《Jordyn (A Daemon Hunter #1)》


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    CHAPTER ONE


    I loved the tickling feeling of the sand eroding from underneath my feet as the ocean waves continued to roll in and then back out to sea. I''d stood in this spot so many times over the past year. It was beautiful here, the way the ocean looked like it went on forever in the distance. Still, as significant as this beach was to my new family, the way their entire existence seemed to gravitate around this spot, it didn''t hold any significance for me. I''d never dreamt of this place or met some soul mate hottie in my dreams in this spot. It was just a beach where I hung out with friends and family, nothing more. God, self-pity much? I thought. This wasn''t why I''d come to the beach. I came here to think about the anger-filled blowup during dinner earlier. Coming here always helped me chill out, and I had hoped that for once this spot would finally unlock the memories that were lost to me. The fight I''d had earlier with my supposed aunt and uncle, who were practically my age, by the way, was typical. I was over their evasive answers about my past. They didn''t seem to understand how frustrating it is to know nothing about who you are, where you come from, or even worse, why you have no memories of anything like any normal person. At times like this, I missed my best friend, Lynn. I needed someone to vent to, but she had left two weeks ago to join her Protector in Utah on an extended mission. It sucked not having her around. Sure, we texted and Facebooked each other twenty-four/seven, but it wasn''t the same. Truthfully, I didn''t see why Robert couldn''t handle the mission on his own. Of course, I knew how the whole "link" thing worked, which made how I was feeling totally irrational, I realized, but I didn''t care. I missed my only friend, damn it.


    My errant thoughts were interrupted when my pulse quickened and the hair on the back of my neck felt like it was standing on end. I wasn''t the only mystical being on the beach tonight.


    Sweeping my eyes over the boardwalk behind me, I spotted the source of my "freak alarm"¡ªDaemons. Two of them by the looks of it. They were using human hosts they''d obviously hijacked from the mortuary, judging by the gaping bullet hole in one of them. They both had waxy complexions courtesy of a mortician''s hand. The sky around us was dark enough that the other occupants of the boardwalk paid no attention to the Daemons'' odd appearances. It showed how oblivious humans could be.


    I walked casually toward them, knowing they couldn''t sense me. I didn''t emit the same vibe that a Guide or Protector or even an Arch Angel would. I was like the shadow you couldn''t see until the sun decided to cast its rays. I watched them for a moment, creeping along the shadow from the wall that separated the boardwalk from the beach. I wouldn''t be detected until I was ready. Typical Daemons. Steal human hosts and prey on the weak. They''re nothing but cowards themselves. I knew I should have called Haniel the moment I''d sensed them, but I was still pissed off enough at the world right now and decided to throw caution to the wind. I could take them out. I may be an anomaly, but at least I was a badass one.


    It wasn''t until I was within three yards of them that I spotted their source of entertainment. Homeless Joe was leaning back against the wall in a drunken stupor. One of the body snatchers proceeded to pour tequila down Joe''s throat while the other held Joe''s head in place.


    "Two on one seems a little unfair, don''t you think?" I asked as they dropped the bottle to the sand in surprise.


    "What the hell are you?" the bullet-holed Daemon mumbled, breaking through the wire the mortician had used to sew his lips closed. It was obvious they sensed I wasn''t ordinary.


    "Are you two dipshits normally this stupid, or did you leave your brains at the mortuary?" I taunted them, placing my hands on my hips. They hesitated to make a move, no doubt thrown off by the fact that they were unable to get a read on me. I rapidly calculated how I would take them out in my head. "Surely you know this area has angelic protection?" I mocked.


    "You''re no angel," the second Daemon slurred through the dead mouth of his host. He dropped Homeless Joe back to the ground and turned his hulking body toward me.


    He was right, but what a dick thing to say. I wasn''t an angel, and I never would be. It wasn''t in my genetic makeup, but hearing a soul sucker remind me of that fact only pissed me off more.


    "Wow, you''re a sharp one," I answered, stepping closer. My nose wrinkled from a sudden whiff of embalming fluid the mortician had used on the bodies.


    "You''re awful cocky for such a small little treat," Bullet Hole taunted, taking a menacing step forward.


    His words struck my hilarity button and I burst out laughing, which I could tell confused them both as they studied me like I''d lost my marbles.


    "All I can say is talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time," I said through my laughter. "Let me guess. Your boss has no idea you''re here. You thought you''d win brownie points by bringing back a soul, right?"


    My knowledge of their origins seemed to unsettle them.


    "What are you?" Bullet Hole demanded again.


    "Your worst nightmare," I snickered before turning deadly serious. Cheesy, I know, but I heard it in some old movie I''d watched over the weekend.


    This time they both laughed, which came across distorted and eerie around the wires that poked out of their lips on both sides.


    "You''re one crazy little bitch," the Daemon slurred, taking a bounding jump toward me.


    Anticipating his movement, I used my momentum and his forward motion against him by slamming my small but effective fist into his esophagus. While he was reeling from the blow, I twisted him around and thrust my foot against his spinal cord, snapping it in half. Without a backbone to hold its host upright, the Daemon dropped to the sand at my feet like a sack of bricks.


    "So, pretty girl can fight," Bullet Hole snarled, no longer playing as he slowly circled me.


    "Dude, you have no idea," I mocked, keeping my eyes on his.


    He smiled crookedly before sweeping in to wrap his massive arms around me.


    Jerk off, I thought as I threw my head back. The force of the blow broke the bones in his face, causing him to drop his arms. With lightning-quick reflexes, I scraped my fingers across his face, grimacing as my sharp fingernails dug through the soft waxy skin.


    I maneuvered toward my next strike when the body of the host dropped at my feet. The Daemon stood in front of me, no longer using the cadaver as a shield.


    "What''s the matter, can''t handle the excess baggage?" I teased. He was ugly as sin. Large grotesque boils covered his body and crooked horns stuck out on either side of his head. I sighed when he jumped forward. He laughed darkly, naively believing he held the upper hand as he reached out to grab my arm. This time it was my turn to laugh as the skin of his clawed hand ignited in flames which slowly danced their way up his forearm, past his elbow and toward his shoulder.


    "What are you?" he yelped one last time as the flames moved across his shoulder, engulfing his head.


    "I''m an aberration," I finally answered as he landed in a pile of ash at my feet.


    I turned to the remaining Daemon who studied me, puzzled over what had transpired. I took a step toward him. He glared at me before bursting into a ball of flames, leaving me with another pile of ash.


    I kicked at the pile of ash, frustrated. I was pissed that the fight had ended before it really started. Kicking Daemon ass would have at least taken my mind off my woes from home.


    The sound of applause behind me made me stop in my tracks. I felt no human pull, which meant the unwanted visitor behind me was not human. I used my gifts to access which side of the earthly realm he came from, but came up empty.


    "What are you?" I asked, turning around to glare at my unwelcome audience that stood in the shadows. The irony that I had repeated the Daemons'' question wasn''t lost on me.


    "I think the more important question is: What are you?" he asked, letting out a low whistle of appraisal at the piles of ash at my feet.


    "I asked first," I demanded. I wasn''t used to being in the dark in a situation. I felt no threatening vibe from him, but the fact that I couldn''t tell where he came from unsettled me.


    My wayward thoughts were interrupted when he finally stepped out of the shadows. A glaring ray of light from the boardwalk shone down on him and I was startled to see he was roughly my age, although he looked nothing like the boys I went to school with. His dark hair was longer than what I was normally attracted to, falling just below the collar of his jacket, but for some reason it worked for him. Human or not, he looked the part. His jeans had a distressed worn-in look and a plain red t-shirt and black leather jacket covered his torso, completing his simple but cool ensemble. I''m sure he picked his clothing, thinking he would blend in, but it had the opposite effect. He looked like he belonged up on a stage holding a guitar. The guy was hot.


    There was something magnetic about him, and I curiously stepped closer, hoping to figure out what the strange vibe was. His eyes glistened in the light and a small smirk turned up at the corners of his lips.


    "Jordyn, that''s close enough," a stern familiar voice bellowed behind me.


    "Haniel," I acknowledged my mentor without turning around.


    "Jordyn, back away from the Soul Trader," Haniel commanded loudly when it appeared I wouldn''t listen.


    "Soul Trader?" I asked, more than intrigued.


    "Haniel, good to see you, buddy," the stranger mocked, ignoring my question. "I thought you were banished to the heavenly realm a few years back," he added.


    "I was not banished," Haniel bristled. Something about the dark stranger seemed to be rubbing the Arch Angel the wrong way.


    "That''s not the way I heard it, but hey, at least you got the girl, right?"


    "Jordyn, come with me, now," Haniel insisted.


    "Haniel, what is a Soul Trader?" I asked, not taking me eyes off the guy in front of me.


    "Soul Trader sounds so harsh," the stranger taunted. "I''m just a negotiator."


    "What does that mean, you take souls?" I asked breathlessly, feeling lightheaded from his words. Any kind of Soul Taker was scum in my book. They went against everything we believed in. Everything we fought against. They repulsed my kind and yet, he didn''t repulse me.


    "Someone has to do it, sweetheart," he mocked, answering my question.


    "Yes, but it should be Angels," I answered, confused about the conflicting emotions racing through me. My DNA should have put me on the defensive. I should be plotting how to take him down, not wondering where the tattoo ended that I has just discovered on his neck that disappeared beneath his collar.


    "And what about the rotten-as-sin souls?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow at me.


    I cringed at his words. I didn''t like to think about the Daemons that claimed those souls.


    "Or what about the questionable souls? The ones your Light hasn''t decided what to do with. Should they be forsaken?"


    "The Guides save them," I defended, thinking of my friends and family who were created for that purpose.


    "So, you''re telling me that Guides manage to save every questionable soul?" he chided me like I was a naive child.


    "Well, no, but they do the best they can," I retorted, aggravated at what he was insinuating.


    "Ah, well, that''s where I come in, right, Haniel?" he asked.


    "Correct," Haniel bit out, still clearly bothered. "Jordyn, we must go. Humans are approaching. It would not bode well for you to be found with cadavers from the mortuary and an unconscious human," he added, latching his fingers around my wrist to drag me away.


    I dug my heels in to the sand, not quite ready to go. "Wait, I have more questions for..." I floundered, realizing I didn''t know his name.


    "Emrys," he answered, grinning wickedly at me.


    "Emrys," I repeated, rolling the unfamiliar word off my tongue.


    "It means immortal," Haniel said, dragging me quickly across the sand toward the steps that would lead us to the parking lot.


    CHAPTER TWO


    "I wasn''t done talking to him, Haniel, for frick''s sake," I griped, keeping pace with the Arch Angel''s long effortless strides.


    "It was time to go. Why did you not call me when you became aware of the Daemons?" he demanded, glaring over the roof of my Honda.


    "I knew I could handle it," I said, throwing myself into the driver''s seat. Watching Haniel trying to fold his imposing seven-foot frame into the passenger seat almost made up for how pissed I was¡ªalmost. "You know you can just meet me there," I added, knowing he could be at my house in seconds.


    "I believe it would be wise of me to accompany you home," Haniel replied dryly.


    "Fine," I said, slamming my foot on the accelerator, which earned me "the look" after he had to grab the dash to brace himself, but it was so worth it. I was sick of everyone treating me with kid gloves. I was different, I got that, but seriously folks, let''s move on already.


    The ten-minute drive home was quiet after that. I had a ton of questions racing through my head about Emrys, but now didn''t seem like the time. I had been given a hundred and one lessons on the origins of my family over the last year. Stories of good versus evil and how my family was directly connected to all of it. I came from a long lineage of Guides and Protectors known as Links, or soul mates, I guess you could call them. They were created long ago by The Light to help battle evil on earth. Guides were the female counterpart and were attuned to the feelings and emotions of humans. They used their gifts to cleanse the human soul in order to turn away from evil. Protectors were exactly what they sounded like. They were created to protect their soul mate. Protectors were wickedly strong, but could not live without their Guides. My Uncle Mark''s father, Victor, had been a Protector long ago before he turned dark and betrayed the other Guides and Protectors in his Band. He killed them all and split up their offspring, waiting until the kids were older to swoop in and try to harness the power they held. He cherished the power, but hated the idea that the Protectors perished if their Guides died. What he never understood was that the Protectors did not want to live without their Guides. Their Guides held their souls and hearts in their hands. His goal was to kill off the Guides once and for all, thus freeing the Protectors from their bonds. My aunt and uncle had fought him off, suffering through a separation that nearly destroyed them, but in the end, they emerged as the first ever Ascended links. They were no longer a Guide and Protector, but something so much more.


    And then there was me. I wasn''t a Guide or a Protector. I was something in between. I couldn''t feel the emotions of humans or help their souls, but I could sense Daemons, and I was unusually strong, which was the reason Haniel came around so often to train me.

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    Having an aunt and uncle who were kickass angels that visited the heavenly realm periodically was a tough act to follow. Even worse though was watching my friend Lynn reap the benefits of the bond that I just couldn''t really understand. Loving someone unconditionally in that way was foreign to me. I''ve never come close to feeling that way about anyone. I adored Lynn to death, but obviously that was different. Plus, I never understood the sensitivity to emotions. All I know is it sucked when she told me she had to join Robert on some mission that had gotten out of hand. The Link they shared was a major pain in my ass. It had me thinking Mark''s father, Victor, may have been right in resenting the whole Link thing.


    In essence Victor did accomplish what he wanted. He''d managed to destroy the lineage in our Bands forever. I had no Link, and Logan, my distant cousin, had lost his Link before she was even born. Her mom died when she was pregnant, and from what I understand, the new generation of Guides and Protectors would be unable to conceive. I knew my Aunt Krista and her best friend, Sam, had been devastated when they found out. It was just another decision The Light had made without any consideration for those involved. Haniel said it was for the best, but seeing the pain on my aunt''s face anytime she saw a baby made me call bullshit on that. Because of Victor, eventually the Links would cease to exist.


    I pulled up behind my aunt''s SUV and watched as Haniel disappeared from the front seat only to reappear outside the car in the blink of an eye. It was a cool trick, but I''d seen it a hundred times, so I really paid no attention as we headed up the cobblestone path toward the pretty beach cottage my aunt and uncle had painstakingly designed and built last year. The property had been in the family for years, but the previous house held bad memories for my aunt and uncle, so they finally decided to bulldoze everything and start over.


    I was sliding my key into the lock when the front door swung open. The tall imposing stature of my uncle filled the doorway. The disappointment on his face said it all, but I raised my chin in defiance and swept past him. He could sigh all he wanted, I wasn''t going to buckle. One way or another, I was going to get some independence here.


    "Jordyn, are you okay?" my aunt asked, gathering me into her arms.


    I hugged her back for a moment before stiffening up. "Krista, I''m fine. It was just two measly Daemons. I could''ve taken them with my eyes closed."


    "Jordyn, Guides and Protectors have lost their lives battling two Daemons at once. You could have died."


    "Gah, Krista, chill. They can''t even touch me without becoming a fireball, let alone the fact that I majorly kicked their asses," I said, sinking down on my uncle''s beat-up leather mess of a chair that he wouldn''t allow my aunt to throw out.


    "Jordyn, we''ve told you hundreds of times, one of these days they may figure out how to get past your defenses," she said, pacing back and forth.


    "Haniel, how likely is that?" I implored my mentor.


    "The likelihood is negative," he answered, confirming my statement.


    I smirked and settled back in my seat, feeling self-satisfied.


    "That does not mean one should not proceed cautiously," Haniel clarified, wiping the smirk off my face.


    "Jordyn, your aunt and I are concerned about your attitude," my uncle said, pulling up a dining room chair in front of me. "We know it''s not easy being different. We''ve all suffered from our abnormalities over the years."


    I couldn''t help snorting at his words. "Mark, you just don''t get it," I said, finally fed up with the comparisons. They all had each other. They had their memories. They knew where they''d come from.


    "Jordyn, I didn''t know this was still bugging you," my aunt said concerned.


    "How can it not?" I answered, aggravated. "I get it, okay? You guys are some mystical heavenly beings, but at least you know where you came from. What do I know? Frick all, that''s what. I have one friend, Lynn, and she''s always gone," I said in a huff with my words running together. "Oh, and did I mention that my mentor is an Arch Angel?" I added sarcastically before anyone could interject again.


    "Jordyn, I know it''s hard to be different. I spent the first seventeen years of my life thinking I was a freak. I could feel the emotions of everyone around me, got insanely sick if the emotions were too strong, and dreamed about some guy I didn''t think existed," Krista said, shooting my uncle a small smile.


    "Don''t forget, I had to deal with the fact that my dad was a murderer, and that he not only ruined my life, but the lives of my friends," my uncle reminded me quietly.


    "I get all of that too, but in the end, you guys found each other. You won. You conquered evil. When do I get a turn? We all know there''s no link for me. You tell me you don''t want me to date now. So, what, am I supposed to die as a big V?" I said dramatically.


    They exchanged a look at my words.


    "Seriously?" I asked, jumping to my feet to resume the pacing Krista had abandoned. "Virgin, okay? Virgin."


    "We know what you meant, we just want you to wait," Mark said, trying to pacify me.


    "It''s not like I''m going to go backseat diving on the first date," I said, trying to hide my smile of satisfaction as my uncle''s face turned a delicate shade of pink.


    "Backseat diving?" Haniel asked, confused over the new phrase outside his human vocabulary.


    "You know, making out with some guy in the backseat of his car," I explained. "Kissing, touching, removal of clothes¡­"


    "We get the point," Krista said, covering up her own chuckle as Mark''s pink skin escalated to a nice shade of purple. "Jordyn, it''s really not nice to do that to your uncle."


    I couldn''t help joining in her laughter as Haniel and Mark looked at us like we were nuts. After a few minutes, I finally sobered up and returned to the root of the whole blow up that night.


    "If I can''t be like you guys, then I at least want to be like humans," I said, sitting back down. "I hate this in-between crap. I just want to belong somewhere," I said as uncharacteristic tears gathered in the corner of my eyes. "Don''t you see? I want to fit in somewhere."


    "You do, Jordyn," Krista said, kneeling down in front of me. "You fit in with us. You''re special. The Light has an important plan for you. You just have to be patient and trust us," she said, reaching up to stroke my newly dyed black hair. I knew the color change bothered her, but it was my big act of defiant protest after Lynn left yet again. "Trust me, okay?" she said, cupping my face in her hands.


    I nodded. I said my piece and the rest could wait.


    "Now, tell me about what happened on the beach," she said, perching on Mark''s leg as he snaked an arm around her waist to anchor her in place.


    Haniel moved away from his location by the wall and stood in the center of the room while I filled them in on what had happened. I told them how I had sensed the Daemons and tracked them to where Homeless Joe hung out. I gave the details how I had taken them out swiftly and effortlessly without a single injury. Mark and Haniel peppered me with questions about my strategy and both looked satisfied as they exchanged looks. This was the first time I''d battled Daemons without Haniel on hand to lend assistance if need be. Finally, I got to the part about Emrys.


    "What exactly is a Soul Trader?" I asked the now silent room.


    After a moment, Krista finally answered. "A Soul Trader takes the souls before The Light or anyone else can."


    "Takes them where?" I asked, wondering why I''m just now finding out about this. They needed to seriously work on keeping me in the loop.


    "It''s loosely called the Between. Some souls are stuck between heaven and hell. Soul Traders find them and deliver them for judgment," Mark said gravely, looking at Haniel for affirmation.


    "But how can they do that? I thought it''s already been decided before you die."


    "For some, yes, but others are considered questionable. After the earthly body has perished, the souls are brought to judgment where the rightful path for afterlife is decided," Haniel answered in his typical no-nonsense way.


    "And Soul Traders take them to this judgment? But why? Why bother?" I asked, not totally getting it.


    "As it is in the earthly realm, free will govern one''s path," Haniel explained.


    "What are you saying? They get to choose whether they go to heaven or hell?" I asked, still confused.


    "In a way, yes."


    "OMG, I still don''t get it," I griped.


    "Haniel, if I may?" Mark gestured. "Jordyn, it''s complicated, but what Haniel means is that some souls are not ready to move on for whatever reason. They''re not reborn, but they are given a second chance. Their bodies regenerate into the form they were before."


    "Ewwww, that''s freaking gross. What if someone got hit by a car or something?" I said, wrinkling my nose up in disgust.


    Krista laughed at Mark. "Nice try, babe, but you''re not doing much better. Their bodies are restored back to their pre-death condition, but it''s not like they are now back on earth like regular people. What Mark and Haniel have not explained is that the soul''s choice at judgment is to accept the decision to go on to their afterlife destination or become a Soul Trader."


    "What?" I asked, shaking my head in amazement. "You''re saying Soul Traders were once these questionable souls who now work for The Light?"


    "They work neither for The Light nor The Dark One," Haniel intervened.


    "So who''s doing the judgment then?" I questioned.


    "Like Mark said, it''s complicated," Krista answered. "All you really need to understand is that some souls want a second chance to finish something they started when they were human, while others find it a temporary solution to avoiding hell."


    "So, you still go to heaven or hell, you just put it off for a while? Sounds weird," I exclaimed. "What about after they get their human form back, do they have powers like you guys do?" I asked, wondering about the green-eyed, rebel-hottie-looking Trader I had left at the Boardwalk. I was relieved that Haniel''s and Krista''s mind-reading gifts were useless on me.


    "They do have special abilities, but at a price," Haniel interjected. "As long as the Soul Trader performs the duty of collecting souls, actual human shape is retained. As for your other question, if the soul''s path was for the heavenly realm, the choice to become a Soul Trader forfeits that right."


    "Shut up!" I said shocked. "You mean if you become a Soul Trader, you can''t go to heaven? How does that make any sense?"


    "It is not for us to question," Haniel answered sternly.


    My stomach twisted around in knots. These people are screwed either way. My thoughts drifted again to the Soul Trader I met tonight. Had he been hell bound? His very existence could go against everything I believed and fought for.


    "Was Emrys hell bound?" I asked, trying to convince myself it didn''t matter.


    "That is unknown. All that is certain is he is a Trader, and as such, cannot be trusted."


    "Sounds like you don''t like him much?" I asked Haniel, but he said nothing more.


    I wanted to argue, but I could tell my aunt and Haniel were beginning to look worried at my interest.


    "Jordyn, there is something you must understand. Soul Traders are gifted in the art of persuasion. They use this skill to convince the souls to go with them, but it can also be used on humans. They are extremely dangerous," Haniel said, obviously seeing through my indifference.


    "Gotcha. Soul Trader bad," I said, working to hide my sarcasm. Insanely hot, but bad, I thought. Feeling I had pumped as much information out of them as I was going to get, I made a big production of yawning, giving the impression I was exhausted.


    "I think I''m going to do some backseat diving and then hit the sack," I joked, trying to lighten the tension that had crept into the room.


    "Jordyn," Krista chastised, smothering a laugh as Mark groaned again and dropped his head in his hands.


    "Mark, chillax, dude. I save that for extracurricular activities after school," I sassed as I headed to my room. I could hear Krista''s muffled laughter behind me.


    "Teenagers," I heard Mark mutter.


    "That was us just a few years back," Krista reminded him as I closed my bedroom door.


    Grinning wickedly to myself, I kicked off my Converse shoes that never seemed to go out of style, shimmied out of my jeans and shirt, and tossed them in the vicinity of my laundry basket. I opened my pajama drawer and pulled out a pair of cutoff sweats and one of the spaghetti-strapped tank tops I liked to sleep in.


    Once I was dressed in my nightly attire, I plunked down on my lavish high poster bed and leaned back against my mound of pillows. I studied the posters plastered to my ceiling. Steamy guys from all my favorite shows grinned down at me in their hotter-than-sex-on-a-stick way.


    I smiled somewhat grimly when I remembered how appalled my uncle was when I painted my walls deep purple and then proceeded to cover almost every inch of them with posters of hunky men. Being linked to one individual all his life, he''d never felt the sexual appeal of any other individual. Me, I could fantasize about all the hot guys I wanted because I belonged to no one.


    You''d think that idea would give me comfort. After all, it seemed barbaric and degrading to be pretty much arranged to be with one individual.It''s not like this was the Middle Ages or something. But when you saw it firsthand, it was anything but that. The Link relationship seemed beautiful and somehow natural.


    I was way too keyed up at this point to sleep. I jumped off my bed and began pacing the floor. My mind was occupied with the same quandary I wrestled with every night. I came from nowhere. I searched my mind day after day for an inkling of my past before Haniel had appeared in the doorway of my hospital room, but all I ever find is a blank slate. Who forgets about their own family, their childhood, where they grew up? I can''t tell you what my mother looked like or what cologne my father wore, nothing. I''m like a freak of nature, a lone wolf, a third wheel. Whatever way you diced it, that was me. The anomaly.


    Anomaly. That was Krista and Mark''s idea. They thought they were bestowing some freaking cool title on me when they''d discussed my abnormalities with me when I first joined them a year ago without a clue of who I was. Haniel had delivered me to them, claiming I had been in an accident that had resulted in my loss of memory. The whole thing felt like bullshit to me, but he digressed anytime I tried to question him. Krista and Mark welcomed me with open arms even though they had just barely tied the knot. I''m sure having a teenager pawned off on them during the honeymoon glow was a serious mood killer, but neither of them acted like it mattered. They treated me like I belonged. They were wrong though. I didn''t fit in with them. I didn''t have a Link like everyone else in their group. I didn''t have someone who liked to be with me no matter what, even if I was being a brat. I wanted that someone to break up my monotonous dream-free nights that were filled with nothingness. I didn''t want to be the freak of the family¡ªbut I was. According to Haniel, I had no Protector, and never would. My Protector had died before he was ever thought of, before he was ever conceived. He never existed, which left me the odd man out. I wasn''t a Guide, an Ascended, or even really human it seemed. I was basically the heavenly equivalent to the bearded lady you''d find at some carnival.

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    I opened the double French doors that faced the ocean. Moonlight streamed into my room and a gentle breeze carried the tangy smells of the sea. This was my favorite part of the whole house. An elaborate pool had once occupied the area where my doors were, but it had been taken out. Krista had turned the space into a tranquil garden that highlighted the ocean view. A large outdoor fire-pit was the main attraction with its low circular benches Mark had sanded and built when he was on summer break from the college where he taught. Other small seating areas were scattered about discreetly amongst the native plants that provided privacy without taking away the beauty of the ocean beyond.


    I walked into the garden, watching the waves below breaking relentlessly against the shore. Despite everything, I loved living here. This was the only home I knew. It was my sanctuary. My wayward thoughts were cut short when a sudden movement in the distance caught my eye. I squinted in the dim light, trying to make out the shape as a cloud passed in front of the moon, obscuring my vision. My instincts put me on alert. When the cloud moved on, my pulse raced into hyperdrive as the moonlight spotlighted the leather-donning individual standing on the shore¡­Emrys.


    I stepped toward the edge of the bluff, strangely drawn to him. It felt like an invisible string was attached to my stomach, pulling me to the stairs that led to the beach below. I fought the sensation, remembering Haniel''s warning from earlier, but the invisible string tugged harder. I shook my head so he could see my resistance.


    His gentle laughter seemed to drift toward me in an almost hypnotic haze. It was intoxicating until, with a small arrogant salute, he disappeared into the night.


    CHAPTER THREE


    I woke the next morning groggy from a lack of sleep. After Emrys had disappeared, I went to bed, but managed nothing more than tossing and turning half the night thinking about him. I wondered why he had sought me out, and if maybe I intrigued him half as much as he intrigued me.


    I rolled out of bed and shuffled through the quiet house seeking a caffeine injection. Thank God someone had switched on the coffee pot, I thought while pulling my favorite oversized mug from the cabinet. I filled it with the fragrant blend that was making my mouth water, and added a splash of my favorite pumpkin spice creamer before heading to the patio with my steaming bliss.


    "Hi, Mouse," I greeted our large marmalade cat who was lounging by the open patio doors in the living room. He pretty much stayed in the same spot all day, waiting for late afternoon to approach so he could bask in the warm rays of the sun.


    He opened a groggy eye and squeaked his typical morning greeting to me. It was his squeak that had earned him his name. He didn''t meow like a regular cat, but would squeak his messages out to us like a squeaky toy a dog might play with.


    "Morning," Krista greeted me as I sat in the cushioned chair next to her.


    "Yep, it is," I quipped.


    "Brat," she said, setting her laptop to the side so she could ruffle my hair. "This is growing on me," she said, holding up one of my dark locks.


    "Me too, plus it''ll totally match the lip ring I''m getting," I deadpanned as I took a sip of my drink.


    "Oh my god, Jordyn, no," she said, grimacing in distaste.


    "Come on, Krista, get real. Tats and piercings are hot right now."


    "Keywords: ''right now.'' In twenty years you''ll just look silly wondering why you decided to stamp a permanent unicorn on your calf."


    "Oh, I wasn''t thinking a unicorn, but more like a big old dragon that wraps around my entire leg."


    "Oh, well in that case," she said while shaking her head.


    "Just keeping it real, home fry," I teased. "Where''s Mark?"


    "He needed to talk to Shawn about last night. I think they want to observe you in action," she said, flashing me a concerned smile.


    "Watch as the student surpasses the teacher," I said in a deep announcer''s voice.


    "You tease, but you''re more right than you think. Protectors spend their lives striving to achieve the skills that seem to come naturally to you. Haniel''s given us updates on your training, but I think even he is surprised at your talent," she praised.


    "Well, it''s pretty easy when they can''t touch me without being reduced to ash," I said.


    "That only applies when they''re in Daemon form. When they inhabit a human, your touch doesn''t affect them, and yet you were still able to take on two last night. They''re curious to know how that is."


    I shrugged my shoulders, not sure how to explain it. Haniel and I had spent the last year working on my combat skills. At first, it had been simple yoga that he had insisted would keep me limber and centered. From there, we tackled various forms of fighting techniques from tae kwon do, aikido, and jujitsu to modern kickboxing. I was literally a Daemon-fighting machine. Sometimes, I''d seriously consider trading it all for a date with some steamy guy, but I kept that to myself.


    "How''s the book going?" I asked, changing the subject as I indicated the laptop.


    "Not bad. Of course, the characters kept me up half the night clamoring about how they thought the story should go. I''ve spent the last two hours tweaking several sections. I think it''s enough to keep them quiet," she joked.


    "I''d listen to those voices. They haven''t steered you wrong yet."


    "That''s true, although I''m thinking of closing the series up in the next book."


    "What? Your fans would riot, myself included," I said, horrified at the idea of saying goodbye to hot boy Blaine from her Dark Night series. She penned the series under a pen name and had refused public appearances from the beginning. Her agent had given up on trying to convince her a couple years ago when his claims of "literary death" if she didn''t put herself out there proved false. She gave her fans what they wanted by running a blog, doing regular Facebook updates, interacting on Twitter, and the obvious, writing kickass books.


    She laughed at my words. "Well, eventually the series will have to end," she teased.


    "Hmmmph," I disagreed, downing the rest of my coffee. "You want something to eat?" I asked, standing up and stretching.


    "No, Mark said he''d bring me a chocolate cupcake from Wickedly Sweet on his way home. Do you want me to have him grab you one too?"


    "No, I''ll stick with a traditional breakfast, freak," I teased, heading back inside to rustle up a more appropriate choice than hers.


    "Don''t hate the chocolate," she called after me.


    "Hey, Jordyn, I heard you kicked some major Daemon ass last night," Sam, my sort-of aunt said, joining me in the kitchen. I jumped slightly at her voice.


    "I didn''t know you were here," I said, stating the obvious as I mopped up the coffee that had sloshed over the edge of my cup when I''d jumped.


    "Mark and Shawn had some business to attend to, so I thought I''d come hang with you," she said, looking guilty.


    "Translation, you''re here to babysit me," I gripped, putting two slices of bread in the toaster.


    "Hang out," she said, emphasizing the words.


    "Right," I said skeptically, removing the butter and jam from the refrigerator. Sam was nice enough. Sure, her bubbly personality kind of wore on me, but for the most part she was cool. I wasn''t as close with her as I was with Krista or especially Lynn, but I chalked that up to the fact that we were polar opposites. She was optimistic about most things, while I was the engineer of the pessimist train. She was all sunshine and love, while I was darkness and fighting. I knew my instant friendship with Lynn had hurt her feelings, so I tried to make a conscious effort to open up more with her.


    "Oh yeah, you know me, the Anomaly strikes again," I said, glossing it over.


    "You''re a badass anomaly at least," she teased, tugging at my hair. "So fill me in. I only got the highlights from Mark before he headed out this morning.


    I sat down at the kitchen table with my toast and second cup of coffee and gave her the long version of the events from the night before.


    "Badass," she said again when I finished, holding out her closed fist so we could knock knuckles. "I''d give anything to be able to fight like that," she said wistfully.


    "You want to fight?" I asked shocked.


    "Hell, yeah. It''s always bothered me that the guys have to handle the physical part of our missions."


    "Yeah, but you have that freaky manipulation-of-feelings thing going on," I said, wondering if she was yanking my chain.


    "I''d trade that any day for being able to scrap a little," she said seriously.


    "True that. How''s your studies going?" I asked, changing the subject. Sam had been spending time with Haniel the last few months to get a better idea of the true history of the world. I''d overheard my aunt and uncle discussing her sudden interest a couple months back. They were pretty sure her interest stemmed from the recent knowledge that the current generation of Guides would not be able to conceive.


    "Not bad, Haniel''s as dry as the desert, but he''s a wealth of knowledge," she said, stealing a bite of my toast.


    I nodded in agreement. Sam opened her worn notebook that she never let out of her sight and launched into some of the notes from her time spent with Haniel the day before. After a few minutes, my eyes glazed over as Sam began to discuss the inconsistencies with documents that had been found over the years and the actual events. Only half listening, I used my fingertip to pick up stray crumbs on the table from my toast. My mind snapped back to attention when I heard her mention Soul Traders.


    "What did you say?" I asked, fully alert.


    "I said Soul Traders date back centuries. It''s pretty crazy that Haniel just covered Soul Traders yesterday and then boom, you meet one for the first time," Sam said, opening her notebook to a blank page.


    I pondered her words as I watched her hastily jot down notes. It was an awfully big coincidence. Not to mention that both Krista and Mark seemed well versed on the subject. I bristled at the idea of being kept in the dark.


    "Hey, I''m going to go get dressed," I told her.


    She nodded, although distracted, already lost in her notes as she jotted down her current thoughts on the subject.


    An hour later, I headed down to the beach for my daily training with Haniel. I was dressed in my typical training attire of black yoga pants and a white ribbed tank top. My feet were clad in black combat boots. The boots left patterned imprints on the sand as I stomped toward Haniel. My suspicions of being kept in the dark had neared a boiling point by the time I reached his side.


    "You are late," Haniel said when I joined him.


    "Did you know I would meet Emrys last night?" I asked, throwing the words at him like daggers.


    "I knew of an impending encounter, but was not aware it would occur last night," he said.


    "How did you know an encounter was impending?" I asked, working hard to tamper my anger.


    "I was told that a Soul Trader was in the area. Are you ready for training?" he asked, not acknowledging my anger. Half the time, human emotions were lost on him, but I had the impression he was well aware of how I felt.


    "Well, here''s an idea. How about if some freaking dangerous, soul snatcher is in the area, you give me the heads-up," I said with sarcasm dripping freely from my voice. "Instead of sitting around talking about it with my relatives behind my back. I''m not a kid," I said, pacing back and forth on the sand in aggravation.


    He watched my ranting and raving without commenting, and I couldn''t help seeing the irony of the situation. I was claiming to be mature with one breath and showed it by stomping around in a fit like a two-year-old. Taking a deep breath, I stopped pacing and looked at him.


    "No more secrets."


    "No more secrets," he parroted.


    "That means if you deem something is important enough to tell Krista and Mark, I should also be involved," I said, clarifying exactly what I meant by "no secrets."


    "You are pricklier than your aunt was at your age," he observed.


    "So you''ve said, like only a million times," I replied, spreading my legs slightly apart and leaning over to place my hands on the ground in front of me to stretch my hamstrings. "Truthfully, I love Krista, but she must have been pretty boring," I said, grabbing onto my right ankle and holding the pose for several minutes.


    Haniel remained silent, so I lifted my head to look at him. I grinned when I saw his look of disapproval. "Sheesh, Haniel, don''t get your panties in a bunch. Krista knows she''s a bit boring," I said, lowering my head so my curtain of black hair fell back over my face.


    "Where are we going today?" I asked, finally finishing my stretching.


    "Today, we will be working on terrain training," he answered, ignoring my groan.


    "What? After last night, I was hoping to kick some more Daemon ass," I pouted. I hated terrain training.


    "The others have asked that they join you for your next encounter with Daemons. They wish to observe you."


    "Because I''m freaking awesome," I joked.


    "Your humbleness is refreshing," Haniel said dryly.


    "Good one," I said, looking at him with approval. "That was almost humanly snarky, but not quite," I teased.


    "Ready?" he asked, reaching out to grasp my hand with his.


    I nodded, holding on tightly. I hated this part the most. In less than the blink of an eye, the sand beneath my feet and the ocean in front of me disappeared. Traveling with Haniel was nothing like the way they showed it in movies. There was no spinning, no vortex of colors, one second you were here, and the next you were somewhere else.


    It took my eyes several moments to adjust to my new surroundings. Placing my hands on my knees, I leaned over to gather my bearings. I grimaced when I saw patches of snow on the ground.


    "Snow?" I complained, thankful that I at least had boots on.


    Haniel waited patiently while I adjusted to the altitude and climate change. I always struggled with lightheadedness and nausea when I traveled with him. When I first started traveling with him, he had used his gifts to help me adjust, but he had tapered that off a few months ago, claiming I needed to learn to acclimate myself. After a few minutes, I had adjusted to the altitude and was able to stand upright without feeling like I was going to toss my toast.


    "Ready?" he asked.


    "Yeah, but seriously, snow?" I griped again, shivering slightly in the cooler temperatures.


    "The altitude will help strengthen your lungs further during battle."


    "You always act like a swarm of Daemons are going to crawl their way out of the depths of hell."

 Page 4

    "It is best to be prepared for all situations," Haniel answered in his normal dismissive tone whenever I questioned the endless hours of training. Not that I bitched much about it since it got me out of school.


    "No more talking. Go," he said, pointing to the top of the mountain above us.


    "How high?" I asked, knowing from previous training sessions what he expected.


    "The top. I will be waiting for you there," he said, disappearing in front of me.


    "What a cheat," I complained to myself as I picked up a steady pace up the uneven ground. There was no trail to speak of, so all the work was up to me. My breathing came out in even puffs as I made my way up the steep incline.


    My mind began to wander as I moved on autopilot. I''d been too hyped up all morning to allow myself the luxury of thinking about Emrys. I teased myself with fantasies about why he wanted to see me so badly. I''d been warned to stay away from him, but I couldn''t help wondering what would have happened if I would have joined him.


    Busy with sinful thoughts of the steamy Trader, I missed the exposed tree root that was sticking up out of the ground as I jogged along.


    One minute I was thinking of the tattoo that disappeared down his shirt and the next I was airborne. Using skills Haniel had taught me, I tucked my body into a ball and wrapped my arms around my head to protect it. I landed several feet away in a bone-jarring heap.


    "Fucking hell''s bells," I grunted, taking a few seconds to gather my wits while I took stock of possible injuries. Every bone in my body ached, but as I slowly began to uncurl myself from the fetal position I had flown in, I knew I wasn''t seriously injured, except maybe my pride. After a moment, I staggered to my feet and pushed my hair out of my face. My knees burned and I looked down grimacing.


    "Mother of monkey asses, these were new pants," I squawked out loud as I took in the tennis ball-sized holes in each of the knees of my pants. Blood flowed copiously from my left knee while the right one looked like road rash.


    "Real slick, dipshit," I said, leaning down to roll up my pant legs so I could take a closer look. I sucked in a breath as the material of my pants brushed against my scraped knees. "Holy donkey balls, how do kids deal with scraped knees all the time?" I complained out loud.


    "Do you always talk to yourself?" a voice asked behind me.


    "Stalk much?" I asked unsurprised. Even while nursing a couple of scraped knees, my instincts had clued me in to the presence of someone else up here in the middle of nowhere. "More importantly, how did you find me?" I asked, turning around to face Emrys.


    "Built-in tracking device," he said, pointing to his chest.


    "Really? Are you screwing with me?"


    He raised his eyebrows suggestively at my words. "Now that would be an interesting turn of events."


    I smirked at him. "I think your ego''s making drinks your nonhuman body can''t have."


    "That''s an odd way to put it, but trust me, cookie, that''s not a problem," he answered in his honey-laced voice, taking a step toward me.


    "The slick banter doesn''t work on me," I said nonchalantly. "Haniel filled me in on your, uh, ''talents.''"


    "Yeah, Haniel''s had a hard-on for our gifts of persuasion for years."


    I snorted out a laugh. I''d spent the last year around straight-laced people and it was nice in a naughty way to have someone speak what I was thinking.


    "Too bad you seem to be immune to my charm. I might''ve been tempted to use that in my favor," he said, looking me up and down.


    "How do you know I''m immune?"


    "Well, cookie, I used my most persuasive tools in my arsenal last night and you fought them off. I''m guessing Hard-on Haniel gets the same results."


    "Seriously, you have to stop calling him that. I won''t be able to look at him the same again."


    "What''s the deal with you two anyway? He seemed pretty possessive of you last night. I thought he hooked up with some chick in heaven, or is that old dog making up for lost time?"


    "That chick is my great aunt," I said, watching his jaw drop. "And, eww, he''s my mentor, so don''t be a dick," I said, reaching out to push his shoulder.


    "Well, ain''t that some shit. I''m not going to say that isn''t a relief," he said, capturing my hand in his.


    "And why is that?" I asked, trying not to focus on what his touch did to me.


    "Because, I''d have to kick some Arch''s ass to get the girl."


    I snorted.


    "What?" he asked, seeing the merriment in my eyes.


    "Dude, he''s an Arch Angel. He''d stomp you," I said, laughing outright.


    "You question my skills?" he asked incredulously.


    "Well, let''s see. He stands at least a full head taller than you, has about a foot on you in shoulder width, and did I mention he''s a freaking Arch Angel?"


    "Oh ye of little faith," he said, chuckling softly.


    "Want to let me in on your joke?" I asked, putting my hands on my hips.


    "How about we go somewhere instead?"


    "Go where?" I asked, more intrigued than I should have been.


    "There''s a spot I like to go to, to just chill. What do you say?" he asked, holding out his hand.


    I looked into his eyes, hesitating for a moment and wondering if I was under some kind of spell. His eyes were deep pools of green that seemed to drag me in. Without another thought, I reached out my hand.


    "Jordyn!" a stern voice said, breaking the spell.


    My hand dropped and I thought I saw a flash of anger in Emrys''s eye, but a moment later it was gone and replaced with his cocky grin.


    "Some other time," he said, reaching up to give my chin a gentle tug. He shot a grin at Haniel behind me before disappearing.


    I stood staring, transfixed at the spot where he''d just been. I was shocked by the waves of disappointment that washed over me. What did I have to be disappointed about? It wasn''t like I even knew him, and yet the letdown I felt was acute. I burned inside to know where he''d wanted to take me.


    "Jordyn?" Haniel''s voice was filled with uncharacteristic concern.


    I turned to face him, trying to hide my disappointment. "Yeah?" I answered, shaking off the sudden melancholy that had gripped me.


    "Are you in pain?" he asked.


    "What?" I asked, wondering how he was suddenly able to read me.


    "You are bleeding," he said, pointing to the injuries on my knees that I''d forgotten about.


    Glancing down, I was shocked to see that the blood on my left knee had dripped down my leg and was pooling on my boot. "Oh," I gasped as the throbbing of both knees made their presence known. "I fell," I said stupidly, as I looked at him in confusion.


    Without speaking, he reached out and gripped my hand in his. The mountain disappeared from underneath me, and the cool tile of my living room floor replaced it just as I collapsed.


    CHAPTER FOUR


    I woke disoriented to the sound of loud voices.


    "What happened?" I heard my uncle demand.


    "Shh, Mark, you''re going to wake her," I heard Krista whisper, although the sting from her gently dabbing at my knees with a wet cloth didn''t help either.


    I kept my eyes closed, pretending to remain asleep. I was curious why Mark was so upset. So I had taken a tumble and bloodied my knees. It wasn''t the first time I''d been injured, and I was positive it would happen again. Often.


    "I want to know how he found her, and why he''s suddenly so curious about her," Mark demanded in a lower voice, but still shaking with rage.


    "He''s a Trader, Mark. He can find anyone, right?" Krista said, obviously directing the question to Haniel.


    "That is correct."


    "Fine, but why is he interested in Jordyn?" Mark bit out.


    "I am unaware of his intentions."


    "What is The Light saying?" my uncle ground out.


    I was surprised at his anger. I''d only seen him lose his cool once and that was when I first joined them. He and Haniel and had gotten into it in his office. I didn''t know exactly what they fought over, but I had a rough idea it involved me.


    "Mark, you know as well as I do that The Light doesn''t just divulge information, even if you can get in to see him," Krista said gently.


    My ears perked up at her words. I''d been asking them for months what heaven was like, but they always put off my questions, saying I would have to wait until I got there to see for myself. I thought their whole secretive attitude was pretty lame, but I eventually let the subject drop.


    "Krista is correct. I have not been granted an audience with The Light."


    "What do we do?" Krista asked.


    "We enlist guard duty around Jordyn at all times," Mark answered gravely.


    "What?" I asked, sitting up abruptly, no longer able to feign sleep.


    "It''s the only way, Jordyn," Krista soothed, scrubbing the dried blood off my leg.


    "I can do that," I said, snatching the rag from her hand. "I don''t need guard duty either," I said, scrubbing hard at my leg.


    "Jordyn, it''s our job to keep you safe," Mark said as he sat down on his chair.


    "That''s ridiculous. We all know I''m the best fighter we have," I said, still rubbing my leg with the rag.


    "That may be, but this boy seems to have a power over you that renders your gifts useless," Krista said, grabbing the rag from me before I rubbed off a layer of skin.


    "You guys act like he''s out to get me or something," I said, swinging my legs around so I could sit back against the cushions. The scrapes on my knees protested as I bent my legs to prop them up on the coffee table in front of me.


    "He must have a hidden motive," Mark said, meeting Haniel''s eyes, who gave a nod of approval.


    "Because God forbid he might actually be interested in me," I said sarcastically, rising to my feet. "Has it crossed anyone''s mind that maybe he just likes me? Maybe after he saw me kick the ass of not one but two Daemons last night he decided I might be someone he''d like to get to know. Contrary to popular opinion around here, I might just be considered hot to the opposite sex," I added, attempting to stomp out of the room. My injuries made it more like a shuffle.


    I slammed my door, cutting off anything they might have said, and threw myself on my bed.Just because I didn''t share some freaky Link with someone didn''t mean I was a leper or something.


    A light tapping at my door interrupted my inner monologue. Krista opened the door before I could answer.


    "Can we talk?" she asked.


    "I guess," I said, scooting over so she could join me on my bed.


    "We''re only lo¡ª" she started to say.


    "Looking out for my best interest. I know, Krista. I''ve heard it a billion times. Everyone''s always looking out for my best interest, but seriously, how badass do I have to become before you guys realize I don''t need anyone. I''m not like you guys. I''m not going to fall apart being alone," I snapped. "But that also doesn''t mean I can''t be interested in someone."


    "Jordyn, I''ve been on my own, and I know it''s not a fun place to be. We know we''re overprotective, but it''s because we love you, not because you''re some amazing warrior. Even if you had no gifts at all, we''d still love you the same."


    "Sometimes it feels like you guys are smothering me. I want to be able to experience life without always having everyone breathing down my back. It''s bad enough that I can''t remember anything about my past without always having everyone hover over me. I just want a little space," I said. "I need a little space!" I clarified.


    "I get that, and we''ll work on giving you more space. We want you to be happy. I know Lynn leaving last month was hard on you, but you can''t spend the rest of your summer moping around picking for a fight," she said, giving me her classic adult look.


    I tried not to laugh. Sometimes Krista forgot that she was only five years older than me.


    "Laugh it up, but taking on those Daemons without help isn''t going to win you any brownie points," she said. "If you want us to treat you like an adult, you need to show you''re responsible."


    "But I knew I could take¡ª" I started to say.


    "Jordyn, we all know you can fight Daemons, but believe me when I say that The Dark One doesn''t always play fair. Calling for help isn''t being weak. It''s showing responsibility," she said. "Okay, end of parental rant. Maybe when school starts, we can revisit you going out with the boy from chemistry."


    "That''s okay. He''s really not my type," I said, thinking my type ran more toward a certain Trader.


    "I see. Well, maybe you''ll see ahumanwho is your type," she said, emphasizing the human part. "But, this Soul Trader, he''s not for you," she added with finality.


    I wanted to argue, but could see the subject was closed.


    "I have no interest in Emrys," I lied, smiling through my teeth.


    "Just keep it that way," she said, leaning over to give me a kiss on the head. "I love you," she said, shooting me one last worried look.


    "Love you too," I said as she closed the door behind her.


    My smile disappeared the moment the door closed. "Ugh, why can''t I have normal guardians that were clueless to the supernatural world?" I complained, climbing off my bed. I grabbed a clean pair of knee-length grey sweats and one of the several black spaghetti-strap tank tops from the drawer. Krista had tried unsuccessfully to get me to switch to pastel colors a couple months ago, but I balked at the idea. White, black and maybe grey were my colors of choice.


    With clean clothes in hand, I headed for the bathroom to grab a shower. The gentle hot water cascaded down my body, soothing my tender knee abrasions. As I gingerly scrubbed away the dried blood from my legs, my mind wandered back to the mountaintop and my encounter with Emrys. I was dying to know where he''d wanted to take me, and why he seemed to be so into me. I had my fair share of guys check me out over the last few months, but something always seemed to hold them back from actually approaching me. Lynn had thought it was the "I can kick your ass" vibe that she claimed I emitted. I tried taking her suggestions and softened my demure, but it felt phony. Besides, she said it looked like I had a bad case of constipation, so I gave up in frustration. Even when Justin from my chemistry class actually got the nerve to ask me out, I was so shocked I turned him down before it could fully register in my head. I tried to retract the rejection as soon as the words left my mouth, but the damage was done and it was too late. I was a social leper.

 Page 5

    Emrys, though, was different. For once, I didn''t feel like a big slimy leech. Haniel annoyed the hell out of me for butting in again just when things were getting interesting. Next time would be different, I resolved.


    I stayed in the shower, mulling over the whole thing until the water began to run cold. By the time I was toweling off and pulling on my clean clothes, I had a whole plan worked out in my head of how the next encounter with Emrys would go, minus Haniel obviously.


    Sam was sitting on my bed taking notes when I left the bathroom.


    "Wow, what''d you do? Get dragged behind a car?" she asked, taking in my knees.


    "I know, right. Too bad it''s not Halloween. I could pass for a zombie," I quipped.


    "True. Here, Krista told to bring you these," she said, holding up oversized Band-Aids.


    "What, no one wants to see my gruesome legs?" I said, sitting next to her as she ripped open one of the packages.


    "Not really," she teased, gently pressing the bandage down over my knee.


    "I''m going to look like a complete tool with both knees bandaged," I griped as she applied the second bandage.


    "Well, whose fault is it that you don''t pay attention to where you''re going?"


    "Ha-ha, you''re so funny. Not," I said, punching her arm lightly.


    "Damn girl, you''ve got some bite to you," she said, rubbing the spot on her arm.


    At first I thought she was teasing since I''d barely tapped her, but by the admiring look she was shooting my way, she was dead serious.


    "Oops, sorry," I said.


    "It''s all good. You want to go see the zombie movie that just came out?" she asked, switching gears.


    "Let me guess. Krista''s idea?" I asked skeptically. It was typical of my aunt to use bribery to entice me. Even down to the point of conning her best friend into sitting through some zombie movie.


    "It''s not like you haven''t been talking about it incessantly since it released last week," she reminded me, tugging on a wet lock of my hair. "Come on, it''ll do you some good to get out."


    "You sure it''s safe, what with me on toddler watch all?" I asked, standing up to pull a brush through my long wet hair before it dried into a frizz ball.


    "Haniel thinks as long as you''re with a Guide you should be okay."


    Translation: aGuide would be able to pick up any supernatural vibes and send in the troops, I thought sourly.


    "Even a trouble magnet like you should be safe," she teased, trying to erase the scowl on my face.


    "Fine. I''ll go, but only because zombies are involved. Now go so I can change."


    "Maybe something that''s not black. I always feel like I''m with the crypt walker when you dress in all black."


    "Take it or leave it, preppy," I said, taking in the plain khaki shorts and striped polo shirt she was wearing.


    "Not prep, style," she said, looking offended.


    I closed the door behind her, laughing at how touchy she was when it came to fashion. I''m not an idiot. I knew Mark and Krista were attempting to manipulate me by using Sam, but I was beginning to enjoy hanging out with her, so it wasn''t much of a hardship. I think I just judged her unfairly in the beginning. She really was an all-around good person. Unfortunately for her though, she would have to live with my usual attire, although, to throw her a bone, I picked a white t-shirt instead of black. I pulled on one of the few pairs of jeans I had that didn''t already have holes in the knees to cover my bandages and laced up my combat boots before stepping in front of my dresser mirror to do my hair and makeup. My black hair made my skin appear almost translucent, and my naturally thick eyelashes required no attention as they stood out on their own. I used my coal-colored eyeliner liberally on both eyes and smiled as they popped out against my porcelain skin. My favorite plum-colored lipstick completed the look I was going for as I stepped back to admire my handiwork. I looked like I was headed out to some hot club instead of a movie with my sort-of aunt, but that wasn''t the point.


    I headed down the hallway toward the living room where I could hear multiple voices. All noise evaporated from the room as I entered. Glancing around, I saw Sam and her husband, Shawn, on the far side of the room where they''d been chatting with Mark and Krista, about me I''m sure.


    "Oh, Jordyn, I love your hair," Shawn said, engulfing me in a bear hug.


    "Goth, right?" he asked as I hugged him back.


    "Ha, you''re so funny," I said, knowing he was teasing me.


    "How was your mission?" I asked.


    "The usual," he said, sounding bored.


    "Maybe I can go with you guys next time," I said hopefully. The guys in my family had been handling the lion''s share of the simple missions that were being handed down and spent most of the year traveling. Sam, Krista and Lynn took turns shuttling me around when a Guide''s assistance was needed on a mission. They made a point of making sure I was never alone. I was insanely jealous of their freedom and spent the last year begging and pleading for an opportunity to go with them. All my pleas had fallen on deaf ears since I lacked a Guide''s gift of helping free a soul, but I had argued countless times that I could be an asset to the Protectors.


    "I''m not sure how many more missions we''ll have in our future," Sam said, smiling brightly at me.


    "Why not?" I asked, biting back my disappointment as my hopes were dashed. In the back of my head, I had been harboring the hope that after my success with the Daemons the night before that I would be allowed into their world once and for all.


    "Your uncle and I decided to do something we''ve wanted to do for a very long time."


    "And what is that?" I asked, trying not to sound as belligerent as I felt.


    "We''ve decided to fill out the paperwork to adopt," she said excitedly.


    "Oh, very cool," I said, feeling like a complete ass. I knew how badly Sam and Shawn wanted kids. They''d rejected the idea of adoption for years, claiming their lifestyle wouldn''t be a fair environment to raise a child. "Are you guys going to try to adopt a baby?"


    "No, we''ve decided to adopt an older child. One that might''ve otherwise fallen through the cracks. The woman we met with told us about a little boy who would be a perfect candidate. His mom died when he was born, and his dad just went to jail for manslaughter. They''re searching for family members that might want to step in and adopt him, but if no one steps forward, we might be able to adopt him," she said with excitement lacing through her every word as happy tears gathered in her eyes.


    "That''s awesome," I said, feeling a lump in my throat.


    "Of course, everyone is going to have to act normal," Shawn said, raising his eyebrows at me.


    "What? I act normal."


    "Reallllllllly," he said, fluffing my newly dyed hair.


    "Hey, even normal people dye their hair."


    "True, but they don''t talk about wanting to kick Daemon ass or terrain training they''ve done with their Arch Angel," he teased.


    "Duh, what am I, a complete moron? Besides, you guys should be more worried about yourselves. You''re not exactly Joe and Mary Ray of Sunshine from Perfectville, USA," I said, defending myself.


    Everyone looked at me for a moment before bursting out laughing. "You definitely have a way with words, Jordyn, no doubt," Shawn choked out.


    "So, how old is the rugrat?" I asked curiously.


    "He just turned nine. They didn''t know he even existed until a neighbor notified the authorities that he was all alone in the trailer he''d shared with his father. Turns out, he''d been all alone in there for three days after his father was arrested."


    "Holy shit," I muttered. "Oops, sorry," I said, looking at Mark.


    "I''d say under the circumstances, we''ll let it slide. It''s a deplorable situation," he said, looking solemn.


    "He''ll be placed in foster care until any relatives can be reached, which could take up to a year," Sam said, sounding dismayed at the idea. The woman at the agency said he was taken to the hospital and treated for dehydration and multiple abrasions, including a broken arm that had gone untreated. They actually had to break the bone again to get it to set the right way. He also has a limp from a bone that was broken in his leg a long time ago that never healed right. Eventually, they''ll put in a rod and screws to fix the bone. All the bad conditions and poor nutrition have made him frail and his bones very weak. He saw the hospital psychologist this morning and seems to okay mentally, despite his obvious horrible past," Sam said quietly, struggling with her emotions over the situation.


    This is where being a Guide was tough. Sam could feel every bit of pain this poor kid has endured in his short nine years.


    Krista reached over and patted her hand. "I''m sure he''s tough, Sam. He''d have to be to make it through that, right?" she said, putting her arm around Sam.


    Where the girls in our family struggled with containing their sensitive emotions in a situation like this, mine went in the opposite direction. I wanted to hit someone. I wanted justice for those who were unable to fight for themselves. I wanted someone to pay.


    "Settle down," Mark said, coming over to place his hand on my shoulder while I rocked back and forth on the balls of my feet. My agitation radiated through me and I fought the urge to lash out at him, knowing I could break the hand on my shoulder if I wanted to. I tamped my anger back and stepped away from him.


    "Ready?" I asked Sam, suddenly desperate to leave the house. I was happy for them, but at the moment, I wanted to hunt down the little boy''s dad and show him what a real ass kicking looked like.


    "Sure," she said, sensing how volatile I was at the moment.


    "Be careful," Krista said, giving me the eye.


    "Always am," I lied, heading out.


    Sam was silent as I put the car in reverse and backed out of the driveway without bothering to look for oncoming traffic. I slammed my foot on the gas pedal, making the car buckle slightly under us before shifting into the gear I wanted. My small car raced down the road as I took each of the sharp curves with the precision of a race car driver. Driving came almost as naturally to me as fighting, and I felt in control as we rocketed through the night. I could tell Sam was nervous by the way her white knuckles gripped the dash, but she remained silent, letting me get my inner demons out. If Lynn would have been here, she would have most likely cheered me on to go faster. That''s why we were such good friends, we meshed well. I took the turn into the movie theater parking lot without slowing and felt the back end of the car fishtail as I finally applied the brake. Whipping the wheel around, I slid into a parking spot and killed the engine in one fluid movement. Sam and I were thrown against the seat belts with my abrupt stop, and I welcomed the pain as the seat belt bit into my shoulder and across my stomach.


    "Feel better now?" Sam finally huffed out.


    "Not really," I answered shortly, striding toward the ticket booth, but wishing now that I hadn''t agreed to see a movie. I was in a piss poor mood that was guaranteed to ruin our night.


    "Chill, you''re like a volcano waiting to erupt," she joked, trailing after me. "Jordyn, remember something. I know you can get fired up easily, but you''ve got to keep it in check for the sake of people around you. It''s all good."


    "Two students for Zombie Island," I told the bored looking girl in the ticket booth who was chomping gum like it was her last meal.


    "Sixteen dollars," she said, blowing a bubble with the gum.


    I handed over a twenty and was waiting for my change when I was knocked into from behind. Stumbling, I used the counter to keep from falling forward. I whirled around on the defensive to find a group of college football blockheads, judging by their brawn and cocky attitudes. They were too wrapped up in their rough housing to take notice of knocking into me and a young couple. None of them offered up an apology, which relit the fuse on my temper.


    "Hey, watch it, dick," I said to the one that had knocked into me.


    His friends hooted at my comment. "Dude, you just got served by a chick," one of them crowed.


    "Sorry, sweetheart. Can I kiss something and make it better?" he asked, clearly showing off for his friends.


    "Is there a problem?" Sam asked, coming up to stand beside me.


    "Only problem, sweet stuff, is that you need to keep your friend here on a tighter leash," he replied, glaring at me. He stepped closer with his chest puffed up. The idiot was obviously used to being able to use intimidation to get his way.


    "I''m sure it''s just a misunderstanding," Sam, the forever diplomat, said, holding up her hand.


    I could see she was debating whether or not she needed to use her gifts to alleviate the situation.


    "Fuck your misunderstanding," he said, taking a step closer.


    "Look, there''s no reason to be a jerk," Sam said in a calm voice. It was evident now that she was trying to control the situation.


    "Maybe we can work it out," he said switching gears, making me think Sam''s gifts were doing their job, but the confused look on Sam''s face clued me that something wasn''t quite right.


    "How about we go to my car?" he said, trailing the back of his hand deliberately across her chest.


    Without thinking, my hand reached out and grasped his finger. Pushing it backward, I felt it snap in my hand, making the football jerk land on his knees at my feet.


    "You stupid bitch, you broke my finger," he snarled, cradling his finger against his chest.


    All sound around me evaporated, and in one fluid movement I came up behind him and wrapped my arms around his neck. He tried to stand, but the more he fought, the more my grip tightened around his neck, cutting off his air supply.


    "Just think how easy it would be for me to break your neck too," I breathed into his ear so only he could hear my threat. He grabbed at my arm with his good hand and I tightened my hold to the point that his face began to change colors. "You''re seriously not tempting me, are you?" I asked. Unable to answer, his eyes began to bulge. "Next time you''ll employ a few manners and show the world that you''re not a complete dick, right?" I asked, finally loosening my hold. He dropped down in front me on all fours gasping for breath as he began to heave. I moved away from him as sound rushed again into my head, crowding my senses. I felt Sam pulling on me, and could hear the jock''s friends talking excitedly.


    "Damn, did you see that shit?" I heard one of them ask as Sam dragged me around the corner of the building.


    "Jordyn, what the hell was that?" Sam screamed, clearly disgusted.

 Page 6

    "What? The guy was a freaking jerk!"


    "You can''t just drop a guy like that without consequences. You were going to break his neck because he knocked into you and touched me. This isn''t training. That wasn''t some Daemon you were fighting there. That was a human. You know, people we''re supposed to protect!" Sam said, shaking with shock. "I''m going to go do some damage control. You go to the car," she demanded, stomping away.


    All my fury seemed to dissipate in a rush and suddenly I was the one having trouble breathing as I thought about what I had just done. Sam was right. I fought that guy much like I would have a Daemon. I''d let my anger dictate my actions and compromised our family secret by doing so. Despair filled me, and I walked away from the side of the building, but instead of heading toward my car, I headed to the empty field behind the theater. I wanted to get away. I needed to get away.


    The farther I walked from the theater, the easier it became for me to be able to breathe. Finally, I stopped in the middle of the open field and looked up at the stars, letting the rest of the adrenaline slowly seep from my body.


    "Out for a nighttime stroll, huh?" a voice asked behind me.


    "Emrys," I said, not turning around even though my pulse sped up into a high gear.


    "Where''s your bodyguard?" he asked, stepping up close behind me.


    "I''m sure he''ll be here soon," I answered, finally turning around and silently begging him with my eyes to keep his promise from earlier.


    "You want to get out of here?" he asked huskily.


    "Yes, please," I said as I heard Sam yelling my name behind me.


    He held out his hand, and without hesitating, I reached out and grasped his hand just as Haniel appeared at my side.


    "Jordyn, no!" he said, realizing he was too late.


    CHAPTER FIVE


    Haniel, Sam, and the weeds around my ankles disappeared instantly and were replaced by a steel platform beneath me. Taking a moment to get my bearings, I turned around slowly, trying to figure out where we were. We seemed to be standing on top of some kind of structure. The breeze was crisp, causing me to shiver slightly, and I could hear the faint sounds of traffic below. I stepped closer to the edge to see if I recognized anything. Looking down, I gasped when I saw the ant-sized vehicles buzzing around from what seemed like miles away. Maybe it was the unexpected shock from realizing how high we were, but my head began to spin, and I swayed uncertainly on the edge of the metal platform.


    "Whoa, careful, Wonder Woman," Emrys said, gripping my hand and pulling me backward. "I''m pretty sure your superpowers don''t include flying, right?" he added.


    "Where are we?" I asked, sitting down to ease some of my dizziness.


    "On the top of the Empire State Building," he said, sitting next to me.


    "Seriously?" I shivered again, but more from his close proximity than the actual chill in the air.


    "Cold?" he asked.


    "A little," I said, not wanting him to know my shivers were because of him.


    "Here," he said, shrugging out of his trademark leather coat.


    "Won''t you be cold?" I asked as I slid my arms into the cool sleeves of the jacket. It was weird that no heat remained from his body. It felt more like the jacket had been hanging in a closet. Regardless, it did the trick and immediately started to warm me.


    "How soon before my warden shows up?" I asked, trying not to think about how good it felt to be wrapped up in his jacket.


    He laughed long and hard before answering. "Longer than you''d think."


    "What do you mean?" I asked, wondering what I was missing.


    "Just put it this way: Haniel will have a hard time finding us with the shield I''ve employed."


    "I hate to break it to you, Trader, but he''s kind of got a direct line with The Light. He can find anyone."


    "The Light is only helpful when he chooses to be. You''d be surprised how often your little protector spends cooling his heels waiting for his boss to give him the time of day."


    I mulled over his words, knowing he had a point. Haniel himself had mentioned on more than one occasion that he needed to seek an audience with The Light.


    "So, this is your favorite place?" I asked, changing the subject. The view from the metal catwalk where we were perched was truly spectacular.


    "Well, not the actual catwalk, but the location. Here, scoot closer to the edge," he said, tugging on my legs until they dangled off the edge like his. My heart raced as I peered down. I had never been up so high, and I couldn''t decide if I was frightened or exhilarated. The headlights on the cars below looked like they belonged on some elaborate kid toy as they buzzed around. It''s amazing how peaceful it all looked from this height. In a way, I kind of envied their lives. They woke up, went to work, went back home, slept, and started the whole process over again the next day. I''m sure a lot of them thought it was monotonous and boring, but to me, it had a comforting normalcy to it. Angels were something they heard about in church each Sunday, not a part of their everyday lives. I wondered how different my life would be if my aunt and uncle didn''t have a direct line to heaven.


    "Penny for your thoughts," Emrys said, holding out an aged copper penny.


    "Does that corny line still work? Besides, I''m not sure they''re even worth that," I said, reaching out to take the penny anyway. I cradled it in my hand, studying the date. "Nineteen fifty-two?" I inquired.


    "Good year," he said, leaning back on his hands.


    "I know, right? Poodle skirts, sock hops, milkshakes, and Mom''s meatloaf," I retorted.


    He shot me a crooked smile before answering. "You sure are sarcastic for an angel."


    "Never said I was an angel," I snipped back.


    "Don''t fool yourself, sweets, you''re more angel than I am."


    "That''s not saying much," I said. "You''re like some grim reaper?"


    "Ouch," he answered, clutching where his heart would have been. "How dare you call me a grim reaper. I prefer ''soul man,''" he taunted, wagging his eyebrows at me.


    "Oh brother," I said, pointing into my mouth to gag myself. I took a swat at his arm, but he captured my hand in his.


    My breath hitched in my throat, and my sarcastic attitude disintegrated in the thin air. Hand holding was a new experience for me. I tried to act indifferent as I leaned over, studying the endless lights below us. The temperature of Emrys''s hand was much like the jacket. I''m not sure why I had assumed it would be hot to the touch. Or maybe I did know why and just didn''t want to admit it. My train of thought crashed and burned when he started tracing patterns on the back of my hand. I had to work hard to maintain a slow and steady breath.


    "So, the tat, what does it mean?" I asked, trying to ignore the nagging voice that was taunting me over why he''d brought me here in the first place.


    His finger stalled. "Nothing really. It''s just something from my human days," he finally answered after several minutes had passed. I was beginning to think I had entered into some "no visitors allowed" part of his mind. I fidgeted uncomfortably, fighting the sudden urge to snatch my hand away.


    "You remember being human?" I asked, trying to break the awkward silence.


    "Vividly," he said, laughing harshly.


    "Was it that bad?" I pressed on, ignoring the "do not enter" sign he all but had hanging around his neck.


    "Bad? No. For the most part, it was good. It didn''t get bad until the end," he said, making it clear the subject was closed.


    The sting of his rejection made me recoil. "Fine," I snapped, yanking my hand from his. "You can take me home now," I added, rising.


    "Hey, don''t get all twisted, babe. I just find talking about you to be more enlightening," he said, tugging me back down.


    "Are you just fucking with me?" I asked, going for the shock factor to cover my confusion over his intense interest in me.


    "Sweetheart, you''d definitely know if I was doing that," he drawled.


    "What do you want from me then?" I asked, ignoring his innuendo.


    "What makes you so sure I want something?" he asked as he resumed drawing the intricate pattern on my hand.


    This time it was my turn to laugh harshly. "Let me tell you something. This whole mysterious cool act you''re going for is starting to teeter awfully close to the creeper line. Besides, everyone wants something from me. I''m not a freaking idiot, so spill it. You got me here where you wanted me¡ªall alone," I said, indicating our isolated location.


    "Does there have to be a reason? You intrigued me. From the moment I saw you kick the living shit out of those Daemons I knew I wanted to get to know you better."


    "Really? And you decided that from knowing me all of ten minutes?" I asked, pulling my hand from his. "You can cut the bullshit."


    "Jordyn, you intrigue me, that''s all," he said again.


    "Intrigue how? Like some science experiment gone wrong that you can''t help looking at with morbid fascination?"


    He laughed. "Boy, talk about some serious paranoia."


    "Why? Because I''m not falling for your horseshit? Haniel says you''re dangerous and he hasn''t lied to me yet."


    "You don''t think I''m dangerous," he said matter-of-factly.


    "Oh, so you can read minds, too?" I asked sarcastically.


    "Hey, peace, baby, peace. I''m not looking for a rumble," he said, holding his hands up. "Is this okay?" he asked, grinning devilishly as he slung his arm over my shoulder.


    "Damn right you''re not," I muttered, leaning back into his embrace.


    He mumbled something in protest, but I didn''t quite catch it. I was tempted to ask him to repeat it, but I figured I''d dealt with my fair share of drama tonight. Shit was going to hit the roof when I got home anyway, so this brief interlude could be the only break I''d have. Emrys seemed to sense my mood and lapsed into silence. I wasn''t sure how long we sat there. Time seemed to bend back on itself as all the vehicles and lights below entranced me. I could have stayed there all night. It was easy to see why this was his favorite spot. Only when my butt became numb did I finally acknowledge the passing time.


    "I should go home," I said, sighing resignedly.


    "You don''t have to," he enticed.


    "I need to face the music. I''m sure Haniel, not to mention my aunt and uncle, are going apeshit by now."


    "See, that''s my point. If you''re in trouble anyway, why rush home?"


    "You really are evil," I said, elbowing him in his ribs as I stood up.


    "Do you believe that?" he asked, standing also. His teasing was now gone as he studied me intently.


    "Does it matter?" I asked.


    "To me it does," he said quietly before grasping my hand in his.


    The catwalk disappeared beneath our feet and was replaced by the beach. Emrys let go of my hand as soon as my feet sank into the sand. Opening my eyes, I saw I was alone with the waves that crashed against the bluff near my house.


    "Emrys?" I said, spinning around, searching for the Trader who had been with me just moments before. "Damn, no reason to go away mad," I said to the empty beach. "You forgot your jacket," I added, hoping to entice him back out.


    I waited several more moments to see if he''d return, but finally gave up when I realized he wasn''t coming back, at least right now. Trudging through the sand, I headed toward my house with trepidation. This wasn''t going to be pretty.


    I stepped through the patio doors to an overflowing family room. Seven pairs of eyes pivoted around at my entrance, all staring in dead silence.Shit, nothing like calling in the cavalry, I couldn''t help thinking bitterly as my eyes scanned the room.


    Any further thoughts were pushed aside as a small dark-haired torpedo hit me at top speed, nearly knocking me over. "Lynn?" I said, shocked to see her as she wrapped her arms around me.


    "Jordyn, don''t ever do that to me again," Lynn admonished, holding me at arm''s length.


    Her scolding raised my hackles. "You came all this way because I went on a date?" I asked, putting on an act like my actions were no big deal.


    "I thought we saidnobeing alone with the Soul Trader!" Krista said in a raised voice, taking in the leather jacket I was wearing.


    I shrugged my shoulders, trying to hide my surprise over Krista''s anger. She was usually so even tempered.


    "Seriously? I''ll be eighteen in two months, guys. When are you going to realize I''m practically an adult?"


    "When you don''t act like a toddler by going off with a stranger," Mark said in an even tone that was more effective than Krista''s shouting.


    "Oh god, it was no big deal. We just hung out," I said defensively, sinking down on the couch as all of them eyed me like some alien species.


    "Jordyn, you don''t justhang outwith Soul Traders. They always have a secret agenda," Krista said, sitting next to me.


    "Secret agenda? Come on, you''ve already told me they''re here to collect souls. Obviously, mine is safe, right?" I asked. "Besides, Emrys is different," I said stubbornly.


    "If by different, you mean cunning, you''re dead on," Sam grumbled across the room. "I watched how he manipulated you, snatching you right in front of Haniel like that."


    "He didn''t snatch me," I argued. "Haniel can tell you that," I said, looking at him for confirmation.


    "Correct. He did not snatch you. You went willingly," Haniel answered, not moving a muscle as he studied me intently.


    Haniel''s judgmental stare was piercing. I drug my eyes from his and studied the floor instead, debating whether I should answer him. How could I sum up how Emrys made me feel to a bunch of angels? They didn''t want to hear it. When I was with him, I felt daring, rebellious, and more importantly, free. I felt alive. My every movement over the last year had been scrutinized by the individuals in this room. At times I felt like nothing more than a lab rat to them. For just the briefest of moments tonight, Emrys helped me forget my status as an Anomaly.


    "Jordyn?" Lynn asked, sounding confused. She was used to the more vocal version of me. I didn''t shy away from situations. I embraced them.


    Not sure how to answer, I finally shrugged again. "I don''t know," I finally mumbled.


    "He is obviously mind bending you," Robert said trying to pacify the situation.


    "Mind bend?"


    "You know, compelling you to go with him. Mind bend means the same thing. Your mind is bent so it no longer belongs to you."

 Page 7

    For a moment, I debated coming clean. Looking at the expectant faces around me though, I decided to keep the fact that I was immune to Emrys''s mind tricks to myself. Of course, it would be all-holy-hell-monkey-asses when they found out the truth.


    Everyone nodded their heads at his words. To them, it was obvious that the evil Soul Trader was taking advantage of the poor orphan girl. A slow simmer began to boil up in me. I worked to keep my face neutral. I knew the truth and that was all that mattered at the moment.


    "Well, as all of you can see, I''m safe and sound. I don''t even think a hair is out of place," I said, patting my head sarcastically.


    "Where did the Soul Trader take you?" Haniel asked with intensity.


    "Why?" I asked, wondering why it mattered. The fact that he''d returned me in one piece should have appeased the watch dogs.


    Haniel ignored my question, waiting for me to answer.


    Sighing at the fact that he was acting like a total drama douche, I finally caved when I realized the inquisition wouldn''t end until I answered him.


    "Fine, he took me to New York," I snipped out.


    "New York?" Krista asked, looking at Haniel questioningly.


    Haniel''s impassive mask was back on as he studied me, obviously trying to get a gauge on whether I was lying. It bugged the crap out of him that he couldn''t see through me.


    "What did you guys think? That he dragged me off to the pits of hell?" I sarcastically joked, waiting for their denial. Silence filled the room. "Seriously? That''s what you thought?" I asked again in a raised voice. "Why would you come to an asinine conclusion like that?" I said shrilly.


    Surprisingly, it was Sam who answered my shrieking questions. "Jordyn, you have to admit, the Soul Trader doesn''t look very trustworthy," she said.


    "So, we judge on looks now? Well, I guess Lynn and I will be the next victims on your hit list," I said, blatantly eyeing Lynn''s short cropped spiky hair and multiple piercings.


    "Don''t be ridiculous!" Sam said, laughing uncomfortably.


    "Why, because you know us? Well, I know Emrys, and there''s nothing wrong with him," I said, standing up in a huff. "You''d think a bunch of angels would be a little less judgmental. I like him and that should be all that matters," I added, turning on heel and heading to my room.


    I could hear the murmuring of their voices as I firmly closed my bedroom door behind me. Let them stew on my words. Sooner or later they were going to have to understand that I didn''t fit in their mold.


    I changed out of my clothes slowly, taking care to not let the denim material rub against my sore knees. The day''s events crept up on me quickly and I stifled a yawn as I switched off my bedroom lamp. My pillow-topped mattress was calling my name, but a far greater voice urged me toward my patio doors. Standing in the darkness of my room, I could see his shadow clearly on the bluff looking out at the waves. I knew he''d be here. I''d known it the moment I entered my room. My mind may be immune to his bending, but my body seemed to be attuned to his presence. I debated confronting his stalker-like behavior, but I found his presence oddly comforting. Of course, considering how much I''d already pushed my luck tonight, I fought the urge to join him. Instead, I watched him for several moments until a tall shadow joined him. I recognized Haniel''s build instantly. Cracking my patio door open, I strained to hear their words, but the crashing waves below made it impossible to hear. Haniel''s posture was tense as he earnestly said something to Emrys who responded by throwing his head back and laughing. It was obvious even in the darkness that Haniel was aggravated by Emrys''s humor. He continued talking, but now used hand gestures to emphasize his point. His words had obviously hit their mark. Emrys''s posture seemed to switch from carefree to tense. After several moments, where Haniel did the majority of the talking, Emrys laughed again, but even from a distance, I could tell this laugh was different. This was a harsh laugh. Without warning, he pivoted his eyes to where I was standing with the door open. He gave me a hard look that I couldn''t read, and then gave Haniel a mock salute before disappearing.


    I closed my door without acknowledging Haniel. I was pissed that he couldn''t let the situation go. Being a mentor was one thing, but he was now a controlling douche.


    CHAPTER SIX


    My mood was still sour by the time I woke the next morning. I had spent the majority of the night tossing and turning, worried that Emrys would decide that hanging with me wasn''t worth dealing with my overbearing Arch Angel.


    It sucked living in this gilded cage. I hastily made my bed and then grabbed a clean set of clothes and headed to the bathroom. Even after a shower my mood hadn''t improved. I contemplated crawling back under my covers and sleeping the day away. In the end, the smell of coffee from the hallway called my name, enticing me toward the chattering voices within the kitchen.


    I was surprised to find the kitchen crowded by the same crew I had left in the living room the night before.


    "What did you guys do? Have a slumber party?" I asked.


    "Morning, Jordyn," Krista said, ignoring my sarcasm.


    "Morning," I mumbled, refusing to feel guilty over my bad mood. "So, what''s the deal?" I added, indicating the crowded kitchen.


    "We have a mission," Krista said, taking a bite out of a chocolate cupcake.


    "Well, goody for you," I snipped as my bad mood returned full force. I knew I should have climbed back in bed.


    "And so do you, unless you''ve changed your mind about accompanying us on a mission," Mark answered in a don''t-give-us-your-teenage-attitude voice.


    "What?" I asked. I must have heard him wrong. I''d spent the last year begging, pleading, and cajoling them to take me with them. "Is this a bribe or something?" I asked.


    Sam flushed at my question. If that was her poker face, she better never step foot in a casino.


    "Haniel has assured us that you''re ready, but if you''d rather not," Mark said, obviously going for the reverse psychology route.


    For a moment I debated calling him on his bluff, but my desire to kick some Daemon ass won out. "Sure, I have nothing better to do," I said, trying to keep the excitement out of my voice.


    "I''m sure," Mark answered, not buying my blas¨¦ answer.


    "Come on, I''ll go with you while you get ready," Lynn said, dragging me down the hall.


    "Sheesh, where''s the fire?" I griped as she shoved me in the room and closed the door behind her.


    "Like you don''t know. Spill the deets," she said, perching atop the low dresser that pretty much took up the northern wall in my room.


    I shrugged my shoulders, not sure how much I wanted to confide to her. Usually I had no problem filling her in on all my woes and worries, but the intervention that was staged last night made it clear what side she was on. Normally I didn''t care that my best friend was several years older than me, but last night she seemed no different than all the other judgmental adults in the room. "Why, so you can tell me how dumb I am?" I finally said, pulling on a pair of thick socks.


    "Don''t be a snark," she said, calling me out on my sarcastic answer. "Now spill it."


    "I like him," I said simply, lacing up my combat boots. "Why did they finally decide to let me go on a mission?" I asked, bouncing slightly on the balls of my feet to make sure my boots wouldn''t pinch my toes.


    "The guys have been dying to see you in action."


    "And they figure this way they can keep an eye on me."


    "You seem to require a little babysitting since I''ve been gone," she said, shooting me a look. "So, you like him? Sam says he''s cute."


    "Cute?" I asked incredulously. "He''s freaking steamy with a capital S," I added, miffed that he had been lumped in a "cute" category.


    "Holy crabs, youlikethis guy," she said, eyeing me with sudden interest.


    "Duh, Sherlock Holmes. I thought we already established that, hence your early return."


    "Yeah, but I assumed you were just messing with Haniel since you like to screw with him. You''ve never shown much interest in any other guy. I was starting to think you swung from the other tree," she said, wagging her pierced eyebrows at me suggestively.


    "You wish," I said, giving her a lighthearted shove which resulted in her landing in a heap on the floor. "Oops, sorry," I said, reaching down to help her up.


    "God, you''re like a freaking Mack truck," she said, rubbing her bottom.


    "I always forget what a weakling you are," I teased as we headed out the door.


    "Just because you''ve got the strength of The Hulk doesn''t mean I''m weak," she said, giving me a shove.


    "Whoa, you almost didn''t knock me over," I mocked as we headed to the living room laughing. I still wasn''t crazy for the reason behind her return, but I was just glad to have my friend back.


    "Where are we headed?" I asked as we joined the others.


    "A small village in West Africa, north of Ghana, called Bunbonayili. Haniel says the villagers are convinced the area surrounding the village is haunted since several dead bodies have been seen walking around. There have been several deaths that all point to Daemon activity," Mark answered.


    "Shut up! Africa! That''s freaking awesome," I said, forgetting my resolve to play it cool. "Maybe I can try my hand at fighting a lion," I joked as excitement raced through me. I had been convinced my first official mission would be something local.


    "Don''t even joke about that," Krista said, shuddering at the thought of me taking on a lion.


    "I bet I could kick a lion''s ass," I bragged.


    Shawn laughed. "It''s a good think you''re not cocky."


    "I know you''re jealous you''re not as strong as me," I said, dancing out of his reach before he could pull my hair.


    "And so humble," he added, making a move to grab me, but missed as I moved just out of range. "You''re a fast little shit, I''ll give you that," he added as the rest of us burst out laughing.


    We were still laughing when Haniel appeared a few moments later.


    "I see you are ready," Haniel said to me.


    "I was born ready, baby," I replied, bouncing on my toes like a boxer.


    "Haniel, you couldn''t have fed her a little humble pie in all your training?" Shawn joked.


    "She lacks humility, but speaks the truth," Haniel replied as the others broke into laughter again.


    "Dude, you''re losing your touch. You were much tougher on all of us when we were her age," Shawn complained.


    "Your skills did not match hers," Haniel replied, missing the gist of Shawn''s complaint, which made us laugh even harder.


    Puzzled, Haniel turned to Krista for clarification of our laughter, but she just shrugged her shoulders, unsure how to explain it.


    "He''s just jealous," I told Haniel, smirking at Shawn.


    "I hope she does meet a lion," I heard Shawn mutter to Sam as I laughed again.


    "Are we ready?" Mark finally asked, getting down to business.


    Haniel answered by grasping Robert''s hand. Krista grabbed on to Sam''s and Mark did the same to Shawn. Before we could even blink, they all disappeared in front of us.


    "That trick never gets old," Lynn said as Haniel once again returned to the living room.


    "Excited?" Lynn teased as I impatiently waited for my turn.


    "Nah," I joked as Haniel reappeared.


    "Rrright," she said, just before Haniel reached for her hand.


    That left just me alone in the living room, full of nervous energy. I was in the middle of stretching when Haniel suddenly reappeared.


    "Are you ready?" he asked with something akin to excitement.


    "Wow, Haniel, if I didn''t know better, I''d say you were excited," I teased as the living room around me disappeared.


    It took my senses a moment to acclimate to the sudden climate difference as I squinted in the darkness, taking in my surroundings. A couple glow sticks lit up the ground at our feet where Krista and Mark were sitting, recovering from the journey. Lynn had told me once that when they first started traveling this way, it would take them hours to recover. With practice and discipline, they''d trained their bodies into recovering more swiftly.


    "What time is it here?" I whispered, ignoring the tingling on the back of my neck.


    "Just after six in the evening," Mark answered, climbing to his feet and helping Krista up.


    "Where are the villagers?" I asked, finally able to make out the dark huts in front of us.


    "They''ve moved to another camp, closer to the water. They have this false sense of security that they can use canoes to flee what they think are ghosts or spirits. The Daemons have been too busy preying on the sick and weak that were left behind to bother with the rest of the villagers yet. That''s why we''re here. It won''t be long before they dispose of the last survivors and make their move on the villagers. The Guides will help their souls move on," Mark said, smiling at Sam and Lynn.


    "Jordyn, can you tell me how many Daemons are here?" Haniel asked.


    Taking his question seriously, I closed my eyes and allowed myself to focus on the tingling on the back of my neck. I couldn''t tell you exactly how it worked, but Haniel and I had discovered that this was my mechanism, I guess you could say. By the way my neck was vibrating, I knew that at least a half-dozen Daemons were around. More than I had seen in one place before.


    "Half-dozen, maybe more," I said gleefully.


    I heard Sam gasp with dismay.


    "We''ve handled that many before," Shawn reassured her.


    "Yeah, but with the help of the other Bands," she said, mentioning the other Guides and Protectors that lived in various locations.


    "Their assistance will not be needed tonight," Haniel reassured the group. "Jordyn will handle this. The Protectors will only intervene if need be."


    "She can''t take them all on by herself," Krista said, stepping in front of Haniel to glare at him.


    "She can," Haniel answered, not intimidated in the slightest by my five-foot-nothing aunt.


    "The Daemons know we''re here," Lynn said, looking pale, even in the dark.


    I was on the verge of asking her if she was okay when I remembered that Guides got sick when Daemons were around.


    "Jordyn, prepare yourself," Haniel ordered.


    "I got this," I said, strutting toward the village with confidence. I may have a shitty memory of my past and no soul mate, but I could take out Daemons in my sleep. I could sense the others following behind me, but they kept their distance as I tuned them out. My senses kicked into overdrive as I approached the entrance of the village. I spotted three Daemons in their ugly-ass form hanging out in the middle of the small village. They were waiting for us. Their ignorance made me chuckle. They thought being in their Daemon form made them more menacing and harder to destroy. I''d be able to take them out before they even knew what hit them.

 Page 8

    "What''s this?" one of them snarled at me. "You must be from the Junior Angels'' Academy?"


    "That''s funny. Remember you said that when you''re flat on your back with my foot on your throat," I said, smirking at him as I worked on not breathing through my nose. Their stench was enough to scar my nose forever.


    Their sinister laugh at my threat made it clear they weren''t intimidated¡ªyet.


    "This is a joke, right?" he taunted as he and the other two began to circle me. "Chickie, you''re not tall enough for this ride. Better go find mommy."


    It was a shame they weren''t using human hosts. I would have loved to give my onlookers a show, but I would have to make do with what I had.


    "You don''t smell like any angel I''ve ever met," he said, breathing in deeply through his snout, which reminded me of a cross between a pig snout and a snout you''d find on an ox. It was massive in size and oozed green shit that made me glad I skipped breakfast.


    "How you can smell anything but your own stank is beyond me," I said, trying to bite back my grin as they closed in on me.


    "Your angel pals too scared to join you?" one of them snarled as he reached out to grab me. His breath reeked of dead flesh and god knows what else.


    "Nah, they''re just here for the show," I said, darting out of reach, not quite ready for him to discover what my touch could do to him. The others closed in. I kept my stance casual, biding my time for the perfect strike. The circle of Daemons around me closed in, blocking out the village. When I could no longer stand the stench, I made my move. With the palm of my hand and all my force, I struck the Daemon in front of me in his ugly-as-sin snout. His howl of anger turned to confusion as flames licked their way across his face, turning it to ash. Without pausing, I roundhouse kicked another directly behind me, sending him flying backward from the force. I smiled in pleasure as I observed the distance I had kicked him. I''d broken my record on that one. I was still smiling when the third Daemon made the mistake of reaching out and grabbing my arm. His hand immediately burst into flames.


    "What the hell are you?" he yelped as the flame licked up his arm.


    "I get that question a lot," I openly laughed at his shock.


    My laughter was cut short when he swung out with other arm. The blow caught me on the head and my vision blurred slightly. Pissed off, I reached out blindly, grasped the offending appendage, and smiled in satisfaction as he screamed in anger. His second arm disappeared into a pile of ash. Finally, I turned on the Daemon I had dropkicked.


    "You''re one freaky bitch," he snarled, looking at the piles of ash at my feet.


    "So I''ve heard," I said, just as he lunged for me. Anticipating his move before he even made it, I reached up and grasped both the horns that stuck out on either side of his head. Pulling with all my strength, I ripped them off before he could react.


    The Daemon screamed in agony, dropping to his knees and clasping his hands to his head.


    I pivoted around again, feeling the back of my neck tingle as before. Three remaining Daemons stood ready, still occupying human hosts. By the looks on their faces, I knew they had learned from the mistakes of the hell scum I had just taken out.


    "Come to join your friends?" I taunted, kicking one of the piles of ash at my feet.


    "I''ve heard of you," one of them snarled. "You think the training from some sell-out has-been is going to help you against us?" he added, indicating the two other Daemons that flanked him in their human host forms. "I''ve been sending your kind to meet their maker for years."


    "My kind?" I asked sarcastically. "Are you sure about that?"


    "You may think you''re hot shit, but you''re no different than any of the other angel scum you hang out with," he mocked, taking a menacing step toward me.


    "Really? That''s funny because it seems like I''m the one who''s been kicking Daemon ass," I smirked, standing my ground as they closed in on me. Haniel had schooled me on the benefits of making the enemy come to me. It allowed me the advantage of calculating how to take them out by the way they moved. Every movement was nothing but an equation in my head that I would use against them. It was just another benefit of my gifts. My mind was like my body, a well-oiled machine that was attuned to defeating the enemy.


    I was still smiling when the first Daemon made his move. He was quicker than the Daemons I had taken out on the beach. The hosts they were using were a fraction of the width but at least a foot taller. Their bodies weren''t bloated with embalming liquids either, but instead were lean and fit from the souls that the bodies rightfully belonged to. It was obvious the Daemons had hijacked the bodies the instant the souls had left them.


    My leg snapped up in one fluid movement before the Daemon could reach me. His head reared back from the impact of my foot hitting him square in the face. He growled at me and spat out a mouthful of teeth. The other two Daemons came at me as one, closing in on both sides.


    I could smell their rank breath as they laughed at what they thought was their advantage. Waiting until the last possible moment, I finally reached out with lightning-quick reflexes and grasped one of them by the forearm. Twirling him around so his arm was twisted behind him, I felt the bone snap as the arm became limp. I used his body as a shield as he thrashed against me, trying to break my hold.


    "Let go of me, you bitch," he snarled, bucking harder.


    "As you wish," I said, releasing his arm abruptly. My arms were around his throat before he even realized I released his arm. Using gravity against him as he stumbled against me, I snapped his neck. I smiled as his useless body dropped to the ground in front of me. Knowing my touch would reduce him to ash in his regular form, he burst into a ball of flames after snarling at me one last time.


    Taking advantage of my distraction with the fallen Daemon, the other two moved in on me together, hoping to use brute force against me. I laughed darkly as one of them wrapped his arms around me from behind. His strength was greater than a normal human, making it hard for me to wiggle around. His toothless friend stood in front of me, grinning crookedly, thinking they had the advantage.


    "You must like Matterhorn a lot," I said, oozing sweetness.


    "Matterhorn?" he asked, clearly confused.


    "Yes, Matterhorn. The maker of my boots," I said, kicking up with all my might. The blow caught him in the chin, snapping his head completely back and breaking his neck like his fallen soul sucker friend. The Daemon fled his human host before the body he had hijacked had even hit the ground.


    Without pausing, I reared my head back, catching the Daemon behind me full in the face. I heard the bones in his face break as his hold on me slackened. Twisting around before he was even aware of it, I placed one hand on his face that no longer had any bone structure and the other on the back of his head. With one twist his neck snapped and he landed in a heap at my feet.


    "You''re dead," the Daemon that had been holding me hostage only moments ago snarled at me, breathing heavily in his natural form as god knows what oozed from ruptured pores on his body.


    "Gah, ever hear of a breath mint?"


    "Who are you anyway?" he asked, blowing a large breath of rancid air in my face.


    "I think you have bigger problems to worry about than who I am," I said, grasping his face in my hands, working not to grimace at the boils beneath my hands. "Like how you''re going to explain to your boss that someangel scum took you out," I added as flames licked up his face where my hands had been.


    "You won''t always have that advantage," he snarled, looking at my offending hands.


    "Whatever helps your burning time in hell," I mocked. "You can also tell your boss this village has protection now," I added just before he disintegrated in a ball of flames.


    Cheering and clapping erupted behind me.


    Taking a bow, I grinned at my audience as they strolled into the village.


    "Are you okay, Jordyn?" Krista, ever the worrywart, asked, checking me over for injuries.


    "Well, I broke a nail," I said, holding up my pinkie on my right hand to show her the damage.


    "Show off," Mark said, ruffling my hair with admiration.


    "What? My nail almost hurts," I pouted.


    "You are one badass," Shawn said, giving me a mock punch in my arm. "Those were some impressive moves. That last kick, I bet your foot got this high," he said, holding his hand up near his chin.


    "If my legs were longer, it would have been here," I bragged, moving his hand up several more inches.


    "Truth, sista," Lynn said, slinging an arm around me. "That was amazing, my friend."


    "Thanks."


    "Well done, Jordyn," Haniel said, stepping into the circle of well wishers. "Almost flawless," he added, eyeing me critically.


    "Almost flawless? Dude, she nailed it," Shawn championed for me.


    "Nah, he''s right. Flawless is no injuries," I said, holding up my hand again.


    "What''s a broken nail? You just trashed six Daemons single-handedly," Shawn grumbled, clearly aggravated on my behalf.


    "Broken nail, broken finger, broken hand, broken arm, or broken neck. The first four can be fixed, the last is irreversible," Haniel reminded him gravely.


    I nodded, accepting his words. This speech was nothing new to me. I''d heard it many times before. Above all else, I was to protect myself from injury. One false move and it could''ve been my neck that was snapped instead of just a nail.


    "I still think it was badass," Shawn muttered as they broke up into groups to search the rest of the village.


    Haniel stayed behind with me. After a few minutes of silence, he finally spoke. "You did well."


    "OMG, was that a compliment?" I teased, nudging him with my hip. "Thanks for letting me come," I said as my anger over his interference the night before finally melted away. At the moment, Emrys seemed very far away, and not quite as appealing as he had the previous night. I was in my element here. My body hummed from the adrenaline I had used to take out the Daemons. Despite all my gripes about my differences, I freaking loved sending Daemons back to hell in an ashtray.


    Haniel and the Guides spent the next few hours coaxing the villagers into returning to their homes. The Guides used their gifts to soothe emotions and help those who were grieving for the family members they had lost during the Daemon occupation. While they were working their magic on the traumatized villagers, the Protectors and I cleaned up the village. We buried the dead and made grave markers for the villagers who had lost their bodies to the Daemons. Burying the dead was not fun. It was a glaring reminder of how fragile humans were and exactly how important our jobs were. My emotions felt tattered and ragged as we gently carried the bodies to their final resting place. The death of innocent people weighed heavily on me, leaving a glaring reminder that this wasn''t a game. It was real. I tried to direct my mind on anything but the bodies that we lowered into the ground. I didn''t want to think about the horror they had faced without any protection. They needed Protectors who were dedicated to help them, not someone who was fraternizing with a potential enemy. I knew nothing about Emrys with the exception that I thought he was hot, which at the moment seemed insanely shallow. Haniel was right. I had other responsibilities that required my attention.


    CHAPTER SEVEN


    By the time we left the village the sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon. Of course, when we reached home, the sun was setting, which was disorienting. Everyone was obviously exhausted from the journey. We all slumped on the furniture in the living room while Krista ordered a half-dozen pizzas.


    "I''m going to shower," I said, following Krista into the kitchen as I rolled my shoulders, trying to work out the aches and pains that had developed from the mission.


    "You okay?" she asked.


    "Yeah, just stiff. Probably all the digging. I''m not used to that kind of physical labor," I said, not bothering to hide my grimace.


    "That''s never my favorite part either," she answered solemnly. "Normally, the guys handle that stuff. I''m sure it was hard to see that," she added. "I''m sorry, sweets."


    "It''s all good. I''m tough, remember?" I replied glibly, trying to hide how much it had bothered me. "Actually, it was kinda weird. Killing Daemons is one thing, but these were real people. Not that I was the one who killed them, I get that. It''s just¡ªit all seemed so final, you know?"


    "Experiencing death like that for the first time can be tough for a kid. We sometimes forget that, probably even more now that we''ve seen you in action," she mumbled, pulling plates and glasses from the cabinet.


    "Hey, I''m not a kid," I stated. "I''ll be eighteen in two months," I reminded her. "I''m fine," I added forcibly, heading toward my bathroom. I wasn''t in the mood to debate my age for what seemed like the millionth time. At times like this it was hard to remember that Mark and Krista were only a few years older than me. Sometimes they acted and sounded like they were a hundred.


    The hot water worked wonders on my muscles. It was funny that I could train every day with Haniel and not feel as sore as I did at the moment. I stayed in the shower as long as possible, knowing any longer and someone would show up to "see if I was all right." Holding a towel around my torso, I shuffled back to my room to put on my pajamas.


    "So, how''d it go?" a familiar voice asked when I opened my bedroom door.


    "Holy shit!" I jumped while trying to hang on to the towel that nearly exposed everything I had to offer. "You asshole, what the hell are you doing in here?" I hissed at Emrys who was leaning back against the plum-colored throw pillows on my bed. "Haniel will shit if he knows you''re here," I added, closing the door swiftly behind me.


    "Haniel left a while ago. You were in the shower for like an hour. I almost thought you were waiting for me to join you," he drawled, crossing his ankles.


    "You wish. Now get your feet off my bed," I demanded, trying to regain control of the excitement that raced through me at the sight of him. My resolve from earlier disappeared like smoke in the wind. I couldn''t remember the reasons I had come up with as to why I shouldn''t like him. "That may be, but the Guides are going to sense you in here," I said, looking at my bedroom door apprehensively as if I expected the door to burst open any minute.


    "Chill, babe. Your crew''s outside. Besides, I can tell if they sense my presence. We have the house to ourselves. More importantly, we have this great big bed to ourselves," he said, winking at me. "Why don''t you come join me?" he added, patting the bed next to him.

 Page 9

    "Right, I''m not that easy," I snorted. "I know you think you''re all that, but that doesn''t mean I''m just going to come jump on you." Of course, that''s exactly what I was thinking. "What are you doing here anyway?"


    "I missed you. It seems like ages since we hung out. You''ve been in no-man''s land all day," he complained, swinging his legs off the side of my bed.


    "We hung out last night," I reminded him, although I agreed with his sentiments. "Not to mention, everyone here would have a coronary if I went off with you again. Besides, I''m bushed," I said, feigning an over-the-top yawn.


    "You sure?" he asked, slowly getting up from my bed.


    I nodded my head, trying to ignore my throbbing body that wanted me to drop the towel and dive on him.


    "Really?" he whispered huskily, a breath away from me.


    "Uh, yeah, super tired¡­" I gulped, trying not focus on how close he was.


    "Positive?" he asked again, leaning in and brushing his lips along my jaw line.


    I shivered at his touch. His lips sent a ripple of awareness through me. My words were saying one thing, but my body was trying hard to divulge my secret.


    "Well shit," he muttered, pulling back abruptly. Without another word, he disappeared in front of me.


    Shocked by his sudden departure, I was ready to call his name when my bedroom door was abruptly thrown open. The suspect look on Mark''s and Krista''s faces was priceless.


    "Gah, how ''bout a knock?" I said sarcastically as they stood in my doorway panting breathlessly. I made a point of clutching my towel tighter. "What''s the deal?" I added as innocently as I could muster.


    "Uh, nothing," Mark answered, looking suspiciously around my room. He looked at a mystified Krista who shook her head slightly.


    "You were taking so long I thought maybe you were sick or something¡­" Krista answered lamely, still scanning my room as if she expected Emrys to pop out at any moment.


    "The shower felt so good I had to force myself to get out," I answered truthfully. "But I would kind of like to get dressed now," I added, looking pointedly at my door.


    "Right," Krista said, grabbing onto Mark''s hand and dragging him out of my room. "We''ll be in thekitchenif you need anything," she chirped, emphasizing their location.


    "Thanks for the heads-up," I said as they reluctantly closed my bedroom door behind them.


    "Frick," I mumbled, shaking my head as I hastily threw on some clothes in a rush. I kept the towel around me as I pulled on my yoga pants, not entirely convinced that Emrys wouldn''t suddenly pop back into my room. Once I was dressed and could finally breathe easier, I walked to my patio doors and peered out into the darkness. As much as I didn''t want to deal with "the no fun crew," I was disappointed that Emrys really was gone.


    "Get a grip, Jordyn," I said to my empty room. One minute, I wanted nothing to do with the Soul Trader, and the next I''m ready to tear my towel off and jump his bones.


    That was it. I was definitely disgusted with myself. I headed out of my room, closing the door firmly behind me.


    Krista and Mark were talking in hushed tones when I entered the kitchen. Both of them looked at me critically when I walked in.


    "Did you two take your weirdo pills tonight?" I asked, pretending that I didn''t know I was the topic of their discussion. "Where did everyone go?" I added, opening one of the half-empty pizza boxes on the counter.


    "They headed home after they ate. Everyone was pretty tired. Plus, Sam and Shawn wanted to straighten up their house before their caseworker shows up," Krista said, reminding me of the young charge that could be joining our ragtag group soon.


    "Did they give them any indication when they could get him?" I asked, grabbing a can of Coke out of the refrigerator.


    "No, these things can drag out," Krista answered.


    "Well, hopefully they''ll be experiencing the joys of parenthood like you two," I joked, sitting at the counter with my dinner.


    "Oh, you are sooo right, princess," Mark said, patting my head before grabbing a slice of pizza from the box.


    "Right. They could only wish the kid is half as sweet as me," I said, fluttering my eyelashes at him.


    "If not, I''m sure you can teach him," Krista joked, putting an around my shoulders. "You still sore?"


    "Nah, my shoulders are a little stiff, but it''s all good."


    "For such a tough chick, you sure have some spaghetti arms," Mark teased, squeezing my bicep.


    "Please. Just because I don''t have man arms doesn''t mean I''m any less strong than you. Besides, my strength comes from here," I said, pointing to my head. "Not here," I said, giving his bicep a light punch.


    "Oooh, smack talkin'' me now. Come on, little girl." He countered my light punch with his own jab, which I deflected before it could touch me. He retaliated by sending another quick jab my way, aimed at my midsection. I danced back and countered by throwing a harder punch to his chin. He jerked back at the last moment so my fist just barely grazed him. He laughed and threw another punch my way. Ducking my head, I avoided the blow, while throwing my own, which landed with a resounding smack of flesh on flesh.


    "Hey, not in the kitchen," Krista complained as Mark collided with the table while trying to step back. "If you guys want to spar, take it outside."


    "Nah, it wouldn''t feel right to whip my uncle''s ass," I said, grabbing another slice of pizza.


    "Always with the language," Krista chastised.


    "Aw, come on, Krista, ''ass'' isn''t really a bad word, it''s an animal. Besides, I bet even The Light drops swear bombs sometimes," I joked, balancing my plate of pizza with one hand and my soda with the other as I headed out of the kitchen.


    "Regardless," she answered, trying to give me a stern look.


    "Fine, killjoy," I grumbled.


    "And don''t leave your dishes in your room overnight," she called after me.


    "Right," I answered over my shoulder as I closed my bedroom door behind me. I settled on my bed and switched on the TV to the History Channel. My obsession with the History Channel bordered on fanatical. I chalked it up to the fact that I had no idea about my own history. At least, anything prior to eleven months ago. I wished something would spark in my head. Anything that would add some light to the void that filled my memory bank.


    Once I finished my meal, I set my plate on the bedside table and sank down under my blankets. Burrowing my head into my pillows caused a mental flashback of Emrys lying here not that long ago. I needed to stop thinking about him and focus on the job I had been given, but that was way easier said than done. He was like a drug. Mindlessly focusing on the TV helped, and after a few minutes, I stifled a yawn as the day''s activities caught up to me. I knew I''d catch hell for it in the morning, but I let myself drift off to sleep with my dinner plate still on my table. Emrys was my last thought as sleep pulled me completely under.


    My TV was still on when I woke several hours later. Grabbing my cell phone off the nightstand table, I squinted into the bright screen to check the time. "No," I groaned when I saw it was just past two in the morning. I set my phone back on my table and rolled over, trying to will myself back to sleep. After a few moments, the annoying voices from the infomercial on my TV started to grate on my nerves. I fumbled around on the bed with my eyes closed, searching for the remote. Finally finding it, I pointed it at the TV screen and sighed happily when the annoying voice of the girl trying to con shoppers into buying her closet organizer abruptly cut off. Several minutes later, I was still awake. "Damn." I switched on my bedside lamp, grabbed my dinner plate from earlier and headed out of my room. I was surprised by the living room light and low mumble of quiet voices drifting down the hall. I had no intention of eavesdropping until I heard Krista mention my name.


    Unfortunately for them, creeping around without making a sound came effortlessly to me since Haniel and I had spent hours over the last year practicing.


    "You can''t keep all of us in the dark forever," Krista stated.


    "It is The Light''s decision. He will tell me when I can share what I know with all of you." I was surprised to hear Haniel''s voice. "His word is my command."


    "True, but you yourself have to admit that holding back crucial information can lead to disaster," Krista persisted. "Don''t you agree, hon?"


    "I agree that we can''t be kept from the truth forever," I heard Mark say. "But I trust that The Light knows what''s best," he added, sighing deeply.


    "Obviously, you''re forgetting how secrecy can blow up," Krista said, sounding pissed.


    I would have voiced my agreement with her sentiments if I wasn''t trying to hide my eavesdropping. I fought the natural urge to burst in the room and demand to know what The Light was keeping from me, but past experience held me back. Haniel never divulged information until he, or I should say, until The Light, was ready. It was bullshit if you asked me. Hell, you didn''t even have to ask me. I would tell you.


    "I know, honey, but this is a different circumstance. Let''s give it a little more time. We have to trust that the higher-ups know what they''re doing," Mark said.


    I heard his chair squeak as he settled back in it.


    "I''m assuming you had other things to discuss?" Haniel asked.


    "I did," Krista answered, still sounding aggravated. "I''m concerned that Jordyn''s gifts are getting her lumped into a category she doesn''t belong in. This is partly my fault, and partly yours. No young girl, no matter what her place on Earth is, should have to dig graves. I was reluctant to have her join us yesterday on the mission, but you were right in your claims that she could handle herself in battle. Her gifts surpass even my wildest imagination, but I don''t want her digging graves again anytime soon. We''ve already stripped her of any kind of teenage normalcy, but I''ll be damned if I allow her to bury the dead again. I''ve seen the emotional toll it takes on the Protectors over the years. It''s not right to include her in that duty," she said.


    "I agree. It shouldn''t have happened," Mark agreed. "It was a serious oversight on my part."


    "On all our parts," Krista corrected him.


    "No burial duty," Haniel repeated in his typical categorizing way.


    "And you will speak to The Light?" Krista persisted.


    "I will speak to The Light if he grants me an audience," Haniel stated.


    Several seconds of silence followed his statement.


    "I love him, but seriously, I could wring Haniel''s neck sometimes," Krista griped, cluing me in that Haniel had left for the night.


    "We have to trust him. He''s never led us astray before."


    "That''s not entirely true. He let me think for several hellacious months that I had lost you forever," she complained as the lights in the living room switched off.


    Backing up quickly, I headed back to my room and closed the door quietly behind me. I leaned back against the door with my eyes closed, mulling over the conversation I had heard. It was really nothing new. I''d known for some time that Haniel was keeping something from me. It was somewhat comforting that I wasn''t the only one being kept in the dark, nor the only one that found it aggravating.


    "Can''t fall asleep?" A voice in my room asked. I bit back a startled scream as my eyes flew open.


    "Seriously, dude. You need to stop hanging out on my bed," I hissed at Emrys, who was once again lounging against my pillows like he belonged there.


    "But it''s comfortable," he replied, folding his arms back behind his head. "You''ve got a point though. We have about thirty seconds before your aunt senses I''m here. Do you want to get out of here for a while?" he asked.


    Ten minutes ago, I would have turned him down. I was convinced I owed it to everyone to take my duties seriously, but with the conversation I''d just overheard fresh in my mind, those duties almost seemed a mockery. If Haniel was going to treat me like a child, I was going to rebel a little more like one.


    "Tick-tock, babe. What''s it gonna be?" he asked, reaching for my hand.


    "Wait, turn around," I said, snatching a clean pair of jeans from my drawer. In less than five seconds I had the yoga pants I''d worn to bed off and my jeans pulled on. I grabbed my boots by my bedroom door and turned back to Emrys only to realize he''d ignored my request.


    "Seriously?" I asked, arching my eyebrows.


    "I make it a rule to never turn around when a striptease is happening right in front of me," he smirked.


    "Soul sucking perv," I said, reaching for his hand.


    "Oh, that''s hot. Say it again," he said, grasping my hand firmly in his.


    My room disappeared around us just as my bedroom door opened. For a split second I saw the shocked look on my guardians'' faces before I was whisked away.


    The familiar catwalk appeared beneath my feet. I smiled, feeling liberated as I took in the sunrise that was just beginning to peek up over the horizon. I was sure to be in a shitload of trouble when I returned home, but at the moment, I didn''t care. All the secrets and half-truths had worked me over like I just went ten rounds of boxing.


    "Pretty spectacular, huh?" Emrys asked, coming up behind me.


    "You seriously have a hard-on for this place," I said, trying for blas¨¦ since my pulse was going wild.


    "Yeah, it''s sort of special to me," he answered quietly into my ear. His warm breath sent goose bumps traveling up my arms.


    "Why is that?" I asked, focusing on keeping my voice steady, even though I had the urge to shift my hair to the side so I could feel his breath on my neck.


    "My dad used to bring me here when I was a kid. Of course, the skyline was a whole lot less cluttered. That was even before the World Trade Center buildings were built," he mushed, moving even closer as he pointed over my shoulder. "That''s where they used to stand," he added.


    I leaned back into his embrace, unable to resist the proximity between us. "How long has it been since your dad brought you here?" I asked, enjoying the way his voice rumbled up through his chest as he talked.


    "Early fifties," he answered like we were discussing the weather and not the fact that he''d been around long enough to be my grandfather. "He passed away when I was fifteen."


    "What about your mom?" I asked, curious about his origins since I couldn''t remember my own.

 Page 10

    "She died giving birth to me," he answered, wrapping his arms around my midriff.


    "Shit, I''m sorry. That''s total suckage," I replied, trying to control my breathing and not focus on how good his touch felt.


    "It wasn''t too bad. My dad was a great guy. He worked hard, didn''t drink, and didn''t beat me. He was a hero in my eyes. He taught me the difference between right and wrong and how to be a respectful man."


    I was dying to ask him what had changed all that. How had his soul been stuck in limbo if he was a good guy?


    "What about you? What''s the deal with your parents?" he asked with a sudden hard edge in his voice.


    I shrugged my shoulders. "Not much to tell. They died in a car accident last year. Our car went off an embankment and landed in a lake. I was the only survivor. If you can call it that," I added sarcastically.


    "What do you mean?"


    "I essentially drowned. My brain went without oxygen for too long. I lost every memory of who I was."


    "I see," he said in an oddly strangled voice.


    "What''s that supposed to mean?" I asked suspiciously.


    "Just seems odd to lose all your memories like that. You don''t have an inkling of your parents at all?"


    "No." I waited for him to comment, but he remained silent as we watched the sun slowly rising just beyond the buildings. From our vantage point, the sunrise was breathtaking.


    "It''s amazing," I commented, watching the rays spread out.


    "Yes, it is," he said, resting his chin on my shoulder.


    My body tingled. His closeness was doing odd things to the temperature of my body. I felt feverish, knowing that if I twisted my head just the slightest bit to the left, my lips would meet his. It was tempting, but I fought the urge. It might sound strange, but I wanted a clearer read on this guy before I committed that way. Even though his arms were wrapped around me, I couldn''t be sure he wasn''t somehow playing me, and that it really didn''t mean anything.


    "What do want to do today?" he asked, brushing his lips against my neck.


    Um,this, I thought as I tilted my head slightly, giving him better access. "I should probably head back home," I said instead, trying to keep the reluctance out of my voice.


    "Once again, if Hannie is going to have a fit anyway, why hurry back?" he asked, nuzzling his face deeper into the crook of my neck.


    "Truth," I squeaked out.


    "I''d say we could stay here just like this, but being summertime, once the sun fully rises, it''ll be hotter than Hades''s ass up here," he said, placing his hands on my waist so he could turn me to face him. "What would you like to do? We can literally go anywhere in the world you want to," he said, moving a hand up to tuck a lock of my hair behind my ear.


    "What exactly is your tattoo?" I asked out of the blue as I studied the delicate curved markings that ran along his collarbone, disappearing down the back of his shirt.


    "You like that, huh? It''s a dragon," he answered, releasing me.


    I instantly missed the feel of his hands on my hips, wishing I''d kept my mouth shut. A moment later, my mouth dropped open as he tugged off his t-shirt. Before I could fully appreciate the chiseled abdomen in front of me, he turned around so I could see the full tattoo that moved down around his back, ending at his side. The intricate design of the dragon was amazing. I couldn''t help admiring the detail. Multiple patterns made up the body of the dragon as they were woven in and out of each other. Leaning even closer, I could see that what looked like random patterns were actual places disguised as scales of the dragon. I traced the line with my finger to a point that was clearly the same building we were currently perched on.


    Emrys''s skin quivered slightly beneath my touch. At least the attraction wasn''t one-sided. I ran my finger more boldly across his back as I traced other landmarks like the Great Wall of China and Big Ben.


    "It''s freaking amazing," I finally said, tracing the Golden Gate Bridge. "It must have taken forever to have this much detail done."


    "Time''s not much of an issue for me," he said, turning back around. "Plus, I have a guy I go to who never asks questions. That comes in handy when your appearance doesn''t change much over a twenty-year span."


    "Yeah, I guess that would be hard to explain."


    "That''s why none of us stay in one place too long. Humans can be oblivious to a lot of things, but even they would get suspicious after a while," he said, pulling his shirt back on.


    I swallowed back my disappointment of seeing his perfect flesh covered back up.


    "So, did you decide what you want to do today?" he asked, taking my hand in his like it was the most natural thing in the world.


    "I want to get a tattoo," I answered as the idea took hold. I waited for him to shoot my idea down like everyone else I knew would have. To tell me I was too young, too important to mar up, blah, blah, blah. He surprised me by grinning broadly at my suggestion.


    "That''s a great idea. Are you sure though? They can be painful."


    "Really? Obviously, you don''t know me that well."


    "Sweet. Let''s blow this popsicle stand then," he said as the catwalk beneath our feet disappeared.


    CHAPTER EIGHT


    Multiple noises greeted me before I could even open my eyes. "Where are we?" I asked, fighting back a little bit of queasiness as I gawked at the noisy bustling streets just beyond the alleyway where we had landed.


    "Shanghai," he answered, lacing his fingers through mine as he tugged me out of the alleyway onto the crowded street beyond.


    The instant difference in culture was shocking. Multiple buildings, lit up like Christmas trees and shoulder-to-shoulder people all around me speaking what I guessed was the Mandarin dialect. It was sensory overload, but in a good way. I watched the street vendors in astonishment as a small older gentleman pushed a cart filled with teddy bears across the street, while another woman pulled a cart filled with flowers alongside him.


    "This is crazy," I said, gawking as we passed an endless array of specialty shops, hair salons and massage parlors. "Is it always like this?"


    He laughed at my question and slung an arm across my shoulders to steer me out of the way of a young man hurrying toward us with another cart filled with goods. "Well, you''re not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy. Yep, day or night, Shanghai is always a happening place."


    "What time is it here?" I asked, liking the way his arm felt across my shoulders.


    "Almost seven at night. Shanghai is a fantastic city," he said, pulling me in close.


    "It''s a lot busier here than I''m used to," I commented as I watched cars go zooming by one after the next. "And very confusing," I added, peering at all the signs in a language I couldn''t speak.


    "Nah, it''s just like any other city. Once you spend a little time here you become a pro," he said, dragging me down another alleyway.


    My nose was assaulted by a sour smell as we walked farther down the alley. "Eww, it stinks," I complained, wrinkling up my nose.


    "Well, it is an alley," he teased, stopping in front of a door that was rippled from water damage. He rapped on the door in quick succession. A single bulb hanging above by nothing but its own cord cast a small ray of light down on us. The light blue paint around the doorframe was peeling in the way that you couldn''t help but want to reach out to pull off a section.


    Standing here waiting wasn''t helping my sudden apprehension. The lighting was minimal at best, making me uneasy about the shadows that surrounded us.


    "Maybe he''s not here," I said after several minutes had passed.


    "He''s here. It just takes him awhile to respond. You''re not scared, are you?" he asked incredulously. "I thought you were like the Terminator Daemon Killer."


    "I''m not scared of Daemons or humans," I admitted, flushing in embarrassment.


    "Then what?" he asked, mystified.


    "Fine, but if you laugh, I''ll punch you in your immortal nuts," I threatened.


    "Whoa," he said, covering his junk to protect it. "Okay, I won''t laugh."


    "I''m scared of the things that creep and crawl," I admitted, preparing to hit him if he laughed.


    "Like bugs?"


    "Bugs, rats, mice. Pretty much anything in that realm," I answered.


    "You''d hate some of the places I''ve been then," he said seriously as the door suddenly swung out toward us.


    At first I couldn''t make out anything about the person who stood in the doorway since the hallway behind him was as black as the night sky.


    I was almost thrown off balance when Emrys reached out to shake a mammoth hand that emerged from the dark hallway in front of us. He greeted the owner of the hand in flawless Mandarin, who then threw a big belly laugh at whatever Emrys was saying as he stepped out into the light to peer at me. I did a double take at the beast of a man in front of me. He had to be seven foot tall and seemed equally as wide. He eyed me with open humor.


    "What did you tell him?" I asked Emrys, not a fan of being the butt of a joke.


    "He told me you could kick my ass with one hand tied behind your back," the stranger said in a gruff voice, laughing again.


    "Oh, well, that''s true, but he really doesn''t need to do my bragging for me," I said dismissively, making the giant laugh again.


    "She''s spunky at least," he told Emrys before turning around and lumbering down the hallway. Emrys kept his arm firmly around me as he led me through the doorway and closed the door behind us, cutting off the light. I could hear the massive stranger shuffling down the hall ahead of us. I felt a little uneasy, not from being in a dark place mind you, but who knew what kind of bugs were scurrying around us.


    After we had taken about a dozen steps, Emrys pulled me to a stop. I could hear and sense the giant in front of me as he fumbled for the doorknob. Light suddenly flooded the hallway, making me squint until my eyes had a chance to adjust. Glancing around where we stood, I was shocked that unlike the alley we had just left, this place was pristine. I guess I had nothing to worry about. The walls were bright white and the flooring beneath was compromised of oversized ceramic tiles that looked clean enough to eat off of. Emrys gave me a nudge from behind, urging me to follow his friend into the room beyond the hall. Stepping through the doorway, I couldn''t help gawking at my surroundings. Everything in the warehouse-sized room was white. The walls were painted the same brilliant white as the hallway without being marred by the hanging of pictures or knickknacks. The same oversized ceramic tiles from the hallway flowed into the sterile space. White plush throw rugs were scattered throughout the room lending the only source of warmth. A leather cream-colored sectional couch ran the length of the far side of the room with a flat-screen TV that sat low on a stand that was also white.


    "What''s with all the white? Does your friend have a heaven complex or something?"


    Emrys barked out a laugh. "Nah, his complex runs closer to your issue," he said, grinning at me.


    "And what would that be?" I asked, completely mystified.


    "Little Anthony here is scared shitless of bugs," he said, pointing at his friend who lowered himself on the sofa. The sofa buckled and protested slightly beneath his weight.


    "That''s because bugs are some gross ass shit," Anthony''s voice boomed across the room.


    I agreed wholeheartedly with him, but I felt his anxiety bordered on loony bin crazy. I wasn''t entirely sure why Emrys had brought me to this freak house when we were supposed to be at a tattoo parlor.


    "I thought people in China ate bugs," I stated in a dry tone, giving no indication that I myself had been scared of bugs just a few minutes ago.


    "I don''t eat that shit. Give me McDonald''s," Anthony grunted.


    "So, my friend E here says you want a tat. You think you''re tough enough?" he asked in a condescending voice, obviously put off from my comment.


    "Well, considering the fact that I could kick your ass and your friendE''sass with my eyes closed, I''d say so," I snipped out, not liking his tone. I stood in front of his hulking girth, not flinching.


    He surprised me by throwing his head back and bellowing out a hearty belly laugh. "You''ve got some steel balls," he said, pushing himself up from the couch and lumbering away from us. Reaching the far side of the room, he touched a discreet panel that was hidden to the naked eye. A vacuum-sealed door swung open with a splash of color tantalizing our eyes from beyond.


    I gasped at the mirage of color that contradicted the stark whiteness of the room we were standing in. Stepping closer, I tried to peer around Anthony so I could get a better look in the space. Anthony stepped fully into the room, allowing Emrys and me to step in behind him. My mouth fell open once inside. Every square inch of the walls, ceiling and floors was filled with intricate airbrushed landscapes. Dozens of dragons, witches, goblins, fairies, and every other mystical being you could dream up were woven into the designs. Some were hidden behind trees in the landscape while others lurked in front of castles or villages. The detail was awe-inspiring and was clearly the same hand that had tattooed Emrys.


    "Pretty amazing, huh?" Emrys breathed in my ear, making me shiver with awareness.


    "It''s pretty cool," I teased. "Especially after the freak show out there."


    "Watch it, missy, or I might just tattoo a demon on your snarky ass," Anthony warned as he started pulling out supplies from the long airbrushed camouflaged cabinet that ran the length of one of the walls.


    Why would he say that? What does he know about me?


    "Relax. He only means since you''re acting like a tough ass," Emrys mumbled for my ears only. He must have noticed the way I suddenly tensed up.


    It was just the surprise of hearing someone outside of my circle refer to Daemons. Even so, the idea of actually having one tattooed on my ass was downright puke-worthy.


    "Only if I''m kicking the demon''s ass," I replied.


    "Sweetheart, ain''t no one doing that. They''re vapor, nothing of substance," Anthony answered, pointing to the only chair in the room. I looked at the chair appraisingly, not even aware it was there until he pointed it out. Like the cabinet, it was just another extension of the same airbrushing that covered the walls.


    "This really is amazing," I admitted, studying the chair. "Why hide it?"


    "I have my reasons," Anthony answered, his genial tone gone.


    Emrys shot me a warning glance. Biting back a sarcastic comment, I settled in the chair. It probably wasn''t wise to piss off an artist before he permanently put his ink stamp on my skin.

 Page 11

    "So, pick your poison," Anthony said a little more jovially as he indicated the walls that surrounded me.


    "I can pick something from this?" I asked excited as I stood up and studied the walls more critically. There were literally thousands of things to choose from. I wouldn''t have minded a kickass dragon like Emrys''s, but pretty much felt that would be ultra clich¨¦ and borderline psycho to get the same tat as the guy I liked. Looking past the bigger designs, I studied the smaller pictures that would have been lost next to their larger counterparts if not for the minute details that made them appear lifelike. I circled the room twice before stopping beneath the one picture that seemed to have a trancelike effect on me.


    "I want that one," I said with finality, pointing above my head to a unique butterfly that morphed from flaming shades of red to a vibrant shade of purple.


    "Good choice," Emrys murmured with approval.


    I didn''t need his approval, but it did give me a little bit of pleasure, knowing that he liked what I picked.


    "Why?" Anthony asked.


    "Why what?" I asked, confused at his odd question.


    "What is it about that particular picture that speaks to you? Marking your body should not be entered into lightly. Your body is your temple and should be treated with the utmost sacredness. What one word describes how you feel when you look at it?" he asked, studying me with intensity.


    His words struck a chord within me, and I completely understood without a shadow of a doubt what the picture meant to me. "Free," I said without hesitation. "It doesn''t give a shit about anything else but being free, shedding its old self in the process. Becoming something so much better, so much more important, something unforgettable," I added with passion, fighting back sudden tears.


    Both of them seemed taken aback by my words as they studied me intently.


    "It seems free," I said lamely, trying to keep my voice natural.


    "Yes, it''s free, but at what cost?" Anthony asked, pointing to the destruction that was left behind the trail of the butterfly as it morphed from one shade to the next. Flames licked their way up the path the butterfly had flown destroying everything it left behind.


    Perhaps that''s why it appealed to me so much. If I was ever set free, would I leave nothing but destruction in my wake?


    "Freedom is a battle," I answered, agreeing with him.


    "Where do you want it?" he asked, obviously satisfied with my answer.


    "Here," I said, pointing to my left shoulder blade.


    He nodded his approval. "You''ll have to remove your shirt," he said in a businesslike manor as he snapped on a pair of surgical gloves.


    Emrys looked at me appraisingly as I tugged my shirt over my head. I was used to training in my sports bra, so being without a shirt was nothing new, but Emrys''s eyes read like an open book as he took in my tanned taut stomach and full chest. Everything inside me seemed to tighten in reaction to his stare. I gripped my shirt in my hand and moved it up to cover the front of my sports bra. My eyes clashed with his, challenging his blatant hound dog stare. He winked at me, making my insides turn to putty. I must not have been that hard to read either because he allowed his eyes to travel up my torso past my collarbone until they finally rested on my lips. Figuring two could play this game, I licked my lips with the tip of my tongue and bit back a laugh as his eyes darkened and his hand reached out for the counter to steady himself. He took a half step toward me and my knees trembled as the electricity we had been ignoring for the last few days rose to a sizzling fever pitch.


    I was reminded we weren''t alone when Anthony pushed a button on the arm of the chair, lowering the back of the chair down so that it was flush with the bottom of the seat. The humming of the chair cut through the electricity until it was a dull buzz.


    "If you two are done eye-banging each other, I need Jordyn to lay flat on her belly," Anthony said dryly, pointing toward the chair.


    "Right, it''s E who''s doing the banging," I said, acting indifferent. I tossed my shirt at the counter where Emrys''s hand still rested, grinning wickedly at him as I lay down.


    "Riiiiiiight, and I''m Batman," Anthony countered.


    "I figured as much," I answered, my words coming out muffled.


    "That demon tattoo is sounding like the way to go, or maybe a succubus," Emrys said under his breath.


    Anthony barked out a laugh as he swabbed at my shoulder with alcohol.


    "Don''t you dare," I said, glaring at them over my shoulder.


    "No moving," Anthony commanded as he switched on the tattoo gun and approached me. "Unless you want a tattoo you didn''t sign up for."


    I flinched slightly as the cold tip of the gun touched my skin. Surprisingly, although I felt pressure, it really didn''t hurt all that much. Definitely not as painful as my recent tumble that had left my knees looking like raw meat.


    I found the noise of the tattoo gun almost soothing as it hummed near my ear. Anthony and Emrys kept up a steady stream of chatter as I let my thoughts drift. Krista''s hurt expression from earlier flashed through my mind as I finally allowed myself to focus on the mess I had left behind. The anger I had felt was long gone, only to be replaced with guilt. It wasn''t Krista''s and Mark''s fault Haniel was keeping all of us in the dark. They had been kind enough to take me in on the heels of their honeymoon, and I repaid them by throwing a fit like a spoiled two-year-old. I needed to fix the mess I had left behind.


    Feeling chagrined at my behavior, I made a move to sit up, forgetting I was in the process of forever marring my skin.


    "What the hell?" Anthony griped, pulling the gun away from my skin.


    "Sorry, my arm fell asleep," I lied, settling back down on the seat. Fixing things would have to wait.


    "Some tough girl," Anthony joked, applying the gun to my skin once again.


    "I could still take you with my arm tied behind my back," I answered as Emrys laughed in the background.


    I shut my remorseful thoughts away and focused on the conversation Emrys and Anthony had resumed. By the way they talked, it was obvious they''d know each other for a long time, which made me wonder what Anthony thought of his ageless friend.


    "How long have you guys known each other?" I decided to pry.


    "Since I was a snot-nosed kid. E here stopped my old man from cracking my head in with a bat when I was nine. I took plenty of beatings before he showed up, but something about him showing up that day changed everything. My dad never raised a fist to me ever again. Never talked to me much ever again either, but that was a welcome respite. You don''t miss being called a snot-nosed asshole, I''ll tell you that. His silence was definitely welcome. It was like he was under some kind of mumbo-jumbo spell or something," Anthony answered.


    I knew exactly what that spell was. It started and ended with a certain Soul Trader. The mental image of Emrys going to the effort to save a human''s life chased away some of the guilt that had sprung up inside me. Haniel and the others were wrong about him. Emrys wasn''t working for The Dark One. He couldn''t be.


    "Finished," Anthony said several minutes later, shutting off the tattoo gun.


    "Wow, you''re quick," I said, sitting up.


    "I''ve heard that before," Anthony said, laughing.


    "I bet you have, old man," Emrys said, clapping him on the back.


    "At least I''m not forgettable," Anthony retorted, making me laugh.


    Emrys mockingly glared at us as he threw a slow punch Anthony''s way.


    "You want to see your new beauty mark?" he asked, swatting Emrys''s fist aside before it could reach his bicep.


    "Absolutely," I said, hopping up off the chair.


    "It''s the prettiest succubus I''ve ever seen," Emrys teased, grinning at me.


    My fist shot out and hit him in his own bicep before he could even get the words fully out. The force of the blow made him stagger as he tried to keep his footing.


    "Damn girl, you are a freaking beast," Anthony said, studying me with open admiration.


    "Either that or your buddy E here is a lightweight pansy," I quipped, following Anthony out of the room.


    Laughing, Anthony handed me a hand mirror. "Here, you can check it out," he said, pointing me toward an entire mirrored wall I had missed earlier in the never-ending whiteness of the space. Turning my back to the mirrored wall, I held the hand mirror in front of me so I could see the reflection of my back. At first it was shocking to see my once pristine skin covered in ink, but that feeling evaporated almost before it could fully manifest as I took in the piece of art on my back. It was breathtaking.


    "Holy shit, Anthony, it''s amazing," I said, not taking my eyes from my reflection.


    "The redness will go down in a couple days, possibly sooner since your skin really didn''t pucker with irritation," he said, stepping in front of me.


    "Irritation?" I asked, dragging my eyes from the vibrant colors to study the slightly red skin surrounding the tattoo that I hadn''t noticed before. He was right, it really wasn''t that bad.


    "Sometimes the skin shows its disapproval by pinking up, but yours obviously took it quite well."


    "Everything comes to her naturally," Emrys said, joining Anthony in front of me. All joking was gone as he studied my face with admiration.


    "After the potshot she gave you in there, I''m guessing she''s as unique as you, my friend," Anthony said, heading back to the tattoo room.


    "What do you think?" Emrys asked, stepping directly in front of me.


    "It''s the most beautiful thing I''ve ever seen," I said, glancing at in the mirror one last time.


    "Not me," Emrys said, taking the mirror from me. Without looking, he tossed it across the room with a flick of his wrist. It landed with a dull thud on the couch. The intensity of his stare made my pulse race like a runaway racehorse as he placed his hands on my sides. His fingers splayed across my bare skin igniting a fire inside me.


    "Why don''t you do that tongue trick again now that I have you where I want you," he said as he leaned in to nip at my chin.


    "You mean this?" I asked, darting my tongue out to moisten my lips.


    He groaned slightly, running his hands up my sides, never taking his eyes from mine. His knuckles grazed the sides of my breasts as they continued their journey up my torso. They finally rested around my neck anchoring me into place. His eyes moved to my lips and I fought the urge to close the distance between us.


    Noise from the other room broke the spell as Anthony lumbered back into the main room and sealed the tattoo room back up with the heavy-duty door.


    "Get a room," Anthony muttered, settling back on the couch.


    "Ready to get out of here?" Emrys asked quietly, keeping me locked into place.


    "Yes, please," I said as he finally dropped his hands and stepped back.


    Tossing my shirt to me, he turned to Anthony. "Dude, I seriously owe you for this one," he said, reaching out to shake one of Anthony''s bear-sized hands.


    "Not likely. I still owe you for keeping the old man away from me," Anthony said, making it clear that he was well aware that Emrys had played a crucial part in his father''s mumbo-jumbo spell.


    "Hey, I did nothing," Emrys said, holding his hands up. "I''ve told you before, your dad must have seen the err of his ways," he added, laughing good-naturedly as he pumped Anthony''s hand up and down.


    "Riiiiiiiiiight," Anthony replied. "Jordyn, it was a pleasure to give you your first beauty mark. Your skin is truly a gift from God," he said, holding out his massive hand for me to shake.


    "Thanks for doing a ridiculously awesome job," I said, pulling my shirt on carefully in case the irritated skin was sensitive.


    "The pleasure was all mine. Normally I''d slap a bandage over one of my new tat jobs, but like I said, your skin took to the ink like a duck to water. Just wash it thoroughly with a non-perfumed soap when you get home and make sure the skin doesn''t dry out," he said, pulling himself up off the couch to follow us out.


    "Thanks again," I said, giving Anthony a quick hug that made him blush all the way from his buzzed head down his neck.


    "You come back and see me again. Next time come without this chump and we could have some real fun," he said, wagging his eyebrows at me suggestively.


    "Count on it," I answered, laughing as he closed the door behind him.


    "I like your friend," I said to Emrys as he reached for my hand.


    "He likes you too," Emrys replied as the dingy smelly alleyway disappeared around us.


    The hard ground beneath my feet was replaced by a substance that gave way when I moved. Squinting in the sudden sunshine, I looked down surprised to see I was standing on a beach. Everything about this beach was different than what I was used to. The sand beneath my feet was unlike any sand you''d find on the West Coast. It was sugar-fine and almost as white. Even the water was different than what I was used to. Instead of the normal breaks that the surfers liked to ride on back home, the water here was crystal clear and the waves that broke gently on the shoreline were minuscule to the waves back home.


    "Where are we?" I asked, turning around in a slow circle. I took in the line of palm trees behind us and the ocean that seemed to surround us.


    "A small island about fifty miles off of the coast of Tahiti," he said, sinking down on the sun-warmed sand. "It''s my second favorite place to visit," he said, reaching up and tugging me down on the sand beside him.


    "Really?" I asked, taking in the quiet solitude of the island. It was as different as night and day from his perch on the Empire State Building.


    "It''s peaceful," he said, lying back in the sand and closing his eyes, perfectly at ease.


    I wondered if he had forgotten about our near-kiss at Anthony''s as I lay down beside him, closing my eyes also. Without opening his eyes, Emrys reached over and laced his fingers through mine. We lay there without speaking, cushioned by the soft sand beneath us, listening to the small waves gently crash on the shore. The warm sun on my face made me drowsy. I yawned heavily, realizing suddenly how exhausted I really was. I''d barely slept during the last forty-eight hours, coupled with the fact that I had traveled to three time zones in one day making my legs feel like they were incased in cement. I tried to fight off my drowsiness, but I couldn''t help dozing off. Just before sleep pulled me completely under, I felt his lips on the pulse point of my wrist.


    CHAPTER NINE


    The sound of raised voices woke me from a deep sleep. I sat up disoriented, expecting to see the ocean in front of me, but instead I saw that I was in my own room. Emrys, of course, was nowhere to be found.

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    "Damn him," I said, glancing at the clock on my nightstand table. It showed ten o''clock, and judging by the darkness outside, it was obviously the evening.


    I stood up and swung my legs off the bed. "Great," I grumbled, noticing the sand that now coated my bed sheets. My skin felt gritty from the layer of sand that still covered my arms. I brushed it off as best I could, and desperately needed a shower, but with the raised voices hitting a higher octave, it was probably best to face the music sooner than later.


    It was no surprise to see everyone in the living room when I entered. It''s what they did in a crisis.


    Everyone looked my way at once, taking in my disheveled appearance. I probably should have at least run a brush through my hair before I made my grand entrance.


    "What happened to you?" Krista gasped, dragging me in for a tight hug before pulling back and wrinkling her nose in distaste. "You smell like seaweed. Where have you been?" she asked as her voice turned shrill. She was clearly pissed.


    "Just around," I said, not sure what to tell her. I''m sure getting a tattoo in Shanghai wouldn''t go over well at the moment.


    "Jordyn?" Haniel commanded.


    "Haniel," I mocked him. "It sucks to be kept in the dark, doesn''t it?" I said, working to ignore Krista''s hurt expression.


    "Jordyn, that''s enough," Mark said in a loud booming voice as he wrapped his arm around Krista. "We''re all kept in the dark about some things, but that doesn''t give you the right to disrespect us. We''ve bent over backward to welcome you into our home, and you repay us by mocking our rules and throwing our words back in our faces."


    His words cut me to the core. He had every right to be angry. My beef was with Haniel, not the Guides and Protectors. They''d all welcomed me in and treated me like I belonged, despite our differences.


    Worst of all was Lynn, who looked so conflicted, like she didn''t know what to think about me at the moment. By snapping at Krista, I was hurting their whole group. That''s how they worked. Lynn and I may be best friends, but her loyalty would always belong to those in her group. At that moment, I felt every bit the outsider that I was.


    My stomach felt like I''d swallowed a bowling ball, but I spoke up. "You''re right," I said remorsefully as my eyes welled up. "You guys don''t deserve my disrespect, but you also need to understand that I''m almost an adult. If I was a normal person, I''d be heading off to college in the fall all on my own. You guys should be less worried about me, knowing I can take care of myself."


    "Yes, but even with your gifts, it doesn''t help if your mind is being bent by thatTrader," Krista said, grimacing over the word Trader like it had left a foul taste in her mouth.


    "I¡­" I bit back the urge to argue with her. The air felt sticky with their prejudice and narrow-minded beliefs. For a moment, I debated coming clean about the whole mind-bending thing, but if I admitted it now, they''d be even more pissed.


    "Can we talk about this later? I need to take a shower," I said, indicating my arms that still had patches of the light powdered sand clinging to them.


    Krista and Haniel tried to answer at the same time.


    "Not until you tell us where you were!" Haniel puffed out, sounding like a disgruntled parent.


    "Of course you can," Krista answered, glaring at Haniel.


    I turned, relieved to walk away when something that had been nagging at the back of my mind resurfaced. I turned back around to address Haniel. "If you were so concerned about me, why didn''t you come get me?" I asked, genuinely curious.


    "The Soul Trader shielded your location," Haniel answered calmly.


    I nodded, trying to control my laughter. Emrys was no dummy. Whatever tricks a Soul Trader had, obviously even Haniel couldn''t police them the way he would like. No wonder he was so pissed.


    Reaching the bathroom, I was startled when I saw my reflection in the mirror. Krista''s assessment was dead on. I looked like something that even the cat wouldn''t want to drag in. My hair was matted and grimy from lying in the sand. A small patch of sand was stuck to my left cheek, and my clothes looked like I had dragged them behind a dune buggy. That fricking Emrys. I guarantee he laughed his ass off, knowing the reaction I would get to how I looked. I pulled off my shirt in frustration and tossed it on the floor.


    "Jordyn, I brought you my bottle of deep moisturizing conditioner," Krista said, stepping into my bathroom only to come to an abrupt halt when she spotted my tattoo. "What is that?" she asked in a strangled voice.


    Her question was a bit dense since it was quite obvious what it was. "Um, a butterfly," I answered, playing dumb.


    "I know it''s a butterfly. What the hell is it doing on your back?"


    "Whoa, are angels allowed to cuss?" I joked, trying to lighten the mood.


    "Don''t you need an adult''s permission or something to get a tattoo?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips.


    "Not when you''re with Emrys," I answered truthfully, meeting her glare without qualms.


    "Right, I forgot. Yourfriendcan make anything possible," she said sarcastically, stepping closer to inspect my tattoo. "Getting a tattoo at some hole-in-the-wall isn''t the smartest idea. You could get a life-threatening illness from instruments that haven''t been sterilized properly. Not to mention diseases," she added, studying it intently.


    "Oh, crap. I knew I should have been suspicious when I saw him pull the needle out of an old Mason jar and wipe it on his jeans. Come to think of it, I bet him using a rusty needle wasn''t the best idea either," I said sarcastically. "Give me a little credit, Krista. The place I got it from could give lessons on cleanliness."


    "It still doesn''t change the fact that you got a tattoo without permission," she said tightly before turning and leaving the bathroom with steam trailing her.


    "Ugh," my shoulders drooped at her departure as I kicked off my jeans and stepped into the shower. I knew I was being a pain in the ass, yet I couldn''t seem to stop lashing out. I guess it was just in my nature. Whatever the reason, being a teenager sucked ass as far as I was concerned.


    Lynn was waiting on my bed when I exited the steam-filled bathroom twenty minutes later.


    "What''s up?" I asked, throwing my dirty clothes in the wicker hamper in the corner of my room.


    "I thought we could have a slumber party," she said, not meeting my eyes while she pulled at a loose thread on my comforter.


    "Really?" I asked skeptically. She didn''t normally look so unsure. Sitting there all docile and shy was a complete contradiction to the image she projected with her short spiky haircut, multiple piercings, torn jeans, and black grunge rock shirt. Her newly adopted personality was seriously screwing with my mind. At the moment, she didn''t remotely resemble my confidant of the past year. My sounding board. The one I could vent to that totally got where I was coming from. It was as if aliens had taken over her body and turned her into an adult without notifying me.


    Uncomfortable silence settled over the room like a heavy wet cloak as we stared each other down. I could feel a fissure slowly making its way between us. One of us suspicious, the other secretive.


    "Okay, yes! Krista and Haniel feel you need to be under lockdown," she finally admitted defensively.


    "So, now I''m a prisoner," I snipped, feeling my blood start to rise.


    "Only if you consider hanging out with your best friend a prison," she said, chucking a pillow at me in aggravation.


    "Nice try," I said, tossing the pillow back at her. "You can''t guilt me into thinking this is right."


    "Don''t be such a drama queen. Any parental figures would have a problem with their daughter traipsing around the world with some boy they don''t know. The only difference is at least you get to hang out with your friend."


    "Yeah, but we all know I''m not like most teenagers. If Emrys tried something, it''s not like I couldn''t kick his ass with my eyes closed."


    "Not if he''s in your head, manipulating your thoughts," she pointed out.


    I shifted uncomfortably at her words. That was the crux of the problem. If I would have just come clean about the mind bending, it might solve this issue.


    "So, are you going to show me your tattoo?" Lynn asked, offering up a truce.


    "I don''t know. Are you going to let the otherprisoners rough me up?" I asked, finally breaking into a smile.


    "Word to the wise: Don''t drop the soap in the shower," she said, raising a pierced eyebrow.


    "Gross," I said laughing, turning around to show off my tattoo.


    "Holy bat shit, that''s amazing," she said, hopping off my bed to get a better look. "The detail''s unlike anything I''ve ever seen. It''s out of this effing world. It makes mine look a kindergartener did them in art class."


    "Yeah, Anthony''s amazeballs. You wouldn''t believe some of his work."


    "Anthony?" she asked curiously.


    Turning back around, I studied her facial expression to see if this was yet another ploy to see where I had been. I hated that I felt like I couldn''t trust her as much as I wanted at the moment. Still, I decided to come clean. I could really gauge her intentions anyway, and all the deceit was getting exhausting. "Yeah, some guy Emrys knows in Shanghai. He was a bit strange with his freakish Mr. Clean attitude, but judging by Krista''s reaction earlier, I guess it''s a good thing he was so meticulous."


    "Shanghai? You lucky dog. That''s one place we haven''t been sent on a mission yet. How was it?"


    I launched into an excitement-filled explanation of everything I had seen on my short jaunt abroad. It felt nice to be honest as everything bubbled out of me. I described Anthony in detail from his massive frame down to our shared bug phobia. Lynn laughed out loud that even with his size he was still afraid of something so small.


    "Hey, don''t underestimate the power of fear. Besides, everybody knows bugs are just creepy," I said thinking of my own squeamishness.


    "Ha, if you would have been with us a few years back you would have died," she said, lying back against my pillows.


    "Why? What happened?" I asked, completely intrigued. Over the last eleven months, I''d heard patches of their missions before I joined them. Each time, I soaked up their words as I analyzed the situation in my head like an equation. By the time the story would end, I would have a clear picture of how I would''ve handled the situation had I been there.


    "It was when we were in the mountains on a rescue mission to get Mark. It was a big deal. There were other Bands from around the world that came to help. The Dark One was using any method imaginable to keep us away. Luckily, Haniel suggested we string up a net to cover the entire campsite. Still, there was no way we were prepared for what came next. Krista, Shawn, and me and Robert, took the first watch while everyone else slept," she said, shuddering at the memory.


    My skin began to crawl before she even said any more. I knew where the story was heading, yet I didn''t stop her as I listened with morbid fascination.


    "Of course, we fell asleep," Lynn continued, shaking her head. "See, even we effed up when we were younger. Anyway, we woke a few hours later to Krista screaming bloody murder," Lynn went on. "At first, we were confused at what she was screaming about. It was pitch black and even the moon was blotted out. It took us a few seconds to realize that the moon and stars were missing because the net surrounding our camp was covered by, like, every insect imaginable. The netting bowed down from their weight, but we didn''t think they''d be able to get in. We were wrong."


    "Oh my freaking god!" I yelled, gripping a pillow tightly to my chest. Just the image in my ever-processing mind was enough to make me want to jump up and shake all over. "What happened?" I asked in a whisper, not sure I wanted to hear more.


    "They found a way in, behind our tents. Millions of bugs flooded our campsite. At first, we tried to fight them off with torches from the fire pit, but they were relentless. They crawled over the bugs we had burned, snuffing out the fires."


    "Nooo, freaking frick. Did Haniel save you guys or what?" I asked, completely baffled on how they had been able to escape.


    "Nah, Haniel did his typical Houdini disappearing act. It was Krista who saved us. She came up with all these powers we didn''t even know she had. She saved all of us more than once on that trip. Later we found out it was because she had become an Ascended, lucky for us."


    "Wow, she was badass. I wonder what changed her?" I pondered, lying back on my pillows next to Lynn.


    "She''s still badass. She just doesn''t wear her status on her sleeve like other badasses we know," Lynn said, giving me a nudge. "You really should cut her a little slack. She''s just worried about you."


    I acknowledged her words with a nod. Humble pie was bitter going down, but I knew she had a point. Lynn lapsed into silence after that, and soon she was lightly snoring beside me. So much for the slumber party. I switched off the light, plunging the room into darkness. Even I was quickly feeling the effects of my travels with Emrys earlier that day. I was still miffed he''d dumped my body in my room without waking me, but I was too tired to dwell on it. My last thought before drifting off was when I''d be able to see him again now that I had prisoner status.


    CHAPTER TEN


    I was still on lockdown the next day, and the day after, and the day after that. By the time three weeks passed, with no sign of parole and no sign of Emrys, I was beyond aggravated. My wardens tried not to give me much of an opportunity to dwell on it. I was whisked away on one mission after the next. Sometimes with just Haniel and the Protectors, other times it would be a total group effort. I did the majority of the fighting under their observation so they could get a rough idea how my skills worked.


    When we weren''t on missions, I was busy with one-on-one combat training with each of the Protectors. Curbing down my moves so I wouldn''t hurt them proved to be more of a challenge than I would have anticipated. Even holding back I still left my mark on each of them. A bruise here, accidental broken nose there¡ªwhich despite my apologies, Shawn still didn''t believe me on that one. None of them complained though as they hobbled back to the house, trying to rub away various aches and pains.


    Three-and-half weeks now passed since my trip "gallivanting around the world," as Krista liked to refer to it. There was still no sign of Emrys, but I was able to continue taking out my frustrations on the guys. Mark tried to outmaneuver me by coming up from behind as we worked on a group exercise¨Cby "group," I mean me against the three of them. We''d been at it for over two hours, and they had yet to last longer than two minutes with me before I knocked them on their asses and Haniel declared them out.

 Page 13

    "You''re gonna wind up eating sand again, old man," I said to Mark, grabbing his wrist. In one fluid moment, he found himself pulled up over my head. His back slammed against the sand and my boot rested lightly on his jugular before he could even think to move.


    "Stop," Haniel said, indicating that Mark was out.


    I released Mark''s arm and turned to the other two who were both eyeing me warily, wondering which move they should try next.


    "Would it help you guys out if I closed my eyes?" I teased. "Or maybe I can paint my nails."


    "That''d be helpful," Shawn muttered, throwing a sudden kick that would have caught me in the chin if my hand wasn''t waiting to swipe it away in a lightning-fast move that he didn''t see coming. I could have grabbed his heel and set him on his ass in the sand like I''d just done with Mark, but it was more fun to screw with him. Three weeks ago, my taunt would have been countered with claims that I was too cocky for my own good, but after eating dirt for the last three weeks, he was singing a different tune.


    "Okay, I''ll close my eyes," I said, going for a strategy that Haniel and I had been working on. In the beginning, it was disorienting to fight with one of my senses so completely shut off, but I''d quickly learned that it only heightened my other senses.


    Shawn and Robert grinned at each other, not sure if I was serious. It wasn''t that long ago that they were concerned about hurting me. Now, after landing on their backs too many times to count, they were hesitant, but wanted badly to get in at least one shot.


    I squeezed my eyes shut, letting my senses take over. My ears automatically tuned in to Shawn and Robert''s whispered conversation as they discussed their plan of attack. The funny thing is they were still at a major disadvantage and didn''t even realize it. With my eyes closed, the elements became my greatest ally. My ears were tuned to every subtle change in sound around me, like the sound of their clothes when they tried to strike, or the smell of their sweat, which gave away where they stood. I had to hold back a grin, knowing that this fight was over before they even thought of what lame plan of attack to use. After a moment, they had their strategy worked out. Just as I envisioned, their less-than-stealthy movements were a dead giveaway. That, combined with their heavy breathing made both of them easy prey. Without giving them a chance to finish their approach on either side of me, I struck out with my closed fist and caught Robert in the esophagus while I whipped the rest of my body around to deliver a roundhouse kick into Shawn''s chest.


    I could hear Shawn grunting in pain several feet away and Robert gasping for air just to the left of me.


    "Oops, did I do that?" I asked, feigning innocence as I finally opened my eyes.


    "Damn it, that stung," Shawn whined, staggering to his feet and rubbing his chest in the process.


    "I think she freaking knocked my Adam''s apple down to my stomach," Robert complained, still gasping for air.


    "Sorry, guys. It''s a little harder to reign in my strength with my eyes closed," I said, taking in the boot-sized bruise that Shawn had just exposed when he pulled off his t-shirt to wipe the sweat off his face.


    "Hear that? ''Reign in her strength.'' She''s like the effing Terminator," Shawn grumbled, slowly making his way to the wooden staircase that led to the house.


    "Jordyn, that was something to see," Mark said with open admiration as he ruffled my hair before following behind Shawn.


    "You okay?" I asked Robert who was still sitting on the sand.


    "Peachy. I''m not sure what''s more bruised: my ego or my throat that feels like a branding iron has been shoved down it. You''re like an artist with that skill.


    "Like Buffy?" I teased, making him laugh. After our first day of training, the Protectors had nicknamed me "Buffy." I had no idea what they meant, so I Googled the name until I came up with Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I found old episodes on Netflix and spent half the night watching six of them that first night, and became hooked. I felt an instant kinship with the fictional character as she struggled with the knowledge that she was created for a higher purpose to destroy evil. The only part of the show that bothered me was that she never seemed to get the guy. Her duties always seemed to run interference as she was forced to make a choice every time. That part I definitely related to, and I couldn''t help the nagging feeling that I was seeing a glimpse into my future. My duties would always dictate the person I was and the people I surrounded myself with. I wanted to hate the responsibilities. To lash out at fate. To demand to be normal like everyone else, but in truth, I didn''t hate my strength, or my ability to fight, I thrived on it. I enjoyed combat, honing my skills, and kicking ass.


    Despite that, I still couldn''t erase my fascination with Emrys that had turned into actual longing in his three-week absence. Even though he deserved a kick in the ass for deserting me. I missed his easy humor, smoldering looks, and the way his touch made me feel. Like the girl Buffy in the show, I wanted it all. I wouldn''t give up my gifts, but I also didn''t want to give up the guy.


    "Definitely better than her," Robert said, taking the hand I offered.


    "Well, I take that as the ultimate compliment, coming from you," I said as he staggered slightly from being lifted to a standing position so quickly. "Come on, old man, I''ll help you to the house," I teased, draping one of his arms around my neck.


    "You got that right," he agreed, leaning on me as we shuffled our way toward the staircase with Haniel trailing behind us, looking as smug as an archangel was allowed. "So, what season are you on?"


    "Four. That show is the bomb."


    "Yeah, it was a favorite of mine growing up. The movie was cheesy as hell, but the show was awesome."


    "Truth," I said as we climbed the last step. "Better go let Lynn take a look at you to make sure I didn''t do any permanent damage," I added, plopping down on the oversized padded porch swing that overlooked the ocean.


    "What is this show you speak of?" Haniel asked once Robert had staggered inside.


    "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," I answered, using the toe of my boot to gently swing back and forth.


    "Vampire?" he asked, looking mystified.


    "Yeah, you know, a bloodsucker," I answered. He still looked confused so I continued. "It''s a mystical creature that''s supposed to be really strong. Some portray them as grotesque-looking while others paint them as being beautiful beyond belief. They drink human blood to stay alive and are very hard to kill."


    "There are no such creatures like you describe. Animals do not drink human blood, they devour their flesh," Haniel clarified, making my description sound ludicrous.


    "Hence the wordmystical," I joked. "It''s just a creature that has been written about and hashed over many times over the years. Every generation has a different spin on what a vampire actually looks and acts like," I added, not admitting how much time I had spent on Google researching them after I had started watching Buffy. Their hard-to-destroy image reminded me of Daemons, thus they had sparked my interest.


    "Mystical," Haniel said, rolling the word over with his tongue. "I have heard Krista refer to herself and Mark as mystical and they don''t drink blood."


    "Not all mystical creatures drink blood. There are mystical creatures that change into wolves during a full moon and some that come from heaven and hell," I said, pointing to him. "As far as most humans are concerned, angels and demons are every bit as mystical and hard to believe in as vampires and werewolves."


    "Angels do exist," he stated.


    "True, but you also keep your existence secret from humans, right?"


    He nodded, processing my words. Make-believe was a subject that Haniel just couldn''t understand. Krista had spent hours trying to explain the Easter Bunny to him back in April. Mark and I had stifled our laughter as Krista had gotten more and more frustrated trying to explain to Haniel that no, she didn''t believe that an actual bunny delivered candy every Easter. It was just a fictional character that parents let their kids believe in. The discussion had finally ended with Krista stomping off to her room, muttering about archangels and their narrow minds. Haniel was left in the living room looking completely puzzled over her outburst while Mark and I had whooped with laughter. Haniel had finally left the living room with a scowl, which only fueled our laughter even more.


    Done with trying to explain something he just wasn''t going to get, I closed my eyes, hoping Haniel would get the hint and join the others. It had been days since I had been left alone and my nerves were beginning to wear thin. I just needed some time alone. Time would allow Emrys to appear. I could drill him on why he''d dropped me off in my room without a backward glance. I needed just one moment alone.


    Much to my frustration, Haniel didn''t take the hint, or maybe he knew exactly what I was hoping for. The latter seemed most likely. Haniel may be dense when it comes to human rituals, but he had a keen sense of awareness regarding their behaviors. Even without being able to read my thoughts, he still had the gift of being able to read my body language.


    Finally giving up, I headed to my room in a huff so I could get some peace. Krista trailed behind me chattering away about the new bruises the guys were sporting. She sank down on my bed without a pause.


    Sighing to myself, I went to the bathroom and closed the door hard behind me, so maybe she would get the hint. I was sick of my prison sentence.


    "Whoa, careful," a voice said as Emrys suddenly appeared where my bathroom door had stood open just moments before.


    I gave his shoulder a hard shove. "Where the hell have you been?" I hissed as Krista pounded on my bathroom door.


    "Jordyn, open up now!" she yelled through the door.


    I ignored her, waiting for his explanation.


    "I''ve been around," he said nonchalantly, leaning against my bathroom counter.


    "Don''t be a dick," I said as I heard Krista yelling for Mark.


    "We have about five seconds before your uncle breaks down your bathroom door. Is that really how you want to spend the time?" he asked, pulling me close so I stood between his legs. "Your wardens have made conjugal visits tough," he whispered as he tucked a lock of my hair behind my ear.


    "What did you have in mind?" I asked, wetting my lips with the tip of my tongue. I didn''t want to admit how much thought I''d invested the last few weeks about what his lips would feel like on mine.


    "This," he said, crushing his lips to mine.


    My lips parted in surprise and he immediately took advantage by sweeping his tongue into my mouth. Everything inside of me liquefied and I melted into his embrace. All else was forgotten as our lips melded together like pieces to a complicated puzzle. He tasted like heat, glorious heat that sucked me in, leaving me begging for more. An uncharacteristic whimper left my lips as I tried to convey my needs to him. Chuckling slightly, he settled his hands on my hips before running them up under my shirt, trailing over to my back. His touch felt so right. Pulling back slightly, he gently sucked on my lower lip. My hands found their way up his chest as I gripped his shirt in my fist. Who knew making out would be so freaking enjoyable. Either he was really good at it, or I just should have been doing this a long time ago. I was pretty sure it was him, but I could never tell him that.


    "Time''s up, hot stuff," Emrys said, running his hands down my back before cupping my butt firmly in his hands and pulling me tightly against every inch of him. Gasping with awareness, I locked my arms around his neck, needing his lips back on mine. Grinning at me, he pulled back abruptly and disappeared from my embrace just as my bathroom door splintered open.


    CHAPTER ELEVEN


    I staggered around like I was drunk, trying to focus on the glowering figures standing in the doorway. In the rational part of my brain I knew I should say something¡ªanything. At least act indignant that they had broken down my bathroom door. Instead, the only thing I could focus on was how my lips tingled from where Emrys had just been. Reaching a finger up, I stroked my bottom lip, relishing how amazing his lips had felt against my own. Distantly, I could hear Mark and Krista talking, and I finally dragged myself from the kiss-induced stupor.


    "What''s up?" I croaked innocently in a voice even I didn''t recognize.


    "Are you okay?" Krista asked, suddenly concerned about my sagging stature and strained voice.


    "Sure. Why?" I answered, trying to release the counter that was still supporting the majority of my weight. My legs wouldn''t cooperate as they impersonated Jell-O.


    Krista eyed me critically. I could tell when two and two finally clicked in her head and sudden awareness filled her face, quickly followed by wariness. She may have not witnessed the act, but she was well aware that I had just been kissed senseless¡ªliterally.


    "Oh, I see," she said, taking a step back. "We''ll talk when you''re done showering," she continued, grabbing Mark''s arm and dragging him away from my bathroom door that now resembled a pile of kindling. I wondered exactly what she saw. Did I look like someone who had just been kissed senseless in the most literal sense? Were my lips swollen? They felt swollen. I could have looked, but that would have required movement.


    Now that I was alone, I finally gave into my weakness and let myself slide down to the floor and rested my forehead on my knees. I tried to gather my bearings. I couldn''t remember a time in the last year that I had felt as weak and vulnerable as I did at that moment. My every limb felt like cooked spaghetti and completely useless. If a Daemon appeared in my room at that moment, I was pretty convinced it would be able to kick my ass. Who knew kissing would be so intoxicating?


    Finally, after several false starts, I was able to drag my sorry butt off the floor and into the shower. The steady stream of water worked wonders on my muddled brain, and by the time I climbed out of the shower, I felt completely rejuvenated. Of course, regaining my senses allowed me to focus on the fact that yet again Emrys had left me without a goodbye. Not to mention the fact that he deserved a knee in the nuts for leaving me with a splintered bathroom door and a suspicious aunt.


    I grabbed my favorite coconut lotion off the top of my dresser and sat on the edge of my bed. I was in no hurry to face what I was sure would be another interrogation. Flipping open the lid, I inhaled the sweet smell of the creamy lotion as I smeared it on. Working with the guys on the beach had its downfalls. The salty air made my skin turn to something akin to alligator skin if I didn''t keep it properly moisturized. Becoming the queen of procrastination, I dragged out the process. I was in no hurry to get dressed and face another roomful of disapproving looks. After the third coat of lotion, my body was no longer absorbing it and I began to resemble a beach bunny. "Well, time to pay the band," I said. The hunger pains in my stomach outweighed facing the music anyway.

 Page 14

    Krista was in the process of draining noodles when I entered the kitchen. "Hey, would you mind setting the table?" she asked, flashing me a brilliant smile.


    "Uh, sure," I answered, not sure what kind of strategy she was up to now. "Who''s all eating over tonight?"


    "Just the three of us," she replied, still smiling broadly.


    Feeling like some dumb animal walking into a trap, I opened the frosted glass cabinet and pulled out three ceramic plates. Stacking them on the counter, I added three glasses to my pile and carried them to the little nook that we preferred to eat in when it was just us. The nook sat nestled on the far side of the kitchen near a huge bay window that overlooked the ocean beyond. I continued playing along as I contemplated what Krista was up to. Maybe they had decided shackles would be the only thing that would keep me away from Emrys. I could just picture Mark showing up with heavy-duty chains that even I couldn''t bust out of. I wonder how Emrys was at picking locks?


    "Jordyn?" Krista said, breaking through my thoughts. By the look on her face, I could tell this was not the first time she''d called my name.


    "Yeah?"


    "Can you grab a serving bowl for the sauce and the can of parmesan cheese out of the refrigerator?"


    "Sure. Are we having bread too?"


    "Yes, Mark went to get a fresh loaf of bread from the bakery. He should be back in a couple of minutes. Hopefully with something in the chocolate variety too," she said, winking at me.


    "Right, like he''d come home without something for your chocolate fix," I said, grabbing the butter and the pitcher of ice tea from the fridge also.


    "Were you talking about me?" Mark asked, coming into the kitchen with a platter of brownies and a loaf of bread. Depositing them on the table, he turned and brushed a kiss across Krista''s lips before smiling at me.


    Shit, they were definitely up to something. Krista smiling at me after the bathroom episode I could buy. Mark, on the other hand, acting like he hadn''t just splintered my bathroom door sent warning bells ringing throughout my head. Knowing my luck he''d already deposited the heavy chains in my room. I''d be lucky if I saw the light of day ever again.


    Not returning his smile, I sat on the padded window seat with a sigh. Mark sat across from me with the same dippy smile on his face. I stifled a groan. This was shaping up to be as much fun as listening to an all-day lecture on fossil fuels. Krista joined us a moment later with a glass bowl towered high with cooked spaghetti.


    "Smells great, love," Mark said, sniffing appreciatively.


    "Yeah, well it''d be pretty bad if even I screwed up spaghetti," she answered dryly, heaping noodles on her plate. "And don''t you dare mention those first couple batches," she continued, threatening him with her fork.


    "What? It wasn''t that bad. I, for one, didn''t see the big deal of cutting the noodles with a steak knife," he said, shooting her a real smile. "It was at least better than my first attempt," he continued as Krista gagged slightly at the memory.


    "What happened?" I asked curiously, despite my misgivings about their intentions.


    "Well, just put it this way¡ªyou could have plastered a wall with my noodles," Mark answered chuckling as Krista made more gagging noises. "Come on, babe, it wasn''t that bad."


    "They tasted like they''d been run through a food processor. We had to eat them with a spoon. Remember? You kept trying to convince me that if I added more sauce it would help. I wound up eating just the sauce with my spoon," she said, laughing at the memory.


    "Come on, now you''re hurting my feelings," Mark said defensively.


    "Really? That''s why I saw you dumping your plate in the trash?" she teased, taking a bite of bread.


    "I was stuffed, that''s all."


    "Right," Krista said, openly laughing now.


    Despite myself, I couldn''t help joining in their laughter. "I guess I can see now why we get takeout so much," I said, slurping my noodles.


    "Yeah, culinary skills seemed to be on the low end of the spectrum when The Light created us," Krista said, still chuckling.


    At least for now, the tension disappeared while we finished eating. I knew the boom was still coming, but at least they were serving me one last meal before I was locked away for good.


    We were just about done eating when Krista finally spoke. "So, your uncle and I were talking," she began, looking at Mark for his approval before she continued.


    "I figured as much," I said, scooting my plate away. "So, let''s hear it. I now have to wear leg irons or maybe just a ball and chain, right? Wait, I got it. You guys have decided to build a dungeon under the house. Just to throw my two cents in, a dungeon might take away from the curb appeal of the house," I added.


    "Well, a dungeon did cross our minds, but we figured that wouldn''t do any good at keeping yourfriendfrom springing you," she said. "Kidding. Truthfully, we just finally came to the conclusion that we''re treating you both unfairly. My mom once tried to keep me from Mark and it turned out to be a disaster," she continued.


    "Really?" I asked, sitting excitedly forward. This was the last thing I had been expecting.


    "Yes, but with stipulations," Mark answered, bursting my bubble.


    "Right," I said, sinking back on my seat.


    "Nothing unreasonable," Krista reassured me. "We just feel that before we allow you to hang out with this Soul Trader, we should get to know him too. We''re not comfortable with you running all over the world with him, getting tattoos in Shanghai and who knows what else."


    Gah, freaking Lynn was going to get a smack the next time I saw her. Shanghai was supposed to be our secret. "What do you have in mind?" I asked, still leery of where the conversation was going.


    "We thought, instead of sneaking into your room and bathroom, he could visit you like a normal boy your age would. We''d obviously like to have him over for dinner so we can get to know him, and then from there maybe we can move to double-dating."


    "No way are we going on a double date with you guys."


    "I''ll try not to be offended over your reaction, but no, we weren''t thinking of double-dating with us. We figured you wouldn''t mind going out with Lynn and Robert," she said dryly.


    I exhaled a breath I wasn''t even aware I was holding. This was doable. Sure, the idea of a family dinner was cringe-worthy, but I''d been wanting to double date with Lynn and Robert for months. Emrys would probably find the whole idea ludicrous since he was used to coming and going as he pleased, but maybe I could talk him into it. Besides, if he really likes me the way he seems to, he''ll at least consider it, and surely after they all saw how fantastic he was we''d eventually be left to our own devices.


    "What exactly will the family dinner entail? And won''t Haniel crap a brick when he finds out?" I asked, suddenly afraid their plan would be smothered out before it could even begin.


    "We''ve already discussed it with him," Mark answered, sitting back in his chair. "He has grudgingly agreed to trust us on this, although he plans on joining us for the family dinner," he added, smiling almost gleefully at the thought.


    "Oh, god. I can just imagine how that''s going to go," I griped, not relishing a night of hanging out with Haniel, my aunt and uncle, and Emrys.


    "You have to understand his side, Jordyn. Soul Traders have earned their bad reputations for good reasons. More times than not, Soul Traders turn away from helping souls move on to a better place. The Dark One entices them to bring the souls to him instead with promises of power and immortality," Mark said, defending Haniel.


    "I thought Soul Traders were immortal?" I asked, confused.


    "They are to a certain extent. They can live forever in this realm, guiding souls as they see fit, but they can be destroyed much like you destroy Daemons. Once their earthly forms are snuffed out, they can never return to this realm again. They are forever forsaken to eternity in hell."


    "What if they don''t align themselves with The Dark One?" I asked, trying to ignore the knot in my stomach.


    "They are still condemned to spending eternity in hell. Remember, The Light does not allow Soul Traders in heaven, no matter how many souls they''ve delivered. By denying him in their time of judgment, they gave up their place in heaven. The Light allows them to stay on Earth and the Between, but he denies them passage through the pearly gates."


    "That still just doesn''t seem fair at all," I said, finding a hard time grasping the idea of being denied access into heaven. It seemed so barbaric to me.


    "Harsh maybe, but The Light believes if you truly wanted to go to heaven, you would never had denied him," Krista said, brushing crumbs off the table into her cupped hand.


    "So, all that being said, you''re telling me even though he''s immortal, Emrys is going to wind up in hell at some point?" I asked, wanting to punch something in a sudden burst of anger.


    "Well, his place on Earth is relatively safe as long as he continues to deliver souls to both sides and stays under the radar," Mark said. "Usually, what you see with Traders is that they eventually get too cocky or desire more power, and make alliances. Since The Light isn''t exactly a dealmaker, many of them stop delivering any souls to The Light and instead only bring them to The Dark One."


    "Emrys is different," I said stubbornly. I didn''t want to believe that Emrys would hand-deliver souls that belonged in heaven to The Dark One. He was one of the good ones. He obviously had reasons for staying on Earth.He was a good guy, I repeated to myself.


    "I''m sure you''re right," Krista said, patting my hands that I didn''t even remember clenching. "But we just want to be sure, okay?"


    "Okay, but you''ll keep Haniel in check, right? You know what a pain he can be."


    "Yes, we''ll make sure he behaves," she deadpanned.


    "And you won''t ask any embarrassing questions," I stated, looking more at Mark.


    "Define embarrassing?" he asked, smiling wickedly, which just seemed wrong with his angelic background.


    "Just be cool, please, and don''t act like typical parents," I griped as he grinned broadly. "Remember, revenge is a cold-ass beeyotch," I reminded him.


    "Language," Krista chastised. "And I''m pretty sure it breaks some kind of rule to threaten your guardians," she added, raising her eyebrows at me. "Don''t worry, Jordyn, I''ll watch them both."


    I glowered at Mark who shook his head behind her back. Seeing my look, Krista turned toward Mark who was now smiling innocently at her. Using her turned back to my own advantage, I made a slashing motion across my neck. "You''ll go down," I mouthed just as Krista turned back around to bust me.


    "Can we act our ages?" she said, smacking Mark in the head.


    "Sure we can, hon, but we won''t," Mark said, scooping her up into his arms. "I think a little swim in the ocean is called for," he added, cradling her in his arms as he strode out the French doors.


    Watching them from the patio, I whooped my encouragement as Krista squealed in protest. "I don''t have my suit on!" she complained as Mark continued to stride toward the stairs that would take them to the ocean below.


    "When have we ever let that stop us?" Mark asked suggestively.


    "True," she said, capturing his lips with hers.


    "Eww, TMI," I yelled, but they were lost in their kiss as they disappeared down the steps. A few moments later, they came back into sight on the beach below as Mark carried Krista out into the water. He lowered her so she was standing flush against him. The moonlight cast down, showcasing them as a perfect silhouette. I made my way back to the porch swing, sinking down against the plush cushion and reveled in the quiet that surrounded me. I was alone. For the first time in days, no one was watching my every move. This kind of freedom, I could definitely get used to. No more sneaking around, no more jail sentences or wardens. Now, I just needed to figure out how to get Emrys to appear again so I could tell him.


    I knew he obviously couldn''t read my mind, but I couldn''t help wondering if he would come if I called him. "Emrys," I said, feeling more than a little ridiculous.


    "What are you up to, sweet cheeks?" Emrys asked from behind me, sounding amused.


    Whirling around swiftly, I almost fell out of the swing only to discover him lounging atop the patio table behind me. "Damn it, don''t sneak up on me like that. One of these times it''s going to get you hurt," I complained, trying to calm my breathing as I stood up.


    "Why? You''re so cute when you''re scared," he drawled in a voice oozing sex appeal.


    "I wasn''t scared. I just didn''t know you were there," I countered. "


    Why''d you say my name if you didn''t know I was here?" he asked, summoning me toward him with his finger.


    "You know, I''m not some dog you can whistle for and expect to come trotting right over," I said spitefully, despite the fact that I was indeed walking toward him. Suddenly, I had flashbacks from the kiss earlier. "I was trying to figure out how to get you to show up. I should have realized your creepy stalker ways would make that unnecessary," I continued, willing myself not to look at his lips. He was already cocky enough without knowing how much I''d thought about the kiss in the last few hours.


    "You''re definitely not a dog," he said suggestively, not even trying to deny my stalker comment. "What''s with your wardens getting all frisky in the ocean and leaving you unsupervised up here all by your lonesome?"


    "I don''t know. Time off for good behavior maybe?" I answered, smirking at him.


    "I doubt that, but if you''re serious, what are we still doing here? Let''s blow this joint," he said with sudden excitement.


    "Whoa, not so fast," I said, pulling my hand out of reach. "It came with some conditions."


    "Of course it did. I wouldn''t expect any less from a houseful of angels. Lay it on me. Do I need to arm wrestle each of them?"


    "Ha, you''re so funny. I guess you moonlight at some celestial comedy club when you''re not stalking me."


    "I did do a brief stint at one in Vegas in the mid-eighties. It was fun for a while, but humans have a fickle sense of humor. What''s funny one day is lame the next," he said, sitting back down on the table.


    "I was joking," I said, sidetracked by the idea of him holding a job like a human. "What other jobs have you done?" I asked intrigued.

 Page 15

    "I dabbled in the movie business in the early nineties, but not aging made that a career that couldn''t last long¨Ceven by Hollywood standards. I worked as a ranch hand in the sixties, but that got old pretty quick."


    "Why even bother working?" I asked.


    "Eternity has its draw backs, like boredom. You''re the most interesting thing to come around in the last thirty years," he answered, winking at me. "Now, quit stalling. What are the terms of your parole?"


    "They''re really not that big a deal. Obviously, my aunt and uncle would like to meet you, which is reasonable."


    "And?" he asked, seeing through my evasive answer.


    "And they want you to stay for dinner," I answered brightly, going for a peppy cheerleader voice that just came out awkward.


    "Oh, here we go. Is that all?"


    "Um, Haniel will be at dinner too and we have to double date and there''s nothing we can do about it if we want to see each other so just be cool okay?" I said in a muddled rush.


    "We have to date with Haniel? What the hell?"


    "No, no, not a double date with Haniel. We''re going to double with my friend Lynn and her husband. Haniel is coming over for the dinner with my aunt and uncle," I clarified.


    "You''re serious? And Hannie agreed to this?"


    "Sure," I answered, not admitting the complete truth that Haniel had grudgingly agreed to the whole plan.


    "Riiiiiight. I''m sure Archie jumped right on board," he said sarcastically.


    "Well, those are the rules. Take ''em or leave ''em," I answered abrasively. I drew the line at begging him. His kisses may make me melt like molten lava, but I''d be damned if I followed him like some lovesick puppy.


    "I''ll take them," he said, pulling me close in one swift movement.


    "Good, ''cause you deserve a punch in the nuts for what you''ve been pulling," I warned as he dipped his head to my exposed neck.


    "Why?" he murmured against my skin.


    "You''re always leaving me high and dry. Did you see my bathroom door?" I asked trying to keep my senses about me.


    "Sorry, babe, but unless you want your aunt and uncle to catch us like this, I better head out," he said, looking at me with hooded eyes before nipping playfully at my lips. "I''ll do your dinner thing tomorrow night if that''s cool. It''ll be entertaining to act like a human for a night," he added, dropping his lips one last time to mine and then he was gone.


    Taking several breaths, I was relieved his kisses were still just as intoxicating and made my toes curl in anticipation. I wasn''t acting like some fainting twit, was I? If so, I couldn''t help it. His lips felt like a light rain on a peaceful day, sunshine on a cloudless day, a volcano waiting to erupt. They were everything I could never have imagined and everything I would''ve never thought to wish for.


    I tried to shake the cheesy thoughts away, but one thing was abundantly clear. Fainting twit or not, I wanted more.


    "Did you ask your friend about dinner?" Krista asked, coming up the stairs with water still dripping off her. It was clear by their somewhat guilty expressions that they had cut their nighttime swim short because of Emrys.


    "Yeah, he''s coming tomorrow night if that''s okay?" I answered, shoving any further thoughts about Emrys''s lips into a secret drawer in my head to be analyzed later when I was alone.


    "That works," Krista said, accepting the towel Mark had retrieved from the outdoor cabinet.


    "Thanks, babe," she said, hanging it on a hook by the outdoor showerhead Mark had installed.


    "I''m whipped. I think I''m going to head to bed," I said, stifling a yawn as Krista and Mark rinsed off together under the shower. "You want me to clean up the kitchen before I hit the sack?" I asked, hoping she''d say no. All my extracurricular activities had left my body begging for sleep.


    "No, we got it. You look worn out," Krista observed as Mark wrapped one of the striped oversized beach towels tightly around her body. "Trying to butter me up?" she quizzed Mark as he tucked her under the crook of his arm to help warm her. "Don''t think that''s going to get you off the hook, buddy," she warned lightly, shooting him a look that spoke volumes.


    "Is that a fact?" he asked, pulling her in close.


    I left them to their light flirtatious banter. Despite Krista''s offer, I decided to detour into the kitchen anyway to give it a quick cleaning before bed. I figured it was the least I could do since they''d offered up an olive branch. Not to mention, judging by the smoldering stares they had shared, they''d be busy for a while.


    By the time I was done with kitchen I was dead-ass tired. I climbed into bed with Mouse and within moments I was out. The last thought I remembered was Emrys. Everything after that¡­blank.


    The sunshine streaming through my French doors seemed brighter than usual the next morning. I was full of nervous energy, which wasn''t exactly uncharacteristic for me. The reasons were just different today. I didn''t know how I was going to stay busy until tonight. Cleaning my room would kill the majority of the day, considering I hadn''t touched it in a while. "What the hell," I thought. I stripped my bed, tossed the sheets in the hamper, and hastily made my bed with a new set. I was too keyed up to make it the way I normally liked. I pretty much just tossed the sheets on in a half-assed manor, not bothering to smooth them out. Typically, the wrinkles would have set my teeth on edge, but it just didn''t seem to matter as much today. My deep plum-colored comforter covered them anyway. That was about all the focus I could muster. The rest of the time I basically fluttered around my room, leaving a bigger mess than what I''d started with. I think I started like ten different tasks, but didn''t finish any of them. Finally, I stood in the middle of my room which looked like a tornado had ripped through it. It turned out to be a disgusting waste of time, and after another half hour of mindlessly moving my belongings around, I stomped out of my room.


    "Morning, sunshine," Krista chirped, taking in my scowl.


    "Whatever," I muttered, pouring myself a steaming cup of pumpkin spice-flavored coffee. After I had doctored it up to my liking, I slumped down on the stool at the counter.


    "Bad morning?" Krista laughed. "I thought you''d be all sunshine and daisies today."


    "I feel like such a doof, fluttering around my room like a confused butterfly because some guy is coming over. Not to mention the fact that the butterfly has taken up residence in my belly," I griped, taking a sip of my scalding drink. I welcomed the way it burned my tongue and then resumed its fiery journey down my throat. The heat brought some of my hazy senses back into focus.


    "Aww, that''s so sweet, you''re nervous," she teased. "Don''t worry, from what I''ve witnessed, the Soul Trader seems quite enchanted with you."


    "I am not nervous," I said, glaring at her over the rim of my ceramic mug. "As long as Haniel and Mark behave, I''ll be fine."


    "Not nervous, gotcha," she said, shooting me a knowing look. "Don''t worry about the guys. I''ll kick them if they get out of control. We just want to get to know him, which is okay, right?" she added. Even though she acted like she had my back, she also had her own agenda for the night.


    "Yeah, I guess," I agreed, rinsing out my coffee mug in the sink before placing it in the dishwasher. "I think I''m gonna go do some training," I added, heading out of the kitchen.


    "Be careful," she called after me.


    "Sure," I lied. Careful was the last thing I planned on being.


    Haniel was waiting for me when I stepped out on the patio.


    "I''d like to do some terrain training today," I greeted him.


    "Terrain training?" he asked, knowing my usual distaste for it.


    "Yes, the tougher the better," I clarified, bending down to double-knot my boots.


    "I assume a warm climate?" he asked, noting my black yoga pants and white tank top.


    "Either, it doesn''t matter," I answered, bouncing slightly on the balls of my feet. I was ready to partake in an activity that would shift my focus and speed the day along.


    "You will need warmer clothes and your running shoes," he stated, picking up on my agitated mood.


    "Okay, I''ll be back in five," I said, racing off to my room to grab my favorite hooded sweatshirt. It had a picture on it depicting a zombie chasing humans with a caption that read "Zombies hate fast food." I pulled off my combat boots and tossed them toward my closet. After lacing up my Nikes with deft fingers, I raced out of my room. "Be back later," I called out to Krista who was leaning against the kitchen counter sipping a mug of hot chocolate.


    "Be careful," she repeated like I didn''t hear her the first time.


    "Sure," I lied again, jogging back out to Haniel. "I''m ready," I said, skidding to a stop in front of him.


    He nodded and grasped my hand within his. Our patio disappeared and was replaced by lush green grass.


    "Where are we?" I asked, shivering as I pulled my hoodie on over my head.


    "Inukjuak," Haniel answered, waiting for me to adjust my sweatshirt. "Quebec," he added when I raised my eyebrows, confused as ever. He knew that I liked to keep track of my geographical locations. I kept a journal in my room of all the places I''d visited with date, time, temperature, and terrain listed in it. I also made it a point to try to bring back a small piece of the location, whether a rock, a leaf, or even a stick. Anything that was tangible proof that I''d been there.


    "It''s chilly here," I said, rubbing my hands up and down my arms.


    "The locals believe it is warm," he said, pointing down into the village that rested in the valley below where we stood.


    If I squinted, I could make out children running around playing tag in shorts and t-shirts. Not a jacket in sight that I could see. "It has to be forty degrees out," I said.


    "Current temperature is forty-seven degrees," he clarified.


    "Sheesh, they''re crazy," I said, turning back around to take in the rolling terrain that surrounded me. Gentle rolling hills stretched out as far as the eye could see. I smiled with satisfaction. Haniel had done well. Running was the sure-fire way to take my mind off certain thoughts of a hot Soul Trader.


    "Ten miles?" Haniel quizzed me as I bent over to stretch out my legs.


    "We can start with that," I answered, not sure how long it would take me to outrun the nervous energy that cloaked me like a heavy winter jacket.


    "We will meet there," Haniel said, pointing in the direction he wanted me to run.


    "Sure thing," I called over my shoulder, already trotting away. Within seconds, I was running at my normal six-minutes-per-mile pace. As my body fell into a rhythm, I was thankful Haniel had suggested my running shoes. The grass cushioned my feet as I made my way up the first hill. Sweat began dripping down my back before I''d finished my first mile, so without pausing, I pulled off my sweatshirt and knotted it around my waist. I was relieved that my erratic energy had found an appropriate outlet, but I was dismayed that the mindless task had the opposite effect at keeping thoughts of Emrys at bay. He was with me with every breath I exhaled and inhaled. He was with me as I crested one hill after another, and he was still with me as I finally came upon Haniel an hour later.


    "Not done yet," I said, turning back around and heading back the direction I had just come from. I picked up my pace, pushing myself harder. Thoughts of Emrys were finally pushed aside as I paced my speed at a four-minute mile. Maintaining the speed going down the hill was pretty simple, going up was a different story. It required discipline to not slow due to the natural push of gravity.


    I reached Haniel about forty minutes later, a personal best, despite the more difficult running conditions.


    Haniel nodded his head in approval when I pulled to a stop next to him, breathing slightly heavy from exertion. "More?" he asked.


    I considered his question for a moment. Part of me felt I had plenty in my energy reservoir to run more, but before the idea could take root, the muscles in my legs began to quiver in protest. They were used to hard terrain running over rough conditions, but the longest distance I''d ever run was fifteen miles, and that was on the flat beaches back home.


    "I better not. My legs are threatening mutiny," I answered reluctantly, looking back at the rolling hills that had served their purposes well.


    "Ready, then?" Haniel asked, not one for extended conversations.


    "Yeah, let''s go," I answered, reaching for his hand.


    My quivering leg muscles were working overtime by the time my feet hit the patio. My body urged me to find the closest chair and collapse, but my mind knew that doing so would only make it worse. Instead, I slowly walked the perimeter of the patio, giving my legs the opportunity to cool down. I expected Haniel to disappear in his typical abrupt way after a workout, but he continued to watch me as I walked.


    "What?" I finally asked, knowing he wanted something.


    "Why does the Soul Trader interest you?" he asked, studying me intently like I was a puzzle piece that refused to go in its rightful place.


    "Is it any of your business?" I asked, sick of his prejudice against Emrys. "You know before he was a Soul Trader he was a human, right? Your Light created him."


    "The Light created you as well," he said, looking concerned by my phrasing.


    "If you say so. I wouldn''t be surprised if some alien ship dropped me off here. That would explain the memory loss. Is that your big secret, Haniel? Did I come from plant Freak or some bullshit like that?"


    "Aliens do not exist," Haniel answered, ignoring my swear word. "Why does the Soul Trader interest you?" he repeated.


    "I don''t know, Haniel. What do you want from me?" I said, finally sitting on the ground so I could do leg stretches. "Maybe he interests me because he bugs you so much, or maybe he interests me because he''s not intimated by you like everyone else seems to be," I added tightly.


    Haniel wasn''t one to take offense, so my words were falling on deaf ears. He continued to wait, insisting on an answer.


    "God, fine. I''m interested in him because he makes me feel normal, special, unique, and interesting all at the same time. He doesn''t study me like some freaky lab experiment, but more like someone he''d like to spend time with," I finally said to get him off my back.


    "That is important to you?"


    "Well, duh," I answered, surprised at his ignorance.

 Page 16

    "You are special, not normal," he stated like I should feel honored or something by the fact.


    "I don''t like being studied all the time like all of you are waiting for the next weirdo thing I''m going to do."


    "You are of great importance to Guides and Protectors alike, not to mention humanity."


    "Wow, all of humanity too? Sweet, nothing like having the pressure of humanity on your shoulders," I said sarcastically.


    "Precisely," Haniel said, looking pleased as my sarcasm missed him by a mile.


    "I was being sarcastic, Haniel," I complained, rising to my feet.


    "Are you not always sarcastic?" he asked, throwing an uncharacteristic verbal jab.


    "Look at you trying to be funny. I''m going to go shower."


    "Feel better?" Krista asked, looking up from her chaise lounge in the corner of the living room where she was writing.


    "A little," I said, not worried about my aggravation with Haniel. It seemed inevitable that we''d always have a love/hate relationship. I loved that he was a cool mentor, but I hated that he continued to treat me like a little kid. If I hadn''t won his trust by now, it was unlikely I ever would.


    "Where did Haniel take you?" Krista asked as she curled up her legs so I could sit on the foot of her chaise lounge.


    "Inukjuak, Quebec."


    "Ooh, we''ve never made it up to that region. How was it?"


    "Beautiful. Lush hills, like, as far as the eye can see. It had a definite tranquil feel to it."


    "Maybe your uncle and I will have to pop up there one afternoon," she said, taking in my shining eyes as I described it.


    "You totally should. You guys should take a picnic up there or something. It''s an amazing place to see."


    "That sounds like a great idea. It''s been awhile since we''ve had some time to ourselves."


    "Hey, it wasn''t my idea for you guys to lock me away like some fair maiden."


    "We were just trying to protect you since you seemed hell-bent on defying us," she said, smiling at me to soften her words.


    "I know," I said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "I''m going to go shower. What did you guys decide to order for dinner?"


    "Well, since it''s really just the three of us, since your friend Emrys and Haniel don''t eat, we decided to go with cold cuts from Joe''s Deli. We figured keeping it casual would help make it less awkward."


    "Right, because eating in front of an Archangel and a Soul Trader won''t be awkward enough," I quipped before heading off toward my bathroom.


    "Keyword was ''less'' awkward," Krista called after me, laughing.


    Despite myself, I laughed with her as I closed the bathroom door behind me.


    Two hours later, laughter was the furthest thing from my mind as I perched on the edge of the sofa in the living room, trying not to fidget. I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans for like the millionth time as I once again checked the time on my phone. In all my ignorance on the proper rules of dating, I''d neglected to nail down a time when I mentioned the family dinner to Emrys. It was twenty-seven minutes past five and Emrys was still absent. I tossed my phone on the couch beside me in frustration, vowing I wouldn''t pick it up again for at least ten minutes.


    Mark and Krista seemed oblivious to my agitation as they sat reading in their respective chairs. I watched them for a moment, admiring their ease. The phone sat where I had thrown it, taunting me. I couldn''t help snatching it up again, forgetting my vow.


    Five twenty-eight. "Damn."


    I was literally in slow-time hell. I contemplated calling information like a dork to make sure the time was right on my phone, but Mark and Krista would think I was wacked. Tossing the phone back on the couch, a sudden thought dawned on me, making me hop to my feet. Maybe Emrys was here but was waiting for me outside, I thought as I strode toward the French doors.


    "Your aunt would have told you if he was out there," Mark teased from behind me.


    Damn, I''d forgotten about her built-in radar system.


    "What time did you tell your friend to come over?" Krista asked, looking up from her Kindle.


    "Um¡­" I started to say just as the doorbell rang. "Five thirty," I lied, saved by the bell.


    "I''ll get it," I said lamely, ignoring Mark''s chuckles behind me.


    "Behave," I heard Krista mutter to him as I pulled open the front door.


    All breath escaped me when I took in Emrys''s appearance. Emrys in jeans and a leather jacket equaled hot. Emrys in slacks and a button-down shirt equaled scorching.


    CHAPTER TWELVE


    "Wow, you clean up nice," I stuttered, holding open the front door like a moron as Emrys grinned confidently. "Lose the grin before I clothesline you, pretty boy," I threatened. I was done with him having the upper hand.


    "Yes, ma''am," he replied with a grin still in place as he tried to stroll in past me like he owned the place.


    Unable to resist, I stuck out my foot and smiled with satisfaction when he stumbled slightly. He looked back surprised and I feigned innocence, even going as far to hold up my hands innocently.


    "Walk much," I teased, finally grinning back at him.


    "Guess not," he said, laughing. "Maybe you should hold my hand to make sure I don''t fall and hurt myself," he said, taking my hand in his before I could object.


    "Smooth," I whispered, leading him into the family room.


    Haniel had joined Krista and Mark by the time we walked in. All three of them were standing like soldiers. You could see the tension and unease in their posture, except for Haniel, who was as stoic as ever. Emrys, on the other hand, seemed to ooze casualness, standing in the middle of the room next to me like this was his own house. My hunch was dead on¡ªtonight was going to be a bundle of fun.


    Before the awkward silence could make things any more uncomfortable, I finally dragged Emrys over to Mark. "Um, Uncle Mark, this is Emrys. Emrys, this is my Uncle Mark," I said as Emrys reached out to shake Mark''s hand in a very human way.


    It was glaringly obvious that a handshake was a bad idea when both guys decided to test their strength against each other. Next, I guessed they''d whip out their you know whats and have a pissing contest, the way they were acting. I was debating whether to interject by giving them both a punch in the gut to make them stop when Krista stepped in deftly and held out her own hand.


    "Emrys, it''s nice to meet you. I''m Jordyn''s Aunt Krista," Krista said, sticking her hand in front of Emrys''s face.


    He finally unclenched his hand from Mark''s and turned to Krista with an amused look on his face. "It''s a pleasure to meet you," he said, shaking her hand more delicately and flashing her a devastating smile.


    "Likewise," she answered, smiling at him as some of the unease disappeared from her face. Even as an Ascended, I guess she wasn''t immune to his charm.


    "Haniel, it''s a treat as always to be in your great presence," Emrys said, turning to Haniel with a mocking smile.


    "Soul Trader," Haniel greeted him evenly.


    "Emrys," he corrected Haniel before dismissing him by turning back to me. "So, what''s for dinner?" he asked, rubbing his hands together.


    "Uh," I answered like a complete dip, thrown off by his question.


    "I think he''s joking," Krista said, sliding an arm around my shoulder.


    "Right," I answered, glaring at Emrys. "Don''t be a dick," I growled under my breath as I elbowed him in the ribs.


    He grunted in pain making Mark laugh out right. "It''s nice to see even you''re not immune to Jordyn''s strength," he said, settling into his chair as some of the tension left him.


    "What, that was just a tap," I said sweetly.


    "Yeah, you always just tap, uh-huh," Emrys replied, raising his eyebrows at me as he perched on the edge of the sofa, rubbing his abdomen.


    "Don''t be a sissy," I said, sinking down next to him.


    "Sissy?" he asked.


    "I wouldn''t take it offensively. She calls us all sissies," Mark reassured him. "So, Emrys, what exactly are your intentions with our girl here?" he asked, all humor gone from his voice as he sat forward in his chair.


    "Uncle Mark!" I hissed, shooting an apologetic look at Emrys.


    "Don''t ''Uncle Mark'' me. I think we have a right to know exactly what his plans are," Mark said, not bothering to look at me.


    "Well, my immediate plans are to get to know her better. She intrigues me, much as I''m sure she intrigues all of you," he answered like I wasn''t even there.


    "Yes, Jordyn is very special. We don''t want her to feel like she is caged in, but we also want to protect her," Mark said. "We are strong believers in freewill, and that everyone should always have control over their thoughts and actions. Do you understand what I''m saying?" he continued with a hard edge in his voice.


    I stifled a groan, knowing where the conversation was going, but didn''t have a clue on how to stop the runaway train.


    "No, sir, I don''t," Emrys answered.


    "Imeanwe can all appreciate the fact that Jordyn intrigues you, but we''d like it if you allowed her to see if you hold the same appeal to her without manipulation."


    "Oh, I see," Emrys said, shooting me a devilish grin. "You haven''t told them?" he asked, looking amused.


    "The time never seemed right," I answered lamely.


    "Riiiiiight," he answered in his typical way. "Well, this ought to be cute."


    "Told us what?" Krista asked as her eyes darted back and forth between us.


    "It''s really no big deal," I said, making the mistake of looking at Haniel. I could see by the look on his face that he''d figured it out. "It''s just that Emrys''s skills really don''t work on me," I added.


    "What do you mean they don''t work on you?" Krista demanded.


    "I mean he can''t bend my mind with his mumbo jumbo," I answered carelessly like it wasn''t the big deal I knew it was.


    "How do you know?" Krista asked, skeptically.


    "Because he tried and it was a no-go. My mind is unbendable."


    "That doesn''t make sense though. He''s bent your mind plenty of times since he met you¡­" she trailed off as understanding dawned on her. "You went with him willingly," she finally shrieked when she put all the puzzle pieces together.


    "Um, yeah, I guess you could say that," I said uncomfortably. I looked to Emrys for some kind of help, but he sat there, almost gleefully, soaking it all in.


    "Why? Why would you put us through that hell? We have been worried sick that he''s been bending your mind. Why else would you run off irresponsibly with him and get a tattoo if he wasn''t bending your mind?" she asked, shaking with uncharacteristic anger.


    "Because I wanted a break," I finally answered as my own anger rose to the surface. "I needed a break. All of you are always watching me, expecting things from me. You make me feel like I''m a robot or an alien from another planet with all your expectations of my every action. I get it, I''m ''special,'' as you''ve all pointed out a million times, but you could at least treat me like a person. I like hanging out with Emrys because he makes me feel normal," I said. "I''m sorry you''ve been worried, but I''m not sorry that I went with him."


    "You should have asked us," Krista said quietly, calmer than she was a moment before.


    "And that would have worked? You would have let me go with him? I doubt it." I said, sarcastically.


    "We would have taken it under advisement," Mark answered. "By not trusting us, you took the matter out of our capable hands," he continued, looking more disappointed than mad.


    His disappointment deflated my anger like a balloon that had sprung a leak. Yelling I could handle, since it usually sparked my own defense mechanism. Disappointment, though, had a way of seeping through my shield.


    "Hey, it''s all good now," Emrys answered, holding up his hands as he took in my defeat.


    "Perhaps in the future you will think twice before whisking away an underage girl," Mark said, glaring at Emrys. "We''re her guardians and we take that job seriously," he continued in a voice laced with steel.


    "I''ll take it under advisement," Emrys patronized. "Like all of you, I care about Jordyn and have been nothing but truthful with her."


    Haniel and Mark exchanged looks, and I couldn''t help grinning slightly. Score one for Emrys.


    "So, Emrys, why don''t you tell us a little about yourself," Krista said, trying to bring the conversation back around to some semblance of civility.


    "What would you like to know? Emrys asked, relaxing his posture.


    "What do you do when you''re notworking?" she asked, saying the word carefully.


    "I enjoy spending time at the theater."


    "Really? Broadway?" Krista asked surprised.


    "Porn," he answered. "Kidding," he corrected quickly before their heads exploded. I wish I had a camera to capture the looks on Mark''s and Krista''s faces at that moment.


    "I''m actually more a fan of the undiscovered productions over in Italy," Emrys continued. "Italy has been a famous backdrop for theater companies for many centuries. Italian storytellers have a way of making a story come alive. Most times they are set in Latin and then translated. England has always been fond of the Italian storytellers, like Boccaccio and Ariosto. I like to enjoy them before mainstream popularity discovers them. Small theater has an intimate feel that I prefer," he answered with passion.


    I couldn''t help gaping at him in astonishment. I would have never tagged him as a theater buff.


    "Hey, what can I say, I''m a sucker for romance," Emrys said, meeting my amused stare.


    "I just pegged you more for a barhopping thug," I teased.


    "Gee, thanks, but since I can''t drink or eat that pastime is rather lackluster," he quipped. "Theater only requires my patronage to be entertaining."


    "Why don''t you tell her about your work," Haniel said, speaking for the first time. His point was clear. Emrys casting himself as a sensitive theater crony didn''t bode well for the soul sucking image he was supposed to have.


    "My work seriously bends your feathers doesn''t it, Archie?" Emrys mocked. "You''d think someone in your position would appreciate someone like me. Perhaps you''ve missed how many souls I''ve delivered to your boss."

 Page 17

    "I am more concerned about those you have not delivered to us," Haniel answered tightly.


    "Hey, man, that''s not my decision. My job is to get them to the Between. If you''ve heard otherwise, you''re talking to the wrong being," Emrys said, all humor gone from his voice.


    "I have been informed that many of you Traders have bypassed the Between," Haniel shot back.


    "Informed by who? Who are these sources? Are you a reporter now?" I interrupted, trying to defuse the situation. The tension radiating off of Emrys was tangible.


    Emrys laughed out loud at my questions while Haniel merely acknowledged them by pulling his eyes away from Emrys. I guarantee Haniel had no idea why it was funny, but either way, he seemed uninterested in divulging where he''d received his so-called information.


    "So, Emrys, where exactly do you live?" Krista asked, once again steering the conversation to a safer topic.


    "I have a home in the foothills, just beyond Boulder in Colorado that I stay at sometimes, and a small chateau in Italy that I visit when I have time. Lately, I''ve been hanging out a lot, locally," he said, smiling at me.


    "We can see that," Krista answered dryly. "We''d appreciate for the time being if you could refrain from taking Jordyn anywhere that would take longer than an hour to get to by car."


    "What kind of car?" Emrys deadpanned before cracking a smile. "Kidding. I''ll keep things local."


    "And no sex," Mark blared, out of the blue.


    "Holy frick, Uncle Mark," I screeched.


    "Dear, no," Krista said at the same time as me, shaking her head negatively at him.


    "What, too much?" he asked with false innocence.


    "Just a bit," she answered, holding her fingers up an inch apart.


    "More like this much," I complained, spreading my arms as far apart as they would go while Emrys looked on with his normal grin.


    Krista rescued the conversation again by asking Emrys about his childhood. It was interesting to hear his stories of his childhood. I couldn''t help picturing him as a little boy playing stickball on the streets of Brooklyn or ice skating in Central Park. He talked about tagging along on job sites with his dad during the summer and collecting bottles with his friends so they could see a double matinee at the local theater. It all seemed so wholesome and simplistic. Although he was years removed from that time, he recalled it with amazing clarity. I felt envious that he could remember things more than sixty years old when I couldn''t remember anything from a year ago.


    After an hour of chatting, Krista finally ran out of questions for Emrys, and I could tell by her relaxed posture that she grudgingly approved.


    "So, is the interrogation over?" I teased as she finally sat back.


    "For now," she answered, smiling at me.


    "So, can Emrys and I go for a walk on the beach?" I asked, hopping to my feet.


    "Sure," she said, looking at Mark for his input.


    "As long as you''re back by eleven," he answered.


    "Okay," I agreed, not sure where the curfew had come from, but at the moment, I just wanted to leave the oppressive living room behind.


    "It was nice to meet you," Emrys said, seemingly sincere while standing to shake Krista''s hand.


    "Same here."


    "Sir," Emrys said, holding his hand out to shake Mark''s hand next.


    He gave Haniel a curt nod before following me out the French doors.


    "That was fun," I grumbled, pulling my shoes off so I could walk barefoot on the sand.


    "It wasn''t that bad. Your uncle kind of reminds me of my dad. I like that he''s overprotective of you," he said, linking his fingers through mine.


    "It''s all nonsense. I mean, seriously, I could kick all of your butts at the same time."


    "Sometimes there are other dangers besides the ones right in front of you. Being able to kick butt doesn''t always protect you. Your relatives are wise beyond their years. If you wouldn''t have told me their ages, I would have guessed them older."


    "I think that has to do with the whole fiasco they went through when they were basically my age. Mark''s father was one sick bastard," I said, wondering if he knew any of the history surrounding Krista and Mark.


    "That''s what I heard. He was a hot topic at the time. The fact that he destroyed The Light''s greatest weapon seemed to be the talk of every realm for a while," he said as we stepped onto the night-cooled sand.


    "Yeah, what he did changed a lot of things from what I''m gathering. The Guides and Protectors are still important, but Krista and Mark are definitely more powerful being Ascended. Anyway, I think all the crap with Mark''s dad prematurely aged both of them. Krista''s mom says Krista was always an old soul, but I think it''s more deeply rooted. Of course, getting saddled with a teenage freak probably didn''t help," I joked.


    "You are pretty freaky," he teased. "Thinking you''re all badass and stuff."


    "Really?" I asked in a calculating voice.


    "Yeah, I mean, look at how puny your arms are," he said, reaching over to give my arm a pinch.


    My foot whipped out, catching him at the ankles in midstep. Unprepared for the attack, he lost his balance and was in the process of falling to the ground when he reached out for me. The momentum of his fall dragged me down with him before I could dig my feet in the sand. Together we tumbled to the ground.


    I landed on top of Emrys, making him grunt from the impact.


    "Told you I was badass," I said, bracing my hands on the sand so I could rise.


    Emrys snaked his arms around, holding me in place. "If you wanted to get me on my back all you had to do was say so," he teased. "But, I think your uncle might not take too kindly to this," he added, making his point clear by tightening his hold on me.


    "No, I''m thinking this borders on compromising positions," I started to chuckle until I realized that laughing while sprawled on top of him brought certain areas to life. My skin began to tingle as I took stock of how very male he was.


    "Yeah, laughter is probably not the best idea, sweet stuff," he said, pulling me closer than I could have imagined possible. He raised his right hand and cupped the back of my neck.


    "Don''t sweat it, love, it''s just like standing up and kissing," he crooned deftly, flipping me over so I was cradled beneath him.


    "Right, I''m sure my Uncle Mark will totally buy that excuse," I said before pulling his mouth down to meet mine.


    Everything melted away with the touch of his lips. It was clich¨¦ to say fireworks erupted, but there was no denying that something exploded inside of me. He groaned against my lips before deepening the kiss. Every nerve in my body heightened with awareness. A sense of rightfulness settled over me. I may be a novice at the whole kissing thing, but at the moment, I felt sure no other person had shared a kiss quite like this. Our positions left me feeling hyperaware of every contour of his body as he balanced himself above me. I never wanted the kiss to end. We freely explored each other''s mouths, taking what rightfully belonged to us. At the moment, I felt like I truly belonged somewhere, and that somewhere began and ended with the person on top of me. Suddenly, the touch of our lips wasn''t enough. I wanted more with an intensity that would have scared me if he didn''t feel so right on top of me. I tugged his shirt up so I could run my hands over the hard planes of his sculpted chest. His desires matched mine. He pulled back slightly, lifting my shirt before lowering his torso back on mine. I gasped with pleasure as his warm skin touched mine. "You can say that again, sweets," he whispered, rocking his hips gently against mine.


    "Damn," I mumbled as my body began to react to the intimacy of his movements. Promises of no sex were forgotten as I fantasized what it would feel like with no clothes separating us. My desire spiraled out of control as the idea took hold. Running my hands down his back, I slipped my fingers just inside the waistband of his low-slung jeans, pulling him even closer. After a moment, Emrys broke the kiss.


    "We have an audience," he murmured against my lips.


    "No big surprise," I said, trying to douse the fire that was still raging through me. "Haniel?" I guessed, figuring that was a safe bet, although I wouldn''t have put it past my uncle to throw a bucket of cold water on us.


    "Yep, and guessing by the negative energy he''s sending out, he''s not enjoying the show," he answered, dipping his head down to give me one last kiss before hoisting his body off mine and pulling his shirt back into place.


    I sighed instantly, feeling deprived. Every nerve in my body missed what was about to happen before we were interrupted.


    Emrys chuckled."I figured if I play nice they won''t throw you back in your jail cell," he said.


    "Truth. I''d hate for my uncle to start digging a dungeon in the backyard," I said sullenly as I rose to my feet reluctantly. I straightened my shirt before throwing a glare over my shoulder at Haniel.


    "Like that would have kept me out," he said, chuckling softly beside me. "Do you want to head back to your house?" he asked, watching me brush the sand off my backside.


    "Not unless you have plans. I''m enjoying this rare amount of freedom despite my stalker," I answered, not sparing another look at Haniel on the bluff behind us.


    "Sweets, all my plans begin and end with you," Emrys said as we strolled the opposite direction from my house.


    "Nice line. I bet you say it to all the girls," I quipped, trying to ignore the rapid fluttering of my heart. "What about your duties? Won''t you get in trouble if you''re not bringing souls to the Between?" I questioned, more than a little intrigued on how it all worked in the much talked about realm.


    "I only use that line on the girls I see on Thursdays," he teased. "As for my duties, I guess you could say I have some comp time."


    "What do you mean ''comp time''?"


    "Well, the Seer that is in charge of the Between has set guidelines on how many souls we should be delivering in each Leap of time. I always reach my goal early," he answered nonchalantly.


    Rapid questions swirled around in my head. "Is the Seer some kind of Angel or is he a Daemon?"


    "He''s neither. He was created way back in the beginning to control the Between."


    "What do you mean ''created''? By The Light or The Dark One?"


    "By both. Each had an equal part in his development. He can be cunning one moment and compassionate the next. He was created by both so that he could peer into every soul and determine its rightful place. Sometimes, it takes mere moments to see into the depths of a soul, other times it can take much longer. It all hinges on what the soul has been hiding. A soul is very complex and has a built-in defense mechanism designed to hide its true nature. The Seer was created to break through those defenses."


    "Do the souls get to plead their cases? Like a chance to seek retribution or whatever."


    "Yes and no. The Seer will not send a soul to The Light or The Dark One until he strips the soul of all defenses. Some crimes are overlooked, so in a way, I guess you could call it retribution."


    "And what is a Leap amount of time?"


    "It''s a measure of time that coincidentally lands on the day humans have deemed Leap Year. I''m not sure which Trader started calling it Leap, but it just stuck."


    "So, every four years you are given a certain number of souls to deliver. What if a soul needs to be taken to the Between and everyone has reached their quota?" I asked.


    "Usually, one of the Traders will claim it, kinda pro bono, I guess you could say, but to tell you the truth, it doesn''t happen that way very much. Remember, we only handle the questionable souls. You''d be surprised how many souls go one way or the other without needing to be judged. Still, some of the new Traders believe if they collect enough souls maybe The Light will reconsider and let them enter the pearly gates after all. Eventually reality sinks in."


    "That''s crap," I exclaimed.


    "It''s the way it is and who''s going to argue with The Light," he said bitterly. "It''s funny that The Light, who is supposed be the embodiment of forgiveness, throws away the keys on us Traders."


    "Did the Seer peer into your soul?" I asked, not sure I wanted to know the answer.


    "Are you asking me if I was heaven-bound?" he asked quietly, stopping midstep to look at me.


    I nodded.


    "Does it matter?" he asked, eyeing me with sudden wariness.


    "No," I lied, but really, I wasn''t sure if it did or not.


    "I was never taken to the Seer. My soul was determined the moment I died. The Daemons that collected me extended an offer to let me remain behind. It would seem my crimes from my human life would serve me well as a Trader," he said. "I guess I should be thankful. My ass could be frying in hell right now if I hadn''t taken the deal."


    His words ran through my head on a continuous loop. I suddenly felt uneasy as bile rose up in my throat and my vision momentarily blurred. Which crime would serve a Trader? Only one came to mind, and I loathed to even think it. Could Emrys really be a murderer?


    "You want me to take you home?" he asked with a sudden edge in his voice as he took in my expression.


    "I don''t know. I''m just trying to process everything," I admitted. "I never expected...I just hoped¡­" my voice trailed off as I tried to form a coherent sentence.


    "You hoped what? That I was hanging out as a Trader because I was a choir boy in my past life? You really think I would have chosen this existence if I would have had a choice?" he asked angrily.


    "I don''t know. I guess I was hoping that you weren''t some murderer!" I yelled, pissed that I was the one under attack. "In case you missed it, I kind of work for the good guys," I said, stalking away in a huff.


    "Wait a minute," Emrys said, making the mistake of snagging my wrist.


    Anger coursed through me and my instincts took over. I flipped my hand around in one fluid movement and twisted his arm behind his back. "Don''t touch me," I hissed, making it clear I could hurt him if I wanted to.


    "Jordyn, I wasn''t a murderer. I was a thief," he said quietly, not struggling against my hold.


    "A thief?" I huffed out as I tried to tamp back my anger.


    "Yes, a thief. A very good thief."


    All the anger in me dissipated as quickly as it had gripped me. "A thief," I repeated, releasing his arm. "You were being sent to hell because you stole stuff?" I asked incredulously, sinking down on the sand in disbelief.

 Page 18

    "Yeah, well, The Light doesn''t show mercy on his three ''deal-breaker'' sins. The Seer has the power to see through the other seven, but murdering, stealing, and worshiping other gods are a one-way ticket to hell unless you choose this existence. Most Traders are like me. Some were nothing but petty thieves while others, like me, stole on a grander scale," he confessed, sinking down on the sand next to me.


    "Yeah, but, you didn''t hurt anyone?" I asked, still in shock.


    "Don''t kid yourself, love. I hurt plenty of people along the way. I took advantage of weaker humans by tricking them out of prized possessions. I guess you could say I was a swindler. I could talk you out of the shirt off your back without you even realizing I had done so until I walked away wearing it," he said, leaning back in the sand, bracing himself with his elbows. "That''s why they picked me to be a Trader. My charismatic personality and gifts with persuasion as a human is everything they look for in a Trader," he said, sounding sad for the first time.


    "I''m sorry," I said. I was at loss for more words. Yes, I believed in right and wrong, but I also believed in second chances. It seemed so very unfair that Emrys would pay the price for his sins until the end of time.


    "Hey, it''s not your fault. I made my bed, now I have to lay in it," he said, smiling. It didn''t escape my notice that the smile didn''t quite reach his eyes.


    I didn''t know what I could say to possibly make him feel better. The silence between us stretched on, but strangely it never became uncomfortable as we watched the night time waves rolling in. Somewhere in the silence our hands sought the comfort of the other. With our fingers linked, we sat there quietly until it was time for me to go home.


    "So, about that double date?" Emrys asked, finally breaking the silence.


    "Yeah?" I asked, unsure of where we stood after everything we''d just shared.


    "Does tomorrow night work for you?" he asked as his familiar cocky grin returned.


    "I''ll have to check my calendar. I might have plans," I teased, sliding my hands up around his neck.


    "You do that, and then have your people call my people," he smiled, leaning in so he could kiss my cheek. "By the way, I''m ninety-nine percent sure your uncle is lurking right beyond those doors," he said, nodding toward the French doors of our house.


    "I wouldn''t expect anything less," I said, effortlessly pulling him closer. Being freakishly strong definitely had its perks. "Well, we might as well give him something to stress over," I said, crushing my lips to his.


    Emrys was still chuckling when I slipped inside the house a few minutes later. Lost in thoughts of our kiss, I didn''t notice Krista until she spoke.


    "Did you have fun?" she asked, looking bemused by the dippy look I was sure was plastered across my face.


    "Yeah, I did," I said, sinking down on the foot of her chaise lounge. "Even with my stalker lurking around," I added.


    "Haniel?" she asked knowingly.


    "Yeah, but seriously, he needs to take a chill pill. You guys all got a chance to interrogate him tonight," I said, sighing loudly so she wouldn''t miss my indignity.


    "Just give him time. He''ll come around," she said, patting my leg before returning to her laptop.


    "So you say," I said rising. "How''s the book going?"


    "Not too bad. Blaine LeBaron was being a complete pain in the ass, but I think I have him whipped into shape," she said, mentioning one of the main characters from her series.


    "Don''t be too hard on him. You know he''s my book boyfriend," I reminded her, dropping a kiss on the top of her head before heading off to my room.


    "You might have to fight off Shana from the A Book Vacation blog on that one," she joked, mentioning one of her favorite book bloggers.


    "Shana can have Rob. Blaine is mine."


    "Vanessa may have issues with that too," she said, bringing up the main love interest in the story.


    "Vanessa just has issues," I replied, walking away.


    "Night," she called after me.


    "Night. Don''t let Blaine and Vanessa keep you up too late," I called back.


    "Mmmhmm," was her only answer as she immersed herself back into her writing.


    Most likely she would be in the same spot in the morning when I woke with a dozen mini-candy bar wrappers littered around her. Once she hit her groove she could write twenty hours straight before dropping off into a post-chocolate-writing coma. Mark would carry her off to bed when she would finally nod off at her computer, no longer able to keep her eyes open.


    And then it really hit me. Now that I really had time to process it, I was gripped by overwhelming grief at the hopelessness of my relationship with Emrys. We''d never hit the status of Mark and Krista. He would never cradle me in his arms as he carted me off to bed. Marriage was the furthest thing from my head, but just knowing if we wanted to, we would never grow old together. Our relationship was on a doomed train ride to nowhere before it ever really started.


    Sometimes it feels like life never ceases to aggravate me. I stalked over to my French doors and ripped them open. Cool summer night air flowed into the room, soothing the heat on my cheeks. Maybe I was just being ridiculous. Emrys and I hadn''t even determined what kind of relationship we were in and here I was worrying that he wouldn''t be around to grimace at my grey hair and dentures.


    Still, I couldn''t stifle the acute lonesomeness I felt. I wished that Emrys was with me now. Better yet, I wished we were back on his favorite spot watching the lights of the city. I pictured the catwalk clearly in my mind. In that second, everything around me disappeared and I was suddenly standing on the edge of the catwalk I had just pictured in my head. "What the hell!" I yelled, shocked that I was no longer on my own patio. I stumbled, trying to get my bearings, which only brought me too close to the edge. I teetered back and forth, unable to maintain my balance. A sudden gust of wind was all gravity needed and I tumbled off the building into the night sky. A scream tore its way out of my throat as I plunged to my death.


    CHAPTER THIRTEEN


    The screams continued as my body rocketed down like a missile. I was going to die. I frantically thought of those I would be leaving behind. A devastated Mark and Krista flashed in my mind''s eye, and Lynn and my other grief-stricken friends. I thought of Krista sitting in the living room, burning the midnight oil, not even aware of where I was. I wished I could have given her one more hug.


    The blackness around me disappeared and I landed in an unceremonious heap in front of Krista''s astonished eyes.


    "Oh my god!" she yelled as darkness finally pulled me under.


    I woke to raised voices and a strange sensation of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Krista was absolutely going off on Haniel. "Why didn''t you tell us she could Place Travel?" she asked angrily.


    "I was not at liberty to disclose that information to you," he said in his normal monotone voice.


    "You weren''t at liberty?" she shrieked. "You don''t think that''s something we should have known? This ''need to know'' excuse is getting tired, Haniel."


    "What happened?" I finally asked, feeling groggy as I opened my eyes to discover all three of my mentors hovering over me.


    "Are you okay?" Krista asked anxiously, helping me sit up.


    "I think so," I said, taking stock of my still-working limbs. "I fell off the freaking Empire State Building though," I added, glaring at Haniel. "I Place Traveled. You never told me I could Place Travel," I said in a shrill voice that sounded eerily like the one Krista had used just moments before.


    "The Empire State Building?" Krista broke in, shocked. "Why the Empire State Building?"


    "I don''t know. One moment I''m standing on my patio thinking about the catwalk on the building, and the next moment I''m teetering on the edge," I answered, still glaring at Haniel.


    "Why would you be thinking about some catwalk on the Empire State Building?" Krista asked, trying to sort through my story.


    "It''s a place Emrys likes to take me to," I admitted. "Did I get there because I was thinking about it?" I asked, starting to revel in the excitement of my newly discovered ability.


    "You must picture a place clearly in your mind. Once the picture is clear, your body will leave your current location to join your mind at its new location," Haniel explained.


    "That is so freaking awesome," I exclaimed, bouncing with excitement. "But why didn''t you tell me? We could have incorporated it into my training."


    "I was not at¡ª"


    "Liberty to disclose that information," I finished for him. "It''s all peachy-keen that your boss likes to hold his cards close to the chest, but what would he have done if I wouldn''t have thought about Krista and this living room as I was falling? I''d be some gory smear on the sidewalk in New York City. Is that what you want? Have you spent all this time training me only to let me plunge to my death?" I demanded, jumping to my feet as my earlier elation was replaced by anger.


    "No," Haniel replied, looking more distressed than I had ever seen him.


    "No, what?" I yelled.


    "No, tonight was not supposed to happen. My mission is to protect you. To train you. To show you who you are," he answered calmly as his protective shield once more slid into place.


    "But tonight did happen," I said quietly, looking at Krista and Mark for their input.


    "She''s right. Tonight could have ended tragically," Mark said to Haniel. "If you refuse to consult with The Light concerning Jordyn, then Krista and I will request our own audience with him. The time for secrets ended tonight. I''ve spent months keeping Krista at bay, knowing she was right. Secrets only hurt those we love. If you feel anything for Jordyn or Krista, you will ask The Light to share his secrets with all of us. I will not put the safety of Jordyn at risk again," he said. "Do you understand me?" he added, standing toe to toe with the imposing Arch Angel. If the circumstance had been different, I would have laughed at the differences in their sizes, but at the moment, I was flooded with love for my uncle who was willing to fight for me.


    "I understand," Haniel finally answered, sweeping his eyes over mine before disappearing from the room.


    His departure evaporated the last of the tension that had cloaked the room. "Are you okay?" Krista asked again as I sat down heavily on the sofa.


    "Yeah, now, but I''m not gonna lie. I''ve never been that scared, or not that I remember," I said ruefully, grinning at her.


    "I can only imagine," Krista answered, rubbing my back. "You sure freaked the hell out of me, screaming your head off when you landed in front of me."


    "I bet I did," I said, finally chuckling a little at the mental picture she presented. "Everything happened so quickly. One minute I''m chilling on my patio, the next I''m standing hundreds of feet over New York City. And then I was doing my impression of a skydiver with no chute."


    "How do you feel after back-to-back travels? I''m actually surprised that you were able to travel back so quickly. When we first started Place Traveling, it would take us hours to travel again. We used to have to rely purely on adrenaline to travel anywhere. We''ve since honed our skills and no longer need adrenaline, but traveling twice in the span of a couple minutes is truly amazing."


    "I''m sure falling to your death is the biggest adrenaline rush ever," Mark told her. "Does your body feel like it''s been tossed around in a cement mixer, Jordyn?" he asked me.


    "Um, not really," I said, moving my limbs to test their mobility.


    "Can you stand up on your own?" he asked with interest.


    "I think so," I said, leaping to my feet with my normal grace. My body felt completely normal. Even the lightheadedness I normally felt when Haniel and I would travel more than once in a short amount of time was absent. "I feel great," I continued, bouncing on the balls of my feet to emphasize my point. "Truthfully, I feel like I could do it again."


    "Really?" Mark asked intrigued, looking at Krista. "Can you show us?"


    "Sure, I guess. Where do you want me to go?"


    "How about somewhere close, just in case it finally catches up to you," Krista suggested.


    "That''s a good idea," Mark agreed, standing up. "How about the steps leading down to the beach? You shouldn''t have any trouble picturing it clearly in your head."


    "Truth," I answered, already focusing my mind on the steps just beyond the French doors behind me. Krista and Mark faded out in front me only to be replaced by the crashing waves below. Hearing the doors open behind me, I grinned at both of them. Now that I''d gotten over my whole freak-out, I was already rapidly calculating the magnitude of my newest gift in my head. Freedom was no longer a pipe dream. I would never have to crave solitude again. Still smiling at Krista and Mark, I focused on our living room, and within moments, I was once again standing in the center of the room.


    "How do you feel?" Krista asked, coming in through the patio door.


    "Normal. Or as normal as I get," I added. "What does this mean?" I asked, wondering what my status was now.


    "We''re not entirely sure," Krista answered honestly, looking as mystified as I felt. "As soon as Haniel returns we''ll finally have all the answers."


    "How long should that take?" I asked, still murky on how the heavenly realm worked.


    "It all depends on how long he has to wait to be granted an audience with The Light," Mark answered, stifling a yawn. "Let''s hit the sack and we can discuss this more in the morning," he added, looking at the digital clock on the DVR box. "Are you at a stopping point in your novel?" he asked Krista.


    "Yeah, I''ve totally lost all my writing mojo for the night," she said, picking up her laptop where it had been thrown haphazardly at the foot of her chaise lounge. Let me save my work and I''ll shut it down."


    "I guess I''ll hit the sack for the second time," I joked. "Sorry about the heart attack," I added.


    "You should be. I think you took ten years off my life," she said, stowing her laptop in its case and sliding it underneath her chaise lounge.


    "Ha, you should try having your life flash before your eyes as you swan-dive toward a slab of concrete."


    "You put the ''extreme'' in extreme sports," Mark teased, holding his fist out as Krista switched off the lights in the living room.

 Page 19

    "Truth," I said, fist bumping him before heading off to my room. Clicking the door closed, I debated climbing in my bed, but I felt way too keyed up to actually sleep now. Instead, I grabbed my laptop off the desk and sat on the edge of my bed with it open on my lap. Finally, when my server connected to the Wi-Fi, I Googled famous buildings in Rome. I''d been thinking about Italy since Emrys had mentioned it earlier that evening. I was curious to see the place he talked so fondly about.


    Multiple sites pulled up from my search and I clicked on the first one I recognized. A large picture of the Pantheon popped up. Leaning in close, I took in the marble flooring and centuries-old architecture. Placing the computer on the bed beside me, I studied the image one last time, picturing myself standing beneath the elaborate dome of the building.


    In an instant, I found myself lying atop a very irate overweight elderly gentleman. I jumped to my feet, reaching a hand down to help up the poor guy I had landed on.


    "I''m sorry, I must have stumbled," I tried apologizing, but it came out as a laugh. He refused my hand, attracting even more attention by obviously cussing me out in a language I didn''t understand. He looked at me like I''d appeared out of thin air, which essentially I had. I tried helping him up again, but my laughter only insulted him more. I left him behind, looking bewildered as I tried to maneuver around the crowds in the building. I hadn''t even considered the time difference or the fact that the Pantheon would be teeming with tourists. Afraid the angry man I had just given a lap dance to would hand me over to security, I headed for the far side of the room, intent on putting more distance between us. After several minutes had elapsed without sirens and a lynch mob to drag me away, I loosened up and enjoyed the breathtaking sights around me. Sunlight worked much like a spotlight, streaming down from the small opening at the top of the dome. The rays danced across the marble flooring, showcasing just a small section of the room. Looking up, I was fascinated by the complexity of the massive dome above me. I could have spent all day there, but knew that it wouldn''t bode well if Krista and Mark discovered I wasn''t in my room. Moving away from the crowds, I found a relatively empty area behind one of the pillars. I focused on the bed in my room, intent on landing in the same spot I had departed from.


    My bed bounced slightly beneath me as it adjusted to the sudden weight of my body. I smiled at Mouse who was nestled on the pillows on my bed.


    "I did it, Mouse," I said, grinning broadly.


    Mouse acknowledged my words with a plaintive meow that could have loosely translated to "good for you" before standing up and stretching and settling back in the same spot.


    "You''re just a big baby," I said, leaning over to scratch him under the chin where he liked. Fatigue finally caught up to me as I settled in beside him. I kicked off my shoes and dragged my quilt over me before sleep could claim me completely.


    "Holy shit, you can Place Travel," Lynn shrieked in my ear hours later as she threw herself on my bed where Mouse had been when I fell asleep.


    "What?" I said groggily, too tired to pry my eyes open.


    "Krista called a powwow this morning to tell us about your newest freak-ass gift," she said, pushing on my shoulder to wake me. "Is it true you really fell from the top of the Empire State Building?"


    "Uh-huh," I mumbled with my eyes still shut.


    "Holy monkey balls. I bet that was insane."


    "You could say that," I said, yawning. "What time is it?" I asked, finally opening my eyes. The light through the French doors made me squint as I peered at her.


    "Just after ten," she said, sitting cross-legged beside me.


    "I thought you had a rule about waking before noon?" I asked, blocking the sunlight with my forearm. "And why are you so chipper? If I didn''t know any better, I''d say your body has been taken over by body snatchers."


    "I can be pleasant," she said, smacking my arm. "What? I can," she said when I snickered. "Now, are you going to get your lazy buttface up out of bed and tell me about last night, or do I need to push you out of bed?"


    "Fine," I said, dragging my body up so I could lean back against my headboard. "Hey, before I forget, do you and Robert want to double tonight?" I asked.


    "Sure. Where do you guys want to go?"


    "Um, I''m not sure. We kind of forgot to talk about that part. I guess maybe dinner and a movie," I answered, yawning again.


    "Sweet. Now stop stalling and tell me about your new talent."


    "Fine, bossy mossy," I grumbled, launching into a detailed explanation of everything that had transpired the evening before. I omitted my trip to Rome from the discussion, pretty sure if Krista found out I would be in deep shit.


    "And you don''t need, like, recharging time?" she asked when I finished.


    "Nope. The traveling doesn''t sap me at all. If anything, it seems to energize me."


    "That''s pretty sweet," she said.


    "Yeah, it just adds to my cool factor," I quipped, ducking out of reach as she took a swing at me. "Did Haniel say anything about sending you guys back out?" I asked, changing the subject.


    "Nah, I think they wound up sending someone else since you required babysitting," she teased, rising from my bed. "I better hit the road. I have several jobs I need to finish up today before we go out tonight," she added.


    "What, no more babysitting?" I said rolling my eyes. "Do you need any help?" I added. She worked as a freelance graphic designer and had a wide spectrum of clients that ranged from web designs to cover art for books. She was responsible for all the covers in Krista''s Dark Night novels. Before she and Robert had left the last time, she showed me a few things and let me help her on a couple of her projects.


    "Not today, but I have a big job booked next week that I would really appreciate your help with."


    "Sounds like a plan, Stan," I said, giving her a wave as I headed to my bathroom to get ready.


    After the excitement of the night before, the morning and afternoon dragged along in a lackluster kind of way. Krista spent the majority of the day trying to catch up on her writing, while Mark worked all afternoon poring over papers students from his summer class had turned in. I spent the day holed up in my room on my MacBook, pulling up places I would like to visit. I memorized details from the pictures that would help me in my travels. After the fiasco in Rome, I decided it was imperative that I never land inside a building again. I now understood why Emrys had taken me to the alley in Shanghai. I''m sure it was considered rude to land on your friend''s lap.


    At five o''clock, I finally closed up my laptop and dressed for my first-ever double date. I was a little apprehensive that my friends and Emrys wouldn''t hit it off, but I figured it couldn''t be any worse than Haniel''s reaction to him.


    "Don''t you look nice," Krista proclaimed when I entered the living room.


    "You mean you like this better than my normal tanks?" I asked, pointing at the delicate white blouse with black stitching I had found at the back of my closet. I''d paired it with a pair of black jeans and a less-scuffed-up pair of black boots. My hair hung down my back like a curtain of black that shined in the light from the multiple brushings I had given it. Eyeliner lined my eyes, making them appear more exotic and bigger. A touch of clear lip gloss from a tube I found buried at the bottom of a drawer in my bathroom coated my lips, making them glisten in the light.


    "Just a bit," she teased.


    "Don''t get used to it. I miss my tanks already," I threatened.


    The doorbell rang before she could reply.


    "Saved by the bell," she called after me.


    "Hey," I said, opening the door to reveal Lynn, Robert, and Emrys who looked as handsome as he had the night before. "Did you all drive together?" I teased, swinging the door open so they could enter.


    "No, your stud here appeared when we were pulling in," Lynn joked, walking by me.


    "Stud," Emrys said, smirking at me. "I think that loosely translates to ''hot,''" he added, linking his fingers through mine.


    "Either that or she thinks you''re a horse''s ass and she just got confused," I teased as everyone else laughed.


    "What movie are you guys planning on seeing?" Mark asked, sliding an arm around Krista''s shoulders and pulling her snug against him.


    "Well, I''d still like to see the zombie one I was supposed to see last month," I hedged, knowing Lynn''s aversion to zombies.


    "No way," she said, shaking her head to emphasize her point.


    "Fine, what do you want to see?" I pouted.


    "I don''t think your zombie movie is even out anymore," Robert said, pulling up the movie app on his phone. "We can see the new Spiderman movie, it just came out today," he said hopefully, looking at us like a puppy begging for a treat.


    "I''m game," I answered, looking at Emrys for approval. He looked bemused at our conversation.


    "I''m good for anything," he answered, linking his fingers through mine.


    "Spiderman is good with me. That new guy they got is smoking," Lynn teased, smiling mischievously at Robert just before he swept her up in his arms and planted a sound kiss on her upturned lips.


    "Are they always like that?" Emrys whispered in my ear.


    "I know, sickening, right?" I answered, though I really didn''t feel that way. The bond between Guides and Protectors was the strongest ever created, and the love they shared could literally light up a room.


    "Do you really think so?" he asked quietly, looking like he was in on my secret.


    I shook my head.


    "I didn''t think so."


    "Well, goody for you," I said so my tough girl image wouldn''t be completely lost in all my mush.


    "Ready?" Lynn asked, finally untangling herself from Robert''s embrace.


    "Unless you two need a room real quick," I scolded.


    "Aw, you want to play sucky face too," she said, making a fish face in front of me that I''m sure was supposed to be a kissy face.


    "You wish, perv," I said, giving her a shove as we headed out to their car.


    The irony of Emrys and me riding in a car wasn''t lost on me. We could have easily met them at the theater, but the charade of our double date required us to behave like humans.


    "So, Jordyn, I heard through the Krista grapevine that you can PT," Robert said, looking at me in the rearview mirror.


    "PT?" Emrys asked, looking intrigued.


    "Place Travel," Lynn answered for me, twisting around in her seat so she could talk to us.


    "Yeah, I kind of discovered it by accident last night," I said, filling them in on my near-death experience the night before.


    "Insane," Robert said, shaking his head incredulously.


    "I know, right?" I said, looking at Emrys to see what he thought. "You knew," I said, seeing the look on his face.


    "Yeah, the first time I traveled with you I could feel it. It was almost like a resistance. I''m guessing it''s because your own mind wants to be in control of your travels."


    "Why didn''t you tell me?" I accused.


    "I wasn''t a hundred percent. More importantly, though, is why your Archie Haniel didn''t tell you," he stated.


    "Believe me, we covered that topic last night too," I answered. "Haniel was as helpful as ever," I added sarcastically.


    "Yeah, Haniel has always been a rule follower. Believe me, his secrets have bit us all in the ass at one time or another," Robert stated.


    "Rules are fine, but not when Jordyn''s safety is in question, that''s not cool," Emrys said, sounding pissed.


    "Awww, you''re like my own knight in shining armor," I teased, touched over his misplaced anger. His protectiveness was sweet though unnecessary.


    "Can you please help me feel like a man and at least pretend I can protect you?" he grumbled.


    "Oh, my, I do believe that''s a bee over there. Be still, my scared beating heart. I need my big strong manly man to kill it for me," I said in the weakest Southern accent ever.


    Robert and Lynn busted out laughing as Emrys reached over to mush my hair. "You''re a regular old jester," he growled in my ear before dropping a kiss on my neck that instantly sent my pulse racing.


    "Jester, what are you, seventy?" I teased.


    "Give or take a few years," he answered, shrugging his shoulders.


    "Gross. I can''t crush on an old man," I said, gagging like I was disgusted.


    "Crushing?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.


    "That can be construed in many different ways. I could be saying that it''d be wrong to crush an old man."


    "Is she always this cocky?" he asked Lynn and Robert.


    "Every second of every day," Lynn answered dryly.


    "Yeah, we''d gang up on her and give her a dose of humbleness, but she''d most likely kick all of our asses without breaking a nail," Robert griped good-naturedly.


    "Hey, it''s what I do. Don''t hate on the awesomesauce of my abilities," I joked, blowing on my nails.


    Lynn snorted at my words. "Awesomesauce? Where do you come up with this stuff?"


    "What? That word is oh-so-popular with the crowd from my school. Matter of fact, it''s starting to grow on me. I think everything is going to be awesomesauce."


    "I''d like to see a little humblesauce," Robert quipped, turning the car into the theater parking lot.


    "Envysauce makes you look like babysauce," I teased, climbing from the vehicle.


    "OMG, enough with the sauce," Lynn complained, slamming her car door.


    "Babe, angrysauce won''t earn you any Goobers," Robert teased.


    "Say goodbye to sexysauce if I hear it again," she threatened.


    "Ooooh, Robert. You better stay down for the count. You just got knocked cold," I laughed.


    "And you. There are other ways to get you. You''re not always awake," she threatened me before turning back around to grab Robert''s hand.


    "Grumpysauce," I whispered to an amused Emrys whose shoulders were shaking with suppressed laughter.


    "You''re a nut," he said when he was finally able to talk.


    "Truth," I answered, grabbing his hand as we bought our tickets for the movie. The moment felt so normal I couldn''t help grinning. Looking at us, you would''ve thought we were human. Lynn and Robert were already at the concession stand ordering when we joined them.

 Page 20

    "What can I get you?" the perky concession clerk asked.


    "What''s your poison?" Emrys asked, pointing to the soda machine.


    "Coke, please."


    "What size?" she asked, still smiling like her life depended on it.


    "Um, medium," I answered, eyeing the ginormous cups.


    "For twenty-five cents more you can get a large," she chirped, holding up a cup that was big enough to swim in.


    "Um, that''s okay."


    "It is only a quarter," Emrys said, smiling at me.


    "Medium is fine," I clarified. "And a nachos."


    "With nachosauce," Emrys and I both said loudly at the same time. Robert burst out laughing as Lynn glared at all of us.


    "All of you are immaturesauce," she said, before turning around, heading for the theater.


    The perky girl behind the counter lost her smile and looked at us like we had just escaped a mental facility when the three of us trailed behind Lynn, howling with laughter until we entered the packed theater. There was no way in hell we were going to find seats together.


    "This is what we get for showing up five minutes before the movie is supposed to start," I griped, looking around at the sporadic single seats that were available.


    "This blows," Robert grumbled. "Maybe we should see the later show."


    "Where do you guys normally like to sit?" Emrys asked.


    "Back row, center, but that''s completely full," I answered, pointing to my favorite seats. In my opinion, ,that section was the only way to go. No annoying person behind you kicking your seat, no jerkoff trying to put their feet on the back of your seat, and being in the center of the row allowed you the best view of the screen.


    "Well, let''s go then," Emrys said, continuing up the steps.


    "Um, the exit is that way," I said bewildered.


    Emrys ignored my words as he continued climbing the stairs. Lynn, Robert, and I watched his back, confused. "You do know you actually needed a seat to see the movie?" I said as he continued onward. Deciding it was my doleful job as his date to not allow him to look like a freak, I climbed the stairs after him. Much to my astonishment, the moment Emrys reached the last row, the four people who were sitting in those seats abruptly got up, separated, and moved to the remaining single seats available.


    Lynn and Robert trotted up the stairs looking as dumbfounded as I was.


    "Holy shit, you bent someone''s mind for seats," I asked, sitting down next to him. "What if they suffer brain damage over your bending, all so we could watch some superhero movie on the big screen?"


    "They''ll be fine. Besides, I only compelled them to believe these seats were suddenly uncomfortable and that the new ones they''re sitting in are a hundred times better. At the moment, they''re all relieved the new seats they found were available so they could still see their movie on opening night," he whispered into my ear. "So, chill. Here, have some nachos," he continued, patting my knee reassuringly.


    Peering at one of the guys he''d persuaded to move, I could see he was right. The poor bastard looked overly pleased to be sitting in his new seat. "That may be, but I''m pretty sure your gifts are intended for purposes other than securing us choice seats in a theater," I whispered back as the house lights began to dim.


    "Don''t sweat it," Lynn whispered on my other side, looking pleased with our seating arrangement.


    I let any further arguments drop. If she was fine with it, who was I to gripe? It was a proven fact that the Guide''s moral conscious was higher than everyone else''s. If she was okay with it, then I wasn''t going to argue. Sitting back in my seat, I turned my focus to the previews on the screen in front of me and began to munch on nachos. When the rest of the house lights went out with the start of the movie, my senses became heightened. Suddenly, I was hyperaware of Emrys sitting right beside me with his hand on my knee. All the times in the last forty-eight hours that I''d thought of his hands on me, and here we were again. Trying to keep my breathing normal was an issue as the heat of his hand burned through my jeans. I shifted slightly in my seat, wishing we were anywhere right now but the movie. I wanted to pick up where we''d left off on the beach, feeling his lips on mine with his hands free to explore. Not stuck in a crowded theater.


    No longer hungry, I handed the nachos over to Robert who I knew would happily polish them off. I tried to focus on the opening credits as Emrys''s hand slowly began to caress my knee. I willed myself not to look, although he was slowly driving me insane.


    As if he sensed my inner dilemma, Emrys looked down at my lap. His hand tightened on my knee in a reflex action before slowly creeping up to my thigh. The movie became a mindless blur of noise as all I could think about was his hand moving where I wanted it to go. This was ridiculous. Emrys had somehow managed to turn me into a sappy lovestruck girl. I should be decking him in the throat, not panting like a lovesick dog. Finally unable to take it any longer, I settled my hand firmly on top of his, stalling his advance.


    "God," I sighed to myself. What a freaking chore that was.


    "A little hot in the kitchen for you?" Emrys breathed into my ear, making my body tingle even more.


    "Shut it," I mumbled out the side of my mouth that was twitching to a smile.


    He flipped his palm over so our fingers were finally laced together. Of course, not one to be good, he used the opportunity to run his thumb lightly across my inner wrist, making me quiver. I gave up any attempt of watching the rest of the movie. Instead, my focus remained fixated on our clasped hands in my lap.


    "That was way better than the old Spiderman movies," Robert said enthused when the house lights finally came up. "Don''t you think so?" he asked us.


    "It was enlightening," Emrys answered, smiling at me. "What did you think?" he asked me.


    I gritted my teeth. That rat knew I had missed the entire movie with my fascination with his damn hands. "It was fair. I''ve seen better," I answered, shrugging my shoulders while I grinned wickedly at Emrys before turning my back and heading down the aisle.


    "Seen better?" he growled, dragging me in hard against his chest.


    "Sure," I teased as he slid his arms around my midriff while we descended the stairs together.


    "I thought it was pretty fabulous," he breathed in my ear. I leaned back into his arms, enjoying the feel of him wrapped all around me like a ribbon on a package.


    "I''m starved," Robert complained, rubbing his stomach for emphasis as he started through the lobby.


    "Even after Jordyn''s nachos and the large popcorn you downed?" Lynn teased, knowing her husband''s appetite well.


    "Do you mind if we grab some dinner?" I asked Emrys, worried he''d be bored watching us chow down.


    "That''s cool. I''m not ready for the night to end yet," he added for my ears only.


    I agreed with him by nodding my head. I wasn''t ready for the night to end either. It felt good to be able to see him without worrying that I was disappointing or angering someone.


    CHAPTER FOURTEEN


    The drive to the small beachside diner passed with Robert listing his favorite highlights from the movie, which pretty much seemed to be every scene.


    "Robert, I didn''t know you were so in love with Stan Lee. When''s the wedding?" I mocked, climbing out of the backseat. Emrys chuckled behind me.


    "December. I don''t want to be sweating during the ceremony," Robert deadpanned.


    "Truth. Lace and sweat don''t mix," I added, walking through the door to Mags''s Chowder House.


    The dining room of the small beachside seafood restaurant was relatively empty when we entered, laughing. Several sets of eyes swung around in our direction, eyeing us critically.


    "Why''d you pick this place?" I asked, taking in the older-than-sixty crowd that made up the majority of the diners.


    "They have a wicked clam chowder that will make you weep," Robert answered, heading toward the rear of the dining room without waiting for the hostess to seat us. "Hey, Mags," he added to a blue-haired stout woman who had just exited from the swinging doors at the back of the restaurant. She had startling blue eyes that almost matched her hair.


    "Don''t ''hi'' me young man. You leave me for months on end, and then stroll in all willy-nilly like nothing," she chastised, taking a swipe at him with the dish towel she held in her hand.


    "It''s not my fault," he defended himself, cutting his eyes at Lynn in an obvious attempt to blame her for his poor attendance.


    "Oh come on, like it could ever be my sweet innocent girl''s fault," Mags said, surprising me by enveloping Lynn in a big hug. I didn''t know what floored me more, having Lynn called sweet and innocent, or her participating in the over-exuberant hug. I finally decided on the hug since it was acceptable to think that Lynn had hoodwinked the woman into thinking she was sweet, the hug was a different story. Lynn had admitted to me not long ago that hugging Robert came naturally, but with everyone else, her natural reflex was to stiffen up. Watching her not only accept the hug, but also embrace it, made wonder exactly who this woman was.


    "Sorry, Mags. We were away on a business trip for a couple weeks, and then had to babysit some brat when we got home," Robert clarified, winking at me.


    I countered his ribbing by kicking him under the table when I slid into the booth across from him. "Oops, I''m sorry, was that your leg?" I asked unsympathetically as he grimaced.


    "Hmmph," was Mags''s only response before she finally cracked a smile. "What can I get you to drink?" she asked, not bothering with a notepad.


    "Coke," I piped in.


    "Same," Lynn and Robert answered at the same time.


    "Nothing for me," Emrys answered.


    Mags looked at him shrewdly before turning back to my friends. "I''ve missed you two. Next time leave those demons to someone else," she stated before sauntering back to the kitchen.


    "What the hell was that?" I demanded. It was a law that we couldn''t speak about our involvement with the supernatural world with outsiders.


    "Take a chill pill, Jordyn, she was obviously talking about whoever we were babysitting," Lynn reassured me.


    "Oh, duh, I''m such a diphead."


    "You just have Daemons on the brain twenty-four-seven," Lynn teased.


    "Truth," I admitted as Mags returned with our drink order.


    "What can I get you kids to eat?" she asked, placing the filled cups on the table.


    "Um," I answered, picking up the menu for the first time.


    "We''ll take three bowls of clam chowder and a basket of your cheesy bread," Robert answered, plucking the menu out of my hands.


    "Got it," Mags said, placing the stack of menus under her arm before heading back through the swinging doors.


    "Hey, what if I didn''t want chowder?" I gripped.


    "We''d have to make you walk home if you ordered something other than the chowder."


    "That''s not much of a punishment for her anymore," Emrys answered for me.


    "Ha-ha-ha, truth. I''d totally beat you guys home," I chortled.


    "Gee, just what we needed. You with yet another gift," Robert said dryly.


    My rebuttal was put on hold when Mags placed the three steaming bowls of clam chowder on the table. I inhaled deeply, breathing in the delicious mouthwatering scent wafting up from the bowls.


    "You sure you don''t want anything, hun?" she asked Emrys, placing the napkin-lined basket heaped with bread in the center of the table.


    "I ate a big lunch," he answered, rubbing his flat stomach for emphasis.


    She nodded, still looking skeptical.


    "She''s gonna think you''re some kind of weirdo," Lynn chimed in, dipping her spoon into her soup.


    "That''s nothing new," Emrys stated, winking at me.


    My retort froze in my throat when the air around me sparked to life with anticipation. Everything inside me centered into high alert as the hair on the back of my neck stood on end, and my pulse thrummed through my body. Lynn and I whipped around at the same time, both of us sensing the Daemons at the same exact moment.


    "What is it?" Robert asked, instantly on edge by the sudden tension radiating off his Guide.


    "Daemons," I answered for her, standing up without hesitation. The others climbed from the booth with me as we stood facing the three hijacked humans that had just entered the diner. "What the eff are they doing out in the open like this?" I asked. Daemons were sneaky bastards that preyed on humans in the dark. They didn''t stroll into a lit-up restaurant with human bodies they had hijacked. Judging by their well-cut business suits, the Daemons had obviously snagged their human hosts from one of the bars downtown. They could have been triplets if not for their different hair color and skin tone.


    "I don''t know, but this isn''t right," Lynn muttered, looking worried for the other patrons scattered around the restaurant. The strangers may have been dressed like humans, but their stature and menacing glares had doused the entire room with sudden unease.


    Glancing at Lynn, I could tell she was trying to calm the emotions of everyone in the room. That was her job. To help humans when they were put to the test. Judging by the strained look on Lynn''s face, it was obvious she had her hands full. Emrys stepped in, sweeping his eyes across the room of diners. Without sparing us a glance, they abruptly stood up and left the restaurant.


    "Thanks," Lynn told him, breathing a sigh of relief.


    "You guys lost?" I asked nonchalantly, carefully picking my way between the tables.


    "Are you Jordyn?" the stranger standing in front snarled.


    "Sure am," I answered, smiling confidently.


    "Then we''re not lost," he replied.


    "You''re making a mistake," Emrys said, approaching them with his palms up.


    I smiled, liking that Emrys had confidence in my talents.


    "Hey, as long as they''re here¡­" I said, letting my voice trail off gleefully.


    "Back off, Soul Trader. There won''t be anything left for you to take this time," the Daemon growled.


    "Did I miss the army you brought with you?" I mocked, making a show of looking behind them.


    "We won''t need any army."


    "Riiiiiiiiight," I answered, stealing Emrys''s favorite word.


    If nothing else, Daemons were predictable and never lacked confidence. I had to give them that. Their attack came head-on and would have been well executed if I had not already worked out in my head how I would take him out. The first Daemon''s own momentum worked against him. His wide undisciplined swing left him vulnerable to a strike to the temple. The force of my blow instantly knocked out the human host he was using. I stood over him as he crashed to the floor. Within moments, the Daemon appeared from his host, wrapping his massive arms around my shoulders. Not hesitating, I thrust my elbows up, releasing me from his hold. Before the Daemon could counter, I had already circled to his rear and reached up, gripping the horns on his head in my hands. With a twist of my body, I pulled down, using the torque I had generated to rip his head from his shoulders.

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    I dropped the head to the floor as the Daemon''s remains disappeared in a ball of fire. I spared a glance at the human host on the floor. He''d have a hell of a headache and a bruise in the morning, but he''d have no recollection of the events that had transpired this evening. Turning from his prone body, I appraised the situation in front of me. Emrys had joined Robert in trying to incapacitate the other two Daemons. Robert seemed to have the upper hand in his battle, but Emrys was struggling more than I liked to see. He took a blow to the cheek, causing a rage-filled eruption in my head. Without hesitation, I vaulted over one of the tables that stood between us, passing Robert along the way. I paused only long enough to eliminate his Daemon which was in the process of leaving his host when I approached from behind. I grabbed his head between my hands, leaving the Daemon engulfed in flames, screaming in agony. He was just an obstacle that was separating me from the most important thing to me¡ªEmrys.


    Anger fueled me forward, but the Daemon Emrys wrestled with still occupied its human host. I was forced to gather myself, remembering that I couldn''t crack its spine in half like I wanted without permanently harming the poor human sap the Daemon had possessed.


    Instead, I spun with a full wheelhouse kick that caught the Daemon in the chin before his next punch could touch Emrys again. I smiled grimly as the Daemon''s teeth came together with a deafening snap. He whirled around in front of me, spitting broken pieces of teeth from the host''s mouth. Shit, so much for not harming the host. Missing teeth would be hard for the guy to explain in the morning, but hey, he was alive.


    "How about you stop being a chickenshit and show your true self," I said, knowing that my goading would shake him up. Daemons were mindless buffoons that hated being taunted.


    "Who you calling a chickenshit?" the Daemon said, letting his human host drop at his feet like a discarded pile of clothes.


    "Enough," a nasally voice bellowed, stepping through the swinging doors.


    Emrys stopped on a dime as he turned to acknowledge the newcomer. I whirled around to face the newest obstacle that for some reason had Emrys suddenly looking defeated. "You''ve got to be kidding," I thought, trying not to laugh. Nothing about the stranger screamed threatening. He was as short as a jockey, but built with a stature like a pit bull. His torso was muscled to the point of being ridiculous, sitting atop toothpick-thin legs. He literally looked like the weight of his upper body would snap his scrawny legs like twigs. His demeanor was that of a loan shark or some hustler you''d see in a movie. Long greasy hair was pulled back into a ponytail and small beady eyes completed the look of the lowlife. I tried to get a gauge on his origins, but like with Emrys, I came up blank, which led me to the conclusion that he was a Soul Trader also.


    "Emrys," he said, in a greeting oozing condescension.


    "Kale," Emrys acknowledged. "You don''t need to be here."


    "Really? I can name someone who would disagree," Kale replied as he approached me. "I can see your fascination. She is definitely a rare species," he said, making a move to reach out and touch my cheek.


    "Don''t you dare touch her," Emrys growled, leaping in front of me in a weird attempt to protect me. If the situation wasn''t so wacky I would have laughed. It was obvious I could take out this small fry with my eyes closed and my hands tied behind my back.


    "Touch¨¦," Kale smirked, looking beyond us to where Lynn and Robert were standing. Robert was blocking Lynn from view in a typical Protector stance. "You''re keeping strange company, my friend."


    "We''re not friends, so it''s none of your concern," Emrys stated in a low voice, laced with anger.


    "I''m hurt," Kale said, clutching his chest like he''d just taken a dagger to it.


    "You don''t need to be here," Emrys repeated.


    "You had your chance, my friend. The Dark One is done waiting for you to deliver. Of course, I can now see why you''ve delayed delivery. I would have sampled the product too before it was delivered," Kale replied as he appraised my body up and down.


    "Shut up!" Emrys roared, looking apologetically my way.


    "What is he talking about?" I asked, stepping out from behind his ridiculous attempt at protection to confront him. "Deliver what? Me? You made a deal to deliver me? And how exactly did you plan on doing that?" I laughed sarcastically, trying to figure out what the hell was going on.


    "Jordyn, it''s not what it sounds like," Emrys pleaded with me.


    "DID YOU MAKE A DEAL? IT''S A SIMPLE QUESTION!" I yelled, shaking with hurt and rage.


    "Yes, but that''s before I knew¡­"


    "Holy shit, did you really fall for this chick?" Kale interrupted, openly mockingly Emrys. "That is so perfect," he continued laughing.


    "You bastard," I said, trying to control the rage that was pumping through me.


    "I''m sorry," Emrys said quietly.


    "As touching as this is, I''ve got business to handle. Come on, sugar, the Dark One is waiting," Kale said, surprising us all by reaching for my bare forearm. I attempted to jerk away, but his hold tightened. A burning sensation spread through me where he gripped my arm. Intense pain came out of nowhere. His touch felt like acid on my skin, burning its way down to the bone. I tried again to jerk away, but he held steadfast, slowly dragging me from the dining room with strength that rivaled my own. Digging my feet into the ground, I used my weight to halt our forward motion. Agonizing pain reared through me as he continued to tug on my arm. Shrieking in pain, I took a half-step toward him, hoping to relieve some of the pressure.


    "Let go of her!" Lynn screamed behind me, although it sounded like she was far off. Everyone''s actions appeared to be in slow motion as Emrys charged Kale only to be knocked on his ass with a single blow. Robert came in next, fast and quick like I''d shown him in training. He whipped around with a kick, but was thrown back when Kale jerked his foot out of thin air with his free hand. There was nothing I could do, but stare at the scene unfolding in front of me. What the hell was going on?


    "RELEASE HER NOW," a voice I''d recognize anywhere thundered through the room.


    "Figures you''d show up, Haniel, heavenly scum," Kale sneered, tightening his hold on my arm. My vision dimmed as darkness surrounded me. The pain of his grip ripped the air from my lungs, making it hard to breathe.


    I felt a strong gust of wind and booming sound, almost like a bomb, before Kale miraculously released my arm.


    Unfortunately, he didn''t take any of the pain with him. Part of the skin on my arm where Kale had gripped me was missing, and what remained was a sickening blistered mess. My entire arm pulsated like poison was pumping through the bloody mess. I swayed slightly on my feet, feeling nauseous from the mangled state of my arm. Emrys reached out to steady me, but I jerked free from his touch. His words rang through my head as I resisted the urge to pass out. I would not be the victim.


    CHAPTER FIFTEEN


    "Jordyn, are you okay?" Krista asked from what seemed like the end of a very long tunnel.


    "When did you get here?" I asked in a garbled voice, keeping my eyes averted from the mess my arm had become.


    "You''re home. How do you feel?" she asked, gently rubbing my forehead. Finally able to focus, I took in her worried expression.


    "How was this possible?" I asked, looking down at my mess of an arm. Her eyes darted from me toward the kitchen. "Don''t give me that ''I can''t say'' bullshit," I added, forcing the issue.


    "Let''s wait for Haniel. He went to take care of the owners and the staff. It''s going to be okay," she said, patting my good arm reassuringly.


    "Right, because it''s perfectly normal for some pissant to be able to melt the flesh right off my arm," I retorted sharply.


    She grimaced at my words.


    "Where is everyone else?" I asked. I didn''t want to think about Emrys at the moment, or what a fool I had been. How I''d fallen for a guy I barely knew, and allowed my hormones to dictate my feelings. I gritted my teeth, trying to ignore the pain of his betrayal that eclipsed even the pain that radiated through my arm.


    "The guys are taking care of the human hosts the Daemons hijacked and Sam is with Haniel," Lynn answered sliding up next to me.


    "My arm," I said, looking at the charred mangled flesh.


    "Haniel will fix it," Krista reassured me sympathetically.


    I nodded my head, willing myself not to focus on it. My eyes skirted away, finally settling on Emrys who was now standing three feet away from where we sat. His impassive expression certainly didn''t match the events that had transpired or the fire that burned in my eyes. Tension coiled around us like a snake with neither of us breaking eye contact until Haniel and the others walked into the room.


    Haniel strode to where we sat without pause and peered down at my arm. "Leave us," he demanded in a pained voice. His usual confidence seemed to be shaken to the core. The room emptied at his request except for Emrys who stoically crossed his arms, refusing to leave. I expected Haniel to demand that he join the others, but he merely ignored him, gently lifting my arm into his hands. Blinding pain tore through my appendage, making me scream in agony. I watched in morbid curiosity as the charred skin began to glow and radiate extreme heat. The irony that my arm resembled the skin of the zombies in the movies I liked to watch didn''t escape my notice. Stomach bile sat heavy in my throat, making it hard to breathe. "Frick, that hurts!" I yelled. Emrys stepped closer as if he planned on interfering, but stopped when Haniel shot him a look of warning.


    I focused on a spot on the far side of the room, trying to take my mind off the fact that Haniel''s touch had only intensified the agony in my arm, but as quickly as the thought entered my head, the pain slowly began to dissipate. My skin began to tingle, no longer feeling like it had been bitten by a million flesh-eating bugs. Looking down, I watched in amazement as the skin and tissue began to fuse back together, repairing itself until the skin on my arm was flawless.


    "Why haven''t you ever used this trick on all my other injuries?" I asked, testing my arm for mobility.


    "Those were training injuries. Training injuries teach you. Injuries such as this teach you nothing," he replied.


    "That''s not entirely true. It taught me to not let that Rumpelstiltskin creep ever touch me again," I said indignantly. "Why didn''t you tell me that my skin could be melted off by a simple touch? I''m not a Daemon," I added as the others joined us.


    "We were unaware of the alliance the Soul Trader had with the Dark One until tonight''s events transpired," Haniel answered.


    "What is he?" I asked. "And how do you know him?" I demanded, directing the question at Emrys.


    "He used to be a Soul Trader, but went dark a while back," Emrys answered, leaning against the wall.


    "Like you," I countered, trying to ignore my anger.


    "I''m not dark," he barked back, clearly pissed.


    "So you just made a deal for what, to play cards with me?" I sneered.


    "What are you talking about?" Mark demanded.


    "Ask him," I said, stabbing my finger in Emrys''s direction. "He''s the liar.


    "I did not lie," he defended himself through gritted teeth. "It''s nice, though, that you call me the liar when you sit here with the biggest group of liars ever."


    Uncomfortable silence filled the room at his words.


    "So what? We all know Haniel has been holding back on me, but there''s no reason to lump everyone in with him."


    "Oh yeah? Why don''t you ask your aunt and uncle, and I use those terms lightly, why they don''t have any pictures of you, your parents, or anything about their deaths," he said, tightly grabbing the back of the chair in front of him.


    "What is he talking about?" I asked, turning to face Krista and Mark. "Are you even related to me?" I demanded, seeing the truth on their faces as I surged to my feet. "What the hell is going on around here? You''re supposed to be Angels for God''s sake," I shouted, ignoring Haniel''s grimace at my choice of words. "Aren''t angels supposed to follow different rules than humans? They''re not supposed to lie, right?" I added through gritted teeth. "If I''m not related to you, then who the hell am I?"


    "Calm down," Krista pleaded, standing up. "We wanted to tell you. We were just waiting for the okay from Haniel," she added, looking at him questioningly. Haniel nodded his approval.


    "What a surprise. So, tell me now," I ordered.


    "Last year Haniel came to us and asked if we''d be willing to take in a young girl who needed our help. He told us that you were special to The Light and that he would be training you. We had just recently learned about the infertility that would plague the Guides and immediately jumped at the chance to be able to offer our home to someone who needed us."


    "You didn''t know my parents at all?" I asked, ignoring the betrayed tremble of my body.


    "No," she cried, gripping Mark''s hand tightly. "But that doesn''t change how we feel about you. We love you like you''re our own," she added, her eyes brimming with tears.


    "Then who are my parents?" I asked, directing the question at Haniel.


    "You have no parents," he answered, ignoring the gasp of dismay from Sam who was standing slightly behind him.


    "Everyone has parents. Did mine die?" I asked confused.


    "You never had biological parents," he repeated.


    "I don''t understand," I said, hating the trembling that seemed to be in control of my lips.


    "You were created in the heavenly realm and then placed in a human host that no longer required her body."


    "What the frick does that mean?" Lynn broke her silence, asking the question that everyone in the room now wanted answered.


    "The Light created Jordyn to protect mankind from evil. The Light wanted a being that was more durable than his previous creations," he answered, indicating the Guides and Protectors who surrounded me.


    "So, I''m nothing but a machine that was created for battle?" I asked as the anger I''d been trying to tamp down finally reared its ugly head. "Does my name even belong to me, or did you steal that too?" I accused.


    "I provided your name from the Hebrew, ''to flow.'' Your spirit flowed down from heaven to do great work. You will help humanity through difficult times. You are special," Haniel answered with verve.


    "Special?" I snorted. "That''s right, everyone, I''m a unique fighting machine who obviously everyone wants, including your boss," I added, throwing the accusation at Emrys.

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    "He''s not my boss."


    "What about the slimeball that just tried to reduce my skin to melted wax? How did he get powers that match mine?"


    "The Dark One granted him abilities for the purpose of collecting you," Haniel answered, crossing his arms across his chest.


    "If he can do that, then why does the Dark One need me?"


    "Your abilities cannot be completely duplicated. The Dark One has always been envious of the power of The Light. He covets what cannot be his."


    "Why didn''t you tell me about the skin-melting-assface?" I threw the question at Emrys like a dagger. "You knew he could hurt me."


    "I planned on telling you. I was just waiting for the right time."


    "Really? Like between kisses or when you were conning me into thinking you were a good guy?"


    "I never lied to you, Jordyn. But I was waiting until yourfamily clued you in on what you really are," he ground out through gritted teeth.


    I turned away, unable to face him anymore. "Why didn''t you tell me?" I asked the only person I thought I could trust, no matter what. Despite his lies, Emrys was right. Everything hinged on the fact that I''d been fed a load of crap by those I considered family. "I trusted you. You know how much it bothered me, not remembering anything."


    "We only knew you needed our help. We had no idea about your origins," Lynn answered as a rare single tear tracked down her cheek. It was too late for that. My heart had hardened like a piece of granite.


    "I trusted all of you," I said, sobbing. Emrys made a move to comfort me. "Don''t touch me. You''re no different than them," I added, holding up my hand to stall his approach.


    "I don''t belong here. I''m not like any of you," I said as tears began to course down my cheeks. I swiped them away with the back of my hand, thinking of a place I''d studied only hours ago, although it now felt like an eternity. I welcomed the picture in my confused and hurt mind, embracing it with every fiber of my being.


    Comprehension dawned across Haniel''s face, but he was too late. I was gone before he could reach me. Gone from those who had lied to me. Gone from those who had torn my heart to shreds. Gone from the only life I knew.