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  “Nothing’s wrong. I couldn’t sleep, so I thought I’d do a quick search around the house to make sure all is quiet and found you sleeping.”

  Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he blows out a breath. “Yeah, I’m sorry. I thought I should stay out here to make sure that no one followed us here. Guess I fell asleep.” He grins at the last part, which makes my heart flutter.

  “Why don’t you come inside? You must be exhausted with all you’ve been doing. You can sleep on the couch while I do some research about this war you told me about.”

  “Nah, I’m good, but I could help you if you want.” He sounds hopeful. Maybe he doesn’t like the idea of leaving me either.

  “You need to sleep. When you wake up, we can go over a game plan for what we should do. Cy and I can help you with your mission, and maybe you can help us with ours.”

  “I need to stay alert in case something happens.”

  This makes me think he doesn’t trust me, and that almost crushes me, and not to mention, pisses me off. Hell, I know it’s not his fault. He’s probably spent most of his life depending on himself, not having anyone to help him. Well, he better get used to it.

  “Look, I know that we don’t know each other, and you’ve obviously been on this mission longer than we have, but I promise you you’re safe with me. Let me do this for you. Get some sleep and I’ll keep watch. I’ve got you.” I speak with more heart than I have in a long time, if ever, but I need him to let me do this for him. I want him to lean on me.

  He just stares at me, not in disbelief, but almost like he’s in awe. “All right, Joey. But after we come up with a plan of action, it’ll be your turn to sleep and let me take care of you.”

  Unable to speak with all the emotions building up inside of me, all I can do is nod. As he walks up beside me, he takes my hand like it’s the most natural thing for him to do, like he’s done it all his life, and we walk hand in hand towards the house.

  Once I get him situated on the couch with a pillow and blanket, I set up shop on the floor only a few feet away from him. I want him to know that I’m close, and I’ll guard him while he sleeps. He doesn’t know it yet, but I’d lay my life down for him. He’s come to mean a lot to me in such a short amount of time.

  Opening one of my books, I start my research and internal countdown until he opens his eyes and graces me with his warmth.

  Chapter Seven

  Cyrus

  -

  I’m barely awake when I feel her slowly pull back the covers and crawl out of bed, quiet as a mouse. Cracking my eyes open enough to see what she’s up to, I watch as she creeps slowly to the bedroom door. Just as she places her hand on the knob, I call out, “Going somewhere?”

  She yelps loudly and I don’t even try to hide my chuckle as I sit up to fully face her. I’m still grinning when she shocks the shit out of me by turning and placing her hands on her hips. “Home. And stop laughing at me!” Her anger is what shocks me, but fuck, if it doesn’t turn me on.

  Still chuckling at her tone, I throw back the covers and climb out of bed. I hear her shocked gasp and look up just in time to see her whip around to face the door. Sighing, I slowly approach her, my hands held out to the sides. “Em, listen. I—”

  “Emersyn. My name is Emersyn. You don’t know me well enough to call me Em.” Her voice is hard and stronger than I’ve heard it yet. “And could you please put some clothes on?”

  Frowning, I look down at what I’m wearing. “Babe, I’ve got clothes on.”

  She whips her head around again so she’s facing me, and I watch as her aura swirls red with anger. “I’m not your babe.” Her eyes drift down from my face and land squarely on my chest. I smirk as she swallows, and purple embarrassment washes away the red. “Just...” She waves her hand up and down, indicating my body, not taking her eyes off my chest. “...Just put a shirt on, okay.”

  I roll my eyes, but not wanting to do anything to make her feel uncomfortable, I move to my dresser and pull out a t-shirt. I don’t miss the fact that her wide eyes are watching my every move. So I take my time, subtly flexing my muscles as I pull the shirt over my head.

  “Happy?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. Now, why were you sneaking out of my room?”

  “I wasn’t sneaking...okay, fine. I was sneaking. But you had no business sleeping in the same bed as me. I don’t even know you! After last night, I don’t even know what to think. I’ve never been so scared in my life.” Her eyes fill with tears. “Are you really half-demon?”

  “And half-angel. Don’t forget that part.” I hurry to the bed and throw the blankets back into place, doing a haphazard job at making it look neat. “I’m sure you have a million questions, so sit down and I’ll do my best to answer them.” Reaching for her hand, I hold my breath, praying like hell that she’ll take it. “Deal?”

  She reaches out and takes it. Her aura starts to swirl with conflicting colors as she tries to decide whether or not to trust me. Leading her to the bed, I point to a place for her sit and take a seat beside her.

  “It’s kind of a long story.” She says nothing and waits for me to continue. “You’re going to make me tell it anyway, aren’t you?”

  She nods, and a small smile forms on her full lips. I’m a goner, so I tell her everything. I tell her about my parents and Father Martin. I tell her about Joey and I growing up in the convent and the training we received there. I tell her about demons and angels, and what affect they have on humanity. I even tell her about our mission, and what’s been happening around this very campus. As I talk, her wide eyes never leave mine. She focuses closely on every word I say, soaking up every piece of information I give her like a sponge. I finish my story by bringing her up-to-date on what she’d missed last night after Merrick had so kindly put her to sleep.

  Her frown consumes her face as she thinks over the last part. “I’m not happy about that.”

  I snort. “Babe, trust me. Neither am I. Me and that Merrick fucker will be having words.”

  She flops back onto the bed, her hair fanning across my comforter. “This is all so much to take in.” She looks to me and raises her brows. “You know, if I hadn’t seen that demon for myself last night, I’d think the three of you were off your rockers. Don’t have words with Merrick. I think it was probably a good thing that he put me to sleep. I felt like I was losing my mind last night.”

  Laying down beside her, I turn onto my side so I can look down at her. “You’re pretty accepting of all this shit.”

  She shrugs. “To be honest, I’m happy to have an answer. All my life I’ve been different. I’m kind of relieved that there’s a reason for it, and that the reason doesn’t involve me being a normal, everyday freak. Ever since I’ve gotten here, I’ve been kind of down. I miss my family and my home. I haven’t made a single friend here. Worst of all, I constantly feel on edge, like someone is watching me. Maybe that someone has been Merrick all along, but I don’t feel like it is. Whoever, or whatever it is, means to harm me, and that’s what I’m feeling.”

  Reaching out, I place my palm on her cheek. Fuck, her skin is soft. “Nobody is going to get a chance to harm you. I won’t allow it.”

  I watch as a tear slides down into her hair. What is it about this girl? I get that she’s an Angel On Earth, or whatever Merrick called her, but the connection I feel to her is insane. How is it possible to feel so strongly about someone I don’t even know? I feel possessive of her, as if she’s mine to protect.

  Wanting to take those tears from her eyes and replace them with a smile, I change the subject. “You brought clothes with you, right?”

  “They’re in your sister’s room.”

  “Good.” Sitting up, I grab her hand and pull her off the bed. “Why don’t you go hop in the shower and we’ll meet up with my sister to talk and see what we have so far.”

  She nods and moves towards the door.

  “Hey, smile. It’s going to be okay.”

  She smiles and leav
es the room.

  When I enter the living room, I can’t believe my fucking eyes. I thought I told that fucker to go home!

  Merrick is lying on his back—on my couch—like he doesn’t have a care in the world, sound asleep. I don’t have a fucking clue where my sister is, but I don’t like this one bit. I know for a fact I told him to leave when I went to bed last night, so the fact that he’s still here is a big fucking problem.

  Moving quietly, I approach the couch and crouch low, putting my hands under the bottom edge. I wait to see if he’ll wake up, but the fucker is dead to the world. With little effort, and a big smile on my face, I stand up and flip the couch over and onto the floor.

  Jumping up, a fiery sword in his hand, Merrick’s eyes are black with fury. “What the fuck?” he roars.

  “Good morning, sunshine,” I drawl. “Time to wake the fuck up and tell me what the hell you’re still doing in my house.”

  His sword disappears, but his anger remains as he opens his mouth to answer, but he never gets the chance. Running into the room, Joey takes one look at the overturned couch and Merrick’s pissed off posture, then narrows her eyes on me. “For fuck’s sake! Jesus, Cy! What’s your goddamn problem? I leave for one minute to go to the bathroom and you come in here, going all caveman and shit.”

  “What’s he still doing here?”

  “You’re a dick.” My eyes widen as my own flesh and blood ignores me and moves to enemy number one. “Are you okay?”

  He scoffs and glares at me. “I’m fine.”

  While Joey’s back is turned to me, I give him the finger. I have to stifle my laugh when he shakes his head. Just then, Emersyn walks into the room and the two lovebirds are forgotten.

  “Hungry?” I ask.

  She answers yes before waving a greeting to Joey and Merrick. I wrap my arm around her shoulders and walk with her into the kitchen. I need to get my girl fed, then Joey and I need to figure out what the fuck we’re going to do to catch that fucker Trent before he hurts anyone else. We also need to discuss why that fuck-stick Merrick slept over last night.

  -

  Joey

  -

  “Are you okay?” I ask Merrick. I can’t believe my brother flipped our fucking couch with Merrick still sleeping on it. I have no idea what’s gotten into him these last few days, but the time has come for him to put his foolish pride, or what the fuck ever it is going on, behind him. If he hasn’t cooled his shit by the time we have our talk about our plan for today, I’m going to sit him down for a little chat, even if I have to drag him by his ear, kicking and screaming.

  “I’m fine,” Merrick says. I’m sure it would have to take a lot more than an overturned couch to hurt him.

  He’s not looking at me when he answers, so I can only imagine what my brother is doing behind my back when I see Merrick shake his head. I don’t have time for this.

  Emersyn walks into the room a few seconds later, and Cy immediately asks if she’s hungry. He then ushers her out of the room with his arm around her shoulders. That’s another thing I need to talk to to him about. There’s something going on between them, and it’s a whole lot more than just having a class together and sharing a textbook.

  Turning my full attention back to Merrick, I start to apologize for my brother’s behavior, but almost choke on my words when he lifts his arms high above his head to stretch. It causes his shirt to ride up, showing a small section of his stomach, but it’s enough to make me feel faint. The skin exposed is a golden tan, and it looks to be hard as a rock. Good Lord, the man is built like a fucking brick! I’d heard this saying before when talking about sexy men and their rock-hard abs; “The man was so hot, you could fry an egg on his stomach.” I consider asking him if I can test that theory, but when my eyes land on a small patch of hair that leads down into his jeans, there’s nothing left of my brain but mush. This man has literally turned me into a ball of goo, with just his looks alone.

  “Earth to Joey.” I hear him say, but my eyes are still glued to his stomach that is now fully covered by his shirt again, but that doesn’t stop the image that is burned into my brain from replaying over and over again.

  What finally pulls me out of my hormone-induced fog is someone snapping their fingers in front of my face. “Hello, anyone home?” Merrick chuckles.

  “Wha—Oh, yeah, sorry. I uh...I was just thinking about...” I fail to come up with an excuse, so all I can do is turn around and head back over to my stack of books. When all else fails, diversion is the key.

  “So, while you were sleeping, I was looking through a few of my books, trying to find something that would lead us to what’s going on. Why are so many demons drawn to this place? I know you mentioned a war, but I don’t think that’s the reason they’re here. Honestly, I don’t think it’s the main reason at all.”

  Merrick walks up next to me, where I’m now sitting on the floor. When I look up at him, all traces of humor are long gone. Diversion was a success.

  “Okay, but if it’s not the coming war drawing them here, then what is?” he asks, picking up one of my books I brought from the monastery.

  “Have you ever heard of The Jersey Devil?” I ask.

  Merrick sets the book he’s holding down, leans back against the end table and crosses his arms. I can tell he’s deep in thought, but I can bet he’s never heard of it before. I don’t think anyone has.

  “It’s also known as Le Vieux, which translates to The Old One. It’s said to be more evil than the Devil himself. The stories read that the Old One was the ruler of all the worlds; the world we know as Earth, and what is now Heaven and Hell. The earth was a place of pain and torture. Everyone feared the Old One, even the evilest of demons that walked among it. But God and the Devil had had enough. They both decided to work together to kill the Old One, but they were only able to entrap it in the earth. They destroyed all evidence of the Old One, and swore to never speak of it again. However, they failed to destroy the memory of the evil buried beneath us, for it was written in a secret book that no one knew about because it was hidden, set only to see the light of day again when an evil being was created that would be strong enough to free it.”

  After I tell him what I found, he gets up and starts to pace. “And let me guess...an evil being to rival all evil has now risen, and is here to free this Old One from his tomb?” He’s angry, and I can’t say I blame him, but we need to check this out. If all this is true, then we need to know how to fight this thing.

  “I don’t know, but if what I read is correct, Le Vieux’s tomb is located right here in Jerseyville,” I add.

  “Fuck!” he yells and storms out of the house. I don’t go after him, figuring he needs some time to grasp what I just told him. Maybe he’ll call to get some guidance from his people. I know that I’m going to be calling Father Martin as soon as I fill my brother in on what I found.

  Speaking of my brother, he storms in, fists clenched at his side.

  “He’s gone,” I say, closing the book I’m holding. I begin to pick up the rest to put them back where they belong. I think I’ve found everything there is to find for the time being.

  “I can fucking see that, but care to tell me why? I heard him yell, so what the hell happened to cause him to leave like that?”

  “Why do you care? You’re the one that wanted him gone in the first place, so now he is.”

  I try to storm past him, angry at the world and all the Hell I just uncovered, but Cy reaches out to stop me. My instinct and reflexes take over and I swing out, connecting my fist with his jaw, hard. He stumbles back, but doesn’t fall.

  “I’m going to let that one slide because I know something is bothering you, but if that shit happens again, Joey, I swear to everything that is Holy, we will be having more than just words. You feel me, Sis?”

  I instantly deflate. Walking over to the overturned couch, I grab onto it to flip it back over so I can sit down, but Cyrus comes over to help me. Once it’s in its rightful place, we both take a seat.


  “He left because I just discovered what I think is happening around here, and it’s fucking big, Cy. Like, bigger than we could ever possibly imagine.”

  I tell him everything I told Merrick moments ago, and Cy sits quietly, listening to every word without interruption. When I finally finish telling him everything I know, he blows out a breath.

  “I guess the shit just got real, huh?” he says tiredly. I notice his eyes are still black underneath, though I don’t know if it’s from the stress of our mission and not getting enough sleep, or the effects from Trent trying to drug him.

  “Are you okay, Cy? Things have been shitty the last few days, and I’m not just saying between you and me, but things are about to get even worse. We need to be at our best, and we need to act together as a team. I know you don’t like Merrick, but we need him. If we have any hope of winning this fight, we’ll need all the help we can get.”

  Reaching out, he takes my hand. “I know, and I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me, but it was like I finally felt normal for the first time in my life. I just wanted to live a little, but look where that got me. I got drugged, and who knows what would have happened then. You’re right, I don’t like Merrick, but I agree with you. We do need all the help we can get. And since you trust him, I’ll try to trust your judgement. Just promise you’ll be careful around him.”

  Squeezing his hand, I give him a reassuring smile. “Okay, I promise. I’ll be careful.” I give him a nudge with my elbow. “Now, tell me what’s going on between you and Emersyn.”

  Chapter Eight

  Cyrus

  -

  Emersyn walks into the room, cautiously, with a hesitant smile on her face. “Is everything all right?”

  “It is for now,” Joey assures her. “We need to call him, Cy. It’s time.”

  “You’re right, but I’ll do it.” I try breaking the ice a little. “Quit arguing with me, Jo. I said I got it.”

  Rolling her eyes, she says nothing, but waves me off as if I’m nothing more than an annoying mosquito. Shaking my head, I laugh, then turn to leave the room, giving Emersyn a wink as I pass. Her quiet gasp sends a rush of excitement through me. It’s nice to know that I affect her too.