous heart picked up its pace all over again. There was no point denying it. She couldn’t know how much he’d seen before she noticed him, and lying would only make him suspicious. “I have,” was all she said.

Since she couldn’t hide what she’d been doing, she might as well make use of the situation. Maybe Raphael could help her find what she needed. “I noticed that pages of this volume have been torn.” She pulled Raum’s book from the shelf once more and flipped to the damaged section.

His eyes widened as he trailed his fingers over the rough edge. “Who could have done this?”

“I can’t imagine. Deliberately defacing these records is…unthinkable.”

“You should report the damage to the Tribunal. They’ll look into it, and I’m sure the culprit will be found.”

“Yes, I’ll do that.” She returned the book to the shelf and then smiled up at Raphael, shifting uncomfortably. His company had never bothered her before, but she couldn’t banish the feeling of unease that had arisen after seeing that mural of Asmodeus. And Raum’s words still echoed in her head. Why am I forced to fight on the losing side? What if I don’t want to fight at all? Then I’ll be hunted by fucks like Raphael.

“I sought you out for a reason, actually,” Raphael said just as she was about to excuse herself. “I was wondering if you would assist me with something.”

She exhaled and tried not to sound frustrated. “Yes, of course I will assist you.” Her past self would have been eager to help, and she’d couldn’t well refuse now without arousing suspicion.

“I will flash us, if you don’t mind.”

“Of course.”

He held out a hand, and she placed her palm in his. Her skin crawled with impatience, the need to return to Earth growing stronger with every passing minute. She desperately wanted to speak to Raum, to tell him what she’d found in that book and to make things right.

With her consent given, Raphael flashed them to a study that she recognized as being in his own domain. As a celebrated archangel, he was afforded a more luxurious space with bay windows and a panoramic view of the Empyrean City.

He seemed to be in the middle of a project of some sort. In the center of the room, a long table was covered in pages of notes and books. There was also a large Earth map with numerous colored pins in various locations and small notes stuck to them.

As soon as Raphael released her, she walked to the board to inspect it closer, her nape prickling. The unease quickly turned to dread as she realized just what she was seeing.

“This is…”

“I’ve been tracking the rogues for months,” he said proudly. “Each of the pins marks a spot with a flare-up of demonic energy in the past few weeks.” He approached beside her and pointed at the map. “The red pins mark the highest energy points, descending from yellow to blue.”

“Oh.” Her voice was hoarse.

“Since none of my tracking spells brought any results, I assumed they must have a magical means to stay hidden. Possibly Nephilim blood, though I was certain the last of them had been eradicated.”

Sunshine swallowed around the lump in her throat.

“Without being able to use tracking spells, I had to think outside the box. I’ve heard numerous accounts of the way these demons seem to stick together. Unusual behavior, certainly, but it makes them more predictable. I reasoned that wherever they are hiding would have an abnormal amount of demonic activity. You can’t put five demons of that level of power in one place without there being traces.”

“Yes, that’s very—” She cleared her throat. “Very astute.”

She studied the map closer, her stomach nearly leaping out her throat when she saw an obvious red pin stuck over the area of Montreal. Worse, there were only about a dozen red pins on the entire globe. How long until Raphael inspected each area and found what he was looking for?

Refraining from drawing any attention to that pin suddenly became her number one priority. She turned away from the map completely, terrified Raphael would somehow pick the thought right from her head. Her only hope was to distract him completely. “What other research have you done?”

“Just a lot of reading on their histories.” He walked to the table and began shuffling books and papers. “Learning how they formed this strange alliance will hopefully give me insight into how they think and make it easier to predict their movements”

Sunshine stifled any thoughts of Raum. It felt as if even the slightest whisper across her mind had the potential to betray him. “But you didn’t notice the defaced record?”

“I haven’t done much research on Raum. He’s not the only target, and there is plenty of information about the others. If I get what I need from them, they’ll lead me to him anyway. At the end of the day, their pasts are irrelevant once we find and destroy them.”

Sunshine choked but covered it with a cough.

“I’ve been formulating plans, as I said, and I’ve narrowed down my suspected locations for their hiding place to several choices. I’ll be ready to make a move soon.”

“Why are you telling me this?” she asked suddenly. “I mean, you’re doing important work, and I’m just a guardian, not of any help to you…”

“On the contrary, your relationship with Adriel puts you in a position of influence. When I’m ready to set the trap, I’ll need assistance, and now that I know you’ve also been studying the rogues, I was hoping—”

At that moment, whether by coincidence or divine intervention, a summons from Adriel himself rang through her mind. The energy was clear and bright, and she knew Raphael would sense it just from being in her vicinity.

If her mentor had been there at that moment, she would have hugged him. His timing could not have been more impeccable.

“Are you being summoned?”

“Yes, I— It seems Adriel wants to see me.”

Raphael’s eyes glinted with some unreadable emotion, and she recalled his desire to have a mentor of his own.

“I’m sure you’ll be granted an audience with Adriel or another Power soon,” Sunshine assured him. “You’ve certainly earned it.”

“You honor me.” Raphael bowed his head and then smiled. “Go now. I’ll be in touch when I have more information. We can go after the rogues together.”

“I look forward to it.” She’d never spoken a more blatant lie.

She flashed away with her next breath, straight into the room she usually met Adriel in. It was the only time she was permitted access to his private domain, and the only room within it that she’d ever seen.

Too much had happened at once for her to process, and all she felt was a vaguely nauseating sense of panic. All she wanted was to get back to Raum on Earth, but she couldn’t ignore a summons from her mentor.

And maybe…he could give her some answers.

She expected the same greeting she always received: Adriel seated upon his chair, rising gracefully to his feet, offering her tea.

But instead…the room was empty.

Even stranger, the door across from her to a part of the house she’d never seen was ajar, and she heard the hum of voices on the other side.

She stood rooted in place. Adriel had summoned her; he had to know she’d come immediately. Why request her presence if he still had company? Who was his company?

Curiosity got the better of her. Adriel had once praised her inquisitive nature, and she only hoped it wouldn’t get her into trouble now. There was simply no way she had the self-control to refrain from investigating.

She crept closer to the open door and listened.

“A system that does not evolve is a system that dies.” She recognized Adriel’s voice. “We have seen evidence, and we cannot ignore it any longer.”

“The repercussions of failure are high.” The voice that responded was high and clear, neither distinctly male or female, and laced with a power so intense, shivers raced across her skin.

Could it be…? No, surely not. Third Sphere angels weren’t permitted to interact with the Dominations. Adriel would know she was not to cross paths with this sacred being, and he would not have summoned her unless…

Unless he wanted her to overhear the conversation?

“They always are for any worthwhile endeavor,” Adriel replied.

There was a long pause.

“You have never involved yourself in the affairs of this plane before, Adriel. Mind your equilibrium.”

“I intend to.”

Yet another painfully long pause ensued, and Sunshine found herself bouncing on the balls of her feet with impatience. Apparently, powerful immortal beings took their time making up their minds.

“Very well,” the ethereal voice finally said. “But there will be a test. If it is passed, you may proceed.”

“I have every faith it will be so.”

“An unusual matter to inspire faith.”

“It’s been a long time since I have been surprised by something. I suppose one could say I’m inspired.”

There was no farewell given or any kind of pleasantries. A flare of energy sent shivers down Sunshine’s spine, and she suddenly knew the other angel had gone. It had to be one of the Dominations. There was no other explanation.

Was the angel aware of her presence? They must have been. They were all powerful beyond comprehension. Of course they knew where she was. Which meant they didn’t mind her eavesdropping either. But why?

Adriel suddenly appeared at her side, and she couldn’t help it—she jumped. “Sir!” Her poor nerves couldn’t take many more surprises today.

But it seemed she was in for one more.

There was an intensity to Adriel’s normally smooth features that she’d never seen before. His face was always unlined by emotion, and he radiated the kind of peace many humans would only dream of experiencing.

But right now, his starry eyes were so piercing, they cut like blades. There was a single line between his brows that looked like…concern. Or even sadness.

“Greetings, Sunshine. This is a surprise.” He didn’t smile. He always smiled.

Her gaze flicked between his face and the open door. She knew he was aware she’d been listening, but she wasn’t sure how to bring up what she’d heard or if she should bring it up.

“I’m glad to see you well. I had hoped to check in sooner with your progress, but I was unable.”

“Oh, that’s fine.”

His head tilted. “Did my assistant let you in?”

She frowned. “No, sir. You summoned me.”

He blinked. “Did I?”

“Yes…”

He doesn’t know he summoned me? But surely he did. He would have sensed her arrival while he was still in conference with the Domination.

“Sir, I have questions—”

“I’m sure you do. Unfortunately, now is not the time to answer them. I sense your urgency to return to Earth. You should obey that instinct.”

She froze, heart pounding. He couldn’t know the real reasons why she was in a hurry to return, could he?

“Sir, please, before I go…I’ve been wondering, is it possible to alter a Principality’s memories—”

She broke off at Adriel’s sudden sigh. She’d never heard him make such a sound in all the years she’d known him.

“I’m glad you have found your happiness again, and I can only hope that you might one day forgive me. Until then, I will surely not forgive myself.”

Her blood went cold. No, no, this can’t be happening. “Forgive you for what, sir?” But she already knew.

Adriel’s focus sharpened. “There is no time. You must go now.”

“But—”

“A test is coming. We will see each other soon, and I will explain everything. Until then, you must face this on your own.”

She opened her mouth to reply, to beg him to explain, but he was already gone. He simply flashed away, leaving her standing alone with a pounding heart, his warning blaring in her mind.

She covered her mouth with a palm.

It’s all real. The dreams were real. The little blip of memory she’d experienced was real.

And Adriel, the person she’d trusted most in the world, had kept the devastating secret from her. For four hundred years.

She clutched her chest at the sting in her heart. It hurt. God, it hurt. It was the same pain she’d felt waking up alone in Heaven after what happened to her.

Because she’d lost Raum, she realized. She had been heartbroken. Her memories of him had been taken, but her feelings had not disappeared so easily. She had spent centuries with a hole in her heart, longing for something she couldn’t name.

In a way it was a blessing Raum had known he’d forgotten. She’d felt broken and empty with no understanding why.

My little ray of sunshine. She’d chosen her new name because of the endearment he’d used for her, and she hadn’t had a clue. Her entire life had been defined by something she had no recollection of.

The knots in her stomach tightened, and she bent over, trying futilely to draw a breath. Black spots danced in her vision.

She wasn’t the only one who’d been hurt. Raum had spoken of the numbness that plagued him. He wasn’t one to speak openly of his feelings, but she knew he felt things deeper than most realized. How much pain must he have been in? How lost had he felt? If it was a fraction of what she’d felt, it would have been agony.

The injustice of it all made her want to scream.

The betrayal felt like a knife in her back.

28

BIRD’S EYE VIEW

Sunshine flashed into the hallway outside the demons’ apartment. Yes, the last time she’d been here, Belial had been ready to kill her, but right now, she didn’t care about any of that. Her thoughts were a whirlwind, and she could only focus on finding Raum and telling him what she’d learned.

She banged on the door with the side of her fist. Night had fallen, but it wasn’t late enough that people would be asleep. If she could have barged in, she would have, but she could feel the wards within the apartment repelling her.

The door swung open after a minute of ceaseless knocking, and Mephistopheles stood on the other side, brows shooting up when he saw her.

“Where is Raum?” she demanded before he could speak, trying to look past his shoulder into the apartment. Meph wasn’t as tall as Raum, but at roughly equal height to her, it was still difficult to see around him. “Is he here? I need to speak with him.”

“You’re the angel?” He blinked. “Well, damn. That makes a lot more sense now.”

“What makes sense?”

He waved a tattooed hand at her—a heavily tattooed hand. Black-ink designs covered his fingers, the back of the hand, and his palm. From what she’d seen, his whole body was similarly covered. The only space left was on the right side of his face.

“You’re hot,” he said simply. “I can see why Raum’s all worked up about you.” It wasn’t flirtatious, but rather the way one might state the color of the sky or the state of the weather.

“Thank you?” She was flustered but oddly complimented, especially because she was still clad in her shapeless angel robes. “Is he here? I need to speak to him immediately.”

To her annoyance, Meph didn’t open the door further. Instead, he propped a shoulder against the frame like he was settling in for a long debate. “Why?”

“It’s an emergency.”

“What’s the emergency?”

“I have answers about his— our past that I need to share with him.”

Meph’s head tilted as if he was oblivious to her urgency. It made her want to shake him, and she might have done just that had he not been standing on the other side of the pesky wards.

“What are your intentions with my brother?”

Her mouth dropped open. He can’t be serious?

But as he continued to stare at her, red eyes unblinking, she realized that he was in fact serious.

She wasn’t prepared to answer questions about her feelings for Raum. She was hanging on by a thread that was already fraying. The past had so utterly overwhelmed her, it left no room for consideration of the future.

She’d left her cell phone at the rental suite and couldn’t call Raum herself, and while she could easily flash there, she recognized the importance of gaining Meph’s trust. All she had to do was force herself to open up.

“I care about him very much,” she managed.

Meph’s brow lifted, creasing the tattoos above it.

“We have a history. We’ve known each other for a long time.”

“You’re still an angel, and he’s still a demon. How’s that gonna work?”

“I don’t—” She rubbed her face roughly. “I have no idea. I just know that I care about him too much to let him go again, and we lost too much time because of other people’s ideas about what is right and wrong, and I refuse to lose any more.”

“But you can’t go back to your job if you want him. You’d be putting him in danger. So what would you do for him? Would you give up your whole life?”

This is a damned interrogation! But she had to admit that Meph’s concerns were valid.

“I don’t know,” she said, her impatience forcing her to get straight to the point. “I honestly don’t. As I said, I only know I care about him too much to give him up.”

It was cathartic, in a way. In the heat of the moment, there wasn’t time for anything but the truth. Until now, she hadn’t been sure how to answer these questions. But now, she realized she had known all along, and she’d just been reluctant to admit it.

“You’re right,” she said suddenly, “I can’t go back. I am in love with a demon, and I will never be the same. If I were to return to my old life, I would be forever unfulfilled. Not just because of my love for him, but because of who I have become, how I have changed. I’m someone new, and it’s high time for me to let go of the past. I am Sunshine, not Shamsiel. Shamsiel was the broken one, and I don’t want to be her anymore.”

Her eyes widened as the truth of her own words hit her. They kept flowing out, and she surrendered to them and the changes they would bring to her life.

“Shamsiel is dead. She died in Hell, at the hands of the demons that held her there. Sunshine was reborn, and I am proud to be her. She is a survivor. She is the real warrior, because she fought her own inner battles and emerged victorious.”

Meph looked uncomfortable now. TMI much? But she was on a roll, and she wasn’t stopping now.

“I would fall and become a Grigori if that was what it took to keep Raum safe, because I will always love him and seek to protect him. And that protection defaults to those he cares about as well. So in answer to your question, what would I give up for him? I suppose the answer is everything. Even Heaven.”

Meph seemed to have been stunned into silence, and she didn’t blame him. It was quite the tirade of words that had spilled forth, and far more information than she’d intended to give.

“You should probably say all that to Raum,” he finally said.

“Yes, I know that!” she snapped. “That’s why I asked you to get him. Now please, will you?”

Meph glanced over his shoulder. “He’s not here.”

The demon was lucky he was behind the wards, because if she could have reached him, she might have strangled him. “You knew he wasn’t here, yet you didn’t feel the need to tell me that before I shared all that?”

“I was curious.” He shrugged. “You’re not so bad. I suppose I can get behind this demon-angel relationship. It’s taboo. I like it. Who knew Raum was such a kinky freak.”

She sputtered furiously. “There is nothing— It’s not kinky—”

“He went to take his hellrat back to the animal shelter. Eva gave him a ride.”

“He…what?”

“The wrinkly gray rat he had with him.”

“Luna is a dog,” Sunshine said, affronted. “Not a rat.”

Meph grinned suddenly. “You know, Raum said it the exact same way. You guys really are meant to be.”

“Well, I’m glad to hear you approve, but I really must—”

A summons rang through her mind, and she broke off.

Raphael.

Her heart skipped a beat. Why was Raphael summoning her? There was no reason for him to— Unless… But no. Only an hour or so had passed since their meeting. There was no way he’d found results so quickly.

She blinked back to reality and suddenly remembered the other urgent matter she’d come here to discuss. She’d wanted to tell Raum, but it wouldn’t hurt to warn Meph too.

“Listen to me now.” She leaned as close to him as she could get without hitting the ward. “You and your brothers are in danger. Heaven is very close to finding you. I would advise you to leave the city now.”

“I don’t think—”

“I must go, but I need you to tell Raum that he was right—”

“Wait, you’re not going to find him? After all that?”

She shook her head. “I’ve been summoned. But please, you must tell Raum that everything he guessed was right, and I was wrong. Tell him the dreams are real. Tell him I’ll find him as soon as I can, but right now, I have to take care of something. And for the love of the Spheres, be careful. I meant what I said about leaving the city.”

She had to find a way to sabotage Raphael’s research before he got any further. She should have accidentally lit the room on fire when she was there. She was a fool for thinking she would have time to plan.

“I have to go. Just…tell Raum. Please.”

Meph’s eyes were wide. “I will.”

“SEE YOU LATER!” Eva called to Raum as he climbed out of her tiny car and let Luna out behind him. Eva had offered to drop them off at the shelter on her way to see a show with her friend Skye.

“And don’t worry,” she said with a grin before he shut the door. “I’ll get to work softening up Bel so you can keep that dog.”

Luna’s tail wagged at Raum’s side as if she knew Eva was talking about her. Raum hadn’t said anything about adopting Luna, but when he’d gone downstairs to ask for a ride, Eva had taken one look at her and gotten hearts in her eyes.

Both Luna and Sunshine could get whatever they wanted with those big innocent eyes. The pair of them were a menace.

With another wave, Eva gunned it, and her little car shot off down the road. Maybe Ash was rubbing off on her. She’d been driving a little faster than she used to, especially for someone so adamant about not letting ‘speed demons’ drive her car.

What Raum really needed was his own fucking car. He couldn’t keep expecting to find rides to the shelter all the time, and he couldn’t always fly in crow form. Today was proof of that.

If he could have, he would’ve gotten more involved at Ange Gardien. Caro struggled with finances and overcrowding, and the kennels were in need of an upgrade. He’d join in on the management level to help her out if he could.

The problem was, no matter how long they stayed in Montreal, they couldn’t put down roots. Living as fugitives meant there was always a chance they’d have to drop everything and run at a moment’s notice. Raum couldn’t make commitments that he might not be able to keep.

If they could have settled more, Meph probably would’ve pursued his art more seriously, and Ash would’ve played more gigs with Eva—he was stressed about keeping on the down-low now that his curse was broken and he was recognizable. Bel definitely would’ve preferred to cook for someone other than his ungrateful brothers, and Mist would probably have left the city more. The Hunter sometimes got a wild look in his eyes when he’d been cooped up inside for too long. Raum could see him and Lily going off on an adventure—

He stopped his thoughts with a shake of his head. There was no point imagining a life where they weren’t hunted anymore, because it was never gonna happen. For the rest of time—or until they got caught—they were rogue. That meant living in secret, hiding in plain sight.

Honestly, they’d lasted longer than Raum had thought they would. Maybe he was a pessimist, but the whole escape plan had seemed like a suicide mission to him. He’d been willing to give it a go because he was reckless, but he hadn’t really believed it would work.

Hell, they’d already been found. If it wasn’t for Sunshine’s compassionate heart, their run would have ended the night she’d spotted them in the bar.

Thoughts of Sunshine made his stomach clench, and he pulled his phone out of his pocket to see if she’d called him though he knew she hadn’t. He’d put the ringer on, and with the way he was obsessing over it, there was no way he’d miss a call.

Shaking his head at himself, he pocketed the phone and led Luna up the ramp to the shelter front door. Poor Luna immediately started trembling as soon as they got inside, and it made him feel like shit for bringing her back here.

You can’t keep her, so don’t even think about it. His apartment was too small for a traumatized dog to live with a deranged demon prone to rage attacks. Bel was already pissed about Faust, and he was only there part time. And it wouldn’t be fair to Luna, who was already scared of everything, to have to get used to Bel.

When he opened Luna’s cage and led her inside, she looked at him like he’d just told her they couldn’t be friends anymore. She looked like he was leaving her on a deserted island while he rowed off in a lifeboat. She looked like he’d just revealed Santa Claus wasn’t real, and neither was the Easter Bunny, and unicorns were just horses with fake horns strapped to their heads.

“Don’t give me those sad eyes,” he groaned, dropping his forehead against the cage.

She continued looking at him.

“You’re killing me, Luna.”

Fuck, I can’t do it. Shaking his head, he went into the cage and sat on the ground. Just like she had when they first started hanging out, Luna lay down beside him and put her head on his thigh, blowing out a relieved sigh like she’d just escaped a terrible fate.

How the hell was he supposed to leave her here?

His phone rang and he scrambled to answer it, dislodging Luna’s head. She watched him curiously as he fumbled with the stupid thing, feeling like an idiot, but he was desperate for this call, damn it.

Except the display said ‘Meph.’ He groaned again but answered anyway. “What.”

“Nice to hear your voice too, darling brother.”

“I’m expecting a call. Can’t talk.”

“From Sunshine?”

“Yeah, from her.”

“I just talked to her.”

“What?” Raum sat up straighter. “She’s there? Let me talk to her. What’d she say?”

“Damn, I’ve never heard you talk so fast. You’ve got it bad.”

Raum glowered. “Look who’s talking. You and Iris are so gross together, no one can stand to be around you.”

“That’s called jealousy, my friend.”

“It’s called being disgusted.”

“Deny it all you want, but we both know—”

“I don’t give a fuck about this right now!” he snapped. “Is Sunshine there? Did you tell her where I was? What did she say?”

“Calm down, calm down, I was getting to that.” Meph took a long breath during which Raum envisioned reaching through the phone connection to punch him. “She was here, but she left.”

“Where’d she go?”

“She got summoned and had to go somewhere. Dunno where. But she told me some crazy shit.”

“What?”

There was another painfully long pause. “Man, you really have terrible taste in women. I mean, she’s a knockout, don’t get me wrong. But Bel’s going to need some serious convincing to stop wanting to kill her. You couldn’t have found a cute little witch? Or a vampire chick? Blood drinking can be fun in the bedroom—”

“Meph.”

“What?”

“Shut up.”

“You’re set on her then? I guess you could do worse. She’s definitely into you. Loyal too. Some of the shit she told me…”

“What did she say? For fuck’s sake—”

“I’m gonna let her share that herself. But she gave me a message for you.”

Raum spoke through clenched teeth. “Which was…?” How he’d survived four hundred plus years of knowing Meph without murdering him was suddenly beyond him. Forget being a demon, he had the patience of a goddamn saint.

“She said to tell you that everything you guessed was right, and she was wrong.”

His blood turned to ice in his veins.

“She said the dreams were real. She said she’d find you as soon as she could. Oh, and she said Heaven’s close to finding us, we’re all in danger, and we should leave the city ASAP.”

The dreams were real. He was right.

He’d had his memories of Sunshine stolen.

He sat frozen stiff as the shock set in.

I was fucking right. About all of it.

He and Sunshine had known each other in the past. They’d been lovers. No, in love. There was no mistaking the shit he’d said to her in the dream. That he would live for her, kill for her, die for her.

Fuck, he still felt that way now. Did that mean he was in love?

Had he ever fallen out of love? Had he been in love for the last four and a half centuries and just not known it? Was that what heartbreak felt like? Was that why he’d gone numb? Because it was the only way to go on after what he’d lost?

“Raum?” Meph’s voice echoed from somewhere far away. “You okay?”

He still remembered that haunting grief back when he’d met Meph. It felt like he had a gaping hole in his chest. It hurt so badly, he’d barely been able to breathe. The crushing emptiness, loss… The memory was so visceral, he could still feel it to this day.

And now he knew why. He finally fucking knew.

Fucking angels had stolen his mind and his love. They’d torn the heart from his chest and left him an empty shell.

No wonder he’d been fucked up. No wonder he’d shut down. No wonder he hadn’t given a shit about anything. It was pure chance he’d found Meph and ended up doing something halfway decent with his life. In his grief, he’d have been liable to go on a murder spree.

Then again, he was still liable to do that now.

I will kill the angels that did this.

He’d crush their skulls and tear out their hearts, and he’d do it again every time they regenerated, forcing them to experience a fraction of the violation he felt knowing what they’d done to him.

“Dude, I can hear you losing your shit. Don’t pull a Bel and go to rage town, yeah?”

And that wasn’t even starting on what Sunshine had suffered in Hell. Raum could have been there to rescue her if he’d fucking remembered her. But his memories had been stolen, and he’d had no clue she’d been alone, in agony.

None of her kin had come after her, but they’d been all too ready to fuck with her memories when she’d finally been rescued by someone else.

He’d spent years wondering what crime he’d committed. His mind had gotten away from him and he’d imagined the terrible things he could have done until he felt sick.

But no.

His horrible, terrible crime was that he’d fallen in love.

“Wherever you are in your head, it’s not a good place.” Meph’s words finally filtered through the chaos. “Trust me, I know all about it. Focus on my voice.”

The familiar sound started pulling him back to the present.

“Take deep breaths,” Meph was saying. “In and out.”

Raum blinked several times until he was aware of his chest rising and falling in time with his brother’s words.

Concerned. Meph sounded concerned. It was such a bizarre occurrence that he would have laughed if he’d had any control over his body.

The sound of a soft whimper had him glancing down, and he finally remembered he was still sitting in the kennel with Luna. She was looking up at him with wide, startled eyes, like she was debating fleeing from the sight of him.

Raum noticed she looked further away than before and then glanced down at himself. In his anger, he’d shifted into half demon form. Right in the middle of the kennel.

“Fuck,” he breathed. His shirt had torn in ten places when his wings appeared—now folded awkwardly against the wall behind him—and he’d been digging his claws into his palms so hard, they were bleeding again. He’d just put on a new fucking shirt after the last one was ruined. “Fuck.”

“Tell me you didn’t half shift.”

Raum was too busy taking deep breaths to respond.

“Better shift back now. Haven’t seen your scaly form in a while, but as I recall, it’s pretty fucking ugly.”

Raum managed a snort. “You’re one to talk.”

“Iris says my demon’s cute.”

“Iris is fucked in the head. And so are you.”

Meph just laughed.

It was hard to get the idiot to take anything seriously. Most of the time it was annoying, but at moments like this, Raum appreciated it.

Shifting back to human form, he tore his shredded t-shirt over his head and chucked it across the kennel. The shirt smacked the opposite wall and slid to the floor.

Setting his phone beside him, he hunched forward and put his head in his hands, suddenly so exhausted he wanted to sleep for a hundred years. But he wasn’t doing that until he talked to Sunshine.

“Sorry, Luna,” he muttered, patting her head. “If you’re going to hang with me, you have to get used to some fucked-up shit.”

She lowered her head onto his lap again, her wariness dissipating now that he was back in human form. Honestly, he was surprised she hadn’t run away, but then, she would’ve recognized his scent. She was a tough cookie, he thought affectionately, giving her ears a scratch.

Meph’s voice filtered up from the phone on the floor. “While I’d love to ask for all the juicy details of that, I’m going to focus instead on the part where your girl said Heaven’s gonna find us and we should leave the city. Do you know why?”

“No.” Raum picked his phone up again and checked for notifications. Nothing. Where the hell is she? He ran a hand over his skull. “But if she thinks there’s trouble, I’d be inclined to listen.”

“You really trust her then.”

“Yeah.”

“Bel’s going to lose his shit.”

“I don’t give a fuck.”

Meph laughed. “I like this snarky side of you. You’re always such a sullen grump. You know, I used to try to rile you up just to get a reaction out of you.”

“I know.”

“Never worked though.”

“Sometimes it did.”

“Not as well as Bel threatening your girlfriend.”

“I’ll kick his ass if he tries anything.”

“I should probably go pass on the warning. See what everyone thinks. Bel will probably try to veto the idea of leaving. He’s way too proud to run away.”

“It’s not just about him,” Raum said, thinking of Eva’s grin as she bid him farewell. “We have other people to look out for now.”

“Trust me, I know. I’d cut my own head off before I put Iris in danger.”

“Iris is more likely to agree with Bel,” Raum said with a shake of his head.

“She’s feisty like that. Doesn’t matter though. I’ll haul her ass out over my shoulder if I have too.” There was a long pause, and then Meph surprised the hell out of him by saying, “I know I’ve been ignoring you lately, and I feel shitty about it.”

Raum winced.

“We haven’t gone out to party in ages. We haven’t even gone to the gym together in a few weeks. We—”

“Stop. We’re not doing this.”

“We are. You were lonely, and I haven’t been around. Because I’m always with Iris.”

“I wasn’t lonely—”

“I’m obsessed with her, dude. It’s bad. She just looks at me and I forget about everything. But I should have been…there for you and shit.”

“Stop. Before I puke all over myself.”

Meph laughed. “Fine. But I just want you to know I’m gonna make more of an effort.”

“You don’t need to do shit.” Raum’s skin crawled with how much he hated this conversation. “I get it. I don’t blame you—”

“Yeah, but—”

“I know how you feel now too.”

“I bet you do.”

There was a pause, and then Meph laughed again. “What happened to us? Remember when we met, and our idea of a good time was jump scaring humans and chopping up gargoyles into tiny little pieces?”

Raum snorted. “Yeah.”

“And remember when I used to help you steal shit? Like that one time we raided Marax’s treasure hoard and took half his stash?”

This time, Raum actually smiled. “We could’ve taken it all if we’d been able to carry it.”

“Hell yeah, we could’ve. But look at us now. We’re simps with a capital S. Monogamous simps. Committed to one pussy for the rest of time.” He laughed. “Wouldn’t change a thing.”

Raum’s smile dropped as he considered Meph’s last statement. There was so much wrong with his relationship with Sunshine, in the past and future. No matter how he looked at it, they were doomed.

But he wouldn’t change a thing either.

“Wellll,” Meph drawled, “that was sufficiently awkward, and I’m going to hang up now before you’re not the only one puking on yourself. I’ll gather the troops and see what they think, and you try to find your girl. Report back.”

He hung up before Raum could even get out a goodbye, probably eager to escape the over-personal conversation he had initiated. Dumbass.

29

FOOLS RUSH IN WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD

Sunshine followed the call of Raphael’s summons, and was surprised to find it didn’t lead her back to his study in Heaven.

The smell of mold and rot was the first thing she was aware of in her new surroundings. It was so overpowering, she recoiled. The sound of water dripping was the next thing she noticed.

She looked around as her senses acclimated to the scent of wet decay and realized she was in what appeared to be a warehouse. An abandoned one.

Where she stood, the walls were at least two stories high, the ceiling above covered in rusty pipes. The windows had been smashed out and boarded up. Everything was covered in graffiti. The ground was covered by broken glass, garbage, and rubble.

A plywood piece had been torn from the window frame in front of her, so she took careful steps over the debris to peek out. There was no mistaking the city skyline. She could even see the Ferris wheel in the Old Port. She was still in Montreal.

Raphael had summoned her to Montreal.

Raphael was in Montreal.

Her heart started to race as panic gripped her. How had he known to come here? She’d only just left him, and he hadn’t given any indication he was considering—

Unless…he’d followed her?

Angels could track others flashing by the energy traces they left behind. She’d once followed Daniel the same way, which was how she’d found Raum and his brothers in the first place.

“Shamsiel, is that you?” a familiar voice called, and she stiffened.

“Yes,” she replied, turning from the window, “but I’m unsure why you summoned—”

It happened so quickly. Raphael appeared before her, tall and imposing with his white robe and magnificent wings, sword sheathed at his side. Perhaps her past trust in him slowed her reaction time, because before she knew what was happening, he’d grabbed her arm.

A cold steel cuff closed around her wrist. Again.

She twisted and pulled out of his grip, throwing her guard up too late, but the damage was done. As he grabbed her other arm, she attempted to flash away and nothing happened. A second cuff closed around her other wrist.

She had seen these restraints before—in the Court of Ceremonies.

The manacles were connected by a length of chain about two feet long. The metal was a cool gray, and the symbols carved into them glowed the pale blue of Empyrean magic. They were reserved for the rare instances when an angel broke the rules and was tried before the Tribunal.

“What have you done?” she breathed in horror, staring at her bound wrists.

“The cuffs are just a precaution,” Raphael said, stepping back calmly as if he hadn’t just ambushed her. He offered a reassuring smile. “If you’ll follow me, everything will be cleared up shortly. You have nothing to fear.”

He flashed across the room to the entrance of a hallway and gestured for her to approach.

She stared at him, mind racing, a hundred demands rising in her throat. She decided not to voice them until she figured out how much he knew.

It wasn’t hard to guess, however.

He was in Montreal. He’d just bound her powers with cuffs used to punish rule breakers. There was no point trying to run—he’d flash and apprehend her in a second.

Oh god, she felt sick.

Maybe…she could reason with him. He’d always been kind to her. If it was too late to sabotage his hunt, maybe she could convince him to see things her way. It was obvious to her that Raum and his brothers were not a threat to humanity. Maybe he would understand once she explained what had happened in her past.

Gritting her teeth, she did as he bade, feet crunching over rubble and glass as she headed toward the hallway.

There, the roof was lower, and several doors led to different parts of the warehouse. One led to a staircase to the upper levels. Graffiti covered everything here too, some of it old with water and rust stains, some of it fresh, the bright colors adding a hint of life to the gloom.

At the end of the passage, a pale-blue glow emitted from a doorway on the left.

Raphael flashed ahead and then passed through it, so she followed. Stepping through the open archway into a low-ceilinged room—

Her heart stopped, and her stomach opened like a pit inside her.

Heavenfire burned in a small sigil in the center, casting a pale glow on the walls. On the floor surrounding it were three Empyrean sigil traps—for demons, angels, and any other paranormal creature.

Within the middle one stood a woman.

Standing at nearly six and a half feet tall, an uncommon height for humans, her eyes glowed an unearthly silver—the second indication she was a supernatural being. Her skin was dark, and her hair was an abundance of tiny ringlets. The top half was tied into two little buns, and the bottom fell onto her shoulders.

She looked…sweet, especially with those little pixie buns. She also looked terrified.

Sunshine froze, staring at the woman in horror, knowing exactly who she was.

Daniel’s forbidden daughter, Evangeline. Currently shifted into her Nephilim form, which gave her the increase in height. As an angel-human hybrid, Eva would’ve been able to flash away under normal circumstances, but the sigil kept her trapped.

She opened her mouth, maybe to ask for help, but her eyes traveled down to the cuffs on Sunshine’s wrists, and the sudden flare of hope in her eyes bled to concern. The two women stared at each other.

“Go into one of the empty traps, please, Shamsiel,” Raphael said.

“Shams— You’re Sunshine?” Eva gasped. “My dad told me about you. But—”

Sunshine shook her head quickly. Her friendship with Daniel was unknown to anyone in the Realm—angels were not supposed to associate with Grigori—and that was how she wanted to keep it. Eva’s silver eyes widened, and she fell silent.

Sunshine longed to reassure her, to promise she would do everything to help her escape, but she didn’t dare in front of Raphael. Nephilim were forbidden, and it was within Raphael’s rights to kill Eva simply for existing. If Sunshine had any hope of talking him out of this, she needed to appeal to his reason and pretend she was on his side.

Still, she made no move toward the sigil. She wasn’t going to voluntarily trap herself either. She looked at Raphael. “I’m not sure what you think I’ve done wrong,” she began, “or why you’ve kidnapped an innocent person, but surely there is no need to—”

“We both know that woman is not innocent, nor even human. And I’ve brought you here because it is time for the lying to end.” For the first time, his eyes were hard, and his smile vanished.

Sunshine wasn’t confessing anything until she knew exactly what he knew. Any chance to maintain her fragile web of lies had to be taken. “I don’t know what lies you think I’ve told, Raphael, but I assure you there is nothing warranting this kind of—”

Before she could finish, Raphael flashed in front of the sigil containing Eva and unsheathed the powerful sword at his hip. He held the white flaming blade in front of Eva’s throat but didn’t strike. Eva shrank back to the edge of the sigil, but she knew better than to touch the edge of the circle, lest she get electrocuted. The shock would likely send her forward into the path of the deadly sword.

“Step into the trap or she dies now.”

Sunshine’s thoughts ground to a halt and she stared in horror, unable to believe she was looking at the same Raphael she’d known for so very long. Her gaze snapped to Eva’s. The Nephilim’s human side meant she didn’t have the same regeneration capabilities as full angels. If Raphael followed through on the threat, she would die—permanently.

“Raphael, please!” Sunshine fought to keep calm. “Surely this is not the way to—”

“Step into the sigil now or the Nephilim dies.”

She had no choice. He would kill Eva; the intent was clear in his eyes. Eyes she’d once thought friendly. Eyes that now looked cold.

Stomach hollowing with dread, Sunshine slowly backed toward the trap to the right.

“Don’t do it!” Eva shouted. “Get out of here while you can. I can fend for myself.”

But she had no choice and they both knew it. Without her ability to flash, there was nowhere for her to go anyway. Any possibility of trying to disarm Raphael was too risky with Eva’s life on the line.

Sunshine’s foot crossed the line with her next step. Trapped.

Satisfied with her compliance, Raphael lowered his sword, the white flames licking against his robe though they didn’t burn it. The cold look in his eyes vanished, and he was back to his charming self once more. It was almost more frightening now that she knew what hid behind those friendly eyes.

“As you now know, I have been hunting the rogues for some time.” He spoke calmly, as if he hadn’t just threatened cold-blooded murder. “It’s a good thing I followed you. Montreal was on my list of places to investigate, but I wouldn’t have prioritized it. I’d just assumed the demons wouldn’t choose to hide in Canada.” He shook his head. “I mean, demons in Canada? Seems a bit silly to me.”

That was why he’d shown her his research—because he’d known she would go straight to the demons to warn them. How could I have been so stupid?

“When I heard Adriel had sent you on an important assignment, I was understandably concerned, given your past. It’s not my place to question Adriel, though I can’t imagine what motivations he had in selecting you. I would’ve been honored to undertake any task on his behalf.” Raphael shook his head. “Hopefully this will help him to realize his mistake.”

The sinking feeling in Sunshine’s stomach deepened. Raphael was actually jealous of her relationship with Adriel. He evidently thought she didn’t deserve such a privilege, and he, as a decorated archangel, should have it instead.

He was a prick, just as Raum had said. A narcissistic prick with a flaming sword and the power of Heaven on his side.

Still, Sunshine had known him most of her long life, and he’d always been kind enough. Surely there was a part of him that could be merciful. If he was truly indifferent, Eva would already be dead.

“I’m sure it’s a mistake that you haven’t been assigned a mentor yet,” she said, deciding her best hope lay in appealing to his ego. “Why don’t you and I return to the Realm now? We can pay a visit to Adriel together, and I’ll ask him on your behalf to—”

“Still, you try to hide your misdeeds from me,” Raphael interrupted, shaking his head. “I wasn’t surprised before when I showed you my research, but I expected you to come clean when I confronted you. Maybe you are too far gone.”

“I’m not sure what you think I’ve done, but—”

“I know everything, Shamsiel.” His eyes were cold again. Cold and bitter. “I’ve known it from the beginning. Who do you think the Tribunal assigned to wipe Raum’s memories? I’ve been watching you for centuries, waiting for you to break again. I knew it was only a matter of time.”

Sunshine’s entire body froze as his words sank in. Her heart forgot to beat. Her lungs forgot to expand with breath.

Raphael knew about her past. He already knew. Not only that, but he was the one who had erased Raum’s memories. Because of her.

He had called her out for lying, but how could he have looked her in the eye for the last four centuries and not felt the need to confess?

“I already knew the pages were torn from Raum’s record in the library,” he continued. “They were removed on purpose—so you wouldn’t find them. I thought you should be banished altogether. I told the Tribunal an angel corrupted to that degree could never truly redeem herself, but they wouldn’t listen, too quick to bend under Adriel’s will. My only choice now is to show them all the mistake they made in trusting you.”

This was so much worse than she’d expected. Her world was crashing and burning around her, her faith in the heavenly hierarchy and justice system shattering like frail glass. But she put all her strength into projecting calm. She would not fall apart. She would not give him the satisfaction.

“I see now that I have been misled.” She kept her voice level, without a single tremor. “You speak of lying, but it seems to me you and the Tribunal have just as much to confess.” Her hopes of reasoning with him were dying with every passing second, but for Eva’s sake, she had to keep trying. “Whatever it is you seek to achieve here, surely we can find a way to avoid cruelty.”

“It’s not cruelty, Shamsiel. It’s practicality. All I’ve done is arranged a circumstance where I can address the problem of you, the rogues, and this hybrid simultaneously. I borrowed a scry glass and those manacles from the Court of Ceremonies in preparation. Everything has been arranged.”

Items of power and extra abilities were only bestowed upon archangels when they’d been charged with dispensations of justice. It had to mean the Tribunal had sanctioned this entire terrible plan. The thought made her nauseous.

“We should not follow the rules so blindly,” she said. “We should have mercy for all creatures. This innocent woman doesn’t deserve to die simply because she was born. And demons can evolve. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Have you checked on Asmodeus since you cursed him all those years ago? He is not a mindless servant of darkness. He cares. He has passions.” Her gaze flicked to Eva. “He loves.”

“A convenient creature for him to fall in love with. A Nephilim’s blood grants him the ability to hide from tracking spells. Because of her blood, I couldn’t use the scrying glass until I had found him with my own eyes. A naive little girl would fall easily for a lust demon’s charm.”

“He didn’t have charm when we met, fuckwad,” Eva spat, “because you cursed him to be invisible, remember? And he passed out cold the first time he told me he loved me. Pretty sure I’d know if he was faking it!”

“Be quiet,” Raphael’s voice was low. “Or I’ll silence you myself.”

“Raphael, please!” Sunshine lurched forward when he lifted his sword toward Eva again. “Let’s remain calm and resolve this without violence. What is it you want from me? Why have you arranged all this?”

His blue eyes fixed on her again. Cold and lifeless. “I want to bring the demon here and finish what I started.”

RAUM FINALLY FORCED himself to leave Luna behind in the kennel, though he felt like the world’s biggest bastard. The only way he’d been able to do it was to promise her—as if she could understand fucking English—that he’d come back as soon as possible and take her home again. Even being around Belial seemed better for her than the cage, which said a lot about how much she hated the kennel.

Still feeling like shit, he headed outside, past a gaping Chloé. He didn’t blame her for staring this time. He’d left his torn shirt with Luna—it wasn’t wearable, and he figured his scent might comfort her—and it wasn’t exactly summer yet. The night was cold and the air bit at his bare skin.

As he jogged down the steps, his phone rang. He whipped it out with lightning speed, rolling his eyes at himself once again when he saw it wasn’t Sunshine.

Meph was right. He had it bad.

It was Ash, but Raum answered anyway because he hadn’t forgotten what Meph said about Sunshine’s warning. He barely got a ‘hello’ out before Ash demanded, “When was the last time you saw Eva?”

“She dropped me at the shelter. Why?”

“How long have you been there?”

“Couple hours. Why?”

Ash let out a stream of curses.

“What’s going on?”

“Skye just called me. Eva didn’t show up, and she’s not answering her phone.”

“She was driving. You sure she’s not stuck in traffic or something?”

“The venue she was meeting Skye at is fifteen minutes from the shelter,” Ash snapped. “How the fuck could she get stuck in a two-hour traffic jam at night?”

A chill crept down Raum’s spine, but he assured himself it was too early to jump to conclusions. “Maybe there’s construction—”

“If she was stuck somewhere, she would’ve called to let me know she’s okay. She knows shit is dangerous right now. And she would’ve called Skye to let her know she was going to be late.” Ash sounded like he was barely holding it together. “She would have fucking called.”

Raum headed toward the alley down the street where he usually shifted. The streetlight above flickered on and off.

“It’s too much of a coincidence that your angel girlfriend shows up with some dire warning right before this,” Ash growled. “Where is she?”

“I don’t know,” Raum replied, trying to tamp down his own frustration. “I’ve been trying to reach her all day.”

“If she has anything to do with this—”

“She doesn’t.”

There was a pause, and Raum could hear Ash making low growling sounds under his breath. “If anything happens to Eva, I swear to fucking god—”

“Threatening Sunshine isn’t helping. I’m gonna look for her, and you look for Eva.”

“Fine.” He hung up.

Raum stared at the screen and couldn’t dispel the nerves tightening his chest. He rang Sunshine again, knowing she didn’t have her phone. He was sure it was sitting in her empty apartment, but he was still going over there to check. What else could he do? He turned down the alley and headed toward the shadows to shift.

He’d barely made it halfway when a big fucking angel appeared in front of him.

Blue eyes, curly blond hair, with a little dimple in his chin, he had that all-American white-boy charm.

Except for the giant white-flaming sword in his hand. That part was a bit incongruous.

Raum’s heart started beating four times its normal rate, but he held himself perfectly still. He knew who this fucker was.

The longer he stared at him, the more familiar those blue eyes appeared.

Until suddenly…he flashed back to where he’d left off in that dream. Only this time, there wasn’t a smudgy blur where the angel’s face was. This time, the memory was crystal clear.

“WHERE IS SHAMSIEL?”

“Where is who?” Raum said, adopting a bored expression. Inwardly, however, panic and dread raced through his bloodstream.

“I know everything,” Raphael said, forcing his way into the room. Raum stepped back and gestured for him to enter like it had been his idea all along, carefully maneuvering himself toward the exit.

He wasn’t delusional. If the archangel wanted to apprehend him, he would. Angels could flash. Demons could not. Raum could try to escape in crow form, but Raphael would always have the advantage.

But Raum had broken no rules, he reminded himself. Angels always followed the rules.

Yes, his relationship with Shamsiel was forbidden, but she was the one placed most at risk by their association, not him—something that had never sat right with him.

“I know everything,” Raphael said.

“I highly doubt that,” Raum drawled. “The universe is vast.”

“You can play smart with me, demon, but it doesn’t matter in the end. The Tribunal has come to a decision about how to handle this matter. Once Shamsiel is found she will be dealt with, but for now, it’s your turn.”

Raum stiffened. “Wait, you don’t know where she is either?” he demanded, giving up the pretense. His game of pride meant nothing if Shamsiel was in danger. He’d join forces with far worse than Raphael if it meant finding her quickly and making sure she was unharmed.

“No,” the archangel replied impatiently. “No one knows.”

“Then we need to find her! We don’t time have to waste here—”

“Shamsiel is no longer your concern.” Raphael’s handsome face split in a smile as evil as Lucifer’s. “In fact, you’re about to forget you ever knew her.”

RAUM BLINKED BACK to the present, mind racing as he put the final pieces of the puzzle together. Raphael hadn’t just discovered his relationship with Sunshine, he had been the one to erase his fucking memories.

Of course it was Raphael. Why was he even surprised?

“We meet again,” the archangel said. “You won’t recognize me, but I can assure you—”

“I recognize you,” Raum mumbled, his lip curling.

Raphael frowned and then shrugged. “The subconscious is a tricky thing. No memory wipe can ever be completely foolproof. I suppose your reunion with Shamsiel could have triggered the return of some of your lost memories.”

Well, that explains the dreams. “Why are you here?”

“I hear you’ve misplaced your Nephilim.” He smiled as Raum’s hands curled into fists, and then he pulled a small mirror from his pocket. “Once I followed Shamsiel to Montreal, I was able to make use of this scrying glass. How do you think I found you here so easily? If you try to escape or contact the others, I will know and I will kill your Nephilim.”

Fucking prick. Raum swallowed back a stream of curses. He wouldn’t give this piece of shit the satisfaction of seeing him mad. “What do you want?”

“Allow me to flash you and you’ll find out.” The archangel pocketed his fancy mirror and held out a hand.

There was no choice but to do what he wanted. Raum probably could’ve come up with a hundred ingenious plans if he’d had time to think, but right now, he wasn’t betting Eva’s life against his chances of fucking up.

“Fine,” he bit out. “Let’s go.”

Raphael’s smile was smug as he grabbed Raum’s arm and flashed him away—probably straight to his untimely demise. Fuck this fucking guy.

30

FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE

A lone in the silent warehouse, Sunshine and Eva went over a dozen desperate plans, but none amounted to anything. Sunshine tested the boundaries of her trap, and after being thrown on her back several times, she was forced to conclude it was impenetrable.

For the most part, Empyrean magic was far more powerful than Temporal and Sheolic magic. Once formed, Empyrean traps were unbreakable. They had less power over other angels, and Sunshine might have been able to escape under normal circumstances, but with the manacles binding her powers, she was hardly stronger than a human.

It was all for naught in the end—Raphael returned with Raum, flashing into the middle of the empty trap. He flashed out again before Raum had a chance to attack. He tried anyway, shifting into half demon form and swiping his sharp claws where the angel had been standing.

“Raum—” Sunshine’s voice was strangled.

He glanced at her, and his eyes widened when he saw the sigil she was stuck in and the manacles on her wrists. His gaze traveled quickly around the room, noticing Eva in a similar state. “You okay, Eva?”

“Yes.” Eva’s voice trembled only slightly. “But this is the fucker that cursed Ash. He’s a psychopath.”

“I know.” Raum’s jaw clenched, but that was the only outward expression of emotion he allowed.

“I’m so sorry, Raum,” Sunshine whispered, feeling sick to her stomach. “All of this is my fault.”

“It’s not your fault.” He looked at Raphael. In half demon form, he stood a full head taller than the archangel. His black-feathered wings were folded so as not to hit the edge of the sigil, and the scales on his bare torso glimmered in the heavenfire’s light. “This has nothing to do with her or Eva. Let them go.”

“On the contrary, it has everything to do with them.” Raphael started slowly pacing around the heavenfire sigil on the floor, the blue glow casting long shadows across his face. “As you seem to have remembered, you and Shamsiel have known each other a long time. Your corruption of her began centuries ago.

“For many years, she kept it secret, but eventually I became suspicious. Where was the mysterious Shamsiel always disappearing to? She was the celebrated one, influential on the Tribunal, privileged to have one of the great Second Sphere Powers as a mentor. Everyone was blinded by her flawless reputation…except for me.”

His white wings flared wide as he shot Sunshine a look of contempt she’d never seen on his face before. As if he’d been hiding his loathing all this time, bottling it up inside.

He thought she was the one with power and privilege? Had he not looked at himself? That was exactly how she’d always viewed him, but she at least was intelligent enough not to hate him for it.

“When I finally uncovered the truth, I was appalled. I brought the information to the Tribunal, and a debate ensued on how to address the problem. As far as I knew, it was unlike anything ever seen before in Heaven. An angel, and a powerful one at that, debasing herself by fornicating with a demon. It was abhorrent.” The look of disgust on his face was intensified by the flickering blue light and dark shadows.

“The Tribunal thought Shamsiel should be banished from Heaven. An angel who consorts with demons could not be allowed to represent the Realm. As for the demon, since he’d technically broken no rules, it wasn’t possible to order his destruction. But he couldn’t be left to spread the news of Shamsiel’s improprieties.

“It was Adriel who offered a compromise in the end. He believed you didn’t deserve to fall, and he somehow managed to convince the Tribunal of that as well.” Raphael shook his head like it was incomprehensible to him.

“The Tribunal ordered me to erase the demon’s memories, and Adriel agreed to rearrange Shamsiel’s to remove all recollection of the affair. She was demoted to guardian angel with a chance to regain her former station only if she could one day prove her worthiness.”

“Wait—” Sunshine stared at him in horror. “You’re saying my punishment was never about my capture like I was told. It was always about my relationship with Raum.”

“The capture wasn’t your fault, of course,” Raphael said, flicking his fingers dismissively. “But we had to give you an explanation you’d believe.”

A spark of rage ignited inside her, rising so fast she nearly choked on it.

She’d been manipulated into thinking she had failed. She’d been manipulated into feeling guilty for being tortured. She didn’t know if she was madder at the Tribunal or at herself for believing their lies.

But no. She had been conditioned—brainwashed—by those she had trusted. The blame lay only with them. She was done admonishing herself for things that had never been her fault. She was done shouldering burdens that never should’ve been hers to begin with.

Raphael went on. “When I heard that Adriel’s task was the final test before your reascension, naturally, I was dubious. I’m grateful now I followed my instincts, or the Tribunal might never have known they were welcoming a traitor back into their midst.”

The Tribunal, Raphael, Adriel—everyone she’d ever known and cared about had been content to look her in the eye and pretend like her past never happened. They’d been content to lie to her face. For four centuries.

Who had committed the real crime here?

“Was the gracious decision to fuck with Sunshine’s memories made before or after you left her to suffer in Hell?” Raum’s glare burned with hatred.

“If Shamsiel had not become accustomed to consorting with demons, she wouldn’t have lowered her guard enough to be captured. Her punishment was discussed while she was missing, and once the Grigori Daniel returned her, it was carried out.”

Sunshine’s mouth dropped open in disbelief.

While she was missing?

“What the fuck?” Eva breathed.

Deep within Sunshine, something cracked.

Mercy, forgiveness, compassion… It all started to leak out through the fracture. The sunshine fizzled out, and a dark tempest took its place. Fury bubbled up like a wrathful volcano.

How dare they. How dare they sit upon their Tribunal seats and dispense decrees without an ounce of empathy for those they condemned. How dare they ruin her life and the life of the one she loved.

And Raphael… He might have had white wings and a robe, but he was no better than a demon. Nay, he was worse. A demon started out evil and could become something better. Raphael had started as an angel, a being of light meant to represent goodness, and he had devolved into something vile.

Worse, he would never understand how twisted he was. He would always believe that, simply because of who he was, he was in the right. His wickedness was justified.

There would be no reasoning with him. There would be no understanding or reconciliation.

Sunshine didn’t care anymore. She was beyond wanting those things.

A loud buzzing filled her head. Her hands curled into fists, the chains clinking between them. Her stomach burned and heart pounded blood that felt hot, molten, with rage.

Now, she wanted blood.

“Open your eyes, Raphael.” Her voice was low, but it echoed around the ruined chamber. “Your sense of right and wrong has been warped by blind adherence to a flawed system. You are blinded.”

“The rules must be followed,” he snapped, stalking toward her. He stopped outside her sigil and jabbed a finger at her. “They are all that keep this Earth from chaos. Demons do not change or grow. Demons cannot love. Demons cannot care for anyone except themselves!”

“Are you dumb?” Eva hissed. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard, and if you took a minute to pull your head out of your ass, you’d know that. If your squirrel brain is capable of that kind of comprehension!”

“Silence, creature!” Raphael shouted, pointing the sword in his other hand at her.

But Eva wasn’t keeping silent. “You think demons are evil? Listen to yourself! You’re planning to murder two people in cold blood just to prove a point!”

“You’re an abomination!” He spun away from Sunshine, Eva’s goading having ignited his temper. “Your very existence is a stain upon this world.” He swept past Sunshine and marched toward Eva’s sigil. “I am the power here! I am the enforcer. I decide who lives and dies!”

“You’re nothing but an overgrown man child that someone made the mistake of giving a sword to!” Eva shouted right back. In her Nephilim form, she matched Raphael’s height, and evidently, his temper as well.

“I will slay you where you stand!”

“Sunshine!”

Sunshine glanced over at Raum’s shout just as Raphael swung his sword, forcing Eva to duck to avoid the deadly blade. Raum was pointing at the floor. Sunshine glanced down…and saw the smudge Raphael’s footprint had made in the chalk line of her sigil when he swept past.

The magic was broken. The sigil’s blue glow had extinguished, but she’d been too distracted by the fighting to notice.

Without a thought, she charged.

In only two steps, she plowed into Raphael. Leaping onto his back between his wings, she flung the manacles’ chain around his neck, pulled taut, and crossed her wrists behind his head. Raphael froze in shock for a brief instant. And then he choked and stumbled back, dropping his sword with a clatter as his hands instinctively rose to his throat.

The cuffs bound the abilities of any angel wearing them. And when looped around Raphael’s neck, completing the circuit for the magic to connect, they bound his too.

He clawed at the chain, trying to get a grip to loosen it and clear his airway. Sunshine pulled her wrists apart in opposite directions, tightening the cross in the metal, closing the gap even further. Raphael’s wings flapped frantically, trying to dislodge her, but she held on tighter, anchoring her legs around his hips. Distantly, she heard Raum and Eva shouting from their respective sigils.

For them, she had to hold on.

Raphael charged backward, and Sunshine’s back slammed into the concrete wall. It felt like she’d been hit by a semitruck. She screamed against the pain but refused to loosen her hold.

Raphael ran forward, stopped, and then charged back. Again, her back hit the wall. This time, her skull smacked against the concrete. Lights danced in her vision, and her head swam. Don’t you dare loosen your hold, Sunshine!

Raum’s shouts echoed in her ears. The look of fear in Eva’s eyes was burned into her brain. The story of how Raphael had betrayed her and ruined her life replayed on a loop.

She’d lost everything because of him, and then he’d had the audacity to blame it on her. He’d left her to suffer in Hell. He’d stolen Raum’s memories. He’d lectured her while she lay sick and traumatized in her bed, criticizing her carelessness for allowing herself to get captured. He’d threatened people she loved—good people—as part of his quest to stroke his narcissistic ego, and he couldn’t recognize the evil in what he was doing.

She was suddenly sure, for the first time in her existence, that she understood the meaning of the word hate. A dark wrath consumed her until her body numbed and her mind cleared, and she fixed on the target of her newfound hatred with single-minded focus.

As she crashed against the wall again, she screamed at the pain in her spine, but she didn’t loosen her hold.

She held on tighter.

RAUM WATCHED in horror as Raphael slammed Sunshine into the concrete. His rage was so immense, it felt like his body wouldn’t be able to contain it. He would have shifted into demon form, but the sigil wasn’t big enough.

All he could do was stand there and watch while Sunshine’s screams echoed around the dark chamber. Just let go! he wanted to shout at her, but he knew she wouldn’t.

So he was going to have to help her.

Without really knowing what possessed him, he charged forward to the edge of the sigil he was trapped in. He knew what would happen. He’d been electrocuted by sigil magic many times throughout his life, and it was never pleasant. And Empyrean magic was ten times stronger than Temporal magic.

He didn’t know what he thought was going to happen this time, but he wasn’t exactly thinking clearly. He just acted on instinct.

As expected, when he hit the barrier, the blue light of Empyrean magic traveled over his body, and it felt like he’d been struck by lightning. It threw him back into the center of the sigil, his wings crumpling beneath him. He hauled himself to his feet, dazed, head pounding from the aftershock.

Just as he shook it to clear his vision, he saw Raphael body slam Sunshine, dropping to the floor this time. She was crushed beneath his weight, his wings spread to smother her, but still she didn’t let go. The sight was enough to make Raum lose his mind.

And maybe he did, because next thing he knew, he was charging the sigil barrier again. And this time, when he hit it and the light traveled over his body, he didn’t let it throw him back. Instead, he braced his hands in front of him and pushed.

Electric shocks traveled down his arms in waves. Again and again, the magic rolled over him, until it felt like he was melting from the inside out. He felt wetness in his eyes, nose, and ears and knew it was blood. His brain was probably liquifying inside his skull. He kept pushing anyway.

And then he actually felt a give in the barrier.

It flexed beneath his hands, bending outward. He pushed harder, squeezing his eyes shut, though the piercing light seemed to burn right through them. Everything was bright light. White-hot agony was the only sensation in his body.

The barrier bent outward further, and then he finally felt it start to tear. He knew he was shouting, but the sound didn’t seem to carry anywhere. There was a roaring in his ears so loud it obliterated all else. The pain started to steal his consciousness, and blackness crept in at the edges of his awareness.

And then the sigil actually broke.

He flew through and hit the ground, his wings splayed out, leaving black feathers strewn across the concrete. He lay there for a second, aware only of the pain throbbing in every cell of his body, unable to remember what he was doing or why.

A scream echoed distantly at the edge of his mind. Sunshine.

He turned his head, and there she was. She was still clinging to Raphael, while he continued his savage efforts to dislodge her, having climbed to his feet to slam her into the wall again and again.

Raphael’s wings were spread, and between each forceful collision, he would reach overhead to pummel Sunshine with thick fists. She’d formed her wings too, in a futile attempt to cushion her back against the wall that was now cracked from her body’s impact. Her face was streaked with blood, her features contorted with pain.

Raum rolled over. Sat up. His body throbbed and weakness wanted to suck him down to oblivion, but he didn’t have time for that shit right now. He lurched to his feet, the room spinning like a carousel from Hell.

In his peripherals, he saw Eva still trapped in her own sigil. He couldn’t hear her words—had his eardrums ruptured?—but he could tell she was shouting encouragement. She was shouting at him to get up. To get the hell up and go fight. He focused on the imagined sound and took a step forward.

His leg almost crumpled, but he locked his knee and managed to stay upright. He didn’t care that he had no strength—he’d happily use the rest of it to take out Raphael—but if wanted to be sure it was an effective attack, he was going to need a weapon. He would have shifted into his demon form, but he was pretty sure the effort would knock him unconscious.

His blurry, blood-clouded vision landed on Raphael’s discarded sword.

Raphael’s consecrated sword.

He didn’t think. There wasn’t time for thinking, and if he had, he would likely have remembered the last time he’d touched a consecrated weapon and how much it sucked.

Before they’d become frenemies, Eva’s Grigori father had thrown a consecrated blade with startling accuracy straight into Meph’s chest. Raum had yanked on the thing until his hands melted off, and he hadn’t been able to pull it out. Jacqui, Eva’s mom, had shown up and done it instead.

He was well acquainted with the damage consecrated weapons could do to demons, but there wasn’t time to care now. Stumbling over to the sword, he bent and wrapped both hands around the heavy weapon, lifting it high.

Immediately, his skin up to his forearms burst into flame.

Fucking goddamn fucking shit—

The pain was excruciating. Mind-numbing. He had seconds until his burning hands lost their grasping ability and forced him to drop the sword.

With single-pointed focus, he charged the archangel. If he could have run him clean through with the blade, he would have, but he couldn’t risk stabbing Sunshine. So he aimed low. At the knees, since Sunshine’s legs were around Raphael’s hips and safely out of the way.

He swept the sword down in an arc, throwing all his weight into it, shouting with exertion and at the flames burning his hands off. The sword connected with the side of Raphael’s left knee…

And took his lower leg clean off.

Damn, it was sharp.

Raphael bellowed an unholy roar, and his remaining leg folded under him. Blood poured from the grisly stump. Raum had one good swing left of the weapon before his hands were equally stumpy.

He waited a split second longer than he perhaps should have, but it was worth it because the perfect moment presented itself. Raphael landed on his side, Sunshine falling away from him, though she never released the chain around his throat.

Raum lifted the sword at the exact moment that his hands lost their ability to grasp, probably because his fingers were gone. The heavy weapon slipped from his grip, but it didn’t matter, because he’d positioned it perfectly.

It dropped, blade pointing straight down. The tip hit Raphael’s temple, and with that preternatural sharpness, it sank straight through his skull, pinning it to the floor.

The archangel lay still.

There was a moment of total silence. The world was spinning.

“Raum!” Sunshine’s voice. She was still on the floor. “Your hands!”

He blinked, trying to focus. They’ll grow back, he wanted to tell her. Been there, done that. In fact, last time they’d been melted off, Eva had used her badass Nephilim powers to regrow them almost instantaneously. Maybe she could help him out again.

“Y’okay?” The word came out garbled, but honestly, he was impressed he was speaking at all. He was swaying on his feet, barely holding himself upright.

“Yes, I’m okay.” There was pain in her voice, but he believed her. “A-are you?”

Sunshine was safe. The relief was so immense, he nearly passed out then and there. But first, he had to make sure Eva was all right.

He stumbled in the direction he knew she was in. His sight wasn’t working great. Somehow, he managed to discern the edge of the sigil trapping her, and he smudged the chalk line with a foot.

A second later, he felt Eva’s hands gripping his arms, keeping him upright, which was helpful. He hadn’t fallen on his ass yet, but he wasn’t far off.

“Oh my god, Raum, your hands! Why the fuck are you always melting your hands?”

“S’all good,” he mumbled.

“How the hell did you break out of that sigil? That was the craziest thing I’ve ever seen— Oh, Jesus, fuck, your hands— Oh god, I’m gonna be sick.”

“Help Sunshine,” he muttered because he didn’t think he’d be able to stay conscious much longer.

“I need to heal you, but I’m not very good, and Ash never lets me practice because he says it’s too dangerous—”

“Help.”

“That’s what I’m trying to do!”

“Sunshine.”

“She’s okay. Her chains are stuck around Raphael, but she’s—”

“Help Sunshine!” Raum snapped. “Please?”

And then he finally passed out.

SUNSHINE STRUGGLED to free herself from under the immense weight of Raphael’s unconscious body. The sword pinning his head to the ground kept him from waking up, but since the chain between the manacles at her wrists was wrapped around his neck, it also kept her trapped.

She was weak from the fight, and the way she was coughing up blood told her she’d sustained serious internal injuries. Her wings, which she’d used to protect her body, were broken in several places and hung limply from her shoulders.

None of that mattered. She’d heal fine once she got the cuffs off. Right now, she just wanted to get to Raum. Watching his arms burning as he wielded Raphael’s sword had filled her with horror. And awe.

A demon wielding one of the deadliest consecrated weapons ever made—it was a remarkable feat of strength. How he’d managed to hold onto the blade while it incinerated his flesh was beyond her comprehension.

And that wasn’t even touching on how he’d broken out of an Empyrean sigil, drawn by an archangel at that. It shouldn’t have been possible, but she’d already learned that Raum was full of surprises.

Eva’s silver eyes suddenly appeared in the narrowed space of Sunshine’s vision. The edges were darkened with pain and weakness. “Are you okay?”

“Raum—”

“He passed out, but he’s fine.”

“Help him—”

“He told me to help you, so I’m doing that first. What can I do?”

“Help me…get hands free.”

Eva’s sharp eyes took in the scene, flinching at the gore. “I think I have to pull out the sword. It looks like it went straight through into the concrete floor, however that’s even possible.”

Sunshine nodded. It was possible because the metal that crafted that blade was from the Realm and stronger than any Earth material, but she didn’t waste her little remaining energy explaining that to Eva.

“I don’t know if I’ll even be able to move it.”

“You’re half angel,” Sunshine reminded her. “You’re stronger than you think.”

Eva nodded and disappeared from view. Sunshine was too exhausted to watch and simply closed her eyes. She heard a grunt of effort and sounds of strain, and then a sound of triumph followed by the clattering of the blade as Eva dropped it.

Sunshine pulled her arms free from around Raphael’s neck. She crawled around his bloodied wings and punctured head and then curled her fingers around the hilt of the sword. Somehow, she found the strength to climb to her feet, lift her arms, and drop it right back into his skull. She needed him to stay unconscious as long as possible.

Too weak to stand, she fell back to her knees and then dragged herself over to the demon on the floor. Raum was out cold, his black feathers spread across the dirty concrete. Blood stained his face, and his hands… By the Spheres, the sight made a cry of dismay rise to her lips.

“Can you heal him?” Eva’s voice shook. “I don’t know if I can. I’m too freaked out, and I can’t stop shaking.”

“It’s okay.” Sunshine pulled Raum onto her lap, wiping the blood from his face with gentle fingers. “I can do it once I get these manacles off.”

“How do we get them off?”

“Raphael might have the keys.”

Eva crouched in front of the bloodied angel. “I can’t believe Raum hacked his leg off.” She made a retching sound and turned her face away, covering her mouth. “Oh god, I’m gonna be sick.”

“Check the pockets of his robe,” Sunshine said, trying to help Eva keep focused.

If the key wasn’t on Raphael, it would likely still be in the Realm with the Tribunal. But as angry as she was with them, Sunshine had a hard time believing they were aware of his plan. It seemed to her these atrocities were mostly motivated by his personal vendetta against her.

Sure enough, Eva pulled out a small metal key a moment later. “Is this it?” she said, scrambling to her feet and dropping at Sunshine’s feet.

“Yes, that’s it.” She held out her wrists. “The keyhole is here.”

Eva unlocked the manacles with hands that trembled only slightly. Sunshine was impressed with her fortitude. Sunshine was shaken by everything, and she was an ancient immortal that had seen many wars. Daniel’s daughter was barely thirty years old.

“Can you flash?” Sunshine asked.

“I think so.”

“Go find Asmodeus and let him know you’re okay. Then please notify Daniel of what occurred. Until we know that Raphael didn’t tell anyone else of your existence, any extra protection you can get will be smart.”

Eva nodded mutely and glanced down at Raum. “You’re sure he’ll be okay?”

“I’ll heal him, don’t worry.” Sunshine held him closer. “I would give anything to protect him. Does this reassure you?”

Eva nodded and offered a small smile. “He deserves someone like you looking out for him.”

“It is my honor to fill that role. Now, go.”

She glanced nervously over one shoulder at Raphael. “Will that sword keep him unconscious?”

“Not indefinitely.” Raphael’s regeneration powers were strong. Eventually, his healing tissue would push the blade right out of his head.

“What if he wakes up?”

Sunshine hardened her heart to any mercy she might once have shown. At one time, she would have been horrified at what she intended to do, but now, there was no room for softness.

She would do whatever it took to keep those she loved safe, no matter how terrible.

She looked at Eva and said, “I plan to ensure that never happens.”

31

PAINT THE TOWN RED

Raum regained consciousness to the sound of muttering, ominous thudding, and…squelching? Eyes closed, he frowned, trying to make sense of his surroundings.

“Make sure the pieces are tiny… Can’t risk regeneration…”

He was lying on his back, and his body felt…pretty damn good, all things considered. He’d broken through an Empyrean sigil, liquified his insides, and then melted his hands off with a consecrated weapon.

But he was fine besides a faint headache and a bone-deep weariness that made him want to sink into a dreamless sleep for a good twelve hours.

Sunshine. He needed to make sure she was okay. He forced his eyes open.

Above, he saw a rotted ceiling with water stains and exposed pipes. He turned his head, and…his eyes shot wide.

Sunshine was there, moving quickly and muttering to herself. She appeared to have healed—her wings were straight again, and she moved without the sluggishness of pain. But that wasn’t what made him stare in shock.

She wielded Raphael’s sword…and was in the process of cutting him into pieces.

Tiny little pieces.

It was like something out of a slasher movie. Sunshine’s white angel robes were spattered with blood and gore, and Raphael looked like a slab of meat at a butcher, his head, arms, legs, and torso all severed. As Raum watched, Sunshine lifted the sword above her head and brought it down hard, cleaving another chunk of mutilated flesh.

Raum jerked upright, ignoring his pounding head. He couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing, and it took another moment of staring for it to sink in.

“Sunshine?”

She stopped and turned around. Her eyes were wide, a little too wide, and she offered a slightly crazed smile. “Oh good, you’re awake. Just rest while I finish up here.”

Like hell. Raum climbed to his feet, waited until he was steady, and then placed himself between her and Raphael’s…parts. “What are you doing?” He wanted to shout, but he kept his tone carefully level.

“I have to kill him.” She leaned around him as though impatient to get back to her slaughter. “It’s not safe otherwise. There’s no choice.”

“But…why are you cutting him up?”

“He’ll regenerate. He’s already regenerating. He’s too powerful. I need time to draw the heavenfire sigil. It can take hours to properly incinerate a body, and it’s been a long time since I’ve drawn one, and I—”

“Sunshine.”

“—can’t quite remember how to do it. I need more time. There isn’t enough—”

“Sunshine.” Stepping closer, he gently grasped her wrist. “Drop the sword.”

“I need it! There’s no time—”

Gripping her shoulders, he turned her to face him. “Sunshine, look at me.”

Her face was turned away, gaze fixed on the blade she still hadn’t dropped, so he grasped her chin and lifted her head until their eyes met. She seemed to freeze in place, and finally, he caught a glimpse of the fear in her eyes.

“It’s okay,” he whispered. “You’re okay.”

“I have to hurry… He’s going to regenerate—”

“You chopped him into a thousand pieces. It’ll take him days to come back from that. He’s not going anywhere.”

“He almost— He would have—” She swallowed. “He was going to kill you.”

“He didn’t. I’m fine, thanks to you. You even healed my hands.”

“He was going to kill you and Eva, and I would have had to watch, and—”

“He didn’t. Look at me. I’m here, and he’s…not. It’s okay.” He didn’t mention Eva’s absence but could only assume she’d left to get backup after he’d busted her out of the trap.

He pulled Sunshine against him and wrapped his arms and wings around her. Finally, finally, she let the sword drop from her grip, the metal clanging as it hit the ground by their feet. Only when he held her close could he feel the subtle trembling in her body.

“He took everything from me,” she whispered. “From us.”

“I know.”

“It’s my fault. You told me he was cruel, and I didn’t believe you. I thought I could reason with him. I thought—”

“It’s not your fault. He’s fucked in the head.”

“He deserves to die. I want to make him pay. I…” She swallowed. “I want to kill him.”

Raum did too. As far as he was concerned, the world would be a better place without Raphael in it. The guy was deranged, and deranged people in positions of power did fucked-up things.

But…he didn’t want to kill him like this.

It was stupid, and he could imagine the ass kicking his brothers would give him if they found out, but he didn’t want Sunshine to go down that path. Raphael used to be her friend and someone she looked up to. Even if he’d shattered that illusion, it would still affect her to kill him in cold blood.

When they’d argued before, Raum had thought her naive, but he realized now that wasn’t true. Humankind would be better off if they saw the world through Sunshine’s compassionate eyes.

And if she didn’t look for the best in others, she never would’ve ended up with him in the first place. He didn’t need memories to know he’d been a piece of shit back when they first got together. But she’d stuck it out because she believed in people, and she had changed him.

Yeah, he’d always be a cynical bastard, but he would also always protect her. And protecting her meant protecting that empathetic part of her. He might never understand it, but he didn’t want her to lose it.

“He’s not worth it,” Raum found himself saying. “He’s not worth wasting any more energy and emotion over.”

“He’ll come back. He won’t stop hunting us. He’ll never stop.”

“I didn’t say we’re going to let him go. I just said you shouldn’t kill him.”

Sunshine pulled back, and he relaxed his hold, sensing she was more in control of herself. The blood spatter on her face said otherwise, but he didn’t care about that. He was nearly just as covered—his freshly healed hands were the only clean part of him.

“What are you suggesting?” she asked.

But he suddenly wasn’t paying attention to the conversation anymore. He took in the sparkle in her eyes, the fullness of her lips, the arch of her proud nose, and a surge of possessiveness struck him square in the chest.

He’d burn the world down for her, and he wouldn’t give a single fuck.

He pulled her close again and stroked his claws over her messy braid. Flaring out his wings, he wrapped them around her as much as he could, his black feathers covering her white ones.

“Raum,” she whispered, blinking those big gorgeous eyes up at him.

He looked into them and finally just said it.

“I love you.”

Her eyes flared. Her mouth opened but no words came out.

“I’ve probably been in love with you for the last four hundred years,” he said, “even if I couldn’t remember.”

She stared mutely at him, and he started to get a little uncomfortable.

“Sorry if that’s too much,” he mumbled, his gaze sliding away. “Just wanted to be honest.”

But when he chanced a glance back at her, she was giving him a look of wonder that simultaneously made him feel like the most powerful man alive and an idiot. Powerful, because who wouldn’t feel that way with a woman like her looking at them like that? Stupid, because he didn’t get why she was so impressed with him.

And then she said, “I love you too.” And it was his turn to stare.

She reached up and placed her palm on his scaled cheek. “I think I fell in love the first moment I saw you in that club with Daniel. I couldn’t stop staring at you, glaring at everyone with your beautiful eyes.”

“So you stalked me for weeks.” The hint of a smile curved his lips.

“Yes.” She looked sad again. “And then lied and forced you into the middle of this horrible mess. All of this happened because of me.”

“Most fun I’ve had in years.”

“You could have been killed—”

“It was worth it to get close to you.”

“Raum—”

“I’d do it again. I’d do worse. I’d have another three hundred years of memory wiped.”

“How can you— Don’t even say that!”

“It’s true.”

She was staring at him in amazement again, but this time, he decided he liked it.

SUNSHINE REACHED up and wound her arms around Raum’s neck, pulling him down to meet her lips. As she kissed him, it struck her how close she’d come to losing him. Again.

Suddenly, she didn’t care about the half-dead angel in pieces behind them. She didn’t care that her robes were covered in the blood of someone she’d once considered a friend. She didn’t care that her actions today meant she would now be on the run the same way Raum and his brothers were. She didn’t care that her entire future was uncertain.

She only cared about him—her demon, the only one who’d ever truly been on her side. Even when they’d been enemies, he’d been more honest and upfront with her than anyone else. She wasn’t sure she could ever express her gratitude to him just for being himself.

“I need you,” she whispered against his lips as she reached as far around his broad shoulders as she could, stroking the silky feathers of his wings.

“You have me.” He gripped her hips suddenly and pulled her tighter against him. As their bodies pressed together, she felt the unmistakable ridge of his arousal against her stomach.

Every nerve lit up. The blood, the aftermath, the knowing that they’d been kept apart for so long, that they’d nearly lost each other again… It only inflamed her more.

She rose onto her toes, eager to reach more of him. She wanted to meld them so closely together, they fused as one.

He slid his grip to her ass and his fingers clenched, claws digging into her flesh. And then he lifted her like she was weightless. She wrapped her legs around his hips and her arms around his neck. They were both filthy, but she didn’t care and neither did he.

He groaned as she rolled her hips against him, craving friction through the clothing that separated their bodies. She could feel the hard strength of his abdomen through the fabric of her robe.

“Sunshine—”

“I need you now.” Her voice was a breathless pant. “Don’t make me wait.”

He dove back into a kiss with a low moan that sent a shiver through her. Carrying her to the far end of the room, he pressed her back against a wall, wrapping his wings around them as far as he could to shelter her from their surroundings. She hauled her robe up her legs and then tugged down the waistband of his pants.

“This is fucking insane,” he panted.

“Don’t care. Don’t even think about stopping.”

His hands roamed under her dress until he found her underwear. He hooked his claws under the fabric at her hips, and with a sharp yank, tore through it. She moaned as he tugged it away, rolling her hips in search of the part of him she desperately wanted.

His thick, ribbed shaft slid along her slick core, up and down, and they both groaned, their mouths fusing in a hungry kiss. At the top of each stroke, he ground against her clit, spreading her wetness around.

When her body was ready to accept him, she tilted her hips until the head of his cock aligned with her entrance. She wanted him inside her so badly, her inner muscles rippled in anticipation. But he didn’t push forward, holding himself back with rigid control.

“Inside me,” she moaned when she couldn’t take it anymore. “Please.”

“Should I shift? I’m bigger right now.”

“I want it like this. I need it.”

“Fuck, Sunshine.”

He gave her an inch. Just the head of his cock sitting inside her made her shake, and she tipped her head back while he feasted on her throat, nipping at her tender skin with his fangs. The rest of her core clenched with anticipation of the stretch she felt at her opening, and another gush of wetness lubricated his passage.

“More,” she panted when she was sure she could take it.

He pressed in a little further, and she cried out as she felt the first row of ridges slip inside her. The texture against her inner walls was a mind-numbing mix of pleasure and pain.

“Fuck, you feel good,” he growled. “So damn tight.”

He slid out slightly, coating his shaft with her slick arousal, before pushing, pushing through another inch of impossible tightness. Her back arched as another cry burst from her.

The stretch was excruciating.

But it was exactly what she needed right now. She needed to feel him, all of him, in the most visceral way. She needed him to know she was his. She needed him to take everything she had to give.

Because she trusted he would protect what he took. Because she knew he was giving himself to her in return.

He pulled out and then sank forward again, another row of ridges straining into her as he slid still deeper. Her legs shook almost violently as her body fought to take him.

“That’s it,” he moaned, his breath gusting in her hair, sending tingles down her spine. “Fuck, yes, you can take me.”

“Yes—”

“You can take my whole cock, can’t you?”

“Yes!”

“Because it was made for you. It’s yours, just like this pussy is mine.”

She moaned, lost to his words.

“I’m taking what’s mine, and you’re gonna take what’s yours. All of it.”

With his next thrust, it felt like he bottomed out inside her. He shifted, sliding out a couple inches, before easing back inside, gentle enough that the stretch didn’t cross the line from pleasure-pain into pain-pain. It straddled it, rather.

But then he pushed a little deeper. She cried out, fingers grasping his shoulders. “Raum—!”

“You want it all?”

She hesitated for only a second before gasping, “Yes!”

“That’s what I thought.” And then he sank even deeper.

Pressure. There was so much pressure, it felt like she would burst from the inside out.

But when he pushed, this time, she felt her body swallow him, all of him, the final ridge slipping inside her.

“That’s it.” He kissed her lips and then trailed his mouth along her jaw, down her neck. “You feel so good. So fucking perfect.”

She moaned helplessly in response.

His hips started working, sliding just the last row of ridges in and out through her stretched channel.

“You’re gripping me so tight. Feels like fucking heaven.”

She tried to speak, but all that came out was more moaning. The sensation built higher and hotter until she was sure her body would combust. He pulled out further—two rows now—sinking them back in. She felt the burn, the stretch, but with her pleasure nerves singing, it all morphed into a maelstrom of molten ecstasy. His movements sped up—three rows moving in and out now, and she felt every single one.

An orgasm overtook her like a tidal wave from the inside out. Her vision went black, and her cries filled the space around them.

At the same moment, Raum sank his fangs into her neck. The sting of sensation melted into ecstasy. Again and again her muscles tried to contract around the shaft stretching them, each flex coinciding with the racing pulse of her heart.

A deep groan rumbled in his chest, and she felt him swell and pulse inside her. Heat filled her core as he gave into his release.

It was fucking incredible.

The suction on her neck continued as he came, and she rode out the wave from her own climax, her muscles slowing their rhythmic flexing. His hips kept working, but the depth of his thrusts eased, and the draws on her neck lessened.

He groaned long and slow as he finally withdrew his teeth from her skin.

Unwrapping her arms from their vice-like grip around his shoulders, she framed his face, looking into his heavy-lidded eyes to make sure he was okay. He’d just taken a sizable dose of her blood, after all.

“You just survived a terrible ordeal,” she scolded with a smile. “You shouldn’t be drinking my blood.”

“Couldn’t help myself.” He lifted a claw stroked down her cheek. “Fucking gorgeous.”

“I don’t get how you’re not unconscious.”

Full lips curved into a lazy smile. “Gotta stay awake to see your pretty face.”

Her heart melted. “I love you.”

“Love you too, angel.”

He leaned in to kiss her, but the effects of her blood caused him to miscalculate, and he stumbled, nearly taking them both down to the ground. She laughed and when he steadied, planted the kiss he’d sought on his lips.

When they pulled apart, their gazes locked, and she felt everything settle inside her. No matter what happened, they were together. Where they were meant to be.

“Can’t believe we just fucked liked this,” he said.

“Like what?”

“In this creepy warehouse. Covered in an archangel’s blood. It’s pretty epic.”

Sunshine blinked as she remembered their surroundings. She looked up, seeing the dark room and their incriminating position.

Her back was still against the wall, her wings folded beneath Raum’s that encircled them. Her robe was bunched around her waist, her still-trembling legs wrapped around his hips. His erection had eased, but it was by no means small, and she could feel it flex occasionally inside of her. Wetness coated her inner thighs, and the more he softened, the more leaked out of her.

All in all, it was a terribly sinful display. Absolutely wicked.

Her lips curved.

And then someone shouted, “Argh! Jesus— What in the hell!”

Sunshine quickly unwound her legs and came to her feet while Raum lowered one wing to see over his shoulder, making space for her to see as well.

Daniel the Grigori had flashed into the middle of the room and was surveying the carnage—and them—with a horrified expression.

Yes, she supposed she could see how one might find this scenario slightly disturbing.

Oops.

32

MEAT AND GREET

Sunshine rearranged her robe as Raum tucked himself back into his pants. His release poured out of her, sliding down the inside of her thighs.

“What in the hell happened here?” Daniel gripped his hair in his hands, staring in horror at the scene before him. It seemed he was too preoccupied with the gruesome butchery of Raphael to pay much attention to what Sunshine and Raum had been doing, which was a good thing.

As Sunshine approached him, she took in the scene in a new light and grimaced. At the time, her actions had seemed perfectly sensible, and she hadn’t understood why Raum was so cautiously trying to make her stop.

Now she realized she’d been in shock. She’d probably looked like an unhinged madwoman.

“Who— What is that?” Daniel croaked.

“It’s Raphael,” she said.

Daniel’s eyes appeared in danger of falling out of his head. He also looked a little green. “How did he end up like…that?”

She hesitated, twisting her hands together. “Well—”

“I chopped him up,” Raum said, coming to stand beside her. He crossed scaled arms over his scaled chest and pinned Daniel with a piercing look as if daring him to question his words.

Daniel looked shellshocked. Appalled. All the appropriate words for someone witnessing such savagery.

Sunshine sighed. She appreciated Raum trying to protect her, but she couldn’t let him take the blame for her actions. Because of what he was, he was constantly having to prove himself, and it wasn’t fair.

“No,” she began.

“Sunshine—”

“It’s okay.” She smiled at him and then looked at Daniel. “I did it.”

Daniel’s mouth dropped open. “You. Did this.”

“Yes.”

“…Why?”

She wasn’t quite sure where to begin. “I assume you’re here because Eva told you to come. I instructed her to find you after Raum freed her from the sigil.”

Daniel nodded. “She filled me in on what happened. I can’t even— I’m just glad you were here or I might have lost her.” His voice broke on the last word, and he swallowed hard. Then he shook his head roughly. “She’s on her way with the demons right now, by the way. What she told me was brief, but I think she would’ve mentioned if it looked like Raphael had been through a meat grinder.”

Sunshine nodded. “I did it after she left.”

“Again…why?”

“He needs to die.”

Daniel dragged a hand through his hair.

“He knows about Eva, Daniel. He knows where Raum and his brothers are. He knows about me and what happened in my past.”

“What happened in your past?” He looked between her and Raum as if already sensing their connection.

“It’s a long story, but both Raum and I had our memories erased. Of each other.”

Daniel looked in danger of spontaneous combustion, so she quickly moved on. “Raphael is a threat to all of us, and I can say with certainty that there is no reasoning with him.”

“I believe that after what Eva told me,” Daniel said. “But you’re talking about destroying an archangel.”

“We don’t have to kill him,” Raum said. “I have an idea.”

Sunshine started to ask but was interrupted by the arrival of Eva and Ash. Eva took one look at the room and screamed. The other demons entered behind them, and when they saw the carnage, they froze, their faces taking on similar expressions of shock to Daniel.

Sunshine winced at their reactions. “I’ll admit I may have gone too far.”

Belial turned his piercing blue gaze on her. “You did this?”

She nodded weakly. “I needed to ensure he wouldn’t regenerate any time soon. And I was a little…stressed.”

“Remind me not to piss you off,” Meph said. Even Mist looked wary.

But Belial was studying her with narrowed eyes, and when she met his gaze, he gave her a look of…approval? Goodness. If she’d known chopping an angel into pieces was all she had to do to earn that from him, well…

Then it was a good thing this had occurred, because she’d never have gotten it otherwise.

“Let’s kill him,” Belial announced with a little too much enthusiasm.

The look on Asmodeus’s face told Sunshine he wasn’t averse to the idea either. After that mural she’d seen in Heaven, she didn’t blame him.

“You can’t,” Daniel said.

“Why not?” Belial growled. “He knows too much, and he’s a threat. He would have killed Eva and my brother if he’d had the chance. I can’t let that stand.”

“The death of an archangel would immediately be sensed in Heaven. You’d been starting a war.”

“We’re already at war.”

“Not like this. They’d stop at nothing to find you, and when they did, they would show no mercy.”

Belial looked bored. “Sounds like the same old shit to me.”

But Daniel shook his head. “There are powers in Heaven that generally don’t concern themselves with Earth affairs. But if something like this occurred, I can guarantee it would spur them into action. There’d be nowhere you could hide and no way to fight. You’d be signing your own death warrant.”

Belial’s eyes flashed. “I’m getting sick of angels underestimating me.”

“This isn’t a pissing contest,” Daniel said through gritted teeth. “I’m telling you—”

“And I’m telling you, I’m fed up with these white-winged fucks thinking they’re the masters of the universe. It’d do them some good to be taken down a notch. And this fucker”—he actually kicked a lump of severed Raphael-flesh, which shot across the room and hit the wall with a squelch—“has fucked with me enough.”

“I’m not talking about archangels coming after you,” Daniel said. “I’m talking about angels of even higher ranks who can find anyone on Earth just by concentrating. I’m talking about angels who—”

“I don’t give a flying fuck who you’re talking about.”

“You should! Especially when you’re putting my daughter at risk—”

“Everybody shut up!” Raum snapped suddenly, and miraculously, they did. “We don’t have to kill Raphael to get rid of him. I have a better idea.”

DEEP in the bowels of Hell, Murmur massaged his temples, purposefully digging his claws into his skin, hoping the pain would detract from the headache throbbing behind his skull.

It didn’t.

His book lay open on the desk in front of him. He hadn’t let it out of his sight since the angel had trespassed on his territory intending to steal it.

He still wasn’t sure how he’d managed to escape a confrontation, and his paranoia had skyrocketed since. He expected her to return for a second attempt at any moment.

The slightest noise had his body going rigid with tension and venom collecting in his tail, ready for a strike. His eyes were so bloodshot from lack of sleep, the whites had turned completely red.

Or maybe they’d already been that way for years?

He didn’t remember. Nor did he particularly care. He avoided his reflection because the crazed look in his eyes reminded him of the tenuous grasp he had on his sanity.

Flattening his palms on the desk, he curled his fingers and dug his claws into the surface. Outside, the sky had darkened to maroon. In the distance, he could hear the moans of the gargoyle guards he’d impaled on the tower spike above him.

He honestly hadn’t given a fuck that Raum had escaped. If anything, it was a relief. He couldn’t handle any more problems right now. But he had to keep up appearances. His minions had failed him, so they had to face punishment.

That was the way in Hell. Kill or be killed.

Or rather, obey or be impaled.

Murmur looked down at the page in front of him, blinking his tired eyes until the scrawling text slid into focus. Damn you, Gamigin. You couldn’t have taken a little time to write neater?

Then he smiled faintly. After what he was about to do, he was sure Gamigin would’ve been the one cursing him…if he’d been alive to see it. Shouldn’t have written it in your book then.

Sometimes Murmur wished Gamigin was still alive. He didn’t care either way about the demon himself, but it would have been so much easier to simply chain him down and torture him until he explained everything rather than trying to interpret his half-mad ramblings. How much time had Murmur wasted deciphering this cursed book?

But he was close. And it was in Gamigin’s ramblings that Murmur had finally discovered what he believed to be the missing link in his experiments. The missing ingredient. The time was fast approaching for him to collect that ingredient and test his theory.

But he had to finish his study of the book first. The paranoia forced him to, reminding him that at any moment, someone could trespass onto his territory and try to steal it from him again.

It had happened once. It would happen again.

His claws dug deeper into the wood.

In a cruel twist of fate, it was at that moment that the souls patrolling his boundary wards alerted him to a breach.

Murmur lurched to his feet, sending his chair crashing backward. His fingers curled into his palms, claws digging into his flesh. Venom dripped from his tail barb.

Trespassers. They were everywhere.

Did everyone know of his plan? Would someone beat him to his final objective? Was he a step behind some other competitor? Were they watching him even now?

He spun around with narrowed eyes, scanning the familiar sight of his dark library. Every shadow seemed to taunt him. Every flicker of light looked like eyes watching him.

He shook his head roughly. Deal with the problem at hand. Do not succumb to the madness.

Closing his eyes, he concentrated and issued a command to his souls, sending them out to greet his guest, immobilizing the intruder until he could greet them himself and discover their intent.

Scooping up his precious book, he crossed the library to one of the bookshelves. Puncturing the end of his finger with a claw, he pressed the bloodied tip to the spine of a nondescript volume. The hidden door released and he dragged it open, the entire shelf rotating with it.

He set his book upon the stand inside and then backed out, closing the door behind him. He touched his bloodied finger back to the stained spine, sealing the ward once more.

Then, he crossed the room and threw open the clouded glass of one large window, clearing out the cobwebs covering it until the sticky filaments coated his claws. Climbing onto the sill, he formed his wings and then dove out into space, spreading the leathery expanses to catch the air and break his fall.

He banked sharply right—toward the boundary that was breached.

Time to greet his guest.

When he arrived at the ward tower a short while later, he had to admit he was surprised by what he found. Dismissing the souls surrounding his unlikely guest, he flared his wings and landed lightly, tail swaying behind him.

He crossed his arms and lifted a brow. “I have to say, this is unexpected.”

Raum stood in his half demon form, his leathery skin covered in black scales. He carried a nondescript sack at one side. His scaled chest appeared to be covered in blood, which was vaguely interesting. Glossy wings folded behind him, and his bright golden eyes peered at Murmur with obvious distrust.

Murmur didn’t blame him for that. It was only natural to be wary after being trussed up like a turkey and injected with venom. If Raum hadn’t wanted that, though, he shouldn’t have trespassed in the first place.

“Have you come for another dose?” Murmur mocked, flicking his tail in Raum’s direction. “I’m told my venom can be quite the party drug.”

Raum’s upper lip curled off his fangs. “I brought a peace offering,” he said flatly, hefting the bag in his hand.

Murmur peered at it. It looked heavy, and…was that blood staining the fabric? He transferred his gaze back to Raum, frowning. “Is that what I think it is?”

“Knowing you, probably.”

Murmur waited for an explanation.

Raum’s jaw shifted like whatever he was about to say already grated at his pride, and Murmur felt his mood improving.

“I know you had a deal with Bel, and I fucked it up by trespassing on your territory.”

“And trying to steal from me,” Murmur reminded him.

Raum nodded with a sour look. “My brothers and I…” He ground his teeth before continuing. “We hope to continue our agreement.”

“Even after you violated it and tried to steal from me.”

“Hence the peace offering.”

“A head in a bag?” Murmur looked at the sack. “Not the worst gift I’ve received, but its worth depends on whose head it is.”

Raum tossed the bag, and it rolled lopsidedly to Murmur’s feet.

Eyeing Raum suspiciously, Murmur crouched. With careful claws, he parted the drawstring on the bag and peered inside. He saw curly blond hair stained with blood, and a light-skinned face, contorted in a grotesque expression.

He stood again. “Who is that?”

“Raphael.”

Murmur stared at Raum. Then he stared at the head in the bag. Then he stared at Raum again. “Raphael. As in…”

“As in the archangel Raphael.”

Murmur didn’t even try to hide his shock. His eyes bugged and his mouth dropped open. “How did you get the archangel Raphael’s head in a bag?”

“Sunshine chopped it off.”

“Sunshine…?” Understanding dawned. “The angel who busted your ass out of my dungeons.”

Raum nodded, his brow lifting. His intent was clear. He wanted Murmur aware of what this angel was capable of so he’d think twice about going after her. Interesting.

“Raphael is going to regenerate from that head,” Raum said. “Trust me, it’s the largest piece left of him. When he does, you can keep him contained and drain his blood. You’ll have an unlimited, renewable source of angel blood to do whatever you want with. You can sell it, use it on your enemies, use it in necromancy, whatever. That head is a potentially never-ending source of wealth and power.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why Raphael? What’d he do to you?”

Raum’s lip curled again. “What hasn’t he done?”

“I want to hear how he’s personally slighted you, so I understand what you gain from this.”

“Who says I have anything to gain? Maybe I just want to give you a peace offering.”

“Don’t insult my intelligence. Your offering is also a convenience to you, or you wouldn’t be here. I want to know what it is.”

Raum made an impatient growl. “Raphael wiped my memories. He also cursed Asmodeus, as I’m sure you know. He threatened to kill me and someone I care about. He lied to Sunshine and betrayed her. He knows where we’re hiding on Earth, and he knows that Sunshine’s loyalties to Heaven are…divided. I need him gone, but it’s too risky to kill him.”

“So you want him permanently incapacitated.”

He nodded. “Sunshine was once held prisoner in Hell as a blood source, exactly like this. Raphael knew what happened to her and did nothing.” A rare smile curved Raum’s lips. “I’m just giving him a taste of his own medicine. It’s only fair.”

Now that was the kind of justice Murmur could get behind.

His thoughts raced as he fought to assimilate this new information. Raum had some kind of traitor-to-the-Realm angel on his side who was willing to bust him out of dungeons and chop off the heads of archangels. That made him a formidable enemy. Especially because Belial called him brother. It was in Murmur’s best interest to keep things amicable.

But the slight against him could not go ignored or it would make him look weak.

“Do you have plans to make a second attempt to steal my book?” he asked.

Raum’s mouth tightened. “I was bound by a contract. I had no choice.”

That was a deflection if Murmur had ever seen one. “If your angel wanted to come back and try again, would you accompany her?”

“Yes.”

Well, at least he was honest.

“I’ll make you a deal, crow. In exchange for your generous offering”—Murmur nudged the head with his foot—“I’ll forgive your trespass…this time. My agreement with Belial will hold. But the moment you cross into my territory to steal from me again, all bets are off.”

Raum nodded.

“I will consider a second trespass an act of war. I don’t start fights I can’t win. I will do everything in my power to make sure you and your brothers are defeated, whether by me, Lucifer, or an army of angels I conveniently point in your direction. Remember, I’m not the one who’s been breaking rules.”

Raum’s expression was murderous, but he didn’t argue.

“Tell your angel friend to remember that before she tries to steal from me again. And tell Belial he still owes me two favors.”

“I’ll accept your terms on one condition.”

Murmur cocked a brow. Raum wasn’t in a position to make demands.

“Raphael can’t go free. If you take him, you have to be prepared to keep him indefinitely.”

Murmur allowed his affront to show. It was highly offensive to suggest he wasn’t capable of holding onto a prisoner.

Raum cocked a brow. “Sunshine busted me out of your dungeon without too much trouble, so forgive me if I’m a little skeptical.”

Murmur’s tail flicked with irritation. “I have so many complex plans in motion, your mind would splinter if you tried to comprehend the magnitude of them. Your presence in my domain was an inconvenience I did not have the time nor energy to deal with.

“Once I got the information I needed from you, I planned to let you rot in that dungeon until someone came to claim you. Be grateful your angel didn’t make you wait long. But never believe I don’t know every single thing that goes on in my territory. If I’d wanted to keep you as my prisoner, nothing in this world could have broken you free. You escaped because I let you.”

The two demons glared at each other, Murmur’s tail flicking, Raum’s claws flexing.

Finally, the crow nodded. “You have a deal.”

“I’m the one who gets to agree,” Murmur said haughtily. “Not you. You presented the deal, and it’s my choice whether or not to accept.”

Raum just looked at him.

“Which I do,” Murmur added after making him wait a moment longer. “Shall we swear in blood?”

They cut their palms and spoke the vow, and that was it. With a single nod of farewell, Raum shifted into his enormous demon form, spread his four wings, and took to the red sky, leaving Murmur behind with his prize.

He crouched and picked up Raphael’s head by the hair, lifting it to his eye level.

“Do you think he’ll regret making that deal with me after what I’m about to do?” Murmur asked the head. “I made him swear not to trespass on my territory, but he never made me swear not to trespass on his.”

Raphael’s contorted features gave no response, of course.

“Come now,” he told his new friend, rising to his feet. “Let’s get you situated in your new home. I’ll chain you up nice and tight once you regrow a new body.”

Murmur’s blood stirred with unhealthy anticipation, and he allowed a perverse smile to twist his lips. “I think we’re going to get along very well.”

33

A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN

When the hellgate dropped Raum back in the living room of his apartment, Sunshine was waiting for him.

“How did it go?” she asked. “Did he accept the gift?”

Instead of responding, he gripped the back of her neck and pulled her in for a kiss. She flattened her hands on his chest and made a soft humming sound against his lips.

He pulled back. “He took it.”

Sunshine fanned herself and smiled, and that was when Raum noticed the rest of the people in the room. Everyone, in fact, including Daniel. And they were all staring at him.

Eva was curled up with a blanket on the couch, Ash at her side, Dan across from her. Mist, Meph, and the twins were seated at the dining table, and Bel occupied the kitchen. Even Faust was there, sitting at Iris’s feet, tail thumping when Raum looked at him.

Someone—likely Bel—had finally cleaned after his and Raum’s fight, though there were still scorch marks on the ceiling. All the furniture was back in place and the broken items had been discarded, which meant the space looked pretty empty. The only decor that had survived was the little row of plants on the shelf in the window.

“Have you met everyone?” Raum asked Sunshine. Later, he’d mumble a thank-you to Bel for cleaning up.

“Eva was kind enough to introduce me while you were gone.” Sunshine was wearing a white strappy blouse and leggings, and there wasn’t a trace of blood on her. She must have flashed back to her place to wash and change while he was gone.

He hadn’t had time for that luxury yet. “I need a shower,” he told her.

“Yes, you do.” The look in her eyes didn’t match her innocent smile, and he knew immediately what she was thinking.

He opened his mouth to suggest she accompany him, but Bel had to go and ruin the moment. “What did Murmur say?”

Raum filled him in on what had transpired in his meeting with the Necromancer. Near the end of the explanation, he hesitated, glancing at Sunshine. He didn’t even want to think about her going back to Hell to get her book, but he knew it would happen eventually. And in order for her to plan her next steps safely, she needed to know what was at stake.

He took a breath. “If any of us go onto Murmur’s territory to steal from him, the deal’s off, and he’ll consider us at war.”

Strangely, Sunshine didn’t look concerned. She smiled reassuringly and nodded for him to continue.

“And you still owe him two favors, Bel,” Raum added, looking at his brother.

“I’m still not averse to killing the bastard,” Bel growled, echoing Raum’s own thoughts. “I’m sick of being manipulated.”

“I can’t believe you just handed the most famous archangel in history over to a half-mad demon,” Dan mumbled, dragging a hand through his hair. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

“It was the only way,” Sunshine reminded him. “He threatened all of us, and it was you who vetoed the idea of killing him.”

Dan stared at her. “I’ve known you longer than I can remember, yet I feel like I don’t know you at all.”

Raum bristled, taking a step forward and pinning Dan with a glare.

The Grigori held his hands up. “It’s not a bad thing. I just always thought you were a rigid rule follower, Sunshine. I never had a clue you were having a secret relationship with a demon, and you’d be the last person I’d expect to do…what you did at the warehouse.”

“Apparently, Shamsiel was a good liar,” Sunshine said with a shrug. “I don’t know how I did it because all my memories from then are altered. But I’m sorry if I gave you the impression I was the type of friend who would hurt your daughter because of mindless obedience.”

“No, that’s not it at all,” Dan rushed to say. “I just couldn’t take risks with her safety.”

“You don’t need to explain. Rest assured, there will be no more blind rule following from now on.” She pursed her lips. “In fact, I believe I have some difficult choices to make.”

Raum frowned at her in question, but she smiled and patted his arm. “You should have your shower first, darling, and then we can talk. There’s no rush.”

Darling? She may have been capable of chopping someone into tiny pieces, but he’d always find her sweet.

He leaned in. Without hesitation, she rose on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on his lips.

“I think we’re soul mates,” she whispered when he pulled back, just loud enough for his ears only.

His lips curved. She was too cute. “I don’t have a soul, remember?”

“Well, whatever—”

“Actually, I believe you do.”

Sunshine jumped as the voice spoke behind them. Raum spun around and froze.

The most radiant, perfect fucking guy he’d ever seen was standing across the room by the windows. He was so perfect, light glowed from him.

His eyes were eerie—indigo blue with purple and white flecks that spiraled around his pupils like miniature galaxies. His skin was bronze and his hair was pale, the long strands lifting away from his face as if blown by a perpetual breeze. His robe wavered with the same movement, and that was when Raum realized he wasn’t even standing on the ground. He floated several inches above it.

Sunshine gasped. “Adriel!” Her grip tightened on Raum’s arm, but she made no move to step away from him, which was the only reason he didn’t do something stupid.

Tension spiked through the room. Anyone sitting lurched to their feet. Belial immediately shot to the razor’s edge of a rage. Faust cowered under Iris and Lily’s chairs.

“Greetings, Sunshine,” the angel said. He smiled like he wasn’t receiving simultaneous death stares from five different demons.

“G-Greetings, sir.”

He turned his head. “Daniel. A pleasure to see you.”

Dan couldn’t seem to form words, his mouth opening and closing silently.

“And Belial.” The angel turned to greet the seething demon in the kitchen. “It is an honor.”

And he actually bowed at the waist.

Everyone stared. In any other situation, the look on Bel’s face—a mix of shock and revulsion—would have been comical, but Raum figured his own expression was probably similar.

The angel straightened and addressed the rest of the room. “I am called Adriel.”

This was Sunshine’s mentor? The guy who’d rearranged her mind and neglected to tell her about it? But also…the guy who’d fought to keep her from being kicked out of Heaven.

And he was seriously powerful too. The apartment wards had all ruptured the second he arrived, a faint blood stain on the wall their only remainder.

While everyone stared, Adriel turned and bent to look closely at the row of plants on the shelf. He poked one of the cacti, drawing his hand back to look at the droplet of blood welling on his finger.

“It protects itself.” He leaned in closer. “What a tiny miracle.”

Sunshine cleared her throat. “Sir…?”

He turned back around, seeming just to notice everyone staring at him. He was still giving that creepy serene smile. “Shall we sit? I would offer tea, but—”

“We don’t need fucking tea,” Belial growled.

Adriel moved gracefully over to the sofa beside a rigid Ash and Eva—walking on his feet now, apparently. He started to sit and then straightened again abruptly, staring down at the cushion. “Is that made of…flesh?”

“It’s leather,” Sunshine explained. “It’s a common material humans use. Very sturdy and long lasting.”

His brows climbed his forehead. “It is flesh?”

“Well, yes. Usually from a cow, sheep, or pig, I believe.”

Adriel looked at the sofa again and blinked. And then he went back over to stand by the plants.

“Look,” Bel drawled, “if you’re here to administer heavenly justice for our transgressions, can we get on with it?”

“There will be no dispensing of heavenly justice,” Adriel replied. His demeanor was pleasant but also uncannily emotionless. “In fact, I came here to inform you”—he looked suddenly at Raum—“that you have passed your test.”

He frowned. “What test?”

“I’ve been watching you for some time.”

“You knew where we were this whole time?” Ash asked, moving protectively in front of Eva.

“If I wish, I can know where anyone is on Earth at any time. I knew where you were the moment I wanted to.”

“But…why not come after us ages ago?”

“Angels of my Sphere create and maintain the heavens, and affairs of Earth are not our concern. I’ve never bothered much with anything happening here. But it was because of my friendship with Sunshine that I finally took my first look at this planet.” He looked around. “The air is quite polluted, but I suppose there’s beauty to be found if one looks.”

“Beats Hell,” Meph muttered.

Adriel nodded, gazing out the window. He seemed to stare at nothing, his starry eyes unfocused. The silence stretched on. Faust whined softly, so Lily bent to pet him.

Sunshine cleared her throat lightly.

Adriel blinked. “After I argued against Sunshine falling from Heaven and rearranged her memories, I expected to put the incident from my mind and never think of it again. At the time, I thought that while it was unfortunate for her to forget someone she loved, a price had to be paid, and this seemed fitting.”

“That’s a little cold,” Meph said, ever the tactful one.

But Adriel peered at him, considering his words. “I’ve spent my entire existence free of all attachments. Perhaps I am cold.”

He looked back at Sunshine. “I’ve learned many things since then, and my biggest regret is that I didn’t give you a choice. Perhaps you would have chosen to fall rather than forget.”

Sunshine swallowed, glancing at Raum.

“I was wrong in assuming I would never think of the incident again. Rearranging Sunshine’s memories meant reliving every one of them in my own mind, and what I saw stuck with me in a way I didn’t understand. Still, I did nothing until recently when I heard about the demons who’d escaped Hell to wreak havoc upon the Earth. Again, such things aren’t my concern, and I was only told because Belial was among them.”

“Why is Bel important?” Meph asked. He seemed to be the only one not shocked into silence by Adriel’s mere presence.

“History has been recorded and preserved in the Empyrean Library. The story of Belial’s great sacrifice is well known among angels.”

“What sacrifice?” Bel cut in, looking alarmed.

“Your choice to fall from Heaven, of course.”

“My what—?”

That was news to Raum too. Most people knew Belial had been an angel eons ago, but he’d fallen and become one of the most powerful demons ever to exist. He’d never heard anything about it being a sacrifice, however.

But Adriel waved a hand before they could inquire further. “That is not relevant presently, and unfortunately, I must keep this brief. The materialistic vibrations of this plane eat away at my essence.”

They do what now? Raum wasn’t going to ask.

“When I learned of the rogues,” Adriel continued, “I discovered Raum was among them, and my curiosity was piqued.”

Raum narrowed his eyes. “Why?”

“I knew you through Sunshine’s memories, and for the most part, your behavior hadn’t seemed particularly demonic. I found it curious that you would choose to escape Hell, and I had my suspicions as to why. So I watched you.”

Great. So not only had Sunshine found them easily, but Adriel had been sitting up in Heaven spying on them since the day they escaped. Fucking angels.

“It was clear that you behaved differently from what is assumed about demons. I began a period of study on demonic evolution and found there was almost no research done on the subject. I did learn of one book, however.”

“The Book of Gamigin,” Sunshine breathed.

“Yes.”

“Wait—” Iris spoke up for the first time. Everyone was so silent, Raum had almost forgotten they were there. “That’s Suyin’s book. That Valefor stole. That Murmur now has.”

“The grimoire is supposedly written by Gamigin, or Samigina, a Duke of Hell who I believe was destroyed. In it, he reportedly provides evidence for his theory that demons not only evolve consciousness, but they also evolve souls.”

Everyone stared at him in mute shock.

Except Eva. She looked at Ash and said, “That’s exactly what you told me! When we first met and I found out about demons, you told me you thought you developed souls, and you were freaked out because you didn’t know what would happen if you died.”

“That question perplexed me as well,” Adriel said. “I hoped Gamigin’s text might contain answers. As I am unable to enter the underworld—”

“Why not?” Meph asked.

“Hell’s lower vibrations are not compatible with a Second Sphere angel’s physiology. Upon entry, I would either rupture into a million shards of light, or I would cause a nuclear explosion-like effect on the realm. I would rather not find out which.”

Meph’s brows shot up. “Fair enough.”

“Since I couldn’t visit Hell to retrieve the text myself, I had to send someone to get the book for me.” Adriel transferred his gaze to Sunshine, and Raum instinctively tensed. Those eyes freaked him out, honestly.

“Because of your past and what I learned in my observations, I realized that drastic changes needed to be made. I took my concerns to the Dominations, and they informed me Raum would face a test in order to secure freedom for himself and the other rogues. The Dominations love tests, you see.”

“Wait—” Raum blinked. “Freedom? What freedom?”

“And what test?” Sunshine added.

“Your encounter with Raphael, of course.”

“That was all some kind of fucked-up test?” Ash looked pissed. “Eva could have been killed!”

“I didn’t know what the test would be. I am not omniscient. I tried to inform Sunshine when we last saw each other, but the Dominations forbade me from explaining anything. The best I could do was allow her to listen in on our conversation.”

Sunshine’s eyes were wide. “That was what you were trying to warn me about.”

“I wanted to tell you more, but in order for the test to work, I couldn’t be involved.”

Raum frowned. He wasn’t sure he bought Adriel’s noble-protector charade. He wasn’t about to forget that he’d lied to Sunshine for hundreds of years.

“So…did Raum pass the test then?” Meph cut in.

“Yes.” Adriel smiled as he turned his freaky starry eyes back in Raum’s direction. “With flying colors.”

Raum blinked. “How?”

“You showed mercy to Raphael, a powerful enemy who’d done a grave injustice against you and those you consider family.”

“I didn’t do it for him,” he grumbled, suddenly regretting his so-called mercy. “I did it because I didn’t want Sunshine to have that on her conscience.”

“Your motive was still selfless.”

His eyes narrowed. “Do you know what I did with him after I so selflessly kept him alive?”

Adriel shrugged, looking unconcerned. “All that matters is that you didn’t kill him.” Maybe Meph hadn’t been far off the mark when he’d called him cold.

“Will angels be sent to Hell to retrieve him?” Mist asked, speaking up for the first time.

“I suspect the Principalities will respond the same way they did when this happened to Sunshine. I have no say in the matter.”

“So they’ll do fuck all,” Raum said.

“It’s likely.”

“But why?” Ash was speaking now. “Raphael is like…their poster boy.”

“I can’t speak for the Principalities, but I believe Raphael went too far when he took the cuffs and scry glass from the Court of Ceremonies and assaulted a guardian angel that I had sent on a special mission.”

“He didn’t have permission to use the items?” Sunshine asked.

“No. His actions embarrassed the Tribunal, and having him gone means they won’t have to do damage control. His disappearance is convenient.” The way Adriel was completely neutral about the whole matter was somewhat unnerving.

“So what does all this stuff about tests mean?” Meph interjected. “Raum’s a hero now or something?”

“It means that the Dominations have agreed that if Raum and his brothers do not wish to be confined to the Hell plane any longer, then they don’t have to be.”

There was silence as that sank in.

The angel was talking about freedom. Real freedom. Not the life of a fugitive, spending eternity looking over their shoulders.

He looked at Raum. “You have proven you can contribute positively to the collective consciousness of Earth, and the Dominations have declared you worthy of inhabiting this plane.”

Everyone was looking around, exchanging wide-eyed looks.

“So, you’re saying,” Ash ventured, “that we’re allowed to stay…and no one will hunt us anymore?”

“Correct.”

“But what about fucks like Raphael?” Meph asked.

“They will follow the rules. They have always followed the rules.” He looked unimpressed by that.

“So…we’re free? Just like that?” Meph looked around. “No more wards or Nephilim blood?”

“There are conditions.”

“Of course there are,” Bel muttered.

“And what about other demons?” Mist asked. Seated beside him, Lily clutched his hand, her palm dwarfed by his. “They will continue to hunt us.” Raum thought of the bounty hunters in the Blood Market and had to agree.

“It will be made known that the rules have changed.” Adriel looked vaguely amused by everyone’s incredulous looks. “You will find I’ve thought this all out very carefully. Which leads to my next order of business.” He turned to Sunshine. “You.”

“Me?” Sunshine looked around as if he might be actually addressing someone else.

“You have also passed your test.”

She frowned. “But I failed to retrieve the book.”

“The book was a task for me. It was not your test. The two just happened to coincide. The Dominations wanted to test you to see if you would follow your heart and heed your instincts. Which you did.”

Her eyes widened. “So you’re saying…”

“I’m saying, your penance is complete, and you will be reinstated to your former rank among the Principalities. Congratulations. As for the book, I still hope to acquire it, but I am relieving you of the responsibility.”

“Sir…” Sunshine’s whole body began to tremble, and her hand shot out to grab Raum’s arm.

Raum wanted to be happy for her. If he was any less of a bastard, he would have been. But instead he felt this crushing sensation. She’d gotten back her rank—what she’d always wanted.

But he wasn’t delusional. Even if he was allowed to stay on Earth now—which was going to take some time for him to actually believe—angels were still not permitted to have relationships.

Sunshine looked up at Raum with wide eyes, and he knew she was thinking what he was. He couldn’t force himself to smile or give any fake positive reaction. He couldn’t tell her he was happy for her, even though he wished he was.

Say something supportive. Even if it’s the biggest lie to ever come out of your mouth.

“You…deserve it,” he managed.

There. Not even a lie. She did deserve it. In his mind, she deserved to be crowned queen of the universe.

Her eyes filled with tears. Shit. Big fail.

And then she spun around to Adriel and said, “Thank you for the offer, sir, but I cannot accept. I have chosen to fall and become a Grigori.”

“Fuck no,” Raum snapped, suddenly finding the emphasis he’d been searching for a moment ago. Probably because this time there wasn’t a single fake thing about his reaction.

“It’s not your decision,” Sunshine said firmly.

“I’m not going to let you do something you’ll regret—”

“The only thing I’ll regret is giving up my freedom and the man I love for some role that hasn’t truly mattered to me in hundreds of years.”

She nearly had him with the ‘man I love’ part, but he hardened himself. “I’m not letting you do this.”

“You will find that I can do whatever I wish and you can’t stop me,” she said haughtily

“Sunshine,” Adriel interjected. “Before rejecting my offer, perhaps you might wish to hear the rest of what I was going to say?”

She immediately plastered on an apologetic smile. “Yes, of course. Please excuse my interruption.”

Raum glared at her and then at the perfect angel boy across the room. She sure as fuck wasn’t that well behaved with him. Unless they were in bed, of course, but that was different.

Then again, he liked sassy Sunshine, even if it was pissing him off right now.

Adriel spoke. “I plan to continue my research into demon souls, but I need angels to help implement the new rules. I was able to override the Principalities by going straight to the Dominations with the changes I wanted to make, but Earth is not my jurisdiction, and beyond that I have no say in what goes on here. I would like to offer you a position uniquely suited to your situation. I need a Principality willing to live on Earth with demons who want to transition from living on the Hell plane to this one.”

Sunshine’s eyes were wide. “S-sir?”

“Your duties will be screening applicants to determine their suitability and working with the Tribunal to enforce the new rules. Once a demon passes assessment and is granted approval to live on Earth, there will be a mentorship program in place. Each demon will be assigned a guide to oversee their transition, measure their progress, and ensure they continue abiding by the rules.”

“You want me to do this?” Sunshine asked. “And…I could live on Earth?”

“Yes. The closer you’re willing to be to your first group of transitioning demons, the better.”

“If you expect me to take counseling from an angel,” Bel said, “you’re mistaken.”

Adriel looked at him. “These are the conditions set forth for your continued freedom.”

“Well, you can take those conditions and shove—”

“Shut up, Bel,” Ash hissed. “We’ll do it.”

“You don’t speak for me—”

“I do when you’re being an ass. He’s telling us we’re fucking free. No one can force us back to Hell. No archangels can try to kill us. All we have to do is let Sunshine counsel us or whatever. I’d sit through way worse than that, and I know you would too, so shut up.”

Sunshine beamed like Ash had just paid her a great compliment. Bel’s lip curled, and his clenched jaw indicated there was more he wanted to say, but surprisingly, he held his tongue.

“But I want protection for Eva,” Ash said, looking back at Adriel. “If you want me to stop being evil and cooperate with Heaven, then you’d better find a way to make sure nothing happens to her.”

Adriel transferred his serene smile to Sunshine. “As the Principality heading this important operation, I believe Sunshine will have the authority to arrange that.”

“I’ll do everything in my power to keep her safe,” Sunshine assured him, but her gaze was on Eva. Then she turned back to Adriel. “I can really stay with Raum? And regain my rank?”

“Yes. Unless, of course, you’d still prefer to become a Grigori?” Adriel’s brow quirked.

“No! No, thank you. I accept the position.”

Raum wasn’t jumping on board so quickly. “I thought relationships were forbidden to angels, no matter what rank they hold.”

“The Dominations have ordered an exception to be made in your case.” Adriel’s eerie eyes fixed on him. “Apparently, you have friends in high places. You were the primary case I presented of how a demon can evolve. Your history with Sunshine was a perfect example of how love, when freely given and received, can transform the hardest hearts, forming a soul in a body that previously had none.”

Well, fuck. The heavenly hosts were making a special exception just for him and Sunshine. Raum still kinda wanted to punch Adriel in his flawless angelic face, but…this helped a bit.

“Can you return our memories?” he asked.

Adriel shook his head. “I’m sorry. To maintain the balance, the exception must come at a price. The Dominations declared that your past is the sacrifice you have to make to secure your future.”

Raum looked at Sunshine, and she smiled apologetically at him. He felt her disappointment as much as his own, but…suddenly, it didn’t seem so important anymore.

He knew enough about what had happened, and while he wished like hell he could’ve remembered his lost time with Sunshine, if forgetting forever meant he could have her now, the choice was easy.

He took a breath, blew it out, and finally let go of the past.

“As I said before,” Adriel added, “when I altered your memories, Sunshine, I relived them through you. So if you have questions, I may have the answers.”

“Do you know why Raum is resistant to angel blood?” Sunshine asked.

“In your…intimate moments, he was unable to quell his urge to bite.” For a moment, a flicker of what looked like embarrassment crossed Adriel’s face. He blinked, and the expression was neutralized. “The first few times it happened were unfortunate, as he quickly lost consciousness.”

Meph barked a laugh, and Iris elbowed him.

“Eventually, you realized that the more he bit you, the more his tolerance built, and you began giving him infusions of blood as often as possible to increase his resistance. After many years of this, he was able to overcome the effects almost immediately. He also developed certain angel-typical abilities, such as communication with animals.”

“That must be how you broke through Raphael’s sigil!” Eva said with a gasp.

But Raum wasn’t thinking about that. He was too busy staring at Adriel. “I have a connection with animals because of Sunshine?”

Adriel nodded. “But your own inclinations increased your aptitude. On another, it might have simply diminished the aversion animals have to demons. But because of your affection for Earth creatures, it developed into a powerful magnetism. Your care for them was one of the points I used when presenting my case to the Dominations.”

Raum transferred his stunned gaze to Sunshine, who beamed back at him. He almost couldn’t believe she was real. His connection with animals had been one of the only things to bring him peace in the last centuries.

Even when they’d forgotten each other, she’d been watching out for him.

“I’ve reached the extent of time I can remain on this mundane plane without ill effect,” Adriel said, interrupting their moment. “Sunshine, please give me the scry glass and cuffs so I may return them to the Court of Ceremonies.”

“Of course.” Sunshine went to the kitchen where the items had been left on the counter and then carried them back to Adriel. “What about Raphael’s sword?”

He blinked. “Keep it. I don’t think he’ll miss it presently.”

Meph choked on a laugh.

Sunshine’s eyes bugged. “But shouldn’t I give it to the Tribunal or—”

“You have an important job. You should have a powerful weapon to defend yourself with.” He smiled, dismissing the matter. “Please visit in the next few days so we can discuss your new program. You will also need to attend a ceremony for your rise in rank.”

“Of course, I— Thank you, sir. For everything. Words can’t express my gratitude.”

Raum said nothing and neither did anyone else. Yeah, yeah, he was grateful, but he wasn’t going to admit it. And it was going to take more than a verbal promise to earn his trust.

Adriel didn’t seem to care. He was still smiling that creepy smile at Sunshine. “Our friendship has been a source of joy to me. I regret that it took me this long to correct my mistake, but you have taught me much since then. I thank you for showing me how to view this world in a more hopeful light. Do you wish to be called Shamsiel again now that you will be reinstated as a Principality?”

“No,” she said, smiling at Raum. “I chose my new name for a reason, and I have no desire to return to the past.”

She looked at him like he was the sunshine of her life and not the grumpy one in their partnership, and that made his lips curve into a smile.

Almost. For only a second.

But judging by the way she beamed at him in return, it was enough for her. And that was all he fucking cared about.

AN HOUR OR SO LATER, Adriel was gone, Dan had also said his farewells and departed, and the rest of them were crammed onto the sofas and sitting in stunned silence. Except Belial, who loomed over by the windows, shoulder propped against the glass.

Eva and Ash sat beside Mist and Lily on one couch. On the other, Iris sat on Meph’s lap, and Raum—who’d finally taken a shower and was back in human form—had his arm around Sunshine, who rested her head against his shoulder. Faust lay on the floor in front of them.

“So…now what?” Meph ventured into the silence, idly tracing a tattoo on Iris’s forearm.

No one had an answer.

“What do you guys want to do now that you’re not fugitives anymore?” Eva asked.

“You can do anything you want,” Lily said.

“You’re all filthy rich with your dirty Hell money,” Iris added. “The world is your oyster.”

“I’m gonna buy a car,” Raum decided. “So I can drive to the shelter.”

Iris laughed. “Come on, you can dream bigger than that.”

He shrugged. “I already have everything I want.”

Sunshine lifted her head to smile at him.

Eva suddenly straightened and turned to Ash beside her. “Let’s go on tour!”

He blinked. “What?”

“Let’s get a band together and take our show on the road. People will love it!”

He shrugged. “Alright.” He tried to look nonchalant, but Raum recognized that impassioned look in his eyes that he got whenever anyone mentioned music.

“I wanna buy a studio space,” Meph said. “A big one. With all the shit I could ever need.”

“I would like to see more of Earth,” Mist said. “I’ve only seen it when I was hunting. There are many places I’d like to explore in more detail.”

“Let’s do it!” Lily said, eyes lighting up, and Mist smiled affectionately at her. “I’ve always wanted to travel more.”

“You hate being in human form,” Iris said to him, cocking a brow.

He seemed unconcerned. “I can manage. I’ll look for deserted places when I need a break.”

“I want my own living space,” Raum suddenly announced. Apparently, he could dream bigger after all. “I’m sick of listening to Meph and Iris fuck through the walls.”

Iris’s face went beet red. Meph grinned. Mist nodded understandingly, and Bel groaned. “Can’t tell you how many times I’ve considered cutting my own ears off and shoving them down both your throats.”

“Ew,” Lily said.

Everyone teased them more as Iris shrank further into the oversized hoodie she wore—likely Meph’s—and Meph just looked smug. He could embarrass anyone endlessly, but no one could ever get him back because he laughed at himself the same way he laughed at others.

Finally, the conversation died down again, and they went back to sitting in stunned silence. Raum suspected it would be a while before they actually believed they were free.

“What about you, Belial?” Sunshine asked suddenly. “What’s the first thing you want to do?”

Bel stroked his chin and thought briefly. And then he smiled. “Buy a big fuck-off mansion.”

34

SOMETHING TO CROW ABOUT

One month later…

Sunshine stepped out of the bright sunlight and pushed open the door to Ange Gardien, causing the little bells overhead to tinkle. Summer had come early this year in Montreal, which made everyone happy. Even Sunshine, who’d just spent the day in Heaven where the weather was always temperate, felt a little spring in her step.

The secretary looked up when Sunshine entered and froze like a deer in headlights.

“Bonjour, Chloé.” Sunshine lifted a hand in greeting. “Ça va?”

Chloé’s mouth dropped open, and she made no reply.

Oh well. Hopefully she’d get used to Sunshine eventually. According to Raum, she’d only just worked up the nerve to say hello to him when he came in every morning.

So as not to distress her further, Sunshine hurried through the door into the hall. She was just about to head into the kennels when another door opened behind her. She turned to find Caro leaving her office.

“Greetings, Caro,” Sunshine said before inwardly wincing. Humans didn’t often greet each other that way, but she’d been spending a lot of time with Adriel lately, and his formal speech was wearing off on her.

She’d also spent the last week in session with the Tribunal, working to change the rules around Nephilim, vampires, and other supernatural creatures. They didn’t deserve to die just for existing.

As Adriel had predicted, no one had lifted a finger to look for Raphael. She couldn’t quite find it in herself to feel sorry for him.

“Hi, Sunshine,” Caro said, smiling as she pushed her glasses up her nose. “She’s almost ready for you. All her shots are up to date, and the vet said she’s in perfect health. I’m just finishing up her paperwork, and then she’s all yours.”

“Thank you. You’ve made this whole process so easy.”

“That’s my job. Just want to see the dogs going to good homes, and I know you two are going to be great for her. I’m happy to take care of the little details.”

“Your kindness is greatly appreciated.”

“You’re too sweet, honey. I can see why Raum is so smitten. He’d better appreciate what he has and treat you right.”

“He does,” Sunshine assured her. “He is hard on the outside but soft on the inside.”

“He is, isn’t he?” Caro laughed. “He’s in the dog run out back if you want to get him. Tiny’s new family came by for a visit earlier, and now he’s working his magic with a new rescue we got in. Come find me when you’re ready to go.”

Thanking Caro once more, Sunshine pushed through the door into the kennels. The dogs were quiet and relaxed, and as she passed, many came to sniff her fingers and wag their tails. She assured each of them they were in good hands and would surely find homes soon.

Passing through the outside door at the end, she stepped back into the bright sunshine, squinting as her eyes adjusted. She spotted Raum immediately, and her heart melted a little. He was sitting on the ground with his back against the chain-link fence, one arm draped over his bent knee.

The position looked casual, but she knew he’d done it so the dog with him could sniff his fingers. The animal was doing just that and seemed to have warmed up to him a little, because its tail was wagging.

Raum’s head turned when she approached, and his lips curved in one corner. A smile just for her. Precious.

“Hello,” she greeted, gripping the tall fence and leaning in. “Who’s your friend?”

“Her name’s Abby. She’s a border collie. A little skittish but getting better.” He climbed to his feet, causing Abby to shy away momentarily before following after him as he approached Sunshine.

He gripped the fence on either side of her hands, and their eyes met.

“Hi,” he said.

Her stomach flip-flopped. “Hi.”

“Did you have a good day?”

“Yes. Did you?”

“Better now.”

“Why?”

“You’re here.”

“Oh.” Her cheeks felt hot.

His lips spread into a full smile at her reaction. “You’re cute.”

She released the fence and pressed her palms to her face, hiding the edges of her smile. “I hear Tiny’s new family came by for a visit.”

“Yeah, you just missed them. He looked happy. I’m…glad I got to say goodbye.”

“I never thought I’d be grateful for being knocked over by a giant dog, but I suppose I am.”

“We would have met anyway, since you were stalking me.”

She shot him a look. “Yes, but that was the first time I got to watch you ‘work your magic,’ as Caro calls it. You’re very impressive.”

It was his turn to look embarrassed, but he tried to hide it with a shrug. “You wanna get out of here? We’re gonna be late for our own party.”

“Will Abby be okay?” She glanced down at the border collie now seated at Raum’s feet.

“She’s great. She’s not a fan of the kennel, but she won’t be here long. She just needs a bit of training first. Let’s get Luna and go.”

Twenty minutes later, Sunshine, Raum, and Luna had said their farewells and were walking out the front door of the shelter.

“There,” Sunshine told Luna, who smiled up at her with that silly pit bull grin. “Now you’re mine. I hope you like your new home.”

Luna’s tongue lolled. She just looked happy to be outside again.

Strangely, Sunshine felt her eyes sting. She stopped mid stride and touched a tear that formed at one corner, the droplet beading on the tip of her finger.

“What is it?” Raum asked, turning back.

She held out her finger for him to see. “A tear.”

He frowned. “Why?”

“I’m happy.”

Their eyes met. He didn’t speak, but she didn’t expect him to. She could see his emotions reflected in his eyes. We’re here, she thought. We made it.

He snatched her hand out of the air and licked her fingertip. With a squawk, she yanked it back. “Mm, angel tears. Do I have more special powers now?”

She rolled her eyes but couldn’t hold back a laugh.

They loaded Luna into the back seat of Raum’s shiny new SUV. All five of the demons had made changes since Adriel’s visit. Now that they knew no one was coming to oust them from their home, they were free to put down roots. For Raum, that meant buying a Land Rover. He’d had to get the biggest, fanciest one, despite Sunshine’s suggestion that he get something practical.

And of course, they had adopted Luna.

They’d been taking her from the kennel as much as they could until Sunshine suddenly realized there was no way she was giving her away. It had taken a bit of time to arrange a living situation that would work, but things had fallen into place.

As they drove, Raum rolled down the windows and cranked up the stereo. Leaning back in her seat and closing her eyes, Sunshine felt the wind blow her hair and the music vibrate the seat at her back. She could have flashed them where they needed to go, but Raum liked driving his fancy car, and this was more fun anyway.

She glanced over at him sprawled in the leather seat, strong arm draped over the steering wheel, golden eyes hidden behind a pair of dark sunglasses, and she sighed appreciatively. He felt her gaze and glanced over, reaching out to stroke a finger along her cheekbone.

She squirmed in delight and then twisted around and patted Luna on her adorable flat head, and she was certain it was one of the most perfect moments she’d ever lived.

When they reached the new house, Raum hit the button on the visor and the wrought-iron gate swung open. Tall trees and a high stone wall hid the interior of the property from view of the street.

The Land Rover crawled up a cobblestone driveway lined by more trees until they pulled up to a big garage. It was a sunny day, so Raum parked outside, and they climbed out, keeping Luna on the leash as this was her first visit to the new house.

They climbed the stone steps. Stone gargoyles poised atop short pillars outside the front door—fitting, considering who the house’s new owner was. Built in the early 1900s, the outside was stone with dark-stained wood doors and window frames, and the inside had been modernized, including a state-of-the-art kitchen—the main reason Belial had chosen it.

“I still can’t believe Bel was able to move in so quickly,” she said, taking in the spectacular setting.

“Money talks,” was Raum’s reply.

She held his hand as they followed the path around the side of the house, passing through the gate into the backyard. The throb of music got louder the further they went, and all of the sudden, Sunshine’s stomach clenched with nerves.

It seemed a silly reaction since nothing about today was unexpected. She’d known exactly where they were going after they left the shelter. She knew the surprise she’d been planning for days was finally ready.

But she was nervous because…this was a new beginning. This moment marked the start of a future she had never envisioned for herself, because she couldn’t have imagined anything this wonderful.

Raum gave her hand a squeeze before they rounded the corner. “Ready?”

“I’ve never been more ready for anything.”

Everyone was gathered on the back patio, sprawled in the deck furniture around a table covered with food. The turquoise pool glittered in the sun, and Eva’s house music thumped from speakers. Across the patio on the other side of the yard was a secondary, smaller house.

Sunshine and Raum’s new home.

The realtor had called it a guest house, but Sunshine had seen the inside and loved it immediately. The two-bedroom cottage had the perfect amount of space, and Bel had (begrudgingly) agreed Luna could have free run of the backyard.

He hadn’t been impressed when he’d learned they were adopting a dog, but as long as Luna was kept out of the main house, he accepted it. Since Luna was still very timid, keeping her away from a towering demon with anger issues seemed wise anyway.

Her tail started wagging as Faust came bounding over, his huge black paws still a little gangly in his adolescent puppy stage. Raum unclipped Luna’s leash, and the dogs ran off to play. They’d introduced them already to make sure they got along despite the apparent size difference. That and the fact that hellhounds might eat Earth dogs under different circumstances. Fortunately, Faust just wanted to play, and they’d become fast friends.

Everyone called out greetings as they approached, but it was Eva who came over with two glasses of champagne. She and Sunshine had bonded after what happened at the warehouse.

“Happy housewarming!” she said. “This place— Wow. Bel gave me a tour. I can’t believe how huge it is, but it suits him, I guess.”

Sunshine chuckled as she accepted the champagne. “I think he’ll enjoy the high ceilings.”

“No kidding. It’s way too big for him to live alone in.”

“No, it isn’t,” Belial grunted, overhearing the conversation.

“We should all move in!” Lily exclaimed. “There are definitely enough bedrooms, and it would be so fun to have everyone living together under one roof.”

“No, it wouldn’t,” Bel grumbled, but the look on Lily’s face suggested the topic might come up for later discussion.

They had food and drinks and chatted about mostly nothing. Meph was working on another art show, Eva and Ash were booking a tour, Mist and Lily had made plans to visit Ireland. They discussed flights until Sunshine offered to simply flash them there, which they eagerly accepted.

“I also wanted to ask you…” Lily glanced at the looming, gray-skinned demon beside her, “Mist told me you knew how to remove his brands. Would you still be willing…?”

“Yes, of course,” Sunshine replied. “Whenever you wish.”

“Oh, thank you. I can’t tell you how much that means to us.”

“Not yet,” Mist said.

“What?” Lily turned to him. “Why not?”

“What if we face trouble while we’re traveling? You’ll need to summon me.”

“You’ve been trying to get rid of those brands for thousands of years, Mist!”

“Which is why there’s no rush to remove them now.”

“But—” She shook her head. “We’ll talk about this later.”

Mist trailed the backs of his claws down her arm, and she softened with a smile.

Eventually, the sun set and the air cooled enough that they decided to head inside. Sunshine was getting antsy to show Raum her surprise, but she also didn’t want to leave early.

Eva and Ash went to the basement in search of a suitable music room while Bel reluctantly agreed to show Lily and Mist the vacant bedrooms. Sunshine cleared the table with the help of Raum, Meph, and Iris. Luna and Faust stayed outside.

There were quite a few things to bring in and they took shifts. As Sunshine set her second load of dishes in the sink, she felt Raum come up behind her and smiled.

His big body surrounded her with heat as he pushed her up against the counter from behind, and her skin instantly came alive with sensation. He braced his hands on the countertop on either side and leaned down to nuzzle her neck.

“I want you.” Tingles erupted along her neck at the sensation of his breath against her ear.

“Raum,” she warned, but she sounded too breathless to be convincing.

“I waited all day.” He pressed his hips forward against her ass, and she felt the unmistakable ridge of his arousal. The tingles in her neck traveled down her spine in a rush of heat.

“Everyone’s still here. Meph and Iris will be back with more dishes any minute.”

Gripping her hips, he tugged her away from the counter far enough to reach around and slide a hand inside her loose cotton pants. Another hand traveled up the inside of her shirt to cup her breast. Dexterous fingers teased down to her core, which was growing wet quite rapidly.

And then he shifted his hand into demon form, and she felt claws.

Her heart jumped and she suddenly couldn’t draw a breath. “Raum!”

Ever so gently, he trailed a claw across her core over her underwear, and she gasped. Oh, he is bad.

A door slammed and voices echoed down the hallway, and they tensed. Well, Sunshine tensed. Raum just stroked her again, making her shudder.

She shifted, but he kept a tight grip on her hip with his other hand. “Raum—”

“Don’t move,” he growled in her ear.

Immediately, she stilled.

“Good girl.” His low praise made her shiver. This was a game they both loved to play.

The voices came closer until she could hear Iris speaking.

“Suyin’s being paranoid. I keep telling her there’s nothing to worry about, but she doesn’t believe me. Says she’s having weird dreams every night. I wish I could explain why I’m so sure we’re safe, but we both know I can’t…”

Sunshine’s heart leapt. The last thing she wanted was anyone to find her like this, but she couldn’t quite bring herself to disobey Raum’s demand.

As if he read her thoughts, he pressed the pad of his finger against her clit over her underwear. She exhaled sharply, a gush of wetness soaking the fabric. His low growl told her he felt it.

“It would be so much easier if I could just tell her about you and all this shit.” Iris’s voice came from just down the hall now. “But I don’t think she’d take it well. She hates demons almost as much as I used to.”

Sunshine’s heart was racing. Her body trembled against the urge to flash her and Raum out of the kitchen to the safety of their cottage.

“Not yet,” he said, knowing exactly what she was thinking.

His finger pressed harder. She jumped, and it took all her self-control to hold in her gasp.

“You love us now,” Meph’s voice said from right around the corner.

“Don’t look so smug,” Iris replied.

Raum circled her clit again. Heat exploded between her legs. She was shaking all over.

“Can’t help it. Maybe you should just tell her. Let the chips fall where they may. You can’t lie forever.”

“I know. I already tried that with Lily and look how that turned out. Ugh, I feel sick. I think I’m allergic to lying now.”

“Raum,” Sunshine whispered when he circled again.

Footsteps approached. Iris was still speaking. “But can you imagine the shitstorm if she found out and— Oh!”

“Now,” Raum said, and Sunshine flashed them.

They landed straight on the king-size mattress in their new house. Her surprise could wait. This was far more pressing.

They tore at their clothes, kissing and touching, frantic to explore each other. Raum didn’t even notice where they were, which she might have found funny if she wasn’t similarly preoccupied.

When she was naked, he turned her around again and bent her over, spreading her apart with two clawed hands on her ass cheeks. He’d already shifted. They both liked it better this way.

“Let me see your pretty wings, angel,” he growled, and she immediately formed them, spreading them wide until all her white feathers were on display.

She was half in tears from pleasure as he pressed the broad head of his shaft inside her. She turned her head to watch him, his golden eyes gleaming, his own obsidian wings open behind him.

“Fuck, you’re so wet.” His fingers clenched on her ass. “You’re so beautiful, Sunshine. Sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.”

He sank inside her ridge by ridge. For the last month, they’d been making love with an almost obsessive frequency, and she’d had plenty of opportunities to get used to his size in this form. But he would always be a stretch.

He bent over her, planting his hands above her shoulders. With his added height, he fit over her easily, even with her wings open between them. He fixed his teeth over her shoulder, but he didn’t bite down yet.

Instead, he kept sinking inside of her, stuffing her so full she felt like she’d burst. When she’d taken as much of him as her body could allow, he worked her with slow, steady thrusts.

She felt everything. His claws digging into her hips, his teeth into her shoulder. Knowing he covered her, his big scaled demon body pinning her down, made her feel consumed. Like he’d swallowed her completely.

She turned her face into the blankets and cried out as he pulled out suddenly. “On your back. Want to see your pretty face.”

She scrambled to obey, dropping onto her back and stretching her wings out beneath her, the tips hanging off the bed. She stared up at him. His black wings were spread, those silky feathers reflecting the dimmed lights. Her eyes traveled down to his scaled shaft, jutting forward, glistening wet from her arousal.

“You’re mine,” she breathed.

He dropped onto his hands suddenly, kissing her hard enough she felt his fangs scrape her tongue. That thick cock fell between her thighs, and she tipped her hips up until it slipped back into her channel, ready and wet for his possession.

Still, she moaned as he filled her up again, the pressure different in this position.

He shifted his weight onto his elbows, rocking in and out of her in long, steady strokes. Their gazes caught. Leaning on one arm, he reached between them and stroked her clit, swollen and sensitized, dripping with desire.

“Mine,” he said.

Her vision blackened with ecstasy as a cry burst from her throat, and she threw her head back. Just before she crested the peak, he sank his teeth into her neck. The sting increased the intensity, and she flew even higher. Her cry became a scream, and her blood electrified with pleasure.

He pulled on her throat with a tight suction, his hips working faster and faster until she felt him fly into his release. He swelled even bigger and then exquisite heat filled her with his release.

Finally, he sagged against her, strokes slowing to lazy thrusts. His teeth lifted from her neck, and he licked her skin to catch any remaining droplets, making her shiver.

He lifted his head. His eyes were hazy and unfocused, drugged with pleasure and her blood. He kissed her, and she reached up to stroke his shoulders and silky wings.

After a while, he sat back on his knees and eased out of her, eyes dark with satisfaction as he watched his release spilling out of her. She lay with her legs spread and let him look, reveling in his possessiveness.

And then he finally looked up at their surroundings. And blinked.

She burst out laughing. He hadn’t once noticed where they were until now. His gaze had been riveted to her, which certainly wasn’t something she would fault him for.

“Where are we?” he asked, and she laughed again. The bedroom around them was sparsely furnished for now, but she’d made sure to get the big bed ready so they could christen it tonight, and so she could sleep cuddled against his demon form’s silky feathers later.

“Our home.”

“But…it wasn’t furnished yet.”

She sat up and crawled off the bed to her feet, wetness trickling down her inner thighs. She squirmed a little at the ache between her legs that told her her body had been well loved. “I have a surprise for you.”

He stood beside her, and she drank in the sight of his naked body, semi-hard shaft hanging against his thigh. She gripped his hand, determined not to be distracted until he’d seen the rest of the house.

Already grinning, she pulled him toward the door and threw it open, reaching around to flick on the light. His eyes widened. “What the—? How?”

Their new house looked more like a palace than a cottage now. Hand-carved end tables supported goblets and candelabras. Intricate statues of erotic dancers adorned the fireplace mantle. A tasseled rug and luscious furs covered the floors, including a luxurious dog bed for Luna. The couches were decorated with pillows and throw blankets. The kitchen was separated by an intricate bead curtain. Tapestries hung on the walls.

Everything was gold. Just like her demon’s eyes.

She grinned. “It was my idea, but Meph helped. He’s the only one who knew where your treasure hordes were.” She’d claimed to be busy at work the last couple days, but in reality, she’d been decorating.

“You and Meph…went to Hell?”

She nodded. “We were perfectly safe, so don’t worry. He went ahead and set up a safe hellgate for me to use. We took every precaution. It was quite fun, actually. We had a grand time.”

They’d visited a couple of Raum’s hordes of stolen treasures. She’d selected everything she thought would be of use in their new home, and they’d transported it all back through a hellgate. And then she’d started decorating.

When Raum had finished staring at the room in awe, he faced her. “Sunshine, this is… I can’t even…” He shook his head.

“You went to all the trouble of collecting all these beautiful, priceless things, so it seemed fitting that we furnish our new home with them.”

“You don’t care?”

“About what?”

“I stole all this shit.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I raided other demons’ territories and stole from them because I wanted to. It was bloody and violent.”

“Yes, well, you had to entertain yourself somehow, didn’t you? There are worse hobbies for a demon, and look at all the beautiful treasures you acquired! I didn’t want them to go to waste, rotting in a dusty cave. Do you like it?”

“I love it. It’s amazing.” He searched her gaze. “You really don’t mind?”

“Of course I don’t mind.”

There was a pause.

“I still steal stuff,” he admitted, as though confessing his darkest sin. “I can’t take the bus and I hate crowds because I can’t resist the urge. Sometimes I get this crawling under my skin, and I just need to do it.”

“That’s fine, Raum.” She reached out to stroke his arm. “You’re evolving. You’ve come so far, and I love who you are. You’re going to have slip-ups along the way. There’s no shame in that. I’m so proud and amazed by you.”

He stepped closer, brushing her hair back over her shoulder with a claw. “I don’t deserve you.”

“Yes, you do.”

“Nah.” The corner of his mouth curved. “But I’m keeping you anyway.”

“Good, because I’m not going anywhere.”

He searched her gaze. “Sometimes I wish I remembered our past. It’s hard not to think about all the things we did together that we don’t remember.”

“I know. I feel the same.” She slid her hands around his waist, his soft feathers tickling her hands. “But remember, Adriel knows everything. Any questions we have, we can ask him.”

Raum lifted a brow. “Should I ask him if you ever let me tie you up in bed?”

“No!” She cringed just thinking about it. Poor Adriel would be traumatized. Then, she flashed a wicked smile. “Besides, I think I know the answer to that.”

“Do tell.”

“Shamsiel was a very naughty angel. She enjoyed being tied up very much. And spanked.”

She laughed when Raum’s brows shot up. “That’s it.” He scooped her up suddenly, one arm behind her knees, the other around her back beneath her wings. “We’re going back to bed.”

“You haven’t seen the kitchen yet!” she cried, clinging to the doorframe when he tried to pass through.

He stopped. “You decorated the kitchen too?”

She let go of the frame and grinned wickedly. “No. There wasn’t time. I just said that to make you feel bad.”

He shot her a look, and her laughter spilled forth. Actually, it was a rather demonic cackle.

“You’re definitely getting spanked now, angel.”

She was still cackling when he kicked the bedroom door shut behind them.

EPILOGUE

M urmur stood in front of a cracked, dusty mirror, voluntarily assessing his reflection for the first time in…however long. He didn’t know. But it had been a while.

His lip curled.

Perhaps he didn’t have to count this as his reflection. He’d rather not.

He wore his human skin for the first time in longer than he cared to remember. Because every instance he’d been forced to shift into human form was an unpleasant waste of time and he’d loathed it utterly.

He wasn’t like Raum and his sweet little brothers. He had no desire to mingle with humans on Earth where a demon’s powers were dampened. Humans were weak and breakable. They had no horns, wings, or claws. Their teeth were all flat. Their faces expressed too many emotions.

They died too quickly.

But necessary tasks called for necessary evils, and if he wanted to retrieve his missing ingredient, he needed to suffer this unpleasantness. It wouldn’t be for long, he assured himself. A grab-and-go operation.

He would collect his ingredient and return to his lair with alacrity. And with the final piece of the puzzle secured, everything would fall into place. He could finally begin enacting the last stages of his master plan. He could act before the dream became reality and shattered all his years of careful scheming.

His spells would be successful. His plans would finally come to fruition.

The High King of Hell would fall.

DEAR READER…

Thank you for reading Raum & Sunshine’s story! I had a lot of fun with their dynamic, and their spicy scenes were a blast to write. It’s always the quiet ones, you know… ;)

This was one of the most challenging books I’ve completed for a variety of reasons. I had to fight to get into Raum’s mysterious head, and he kept trying to keep me at arm’s length like everyone else. As well, I can’t tell you how many pages of notes and plotting I accumulated during the writing process, trying to get everything set up for the next books. But it all came together in the end.

If you haven’t guessed already, Murmur’s story is next! It’s called Beauty and the Demon, so maybe you can guess what the vibe will be… When I first introduced Murmur in book two, I didn’t expect him to play such an important role, but he kept popping up until I had to take a closer look. Turns out he has a lot going on, and I can’t wait to dive in.

Bel’s book will be after Murmur’s (finally!), so don’t you worry. As if I could forget him! I’ve been planning his story since the beginning, and trust me, there’s a reason I’m making you wait. It’s all part of my evil master plan. >:)

A thousand thank-yous to my beautiful beta readers (including my hubby who has heard me rant about my characters more than is probably good for his health), my ARC Angels, newsletter subscribers, and social media followers. Sometimes posting online feels like shouting into a lightless void, and it’s so encouraging when people shout back.

Lastly, thank you to YOU, dear reader, for coming on this journey and (I hope) loving my demons as much as I do. I can’t wait to bring you the next books in the series.

Love and happy reading,

Aurora <3

P.S.

Follow me on social media (@aurora.ascher.author) and join my mailing list so you don’t miss out on my next release. Or come hang out in my Facebook group, Aurora’s Angels.

Check out the Hell Bent prequel, My Demon Romance, and Mistified, a short story about Mist & Lily that takes place between books two and three. Both are free and exclusive to my newsletter subscribers.

You can also find links to everything on my website.

www.auroraascher.com

If you enjoyed this book, please leave a review!

I would love to hear your thoughts, and as an indie author, reviews are a huge help. Just a few words makes a difference, and I’m so grateful for it.

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BY AURORA ASCHER

The Hell Bent Series

My Demon Romance

My Funny Demon Valentine

My Demon Hunter

Demon with Benefits

Guardian Demon

Beauty and the Demon - Coming Soon!

ABOUT AURORA

Paranormal & fantasy romance author Aurora Ascher loves misunderstood monsters, redeemable anti-heroes, and epic happily-ever-afters. A woman of many creative pursuits, Aurora is also a professional musician and artist, and she enjoys bringing her characters to life by painting the art for her book covers. She currently resides in Montreal with her trusty espresso machine and her endlessly patient husband, whom she sometimes doesn’t see for hours until she emerges from her writing cave like a bear in springtime.

www.auroraascher.com

Table of Contents

Guardian Demon

Copyright

Contents

Seal of Raum

Prologue

1. Part of the Problem

2. Sly Dog

3. Hide And Seek

4. Dance With The Devil

5. One Fell Swoop

6. The Devil’s In The Details

7. Fight Or Flight

8. Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing

9. A Rare Bird

10. As The Crow Flies

11. Blood Lust

12. Den Of Iniquity

13. Conflict Of Interest

14. Fuel To The Fire

15. No Rest For The Wicked

16. A Snowball’s Chance In Hell

17. Rise and Shine

18. Cold Shower

19. Cat Got Your Tongue

20. Guilty Pleasures

21. Flip The Bird

22. Angel’s Advocate

23. Good Girls Go To Heaven

24. Heart Of Gold

25. Little Ray Of Sunshine

26. Hell Is Other People

27. A Drop In The Bucket

28. Bird’s Eye View

29. Fools Rush In Where Angels Fear To Tread

30. For Heaven’s Sake

31. Paint The Town Red

32. Meat and Greet

33. A Match Made In Heaven

34. Something To Crow About

Epilogue

Dear Reader…

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By Aurora Ascher

About Aurora