# THE SOUL THIEF

## The Horizon Chronicles Book 1

## Kim Richardson

The Soul Thief, The Horizon Chronicles Book 1:

Copyright © 2017 by Kim Richardson

www.kimrichardsonbooks.com

* * *

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system without the written permission of the author. The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead is coincidental and not intended by the author. Thank you for respecting the author's work.

Cover design by Damonza

  Created with Vellum

# Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

THE HELM OF DARKNESS

Chapter 1

Books By Kim Richardson

NEWSLETTER

About the Author

# 1

ALEXA KNEW SHE WAS DEAD when she saw the bright light.

It was just like those near-death experiences she'd read about: the tunnel, the white light, the feeling of peace. She felt her physical body detach like the shedding of skin. Floating in total serenity, secure and warm, she soared towards the overwhelming light. She was drawn up into a beam of sunlight like a speck of dust.

The air was cool and thick, humid and salty, like a sea breeze. The pain of the accident had melted away, and the light welcomed her.

Deep down, Alexa knew she should be afraid. She should be terrified. But for the first time in her life, she wasn't afraid.

She saw a pinpoint of dark shadow in the distance. As she drifted towards it, she could see it was the entrance to a tunnel. No. Not a tunnel, but an elevator. Suddenly she was riding in an elevator.

She did not speak to the ape-like creature that operated the elevator. She spread her arms and looked down at her hands. She could see the floor through her hands. She wasn't solid.

Still, she wasn't afraid.

The elevator rocked, and the doors slid open. As she stepped out, the creature muttered something that sounded a lot like, _Orientation, level one_.

She knew that animals couldn't speak. She wouldn't have been surprised if she were delusional. It would have been acceptable under the circumstances. She was dead.

Maybe her brain didn't function the same way anymore. Maybe nothing did.

The elevator seemed to have disappeared, and Alexa stood in an infinitely long white corridor. She could hear thousands of voices murmuring, and she began to feel anxious.

Alexa had never seen so many people all at once. It looked as if every ethnic group from the human race was milling around busily in a maze of offices and corridors. And for the first time since she'd died, she felt frightened again.

She tried to hide the terror that shook her as she followed the crowds.

Within a few minutes, she arrived at an ancient building with a mammoth oak door. A neon sign zapped and crackled above it.

_Oracle Division # 998-4589. Orientation_.

_Orientation_. It was the same word she thought she'd heard on the elevator. Perhaps the creature had spoken. Where was she?

Alexa wished she were back in the elevator with the light and that feeling of protective warmth. She had felt safe there. Dread gripped her now.

She braced herself, pulled open the door, and stepped inside.

She stood in a large library-like room with corridors and passageways that led to smaller offices. Books and filing cabinets were stacked precariously to the ceiling. The air was thick with the same salty ocean fragrance she had smelled earlier, and she could hear what sounded like pebbles rolling on a smooth marble floor.

A door touched her behind as it opened, and she froze.

Huge glass spheres with tiny bare-foot old men balancing on top of them like circus acrobats rolled into the library. The tiny men wore silver gowns, and their long white beards flowed behind them as they maneuvered the balls between the piles of books and files. It was the most incredible sight.

She was transfixed.

They were so preoccupied with their work that they didn't appear to notice her at all. If she wasn't important to them, she knew wherever she was couldn't be so bad. It certainly wasn't as bad as dying.

Alexa could see what appeared to be another smaller office to her right. Cabinets were stacked on top of each other in there as well, and what looked like a five-foot round pool was mounted in the back corner. Another one of those tiny men sat on a large crystal ball behind a semi-circular wooden desk.

"Come in, come in, Alexa Dawson," he said in a strange, high-pitched voice, a voice that sounded like he had inhaled helium from a balloon.

Alexa tried to ignore the creepy fact that this stranger knew her name. But her apprehension faded as soon as she saw the man's cheerful face. Still, she approached him carefully, and as she did she noticed a soft, silver light radiating all around him.

Finally, she found her voice. "Is this—" She cleared her throat and felt relieved that her voice sounded the same. It was _her_ voice. "Is this heaven?"

Back in life, she had never given any real thought to heaven, or even the possibility of an afterlife. She had just never imagined she'd be dead at seventeen.

The man's face lit up, and his blue eyes sparkled. "Horizon has many names. Heaven is one, yes, just like Utopia, or Shangri-La, or Zion. Ultimately, it doesn't matter what name you choose. They all mean the same thing. It's where everything originated, and the place to which mortals return in the afterlife."

"The afterlife," repeated Alexa, testing the words on her mouth. "I'm dead. Truly dead."

"Yes."

"I knew it, you know, that I _was_ dead. It's just strange to hear it. To say it out loud." Alexa reached up and touched her face, her neck, checking to make sure she was there. Her face was just as solid as the rest of her. But something was missing. And when it came to her, she thought she must have been stupid not to have noticed before.

The rhythmic beating in her chest that had accompanied her throughout her life was silent. She had no heart.

When she looked up, she found the man's eyes showed his concern for her.

"You'll be fine," he said. His gentle tone was strangely comforting. "Mind you, it takes a bit of adjusting in the beginning. But sooner or later, every soul adjusts, and you'll be as right as rain in no time. I promise you."

Alexa focused on his smiling face and did her best to keep her fears from showing. She would keep her cool. She would not freak out. Not yet.

The tiny man clapped his hands together. "A mortal death is never the end...just the beginning of something more exciting." He spoke as if her mortal death was the best news ever, a great revelation.

While Alexa's anxiety subsided a bit, her curiosity increased. She couldn't help it. It was her nature to want to know about things, especially when they concerned the great mysteries of life.

"Are you an angel?"

The man chuckled at that. "Yes and no. I'll keep it simple for you. I'm an oracle. Archangels, guardian angels, oracles, and other ethereal beings dwell here in Horizon. It is home and headquarters for the immortals who govern and protect the mortal world from evil."

While this revelation should have energized her, Alexa mourned the loss of her mortal life. All the what-ifs and dreams she'd hoped one day to accomplish had been for nothing. She could see that the oracle sensed her discomfort.

"Tell me, Alexa," he asked her gently, "what's the last thing you remember?"

Images flashed in her mind's eye. "I was at school," replied Alexa. Her mind began to clear, and images began moving and coming together of their own volition, forming solid, real memories. "I remember falling. That's right. I remember now. I was carrying my laptop with a stack of books and must have missed a step... I fell down the stairs, and I heard something snap. Then nothing. And then I woke up here."

The fall had killed her. She'd died at school during lunch. It had been the worst possible time because everyone would have been out of class. Her entire high school would have witnessed her death.

She felt a rush of humiliation pass through her. It was a cold, prickly sensation. _What must she have looked like!_...on the floor, with the entire school looking at her dead body, her neck bent at an unnatural angle. She was horrified.

But her embarrassment was nothing compared to the sadness she now felt.

Her best friend Emma Middletown had moved away last summer, and she had made no other friends. No one would remember her. No one cared that she was dead. Not her deadbeat father, who liked his new family better. Nor her mother, who would probably have been too drunk to notice she was missing.

The fact of the matter was, not a single soul would miss her...

"It'll be all right, Alicia," said the oracle. His high-pitched voice was reassuring, and his whole face beamed.

Alexa opened her mouth to correct his mistake about her name but then thought better of it. She had the unnerving feeling that somehow the oracle had read her mind.

The oracle leaned forward on his desk. "Every single thing that happened in your life was to prepare you for what's to come. Remember that." He raised his hands. "For this."

Alexa shrugged. "But I'm only seventeen. It's not like I've had lots of life experiences. Apart from having had a textbook case of a dysfunctional family, which I have _loads_ of experience with, by the way, and which would have made me an excellent guidance counselor, I haven't achieved anything. I'm not even out of my teens, and sometimes I secretly wish I were twelve again. I can't even cook an omelet without burning the eggs." She paused when she realized that she was prattling on. "Prepare me for what exactly?"

The oracle's brilliant teeth shone like stars when he smiled. "Because today, young lady, you'll begin your training as a guardian angel."

# 2

ALEXA STOOD IN THE CROWD, just a foot away from the yellow Coffin Grove police tape. It was ten-thirty at night, and the lamps in Pine Park did a real number on illuminating the amount of blood around the victim. The victim's innards seemed almost juicy. If she were mortal, she would have puked all over her shoes. But she wasn't.

From where she stood, Alexa could tell the body was female and young, probably around seventeen or eighteen. Her black dress was shredded and covered in blood, and through it, she could see dozens of long thin wounds on her pale skin. It looked as though some werewolf had shredded her stomach. The thick coppery smell of blood wafted in the air like a jar of pennies. Alexa felt like she was watching a scene from a police television drama through someone else's eyes. Three crime scene investigators moved around the body collecting evidence and taking notes. Their white head-to-toe Tyvek suits shone in the dark.

This had been a brutal murder. There was no doubt in her mind about that. But what bugged Alexa was the Legion suspected that someone or something supernatural had committed this crime. They did not think it had been the work of your regular serial-killer type with a penchant for werewolves. To the mortal eye, it would have looked just like a bloody murder. But Alexa knew something else had happened here. The girl's soul had been lost.

Her boss, the archangel Ariel, the commander of the Counter Demon Division in the Department of Defense in the Legion, had sent her here because the girl's soul appeared to have vanished.

Alexa had spent one year in the Guardian Angel Legion, and this was her very first field assignment. She was there to gather information and defend human life if need be. She was also charged to investigate a possible rift in the Earth's Veil. If there was a rift where the barriers between dimensions had become particularly weak, it could create a portal that would attract demons and other supernatural creatures. It could become a "hot spot" for supernatural activity.

Alexa had tapped into her angel senses, searching for a nearby rift, but she had only perceived the familiar warm wave of humanity. No supernatural entities. No death. Nothing.

Alexa knew she had been chosen for this assignment because she had been born and raised in Coffin Grove. It was a small town in Westchester County, about thirty miles north of New York City, and it made sense that the Legion would want an angel on the case who was familiar with the town. Of all the places they could have sent her, she just hadn't expected to be back here.

Alexa wore her new mortal suit, and so she looked just like a human. She had arrived in a back alley one block from the crime scene, about half an hour before she had ventured into the crowd. It had taken her a while to shake the choking, spiraling-into-darkness feeling that her journey to Earth had caused.

Even now her vision blurred, and she reached out and steadied herself against a lamppost. The archangel Ariel had warned her about the dizzy spells that angels experienced their first time in a mortal suit. What she hadn't expected was that it would feel like she'd been spinning on a merry-go-round on jet fuel.

Worse, she'd managed to drop her tracker mite. The tiny transparent beetle-like device earpiece that she used to communicate with the Counter Demon Division must have fallen out. So now she had no means to reach the Legion and no one to guide her. She was on her own.

Alexa hated being trapped in a strange body. It looked and felt familiar, but at the same time, it was eerie. She had the same long brown hair, and she kept it tidy in the same ponytail. She had the same long fingers, arms, and legs, and yet everything felt alien somehow. She even wore an ordinary pair of jeans, a white t-shirt, a military-style black jacket, and a pair of light boots. She was herself, yet different.

"It's the closest thing to a real mortal body," the archangel Ariel had told her. "These M-9s are our best suits. You can breathe. You have a beating heart. You can even cry. You'll have the feeling of bones, but they're not human bones. Everything is artificial. These suits mimic all the sensations of a human body. Mortals and demons will find it much more difficult to spot you, and you will not feel so detached from the mortal world. You'll be able to stay on Earth for up to three months before the suit begins to deteriorate. But you'll need to find a source of water before it does, otherwise, you will alert demons to your real identity, or you'll die."

For an entire year, Alexa had done everything in her power to avoid field assignments. She didn't want to be transported back to the world of the living. She kept herself busy studying everything she could about demons and the supernatural. She trained every day in combat skills and acquired the stealth and agility to help her vanquish the different levels of demons from the Netherworld. She never thought she'd really have to use those skills, at least not so soon.

Alexa strained to take control of her new body. The more she thought about how creepy it was to be in a human suit, the more she began to panic.

_Stop being an idiot. You can do this._

Death hadn't been the end she thought it was, but a new beginning. She had been born into another body, and she had been chosen to be part of an organization that was hidden from the mortal eyes—the Guardian Angel Legion.

Alexa touched the star mark on her forehead. It sent waves of warmth through her as it glowed and then faded. It was the mark of an angel.

And as a guardian, in addition to protecting mortal life, her primary role was to save mortal souls. The soul _must_ be saved. The mortal body was secondary because the soul could always be reborn.

Somehow this poor girl's soul had simply disappeared. But Alexa knew that souls just didn't disappear.

A short, plump man in his thirties was busy taking pictures with his phone until one of the police officers snatched it from him. When Alexa looked around, the curious onlookers that stood behind the yellow tape all snapped away with their phones, as if the dead girl had been some kind of celebrity. Alexa's eyes burned with anger, and her M-suit mimicked her old body by providing tears. It appeared to be a natural reaction, but there was nothing natural about it. It was scary how close the Legion had come to perfecting their new bodies. She should cry. But her tears were fake, and she tried to prevent them from flowing. Part of Alexa was glad the girl was dead because she wouldn't have to watch strangers posting pictures of her mangled body on social media. The crowd's behavior was disturbing. Yet, there it was.

What was she looking for? Was the demon responsible still here in the park somewhere? Was it feasting on the girl's soul?

Pine Park was blanketed in darkness. The decorative lampposts scarcely illuminated anything. Most of the demons and the other monsters of the Netherworld came out at night. They fed on the darkness, and in return, the darkness gave them strength.

A feeling of being watched crept over her, like icy fingers wrapped around her neck. Even before she saw it, she felt the presence of death, of something not from this world. She could just make out a shadowy, man-shaped silhouette next to a large Magnolia tree. It had no features at all, but the head quested from side to side, as if the smell of blood and death had made it restless. It was large and careful to stay in the shadows. She smelled sulfur. She'd never seen such a creature before, but every fiber in her new body told her that the thing that stood in the shadows of the trees was a demon.

Alexa knew that blood and souls were favorites on the demons' paranormal menu. Demons were born in the darkness at the depths of the Netherworld, and they hungered for human life. They always had, and they always would.

The mortals in the park walked right past it, unaware of the danger that lurked in the shadows. They were unaware that this demon was hungry for their souls and their life force.

The demon's head stopped moving, and Alexa knew its attention was now centered on her. Even from a hundred feet away she could feel its foul, malicious intent, its hunger for life. It moved forward with a predatory gait, slowly at first, but a little faster when it reached the walkway. The nearest lamppost flickered and went out. The demon's faceless head focused on her. The vile, burnt smell of death and rot wafted through the air.

Her hand instinctively went to her waist, where she would have carried a soul blade when she had been training in Horizon. But there was no blade there now. Her fingers brushed against the pouch filled with the salt that was her only weapon. Soul blades were the primary weapon that guardian angels used to kill demons, but they could also kill angels. So only trained officers and guardians could use them. Alexa was a rookie, and rookies weren't allowed to use soul blades on the job.

She looked down at the pouch and cursed under her breath. "Thanks, Ariel," she grumbled.

While salt was used to kill demons and send their spirits back to the Netherworld, you needed a lot of it before it actually took effect, and by then the demon might already have taken control.

Her first day on the job was proving to be worse than she could have imagined. Still, she'd been trained for this. Hunting demons should come naturally to her. Hopefully.

When she looked back, the demon's attention had turned to a group of teenagers making their way down a path. It leaped invisibly onto the back of a boy in a blue New York Mets baseball cap. The boy stumbled like he'd tripped, but then he steadied himself. His smile disappeared and his face turned pale and joyless. A chill went down Alexa's back when she saw that the boy's eyes were glazing over with the thin gray veil of the dead.

Alexa started moving.

Desperately, she tried to remember what she knew of lesser demons and their weaknesses. Which one was this? An Anstroth demon? A Val'dor demon? Could she kill it with just salt?

She needed to make a decision, and she needed to make it fast. She had to save the boy's life. This was her job. If this was the creature that had killed the girl, its thirst for human life was out of control. It wouldn't stop.

The other teens didn't see the creature. They didn't notice that their friend lagged behind, sick and dying, as they continued down the path. The boy moved clumsily, one leg at a time, as though he had become a puppet. Suddenly, he turned and walked off the path into a patch of darkness.

Alexa grabbed a handful of salt and ran.

# 3

IT WASN'T _REALLY_ RUNNING. It was more like a stumbling catastrophe. At first, it was as if her legs were made of lead, stiff and extremely heavy. Alexa willed them to move faster, but it was useless. It was as though she weren't in control of her mortal suit, a prisoner in someone else's body. Technically, she _was_ moving, but it was more like she had heavy robot limbs that needed oiling. Every stride was a battle. It was almost like she was trying to run through a river, constantly fighting her way through the current. The thought of water sent another chill through her, but she pushed forward, her thoughts on the boy.

She _had_ to save him.

She reminded herself that her duty as a guardian angel was to save and protect human life. Given the choice again, she wasn't sure she would have pledged the angel oath and permanently bound herself to her angel duties. Why hadn't she just said no?

Her mortal suit was familiar yet odd. It was all just way too confusing. But one thing she knew for sure, she was wearing a _defective_ one. There was no way it was supposed to be this hard to move. The archangel Ariel had told her the suit would feel completely natural to her, just like her body when she was alive.

Alexa wanted to punch Ariel in the face.

The M-9 was supposed to give her superhuman strength, speed, agility, superior healing, a predator's instinct, enhanced supernatural senses, and innate combat skills. But Alexa had not been so lucky.

Cursing her faulty body, Alexa was very much aware of the strange looks she got from the mortals she passed. She probably looked like a drunken fool, struggling with a body that wouldn't listen. She tried to ignore the strange prickling sensation in her limbs and focused upon making the suit work at operational speed. But the more she struggled, the worse her body responded. She staggered down the path, arms flailing about, and she only managed to control herself at the last second before she pitched into a shrub of neatly trimmed hydrangeas. Perhaps her body was rejecting her? Could a mortal suit reject its host?

"Someone's been partying hard," laughed one of the teen boys as she passed them on shaky legs and tried her best not to fall flat on her face.

Alexa wanted to scream at them for not noticing their friend was missing, but that would have brought too much attention to the boy and his demon problem. The boy would have appeared frail and deathly sick to his friends, but it wasn't a mortal sickness, and it couldn't be cured by any mortal means. If his friends discovered the boy before Alexa got to him, the situation for the boy would seriously worsen.

It would have been a mistake if they had taken him to a hospital. He would die. Without Alexa's intervention, the demon would have had ample time to finish the boy, and what was worse, when they got to the hospital, the demon would have had free reign to feed on the sick and dying.

There was only one way to save him. But Alexa wasn't sure she could do it.

Her mortal suit, driven by fear and weakened by defects, was on the edge of shutting down, of complete failure. Her legs felt stiff, and her muscles were ready to cramp.

Just as she was about to give up, she felt a warm surge. It massaged her limbs and worked her muscles so she could break free of the tether that held her back. She began to move with fluidity and purpose.

She reached the spot where the boy had stumbled into a shadowed area of the park. She leaped over a garbage can and went after him, amazed at how fast she could run. It was as though a switch had been turned to hyperdrive. She'd never run this fast when she was alive. She had always been one of the last girls to be picked for any school teams. With hardly any effort, she was sprinting at a supernatural speed. The balls of her feet barely touched the ground. She smiled and had to restrain herself from crying out. Maybe her mortal suit wasn't so bad after all.

When she finally reached him, the boy's body shimmered. Strands of light like brilliant threads were being pulled from him and sucked into a gaping hole in the demon's face. The creature was drinking the boy's life force like a sponge soaking up ink. She knew the demon needed to consume human life to keep itself on the living side of the mortal world, to keep it in life.

She wanted to scream. While mortals could not see the trail of life force the demon was stealing from the boy, Alexa could. She knew he wouldn't last very much longer. The human body could not exist on the mortal plane without its life force. It would suffer a true death and could never be born again. There was no coming back from that.

The rancid smell of death was a nauseating feast of spoiled meat and human waste. Alexa could taste its putridness in her mouth. While she didn't need to breathe the air, the stink was there all the same.

The demon had done a real number on the boy. His skin was pulled tightly around his skull like an elderly man. His hair had turned white, and blue-red veins shone through his paper-thin skin. His mouth hung open in a silent cry, and his face was wet with tears.

Alexa embraced the familiar anger that flared in her chest.

The demon turned its head in her direction without breaking its connection with the boy's life-source. Although it had no eyes or face, she knew it had recognized her for what she was. She was close enough to see the thing now. Its massive and misshapen head was a deformed monstrosity made of rotten, black flesh and bone. The featureless head began to contort when it saw her, twisting and bunching muscles in ways that no face should.

"Let him go, _demon_ ," she said. She half surprised herself by her new courage. It had to be the M-suit.

The creature watched her for a moment longer, and for a second Alexa feared it had discovered the salt in her hand. But then it slowly turned away from her, as though it had decided that Alexa wasn't a real threat, as though it could smell the rookie angel fear on her.

Although she'd been trained for this, she'd never faced a real demon before. She knew this one had just fed and would have superior strength. It could kill her. If the demon consumed her soul, then she, too, would suffer an angel's true death. She couldn't help but feel the terror that threatened to keep her frozen in place. It was like a cold jewel on her breast.

Thinking too much would let the fear in, and fear would get her killed, even if she was an angel. So, she reacted on instinct.

She leaped forward, faced the demon, and threw a handful of salt at it. The thing's head snapped back, and it began to thrash about and scream in a voice that was not human. The salt burned at its dead flesh and sent waves of rotten carrion stench into the air. It was like roadkill that had been left for days in the hot sun.

Alexa whirled around and looked behind her, afraid the screaming would attract some mortals. But the demon's wails were not for human ears. The demon continued to scream and thrash, but it did not let go of the boy.

The boy's forehead was pasty, and he looked about to fall over. His pale eyes stared out at nothing. He looked worse.

Alexa threw some more salt, and again the demon screamed and thrashed, but it did not let go.

The boy swayed and then suddenly fell to his knees. The creature was still attached to him like a large engorged tick. Alexa began to panic. Without a real weapon, the boy was going to die while she stood and watched it happen. On _her_ watch.

"Get off him!"

Desperate, she hurled herself at the demon. Her hands slipped on its cold, wet clothes. She tried not to think about why they were wet, but she managed to grab ahold of him, and she yanked and pulled with all her strength. There was a loud ripping sound, like the tearing of cloth, and she and the demon tumbled to the ground.

As her instincts and training kicked in, Alexa rolled and jumped to her feet, fists up in front of her, her only weapons. The demon was already on its feet, circling her. Thin trails of smoke coiled from its body, as though it burned with a shadow fire. Its head swayed as it muttered some dark spell in a guttural language that was not human. It sounded like the grinding of rocks.

"Your spell won't work on me," bluffed Alexa.

But a new terror spiraled inside her. She had no idea if a demon's curse would work on angels. The air suddenly chilled and smelled of burned matches. She recognized the smell of demon magic. She knew that whatever dark curse it had spoken had begun to work on her. She felt her limbs tighten, as though invisible bonds were tightening around her body.

"I have protection," she said loudly and hoped she sounded convincing. She reached inside her shirt and pulled out the tiny silver bell that hung from a silver chain around her neck. The archangel Raphael from the Department of Miracles had given it to her to ward off demon curses. She shook the bell once, and it tinkled in the eerie silence.

It had no effect whatsoever, and Alexa's limbs continued to cramp.

"Great. Just great."

A wet, hacking sound like mocking laughter shrieked out of the gaping hole in the demon's face. The deformed thing jabbered poisonous words and leered at Alexa. Its grotesque, gulping voice released a variety of horrible sounds, as though it were trying out different languages. Finally, it found the one it was looking for.

"Angel," said the demon.

She could smell the stench of rotting flesh on its breath.

"It has been centuries since I had the unfortunate pleasure of being in the presence of your creatures. My last meeting with you was an ill-fated one, as I was defeated and sent back to the Netherworld. But not before I had fed on more than a hundred, delicious lives."

"I won't let you kill another mortal, demon," said Alexa, standing her ground. She would not let this demon frighten her. But she knew she was fooling herself because she could feel her limbs growing heavier and heavier. The demon's curse was taking hold of her. "You might have slipped through the Legion's watch when you attacked the girl," said Alexa, "but I won't let you kill this boy." She could see that he still lay motionless on the ground. She saw a flicker of warm light in him. He was still alive. His soul was still intact, but barely.

"The girl?" The demon cocked its head, as though it didn't know what she meant. "You are a girl...an angel girl, and without weapons. Curious."

"So, what kind of demon are you?" Alexa asked. She wanted to keep it talking instead of killing her. She knew she was floundering. She needed a plan before her fear overwhelmed her. Her mortal suit was a dead weight. Although her limbs were stiff, she could still move her arms and legs a little, and she shuffled back. She suspected that her body would soon become completely useless and she would be trapped in her mortal suit.

But she still had the salt.

The demon stepped closer, and Alexa cringed at its ghastly, wet, rotten skin and its rancid smell. She held her breath, although it was a very mortal thing to do, and stared at the spot where she felt its eyes should be. The hair on the back of her neck stood up, and her skin began to crawl. She struggled to maintain her courage.

"You cannot fight or defeat me, little angel girl," mocked the demon. "And your beloved Legion cannot stop what's coming. The time of angels is over. You are weak, monkey-lovers who serve a flawed and murderous species. But not for long. What has fallen will rise again. Before there was light, before your precious Legion and archangels existed, there wasn't _nothing_. _He_ was there. _He_ was the beginning, and _He_ will be the end. _He_ will become everything."

Alexa managed to take another step back. "Who is _he_ —?"

The demon lunged.

It was on her before she could react. Its taloned hands scratched at her face, her chest, and her arms. The white light of her angel essence spilled from the deep gashes on her hands as she held them up to protect her face and eyes. The demon pinned her to the ground like a great boulder. She could feel its fingers wrap around her neck and begin to squeeze.

"Your angel soul is mine," said the demon. Its hot breath smelled of rotting flesh, and her mortal suit caused her eyes to water.

It tilted its head sideways and opened its mouth wider and wider, until it was practically as large as its head. Its carrion-breath misted out of its great maw.

Alexa thrashed and kicked as much as she could, but her M-suit continued to weigh her down. She had some movement in her arms, and although she was almost overwhelmed with terror, she tried to push it off. But her hands kept slipping on its slimy clothes, and she couldn't get a good grip.

The thing leaned down to embrace her. It lowered its mouth, sucking at Alexa's angel life force. She felt a tug inside her chest, and then a prickling as a piercing cold entered her body, and sudden darkness weakened her strength and spirit. Her vision blurred, and she began to shiver uncontrollably as black specks spotted her vision. Her eyes burned with tears.

This thing was going to kill her. She was going to die.

With the little life that remained in her arms, Alexa instinctively curled her hand around the pouch at her belt. Her trembling fingers cracked as though they were frozen.

The demon moved its putrid hole-mouth closer and closer until green ooze dripped onto her face, until she could see the darkness that was its throat.

And she suddenly knew what to do.

With one swift motion, she shoved the salt pouch into its mouth and pushed it deep. She felt her hands brush the slimy sides of its throat.

The thing jumped off of her, and in doing so it pulled her arm out of its throat and spilled the salt in the pouch further down inside it. In a mad frenzy, the demon hacked and spit. It pulled at its mouth, ripping at it with its sharp talons. For a second, she thought it had reached the pouch, but it pulled out what looked like an arm in the stages of decomposition. The demon cried out and squirmed about as it tried to force fingers into its throat. But it was too late.

The demon fought to retrieve the pouch of salt. Its blazing hands formed and reformed, and its body twisted and turned as it yacked up bile that stung her eyes with its rot.

And that's when she felt a small prickling. It started slowly, but then a warm surge soared through her, all the way to her toes and fingertips. The demon's spell had been broken.

With her strength returning, Alexa pushed herself up and assumed a fighting stance, readying herself for another attack.

Finally, the demon stilled.

It turned towards Alexa. "Curse you, angel! Curse you!" it gurgled. "You will die! All of you! _He_ is coming. _He_ will destroy life. _He_ will destroy you all! _He_ —"

The demon started to wither. Its body began to crack and peel into a pool of darkness. It turned its eyeless face toward her once more, and then it exploded into a cloud of ash.

# 4

ALEXA ONLY LEFT THE TEEN once she knew he was safe and able to get home on his own. His skin was still pasty and pale, but it was a huge improvement. While the demon had ingested almost all the boy's life force, once the demon had been vanquished, the small amount that was left quickly grew back and replenished his strength.

Alexa had done her job and saved him. She had done her duty. Her chest swelled with pride. She couldn't help it. If she hadn't been good at anything in life, maybe she would shine in death.

The demon had said things that made her uneasy, however. Who was this person or demon it kept referring to? A demon lord? An archfiend? The last she'd heard, all the archfiends had been permanently locked and sealed back in their cages. If it wasn't them, who was _He_?

Maybe it was just a trick to throw her off balance and make her easier to kill. But she had the unmistakable feeling it wasn't.

She'd discovered that the teen's name was Brian, but he didn't seem to remember much apart from walking into the park with his buddies. After that, he only remembered darkness. Alexa had quickly jumped in and convinced him that he'd passed out from exhaustion, that he'd caught a bug.

"It's probably best you go home and rest," she had told him. Then she'd watched him wander off and disappear in the shadows of the park.

Her mortal suit had repaired the gashes on her hands and forearms, stitching the skin together until it had healed completely. Alexa couldn't help but feel impressed. She noticed a strange transparent liquid that had seeped from her deepest cut, and she figured it must be the artificial blood that sustained her M-suit and made it feel more like a mortal body.

Even though she'd defeated the demon, she couldn't defeat the _smell_. Even though she'd brushed off most of the demon ash from her jeans, jacket, and hair, it still left a sour taste in her mouth. It was as though the smell of rot had marked her like some cheap perfume. _Fantastic_.

Feeling slightly self-conscious, she made her way back to the scene of the original crime. More people had gathered behind the yellow tape, and Alexa carefully picked her way through the crowd until the tape was at her waist. She wasn't sure what she was looking for, but something at the back of her mind made her look.

When she stepped around a tall man with short-cropped hair and cologne that made her eyes water, one of the CSI guys leaned away from the victim, and Alexa got a clear view of the girl's face for the first time.

The girl's eyes were burned.

Alexa could see that the empty black sockets had been scorched and that black and red blisters extended from her eye area and into her brows. Red liquid oozed down the sides of her temples, as though she'd cried tears of blood before she died. It was as though someone had blasted flaming torches into the poor girl's eyes.

Now she understood why everyone was taking pictures. The scene was unusually gruesome and creepy. But the more she stared and thought about it, the more she realized the differences between the two incidents. The demon hadn't affected Brian's eyes or even cut him. It had only wanted his life force.

The more Alexa thought about the way the girl had been killed, the more she felt it must have been the work of something else. Although the girl was covered in blood, her skin didn't have the emaciated quality the boy had. If it had been the same demon, surely it would have eaten away at her in the same way. It didn't make sense that the same demon would attack the two victims differently. _Or did it?_ While Alexa didn't know for sure, her instincts told her that it couldn't have been the same demon.

Something wasn't adding up. Maybe she'd destroyed the demon before it had the chance to burn the boy. Still, she couldn't suppress the feeling that something else entirely had killed the girl.

A male voice beside her made her jump.

"Pretty nasty sight," he said.

The young man hadn't been there a second ago, and she didn't recognize him as one of the dead girl's friends. He was almost a head taller than she was, and she was five eight. His dark hair brushed the shoulders of his black leather motorcycle jacket. The lamplight illuminated his handsome face. Something was unsettling about his fierce, dark eyes, as if they hid some inner sadness.

Alexa ignored him. She wasn't here for small talk. Besides, he probably wouldn't stay too close to her once her demon stench hit him. It was starting to give her a buzz.

"What do you think...demon, or just a case of werewolf or vampire?" said the stranger. "Although, I don't see any bite marks anywhere near her jugular. Maybe a rogue werewolf? Nah, not enough blood. Definitely a demon."

"Excuse me?" Alexa's voice rose.

Several heads had turned toward them now.

"My money's on a lesser demon, like a Morax," said the stranger. His dark eyes didn't leave the crime scene. "It's too messy for a Higher demon. What do you think... _angel_?"

Alexa flinched in a very unattractive way. She was still not used to being in a mortal suit. It would definitely take some getting used to. She whirled around in a panic. "How did you know I was an—" she looked around and then added in a whisper "—an angel?" The word still felt strange coming from her lips, even though she knew she had been dead for over a year. Saying it out loud made it true. Almost. An elderly couple were eavesdropping on their conversation. Alexa glared at them until they turned away.

The stranger laughed. "Are you kidding? You practically glow in the dark. What? You didn't think that the supernatural couldn't spot you from a mile away? You angels are all the same."

Alexa frowned at his tone. "You must be one of the Sensitives. I've read about young operatives like you."

The stranger raised his brows. "Oh really? I didn't know I was such a hot commodity in the Legion."

"Not _you_ specifically," said Alexa. "But I do know that the archangels created Sensitives who can see angels, who can see through the Veil and can see the supernatural. They say you are primarily human, but you have angel essence flowing in your veins."

The stranger's jaw clenched. "And you think that gives you the right to rule over us, to make us your slaves? You think that makes you superior?"

"What?" Alexa was shocked at the hatred and pain in his tone. Clearly, there was some bad history between the angels and this young man. "I never said that," said Alexa more gently although she wasn't sure why she bothered. He had attacked first.

The Sensitive operative's eyes narrowed to frowning slits as he looked back at the girl's body. "You didn't have to." For a moment he was silent, but when he turned to face her again, his face was devoid of emotion. "Go back to where you belong, _stiff_. We don't need your kind here."

He turned on his heel without another glance in her direction and made his way towards a group of mortals who were speaking to one of the police officers.

Alexa stood there for a moment, half in shock at being called a _stiff,_ and half in boiling fury, the demon forgotten.

The Sensitives were supposed to be allied with the Legion and the guardian angels. They were supposed to be the eyes and ears of the Legion on Earth. They were supposed to work _together_. What the hell was his problem?

Reluctantly, and with a combination of fury and a little hurt pride, Alexa balled her hands into fists and made her way slowly towards him. Back in life, she would have shied away from someone who'd slighted her, but it seemed that in death she was blessed with confidence and defiance. Death had changed her.

She began to smile.

The archangel Ariel had instructed her to meet up with the Sensitives, specifically the one called Santo. She had been told that he was the one in charge and would guide her. The archangel had been sorely mistaken.

Ariel must have felt that this Sensitive would have been a good match for her because he was closer to her in age. Maybe he thought the Sensitives could help ease her transition into her new job. She had been instructed to find out if they knew anything about what had happened to the girl. Maybe they had leads. Maybe they didn't. Either way, they were supposed to work together, not throw insults. Or was there more to them than Ariel had let on?

There were five of them, including the rude one. They looked different up close, older, and somewhat more intimidating. The men all wore long black trench coats over dark clothes. Their outfits screamed mysterious and daunting. The woman was equally imposing in a long leather coat that brushed the heels of her knee-high boots. Her hair was cut short so it showed off her strong features and coffee-colored skin. The man speaking to the officer wore a black fedora, and Alexa singled him out as their leader.

At first glance, any normal person would have thought them to be FBI agents. But the gleaming silver swords beneath their coats gave them away.

Alexa stood close enough to hear them.

"...I'll let you know if I hear anything," said the policeman.

The one who'd called her a stiff turned around and glared at her, but she focused her attention on the man in the hat. Nonetheless, her nails dug into the flesh of her palms, and the stinging pain surprised her.

"Thanks, Frank," said the Sensitive with the fedora as the policeman walked away. He looked at Alexa with a clear, intelligent gaze, but she saw a hint of confusion before he gave her a warm smile.

"You must be Alexa," he said, surprising her a little.

She knew the Legion communicated with the Sensitives on occasion, she just had no idea how it was done.

"I'm Santo," he continued and gestured towards the others. "This is Haru, Denton, and Evelyn. And I think you've already met Erik."

Erik. Although she felt his gaze on her, she avoided him completely. She went to shake Santo's hand, but he did not raise his. Feeling like an idiot, she let her hand drop. She blushed slightly. Was this a rookie mistake? Or did they really not want to touch her?

Santo's dark eyes gleamed under his black fedora. An angry-looking scar marred the left side of his otherwise very handsome face and made him look gruesome. "What's the Legion's take on this?" inquired Santo. His voice was raspy and commanding, the voice of someone who was used to getting answers. "Any leads to what killed the girl? How did something like that slip under your radar?"

_Was that an accusation?_ Just by the way he was looking at her, Alexa knew he was hiding something. _Was this a test?_

Alexa shifted uncomfortably under his intent stare, but she didn't look away. "We do our best," she said. The conviction in her voice surprised her. It was obvious he thought she had some experience in the demon-slaying business, and she wasn't about to tell him otherwise. "But there are always a handful of demons that slip through the cracks, no matter what we do," she tried to sound like a seasoned guardian.

"Thought as much," he answered, nodding. "Which demon is responsible for this mess?"

"I'm pretty sure it was a lesser demon." Alexa's fingers still felt cold and alien. "But as to which one, I would need more time. Could be a Morax demon, or maybe a Val'dor demon. Hard to tell." She tried to remember all the different lesser demons she'd studied, but her mind was going blank under pressure.

Santo leaned closer to her, and he frowned. "You don't sound convinced," he said dryly. "What else do you know...or what else do you _think_ you know?"

For the first time, a hint of doubt, even fatherly condescension, had crept into his voice, as if Alexa's youth somehow undermined the respect due to her as a guardian angel.

Alexa wasn't sure about how much information she wanted to relay. She didn't know them, and she had the impression they didn't trust her. But if she were to solve this and get ahead in the Legion, she knew she needed help.

"All I know for sure is that whatever killed her took her soul."

Erik's attention snapped back to her, as did the others. They were taken aback that she had some useful information.

"What do you mean _took_ her soul?" Erik appeared genuinely interested in her now. "I thought that's what demons did. Eat people's souls."

"They do. But this is different." Alexa glanced at Erik and kept her face blank even though she was still positively fuming about his snide comment. But she almost smiled at him now because she knew something that he didn't. Stiff or not, she was privy to the Legion's inside information. He wasn't.

"How is it different?" asked Santo, a calculating look on his face.

"There seems to be a discrepancy between the time when the victims were killed and when the souls were killed. It's like they happened at two different times. The victims died, and then a few minutes later the souls died. That's why the Legion felt this matter needed further investigation. It's very unusual. Where do the souls go during that short time? And for what purpose? It's not common behavior in lesser demons, or in any demon for that matter."

"You said _victims_ ," said Santo. His gaze rested on the body that was now covered with a white blanket. "So there's more than one of these cases."

"Yes," said Alexa.

Santo shared a look with the man called Haru. He looked to be in his late thirties, like Santo, and had gleaming short black hair and matching clever eyes. A longsword hung at his hip, and he looked as lean as an alley cat. Alexa guessed he would be equally quick and graceful in his motions.

"Are they sure about that? About the souls?" asked Santo after a long pause. His expression was unreadable.

"Yes," answered Alexa, finally feeling important and useful. "It's why I'm here. To find out what happens in that small window of time after the mortal body dies and before the soul disappears."

Santo paced on the spot and then paused in mid-stride. His eyes once again grazed over the body before returning to Alexa. "I've never heard of a demon who preferred to collect souls and consume them later, when each soul would grant him more power and longevity here in our world." With his hand on the hilt of his sword, he looked at Alexa in such a way that he implied Alexa knew more than she was willing to tell them, that she was withholding information. "What about your other cases? In your experience, have you ever seen anything that might shed some light here? It could help us narrow down the list of demons."

Alexa shook her head, unable to form the lie on her lips. "I don't have much experience in these kinds of cases." Immediately, she knew she had said the wrong thing. It was too late to take it back now. Why hadn't she just lied?

The Sensitives all looked at her with incredulity and frustration.

Santo frowned deeply, and his scar twisted grotesquely. "Why would the Legion send a rookie on a case such as this?"

"She's a rookie?" Evelyn spoke for the first time. Her gaze went from Alexa's boots to the top of her head, rolling over every inch of her as though trying to find the word _rookie_ written on her skin or hidden beneath her clothes. A strange smile formed on her lush lips. "I'll never understand angels."

Evelyn turned around and shared a laugh with the one called Denton. He was built like a gladiator with strong shoulders and skin the color of midnight. He towered over everyone and watched her with a mixture of cruelty and amusement in his small black eyes.

"I can help," said Alexa. Her voice cracked, and she cursed herself for revealing too much emotion to these strangers. "I've been trained for this, you know. I'm not an idiot."

Santo's eyes rooted her to the spot. "How many assignments have you done?"

_Crap._ Alexa strained not to look away. She would not show him the fear that wanted to break loose from inside her. "This is my first—"

"Great!" said Haru as he threw up his hands. "And this is what the Legion means by cooperation? We asked for help and they send us a kid? An angel kid with _zero_ experience. Fantastic. I told you they weren't going to tell us what was really going on. It's time you open your eyes, Santo."

Although she was annoyed, Alexa didn't correct him. It was the truth. Perhaps the Legion had made a mistake sending her.

"Show's over, guys," said Santo. His voice and eyes were cold. "Go back to Horizon, Alexa. You're no use to us here. And ask them to send us an angel with real experience next time."

The words stung. Whether he had meant to or not, he made Alexa feel like a total failure and a fraud.

But she had not failed. Not yet. Alexa struggled to get the next words out.

"I _can_ help," she said again. She was determined not to be pushed aside. "I already did." She gestured towards the park where she'd rescued the teenage boy.

"What?" Santo hesitated and then he added, "what did you do?" His expression was as immobile as a stone, but he sounded genuinely interested.

"We don't need the stiff's help," growled Erik before she could reply. He moved next to Santo, his square shoulders wide and strong. "We can do this without them." His glare made her wince, but he was wrong if he thought it was enough to shut her up. She had to wait a moment to compose herself.

"I vanquished a demon just before you arrived," she said finally. She hoped they'd start to take her seriously now that she had a real demon-vanquishing experience under her belt.

"Sure you did," said Erik, a mock smile on his face. "And I'm Santa Claus."

Alex glared at him. "Before you got here, there _was_ a demon, a lesser demon, across from where the dead girl's body is." She pointed to the area across from them. Her confidence increased by the second, even though they looked doubtful. "It attached itself to a boy, and it was sucking his life force. So, I took care of it." She couldn't help but feel the pride well up inside her. She'd done something incredible. She'd vanquished a demon and saved the boy's life. So why were they still frowning at her?

"You vanquished the demon by yourself?" asked Santo with a grimace.

A tiny smile formed on Alexa's lips. "I did. And I guarantee you, it won't be coming back," she said and lifted her chin slightly.

"And what about the boy?"

"He's fine. He went home," said Alexa. She looked at Erik, hoping she had gained his approval or at least earned just a flicker of interest. But he wasn't looking at her. He was staring over at the dead girl's body.

The crowd was slowly dispersing now that the body was covered, and they couldn't take pictures of her anymore.

"Could this demon you vanquished," began Santo, worry lines creased his eyes as she turned to look at him, "could it be the same one that killed that girl?"

Alexa shrugged. Her eyes involuntarily settled on Erik again, but his gaze was still locked on the girl, and she couldn't read the expression on his face.

"Maybe. I mean, I can't be a hundred percent sure it's the _same_ demon...I just...I don't know. Something just doesn't add up. It doesn't fit."

"Why not?" asked Santo.

All the other operatives, except Erik, had focused their attention on what she was saying.

"Because..." Alexa hesitated. She wasn't sure how much she should share with these mortals. They clearly thought she would be as useful to them as a cockroach. But what surprised Alexa the most was that she actually cared for their approval.

Deep down she was still just a normal girl. She still had the same mortal feelings she had when she was alive. She was still blighted by the constant need for approval from her parents and teachers. She still feared their rejection. Approval from others was the very oxygen that kept her alive. Or at least, it had been before she had died.

Alexa swallowed hard, another mortal reflex that her M-suit enabled her to do. "I don't think it was the same demon. Because, well, you saw her eyes, right? Something about the way her eyes were—"

"Alexa. Glad we found you," came a familiar male voice from behind her. It made her cringe. She didn't have to turn around to recognize who it was. The voice was as cold as stone and tinged with contempt.

And when she finally did turn around, she met the scowls of three guardian angels.

# 5

THE THREE ANGELS LOOKED LIKE a group of vampires. While they shared the same light brown hair and pale skin, that's where the comparison ended. Two were shorter and more muscled than the third, like they'd spent hours training every day. Alexa couldn't guess their ages. While they looked all to be in their early twenties, they could be centuries old for all she knew. They shared the hard, ethereal look that bespoke the toll of years in service. Their eyes were cold and unsympathetic. The tallest, their ringleader, gave her a cheeky grin.

"What are you doing here, Ryan?" She didn't try to hide the annoyance in her voice. For the past year, Ryan's personal mission had been to make her new life in Horizon a living hell. The fact that he was here, standing in front of her on her very first assignment, was probably the worst outcome she could have imagined. She'd gladly take a hundred Eriks over one Ryan. "What? You thought you'd torment me here too? Is that it?" she spat.

Ryan glanced casually at the group of Sensitive operatives, never really looking at them. "Ariel wants you back right away. But really," he grinned and stepped forward until she could smell the cigarette smoke on his clothes, "I'm here to make sure you don't screw up on your first assignment."

The other two angels, James and Will, laughed without humor. They were Ryan's sidekicks and had always cheered him on when he tormented her. His loyal servants, ever standing in his presence, they waited to do his bidding. They were two morons who couldn't think for themselves, and they had tethered themselves like dogs to a cruel angel. Perfect.

"Ariel's been trying to contact you, but it seems you _forgot_ to take your tracker mite. How convenient." Ryan's voice was as distracting as a persistent mosquito.

"What are you implying?" Alexa tried to hide her humiliation, all too aware that she now had all the Sensitives' undivided attention. When Ryan didn't answer, she gave him a brilliant smile. "So...she sent you primarily as my babysitter? I wonder what you did to piss her off." She thought she heard Erik snort, but she was probably mistaken.

Ryan's smile faded. "Did you discover anything useful for us, or have you been playing _mortal_ all this time with your new friends?"

Alexa ignored the slight. "I have." Her confidence grew. Somehow she knew she was right, but she still needed more time.

"And..." Ryan crossed his arms. There was no mistaking the mockery in his voice. "What is it?"

Alexa narrowed her eyes. "I don't report to you. And I'm not saying anything until I have more proof. It's still too early to make assumptions. I need more to go on. Until then, I have nothing of interest to offer. Even if I did, it would be for Ariel only."

Ryan's face seemed to change to a deeper color, but that was impossible, because angels didn't have blood. "I knew sending you was a complete waste of the Legion's resources. I advised them it would be. You might have fooled Ariel somehow when she chose to elevate you to the Counter Demon Division, but you didn't fool me, _rookie_. You don't belong here. And I'm going to make sure you stay away. Let's go."

Alexa cringed. Her humiliation was turning into anger, and she didn't move. Although Ryan was a petty officer in the Legion, and ranked higher than her, she wasn't assigned to him. Ariel had sent her out on her own, and although it was a little unusual to have done so, she didn't remember the archangel telling her that she'd have a babysitter.

"Why should I follow you?"

"Because," growled Ryan, "even though I think you're a fraud, Ariel wants you back to debrief. She thinks you might have some input, which would help her understand the findings concerning another victim."

"Where's the other victim?" asked Santo before she could say anything else.

Ryan turned slowly and eyed Santo with a mixture of disdain and superiority. She thought he'd reserved that attitude only for her, but it seemed he lorded himself over the Sensitives, too. For a moment, she was sure he was about to spit in Santo's face, and she was truly surprised that he answered.

"Here, in this pathetic place you call a town," he finally answered, looking slightly bored.

Alexa knew he answered because he had to since it would reflect badly on him if it reached Ariel that he hadn't been cooperative with the Sensitives.

Santo's gaze never left Ryan. "And you're sure it's the same demon or demons that killed again?"

Ryan raised a brow, his face guarded. "We are."

Santo watched the angel with an intense gaze. "They took the soul, didn't they?"

Ryan cast Alexa an annoyed glare before answering. "Yes."

Santo gave his fellow operatives an impatient look. But when he looked back at Ryan, his face was two shades darker. "Why didn't the Legion share that bit of crucial information with us? Didn't they think it might help if we had all the information? If you told us what you knew?"

Ryan's features tightened, but there was a trace of sick humor in his eyes. "If they didn't share it, it's because you didn't need to know. You forget your place, _mortal_. You do the Legion's bidding, not the other way around. Remember that."

Alexa flinched. If she'd hoped to befriend the mortals, Ryan had just made it impossible. Her frustrations with the Sensitives evaporated and was replaced by disgust at her fellow angel's demeaning behavior. She'd never been ashamed to be an angel, until now.

"You son of a—"

Erik charged forward. His face was white with rage. But Santo grabbed him by the arm and twisted him around. He whispered something in his ear, and although Erik was still livid, he yanked his arm from his leader's grip and walked away.

Alexa wanted to go after Erik. He had to know that she wasn't like Ryan. She halted just after she'd taken a step, but not before Ryan had seen her. She could see him snicker. She was suddenly reminded of why she hated him so much.

The night's air was thick with animosity. The Sensitives all shared a murderous look in their eyes, but they watched their leader and waited.

Santo breathed heavily and then fell silent. He looked like a rabid dog about to pounce. He stared at Alexa, long and intently. She wondered if he could see the shame she felt at her colleague's behavior. She desperately wanted to tell him that she didn't share Ryan's views, but her mouth didn't seem to work.

Alexa realized that Santo wanted something from her, though she couldn't imagine what it might be. With each passing second, she became more uncomfortable, but she didn't look away. She just hoped he could read her as well as she thought he could.

Without warning, he made a sign of dismissal and turned on his heel and walked away. Haru, Denton, and Evelyn followed him. Alexa watched in silence as Erik joined them. He hung his head, his hands in his pockets.

When she finally pulled her gaze away, she winced at the brazen grin on Ryan's plain and pale face.

"Come on," he gestured, "the lake is just behind that row of trees."

Without another word, the two angels followed closely behind Ryan, but Alexa was rooted on the spot. The fear and fury of the demon fight had gone, but her M suit throbbed with a dull ache that kept her from moving. But it wasn't cramping that immobilized her; it was fear of what lay beyond those trees. But she knew if she didn't follow, it would be much, much worse.

With every step, her mind swirled, and her vision blurred. She made it through the strip of trees and could see that the lake looked like a giant mirror. It reflected the stars and the moon, and was illuminated in a misty glow. If she hadn't been so terrified, she would have thought it looked magical.

"Let's go," urged Ryan. He climbed over the iron fence and stepped onto the rocky shore of the lake. James and Will jumped over the fence easily. They all turned and waited for her.

Carefully, Alexa swung her legs over the fence. But then she grabbed the fence and didn't move. She stared at the lake. She felt detached from her body. She couldn't do it. She felt like a fraud and a failure. She wasn't a real angel. She couldn't be, not when she felt like this.

"Alexa?" She heard Ryan's voice, but she didn't move.

"What's the matter with her?" Will and James didn't know whether to sneer or to laugh.

But Ryan's face shone with victory. A cold smile formed on his lips as he said, "She's afraid of the water."

Water.

The one-way-ticket to Earth from Horizon wasn't on a magical train. There was only one portal for angels to travel back and forth from Horizon, and that portal was water.

Ponds. Lakes. Streams. Pools. Bathtubs. They were all the same to her. She could already feel its icy, gray hands pulling her down, choking her and burning her lungs until she was no more. She could feel the light slipping away.

"What?" James and Will started to laugh and snapped Alexa out of her nightmare.

"You do know you're dead, right? You can't _die_ from drowning. You're already _dead_. Is she stupid or something?"

_Drowning_. Her secret was out. The entire Legion would know she was frightened of water.

Alexa gripped the iron fence as she strained to keep herself from falling. She heard the sound of a crunch on the gravel and cringed when she turned around.

Erik was moving towards them.

She wanted to cry. Had he decided to come and watch her humiliation? No doubt he would relish her utter failure as a guardian angel. Why couldn't she have stayed in Horizon? She would have made a great Oracle's assistant.

"What a joke," said Will. "A guardian angel who's afraid of water. That's really pathetic. What kind of idiot chose her? She's completely useless as an angel. Maybe we should just do her in. We'd be doing the Legion a favor."

Alexa had put on a bravura performance for the Sensitives, but now she was shivering in fear and embarrassment.

"I always _knew_ there was something wrong about you," said Ryan. He made his way towards her until his boots nearly touched hers. "Ariel's going to hear about this. Your days as a guardian angel are numbered. Consider yourself _terminated_."

Before she could stop him, Ryan reached out and clamped his hand around her arm. "You're going in. Whether you like it or not."

"NO! Please stop. Please. Please don't do this." Alexa pulled and kicked with all her strength, but it was like trying to break free from metal shackles. Ryan wouldn't let go. She could feel the cold emptiness of the water calling to her, mocking her.

"Let her go."

Alexa stopped struggling, and Erik hopped over the fence like a pro athlete. He seemed bigger than she'd remembered and stronger.

"This is the Legion's business, _mortal_ ," spat Ryan. "Get lost. Or suffer the consequences."

To Alexa's surprise, Erik pulled a long silver dagger from inside his jacket. She could see the symbols etched along the blade. It looked a lot like a soul blade.

"I hate bullies," he said, staring at the blade. "Almost as much as I hate demons." He twirled the blade in his hand with the skill of someone who'd been trained with it for years. The moonlight reflected off its sharp edge, and Alexa noticed tiny white scars on his hands that she hadn't seen before.

"She said she didn't want to go," said Erik. His voice was low and threatening. "Leave her alone, or _suffer the consequences_."

At this threat, both James and Will reached for their weapons, but a single look from Ryan caused them to drop their hands.

"Let's settle this discreetly, shall we." Ryan sounded as if he were condescending to Erik. "Besides," he looked at Alexa as if he despised her, "she's not even worth it."

He pushed her hard against the fence. Pain flared in her back as the iron pickets sliced into her mortal suit, and something cool dripped down her spine.

"You've no business being a guardian," he said, and then his smile returned. "The Legion will see to it. Good luck finding your way back, _Lexi._ You won't last a day on your own."

And with that, the three angels dove into the water. Brilliant white light flashed in the place where their bodies had been moments before. Alexa watched in silence as their illuminated bodies disintegrated into millions of iridescent particles.

Her eyes moved to Erik. He still looked rather angry, but he was not at all shaken by the sudden disappearance of the angels.

Alexa didn't know how long she stood there, staring off into the lake. It was only when Erik spoke that she realized her face was wet with tears, and he was still there. He hadn't left her.

"Come on," he said. His voice was strangely soft.

When she turned to look at him, she didn't understand the expression on his face at all.

"You're riding with me."

He jumped over the fence and walked away. Alexa stared at him in awe.

# 6

NEITHER OF THEM SPOKE during the car ride.

Alexa didn't know how long she sat in the passenger seat staring at her reflection, too embarrassed and ashamed to speak. She was a coward. There was no other word better. Who was she kidding? She wasn't a guardian angel. She was a scared little girl.

The day of her mission, when other guardians had been clustered around the Vega water tanks in the elite Counter Demon Division, readying themselves for transport to Earth on their assignments, Alexa _hadn't_ made the jump. At least not technically, it had been purely accidental.

She had been standing next to the edge of the tank, staring at the water's surface, while her fears increased. She knew she had to jump. There was no other way to get to Earth. And just when she'd been about to reveal to everyone that she couldn't do it—someone bumped into her, and she fell in.

And now she was stuck in the mortal world, too frightened to get back to Horizon.

Alexa rubbed her temples as a throbbing migraine thumped her head. The icy water still haunted her, and she had a feeling that her nightmare was just beginning.

Ariel had said that her M-9 suit would last for a few months before it deteriorated, and she became a defenseless target for demons. It gave her some comfort that she didn't have to think about it for a little while longer. She hoped Ariel was right, and that she could last that long.

"You don't talk much, do you?" said Erik after a period of excruciating silence.

Alexa met his gaze. "Maybe, I don't," she answered. "But you're worse."

Erik turned his attention back on the road.

She took the time to _really_ look at him. His face was perfectly aligned with his straight nose, square jaw, and deep-set eyes. She liked the way his dark hair curled around the nape of his neck and ears. He was a bit of an ass, but he was handsome. Very handsome.

"What?" Erik looked at her.

"Nothing," said Alexa. She realized she'd been staring at him like a stalker.

She turned back to her reflection in the window. She looked the same. The same brown hair with sun-kissed streaks, the same hazel eyes. It was her face that stared back at her. She felt strangely relieved that she looked like herself. She would probably have died of fright if it had been someone else's face staring back at her.

Alexa was still too humiliated to speak, and she was completely confused about Erik. He had appeared to hate her. But then he had offered her a ride. She just couldn't figure him out.

Erik's car felt strangely intimate, the space too tight, their seats a little too close. It smelled of new leather and gasoline. The inside of the car was immaculate, way too clean for any ordinary guy. Not a single thing was out of place. The dashboard gleamed whenever they passed under a streetlight.

Even before she had died, Alexa hadn't known much about cars. And she knew even less about Erik's. It was red and old, like a collector's classic car. That she knew for sure. It reminded her of the cars she had seen when she'd watched old cop show reruns on television with her mom.

Alexa could see a clear, inky sky, peppered with brilliant stars. The moonlight cast everything in hues of dark blue and gray. Even in the darkness, Coffin Grove was a paradise of mountains and valleys, farms, and forests. Charming turn-of-the-century houses and historic buildings dotted the landscape. It was stunning.

"So, what happened back there?" said Erik, his eyes on the road in front of him.

Alexa knew exactly what he meant, but she said anyway, "What do you mean?"

"With the lake, the water thing. What was that all about?"

Alexa felt another giant wave of humiliation wash through her. "It's nothing. I don't want to talk about it." It had been bad enough that he'd been there to witness her pathetic episode. She didn't want to relive it. It was too soon to talk about it.

But it seemed Erik didn't want to let it go. "Why was that stiff all up in your face like that? What's his problem?"

"I don't know," said Alexa, which was the truth. "He's always been like that with me. Ever since I..." _died and woke up in Horizon._ The words stuck in her throat.

Erik hit the steering wheel with the flat of his palm, making Alexa jump as he shook his head. "Man. This is just what I'm talking about."

"What is?" asked Alexa, although she wasn't so sure she wanted to know.

"They're all the same," said Erik angrily. "Just like all the other stiffs, giving orders, squashing us down like we're all just little bugs. Just because they're angels, they think it gives them the right to tell us what to think and how to feel. But I'm sick of it! I'm sick of stiffs ordering us around like we're their slaves."

"So if you hate angels," began Alexa, "why are you here? Why are you helping me?"

Erik was silent for a moment. "Because it's my job. We're screwed, you know. Basically, we're branded at birth, preselected for this life, and there's nothing we can do about it."

_Branded?_ Alexa had no idea what that meant.

After that, they said nothing to each other for what felt likes hours. Alexa watched as Erik's mood darkened. She didn't know what to say, or even if she should say anything to try to calm him. The truth was she didn't know much about the Legion, and even less about him or the other Sensitives. She didn't have much to offer.

"But I never thought I'd see stiffs at each other's throats like that," said Erik in a mock laugh.

Alexa cleared her throat in annoyance. "It's nothing, really, just let it go. It's over."

Erik shook his head. "Nah. It's never over. It'll never be over."

The car swerved for a second before he steered it back under control, and Alexa gripped the door handle.

Erik kept his eyes on the road. "You see that's the thing. The stiffs will always treat the rest of us like dirt. They can't help it. They have a God complex."

"Stop doing that," said Alexa, feeling her temper throb in her temples.

A frown wrinkled Erik's forehead. "Stop doing what?"

"Stop calling us _stiffs_."

Erik straightened in his seat, but said nothing for a while. She wasn't sure if she had angered him, but she was afraid she might slap him if he didn't stop with the stiff stuff.

When he spoke next, his voice had none of the anger from before. "But you're dead," he said, as though somehow that made it okay.

"I know that," Alexa snapped, glaring at him. "But you don't have to demean me by calling us names. It's...it's hard enough to adjust as it is...and you're not helping."

It was strange to refer herself now as _us_. It meant she was no longer part of the world of the living, that she and Erik were two very different people—one dead, and one alive.

"So, how did you die?" asked Erik, his voice softer than before, and Alexa wasn't sure she liked it better. It sounded too intimate, too low—a lover's voice.

She stared out the window again, knowing that eventually she would have to tell him. "I had an accident. I fell and broke my neck. That's all I remember."

"Oh," Erik sounded puzzled. "I would have figured you had drowned." He was silent for a while and then added, "...the way you reacted to the water. I thought that's how you died."

"It wasn't."

Erik pursed his lips. "Okay. But I still think you had some kind of traumatic experience with water," he said. "Probably when you were really young. Am I right?"

Alexa opened her mouth to speak, but hesitated. She hated the fact that he was so close to the truth. He was too close to home and had brought her feelings to the surface again. Literally.

But then she found herself opening up to him. "I was seven when it happened," she began. She was surprised at how easily the words flowed. "It was at Jimmy's birthday party, my neighbor. We were out playing by the pool, and I fell in. I don't remember how I fell in, but I remember looking up at the water over my head, choking, trying to breathe, and swallowing buckets of water instead." Alexa clasped her trembling hands. "I remember hands grabbing me, and then I blacked out. I woke up in the hospital the next day."

"Where were your parents?"

Alexa looked out the window. "My parents divorced when I was five. I lived with my mom and whatever boyfriend she had at the time. She was probably off drinking somewhere, too drunk even to notice I had almost died." She'd never truly recovered after that. Her body had healed from the trauma, but her soul was still fractured. "So, what kind of car is this?" Alexa wanted to change the subject. "I know it's one of those old, collectible ones, right?"

A tight smile that could pass for a grimace formed on Erik's lips. "You don't know much about cars, do you?"

"Not really. It's not like I could afford one."

"Well," his smile widened. "This baby is a 1969 Ford Mustang, Boss 429." He turned to look at her, half expecting a reaction.

"Okay." She knew by the look on his face that had been the wrong thing to say.

His smile vanished, but his gaze became intense. "So, how old are you, anyway?"

Alexa stared at the suicidal bugs in the beams of the headlights. "I was seventeen when I died. That was about a year ago, if you go by a _mortal_ timeline. Even though in Horizon time has no real significance, we still count in mortal years. At least the rookies do. But I feel and look older, so I guess that makes me eighteen?" Her gaze fell on Erik again, but he wasn't looking at her. "You're what? Twenty? Twenty-one?"

"Nineteen," said Erik flatly.

His chiseled face, broad shoulders, and the thick chest hidden beneath his shirt made him look older. A lot older. Perhaps it was because he had been born a Sensitive and had to fight demons when he was young.

Alexa looked at his face. "So...where are you from? Did you drive up here from New York City? New Jersey?"

"No, I live here. In Coffin Grove."

She'd never seen him before. There was only one high school in Coffin Grove, and although he was older, she would have noticed him. With his good looks, there was no way she wouldn't have. All the girls would have.

"What about you?"

"Same. Born and raised in this place," she said as she scanned the road. "How long have you been a Sensitive?"

"I was born one."

Alexa felt a blush. "I know. What I meant to say is how long have you been an _active_ one? An operative? Did you have to graduate from a special school or something?"

Erik rolled his eyes. "Is that what the stif—the Legion teaches you? But you're a rookie, right, so you probably don't know a whole lot."

Alexa noticed that he had made an effort not to say _stiff_ , but he still peeved her a little, especially his insight that she knew practically nothing.

"Yeah, there's a school," replied Erik. "But it's more of a hands-on type of academy, not so much with books, like regular schools. They teach the basics like math, language arts, science, social studies, but our major focus is on the supernatural. Demons, vampires, ghosts, angels...you know, the usual. It's a place just for us, kept hidden from the rest of the world."

"It would explain why I'd never seen you before," said Alexa.

"Exactly." Erik wiped his eyes. He was tired.

Alexa felt a little gush of shame because she didn't feel tired at all.

She started to feel a little bolder, a little less ashamed. "You probably come from a long line of Sensitives. And you probably know everything there is to know about angels and demons and the whole...organization, don't you? You have years of experience and knowledge that I don't. Your parents must be real proud. I'm sure they taught you everything they know too, right? Do you live with them?"

Alexa couldn't help but feel a little envious of Erik. It must have been spectacular to have been born into a secretive society that kept mortals safe from wandering demons. It was like being a guardian, but a mortal one.

Erik seemed to have withdrawn into himself, but something was obviously causing him pain. His knuckles were white on the steering wheel, and his eyes focused on the road ahead, as if he was watching something far away.

"Erik? Are you all right?" His sudden mood change had thrown her off balance a little.

But Erik didn't speak after that.

Alexa sat in silence, wondering what she'd said that had him shut down. Not that she cared all that much, but it was nice to talk to someone, even if he was a bit of a jerk. The silence gave her ample time to think. How was she ever going to get back to Horizon? And did she really want to go back?

"Where are we going?" she blurted after the excruciating silence had become unbearable. They had made a left on Hunter Avenue and now were heading south on Broadway. Soon they'd pass the center of town. She knew the area like the back of her hand, but she wanted to know where he was taking her.

"With a little digging, Santo was able to locate the other victim," said Erik, as he slowed the car at the next stop sign.

"Where?" Alexa remembered the murdered girl's eyes, and she suppressed a shiver.

"I don't know where it happened, but the body's been moved to the morgue. The medical examiner is already performing an autopsy. That's where we're going."

Alexa doubted an autopsy would help them in any way. The cause of death was supernatural and beyond the understanding of some medical examiner. Still, she decided not to say anything. Perhaps she was wrong. Maybe they would discover something.

They passed Millard Avenue, and just after Mrs. Penny's house, a small cottage with the red metal roof came into view. A deep ache like voltage coursed through her. Even though it was technically impossible, she felt anxious and out of breath.

"Would you mind," she began. Her tongue was heavy in her mouth, and her voice high and anxious like she was a twelve-year-old. "Do you think we could make a quick stop? It's on the way...and it should only take a few minutes. There's someone..." Alexa couldn't finish, her throat clamped shut.

Erik turned his attention to her and then after a moment, back to the road.

"Sure. Where to?" His voice had the gentle quality again.

Alexa cleared her throat. "Turn right up here on the next street. Should be Highland Avenue."

Just as Erik made a right on Highland, his cell phone rang. "Yeah," he said, and then listened for a little while. "Okay. Be there in fifteen minutes." He paused. "I'm with Alexa." He listened for another moment and then, "Okay." Erik slipped his phone back inside his jacket.

Alexa hadn't seen the other operatives when she had slipped into Erik's car, thankful to be away from Ryan. Now, she wondered what Santo had said on the phone. Was he angry or disappointed that she was accompanying Erik? Had they known he had gone back to check up on her?

But those thoughts evaporated when Alexa's eyes spotted the small bungalow. Even in the growing darkness, she could make out the rotten roof shingles, the peeling tan-colored paint from the siding, and the tall, unkempt grass on the front lawn.

"Stop," commanded Alexa.

"What?"

"Stop here," she repeated.

Erik pulled the car to the right side of the road and killed the engine. Alexa could feel his eyes on her, but she wouldn't look at him. She was concentrating on the front door of the house.

"What are we doing here?" asked Erik as he leaned over and looked out the front window. "What is this place?"

Before Alexa could answer, the front door crashed open.

A woman stepped out. Her gait was as wobbly as a newborn calf trying out its legs for the first time. She threw her arms out in front of her as though she was trying to get her balance, and she made her way to a gray Toyota Echo parked in the driveway. Her black eye makeup was smeared down to her cheeks, and her dark, shoulder-length hair was disheveled and looked as though she hadn't washed it in months. Her mouth moved in conversation with some invisible person as she yanked open the door to the back seat of the car and pulled out a case of Corona beer.

"Who's the drunk?" asked Erik. He was so close to Alexa that she could feel his hot breath on the nape of her neck.

She swallowed in an attempt to soothe the ache. "My mother," she said, her voice almost a whisper. She felt a familiar shame next—shame about her mother and shame about where she'd lived in life. How pointless it all seemed now.

Her mother left the car's door open as she made her way back to the house, laughing at some joke only she could hear. She disappeared through the front entry and a moment later, the door slammed shut.

"Why are you torturing yourself?" Erik's voice was gentle and caressed her left ear. "You said it yourself. You almost drowned because of her. Why do you even care?"

The words hurt. But Alexa hid the sting. "I know you don't understand. You can't. Not unless you've lived it. All you see is a drunk. But somewhere in there is my mother. She's far from perfect, but she didn't abandon me like my father did. And that means something. Yes, we had our share of problems. Yes, there was more booze in the house than actual food. Yes, for years I ate Cornflakes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But those precious times, those very few times when she didn't have a bottle in her hand, and her eyes were clear, and I could really _see_ her—those were the best days of my life."

She didn't trust herself to speak after that. She searched for another glimpse of her mother, but she didn't see her again.

"I'm sorry." Erik's voice broke the uncomfortable silence, and he shifted back into his seat.

"Don't feel sorry for me because I don't. There are far worse living conditions than this. Let's go."

Alexa shut her eyes. She hardly heard the engine roar as Erik kicked it into life and pulled away from the curb. She was barely aware of the warm, wet tears streaming down her cheeks.

# 7

AFTER A SHORT DRIVE THROUGH town, past the Coffin Grove cemetery, they turned right onto Gory Brook road and drove up the cracked concrete driveway to the morgue. The morgue was a creepy, crooked blood-red building that looked like it had been through a hurricane. Soft yellow light spilled from bottom windows that looked like glowing eyes. She'd lived in this town her entire life, and this was the very first time she'd laid eyes on the building.

It was past midnight by the time Erik had parked his car and killed the engine. For a moment they both sat in an awkward silence. Alexa twiddled her fingers, not knowing if she should be the one to speak. She couldn't explain why she felt so nervous. She tried to smell herself surreptitiously to see if she still reeked of decaying demon ash, but she couldn't smell anything apart from gasoline. When she realized how stupid she must have looked, she felt clammy with artificial sweat that seemed disturbingly real. The fact that Erik was still withdrawn made Alexa feel even more uncomfortable. She slipped out of the car to escape the suffocating silence.

An old black Ford four-door sedan was parked next to them. It, too, was a classic collector's car and looked as if it had belonged to a mobster from the nineteen forties. Somehow, she guessed it belonged to Santo. It fit with his hat.

"Wait," said Erik.

Alexa turned around.

"Here," said Erik. He handed her a large silver dagger.

Alexa recognized it immediately as the one she had seen when Erik had confronted Ryan. She took it gladly. Archaic symbols on the blade gleamed in the soft light from the nearby streetlamp. The handle was cool to the touch, and yet it seemed to have been carved in perfect harmony with her hand. The familiar feel of a soul blade gave her much needed comfort.

She frowned and looked up at him. "But this is yours. Why would you give it to me?"

Erik shrugged and tapped his jacket. "No worries. I have another one."

"But this is a _soul_ blade." She grinned as if she'd just been given a diamond ring. But then she stopped smiling. "How did you get it? Did you steal this from an angel? Please tell me you didn't."

"Does it matter how I got it?" Erik's smile spoke of the many mischievous things he'd done. It was the first time he had smiled like that, and it transformed his face magnificently. Alexa peeled her gaze away from him before she started drooling.

"The real question you should be asking yourself is why the Legion sent you here without one," said Erik. "Without real protection."

Alexa sighed. "I did have some protection. I had salt. It wasn't a soul blade, but was enough to kill a demon."

Erik laughed, but his hard features returned. "You got lucky."

"Rookies aren't allowed to use them. Only in training."

Erik shifted his weight. "Whatever. Do you know how to use it?"

"Of course," snapped Alexa. She was good with the blade, very good. The archangel Ariel had called her a natural. It was true. She moved instinctively and had surpassed all the other trainees to reach the expert level within three months. It was her best skill.

She took the blade and secured it with a hook at her waist. It disappeared beneath her jacket seamlessly and would be perfectly hidden from mortal eyes.

Alexa was determined to make the best of it in the world of the living. A higher power had chosen her for a reason, and she would prove to everyone that choosing her hadn't been a mistake. She would be kickass in death.

And her first step would be to solve the murders, to find the soul thieves, and to destroy them.

Erik had stopped smiling. "Let's go."

She followed him up the steps and through the large oak doors. It was like stepping into a freezer. Alexa looked over at Erik. She half expected to see him exhaling white mist from his mouth, but if he had been as shocked she was by the cold, he didn't mention it.

The smell of bleach and other hard chemicals hit her like a slap across the face. If the outside of the building had been a complete disaster, it was nothing compared to the inside. They walked through a corridor with peeling gray paint that might once have been white. An old mop and pail leaned against the wall at the entrance, and Alexa suspected the foul bleach odor was coming from that water.

She heard voices when they entered the first room on the left. Santo, Haru, Evelyn, and Denton were gathered around a table and were watching the medical examiner.

The room was long, deep, and even colder than the hallway. On the opposite side of the room was a refrigerated section of individual drawers. She assumed they were for bodies. A medical cart carried striker saws for ripping bone, suturing materials, knives, and scalpels. Alexa tried not to think about why they were there. Two stainless steel operating tables stood in the center of the white tiled floor. One was empty. The other was not.

The victim was young and female. The body was naked except for a thin white sheet that covered her from the chest down. She was glad of it. The victim deserved better.

The grim faces of Erik's friends only heightened Alexa's sense of urgency to catch the demon behind the killings. They watched her without welcome. Alexa didn't ask how Santo and his team had been allowed to witness the autopsy. It was too bad that she had not had a chance to search the scene of the crime for clues.

Alexa felt like she'd just stepped into an X-Files episode, where Agent Scully was about to perform an autopsy in her familiar white lab coat and safety goggles. Instead of the witty redhead, the medical examiner was a wrinkled old man with thick glasses and mousy brown hair. He looked up from his conversation with Santo when she and Erik walked in.

"You've got an hour before the coroner comes to take the body," he said. He pulled off his gloves and threw them in a gray trashcan. Then he disappeared out the door without another word or glance in their direction.

Alexa stepped closer to the body. The first thing she noticed was the red, blistered flesh around the girl's eye sockets. Only black fleshy holes remained of what was once her eyes. Blue, guessed Alexa, judging by the fairness of the victim's skin and her golden hair. The wounds were identical to the other victim.

Carefully, she peeled off the sheet and examined the victim's chest. Nothing. The first victim's body had been severely butchered, but his one appeared to have no other wounds apart from her eyes. But the expression on her face said it all. It was still contorted in pain. Whatever did this to her had made her suffer first.

"What did the examiner say was the cause of death?" she asked to no one in particular. She pulled the sheet back over the girl.

"He said it was natural causes," answered Santo. "...heart attack due to the stress of having her eyes burned."

"While she was alive," said Evelyn angrily. "I want to kill the SOB who's doing this. It isn't right. These are just kids. Kids. They don't deserve to die like this."

"We'll get them, Evelyn," said Denton, and he squeezed her arm gently. "And we'll make them pay. I promise."

Denton and Haru shared a look, a silent promise that they were going to avenge these killings.

Evelyn walked away, wiping her eyes, and that's when Alexa knew that she had children. She looked like she was in her late twenties, maybe early thirties, so it made sense. And as a mother, she probably felt a deeper connection to the young victims than the rest of them. She had no doubt Evelyn would rip out the eyes of the demon that was doing this. Alexa could see Evelyn's strong, toned body under her long leather coat. She was a force to be reckoned with. She looked badass.

The room had gone quiet, and Alexa felt the weight of the world on her shoulders. It was as though the operatives were expecting her to say something that only an angel would see, a missing clue, anything.

There was nothing in the world that Alexa wanted more than to find a clue that would push them in the right direction. What kind of demon steals mortal souls, only to ingest them later? And why did they take the time to burn the mortals' eyes? So far, they had only discovered female victims. Was that a clue?

There must be a connection, but she just couldn't put her finger on it. An experienced angel might have been able to give them answers. Alexa had nothing that the operatives didn't already know. She looked away from the body.

"Alexa?" Erik had moved next to her. His jacket brushed up against hers, and she felt a tingling all over her body.

"You were about to say something back at the park before the stiff, I mean _Ryan,_ cut you off. What was it?"

"Just that I don't think the demon I vanquished in the park is the same demon that killed the girl." Her eyes moved back to the body. "Or this girl. They don't have the same wounds as the boy. The way that demon stole some of the boy's life force left him looking deathly pale and ill. These victims don't look like that. They don't look haggard or even sick. They died differently. Even though this one wasn't cut up like the other girl, I still feel they were both killed by the same demon. Both victims had their souls taken. Both victims had their eyes taken. Something else killed them."

She looked at Santo. "Do you know of a demon that would burn the eyes of their victims?"

Santo stroked his weeks-old beard. "Hard to say. A lot of them could have done it, just because they're twisted in that way. But off the top of my head, no. My guess would be a Higher demon. They're powerful enough for this."

"Do they normally burn the eyes of their victims?"

"Not that I know of," said Santo. His companions all shrugged.

Alexa's gaze fell back on the victim. "So, there are a couple of Higher demons running around, stealing souls, and burning the victims' eyes for the fun of it? Doesn't that sound odd to you?"

"Coming from demons, nothing is ever odd," said Santo. His scarred face was hidden in the shadow of his hat. "I'll speak to my guy Daniel later and see what he can pull out from the records. He's an expert in everything supernatural, a walking Wikipedia if you ask me. If there's anything on file about missing eyes and souls, he'll find it. Maybe he can shed some light on this."

Alexa was impressed that they had records about demons, but then so did the Legion. "Maybe it's something new, but it's demon. As far as I know, they're the only creatures that feed off mortal souls, right? Werewolves, goblins, and ghouls feed on human flesh, not souls. So, it has to be demons."

But what Alexa didn't say was that whatever was killing these mortals was making a bold statement with the eyes. Why go through all the trouble to do it if not to say something? Burning someone's eyes had to mean something.

"But the questions remain," continued Alexa, "if demons did this, where are they taking the souls and why?"

The group was silent for a long while. No one seemed to have the answers they needed. Alexa knew the killings wouldn't stop until they found those responsible. She needed to fulfill her assignment and figure out _why_ and _where_ the souls were being taken. She needed to find the demon or demons responsible. To catch them in the act seemed the way to go, but how she was going to pull that off was a whole different ballgame.

Alexa was deflated and felt a little out of her league. It didn't help that her company kept looking to her for the answers she didn't have. It was clear they needed help. And so did she.

"Maybe," she began, hating what she was about to admit, but knowing it was the right thing to do. "Maybe we should contact the Legion. We could really use their help on this, and there definitely should be more than one angel on this case." Although it stung her pride to admit it, she knew it was the truth.

"There are more angels on the case," said Santo.

Alexa swallowed in shock and surprise. "What? You contacted the Legion?"

Without her tracker mite, she had no way of communicating with the Legion. _How did these mortals have direct contact?_ She glanced about the room, expecting to see a cavalry of angels ready to take her back. She knew it was a possibility. She had just hoped she would have more time.

"The pompous ones from the park were already here when we arrived," said Santo icily. "They left five minutes before you two got here. Didn't say much either."

"Only to tell us to get lost," said Denton. "That this was the _Legion's_ business now."

"What?" Alexa looked up at the large dark man. "What did you say?"

"The angels told us to back off, Alexa," answered Santo controlling his rage. "That they were going to _deal_ with it. Whatever that means. Whatever this is, apparently it's too dangerous for us mere mortals. They want us out of the way."

"That makes no sense," said Alexa. She'd never heard of angels dismissing Sensitive operatives from a job, but then again she was a rookie. She did know that Sensitive operatives were essential to the Legion. They were the physical representatives of angels on Earth, so to speak. They were particularly important because angels only had limited time on Earth. After all, their M-suits expired quickly. Maybe this sort of thing happened often. Still, it didn't rest well with her. Something was definitely off.

"I _know_ it doesn't make sense," Denton replied flatly. "But we don't make the rules, the stiffs do." He looked at her with a challenge in his eyes, waiting for her to refute him.

Although she was slightly peeved at his choice of words, Alexa bit her tongue. She could see that Erik waited to see her reaction, too. But she wouldn't give them one.

Erik stepped away from Alexa. "Doesn't matter. We don't need their help. We can do this without them, just like we've been doing for years. We're the ones who actually _live_ here. We are part of this world. Not them. Most of the time they just leave us with their mess anyway. People are dying here, and I don't need their permission to do something about it."

Alexa couldn't help but cringe at the spitefulness in his words. She didn't know why, but his words stung in a way that they shouldn't.

Santo looked at Alexa. "Didn't they tell you?"

Alexa hesitated, taken aback by the question. "No—I mean, no one told me—" She caught herself before admitting too much. When it came to the Legion, she was in the dark.

"Doesn't matter," said the operative leader. "It never stopped us from doing our job, which is to exterminate those demon SOBs. And that's exactly what we're going to do."

Alexa was more confused than ever. There must have been be a good reason why the Legion had pulled the Sensitives from this case, but she couldn't see one. It was almost as though they were hiding something, purposely keeping something from them, from her. She was going to figure out what.

Santo gestured behind her. "But, they did leave this one behind."

For a panic-filled instant, Alexa whirled around, expecting to see an angel. She gasped and bumped into the metal bed when she staggered back.

Across from her, silent and ominous, stood a large white wolf.

# 8

IT WAS MOST DEFINITELY A WOLF. Alexa had only ever seen them on television, but it was definitely a _real_ one. It was terrifying. Large and muscular, it was the size of an Alaskan malamute, slightly longer than tall. Its thick fur was the color of snow, and its large golden eyes pinned her on the spot with an eerie stare that gleamed with a heightened intelligence. There was something particular about the way it looked at her, as though its eyes were human. All the creepier was the fact that it seemed to be looking just at _her_. Instinctively, she moved her hand towards her soul blade.

Alexa cleared her throat. "Why is there a wolf staring at me?" She hoped her voice didn't reveal the fear she felt. She gripped the handle of her blade more tightly.

The wolf wagged its tail. "I'm Lancelot, your Scout," said the white wolf. "But you can call me Lance." It had a strange voice, half-howl, half-whimper. It hissed the vowels so that it sounded harsh and alien.

Alexa froze and stared at the wolf for a moment. She gave a little sort of moan of surprise as she composed herself. Only when she realized that she was the only one who appeared to be mildly petrified of the talking wolf did she let her guard down.

The talking wolf continued wagging its tail. She took that as a good sign and dropped her hand away from her weapon.

"You're a talking wolf?" Alexa could hardly hear herself speak.

The creature stretched and then posed like a show dog with its head looking straight ahead.

"Correction. I'm a white German Shepard, but I get that all the time so don't worry. I mean, I could have chosen the body of a wolf, but then it would have made my task the more difficult, if you catch my meaning. Wolves don't walk around in the streets of a small town."

Alexa's fear quickly disappeared as she realized what this was. Although she'd never actually met one before, she knew that Scouts were guardian angels who worked as spies for the Legion. They watched for demon activity and reported back to Horizon. They used animal disguises so they could move around unnoticed.

Alexa knew there could only be one reason the Legion would send her a Scout.

"You're my babysitter, aren't you?" asked Alexa when she realized what was going on. She knew the Legion only wanted to protect her, but she still felt irritated. She didn't need looking after.

The dog cocked his head to the side, eyebrows raised in a very human gesture. "Think of me as your guardian angel, guardian."

"So they told you I didn't want to come in, is that it?" Alexa tried to keep her voice low so the others wouldn't hear, but her words echoed around the tiled room.

"Something like that," said Lance. "Ariel felt it best that I come along to keep you out of trouble, and to keep trouble away from you. But I'm also here to help. I have many talents."

"I'm sure." Alexa felt her hopes of proving her worth to the Legion fade away. Her artificial heart sank to her feet.

"Wait a minute," Haru looked at Alexa with an exasperated expression. "Are you telling me that she's gone rogue?"

"Rogue?" asked Erik. "What are you talking about?" His gaze shifted to Alexa, and she felt the flush of embarrassment rise on her face.

"A rogue angel," explained Haru. "The ones that refuse to go back to Horizon. The ones that want to be mortal again."

Alexa raised her arms. "Wait a minute...that's not it."

"It does happen from time to time," said Lance, cutting Alexa off.

She felt Erik's gaze on her again, but she refused to look at him. He knew the real reason, or at least a part of it. He had witnessed her fear of water with his own eyes.

"We do get the occasional rogue," continued the dog smugly. He sat on his hind legs. "Sometimes, when angels get the feel of the mortal world again, their emotions crack. They can't handle it. And then they don't want to return to Horizon. But angels don't belong here. Their time in the mortal world is over. So, from time to time, Scouts are sent to retrieve the rogue angels. It's been happening more often now with the new M-9s. The suit feels too mortal, and it gives the angel a false sense of being human again."

"So, then you're here to retrieve me?" asked Alexa. She felt deflated. "I didn't go rogue. Honestly, I want to help."

Everyone in the room was looking at her, and the room felt increasingly small and crowded. Even though she didn't need to breathe, she felt like she was suffocating. Her new M-suit enabled her to feel numb.

Still, she was determined to prove herself. She remembered her father's absence and her mother's lack of interest. She might not have been worth much to anyone when she was alive, but she refused to be ignored, hurt, and tossed aside now. She wasn't a victim anymore. She was chosen. She was an angel. She was badass.

Lance opened his mouth, and his long pink tongue rolled out. "I never said that _you,_ specifically, were rogue. And I wasn't sent to bring you back either. I'm just here to guide you and to help push you in the right direction...when the time's right."

Lance was silent for a moment. His golden eyes focused on Alexa, and she felt that he could see right through her. She couldn't help but feel that Lance knew something he wasn't sharing.

Alexa met his gaze. "Fine." She tried not to show how relieved she felt, but she had the feeling that Lance knew exactly. It was disturbing.

Santo crossed the room and stood next to the dog. "Is there anything else you can tell us, or has the Legion forbidden you from speaking to us about this case, too."

"All I know, after some investigation of my own," began Lance, "is that the murders...the missing souls...are all happening in _this_ town. Why? I have no idea. But that's what you people are here for, right?"

"Have there been _more_ murders?" asked Alexa.

"Yes," said Lance. "Two more dead with missing souls in the last two hours. One was found near the dumpsters behind Fabio's Pizza, and the other in an alley next to The Friendly Bean Coffee Shop. There seems to be a lot of demon activity in this town, an abnormal amount for such a small town. It looks as though Coffin Grove is a demon magnet."

Alexa bit her bottom lip. "Were the new victims female?"

"Yes," said the Scout, sounding slightly impressed. "How did you know?"

"Just a guess," said Alexa. But it was more than that. She sensed that a darkness leaked from somewhere inside this town. Why were the demons picking on female victims? Were they easy targets? What was the connection?

"So whatever demon is doing this, it is probably still here and looking for its next victim. We could still find it. We still have time."

She watched their bleak expressions and had the distinct feeling that she wasn't part of their gang any longer, that they didn't want her here. She understood their frustration with the Legion. If she were one of them, she'd be mad, too. But she didn't want them to give up on her because for the first time since she had been a guardian, she felt more of a connection with these mortals than she had ever felt with the angels back in Horizon.

"Coffin Grove's not that big," said Haru. "We could search the entire region in just a few hours."

"Do we even know what we're looking for?" asked Erik.

"Anything out of the ordinary, for starters," said Santo. "We'll talk with the local police first and see if they've discovered anything worth our attention. Keep our ears on their scanners."

Santo moved next to Alexa so quietly that it made her jump. "Are you going to help us or are you going back?" he asked.

Alexa knew right away that he wanted her to say _yes_. Her respect and appreciation for him welled up in her. She wanted to hug him but managed to restrain herself.

"I'm staying. I feel just as much a responsibility to stop these killings as you do. And I'm not going back till we find the killer."

Santo smiled and then turned his gaze to Lance. "And you?"

"I go where she goes." Lance jumped up onto all four legs. With his ears straight up and his tongue lolling to the side of his jaw, he looked like a dog ready for a walk.

Santo looked relieved. "Good. I have the feeling we're going to need your help. Evelyn, Haru, Denton, you come with me. We'll cover everything north of Gory Brook. Erik, you take the angels with you and cover the south side. Call me if you find anything. Let's find these SOBs, so I can finally get some sleep."

Everyone moved out of the morgue with a new sense of urgency. With a final look at the body, Alexa followed them out, anxious to feel warmer air. Lance followed at her heels like a well-trained dog.

Alexa watched Erik closely for any signs of annoyance or regret that he was stuck with her again. Despite his hard emotional wall, Erik might be the friend she hoped for. No one had ever stood up for her before, no one. And it didn't hurt that the guy was hot.

But who was she kidding? She was being ridiculous. He had called her a stiff. What did it matter? She didn't think of Erik in that way. Angels weren't even _allowed_ to think about any young men. Emotions should be the last thing on her mind. They would just create another complication. There were enough problems already.

She tried to suppress her feelings. It didn't matter if he liked her company or not. They were here for a job. That was all. She focused on finding and vanquishing the demons. It was why she was here. It was just business.

But when he turned to look at her, she saw a tired young man. She felt a pang of guilt because angels didn't get tired until the M-suits ran out of stamina.

"What?" he said. His rough tone sobered Alexa right up. She could see the dark shadows below his eyes, and she realized that he looked utterly exhausted. It wasn't that late. She was worried that he looked so tired.

Alexa looked away. "Nothing." She felt his glare burn the back of her head. She rushed past him and nearly bumped into Evelyn on the front steps.

Evelyn was staring at something just below the steps, as were all the others. Their swords glinted in their hands.

Alexa sidestepped Evelyn and Denton to get a better view.

Five men stood in the parking lot. They were all in their mid-thirties, tall and with powerful shoulders. They all wore expensive-looking gray suits, tailored perfectly to their muscular bodies. Their short white hair was styled neatly over their leering faces, and their skin had a grayish-blue tint to it. They looked like reheated corpses. They were identical in every way. Even their black eyes had the same deep and empty stares.

Coils of black smoke curled up from the blades in their hands, and the air was hot with sulfur and spoiled meat. They smelled of death.

Alexa became aware of the stillness around her. It was as though the world stood still, and only she moved. Her courage began to fail, and she was on the verge of blind panic.

Erik moved right next to her. But before he had a chance to speak, Alexa knew what they were.

She whispered, "Higher demons."

# 9

HIGHER DEMONS FROM THE NETHERWORLD were evil incarnate.

Despite her panic, Alexa saw that they would almost have looked human except that their postures were too hunched over. It made them look too animal-like and predatory. Somehow light from the lamps highlighted the edges of their sharp, emaciated faces and made them look wrong, not part of this world.

As Alexa tried to remember everything she'd ever learned about Higher demons, a feeling of dread nearly overwhelmed her. They weren't invincible, but they were some of the most powerful demons from the Netherworld. And they were even more powerful if they'd recently fed on the souls of mortals. Lesser demons could be killed with soul blades or salt. But Higher demons needed a great deal more weaponry to destroy their cores because their bodies could repair themselves.

Part of her wanted to bolt back to the safety of Horizon. But her chance had come and gone. There was no going back.

And so she pulled out her soul blade and waited.

"Well, well, well," said the closest Higher demon.

Its voice was guttural and sounded strangely ancient. The thing sneered and licked its lips. Alexa could see it had a mouthful of pointed yellow teeth.

"What do we have here, brothers? Five little mortals. Or should I say, demon hunters? That's what you call yourselves, isn't it? You're nothing more than blood bags with bones. Soft and easily killed."

Alexa felt Lance position himself at her side. He was guarding her. "This can't be good," said the dog. He rolled back his lips and revealed long, pointy canines. "I wasn't planning on sinking these babies into that rotten flesh."

If Alexa hadn't been so terrified, she would have laughed.

"Yes, we hunt scum like you," said Santo. He stepped forward, and his voice was loud and clear. He slashed the air in front of him with his sword. "But soft and easily killed? I think not. We are much, much more than that. Come closer, and I'll show you."

The Higher demon laughed. "You think to scare us with that little demonstration, mortal?"

The other Higher demons moved to either side of the entryway, blocking the exits. Their predatory movements were swift and effortless. They sneered with arrogant confidence, as if they already knew the outcome of whatever was going to happen next.

At the same time, Haru, Evelyn, and Denton moved to the bottom of the steps and took up defensive positions. Their eyes never left the demons. They were fearless warriors, and Alexa envied them.

The Higher demon scowled. "You mortals are nothing more than parasites corrupted by age and disease as you move towards death. Did you never wonder why that is? Why things here grow old, wither, and die? Because you're weak. You think you are superior beings, but you are not."

"But demons," it raised its arms and gestured to the other demons, "are forever. Immortal. We are your superiors. We are your gods. You should be worshipping us on your knees. This world and everything in it belongs to us."

"Seriously?" mocked Santo. "Gods now? Never going to happen."

Alexa could see his anger rippling through his shoulders as he shifted his weight.

"But I'm feeling rather generous today," continued the demon. It picked something that looked a lot like flesh from its death blade and popped it in its mouth. "Give us what we want...and we'll let you go free."

Alexa stole a look at Erik. She wasn't the only one who was anxious and afraid. Still, she felt an overwhelming desire to protect him and the others. The angel oath to protect mortal life was intense. It was beyond her control and pulsed strongly inside her.

She had felt this same protective impulse back at Pine Park when the boy had been attacked by the demon. It was more intense this time. Perhaps because there were more lives at stake. Perhaps because of Erik...

Meanwhile, Santo hadn't backed down. A cynical smile played on his lips. "A bargain with a demon?" he laughed. "It's lucky I have a sense of irony. Tell us what it is, and maybe I'll consider it." It was clear by his tone that he would never deal with a demon.

They didn't have to wait long for an answer. The Higher demon's gaze moved to Alexa.

"We're here for the _angel_."

Alexa nearly dropped her soul blade and had to lean on Lance for support. She stiffened with fright that washed over her like an icy-cold wave. The creature watched her with a look of such cold, inhumane menace that she was almost overwhelmed by the urge to run and hide.

It was obvious they wanted to kill her. How did they even know she was here? And why were they here for her in the first place? She was confused and terrified. She bit her bottom lip to keep it from trembling. She wouldn't show them fear, even though her body was consumed with it. She could almost feel the demon's cold, dead fingers wrapping around her neck.

Erik looked at her with a despair that mirrored her own. She looked away.

The Higher demon smiled. "No. Make that _two_ angels." The demon motioned to Alexa's left side, where Lance's white coat shone in the light. "We'll take the mutt, too. I'm sure he'll taste just as good once I peel off his hide and use it as a fur coat. Two delicious angel souls. How thoughtful of you."

Lance growled, "Shotgun on _that_ one."

"Give us the angels, and you're all free to go," said the Higher demon. "What is it you mortals say again? Ah, yes. I _promise_."

The few seconds of waiting felt like hours to Alexa. Santo held up his sword quietly, and Alexa feared he might actually give her up to save his friends. It was logical. She was dead. They were alive. She was terrified that the demons would torture her slowly, relishing her pain until they finally devoured her soul.

She could see that the other operatives were all waiting for Santo's answer. None of them would meet her gaze directly, and she feared they had already made their decision to give her up.

Alexa bent her knees and prepared herself for a desperate escape. She couldn't depend on Erik or anyone else. She needed to focus on saving herself and Lance.

Just as she was about to bolt, Santo spoke.

"We're not giving up the angels."

Alexa's eyes burned with relief and gratitude. Santo had stood his ground, proud and strong...for her. She suspected that he had never even considered giving her up. He'd decided to keep her, and that was good enough for her.

Santo shifted his weight. "The only deal here is that we're going to send you back to Hell."

The Higher demon laughed, and yellow spit flew from its mouth. "I'm surprised you'd choose to save the very creatures that forced you into slavery."

The demon's black gaze settled on Alexa again. "No matter. We'll take _all_ your souls."

The demons charged like the wind, leaving puffs of black smoke in their wake. And all five of them came for her.

The Sensitives broke formation and flung themselves at the demons.

The silent night air was suddenly filled with earsplitting screams and the clang of metal hitting flesh and bone. The demons swept around them fluidly, tantalizing them with their superior strength and agility.

"Protect the angels!" cried Santo.

He slashed his sword across the demon's chest. It was a strike that would have killed a lesser demon. But the Higher demon grinned and countered Santo's strike with a powerful blow that would have decapitated the Sensitive leader if he hadn't ducked and rolled as the death blade sliced through his fedora.

Evelyn and Haru tumbled out of reach and just escaped the demons' powerful strikes. Denton matched them strike for strike, but Alexa knew that his strength would eventually fail. With brutal efficiency, the Higher demons sliced through their leather garments, and shocks of blood sprayed across the pavement.

"Hope you've learned from your training," said Lance, in a half growl. "It's about to get ugly."

Santo disappeared into a blur of limbs and silver blades, and the others fought alongside him. A demon leaped at Alexa with its black blade aimed at her throat. She knew she would have perished if Erik hadn't given her his soul blade.

She would have been useless.

Instinctively, she brought up her blade to defend herself. But then Erik intercepted the demon. He moved skillfully and never faltered. With quick jabs, he slashed his silver dagger across the demon's face before its menacing jaws could clamp around his neck. Black blood spurted onto Erik's face.

The Higher demon squealed in delight as it licked its lips with its gray tongue and tasted its own blood.

Alexa could see the sheen of sweat that covered Erik's face as he battled the demon and jabbed its abdomen relentlessly. But the thing never wavered. It seemed to enjoy those moments when Erik managed to get through its defenses.

A dark shape appeared behind him, and another demon raised its weapon to strike him in the back.

Alexa launched herself at the demon. With a powerful swing, she brought her soul blade down on the creature's weapon hand and severed it. Her face was immediately showered in foul cold liquid. Alexa screamed as the liquid burned her eyes and almost blinded her. But she discovered that her supernatural strength and balance were far greater than she had imagined, and she turned and hit the demon square in the chest. They tumbled down the steps.

She vaguely heard something snap. It would suck if she had messed up her M-9 suit. She prayed she hadn't. She landed on the pavement hard. Temporally muddled and partially blind, she could smell her skin burning with acid. The weight of the demon pressed against her as they rolled to a stop. Miraculously, the demon fell away from her, and she leaped to her feet with her blade still in her hand.

The demon hissed as it examined its black, corrupted stump. "You're going to pay for this, little angel girl. You're going to wish you'd stayed dead."

Her vision was still blurred, and she missed when she tried to parry his next strike. She faltered momentarily as she felt the pain of its blade graze her back, but she managed to straighten up. She whirled around, weapon ready. But she knew she'd been poisoned by the demon's deadly blade. She was about to find out if her M-suit could protect her.

"You missed," she said, wiping her eyes. "And you stink."

She could see that Evelyn moved through the demons like a skilled ballet dancer. She balanced on the tips of her toes, slicing and dicing as she twirled.

Haru did an impressive backflip onto the back of a demon while Santo and Denton, their faces swollen and red with blood, fought back to back and hacked away at the demons.

She looked for Erik, but a flash of white fur obscured her vision as Lance jumped down the steps and threw himself on an approaching demon. It ripped at its clothes and flesh, and within seconds his gleaming white coat was covered with sticky black goo.

The demon attacking her shouted, "Your soul is mine, angel! Surrender now, and your mortal friends can walk away unscathed."

"Not going to happen," growled Alexa.

"The smile on my face will be the last thing you'll see when I kill you. I won't miss a second time, and that _is_ a promise." It lifted its severed hand to its chest. Tiny fingers, like a baby's, wiggled out of its severed, raw, and blackened stump. It was growing its hand back.

Alexa retched. It was the most disgusting thing she'd ever seen.

The demon waved his semi-grown hand at her like a small rubber glove, knowing it would unbalance her. Then it leaped at her again.

But Alexa was ready.

She felt the death blade whisper past her throat as the demon landed next to her. But Alexa spun and met the next swipe with her blade. She kicked, but the creature twisted out of the way and cracked its semi-grown hand against her head. Cursing, Alexa stumbled and swung wildly with her blade to keep the demon back.

The demon lashed out and kicked her in the knee. She howled and barely managed to fend off a blow that would have separated her head from her body.

Just as she took a fighting stance, an anguished cry bellowed over the cacophony of the battle. It was followed by a series of blood-curdling howls.

Everything seemed to still. Her attacker. The battle.

Her vision cleared, and Alexa followed the sound. A death blade was impaled in Denton's abdomen. He met her stare. The whites of his eyes showed he knew he was about to die.

With a flash, the Higher demon cut through him like a loaf of bread. He pulled him apart with his hands, as though the big muscled man was nothing but paper. Denton's body flopped to the pavement in two severed pieces of blood and guts.

Evelyn's scream pierced Alexa's soul. It was nothing like she'd ever heard before. She could feel the woman's heartbreaking.

Within seconds, light covered Denton's skin. Then a shower of little glowing particles flowed out of his body and hovered in the air above the pavement where he lay. They slowly formed into a ball. It was his soul.

Alexa watched in horror as the Higher demon crouched down and ingested Denton's soul. It shivered in delight and then stood up, higher and larger, more powerful and deadly.

"Scrumptious," it said as it licked its lips. "The big ones always taste better."

Alexa's fear was mirrored in the faces of her companions. What could they do against such brutality, such vile power?

The Higher demons were winning. They were all going to die.

# 10

THE HIGHER DEMON PICKED UP Denton's severed legs and cast them away like chicken bones. Alexa unleashed her anger at the demon that had just killed Denton. She didn't think about anything other than destroying and killing. Her instincts and training kicked in like an adrenaline shot, and she soared through the air, diving towards the demon with her blade.

But the demon moved away like a gust of wind. She saw its dark shape twist past her as her weapon clanged into the pavement. Cursing, she pulled it out and whirled around, readying herself for the next onslaught. How could it move that fast?

"You're outmatched, little angel," said the demon. "I'm superior in every way: superior in strength, in skill, in intellect, and everything else. Just give up. Why even bother? Saving people, hunting demons, doing the Legion's business. I've got news for you. Mortals just don't care. They don't care that you risk your angel skin to save them every single day of their lives. They're too busy spending money on things they don't need, on screwing themselves over, on alcohol and drugs. They only think of themselves. And what? You think they're happy and healthy because of you?" The demon shook his head with what Alexa could only guess was a look of disappointment. "You deserve to die because of your stupidity."

Denton's blood marked its face and hands. She realized that she had moved far away from the others. Somehow the demon had driven her to the opposite side of the parking lot.

"It doesn't matter how many meat suits you wear, you'll never be as powerful as us," mocked the demon. "You refuse to take the life force from these useless mortals, and it's the one ingredient that could make you more powerful. It would make you immortal."

"I'll take my chances." Alexa caught a glimpse of Erik behind the demon. His face was pale and drained, and his movements were too slow. He was so exhausted from parrying the demon's thrusts that he was going to fall over. He was going to die.

The demon laughed. "You should have left this miserable town and gone straight back to your precious Legion when you had the chance. You shouldn't have come here."

Alexa stiffened. "What did you say? How did you—"

The demon leaped at her, but Alexa grunted with effort and lunged straight for the beast's neck. It leered as it swung its dagger towards her face, but in one smooth movement, she faked left, spun, ducked under the demon, came back up behind it, and slid her blade across its neck.

She didn't stop, not when putrid black blood splattered onto her face, and not when her fingers brushed the flesh in its throat. Finally, she heard the tearing of flesh, and the Higher demon's head fell at her feet. It was still smiling. Its body slipped to the ground and then rose in black flames and disintegrated into a pile of dust.

For a moment, Alexa just stood there. She was half impressed with herself and half disgusted. She was covered in blood and smelled like she'd rolled in manure.

She heard Erik scream and bolted across the parking lot. Santo, Evelyn, and Haru were still battling the Higher demons, and only two demons were attacking them now. They must have killed one.

She didn't see Lance anywhere.

Erik was on the ground behind the parking lot with his back to an old apple tree. Blood poured freely from his fingers as he struggled with a large wound on his left side. He held his blade in his right hand and waved it feebly at an approaching demon.

She couldn't feel the poison from her wound anymore. All she felt was white-hot rage, unlike any rage she'd ever felt before. She embraced it.

Erik was the only person in the world who had stood up for her. She was _not_ going to let him die.

In two leaps, she faced the demon. She saw a flicker of surprise as her blade slashed it across the neck. But the thing was fast, and it leaped away before she could do any real damage.

"Angel bitch," it hissed. It brought up its arm and inspected the cut in its neck with its semi-grown hand. "I'm going to feast on your soul as payment for what you did."

"Alexa." She heard Erik's feeble voice. She could see the desperation in his face. "Don't. Run. Get out."

"Please don't run, Alexa," the demon mocked Erik's desperate voice. "I'm going to rip your pretty angel body apart with my bare hands. And then I'm going to suck your soul and ingest it. I'll have immeasurable strength, and you'll be a part of me forever. We'll destroy the mortal world together, and you can take comfort in knowing that your soul helped."

"That will never happen, demon." She knew it was crazy for a rookie to battle Higher demons on her own. But she couldn't let Erik die. So, she'd fight for him.

"You call that a hand?" Alexa shot back. "Looks more like a chicken leg to me. Doubt you can do anything with that."

The demon hissed in anger and flew at her, snapping its jaws like a piranha. She parried his sword with the edge of her blade, and without stopping, kicked the furious demon back.

"You will wish you'd died as a mortal when I'm finished with you, angel filth."

It shot at her again. Alexa sidestepped, but she wasn't fast enough, and the death blade sliced into her flesh. Despite the pain, she didn't stop moving. The demon lashed out and tried to stab her again, but she was just out of reach and the demon roared in anger.

"You're nothing, you mortal loving whore!"

It came at her again, but Alexa feinted right, and then pivoted to her left. Her blade sliced across the demon's back, and the thing bellowed in a strange inhuman language.

She didn't have time to think about how remarkably she had been fighting. She only thought of Erik's pleading eyes, and of the pool of blood he lay in.

She could see that his eyes were closed. She knew that was a bad sign.

The time when she could have fled had come and gone. She was invested now, whether she liked it or not.

The demon spun, closing the distance between them to deliver its own strike, but she jabbed her sword into one of its black eyes. She pushed it until it came out of the top of the demon's skull. The demon toppled to the ground, writhing silently and spilling its blood across the pavement. Just in case and without a second to lose, Alexa leaped on to the demon and hacked off its head.

The demon's body burst into black flames, just as the other demon had, and it dissolved into a cloud of black dust.

Alexa ran over to Erik's side and fell to her knees. He looked much worse up close. His face was so swollen it was scarcely recognizable. Dark maroon bruises and cuts had ravaged his once handsome face. He was so pale, so white, that she thought he was dead. She ignored the wild fright that rose in her and reached down and shook him gently by the shoulders.

"Erik!" she squeezed a little harder. "Erik! Wake up!"

His lids flickered and then opened. "Alexa?" His voice was muffled, and his eyes didn't seem to focus, but a wave of relief gushed through her. He was alive.

"I'm going to get you out of here," she said. "Can you walk?" She hated asking, but she wasn't sure she could carry him.

He blinked twice and sat up. He cringed as his hand went to his side. His shirt was soaked in blood. "I think so."

Screams and howls erupted from across the parking lot. The two last Higher demons were closing in on the surviving Sensitives. She could see the fear on their faces. She was only too aware that the others needed her help, too. She was also aware that she wouldn't be able to save Erik if she abandoned him now. Even though she had no medical training, she knew he was losing too much blood. If the bleeding didn't stop, he'd die.

She knew that her M-9 suit would continue to protect her, but it couldn't help Erik. Perhaps she could move him to his car for protection. But before she could move him, another Higher demon turned from its battle with the others, grinned at her, and shot toward her with incredible speed.

"Shit." She yanked Erik to his feet. He let out a cry, and she ached for his pain. It pained her to see him like this, but she knew she couldn't fight the demon and protect Erik at the same time.

"Come on." She wrapped his right arm around her neck and began to pull him towards his car. It was only about a hundred feet away, but even with her supernatural strength, she knew she wouldn't be fast enough to make it.

The Higher demon lunged and Alexa covered Erik with her body.

But the impact never came.

The demon howled and kicked as the white dog impaled it in its ferocious jaws. The demon stabbed the dog, over and over, but Lance wouldn't let go.

Alexa screamed with the effort and pulled Erik across the pavement to the car. She pulled open the passenger door and shoved Erik into the seat. He cried out as he landed awkwardly, but he was in.

As she was leaning over him, she saw a strange mark on the side of his neck. It looked like a cross between a symbol and the letter _A._ It had a line drawn through it and a small circle. It looked as though some higher power had sketched it. Where had she seen it before? She didn't have time to worry about it. She shut the door, ran to the other side, and got behind the wheel.

Her hand went straight for the ignition—no keys.

"Erik? Keys! Keys!"

But he had passed out from the pain and slouched on the seat next to her.

She searched his jeans and finally found the keys. She pushed the largest key in the ignition and kicked the engine into life. She pressed the gas pedal and took off.

She could see the demon that had pursued her. Lance lay a few feet away in a crumpled pile of white fur. He didn't move. He had saved them. Alexa guessed that the demon had just eaten Lance's soul or was about to do so.

And so she did the only thing she could. She pressed her foot on the gas and shot forward.

The Higher demon turned in surprise at the sound of the tires screeching on the pavement. Its look of surprise was the last thing she saw before she rammed it with the front of the car. The car shuddered on the impact, and she hit the brakes in time to see the demon fly back and land on the pavement. It wasn't dead, but it was injured.

The commotion caused the other demon to turn, and that half-second of attention was all Santo needed. With a great swing of his sword, he cut easily through the demon's neck.

The demon crumbled into dust.

Alexa ran out of the car and gently scooped Lance into her arms. He was limp, and she struggled a little with his weight. She couldn't tell if the demon had eaten his soul or not. Either way, she wouldn't abandon him here. She laid him into the back seat as carefully as she could and then hurried to jump into the driver's seat again.

"Where are we going?"

Alexa nearly jumped out of her M-suit. She turned around and looked into Lance's face. "You're alive?"

"Technically I'm not, but I've been better, thank you," said Lance. His voice was a little labored. "I don't know how, but that black-eyed creep managed to knock me out. I'm guessing you saved me?"

"And you saved us," said Alexa. She saw that the brilliant light of his angel essence was seeping out through his many cuts. "You're hurt. We need to find a source of water and get you back to Horizon before—"

"Not yet," said Lance. "The boy needs help first. He'll die without it."

"Right." Alexa looked over to Erik. His eyes were still closed, and his breathing was shallow. "We'll have to drive to the next town. There's no hospital in Coffin Grove, and the clinic is closed. There's a hospital in Greenburgh."

"No," said Lance. "He won't make it that far. We need to take him to the nearest safe house."

"He _needs_ a hospital, not some makeshift clinic. He's going to bleed to death if we don't get him to a hospital soon. I won't let that happen."

"Can't," said the dog. "We can't take him to a mortal hospital. And before you kill me with that look, it's because it'll bring too much attention to us. There's a medical facility at the safe house. They have _real_ doctors. They'll know what to do. Trust me."

Reluctantly, Alexa had no other choice but to trust him. "How far is it?"

"Not far," said Lance as he leaned against the backrest with some effort. "About twenty minutes, maybe less if you drive fast. Do you even know how to drive? Never mind. We need to leave now. I can feel his life force slipping away. He won't last much longer."

Lance was right. She felt it too. Erik's energy was dissipating like a mist. He was dying.

Alexa's eyes were blurred with tears. "I have my learner's permit."

"Just don't hit any mortals," said Lance. "Ariel would not be pleased. Make a right at the exit, and then a left on Bedford Road."

Alexa snapped Erik's seatbelt into place, put the car into drive, and made for the exit. Her heart was heavy because she knew she was abandoning the others. But when she looked in the rearview mirror, she saw Santo, Evelyn, and Haru jump into their old black Ford sedan. They were safe and alive, at least for now.

_Hang on Erik,_ she pleaded as they sped down the street. _Please hang on._

# 11

IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT, so no one saw her miss those eight stop signs, or run through five red lights. She didn't stop. It was a miracle that she'd didn't have a head-on collision.

Alexa's nerves were shot. She felt sore where the death blade had punctured her M-suit, but she could already feel a tingling, soothing warmth where she'd been stabbed. Ariel had been right. Her mortal suit was healing itself.

Lance never commented on her driving skills. He sat in the back, bleeding all over Erik's leather seat and barking out before she had to turn.

Erik's skin was the color of milk. During twenty-five minutes of driving, he never once opened his eyes or spoke. And now Alexa feared the worst.

Still, his life force didn't give up. Erik wanted to live.

They turned left onto Beech Hill Road and passed a green sign that read _Wildlife Park._ The road was lined with majestic pines and oaks. She'd heard of this park and knew it was protected by the state, but she'd never been when she was growing up because buses only went here on school trips.

She could smell the cool, sweet forest despite the rotten reek of demon ash that was still on her. The pavement stopped, and the car jerked and swerved a little, but Alexa didn't slow down. Giant dust clouds followed in their wake.

"Spit it out," said Lance suddenly, cutting through the heavy silence.

"What?"

"Whatever it is that's making you restless," he said. "I can see that you're debating something in that head of yours. Out with it."

Besides the fact that the Scout seemed to read her so well, she figured he might very well have the answers to what was troubling her.

"Somehow, the Higher demons knew that I'd stayed behind instead of going back to Horizon with the other angels," said Alexa. She watched for the dog's reaction in the rearview mirror. "How could they know that?"

Lance shook his head. "No idea. But it can't be good. Unless they were following you, which I doubt very much since you'd only just arrived here. They shouldn't have been able to sense you in your M-9 either."

Lance's counsel only made her feel worse. Why were the Higher demons after her and who had sent them?

At the end of the long dirt road, Alexa could see a spectacular stone building. It looked like a lavish English country manor in beautifully manicured grounds.

"Welcome to Hallow Hall," said Lance as though he'd read her mind.

"What is this place?"

"A safe house, a school, a home, and everything in between," said Lance. "It was originally built as a luxury hotel in 1890 but closed in 1901. A few years later, the Hudson School for Girls moved in, and the building became home and school for students from prominent families."

"But then the school went bankrupt and was left abandoned until four of the more prominent houses bought it in 1975."

"What houses?"

"You know, the seven archangel houses," replied the dog.

Alexa shook her head. "No, I never heard of them."

"When the Legion decided it needed help to keep the mortal world safe, seven of the original archangels got together to create the race of Sensitives," Lance explained. "They mixed their archangel essence with mortal blood. There are seven houses, one for each archangel. Because each archangel was different, each house had aptitudes that reflected the archangel who created it."

"So Sensitives are born with different skills?"

"That's right," answered Lance. "The Sensitives belonging to House Michael are brave and skilled with weapons. House Raphael are skilled healers, and House Uriel are bookkeepers, keepers of the peace, and involved in justice and government. Each House is different because each archangel was different. The bloodlines of the Sensitives and their families determine which house they belong to."

Alexa looked over to Erik. "Do those houses have anything to do with the mark on his neck?" She watched Erik for any signs that he could hear this conversation, but he barely looked like he was breathing.

"Of course," answered Lance. "The seven archangel sigils each represent a house. I would have to guess that your friend here is either from House Michael or Gabriel. Both houses produce highly effective warriors. I can't see his sigil right now. Did you get a good look at it?"

"It looked like the letter _A_ , with a line going through it."

"That's Gabriel's sigil," answered Lance. "It explains his aptitude for combat."

The Sensitives had been branded like cattle, like property. It was no wonder they hated angels so much. Her fingers tightened on the steering wheel.

"If they were born into these Houses, why brand them on the neck like that? It's kind of barbaric and sick even, don't you think? I never thought the Legion would do such a thing."

Lance winced as he shifted on the back sheet. "They're not _branded_. The marks are _real_ _birthmarks_. They're born with them, but they only appear later, when they've reached puberty. The birthmark darkens and becomes more pronounced then. One parent could come from House Uriel and the other from House Gabriel, but their children wouldn't know which house they belonged to until the birthmark showed itself."

"Are the birthmarks always on their necks?"

"Not always. But each House's birthmarks are usually in the same spots. Gabriel and Michael's sigils are usually around the necks and clavicles, while Uriel's sigils are on the wrists. Raphael's are usually on the forearms. And of course, a Head of House is appointed for each of the seven houses. Didn't you learn that in Horizon?"

No. She hadn't. It seemed there was still a lot to learn. _Why hadn't they told her?_

"Well, maybe it's in the second or third year of training. I can't remember. When you've only been an angel as long as I have...you tend to forget a few things."

She looked at Erik. His features were unreadable. If she didn't get him help soon, it wouldn't matter which house he belonged to because he'd be dead.

_Hang on, Erik..._

They passed an open gate with two large sculptures on either side, a male and female, naked except for loincloths over their privates. Their outstretched hands held swords to deter intruders, and great big wings spread out behind them. Angels.

"Oh, look, a welcome party."

She slammed on the brakes. The car skidded to a stop and nearly crashed into the front steps. Alexa jumped out of the car, and a serious-looking woman and two older men with gray hair rushed out to meet her.

"Erik's been stabbed. He's bleeding out."

A burly man who was built like Denton opened the back door of the car. "Scott, help me with him," he said to a younger but equally burly man. A pang of guilt stung Alexa as she remembered how Denton had died.

Together the two men pulled Erik out of the car and carried him through the front entrance. Alexa watched as he disappeared through the double wooden doors.

"Oh my God. Is that Erik?" shouted a female voice.

A tall, stunningly beautiful blonde girl bounded into the entrance. Her face was white with fear. Her sparkling blue eyes welled with tears as she watched the men hurry past her.

And then she turned to Alexa. Her delicate hands were curled into fists. " _You_ did this," she growled. She leaped down the steps, baring her teeth at Alexa.

Alexa's jaw dropped in protest. _Who the hell was this blonde?_ She was not about to take the blame for this. She had tried to _save_ his life. She certainly didn't deserve this crap from a stranger.

" _I_ didn't do anything," said Alexa. "I brought him here because I'm trying to _save_ his life. What the hell is your problem?"

"I'll tell you what my problem is." The blonde stepped close to Alexa's face, staring her down. She was a few inches taller than Alexa, but Alexa didn't let herself be threatened. "You angels are all the same. Selfish bastards. All of you. You don't care what happens to us! We're just your guinea pigs, your bait. You don't care about the consequences. You don't care who lives or dies as long as you get what you want. We're expendable. Isn't that right, _angel_?"

Alexa stood her ground. She would not show any weakness to this mortal. "I don't know what you're talking about. Like I said. I'm trying to save him."

"Liar!" she seethed with anger, and her pale skin was creamy and flushed with color.

" _Rachel_!" warned another female voice. But the blonde ignored her and moved her hand to the sword that hung from a belt around her hips.

"Who do you think you are?" asked Rachel. "If he dies," she said, in a voice that dripped with venom. "If he dies," she repeated, "I'm coming for you." Her right hand moved on the hilt of her sword.

"Rachel! That's enough."

Alexa could see that the birthmark on Rachel's neck was the same as Erik's. Her beautiful features had twisted into something so fierce and ugly that she almost looked like another person.

Alexa thought Rachel was about to spit in her face, or even attack her. But then she smiled like a cold and cunning killer, turned on her heel, and ran after the men who carried Erik.

It was obvious Rachel cared very deeply for Erik. She must have been his girlfriend. Hell, Alexa would probably have acted the same way if she'd found her boyfriend on the verge of death. A strange cold feeling grew in the pit of her chest as she watched Rachel disappear.

_Would she ever see Erik again?_

Maybe it would be best if she didn't. Ever.

Alexa took a moment to look around. She'd hoped to find friends here among the Sensitives, but it was clear by the angry looks that she and Lance were not welcome.

They hated them. Hated her, the angel.

# 12

"WHO ARE YOU?"

It wasn't a cold voice, but a questioning one, one that demanded answers. The woman who had spoken to Alexa was small and fit. She wore a sky-blue tailored top and pants. The lines around her eyes spoke of knowledge and experience, and Alexa guessed she was younger than she looked. While her gaze was cool, there was also some compassion there. She had the air of someone who was used to getting answers. Alexa immediately knew this woman was some sort of leader.

Alexa shifted uncomfortably under the woman's icy blue eyes. "I'm Alexa. I'm an a—"

"An angel, yes, we know. We can _see_ ," said the woman shortly. Alexa felt like the fool. "But _why_ are you here, Alexa? I don't recall the Legion sending word that we'd have the pleasure of an angel in our midst. Are you here on special business?"

Alexa felt another wave of guilt. More mortals had gathered around her, all with the same questioning look. _Didn't these people sleep?_ She couldn't tell if they hated angels, too. She could see long swords peeking from beneath many of their coats. The older woman and the two men next to her didn't appear to carry any weapons, however, and Alexa worried that maybe they didn't need them. She searched for their birthmarks, but she couldn't see any traces of archangel sigils on their exposed flesh.

And when she finally spoke, her mouth felt like it was full of cotton balls. "I'm here...here for..."

"We're both here to investigate the recent murders in Coffin Grove," said Lance as he limped over next to her. "We're still gathering data. It might take some time before we have everything we need."

Lance's yellow eyes met Alexa, and she hoped he could read her silent _thank you._ The night's events had moved so fast, she scarcely had time to reflect upon her own actions.

The woman inspected Lance's many wounds, but she didn't mention them. Her face was unreadable. She and the other two men exchanged the type of long look that only those who'd shared the same company for years could understand.

"I'm Valerie. Head of the House Uriel, here at Hallow Hall," she said finally. "You shall have all the assistance you need from our operatives."

While Alexa was relieved, she didn't detect much sincerity in Valerie's voice. She figured the older mortal men here were probably heads of houses, too. They didn't bother to introduce themselves.

"But where is Santo?" asked the older woman. It was both a question and a challenge. "He's the one who called to alert us about Erik's condition. I was under the impression he was bringing Erik here, but instead I have you. Were you not with him and the others on this _botched_ assignment?"

_Shit_. Alexa flinched. She'd forgotten about the others. She had only cared about saving Erik's life. Just as she opened her mouth to answer, Santo's car pulled up next to Erik's, and Santo, Evelyn, and Haru climbed out.

They looked bruised and battered, and they were covered with red blood from their own wounds and with black discharge from the demons. Evelyn's mascara was running, and her eyes were red and swollen from crying.

"Where's Denton?" demanded Valerie.

Santo met the woman's gaze and simply shook his head.

Valerie's face paled. But then her expression hardened. It was all business. "How?"

"Higher demons," said Santo flatly. He wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. "Five of them intercepted us at the morgue. We managed to kill four, but not before..."

Alexa felt Valerie's eyes on her, but she didn't look at her. She knew they all blamed her. Like Denton's death and Erik's close call had somehow been her fault.

"I'll have a team head back in a few hours, before the locals wake up," added Santo. His voice sounded harsh and raw, like it was the first time he'd used it. "And we'll bring his body back."

A small wail escaped from Evelyn. Haru leaned over and wrapped his arm around her as she sobbed silently into his chest.

Alexa was aware that all the mortals could see her trembling hands, and she tried to control them. They were monitoring her every move, her every blink. She gritted her teeth.

She felt a cold nose nudge against the skin of her palm through the punctures in her M-suit.

"Stop that," whispered Lance, so only she could hear. "No matter what they say, or how they're looking at us, this isn't your fault."

Alexa's bottom lip trembled, but she managed to relax her hands, just a little.

Santo walked over next to Alexa. "Erik?" The pain in his face and his eyes caused her own eyes to burn.

She swallowed hard and said, "He was still alive when they took him in."

Santo's shoulders dropped. He rubbed his face with his hands and shook his head. But when he looked back at Alexa there was something new in his expression. It looked a lot like gratitude. "Thank you," he said. It was brief, but it meant the world to her.

"You're welcome to use our indoor pool to travel back to Horizon," said Valerie. She looked at Lance's injuries again. "It's a saltwater pool. I'm sure you'll find it adequate for your needs."

Alexa's limbs felt like lead. Any other angel would gladly have accepted or even demanded a pool, but she wasn't ready to try and confront her morbid fear of water again. Not in front of all these people...

Valerie cocked her head. "Angels. If you'll follow me—

"Thank you, but we'll use the pond," interrupted Lance.

Valerie looked puzzled, and so he added, "The mud and algae does wonders for the skin. The exfoliation is great for our angel bodies."

Valerie raised her brow. "Suit yourselves."

Alexa didn't care if they believed Lance. She was just grateful not to have more people witness her humiliation. They expected an angel, not a coward. How wrong they were about her...

When she looked down at Lance, she noticed how drained he looked. His fur wasn't the brilliant white she'd remembered, but dull and grayish, matted like a stray mutt.

"Alexa said she wanted to see the grounds, too," Lance continued. "Everything looks so magical under the light of the moon."

Alexa gave him a small smile, but she was aware that his voice sounded drained and forced.

"Well then, that settles it." Valerie pulled on her jacket. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll check on Erik." She gestured to Santo, and together they walked towards the clinic.

The other mortals continued to watch Alexa and Lance. While their faces weren't unsympathetic, there was no kindness in their eyes either.

"Come on," urged Lance. "There's a slimy pond with our names on it."

Alexa followed the dog, but she didn't look at the beautiful meadows swaying with dandelions and wildflowers in the moonlight. Even the fresh smell of grasses and fruit trees couldn't lift the dread that was eating away at her like poison.

Once they were out of earshot, Alexa couldn't hold it in anymore. "They hate us. All of them."

Lance trundled along beside her.

"I wouldn't use the word _hate_. It holds too much emotion. I would use the word... _annoyance_ , and maybe even... _apprehension_. But never _hate_."

"Why?"

"Well, if you'd been operating your own business for hundreds of years, I'm sure you wouldn't want a boss from the head office to show up unannounced and start getting into your affairs. We were a surprise to them, that's all. The Sensitives have their own governing body of Elders and their own laws. They are a separate faction, even though they are still under the Legion's command. They communicate with the Legion from time to time, but we don't usually interfere in their affairs and send angels to them. Not unless it's deemed absolutely necessary and lives depend on it."

"Lives did depend on it. Erik's." Alexa's temper flared for a moment, but her anger dissolved into fear when she saw the pond.

She stopped ten feet from the edge and stood behind Lance. Her legs locked, and she could go no further. The pond was as black as tar and smooth like a mirror. It was covered in algae and looked like pea soup, ominous, and bottomless. If there were ponds in the Netherworld, they would look like this.

Lance limped over to the pond's edge and bent his head, sniffing the water. "Smells like liquid manure." He turned around. "I can't believe I'm about to jump in there. Bottoms up! You ready? Hey, why are you over there?"

Alexa didn't move. She couldn't. The fear that choked her was relentless. The water mocked her. She knew she was being an idiot. Still, she couldn't suppress her fear of suffocation. She imagined the pressure on her lungs, her screams for help, and water that killed flowing down her throat.

"No. I can't...I can't do this..."

Lance sighed. He looked exhausted. " _Can't_ or _won't_?"

Alexa took a step back.

"Fine," Lance looked confused. "Are you going to tell me why?"

Alexa forced the words out of her mouth. "It's the water," she said in a low voice.

"The water?" Lance turned and looked at the pond. "I mean, I know it's disgusting, but it's not for long. You won't smell a thing. I promise. Look, even the frogs are enjoying it."

"That's not it," she said, angry with herself because she couldn't master her terror. "I'm...I can't. This is hopeless. _I'm_ hopeless. I shouldn't even be here. It's a mistake. This whole thing is a mistake." She realized she was screaming. She lowered her voice and tried again to quell her fear and self-loathing. It wasn't going to help her out of this mess.

"I can understand why you didn't want to take advantage of Valerie's _hospitality_. Even I preferred to be away from that scary white-haired woman. Those sparkling blue eyes were making me shed. But now it's just the two of us. Is there something else you're not telling me?"

"I never asked for this," Alexa said. "I never asked to be here. This whole thing is a big, big mistake."

Lance frowned. "Out with it. What's going on? What's a mistake? You look like you've seen a ghost."

But Alexa couldn't say it. She didn't want Lance to laugh at her discomfort and be disgusted by her fear just as Ryan and his goons had done. She nearly choked on her shame.

"Fine," said Lance after a while. "Don't tell me. But I _will_ find out what your secret is." He pulled back his lips in an attempt to a smile, but it only made him look like he was about to growl.

"I'd stay with you if I could, but I can't," said the dog. "This body won't last much longer. And I'll just do more damage if I stay. I'll be back before you know it."

Alexa nodded and watched Lance step into the algae-matted black water.

"I take it back," Lance's white fur was now covered in black and brown slime. "This is totally disgusting. I just sank twelve inches into something I'd rather not even think about. We should have opted for the pool."

Alexa gave him a weak smile. "Hurry up, okay."

"If you're going to stay for a while," said the dog, "then I suggest you go back and ask her highness, Valerie, to prepare a room for you."

Alexa was appalled by the idea. "I can't do that. They _hate_ me."

"They can't hate you. They don't even know you."

"You know what I mean. There's no way I'm going back there."

"You've only got two options. You come back to Horizon with me. Or you suck it up and go back to Hallow Hall. It's not safe for a rookie angel to be on her own. And especially not after what happened at the morgue. There are still lots of unanswered questions. It's not safe."

Alexa knew Lance wouldn't leave until she agreed. "Fine," she lied. The idea of asking that wretched woman for room and board was like asking Ryan for a kiss. It was revolting. "Just hurry back."

"I will. And, Alexa, don't do anything stupid."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that someone tipped off those Higher demons about your whereabouts. It means you can't trust _anyone_. It means that you shouldn't go out looking for trouble. We have to figure out what's going on. So, just stay put. Wait for me in Hallow Hall. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Lance barked and began to dissolve into millions of bright iridescent particles under the water.

Alexa watched as the last of Lance's brilliance dissolved, and with a final flash of white light, he disappeared.

# 13

ALEXA SAT ON THE FALLEN trunk of a large silver maple and poked at the ground with a stick. The evening sun peeked through the tall trees, and the sky flamed in vivid oranges, reds, and purples, catching the clouds on fire with sunset colors.

She'd waited all night and most of the following day by herself. The dark forest, coyote howls, and crickets were her only company. Now, hours later, she felt like a fool. She felt trapped.

She'd been in the mortal world for nearly twenty hours, and she still felt fine. Her M-9 suit had healed and was intact again. She couldn't detect the poison from the death blade anymore, so the wound must have been minimal.

It was a strange sensation to be back in the mortal world and not feel tired, or hungry, or even the need to use the bathroom. In Horizon she had a different mindset—there were no such things as cravings or sleep—but it was odd to be back in the mortal world. She could cry and breathe and even feel the thumping of her artificial heart. At times, she could almost forget that she was an angel.

_I'm dead_ , she said to herself. _Stop trying to convince yourself that you're alive. You're not._

She sat in the dark, not bothering to make a fire for warmth, or even for light. She just felt empty.

She wished it had all been a dream, that she'd wake up to find she was alive in her mortal body. She missed the dreams of going to college for a chance at a better life, and of falling in love with some great guy and having a real and long-lasting relationship.

But being back here, doing nothing but sitting and thinking for a night and a day was driving her mad.

She wondered if Erik was still alive.

Reluctantly, Alexa had to face the inevitable. She was stuck. Horizon wasn't really her home. It had felt more like she had moved to a different continent, like Africa, and was trying to adjust. She couldn't exactly show up at her mother's house either. She would look like someone else and be a stranger to her own mother.

She wiped her eyes and realized that being alone was doing a real number to her head. Her thoughts were jumbled. Dead mortals with burnt eyes. Higher demons. Angels. Sensitives. Erik. The tightness in Erik's jaw when she had stood up to him. The way his face flushed when their eyes met. The muscles that peeked from under his shirt. His sensual lips...

She allowed herself the luxury of daydreaming about him.

Alexa smacked her forehead.

"I'm being an idiot," she said to the small chipmunk that had come out of his burrow and sat across from her, happily eating a blade of grass.

She yelled out in frustration at herself and tossed her stick. If the Legion had known of her fear of water, why had she been chosen to be a guardian? It didn't make sense. Surely her combat skill couldn't be the only reason? Could it? How did the Higher demons discover her? And why did they seek her out specifically? Why her and not another angel? What was so special about her?

Absolutely nothing.

But the Higher demons _had_ known her whereabouts, and they _had_ been waiting for her at the morgue. The only ones who had known she'd be there were the Sensitives.

A shudder crawled down her spine as the realization dawned on her. It had to have been them, or at least one of them. She was sure of it.

It wasn't Erik, or Santo, or any of the others who had risked their lives with her. But she knew that a traitor hid behind the walls of Hallow Hall and was plotting to kill her. She would discover him.

"Screw this."

Alexa jumped up, brushed off her clothes as best she could, and made her way back to Hallow Hall. They might despise her, but they couldn't stop her from seeing Erik. She had to make sure he was okay.

She'd figure out what to do next after she had seen him. And if Rachel got in her way, she'd make her get out of the way. She didn't care if she broke the rules in regards to harming mortals. Rachel was a bitch.

The sun was just visible over the western horizon, and she figured it was about half-past seven in the evening. Enough time had passed to make her appearance at Hallow Hall less suspicious. Hopefully, Lance would show up soon, and she could tell him what she'd discovered. She knew he would have to replenish his body and soul in the Healing-Xpress, the clinic that specialized in healing angels. She just didn't know how long it would take.

Alexa strode angrily up the path. She was tired of being overlooked. She had been treated like dirt in life. She wouldn't put up with it in death. She wasn't here to make friends.

Deep down, she knew she could conquer her aquaphobia. Even if it took months of practice, she _would_ overcome it in the end. It was a promise.

She was a badass guardian. She could feel her skin tingling like static. She was meant to do this. Someone wanted her dead, and she wasn't about to let herself become an easy target.

The grounds of Hallow Hall were deserted except for the squirrels that chased each other across the manicured lawn. In another life, she would have enjoyed just sitting on the grass and listening to the wildlife. But she didn't have time to enjoy the views now. She needed to check on Erik and find out who was trying to kill her and why.

Erik's car was still parked at an awkward angle, just as she'd left it. She made her way around it and walked up to the front entryway. She noticed the intricate symbols carved into the wood. Sigils. She recognized Erik's, but the others meant nothing to her. They were all unique and beautiful. As she grazed the wood with her fingertips, she wondered whether to knock or not. Did angels even knock? Or did they usually just show up? She didn't want to make another rookie mistake.

"Angels don't knock," she whispered.

She grabbed hold of the cold iron handle and pushed.

Inside she saw the lustrous marble floors, polished wooden doors, gleaming windows, and sweeping oak staircases that she had seen the night before. There was no sign of an attack, and no shouts or cries rose from hidden chambers below.

Each tile on the floor had its own brilliant sigil painted in the colors of precious jewels. The sigils were everywhere—on the drapery, chairs, and sofas, even carved into the handrail of the grand staircase.

So far so good.

Alexa made her way through the entrance and down the hall, listening for any sudden footsteps. She smelled coffee and cooked meat, so dinner was being served. Perfect. If they were all busy eating, they wouldn't notice her.

The place was enormous. Lance had mentioned that they'd have some sort of medical wing or clinic. The trouble was she didn't know where. _In the lower levels, perhaps?_

She made for the staircase that led to the lower levels.

"And where do you think you're going?" said a voice behind her.

Alexa whirled around.

Valerie, the Head of House Uriel, regarded her with an icy-cold stare. She had changed into a light gray suit. Her hair was perfect, as was her makeup. She held a tray with an assortment of cheeses, cold meats, breads, and a tall glass of water. She had the face of someone who could see through lies, no matter how well-crafted they might have been.

_Crap._

Alexa sighed, but her body tensed. "I'm here to check on Erik." Her throat was tight, and although Valerie's looks could kill, Alexa watched for any indication that would tell her if Erik was still alive. But the woman's face was stone cold.

Alexa feared the worst.

"Well, he's not down there," said Valerie.

Alexa let out a shuddering breath. Her emotions were getting the best of her, and she knew the woman had seen it.

Valerie watched her for a moment, and something told Alexa that there was more to this tiny old woman than a cold stare and thin lips.

"This way."

Alexa followed Valerie up a staircase, and then down another hallway with more doors leading to adjacent rooms. Alexa had only been in one hotel before, a very small one, and this was a palace in comparison.

After going up to the third floor, which looked exactly like the second floor, Valerie said, "Second and third floors are the sleeping quarters for guests and residents. On the first floor you'll find the dining area and kitchens, as well as the great hall where we convene for council meetings."

Why was this woman telling her all this? Was it some kind of test? Did she feel obligated to do so because Alexa was an angel? Alexa couldn't sense any animosity in the woman's voice. Her tone was simply stern. She sounded like a teacher.

Valerie looked at Alexa's clothes. "The pool is on the main level, in the east wing. But you know that already, don't you?" Valerie's eyes were cunning and calculating. "You smell like that pond, and you're still wearing those clothes. One would assume the Legion took better care of their angels. Why are you not changed?"

"I didn't have time to change. I barely even thought about it, to be honest. There's still so much we don't know about these killings. I had to come back. I don't want anyone else to die." It was partly true, but she wanted to kick herself for not asking Lance to bring back a change of clothes.

"I'm sorry about the smell." Alexa grimaced.

Without another word, Valerie turned around and walked down the hallway.

Alexa followed the woman, knowing full well that she didn't like her or trust her.

_Who cares_.

She wasn't here to make friends _._ She was here to see Erik. _Maybe Valerie was the traitor_. It was a stretch, but she had the feeling this woman would do just about anything to protect her people.

Valerie stopped in front of a door with 305 written in brass above it and knocked three times.

"Come in," Alexa recognized the voice as Erik's.

Valerie pushed open the door and walked in, Alexa right behind her. "Got you some dinner," she said as she settled the tray next to a large bed.

"Thank you," said Erik. He sat with his back against the headboard of a large queen-sized bed with gray-colored sheets and a thick striped coverlet. His dark hair was rumpled from sleep. With the soft light of the table lamps hitting his features, he was even more handsome than she'd remembered.

His room was large enough to fit his bulky bed, an armoire, and his dresser without feeling cramped. It even had its own bathroom suite. A desk faced the only window, and scattered above it were daggers, long and short swords, a few books, and even something that looked like a gun. The furnishings were tasteful, but still very masculine, just like Erik.

Erik didn't bother to hide his surprise at seeing her. "Alexa? What are you doing here?" His face didn't hold any traces of the hatred she'd seen on it before. His smile was genuine, and it lit up his face. He was actually _glad_ to see her.

It was no secret he was painfully beautiful. Everything about him screamed masculinity and sensuality. All the females in Hallow Hall probably threw themselves at his feet. Worse, he wasn't wearing a shirt. The thin white bandage that covered the lower part of his abdomen gave the only indication that he'd been injured. The rest of him was impossibly muscled, lean, and smooth. His olive skin...perfect. Alexa felt a sudden urge to run her fingers across it...

His smile widened when he caught her staring, and she tried to conceal her blush from Valerie's hawk-gaze.

"Just wanted to make sure you were okay," she said, stepping forward until she stood right next to the bed. "You lost so much blood. And when you passed out in the car, I thought..." She frowned when she inspected him more closely.

Erik looked good, too good for someone who'd just had a brush with death. His skin had a healthy glow, and his eyes were clear. Even with a blood transfusion and the best medical care, he must still be in a lot of pain after being stabbed. But he didn't falter when he reached over to grab his tray of food.

_Could Sensitives heal faster than normal mortals? Was it because of their angel blood?_ She looked him over from his chest, down to his long legs, and back up to his smiling face. Their eyes met, and she quickly looked away.

Alexa cleared her throat. "You seem...better," she said for lack of a better word. "A lot better."

Still smiling he said, "I am. Much better."

"Is that...normal?" Alexa ventured and looked at Valerie.

Erik frowned and took a bite of cheese. "Of course it's normal. Why wouldn't it be?"

"She means because you've recovered so _quickly_." Valerie implied that Erik might have more to say on the matter.

"Oh that. Yeah, well, all Sensitives from our house have enhanced healing abilities. Not like you angels, but we do heal faster than the average mortal. One of the perks of belonging to House Gabriel," he said.

Alexa nodded, keeping up her pretense that she knew all about the seven houses. "Right. House Gabriel."

The smile faded from Erik's face, and he looked serious and sincere before he spoke again. "Thank you for coming back for me," he said. "You saved my life."

Their eyes met, and Erik smiled again slowly. His eyes gleamed in a way that said he wished he could say more, but couldn't.

_You saved me too, in a way_ , she wanted to say. But the words would not come. No one said a word, and the room seemed too small and intimate for a moment. Alexa wished she and Erik had been alone. She felt Valerie's eyes on her, but concentrated her attention on Erik.

"It's part of the job," Alexa said finally. "It's what I'm here for."

"Is it?" asked Erik.

Alexa heard the challenge in his words. She had saved _his_ life, but she hadn't even considered the safety of the others, not really. Her actions spoke for themselves. She felt a little foolish.

Alexa and Valerie stood in awkward silence for a moment.

_Does she think I want to jump his bones? Why is she still here?_

"It is," Alexa said, glad that she sounded as if she were speaking with conviction. "You had been stabbed, so I reacted. I did what I felt was right at the time to save your life." It was the truth, more or less. But she couldn't really explain it.

"Is my car still in one piece?" he teased.

The hatred he had first directed at her was gone. Now she felt his kindness and even a little admiration. She also felt something else that she couldn't figure out.

Alexa's body tingled with a warm feeling in her core that was startling. She dug her fingernails into her palms to keep her emotions under control.

"Of course it is. Technically, I don't have a _real_ license, but I think I did a pretty good job driving you here. You're still in one piece, aren't you?" She met his cheeky grin.

"What is _she_ doing here?"

Even before Alexa turned around, she knew who was there.

Rachel stormed into the room, her long hair wet from a recent shower. She ignored both Valerie and Erik and confronted Alexa.

"What are _you_ still doing here?" she said again.

Alexa frowned. "I think you should step away from me before I do something I'm going to regret."

"Aren't you supposed to grow wings and fly away, or something?" she mocked.

A smile formed on Alexa's lips. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"Get lost, _angel_ ," hissed Rachel.

Her perfect teeth and her clean minty breath provoked Alexa as much as her nasty attitude. She was even more stunning up close—no zits, porcelain skin, full lips, and perfect delicate features. Even mad she was hot. God that chick was pissing her off something fierce.

"How about you back up. You're invading my space," said Alexa. She straightened up. She wasn't about to let this girl intimidate her.

"Nothing here is _your_ space," spat Rachel. "Go back to where you belong, _stiff_."

Alexa tensed, but she didn't move. "This is where I belong," she growled. She was surprised at how much this mortal girl had managed to get under her skin. She saw the hilt of a sword strapped to Rachel's back. Had she seriously fitted herself with a weapon before storming in?

Rachel gave a sniff, her perfect features twisted in a sour expression. "She smells like death, like the rotten corpse that she is."

Alexa couldn't disagree with her. She did smell like death. But before she had a chance to react to Rachel, she was distracted when a young man entered the room. He had mocha-colored skin and a shaved head, and he wore casual jeans and a military-style jacket. He looked like a normal teenager except that he wore four different sized daggers on his belt. He also had the same _A_ -shaped birthmark as Erik. The strange smile on his face indicated he had clearly been watching the interaction between Alexa and Rachel.

"Give it a rest, Rachel," said Erik, sounding a little peeved. "You're not helping."

Finally, Rachel stepped back from Alexa. "That _thing_ doesn't belong here."

Alexa smiled coldly. She wanted to punch that beautiful face, just once.

Erik had had enough of her. "That _thing_ saved my life. I won't let you disrespect her."

"What's the matter with you? You _hate_ angels. What's so special about this one? She's not even that pretty."

Erik's face darkened. "Let it go, Rachel. I'm warning you."

Rachel opened her mouth to protest, but Erik's glare silenced her. Alexa saw a flash of hurt cross her face before it was quickly replaced by an angry frown.

The stranger crossed the room and held out his hand to Alexa. "I'm Matt," he said, beaming. His face was rough, but kind and genuine. Alexa liked him immediately.

She shook his hand. It was hard and callused. "Alexa. It's nice to meet you, Matt."

"Yeah, I know," said Matt, still smiling. "Erik told me all about you."

Alexa raised her brows. "He did, did he?"

Erik was looking at his plate of food. His face was flushed, but she couldn't tell if it was from anger at Rachel or because he had confided about her with Matt.

Valerie cleared her throat. "And where will you be staying, Alexa? You did imply that your investigation is still ongoing."

Alexa had almost forgotten about the older woman in the room. Her face was expressionless, and there was no warmth in her voice.

Alexa's eyes widened. "I haven't decided yet." The woods were nice, but they weren't exactly the Hilton.

"Good. Then you'll stay here as our guest," said Valerie, and then she added quickly, "and I will not take no for an answer."

"It has been quite some time since an angel has graced us with their presence here in Hallow Hall. When you report back, I'm sure the Legion will be happy to know that their generosity has gone a long way, and that their money has been well spent. We would not want the Legion to accuse us of being negligent with one of their angels."

"No—I mean, yes," said Alexa. "That would be great."

Valerie smiled briefly. "Well, now that everyone's been acquainted, perhaps Matthew can give our guest a tour, if she feels up to it."

"I'll do it." Erik swung his naked legs off the bed and smiled at Alexa. "I think I'll need pants first."

Rachel was pissed that her boyfriend had volunteered to show Alexa around, and Alexa felt some satisfaction at Rachel's displeasure.

She should probably wait for Lance to return, but she knew that a tour of the old hotel would give her a better insight of the Sensitives. She still needed to figure out who wanted her dead.

Alexa headed for the door, but Valerie swung out her arm and stopped her.

"First, you will take a shower and change your clothes. I will not have you parade like that in front of the younger ones. Angels can take showers, I presume?"

Alexa couldn't help but notice the edge in Valerie's voice, but she replied simply, "Yes."

Besides, Erik and Matt were looking over her clothes and hair with obvious distaste.

"Good. Follow me."

Rachel's laugh echoed in her ears as she followed Valerie out the door.

# 14

VALERIE TOOK ALEXA DOWN THE hall and into room number 310, an unoccupied guest room with an en suite, just like Erik's.

"Since this used to be a hotel, you will find that all the bedrooms are equipped with their own bathrooms," Valerie closed the door behind her.

The room was large and lavish with beautiful polished wood furnishings that looked antique and maybe even dated back to the original hotel. But the carpets, beddings and curtains were all new. While Erik's room was masculine and tailored to him, this room was more neutral in color and furnishings. It was still grand, and Alexa wondered if Valerie had purposely brought her to this spectacular room to impress her.

Alexa crossed to the window and peeked at the grounds below. She faced the front of the hotel, which was good since she had a clear view of who came and went through the front entrance. The pond reflected the reds and oranges from the setting sun. It would be dark soon.

Alexa peeled off her clothes. They had been soaked with demon blood, which had mixed with M-suit perspiration and hardened. She barely glanced at the clawfoot tub. She never took baths. While she untangled her hair, she took a moment to stare at her naked self in the bathroom mirror.

It was both haunting and terrifying to see one's dead self looking back. Her face, her arms, her breasts, her stomach, everything was exactly as she remembered. She even retained the long scar on her forearm she'd gotten when she'd fallen off her bike when she was nine. When she was satisfied that everything seemed to be in its rightful place, Alexa turned around and peered at her reflection over her shoulder. She let out a gasp.

The death blade had cut her skin deeply, and now the wound was oozing a yellow transparent liquid that she was sure was not her artificial blood. Angry black veins surrounded the cut, like a spider web. Alexa feared the worst. The poison was still in there. The Legion had been wrong. Her M-suit couldn't neutralize it. Her body was infected and dying. It took all her self-control to keep her knees from buckling at the sight.

"Is everything all right in there?" Valerie called from behind the door. "Alexa?"

For an angry old woman, Valerie seemed unduly worried about what Alexa was doing to her precious bathroom. She couldn't figure her out.

"Fine," said Alexa, although she was still trembling. "I just can't believe how dirty I am. I'm going in the shower now," she said and jumped under the delicious stream of clean, hot water.

After a long shower and washing her hair three times just to get the demon guts out of it, Alexa dressed in the new clothes Valerie had given her. They were just like Rachel's: black pants and a black shirt under a black jacket. Was Valerie trying to say something? Alexa even had fresh new undergarments. She didn't ask how Valerie had known her size. Her boots were all that remained of her old clothes. They must have met with Valerie's approval.

She looked at herself in the mirror again and felt relieved to be in the presence of a now a spotless angel.

She tied her weapons belt around her waist so that it was partially concealed by her new jacket. With a traitor still lurking somewhere in Hallow Hall, having a soul blade on her hip made her feel safer.

After she'd brushed out all the knots and pulled her wet hair into a ponytail, she exited the bathroom and followed Valerie down to the main hall.

Hallow Hall was buzzing with life. Most of the dozen or so people who milled about were older than her. Some openly stared at her when she came in while others ignored her completely. She could see that they all had birthmarks.

A balding man had a birthmark in the shape of an _X_ with a line straight through it on his left ear. A woman who carried a stack of books had a sigil that looked like a mirrored small _R_ on her forearm. A teenage boy stared at her with more disbelief than fear. His right temple was marked with a sigil in the shape of a small _T_. Alexa smiled at him. He blushed and then tore away down the hallway. While she had not seen the birthmarks of all the seven archangel houses, she suspected they were all represented. It was just as Lance had said.

Erik and Matt chatted happily in the center of the lobby. Alexa was not pleased to see that Rachel was with them. Her womanly charms were nearly popping out of her tight tank top as she leaned close to Erik. Her perfect teeth flashed in her perfect face. Both the boys seemed to be enjoying her company.

Figures. What young man wouldn't want the attention of a gorgeous blonde? Alexa hated her more.

She smiled at Erik and his face lit up. His magnificent smile made her weak in the knees, made her feel things she shouldn't, made her feel _alive_. A flutter of nerves like tiny electric shocks ran up and down her spine. _Was this an M-suit malfunction?_ She shouldn't be feeling like this. It was wrong. It was impossible.

She tried to keep her true feelings from bubbling over. If Lance were here, she'd have asked him to bite her leg so she could focus on that instead of the growing ache in her chest.

Rachel saw the smiles that she and Erik had exchanged, and her face darkened to an ugly red. Alexa could swear she saw fangs peek from her thick lips.

Valerie gently tapped Alexa's arm. "Here," she said and handed her a keycard. "This is your room key for 310. It'll be your room for the duration of your stay. I'll have housekeeping bring up some more clean clothes. They should keep you looking fresh for the next few days."

Alexa tried not to stare at the archangel Uriel's _U_ -shaped sigil on Valerie's right wrist. She took the key and slipped it into her jacket pocket.

"Thank you."

Valerie watched her for a moment. "Is there anything else I can help you with? Do you have any questions?"

"No." She thought _, Can you tell me who tried to kill me?_

"Well then, I'll leave you to it," said the woman. "I've got a council meeting in a few minutes. Erik will see to it that you're properly looked after. I hope the Legion will be satisfied with your accommodations."

Alexa watched the Head of House Uriel disappear through a set of double French doors just as Erik and the others came over.

"I think she likes you," said Matt. His easy demeanor immediately put Alexa at ease.

"I seriously doubt that," said Alexa. "She's probably on her way to talk to my superiors."

Alexa knew she'd said something wrong by the strange looks Erik and Matt exchanged, and by the happy smile that Rachel gave her.

" _She_ can't contact the Legion," said Matt. "None of us can. Only House Ramiel can do that. They're born with the gift of divination and clairvoyance. It's a mind thing. The Legion speaks to us _through_ them. I have no idea how it works. It just does. Only those who are powerful enough can communicate directly."

"So you can understand why your presence is freaking people out a little," said Erik. "And why everyone's staring at you right now. We're not used to seeing angels in Hallow Hall."

Alexa tried to look cool and indifferent, doing her best not to show how foolish she felt. "You're right," she tried to laugh it off, but it sounded forced. "I'm—"

Suddenly the doors burst open, and a large man carried a young boy into the room. The boy's pale face was dirty and bloody like he'd been in a fight. But just by the way the whites of his eyes showed, and the way he looked around without really seeing, Alexa knew something was very wrong.

"A drifter," said Erik. "They're the children of Sensitive parents who abandoned us and refused to live by our laws. They're exiles. Their children are at the mercy of the mortal world, and they don't understand what's happening to them. They're terrified. They see demons, and they think they're insane. Sometimes they kill themselves if we don't find them first."

With a profound sadness, Alexa watched the terrified boy. She imagined how scared he must have been.

The boy's eyes widened at the sight of her, and he started to scream and kick the man who held him. Alexa flinched back and bumped into Erik. She watched the boy until they carried him away. She waited until she couldn't hear his terrified screams anymore.

"Where are they taking him?"

"To the medical wing," said Erik gently. "Don't worry. They'll take good care of him. He's much better with us in here than alone out there. He's safe now, and in a few weeks, he'll join others who are just like him. Come on. Let me show you."

Alexa let Erik steer her away by the elbow, only too aware of Rachel's laser-beam eyes on the back of her head. She could feel the warmth from his fingers while he held her, but the moment was gone when he let her go.

Alexa had never imagined that Hallow Hall could be such a strange and splendid place. As she followed Erik, they met more people milling about the endless halls, doorways, and staircases. But for their various birthmarks, they would have passed for normal mortals. No one stopped them, or spoke to them, but they didn't hide their surprise when they spotted Alexa. She wasn't one for attention and felt like an animal at the zoo. She did her best to ignore them.

They passed a large dining room with rows of mahogany tables draped in white linens and surrounded by comfortable chairs. The tables were laid with glittering silver plates and sparkling cups. A dozen or so mortals sat and ate at some of the pretty tables while a few younger girls and boys cleared the dirty plates from others.

"Dinner is served from six to seven," said Erik, and then he opened and closed his mouth like a fish, as though he'd said something he shouldn't have. Alexa knew exactly what he was thinking. Angels didn't eat or drink. Erik's face flushed as he hurried her past the dining room.

The windows that dotted the long hall were covered with light curtains, and lush plants grew in planters. Thick rugs covered much of the marble stone floors, and grand chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Alexa could see that the angel wings shading the light bulbs were part of an angel theme that was repeated throughout the house.

Alexa turned around in place, taking in the grandeur of the ornate furniture, the paintings, and the plush carpets. All of it paid for by the Legion, or so Valerie had said.

Outside she could see a large courtyard and garden with neatly trimmed boxwood shrubs that bordered gravel walkways. Hallow Hall was a giant U-shaped building.

They reached a large wooden door that was covered in archangel sigils, like small letter T's. Alexa could hear voices inside, and she peered in through the window.

Rows of young teens sat in what was obviously a classroom, but they weren't typing on their laptops or texting on their phones. Their tablets, phones, books, and even some Mars chocolate bars, hovered in midair above their desks, as though they had been suspended by invisible strings. These kids appeared to be capable of levitation.

"House Ramiel." Erik smiled. "They're born with the gifts of clairvoyance, divination, and telekinesis. We're teaching them how to control their abilities. I've heard of a powerful operative from a house in Germany who can kill demons with his mind. It's a pretty awesome skill to have."

"I'd have to say _yes_ , especially if he didn't have to get close to the demon," said Alexa.

She watched a girl who was juggling two daggers in the air. She wouldn't mind having that kind of power either.

The next rooms were all classrooms where young operatives from all the different houses were being taught the skills required to fight against the forces of darkness. Each classroom was decorated with the sigil of a different archangel house. Across from the telekinesis teens' room was House Raguel. Although it was empty now, Matt explained that new weapons were invented here.

Down the hall was the House Sariel classroom.

"These guys are occult experts," informed Erik. "They study the ancient supernatural texts and demonology."

Alexa peered into the glass but could only see darkness. Although she didn't feel the presence of death, she could smell it.

On the doors at the end of the hall, Alexa recognized the same sigil she'd seen on Valerie's wrist.

"This is House Uriel," she said.

She peered into the largest library she'd ever seen. Thousands of books were stacked on three floors of floor-to-ceiling shelves. The desks in the middle of the room held computers with touch screen monitors, and people on each floor were reading, writing, and whispering.

Alexa loved books. She even loved the smell of books. This was like heaven to her. She spotted a comfortable chair next to a large window. She'd have given anything just to kick back and lose herself in a book...

"House Uriel hangs out here, but everyone's allowed to use the library," began Erik, as though reading her mind. "You can use the computers, too, if you want. The greasy-haired guy with glasses sitting alone over there," he pointed. "That's Daniel Turner, of House Sariel. He's the biggest nerd in Hallow Hall. If you ever have questions about the occult, demons, or anything _supernatural_ , he's your guy."

Daniel, who Alexa guessed was probably in his mid-twenties, must have been the same Daniel that Santo had mentioned earlier. He winced at the sound of his name, but he never took his eyes off his laptop screen.

There didn't appear to be any other classrooms on this floor.

"Where's House Raphael?" she inquired. There were still three houses missing.

"Downstairs, on the medical level," said Erik.

"And what about yours?"

Erik's face lit up. "This way."

He led them back down the hallway and crossed the main lobby to the east wing.

Rachel had not said a word on Alexa's tour, but she never missed a step and stayed right next to Erik. It was as if she felt she needed to protect him, as if Alexa was going to harm him somehow.

A sudden breeze with a hint of salt brushed Alexa's cheeks, and she spotted a large in-ground pool full of sparkling, crystal clear water. Just looking at it made her want to throw up.

"And here is the pool," said Matt, "in case you need to...you know..." He gestured as though he was jumping in. "It's saltwater, too. Another bonus for you guys, right?"

Alexa gave him a tight smile and scarcely glanced at the pool. She looked straight ahead and walked faster.

Lastly, they came to a set of double doors just like the ones to the library, but these had the sigils of two different houses marked on them. She could hear grunts and shouts, and the clang of metal against metal from somewhere inside. They were familiar sounds to Alexa. Erik grinned at Alexa and pulled open the doors.

It was a giant ballroom with polished floors that had been converted into a training camp. Mats had been placed at intervals all over the floors. And at the opposite end of the room were sparring and training rings. The west wall was covered from floor to ceiling with swords, daggers, spears, bows and arrows, maces, axes, and other weapons that Alexa had never seen before. But all the weapons were sharp and were obviously meant to kill demons.

Adjacent to the rack of weapons was another room, and through its open door, Alexa could see more swords, knives, daggers, and other gleaming weapons. It was an armory.

Girls and boys of all ages sparred with swords, daggers, and spears in the training rings. They were fast, lethal, and brutal.

In Horizon, Alexa had graduated quickly from sparring in red sand dunes at Operations, where all the rookies learned to train with weapons, to the more modern training camps in the Counter Demon Division. This training facility was very familiar to her.

For the first time since her arrival in Hallow Hall, she felt as though she could fit in here. Definitely.

"This is where we hang out and train," said Erik.

He crossed the room to the weapons area. "As soon as our aptitudes form, we start to learn how to protect ourselves and kill demons."

"Why are there two different sigils on the doors?" she asked to no one in particular.

Before Erik could answer, the group of Sensitives nearby stopped their training and turned their attention to her. Amongst them was a large and very pale youth who looked particularly threatening. His pale pink eyes flickered with distaste, and his lips were pulled back in a snarl. His face was white with fury, and his focus remained on her.

Matt followed her gaze and frowned. "Because, unfortunately, we have to share this place with House Michael," he said with distaste.

As if on cue the big guy crossed the room towards Alexa, all the while staring at her angrily. He was followed by two of his friends, his bodyguards no doubt. Strangely, she was reminded of Ryan.

He came right up to Alexa, but Erik stepped in front of him with his hands in his pockets and a strange smile on his face.

"What do you want, Ash?"

If Alexa had thought that Rachel hated her, it was nothing compared to the way this guy was staring at her now. He was even larger and uglier up close. He towered over Erik, a good head taller and thicker. His bulging wrestler's muscles strained his thin training clothing, and Alexa could see his sigil on his collarbone. It looked like the letter P with a tail. She could see that Ash's friends had the same mark.

"I never thought I'd see the day when Erik Meyer would get himself a _stiff_ as a girlfriend," said Ash. He leaned forward, right into Erik's face. "What's the matter? Can't get a _real_ woman? You like them better cold?"

He laughed as his goons joined in. His voice was strangely high-pitched for someone his size. It was the voice of a mousy sort of man, not a thick brute.

Alexa peered over to Rachel to see her reaction. Her pretty face was cold as stone. Her eyes were wide, but not with irritation and anger. It looked like disgust.

_Why wasn't she saying anything?_

Erik didn't move, but he did smile dismissively. "How about you go back to your playing, Ash. We all know you're not much in the field. How long has it been since you killed a demon or anything supernatural? Too scared to face what's really out there? Is there anything you wish to tell us? A shift in your loyalties maybe?"

Alexa was oblivious to what Erik meant, but she could tell both Matt and Rachel agreed with whatever he was saying.

_Loyalty to what?_

A murderous expression twisted Ash's face, and he turned on Erik. "You and me. Now." He gestured with his chin towards the mats. "You know I'll knock you down before you even have a chance to fight. We'll see whose house is strongest."

Erik was not amused. "Can't," he said. "I promised Valerie to show our _guest,_ Hallow Hall. Maybe some other time."

Ash growled at him. "Coward. You've always been a coward...and I heard you cried like a girl after what happened."

Erik stiffened. His cocky grin vanished, and Matt and Rachel both gave him worried glances. "You're on," he said finally. His tone matched the fury in his eyes. As he made to remove his jacket, Matt cut in.

"It won't be a fair fight," he said, as he put a hand towards Erik. "He's been injured."

"I feel fine." Erik tossed his jacket on the ground. "Let's do this."

Ash's smile made him look like a wild animal as they made their way across the chamber to the mats.

Rachel shot Alexa a glare as though this had been her fault. Then she followed the boys. Everyone in the room had stopped their training and had made a circle around one of the mats.

Matt stayed next to Alexa. "This is wrong," he said to her. "Erik's proud, and he never backs away from a fight. But he's not fully healed. He's going to get his ass kicked."

Alexa felt she would be partly to blame if Erik got hurt again. It would be her fault.

"I have to stop it."

But just as Alexa started to move, Santo barged into the chamber.

# 15

"I NEED EVERY AVAILABLE person now!" said the lead operative as he stormed in, his voice booming against the walls.

He looked like he hadn't slept since she'd seen him last. His movements were stressed and anxious. He caught Alexa's eyes for a moment and looked surprised to see her.

But then her attention was drawn to the man who accompanied Santo. He was tall and fit and had a raven-black braid that gleamed as it bounced against his wide back. His blue eyes sparkled against his almost porcelain skin. He was the most beautiful man she'd ever seen, almost too beautiful to be real.

Everything about the stranger radiated sensual grace and power. He was dressed in black and looked to be a bit younger than Santo. But there was something far older about his gaze and about the way he commanded the attention of both houses in the room. He wore a wide belt that held thick hunting daggers, narrow dirks, and skinning knives. The _P_ -like sigil that marked his collarbone was the same as Ash's and his friends. The stranger was from House Michael, too. He scanned the room, taking in the two boys that were about to fight, and finally landed on Alexa. He looked amused. For some reason, _he_ didn't look at all surprised to see her.

Alexa did her best not to flinch under his stare and tried to appear indifferent. She waited until he looked away before the tension on her back released a little.

With barely a glance at Ash, Erik left the mat and jogged over to Santo.

"What's going on?"

"They found another body at Wicked's Pub," said the operative leader. "Same marks on the victim's eyes. And it's another girl. I don't believe in coincidences, so we know so far that this demon is after young girls. We need to stop it. Tonight."

Santo looked at Alexa, but his face was blank. "Any new leads on your end?" he asked.

Alexa blushed briefly. "No. The Legion is still investigating. We still don't know who's doing it or why."

"We could use your help with this, if you're still willing," said Santo. "With what happened to Denton..." he paused for a moment. "Evelyn is a mess, and she won't be back for a while. We could really use an angel right now."

Alexa nodded, excited at the idea of finally doing something. She wanted to discover what demons were murdering these girls as much as they did.

"Of course I'll help." She peered over Erik's shoulder to the tall stranger. His team was darting back and forth to the armory and adding weapons to their belts. He was slowly inspecting a long silver sword.

"We know the demons are luring these girls into dark alleys at night and killing them there," said Santo. And then he paused. "FEAR FAIR is opening tonight."

"Oh shit, that's true," said Matt rubbing his hand over his shaved head.

"Lots of dark corners," said Erik. "Perfect time to drag some innocent victim to her death."

"And no one would hear her screams over the racket of the fair," added Alexa, realizing that the fair could present a golden opportunity for demons.

"So let's find these SOBs before they kill another girl. Gather all the weapons you can carry and meet me in front in five minutes." Santo cast a last glance over at the stranger before exiting the room.

Erik slipped his jacket back on and made his way towards the armory. Rachel and Matt were already fitting themselves with thigh and leg braces and had practically covered their bodies with weapons. When Alexa made her way over, Matt looked up at her and winked. She couldn't help but smile back.

She made her way over to Erik and lowered her voice. "Who's the guy with the braid?"

Erik slid a dirk dagger into his ankle sheath. "Michael," he said without looking up. "He's the Head of House Michael."

"And his name _is_ Michael?" she said, incredulously. Was it a coincidence that this stranger was named after the archangel of his house? Did his parents know he would become part of the most powerful archangel's house?

At the mention of his name, the stranger looked up at Alexa. There was something calculating and cold in his stare. He might not have been surprised to see her, but it was obvious he didn't like her. This time she looked away.

Rachel looked worried about Erik as he suited up. Alexa could tell she was struggling with whether she should try to convince him to stay behind. It was obvious she felt Erik wasn't ready and needed to rest. But the little Alexa knew of Erik persuaded her that he would never agree to stay behind, especially in front of the others and Ash.

As Alexa surveyed the room, she noticed that the two houses did not mix.

_Interesting._

If Erik felt Rachel's concern, he didn't show it. "Take that," he said as he handed a short dagger to Alexa. He leaned closer. "It's not a soul blade." He lowered his voice, and she immediately understood that soul blades were rare in Hallow Hall. "But you'll still need another weapon. Just in case."

"Thanks." Alexa slipped the dagger into her belt, and for a moment she felt that the room itself was holding its breath and watching her every move.

When she looked up, Erik said, "Let's get out of here."

Alexa knew that Michael was watching her like a stain that wouldn't go away, but she wouldn't dare to look at him.

She followed Erik and the others down the hallway and out the main doors. Several of the cars parked in the driveway hadn't been there when she had arrived earlier. Santo and Erik's collector cars stood out against the larger trucks and big SUVs.

Alexa watched as Michael moved towards a black Audi Q7. He sat behind the wheel, and Ash sat in the passenger seat. A redheaded girl and a guy with a cap slipped into the back. Even though he was behind the tinted windows of his car, Alexa couldn't shake the feeling that Michael was watching her. But before she felt too uncomfortable, the SUV backed up, turned, and left in a giant dust cloud.

After a quick word with Santo and Haru, Erik moved towards his car. "We're going to cover the east side of the fair," he said as he swung his door open.

Alexa assumed Matt would ride in the front with Erik, and so she moved towards the back passenger seat. Before she could grab the handle, Rachel stepped in the way.

"You _cannot_ be serious," growled Rachel. She leaned on the door and crossed her arms, but her question was directed to Erik.

Alexa clenched and unclenched her fingers.

"We don't have time for this, Rachel," said Erik. "Santo wants her on the team, so she's coming with us. Get in the car."

"I'm not getting in with the _stiff_ ," she spat. She turned to Alexa. "What the hell is she doing here anyway? What? Her own kind cast her out? Is that it? This isn't right."

Rachel seemed to have found her voice and to have been waiting for the perfect opportunity to voice her hatred for Alexa.

Matt shifted uncomfortably on his feet and stared at a spot on the ground.

"You're a monster." Rachel's pale skin was flushed as she sneered at Alexa. "Angels _are_ monsters. You're no better than demons, and you have no place among the living."

"Shut up, Rachel." Erik had had enough. "Alexa is coming with us. You heard Santo. You don't like it...then ride with him." He looked at Alexa with the same sympathy and gratitude that he had shown her earlier. Alexa was tempted to reach out and brush away the strands of hair that had fallen in front of his eyes.

Rachel pushed off the car and rammed her shoulder hard against Alexa. "How can you take her side?" she howled. "How can you let that thing ride with you after what happened to your parents?"

Erik tensed. His smile vanished, and a storm of emotions flashed in his face. And when he glanced at Alexa, all his sympathy seemed to have disappeared. In its place, she only saw hatred now. She knew it was directed at her.

Rachel gave Alexa a winning smile. "I think I _will_ ride with Santo. I don't want to be anywhere near this stiff."

She practically hopped with glee as she hurried over and waved for Santo to stop his car. She slipped inside. And before the car sped off, Rachel made sure that Alexa had seen the stupid grin on her perfect face.

Alexa wished Lance would appear and take her out of here. Anywhere was better than this. She stood like a fool, not knowing what to do. Without a word, Erik slipped behind the wheel and closed his door. He didn't tell her to leave, but he didn't ask for her to come along either.

She watched Santo's car tear down the driveway. Matt stood next to her looking like someone had punched him in the gut.

"What happened to his parents?" she asked him softly.

Matt sighed heavily and said, "They were killed. They were investigating demon activity in Coffin Grove two years ago. They must have found something really bad because they asked for the Legion's help. But the Legion refused to send them angels as backup, and they were ambushed. They say their bodies were so carved and mangled that they were barely recognizable."

Alexa's eyes burned. "What did the Legion do after that?" The pain in her chest almost seemed real.

Matt set his jaw and finally looked at her sadly. "Nothing."

Without another word, he moved to the front of the car, opened the door, and fell into the passenger seat.

Erik's hatred of angels made sense now. Although she understood his pain, it left her feeling hollow and empty. Whatever friendship she'd hoped for had vanished like a puff of smoke. Her mouth was dry. She wanted to comfort Erik, to tell him she was sorry. But deep down she knew it was pointless.

No exchanging pleasantries, then. Her throat throbbed as she tried to control her shame and disappointment. She could handle it. She had a job to do. She would ignore her feelings, figure out who wanted her dead, and get to the bottom of these killings.

_I'm a monster._

Rachel was right.

But it would take a monster to destroy a monster. There would be no loss of mortal life. No soul would be stained but hers. Even though she was dead, mortality weighed on her heavily.

With a sinking ache in her chest, Alexa reached for a thread of courage and yanked open the door of the car.

# 16

THE SILENCE DURING THE twenty-five-minute car ride was taut as a bowstring. Alexa felt like shouting at Erik. His mood swings were getting to her. Friend today. Enemy tomorrow. She was tired of it, and she wished he'd just make up his mind. Either like her or hate her. Not both.

Matt kept giving Erik nervous glances, as though he was afraid if he said anything it would piss Erik off more, and they would both end up in a shouting match. There was a bond between the friends that were strong enough they didn't need to speak to understand what the other was feeling.

Alexa was restless. It was hard enough to accept one's fate as being dead _and_ an angel. She didn't need Erik's ever-changing moods added in the mix.

He had lost his parents, and as tragic and painful as it was, it wasn't on her account. However, there had to be more to it than that. The Legion would never have been so callous as to abandon the lives of mortals, especially when Sensitive operatives were few and far between. She would find out what really happened. Maybe Erik had it wrong. There were probably details that only angels would know. And she _would_ discover them.

The car sped down the street. Headlights gleamed from the passing cars. It was like a bad school bus ride, where every bump made you jump and land hard on your ass. It was almost as though Erik was purposely hitting every bump he could find, as though he enjoyed watching her get tossed around in the back seat.

Alexa was thrown hard against the back seat with the next bump, and her wound slammed against the backrest. She hissed under her breath as she felt her skin rip. It had been nearly twenty-four hours since the attack, and her wound was getting worse.

She was angry, and when she spoke her voice was hard. "I think I'll catch a ride back with Santo." Alexa was careful not to put too much emotion in her words. "That way your girlfriend can ride with you."

She doubted that Rachel would sit in the back. Her ass was probably too fragile and small for the seat anyway. Alexa knew she should probably go back to Hallow Hall. She didn't know of any other safe place. Besides she should be waiting for Lance.

Erik caught her eyes in the rearview mirror. The fierceness on his face shifted between irritation and amusement. Her chest tightened.

"She's _not_ my girlfriend." His voice was flat. His attention alternated between her and the road, as though he was waiting for her to say something.

Alexa couldn't help but notice his emphasis on the word _not_ , and she felt a strange warmth rise in her chest. She tried to will it down, but it refused to go anywhere. The damn M-suit read her emotions and created an appropriate response in her demeanor. Her face would give her away. Erik had seen it, and she could see the smile on his face in the mirror. But she refused to look away for fear that he might discover her true feelings. Feelings that were wrong. She was being ridiculous. And Erik was still staring at her.

Matt kept looking between Alexa and Erik, as if he wished he were somewhere else.

Erik was quiet for a moment, preparing for what he was about to say. "You can ride back with me." His voice was soft, like a rolling purr. The tension had left his shoulders, and he leaned back more comfortably in his seat. "Unless you'd prefer to ride with Santo. It's fine with me. Whatever you decide, but you have a place here if you want." He held her gaze in a silent challenge, and Alexa squeezed the leather seat with her fingers.

_Why did he have to be so damn good-looking?_

She felt pleasure, guilt, and confusion, but she tried to push her emotions aside. Her anger dissipated like mist in the morning sun, and her suit made her feel warm again. Whatever heated words she'd prepared also vanished. Finally, she looked away and gazed out the window.

By the time they arrived at the fair, Erik's mood had changed, and he was making a small conversation with Matt. Alexa kept looking in the mirror to see if he'd make eye contact with her again, but he never did.

They pulled into a crowded parking lot, and Alexa could hear laughter and music. But as soon as she slipped out of the car, she felt a shift in the air. It was unnatural, like a cold breeze in a closed room. There was definitely something sinister lurking somewhere close.

Alexa followed Erik and Matt as they made their way between parked cars and arrived at the pay booth. The words _FEAR FAIR_ was painted on a sign above the booth. The fresh red paint dripped from the letters and looked strangely like blood. A small clock read 10:15 p.m.

Erik paid the entrance fee for the three of them. A wrinkled old woman with only a few teeth spewed putrid hot breath on Alexa's face as she stamped her hand with a red devil's face. Both Matt and Erik looked at their stamped hands with a look that suggested the red devil was an ill omen.

"Next in line," barked the woman, waving at the three of them impatiently. Alexa didn't have the heart to tell her there wasn't anyone behind them.

_FEAR FAIR_ was alive with energy, music, and bright lights. The air was thick with the sweet smells of candy floss, popcorn, hotdogs and burgers, and with the familiar underlining scent of cheap beer and vomit. They passed a rollercoaster, a Ferris wheel, and bumper cars that jerked and crashed into each other. Laughter mixed with the creaking of metal as people inside small metal cabinets were swung in wild circles. Red, pink, and yellow lights lit up the night sky, which seemed unearthly and magnificent at the same time. The faces that passed them were dizzy with excitement, and kids pulled on the arms of their obliging parents as they pointed to what they wanted to try next.

The fair was exactly like it had been two years ago. She'd come with her mother and her mom's new boyfriend. And, as usual, her mother had disappeared and left her alone without any money. So Alexa had made the two-hour journey home on foot. Her mother had passed out on the couch, and the new boyfriend was nowhere to be found.

A young couple holding hands passed her, drunk with happiness. She spotted another couple entangled in a passionate kiss, and she turned her gaze away. She felt a familiar ache inside because she knew she would never have someone kiss her, touch her, or even hold her again. She'd had her share of boyfriends, enough to count on one hand, but there hadn't been any _real_ love. And now there never would be.

Love or any kind of physical relations was forbidden in Horizon. Only platonic relationships were allowed. Celestial beings had more important functions. They had to save the mortal world. She'd been alone in life, and now she'd be alone in death.

She realized she'd been staring too long when Erik turned to look at her. She couldn't read the expression on his face, so she looked away and pretended to look for someone. The truth was, she _was_ looking for someone. She was trying to find Santo or any of the other operatives, but it was impossible to see through the throng of people.

But she didn't have to look to feel a darkness in the air that was growing stronger. The atmosphere pulsed with it, and her head throbbed. Somewhere in the fair was a rift.

"What is it?" asked Erik, watching her closely.

"I think there's a rift somewhere inside this fair."

Santo's intuition had been spot on. He'd been right to bring them here.

"Can you pinpoint its location?" asked Erik, looking slightly impressed.

Alexa shook her head. "No. But I can feel it. There's something evil here."

Matt rubbed his head. "This place is huge. How are we going to find it? And what exactly is it?"

"Demon, most probably, because of the missing souls," said Alexa. "But I think it has to be in a human guise. It probably took possession of some unsuspecting mortal. That would explain how it lured the girls away. The girls must have trusted it. Maybe an older man seeking assistance? A young child? I don't know."

"That could be anyone here." Matt surveyed the scene around them frantically.

"We should split up." Alexa tried not to show any emotions. "That way we can cover more ground." Alexa wanted to be away from them for a while. She needed to think on her own. She needed to get away from Erik. She wished he'd stop looking at her like that. Where was Rachel when she needed her?

Erik looked as if he was loath to part with her. "Okay," he said. He looked at Alexa carefully. Then he reached inside his jacket and pulled out a cell phone. "Here," he gave her the phone. "It's yours. I programmed our numbers already. But you should know something first. We carry them, but they don't always work. Demons and the supernatural sometimes interfere with electromagnetic fields, so don't get too close if you see anything. Call me and don't do anything. Wait, and I'll come as fast as I can."

"I can take care of myself," Alexa snapped.

"Never said you couldn't," said Erik evenly. "But for whatever reasons, Higher demons appear to be after you. Which means that lesser demons are probably after you, too. Just call us. We'll do the same. Deal?"

"Fine."

"We'll meet back at this spot in half an hour."

Alexa slipped her phone into her pocket and walked away. She already regretted the snappy tone she'd used with Erik. She could see that she had made him sad, and she felt guilty. She cursed herself for being so stupid, so _mortal_.

She was dead. She was an angel. And it was about time she started acting like one.

Alexa pushed her way carefully through the mass of people. It was hard to concentrate with all the noise and movement. Still, she followed her angel intuition, and it pulled her deeper into the fair. Somewhere darkness called out to her. And she would find it.

Twenty-five minutes later, Alexa was still walking around the fair, looking for anything out of the ordinary. She had circled the fair twice and seen all the same faces. No one paid her any particular attention, apart from a few cocky teenage boys who smiled at her. To them, she was just a regular teen girl, not an angel. It would be easy to forget herself and get swallowed up in the crowd.

Subconsciously, a part of her felt normal again, and that would be very dangerous. She had to keep reminding herself that she was dead, that she had died, and didn't belong to the mortal world. Not anymore.

As she continued to search the crowd, she thought for sure she'd spot detestable Rachel's perfect features. She might even be able to trip her accidentally, but she wasn't that lucky. They might not be an item, but it was clear Rachel had some serious feelings for Erik.

She didn't encounter any of the other operatives either. She checked the time on her phone. She had just under five minutes before she had to rendezvous with Erik and Matt. Hopefully, they'd been more successful than she had.

A familiar pretty face came into view. Sarah Leclaire had been the most popular girl at Coffin Grove High when Alexa was alive. She was a short and voluptuous brunette. Typically, she was draped in designer clothes with a matching handbag and shoes that would have cost enough to feed all the children in the town for a year. She strutted her way through the crowd like she was on the catwalk.

Her entourage was exactly the same—Cathy Ringwald, the tall redhead who had an unnatural addiction to Skittles, and Ella Moradi, whose face muscles had stopped moving altogether when she was fourteen. Her large, sausage-like lips made her look like a sexbot.

Even though Alexa had never spoken a word to these girls, she had passed them in the hallway. They had always exploded in laughter when they had seen her, and they always made sure that she and the rest of the school heard them.

"OMG! Did you see her clothes?" and "I told you. She smells like the poor."

_Right. Because all poor people smell._

Sarah walked right past Alexa without seeing her. Alexa was tempted to stick out her leg and trip her, just to see the expression on her face before she hit the ground. But she smiled and resisted the urge.

Surprisingly, she felt sorry for the girls. All the luxuries in the world didn't matter once you knew what was really out there. Fancy cars, designer clothes, the latest smartphones. They were all crap. Most mortals were blind to the lurking threat in the darkness that surrounded them.

But it's always there. Waiting. Waiting for the right moment to corrupt and kill. In the end, all that mattered was that the demons didn't win.

Alexa was surprised at how she had changed. Back in life, she would have hidden from these girls. But now, in death, she couldn't care less. It was a small victory.

When she'd first stepped into the fair, her angel intuition had told her that something supernatural lurked in the area. But now the feeling came and went like a distant memory, and she began questioning whether she'd actually felt it at all.

As the Fun House came into view for the third time, the lights flickered once, and then went out.

Alexa froze.

The customers screamed in delight with nervous laughter and barely contained fright. They thought the power failure was part of the show. But Alexa knew better. She pulled out her cell phone. The screen was black.

A chill crawled up her back, and she felt her pulse surge in her wrists. The drone of laughter and voices receded as she homed in on the Fun House. It was the only building in the vicinity that had lost power. For an instant, she thought she glimpsed a flicker of movement on her right. It was a flash of white that could simply have been a face. It could also have been a demon.

Slowly, Alexa followed her instincts and moved towards the building.

Another scream, but this one was different. It was a scream of horror, the sound of pure terror.

Alexa sprinted towards the sound and pulled out her soul blade. She dashed behind the building. Although the lights were still out and the area was pitch black, she could still see better than any mortal.

The mood in the air had shifted again. She felt a surge of evil. It was as if a well had opened somewhere in the Earth's Veil and black fire was escaping. She was close now. Very close.

She came upon a group of teens. Their faces were white with fear, and they stood over something sprawled on the grass next to one of the trailers. Alexa dashed towards them.

A girl lay in the grass at their feet. Her body was in an unnatural position. Her lips were pale and gray, and her eyes confirmed that she was dead. With the pain still visible on her face, she looked up into the night sky with empty, scorched sockets.

The lights of the Fun House flicked back on, and all the mortals jumped.

Alexa ignored the crying all around her and stared at the illuminated screen on the cell phone still clutched in the dead girl's hand. She sheathed her soul blade, kneeled next to the girl, and took her phone. The girl's skin was still warm.

"Oh my god! What are you doing?" said a girl behind her. Her voice was raw and filled with emotions. "Don't touch her. You can't touch her. Get away from her!"

"Philip, call the police," said a male voice.

But Alexa ignored them as she read the dead girl's last text messages.

* * *

_Darknight: You still wanna meet?_

_StaceyM: Yeah_

_Darknight: Meet me in the back of the Fun House in 5_

_StaceyM: Okay, see you there_

* * *

Alexa was even more certain of her theory that a demon had possessed someone. Now she knew it wasn't a weak old man or woman, or even a lost child. It was a male and probably the same age as its victims. The demon had probably possessed someone handsome and charismatic, otherwise the girls would not have followed him into these dark places. The girls trusted him. But it still didn't explain why it took the souls and where it was taking them.

Alexa realized the flash of white she had sensed must have been the girl's soul. Her wounds still oozed with fresh blood. It couldn't have happened more than a few minutes ago. Her killer was probably still here. So where was he? Where was this Darknight?

She felt eyes on her, and when she looked up she saw the familiar figure of a tall and beautiful man with a long braid watching her. His face showed no emotion at all, and Alexa knew he had been responsible.

Michael whirled around and disappeared into the crowd.

# 17

ALEXA POCKETED THE DEAD GIRL'S phone, ignored the screams of protests by that one girl, and bolted after Michael. It was crazy, she knew it was, but in the split second, she had seen him she had noticed a flicker of annoyance in his eyes. If he hadn't been caught at something, why would he have run away from her?

It must have been Michael. Somehow he was murdering these girls. Was he getting something out of this? What would drive a man to kill innocent girls? And what was his connection with this girl? How was she involved? What did Michael gain from killing her? Was this the real Michael or was it a demon?

Alexa had heard of Sensitives that had turned to the dark side. They were called Seirs. Wicked and deadly, the Seirs had been born Sensitives, but an evil streak in their souls made them susceptible to demonic influence. Was Michael selling the girls' souls to a demon lord? Had he struck a deal with the Netherworld?

It still didn't explain how and why the girls' eyes were burned. If he was still human, what would possess him to do such a thing?

The Head of House Michael was so tall that it was very easy to spot him in the crowd. He towered over the average mortal. Should she call Erik and Matt? She would have to stop and dial, and in those few crucial seconds, she could lose Michael. Besides, they probably wouldn't believe her.

No. She had to catch him first. No doubt Michael was strong. He was from the strongest archangel house. But he was still a mortal and would be no match for an angel with supernatural strength. What she was going to do with him once she got him was an altogether other matter. She'd think about that when she reached him.

Michael turned around and frowned. But Alexa didn't stop. She pushed her way through the swarm of people, ignoring their cries and shouts as she rushed past. She could see his broad shoulders and the sway of his braid across his wide back. She realized that they had crossed the fairgrounds and were nearing the edge of Mystic Forest. He was leading her away from the fair and into the cover of darkness, just as he had done with the girls.

Alexa crashed into someone, and she lost her focus.

"Oh, sorry, pretty lady," slurred a voice.

But she was on her feet quickly and ignored the stale beer breath of the large man who had made her fall. But when she looked back to the spot where she'd last seen Michael, he was gone.

She clenched her jaw in frustration. She'd lost him.

She dashed over to where she'd seen him and halted at the edge of a metal fence that separated the town fair from Mystic Forest. But there was no sign of Michael. How could he have vanished like that? It made no sense. Alexa swore to herself as she scanned the area. Where the hell was he?

As she whirled on the spot, she felt the tug of evil more prominently. She focused on the feeling and followed it like a bloodhound on a scent. She found a gap in the fence that was large enough for a burly man to squeeze through.

She pulled herself through the gap and blinked at the darkness of the forest in front of her. She shivered at a sudden chill that licked up her back.

She'd been wrong. The rift wasn't within the fair; it was somewhere in Mystic Forest.

Mystic Forest had its own urban legends. Over the years she'd heard them all: the ghosts, the goblins, the headless woman riding on a horse, a phantom coach and horses, or black hounds that would bring bad luck to all who saw them. The urban legends were so well known that Mystic Forest was considered a popular attraction for tourists. But now that she knew monsters really did exist, the forest brought a different kind of fear.

The forest seemed out of place somehow, like it didn't fit with the happy little town. In the growing dark, the forest seemed to be breathing. It was unnatural.

There was no chirping of crickets and no croaking from the male bullfrogs in the nearby marshes. It was too silent. The air hummed, thick with the fumes of sulfur and rotten meat. Devils, demons, and the worst kinds of fiends were born from the same impenetrable darkness that was in that forest.

Alexa clasped her soul blade so hard it hurt her hand. The wound in her back was suddenly sore again, and for the first time since she stepped foot in the world of the living, she felt tired.

It was a strange sensation at first. While her limbs felt weak and numb, she could also feel her mortal suit humming. It needed repair. The poison was not dissipating and it stung her back like hot wax. There was nothing she could do about that now.

She gave herself a mental slap. This was not the time to panic. She thought of calling Erik, but she knew he would ask her to stay put, and by the time he arrived, it would be too late. She would never catch up to Michael. Not in that forest.

Alexa made for the first wall of trees. She ran as fast as she could without poking out her eyes with the branches that slapped and sliced her face as she moved. It was too cold for this time of year, even at night in a forest. And this winter air did not smell of snow and pine. This air smelled of rot. The farther she walked into the woods, the more tightly the darkness closed in on her.

Her footsteps crunched in the leaves. She halted and listened. If Michael could hear her, she could probably hear him, too.

She heard nothing at first, but then she heard the snap of a breaking branch. Alexa rushed in that direction, amazed at her own agility to duck and jump over the many roots and branches.

He was close. She could feel it.

A flash of white light. Alexa flung herself after it.

She emerged into a little glade where a circle of dead grass surrounded a giant oak. The tree was gnarled and deformed, and she could see an opening at its base that was large enough for a car to drive through. There was only impenetrable ominous blackness inside.

The tree looked ancient. Its bark felt like solid rock. Flat stones with markings Alexa couldn't read circled the foot of the tree. It looked like the kind of place where some ritual or ceremony would occur. Something evil could have been summoned here, but it did not look at all like a rift.

Rifts were rips and tears in the Veil. She'd never actually _seen_ a rift before, but other angels had told her that they produced a ripple effect and looked like a wall of clear water. This one was black and solid. Well, it _looked_ solid to her. And somehow she knew this was different. There was something wrong here. Something powerful. The pull of darkness was strong. She could feel it pulsing in her ears. Whatever this was, she was certain it was pure evil.

She thought of making a run for it, but if she ran she would lose the chance to confront Michael before he returned to Hallow Hall with a plausible story. She needed to confront him now.

A snap from behind the oak tree made her jump.

"Michael," called Alexa. Her voice sounded steady, but her nerves churned with panic. She kept a safe distance from the strange black rift, or whatever it was.

"I know you're there. I know we weren't properly introduced, but I know you know who I am. Come out now and face me like a man, you coward."

If she attacked his ego, surely he would come out, whether he was a demon or not.

She took a careful step forward, searching the area for any movement. "I know what you did to those girls," she said after a moment. "And know that the heads of all the houses are going to know because I'm going to tell them."

The strange dead air caused a high-pitched ringing in her head.

"Michael!" she bellowed. Her breath coiled in front of her in clouds of white mist.

Then she spotted wisps of darkness coiling around a figure who was hiding in the shadows behind the ancient tree. The figure stepped forward until she could see him clearly.

The trouble was, it wasn't Michael who was waiting for her.

# 18

THE THING WASN'T EVEN HUMAN.

It had mimicked the shape of a man to lure her. In a flash, the shadow broke apart, and ten creatures with bat wings came at her. They had childlike bodies and large mouths filled with razor-sharp teeth. They attacked her like sharks.

Alexa swallowed her scream and moved on instinct. Her vision sharpened in the moonlight, and she saw a shadow rush toward her like a dark blur. The air smelled of feces and rotten flesh.

She slashed her blade in a great arc, and her arm reverberated as it cut through flesh and bone. Something heavy fell at her feet, but she didn't have time to look at it before it burst. She spun and sidestepped, dodging the teeth of another creature as it came at her. In that split second, she had a better look.

What she thought were two creatures was actually one. It had a head and arms at both ends of its body, so that where the crotch should be, another head, torso and arms emerged. Both heads were full of snarling teeth. She was so stunned that she forgot herself for a half-second and paid dearly for her mistake.

Pain erupted on the back of her left leg. She turned and thrust her soul blade right through the skull of one of the creature's heads. The top half of the thing went limp, but its twin still chomped away at her calf. Alexa attacked the second head swiftly. The creature rolled on the ground twitching, and then it burst into a cloud of ash.

But she'd never fought so many opponents at once. She knew the key to fighting multiple attackers was to avoid fighting them all at the same time. But she didn't have that luxury.

The creatures emitted clicking hisses as they lunged at her. Alexa pulled out her other blade, spun on the spot, and hacked at as many of the things as she could. Her blades caught them on their claws and ripped their rotten hides open. She could feel the warm wetness of their blood on her face and body.

But her strikes did nothing to hinder their attacks. Their teeth and claws were so fast and vicious that Alexa knew she would be done for if she even dared to blink.

A creature lunged for her with long leathery limbs that were covered with blisters and rot. When its black, depthless eyes met hers, Alexa's insides froze at the evil she saw there.

She screamed as sharp teeth pierced the back of her neck. The creature began to pull her down, so she put all her weight into it and threw herself down on her back. With a satisfying grunt, the beast let her go, and she leaped back to her feet. With two fast jabs, she cut both their throats. Three down.

Alexa danced in circles around her next assailants, cutting them down as fast as they arrived. But they were too fast, and there were too many of them.

Two of the creatures bit into the flesh of her left arm, and she lost her grip on her blade. It slipped from her hand. Her angel essence was seeping from the deep cuts in her arm. It illuminated the beasts' faces with silver light. She cringed at the sight. With her right arm, she severed one of their heads, and they backed off.

But Alexa barely had time to register what had happened before they attacked again. She felt pain in her right hand, and her soul blade fell to the ground. The bastard creatures had disarmed her. They were clever.

_How many were left now? Eight? Seven?_

Another creature came at her, and she ducked under it, coming up with her fists ready. She backhanded it away with her other hand. Desperate, she rushed over to the large flat stones, picked one up, and hurled it at the closest creature. It hit the top head straight on, and the thing plopped to the ground. Its wings flapped once, and then it exploded in a cloud of dust. She marveled at her aim.

But they were on her right away, and she felt the sting of their teeth on her legs, her arms, and her back. They were too close, and she couldn't stop them. Still, she hurled another stone, and another, until she'd thrown the last. But to no avail. She could see their beady black eyes everywhere. There was nothing she could do, and even if she could get away, she had nowhere to run.

Two or three of them crashed into her, and she pitched forward. Even before she hit the ground, they had her pinned. The air was filled with hissing and grunting and tearing of flesh. Her flesh. She felt a surge of warmth as her M-9 tried to resist what it could, but there were too many mouths ripping at her clothes, and too many fingers tearing at her flesh. She knew it was bad when rays of white light spilled from the cuts and lashes on her body and illuminated the night.

Alexa screamed until her voice broke. _But what did it matter?_

No one would hear her cries for help. No one was coming for her. Even if Michael had been nearby, he would be long gone by now, happy that these creatures would take care of her. Dying as a mortal by breaking one's neck was nothing compared to dying as an angel by being eaten alive by spindly, stinking, vile creatures from the Netherworld.

She couldn't move. The ground had become wet, and she didn't know if it was from the blood of the demons, or if her M-suit was bleeding out. It smelled heavily of citrus. Was that her artificial blood? Her angel essence?

Her last thoughts were of Erik's soft, luscious lips, and how they would feel on hers. She imagined his strong body holding her close.

This was it. She was going to die a second time.

They were going to tear her apart and eat her while she was alive. And there was nothing she could do about it.

Spit dripped from one of the creatures' mouths as it lowered its maw towards her face. She didn't even want to think about where the other head was. Its breath was hot and putrid, and her eyes watered. Alexa braced herself for its teeth to pierce the soft skin of her face—

Branches suddenly exploded behind her, and she heard the sound of running feet. Something moved, and the creature raised its head in the direction of the sudden noise. It opened its mouth to hiss, but before it could defend itself it was hurled off Alexa by a powerful kick.

Alexa scarcely had time to blink before Erik stood in front of her, muscles tense, and brandishing his weapon.

"You hurt?" he called out.

In one smooth movement, he brought his blade down into the creature's chest. It collapsed to the ground, gurgling its last breath in a puddle of greenish color that Alexa could see, even in the dark. And like the others, it shuddered and burst into a cloud of ash.

"I'm okay," she said, surprised at the effort it took to speak. She shook off her panic and jumped up.

Matt arrived in the next moment. He swung his long silver sword in great powerful arcs, and two of the creatures went down at his feet. _Impressive._

The last two double beasts came charging at Erik. He whirled in an onslaught of flashing blades and severed the first creature completely in half. Its guts fell around him, and the two bodies twitched and then burst into ash. The last beast came up behind him, but he spun around and sliced its neck open. A howl died in its throat, and it exploded into ash before it hit the ground.

"Any left?" said Matt. He held his sword with two hands and looked like an ancient warrior or an action hero from the movies.

Alexa was impressed by both their skills, and she couldn't tell who was the better fighter.

"I don't think so." Alexa scanned the area, but only piles of ash remained. She spotted her soul blade lying next to one of the piles and snatched it up. She couldn't find her other dagger. "What the hell were these things?"

Erik moved a pile of ash with his boot. "Never seen this kind before. Most likely they were some lesser demons that slipped through the Veil looking for blood. I don't know why they were here though, so deep in the forest. Lesser demons are usually where the meat is. They should have been at the Fair."

True, the demons could have easily slipped into the fair and had a feast on the unsuspecting mortals. But the demons had stayed in the forest clearing. Alexa figured they must have been guarding the strange rift.

Alexa inspected her wounds. It wasn't as bad as she had first thought, just a few cuts around her middle and thighs. Her M-suit had protected her. She couldn't say as much for her new clothes. They looked as though a group of wild cats had shredded them. Her skin peeked out through the many holes. Valerie wouldn't be pleased.

"You _are_ hurt." Erik rushed over to Alexa and lifted her left arm. White light spilled from her wounds and illuminated his face.

Too shocked by this sudden concern for her well-being to say anything, Alexa just stared at his face. It was such a handsome face. Just moments ago she thought she would never see it again.

Erik ripped off the bottom of his t-shirt and wrapped it around Alexa's hand and wrist. It was like he had ripped a piece of paper. She didn't understand the fierceness that gleamed in his eyes. He didn't stop staring at her. And then he suddenly tensed, as if he was afraid he was wrapping her bandages too tightly.

Some silly part of her wished he would look after her like this forever. She almost felt alive again. She wanted to slap herself. She was being stupid.

"How did you find me?" she asked. But she couldn't stop staring at Erik's face, the line of his jaw, the stubble on his chin, and his full lips. His fingers merely brushed her skin, but their touch sent a jolt of electricity through her. She leaned more closely towards him. Why had he saved her when he said he hated all angels?

He stood so close to her that she felt the warmth of his body through his clothes. "When you didn't show up at our rendezvous point, we went looking for you." Erik tied the makeshift bandage with a small knot. He looked up at her. "We saw you charge after something behind the Skee Ball game booth. And then you disappeared through the fence. So we came after you."

"What did you see?" asked Matt sheathing his sword.

Alexa braced herself for what she was about to tell them. "Michael."

"Michael?" repeated Erik, searching her face. "What do you mean, _Michael_? Our Michael?"

_Here it comes._

"Yes," she answered. " _Your_ Michael. I found another dead girl. Same as the others."

She explained about the text messages and the rendezvous behind the Fun House. Then she described Michael's reaction when he had seen her.

Matt shook his head. "It doesn't prove anything. He was there. So what? So were you. He saw the body and was probably on his way to get the others."

"But he didn't," said Alexa insistently. "He went through the fence. That's why I followed him. His reaction was the complete opposite of what it should have been."

"Maybe he saw something," pressed Matt, raising his eyebrows. "That's it. He saw those demons and went after them."

Alexa opened her mouth to speak, but then she shut it. She curled her fingers and her nails bit into her flesh. She had known it would be hard to convince them. She was the stranger after all, and Michael was part of their family. If they didn't believe her, chances were no one else would either.

Erik raked his hair with his hands. "It doesn't make sense. Yes, Michael can be a real prick and a pompous ass sometimes, but he's not a killer. Especially not a killer of innocent girls."

Alexa shrugged. "How well do you know him? I mean, people do strange things for their own reasons. Could your Michael have an evil streak in him?"

She wanted to say that perhaps he was working with the Seirs, or maybe he had already sworn allegiance to them. If he had, killing innocent girls and stealing their souls would be his ticket into the Netherworld. But she saw the denial on their faces. She didn't want to put them off her completely. But mostly she didn't want to alienate Erik again.

"No. We know him well enough," said Erik, although he didn't sound convinced. "It can't be him."

But Alexa had seen something in Michael's face. He was hiding something. He had lured her into the woods because he knew what was there. If he had wanted her dead, what better way to wash his hands of her than by having the lesser demons do his dirty work for him.

"I don't think Michael _is_ Michael anymore," pressed Alexa. "Either he's changed, and not in a good way, or there's a demon controlling him."

Erik shook his head. "No way. I would have noticed if he had been possessed."

"From what I've learned," she added cautiously because she'd never actually seen anyone possessed by a demon, "—you can't tell. Not unless they want you to. If they didn't show their true selves, it would be impossible for you or anyone to notice."

"Not buying it," said Matt. He and Erik both scowled.

"It would explain how the Higher demons knew I was at the morgue," she continued.

"The Higher demons want me dead because they think I'm getting close to something. Someone at Hallow Hall told them, and that someone was Michael."

"No way." Matt shook his head and frowned. "Sorry, Alexa, but you're wrong."

Alexa held in her sigh as she considered. "He saw me, so he ran. How else do you explain it? Why else would he run from me?"

A long silence. Matt and Erik refused to look at Alexa.

Alexa controlled her frustration, but her shoulders tensed. "Then how do you explain why he came here to the rift in the tree?" she asked as she pointed to the old oak.

"What rift?" said Erik, looking at her as though she were mad.

And when Alexa turned to look at the tree, the rift was gone. The strange black shape had disappeared.

# 19

ALEXA HAD BEEN IN THE mortal world for three days. October was right around the corner, and the trees were aflame with the fall colors—vibrant reds, yellows and deep oranges. She felt more at ease at Hallow Hall now. She almost felt normal, whatever that was.

Just as Valerie had told her, Alexa had free rein in the old hotel. She began to see some familiar faces, and they began to warm up to her as well. She discovered that some of the Sensitives lived at Hallow Hall permanently. Valerie and Erik lived there. Others lived in the nearby towns or came to stay when they were on assignment.

The longer she stayed in the mortal world, the harder it was going to be to go back to the world of angels and being dead. She _wanted_ to stay for many reasons. For the first time in her life, she felt like she belonged somewhere. She felt at home in Hallow Hall with her new friends.

She could pretend all she wanted, but she knew one day she'd have to leave. Lance still hadn't shown up, and she waited for him anxiously. She didn't know what was going to happen when he returned.

All her wounds except for the one from the death blade had healed. It oozed yellow pus and had now grown to cover half her lower back in angry black veins. The sight was enough to make a normal person faint, and every few hours it got a little worse. She felt a strange cold-to-hot feeling, like a fever, and a growing tiredness and numbness in her limbs. But she knew she couldn't do anything about it unless she returned to Horizon. Hopefully, no one would notice the dark circles under her eyes or the way her cheekbones looked more pronounced. She knew she looked like a person who'd been without food for a week.

The throbbing pain from the wound was a constant annoyance, but Alexa did her best to ignore it. She knew she didn't have much time left before she would have to go back to Horizon. Until then she was a time bomb.

And she still wasn't making any progress where Michael was concerned.

"I know what I saw. It was there," Alexa had repeated on the drive back to Hallow Hall after the incident at the fair.

"I'm not saying you didn't," Erik had said sympathetically. "I believe that you saw a black rift or something like it."

"But not the part about Michael," she'd pressed, and Erik had refused to comment.

Even though they had argued, Alexa liked the talkative version of Erik much better. He looked into her eyes when he spoke, and he smiled a lot more. Alexa was not going to get all torn up about the Michael subject, so she decided to drop it until she had more proof.

She had a pretty good notion that none of the other Sensitives would believe her story either. It might even make things worse. They might even ask her to leave.

_Where would she go?_

She couldn't risk causing a disturbance if the Head of House Michael was really possessed by a demon and living right here in Hallow Hall. Not when Erik lived just a few doors down.

Although it was creepy, it was better if she kept quiet because she could keep an eye on them both. For all she knew, the demon's appetites might change. Today it might be young girls, but tomorrow it might be young men.

Hallow Hall was the safest place for her. She doubted Michael would sic his demon dogs on her while she was here. He wasn't stupid. He'd wait for another opportunity, but Alexa would be waiting. If Michael was a demon, she knew the easiest way to find out.

She'd crossed paths with Michael again that same night. He'd parked his Audi Q7 next to Erik's car when they had returned to the hall, and she had seen a faint sort of amusement in his dark eyes. It was the same look of amusement she had seen before he disappeared through the chain-link fence. It was a dismissive smile that said he had won. Although her insides had tightened at the sight of him, she had flashed him her own winning smile and mouthed, _Darknight._

Alexa had stayed in her room that night and had tried hard not to think about Erik lying on his bed in his room down the hall from her.

She had pulled out the dead girl's phone and discovered that the victim first encountered Darknight on the dating app, _Coffin Singles_. The app sounded both creepy and tragic, but it also gave her an idea.

The only way she could convince them that Michael was possessed would be if she could catch him in the act. If it was proof they wanted, she would get them the proof. Her way.

So, the following day, Alexa went in search of Erik and Matt. She strode down through the hallway excitedly. Her plan was going to work.

When she came upon the tall wooden doors of the training facility, she smiled at the grunts and shouts coming from somewhere inside. But just as she reached out to pull open the doors, they swung open hard and hit her on the chest.

Alexa hissed and stumbled back. Her wound had been torn open again, and she felt behind her to assess the damage. Someone had purposely used extra force to push open the doors. Alexa dropped her hand from her back and glared when she saw who had smashed open the doors.

"Watch it, stiff," said Rachel as she shoved past her. But then Rachel stopped and looked carefully at Alexa. She had sensed something was off. "What's the matter with you?"

_Shit. Shit. Shit._

Rachel looked towards Alexa's lower back, and Alexa could tell by Rachel's triumphant look that she had seen the pain on Alexa's face. It had only been for a second, but it had been long enough. The mortal who hated her had seen that she was suffering.

"Nothing's the matter," said Alexa quickly. "This is just the face I wear whenever I see you. You like it?"

Alexa felt some small, spiteful satisfaction at seeing Rachel's beautiful cheeks redden before she composed herself. She looked at Alexa with a cold, collected smile.

Alexa didn't know what the mortal girl was thinking. And that was dangerous.

Before things got way too awkward, Alexa brushed passed Rachel and walked into the training room. She quickly made her way across the slippery floors towards the center mats.

"I know how to catch the soul thief," she said as she stepped onto the mat where Erik and Matt were training.

She stood right between the two young men. They were breathing heavily, and sweat covered their flushed faces. It took some effort for Alexa to stop staring at Erik's glistening tanned and muscled chest.

"We use me as bait."

"Use you as bait?" Erik panted. She could smell his musky sweat, and she breathed it in.

Alexa explained that she had found the _Coffin Singles_ dating app on the girl's phone and had seen her conversation with someone called _Darknight_. She did not tell them that she believed it was Michael.

Erik and Matt exchanged a look. And then Erik stretched his arms behind his head with his wood baton and moved closer to Alexa.

"What do you have in mind?"

"First, I'll set up my profile with some random girl's picture from Google, just in case this demon knows who I am and can recognize me. Then I'll send him a message. I'm pretty sure he'll write back. Beggars can't be choosers. Demons are greedy and predictable. He'll take the bait. It's time to stop waiting and lure the killer to us."

Erik dropped his arms and kicked the baton with his boot. "And while you're batting your eyelashes to some demon-possessed guy, what will we be doing?"

Alexa smiled. "Covering me, of course."

Erik gave her a cocky grin and leaned forward. "Of course." Something fierce flashed in his eyes and it brought heat to Alexa's face.

What was it about this mortal that was doing this to her? Was it because they had saved each other?

For a moment, only she and Erik existed.

"And what do we do once we catch him?" said Matt, shaking Alexa out of her reverie.

"We bring him back here and beat the demon out of him," said Alexa.

All the parts of her plan fit together perfectly, like the pieces in a puzzle. Although she'd never actually performed an exorcism, she knew that if the mortal soul had already been consumed by the demon, then just the vessel would remain. Most mortals didn't come back. She'd heard rumors that the soul could be rescued, but only if it was still inside the body. A soul that had been possessed only stayed in the body for an hour or so, however. After that, there was no hope.

"But first we'll need answers. I still want to know where it's taking the souls and why."

"If it is demon possession," said Erik with a slight nod, "there are ways to cast the demon out without killing the mortal. We'll need House Sariel to help." There was doubt on his face for a moment, but then his expression changed. "Are you feeling all right? You look a little tired."

Alexa cringed a little and raised her brows. "That's not something we women like to hear." She hated that he was so perceptive.

"I'm serious," he said, watching her intensely. "Are you sick? Can angels even get sick?"

"Of course not. It's probably just the lighting in here. I feel fine. I promise."

Although Erik didn't look convinced, he dropped the subject.

"You know, that plan's not half bad." Matt nodded. "It might actually work."

"Of course it's going to work." Alexa locked eyes with Erik again.

Matt looked over to Erik. "We should get Santo and the others on this—"

"No," blurted Alexa. She knew if Santo was told of their plans, Michael would hear about it. She couldn't risk it. It was her only shot at proving he was guilty.

"I mean," said Alexa, recovering, "if I'm wrong, it's going to look bad for the Legion. I'm already abusing all kinds of rules and regulations with the two of you on this. I don't want to get the others involved. At least not yet."

The half-truth slipped easily from her lips. And then she thought of something else. "Unless you guys don't think you can handle a demon—"

"We can," said Erik. He looked slightly vexed that anyone would think he couldn't handle himself in a fight with a demon. Matt's face mirrored Erik's.

Alexa smiled. "Good. I just need a few minutes to set up a new account. Then I'll send Darknight a message. And then we wait."

"How long till he takes the bait?" asked Matt.

"Not long. If I'm right, I'll have a date with the soul thief by this time tomorrow."

"A date with whom?"

Rachel strutted towards their mat, like a seasoned model on the catwalk. Everything about her oozed sensuality.

She ignored Alexa and went straight up to Erik. She gave him a dazzling and seductive smile that made Alexa's temper flare.

_Had she been eavesdropping there the whole time?_

"No one," said Erik. His voice was cold and indifferent. He didn't seem to be affected by the gorgeous, voluptuous blonde. He turned back to Alexa. "Come on. Let's go somewhere else. Alexa?"

But Alexa was too surprised by the sudden change in Rachel to answer. Her ivory skin had turned pink, and her expression had twisted into something ugly. Clearly, she had been hurt. Any girl could see that. It was also clear that she felt Alexa had no business fraternizing with mortals, particularly with _her_ mortal.

"What?"

"Let's see how well you can fight, _stiff_ ," spat Rachel, loudly enough for the entire hall to hear. Oddly enough, she seemed taller, thicker, and stronger than before, like she'd spent half the day at the gym pumping iron. It was as though she'd been planning this.

Alexa didn't hide her annoyance at the challenge in Rachel's voice. She could handle this mortal girl. Either Rachel wanted to make a fool out of her, or she was going to go down fighting for the guy she loved. Alexa was impressed. She looked at the mortal girl—really looked at her. The girl was not afraid to fight an angel who had ten times her strength. The girl had balls. Perhaps Alexa was impressed because she knew she'd do the same.

"Rachel, what are you doing?" Erik turned to face her. "You need to cool off. Let's go for a walk and talk, all right?"

But Rachel stepped around him, staring Alexa down. "Unless you don't even know how to fight. Oh, no, that's right. You can't. It's against the rules, isn't it?"

"I can fight." Alexa glowered at her. "Bring it, Barbie."

Rachel's smile was radiant. "Let's use real weapons, shall we?" She pulled out a long sword from behind her back, and Erik stepped out of the way.

The hall quieted instantly, and all eyes turned in their direction. If Alexa backed out now, they'd think her a coward. She wasn't a coward, and she was getting tired of miss perfect Rachel. Her M-suit tingled in anticipation.

"Rachel, stop this." Erik stepped forward. "We never use real weapons for training. What's gotten into you? You're being ridiculous. You don't understand."

"Oh, I understand plenty," seethed Rachel as she finally looked at Erik.

It was obvious to Alexa what she'd meant. Even in her fury, there was the underlying hurt in her eyes. And the guilt-ridden expression on Erik's face meant that he knew he had dismissed her rudely.

Alexa waved him off. "It's fine. Let her play her game." She turned and raised her hand to Matt. "Can I borrow your practice sword?"

Matt shrugged as he handed her his hardwood long sword. The handle was still warm and clammy, and the weight was unbalanced and too light. Part of her wanted to ask Matt for his real sword, but even if she hated Rachel, she didn't want to hurt her. She wasn't allowed to harm a mortal unless it was in self-defense. And she was planning to make sure it would be.

Alexa twirled her wood sword like a cheerleader's baton and flashed Rachel her too-bright smile. "Ready when you are."

Alexa's instincts were strong. Maybe Rachel had more years of training than she did, but Alexa was blessed with supernatural strength and stealth. Angels were stronger and faster than mortals, so she didn't understand why Rachel looked so confident. Did she know something that Alexa didn't? What was she playing at?

Rachel gave her a half-smile. "I've been waiting a long time for this." Her eyes opened wide, and she lunged at Alexa murderously.

With a turn of her arm, Alexa brought the wooden sword into a blocking position. Her legs shook with the impact as she deflected the blow. Rachel was surprisingly strong for a mortal girl. But Alexa was stronger. She grinned at Rachel and parried the silver sword with ease when she charged again.

Alexa saw the exchange of money among the blur of faces, and her body tensed when she realized they were placing bets on the outcome. But Erik stood apart and watched Rachel grimly.

Matt, on the other hand, collected money from the others happily.

Alexa feinted and spun with catlike grace.

Rachel surged forward again, grunting with the force it required to hold her sword against Alexa's wooden stick. She aimed the tip of her sword at Alexa's throat. But Alexa kicked her in the stomach, and Rachel stumbled back.

She recovered quickly.

"Cheap shot, wasn't it?" said Alexa. The fight was turning ugly. "You always fight this dirty?" She knew the girl hated her, but this went beyond jealousy.

Rachel's face was the color of blood. She hissed and lunged forward again. Only this time she used her left hand and grabbed Alexa's wooden sword.

Just when Alexa thought that the girl had had enough, she was caught off guard.

It happened so fast that Alexa scarcely had time to register what was happening. Rachel swung her around by the wooden sword and then grabbed a handful of her shirt and ripped it apart, exposing her back.

Gasps of horror echoed throughout the room. Alexa felt ashamed. It had never been about the fight; it had only been about this.

Alexa tried to cover her exposed back, but the horrified look on Erik's face confirmed that he had seen it. Everyone had.

"See," panted Rachel with a wicked smile. "I told you she was a monster."

# 20

AS ALEXA LEFT THE HALL, the only words that kept playing in her head were _monster, monster, monster._

Worse, she couldn't get Erik's expression out of her head. His eyes had widened with shock, and then he had turned his handsome features away in revulsion. The image kept playing over and over again like a looping video clip.

_Monster._

She'd been humiliated. Rachel might just as well have stripped her naked in front of everybody. But it was worse than that. They'd seen her diseased back. The seeping wound and the web of black veins screamed abnormality. The demon's poison had obviously infected her dead and inhuman flesh. It was wrong. _Who was she kidding? Herself?_

Probably. She was _not_ mortal. Those days ended when she had fallen down those damn steps and killed herself. It hadn't even been a romantic way to die or even a tragic accident. It was pathetic. Just like her.

The cool air on her open wound felt like hot wax. She ground her teeth from the pain and hurried up the stairs to the third level. She didn't belong here, and Erik wasn't hers. Now she was done playing the mortal.

She slipped her keycard into the slot and pushed into her bedroom. The once beautiful and inviting room felt empty and stale, just like a real hotel. And in real hotels, guests never stayed for too long. Alexa had overstayed her welcome.

But before she did anything else, she ran to the bathroom and looked into the mirror.

Alexa gasped. It was worse than she'd thought. Her entire back was covered in angry black veins surrounding the wound that was raw and trickled with yellow pus. It smelled like rotten meat. She was rotting from the inside out. She had stopped looking at the wound after she had seen it the first time and hadn't realized how much it had spread. She had simply tried to ignore the constant pain and throbbing.

It would do no good to cry. It wouldn't change anything. She tossed her shredded top on the floor and dabbed the pus on her back with cotton balls to remove as much as she could. Then she found the first aid kit and wrapped her middle and back with gauze. She didn't bother to put on any disinfectant. She doubted it would work. Lastly, she rubbed some lavender bath oils over her front and back. She hoped it would mask the smell.

She snatched a new black top from the top drawer of her dresser, pulled it over her head, and checked herself. Apart from her wild expression, she looked...fine.

She should just leave. Let them deal with the soul thief. Erik and Matt probably wanted nothing to do with her. Perhaps that was best.

Alexa was done pretending to be human. The pool was only two floors down. She could make it there without drawing too much attention to herself. Then she could just disappear.

She trembled at the thought of the water going over her head and suffocating her. But there was no other way. She'd known all along that she'd have to go back to Horizon sooner or later. It just was a little sooner than she'd hoped. Still, she was determined to go. She couldn't face them. She couldn't face Erik...

A soft tap echoed from her bedroom door.

Alexa cursed. Valerie had probably arrived to show her out. _Fantastic._ Would that woman ever stop pestering her? She had hoped she could slip away unnoticed. Now it seemed she would have an escort. Alexa braced herself and pulled the door open.

"Can I _please_ just have a few minutes more—" She hesitated.

Erik stood on the threshold with his hands in his pockets. The soft yellow light in the hallway glowed on his tanned skin and masked his face in shadow.

"Hi," he said casually.

Alexa took in his easy demeanor, the way he leaned on the threshold with the ghost of a smile on his face. As he shifted his weight, she could see he was nervous.

He looked at her new shirt and when he looked back at her face she could see that his expression was kind and soft. His eyes sparkled, and he did not appear to be disgusted anymore.

Alexa closed her mouth when she realized it was hanging open. "What are you doing here?"

Those dark eyes narrowed slightly. "I wanted to make sure you were all right."

His words made her pause. He sounded very much like he really was concerned for her well-being.

Alexa's throat throbbed, but she tried to control her emotions. "I'm fine. I'm just sorry you had to see that. But it's nothing, really. Thanks for checking on me, but you didn't have to bother."

"Can I come in?" Before she could answer, Erik brushed past her and came into her bedroom. It suddenly seemed too small, too intimate.

"Nice," he said, inspecting the furnishings, peering into the bathroom, and looking out her large window. "The view's better in this room. Not that I can see much at this hour, but it's bigger than mine. Figures that Valerie would have picked this one for an angel. It's probably one of the best rooms in Hallow Hall."

Alexa tried not to smile. He was affecting her in ways that he shouldn't. She couldn't have any feelings for him. It would be a dangerous mistake. It was wrong. The logical side of her brain struggled to wrestle control from her emotional side.

Erik flashed her that magnificent smile again, and it made her weak in the knees and forget that she was dead. His eyes shone with mischief, and she wondered if he knew the effect he had on her.

_Why was he here?_

"I'm sorry about what Rachel did," he said. "It was wrong. She shouldn't have done that."

Alexa looked away from his intense stare. "I know why she did it. It doesn't matter anymore."

"It does matter. It matters to me."

She looked around the room, out the window, at her chest of drawers, everywhere except at him. "You do know she's in love with you, right?" said Alexa. She moved towards a small desk and flipped through the pages of the illustrated version of _The Hobbit._ She was desperate to change the subject, desperate to stop the fluttering in her heart.

"Rachel's in love with Rachel."

"But you two had a thing before," said Alexa "I can feel it when I look at her. I can see it in her eyes."

"That was two years ago," said Erik. His voice was flat. "And I broke it off. We're just better off as friends. I still care about her, but not in that way. We're friends. Nothing more. Are you worried that we'll get back together? Is that it?"

Alexa froze. "Worried? What are you talking about? I'm an _angel,_ and you're a _mortal_. Your romantic liaisons are none of my business. We shouldn't even be talking about this." She tried to laugh it off, but she knew she sounded lame and forced.

_What the hell was he saying?_

Her M-Suit felt like it was about to burst into flames as it struggled to reproduce the emotions she would have felt if she had been alive. She gripped the headrest of the chair until she couldn't feel her fingers.

Erik was silent for a moment. "Does it hurt?"

She knew exactly what he meant by _it_ , and it wasn't her fingers or her ego. "Yes. Sometimes." Still, she wouldn't look at him. She was afraid of what she might do.

"Why didn't you tell me you had been stabbed with a death blade?"

Alexa sighed. "Because I didn't feel it was important at the time. I was trying to save your life. It's what I'm supposed to do, remember? Save mortal lives, keep them safe. Everything else is inconsequential."

"So you thought that letting yourself die slowly was okay? Because it's not, you know."

"I thought my..." she paused, the words wouldn't hide the reality that she wasn't mortal like him. "I thought my angel body would repair itself. The archangel Ariel had mentioned that it might—"

"It didn't."

"I know that," she said.

But then his expression hardened. "So all this time you've been in pain and suffering, without uttering a single word of it to anyone? Does Lance know?"

"No." She realized how stupid she sounded. "I didn't want to risk it."

"Because if he'd known he would have _made_ you go back. Wouldn't he?" Erik shook his head. "I knew something was wrong." He began to pace the room. "I could just tell by looking at you, how tired you looked and how slowly you were moving. It wasn't normal for an angel." He stopped and turned. He held nothing back, and she could see the emotion in his face. "How long do you have?"

"A few weeks maybe? Maybe less? I'm not sure." Alexa had no idea how long the M-Suit would last, or what would happen when it ran out of time. Would she combust into dust like the demons?

"And what happens when you reach your expiration date?" he said, as though reading her mind.

Alexa looked away. The truth was that she hadn't thought about it. She'd always thought she'd have the courage to leap into the water and go back to Horizon. She thought she'd _want_ to go back. It didn't help that Lance still hadn't returned. She felt uneasy. The fact that Lance wasn't back could only mean that he was still healing from his injuries, or that the Legion wasn't letting him come. Alexa knew it was the latter. She hadn't returned when she was supposed to. And now there would be hell to pay. Literally.

Erik thought for a moment, but then he went on. "If you weren't afraid of the water," he added carefully, "would you have gone back? After the attacks?"

She'd known all along Erik had kept her secret, but she was still ashamed. "I would have stayed long enough to make sure you were okay, and then..." She swallowed hard. "Pathetic, isn't it? I know that water can't kill me because technically I'm already dead. But I'm still afraid of that damn water. I can't help it. I can't shake it off. It's my curse."

"It's not your fault. You experienced a traumatic experience when you were young. These things have a way of staying with you."

But Alexa wasn't listening to him. "I should never have been made a guardian. The Legion made a mistake, a terrible mistake." And then she added softly to herself. "I should never have come here."

"You should have gone back, Alexa."

"Why do you even care?" She was hurt, and her voice cracked. "You hate angels, remember? Why the sudden change of heart?" She knew she'd touched on a sensitive subject, but she just wanted him to leave. Once he was gone, she'd slip down to the pool and leave, forever. She felt like she was being stabbed over and over again with a death blade.

"I did hate angels," began Erik, as though he was testing the words on his mouth. "I hated them for a long time. I still do sometimes." He raked his fingers in his hair. "I blamed the Legion for the deaths of my parents. They didn't help then, and they didn't help much after. It's still very unclear what happened to them. But what happened to my parents has nothing to do with you. And I realize that now. You're different. I got to know you, and I realized I was wrong."

Alexa fidgeted under his penetrating stare. "How so?"

"Not all angels are pompous asses. Some actually care about us. Like you." He stared at her so intensely that she shifted on her feet. "You cared enough to save me. You saved my life, even when you were injured."

Alexa knew it was stupid and immature for her to even think that Erik could ever want her. She was dead, and he was alive. "You shouldn't be here, Erik," she said. "You should go before someone finds you here with me. It wouldn't look right. I'm a monster, remember?"

Erik's jaw settled into the stubborn line she had gotten to know so well. "Don't say that," he said, and Alexa could almost swear he sounded angry.

"Why not? It's the truth. Everyone knows I'm a monster. Look at me. I'm like the walking dead. My body is falling apart. I'm like a parasite, hitching a ride on a host. I'm not human. I'm _not_ even real."

Erik closed the distance between them. His face was so close to hers that his minty breath tickled her cheeks. Before she knew what had happened, he had cupped her face in his hands, and his lips had touched hers.

The wonderful explosion of sensations that started in the pit of her stomach and radiated out were nothing like the mortal kisses she'd had before. This was much, much better, a thousand times better. All her senses zeroed in on his lips, his touch, his breath, his warmth—it was an atomic bomb of bliss.

This had to be some secret. Hell, if angels knew how euphoric kissing mortals could be, they'd all be doing it all the time.

At first, his kiss was gentle, like a couple on their first date. Then, his kiss turned hungry. The ferocity of his grip around her waist and shoulders and the grinding pressure of his lips threw her off balance and whirled out of control.

The pressure eased, and his kiss became more sensual. A tingling warmth shot from the brush of his tongue straight to her core and ignited every single nerve ending. Her M-suit responded with desire that only increased as she leaned against him and kissed him back. He straightened, but she hugged her body into his, even though it still aggravated her wounds to do so. She melted into the hard muscles of his chest and crushed her breasts against him.

Erik pulled back and took a gulp of air. But he was still so close that his panting breath blew against her lips. His eyes burned with desire.

"You feel real enough to me." His voice was a lover's purr.

And with that, he turned and left. As she watched him go, her body still trembled, and she knew she was in big, big trouble.

# 21

THE FOLLOWING DAY ALEXA WAS A MESS.

She couldn't stop thinking about that kiss. She was more confused than ever. She had thought Erik might come back and had waited like an idiot. But after an hour, she realized he wouldn't and stopped waiting.

How could this be happening to her? Angels weren't supposed to fall for mortals...were they? Shouldn't her M-suit have protected her from such mortal emotions? Apparently not. But he had kissed her. And she'd been kissed enough to know that this intimate kiss had real tenderness and passion behind it. Had she imaged it or did Erik have feelings for her? Did he kiss her just to prove a point to himself? Was this some sort of test? Was he just using her? Maybe kissing angels felt as good to him as kissing mortals did to her, and that's why he'd done it.

Once she had ascertained that Erik wasn't going to come back, Alexa decided to set her plan into action. She set up the fake account on Coffin Singles and immediately sent a message to Darknight.

* * *

_LindseyJones: Hi! What's up? I'm glad I found you online. I like your profile. I'm free tonight. Are you available to meet later for coffee or drinks?_

* * *

It may have been a bit pushy because they hadn't even chatted yet, and even though she knew it sounded desperate, she was sure the demon would take the bait. She felt hollow and sick when she read some of the messages between Darknight and his last victim. It was sad to think these girls thought they were going to meet some hot guy, when in fact they were going to meet their doom. She faltered a little when she read his profile description. He'd described himself as a nineteen-year-old bachelor, six-foot with blond hair and blue eyes. Guess it wouldn't have worked with the truth, since Michael was old enough to be their fathers and had raven hair. The thought of Michael meeting up with innocent girls made her want to hit something. Preferably him.

She waited until the early hours of the morning for a message back, but Darknight didn't respond. She was tempted to write another message but decided against it. There was still time. She knew he would write back. She just knew it.

She spent most of the day afraid to leave her room while she waited for her phone to beep. But when dinnertime came around, she knew Houses Gabriel and Michael would be preparing for their night shift, and she bolted from her room.

The thought of seeing Erik again sent jolts of nervous energy rippling through her. She didn't know if she could face him. What would she say to him? How would he be when they faced each other?

She walked around the grounds so engrossed in her jumbled feelings that she didn't even notice the looks some of the mortals were giving her. The wound on her back throbbed with every step, but she ignored the pain. Sooner or later, she knew she'd have to deal with it, but now wasn't the time. Her M-suit still had a few weeks left. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized how impossible her situation was. They could never be together. Never. It was impossible.

Perhaps this was why angels weren't permitted to stay too long in the mortal world. It just got too confusing. Her prolonged stay must somehow have been responsible for her desire to be mortal again. Her angel intuition told her it was wrong.

Would her feelings for Erik evaporate as she made the ascension back to Horizon? Would she shed her feelings with her damaged M-suit? Would she even remember him?

Her hope evaporated. The Legion could simply erase her memory. She wasn't in control. They were. She was just a soldier obeying orders.

She fished out the cell phone from her jacket pocket and frowned. Still no message. She needed more answers, so she headed straight for the library.

People were reading, writing, and whispering on all three floors of the library, but she spotted the person she was looking for right away. Daniel Turner. Perfect.

She crossed the floor and plopped down right next to him. She flashed him a smile like the one that Rachel often gave to Erik when she wanted his attention.

"Hi, Daniel. I'm Alexa."

Daniel didn't take his eyes off his laptop. "I know who you are."

"Listen. Erik told me that you were the expert about all things supernatural," she said. She leaned forward to get a glimpse of the screen. Four separate windows were open, and all of them contained strange symbols and markings that looked like a mix between hieroglyphics and Chinese. "I need your help with something."

He didn't react at all, and then he said, "I'm busy. Go away."

His skin was very pale and his dark clothes made him look like a goth or a wannabe vampire. He didn't go out in the sun very often. His clothes were wrinkled and disheveled. He obviously couldn't care less about his appearance.

"What do you know about a black rift?" It took half a second before he turned and looked at her, and she almost smiled to see the curiosity in his big hazel eyes. She had his full attention. _Gotcha._

"A black rift?" He frowned.

Alexa rested her elbows on the long mahogany desk. "I'm sure that's not what it's called, but I don't know what else to call it."

"Can you describe it?"

"It looked like a portal of some kind. It was in the split of an old tree, and it was black. There were stones placed in a circle around it, and they had markings on them. I took the basic demonology 101 classes in Horizon, but I couldn't make out what they said." She stared at him. "Can you help me? Have you ever heard of something like that? Of a black rift?"

Any information she could get would help her be better prepared for her encounter with Darknight. The black rift had disappeared for the moment, but she had the feeling it would be back.

Daniel's eyes blinked several times before he said, "Maybe."

Although he showed no real interest, she was certain he treated everybody with the same apparent indifference. She liked him instantly. She always had a penchant for the nerds.

"I'll have to log into the Elder Codex," Daniel said after a moment.

"The Elder Codex?"

"It's a program, a reference tool like Wikipedia. It's classified stuff, for Elder eyes only, but a few of us have permission to go through the books."

"Books? I thought you said it was a program."

"It is," said Daniel. "But it's also a series of seven books, the Deus Septem. The archangels gave them to us, to help guide us in our encounters with demons and whatever else slips through from the Netherworld. Thirty years ago, the Council decided the only way to preserve the books would be to transfer the data into a computerized program called the Elder Codex. All the texts and images were scanned and uploaded into the program while the original books were kept safe and hidden somewhere secret. The program also allows us to catalog new information. If there's anything about this black rift, it'll be in there."

His fingers went to work on the keyboard, but then he froze. Slowly, he turned and raised his eyebrows at her. "Do you mind?"

"What? I haven't done anything?"

"I have to enter my password."

"Oh." Alexa turned around, and Daniel typed in a ten-digit password. She counted.

"Can I turn around now?"

"Yes."

At first, it looked like Daniel was on some generic online encyclopedia browser. But the bold _ELDER CODEX_ written in red on the top right corner of his screen told a different story.

She watched as he typed _BLACK PORTAL RIFT *_ in a search box and pressed _ENTER._

When she saw the results, she leaned forward so close that she brushed her body against his shoulders. But he was so captivated by what he read on the screen that he didn't notice her. She was practically crawling over his back to see the screen.

Daniel pushed his glasses up the bridge of his greasy nose and said, "Well, there isn't much. But it says here that a black portal that looks like a rift is known as a Hellgate."

A cold chill rolled up Alexa's back at the name. She remembered the two-headed creatures that had been guarding it.

Daniel was silent for a moment, and then he read, "A Hellgate is created when a deep well or wellspring cuts a path to the Netherworld dimension and allows its darkness to flow through to the mortal realm."

"So it's a rift?" Alexa wanted to convince herself that it was just a normal rift, but there was something more to this Hellgate. The fact that it had a special name made it different somehow.

"Seems like it," said Daniel. "The entry is dated 1690. It's by some guy named Bartholomew Demetria, from House Sariel." He typed again. "Sorry, but there's very little information. That's all there is."

When he turned around, he flinched at Alexa's closeness and bumped his laptop. But she didn't care.

"So if it's a rift, why not just call it a rift?"

Daniel shrugged. "I don't know. From what I gather, it's rare. But it's still some sort of doorway used by demons."

"Does it say how it was created?"

Daniel scrolled down the short entry. "Sorry. There's nothing. Maybe it only appeared once. That would explain the lack of info."

Alexa stared at the small text paragraph. "Is there anything about how to destroy it? Anything at all that can help me?"

She was disappointed. Her plans wouldn't change, but she had hoped to find something useful to help her in case the Hellgate opened again. She wanted to understand what was so special about this one and why it was black. She knew there was something more to it.

Daniel shook his head. "Nope. Sorry. Did you actually see this Hellgate?"

"I did." But she could barely remember it now. The images were vague, like a dream that was slipping away from her.

Daniel looked genuinely interested as, despite himself, he leaned forward. "Where?"

"Not too far from here actually. In Mystic Forest. It's gone now, like it never existed."

"Well," said Daniel as he massaged the back of his neck. "You'd probably have better luck with the Legion."

Alexa stiffened slightly. She knew Daniel was only trying to help. "Thanks for your help, Daniel."

Alexa left the library feeling unsatisfied. She knew the murders, the missing souls, and this black rift were all connected. And she was going to find out how.

She spent another hour moping around the hotel grounds and feeling sorry for herself. But she knew the real reason she was here was to fight demons. Her feelings would have to wait. She'd deal with them later.

The bell on her phone dinged suddenly.

_Shit._

She had almost forgotten about it. The envelope icon was flashing on her screen. She'd gotten a message.

* * *

_Darknight: Hi LindseyJones. Coffee sounds great. How about we meet tonight around 9 p.m. at The Grind?_

* * *

Alexa hated it when she was right. It had been too easy.

The Grind was a late-night coffee shop where all the cool people hung out. She knew the layout well. It was located right next to the fair and at the edge of Mystic Forest. Despite wanting to write back ASAP, she allowed a few minutes to pass. She didn't want to seem desperate, and she didn't want to scare him off.

After determining that it'd been long enough, she wrote back.

* * *

_LindseyJones: Okay. If I get there first, I'll take a window seat. See you later._

* * *

_Michael_ , she whispered to herself. She'd decided that if things went badly for her when she got back to the Legion, at least she'd have the satisfaction of having stopped the murderous SOB. She'd make sure she got to him first. She _was_ going to stop him, no matter what.

Alexa shook her head to clear her mind. In less than three hours, she would come face to face with Michael, or whoever else might be Darknight. Her plan needed to be perfect. This was her only shot, and she couldn't screw it up.

She hurried back towards the hall in search of Erik and Matt to share her good news. She didn't know what to expect when she saw Erik, and her artificial heart pounded faster and faster. She was distracted. It felt so real.

She swung open the doors and came face to face with an imposing man with a long raven braid.

Michael.

# 22

ALEXA HALTED IN THE DOORWAY, stunned that she'd come face to face with him.

Up close, he was even taller than she remembered. His black clothes did little to hide his fit and muscular body. The deep V in his tight shirt drew attention to the birthmark on his collarbone. It was almost as though he was making sure everyone knew which house he belonged to before he turned his traitorous heart on them. His deep blue eyes were almost hypnotic. It would be easy for a girl to fall under his spell. He seemed to realize this, and a smile spread slowly on his too-perfect lips.

They stood there, for a second, not saying anything. She could see something rectangular that looked a lot like a cell phone in his jacket pocket.

"Hello, angel." His voice was not cruel or bitter, but rather casual like you'd find when meeting someone at a party. "It's Alexa, isn't it?"

Alexa returned his smile despite the revulsion she felt for him. "And you're Michael, Head of House Michael."

In a moment of silence that lasted forever, she stood still as he took her in. Then his smile widened, his teeth too white, too perfect. He was so damn good looking. She wanted to kick him.

"I am."

"Is your name a coincidence, or did your parents know you were bound to House Michael?"

He looked irritated for a second, but then his cool smile returned. "Something like that." He seemed to enjoy being so close to her.

Alexa looked for a sign that a demon stood before her and not a man. A demon could possess a human body easily, especially if the human had made an alliance with it. But even though her angel senses were acute, she felt nothing. Still, there were other ways to expose a demon.

He seemed to enjoy being a little too close for comfort. His eyes gleamed, and Alexa suspected he knew all too well what it felt like to kiss an angel. Maybe even to bed one. Her instincts told her that he already had, and she could not ignore the sexual confidence with which he studied her now. She shivered at the thought.

His clothes were tailored to perfection and were far too fine for the demon-hunting business.

"Going somewhere?" she inquired.

He was alone, and he smelled irritatingly pleasing.

Alexa couldn't tell whether her question had surprised or unnerved him. But before she could pester him with more questions, he stepped around her carefully and made for his SUV. His long raven braid swung against his back as he walked away.

Alexa needed to find the others. Her back barked in pain as she hurried quietly down the main hall towards the training room. She swallowed hard. Her body felt too heavy, and her limbs were stiff.

Time. She was running out of time. She could feel the urgency with which her infected M-suit wished to return to Horizon.

The doors to the training room were ajar, and Alexa was lost in her thoughts when Rachel shouldered her hard from behind.

Alexa hissed, "Watch it!" The wound on her back flared in pain and ripped open just a little more.

"Or what?" Rachel was in her face. Alexa could smell her vanilla perfume. Everything from the defiant expression on her face to the aggressive stance of her body was a clear indication that she wanted to have another fight. Alexa had purposely stayed clear of Hallow Hall to avoid having to deal with the tall blonde. She was afraid of what she might do to her.

Two other female operatives stood on either side of Rachel like personal bodyguards. Alexa recognized the stocky redhead as a girl named Karen. The other girl, Lizzy, was even taller than Rachel, and her midnight colored skin and short-cropped hair made her look formidable. They both glared at Alexa as if they wished she were dead.

Alexa could see Erik in the training room behind them.

Rachel would probably have had a fit if she knew what had transpired between her and Erik last night. Perhaps she should be thanking her. If it hadn't been for the scene she had caused, Erik might never have come to her room.

Alexa bared her teeth. "I don't have time to deal with your crap right now. So I'm going to ask nicely. Please. Get out of my way."

"Why? Afraid of what might happen, _stiff_?" Rachel's voice was loud enough for everyone in the hall to hear. She smiled when she noticed Erik turn in their direction.

Alexa laughed softly. "Afraid of what _I_ might do to _you_ , bitch." Alexa's voice was like steel. She was unfazed by Rachel. She'd had enough of her.

Rachel smiled cruelly. "It's pathetic, the way you look at him. But you're fooling yourself. He might use you for a quick release, but you'll never be more than a one-night stand. You'll never be together. It's immoral and wrong. And you're stupid if you think otherwise. You think a guy with Erik's looks and future would even look twice at you?" Rachel laughed. "You're not even that good looking. But worse, you're a stiff. You're a supernatural monster. You're dead."

Alexa felt like she'd been slapped in the face, but she stood her ground. "You don't know what you're talking about." She kept her voice low enough so it wouldn't reach Erik. "It's not like that."

"Oh, really?" Rachel threw her head back theatrically. "We've all seen it. The way you cling to him. That sad, puppy dog look you have whenever he's around. You practically throw yourself at him like a cheap whore."

Alexa stepped around Rachel, only to be blocked by Lizzy.

"Angel whore," she said, and she and Karen smiled meanly at Alexa.

"You're going way too far with this," said Alexa. Her voice was growing uneven with rage, and she clenched her fingers into fists so hard that her nails tore into her flesh until it hurt.

"I saw him go into your room last night," said Rachel. "Was it as good as you thought it would be? Did he promise you anything? He's a very good lover. But I don't need to tell you that, right?"

"What? Are you spying on me now?" Alexa shook her head. "Nothing happened. Not that it's any of your damn business anyway." She looked past Rachel's shoulder and could see that Erik was trying out weapons with Matt.

"I doubt that." Rachel bared her teeth. "Everyone's talking about it, about you and him. It's all over Hallow Hall that you're staying here despite your orders because you're in love with him."

Alexa sucked on her teeth, but despite the fury that bubbled inside her, Alexa didn't have anything to say for a comeback. She tried not to show any emotions, but she feared they could see the truth in her face.

"No matter what you think," mused Rachel. "Erik's no saint. You'll see. Whatever you think is going on, he's not thinking the same. Trust me. He's male, and mortal. Don't you forget what that means."

Alexa was tempted to leave, but the weight of Rachel's words pressed heavily on her.

"I'm here on assignment," said Alexa. "Think what you want, but it's nothing more."

Rachel stared down at her. "I've heard that the Legion would strip an angel's wings for falling in love with a mortal. I know your laws, your code. I know it's forbidden. And when the Legion finds out, because they will—if they haven't already—you'll be done. Fornicating with mortals means a death sentence for you."

Rachel mused, "You are truly a disgrace in the name of angels."

Without waiting for more of Rachel's words, Alexa said, "Go to hell." She pushed past Rachel and her bodyguards and made her way towards Erik and Matt. She wouldn't let Rachel break her spirit.

"He'll never love you, you know." Rachel's voice bounced against the walls. "How could anyone love a dead thing?"

Alexa cringed as Erik looked back towards her. But she kept her eyes on the gleaming marble floor and was unwilling to look at him to see if there was any truth in Rachel's words.

As stupid and foolish as it was, she couldn't help what she felt. It had just happened. She tried hard not to think about the infection that was slowly and surely destroying her M-Suit, or about her foolish dream of a life between a mortal and an angel.

Crossing the hall took forever. Alexa's limbs felt like concrete blocks, and she felt numb. She didn't have a poker face. She'd always been told she was easy to read, that she wore her emotions on her sleeve. She knew Erik would _know_ how she felt. And she'd be humiliated.

They had kissed, nothing more. And it wasn't as if Erik had expressed any more affection either. He had left. Maybe he had been teasing her, playing with her emotions, like Rachel had insinuated. But regardless of what Rachel had said, the moment had been real to her.

Rachel had succeeded in winding up Alexa to the point where she was ready to spin out of control. Was that what Rachel had wanted? Had Rachel intended that Alexa should lose control and hurt someone?

She knew she would face serious consequences in Horizon if she allowed Rachel to get under her skin, particularly if she hurt her. She would have to ignore Rachel and get on with her job. Saving lives came first.

Erik's expression was hard, but he wasn't looking at her. He looked past her to where Rachel and her besties stood. If he had ever cared about Rachel, it didn't show now. He looked as if he loathed her.

Alexa wanted to turn around, just to see the look on Rachel's face. Erik's reaction had been enough to subdue her anger, and she felt a tiny little victory. Did she just see a smile on his face? She smiled at him in a way that she hoped showed nothing more than friendship. She would make time to think about Erik and her feelings later.

"It's done," said Alexa, breaking the awkward silence. "He took the bait. We're to meet at The Grind for coffee at nine o'clock."

Matt's eye widened. "Impressive. You work fast, girl."

"You sure it's him," asked Erik, and she knew he meant someone other than Michael. "You sure it's the killer."

"Positive. Darknight was the last person to be with the victim. Even if it's not him, we still need to check him out. We'll cross him off the list if he's not the one." She pulled out her cell phone to show them. "It's almost eight," she said. "We can talk about the plan in the car. We should go."

Erik hesitated. "We should tell Santo," he said finally. "It's not smart to go at it alone. Things can go wrong, very wrong. We're going to need backup."

Something sad glistened in his eyes, and Alexa knew he was referring to what had happened with his parents. It pained her for what she was about to say, but there was no other way.

"We _can't_ tell him," said Alexa as gently as she could. "If you tell him he'll warn the others and Michael." She lifted her hands in surrender. "I know, I know. You don't think it's him. But I'm telling you it is. Just trust me on that, okay? He has something to do with this, and tonight I'll prove it to you. Besides, the three of us can deal with one mortal or demon, right?"

"Sure," said Matt. "But when is it ever just one demon?"

Alexa raised her brows. "True. But I have a feeling tonight will be different."

"And if you're wrong?" Erik sheathed his soul blade. His expression had hardened, and he looked tense.

Alexa sighed. "I could be wrong. And if I am, I'll take the blame. And we'll be back to square one." She wanted to reach out and touch him, and for a second she thought about the warmth of his lips on hers. She shook her head. "Tonight we'll take every precaution. If something feels off...if we feel our lives are in danger, we can back off and call Santo. Deal?"

The color came back to Erik's cheeks. "I don't like it. But we'll do what you say. But if things get ugly...we retreat and call for backup."

"Yes," said Alexa, trying to look confident. "Let's go."

# 23

ALEXA HAD RIDDEN IN THE back seat of Erik's 1969 Ford Mustang and had tried to stay focused on her plan, but it proved difficult because Erik continually stalked her through the rearview mirror. She could tell he was worried about her.

Things could go horribly wrong, but she was resolved to prove to them that Michael somehow was behind the murders. She suspected he wanted her dead and out of the way, too. She'd show them that the trusted Head of House Michael was the vessel for a demon, and she had a plan to do it. She had stolen two cups of salt from the hall kitchen, dumped it into a Ziploc bag, and put it safely into her jacket pocket.

The others didn't need to know about the salt, not yet.

Alexa had stumbled when they had first arrived, and although she had recovered before Erik or Matt had noticed anything, she was worried that her M- suit was deteriorating too fast. She wasn't ready to go back to Horizon. Not yet. If Erik suspected she was unwell, she knew he'd call the whole thing off. This was her only chance to get Michael, and nothing, not even a deteriorating body was going to stop her.

"You ready?" Erik's eyes shone with concern.

Alexa forced a half-smile and wished her legs would stop shaking. "I'm ready." Slowly, the feeling returned to her legs. "I should go in first though, just in case," she said with more confidence, now that her limbs seemed to be functioning normally again. "We can't risk him spotting us together."

"Fine. But we'll be right behind you. If anything feels off, you leave. You just call out and we'll be there. Okay."

"He might not even show up," said Matt. He hid the hilt of his sword on his back with the collar of his jacket.

Alexa surveyed the crowds of mortals. "He'll show up." Of course, he would. He wouldn't pass up the opportunity to kill another innocent girl, to get another soul for whatever twisted reason.

"Here, take this just in case." Erik tossed her a dagger.

She reached out, but her fingers were like chopsticks, and the dagger slipped from her hand.

"Ah. Sorry. You're too fast." She tried to brush her fumbling off.

Her fingers cracked as she wrapped them slowly around the handle of the blade. When she held it up, she realized Erik had given her his soul blade.

"I can't take this? This is _your_ soul blade." She handed it back, but he wouldn't take it. He was staring at her hands.

Erik squared his jaw. "What's wrong with your hands?"

"Nothing," she lied too easily. "I wasn't ready. I wasn't paying attention because I was too busy thinking about what I was going to do. I didn't see you toss it until it was too late."

_Liar. Liar. Liar._

Erik relaxed. "I want you to have it. I'll feel a lot better leaving you on your own if I know you have a backup soul blade." He tapped inside his jacket, and she heard something hard concealed in his pocket. "I have more than enough weapons on me anyway. Take it."

Alexa grasped the soul blade tighter, to keep her traitorous fingers from trembling and giving her away. Her fingers barked in pain, but she gritted her teeth and kept her face neutral. She rubbed the cool hilt and then slipped it onto her weapons belt.

"Ready," she said. She didn't give him a chance to reply before she stalked across the parking lot.

They had arrived at The Grind a half-hour early, and she strategically chose the table closest to the exit at the back. Her knuckles were white as she gripped her coffee mug.

The huge place was crowded with tables, chairs, and sofas. Ambient light from the street spilled through floor-to-ceiling windows. The place was packed for a Monday night, and music thundered over the cacophony of voices.

She sat cupping her coffee mug. Her fingers were numb, like they had been frozen and were slowly thawing. It was the same with her toes. Her body was deteriorating faster than she thought.

_How the hell was she supposed to fight off Michael if her legs and hands didn't work?_

Worse, if he brought some demon friends, it would do her no good to have chopsticks as fingers. She was turning into a real _stiff_. She was screwed.

She tried to be as casual and mortal as she could as she searched the crowd. Erik was the first one she spotted. Even with his hood up, she recognized his shoulders and the locks of his hair that peeked out.

He leaned against the back wall across from her next to the EXIT sign. He had the perfect view and was still close enough to reach her in a few bounds if anything should go wrong. He saw her, and she quickly looked away, not daring to draw attention to herself or him. Matt was opposite him, making casual conversation with two mortal girls, but always keeping his focus on her.

They both blended well with the crowd. No mortals would ever suspect that the young men were demon hunters. They both had a clear view of the front doors. Alexa tried not to be too clumsy as she fished out her cell phone. Erik was watching her every move. She checked the time. It was ten past nine. Michael was late.

Was this part of his plan? To make the girls wait, thinking he wasn't coming? Or had he spotted her? Was he here already and watching her? Alexa's angel senses scanned for the cold, empty feeling of death and the smell of sulfur. But she felt and smelled nothing out of the ordinary.

_Another trick of Michael's?_

She'd made sure to sit with her back to the front entrance. Her face was hidden in the folds of her long hair, and the sleeves of her shirt were pulled over her hands and fingers.

Her plan was perfect. Michael would spot the lonely girl sitting by the window and come over before he'd had a chance to see her face. She'd surprise him with a blade pointed to his chest and escort him outside into the parking lot. Then she would reveal once and for all that he was a demon by throwing a handful of salt in his face. The salt wouldn't cast the demon out, but the purifying properties of the salt would reveal it. It would be enough to convince Erik and Matt.

Alexa still had not felt anything unusual. The stale, hot air simply smelled of too many people stuck in a small space, coffee, and teenage hormones. It was a place she probably would have enjoyed with her friends if she were still alive.

She checked her phone again. Her face fell as she read the glowing 9:30 p.m. She could see Erik frown, and she knew he was thinking the same. Michael wasn't coming. She'd either been very wrong, or Michael was smarter than she'd thought, and he was on to them.

At that moment, several of the streetlights lining the sidewalk flickered and went out. Alexa stilled as the ceiling lights above her head flashed and went out as well.

He was here.

The crowd cheered at the sudden darkness, and then they booed as soft light returned a few seconds later. Alexa could detect the faint thump of a generator working outside.

Alexa leaned forward anxiously. She could see Erik's hands slip to the hidden weapons inside his jacket.

Michael was coming.

It was him. The expression on Erik's face confirmed it.

_You're mine._

Bristling with nerves, Alexa gripped her hand on the hilt of her blade and waited. Her stomach tightened as she tried to make herself inconspicuous.

She heard and felt the air move behind her, and then she sensed the presence of a man next to her.

She whirled around and said, "Not what you were expecting—"

Alexa's face fell. Ryan stood in front of her.

"Actually, yes." Ryan smiled slyly. "You're _exactly_ what I was expecting."

Ryan's trusted deputies, James and Will, moved alongside him. They were accompanied by another guardian she'd never seen before. His smile was as vile as the others'.

Alexa scowled at the angels. "What the hell are you doing here?" She wanted to cut that cunning smile off Ryan's face. "Do you know what you've done? You stupid, stupid fool," she seethed.

"Me?" laughed Ryan. "It is you, my dear, who is the fool."

People screamed, and a flash of white fur bounded into view next to her.

"Alexa, I'm so sorry," Lance's tongue lolled out the side of his jaw. "I tried to stop them, I tried. But I couldn't." The whites around Lance's eyes told her everything she needed to know.

"What's going on?" Erik pushed his way forward with Matt following closely behind.

A crowd had slowly materialized around them. Erik was about to confront Ryan, but the angel paid him no attention. Ryan concentrated on Alexa. He looked triumphant, and while something else flashed in his hateful eyes, she couldn't tell what it was.

"Why are you here, Ryan?" she asked, although she already knew the answer to her question.

"We're the retrieval team," said Ryan, his lips curved into a smile. "You're going back to Horizon."

# 24

"ALEXA, RUN!" ERIK RUSHED BETWEEN her and the group of angels.

Alexa was a bit stiff at first, but her adrenaline kicked in and she bolted out the back door. She sprinted across the pavement and out towards the parking lot. Her boots splashed through puddles of beer and vomit. But she didn't stop.

She leaped over a small fence and tore down the street. The night air stung her eyes and tears fell down her cheeks. She tried to control her panic.

The Legion had sent a retrieval team. What was worse, they had sent Ryan. If they caught her, not only would they force her into a pool, she'd never see Erik again either.

And the soul thief had gotten away.

The street lamps loomed over her like giant illuminated scarecrows. Alexa had no idea where she was going. She just ran like the entire Netherworld demon cavalry was at her heels. If Michael had witnessed her confrontation with Ryan, he would probably be smiling on the way to his next victim.

_Bastard._

She could hear their heavy footsteps right behind her. Their supernatural speed was more than a match for her and her injured body.

The joints in her knees cracked, and her legs stiffened. There was no way she could outrun the other angels. She'd have to outsmart them.

As Alexa tried to run harder and faster, her every effort tore at the wound on her back. The poison was continuing to weaken her and her M-suit was failing. Her vision blurred, and she blinked furiously to clear her eyes.

"You can't keep this up," called Ryan from close behind her. "Your body is finished. Look at you, you can't even run like a mortal. Give yourself up, Alexa. You don't want the alternative. Trust me."

"Trust you?" she bellowed. "Who the hell are you kidding? I'd trust a demon before I trusted you."

Black spots clouded her vision with every step. There was no stopping them. She felt the air move behind her and knew they'd jump her any second. There was nothing she could do about it. Her body was useless, and if she tried to use her soul blades against them, that in itself would be a death sentence. She was finished. What had happened to Erik and Matt? Lance?

The thought of never seeing Erik again sent a stabbing pain through her chest.

"Alexa, stop," said Ryan. "We can run like this all night if we have to, but you're done. It's over. Your little experiment at playing mortal is over." He let out a laugh that penetrated her to the bone.

Alexa whipped around a corner and dashed through a row of boxwood shrubs between two houses. Her left foot got tangled in some hard roots, but she staggered forward and managed to keep running.

She knew she was running on fumes. She was alone, and her supernatural strength was gone. The well had dried.

She ran on. She would stay in the mortal world somehow. She would stay with Erik. It was stupid and immature, but she couldn't help how she felt. She was screwed.

She crossed a large yard and leaped over flower beds and small vegetable gardens.

"Alexa, stop!" Ryan shrieked with rage.

The angels were closing in. She saw an opening between a fence and a garage. She made for it.

"If you don't stop now, the mortal _dies_."

Alexa didn't stop. If Ryan thought she'd fall for that, he was an idiot.

"What are you doing? Are you mad?" called a voice behind her.

It was Erik, and he sounded out of breath and terrified.

Alexa stilled, her limbs froze, and she pitched forward. She landed on her knees and palms.

When she pushed herself back to her feet, she saw Ryan standing next to a large in-ground pool in a neighboring yard. He was dangling a little boy just above the dark waters of the deep end. The boy's eyes were closed. He looked dead.

"You killed him! You bastard!"

Ryan wiggled the boy like a doll. "Of course not. He's still alive, but he's unconscious for now." The smile on his face widened, but the shadows cast over his face made him look more like a demon than an angel. "But if you don't give yourself up and come with us, the boy dies."

Alexa shook her head. "You can't do that. You can't kill mortals. It's against the most basic rules of being a guardian."

" _I'm_ not going to kill him," said Ryan. "But _you_ will, if you don't come with us."

"What?"

Alexa could see that Erik and Matt were being guarded at knifepoint by James and Will. Erik had his weapon drawn, and Matt had a very strange smile on his face, almost like he'd really enjoy a fight with the angel.

Then she heard a whimper and a retching sound. The third angel had tied a rope around Lance's neck and was choking him. A low growl escaped her. She wanted to kill him.

Alexa knew she had to stay calm with Ryan. He had an ego as big as his head, and his temper was infamous in Horizon. She'd seen him lash out at rookie angels for no other reason than to instill fear and feel superior.

She raised her palms in surrender and approached the pool carefully. The moon's silver rays on the water made it look like oil.

"Let the boy go, Ryan." Alexa kept her hands up and her eyes on Ryan. She knew he wanted to show his friends that he could make her do what _he_ wanted. So she played along, anything to save this boy's life. "This isn't you," she said. "This isn't what angels are supposed to be. Just let him go, okay?"

Ryan's white teeth flashed in a wicked smile. "Only if you agree to come with us."

He had to be lying. No angel would endanger or even kill an innocent mortal. Demons did that. Not angels. This was personal. Ryan had somehow convinced the Legion to bring her back. But why? What had she done to him that would make him forget the angel laws and put a mortal life in danger?

The wound on her back throbbed and burned, but she straightened up and said, "And if I refuse?"

He was bluffing. He had to be.

Ryan lowered the boy until his forehead broke the surface of the water. "He drowns."

Alexa made her way to the edge of the pool until she stood straight across from Ryan. "You would kill an innocent?" This was madness. She could see that Erik was angry, but he looked trapped and frightened, too. Was it fear for the boy's life or fear for hers?

"I was told to do whatever it took to bring you in," said Ryan. "So that's exactly what I'm doing. If this innocent mortal dies, it'll be _your_ fault." Always watching Alexa, testing her, he lowered the boy again until the water brushed his nose.

Alexa stood her ground. "This is crazy. There's no way the Legion approved this. Let him go. You've done enough already."

Ryan laughed and began to do circles with the boy like he was stirring a cauldron. "What do you know of the Legion? You haven't been there long enough to make you anything. Metatron gave me complete discretion where you're concerned. He's pretty pissed at you. And you don't want to be on Metatron's bad side. Believe me."

Alexa had only heard of the archangel Metatron. She'd never actually seen him. And what she'd heard was that he enjoyed torturing angels to get what he wanted, even killing them. He was the most dangerous and ruthless archangel.

"And the one thing he hates above all else is rogue angels," continued Ryan. "Calls them cowards and criminals. There's nothing he hates more than rogue angels. That's what he told me. And guess what, Alexa. That's exactly what you are. A rogue. A mortal loving coward."

"Shut up, you spineless prick," growled Erik. "She'll go when she's good and ready. If anyone's a coward, it's you. Torturing some poor little kid to get what you want. How about we face-off, man to angel. I've always wanted to kick an angel's ass. Let it be yours."

Erik made to move, but James jabbed him in the chest with his blade, and Erik winced. Alexa could see a maroon stain start to form on his shirt. _Bastard_. She was going to take care of James as well as Ryan.

"Shut up, mortal, or I'll cut you," said James. "This doesn't concern you. We don't have time for your _earthly_ feelings."

A strange, disgusted expression marred Ryan's already scowling face. "What's this?" He looked between Alexa and Erik, and his eyebrows rose. "Sleeping with mortals, are we? My, my, my, Metatron is going to have a field day when he hears that you've been _pleasuring_ some mortal."

"Shut up. You don't know what you're talking about." Alexa felt she would burst into flames. She felt so ashamed and misrepresented. She hoped Erik could see her true feelings.

"I'm pretty sure that, too, is a capital offense," said Ryan, looking pleased at this newfound information.

"Give me two days," said Alexa. The pool's ripples were making her dizzy. "That's all I ask. Two days, and I'll go back. I promise." Two days wasn't much time to figure out another plan to get Michael. They had messed up their chance of getting him tonight, so she would have to figure out another way.

Ryan looked even more irritated. "You just don't get it, do you? You're not an archangel. You don't get to make those kinds of decisions. You do what you're told, like the rest of us. You've got ten seconds to decide."

Alexa wasn't ready. She wasn't prepared to go back, and she certainly wasn't mentally prepared to jump into the water. She needed more time.

"Please, I need more time."

Ryan bared his teeth and shook his head. "Fool. You're so pathetically predictable." And then he tossed the boy into the deep end of the pool.

"No!" Alexa watched in horror as the boy sank like a stone. He was going to drown.

She ran around the pool and stopped just short of the edge. She could barely make out the boy's shape in the dark water. She hated water more than anything in the world.

Images of an eight-year-old boy floated before her like a waking dream. She imagined his mouth opening and closing like a fish gasping on the shore. His purple lips. His lifeless eyes.

Tears welled in her eyes, but she couldn't move. She was frozen like ice.

"Do something!" she yelled at Ryan.

Ryan crossed his arms and said, "He's got a few more seconds before he drowns. If you don't jump in now to save him, he dies. Just like that little boy you let drown at his own birthday party."

Alexa flinched. She'd never told anyone. How could he possibly know this part of her life? Her private memories? He had no business there.

"It wasn't my fault," her voice was barely audible. "I was just a kid."

The little boy's terrified face danced before her eyes. She remembered his last scream and the haunted look in his eyes when he fell in the water when he knew he was about to die.

Erik was watching her. He looked as distressed as she was.

"Five seconds and this boy dies," said Ryan. His voice was flat and uncaring, as if it didn't matter that he had just tossed a boy in a pool to drown.

Alexa was almost overcome by a primal anger that rose from her gut. Fountains of tears ran down her face. "You're a bastard."

"Two seconds," said Ryan, pretending to smile.

Alexa leaned over the edge of the pool. Her teeth chattered, and her body trembled so badly it looked like she was freezing. She hadn't even touched the water, but it was already choking her in its freezing embrace.

This was it. She had to jump, or the boy would die. She had never thought she could hate someone as much as she hated Ryan right now. So she fed on that hate until it consumed her fears. She couldn't let that innocent boy drown.

She didn't know what would be waiting for her on the other side. She was almost more terrified of returning to Horizon than of the water itself.

She made her decision. Bending her knees, she leaned forward.

"Alexa." Erik shook his head, pleading with her and sharing her pain. She knew she was in love with him, and she knew she'd never see him again.

She braced herself and jumped.

She crashed down into the wall of water and sank to the bottom with images of the dead boy playing in her frantic mind. She tried not to think about how she was trapped under the cold, cold water. Her legs and arm muscles clenched in spasms of panic. But she controlled her fears and opened her eyes. The water was dark like the inside of a cave, but she could see the pale face of the boy floating just off the bottom.

Her fear was replaced by the anger at the Ryan. She did not look at the dark waters or succumb to her fear of it. There was only the boy. She had to save him.

She landed close enough that she only had to reach out to grab a handful of his shirt. She tugged him towards her. She could barely bend her knees and ankles to kick, but somehow she managed to drag the boy to the surface. She rolled him over the edge of the pool, and just as she saw his eyes open—it happened.

White light exploded all around her, just as it had done the first time someone in Horizon had accidentally pushed her into the pool. Her body began to glow with fluorescent white light. She shielded her eyes and saw Ryan. He looked like he'd just won a gold medal at the Olympics.

She would always hate him for endangering the boy and forcing her into the water. But she also felt proud that she had overcome her fear. She knew she would be changed forever.

Alexa felt her M-suit tugging and pulling apart. And then her mortal body disintegrated into millions of brilliant particles.

The last thing she saw was Erik's terrified expression as her body burst into brilliant white light, and everything around her disappeared.

# 25

ALEXA SAT ON A HARD bench outside what she believed was the archangel Metatron's interrogation room. She knew that the massive double doors were designed to intimidate. She was somewhere between levels six and seven. The level hadn't shown on the elevator, and she knew that its location must have been kept secret for a reason, a bad one.

She would normally have ridden the elevator to the Council of Ministers, the governing body in Horizon, on level six, but she hadn't been given the choice.

She'd always wanted to see the massive city that floated in the clouds and open sky. She knew that level six was also the location of the angel prison, Tartarus. She had never been past the Department of Defense on level five. Level six was just one level below the highest level in Horizon. The Chief, or God, or whatever you wanted to call him, lived on level seven. She'd never been there either. Only archangels were allowed to set foot on level seven. But she had heard rumors that a mixed essence angel had been there once.

While she'd never seen the angel prison, she'd seen pictures of it. It looked like a giant windowless cube of black concrete, and it floated in the air above a blanket of clouds. It was either luck or something more sinister that had kept her out of the prison now. She knew angels were always imprisoned while they waited for their cases to be heard.

_Did she even have a case? Why was she even here?_

Alexa had spent an entire day in the Healing-Xpress when she had first returned to Horizon. Her angel body had been restored, and none of the poison from the death blade remained. She was happy that her wound was gone. But her cheerful demeanor quickly changed. Two of the most unusual angels she had ever seen were waiting for her.

They were dressed in identical skin-tight black dresses, and they wore red high heels, sunglasses, and bright red lipstick. They were absolutely beautiful women, with bodies like goddesses, perfect skin, and delicate features. If it weren't for the soul blades in their hands and the commanding tone in their voices, they would have looked like they were about to perform in a music video from the nineties.

"Alexa Dawson, W-1 Squad, Class order 4321?"

Alexa managed to find her voice. "Yes." Were they here to escort her to Tartarus?

There was something very disturbing about not being able to see their eyes.

"The rogue angel?" The woman smiled at the look of panic on Alexa's face. "We're Metatron's personal guards. We're here to take you to him."

_Metatron the fierce._ So Ryan had been telling the truth. This was the worst possible outcome for her. Metatron was ruthless. His methods were unsound and barbaric. She would rather have taken her chances with the council than deal with Metatron. At least she'd have some options with the council. There would be a trial and then a punishment. But Metatron used torture, and his victims usually died.

Alexa fought the urge to panic. "I wasn't going rogue, I swear. I was trying to do my job. It just took longer than expected, that's all. It was going to work, but..." _But you killed my chances,_ Alexa wanted to say.

The two women glanced at each other, and then the darker haired one said, "Sure. All rogue angels have the same sappy story about how they felt it was necessary to stay longer, for the good of the mortal. It's always the same when they're caught." She flicked her soul blade at Alexa. "Hurry up. You don't want to keep him waiting."

It was like she was drowning all over again as she fought to get air but couldn't. "Wait a minute. Don't I get a trial or something? I thought I was supposed to get a trial? Isn't that the Legion's protocol? Every angel deserves a fair trial?"

"You lost that privilege when you went rogue," said the dark-haired guard. "It's the worst offense you could have committed. You jeopardized the Legion and your fellow guardian angels. You don't deserve a trial. You deserve what Metatron says you deserve."

Fear washed through Alexa in a dizzying rush. "I need to speak to the archangel Ariel. Does she even know about this? I'm sure she'll want to see me first. She'd never agree to this."

Ariel had seen Alexa's potential and had elevated her to her team. Ariel had faith in her and her abilities as a guardian. If anyone could get her out of this mess, it was Ariel.

"She already has," said the light-haired guard, and Alexa's face fell. The guard continued, "She agreed to have the retrieval team go to fetch you. But in the end, it will be Metatron's decision what to do with you. He's the overall commander, and he's Ariel's boss. She'll do what he says."

Flushed with rushing panic, Alexa felt she was in a waking nightmare. There was nothing to fight them with and nowhere to run.

The two beautiful guards seemed to know exactly what she was thinking. "There's nowhere to run, little girl. You can't hide from him. Put your boots on and let's go."

Alexa followed the angels back to the elevators and up to Metatron's mysterious level. The women escorted her down corridors that became lost in shadows. They held their soul blades at the ready, as though they expected Alexa to bolt. They didn't look like they'd be afraid to use them.

They passed at least five alcoves with burning fireplaces and lavish tapestries. Alexa's confidence began to fail even more when she saw life-size paintings of women feeding grapes to Metatron. In the paintings, he wore only a leaf and reclined on a series of different chaise lounges.

Now she sat waiting for her fate. Her guards stood in the shadows and secured the exits in case she'd felt like bolting. Alexa stiffened at the sound of voices from behind the doors. Was the infamous Metatron torturing an angel in there?

She didn't understand how the Legion could elect such a monster as their commander. It didn't make any sense. Apart from her lingering dread, Alexa felt as good as new. She wasn't in any sort of pain, and she felt fresh and rejuvenated. Everything was where it should be.

Except Erik.

She had thought that maybe she wouldn't remember him, that somehow the ride back and her time at the Healing-Xpress would obliterate her memories. But her _mortal_ feelings remained. She felt and remembered everything—the dead girls, Hallow Hall, the kiss...

Even now, a strange tingling rushed to her face, and she couldn't explain why she still had mortal feelings. Whatever had occurred between her and Erik was over, and she would never have the chance to explore it. Erik was a warm-blooded mortal, and she was a cold stiff. Their relationship could never develop. It should never have happened at all. What was wrong with her?

She'd had boyfriends before and felt the butterflies in her stomach. She had experienced all the highs and lows of first dates, first kisses, and the rest. But somehow, Erik made her feel different, made her feel a fire that seemed to rise from her soul.

Alexa let out a frustrated sigh. She barely knew him. She had to stop this. It was only making her miserable.

Moreover, the killings hadn't been solved. She had not been able to prove that Michael was behind everything. She was annoyed that she hadn't even been given the chance to explain herself. She needed to tell the Legion that the killer was still out there, and that somehow the Hellgate was connected. But now she didn't know how to tell her story, or who would even listen.

She heard the sound of claws on stone, and Lance came trotting up to her, tail wagging.

"Lance?" Alexa jumped to her feet. "How did you find me? And how did you get here?"

Alexa's escorts drew their blades and rushed over. They may have been in high heels, but they were fast.

"I don't know how you got here, Scout," said the dark-haired one, brandishing her blade dangerously close to Lance's ears. "But I suggest you leave now before I make doggie biscuits out of you."

Lance moved next to Alexa, his ears perked and alert. "At ease, ladies. I'm just here to speak to the prisoner. There are no laws against that. I checked." He sat next to the bench. "I'm just going to sit here. If I move, you can slice me up and fry me like bacon. Are we agreed?"

The two women exchanged a glance and slowly went back to their posts, inscrutable behind their dark glasses.

"So, how _did_ you find me? This level's not even on the panel, and I've never heard of it," asked Alexa. She didn't bother asking him why he still looked like a white German Shepherd.

"You forget that I've been a guardian a lot longer than you," said Lance. He scratched behind his ear with his hind leg. "I'm a Scout. It's my job to know things. I've known about this place for years."

"So, what's your story," asked Alexa, wondering what he looked like when he wasn't a dog. "I need to keep my mind off whatever is going on behind those doors. Tell me something. Anything."

"Which story do you want?" answered Lance. "I've got lots."

"When...how did you become an angel or a Scout?"

"I died in France in the Second World War," said the dog. He stretched out on his belly and folded his front paws. "I was on a mission, and I never saw what hit me. I had been trained as a spy, and I was good at it. So naturally, when I died, the Legion and I both thought I'd do best as a Scout. Never looked back once since then."

"Did you have a wife or a girlfriend?" Alexa realized that she was prying, but it was too late to take her question back.

"I had a wife," said Lance. "No kids. We'd just gotten married before I enlisted. Betsy Teagarden. Boy, she could light up a room with her smile. She was the prettiest girl in our town."

Alexa felt worse. "I'm sorry, Lance. I don't know why I asked."

"Don't be. Three years after I'd been killed I went to look for her on one of my assignments. She was married again, with two kids. And she was happy. That's all that mattered to me. My Betsy was a good and decent girl. She deserved to find love again and to be happy."

A sudden wave of sadness washed over Alexa. She would never have that, that love, that happiness. For a moment she closed her eyes and remembered the taste of Erik's lips, his scent, and the crush of his warm body. She ached to have him hold her right now, and it hurt all the more because she knew it would never happen again.

Alexa leaned back against the hard wall. "So, what's going to happen to me?" She felt a rush of anger.

Lance was quiet for a while. "I don't know."

"He's going to kill me, isn't he?"

Lance looked up at her. "Metatron is many things, but he's not unjust. Tell him everything. Don't keep any secrets and don't _lie_. He'll know if you lie. Trust me."

"I don't know how long this is going to take," began Alexa. She knew that Lance was perfect for what she was about to ask, "but if you're as good at your job as you say you are—I need you to find something for me."

Lance sat up. "Sure, anything."

"Two things, actually," said Alexa. "I need you to find out exactly what happened to Erik's parents, and then I need you to find out everything there is to know about a Hellgate."

"A Hellgate?" Lance cocked his head to the side. "Never heard of it. But if there's anything in Horizon about it, I'll find it for you."

"Thanks." Alexa suspected it would be pointless. She'd never be a guardian again, and what was worse, she'd probably never see Erik again either. But she couldn't let it drop. "Can you do me another favor?" Her voice sounded too loud, and she looked nervously at the guards.

"Sure."

"If...if I don't make it out..."

"You're going to make it out."

"But if I don't," Alexa whispered, keeping her eyes on the floor. "If this is the end of the road for me, can you look after Erik? Just make sure he's okay."

She knew this sounded foolish. She saw the two angels watching her. She knew how stupid and foolish they thought she had been to fall for a mortal. But her feelings were just that, her _own_ feelings, and she wouldn't deny them.

"I will. Promise."

Just as Alexa was about to thank him, the doors swung open and the archangel Ariel came out. She was as statuesque as a Greek Goddess. Tall and slim, her black cargo pants and black shirt blended beautifully with her mocha-colored skin.

She studied Alexa for a moment and frowned when she looked at Lance. "I'm sorry this is happening to you, Alexa," said the archangel Ariel. She was as stunning as Alexa remembered, and her voice was just as smooth and rich. But there was an urgency in her tone now. "But there is nothing I can do to stop it."

Alexa started to fear the worst, but she raised her head and looked Ariel straight in the face. She was tired of being afraid. She would face this thing head-on.

Ariel looked at her sadly.

"Stop what?" Alexa asked.

"Me," said a male voice behind Ariel.

# 26

ARIEL TOWERED OVER THE MAN who stepped out from behind her. Alexa hadn't seen him at all. He looked too small to be an archangel, and if archangels were known to be beautiful, it appeared this one had missed the memo.

He looked like an overweight greasy middle-aged car salesman. He wore a charcoal-gray suit and shiny black shoes, and his thinning, straw-colored hair was drawn back from his receding hairline. He examined Alexa through sunglasses that hid his eyes, but his predatory gaze made her shiver.

He took a long drag of his cigar and blew out a cloud of smoke that looked a lot like the shape of a noose.

"Let's go, kid." The archangel Metatron tapped the ashes from his cigar.

Alexa straightened up and walked across the threshold. She didn't dare to look at Ariel or Lance, for fear she might lose it. She still had her pride, and she wouldn't show this greasy archangel any fear.

Alexa moved cautiously over the gray marble floors of Metatron's lair. She had half expected to see explosives and contraptions for torture. Instead, every inch of wall was covered with flat-screen televisions. It looked like a television broadcast station.

A raised platform in the middle of the room was furnished with a black leather sofa, chairs, and a coffee table littered with hundreds of remotes. Below the raised platform was an open compartment that looked like the cage where the accused would await their sentence at a courthouse. It was positioned strategically, below the platform, so that those on the platform could look down on those inside.

The noise from the TVs was very distracting, but Metatron snapped his fingers to get her attention and then pointed to the iron cage. "Get in, kid."

Alexa opened her mouth to object, to tell him to go screw himself and that she wasn't a kid. But the cold and calculating look on his face was enough to cause her to reconsider. Reluctantly, she made her way toward the iron box and closed the gate behind her. She was trapped. She wiped her palms on her pants. It was a very mortal gesture, and even though angels didn't sweat, it reminded her how habituated she had become to mortal behavior.

Metatron stepped up onto the platform and reclined on his black couch. With his cigar in his mouth and his fat fleshy stomach protruding beneath his shirt, he propped his feet up on the coffee table and leaned back lazily. The two angels sat beside him. Alexa had completely forgotten about them. Their tight clothes and heavy makeup seemed out of place and unnatural. She wanted to run up there and slap their smiling faces.

Alexa watched the archangel's stony face. But she couldn't read what he was thinking because his sunglasses hid his eyes.

"Rogue angels are like a festering wound," began the archangel. "They infect the Legion because they spread the idea that angels can stay in the mortal realm. The delusion that you can be born again as a mortal is the kind of thinking that causes havoc in the mortal world. The Legion can't afford to draw attention to itself in this way. Mortals cannot know of our existence. It's one of the very first decrees in the angel code. While rogue angels are dangerous to themselves, they are even more dangerous to the Legion. The punishment for those who defy the angel code is true death."

Alexa straightened and kept her face free from emotions. She wouldn't show the fear that coursed inside her.

"So tell me," asked Metatron coldly and methodically, "when was it you decided to go rogue? Before or after you met this mortal...Erik? It's Erik, isn't it?"

Alexa stilled. "Yes."

"Yes, before. Or yes, after?"

Alexa shook her head. "I mean _yes_ , his name is Erik, but I _didn't_ go rogue. That is a misunderstanding. Erik had nothing to do with this."

"Really," said Metatron, taking another puff. "That's not what Ryan tells me."

"Ryan's a liar and a bastard." Alexa reached out and gripped the metal bar. "He never liked me, and this is just another example of the twisted way he bullies me and tries to prove his superiority. Ask Ariel. She'll tell you some of the things he did to me here before I even set foot in the mortal world."

"So you don't have feelings for this Erik?"

Alexa stared at Metatron incredulously. She remembered that Lance had told her to keep her cool and tell the truth. She decided to trust him.

"Yes." She felt ashamed and angry. She was going to kill Ryan. This was all his fault. "Yes," she repeated. "I have feelings for him." She wanted to say, _I couldn't help it_.

A half-smile played on his lips. "And you've had sex with this mortal?"

Alexa choked. "What? Are you kidding me? That's none of your business."

Metatron's face hardened, and she knew she'd stepped out of line. "Oh, but it _is_ my business, kid." He raised his arms. "Everything around here _is_ my business."

When Alexa looked away, she noticed something odd on the screens.

On one screen she could see the archangel Ariel sitting at the table in the Counter Demon Division with Ryan, James, Will, and four more angels she didn't know. On the screen next to it, she could see the archangel Gabriel staring intently at a monitor. He looked up, and when their eyes met she cringed. But then she realized Gabriel couldn't see her.

Metatron could see and hear everything. He was spying on the entire Legion.

"I have eyes and ears everywhere," said Metatron. "It's how I do business. It's how I know what's going on before anyone else does. I want to know who's coming and going. I want to know how many demons we've killed this month. I want to know how many new rookies we have and how many we've lost. I want to know everything that goes on in Horizon."

He took another drag of his cigar. "Even when you step into the mortal world, it's still my business. I own you."

Alexa let a little growl escape. "Nobody owns me."

Metatron raised an eyebrow. But then he demanded, "Answer the question. Did you have sexual relations with this mortal?" His voice boomed across the room, and she felt the metal bar shake in her grip. The lights faded a little.

This wasn't going very well.

"We didn't have sex," she said. She kept her voice low and was careful not to show too much emotion. She felt sorrow and an emptiness that was too still and too deep for a dead girl.

"So what _did_ you do?" asked Metatron, his voice and demeanor more casual like before. "Something did happen. I can see it all over your face. Spit it out."

Her fury increased as he continued to violate her privacy. "We kissed."

"You kissed?" Metatron was still, studying her. "And what else?"

"That's it. Nothing else happened."

Metatron gave no hint of emotion. "I was told you'd been injured by a death blade. Why didn't you come home then? Why did you endure the pain when you could have come to Horizon and healed yourself? Were your feelings for this guy holding you back?"

"I wasn't ready yet," she said. She didn't want to share her fear of water with this pompous ass, and because she didn't understand her private feelings for Erik, she couldn't describe them to the archangel.

Metatron gestured for her to continue.

"I was sent to investigate a rift and also to shed some light on why some souls were missing. Coffin Grove was my hometown, so Ariel thought I was a good choice for this assignment."

Alexa quickly retold her theory about the murder of the girls, but she left out the parts about Michael and the Hellgate.

"...and their eyes were burned—"

"What did you say?" Metatron tensed, and his girls dropped their sensual smiles.

Alexa repeated herself, "I said that their eyes were burned."

"Burned how? Describe it." Metatron's voice was only one step above a whisper, and deadly.

Alexa closed her eyes so she could clearly see them in her mind's eye. "Black and red, peeling skin, scorched all around their empty sockets. It was like their eyes had melted." She opened her eyes. It was the best description she could come up with. Metatron's face was stone cold.

"Who was with you when you found these girls? Was there anyone else with you?"

"No," said Alexa. "There were a few Sensitive operatives who arrived later. We all went to the morgue together to see the other victim. Why?"

But Metatron's lips were tight, and for a long while, he said nothing.

"You know what the burning of the eyes means, don't you? What does it mean?" Alexa was certain the archangel knew exactly what it meant, but he didn't share any information with her. She shifted in the uncomfortable silence. "So you can understand," she continued, "why I felt obligated to stay. We still don't know why the souls were taken, or where. The matter needed to be investigated fully, and I still don't have the answers. Unless there's something you'd like to share?" She knew she was stretching his patience, but if she didn't ask, she'd never know.

Metatron gazed back, impassive and still. His face darkened, but he kept silent and watched Alexa.

"I'd like the chance to go back," Alexa pushed. "I was so close, so, so close. I had almost caught the demon who'd killed those girls. I almost had him. And I would have caught him, if you hadn't sent Ryan and that stupid retrieval team." She sighed heavily. "I can still do it. Let me go back. I'll give you the demon responsible. I swear it."

Metatron leaned back into his couch. "You're not going back."

"Why not? I'm telling you, I was _this_ close. Give me two more days. That's all I ask." The archangel's look caused a chill to run up Alexa's spine.

"Forget it. We're sending another team out."

"But they'll have to start from scratch. I know things. I can help. Let me go back. Please."

"Listen, kid," said Metatron. "I feel for you, I really do. But the truth of the matter is, you're going to Tartarus."

Her hopes suddenly burned to ash, choking fear flamed up inside her and she was afraid. "But I thought—"

"You thought wrong," said Metatron. "You do understand that even kissing a mortal is a serious violation of the angel code. Enough to throw you away in Tartarus for the rest of your angel life."

Alexa leaned forward, desperate. "What about my trial? Don't I get a trial?"

"This was your trial."

"What! This isn't a real trial. No jury or anyone is representing me. It's just you and your two Barbies. Don't I get a lawyer or something? What the hell is this? This isn't right, and you know it."

Alexa felt despair envelope her like an icy wind. She wished she could cry, but in Horizon angels didn't have the luxury of tears. Alexa stood numbly, listening and shaking. She was grateful for the metal bar she gripped because without it she would have collapsed to the ground.

"I had all the necessary information to make my decision," continued Metatron. "It's over. You're going to Tartarus."

# 27

ALEXA DIDN'T KNOW HOW LONG she stood in her metal cage while Metatron and his females carried on a private discussion.

It was as though she didn't exist, as though she'd already been thrown into prison, broken and forgotten. It wasn't like anyone would miss her. Apart from Lance, she barely had any friends in Horizon. She stared at the ground and didn't even bother to look at the surveillance screens that lined the wall. She figured she might as well get used to the idea of not seeing or knowing anything.

She was going to Tartarus.

Her brief life in Horizon had been brutal enough. Now she had lost even the spark of hope. There would be no life after death for her, and she would never see Erik again.

"Michelle and Jasmine are going to escort you to level six," said Metatron as he stepped down from the dais. He blew a bird-like shape of smoke. "The Keepers will meet you there and escort you to the prison."

"So that's it?" Alexa's voice cracked. "I'm done. This is it?"

"Listen, kid," continued Metatron. "You're going to Tartarus because of what you did. It's how it's done here. Right now my hands are tied. It might not be forever, but it's where you need to be for now." If he thought he had comforted her, he was wrong.

Alexa pushed open the gate to her cage sadly and slowly followed the two angels out of Metatron's chamber.

To her surprise, Lance sat next to the bench outside. "And?" he asked. His eyebrows drooped gloomily.

Alexa tried to speak, but her throat burned like she had swallowed broken glass. She just shook her head.

"Tartarus?" guessed Lance. He growled deep in his throat. "You can't be serious. She's a rookie for crying out loud! Have you lost your minds!"

"Get lost, dog," spat Michelle. She grabbed Alexa by the arm and steered her down the hall. "We're taking her to level six. Best get out of the way if you don't want to join her."

"Fine," said Lance trotting alongside them. "I'm coming with you. Just to see her off, that is. There's no law against that, right?"

The two women said nothing, but Michelle let go of Alexa's arm, and both women fell behind and allowed Alexa to walk on ahead. At least they were decent enough to give her a little privacy with her friend.

"I found out what a Hellgate is," whispered Lance, and Alexa could sense the urgency in his voice.

"It's a rift, right?"

"It's worse than that," said the dog. "Yes, it opens a gateway to the Netherworld dimension, but it's a much _bigger_ portal. An open Hellgate would be an apocalyptic threat to the mortal world. It's a bigger portal, for a much, much bigger evil, an evil too great to escape through a normal rift in the Veil."

"Like what? A demon lord?"

"Worse. Much worse."

Alexa slowed. "What is it, Lance? What could be worse?"

"A deity."

Alexa frowned. "You mean like a pagan god? I thought they were only a myth."

"They're not," said Lance, looking over his shoulder. "They're a race of immortal supernatural entities. They were the original leaders of the religions that they established, and they were just short of invincible. They got a lot of their mojo from worshipers who fed them blood and souls, and while some of them were indifferent to humans, most were evil. Many of them ate human flesh, and they accepted virgin souls as sacrificial offerings.

"The archangels were able to destroy the less powerful deities," Lance continued as he trotted along. "But the stronger ones were only banished to the Netherworld." He paused for a moment, thinking. "The thing is, you can't just open a Hellgate. You need to feed it. You need to feed it mortal souls."

Alexa almost tripped. She looked behind her but the two females did not indicate that they were eavesdropping. And then it hit her.

"The demon I vanquished in Pine Park," said Alexa. "It had said, _He is coming_. I thought it was just some desperate demon gibberish. I didn't make the connection. But it's clear now. It meant this pagan god, didn't it?"

"That would make sense, yes."

Alexa wished she could puke. "So all those girls..." She couldn't finish. Her memory of all those dead girls was too hard to bear. But now she knew the _why_. Their souls had been used to feed the Hellgate.

"And," he lowered his voice as he looked over his shoulder, "this particular Hellgate, the one in Coffin Grove, I think someone or something had tried to open it before but failed. I checked the logs and two years ago, almost to the day, two Sensitive operatives reported strange demonic activity and even used the words, 'black rift.'" He raised his eyebrows. "Can you guess who?"

"Erik's parents."

"That's right," said Lance, and he paused for a moment. "There wasn't much detail, except that they died horribly and their eyes...their eyes were burned."

"Like the girls," she whispered.

"Exactly. My guess is that they tried to shut it down. In the end, they succeeded, but it cost them their lives. The Legion should have sent angels to help out, but I think they tried to cover up their mess."

Erik deserved to know the truth. His parents had died trying to keep a monster deity from entering the mortal world. But how could she tell him if she was locked up in Tartarus?

"Someone's trying to raise a deity," said Lance. "The more souls it feeds on, the more powerful it'll become. But it will only be strong enough to break through the Hellgate once it's been fully replenished with souls."

Alexa realized that the situation was dire. "If it hasn't broken through yet, we might still have time to stop it then? How much time do we have?"

"Not much," Lance lowered his voice further. "From what I gathered, Hellgates can't stay open for that long. It needs to feed on souls continuously when it is open because the Veil keeps trying to close it. Whoever opened it knows this, and that's why they continue to murder these girls. But the deity hasn't escaped yet. I would have heard about it if it had. But we don't have much time."

Alexa's steps faltered again. She had lost hope. She stood before the elevator quivering with anger. Metatron was sending her off without a trial now that she had all the missing pieces and couldn't do anything about it.

"If we knew who or what was trying to raise the deity, we might be able to stop them."

"I know who's been trying to open the Hellgate," Alexa told Lance her suspicions about Michael. She had seen him at one of the murders, and he had run from her and led her to a trap near the death gate.

"Well, it won't be the first time a Sensitive went bad," said Lance. "We'll just have to stop him."

There was a ting and the elevator doors swung open. She didn't even care to look at the large and gangly orangutan that operated it. She stepped in and shuffled to the back. Lance sat at her heels. The elevator smelled of wet dog, but it wasn't Lance.

The elevator swayed as Michelle and Jasmine stepped in and turned their backs to Alexa and Lance.

"Does the Legion know?"

"I found Ariel with Gabriel on my way here," said Lance. "I told them everything. I'm not sure if they believe it, but I know they can't just ignore it either. They were on their way to see the Council of Ministers when I left them."

"So there's a chance that they won't believe you and will continue to do nothing? What about the safety of mortals that live around the Hellgate?" Alexa couldn't believe how irresponsible the Legion was. With everything that had happened to Erik's parents, why wasn't the Legion quicker to act now? It didn't make sense.

"Let's hope the Legion will be there to stop it in time," said Lance.

"And if they're not?"

"Then it'll be too late. The deity will escape, and it will be literally hell on Earth," said the Scout. "Once the first pagan god comes through, it will then do everything in its power to free its brothers and sisters. And they will escape. Then mortals will be nothing more than food and entertainment for the gods. It will be the apocalypse, the end of days."

"Level six," said Jasmine, and the operator pressed a long, gnarled finger on the brass number six. The elevator jerked and began its descent.

"Then it's up to you," whispered Alexa. "You must _make_ them stop it. You must." When Lance didn't respond, she pressed him again. "And you have to tell Erik. He'll believe it, if it comes from you. They need to be prepared. You need to warn them. Promise me you will."

"I think it'll be better coming from you," whispered the dog.

Alexa turned and stared down at him incredulously. "Have you forgotten I'm going to jail?"

"Are you?" said Lance. There was something mischievous in his voice.

The elevator jerked to a stop.

"Level six." The operator sounded bored.

The doors swished open, and before Alexa had time to register what was happening, Lance slammed into the two unsuspecting angels. Their screams magnified as they tumbled out of the elevator.

Lance bounded back inside, and the elevator doors slammed shut behind him. Alexa had only seen blue sky and clouds before the doors slid shut. She hadn't seen anything solid, and she hadn't heard the angels hit anything after they'd fallen.

"You've killed those angels."

Lance laughed and shook his body just like a real dog would do after a roll in the grass. "Of course not. They landed on the platform. I saw them. They'll be pretty pissed, but they're still alive."

Alexa watched as the operator pressed the number _one_ on the elevator panel. "You're mad."

"I'd rather a _thank you_ ," said the dog. He sat back down and cocked his head towards the operator. "Orry, here, owed me a favor."

Alexa gazed at the strange creature, but it didn't even acknowledge her presence. "What now?" For the first time since she'd been back to Horizon, Alexa felt some hope. She was terrified and excited. A giant smile spread on her face.

Lance considered for an instant. "We can't risk going to level five. Ryan and the others are there. So level one it is. We'll use the pools at Orientation. You'll have to make do with a regular M-Suit, I'm afraid. And we can't risk weaponing up either. You'll have to suit up when we get to Hallow Hall. We only have about thirty seconds' lead, so we'll need to be quick when the elevator stops."

Alexa trembled in excitement. She didn't even care that she was an escaped convict. There were too many lives at stake. She needed to shut down the Hellgate. "I've only been to Orientation once. I don't remember it well."

"Don't worry," said Lance. "I'll lead the way. And don't stop for anything. No matter what you hear, don't stop. You just keep running. You ready?"

Alexa smiled at the adventure of their escape and at the thought of seeing Erik again. She could feel the adrenaline flooding through her body as she prepared to sprint out of the elevator. She couldn't stop smiling. If the Legion wouldn't stop Michael, she would.

Alexa braced herself. "Ready."

The elevator swayed to a stop, and they sprinted out. Lance let out a cry of laughter, and Alexa was amazed at how fast he ran. She barely managed to keep up with him. No wonder he preferred his four-legged body to a two-legged one.

Alexa and Lance ran through the crowds of the recently dead that milled around in the great space. They dodged an oracle driving his gigantic crystal ball with his bare feet, and they ran on towards the pools.

But then Alexa heard a different kind of noise, like the roar of a giant animal. The crowd screamed, and she caught glimpses of terror on the faces that blurred past her. But she didn't dare a glance over her shoulder because the stench of wet dog told her that Horizon's giant guard gorillas were right behind them

Metatron's girls had sounded the alarm.

Alexa ran and ran as she followed the bouncing white shape that was Lance. At one point, she panicked when she thought she had lost him, but she caught sight of him again and followed him when he disappeared inside one of the offices.

All at once a guardian angel waiting by the pool cursed at them, the oracle sitting behind the desk stood up suddenly, and the door exploded behind her as the gorillas broke it down.

She felt a gush of air behind her and made for Lance at the ledge of the small round pool.

This time she didn't fear the water. This time she didn't even stop before she flung herself into the pool.

She broke the water's surface and disappeared.

# 28

ALEXA AND LANCE BARRELED INTO Hallow Hall. She could smell cooked meat and spices and saw some operatives settling in the dining room after their evening meal.

As they galloped down the hall, Alexa couldn't help but notice the difference between the old M-Suit she wore now and the newer M-9 from before. Her legs didn't move as fast, and her angel senses weren't as sharp. It was like switching from a Porsche to a Ford Focus. There wasn't any horsepower. But it was too late to change it, this body would just have to work for now. There was no other way. She hoped it would be strong enough to face whatever came out through the Hellgate.

They passed the pool area and finally came to the common training room. She spotted the archangel Michael's sigil and wondered what he would have thought of the traitorous head of his house.

Lance waited patiently as Alexa pushed open the giant double doors.

"Erik!" she called as she ran in.

Only a handful of operatives were sparring in the training rings, but they froze when they saw her.

Her spirit fell. Erik was not there.

"He's not here." Rachel marched up to her and pointed a long sword in Alexa's face. "You're like a bad penny. No matter what I do, you just keep showing up here. What is your problem?" She pushed the tip of her sword in Alexa's chest. "Don't you get it? He's just not into dead girls. Give it up."

"Get the hell out of my face, Rachel."

"Careful, Alexa," warned Lance. "I mean, I do love a catfight, but we just don't have time right now. Remember the plan."

Alexa knew Lance was right, but there was just something about Rachel's perfect face and triumphant smile that ignited a rage inside her. She tried not to tremble.

"Hey, Alexa." Daniel walked through the doors. His hair was disheveled, as though he'd just stepped out of bed. He couldn't have arrived at a worse time. "So, did it help? After you left, I looked everywhere but I couldn't find any more information on the Hellgate. It's an interesting puzzle. I'd be really interested in what the Legion had to say. I could update the Elder Codex—"

"Now's not really a good time, Daniel," said Alexa, motioning towards Rachel's sword, which was still pointed at her chest.

Daniel scratched the top of his head. "Oh. Right. Sorry." He looked at everyone like he'd never seen any of them before, like he'd never stepped out of the library.

Alexa recognized Ash, who approached her from one of the training rings. He said, "Erik left with Santo and a small group of operatives about a half-hour ago."

Rachel's sword now pierced Alexa's shirt, and she did her best to ignore it.

"Do you know where they went?"

"They went to investigate reports of demon activity in Mystic Forest, a possible rift. Something's scaring and killing people in and around that forest. Anyway, that's what Michael said he heard from the police scanner."

"Michael?" Alexa leaned forward intently and continued to ignore Rachel's blade.

"Yeah, they went with Michael. He's the one who told them about it."

The name sent a shiver down her spine, and Alexa tightened her fists. Lance looked worried, and Alexa looked back at Ash.

"With Michael. Are you sure?"

"I saw them leave," answered Ash. "Why do you look so freaked?"

Alexa knew this wasn't the time or place to try and convince this lot that Michael was a traitor. She'd have to wait.

Alexa swept Rachel's sword away with the back of her hand, but she controlled her impulse to do anything more. While Rachel was a bitch, she was strong, and she could fight. Alexa needed her.

"If you care at all about Erik," Alexa's voice trembled, "you should know he's in real danger."

"What are you talking about?" The concern in Rachel's expression only lasted a moment, but Alexa could see that the girl cared for him deeply. She lowered her sword slowly.

"They're walking into a trap," said Alexa. "They're going to get killed. We need to get to him and the others before it's too late."

Rachel's face flushed. "Stop talking in riddles and give it to me straight."

"What they think is a normal rift isn't a rift at all. It's a Hellgate. And it's a lot worse than it sounds. Much worse."

Daniel perked up, and he leaned forward with interest.

"A Hellgate?" asked Ash. His white eyebrows rose on his forehead, and he looked years older.

Lance trotted forward. "It's like a rift, but worse. A normal rift is only big enough for demons to break through. But when something extremely powerful wants to get out, it has to use a Hellgate. But for a Hellgate to work, someone or something needs to feed it. The more it consumes, the bigger the opening."

"Feed it what?" asked Daniel, hopping from foot to foot like a small boy at Christmas.

"Souls," said a strict voice behind them.

Valerie gave them all a stern look. Her black pantsuit contrasted sharply with her pale skin and snow-white hair. "What's all this about a Hellgate?" she demanded. "What's going on here? And what are you two doing back here?" She cast a cold gaze towards the two angels and put her hands on her hips.

Alexa felt stupid that she hadn't thought of asking the older woman. "You know about Hellgates?"

"I do," said Valerie. "But more importantly, what I'd like to know is how _you_ know about them. They are rare, and there hasn't been a Hellgate recorded for over three hundred years. They usually appear where there's a weakness in the Veil." Her eyes moved to Daniel and her lips thinned. "There's hardly any information about Hellgates here." She looked back at Alexa. "Start talking."

Alexa blinked numbly. "There's one in Mystic Forest, and that's where Erik and the others are heading. They don't know what it is. They think it's just a rift. They're not prepared for whatever is trying to get out." She felt Lance's eyes on her, and she could see that he was wondering why she hadn't told them her theory about Michael.

"That's ridiculous," said Valerie squaring her shoulders. Rachel sneered at Alexa.

Fury flared in Alexa and she gritted her teeth. "Are you calling me a liar?" Her voice was low, and she was dangerously close to losing control. She felt something brush against her leg and looked down to see that Lance had lowered his ears as a warning that she should lighten up.

Valerie spoke more gently. "I'm just saying that maybe you're mistaken. How do you know it's a Hellgate? Chances are it's just a rift, and we have been dealing with them for hundreds of years."

"It's not a rift," said Alexa. "I know because I saw it with my own eyes. And because someone's been feeding it souls."

The room went completely still, and Rachel looked horrified. She had finally realized what Erik and the others were up against.

"The killings—all the girls that were murdered—" Alexa raised her voice so that everyone could hear. "They all had their souls taken. They were right next to the Hellgate. And I saw something feeding on a soul." She remembered seeing a flash of white light in the forest just before she discovered the Hellgate.

"I didn't know what it was. I didn't make the connection until Lance told me how a Hellgate needed to feed on souls. It's here in Coffin Grove, in Mystic Forest. And it's not your regular Netherworld demons who are trying to break free. It's another creature, something way more powerful and terrible—"

"A deity," said Valerie, as she finally put all the pieces together. And from the panic in her eyes, Alexa knew for sure that she believed her. "Deities haven't walked this Earth for thousands of years. And when they did, they killed millions of innocent people just to taste their innocent flesh and mortal souls. If a single of one these creatures escapes..." The room went completely still, mirroring Valerie's face.

"So, what are we waiting for? Let's close it," said Ash. He turned to Valerie. "How do we close it?"

Valerie blanched. "You can't. But it will only fully open for a few seconds before it seals itself."

Alexa saw the fear ripple on everyone's faces like a domino effect. "Listen, we might not be able to close it, or even kill the thing that's planning to get out, but I guarantee that together we can stop it from crossing over to our world. We know Hellgates can't stay open for long. All we need to do is keep the thing from stepping out until the Hellgate closes."

"If it shares the same properties with a rift," interjected Daniel. "I mean rifts are like black holes. They're just ruptures in the atmosphere that are caused by changes in the Earth's magnetic fields."

"Out with it Daniel," said Valerie. "We don't have time for a lecture on quantum physics."

Daniel gave her an irritated look but continued hurriedly. "Black holes actually evaporate and slowly return their energy to the Veil. But what if we could speed up the process? Reverse the process altogether? We might be able to cause a shift in the Hellgate's magnetic field by disturbing it with a powerful blast. We could weaken it."

"Like a bomb?" asked Alexa.

"Yes. The energy carried away by the blast would decrease the Hellgate's mass. It could be enough to cause a ripple effect and shut it down."

"I think that might actually work." Valerie turned to Alexa. "How many angels is the Legion sending to help?"

All eyes turned on Alexa. "About that," she swallowed. "No one else is coming. It's just me and Lance."

Valerie looked stunned. "What do you mean, just the two of you? The Legion would never be so careless as to leave us unprotected with such a threat. Stop this nonsense at once, girl, and tell me the truth."

"It is the truth," said Lance saving Alexa from further guilt. "The Legion hasn't acted on it yet because they're not sure the threat exists."

"But you just told me you saw it with your own eyes?"

"I did," said Alexa. She decided to tell the truth. "But I'm not to be trusted at the moment. I've...I've had some issues with the Legion, and they were going to send me to Tartarus—"

"Are you serious? Excellent. She's a convict." Ash laughed, and he and some other operative did some fancy handshake as if they had been betting that Alexa would be discredited.

Valerie's cold gaze never left Alexa. "Then how is it that you're here and not in Tartarus?"

Alexa ignored the boys' laughter. "Because I escaped. Yes. Yes. I know how that sounds, but I felt it was more important to close the Hellgate than to argue with the bureaucrats in Horizon. They can drag me back to Tartarus once I'm done. Once we close the Hellgate." Didn't they know that angels felt compelled to protect mortals? That it was as natural as breathing?

Valerie let her arms drop to her sides. "Well, I can't say I understand the Legion's motives for sending a girl to that prison. But I'm indebted to you, Alexa." Her eyes lowered. "And to you Lance. I know what bravery it must have taken for you both to disobey the rules and risk your lives for us. I admire your courage." Valerie took a hard breath and then said, "You truly believe this is a Hellgate?"

"We do," chorused Alexa and Lance together.

"Then, I pray that the Legion will come to realize in time that the threat is real and send us help before it's too late."

"So do I," said Lance. He wagged his tail, and for a moment Alexa almost forgot he wasn't a real dog.

Alexa tried to look cool and strong in front of the operatives, but she had been very moved by Valerie's words. No one had ever praised her like that before, not even her parents. No one.

"Then we better hurry," said Valerie. She raised her voice and addressed everyone. "Listen up. The Legion needs you. I'm putting Alexa and Lance in charge of you all. That means you do what they tell you to do. No questions. I'll do what I can to find reinforcements, but for the time being...you're on your own."

Alexa didn't know how long they'd been in Hallow Hall, but she knew they'd be too late if they didn't leave now. Every single minute here was a minute lost for Erik and the others.

"We need to leave now," said Alexa. "Who has a car?"

"I do," said Ash. "Both of you can ride with me."

Alexa was too shocked at Ash's change in attitude to speak, so she just gave him a nod of her head.

"I can take four in my car," said another lanky operative as he nodded towards the operatives he'd been fighting with moments ago. He looked too young to drive, but his voice was older, and there was a calm confidence in the way he stood. They would need that.

Alexa knew this was crazy. They had a makeshift plan that might not even work. They were a group of kids who were going to try to fight a god. But they had no other choice. It had to work. Failure wasn't an option.

"Good. Then it's settled." Valerie let out a long breath. "I'm going to call an emergency meeting with the Elders." She turned around. "Daniel. I know you have something to do with all this. You're coming with me."

Daniel's face lit up, and he moved next to her like an excited puppy.

Valerie looked back at Alexa. "Go. And may the souls protect you."

# 29

ALEXA TOOK A FEW MINUTES to suit up with as many daggers and knives as she could attach to her body without impaling herself. A tall operative named Stephen surprised her and Lance when he produced a special dog harness. He explained that the harness had been used back in the early eighties when Hallow Hall had a K-9 division. Unfortunately, all the dogs had all been killed in a demon raid, and the operatives were so brokenhearted that they vowed never to use dogs again.

Stephen strapped the harness around Lance's back and then fitted it with daggers, homemade demon-expelling grenades, bags of salt, and strange canteens that smelled of rotten milk. If dogs could smile, they would have looked like Lance. When Stephen was done, Lance looked like a search and rescue dog.

"Have you ever seen anything so magnificent?" he said as he admired his reflection in the window proudly. "If a dog were a god, I'd be it."

They planned to hit the Hellgate with everything they had. Alexa, Lance, and the other operatives strapped on backpacks filled with salt bombs, holy water, even guns with custom salt bullets. Alexa prayed it would be enough.

Ash's ride was a gray Dodge Ram truck, which he'd named Dozer. While Erik's car had smelled of clean leather and oil, Ash's car reeked of old chips, beer, and something else Alexa didn't want to think about.

Much to Alexa's surprise, Rachel sat in the back next to Lance. She still ignored Alexa and gave her the _if-something-happens-to-Erik-I'm-going-to-kill-you_ look, but she spoke with Lance about the Hellgate and the unknown deity. Alexa wondered if Rachel had chosen to ride with them to keep an eye on her, or if she felt she needed to compete. No doubt Rachel's mind was on Erik, and it was pretty clear she wanted to be the one to find him first.

Well then, let the better woman win.

Alexa borrowed Ash's iPhone and tried to reach Erik, but there was no answer. After that, she tried everyone on Ash's list, including Santo and Haru, but no one picked up. Either there was no service where they were, or something had happened to them.

Rachel pulled out her phone. Her fingers flew over the screen faster than anyone Alexa had ever seen texting, but after a few minutes, she slipped the phone back in her pocket and looked like she was on the verge of tears. She'd gotten nothing either.

Michael's name was the second one on Ash's list, right after Susie. Alexa was tempted to press his number, but she didn't call him because a call would only warn him that they were coming.

The ride seemed painfully long, even though it only took them about twenty-five minutes. What had happened to Erik and the others? Why weren't they answering their phones? Where was Michael? Were they going to be too late?

The way Alexa saw it, there were only two possible outcomes when it came to her future with Erik. The first was that he hadn't managed to hold back the Hellgate. In that case, the deity would kill them all, and it wouldn't matter how she felt about Erik since they would both be dead. The second was if they did manage to shut the Hellgate. If that happened she would probably be sent back to prison in Horizon and would not see him again either.

Either way, it ended badly. She might as well let Rachel win. It made more sense anyway. She was, after all, a warm-blooded creature just like him.

Alexa knew she had to let him go. His mortal feelings were a dangerous hindrance, and she understood why they were illegal. Feelings got in the way of her duty to the Legion. It was her job to save mortal lives. She tried to forget about Erik and focus on the real issue.

The truck pulled into a deserted driveway next to the FEAR FAIR, and Alexa could see the gap in the chain-link fence through which Michael had run.

Ash killed the engine, and everyone jumped out.

"So, what's the plan?" asked Rachel. Her disdainful tone made it clear she was not happy that Valerie had put Alexa in charge, but at least she had stopped calling Alexa names.

Alexa looked down at Lance. He was technically her superior, so she figured she should allow him to take the lead. "Lance?"

"You're the only one who's been there before," he said. "I'm a Scout. I don't lead missions. That's your job."

Everyone's eyes were on her. She didn't want to tell them that she'd never led a mission before, but the clock was ticking, and she didn't have time to worry about technicalities. Valerie had put her in charge, and she took courage from that.

As she took in the expression on every face, she realized this was probably the first time that many of them had gone on a mission without their heads of houses to lead them. They might have been tough when they sparred back at Hallow Hall, but now they all looked like the kids they were. Even though she was a kid, too, they looked upon _her_ as their leader now. So she resolved to be a strong leader and to hold their group together.

"We move in," said Alexa surprised at how comfortably she wielded authority. It felt right somehow. "Follow my lead and be on your guard. It is likely that demons and other creatures will be guarding the Hellgate." She remembered the vile creatures that had attacked her. "I doubt it will be as easy as just walking up to it. If you get hurt, try to make your way back to the cars. You're no good to us if you can't fight, and I don't want to risk your lives further if you get wounded."

"Wait a minute." Rachel flashed her a glare that would probably have sent other girls running, but not Alexa. "What about Erik and the others? What about _their_ lives? Shouldn't we look for them first?"

Even though she was as concerned for Erik as Rachel, Alexa knew that she had to focus on the mission. "We don't have time to look for the others right now. Shutting the Hellgate and stopping the creature from coming out is the priority right now. I don't know how long we've got, but it's not much. We can't afford to go looking for the others. At least not yet." Her voice was clear and strong, but she trembled on the inside.

Rachel threw up her hands in the air. "So we're just going to abandon them? Is that it?" she said with an edge to her voice. "And I thought you cared about him. Cleary, I was wrong. Clearly I'm the only one who gives a damn about Erik."

Alexa flinched, and for a moment she faltered and almost lost her focus. But she regained her composure and was about to speak when Lance interrupted her.

"The truth is, we don't even know if they're still alive," said Lance. "I mean, I hate to say this, but Alexa is right. The Hellgate comes first. We can pray that they're okay and look for them after."

Rachel stood still like the calm before the storm, but then she reacted. "Screw this. Screw you. I'm going after Erik. If you try to stop me," she said through gritted teeth, "I'll kill you." She threw down her backpack and marched off towards the fair. And to Alexa's surprise, Karen and Lizzy followed her.

Alexa had lost three operatives in less than a minute. Only four of them were left. Things couldn't get any worse.

"Rachel, don't do this," called Alexa. But when she started to run after Rachel, Ash gripped her arm and stopped her.

"Don't bother," he said. "She'll fight you if you force her. Rachel is like a sister to me, and I know her better than anyone, except for maybe Erik. Trust me. She's not coming back. Forget her. We need to move." He let Alexa go and grabbed Rachel's bag. "At least she was smart enough to leave us her pack."

Alexa knew he was right, but she couldn't help but be angry. Rachel was as headstrong as she was. Part of her felt that she should be the one going after Erik, not Rachel. After all, it was her job to protect him and keep him safe. She wouldn't be able to forgive herself if he was hurt and lying on the ground somewhere or worse...

Alexa had thought she had everything under control. She would stop the evil deity from getting out, and then find Erik. But things were beginning to fall apart already.

_Bitch._ _Bitch_. She wanted to yell.

Instead, she let her rage provide her with the strength to continue. "Fine. Let's do this. We've wasted enough time." She turned away from Rachel and the others, adjusted the weight of her backpack, pulled out a long silver dagger and pointed it toward the gap in the fence.

"Hell is this way," she called as she led the charge, and the four of them ran towards the forest.

# 30

THE SUN SET JUST AS Alexa broke through the first row of trees. A distant roll of thunder boomed over the sound of their heavy boots. It was strange there was no storm in sight.

She followed the same path as she did the night she went after Michael. The thought of him sent a new roll of rage rippling through her. Call it angel intuition, but somehow even in the semi-darkness, she knew where she was going. Lance ran behind her, and Ash and Stephen took up the rear. While they were all capable young operatives, Alexa wished she had more of them.

The temperature had dropped as the first row of birch and oak trees fell behind her. It was like a winter night, and she felt the presence of death growing stronger all the time. It was as if a thousand souls had died at the exact moment she'd entered the forest. Were they too late?

She pushed on. She could feel the same strange pulsing in her ears. The air was stale with rotten flesh and sulfur. The rancid scent of darkness and evil was everywhere. It clung to her skin and clothes like a thick mist, and she could taste the rot on her tongue.

The forest became denser and mistier as they ran into it more deeply, and great veils of fog caressed her face.

Although she wasn't aware that mortals could sense the presence of death, the others had slowed their pace to a careful jog. Lance's ears were erect as he searched the gloom.

"Something's in there." He had read her thoughts. "I can feel it."

"I know." Alexa felt it, too.

She could only see shadow, mist, and endless forest, but she recognized the dead tree trunk in front of them. She knew the clearing that led to the Hellgate was just beyond it. Even before she saw it, she could feel darkness and death. The air was growing thick with despair, rage, and emptiness. They were almost there.

By the time she heard the first twig snap, it was already too late.

There was no wind, but Alexa thought she saw the trees sway. And then from the darkness, demons bounded out from the forest.

Alexa flinched, and the air filled with sudden roars and the rancid reek of death. Massive claws ripped at the night air. Fangs tore at nothing. The air behind her moved, and she began to see shapes come out of the darkness. These demons were different from those she'd first encountered when she had followed Michael. The others formed a line and their daggers and knives flashed as the lesser demons danced and spun around them.

With her superior night vision, Alexa could see them clearly now. Taut, smooth skin covered their heads, and it gathered into tight, interlocking scales as it ran down their necks. Their scaled bodies glimmered in the semi-darkness. Their lipless mouths revealed small, fish-like teeth, and their webbed fists concealed long sharp claws. They were nightmares of flesh, scale, and bone.

The forest was suddenly alive with these lesser demons. There were so many that they were quickly surrounded and outnumbered.

"Gargon demons," called Lance. "Deadly, but still killable. Aim for their brains."

The Gargons clicked and hissed as they attacked from every direction at once.

Alexa swept her dagger in an arc, and the demons she caught with her blade howled before they burst apart in clouds of ash. But more of them came at her from every side, and although she sliced through them, still more attacked. There was no end to their numbers. Her arms ached, and she knew she couldn't keep this up forever. Screams and howls filled the night air as the demons kept coming.

With a great swing of her blade, Alexa sliced across the chest of the nearest demon and ripped its scaled hide open. Using the same momentum, she dug her blade under its chin and pushed it up into its brain. It howled as it collapsed to the ground and exploded into a cloud of ash.

She saw Lance hurl himself at a Gargon and clamp his powerful jaws around its neck. It thrashed for a moment, and then it went limp. Lance tossed the body to the ground where it combusted into gray ash.

Ash had blades in each hand and swung his weapons with such controlled violence that it looked like a dance of death. Gargons burst open and turned to ash at his feet.

Stephen didn't look frightened at all and had a strange smile on his face. He ran amongst the Gargons hitting them with his aluminum baseball bat. His strikes were precise, and he hit the Gargons' heads with such force that they exploded on impact.

"Cowards! Get back here!" Stephen ran after two Gargons that had fled into the impenetrable shadows of the forest. He would be completely lost within moments.

"Stephen! No!" she called. But he was gone.

Alexa could smell the fear and hate, and she tasted the rancid tang of the demons' black blood.

Another Gargon swept in next to her, its maws open, intent on her neck. Its warm, putrid breath brushed her face. She screamed with rage and sliced off its head. Another demon came at her, and she ducked just as its webbed claw grazed her head. She came up, spun, and kicked it in the stomach, but another demon took its place.

Alexa ducked and stabbed in a blur of scales, teeth, and claws. Something kicked her in the face, and Alexa went sprawling to the ground.

But she twisted and was up on her feet in a moment. She drove her blade through the Gargon's skull and into the blood-soaked ground.

And then it hit her. This was a distraction. The demons were trying to keep them from reaching the Hellgate. They had lured Stephen away on purpose.

"Lance! We need to get to the Hellgate!" she bellowed. She'd lost sight of the white dog in all of the commotion. And when she whirled around she realized that Ash had disappeared as well. "Ash! Lance!" she screamed, as she punched and kicked the demons that kept pouncing on her. Her bravado vanished as she started to be afraid. Were they all dead? Was she on her own?

The Gargons drew closer.

Too many demons were attacking her all at once. She couldn't make a break for it. She would have to hold on where she was even though her inferior body wasn't suited for this type of fighting and was wearing down.

The muscles in her arms burned with the effort of swinging her dagger, but still, Alexa fought on. Her angel senses perceived the pulsing of death in the darkness. It was close. She had to make it to the Hellgate.

She followed the direction of the pulsing and bolted in the forest. She heard the thump of feet behind her and ran faster. Branches sliced open the sensitive skin of her face, but she didn't stop.

_The Hellgate. The Hellgate. The Hellgate._

The howls and hisses from the demons lessened as she moved deeper into the forest. She knew they were still following her, but she had outrun them for the moment.

She could see broken branches ahead of her. Something large had come crashing through before her. She ran for the spot, but her boot caught on a tangle of roots, and she pitched forward onto her face.

She spit out a mouthful of decomposing leaves and whirled around to see why she had fallen.

She froze. She had tripped on a body.

Santo lay in a puddle of blood. A soul blade was impaled in his chest, and his lifeless eyes stared at the starry sky. The Head of House Gabriel was dead.

# 31

ALEXA DIDN'T KNOW HOW LONG she sat staring at the man who'd been kind to her. If she'd been a Sensitive, he would have been the man she would have wished to follow.

She would revenge his death. There was no more doubt in her mind that Michael had been the culprit. Demons couldn't use soul blades. The metal was poison to them in the same way that death blades were poison to angels.

"May the souls forgive me," she whispered a small prayer for Santo, and then she gripped the hilt of the blade in his chest and yanked it out. She placed her fingers on his face and closed his eyes gently.

Michael was going to pay for this. She was going to enjoy seeing the life fade from his eyes, just as he must have enjoyed watching the life fade from Santo and all those innocent girls.

If Santo was in Mystic Forest, Erik must have been here, too. She vowed to find him.

She heard the familiar grunts and hisses from the lesser demons. And from the foul smell, she knew they were close.

She took off in a sprint towards the Hellgate.

_Bastard. Bastard!_

The sounds of battle echoed behind her, but she didn't have time to turn around to help them. Erik must be in the forest somewhere. And Michael must be here, too. She was going to kill him.

She didn't see the dark shape until she crashed into it.

"Alexa?"

Erik jumped back as Alexa swung her blade and almost sliced his chest.

Alexa blinked. And then she blinked again. Her knees shook as relief washed over her. "Erik? What the hell are you thinking? I almost killed you?"

It was him. He was alive. He was red-faced and covered in a sheen of sweat, but he was alive.

"Where are Matt and the others?" she asked. She looked over Erik and could not see any injuries.

"Don't know," said Erik. "We got separated when the demons attacked—get down!"

Erik pushed Alexa behind him and swung his long silver sword into the chest of another Gargon. He dug his feet into the soil and started destroying more demons as fast as they arrived.

Erik cursed. "They're everywhere!" He noticed that the soul blade in Alexa's hand was still dripping with blood.

"I need to tell you something. I'm sorry, Erik, but Santo is dead," she said before more Gargons attacked. "This is Michael's blade. I took it out...I took it out of Santo's chest."

Erik shook his head in disbelief. "Can't be."

"Yes, it is!" She swung her blade into the eye of another Gargon, kicked it away, and pulled out her weapon. "He's been feeding the Hellgate with souls."

"What's a Hellgate?"

"That black rift I told you about. Michael has been feeding it with the dead girls' souls. He's bad, Erik. If he isn't controlled by a demon, then he's in league with the Netherworld. Wasn't he the one who lured you here? I don't have time to explain. Just trust me on this. Where is he? Where is Michael, Erik?"

Erik looked up at the dark sky for a moment, like he was trying to get his bearings. Raising his sword, he pointed behind Alexa. "The last I saw him he went that way."

Alexa followed his gaze in the exact direction of the Hellgate.

Suddenly loud crashing came from behind Erik and another mass of Gargons barreled through the trees towards them.

"Come on!" Alexa pulled Erik into a run with her.

With her head still swimming with emotions, Alexa ran towards the throbbing pulse of the Hellgate. They crashed into the clearing, where a circle of dead grass lay around the giant oak tree with a cleaved opening at the base. The same flat stones with markings that she couldn't decipher circled the foot of the trees. And inside that cleft in the tree was ageless breathing blackness. Evil incarnate. And it now had a name. Hellgate.

A tall man stood by the abomination, and she recognized him immediately. It wasn't Michael.

"What? Were you expecting someone else?"

The angel Ryan turned and smiled at Alexa.

# 32

ALEXA NEARLY DROPPED HER BLADE. "But...how...why?"

A dozen Gargons surrounded them, but with a flick of his wrist, Ryan halted the demons and they stepped back into the forest shadows.

"It was you?" Alexa stared at him in disbelief.

_Ryan the bully. Ryan who always picked on me. Ryan the guardian angel._

"It was," said the angel.

"You killed all those girls and fed their souls to that," she said. The Hellgate rippled like black blood when she pointed at it.

"I did."

"But that's impossible," said Erik. Alexa saw that the horror and fear in Erik's face mirrored hers. "You're an angel. You _can't_ kill mortals. It's physically impossible for you to harm us."

Ryan let out a long and annoying sigh. "We can and I did. The Legion wants you to think we can't. That if we harm one of you, what? We'd burst into flames? Ridiculous. Think about it. Nothing is stopping us but a damn code, a book of rules. But in reality, we can do whatever we want. There's nothing to prevent me from tearing your heart out from your chest, mortal."

Alexa stared at him with dread. "So you're Darknight."

Ryan lifted his chin proudly. "I am."

"So, it was you all along," said Alexa as evenly as she could. "You sent the Higher demons after me at the morgue."

Ryan's face lit up. "How perceptive of you. You see, your nosing around got in the way of my plans. I couldn't have you messing them up. I had to get rid of you. What I was doing was too important. You wouldn't understand."

Ryan looked at her backpack for a moment before he turned his attention back to the Hellgate. "Won't be long now. You're too late, you know. Your bag of tricks won't work. My master will kill all of you."

Alexa cringed at the words, and horror slammed into her. "But their eyes. What happened to their eyes?"

Ryan looked at Alexa. "A mortal cannot look upon an angel's true self and live. Their eyes burn from the intense white light, and it kills them instantly. They died when I revealed myself to them. And then I took their glorious innocent souls to my master."

"You sick bastard," Alexa growled. "How could you? You're an angel!"

"Not for long." Ryan stared lovingly at the Hellgate.

Anger coursed through Alexa. "You broke the greatest law of all. Even I know that. All this cruelty...and for what? How could you do this? You swore an oath to _protect_ them, not to _kill_ them."

"Screw the oath!" yelled Ryan. He moved towards them. "I'm tired of living like a slave, doing the Legion's bidding. It's like they think these monkeys are superior to us?" He looked disdainfully at Erik and spat. "Ludicrous. It's insane. The Legion is a joke. _We_ are the superior beings. This world belongs to us, not them. And we're going to rid it of these parasites."

"You're sick," said Erik. "And I'm going to put you down for what you did to my friend."

Erik shifted his weight. Alexa knew he was about to throw himself at Ryan. Although Erik was a skilled fighter, Ryan was an angel with superior skill and supernatural strength. He would kill Erik.

Alexa reacted before Erik could strike.

She slipped off her pack and hurled it into the mouth of the Hellgate. It rippled once, and the bag disappeared into the blackness.

Then nothing. Alexa stared at the Hellgate hopefully, but it appeared that her brilliant plan had been a disaster. Dread coiled around her core, her soul. She'd failed.

Ryan threw back his head and howled with demented laughter. "If only you could see your face. Stupid angel. Give it up. I told you, you're too late. You can't stop the inevitable. You can't stop fate. The Hellgate has been fed. It's over."

And then, as if on cue, her worst fears materialized.

Lightning tore violently across the blackness of the sky. It flashed in every direction, forking and doubling over on itself until the whole sky burned. Thunder rolled through the forest, and more thunder echoed out from the Hellgate. The ground shook, and the atmosphere itself appeared to be in a fury.

Alexa stood in the center of the maelstrom and screamed. It was as though darkness was ripping the fabric of the air. Alexa felt as if it would pull her body apart.

Shafts of green light shot out and upwards from the Hellgate. Green and red curtains of light vibrated, danced, and with gathering speed were pulled into a vortex that disappeared into the mouth of the Hellgate.

There was a tremendous flash of light, and an explosion of wind stripped the trees of their branches and blew a wall of dirt and pine needles into Alexa's face.

She wiped her eyes and recovered quickly, but it was too late. The deity was coming out.

Ryan danced demonically around the Hellgate. "I call upon the true Gods of old, beautiful and cruel and powerful. Come now. Come to this place, this world. Take these offerings as the true sacrifice. The Hellgate is open. Rise. Rise! All that dies shall be reborn. All that falls shall rise again! Rise. Rise! I am at your service, Lord. I await your command."

Alexa felt the air move behind her.

"Erik! No!"

But before she could stop him, Erik shot forward and caught Ryan off guard. For a moment she thought he might have a chance. But Ryan recovered too quickly, and in a moment Erik was pinned against a tree with a soul blade pointed into his face.

Alexa exploded in a rage that surged from deep within her core. Images of the dead girls rose in her mind, and she was running and screaming before she had time to think. She attacked with the speed and grace of a cougar.

Just as Ryan was about to drive his blade into Erik's face, she threw her arm around his neck and yanked him away.

She dropped the soul blade, but it didn't matter. Before Ryan could steady himself, she punched him as hard as she could, and he tumbled to the ground. She was on top of him in a second and drove her fists into his face again and again. All her rage and fear poured into her fists, and she hit him until she thought the skin on her hands would rip away. She didn't even care that she'd become a monster.

And then she heard a voice as old as dirt.

"If you don't stop killing my angel, the mortal dies."

# 33

ALEXA FROZE, HER FISTS suspended in midair.

Ryan's face was smashed, and his angel essence poured from his nose, his mouth, and the many cuts on his face. While she had succeeded in knocking him out cold, she knew she couldn't kill him with violence.

_Too bad._

The forest had grown unnaturally quiet, and Alexa braced herself and stood up.

At first, she could barely see through the blinding white light. She squinted and blinked until her eyes had adjusted. What she saw nearly sent her to her knees.

A giant man stood in front of the great oak tree. He was completely naked, and his muscles rippled over his strong body. His skin gave off a sparkling glow as though he had been painted with stars. His ageless face was neither old nor young, beautiful or terrifying. His white beard grazed his chest, and the unlimited knowledge in his bottomless black eyes commanded her attention.

Erik hung limply like a puppet in the deity's grip. His skin was too pale, and Alexa feared the worst.

"I can't remember seeing an angel female fight like a real warrior before." The deity's voice sounded alien and ancient. "A valiant effort, considering your size. I was expecting a legion of archangels upon my arrival. But they sent you. Are you exceptional in some way? Why did the Legion send a child to stop a god?"

Alexa trembled in fear. She knew in her soul there was nothing she could do. Even if she fought, even if she raged with everything she had, she was like an ant to this pagan god.

All that remained of the Hellgate were the stones that had formed the circle around the tree. She could see the forest through the cleft in the tree. The Hellgate was closed. The deity was out.

Erik did not appear to be breathing.

"Please," she whispered. "Please, let him go. You've got what you wanted. You're out. Let him go."

The deity ignored her and stepped around the clearing as though he were testing his legs for the first time. He didn't seem to notice that he was naked. Even without looking at him, she could sense the mass of darkness that swirled around him.

He halted and turned around, poised to devour the world.

Alexa was terrified and wanted to run, but she ignored her impulse to flee and faced the deity in the hope that she could save Erik.

"What I want," growled the deity, and the ground shook beneath Alexa's feet, "is for all the souls in this mortal world to bow down to me, to worship me just as they've done for centuries. I have taken back the Netherworld, and now I want the mortal world, too."

The deity leered at her so viciously that he looked like an animal. He moved so close to her that she could smell him. While ordinary demons had smelled of rotten flesh, the deity smelled of cider, moist soil, grass, and meadows. He smelled like the earth.

Alexa was horrified to see that what she first had thought were stars painted on his skin, were in fact the remnants of thousands of mortal souls. His entire body was made up of souls. She could almost smell their fear and hear their futile cries as they had been devoured.

Alexa swayed with rage, barely focusing on what was happening. Her insides had turned into ice.

"And when I'm satisfied, I will then let out my brothers and sisters. We have taken over this mortal world before, and we will have dominion over it now. It is our right, and your Legion of angels will not interfere with us again." His laughter sounded like bone rubbing against rock. "You stupid angel heroes, your hopeless work to save the souls of mortals will come to nothing. I'm going to rip your world apart piece by piece simply because I can. And you can't stop me. I have felt the cruelty of your Legion, and when they're all gone, you will have nothing."

"Who are you?" asked Alexa shakily. She didn't think she'd survive this encounter, but if by some freak miracle she did, she knew that any information would be helpful.

She seemed to have appealed to the deity's vanity because he replied proudly, "I've had many names, but I'm known as Hades."

_Oh crap_.

Alexa wasn't well versed in mythology, but she knew that Hades was one of the bad guys, perhaps even the worst. He was the god of the dead, the god of the underworld.

She didn't know what was worse—to stand before Hades or to watch as Erik's life slowly fade away before her eyes.

Hades must have recognized something on her face because he said, "Who is this mortal to you?" He swung Erik by his arm as if he weighed no more than air. "He must mean a great deal for you to butcher your own kind in an attempt to save his life. Do angels and mortals mate now? Is this your mate?"

Alexa couldn't move. "He's my friend. And I care about him."

"Friend? I think not." Hades laughed and shook Erik violently.

"Stop!" Alexa raised her hands in surrender. "Please. Please don't. Stop. I'll do anything you want." She swallowed as she tried to control her breathing and ease the pain in her throat.

The deity smiled most disturbingly. "Excellent. Then let's deal."

He dropped Erik like a sack, and something snapped as he hit the ground. Alexa started to move to him immediately, but with one look from Hades, she stilled.

Erik's eyes fluttered open and settled on Alexa. He was alive. Alexa's relief only lasted a moment before she saw the fear on his face. Erik's voice was barely audible.

"Alexa. No. Run."

Alexa turned away from Erik and looked directly at Hades. "Fine. Let's hear it."

She realized her error almost the moment she spoke. She knew something was wrong, and he'd trapped her somehow, but there was nothing she could do. She waited for Hades to speak.

The deity stepped around Erik, and an icy smile spread across his ageless face. "Your angel soul in exchange for his mortal life."

This was worse than she had imagined. She would have agreed to be his plaything in exchange for Erik's life. She knew that making a deal with Hades was probably the worst idea she had ever had, but she also knew that she'd do anything for Erik.

Alexa trembled and swallowed again. "And you'll let him go? You'll let him live if I agree to it?"

Erik's eyes opened wide, and she tried to ignore the fear and horror that she saw in them. He feared for her and not for himself.

The deity smiled greedily. "Of course."

"How do I know you're not lying and that you won't kill him right after you...after you kill me and take my soul."

"You don't," he said. "But that's just a chance you'll have to take. But know this...my word is good. I will let him live _if_ you give me your soul _willingly_. An angel who willingly gives away their soul is worth the souls of a thousand unwilling angels. It is much, much more powerful. I promise I won't hurt the monkey. He has nothing I want."

Alexa looked at Erik again. This time her life did flash before her eyes because this time she knew she was going to die. She wished she could have told him how she felt, even how ridiculous it had been to have fallen in love with him. Still, she would have told him how she wished they had met as mortals in another life. And when she looked at him for the last time, Erik's free-falling tears were all she needed to see to know that he understood how she felt.

"So, Alexa," purred Hades, as though tasting her name on his lips. He moved forward and stopped just a foot away. The space between them felt strangely intimate. "Your soul for his life? What will it be?" The greed in his expression also promised the violence and pain that would follow if she refused his deal.

"No. Alexa." Erik strained to say the words.

She could see his fear and anger through his tears, but there was something else in his expression that she had never seen before.

She knew that to negotiate with demons contradicted all the angel rules and laws. If she agreed to his deal, she would be breaking the most important one—an angel should never willingly give up its soul. But what did that matter now?

"Don't do it," breathed Erik. His face was twisted in pain, and his hair was smeared on his sweaty forehead.

But Alexa had already made her decision.

Bracing herself, she stepped forward until she could smell pine needles and tree sap, until she could see the small wrinkles widen on Hades' cheeks as his black eyes gleamed with greed.

"Do it."

Erik shouted her name, but she could barely hear it as the god slammed his fist into her chest. It happened so fast that she didn't even have time to say goodbye.

Pain like she'd never felt before exploded inside her. Her body was on fire. Her soul was on fire. Her vision splintered, and she screamed and screamed until her voice broke, and there was no more screaming left in her.

A worm of darkness pushed its way into her core, wriggling and squirming inside her. Her body thrashed as she tried to get it out, but she was too late. Millions of trapped and screaming souls pounded in her head. She could smell burnt hair and something else unfamiliar. It was the smell of her life being pulled away. And then she simply felt cold and empty.

The last thing she saw before she slipped into nothing was Erik's pained and pleading face.

# 34

ALEXA STOOD IN A ROOM SURROUNDED by windows.

At first, the bright white light blinded her, and she couldn't see more than a few paces in front of her.

_How did I get here? Where is here?_

Her memories were muddled and out of reach. But as she grew accustomed to the light, shadows became solid, and she could see that she was in an elegant room that was furnished with plush carpets and comfortable looking sofas and armchairs. A black sky glinted with stars outside.

She knew she should be scared, but she wasn't. There was a calmness here that she couldn't explain, like the comfort of a hug from a friend. It felt safe. She felt safe. But what was she even doing here? She felt the presence of someone else behind her and turned around.

An elderly man made his way towards her with an easiness and a quickness of step that seemed more suited to a man half his age. He wore a white kimono with gold stars stitched into the fabric and a golden belt tied around his thick waist. He smiled at her with small sparkling eyes that almost disappeared into his cheeks.

He offered her a bowl of M&Ms, Skittles, Toffee, Jelly Beans, and Gummy Bears. "Here, try the Jelly Beans. They're my favorite." He popped a red one into his mouth and chewed it cheerfully.

Alexa stared at this smiling man, and her mind cleared. She remembered everything—who she was, how she had died, Erik's sad face, the archangel, Metatron, the Hellgate, and the deal she'd made with the Hades. They all flashed in her mind's eye.

There could only be one reason why she stood here now. She had suffered an angel's true death.

"Are you...are you, God? I mean, _the_ God?"

The man swept his long white beard over his shoulder. "I have many names. You can call me Chief, if you wish."

"I don't understand. If this is an angel's true death... shouldn't I have disappeared into nothing?"

"Tell me, Alexa, what do you remember?" said the Chief with a mouth full of M&Ms.

She wasn't surprised he knew her name, but she was surprised to be here. "I..." she paused. She found the words were hard to form, like she had been forbidden to talk about what she'd done. "I gave my soul to Hades."

The Chief watched her for a moment. "Come. Let's sit and have a talk."

He gestured towards the soft sofas, and she followed him and let herself fall into the sofa across from him. The square coffee table beside him was covered with plates of food and a variety of drinks.

He grabbed a small bowl of fries with gravy and cheese curds. "Poutine? I've only just discovered this. Comes from Quebec. Spectacular. Who knew that fries and cheese and gravy would taste this good?"

Alexa waved her hand. "No thanks."

He settled into the sofa with his bowl of poutine. "I know about Hades. It is unfortunate that he has managed to slip into the mortal world once again. Deities like him are far superior to mere demons."

"I'm sorry," she said guiltily. "If we had more help, maybe we could have stopped him. Maybe—"

"This is not your fault, Alexa." The Chief frowned. "You shouldn't blame yourself. If fact, you should be very proud of what you've achieved."

Alexa looked embarrassed and twiddled her fingers nervously. "But now he's out in the world wreaking havoc and destruction and death."

"Yes," sighed the Chief. "Hades is a serious problem. And he will only grow stronger the more he feeds on human emotions and energy. He's addicted, and he won't stop until has consumed every single mortal soul."

A shiver ran down Alexa's spine. She thought of Erik and Matt and all the others. How could they face such evil?

But if she was here now, that meant the Chief must have known she'd escaped Metatron's clutches. She knew Metatron would catch up with her one day. And it looked like today was the day.

"Are you going to send me to Tartarus?" her voice trembled slightly. "Is that why I'm here?"

"Tartarus?" The Chief looked surprised. "Not today. Unless you want to go."

"No." Alexa strained to look neutral, but her insides jumped with joy. She could see that the Chief sensed her relief. Alexa leaned forward. "Hades took my soul. I felt it. Why am I not dead?"

The Chief raised his thick white eyebrows. "Excellent question. Because of the sacrifice you made, my dear. You gave your soul _willingly_ to save a life—and that in itself provided you with the strongest kind of protection. When Hades took your soul, he only got half of it."

"Half?" Alexa stared in disbelief.

The Chief popped a handful of jellybeans into his mouth. "Souls are curious things. Your sacrifice gave your soul more power and more protection. When Hades reached out to take your soul, he could only withdraw half of it. He might not have noticed right away, but he'll come to discover it sooner or later."

Instinctively, Alexa touched her chest to see if she could feel any difference, but she only felt a strange calmness and comfort. "But how will I function? I'm not whole. Am I even a real angel anymore?"

"It's a rare thing to give up one's soul for another," said the Chief. "It takes a special angel with the purest of souls to counter such terrible evil. And your soul protected you."

"But what about Erik?" she blurted out before she could stop herself. "Is he still alive? Did Hades kill him?" She knew it had been a gamble to make deals with Hades. For all she knew Erik was dead, and it would all have been for nothing.

The Chief smiled and said, "Your friend is fine."

Alexa fell back into the sofa. "Thank God."

The chief straightened in his seat and smiled at her strangely.

Although she relaxed now that she knew that Erik was safe, something still nagged her.

"I'm trying to make sense of all this. Will my soul heal itself like our bodies heal? Can it make itself whole again?"

The Chief's smile faded. "I'm afraid not."

Alexa felt deflated. "So, how do I get it back?"

The Chief inspected a plate of miniature chocolate bars. "You don't need to worry about that right now. There is so much to be done." He ripped open a KitKat bar and shoved it all into his mouth.

Alexa suspected that he wouldn't tell her how she could regain the rest of her soul, no matter how many times she asked

The Chief smiled at her again. "I'm glad we've had this little chat. We'll talk again soon, I promise. You're a very _special_ angel, Alexa. Unique. Never forget that, now more than ever. Be that as it may, it's back to business now. It's time for you to go back."

"Back...? Back where?" Alexa sat up straight. "Are you sending me..."

A humming throbbed in her ears, and her skin started to tingle with current. The scent of sugar canes, fresh-baked brownies, and apple pie enveloped her. And when she opened her mouth to ask him what was happening, everything disappeared.

# 35

ALEXA BLINKED INTO THE WORRIED face of the most beautiful guy she's ever seen. She stared transfixed at his chiseled features, his high cheekbones, his sexy, smoldering dark eyes, and his full, delicious lips. She wanted to dream of him forever.

"Alexa?" Erik's eyes were suddenly wild. "But, you're...?"

He seemed unable to form the words of whatever he was trying. He looked so bewildered that she was tempted to reach out and pull his mouth onto hers. But she remembered who and what she was before she could kiss him.

She pushed herself to her feet instead. Surprisingly, she was steady, and her body felt balanced and strong. The Chief had suited her up with the latest M-9 suit, and she could feel that she must have the most _mortal_ body in the Legion.

She could feel a bubble of bliss about to burst inside her. Somehow she'd gotten a break. She hadn't died, and she had received a free pass from prison. Surely it couldn't be this easy. Still, she wouldn't let anything dampen her happy moment.

Angry purple bruises marked Erik's neck where Hades had grabbed him, but otherwise, he seemed okay. Not just okay, but sexy as hell and alive.

Hades appeared to have been true to his word.

She took a moment to look around. Ryan was gone and so was Hades. The only evidence that he had even existed was the twenty-four-inch footprints that led away from them and into the forest beyond.

"How long was I.... _out_?" she asked. She knew it couldn't have been long because Erik was here, it was still night, and no one else was around.

"Not long," said Erik. He raked his fingers through his hair. "Maybe a few minutes."

"What happened to Ryan?" she spat out his name and wished she could punch him one last time.

"That thing took him," said Erik. "They walked out into the forest, and I didn't see where they went."

"That thing was Hades," said Alexa, and then she recounted what she'd learned while Erik had been out cold.

"Hades." Erik rubbed his eyes with his fingers. "It's worse than I thought."

He looked worried and raised his hands to touch her face, but then he dropped them to his sides. "Alexa, what happened?"

"I think," she paused because the truth was just too crazy. "I think I just met God."

"What?"

"At least, I think it was him...I mean, maybe an extension of him. It was surreal. Does God have a sweet tooth?"

"A sweet tooth?" Erik laughed.

It was a sound that would have melted any girl's heart, and it melted the half that remained of her soul. She was just fine with that.

"Never mind." Alexa couldn't help but smile. She knew anyone else would have thought that she was insane.

And when Erik closed the distance between them, she stiffened. Her skin prickled as she took in his scent and felt the warmth of his chest. She was tempted to lean in, too.

Erik held her by the shoulders and peered into her face. The warmth of his hands caressed her skin.

"Alexa," he said softly. "How is it that you're here, standing in front of me. I saw Hades take your soul. I saw you die."

Alexa could see the grief on Erik's face. It must have been a terrible thing for him to witness. "He did take my soul. But only part of it."

Alexa explained what the Chief had told her about her sacrifice.

"So, you're missing half of your soul." Erik's voice was filled with grief and wonder.

"I am." She did feel different. It wasn't just an ache for something that was missing. There was also something else. It was like something dark had latched on to her core.

She brushed the thought away. Erik's handsome face was too distracting and close.

"Listen," Alexa braced herself for what she was about to tell him. "I need to tell you something about what happened to your parents."

Erik tensed as she recounted what Lance had discovered about his parents. When she finished, she thought she'd made a mistake by telling him. His smile had gone. He looked at her with a serious frown and glistening eyes.

"I'm sorry, Erik. I'm so sorry, but I thought you should know. You deserved to know the truth."

Erik grasped her hand and squeezed it. "Thank you."

His warm touch sent a jolt of electricity through her. Even though they were the rough and calloused hands of someone who trained for hours every day, his touch did odd and delicious things to her skin and nerves. She couldn't help but wonder if her skin felt cold and stiff to him. But Erik didn't take his hand away.

His eyes rested on her lips, and she felt herself losing control again.

_Damn those lips._

She could feel his warmth on her face and neck. But she didn't move.

And just as Erik began to lean in for a kiss—something crashed in the woods behind them.

Erik pushed Alexa behind him, and in an instant, his hand was on his blade.

The trees swayed, and Lance barreled into the clearing. At first, Alexa didn't recognize him because his once beautiful, snow-white fur was covered in black liquid. She knew it must be demon blood.

"Thank the souls, you're alive!" Lance ran up to them, his tail wagging madly. "I've been running around in circles searching for your scent. But I got nothing. Nothing. It was almost as though you'd disappeared. I'm a dog, and a Scout. Can you believe it? I couldn't smell you anywhere until a few minutes ago."

Alexa was embarrassed that Lance could find her just by the way she smelled. She quickly changed the subject.

"What happened to you?"

"Well, by the time I realized that the Gargons were luring us away from the Hellgate, I was already halfway across the forest. I doubled back, dragging Stephen and Ash with me, and followed the scent of the Hellgate. But then I lost it. I knew that something vile had come out. But the scent was sweet, and it mixed in with the smells of the earth and forest...and then I lost it again. Eventually, we met up with the others." Lance trotted over to the ancient oak tree. He smelled it and circled the area twice. "So this was where the Hellgate was. What happened?"

Alexa shared her story again and watched Lance's eyes widen when she explained that she now had only half a soul.

"I knew there was something different about you," said the dog, and then he winked in a way that only a dog could. "And now it's true."

"Where are Stephen and Ash now?" Alexa asked.

"Right behind me, with Michael and Matt and a few other operatives. I ran ahead as soon as I caught your smell."

Alexa cringed at the mention of Michael's name, and she subconsciously stepped away from Erik as a surge of shame washed through her. She had made a horrible mistake accusing Michael. If she hadn't been so consumed with him, she might have seen the real traitor from the very beginning.

"I was an idiot to think it was Michael. Ryan was right there in front of me the whole time. I could have stopped him and saved those girls."

"There's no point in blaming yourself, Alexa," said Lance. "What's done is done. Look on the bright side. Only _one_ pagan God managed to get out, not the thousands that actually still exist. Now that's something. The Legion can deal with one."

Alexa sighed, but she didn't feel any better, not really. "I hope you're right. I just wish the Legion had believed us when it could have made a difference."

"Well, the Legion's always been a little slow to react," said Lance. "The mystery of the missing souls has been solved, but we now have bigger problems. And this time I promise the Legion will pay attention to us. But first I must find Michael and the others and tell them that the two of you are safe."

Alexa doubted very much that Michael would care if she was safe.

As Alexa watched Lance disappear into the trees, she noticed something silver that glinted on the ground. She walked over and picked up the soul blade that Ryan had used to kill Santo. She fought a shudder of rage and made a silent promise to herself. One day Ryan would pay for what he'd done, and she would be the one to make him.

She slipped the soul blade around her waist, and Erik said, "Why do I get the feeling that the worst is yet to come?"

"Because it's probably true."

He smiled. "But the fact that you're standing here with me now, I'll take as a good omen. Some things will get worse, but some things have already gotten better."

Erik cupped her face gently in his rough, callused hands. She flinched at first, but then she let her body go limp as his warm lips grazed against hers. He brushed his tongue against her lips and she opened her mouth to him. Their kiss was slow at first, and then faster and deeper. The entire world around her went still, and her arms fell uselessly to her sides. His mouth was soft and warm and perfect.

Alexa looked into Erik's charcoal-colored eyes and into all the promises that lay within them. "So, what are we going to do now?" she asked.

That familiar cheeky grin flashed on Erik's face.

"We get back the rest of your soul."

# 1

ALEXA STOOD BEFORE THE COUNCIL of Ministers. With her back straight and her hands clasped behind her back, she did her best to hide her emotions even though her nerves were in turmoil. She shivered despite the heat in the room.

The recently polished floor gleamed with inlaid stones, and a blue sky peeked through the rounded glass dome through which Alexa could see other tall buildings floating around them. The sunlight through the glass heated the top of Alexa's head like a hairdryer, and the chamber smelled of polished wood, stone, and metal.

Seven determined-looking archangels sat behind a black half-moon desk on a dais that sparkled like a huge black diamond at the opposite end of the large round chamber. This time the rows of stadium-style wooden seats that angled along the wall around the chamber were all empty. If she hadn't been so terrified, she might have thought it beautiful.

Alexa was finally getting her day in court, but it wasn't going as well as she'd hoped.

Nearly a month had passed since she had encountered the pagan god, Hades. And while she had miraculously avoided being thrown into Tartarus, the angel prison, she still felt like she was a prisoner. She had been forced to remain in Horizon and under the archangel Ariel's supervision until the day of her trial. She had been escorted everywhere by angels of higher rank, and she had never been allowed to roam unsupervised. Most of the other angels had ignored her, and that had been fine with her. She hadn't been allowed any new assignments as a guardian. The pools had been declared off-limits, and although she was still technically a member of the Counter Demon Division, she hadn't been invited to any of their briefings.

Alexa had become an outcast.

To make matters worse, the archangel Metatron's personal guards had always seemed to be lurking in the shadows whenever Alexa went anywhere. Their identical skin-tight dresses, red high heels, and sunglasses made them stand out from the normally dressed angels. Metatron wanted her to know that _he_ was watching her. He was always watching, spying, and waiting for her to do something to implicate herself. One wrong move, and she knew she would end up in Tartarus. She wouldn't give Metatron the satisfaction of arresting her, and she had been on her best behavior since her first day back.

Too many unanswered questions needed to be resolved. Her relationship with Erik was one reason the council wanted to interrogate her. The memory of his warm lips, his strong arms, and his muscled chest still haunted her.

But the _real_ reason Alexa had been summoned to stand before the High Council was that she was missing a part of her soul. Even though she didn't feel _drastically_ different, the fact remained—Hades had left her spoiled, damaged, and broken when he had taken it.

She had felt an empty hole inside her when it had happened. It was like having an empty stomach that constantly craved food. But it wasn't just that she felt empty. There was something else. Something new had filled in the missing gap, something foreign. She felt different. Something was wrong. Something dark was inside her.

Alexa brushed her dark thoughts away. She knew she was probably overthinking things, just as she usually did. All that mattered now was to be whole again. She needed to get the missing part of her soul back. She wanted to be a real guardian again. All her problems would be solved if she could reclaim her soul.

She knew that Hades had to die. It was inevitable: _his_ life for _her_ soul. Unfortunately, Alexa had no idea how she was going to kill the pagan god.

But first, she needed to escape house arrest and get out of Horizon.

Her ache for Erik was constant, and she wanted to be back in the mortal world just to see him. There was no point in lying to herself. She had feelings for him.

She wanted to see her mother, too. The last time she'd seen her, she'd been a mess and looked like she hadn't eaten in weeks. Alexa felt responsible and wanted to do something for her even though the Angel Code was clear: angels were forbidden from contacting their families. But Alexa didn't care. Given the chance, she'd go see her.

She'd been grounded by all her restrictions. All she could do was train and study. So, that's exactly what she had done. With a new game plan in mind, Alexa had read everything she could find on Hades and the other pagan gods. She had brushed up on her demonology and had taken careful note of everything related to the Sensitives and their Houses. Alexa's knowledge of Horizon, demons, and all things supernatural was limited because she was a rookie. But she was tired of feeling like a fool in front of the other angels. Even the mortals she had worked with knew more than her. She knew she needed to be better prepared mentally and physically.

It could have been much worse. She could have been thrown into Tartarus to await her trial with the rest of the Legion's criminals, defectors, and murderers. It was a miracle she'd been spared. But Alexa didn't believe in coincidences, and she knew there must have been a reason they hadn't tossed her into prison. She couldn't help but wonder if she had been given her freedom as a ruse to get her to do something wrong.

Alexa had never been to court when she was alive, and it was disconcerting to be in a room filled with judges now. Their attention was fixed on her. She was light-headed and gasped for air. This was far more intimidating and stressful than public speaking to her own classmates and teacher.

Of course, her day in court wouldn't have been complete without the presence of her biggest fan—Metatron the Fierce. He sat behind one of the long tables that separated her from the council. Alexa recognized Metatron's personal guards, Michelle and Jasmine. They sat faithfully on either side of him. The only way she could tell them apart was that Jasmine was slightly taller, and her hair was a shade darker than Michelle's. She could see that they were gorgeous, even behind their sunglasses. Their perfect features were like those of highly paid models. Metatron liked to surround himself with beauty.

To Alexa's surprise, a handsome young angel sat behind Metatron. He was the only other guardian in the room apart from her. His long legs stretched in front of him, and his arms were crossed over his large chest. At first glance, she thought he looked bored, as if he just couldn't wait to get out of there. But the intensity in his eyes told a different story.

His skin was the color of golden sand and shimmered like crystals in the light. It looked as if some immortal light shone through him. Or maybe he'd just doused himself in glimmer. His fair-colored hair curled softly against the nape of his neck and provided a stark contrast against his dark clothes. She had never seen him before. She would have remembered him if she had.

His eyes were a stunning gray. She'd never seen eyes like that before. They were eyes that belonged in fairy tales. They were eyes that could trap you forever—eyes that could make you do things...

He was resplendent in black, and every inch of him was corded with the muscles of a warrior.

All the other guardians she'd seen looked like average human beings. Short, tall, fat, skinny, old, and young, they came in all shapes and sizes, and they all looked like _ordinary_ people. But this guy was different. He didn't have the monumental physique of an archangel, but he had that same mystical glow. What was he? Perhaps he was something else.

Alexa wasn't sure how long she had been staring at him, but when his gray-colored eyes met hers, he frowned.

Alexa stiffened.

She moved her gaze to Metatron and tried to still her fluttering nerves as she studied him. Metatron believed that somehow Alexa was a threat to Horizon. He had been livid that she and Lance had eluded his guards and had snuck back to the mortal world without authorization. At the time, Alexa had felt that shutting down the Hellgate had been more important than following the Angel Code. She knew she'd do it again if she had to, especially if she needed to save Erik. But Metatron was not sympathetic.

What made matters worse, Alexa hadn't seen Lance since they'd made the trip back together. No matter how many times she'd asked Ariel where he was, the archangel had always answered: _Never mind that. Lance is where he should be_.

Alexa feared the worst. _Had he been thrown into Tartarus? Had he been tortured? Did Metatron have something to do with his disappearance? Why him and not her?_

Metatron looked towards her, and Alexa flashed him a grin. She could see that he frowned behind his sunglasses. He turned his head away and clenched his jaw as he spoke with the other members of the council.

It was flattering, she supposed, having the great Metatron attend her hearing, even though she knew he was committed to punishing her. His presence didn't improve her mood.

Her ears pricked when one of the council members mentioned _Tartarus._ Suddenly the chamber felt small and stuffy, and the stone floors rose toward her knees. Over the last month, every time her thoughts had moved to the giant black cube that was Tartarus, she had repeated the same words: _I will not be afraid_. The words had sustained her.

The archangel, Jeremiel, the Minister of Ministration and Peace and head of the council, suddenly shook Alexa out of her reverie when he announced, "After much debate, we have finally come to a decision."

Alexa looked up and met Jeremiel's dark eyes. Her knees began to shake uncontrollably. The next words out of his mouth would determine her fate.

The archangel Ariel stood up and moved to stand on Alexa's right.

Alexa glanced over at Metatron, and this time he gave her a grin.

_Bastard. What did he know?_

"I must say this case is a particular one," continued Jeremiel.

His voice was throaty but calm. His white robe rippled around him as he leaned forward, and he intertwined his fingers on the desk. His intense black eyes, high cheekbones, and strong jaw made him look like a painting of a Native American from a mural. His glossy raven hair cascaded down over his broad shoulders.

"It's very unusual for an inexperienced guardian to be elevated so quickly. Not to mention that a petty officer was not assigned to you on your first field assignment. Perhaps if one had been assigned to you, things might have been drastically different. But as such, they are not."

Ariel clasped her hands behind her back and said, "That was my decision, and I take full responsibility for it."

Alexa had never heard Ariel's voice tremble as it did when she spoke. It only made Alexa more nervous.

"Alexa was born and raised in Coffin Grove," continued Ariel. "She had firsthand experience. She knew her way around the town, and she knew its people. But that wasn't the only reason she was my first choice. She excelled in her training, and her combat skills surpassed all the other rookies and even some of the more senior angels. At the time, I had complete faith in her abilities as a guardian. She had not been instructed to stay for such a long period, however. But she is still a rookie, and I should have paid more attention to the mortal emotions that still run through her—"

"An irreversible mistake," said Metatron.

Alexa bit down on the inside of her mouth. She hadn't realized her actions would have a direct effect on Ariel, who seemed to have had complete faith in her. She wanted to kick herself for being so selfish.

Jeremiel looked at Ariel. "We will deal with your lack of judgment later."

Ariel hung her head slightly, and her eyes wavered as she stared at the ground. There was a peculiar quality to Ariel's expression, as if she were hiding something, but it was gone before Alexa could be sure it had been there at all. Alexa felt guilty that she had not followed orders and had humiliated Ariel in front of her peers. She had let her down.

Jeremiel looked impassive. "After hearing from both archangels Ariel and Metatron—"

The floor wavered beneath Alexa's feet, and the archangel's words seemed far away. She could barely hear them.

"We've concluded that apart from her entanglement with the mortal boy, which is still a _very_ serious and significant offense, and despite the other matter of conspiracy to commit wrongful acts against the Legion—"

"What conspiracy?" Alexa stiffened and it took a tremendous effort not to glare in Metatron's direction. She tightened her hands into fists, and her nails cut into her palms.

This was the first time she'd been accused of being a traitor. In her naiveté, she had believed she was here because she had kissed Erik, not because she was thought to have been involved in some secret plot to overturn the Legion.

"...conspiracy to collaborate with the enemies of Horizon. You have been accused of violating the Angel Code," continued Jeremiel. "But since we found no proof to substantiate these claims, all other charges against you have been dismissed."

The sound of a chair hitting the hard floor echoed loudly.

"What?" bellowed Metatron as he adjusted his sunglasses on the bridge of his nose. "You cannot be serious."

Jeremiel's icy glare cut through the chamber.

"The laws are clear, Metatron, for _all_ angels. All guardians must abide by them or suffer the consequence. It is my duty to uphold our laws, but in this case, there was insufficient evidence. There has been a thorough, independent investigation on all matters related to Alexa Dawson, and we found nothing to support these conspiracy claims. Alexa did break the Angel Code with her embarrassing behavior with the mortal boy, however, and you may rest assured that there will be a cost for such reckless behavior—"

"Which is?" asked Alexa before she could stop herself. Reckless and bold perhaps, but the thought of Tartarus still haunted her.

Jeremiel looked down upon Alexa with the same look of disappointment a father would show before scolding a child. "You will serve one month of Orientation duty. You will assist the oracles with clerical work and with all matters concerning newly appointed guardians."

"That's it?" said Alexa.

She tried to read the blank, stern faces of the council members without looking too relieved.

"You're demoting me into an administrative assistant?" She tried not to smile.

"And," continued the archangel Jeremiel, "once your monthly duties are over, you will report back to the archangel Ariel where you will begin your probation. A petty officer has already been assigned to you."

Alexa stiffened and turned to look again at the unusual fair-haired angel who had been sitting behind Metatron. When their eyes locked, he shot her a disapproving look that indicated he hated the idea more than she did.

"This has been a very particular case, and what happened to you was very unusual, Alexa," said Jeremiel.

Alexa looked at him with her mouth slightly open.

"It's not unusual. It's a _sign_!" growled Metatron. "The kid's in bed with our enemies."

"They found no mark or any other proof that Alexa had any type of alliance with our enemies," said Ariel. Her voice was tinged with controlled anger. "Alexa has been cleared for duty, Metatron."

Metatron ignored her. "Marks can be hidden. We've all seen this before."

Jeremiel cast Metatron an irritated glance before continuing.

He turned to Alexa. "Your petty officer will have full authority over you, and he will accompany you on all field assignments."

Alexa fought to control her anger.

"Until when?" she asked as evenly as she could.

"Until we decide you can be trusted to behave on your own," answered Jeremiel flatly. "Considering what you did, your punishment is quite lenient, to say the least. Our decision was based solely on your actions before the discovery that the guardian Ryan was a traitor. Seeing as it was also your _first_ assignment, you were given more leeway for your mistakes because you were a rookie. It is our responsibility not just to correct your mistake but make sure that you learn from it."

She didn't know why she was so angry. She knew she had broken the code, and she really had not expected to get off so easily. But she'd never expected to have a babysitter, especially not one who already despised her and who was obviously one of Metatron's guards. And she had never expected her babysitter to be male.

She supposed she would just have to accept her punishment. She stole a look over to Ariel, but the archangel's gaze was on the council.

Jeremiel leaned forward and narrowed his eyes. "The heads of Hallow Hall have been made aware of the situation. The Sensitive operative in question will be reprimanded as well. You're not to have any more contact with him. Any contact, particularly _physical_ contact, will lead to more severe punishment. Are we clear?"

Alexa thought she was going to pass out in humiliation. _What must the Sensitives at Hallow Hall think of her?_ She imagined the scowl on Valerie's face and Rachel's victory smile. She felt her insides contract.

_If kissing Erik had been a mistake, why had it felt so right?_

"And what of her soul?" demanded Metatron. "Part of it is missing. We all know what that means—a demon alliance. She's in league with them."

"Are you crazy?" protested Alexa. "I am not in any kind of _alliance_ with any _demon_."

"That is a serious accusation, Metatron," said a female archangel whom Alexa had not really noticed before. She had vibrant red hair, and her green robes contrasted starkly against her milky skin.

The archangel continued, "Collaboration with enemies of the Legion is considered high treason and punishable by true death. But the archangel Raphael found no such marks. She examined Alexa herself and cleared her for duty. If there was anything out of the ordinary or _wrong_ with her, Raphael would have discovered it—"

"Really? Nothing _wrong_?" Metatron laughed without humor. "And what do you call the fact that she's _missing_ part __ of her soul? I was there when Raphael did _that_ test. You know it's true."

Ariel's honey-colored eyes gleamed. "It is true that Alexa's soul has been tampered with. There is evidence of missing essence. But that doesn't prove anything. Only that what she said was true—"

"Come on!" Metatron hurled the table forward with a flick on his hand. "This is a clear violation of the Angel Code. The safety of the Legion should always be our priority."

He tossed his cigar.

"Name me one angel who had their angel essence tampered with and wasn't corrupted? Eh? Can you name one?"

Silence.

Alexa watched council members' faces for any evidence that would tell her Metatron was wrong. Surely there had been other cases like hers. But the uncomfortable silence made it clear to her that Metatron hadn't been wrong.

"No. I didn't think so." Metatron whirled on Alexa.

"Soul tampering is a giant red flag. It's a free pass to join our enemies. It's the mark of an alliance—a very clear one. She's been turned. Don't let that innocent face fool you. Even the devil was once an angel. I can see it."

Alexa shook with controlled anger. "I'm not a vampire. I haven't been _turned_."

Her fingers ached to plunge his cigar into one of his eyes. "You're just pissed off because Ryan was the traitor, and you never knew. He was right under your nose this whole time and _you—_ protector of the Legion—never saw it."

Metatron stilled, and for half a second Alexa worried he was about to rip her in half, but only his face twitched.

He looked to the council and said, "You can't possibly believe this story of hers about Hades. It's complete nonsense. A deity would never have let her walk away free without something in return. If he didn't kill her, she's working _for_ him."

"That's a load of crap, and you know it," spat Alexa, incredulous, but also surprised at her own boldness.

What was Metatron saying? Was she bad now? Her hands were in fists, and her fingers trembled.

Ariel leaned closer to Alexa and whispered, "Alexa, don't. If you don't want to end up in Tartarus, learn to bite your tongue when it's crucial."

It was only when she heard the real fear in Ariel's voice that she forced herself to calm down.

From the corner of her eye, Alexa could see the young angel who had been assigned to supervise her sitting straight in his chair, but she refused to take her eyes off Metatron. Of course, Metatron didn't believe her. That had been obvious from the moment she had arrived back. She eyed all the council members and tried to appraise their attitude towards her. A council member with skin the color of night and wrapped in blood-red robes watched her with a face that was twisted in contempt. Perhaps Metatron wasn't the only archangel who thought she'd been tainted.

"I have nothing to hide," she said after a moment. "They did their tests and they found nothing. I haven't done anything—"

Metatron shook his head slowly. "Another lie. You've done _plenty_."

Alexa opened her mouth but closed it.

Another spasm of rage contorted Metatron's features. "The truth is, kid, there's no evidence that any pagan god broke through the Veil. A being of such power would have left traces of supernatural properties for hours after the Veil had been severed. Anomalies, like birds flying into walls or packs of dogs becoming suddenly aggressive—things out of the ordinary behavior—but there was nothing, just dead mortals and lesser demons."

Alexa flinched like she'd been punched in the gut. "You don't believe me? You think I've made this up?"

For a moment, Alexa thought she saw a flicker of uncertainty, suspicion, and maybe even annoyance cross Jeremiel's face. But all he said was, "There was no evidence supporting the escape of any such creature, especially a pagan god."

Alexa spoke with effort. "But I _saw_ him. He nearly killed Erik."

"Your mortal suit had deteriorated considerably," said Jeremiel. "You were not yourself. You may think you saw a pagan god when in fact it was just a demon."

"It wasn't," said Alexa. Her throat burned. "He told me his name was Hades. His body was made up of souls. I saw him! He's real, and now he's out there. How do you explain what happened to my soul then?"

"Simple," Metatron smiled, and for the second time, he looked victorious.

"A Higher demon could have easily taken a piece of the soul of any willing angel. Alliances with our enemies happen all the time, unfortunately. Your case is not as particular as the rest of the council thinks. It's a textbook demon alliance. And I'm going to prove it."

Behind his sunglasses, Metatron had begun to slice away at her confidence in the truth, and he wanted to strip her down to the bone.

_They don't believe me,_ thought Alexa.

The pain came again into her chest more strongly, and she struggled to control it. Part of her wanted to scream at how stupid they were being. But a more sensible voice inside told her that it would just make matters worse. She'd done enough.

If they didn't believe her because she had no proof, she'd find some.

"Thank you for your contribution, Metatron," announced Jeremiel. His chilly gaze slid around the room. "The council has reached its decision. As the appointed minister of this council, I call this meeting adjourned. We will look forward to your progress, Alexa Dawson. That is all."

Alexa turned and followed the archangel Ariel out of the chamber. She felt as though she was having an out-of-body experience and could barely hear their shoes on the hard marble floors. Her mind raced. Even though the Legion wasn't going to send her to Tartarus, she could still feel a strange flutter of fear just under her rib cage.

She knew Metatron had been right. Deep down, Alexa knew she'd been changed when Hades had taken part of her soul. A darkness was growing inside her, and she had no idea how to stop it.

* * *

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# Books By Kim Richardson

SHADOW AND LIGHT

_Dark Hunt_

_Dark Bound_

_Dark Rise_

_Dark Gift_

_Dark Curse_

_Dark Angel_

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THE DARK FILES

_Spells & Ashes_

_Charms & Demons_

_Hexes & Flames_

_Curses & Blood_

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TEEN AND YOUNG ADULT

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SOUL GUARDIANS

_Marked_

_Elemental_

_Horizon_

_Netherworld_

_Seirs_

_Mortal_

_Reapers_

_Seals_

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THE HORIZON CHRONICLES

_The Soul Thief_

_The Helm of Darkness_

_The City of Flame and Shadow_

_The Lord of Darkness_

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MYSTICS SERIES

_The Seventh Sense_

_The Alpha Nation_

_The Nexus_

* * *

DIVIDED REALMS

_Steel Maiden_

_Witch Queen_

_Blood Magic_

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# About the Author

KIM RICHARDSON is the award-winning author of the bestselling SOUL GUARDIANS series. She lives in the eastern part of Canada with her husband, two dogs, and a very old cat. She is the author of the SOUL GUARDIANS series, the MYSTICS series, and the DIVIDED REALMS series. Kim's books are available in print editions, and translations are available in over seven languages.

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To learn more about the author, please visit:

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www.kimrichardsonbooks.com
