Whisper To A Scream

By Trina M. Lee

Contents

Cover

Title Page

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

About the Author

Copyright

Chapter One

Sometimes, I wake up in the middle of the night, and I don’t know who I am. My name, identity and reason for being is stripped away, leaving me hollow and confused. Then, it all comes rushing back, hitting me with the startling truth.

Everything you thought you knew changes in a heartbeat when the tough choices come. You must adapt or crumble, accept or deny. You must embrace the change or succumb to the tragically sweet pain.

Reality’s bite is a vicious thing. The wound still runs deep.

I ask myself if I would make the same choices again. Selfishly and desperately, I know I would. Having those precious moments, knowing that kind of wholeness even for just a day would still have been worth it. Nonetheless, I hate myself for feeling this way.

A case of mistaken identity can have so many outcomes. This one altered my very soul, my reason for being. It led me to question everything I thought I knew. A man will risk himself for many things: money, power, fame, and the greatest of these, the most beautiful and the most deadly, love.

It rains now as I write this. Staring out into the night, I recall a time and place that circumstance has stolen away. I remember the soft caress of lips, the delicate scent of flowers in freshly shampooed hair and the sound of laughter, an enchanting sound created for my ears alone.

* * * *

Our meeting was unexpected, a chance encounter. As a guardian angel, I was waiting for the arrival of my charge, but Christina stepped into the ballroom instead. Only she saw me sitting there alone.

Long, dark hair cascaded over her shoulders. Deep brown eyes sparkled with intrigue as she glanced about the room. She moved with natural grace, heading straight for my table.

“Mr. Duchane?” She asked, continuing before I could correct her. “I’m Christina, your date for this evening.”

“Excuse me?” I accepted her outstretched hand, marveling at the softness of her skin. “I’m afraid you have the wrong man. Such a shame really. I don’t have a date.”

“My mistake,” she said with a smile. “I was told to look for a man in a grey suit. Since everyone else here is in black, I expected it to be easy. Sorry.”

Shadows lurked in her eyes. Her smile was forced. I’d witnessed enough human pain in my time. She wore it like perfume.

“Don’t be sorry,” I heard myself say. “This is the best part of my night so far.”

“That’s sweet. Have a nice evening.” This time the smile was real. It was enchanting, gifting me with the briefest glimpse into her soul.

I watched her go, gliding through the formally dressed crowd like a slow-falling star in a dark sky. The long silver skirt of her dress flowed around her legs with each step. I couldn’t take my eyes from her.

It didn’t take her long to find her mystery date. He sat across the room drinking champagne. He couldn’t be bothered to take her hand much less to pull out her chair. I questioned the circumstances of their date.

She took a seat across from him and immediately caught me staring. I averted my gaze and reminded myself that I was there to do a job. Yet, I snuck several covert glances her way.

The crowd thickened as people poured in. A band played in the corner, creating and maintaining the appropriate mood for a charity dinner and auction. Businessmen and women attempted to smooth talk one another, each seeking to create or uphold their reputation. I had little interest in the event; I was there for only one reason.

That reason swept into the room with her blonde hair bound atop her head and uncertainty quirking her lips into a comical frown. Alexa looked uncomfortable. She grabbed quickly at a passing tray laden with champagne flutes.

I didn’t look at her any longer. Capturing her attention was not my intent. My purpose was to ensure she didn’t leave before midnight.

Alexa was a werewolf, a creature of the night that most would assume to be fictitious, but she was so much more than that, a powerful being, created to battle evil. She just didn’t know that part yet. A slayer of problem paranormals, she was likely here hunting for someone on her hit list. I merely protected her from demonic forces. Whatever the worst monsters of the city were up to that night, I was to ensure she stayed away from it until she was ready for the fight.

I made the rounds, browsing auction items and engaging in senseless small talk. It wasn’t my world, but playing the part was easy enough.

An abstract art piece crafted across the surface of a mirror caught my eye. In between swirls of color, I glimpsed a flash of my dark blond hair and a flicker of my green eyes. My human appearance carefully concealed my angelic nature.

Scrawling a phony signature on the silent auction sheet, I placed a modest bid. Time was crawling. I longed for midnight when I could flee this stuffy gathering.

“I saw you looking at me,” a soft voice whispered in my ear.

Christina smiled up at me, peering from beneath lowered lashes. Though she was coy and sensual, I saw through the façade. It was too perfect, too practiced, as if she’d given the same look to countless men in her time.

My smile was authentic enough, but I was suddenly wary of this tragic beauty. Glancing around, I was unable to locate her companion. Odd.

“Have you lost your date? I can’t imagine why he’d be willing to let you out of his sight for a moment.” I searched her, seeking the truth beneath her carefully constructed appearance.

“Oh, well thank you for that, but apparently business comes first. He stepped outside to take a phone call.” She let her gaze travel longingly over the busy dance floor before fixing me once again with those shadowed orbs. “I thought perhaps you wouldn’t mind keeping me busy until he comes back. I don’t know anyone here, and I’d rather not sit alone waiting.”

The tension thickened between us, laced with intrigue and attraction. Sure, I could have said no and made myself look like an ass. I could have feigned a phone call myself. Could have, should have…it doesn’t matter now.

“But of course, I’ll keep you company. I’d be honored to.”

Taking her hand, I led her onto the dance floor. Her skin was soft and so warm. The band played a spirited waltz. I pulled her into my arms, and the rest of the room seemed to disappear.

“Have you got a name?” She laughed, a tantalizing sound that made me want to laugh with her.

“Willow,” I replied, hoping she was oblivious to how deeply I searched her. I needed to know what it was about her that drew me this way.

“Interesting name for a man. I like it. Your parents must have been hippies or something.”

Her words cut fast and deep, reminding me why this was stupid. It was deceitful to play the human role while she was none the wiser that she was, indeed, in the arms of an angel.

I forced a smile. The arrival of her date would have been perfect then, an easy out without anyone coming to harm. But no, that would have been too simple. The music continued, and I was content to feel her against me.

Christina didn’t ask the typical small talk questions. In fact, she seemed quite happy for the silence. Her gaze strayed often to the couples dancing around us, and an almost wistful grin decorated her face. This mysterious beauty longed for something, and I yearned to know what that was.

Her scent was a pleasing aroma of tropical flowers and her own feminine musk. The sudden urge to bury my face in her neck was shocking and unbidden. What would she taste like if I kissed her?

The inappropriate thought brought a rush of heat to my cheeks. She was staring at me with a silly little half smile.

“I feel like I know you from somewhere.” With her head cocked to the side studiously, she pursed her full lips. “I just can’t place it though.”

“Perhaps we’ve passed on the street before,” I offered, unnerved by her proclamation.

“Maybe,” she said, but she didn’t believe it. I could see her still trying to place me. “What do you do for a living? Are you part of this wannabe Wall Street circus?”

I chuckled. She wasn’t far off on that description. “Not me, no. I’m just here for a friend.” It wasn’t in my nature to tell a lie. However, I did not intend to share more than was acceptable.

“Oh, I thought you were alone.”

The song ended, and the band slowed down the next number. I made as if to release her, but she held tight. We shared a frozen moment, gazing into one another.

“Do you ever get that feeling you’re in the right place at the right time?” She asked. “Call me crazy, but I think I was supposed to meet you.”

“Is that so?” My mind raced for a way to excuse myself from the situation. Instead, she pressed closer to align her body to mine, and I was at a loss for words.

“Let me guess. You’re probably married or something, and I’m just setting myself up to look like a jerk. I’m sorry. I tend to speak before I think.”

Her apology was less than authentic when paired with her mischievous grin. What was she looking for that led her to me? I felt like the butt of a cruel joke.

“Definitely not married,” I assured her. “And, most certainly happy to have made your acquaintance.”

As we moved about the dance floor, a strange sense of comfort taunted me to pull her closer, even to slide a hand down her back to the curve of her hip. A rush of white noise filled my ears as I gave in to the urge. Her hand in mine tightened. Something like guilt flashed through her eyes, and she dropped her gaze.

“I suppose this is pretty crappy of me, to lure you in like this, but you’re easily the most attractive man in the room, and I just had to know what it felt like to be in your arms.” The confession fell from her lips as if it pained her. “That’s pretty weird, isn’t it? Wait, don’t answer that.”

An awkward tension settled over us. My thoughts were a jumble of questions. I sought a way to regain the ease with which we had just been speaking. Christina had stiffened; each movement was more awkward than the last.

“I’m flattered to have been chosen by a gem such as yourself,” I offered, needing her to look at me. When she didn’t, I reached to grasp her chin, tipping her gaze up to meet mine. “Are you alright? Would you like to go somewhere and talk? Perhaps I should help you find your date.”

For a moment, she was silent, regarding me with such intrigue that I couldn’t help but fear she somehow knew my true identity. Her tongue darted out to glide over her red lips. “You have the most amazing gold sparks in your eyes. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Thank you,” I murmured, sure now that some part of her knew. Suspicion gripped me. Perhaps she was a plant, sent to distract me from my task.

I glanced around frantically for Alexa, finding her seated at a table with another, engaged in conversation. She appeared to be perfectly fine.

I opened my mouth, ready to demand that Christina tell me who had sent her to distract me. However, her date returned before I could. He tapped me on the shoulder, but when I turned, his irritation was directed at Christina.

“What the hell are you doing?” he demanded.

She looked at me with sudden fear as she replied, “It’s rude to leave a lady waiting. I was just passing some time.”

The man guffawed, a loud, ugly sound. “Good thing you’re not a lady then.” He grabbed her hand and gave a tug before saying to me, “Sorry, pal. You’ll have to pay for your own escort.”

They disappeared into the crowd as he dragged her from the dance floor. She didn’t look back. I stood there for a moment, processing what had just happened. Disappointment settled in my gut, gnawing like the unwelcome intruder it was. Another uninvited guest, harsh and foreign, made itself painfully known: jealousy.

I stalked from the room, feeling humiliated and chagrined. It was getting late. Soon enough, I could vanish from this human playground. Until then, I would dutifully watch Alexa.

The clock struck midnight, and I immediately left the disappointing charity dinner and dance. I walked down the busy city street, an illusion of humanity among those who called the streets home.

A young woman flipped me off, slurring something derogatory as she stumbled away. I winced when she almost went down on her pretty face. Unable to watch her any longer, I turned away.

Honestly, watching them self-destruct never got any easier. Centuries passed, and though time meant nothing to me, it meant everything to mankind. The humans had so little respect for the power of each passing day. They knew nothing of the greatness meant for them. No, they wasted every gift, every precious moment until they had nothing left. Then, once it was too late, regret claimed them.

The city streets were dangerous. Many creatures of the night lurked in the shadows. Most of them were human, broken people lost in the sins of the flesh. The sorrow that I felt for the lost souls tore at my heart.

A homeless man, who leaned against a bus shelter, glanced up as I approached.

He squinted and muttered, “I’ll be damned. Look at those wings.”

No one should have been able to see me as anything more than a man. Humans could see my wings only when I allowed it, although many things were beyond my control. If he saw me, my true self, then surely he was meant to see.

“Bless you, friend.” I paused to lay a hand on his shoulder. With a smile and a gentle squeeze, I nodded but didn’t linger.

Walking among humans didn’t come without a price. They were many things, all of which tugged at my heart in ways beyond my understanding. Those broken, beautiful, lost humans, with their tragic stories and self-inflicted cages, straggled by me. They knew so little of the power they possessed and the wonder they could create. In this dark world, it was far too easy for a creature of the light to step too close to the abyss, then be lured over the edge.

I continued toward the lights of the intersecting street ahead. There was a twenty-four hour coffee shop on the corner. I enjoyed their caramel macchiato. Fabulous little drink.

I ducked inside, greeted by the warmth of the well-lit establishment. It wasn’t busy, but even at this late hour, there were patrons inside. I approached the cashier and placed my order, thinking about Christina. A prostitute, I would never have guessed. I imagined that to be a very painful life. A casual glance around at my fellow customers revealed that pain was present here, too.

A couple near the door sat stiffly across from one another. The woman was tense; fear filled her dark eyes. Please God, don’t let this be real. She projected her small prayer out into the unseen world around us, allowing me to hear her desperation and rage at her companion’s unfaithful betrayal.

Thoughts withheld within the mind, sacred and private, were protected from creatures like me, both light and dark. However, a freely projected thought was open for all to hear. She was fortunate when she wished both her husband and his lover to hell, since no demon was near enough to hear her.

While one couple broke up, another united. Laughter from the back of the coffee shop drew my attention to two teenage kids talking in loud, boisterous voices. The boy reached across the table to take the girl’s hand, and she giggled, a blush coloring her cheeks. Young love begot so much nostalgia in a human life.

“Thank you.” I accepted my drink from the barista and took a moment to inhale the sweet scent. Conflicted, I wondered if I should have let Christina go like that, without another word.

“No, don’t bother. I’ll send movers for my stuff.” The jilted woman’s voice was loud as she quickly stood. She cut off her companion before he could say anything to further the sting. “Save the apology. Sorry doesn’t mean a damn thing after you’ve screwed another woman.”

She paused to pour the rest of her coffee in his lap before storming out of the coffee shop, fighting back tears every step of the way. Then, she was gone.

Angry curses followed her departure. The man piled napkins in his lap to sop up the mess. He had been unfaithful, broken his lover’s heart, but his concern was for his own embarrassment and his dry cleaning bill.

Leaving the busy streets behind, I sipped the sweet, frothy drink as I walked several blocks down a side street until the burnt out remains of the church stood in the distance. It was little more than a shell of what it had once been. Soon, the husk would be razed, though the ground would remain consecrated.

A figure stepped out of the shadows ahead, falling into step with me. I wasn’t surprised to see Serene. We walked in silence until we reached the soot-stained front step of the church. The stink of burnt wood, metal and plastic mingled into an ugly scent that marred the otherwise crisp night air.

“I don’t suppose he found anything here.” Serene pushed the blackened double doors open. One of them fell from its hinges, collapsing at our feet. A puff of dust and soot rose up in a suffocating cloud.

“I doubt there was anything to be found.” I crossed the threshold, pausing to survey the destruction.

Most of the stained glass windows had exploded from the heat of the fire. The pews were lined up in perfect rows though nobody would ever sit in them again. The floor moved slightly as I approached the charred, overturned altar. The interior of the church was beyond repair, though the fire had been put out in time to save the foundation of the structure. We sifted through the rubble, seeking a sacred scroll amongst the debris.

I took in the remnants of lingering residual energy. It was faint but detectable. “Shya murdered a man here. While others watched.”

“Human casualties.” Serene gave a nod of his blond head and let his wings expand in full. They fringed his tall frame in a burst of iridescent white feathers. “A small price to the demon.” Shya was acting recklessly.

The heavy negative energy of a violent and bloody death clung to the air. It was almost tangible.

“He’s a fool. It will end badly.” It would; I knew that undoubtedly.

It would end terribly for all of them if Shya saw this ridiculous farce through to the end. Shya wouldn’t be the first demon to believe it was possible to control humanity by manipulating supernatural forces. However, Shya was particularly dangerous since he was among the few demons who might succeed.

Things were changing. They were always changing, but in this century, things had taken a turn. Humanity was advancing in leaps and bounds. People saw their technological breakthroughs as a success, but they couldn’t see it from the outside. The more they advanced, the more they lost themselves. With the people so distracted, demons were already taking advantage of every temptation. Every day, the humans edged faster toward their downfall.

As life got easier due to the invention of various convenient gadgets, the plight of their souls grew. Detached from one another and even from themselves, humans were coming apart at the seams, though they were none the wiser.

Serene reached to touch the scorched pages of a hymnbook that lay open on a nearby pew. The blackened pages crumbled, staining his fingers with soot. “I don’t like this, Willow. I can feel the power of the underworld shifting.”

“He’ll be expecting us.”

I wasn’t sure what to anticipate from Shya. It had been a long time since we had been brothers. Shya’s fall had been a time of great sadness. He’d embraced the darkness wholeheartedly and never looked back.

“That’s alright,” Serene assured me. “We’re not here for him. We’re looking for the scroll, just as he is.”

I refocused on Shya again, but every few moments, my thoughts strayed to Christine. I replayed our brief time together, wishing I had said something after her date’s rude revelation. It was not my place to judge, nor did I, though I was sure she now assumed otherwise.

Had she been trying to distract me from protecting Alexa or to sell herself to me for a price? Or, was she honestly a lonely woman seeking love?

“Is something wrong?” Serene’s question pulled me from my reverie. “You seem preoccupied. Is everything ok with your charge?”

“Yes,” I breathed a sigh of relief that his question had been one I could answer honestly. “Yes, she’s fine. It’s just this woman I met tonight. She seemed so lonely and in need of comfort. I regret that I was not able to help her.”

Serene clapped me on the back. “Maybe you did, and you just don’t know it.”

“Perhaps.” I nodded, following him out of the church. He was wrong. Of that, I was sure.

Still, I felt I owed Christina an apology, otherwise, I would regret forever my silence. Finding her might be a challenge, but it was far from impossible. That wasn’t the real question though.

Would it be a mistake? I refused to ask myself that question; I’d already made up my mind.

Chapter Two

The night drew to a close. After departing from Serene, I set off back the way I’d come. Surely the charity dance had ended by now, yet I found myself heading back there anyway.

With just a thought I could be anywhere on earth, yet I chose to walk. I liked to be among people in all their forms. Walking alongside them, I liked to just observe their interactions, whether they knew my true nature or not.

I passed by the coffee shop and resisted the urge to go inside for another sweet drink. A lone figure in the corner made me do a double take. She stared at the wall, her back to the window. It wasn’t her oddly out of place, white faux fur coat that caught my eye nor was it the dangerously high heels adorning her feet. It was the flowing long black hair and the silver skirt cascading over her legs. Christina.

With a shaky hand, she swirled the contents of her cup and set it back down. She clutched a cell phone in her other hand, quickly tapping out a message, then shoved it into her purse and reached for a napkin.

Christina was not my charge. It wasn’t my place to step in to her life. Yet, here she was, all but dropped in my path, even as she haunted my thoughts.

I shoved the door open and found myself ordering another caramel macchiato, but my gaze was on her. I approached her before sense could strike me.

“Funny seeing you here,” I said, kicking myself mentally for such a stupid line. “May I join you?”

Her dark eyes were rimmed red, pupils huge despite the bright lighting. She fidgeted with a sugar packet, her hands moving constantly, unable to be still. The smile that lit up her face entranced me even as I recognized the signs of someone under the influence of heavy narcotics.

“Yes, of course. I never thought I would see you again. You left pretty quickly.” Her intense gaze pinned me, waiting for my judgment of her occupation or her intoxicated state.

“I’m sorry he did that to you,” I said, meaning it. I had no judgment for anyone. She’d made choices that I had no right to condemn, nor did I want to. “It was very unprofessional and cruel.”

“It was expected.” She shrugged it off, absently stirring her coffee. “Let’s just say, I’m glad the night is over. He was a prick right from the start. Most of the men I escort have a little more class, but you know, shit happens.”

Once she was assured of my opinion, Christina had a hard time holding my gaze. Her eyes darted about from the barista to the door to her phone, anywhere but my eyes.

Instead of pretending to understand, I asked, “What led you into such an industry?”

“The same thing that leads any woman in, money. I wish I had some great, heart wrenching sob story for you. I don’t. I needed cash and being an escort was a good way to get it. I told myself I would only do it for a year, but it’s been four now.” Finally she met my eyes again, albeit briefly. “What can I say? The money is good.”

“I think I understand.” I nodded, feeling the gap between us grow. She was human; I was not. What was I doing here?

“No, you don’t,” she quipped. “But, that’s ok. I wouldn’t expect you to.”

The saccharine coffee hit my tongue, too strong to have again so soon. I frowned down into my cup. Too much of a good thing quickly became unbearable. Disgusting even.

“Did you win anything?” She asked, fumbling her spoon onto the floor with a loud clatter.

It took me a moment to realize she was talking about the auction. “Oh, right. No, I didn’t. I didn’t see anything I liked much there anyway.”

She leaned over to retrieve the spoon, and her hair flipped, exposing a small star tattoo on her neck beneath her ear. With a twitch of her full lips, she purred, “Nothing at all?”

Sudden warmth struck me. My heart pounded when she followed the question by trailing her fingers along the back of my hand. I was unable to speak as my mouth went dry.

“You wanted me though, didn’t you? Before you found out what I do for a living. Trust me, I know when a man is attracted to me.” Christina pulled her hand away and smoothed back her hair. She watched me like a cat watching a clueless mouse.

I grew uneasy. I missed her touch already and wished she would reach across the small table once more. My cheeks burned with the answer to her question.

“I enjoyed our dance very much,” I managed to say. “I’m sorry it was interrupted.”

Her peal of infectious laughter filled the coffee shop. Again, it coaxed me to laugh with her as if we shared some private joke.

“We could start again. There’s a cute little jazz club downtown. Maybe we can go sometime.”

“I would love to.” The words spilled out before I could rethink them.

“Really?” Christina’s eyes widened with surprise. “My occupation doesn’t turn you off? Oh, please tell me it doesn’t turn you on.” She made a gagging sound before dissolving into more laughter.

With a shake of my head, I pushed my macchiato aside. I considered taking her hand but decided against it. “I’ve enjoyed the brief time I have spent in your presence tonight. It would be an honor to get to know you better.”

“You just have all the right words, don’t you?” She drank the last of her coffee and grimaced. “I wish this was tequila. Too bad it’s past last call.”

A yellow taxi pulled up to the curb and honked. Christina jumped out of her seat as if on fire. She spilled her purse in the process and, cursing, bent to gather up the contents.

“That’s my cab. I’m sorry; I’ve got to go. Here.” Before I could help or so much as move, she shoved a card into my hand and turned to go. “Give me a call if you’re serious about the jazz club. Goodnight, Willow.”

I watched her click-clack out the door in those frightfully high shoes. After she got into the cab, she caught me staring and waved.

I was such a fool. How did I possibly think I could go out with this woman as if it were perfectly fine?

Christina tried to erect a facade of normalcy, though she was no closer to normal than anyone else. Maybe I could help her see that she was no more broken than the next person.

Or, maybe that was just the first lie I told myself.

* * * *

The music was loud, drowning out the sound of Christina’s musical laugh. It did nothing to lessen the effect of her energetic actions as she pulled me from my seat.

“I love this song,” she cried. “Dance with me?”

I’d wrestled with guilt and uncertainty after watching her drive off in that taxi. A little voice in my head screamed for me to throw her number away and forget that I’d met her. I knew that I had no business in her life, but after several days of struggling, I ignored the voice of reason and picked up the phone.

So, here we were.

For two hours, we made small talk and danced. Christina was lively with a genuine love of music. She talked a mile a minute about everything from her favorite organic yogurt to the dogs she volunteered to walk at a local animal shelter. This enigmatic woman was so much more than her dates would ever realize.

She asked difficult questions about my life, and I did my best to be honest without oversharing. Telling her I worked in protective services was as close as I dared to get.

“Oh, Willow, isn’t this place the best? It feels like stepping into the past.” Christina twirled amid the other dancers, a vision in a pale blue dress.

I couldn’t take my eyes off her. While she spun in my arms, I tried to memorize every detail about her. Her exuberance freed me from my nerves. She brought me such joy. It felt so good to be part of the human world, even in such a small way. So often, I was only allowed to observe.

“You’re beautiful,” I said, my words stolen by the music.

She spun into my arms, pressing close. Her soft tresses tickled my chin as the sweetness of her perfume teased me. My senses were overwhelmed.

I wanted so badly to kiss her. It would have been so easy; she was so painfully close. Guilt stopped me.

“I don’t think I can dance in these heels much longer. My feet are killing me. Let’s get out of here. There’s a cute little pub I want to show you.”

Christina’s breath was warm against my ear. A shiver tickled its way through me, along with an inward groan.

In the warm night air outside, we walked hand in hand. There was a skip to Christina’s step, as if she possessed an inner joy that could not be contained. She fed my curiosity; I needed to know more about this woman. Many questions lurked on the tip of my tongue, but with great restraint, I somehow held back.

As we passed a small space between two buildings, Christina slowed. “Hang on a sec, I just have to check on a friend.”

I watched from a respectful distance as she crouched down to speak with a homeless woman hidden in the darkened space. They exchanged words in low murmurs. Christina pulled out her wallet and produced a small handful of bills.

“I wish I had more,” she whispered. “I have a big date next weekend. Good money. I’ll be back. I promise.”

She rejoined me, captured my hand in hers and tugged me along as I glanced back at the hidden woman.

“Friend of mine,” she said by way of explanation. “We used to work for the same agency, but she had a pretty bad experience, so I try to help her out when I can.”

“That’s very gracious of you.”

“She was good to me so I do what I can. I know what it’s like to feel like you don’t have a friend in the world. It fucking sucks.”

We reached a darkened building that was weathered and poorly maintained. A faded sign said Woody’s Pub.

“This dig is full of old men watching sports and smoking cigars. You’ll love it.” Jerking the door open before I could get it for her, Christina ushered me inside.

Several patrons greeted her by name as we entered. The bartender asked if she wanted the usual. Christina seemed right at home in the dank little pub. The football game played on a TV mounted in one corner. Half a dozen old men gathered around the table closest to it, shouting and then jeering.

Christina led the way to a small table, which I suspected was her favorite. I pulled her chair out, but she just rolled her eyes at me. The bartender brought us a tray of small glasses filled with something that smelled vile.

“Alright, so, this is how we do things here,” she said, taking a glass from the tray and shoving it in front of me. “We drink and we talk. Nothing leaves this room.”

I wrinkled my nose in distaste. The liquor smelled toxic. Absolute poison.

“Ladies first,” I offered.

I had no idea what to do with the lime wedges and saltshaker on the table. Enjoying a cup of coffee was one thing, but partaking in the excessive consumption of spirits was another. I kept expecting logic to force me out the door.

“You’re not a big tequila drinker are you?” She was entrancing when she turned on that million-watt smile. “That’s ok. I’m good with virgins.”

She winked, never knowing the truth to her comment. Then, she shook some salt onto her wrist, licked it and swallowed the tequila in one fast, fluid motion. She slammed the glass down and reached for a lime wedge.

“So, start talking,” she said, pointing at my drink. “Tell me what kind of man wants to date a hooker.”

I shook some salt onto my wrist, unsure of what I was about to do. “Is that how you define yourself? I’ve seen so much more of you than that.”

When the tequila burned its way through me, I was filled with surprise. It hurt. I nearly choked. How did she make this look so smooth? It was anything but.

“Nobody that knows how I make my money gives a damn about how I define myself. Honestly, I don’t even know how to answer that.” She blinked at me from beneath lowered lashes.

“I give a damn. Go ahead. Tell me who you are.”

“Just like that, huh?” Her laughter was bitter. “Alright, um, I suppose I’d define myself as just another lost soul who doesn’t always do what’s best but always finds a way to look at tomorrow with hope.” She swallowed down another shot of tequila and swore. “At least, I like to think so.”

I struggled to drink another drop of the horrid swill. I understood her urge to curse. “Hope is the most powerful weapon you can possess in the face of trial and despair. It will move mountains.”

“How very poetic.” Christina’s smile grew wider. Her eyes turned glassy as the liquor’s effects took hold.

After a few more shots, numbness set in, spreading through my extremities. It filled my belly with a soothing warmth. A fog descended over my thoughts, a haze that dulled the guilt lurking in the recesses of my mind. The escape so many sought within a bottle of booze made much more sense to me now.

“So, how do you define yourself, Willow?” She asked, raising a glass in the air before downing its contents. “You have this weird secretive vibe going on.”

I stared into the “shooter” in my hand. My head swam, and the room tilted in my vision. I put the glass back down, shaking my head. Alcohol would have no lasting physical effect on an immortal, but the temporary sensations were growing uncomfortable.

“It shouldn’t come as a surprise then that I can’t tell you,” I teased. I studied her closely, noting the way she played with her hair and her tendency to chew her fingernails. So many little traits that I wanted to memorize in case I never saw her again.

“I’m not sure if I should be creeped out by you or intrigued. There’s something different about you. That’s for sure.” She helped herself to the drink I’d abandoned. “You seem almost normal but not. You’re not a serial killer, are you? That would really end the night on a bad note.”

I spewed tequila as I laughed. Embarrassed, I looked around for napkins. “I can promise you that of all the things I may be, a serial killer is not one of them.”

“Well, I think you’ve just guaranteed this night won’t turn into a total disaster.”

“You’re expecting it to be a disaster?” I countered. “Don’t be too quick to make assumptions, it’s not over yet.”

“That’s true.” She nodded and licked her lips, pausing in thought. “Do you look for the silver lining in everything? You seem like one of those types.”

The way she said “those types,” as if it were a bad thing, bothered me. I saw the darkness that filled the world, yet I also saw the light that constantly drove the darkness back, keeping it from swallowing the earth whole. I longed to share that beauty with her, pained by my inability to do so.

“I believe there is more than enough darkness in the world today. I’d rather spread a little light.” Instead of words, I wanted to drop my illusion of humanity, to flare my great white wings wide and allow her a glimpse of serenity.

“You must not spend a lot of time with us night owls. We don’t see a lot of light; even the morning sun is blinding.” Christina sighed and reached for the last shot of tequila.

“You’d be surprised.” So many beings called the darkness home, and I had borne witness to those that had never been human as well as those that had lost all of their humanity.

She studied me then, making me feel uncomfortable. “You have the most amazing eyes I’ve ever seen. I can’t decide if they’re green or gold. It’s like someone sprinkled gold dust into your eyes. Amazing.”

“Thank you.” I shifted in my seat, suddenly unable to sit still.

“So, tell me more about these so called protective services. Please tell me you don’t just lurk around looking for lonely prostitutes.” She made a face then, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

There it was, the spark I’d been seeking within her. The hope she had claimed as her own, it was there, deep inside, burning with a fire all its own. She was no lost soul.

“I take care of those who need me. I offer protection.” There was little more I could say. I was already treading too close to blatant truth.

“Like a bodyguard? That must be dangerous.” She waved to the bartender, calling for another tray of tequila. Her reliance on alcohol was worrisome. It seemed to be a natural outlet for her, but that comfort could be deadly.

A wild cheer from the corner prevented my response. I had to wait for the sports fans to calm down before I could say, “Danger is just the beginning. What I do, it can get outright ugly at times. Which is why I can’t talk about it much.”

She nodded knowingly. “I get that. My job can be pretty scary at times, too.”

“Then why do it?”

“Gotta pay the bills.” She shrugged as if that explanation was enough, but the faraway look in her eyes told me how much she wasn’t saying.

The bartender cleared away the empty shot glasses scattered about our table before depositing a fresh, full batch. With each one that I emptied, I felt myself sinking deeper into the sharp clutches of temptation, an unwelcome reminder that I was playing with fire.

The conversation took a new, lighter turn. Music and other various pop culture references dominated as she told me her many favorites. I nodded along, adding comments in the right places, anything to keep her talking. I was happy to just sit there and listen. Listening is one of the things I do best.

Christina began to open up. What had started as sharing of favorite movies and songs became an outpouring of her reasons why. One song by a popular country music artist reminded her of high school and those precious teenage years so quickly stolen away by time. That led to a story about her first boyfriend. He’d deceived her, wickedly, leading to her distrust of all men.

I wanted to brush the hair out of her eyes and tell her that the right man would never mislead her. It was a growing battle to keep such promises silenced; it wasn’t my place.

Besides, I didn’t dare interrupt her. Fueled by intoxicated ease, her words were flowing freely, and I feared that they might stop.

A familiar sensation gripped me. My charge was in danger, a threat that I was obligated to dispatch. I had to be there, now.

“I’m so sorry,” I interrupted. “I’ve got to go. I’m needed elsewhere. Immediately.”

Christina sat up straighter in her chair, sobering somewhat. “Did I bore you? Geez, you could have just told me to shut up. You don’t have to invent a reason to leave.”

Rising, I reached across the table and took her hand, a brief moment of contact that was over too soon. “You could never bore me. You’re far too fascinating for that. I’m sorry to leave like this. I’ll come right back, though I don’t expect you to wait.”

I pressed some money into her hand, more than enough for the drinks. I was already late so there was no time for goodbyes.

Exiting the building, I thought of Alexa and willed myself to be where she was. Time and space ceased to exist. Then it returned, and with it, my arrival to a large theme hotel.

I lingered unseen, without physical form. A demon had caught Alexa and her male companion unawares. He was sprawled on the floor, unconscious. Alexa fell to her knees under the weight of the demon’s metaphysical attack.

Before I could intervene, the door burst open, revealing one of the most powerful demons ever to walk the earth. Lilah’s history was vast, and her current state was complicated. She made short work of Alexa’s attacker. With just a word and a look, he was obliterated, destroyed by one of the few demons with the ability to do such a thing.

After rousing the downed man, Lilah made a hasty exit. I watched her quick retreat down the hall. She stopped suddenly, turning on her heel to look right at me.

“You dropped the ball on that one, Willow,” she said, smiling in dark amusement. “That isn’t like you.”

I stepped forward, taking on physical form. “I was here. I was in there before you were.”

“And, you’re defensive too,” she taunted. “Don’t worry. I took care of it for you. This time.”

She kept walking, taking the stairs rather than the elevator. I matched her pace, furious with myself for being late to act and furious with Lilah for being a pompous fiend.

“Stay away from her, Lilah,” I warned, bristling with power. I couldn’t help but react to her darkness with readiness. “I know Shya sent you. I won’t let either of you get to her.”

“I have a job to do. Just like you.” She was a woman of few words. Moving fast, she descended the stairs at a pace that would have astonished a human bystander.

“You serve only yourself. No good comes from anything you do.”

She stopped, turning to face me. Her eyes were like fire. “I’m pretty sure I just did your job back there. What were you doing that kept you from taking that guy out first?”

I said nothing. She drew her own conclusions from my silence. “Uh huh. An angel with a secret. How fun. You just might prove to be interesting.”

I stopped in my tracks, watching her saunter down to the last floor and out the exit. She didn’t look back, leaving me instead with her parting words and my own shame. She was right; we both had a job to do.

After ensuring Alexa was indeed safe, for the moment, I took my leave and returned to Woody’s Pub. Christina was gone.

The bartender caught my eye and shrugged. “That girl doesn’t wait around for any man. Once the cash and the booze stop flowing, she’s done.”

I left the pub to stand outside and stare down the street. She was nowhere in sight. Letting her go was in both of our best interests. In all honesty, though, I didn’t want to. At the very least, I owed her an apology.

“Is there something you’d like to share?” Serene’s melodic voice rang out behind me.

I turned slowly to face him. “Not particularly.”

We stared at one another. When I wouldn’t volunteer anything, Serene nodded and swept past me, his grey coat billowing behind him. “Be careful, Willow. Temptation seeks to lure you away from your path.” His warning shook me, though he was too respectful to say any more about it. “Would you care to join me? We still have a scroll to find.”

Chapter Three

“Allow me the chance to apologize. I can’t tell you how awful I feel. I can explain.” I cringed, hearing myself all but beg Christina to see me. I was surprised she had even bothered to take my call.

She sighed, and her tone held the bitter sting of contempt. “Clearly, I was expecting too much from you, Willow. It’s ok. I should have known better than to think I could have a normal night out with a man. Let’s just forget we ever met.”

Her rejection was a painful jab deep within me, unlike anything I’d known before.

“I won’t forget. I can’t. Not now.”

“Don’t get all weird on me. I hate having to deal with weird.”

Frustration brought several unsavory words to mind. I somehow managed to withhold them. If she hung up, that would be it, over before it began. Before what began? I was in way over my head here.

“Let me take you for dinner, please. To make it up to you.” This newfound desperation to see her again was entirely unpleasant and equally unwelcome.

After a brief silence, she said, “If you want another date you can contact the escort agency and book one. It’s the first result on a local web search.”

She was gone; my phone showed the call had been disconnected. It was over, whatever it was. I was a fool, playing in a world where I didn’t belong and hoping for a taste of something that wasn’t meant for me.

I gazed out the window. My apartment, located above a small church in a strip mall, was quaint. Surrounded by banks and liquor stores, the church focused more on saving souls than creating beauty, and I found it comfortable.

Tired of wrestling with myself, I considered calling on Serene. Confessing my illicit temptation to someone might help me combat it. Of course, that would be more helpful if I actually wanted to. That was what brought even the strongest person to their knees, wasn’t it? Temptation presents you with something so wrong but makes it feel so good. Even the angels are not immune to its influence.

An elderly couple strolled down the street arm in arm, torturing me with my delusions. This desire for human love was unnatural and distracting. I should have been thankful that Christina had called it off before it could go too far, but I wasn’t.

When I found myself waiting for her on the patio of a downtown restaurant, I started to fear I’d sunk to a frightening level of insanity. Was this ridiculous infatuation spiraling into an obsession?

I had done as she’d suggested and called the agency. Arranging to have her meet me was easier than it should have been. These women could be accessed by anyone. The danger that her lifestyle imposed turned my stomach.

“What are you doing here?” Christina’s voice touched me in ways it shouldn’t have.

She stood beside me with hands on hips, staring down at me with a brow raised in scrutiny. Her dark hair was swept up in a pile of curls carefully pinned in place. The red dress she wore was cut short, revealing both cleavage and thigh. Her creamy white skin drew my gaze, try as I might to resist.

“I came to apologize. The way I left last night was unbelievably rude. It couldn’t be avoided, but that doesn’t make it alright. I’m sorry.” I stood up and gestured to the chair across from mine. “Can we talk?”

“I don’t think we have anything to talk about. Thanks for the drinks last night. It was nice to spend some time with a man who didn’t put his hands all over me. But, I think it would be best if we don’t play this game.” Dismissing me with a look, she turned to leave.

I grabbed her arm, spinning her back to face me. “I’m paying for this meeting. The least you can do is listen to my apology.”

Fury flashed bright behind her dark eyes. Crossing her arms, she reluctantly slid into the seat across from me. Pursing her full red lips, she stared at the floor before once again meeting my eyes.

“Dude, who the hell are you? I mean, really. I meet a lot of people doing this, and I’ve gotten pretty good at reading the types that buy my services. You’re not one of them. I bet you’ve never even done this before.”

“I haven’t,” I admitted. “There’s a first time for everything. Isn’t that what they say?”

I don’t know what she saw in my eyes. She was confused, unsure of what she should expect from me. I shared many human afflictions such as temptation and exposure to both good and evil; however, I was not one of them. Could she see that?

In an action that felt foreign and completely inappropriate, I discreetly slid a handful of money to her. She swiped it in a practiced motion and stuffed it into her bra without counting it.

“What do you want?” She demanded. “Dinner? Drinks? The full meal deal with a happy ending?”

“I want to spend time with you. Dinner. Or a movie. A walk by the river? Whatever you like.” It sounded foolish, even to me. I didn’t want what she was selling, not for a price.

The Christina sitting with me now was not the same woman who had so charmingly smiled up at me during the charity dance. She was hard and brittle, emanating a cold that chilled me.

She laughed, a short, clipped sound. “You want the girlfriend experience? If it’s illusion you’re seeking then you’ve got the right girl. But, let me make something clear, it isn’t real.”

The chilly reception was almost natural. Only a twitch in her jaw gave her away. She was putting up a front.

“Fair enough.”

We ordered a small meal, and Christina did her best to fake her way through it. I had somehow earned and then lost her trust in such a brief time that her reluctance was understandable. Men paid for her time and body without caring about her. She was a means to an end for them, but deep down she knew I was different.

We left the restaurant and walked through the river valley. It was a lovely place to wander with lush green trails. In several places, we stopped to watch the water. The river valley was one of my favorite things about this city.

“I don’t come here enough,” she said, taking a deep breath of cool evening air. “I always forget how beautiful it is.”

“I come here frequently. It’s an enchanting little piece of nature in the midst of such chaos.” The scent of foliage was rich and sweet. The environment resonated a vibrant energy that hummed with purity.

“So, is this something you do a lot?” Christina asked with a teasing smile. “Bring women out here, woo them with some pretty poetic words about nature, and then what? You sure you aren’t going to murder me?”

I laughed along with her. It was the smallest of things to share, but it felt massive. The wall she had erected between us was crumbling, much to my relief.

“I promise that you will always be safe with me.” I plucked a flower from the ground and tucked it into her hair. The blush that colored her cheeks caused my stomach to tighten.

She reached to touch the flower, watching me with veiled suspicion. “I do feel safe with you. Why is that? Especially considering it feels like you’re hiding something massive and dangerous.”

Quickly, I averted my gaze, staring out at the river. The streetlights bounced off the water’s surface, their reflection rippled and danced. I toyed with the idea of spilling my secret, but I just couldn’t.

“I’m sure there is much we’re both withholding. Wouldn’t you say?” I countered. “Tell me something. Why did you try to get rid of me? Because I ran out on you? Is that the only reason?”

“You like to get right to the point, huh?” She elbowed me playfully in the ribs. “Ok, fine. The truth is that I was afraid. I really like you, Willow. You danced with me without knowing what I do. Your smile was so real. It felt like it was just for me. But then you found out and you took off. It stung more than I’d like to admit.” Shaking her head in disbelief, she spat out a few explicit words. “Wow. Why did I just tell you that?”

She pranced away to a bench up ahead and patted the seat beside her, waiting for me to catch up.

“You’re a good listener. A little too good,” she quipped when I sat beside her.

“It’s a gift.” I laughed it off, hoping to make light of it. Humans felt safe and secure with me. It wasn’t my intent to draw her in with that ability, but it wasn’t always within my control. “Seriously though, Christina, I truly am sorry for the disappearing act. It was work related. I hope you can understand.”

Her smile faded. I hated that. She touched the flower again, slowly tracing each petal with her fingers.

“I can try. Now, you answer a question. Tell me what makes a sweet, good looking, but a little bit weird, kind of guy like you break your hooker cherry.”

The heat of her body next to mine stole my voice. We sat close, just barely touching. I wasn’t sure how to proceed. I had already broken so many rules.

“Something about you drew me. Something that your occupation cannot change.”

“I hear a lot of crap talk from the guys that come to see me. I kind of prefer it when they don’t talk and just get down to business instead. But, you’re pretty good at this.” Christina’s voice quaked with nerves. She had every reason to be afraid; we were breaking the laws of nature.

I stared at her hand where she gripped the edge of the bench. Letting my breath out slowly, I slid my fingers over hers. “Is that how you’d like this to go? I use your body and then leave, never caring about the soul housed inside? That’s not who I am.”

Our eyes met. Christina searched me, skeptical and confused. She did not pull her hand away when I slipped my fingers between hers.

“What are you?” She asked, her voice filled with wonder. She blinked a few times and gave her head a shake. “Sorry, that was a weird thing to say. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a man talk to me like I’m a person. I don’t really know how to respond.”

This was dangerous. She was seeing through my human façade without knowing it. The illusion was failing because my intent, too, was failing. I wanted her to see, though it was selfish. I had no right to change her forever.

“You are a person. Never accept that you’re less than that. You are not your job. It does not define you.” I lifted her hand to my lips, pressing a chaste kiss to her palm.

Her long lashes fluttered, and she sighed. “Well aren’t you a sweet talker? I might not even have to fake it with you.”

Christina’s words cut me like a double-edged sword, deep and painful. It sickened me to imagine her playing a role for a man who saw her as nothing but a body to use and abuse.

“Come on,” I said, standing and pulling her along with me. “I’ll walk you back to your car. I want to make sure you get there safely.”

“What happened to playing twenty questions? I thought that’s where we were headed.” She didn’t release my hand as we walked, holding tightly to it instead. “Did I do something to offend you? I swear I didn’t mean to ask what you are. Please don’t take that the wrong way. You’re just so… different from anyone else I’ve met.”

“I know. That’s why we need to end this here. I shouldn’t have wasted your time. It was stupid of me to call for you tonight.” I concentrated hard on the way her hand felt in mine: small, dainty, and so very warm. Letting go would be difficult.

“I don’t understand.”

Suddenly, a boom of thunder shook the night. It was deafening, forcing a shriek from Christina. She threw herself into my arms, holding tight. Enclosing her in my embrace, I sighed. The source of the thunder was not nature’s grand display of power. It was metaphysical, the product of two powerful beings uniting despite the odds set against them. Alexa had joined with her other half.

I’d known this union was coming, and I was to be prepared for it. Alexa shared her purpose with another, and I was to ensure they saw that purpose through to the end, no matter what it cost me. The force of their union rocked through me, a sensation that many powerful beings would feel. Alexa was now in greater danger, and here I was, once again, shirking my responsibility to her in order to dally with a human.

“Where the hell did that come from?” Christina buried her face against my chest.

The thunder echoed and gradually faded away. Then, it was calm and peaceful once again. I inhaled the strawberry scent of Christina’s hair, hating myself for loving it so.

“Just a little thunder,” I said, daring to run a hand over her pinned tresses. “Come on, we should hurry. There may be a storm coming.”

A storm was coming, alright, but a storm of blood and mayhem rather than wind and rain. Feeling chagrined, I put an arm gently around Christina and guided her along.

We didn’t make it twenty feet before a figure stepped out onto the path before us. Though he was cast in shadow, his face hidden, I knew him immediately.

Christina gasped and jerked to a halt. The demon didn’t startle me. His power paled greatly in comparison to mine. What worried me was his timing.

“Am I interrupting?” Shya sauntered toward us with a smooth, sly gait. “Isn’t there somewhere else that you should be, Willow?”

“Do you know this guy?” Christina questioned, looking back and forth between Shya and me.

“Yes.” I didn’t take my gaze off the offending demon. His appearance never brought glad tidings. To Shya, I said, “You have no purpose here. Go now and save us both the routine. We have nothing to say to one another.”

Shya smirked, his red eyes shining bright with wicked amusement. Those eyes betrayed his Asian human male appearance as the farce it was.

“At this very moment, your charge is gaining a lot of power and, with it, many enemies. Doesn’t it concern you? Or, do you have more pressing matters than the life you must protect?” He nodded toward Christina, and his smile grew. “Are you breaking the rules? And, with a whore of all things?”

His insolent laughter echoed all around us. I was furious, more so with myself than with the dark creature openly mocking me. He was being true to his nature; I could hardly fault him for that. However, if there hadn’t been a human witness present, I would have made him sorry for his comments.

“Do you have a purpose here?” I asked, maintaining a calm, cool outward appearance. Letting Shya know he was getting to me would only encourage him. “Are you just here to mock my purpose? Because I’m too busy right now to cater to your insecurity and selfish whims.”

He roared with laughter, causing Christina to press herself closer to me. I stayed quiet, hoping hard that he wouldn’t do anything to expose himself in front of her. If he revealed himself, showed his black wings or worse, it would force me to make a terrible choice. And, Shya was certainly aware of that.

“You know me, Willow,” he said with an amused grin. “I’m always up to something.”

I nodded knowingly, unconsciously tightening my hold on Christina. “Right, you’ve got an agenda. What are you doing here tonight?”

I locked eyes with the demon; my words became a command that he could not refuse. Though he ranked high among demons, I was the greater power here. He was compelled to answer me honestly, even against his will.

Shya gritted his teeth, as vehement hatred flashed through his scarlet eyes. His voice was strangled, as if he struggled against every word. “Watching… you and the others. Gathering information so I can stay two steps ahead of you.”

“And, what exactly have you learned?”

His amusement grew into a full-fledged sneer. His heated gaze slid over Christina. “That it won’t be long until you join my side.”

Shame and embarrassment washed over me. And anger. So much anger. As much as I wanted to launch myself at him in a rage, it was better simply to get rid of him. A fight between the two of us was unwinnable. I had the greater power, but we were both immortals. That fight would never end; it would merely grow tiresome.

“Leave. Now.”

Shya bowed low in mock respect. Then, with a pretentious wave, he vanished. The conniving waste had managed to leave his mark with that one wrong move.

“What the hell?” Shaken, Christina gasped, a hand over her mouth. “Did you see that? Did you see his eyes? Was that for real?”

With a hand beneath her chin, I drew her gaze to mine. Her deep, penetrating eyes were wide with fear. Sadly, I shook my head. I had foolishly tempted fate, and it had responded in full.

“Christina, there’s something I must tell you.”

Chapter Four

Lying to Christina was never an option. My actions had made the truth known. They had also put her in danger. Shya knew who she was and what she did. Her safety had been compromised.

As we walked back to the restaurant where she’d left her car, I told her the truth. She was reluctant to believe me though she had no other explanation for how a man with crimson reptilian eyes might suddenly disappear from sight.

At various points, she stopped in her tracks, questioning my sanity and then questioning her own. She laughed, swore and cried. Then, like all who refuse to give in to the comfortable escape of madness, she accepted it.

For several days, she didn’t call, which was best. If she never called, it would be easy to accept. Encountering Shya had been the wakeup call I needed; I’d fallen so easily into this silly quest for human love that it was bound to catch up to me. Still, I resented letting her go.

When the phone did ring, I jumped.

“My date got out of hand. I think I’m hurt. The asshole robbed me and threw me out on the street. I don’t have anyone else to call.” Her tone was forcefully calm, but she was unable to hide the sound of tears in her voice.

I existed to care for humanity, so I didn’t debate my decision for a split second. If I had known that going to her would seal both our fates, I would still have gone; I’m not sure what kind of a monster that makes me.

I found Christina huddled in a bus shelter. Her ebony hair was in disarray. Makeup and tears stained her face, accompanied by a black eye and bloody nose. Her dress was torn and tattered from the struggle. She peered up at me with uncertainty and hope, and I knew that no matter what had brought us to this moment now, I couldn’t let her down.

“Come on. Let’s get you home.” I lifted her in my arms and carried her from the bus shelter. For a moment, she was stiff in my embrace, but then she dissolved into tears and threw her arms around my neck.

I called for a taxi. As we rode to her apartment, I began to question my motives. Self-doubt plagued me even after we arrived at a nice building in a good neighborhood.

“Are you sure you don’t want to see a doctor?” I asked her for the third time.

With a shake of her head, she shoved open the door to her apartment. She limped inside, beckoning me to follow.

“I’ll be fine. I just need something to kill the pain.” Flicking on the kitchen light, Christina rummaged around in a cupboard, producing a pill bottle. Instead of water, she poured tequila into a glass.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. Sit down. We need to clean you up.” I steered her over to the living room couch. My first attempt to remove the tequila from her hand failed. “Where are your hand towels? Do you have any rubbing alcohol or anything?”

“In the bathroom,” she pointed with an unlit cigarette before snatching a lighter from the coffee table and sparking it. “So, does this mean angels don’t have some fancy healing ability?”

I gathered up a few things from the bathroom, pausing to wet a few towels with warm water. “It doesn’t work that way. We don’t all have the same power, and some things we can only do when we’ve been called to. It’s kind of complicated.”

Returning to the couch, I knelt in front of her. Trying to be gentle, I started by cleaning the blood from her pretty face. “Tell me what happened.”

“It was just like I said. The bastard beat my ass, robbed me and tossed me out of his car. This shit doesn’t happen often, but I’m usually more prepared. Go figure, the one time I leave my pepper spray at home.”

It hurt me to see the cuts and bruises she bore. I would never understand how they could do this to each other. Humans thought so little of the bond they shared. How could they not see how badly they needed one another? They were so quick to lash out in abuse, so slow to show love and mercy.

“Did he violate you?” I searched her eyes, needing to know if this man had forced her. The very thought filled me with a sick feeling.

Christina blew a plume of smoke in the air and shook her head. “No, he got what he paid for before he smacked me. I guess he wanted his money back. Must be losing my touch.”

The sick sensation grew. I had never experienced the need to vomit before, but I was pretty sure that’s what this felt like. The thought of a man putting his hands all over her, knowing her in a way only a true lover should, it disgusted me.

“Do you like it?” I asked, fearing her answer. “Don’t you ever want to stop?”

Christina sucked in a breath, letting it out in a long sigh. “Nobody likes it. Everybody wants to stop. For a while, anyway. I told myself I would only do it for a year, to help my dad after my mom passed. Then, he passed away too, and I didn’t stop.”

She sipped tequila, caressing the glass as if it were a dear friend. Tears welled up though she never let them fall. It was so hard to see the lost look in Christina’s eyes. She shoved a hand through her tangled hair and squeezed her eyes shut.

“I’m thirty years old, and my greatest accomplishment is having sex for money. Pathetic, huh?” She said this with a self-deprecating smile.

“No. Life is meaningless without mistakes. Learning from them is what counts. It’s not too late to do that, you know. You can walk away. Go to school or something. There is a better way, I promise.” I held her face steady in my hand as I cleansed the last of the blood from her nose. Warmth spread through me with a swell of emotion that stole my voice. She was a vision.

“I don’t know how to do anything else. Sometimes, I don’t even want to. It’s where I belong.”

“No, it’s not.” I’d seen this before. It wasn’t uncommon for humans to start to believe there was nothing better ahead. They grew so accustomed to the pain that they started to believe they deserved it. “As long as you have hope, anything is possible.”

I went to the kitchen to fetch ice from the freezer to wrap in a towel. Returning to her, I pressed the cold compress to her swollen face. The need to hurt the man who did this to her was sudden and strong. Violence toward humans wasn’t a trait of angels, and I turned my thoughts elsewhere in an attempt to squelch it.

Christina caught my hand in hers, holding it to her bruised cheek. “Thank you for treating me like a person. It’s been a long time since a man has seen me as anything but an object.”

She pulled me down on the couch beside her, and a jolt of panic pounded my chest. Leaning in close, Christina dropped the towel but held tight to my hand. Her lips were so soft and delicate as she kissed my palm.

“I feel like I was meant to meet you, Willow,” she continued, edging closer. “I don’t know what it’s like to be with a man who cares about me. There’s something about you that comforts me. I know I can trust you.”

“Yes, you can. That’s why I can’t give you what you want from me.” There, it was out. I had to say it now. Too much was going unsaid between us. I needed to stop this thing before it got out of control.

She looked so wounded. Confusion furrowed her brow. “You feel it, too. I know you do.”

I gazed at her pouty bottom lip, silent while a war raged inside me. “Yes, I do. But, we can’t be together, not the way you want; it’s forbidden.”

“Then why did you let it go this far? You can’t just turn on this charm and compassion, make a girl fall for you and then say it’s not going to happen.” She shoved to her feet and stormed into the kitchen where she grabbed the tequila bottle and drank from it. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have called you tonight. Maybe you should leave.”

I held the towel of ice out to her, feeling useless and guilty. “Here. You should put this on those bruises. It will help with the swelling.”

“I think I’ll deal with the pain first.” She used the bottle to gesture to the door. “Don’t feel like you have to stay. It’s ok. I can take it from here. Thanks for bringing me home.”

Christina began to shut down. Her hard shield fell back in place. She stood there in torn clothing with the marks of abuse on her face, and I couldn’t bring myself to walk out the door.

“If you want me to leave, I’ll go. I would rather stay, though. If that’s ok with you.” I wanted to tear that ugly bottle from her hand and throw it from the balcony. I didn’t, though the temptation was growing. It was a crutch, a filthy way of numbing out. I had watched far too many die in the bottom of a bottle, victims of their own need to escape.

Her shoulders slumped, and she stared dejectedly at the floor. “Sure, why not? I suppose I could use the company.”

“Can I get you anything? Coffee, maybe?”

Her grip on the tequila tightened. “Would you just sit with me for a while? Is that allowed?”

“Of course.”

I waited anxiously while she showered and changed. I said a silent prayer that nothing would come up with Alexa to drag me away. My charge was my priority; she had to be. However, I was needed here right now.

Christina emerged from the bathroom in a cloud of steam that smelled like flowers and strawberries. Tightly wrapped in a bathrobe with her face free from makeup, she looked vulnerable. An overwhelming number of urges struck me, all of them bordering on inappropriate.

“You’re still here,” she said, genuinely surprised to see me.

“I’ll stay as long as you need me, unless I get called away.”

She sat stiffly beside me. Abandoning the notion of awkwardness, I brazenly put an arm around her and drew her close. She relaxed against me with a soft sigh, and I had to stifle one of my own when she took it a step farther and rested her head on my chest.

For a long time, we sat there in comfortable silence. The early dawn rays broke through the curtains, casting a warm glow through the apartment. The sound of Christina’s slow, even breathing signaled that she was asleep. I very carefully lifted her, carrying her to the bedroom.

I paused in the doorway to her small, girlish room. A frame on the dresser drew my gaze to a photo of Christina and a big yellow lab. Twenty-year-old Christina grinned at the camera, her arms tight around her furry friend.

The rest of the dresser top was littered with jewelry and other assorted accessories. A pair of red underwear that was barely more than a scrap of material forced my gaze back to the bed.

Carefully, I laid her down and covered her with a sheet. I watched her sleep for a moment, telling myself this had to be the final goodbye. It was over now. It had to be, before I did something that we would both regret.

“Willow,” she whispered my name, her voice groggy. “Don’t go.”

Her word was my command. Done with my internal battle, I shoved the guilt aside and lay down beside her. She reached for me with a soft murmur.

Facing one another, Christina snuggled in close, and I wrapped her in my embrace, enjoying the way she felt when she pressed against me. It was uncanny how we fit together like two pieces of a puzzle. Her wet locks tickled my face, but I didn’t care. I was elated.

Her eyes opened, and she smiled. The small voice in my head grew silent. I gave myself over to the moment and kissed her.

The rush of excitement was dizzying. The touch of her mouth on mine struck me dumb. All sense or thought vanished. All I could focus on was the sweetness of her, the way she moved those soft lips to kiss me back.

She held me still with a hand on my face when I would have pulled away. Our connection held an intimacy that I hadn’t dreamed possible. Observing humanity had done little to prepare me for this lively expression of emotion.

The barest touch of her tongue filled me with shockwaves of delight. How could it be that such a simple act could be so deep and profound? My stomach tightened, and my breath came fast. I had never felt so human. It was wondrous.

My name was a murmur, the only sound in the room other than our breathing. Christina sought to pull me closer, pushing my hands against her bosom. I groaned, drawing hard on what remained of my willpower.

“I can’t,” I whispered, pulling back to stare into her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

She nodded, a small smile curving her lips. Stroking a hand down the side of my face, she said, “Don’t be.”

After pressing a small kiss to my cheek, she settled in against a pillow and closed her eyes. Long after she had fallen asleep, I lay there watching the dawn. I concentrated hard, making note of every detail: the way her hair fell across her face, the steady rise and fall of her chest and even the dust motes floating in the beam of light streaming through a crack in the blinds. I needed to savor every second of having Christina in my arms.

* * * *

I visited Christina everyday for the next week. Until her bruises healed, she was avoiding people as much as possible, especially clients. It gave us plenty of time to enjoy one another’s company.

Most days we stayed in her apartment, pretending the rest of the world didn’t exist. It was just the two of us. We often lay entangled on the bed or the couch while random movies played on the television screen. Kissing and holding her was enchanting, though it grew harder to resist the desire to make love to her.

I was stupid to think it might not all catch up to me, but I’d cloaked myself in denial. As soon as Serene made an unexpected appearance while I was home alone, I knew things were bad.

“I assume you know why I’m here,” he said by way of greeting. He slid into the seat across from me at the kitchen table and fixed me with a fierce stare.

“Perhaps you should tell me anyway.”

Serene clasped his hands on the table and regarded me with sympathy. “Willow, I’m here to deliver a warning. You must stay away from Christina.”

Embarrassment warmed my face. I searched for the right response and came up empty. “I don’t want to.”

“I see that. You know the laws. She wasn’t to know about us.”

“That was Shya’s doing. He came to taunt me.”

“Which he would never have done if you weren’t casually strolling about with a human woman, one that isn’t even your charge.” Serene spread his hands wide. “What are you hoping to achieve by spending so much time with her?”

I had delivered similar warnings in the past. This was my first time receiving one. There was little I could say other than the truth.

“I just want to be with her. I enjoy it. She sparks something inside me I’ve never felt before. I don’t understand it. I think I love her.” It sounded as ridiculous as it felt to say, but being honest was important to me. I may have done wrong, but I was above lying about it.

“Temptation happens to all of us. I understand that. You must remember your purpose and be strong. You have a job to do.” Serene’s matter of fact tone didn’t imply understanding, though the knowledge that lurked in his eyes piqued my curiosity.

Conflict with a brother was not an option. Besides, arguing was futile; it would do nothing but create bad feelings between us. I gave his arm a pat and smiled.

“Don’t worry about me, Serene. I will not abandon my duties.” My intention was authentic. Now if he would just see that I had things under control and leave, I could shrug off the seriousness of his visit.

Serene raised a brow, studying me in disbelief. “I don’t want to see you go past the point of no return with this. We can’t afford to lose you, Willow. I implore you to take care in this matter. You tread too close to making a mistake you can never take back.”

I pressed my lips tightly together and shook my head. Nothing. I could offer him absolutely nothing in the way of reassurance.

“Thank you, brother,” I said. “Your heartfelt concern means much to me.”

He was gone without so much as a stirring of the air. I sat back in my chair and stared out the window. This warning had been expected, but I was unable to process it completely.

The sound of the clock over the table ticking burrowed its way into my head. Each passing second mocked my human love and me. Her life was ticking away, and I was stealing time from her. It wasn’t fair. I’d kept telling myself I would give up Christina. It was a goal always just off in the distance, close enough to cause discomfort but far enough to make it continuously unreachable.

I had to see her again. Just one more time. Just to say goodbye.

Chapter Five

I watched Christina from afar. Desperate to change the way I felt about her, I forced myself to witness that which I’d been avoiding. Knowing about Christina’s lifestyle wasn’t the same as seeing it. I had to face the raw truth that we were worlds apart.

Moving unseen, I followed her from the escort agency to the diner where she met up with a man more than twice her age. They went through the motions of enjoying coffee and conversation. She was so engaged even I believed she truly cared.

Christina’s eyes sparkled as she played her role. The man who paid for this deception looked her over with an obvious hunger. It was disgusting and incited a new emotion. With well-timed jokes and casual contact, Christina manipulated the man with ease. A flutter of heavy black lashes brought a grin to his face. That new, angry feeling stirred deep inside, and I recognized it as envy.

When they left in his sedan, I told myself not to follow, but I didn’t take my own advice. Sitting in the backseat, invisible to the human eye, I knew I shouldn’t be there. Then, Christina reached over to put her hand between the man’s legs, and I regretted my choice.

The taunting sound of her girlish giggle echoed in my ears long after I exited the car. I paced the streets with a desperate fury. Keeping myself hidden from human sight, I spewed every obscene word I’d ever heard. It felt wrong and so good at the same time. It felt like defying all that I’d ever known and giving in to the creeping darkness.

Right now, Christina was pleasuring a man for money. It was an occupation almost as old as time itself. No matter how I felt about her, she would always belong to the man with the money. His name and face would change, but nothing else would.

I waited at her apartment. Unable to sit still, I paced outside the building, trying not to scream as my mind conjured up image after image of Christina giving herself away for a price.

“Holy crap, Willow, you scared me.” Christina gasped when I stepped out of the shadows. “What are you doing here?”

“We need to talk. I apologize for showing up like this. I couldn’t wait.”

“Alright.” She gave me a critical once over as she fumbled for her keys. “Come on up.”

She led me inside, giving me another curious glance. “Is everything ok?”

“No,” I said honestly. “It’s not. I’m having a hard time coping with my feelings for you.” I watched her move about the apartment, tossing her coat and purse aside. Feeling like an outsider, I struggled to find the words. “I know it’s forbidden. I need to let you go. Then, I think of you in a strange man’s arms, and I want to do something so horrific I can’t even believe these thoughts are mine.”

Our eyes met, and she sat heavily on a kitchen chair. She crossed her arms in an unconscious, protective gesture. “This isn’t exactly easy for me either. I saw one guy vanish, and all of a sudden, angels are real. But, I still haven’t seen proof of that. Don’t get me wrong, Willow, you’re a great guy, but this entire situation is pretty messed up. In another life, if things were different, I could really love you.”

“Could?” That was what I wanted to hear, wasn’t it? She didn’t love me. I could let her go now.

Christina chewed her lip and shook her head. She gave a small shout of frustration. “Look, what I feel when I’m with you, I’ve never felt that with anyone. But, fairytale romance doesn’t exist in my world. That kind of love isn’t for people like me. Honestly, it scares me.”

I crossed the distance between us and pulled her into my arms. I kissed her, a feverish and desperate press of lips. “I can’t stand the thought of you with them, all those men. Their hands on you… it makes me sick. I don’t know how to accept it. I can’t.”

Placing both hands on my chest, she pushed me away and shook her head, her expression, one of sadness. “It’s just sex, Willow. It’s not love. I don’t expect you to understand that, but it’s my life. That’s just the way things are.”

“It’s not your life though,” I insisted, unable to quell the rising fear. “There is so much more ahead for you, if you would only embrace it. It’s not too late to change.”

“What if I don’t want to change?” Christina countered. “Has it ever occurred to you that I’m perfectly happy with the way things are?”

Of course, it hadn’t. How could she be happy giving herself to men night after night?

“Besides,” she added. “It’s not like this thing with us is serious. You can’t be with a human, and I don’t even know if I believe you are what you say you are.”

She reached for her trusty tequila bottle, taking a deep swallow. The smell of the noxious fluid made me wrinkle my nose. I hated that poisonous swill.

“I have never lied to you, Christina.” I eyed the bottle, thinking about taking it away from her.

“You have never shown me proof either.” A challenge burned in her eyes. “What do you really want from me, Willow?”

A hush fell between us. We stared at each other with only the hum of the refrigerator breaking the silence.

“I want to save you,” I heard myself say. “I love you, Christina. I’m sorry. I don’t think that’s what you want to hear.”

“For Christ’s sake, Willow, this is just a fantasy. And yes, I’ve been enjoying it too, but we are not part of the same world. You’re risking a lot by being with me. I can’t let you do that.” Her voice rose in exasperation. Tequila splashed out of the bottle onto the floor as she gestured wildly.

I boldly stepped forward, tearing the liquor bottle from her grasp. I threw it into the sink, the heat of anger fueling my action. It exploded into pieces. “How can you do this to yourself? Don’t you see how valuable you are? You’re wasting your life.”

Christina’s eyes widened in disbelief. She let out a small shriek and balled her hands into fists. Her eyes sparkled with angry tears.

“I didn’t ask you to save me,” she shouted, her voice echoing throughout the apartment. “You can’t even kiss me without guilt. What I need, you can’t give me.”

Her words unleashed something inside me. The need to have her really see me had never died. If anything, it was stronger than ever. In a moment of frustration and weakness, I unfurled my wings and showed my true self.

Christina’s mouth fell open in a silent gasp. She shook her head, unable to grasp what she was seeing. My wings were large, taking up most of the small kitchen. Bright white, they cloaked me from shoulder to ankle.

I didn’t wait for her to put words together. I moved swiftly, closing the distance between us. With scorching passion, I kissed her, claiming her mouth with a possessive hunger.

Much to my surprise, Christina burst into tears. Flinging her arms around my neck, she hugged me close. “I couldn’t do it, Willow. My client tonight… I couldn’t go through with it. I gave back the money and left. All I could think about was you.”

I held her tight, wrapping my wings around her. Covering her face in kisses, I murmured soothing words that quickly became lost in the growing heat between us.

My desire was unstoppable. A storm of emotion caught me in its hold, refusing to let go. I kissed her deep, exploring her mouth. The connection sparked greater needs, and I was ready to meet them.

Burying my face in her hair, I breathed deeply of her intoxicating scent. The softness of her skin beneath my lips was mesmerizing. I kissed her neck, daring to slide my tongue over the beating pulse, reveling at the amazing life force within her.

“I want you,” I whispered against her ear. “No guilt, just love. Let me show you.”

Christina captivated me. She caught my hand and guided me to the bedroom where words were no longer necessary. With a gentle touch, I wiped away her tears. Every affectionate touch became a sensual caress. Following my instinct, I explored all of her, though I hadn’t even allowed myself to fantasize about all the parts of her that I discovered.

I’d made my choice. The only thing left to do was to see it through. This time when she offered herself to me, I accepted.

Pushing my hand through her thick mass of hair, I nuzzled her throat, coaxing forth a soft moan. That very sound teased my control, stirring my passion. Every inch of skin bared to me was as smooth as satin.

She felt beautiful beneath me, perfect and warm. Sounds were louder, smells stronger, and every touch so raw and real. The onslaught of sensation was overwhelming.

The velvet touch of her hands on my body drove me to unimagined heights. The fervor that claimed me was brand new and surreal. There was no hesitation when I claimed her. A second thought would only prolong the inevitable.

Our bodies joined with a natural ease. A deep, breathy gasp filled the darkness. I’m not sure which one of us it was. We became one there amid the silk sheets. Christina and I moved together as if we had been made to make love to one another.

I loved her. Lord help me as forbidden as it was, I did. It was powerful and compelling, a force not to be underestimated. Every time I filled her, I felt myself free-falling off the edge of a cliff.

My name was a continuous cry on her lips. Her legs tightened around my hips, holding firm. Nothing existed to me in that moment but Christina. She was all I saw, all I felt. All I wanted. Much as I hate to admit it, the call to my charge could have come, and I would have let it go unanswered.

We made love for hours, collapsing in a tangle of limbs every so often to catch our breath. By the time the morning lit up the bedroom, she was fast asleep in my arms.

I gazed at her slumbering form, admiring the curve of her lips and the peacefulness that always managed to elude her during waking hours. A silly grin tugged my cheeks so wide they hurt. It remains my most joyful memory. I hold tight to that moment. The simple bliss before everything changed. It didn’t last long, but it was long enough for me. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

When the pain came, I was ready. It was expected though not at all welcome. Starting in my core, it exploded through my extremities, forcing me from the bed to the floor where I writhed in agony.

This was it. This was where it all caught up to me. I fixed my gaze on Christina, hoping she would not awake to see this.

My insides were alight with fire. It grew so suddenly into an intense, blinding torment that I wished immediately for death. But, it would not come; death never came for my kind.

The power was stripped from me. My wings flared wide, and I watched my reflection in Christina’s bedroom mirror as my pure white feathers turned dull grey.

So, this was The Fall. It was every bit as horrible as I’d imagined. I couldn’t contain myself any longer. A pained cry broke from me, shattering the stillness.

“Willow?” Christina rolled over, reaching out for me but finding an empty place beside her.

She sat up to look for me, and I knew I had to go. She couldn’t bear witness to this. I willed myself away, finding with relief that I still had the ability to do so. Collapsing in a heap on the floor of my apartment, I gasped for breath while my hands clawed uselessly at the wooden floorboards.

My mind, body and spirit were torn in two. I was a quaking wreck, a shell of my former self. I’d known my fate when I’d claimed Christina as mine, yet I never regretted it.

Chapter Six

The pain subsided after just a few days though they felt like an eternity. Time meant little to me in the grand scheme of things, but to mortals like Christina, it meant very much. I had failed both my lover and my charge by being away so long.

Picking myself up off the floor, I felt weak and heavy. A shred of power still hummed inside me, but it would do little to help me protect anyone now.

Guilt hit me like an accusing finger in my face. Shame cloaked me like a second skin. I sat heavily at the table, staring out the window at the roof of the restaurant across the street. I saw nothing. I felt nothing. Numb.

When Serene appeared behind me, I did not turn to look. Straight ahead, I stared. His hand was warm on my shoulder, friendly despite the line that had been drawn between us.

“I’m sorry,” he said, and there was a plethora of emotions in those two simple words.

“Don’t be. You warned me.” My voice was hoarse from screaming. I didn’t want his pity; I wanted only to be alone.

“I did, because I care for you. That has not changed. I know I don’t have to tell you what this means though.” His hand dropped, and he drew away.

“Of course not. I’ve fallen. I belong to the darkness now.” Bitterness filled the numb void within me.

Serene was quiet, pondering this. “That’s not entirely true, you know. You’re fallen, not demon.”

“Not yet,” I snapped. “What difference does it make anyway? Fallen is fallen. There is no righting this wrong.”

“Perhaps not, though take care to remember that there are many who will now be watching to see where you place yourself. You are still gifted with freewill as you always have been. I’d advise you to use it wisely.”

I laughed, a cold, brittle sound that did not feel as if it belonged to me. Here was my dear friend, trying to lift my spirits despite the terrible thing I’d done. I didn’t deserve this act of kindness.

“I will never join their ranks, I promise you. My mistake was my own. It was not made so I could serve evil.” That’s when the shock hit, the painful realization that I would be forever alone, belonging to nobody.

We weren’t created to be alone. Existing alone on the outside, with no purpose and no family, that was the true punishment for what I’d done. I’d chosen selfishly to turn my back on my duty. It was dishonorable. I wondered how I would go on.

“May I ask why?” Serene’s smooth tone holding no judgment. “What were you thinking to abandon your charge like this?”

“I haven’t abandoned Alexa. I will still protect her.” Even as I said it, I knew I would now have great difficulty keeping that vow.

“She is no longer your concern, Willow. I’m afraid your duty to protect her has been terminated with your fall from grace.”

I shook my head, finally turning to meet his eyes. His expression held such sorrow. It drove the blade of guilt deeper into my gut.

“I said I would protect her, and I intend to do that. This will not stop me from being there for Alexa. I can still help her, Serene.”

“How do you presume to do this while lusting after the human woman? She has already compromised your ability to remain faithful to your duty. She is an unfortunate distraction, one who will ultimately live and die while you are forced to watch. Have you given thought to this?”

I held his gaze, seeking a way to make him understand, knowing he never could. I wanted to be angry with him for the way he spoke of Christina, but he was not wrong. Christina and I would be parted.

“That is my concern,” I offered, turning back to the rooftop view outside the window.

“So it is,” he agreed. “Be careful, Willow. The dark will come for you. Don’t let it claim you. There is much good you can do yet.” He waited for a reply that did not come. When I remained silent, Serene said, “Brother, you are loved. Know that.”

His departure left me feeling cold and hollow. I was sincerely touched by Serene’s attempt to reach out to me. My actions had not only hurt me but those who loved me as well.

Feeling sorry for myself wasn’t going to fix this irreparable wrong. I had to get to Christina and explain what happened. She must be thinking the worst.

I threw myself together, able to perfect my outward appearance but unable to fill the emptiness inside. I stared in the mirror, certain the changes went deeper than the color of my wings and the loss of my power. Searching my eyes revealed nothing obvious. Perhaps I’d expected the semblance of evil that showed in the eyes of a demon. I may not yet be one of them, though I was closer than I ever should have been.

Several phone calls to Christina went unanswered. Worry began to gnaw in the pit of my stomach. That feeling grew when I arrived at her apartment to find she was not home.

Leaning against the apartment door, I closed my eyes tight and thought hard, wondering where she could be. Then, much to my utter surprise, I felt myself being pulled toward her. I willed myself to be where she was, and it happened.

I remained unseen, grateful to have retained that ability until I took in my new surroundings. The hotel room was fancy. White carpets, decorative statues and a bucket of ice complete with a champagne bottle by the bed. The bed itself was large, loaded with fluffy blankets. Its appeal meant little to the couple upon it. It was, after all, merely a soft place to make a business transaction.

I was dumbstruck by what I saw. Heartbroken. I knew that creamy skin, the shock of jet-black hair across the pillow. And, that voice. There are legions of angels in the heavens and the earth, but not one with such a sweet tone.

Christina was entertaining what I presumed to be a client. They were in a provocative position, one that made me cringe in anguish. It was an act of twisted desire with the payoff being material goods rather than a genuine experience of love. It killed me to see such perversion of an act meant to be a gift.

I didn’t stay. Instead, I found myself sitting in Woody’s Pub with a shot of tequila in front of me. I spent a lot of time staring into the tiny glass.

After leaving a message for Christina telling her where I’d be, I waited. Part of me hoped she wouldn’t come. I didn’t think I could look her in the eye after what I’d seen. I did owe her an apology though, one that I preferred to deliver in person.

Envy ate its way through me like a bitter poison. Knowing what Christina did with men was not the same as witnessing it. If only I could dig the image from my mind.

I held the tequila, turning the glass to examine the contents. In the pale gold liquor, I saw the vision that would forever haunt me. I struggled against it, but jealousy made me watch again and again.

I swallowed the shot, seeking to burn the memory out of me. It didn’t work although it did hold the promise of distraction. I ordered another.

“Where the hell have you been?” Christina slid onto the stool beside me. “Are you ok? I’ve been worried sick.”

Her cheeks were flushed with false passion. She slapped a few bills on the counter and signaled the bartender for a drink. I gazed at the money, knowing how she’d come by it and hating it.

“I’m sorry I left like that. Again. I had no choice. Something happened to me after we… were together. I came as soon as I could.”

“What happened?” She asked in a hush, glancing around for eavesdroppers. Other than the bartender and the one other patron that laughed raucously with him, there was nobody within earshot.

I hesitated. Could I do any more damage if this affair continued? “There were repercussions for what we did. I paid a price.”

“Oh my God.” She covered her mouth and gasped; I’d come to look forward to her dramatic mannerism. “Have you been cast out?”

“I have.” I nodded, flinching at her choice of words. “I’ve fallen.”

“I’m so sorry, Willow. I was so worried. I kept imagining all these horrible things that might have happened to you.” Christina grabbed my hand and peered up at me with worry shining in those dazzling dark eyes. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.”

I took a deep breath and tossed back another splash of tequila. After a few, it didn’t taste quite so toxic; it was even almost good.

“Is that so? It didn’t quite appear that way an hour ago when you were on your knees for another man.” Jealousy’s flame continued to burn, but I regretted saying it.

She recoiled immediately, horror etched on her face. Her jaw dropped in speechless shock. My gaze landed on her painted red lips. I had kissed those lips and felt her body against me. I wanted her to be mine and mine alone. That would never happen no matter how desperately I wanted to believe otherwise.

“What?” Christina’s voice cracked and she shook her head, confused. “Were you watching me? Like, spying?”

“I saw you,” I admitted, enjoying the painful burn that scorched my insides with each tequila shot. “I didn’t stay to watch; I wish I’d never seen it.”

“What the fuck, Willow?” She was angry. Fierce tears welled up in her eyes. With her fists clenched, she sat stiffly, and I thought she might hit me. “That’s an invasion of my privacy. How could you do that to me?”

Instantly, I hated myself. Feelings I had never experienced before dominated my thoughts. The jealousy was maddening, making me question everything. So much had changed so quickly. When had I become so weak willed?

“How could you do it? Jump into bed with the first guy that throws some money at you? You’re better than that, Christina.” My voice rose, and I took a moment to calm myself. “We shared something special. I risked everything to be with you. Doesn’t that mean anything?”

I wasn’t sure where the sudden selfishness was coming from. It filled me with bitterness so profound that it left a sour taste in my mouth. Somehow being with her had distorted my view of our situation.

Christina stared at me, aghast. She sputtered a few times, trying to form words. “I don’t even know how to answer that. I trusted you. I gave myself to you, my real self. Despite how many times I told myself I couldn’t, I still fell in love with you.” She let that hang between us; her declaration, which should have meant so much, was cheapened by my envy.

“You’re in love with me?” I echoed, uncertain I’d heard her right. It was what I wanted, but it didn’t feel right, not anymore. “Then why would you… how could you go right back to sleeping with men for money?”

Downing a tequila shot, Christina wiped the corner of her mouth and gave a short, mirthless laugh. “My life can’t just stop every time you disappear on me. In case you hadn’t noticed, falling in love doesn’t come with a winning lottery ticket. You leave me so fast that I start to question whether you’re even real. Maybe I’m in a mental hospital somewhere, right now, hallucinating a different reality. This is all pretty hard to process, Willow.”

“I don’t want you to be with them,” I said. “I’m sorry. I know I have no right to expect you to change everything because of me. That’s inappropriate. Your choices should always be your own. Jealousy is plaguing me, and I can’t make it stop.”

I sounded helpless and lost, which was exactly how I felt. The warmth of the tequila created a numb sensation on the surface, so I could almost tune out the constant replay of what I’d seen tonight.

She stood up to leave, and my heart squeezed painfully. Hitching her purse over her shoulder, she studied me with sad eyes. One single tear escaped.

“You have no idea how badly I wish we could save each other.” A deep, shaky breath racked her. Taking my hand, she pressed it to her chest so I could feel the steady beat of her heart. “This isn’t a fairytale. I can never be what you want, and you will never be what I need. It’s my turn to disappear. If you really care, you’ll let me go.”

“Christina, don’t-,”

She placed a finger over my lips, silencing me. With a soft sigh, she shook her head. Her lower lip trembled, and I took it as an invitation to kiss her.

I tried to hold tight to her as she pulled away. “Please,” she begged. “Just let me go. Before we cause anymore misery.”

“No.” I had no other words. I reached for her, but she was already gone, heading for the door. “Christina, wait!”

I went after her, unwilling to let it end this way. I had given up everything for love, her love, and she wanted to throw it away without even giving it a chance. Unacceptable.

“You can’t do this,” I babbled. “You can’t walk away now.”

“I can. And, I am.” Her hand on the door, Christina looked back at me with sorrow and something else, regret perhaps. “Goodbye, Willow. I will never forget you.”

Without a backwards glance, Christina strode out the door and out of my world. I could have gone after her; I wanted to, but chasing her down the street like an abandoned dog was not how I envisioned the culmination of our love. I let her go.

Chapter Seven

I lost track of the days and nights as they passed. It was all I could do to keep up with Alexa. Ensuring her safety was all I had left to keep me going. My reason for existence had died, yet here I was.

For the most part, both the angels and the demons ignored me until Shya visited my apartment. I felt his presence though he hadn’t manifested, and I was grateful for the forewarning.

“What do you want?” I demanded, in no mood to play the demon’s game. My voice rang out in the dark as I moved through the apartment, turning on lights. “Are you so pathetic that all you can do is creep about unseen? You must be trying to piss me off.”

His disembodied laughter echoed around me. “Does it make you feel better to blame the darkness for your mistakes?” The voice that answered was smooth as silk.

Shya stood in the middle of the small living room. Dressed all in black, his deep ruby eyes shone especially bright.

“Yes,” I said. “It does.”

My mistakes were my own. However, he came here to gloat, and I wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of witnessing my self-loathing.

“We both know that isn’t true, but I’m not here to argue. If I want to argue, I’ll drop in on the Pope.” A wicked chuckle made Shya uglier than usual.

“That isn’t funny.”

“No? Anyhow, I think you know why I’m here.”

“Do I?” I stared at the intruder in my house, ready to give him the confrontation he was seeking.

“Of course.” The demon never once took his eyes off me, but he did glide over to the bookcase where my holy books were housed.

My gaze intensified, daring Shya to lay hands on my things. His hand hovered in the air inches from my Bible, but he didn’t touch it.

“And, what reason is that?” Anger laced my words, and an alien sense of hate filled me.

“You are afraid. I don’t blame you.”

“Get to the point.” Fear wasn’t my problem; the hate was getting the better of me.

“I have power over this world. And now, you are part of it.”

“You better not be implying what I think you are, Shya. I didn’t fall so that I could serve you. It was self-serving. Wrong. Stupid. But, it had nothing to do with you.” My voice rose an octave or two, and I stared at the hand that wavered so close to my things.

“If you are serving yourself, you surely cannot be serving God. Therefore, you are serving the darkness.”

“Get out of here. You are not welcome.”

“Some might think I’m not welcome in the Vatican either, yet I can walk its halls any time I like.” A smile crossed his lips, but it was neutral, not quite as mocking as his words.

Shya’s spindly fingers closed around the binding of the Bible and lifted it from its place. He held it in his hand easily, feeling its weight. I stood frozen in anticipation.

“Do you really think you will ever get back in?” Shya’s tone held genuine curiosity.

I didn’t bother trying to disguise my disgust. I ran a hand tiredly through my hair.

“I don’t know. What’s it to you anyway? I’m not going to work for you.”

“He never let me back in.” Was that a somber note in Shya’s voice?

“You turned on Him. I didn’t. You never wanted back in.”

“How do you know?”

The words hung in the air between us. Crossing my arms over my chest, I stood my ground, glaring at the lying fiend.

“That’s between you and Him.” I shrugged. I really didn’t give a damn to hear Shya’s sob story. He was appealing to my sense of loss, trying to manipulate me. “I don’t want to hear anymore. I’m not working for you, now or ever.”

Shya began to flip idly through the pages of the Bible. He gave a chuckle here, a smirk there. I grew impatient, waiting for him to tire of this game.

“You already work for me, Willow. Eventually, you’ll accept that. Why else would one of the highest ranking angels abandon everything for the love of a whore? You belong to the darkness now.” More laughter. His eyes glittered with amusement. Shya was finding true joy in my predicament.

I burned with a rage that was foreign to my kind. As unnatural as it was, it felt good. The need to inflict my pain upon another was strong, promising a temporary release.

“You don’t know a damn thing about my love for Christina. She is a woman, a child of God like any other. Don’t speak of her again.” My fists clenched and unclenched. It was all I could do not to smack that smug smile from Shya’s face. I didn’t want a fight; I just wanted to be rid of him.

“It’s incredibly difficult, isn’t it? To love a woman that will always belong to another.” He continued to flip pages, almost absently as he stared at me. “I understand quite well. I, too, have felt the bitter sting of jealousy. Someone should have warned you. Never fall in love with a whore. It will drive you to the depths of madness, from which there is no return.”

“Get out,” I said again, wishing he would just go. Every moment in his presence was suffocating, crushing my remaining strength.

“Do you not see? I am here to help you, to set you free from that which holds you bound to this earthly world. You don’t belong here. You belong with us.”

“Get out!” My shout echoed throughout the apartment. I used my meager power to slap the book out of his hands. It hit the floor with a thump that kicked up a small puff of dust.

There was a tense moment where we stared at one another, me with daggers in my eyes and Shya with the narrowed intrigue of a true monster. The tables had been turned. He now commanded greater power; I no longer outranked him. Only if I were to become full demon would that change, but I would never sink that revoltingly low.

Shya advanced on me slowly. Malice distorted his face into something sinister. I hated him and everything he stood for, and he was hell bent on making me regret that.

“I anticipated great resistance from you. I’ve got to admit, it’s nice to be presented with a challenge every now and again.” He got intrusively close, leaning in like a lover until we were almost touching. “Because I still actually respect you, I’m going to offer you a choice.”

I barely nodded, unwilling to get any closer. My apprehension rose along with my displeasure. “I reserve the right to reject your choices and send you on your merry way.”

Shya’s snake-like pupils dilated with excitement. This was a creature that enjoyed every second of misery it inflicted upon another. He was about to deliver some of that misery to me.

“What means more to you? Your duty or your love?” Husky and sensual, Shya spoke with a calm malevolence that demanded my full attention. “Two lives, the wolf and the whore. You can spare only one. Who do you choose?”

Hatred flowed through me like poison in my veins. It bonded to my being, becoming a part of me. I shoved him backwards, needing him out of my face. I followed that act of aggression with an attack of power.

With a loud bang, a spark of light flashed between us. Shya hit the opposite wall hard, rattling the cross and sconces that hung on that wall. Laughter poured from the demon. My meager attack had done little other than remind me who I was now.

“So, there is still some fight left in you,” Shya cackled, unfurling his black wings like a living shadow. “Maybe you haven’t fallen all that far yet. Make your choice, Willow. Or, I will gladly make it for you.”

“You have no right. I won’t be controlled by you, demon.”

I fought unsuccessfully to resist the sudden panic that weakened my knees. I couldn’t make sense of this. I had fallen and lost Christina in the process. Wasn’t that enough punishment for now?

Pressure slammed into my chest, like a hand punching inside to crush what was left of my heart. I went down hard on the floor. The weight of Shya’s power was too heavy. My anguished cry could barely escape between my clenched teeth.

The demon stood over me, a ghost of a smile causing his lips to twitch. “Wrong answer. That’s alright. You’ll know better next time.”

He was gone. I had no time to decide where to go. It was my duty to go to Alexa. If she wasn’t safe, if Shya hurt her, then it would be my fault. She would not pay for my sins; I couldn’t allow it.

As she was no longer officially my charge, I couldn’t instantly be at her side as I once had. I had to visit a few different places before I found her, safe and alive in the nightclub near her house.

There was no sign of Shya. The taint of evil did not linger in the noisy establishment. He had never come here, though he had known I would.

I prayed hard. The precious moments it took me to make the jump to Christina’s were the longest of my existence. I didn’t waste time, appearing in the middle of her apartment instead of at her door.

Shya stood there grinning. In his arms, Christina trembled as the demon held a dagger to her throat.

“Willow?” Her voice cracked, and she dissolved into sobs.

“I’m impressed,” Shya said, tightening his hold on Christina so that she yelped in pain. “You chose the wolf. Smart choice. She certainly is one to watch, isn’t she? And, I will kill her. Just not today. Today, I show you why it’s dangerous to refuse me.”

I surged forward, but it was already too late. Shya flicked the dagger, and blood flowed from the mortal wound. It spilled down her nightgown, staining the white fabric a bright, startling red.

Shya disappeared, leaving her to fall forward into my arms. She sagged against me, choking on blood, unable to get a proper breath. I sank to the floor, hugging her close.

“No, dear God, please no.” I prayed like I’d never prayed before. Staring down into Christina’s wide, frightened eyes, I knew this was my fault. I’d done this to her.

I smoothed the hair back from her face. “I’m sorry, Christina. I’m so sorry.”

There was no time to call for help. She would never last. A sob stuck painfully in my throat as tears blurred my vision.

Christina’s lips moved, but no sound came out. She struggled to breathe, trying again to communicate. I leaned in close, needing to hear her final words.

“You did save me, Willow.” Each word was a great exertion, sapping the last of her strength. “You showed me love. It’s ok. I’m free now.”

Her hand was shaky and covered in blood as she reached to touch my face. I caught it in my own, pressing it tightly to my lips. Tears fell from my eyes to stain her face. I kissed her, feeling her warmth seep away.

“Don’t take her,” I whispered. “Please, take me instead.”

It was not to be. Christina’s strangled breaths ceased. Her nightgown muffled my shouts. I hugged her close, unwilling to let go. Blood and tears stained my hands and garments. Her warm body cooled in my arms.

Evil had done this. It had taken her too soon from a damaged life. It was not fair that Christina had been robbed of the chance to go on to better things.

Human death had never touched me this way. I understood, though it was hard for the humans to accept, that death was a doorway from this world to the next. It was freedom from pain and tears, a new beginning in a place without the selfishness of demons.

Yet, stripped of my status and cast out from the light, I forgot that as I gazed at her lifeless form. Just when I thought I couldn’t possibly cause any further destruction, I’d killed her.

Shya had made his demands, but this act of terror would not win me over to the dark. Though I no longer belonged to the light, I would never join him. Something changed inside me there in Christina’s apartment that night. Vengeance was born. The demon failed to realize that I now had nothing left to lose.

Chapter Eight

No amount of tequila could numb the ache, but I was damn determined to try anyway. I encouraged the bartender to keep the poison flowing with a stack of bills set atop the bar.

Time had never held much meaning. As one unaffected by it, I only gave it thought so far as my charges were concerned. Now, every agonizing second seemed to crawl by, announcing its presence everywhere I looked. I couldn’t escape it.

Weeks had passed since Christina’s death, but it felt like it had happened today. My days had become one long, endless day of hell.

“Are you calling me a fucking cheater?” The loud voice of a drunken man rose above the din. The noise grew as a scuffle broke out.

I gave the scene a brief glance. I’d had no interest in trivial human crap until the two brawling men smashed into me in their sloppy attempts to pummel one another. When the tequila I’d raised to my lips spilled down my front, I turned on my bar stool to face them. The two animals were still going at it, paying no heed to the tables and patrons around them.

Infuriated, my first punch separated them. The next two sat them each down on the floor. I gave my hand a shake and sat back down. The bartender raised a brow, looking from me to the drunken fools. Then with a shrug, he poured me another drink.

“Am I interrupting your pity party?” Serene helped himself to the seat next to mine. “Or, would you be willing to talk?”

“I don’t have anything to say.” I did my best to stare straight ahead at the golden liquid awaiting me. I was too guilt riddled to look into the eyes of my friend, and I didn’t want him to see it.

He politely declined the bartender’s inquiry. Turning to me with heavy concern, he said, “Fine. Then you can listen. I understand that you are in mourning. Please know you have my deepest sympathies. However, it’s time to move on.”

“Move on?” I muttered. “To what? There is nothing for me. I have no purpose anymore. At least I can remember her, and take comfort knowing that in the end, she loved me, too.”

“No purpose?” Serene questioned. “What happened to protecting Alexa? She needs you, you know.”

I did look at him then. Surprise pulled my face out of the tight frown I’d worn for weeks. “You said she was no longer my charge. I’ve been dropping in on her, keeping an eye out for Shya and his demons, but I’d assumed there was little I could do for her.”

Serene’s gentle gaze traveled over me, landing on the alcohol clutched in my hand. “Officially, she is not your charge. Though unofficially, I expected you meant what you said when you refused to give up your duty to her. Although you won’t be much good to her carrying on like this.”

I followed his gaze around the small pub. Woody’s Pub had become a regular part of my existence. For some reason, I felt closer to Christina here than I did anywhere else.

“I appreciate your concern, Serene. I’ve got things under control.” Denial? Perhaps. I would grieve however felt best, and the brief reprieve of numbing alcohol was the closest thing to comfort I had.

“Punching out humans and staying drunk does not convey control. I understand things have changed for you, but this is not true to who you are. Don’t tell me you’ve given up so easily.”

I made a face and tipped back the next golden shot. Serene meant well, I knew that, but his presence was making me feel worse rather than better.

My head swam. I didn’t want to be reminded of what I once was, what I had lost. Serene represented everything I would never be again. It hurt, yet I had nobody to blame but myself.

“I don’t need the lecture. I will help Alexa; that hasn’t changed. But, my actions are not open to discussion.”

My face grew warm. I was embarrassed at having been cast out. It would be a very long while before I’d be ready to face my former brethren.

“That is your choice,” Serene said with a nod. “Might I remind you that this kind of behavior has never helped anyone? If you don’t stop feeling sorry for yourself, you will fail Alexa again, only this time could prove fatal. How many women must you watch die for your mistakes before you start to learn from them?”

His words echoed with vindication, and I nearly choked on my next drink. I couldn’t dispute the truth Serene spoke, but it hurt me to hear it.

“Nobody else is going to die on my watch,” I insisted, finding it difficult to get the words out. I said it, but did I still have the will to make it so?

Serene stood up and held a hand out toward the exit. “Come. Walk with me.”

I went willingly. My self-pity was not strong enough to keep me in that bar when my brother beckoned me. He took me to one of the most broken neighborhoods in the city, a place where hope had long been abandoned.

We walked through the people littering the streets. From children selling themselves for another drug rush to war veterans long forgotten by the government they fought for, the souls inhabiting these streets were as endless as their stories.

“Do you remember what these precious people once meant to you?” Serene bent to pet a stray dog sniffing curiously around his legs.

“They still mean a great deal to me, Serene. The fall has not changed that.”

My heart still stirred for them, and I realized how relieved I was at that revelation. I had feared the fall would take more than my status among the hierarchy. It had not stolen my love. For that, I was grateful.

“Existing in a drunken haze may make you forget your pain, but it makes you forget everything and everyone else as well.” With a hand on my back, Serene guided me along. “If you succumb to this need to punish yourself, you allow evil another victory.”

We walked in silence. I pondered his wisdom, seeing it for the gift it was. It broke my heart all over again to know my brothers would not give up on me though I was no longer one of them. Once, bringing hope and strength to those in need of it had fulfilled me. I was created in love, and love was ultimately my purpose. Could it still be so?

“Why are you trying so hard to convince me I have something to offer this world?” I went cold when the little dog refused my affection, shying away from me instead. No animal had ever rejected me before the fall. Guilt took hold and shook me with its iron fist. “There is no coming back from this. You know that.”

Serene gave a slight nod and rested a hand upon my shoulder. “Of course. I also know you did not fall with evil in your heart.”

Our travels took us to the children’s ward of a hospital where we walked unseen. A touch, a whisper of encouragement, sometimes that’s all it took to bring strength to the worried mother and courage to a fearful child. How could I let myself forget the meaning of these precious encounters?

I didn’t want to leave, but Serene led me away to the home of an ailing senior. Alone, her hands clasped in prayer, her soft murmurs beckoned us into the room.

“I want you to believe in never giving up,” Serene said, laying a hand on the old lady’s shoulder. “There is much good you can still do. It won’t be easy as one who has fallen, but it is possible.”

The old lady could not see or hear us, but she paused in her fervent prayer and looked about the room. A smile lit up her face. She settled back in against the pillows and closed her eyes.

“Shya killed Christina because I refused to join him. He made threats against Alexa, and I fear what he will do.” Confessing my worry freed me of some of the weight I’d been carrying. I started to believe Serene.

“You cannot allow fear to replace your faith, Willow.” It was simple, and though it was not the reassurance I sought, it was enough.

We returned to the street outside Woody’s Pub. A sharp pang of guilt was accompanied by a painful longing. I would have given anything for one more day with Christina.

“I must leave you now,” Serene said with an encouraging smile. “I will see you soon. Take care, brother. Remember who you are.”

I stood there alone for quite some time. Then, I pulled open the pub door and went inside.

Serene had reminded me of everything I’d held so dear before temptation had made a fool of me. I had to agree with him. Chasing human escape in the bottom of a bottle was a foolish endeavor. This was a period of confusion, a time of grief, but I couldn’t stay this way forever.

Tequila was my companion once more as I mulled it all over. It was easy to sit there and obsess over my loss. Crushing the pain was a goal I could chase for all eternity and still never catch.

Christina was gone, but my charge was not. Alexa needed me, and I’d pledged to protect her. My actions had placed her in terrible danger, and I refused to allow Shya to decide her fate as well.

Though she might not know it, I owed Alexa for bringing me purpose again. She needed someone to watch her back, and I intended to do just that.

The tequila burn brought a bitter smile to my face. It would always remind me of Christina. In some somber but beautiful way, I was blessed to have known her.

Feeling sorry for myself was easy. Rising above being cast out, that was going to be hard. However, if I didn’t find a way, the darkness would win.

* * * *

I know who I am now, even though my nightmares tell me differently. The guilt lingers. Perhaps it will always be with me.

I’m fallen, not evil. Love has been my greatest strength despite also being my weakness. It is a gift, sacred and pure. There is no purity in creatures of the dark. This is my greatest assurance that, as long as I will it, I shall never be one of them.

The ache is as sharp as it ever was. Losing Christina has never gotten easier. The pain haunts me now as if it were brand new. Time heals the wounds of the mortals, but for me, there is no healing.

If I were faced with our first meeting all over again, I would still dance with her. I would still love her. In that, I have no regrets.

I go on because I must. The memories and the wounds that I carry keep me encouraged. The war rages on, and I’m ready to fight.

Author’s Note

Willow is a character from the Alexa O’Brien Huntress series. It begins with Book 1: Once Bitten. For more information, visit: TrinaMLee.com.

About the Author

Trina M. Lee was born in Edmonton, Alberta Canada. Writing fiction since childhood, a fascination with the supernatural developed in her early teen years and an immersion in paranormal fiction began. Trina enjoys hearing from readers and has an active social media presence.

Website: TrinaMLee.com

Facebook: Facebook.com/AuthorTrinaMLee

Twitter: Twitter.com/TrinaMLee

Whisper to a Scream

Copyright 2013 by Trina M. Lee

Smashwords Edition

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Manufactured in the United States of America

Editor

B. Leigh Hogan

Cover Artist

Michael Hart

Published by

Dark Mountain Books

This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.

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