Playing For Keeps

Evernight Publishing www.evernightpublishing.com

Copyright© 2011 Carolyn Rosewood

ISBN: 978-1-927368-04-6

Cover Artist: LF Designs Editor: Emma Shortt

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews. This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

DEDICATION Dedicated, as always, to David and Nicole. Also to my editor, Emma, for helping me make this shine. And to my readers, old and new, thank you for enjoying this series so much. I was sad to write the last book in it, but I promise you more series are in the works. I hope you enjoy reading Teresa and Damien’s story as much as I enjoyed writing it.

PLAYING FOR KEEPS Seduced by a Demon, 3 Carolyn Rosewood

Copyright © 2011

Chapter One Refuge Teresa knew if she visualized a specific place to materialize the demons would be able to follow her, but she’d been running for three days and she was tired. At the very least, she wanted to be indoors this time. She concentrated all her effort on a building, any building, and landed inside a room with florescent lighting. Jade green tiles alternating with black ones lined the walls and floor. She blinked a few times, wrinkling her nose as the smell of soap and bleach wafted past. “What the fucking hell?” Whirling to face the startled male voice, the metallic taste of fear replacing the soap and bleach smell in her nose and mouth, she gaped at the hunk stuffing his impressive cock back into his jeans. He backed away from the urinal and zipped them up, with a mixture of disbelief and curiosity on his rugged face. “Well hello there. Nice of you to drop in.” If she hadn’t been running for her life this might actually be funny. “I’m sorry.” There was nothing else to say. She wasn’t about to explain she’d just given two of her fellow demons the slip. Her ordeal was far from over. Cresil, her former boss and lover, would

never stop looked for her. He’d betrayed her to their king, Apollyon, and now his minions would hunt her for all eternity. “I didn’t hear or see you come in. Ladies’ room is across the hall.” He narrowed his eyes and took a step closer, his nostrils flaring as though sniffing the air. A brief flash of pain tore through her chest. What the hell? He was only a man. A drop-dead gorgeous man with eyes the color of dark chocolate, but still just a man, right? Did he recognize her true nature? Her limbs froze and she found it difficult to take a full breath. She’d walked right into one of Cresil’s tricks! How could she have made such a fatal error in judgment? Teresa’s thoughts raced. She swallowed a few times then flexed her fingers. When she wiggled her toes it became apparent she could indeed move her arms and legs and wasn’t being held in place with demon magic, so she hoped he would chalk up her reaction to simply being startled. He clearly was not a demon. Those chocolate-colored eyes regarded her with a mixture of suspicion and concern. “Are you okay? You look more startled I am.” His voice, deep rich and sultry, spread through her like fine wine. Teresa let out the breath she was holding. “I’m fine. My mistake.” He grinned, and a tiny dimple appeared in his each cheek. Her thong grew moist at the thought of kissing first those dimples then his full lips. When he brushed past her to wash his hands she caught a faint whiff of sandalwood. “Um, like I said, ladies’ room is across the hall, and offers a much more comfortable place to hide.” “How do you know I’m hiding?” He reached for the paper towel holder, over which a sign hung exhorting anyone who used the facilities to clean up after themselves, as their mother didn’t work there. “Oh, I don’t know. Just a lucky guess.” It wasn’t like Teresa to be tongue tied around men, and after an awkward second or two, during which she couldn’t think of a sassy or even clever comeback, she tossed her hair and opened the door. Walking into the ladies’ room, she leaned against the tiled wall and closed her eyes, mentally weighed her options. He’d certainly nailed her. She needed a place to hide. Returning to Hell, her

home for the last one hundred and fifty years, was out of the question. Unlike some of the other demons who seduced mortal males into signing away their souls, she’d never found the need to maintain a temporary home in the human realm. Not that it would do her any good to have one now. That would be the first place they’d look. She was utterly alone, with no friends and no place of refuge. The door opened and two women came in, talking about the characters from a reality TV show. Their easy conversation reminded her of Kenton Hall, the last human she’d seduced. She’d always liked the sound of his voice, especially when he discussed his work at MIT. He’d fall into an easy cadence that was sexy in its simplicity. Had Cresil killed him? She’d kept in touch with Kenton even after he’d signed away his soul, knowing to do so was strictly forbidden, but she’d enjoyed him so much in bed she hadn’t wanted to stop seeing him. A decision she now regretted. No male, human or demon, was worth this much trouble. She looked around for some clue to her location. A beaten copper bowl on the counter contained matchbooks, printed with the name The Blue Famingo, Northlake Ohio. She’d never even heard of the town. It was the perfect kind of place to blend into the woodwork and become just another local. She left the bathroom and walked into the main part of the bar, expecting umbrella drinks and cane chairs because of the name on the matchbooks, but instead was hit with the smell of stale beer and old boots. Her heels made a clacking sound on the rough wooden floor stained with tobacco and dirt. Worn-out country played on the jukebox and rickety stools lined the bar. The patrons were mostly men who glowed with the aura of boredom and complacency. A few turned to stare at her, and she suddenly wished she’d worn a less ostentatious outfit. Her denim mini-skirt and lemon yellow tank top didn’t exactly let her blend into the woodwork, but then she hadn’t had time to ponder what to wear before fleeing Hell. The faint aroma of sandalwood reminded her of furniture polish, not that this place looked as if someone lovingly polished the tabletops every night after closing. She walked up to the bar and took the only empty seat, between two men who gawked at her with their mouths hanging open. Ignoring them both, she tried to catch the bartender’s eye. It was the man from the bathroom.

“Did you find the right one?” he asked, grinning. Teresa flushed, struggling to find her composure. “I did, thanks.” “What can I get you?” “Actually, I’m here to talk to the owner.” He brushed a lock of dark, wavy hair out of his eyes and picked up a glass. As he wiped it with a towel that had seen better days, he eyed Teresa from under impossibly long lashes. “What do you want to talk to him about?” “About something that’s my business, okay?” She wasn’t about to start spilling secrets to everyone in town. Not even yummy a bartender with just enough stubble on his chin to make her nipples tingle as she pictured him rubbing that chin across her breasts. The man on her left chuckled. “Little lady, you could learn a thing or two about manners.” Teresa glared at him until the smirk left his ruddy face and he blinked, frowning. When he finally turned his attention back to the bottle of beer in his meaty hands, she eyed the bartender again. “Will you tell the owner I’d like to see him please?” She flashed her best smile, knowing it wasn’t fair to use it, but the air in here was beginning to grow uncomfortable. She wasn’t in the mood to keep hopping across the country looking for a hiding place. Running for three days had taken its toll on her. This had to be settled tonight. “Afraid I can’t do that,” he said, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly. “Why not?” More importantly, why hadn’t he gone slackjawed and run to find the owner as soon as she smiled at him? Teresa had never met a mortal man who was immune to her demon powers. Who the hell was this dude? He popped the top off a bottle of beer and placed it in front of a man three stools down. “Because we’re busy tonight and I’m shorthanded.” “Then you’re in luck because I’m looking for a job.” **** Damien eyed the girl while he wiped up a spill on the counter. She wasn’t human, that much he knew for sure. In the bathroom he thought for a moment she’d recognized his former nature, but now the fear in her eyes had dissipated and she’d turned on the charm.

“A job, eh? What kind of a job?” Either she was the answer to his prayers or would prove to be his undoing. From the second she’d materialized next to him he felt the air shift. The scent of freesias hung about her like a shroud, but it couldn’t mask the sulfur. The men in the bar wouldn’t be able to smell it, but he could. Certain things had left their mark after Tyre, his former boss, made him human, including the ability to discern supernatural creatures like demons. What was she doing here, and who was she hiding from? “I used to be a barmaid. Pretty darn good one too.” A barmaid with her pretty face and long cinnamon-colored hair and matching eyes would make him richer than Croesus, but did he want a demon working for him? They brought nothing but trouble, and he still resented the way they strutted about in human form, as if they had a right to be in this realm. Next to her, Jack Williams snickered again, and Damien resisted the urge to smack him. Damn fool man would probably find his Ford F-150 wrapped around a tree later if he pissed off the girl one more time. “Is that so? Where at?” A quick shadow of fear crossed her eyes, but it was gone so quickly he wondered if he’d imagined it. “Chicago. My parents owned a club.” He nodded, wondering if she was making it up, or if that had been part of her human life. Maddie Reynolds hurried to the counter and slammed down her tray. “They want another round. What do you want me to do? Is it time to toss them out?” Damien eyed the group of local brats in the corner. Home from college for the summer, they’d been in here every night this week. They were louder and more obnoxious than last summer, but he wouldn’t let them bust up the place the way they had back then. Not this year. He reached into the fridge under the bar and pulled out six bottles of Bud Light. “When they start picking up chairs it’s time to toss them out.” Maddie clucked her tongue as she walked toward their table with the beers. He watched her curvy hips sway, wondering why she’d chosen to stay in this shitty town after her husband left her. She had family in Cleveland, and with her no-nonsense attitude surely she

could do more than serve drinks to customers who barely left her enough tips to live on. He turned his attention back to the girl sitting between Jack Williams and Skeeter, watching him, a question in her beautiful eyes. He strode over and stood in front of her, not missing her slow intake of breath or the way her eyes roamed over his face. Up close she was even more startling and the underlying smell of sulfur was unmistakable. She was a demon, all right. But her eyes held an undercurrent of fear, which he found both intriguing and disturbing. Trouble with Apollyon, her king, or with another creature? “Do you have a name?” he asked. “Teresa.” Her gaze never faltered. She’d given him her real name. He could still tell when someone was using a fake one. “Teresa what?” “Just Teresa.” Ah, there it was. No surnames. That was fine. He could play that game for a while. “Why do you want to work in a place like this, just Teresa?” He waved a hand toward the table of college brats. “I like small towns.” Her gaze was intense and confident, like she knew he’d say yes eventually. If he’d been a mere mortal it would be a done deal. Her being here made no sense, and Damien was more comfortable when things made sense. Demons hung around the human realm for two reasons only. To seduce someone into sin, or because they were hunting someone. Which reason had brought her to this forgotten town? And why had she materialized in the men’s room? Maddie pushed her way between Skeeter and Teresa and gave another drink order to Damien. He glanced at Teresa. “Did you just serve drinks in Chicago or can you mix as well?” She smiled, showing dazzling white teeth, and slid off her stool. “I can mix anything.” “We don’t get much call for fancy drinks in here,” said Maddie, eyeing Teresa’s legs. Damien chuckled. “Down, girl. We could use the help. Let’s see what she can do.” Teresa took her time walking around the bar. Every man lined up on the stools watched her, and she knew it. This one was a firecracker, but she mixed Maddie’s drink order like a pro. She’d obviously been telling the truth.

He studied her face as she worked. Twenty-five, tops. When he started to wonder more about her human life, where in Chicago she’d lived, what her parents’ club had been like, and why she’d gone to Hell when she died, he forced himself to look at the floor. He couldn’t let his guard down around her. Her pull on him was strong. His former nature would only protect him from her charms for so long. Maddie took the tray full of drinks, frowned, then turned on her heel to deliver them. “Well? Do I have a job?” Teresa asked, her voice soft and seductive. He moved close to her so the others couldn’t hear. Usually when he invaded someone’s personal space they stepped back. Most humans could smell the scent of his former nature on him, though of course they didn’t know it. But it clung to his skin and made them uncomfortable. Teresa didn’t flinch. “I can’t pay you much over any tips you’ll get.” He grinned. “Not that you need to worry about that. You should do fine considering most of my customers are men.” She licked her lips, letting her tongue linger a bit longer than necessary. An image of that tongue sliding up and down his swollen cock filled his head. Maybe this wasn’t the best idea, after all? Giving into his sexual urges with the wrong creatures had led him here. “Don’t worry about the money,” she said. “I’ll do it for fun.” For a second he thought she was talking about something other than bartending, until she grabbed an apron hanging behind the bar and tied it behind her back. “We’ll take care of the paperwork after closing,” he said. Her eyes clouded over. “Oh, okay. But I left all my ID and stuff in…where I’m staying.” He let the lie go for now, wondering what the hell he’d just involved himself in. Maddie came up to the bar and rattled off a drink order to Teresa, who began to work on it. She stopped as the door opened and two men strode in wearing leather jackets with studs. With twin scowls on their weathered faces, they stood still and surveyed the room. Damien’s gaze traveled to their jeans, half-expecting to see revolvers hanging off their hips. He heard Teresa’s sharp intake of breath, and when he turned around, she was gone.

Chapter Two Ruse The second she spotted the men dressed in leather Teresa did the first thing that came to mind. She slipped into shadow form and stood rigid, not that it mattered. Demons could still see her in this form. How the hell had they found her so easily? Would they dare to take her, right here in front of all these mortals? Her legs trembled and she had to dig her nails into her palms to keep from crying out. She watched the pair, ready to evaporate if need be, as they glanced around the bar. When they headed for the only empty table near the back, close to the rowdy college kids, she let out the breath she’d been holding. They weren’t the men she’d run from. Similar clothing, but these two were human. What an idiot. First her startled reaction to the bartender, and now she’d taken shadow form in a roomful of humans. Fortunately, only one man at the bar seemed to notice. His eyes grew wide as he stared at the space where she’d been standing, then he looked into his empty beer glass, pushed it away and stood. “I’m done tonight, Damien.” Damien’s narrowed eyes searched the space where she’d been mixing drinks for a few seconds before he continued with Maddie’s drink order, as if his new bartender hadn’t simply vanished into thin air. What was he? She thought he was human until he’d stood close to her when they talked about her pay. The scent of sandalwood had been strong, and she no longer believed it came from furniture polish. But she had more a more immediate problem than figuring out what Damien was. How was she going to just reappear in front of all these people? Maddie hurried up to the bar and placed the drinks Damien had finished making on her tray. “Where’s Teresa? She quit already?” “Ladies’ room.” The lie rolled off his tongue as he drew a glass of beer from the tap. She hadn’t gone to the bathroom and he knew it, yet he covered for her. Did he know what she was? When Maddie turned around to leave again Damien glanced at the spot where she stood.

His eyes bored into hers as if he could see her, but that wasn’t possible. Not unless he wasn’t human. By telling Maddie she’d gone to the bathroom he’d given her a way to show herself again that wouldn’t freak out his patrons, so he must know she was still standing there, even if he couldn’t see her. She moved slowly from behind the bar toward the hallway that led to the bathrooms, glancing back once to eye the men in leather jackets. When Maddie placed their drinks in front of them they barely acknowledged her presence. Whatever else they might be, they weren’t the demons looking for her. Teresa materialized in the bathroom, after making sure no one else was in it, and surveyed her face in the mirror. Her skin was pale and her eyes wide. She had to calm down before she went back out there. If Damien wasn’t human, what was he? Something about the sandalwood smell triggered a memory but it was hazy and distant. She couldn’t pin it down. Turning around she leaned against the sink and closed her eyes, wishing she could erase the past three days. She’d been dead over one hundred and fifty years and not once in that time had she ever been afraid for her existence. But then, no one had ever betrayed her to her own kind before. She blamed several creatures, but most of the blame went to Jahi, the demon who had told Apollyon about her continued involvement with Kenton. At least, that’s what Cresil had told her. Who knew what the truth was? Cresil had told her a lot of things over the decades that she no longer believed were true. Another twinge of guilt tried to push its way in. She’d been having them for three days now and was getting tired of them. Teresa wasn’t used to feeling guilty. “I had no choice. I had to tell him,” she shouted. Her voice echoed off the tile walls. She shook her head as the image rose in her mind. The rogue fallen angel named Vassago had literally backed her into a corner while he threatened to tell Apollyon she was still fucking Kenton. She’d had to give up Jahi to him. How was she supposed to know he’d screw it up and let himself get captured by a bounty hunter instead? Jahi had gone straight to Apollyon once Vassago was caught and told him about her continued involvement with Kenton. She hugged herself, wincing at the memory of standing in front of Cresil

as he told her how the events leading to her disgrace had unfolded. Right before he told her she must be nuts if she thought he’d choose her over his position as Apollyon’s right-hand. The realization their relationship had meant nothing to him was far worse than the fear of what Apollyon would do to her for staying in contact with Kenton after he’d signed away his soul, or for giving up a fellow demon to a fallen angel. She’d made an absolute fool of herself over a demon who’d given her up without a moment’s hesitation. Would she ever have the chance to explain to Jahi, or ask her if she wouldn’t have done the same thing had she been in that position? Doubtful. Right now, she had to go back and play bartender while she figured out what Damien was, and whether or not she could trust him. And somehow she had to stay two steps ahead of the demons hunting her. **** Damien watched Teresa stroll down the hallway and saunter up to him behind the bar, a brilliant smile plastered across her face. It was only when he looked into her eyes that he noticed the fear lurking in their depths. He’d had plenty of run-ins with demons while hunting bounty as a Nephilim, and he’d rarely seen one afraid. She must be in some deep shit. “Any idea who those men in the leather are?” she asked, the tremor in her voice betraying the casual cadence of her speech. She drew a draft, leaving a perfect head of foam on it. Her hands shook, but he doubted anyone else would notice the slight tremor. “Haven’t seen them here before, if that’s what you’re asking. Would you rather I took their second round to them?” She placed the beer in front of Skeeter, took his money, and rang up the purchase. Damien hadn’t yet shown her how to work the mess of a computerized cash register, yet she was having no trouble with it. He wondered if she even realized she’d risked exposure of the demon realm twice in the space of ten minutes. First the disappearing act, and now mastery of a machine she’d never touched before. After she rang up Skeeter’s beer she took the two beers Damien held in his hands. “I’ll deliver them.” As she threaded between the tables toward the leather-clad men in the back, he decided if he was going to keep her around he’d

need answers. And if she wasn’t on the run, he’d eat a barstool. But who was she running from? Apollyon, or something worse? She placed the drinks in front of the men and tossed her hair back as she laughed at something they said. The sound rang out, sweet and sexy. Animated moves and more hair tossing punctuated her easy banter with them. Oh, she was good. The tall one almost smiled as she placed a hand on his shoulder and leaned in close to whisper something to the other man. When she finally returned to the bar the fear in her eyes was gone. As she focused her gaze on him Damien’s cock hardened to the point of pain. Images of fucking her silly filled his brain, and he fought against them. Yeah, she was definitely a demon. No human woman had ever seduced him with nothing more than a look. “So, who are they and what’re they doing here?” His voice sounded tight, almost jealous. What the hell? This girl was trouble. If he had any common sense he’d send her packing. Hiding someone Apollyon was looking for wasn’t worth losing his self-control again with a beautiful demon. When she leaned close, cold sweat broke out along his hairline. The scent of freesias mixed with sulfur was dark and musky. It conjured up images of that cinnamon-colored hair spread out on a pillow. “The taller one has a score to settle with one of the college kids.” “Shit.” “They’re both from Cleveland, and all I could get out of them was that the kid wearing the Abercrombie hoodie dumped the taller one’s sister, and apparently said some disparaging things about her to his friends in the process.” “You got all that in less than two minutes?” She smiled and turned around as Maddie walked up to the bar. While Teresa prepared another drink order, Damien watched the men in the corner. He didn’t need any trouble with the law, and he sure didn’t want any bar fights involving the local college brats. Teresa offered to take the next round of beer to the table of college kids, and even though Damien thought she was pushing her luck, he didn’t try to stop her. He kept an eye on the group as Teresa made small talk. As expected, they stared at her with their tongues hanging out. This could get out of hand too quickly. He tried to think

of a reason to call her back to the bar but couldn’t seem to form a cohesive thought. When she finally turned to leave, one of the kids grabbed her ass. Damien groaned when he realized it was the brat wearing the Abercrombie hoodie. His hope that the leather-clad men hadn’t noticed was short-lived. “Hey, college boy, who the hell do you think you are?” The taller man’s voice rang out over the buzz of conversation and laughter. “How’s your sister, dude? Does she miss my cock in her mouth?” The din in the room died down to a gentle buzz. Maddie sprinted toward the bar, pulling her cell out of her hip pocket. “Just say when,” she told him. “Settle down, guys,” called Damien, his gaze moving from one table to the other. “Go fuck yourself, you little shit,” said the tall man, rising so quickly his chair toppled over. College idiot stood up, weaving. Clearly he’d surpassed his body’s capacity to hold its booze. “Why don’t you come over here and make me?” Great. Drunk and dim-witted. Wonderful combo. Damien glanced at Maddie, who was already punching buttons on her phone. Before he could get out from behind the bar the taller man lunged toward the group of college kids. Damien sprinted toward the men and tried to step between tall one and college idiot, only to get the wind knocked out of him as tall one’s friend swung a punch toward another college brat and missed, hitting Damien squarely on the chin. Damien shook his head and scrambled to his feet, rubbing his face. He’d have a nice bruise there by morning. “Break it up. The cops are coming.” Either no one was listening to him or he’d imagined shouting, because the melee in front of him continued. Damien stepped toward the group and immediately ducked as a man went sailing over his head. He heard the sickening thump as his body hit the floor. Shit. Where was Teresa? A horrible flashback washed over him as he recalled the sound of a man’s head hitting sheetrock. He started to walk toward the man

lying on the floor when another man flew in front of his face, and he found his voice again. “Stop this shit, right now.” Dead silence followed his words, broken by the thin wail of sirens. Five of the six college kids stood close together, their faces pale. The smell of puke hung in the air. The shorter of the two leatherclad men sat in a chair, holding his nose, blood streaming from between his fingers. “I told them to send an ambulance as well.” He whirled to face Maddie, whose face was tight and pinched. She held out a wet washcloth. When he didn’t take it, she brushed past him and handed it to the man at the table. Damien glanced at the two men lying on the floor. Both were moving and moaning, and he breathed a sigh of relief that they weren’t dead. One clutched his side and the other held his head in his hands. Teresa stood over them, her shoulders heaving. “Are they all right?” he asked. Outside, the wail of sirens grew closer. When she turned around he took an involuntary step back. His heart raced and pain shot through his temples. Teresa’s eyes had turned amber and her skin glowed as though it were on fire from the inside out. He knew that look. It was the same look a demon had worn just after she’d killed a man in a fit of rage. Memories tried to force their way in, but the wail of sirens helped him stay in the present. “Teresa, there’s sawdust in the storage room. Go get it to cover the puke for now so no one else hurls.” He kept his voice calm on purpose, fighting the urge to toss her out the front door. He didn’t need this shit. She almost ran toward the back of the bar. He hoped she’d keep going and disappear forever. Damien turned to face his customers. “The cops will want statements, so if anyone needs to leave now, I didn’t see you here tonight. Understood?” No one moved. They all stared at the two men on the floor. Shit. This was bad. Very, very bad. “Want me to call his parents?” Maddie pointed toward the college kid. Damien shook his head. “Let the cops handle it.” He looked into Maddie’s dark eyes, wondering if he dared to ask, but he had to know. “Did you see what happened?”

She nodded and his heart sank. It hadn’t been his imagination those men went flying through the air. Teresa had thrown them across the room, in front of dozens of witnesses. Even in human form demons retained their powers, including the strength to lift and toss people around like twigs. She was either the stupidest demon in Hell or she simply didn’t give a shit. Either way, that was strike three. The sirens were loud by the time Teresa returned carrying a bucket. She stood over the steaming pile of vomit and buried it in sawdust, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened and she did this every day. He moved to her side and leaned close so no one would hear him. “If I were you I’d get the hell out of here.” She raised her eyes to his. They no longer glowed, and her skin had taken on its usual alabaster sheen. “I lost control,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean to hurt them.” “I can’t protect you from this, Teresa.” They both glanced toward the door at the sound of tires on pavement. “You don’t need to, Damien. I can handle cops.”

Chapter Three Rapaciousness Teresa kept busy with washing glasses and other chores while the cops spoke with Damien’s patrons. She was able to hear their conversations, and none of them told the police they’d seen her toss two men across the room. A few glanced her way as they spoke, but with fear in their eyes, not reproach or anger. When the cops questioned her, she turned on all her charm and had the poor men so baffled by the time they left, she doubted they’d be able to write a report that made any sense. Nothing to worry about. It was it all under control. They were only humans, after all. Now there would be no trouble for her or for Damien. The college kid grabbing her ass hadn’t angered her. It was the question he’d asked the tall leather-clad man about his sister. That question had catapulted Teresa back in time to a street in Chicago where, from the outside, her parents’ club had looked like just another warehouse with a simple sign over the door. But once inside visitors were treated to the best booze, the raciest floorshows, and private rooms upstairs where they could indulge their pleasures, all for the right price of course. Discretion was guaranteed, thanks to her father’s weekly tribute to the City Marshall. It was only when her parents married her off to the mayor’s twenty-two year old nephew that things got ugly. Teresa had tried to push away the memory, but one of the college kids reminded her so much of Clayton she couldn’t stop it from surfacing. He had the same confident smirk and dirty blond hair. Would he one day fuck his wife’s best friend, just like Clayton had done? Teresa hugged herself as the scent of sex, as fresh as if she’d walked in on them yesterday, filled her nose and mouth. She hadn’t meant to kill her cheating bastard of a husband, only to wound him. Who knew such a small shovel would actually kill a man? Should she tell Damien about Clayton, and how the kid’s question brought back memories of catching her husband sprawled out naked on their parlor floor with her best friend’s mouth buried between his legs? No. She didn’t want to tell Damien anything about her human life. The less he knew the better. Even Kenton had known very little about her human life.

She only threw the tall dude because he pushed her out of the way while trying to punch the kid a second time. When the college brat then tried to grab her, she’d simply reacted. It had been a terrible mistake to touch either of them. She knew that now. Would she ever learn to keep her emotions in check? The number of messes Cresil had cleaned up because she lost control was countless. After the cops and customers left, Maddie stood next to the door with Damien. Teresa felt slightly guilty doing so, but she listened to their hushed conversation anyway, keeping her eyes cast down so they wouldn't suspect she was eavesdropping. “What are you going to do about her?” asked Maddie. “I don’t know yet.” “Damien, what the hell? She threw those men across the room like they were made of paper.” “I know.” “Look, this is none of my business, but you don’t need trouble again like when—” “Maddie, I got this, okay? I won’t let that happen again.” Teresa risked a glance from under her lashes. Damien locked the door behind Maddie and leaned against it, his dark eyes boring into her, searching. His aura glowed dark and angry. She’d fucked up, big time. He’d never let her stay here now. She’d wasted her time trying to confuse the cops. Might as well face this head-on and get it over with. “You know what I am,” she said, wiping her hands on a towel. He nodded. “How?” “Does it matter?” “It does to me. Does Maddie know?” What had she meant by telling Damien he didn’t need trouble again? “I don’t think so.” “But she suspects something.” He sighed loudly. “Teresa, she watched you toss two men across the room.” She’d have to do something about that, but she had no idea what. Women weren’t as easy to fool as men, and obviously Maddie and Damien had both run across demons before. “Are you hiding from Apollyon?”

Teresa shuddered. Just to hear him say the name out loud made her want to evaporate and look for another place to hide. But something in his demeanor suggested he wouldn’t turn her in if she told him the truth. The way he’d said the name of her king had been bitter, almost scornful. “I want to know how you know what I am,” she said. He strolled toward her, moving slowly like a large cat. It was easy to imagine him as a panther. Dark, deadly, striking when least expected. The fact he was drop-dead gorgeous only enhanced the image. There was no way to stop her traitorous body from responding to his sultry moves. Her pussy was suddenly wet and her tank top felt way too tight. Images of fucking him silly on one of the tables in the bar flitted through her mind. Instead of walking around behind the bar, he sat at the closest table and put his chin in his hands, still studying her face. “Before I tell you how I know, tell me why you’re hiding.” She shook her head. “It doesn’t work that way, Damien. I took a chance coming in here tonight, trusting humans. I get to choose how much to reveal and when, not you.” He stood up so quickly the chair fell backwards. “Who the hell do you think you are? I’ve known demons, Teresa. They don’t take the kind of risks you did tonight. You don’t seem stupid so that only leaves careless.” His words stung but there was truth in them. She was careless. Had been for as long as she could remember, but it hurt to hear someone say it out loud. There had never been any reason to worry about risking exposure or breaking the rules. All she’d had to do was keep Cresil happy in bed and she could do whatever the fuck she wanted in the human realm. He cleaned up any messes she made. But all that had changed now. The truth was that she didn’t know how to be careful. She’d never had to learn. Others had always taken care of things for her. “My customers are loyal to me and they lied tonight for my sake, not yours.” He took several strides toward her, his dark eyes flashing. “But don’t think for one minute I’m going to let you throw people around my bar every night. Sooner or later those same customers will begin asking questions. And when that happens, I’ll be minus one business and you’ll be back where you belong.”

Teresa couldn't remember the last time she cried in front of a human. The tears spilled over and she swiped impatiently at them, embarrassed his words had such an effect on her. Men fell at her feet and begged her to stay. They didn’t cross a room, full of righteous indignation, and lecture her. How dare he? “Who the hell are you to tell me what to do?” “The person who owns this bar, that’s who. You want to work here, you follow my rules.” “I make the rules, Damien. I don’t follow them.” “You’ll follow mine or you can leave right now. The choice is yours.” He’d reached the other side of the counter now. Lust and anger rolled off him in waves. The combination was intoxicating, but he was only a man. She could break his neck if she wanted to. Forcing her breathing to slow down, she weighed her options again. There were only two choices. Play along for now, or find another place to hide. Teresa was tired. She didn’t want to go through this again. Working in a bar again felt comfortable, and Damien was one of the sexiest men she’d ever met. The fact he wanted her to leave made her more determined to win him over. Lowering her eyes, she also toned down her voice. “I made a mistake, Damien. It won’t happen again.” “You’re damn right it won’t because I want you gone. Tonight.” A sound like broken glass rang in her ears. It was the same sound she’d heard as she stood in front of Cresil while he told her how he’d betrayed her to Apollyon. As a demon, she’d never met a man she couldn’t persuade to do her bidding. She seduced mortals into signing away their souls using her body and her looks, and no man had ever dismissed her from his life as Damien was doing now. A bar owner in a one-horse town should be no challenge at all for her. What was so different about him? Why was he immune to her charms? “You don’t mean that.” She held his gaze steady. He faltered for just a second, breaking eye contact. “Stop that shit, Teresa. I know what you’re trying to do.” Was that all it would take for him to let her stay, to seduce him? That shouldn’t be a problem. The sudden realization he wasn’t immune to her powers of seduction gave Teresa such a thrill she

decided to change tactics. Why argue with him about who made the rules when all she had to do was get him into bed? She smiled and hopped up on the bar, giving him a nice eyeful of her hot pink thong as she swung her legs around. As she slid off the other side and inched toward him, he took a step back. Several emotions crossed his chiseled face, competing for control. “Stop what shit, Damien? Do I really need to use my powers to seduce you? You wanted me from the second you saw me in the bathroom.” “You can’t solve this with sex.” His voice was husky and unsure. Beads of sweat broke out along his hairline. His soft, wavy hair that she wanted to run her fingers through and bury her nose in. “Sex solves everything, Damien.” She closed the gap between them until they were only inches apart. His eyes were intense, searching. He was hanging on by a thread, and the realization she was that close excited her to the point of physical pain. “Sex is the great leveler between two people.” “Is that all you want? To seduce me?” “Would that be so terrible?” She took another step closer and ran a finger from the pulse at the base of his throat down his shirt, stopping at his navel. He drew in a sharp breath as tiny beads of sweat broke out along his upper lip. His full, thick lips that begged to be kissed. “If you want me to leave, then so be it. But there’s nothing to stop us from having some fun first, is there?” He took her finger in his hand and squeezed. The pain took her by surprise. She tried to pull away but he held her firm. What the hell was he? “I’m not a toy, Teresa.” Damien released her finger and she pushed against his chest, hard. He didn’t budge. “You’re not the only one keeping secrets here, Damien. If you want honesty from me then tell me how you know what I am, and why you’re not ripping off your clothes right now, begging me to fuck you like any other mortal man would be doing.” His face twisted into a mask of pain and confusion.” Dammit, Teresa I’m not immune to you, okay? But I know how to fight it because I’ve been there before. I want you to leave.” “Liar.” “Please get out of here,” he whispered.

“One night.” She ran her hands over his chest, enjoying the contrast between his rippling muscles and the soft cotton shirt. “Just one, and then I’ll leave and you’ll never see me again.” “Why do you have to prove yourself?” Teresa rubbed her fingers over his nipples under the fabric and he groaned. “I’m not trying to prove anything. I just want to fuck you.” “Damn you,” he whispered. She smiled. “Too late.” He took her face in his hands and kissed her, rough and hard. His tongue moved over her lips, demanding entry. She couldn’t move her head against his tight grip, and a loud moan escaped her throat. Her pussy was soaked and her breasts tingled, and all he’d done was kiss her. This was no mere human. She parted her lips and let his tongue inside, sucking it to elicit soft moans from him. He tasted sweet, something she hadn’t expected. She wrapped her arms around his trim waist and pushed against the erection rubbing her lower abdomen. He was rock hard and huge. Waves of passion rolled over her as they explored each other’s mouths. Damien let go of her face and wrapped his hands in her hair, stroking gently. When he finally released her mouth, he planted tiny kisses along her jaw, down her neck and over her shoulders. Each one left a trail on her skin, ice cold and blazing at the same time. No one had ever made her skin burn like this, and she wanted more of it, all over her body. She reached for his jeans, unzipped them, and pulled them down to reveal cherry red boxers. “Sexy. Were you expecting me tonight?” He chuckled. “I forgot to do laundry this week. These were all I had left.” Teresa grasped the impressive bulge in his shorts, purring deep in her throat. “Um, before we go any further, there’s a comfy bed upstairs.” “We’re fine right here, Damien.” She pulled off his shirt and sighed, trailing her hands over the muscles in his chest and abdomen. He must workout like a fiend. As her fingers traced the curves of each bulge, she smiled at the goose bumps on his skin and the way he shivered under her touch.

When she reached behind and grabbed his ass, he kissed her again, nearly knocking her backwards with the force of it. The man was on fire and he knew how to kiss. Teresa was actually dizzy, and the heat raging through her body burned out of control. She couldn’t remember being this aroused before, and especially not by a human. The time for wondering if he was more than that was long past. She tugged down his shorts and wrapped her hands around his shaft. It pulsed with a life all its own. He groaned as she ran her fingers over it, teasing. When she cupped his balls, enjoying the heavy feel of them in her hands, he pulled away and looked into her eyes. Teresa swallowed hard at the intensity of his gaze. “This is a mistake.” The breathlessness in his voice betrayed the words. His one last-ditch effort to resist what his body told him was right. Teresa knelt in front of him and took his cock into her mouth, sucking lightly. “Fuck it. I give up,” he whispered, wrapping his fingers in her hair. She suppressed a laugh and licked his throbbing shaft with long, slow strokes until his body quivered. Her scalp stung from him pulling her hair, but she doubted he was even aware he was doing it. When she licked his balls, he released her hair and tried to pull away but she held onto his cock, stroking faster. Her pussy was so wet the juices ran down her thighs. She closed her mouth around him and sucked hard, loving the heady feeling of knowing how close he was to coming. He tasted salty and musky, and she inhaled the scent of sandalwood that clung to him, letting passion overtake her. He pushed her head closer and she relaxed her tongue so it slid along his shaft as he fucked her mouth. She squeezed her thighs together, trying to massage her clit. Her orgasm was so close. The sound Damien made as she cupped his balls again, low and throaty, pushed her over the edge. Waves of pleasure rolled through her pussy, radiating out to her fingertips and toes. Damien’s cock began to spasm inside her mouth and he bucked against her, wanting release. She grasped the base with one hand, licking instead of sucking to prolong his orgasm. Teresa was enjoying this too much to let it end so quickly. He made incomprehensible sounds in his throat and grasped her hair tighter.

Finally she took him into her mouth again, sucking hard, and when he came he whispered her name. The knowledge of what she did to men was usually a more powerful aphrodisiac than anything they did to her, but not this time. This time she wanted more. She wanted him to touch her, taste her, fuck her into oblivion. She licked his shaft and balls until he was hard again, imagining him inside her, fucking her over and over until neither of them could stand it. Rising, she pulled off her tank top then slid her skirt to the floor. When she reached behind to unhook her bra he grabbed her wrists and held them firm, his eyes intense. Lust rolled off him in waves and she smiled. He was hers tonight, all night. “Not here,” he breathed. “I won’t fuck you on a table in a bar.” Before she could protest he picked her up as if she weighed nothing and flung her over one shoulder. Buck-naked, he carried her to a staircase she hadn’t noticed earlier and climbed the rickety treads, barely panting with the effort. How did he have the strength to carry her after the blowjob she’d just given him? He pushed open a door and crossed a darkened room. The bed he laid her on was indeed comfortable, just as he’d said. “Forgive the musty smell. I’m not much of a housekeeper.” She didn’t smell mustiness, only sex and sandalwood. Teresa pulled him into her arms and he covered her body with his. Their mouths met again, and she moaned loudly as he ground his cock between her legs. He rolled her sideways and unhooked her bra, then tossed it on the floor. “You’re absolutely fucking beautiful, Teresa.” She didn’t answer. She couldn’t. Her thoughts spun out of control as fireworks exploded behind her eyes. He fastened that incredible mouth on one nipple, sucking and teasing with his tongue and teeth. She wanted him to devour her. Use her body to pleasure himself until there was nothing left. He played with her breasts, licking and sucking without mercy, until she thought she’d go out of her mind with desire. The hot pink thong cut into her skin as she pushed against his cock, aching for it to be inside her. When he finally moved away from her nipples it was to run his tongue along her abdomen, so slowly she banged her fists on the mattress and cried out. “Now who wants it?” he asked, a smile in his voice.

She was about to tell him just how much she wanted it when he tucked his fingers into her thong and ripped it apart. Just tore the fabric with his bare hands. Her fascination with his strength kept her mute as he held her gaze and slipped two fingers inside her. The orgasm that had been building since he carried her up the stairs let go and she closed her eyes, letting it wash over her. Before it finished his tongue was on her clit, and the waves that rolled through her were crazy, like nothing she’d ever experienced before. She dug her fingers into his hair and tried to push his mouth closer, but he continued to lick in soft strokes. It prolonged her climax rather than stopped it, and Teresa shook her head back and forth, screaming his name. When she was able to focus her eyes again he poised above her, rubbing her pussy juices over his throbbing shaft. “Damien, please. Please fuck me.” His eyes filled with understanding. She’d never begged anyone and he knew it. Instead of feeling outraged she became even more aroused, knowing he’d out-maneuvered her in their game of passion. The hunter had become the prey, and she liked it. A lot. He slid inside, his eyes locked with hers, and moved in long slow thrusts, withdrawing almost to the tip before plunging in again. She clung to his arms and wrapped her legs around him, trying to pull him closer, but he held her in place, torturing her with the slowest fucking she’d ever had. Another orgasm built quickly and she didn't try to fight it this time. She let it overtake her, tears streaming down her cheeks. He increased his thrusting, faster and faster, until he was panting in her ear and her arms ached from holding him so tightly. When she came again he joined her, and they clung to each other as the spasms continued for long moments, each one sweeter than the last. Finally they stopped, and he pulled her into his arms and rolled them on their side to rest. “Do you still want me to leave?” she asked, the taste of fear filling her mouth as the question tumbled out. He kissed her just above the collarbone. “No fucking way.”

Chapter Four Risk Teresa didn’t need to sleep, but when she curled up next to Damien and closed her eyes, she drifted so close to the edge of actual sleep it surprised her. No man had ever worn her out in bed. As her gaze traveled over his naked form she smiled at the memory of what his body had done to her. Whatever twist of fate had landed her in this town and in his bar, she was grateful for it. If she was forced to hide from Apollyon, what better way to enjoy her fugitive status than with a gorgeous man who could keep up with her in bed? When his stomach rumbled twice she eased out of bed and walked through an archway into the tiny kitchen. There wasn’t enough food in the fridge to make breakfast for a cat let alone a fullgrown man, so she crept downstairs and retrieved their clothes. After she dressed, Teresa stood in front of one of the large windows for a few moments, enjoying the view. The sky glowed with the soft light of breaking dawn. As a child she’d always loved this time of day, when the whole world seemed to be waking up and the air smelled clean and fresh. How many earthly sunrises would she be able to watch before Apollyon’s minions caught up with her? Would she be able to find Jahi and explain before they found her? Maybe Jahi would have some influence with Apollyon? It was a long shot, but what other choice did she have? To run forever, or until she was caught, those were her only two options. Damien kept even less food in the bar than he did upstairs, so Teresa went back up to his bedroom, placed his clothes on a chair, then slid into shadow form and wandered the brick streets lined with small shops and old-fashioned street lamps. She drank in the sounds of robins chirping and lazy summer insects. Every time a vehicle approached she held her breath, feeling foolish. Demons chasing other demons didn’t drive pick-ups trucks. Would she ever stop jumping at noises? When she spotted a large discount store, she waited until a customer opened the door then slipped in behind the woman. She’d have to change back into human form to buy anything, otherwise

whoever was watching the security cameras would notice items flying off the shelves into a cart no one was pushing. Ducking into the restroom, she slid out of shadow form and turned around in front of the mirror over the sink to eye her skirt. Unless she bent over, no one would be able to tell she was naked under it. The memory of Damien ripping apart her thong with his bare hands flashed through her mind and she bit back a moan. The sooner she took care of this task, the sooner his cock would be back inside her where it belonged. There were only a few customers in the store this early, and they gave Teresa curious looks, but she averted her eyes each time. She wasn’t here to stir up trouble with Damien’s neighbors. After selecting enough food for a few meals she strolled over to where they sold sweat pants, PJs and t-shirts. Not exactly Saks or Nordstrom, but it would have to do for now. At least they had bikini panties. Not the vibrant colors she preferred, but a handy six-pack of assorted pastels were better than nothing. She also bought some jeans, although they weren’t any brand she recognized. After she paid for her items, making as little small talk as possible with the cashier who started asking too many nosy questions, she carried the bag around to the back of the store and evaporated quickly back to The Blue Flamingo. A small push like that shouldn’t attract any attention, she hoped. Just in case, she waited a few minutes before going inside. If she were going to get caught she’d rather not have it be in front of Damien. A rustling sound in the bushes behind the bar nearly made her drop the bag. She tensed, watching, ready to evaporate again. A few deep breaths revealed no scents other than birds and animals. The sound must have been a dog or possibly a deer in the woods. She opened the back door to the bar, giving the trees another quick look before going inside. **** Damien opened one eye then closed it again as bright sunlight assaulted his vision. Someone was singing softly and he assumed it was Teresa. What the hell had he done? His entire body ached like he’d been working out for a week non-stop. Lust-filled images from last night floated through his mind, making his cock twitch. Before he could allow his hormones to take over, regret rushed in, tamping down the horniness.

He should have sent Teresa away when he had a chance, before they’d started taking off each other’s clothes. Instead, he’d spent the night making incredible love to her, and he vaguely remembered begging her not to leave. It wouldn’t surprise him if Apollyon swooped down on them both right now. How the hell was he going to extricate himself from this mess without making Teresa feel like a twenty-dollar whore? Damien opened his eyes and watched her move about the room, admiring her curves and that alabaster skin. Did he want to extricate himself from this mess? Shit. He’d been down this road before and it hadn’t ended well. No matter how beautiful she was, or how much fun she was in bed, he couldn’t go through it again. “Hey there, gorgeous, you’re finally up. I made you breakfast, although it’s closer to lunchtime. He sat up and inhaled deeply. Coffee, eggs, sausage and toast. Where the hell had she found all this food? “Did you raid Kroger or something? You sure didn’t find this down in the bar.” The sound of her laughter washed through Damien like the first sip of a fine wine, mellow and smooth. “No, silly. You only have olives, peanuts and pretzels in the bar. And by the way, the pretzels are getting a bit stale. I went out this morning and did some shopping at a place called Discount Mart.” She pushed the table over to the edge of the bed and perched beside him, picking up a piece of toast. “I really don’t need to eat but I assume you do, so why is there hardly any food in your fridge?” He took the steaming mug of coffee from her outstretched hand and sipped. Perfect. Just the way he liked it. How had she known? “My grocery shopping habits are about as meticulous as my housekeeping. Teresa, this was thoughtful but really you didn’t have to.” She put down her toast and looked at him with an expression that was half fear, half lust. “It was nothing.” “Did anyone see you at Discount Mart?” “Only a few people. Don’t worry about it, Damien. I didn’t toss anyone around this time.”

He smiled as his gaze swept around the room. Dust no longer covered every surface and the carpet had been vacuumed. “You cleaned? How long was I asleep?” “Well, I might have used my powers just a bit so I wouldn’t wake you.” He chuckled as the theme music from Bewitched started playing in his head, along with an image of Teresa wrinkling her cute little nose like Samantha. “I mean really Damien the place was a complete mess.” “Like I said, I’m not much of a housekeeper.” Teresa tossed her hair off one shoulder, fixing him with a piercing gaze. “What do you do when you’re not downstairs running the bar?” “I’m always here, hence the reason I live over it.” She laughed again, but it sounded forced this time. “You should get out and have some fun once in a while.” Damien placed the coffee mug on the table and took her hand. It was cool, which surprised him. In his experience demons, even in human form, were always hot to the touch. “Teresa, we had a lot of fun last night.” He paused, trying to measure his words. If he pissed her off she might fry him or something. “Look, I don’t know what you’re mixed up in, but I have a pretty good idea it’s something that could land me in deep trouble.” “It doesn’t concern you.” Her voice was tight. “You made it my concern last night. Who’s after you?” “What makes you think someone is after me?” “Come on. Really? You materialized inside a bathroom for shits and giggles? And when you saw those men walk into the bar you didn’t think they were after you? I’m not blind, Teresa.” She pulled her hand away, rose, and began to pace the room. “I can’t talk about it, Damien. But you don’t have to worry. You’re safe.” “I highly doubt they’d be thrilled to find me hiding you.” Yesterday he’d been filled with glee imagining pulling one over on Apollyon. Today he knew he’d never get away with it. Teresa was too careless. They’d find her easily. He’d let his hormones get the better of him and was in deep with a demon again.

She whirled to face him, her eyes flashing. “How do you know so much about this? And you never did answer my question last night. How do you know what I am?” “Calm down, okay? I’m not the enemy here.” Her shoulders slumped forward as she exhaled loudly, hugging her elbows. Why did she have to look so damn vulnerable? It was the same look he’d seen in Leta, and it was that unnerving combination of helplessness and sex kitten that had sent him into a downward spiral. He couldn’t go there again, and yet he felt Teresa’s pull. Sexy, insistent, inevitable. “Damien, I don’t know where to go. I don’t know how to hide in the human realm. I’ve never had to. Being in a bar again reminded me of... it seemed as good as anywhere else.” “Reminded you of what? Chicago?” Her eyes clouded over as her gaze flicked to a spot on the wall above his head. “It’s not important.” More secrets to do with why she was running, or something else? He patted the bed next to him. “Come over here and sit down, okay? Talk to me. Tell me what’s going on.” She stood her ground. “Not until you tell me how you know what I am.” Damien pushed away the table, his appetite gone. He ran his hands through his hair then over the stubble on his face, debating how much to tell her. “I used to be a Nephilim. When I was made human I retained certain abilities, including the ability to discern supernatural creatures.” “Why were you made human?” “It’s a long story.” “Please tell me.” “Not right now.” Not ever. He couldn’t handle telling anyone about Leta, especially another demon. “Then why should I tell you who’s after me and why?” “Because if you want to hide here I have to know what or who I’m up against.” “If you used to be a Nephilim you already know who you’re up against.” “You don’t seem very surprised that I used to be a fallen angel.”

A seductive smile spread across her face, her eyes lost their frightened look, and she walked toward him, lust rolling off her in waves. He held up a hand. “Not so fast, Teresa. We still have things to talk about.” “Talking is overrated.” She pushed him against the mattress and straddled him. Her scent filled his head, chasing away thoughts of Leta and Apollyon. There was only Teresa, and her cinnamon-colored eyes. Damien fought against her power, but he might as well have tried to climb a wall using only his bare hands. “At least tell me why you aren’t surprised, Teresa.” She chuckled. “Are you kidding me? No mere mortal makes love like you do. The second I got close enough to smell you last night I knew you had to be more than human.” In one quick move she pulled off her tank top, exposing the most perfect set of breasts he’d even seen. The memory of fondling them and sucking on her delicious nipples filled his head. “You don’t play fair.” His voice came out thick. “No shit.” She lowered her breasts until her nipples brushed against his lips. He tried to fight it but his cock was rock hard. When she purred deep in her throat the sound pushed him over the edge. His tongue flicked out, tasting, making his balls ache. “It was the sandalwood that gave you away,” she said. “Just took me a while to remember why it was significant.” “Huh?” He took one breast in each hand, kneading, loving their fullness and the way she squirmed at his touch. Her thighs squeezed his, and as she ground against his erection he realized she was naked under her skirt. Had she gone out in public like that? Then he remembered ripping off her thong last night. The thought of her strolling through Discount Mart without underwear made him want to fuck her on the floor, hard and fast. “The sandalwood smell. It clings to you. Fallen angels smell like sandalwood.” “Whatever.” He took one nipple in his mouth and sucked, lavishing attention on it until his cock was ready to explode. The soft moans escaping her throat only heightened the need for release. The pussy rubbing his shaft was soaking wet. Images of plunging inside it

filled his head. Just as he moved his mouth to the other nipple she pulled away, laughing. His first instinct was to push her off but he was still a little afraid of her. If she used all her demon strength against him she’d hurt him. “Teresa, what the hell do you want from me? Is this just a game with you or what? You already know you can seduce me.” He hadn’t intended his words to wound but knew from the way her eyes clouded over they had. “I don’t know what I want.” She climbed off and pulled her top on. “Are you done eating?” She began picking up the plates. He reached out and put a hand on her arm. “Stop that and talk to me, okay? No games, no seduction bullshit, just talk.” “What fun is that?” The smile was back. “Knock it off. I’m not kidding here. You want me to hide you, we play by my rules. I won’t let you use me like some fucking toy.” All the helplessness he’d felt with Leta rose up in his chest and spilled over. Damn sexy demons. They strutted around in this realm and played games like it meant nothing to them. Leta had meant more than just sex, but he’d be damned if he’d let another demon make an ass of him, especially this one. She came with a steep price tag. “Who’s after you, Teresa? Your king, Apollyon? Another demon? A bounty hunter? What did you do?” She resumed collecting the plates and silverware. “Let’s just say I broke the rules, okay?” “Your world has a lot of rules. Which ones did you break?” Teresa walked into the kitchen and he heard her slam the dishes in his sink hard enough to break one. He entered the kitchen in time to see her picking broken pieces out of the sink. She flinched when he put his hands on her shoulders. “I’ll get that later, okay?” When she turned around his anger subsided a bit. Her beautiful eyes were wet and there was no trace of the seductive demon in them. She looked lost and frightened. Whatever she’d done, it must have been major for her to run like this and be so fearful. He pulled her into his arms, drinking in her scent. “Tell you what,” he said softly, “let’s take a walk. I can show you the town. It’s not much, but since you like small towns you’ll get a kick out of it.” “I lied last night. I hate small towns. I’m a big city girl.”

Damien pulled away slightly so he could look into her eyes. “Yeah? Which big city is your favorite?” “Chicago.” “So you were telling the truth about your parents’ club?” She nodded. “I’ve never been to Chicago.” “It’s changed a lot since then.” “When did you live there?” “I was born in nineteen thirty six and left town when I turned sixteen.” Her voice was soft and flat, speaking the words by rote. “Why did you leave so young?” She sighed heavily and looked into his eyes. “You know what I did for Apollyon, right?” “Not really.” “I seduced men into signing away their souls.” He didn’t answer. Anything he said right now could set her off again and then he’d have to buy new dishes. “All I know how to do is have sex and serve drinks.” “Does your leaving Chicago at sixteen have something to do with knowing how to serve drinks or with seducing men?” “No seduction involved.” Her voice was tight and angry. “Sixteen was kind of young to serve drinks, even in the nineteenth century.” “Not when your family owned an exclusive nightclub that catered to wealthy clients.” “Want to tell me about it?” “No.” He pulled her into his arms and held her close, wanting to ask more questions, but also afraid of the answers. Obviously her human life hadn’t been idyllic, and he didn’t want to pry. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s take that walk.” “Don’t you have to open the bar? It’s already after noon.” “We don’t open until four, except on Sundays when I open at one so my customers can watch the games. I tried opening for lunch a while back but it wasn’t cost effective.” “How many people work for you?”

“Three. Will’s on vacation this week and Tom only works Friday and Saturday nights. I don’t know what I’d do without Maddie.” She narrowed her eyes. “She’s very pretty. Why aren’t you having sex with her?” Damien felt the blush creek up his neck. He laughed loudly, hoping it covered his reaction. He wasn’t about to tell Teresa how close he and Maddie had come one time. “We both have our secrets, Teresa.” Damien went into the bathroom to clean up. When he returned to put on fresh clothes Teresa had her bra on again. He eyed her profile, wishing they were back in bed. As she reached for a t-shirt adorned with butterflies, she looked up and caught him watching her. “You must trust Maddie a lot.” “She’s dependable and honest.” “Honest enough to tell everyone what I did last night with those men?” “She has no reason to rat you out, Teresa. Don’t give her one and you’ll be fine.” Teresa crossed the room until they were only inches apart. “Does this mean you’re letting me stay?” Her voice was low, smoky. It clouded his thoughts and made it hard to concentrate. He didn’t know what to do with her. The voice inside his head told him he’d be a damn fool to let her stick around. It would be like the mess with Leta all over again. He couldn't hide a demon from other demons. It would only be a matter of time before they found her, and this time he wouldn’t have the power of other fallen angels behind him. This time he’d be at the mercy of Apollyon. But those eyes, and that hair, and that scent… they drove him to distraction. The vulnerable side of her tugged at his heart, and his cock. If he sent her away she’d only find some other poor sap to latch onto. He pictured her body wrapped around another man and was shocked to find jealousy wash over him. “Damien?” It was unnerving to see the way she gauged his reaction, almost as if she could read this thoughts. “If I let you stay you come clean. No more games. I need to know what you did.”

She licked her lips and looked away for a brief second. When she turned her gaze toward him again, he saw resolve in her eyes that hadn’t been there before. “Okay. Agreed.”

Chapter Five Revelation Teresa took Damien’s arm as they strolled down Lake Ridge Road, but not because she was trying to be seductive. It unnerved her to be outdoors in the daylight with people around, and touching him helped steady her shaky limbs. The fear surprised her. This morning had been easier because she’d encountered so few people, but now she felt exposed and vulnerable. She tried to tell herself that if the demons chasing her knew where she was they’d simply come into Damien’s bar and take her, but it didn’t help. Every person they passed was suspect. Even the obvious fact Damien knew them all and waved or said a quick hello didn’t help calm her nerves. “This street and the ones on either side are commercial,” he explained. “We only have two main streets. In a moment you’ll see our illustrious town square.” She forced a smile as his dark eyes twinkled with amusement. It was sweet that he wanted to show her his town. No one had ever wanted to do that before. Kenton had never taken her on the MIT campus or offered to show her Cambridge. “Here we are.” He waved a hand toward the scene in front of them. It was easy to imagine the square as it must have been two centuries ago, horse-drawn carriages instead of cars, long skirts and top hats replacing shorts and flip-flops. The street lamps were reproductions of Victorian-era designs, and most of the buildings lining both streets were either original to the nineteenth century or had been rebuilt to look like they were. “When was the town settled?” “Eighteen sixteen, I think.” He grinned and her brand-new bikini panties grew moist. They should be back in his cozy room burning up the sheets, not gazing at the town square like a couple of tourists. “Have you always lived here? I mean, once you were made human.” Pain flitted over his face. “Sort of. I was given the bar to run by someone Maddie knew. It’s a long story.”

Teresa turned toward him to study his face. “We certainly do have secrets, don’t we?” “Yes, we do. And you promised to tell yours while we walked, remember?” “Can we sit someplace?” She craned her neck around his broad chest, spotting park benches off to one side. “That looks nice over there.” “Stalling?” “No. I just want to make sure we aren’t overheard.” He smiled. “Okay, I’ll give you that one, but only because it makes perfect sense.” Damien led her to the park benches and they sat under an oak tree. The June sunshine was warm on her face and a gentle breeze stirred the leaves. If she weren’t being chased by all the demons of Hell, sitting in this quant town square with a gorgeous man would be quite pleasant. “Okay,” he said, shifting his body so it faced her. “I’m listening.” Fear shot through her like tiny pinpricks, running along every nerve in her body. She’d never trusted a man this much. It would be easier to evaporate right now and find another place to hide. His hair stirred in the breeze and she reached up to run her fingers through it. It was so soft. Memories of their lovemaking filled her head, obliterating the urge to run. She didn’t want to find another place to hide. He was fun, and adorable, and he had no reason to turn her in to Apollyon. It surprised her to realize she felt safe with him. “Teresa, no seduction bullshit.” He said it quietly but the words still stung. “I wasn’t trying to seduce you. I just wanted to touch your hair.” His eyes softened and he put an arm around her shoulder. She drew strength from the warmth of his body. The bruise on his chin from where he’d been punched the night before was turning a nasty shade of purple. She reached up and ran a finger along it. “This looks painful.” The corners of his mouth turned up slightly. “It’ll heal. Now tell me how long you’ve been running.” “Three days.”

“Is there someone who’s worried about where you are? Someone who doesn’t know why you’ve just disappeared?” “Doubtful.” “Then I’m your best friend right now, so tell me what’s going on. You mentioned something about breaking rules.” Teresa took a deep breath. Fresh earth, roses, lavender and Damien’s clean scent. She could do this. It was simple. Just open your mouth and speak. “Apollyon is chasing me. Well, not him exactly. Cresil, his second in command, has sent three pairs of demons to find me. I’d just given one pair the slip when I landed in your bathroom yesterday.” Damien whistled. “It takes six demons to find you?” “Standard practice for something of this magnitude. When they find me they’ll destroy me.” Damien was silent for a few seconds. When he spoke again, his voice had lost all traces of humor. “How can they destroy a being who’s already immortal?” “You should read old vampire legends. It can be done, Damien. You find the being where they hide during sunlight hours and put a stake through their heart. In my case, since demons don’t have to avoid the sun, they’ll simply burn me.” “That’s not standard practice though, is it?” She shook her head. A wind noise had taken up residence in her ears. Damien hadn’t been kidding about being her best friend right now. She literally had no one else to talk to. “What did you do, Teresa?” His voice was so soft and gentle she had to blink back tears. “For starters, I kept seeing the last man I seduced into signing away his soul, after he signed the contract.” “Why?” She shrugged. “I don’t know. He was…fun. And kind of cute in a nerdy professor way. Even after he found out what I’d done to ruin him he didn’t care.” “Were you in love with him?” Teresa laughed. “Love? That’s a bullshit word, Damien. There is no such thing.” “Whoa, calm down. Sorry I asked.”

His dark eyes flashed with a cross between anger and pain. What was he not telling her? There were a few deep secrets in his past as well. “I wasn’t in love with Kenton. I enjoyed his fucking and I liked the sound of his voice. Okay?” He took his arm from around her and leaned forward, his chin in his hands. “Got it, Teresa. No love, just sex. So what else did you do? Surely they wouldn’t destroy you over that, would they?” “No.” “So what did you do?” His voice had taken on a cold flat tone, and his body language screamed distance. “I liked your arm around me.” She stroked his upper arm, enjoying the rippling muscles underneath his shirt. “I told you to knock off that seduction bullshit, Teresa.” Dark eyes snapped at her. “Then stop sending me mixed messages, Damien.” “What the hell does that mean?” “Are you kidding me? One second you’re all sweet and telling me that you’re my only friend, but when I touch you it’s all ‘don’t try to seduce me’ Teresa as if…” “As if what?” “As if that’s the only reason I’d touch a man.” Shit. She didn’t like the thoughts running through her head right now. Didn’t like them one little bit. Just being outdoors with Damien was a risk. Getting too close to him would be a disaster. There were too many secrets in his past and she was on the run from her own kind. It was fine to enjoy him for a while, but she couldn’t let it go beyond that. The way he studied her face made her want to jump off the bench and flee. He’d done the same thing last night while they made love. No man’s gaze had ever penetrated so deeply and it made her uncomfortable. She was the one who analyzed them and figured out what made them tick, not the other way around. **** Damien wasn’t sure what to believe as he watched the pain in Teresa’s eyes. Was this just another one of her demon tricks, or had he really hurt her feelings when he’d taken his arm from around her? Mixed messages? Yeah, he was sending them all right. He was so damn confused he didn’t know what to feel.

He hated the jealousy that had swept through him when she talked about continuing to fuck Kenton. Her dismissal of the idea of love had seemed callous at first, but there was vulnerability in her tone that suggested deep pain. Left over from her human life, or had someone broken her heart more recently? She said she hadn’t been in love with Kenton. Someone else then, perhaps? What did it matter? Six demons were after her. If he had any brains at all he’d send her packing. Who knew what risks they’d take exposing their realm if it meant capturing her? And he’d be right in the crossfire. But then, he’d been there once before and survived. Could he do so again as a human, or would his fate end up the same as hers? An image of tricking Apollyon by hiding Teresa and getting away with it rose in his mind and he smiled. It would be the ultimate revenge on the king of demons for the part he’d played in Damien’s fate. Even the knowledge it was unlikely he’d get away with it couldn’t dampen the truth. He would love to pull the wool over Apollyon’s eyes. “Sorry. I guess I’m still tired. Unlike you, I actually need to sleep.” He put his arm around her shoulder again, drawing her close. She smelled fresh, as if she’d been walking in the rain. It almost seemed normal, sitting on a park bench with a beautiful woman, enjoying the early afternoon sunshine. “I betrayed one of my own.” Damien shivered. “Excuse me?” “I betrayed another demon.” He resisted the urge to remove his arm again. Leta had once told him betrayal of another demon was the worst thing any of them could do. At best, it earned you an eternity of extracting sulfur from salt domes with your bare hands, a pointless task since Apollyon hadn’t been able to sell the mineral to humans for centuries. It was horrible, painful work that was used as punishment, and to keep certain demons isolated from the rest of the community. “Why did you do it?” She sighed and squirmed on the bench. “If I told you I had no choice would you believe me?” “That depends on the circumstances leading to it.” Her eyes flashed and her skin flushed. “Who are you, my judge and jury?”

“You asked. That’s my answer.” She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. He shifted so he could watch her face. “Kenton dabbled in spirit boards, among other things. He tried to summon a demon after he signed the contract with Cresil for his soul. I didn’t know about it at first.” “Didn’t he know what you were?” “Yes, and I told him the contract was unbreakable. Apparently he didn’t believe me.” “Who did he summon?” “Not a demon, but he didn’t know that. He summoned a fallen angel named Vassago, posing as a demon.” She cut her eyes to his. “Do you know him?” Damien shook his head. “Never heard of him. Who is he?” “He used to be a guardian angel but was demoted to guarding souls in Purgatory after his charge was hung as a witch in the seventeenth century.” Teresa shrugged. “I don’t have the full story. Something about her making the wrong choice and it was Vassago’s fault for not protecting her better. When Vassago escaped from Purgatory, a fallen angel named Tyre hired a Nephilim bounty hunter to find him.” “What happened when Vassago appeared to Kenton?” “Kenton thought he was a demon and Vassago promised he’d get him out of the contract.” “Why would he do that? Was he just playing with Kenton?” “Kenton is a history professor at MIT. His specialty is the Salem Witch Trials. I happened to mention to him one day I knew a demon who’d been hung back then. Her name is Jahi Wickes and she works for Apollyon making fake credit cards and forged documents for those of us who… for the demons who seduce men into signing away their souls.” “I take it there’s a connection between Vassago and Jahi?” Teresa sighed. “Vassago was Jahi’s guardian angel when she was alive. She’s the one he screwed up with, and that’s why he was sent to guard souls in Purgatory. He escaped a few years ago and took some souls with him.” Damien nodded. Talk about an unfortunate coincidence for Teresa. “Did you tell Kenton about Jahi before or after he summoned Vassago by mistake?”

“Before, but I didn’t know he’d summoned Vassago and thought he could get out of the contract until last week.” “But you did tell him about her.” “Only when I found her name in his research, and all I told him was that I worked with her.” “Teresa, you’re a demon. You can read humans quite well. Didn’t you suspect anything weird was going on with this man?” “Do you mean did I suspect he’d be stupid enough to try to get out of the contract, or that he was more interested in Jahi than he should be?” She blew the bangs out of her eyes, making her look more like a frustrated teen than a demon telling a chilling tale of deceit and treachery. “Was that the extent of your betrayal? Telling Kenton you worked with Jahi?” “No. It gets much worse than that.” Her voice was small, tight, and laced with fear. Damien looked up as a battered Chevy cruised past, hip-hop music blaring from the speakers. One of the college brats who’d been in the bar last night leaned out the window. “Hey, it’s that crazy chick from last night. Gonna bust some more heads later?” Teresa swore under her breath. “Don’t say or do anything,” said Damien. “We’re in the middle of the town square.” Damien watched the car circle around. When they approached the spot again where he and Teresa sat they slowed to a crawl, until the car behind them laid on the horn. The driver let out a string of swear words and sped off down Lake Ridge Road. They weren’t going to let this go. It was time to refuse them service before something else happened or Teresa lost control again. He took Teresa’s arm. “Let’s walk somewhere else. It’s getting too crowded here.” They hadn’t yet reached the edge of the square when Teresa stiffened. Damien looked around, expecting to see the college kids again, but they weren’t there. “What’s the matter?” he asked. Her eyes were wide and a fine sheen of sweat covered her face. He followed her gaze, scanning the buildings that lined the

street. Just as he was about to ask her again what was wrong, a dark shape disappeared behind the bank. It could have been a man, but then again it could have been a trick of the light. It was too quick and vague to tell for certain. “I don’t see anything, Teresa.” “Are you sure?” She studied him with so much intensity he knew she’d noticed his reaction. “Okay, I saw something, but I don’t know what it was. Could have been a figure but it’s not there now. What did you see?” “They dress like that.” Her voice was flat and cold, just as it had been earlier when she talked about her human life. “All black with those mirrored sunglasses the state troopers wear.” “You got all that in one glance?” She gave him a helpless, lost look and her arm against his suddenly felt cool. “Take me back to the bar, Damien. I’ll feel safer inside.” “Teresa, if they knew where you were they’d simply take you, wouldn't they?” She nodded. “I think so, but can we please go back anyway?” Damien scanned the buildings across the street, blinking several times to keep his vision clear. When he saw a shadowy figure peek out from behind the Discount Mart, he turned to walk toward the bar.

Chapter Six Restive Damien had more questions for Teresa but his food vendor was there when they returned to the bar. Teresa signed for the delivery, ignoring the man’s questions and obvious attempt to get her phone number. She put away the food without being told where it went, and he busied himself with cleaning up from last night. Normally he didn’t go to bed until he’d set up the bar for opening the next day, but he also wasn’t in the habit of having sex as soon as the customers and employees were out the door. In fact, he was afraid to admit, even to himself, how long it had been since he’d had a woman in his bed before last night. “The food’s all put away. Can I help with something else?” How she managed to look sexy in that ridiculous butterfly shirt was beyond his comprehension. She’d tied her hair back in a ponytail, and all he could think about was pulling it loose and running his fingers through it. Instead of the sweat pants she’d donned before their walk, now she wore a pair of jeans that hugged her curvy hips and made his cock stiffen. He shook his head, more to clear his thoughts than to answer her question. “Maddie should be here soon.” She glanced around. “What about the deposit from last night? Don’t you take it to the bank every morning?” “Normally, but one day won’t matter.” “I could do it for you.” He eyed her. “Are you all right with going back outside by yourself?” Damien saw her swallow from across the room. “Not really.” “I’ll go to the bank. It’s just down the street. You can finish straightening the chairs. Maddie has a key so I don’t have to leave the door unlocked.” “Damien, thank you for letting me stay.” He wanted to tell her not to thank him yet. Not until he figured out a way to keep his hands, and his cock, off her. And not until he had more insight into why she was hiding from Cresil.

By the time he returned, Maddie was setting up bottles and glasses, and Teresa was still straightening out chairs, although from the lackadaisical way she moved, he guessed she could have had the job done within minutes and was merely avoiding having to speak to Maddie. Maddie glared at him as he unlocked the door and flipped on the outside sign. He hated that she’d probably guessed by now Teresa had spent the night, but there was nothing he could do about it. He could barely explain his actions to himself let alone to Maddie. And now that she was here, he wouldn’t be able to speak to either woman alone without making it look obvious. He’d have to bide his time with both of them. Damien watched Teresa closely all afternoon. She walked through the motions of mixing drinks and cleaning up, her bright smile and flirty ways replaced by skittishness and furtive glances toward anyone who walked in the door. He missed her over-the-top personality, and by late evening found himself watching his patrons carefully, as if one of them could be a demon hunter in disguise. Shit. He’d let Teresa so far under his skin in the space of twenty-four hours it was ridiculous. Apollyon would play for keeps this time. He had to be careful. “Glad the college kids decided to skip tonight,” said Maddie, gathering up the empty beer bottles after closing. “Me too. Why don’t you go on home and get some rest. Teresa and I will finish cleaning up.” Maddie dropped the bottle in the trash bag she was holding, narrowed her eyes, and looked over his shoulder to where Teresa stood at the sink, washing glasses. “Sure, Damien. Whatever makes you happy.” Damien couldn’t see the point in responding. He knew Maddie only had his best interests at heart, but he was already confused enough about his attraction to Teresa. He didn’t need to hash it out with his best employee. After Maddie left, he helped Teresa finish cleaning up. She’d worked hard tonight and that surprised him. Was she trying to keep her mind off the demons hunting her, or was she doing this so he’d let her stay? “Feel like talking some more when we’re done? I still have questions.”

She looked up, her gaze serious. No seduction games tonight. She was all business and fear. He should have been happy about that but instead a brief flash of disappointment shot through him. “I’d like that, Damien. I want to tell you the rest of the story.” *** Teresa couldn’t remember being this afraid. Not since the night she accidentally killed Clayton, at least. It was one thing to evaporate from place to place whenever she spotted the demons chasing her, but seeing those shadows dressed in black flit in between the buildings in the town square had unnerved her. Were they playing a game with her? Was Damien in danger as well because he’d allowed her to stay with him? She’d never worried what her actions did to anyone else. The consequences of telling Vassago where Jahi was never crossed her mind. She hadn’t thought of it as betrayal at the time. It was selfpreservation. When Vassago threatened her she’d only been concerned with saving her own skin. She’d done the same thing after bashing Clayton on the head with the fireplace shovel. She’d run and never looked back. It was survival, nothing more. “Ready to talk?” Damien’s question jolted her back to the present. She should tell him about that night. It would help him understand. “Are you hungry?” she asked. “I could make you something.” He smiled, and she almost changed her mind about telling him the rest of the story. Her entire body had been craving his touch since this morning. But she had to be strong. She’d agreed that if he was going to hide her, he needed to know everything. “Thanks, but you’ve done enough work tonight.” “It keeps my mind off things.” Damien’s gaze turned thoughtful. “I’ll order take-out Chinese. No one else is open this late.” “I could go and pick it up for you.” He shook his head. “No, I don’t want you flitting through town in ghost form again.” Teresa laughed. It felt good to find something funny again. “Shadow form, silly. I’m not a ghost.” “Oh okay, shadow form. That makes much more sense.” He grinned and Teresa had to blink back tears. She drew strength from his warm smile.

“I’ll make the call and meet you back here.” “Are we going to eat upstairs?” The grin disappeared. “I think it’s best we eat down here, in the bar.” She opened her mouth, ready to turn her charm on him, but the hard look in his eyes stopped her. He was serious. Or at least he thought he was. She’d deal with his resolve later. “All right then. Go and get your food.” They feasted on General Tso’s Chicken and Pork Egg Foo Young while light spilled in from the street lamp outside, casting a soft glow across the bar. Teresa would have preferred candlelight, but she hadn’t been able to find any while Damien was gone, so she settled for turning off most of the lights instead. “Okay, Teresa, I’m listening. Tell me about the extent of your betrayal. You said it was worse than telling Kenton you worked with Jahi.” “Before I tell you that I’d like to tell you about my human life.” He shifted to face her. “Are you sure?” Her palms grew moist. “You need to hear this. It will help you understand.” It was ridiculous how much this memory still affected her. She had the strength of fifty men, could seduce anyone with a single look, and was able to transport herself anywhere on the planet with no more than a moment’s thought, and yet something she’d done at sixteen years old still filled her with fear. Teresa looked into Damien’s dark eyes, wondering if he’d still let her stay once he knew the entire truth. “I worked for my parents in their club, serving drinks. Chicago was rough back then and ours wasn’t the only club, but a large group of citizens objected to them. They wanted to shut them down. We stayed out of the line of fire because once a week the City Marshall would stop by for his cut. That kept everyone off our backs.” “Sounds like a terrible environment for a teen.” Teresa snorted. “By today’s standards, sure, but it was all I knew. I had a home, I learned a skill, and we lived well compared to others. The club took in a lot of money. It was unconventional to allow a girl my age to serve drinks, but my father had always let me have my own way.”

“So what happened?” She took a deep breath, taking comfort in the scent of sandalwood that clung to Damien’s skin. “The mayor’s nephew came home after getting kicked out of Harvard and cast his eye on me. My parents forced me to marry him. I was only sixteen, but it wasn’t unusual back then for girls that age to marry. Everyone in town thought it was a smart match.” Damien put his hand over hers, almost as if he knew what was coming. Teresa was so touched by the gesture she had to take several more deep breaths before she could continue. “Why didn’t you want to marry him if he was such a smart match?” “He wasn’t a smart match. He was an asshole. My dowry was huge and his family was in financial trouble. I think the mayor was muscling my father.” “And in those days it wasn’t as if you had a choice.” “None, but that’s not the worst part, Damien. Clayton was fucking my best friend, Felicity. Nice name, no? Didn’t quite suit her. When Clayton said he had no problem with me continuing to work in the club a few nights a week that should have been my first clue things weren’t right. We had only been married a couple of months and I didn’t feel well one night so I came home early. I walked in on him and Felicity. She was giving him head, on the floor of our parlor.” “I’m so sorry, Teresa.” “Oh, it gets worse. I freaked, grabbing the first thing I saw, which happened to be the small iron shovel we used to sweep ashes out of the fireplace. I started swinging. Felicity screamed and backed into a corner. Clayton didn’t have enough blood in his brain or he’d have been able to duck out of the way in time. The shovel connected with his head and he dropped to the floor.” “Was he dead?” “Oh I’m sure he was, but I didn’t stick around to find out. I’d just murdered my husband, who also happened to be the mayor’s nephew.” “You didn’t mean to kill him.” “No, but do you honestly think a jury in 1852 would have acquitted me?” He exhaled loudly and stroked the back of her hand.

“I didn’t stop running until I got to New York because it was the closest big city back then. Big enough to get lost in.” The tears spilled over and Teresa wiped at them, frustrated that the memory could still produce such a reaction. “I wandered the streets of New York for two weeks, eating food I begged for from various restaurants. I slept on a park bench, wrapped up in a tattered topcoat I found in an alley. One evening I overheard a couple of men talking about someone in Manhattan named Madame Lily who took in homeless girls.” “But you weren't really homeless, Teresa.” She looked into his handsome face. “Damien, I couldn't go back to Chicago. They would have hung me for murder.” “I know. I’m sorry. Please tell me the rest of the story.” “Lily ran a brothel on the Upper East Side. She told me I was too young to work for her, but once I showed her how well I could mix drinks, she told me to lie about my age if anyone asked, and put me to work behind the bar. Her place was posh, filled with expensive furniture and artwork, and I soon learned it was also very discreet.” “Did she ask why you were on your own at sixteen?” “She insisted I tell her. Afterwards, she wrote to people she knew in Chicago and found out the mayor had resigned and left town after Felicity told the City Marshall about her and Clayton’s affair. Felicity also lied and told everyone I hit Clayton with the shovel in self-defense. My parents didn’t lose their club.” “What happened to Felicity?” “Her family sent her away.” “You must have felt very safe with Lily.” Teresa nodded. “I did. When I turned eighteen she told me it was time to earn some real money, and let me take a room upstairs. I enjoyed the sex, Damien. I won’t lie to you about that. It was fun learning new tricks and ways to please the men. She had a lot of regular customers and many of them asked for me.” Damien pulled his hand away and rose, gathering up the remnants of their take-out meal. “So the job Apollyon gave you as a demon wasn’t that much of a stretch then.” Teresa closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. When she opened them, Damien leaned against the wall, his arms crossed. “No, not really.”

“What set you off last night? Why did you throw those men across the room?” “When the college kid asked the tall man if his sister missed his cock in her mouth…” Damien nodded. “Bad memories.” “Exactly.” “Were you still working for Lily when you died?” “Yes. Someone set fire to the house and it burned so quickly no one had time to get out.” “Oh Teresa…” “I was one of the lucky ones who didn’t burn to death. The fire was set in the kitchen and I was upstairs in the front of the house at the time. When I heard the screaming and smelled smoke I almost climbed out the window, but something stopped me.” Damien crossed the room and turned a chair around, straddling it. As he took a seat his eyes filled with curiosity. “What stopped you?” “A girl named Faina had come to the house about a year earlier. I was jealous of her blonde hair and blue eyes. She looked barely legal so of course the men loved her. She was in a room down the hall and I heard her calling for help. There was something so… desperate in her voice. I dropped to the ground and crawled toward her voice, but my valiant efforts were useless. She was already engulfed in flames. When I tried to stand I passed out from the heat and smoke. Teresa ran a hand over her face, wiping away the beads of sweat that had collected along her hairline. “That’s the last thing I remember, Damien. When I woke up I was in Hell.” “That was a very noble thing you did, Teresa.” “Yeah, well I haven’t done anything noble since then.” Damien’s gaze was intent. “Tell me more about the betrayal.” She nodded. “I liked to hang out in this bar called The Devil’s Playground. Demons and fallen angels go there. Do you know it?” Damien nodded. “I was in there a time or two, long ago.” “One night this fallen angel named Wes that I always flirted with was talking to someone I’d never seen before. I sat with them, and this stranger started asking about Jahi. I mentioned that I knew her, and that she was going to Mardi Gras. She went every year.” “Was this after you told Kenton you knew her?”

“Yes, but honestly, I’d forgotten all about telling Kenton I knew her by then.” “Was the stranger Vassago?” Teresa nodded. “What happened next?” Teresa shifted her weight on the chair. Suddenly she didn’t want to tell Damien what she’d done. What if he tried to send her away again? “When I came in about a week later, Vassago was there again. He backed me into a corner and told me he’d go straight to Apollyon and tell him about me and Kenton if I didn’t do what he wanted.” “How did he find out you were still seeing Kenton?” Teresa shrugged. “I have no idea.” “Why didn’t you ask Kenton about it?” “Vassago told me he’d kill him if I said anything.” “What did Vassago want you to do?” “Bring Jahi to the club.” “Tell me you didn’t.” Damien’s voice was so soft Teresa barely heard him. “If I told you that it’d be a lie.” He gazed out the window for long moments. The air in the room grew cold and thick with disappointment. It was worse than standing in front of Cresil, listening to him tell her he’d given her up to Apollyon. Teresa watched Damien’s profile, willing him to understand, to forgive her. “What happened next, Teresa?” His voice was small and distant. Teresa wanted to cross the room and touch him but knew it would be the wrong thing to do. She couldn’t handle him accusing her of trying to seduce him right now. “I asked Jahi to go out with me and took her to The Devil’s Playground. Vassago showed up but so did the bounty hunter tracking him. Dagon got Jahi out of there before Vassago spotted her.” Damien’s eyes grew wide. “What? What did you call the bounty hunter?” “Dagon. Why, do you know him?”

Chapter Seven Reservations Damien turned to face the window. How could he judge what Teresa had done in the face of his past with Dagon? Of all the fucking bounty hunters Tyre employed how was it possible he and Teresa had run across the same one? Every memory of Leta rose to the surface. Damien fought to control his breathing as his heart raced. He had to stay calm so Teresa wouldn’t ask. He couldn’t tell her about Leta. It would be too much to deal with in one night. The story of Teresa’s upbringing and death had surprised him. Leta’s story of betrayal and deceit during her human life was similar, but unlike Leta Teresa hid her pain behind a mask of seduction and flirtation. He realized now it was nothing more than a defense mechanism. He leaned against the wall and studied her face. It was easy to imagine her as the daughter of a wealthy man, serving drinks in her father’s club, trusting the adults in her life to keep her safe. Had her parents known Clayton was cheating on her? Running away had been the wrong thing to do, but she hadn’t been raised to face the consequences of her own actions. This was probably the first time in her human or demon life she’d been forced to do so. “Damien, do you know Dagon?” “Yes, I know him.” Teresa rose and moved next to him, her beautiful face filled with curiosity. “Is he part of your mysterious past?” Damien forced the emotion from his face. “My past isn’t all that mysterious. Tell me the rest of your story.” “First I have to back up a bit. Faina fell in love with a man named Jace Blackmon about three years ago. He was one of those she was supposed to seduce into signing away his soul. Turns out Mastema, my former boss, tricked her into it. He forged Apollyon and Cresil’s signatures on a document. Jahi went to Apollyon when she found out about the forgery, and Mastema knows this.” “Is Mastema somehow connected to Vassago going after Jahi?” “I’m not entirely sure. Mastema was sent to the sulfur pits after Apollyon found out about the forgery, because apparently he’d

tricked other demons as well. There are rumors he still has followers out there, planning a revolt.” Damien snorted. “Seriously?” “Yeah, well Mastema was always too full of himself for his own good. He never bothered me because I wasn’t afraid of him, but he took perverse delight in lording his power over most of the other demons who worked for him, especially Faina.” “So you think Mastema or his followers were calling the shots with Vassago?” “That’s one possibility. After Mastema was sent to the sulfur pits, Faina was made human so she could be with Jace. Apollyon allowed Jahi to stay in touch with them as long as she was careful. Somehow Vassago knew that if Faina were threatened, Jahi would come, which means someone told him the whole story, and it wasn’t me.” Damien fought the sick wave of jealousy that swept through him. Apollyon had offered to make Leta human but she refused. She’d chosen to be destroyed rather than face a mortal existence. Teresa reached up and wiped the sweat off his brow. “You don’t look very well. I hope the food didn’t make you ill.” “That must be it. I really should stop eating Egg Foo Young. It never sits well.” He wanted to move her hand away but her touch was soothing right now. “Can I do anything to help?” He looked into her beautiful eyes. “Yes. You can finish telling me the story.” “This is only what Cresil told me so I don’t know if it’s true. Vassago tricked Jahi into thinking he had Faina and her daughter at a cemetery in Los Angeles. Jahi went to rescue them but of course Vassago didn’t have them. Dagon caught up with Jahi and finally trapped Vassago.” “What happened next?” “All I know for sure is that Jahi told Apollyon what I’d done, and Cresil gave me up to save his own skin.” “You were involved with Cresil?” Teresa glanced at the floor. “That’s why I wasn’t afraid of Mastema.” “Self-preservation, Teresa?”

“Exactly.” She looked into his eyes with a clarity that unnerved him. “Tell me you wouldn’t have done the same thing if you’d been in my situation, and then you can judge me.” Damien swallowed. It was difficult to hold her gaze. She’d nailed him with one sentence. He couldn’t sit in judgment of her after what he’d done with Leta. Had Teresa known her? It was possible she already knew the story but hadn’t yet connected the dots. “You’re right. I probably would have.” Teresa stared into his face for long moments. When she finally spoke again, the pain in her voice tugged at Damien’s heart. “I wish I had the nerve to summon Jahi. I want to try to explain to her why I did what I did.” “Do you really think it would help?” Teresa shrugged. “I don’t know, but I still wish she knew my side.” “Were you friends with her?” “No. She did work for me, that’s all.” “Didn’t you say she was friends with Faina, and that Faina is human now? Do you think Faina would help you find Jahi?” “I doubt it. And it’s too risky to involve her.” “If you summoned Jahi you’d put yourself at great risk.” Teresa fixed him with a painful stare. “Damien, I couldn’t be at greater risk right now.” “So, do it then.” She shook her head and blew the bangs out of her eyes. “No. I should, but I can’t. I’m afraid, Damien. And I don’t like not knowing what to do.” He pulled her into his arms and drank in her scent. The toxic wave of jealousy that started when she told him Faina was made human surged anew when she mentioned being involved with Cresil, until he realized that was what she did in order to survive. Teresa had done the same thing in her demon life as she had in her human life after she accidentally killed her husband. She’d found someone to protect her and keep her from further harm. But now she was adrift, without anyone to clean up her messes, and she didn’t know how to deal with it. He certainly couldn’t protect her, and the fact she knew that and was still here sent a rush of fear through him. He couldn’t shake the image of that

shadow ducking behind the bank. Were they watching the bar, waiting for her to make a mistake and show herself, alone? He released her, not wanting to confuse her again with mixed messages. How was he going to keep his hands off her if she stayed here? He had a spare bedroom upstairs, not that she needed to sleep or would mind the boxes of junk piled up in it, but there was nothing to stop her from crawling into his bed while he slept. As if reading his mind, she glanced around the bar. “It’s late. I guess you need to get some sleep.” “Teresa, if you’re going to stay here we need some ground rules.” She let out a long exhale. “I know. And I’ll bet I can guess what rule number one is. No seduction bullshit, right?” “It has to be that way.” “At least tell me why. Does it have something to do with the mysterious past you won’t tell me about?” “It’s late. Not tonight, okay?” “We had a lot of fun last night, Damien. We could have that every night if we wanted. No strings attached.” “You’re doing it again.” “As if I can help it.” “Teresa, please. I need time to digest everything you’ve just told me, okay? I’ll let you stay, but as my employee. Nothing more. Agreed?” He watched the emotions cross her face and wondered how he’d stick to his word if she tried to seduce him anyway. Even with the traces left behind from his Nephilim status he was no match for her. Last night had proven that. The image of her kneeling in front of him in the very spot she now stood, taking his cock into her fabulous mouth, filled his head and he bit back a groan. He was so fucked. **** Teresa could tell Damien’s will power was hanging on by a thread, just as it had been last night, but telling him so much about her past had taken its toll. She felt drained and weak, something she wasn’t used to. There was no way she’d admit this, but while he’d been out getting the food, ten minutes at most, all she could think about was when he’d return. She was afraid to be alone for the first time in either her human or demon life, and that unnerved her. Unless

she played by his rules, he wouldn’t let her stay, and she had no place else to go. “Okay, Damien, I agree. I’m here strictly as your employee.” He narrowed his eyes and watched her for a moment, seemed satisfied finally when she didn’t advance toward him, then led her upstairs. Reaching in to turn on an overhead light in a small room next to his, he illuminated what was clearly a bedroom, but used as a junk room. “Sorry about this. I don't have a lot of storage space downstairs so this became the place to put everything.” He began taking boxes off the bed and stacking them up in the only empty corner. Teresa helped him until the only thing on the bed was a dusty comforter. Damien pulled it off to reveal clean linens that smelled fresh. “Maddie’s brother used to live up here and this is the room Maddie would use when she’d crash here once in a while.” “I didn’t realize Maddie had a brother. Where is he now?” A quick flash of pain tore across his handsome features, and it was all she could do not to touch him or take him into her arms. A light sheen of sweat broke out along his hairline, even though the air conditioning was on and it was no hotter upstairs than it had been in the bar. “He’s not here anymore.” He ran a hand over the stubble on his face. “Do you need anything? A toothbrush or shampoo? I have extra things around somewhere…” “I’ll find them, don’t worry. Are you all right?” “Your clothes. The ones you bought this morning. They’re still in my room. I’ll go get them.” He practically ran from the room. When he returned with her clothes, he placed them on the bed and turned to face her, his features as calm and composed as they’d been before the mention of Maddie’s brother. “Will you be all right in here?” Teresa wanted to ask questions but he looked so tired. They would wait. She didn’t want to do anything to make him change his mind about letting her stay. “I’m fine. Go get some sleep.” They faced each other, gazes locked, and for a brief second Teresa thought Damien was going to change his mind about no

physical contact between them, so intense was his gaze, but then he blinked and the moment was gone. “Good night, Teresa.” “Sleep well, Damien.” Teresa opened the window and pulled a chair over to sit in front of it, drinking in the night breeze and the sound of crickets. She watched the blinking lights on a cell tower in the distance, over the tops of trees along Lake Ridge Road, and wondered what had happened to Maddie’s brother and whether Damien and Maddie had ever been involved. A sudden gust of wind shook the shutters, reminding Teresa of the sound horses’ hooves made on cobblestone. A sound she hadn’t heard since childhood. The air smelled like rain, and she recalled the times she’d sit in her room in front of an open window, just like now, and wait for it to rain. She loved the scent of the earth as the first drops hit it, warm and rich like dark loam. Childhood had been full of fond memories like that, and Teresa couldn’t remember a day she didn’t feel safe and protected. Until her marriage, that was. Clayton hadn’t mistreated her, but he’d been indifferent. Even at sixteen she’d understood the marriage was one of convenience for his family, nothing more. He enjoyed her in bed, but he didn’t love her. They barely spoke to each other. She hugged her elbows as the wind kicked up. The breeze was cool now, and lightning flashed in the distance. Scanning the buildings along Lake Ridge, she noticed lights in the upstairs windows of a few businesses. Most of the town was probably asleep by now. Nighttime had always been lonely for Teresa, even when she’d been on assignment. Humans needed sleep, and the men she seduced into ruin were no exception. She’d use the time to surf the Internet, looking for secrets in their past, but she wasn’t in the mood to go online right now and it was unlikely she’d find the clues to Damien’s past on a website. For the first time in decades she had no idea what to do with her time. Thunder rumbled in the distance, followed by lightning, closer this time. The breeze blew scents of fresh earth, rain and flowers across her face. She closed her eyes and tried to remember more childhood memories. They would help right now. She had to hang onto images that made her feel safe and happy.

When the rain began to fall, she opened her eyes and watched the advancing storm. The thunder was closer and lightning illuminated the buildings along Lake Ridge Road, giving them a brilliant eerie glow. Just as the rain became too heavy for her to leave the window open any longer, another flash outlined something directly across the street, between a bar called Joe’s Place and a florist’s shop. Teresa moved away from the window, even though there were no lights on inside the room and she knew it was unlikely she could be seen. The wind was blowing the rain into the room and she’d have to close the window soon, but she waited for one more flash, just to be certain. Her limbs tingled as the lightning illuminated the figure of a man standing between the buildings. A man dressed in black and wearing sunglasses, standing undaunted in the pouring rain. Teresa slammed the window closed and backed into the room, trying to control her thoughts. They knew where she was. The rain drumming on the roof sounded like hoof beats, and she pictured a team of horses driven by Cresil himself advancing down Lake Ridge Road to take her back to Hell. “Just breathe,” she whispered. More thunder, followed by close lightning, and still Teresa backed up until her legs touched the mattress. She sat down and listened to the howling wind, wondering if she shouldn’t just go outside and turn herself in. Would Cresil hurt Damien? She didn’t want that. He had nothing to do with this. She could plead ignorance on his behalf — tell Cresil Damien didn’t know what she was. But he used to a Nephilim. A bounty hunter, in fact. Would Cresil know that? Had she placed Damien in as much danger as she now was? She had to check on him. They could be inside by now. It’s not like they needed a key. Teresa listened at his closed door but couldn’t hear anything over the sound of the rain on the roof. She knocked lightly, and when she received no response opened the door slowly. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness she saw Damien curled up on his side, his body rising and falling slowly as he breathed. He was sound asleep, and there were no other demons in his room. Letting out the breath she’d been holding, she closed his door and crept downstairs. The chairs had been turned legs up on the tables

for the night, and every flash of lightning made them look like fingers pointing toward the rooms upstairs, giving away her position. Teresa sniffed the air but couldn’t detect any traces of sulfur. She was alone. The relief that flooded through her was marred by the confusion as to who or what was standing across the street watching the bar. She stood rooted to one spot, wanting to cross to the windows and see if the man was still there, but she couldn’t. It wasn’t like her to be so afraid and she hated it. As the thunder and lightning moved off to the east and the rain let up, she ascended the stairs and went into the spare bedroom. Curling into a fetal position on the bed, she closed her eyes and tried once again to fill her mind with traces of childhood.

Chapter Eight Rarity

Damien woke up and for a moment thought Teresa was in the room with him. The scent of freesias mixed with sulfur was strong. He rolled over and blinked, but she wasn’t there. The smell of coffee wafted past his nose and he climbed out of bed. When he didn’t find her upstairs he followed the smell of coffee down to the bar. Teresa hummed softly as she stacked glasses and bottles behind the bar. The chairs had been taken down and he swore he smelled furniture polish. As he scanned the tables their tops did appear to have more shine than usual. She must have taken a shower recently because her hair was wet, and as she moved it left traces of moisture on the back of her lime green tank top. Had she bought that at Discount Mart? The jeans she wore weren’t the baggy ones she’d had on last night. These hugged her hips and ended in a pair of short boots that made her legs look a mile long. His cock jumped to attention. He poured himself a cup of coffee and she whirled around, a bright smile on her face. “Well hi there. I thought you were going to sleep all day.” “What time is it?” He squinted toward the tiny clock behind the bar. “Almost eleven.” “Shit. I never sleep that late. Must have been the rain.” He took a sip of coffee. She certainly knew how to make it as strong enough. “Did you clean down here? The place smells different.” She nodded. “Yep. I thought it could use some sprucing up. I went out and did some clothes shopping too. Are you proud of me? No funny stuff this time. Walked over to the mall in broad daylight.” He almost dropped the cup. “The mall? It’s at least five miles away. You walked to it?” She laughed, and the sound trickled over him like warm water, caressing his skin. His cock strained against the front of his jeans. This would never work. He couldn’t even carry on a conversation without wanting to fuck her silly.

“Well I didn’t fly, silly. Walking is nothing to me. I can cover long distances in very little time.” “Um, not to point out the obvious, but wouldn’t that look weird to anyone who watched you do it?” She smiled. “Got that part covered. I didn’t walk on sidewalks or in the street. I stuck to backyards and the woods.” “I see.” The image of her flying through the back yards along Market Street made him grin. “How did it make you feel being outside again?” “Much better this morning.” A quick flash of something passed over her face. Fear? He couldn’t tell. “Did you get some sleep?” “I don’t need to sleep, Damien.” “I realize that, but what did you do with yourself all night?” She turned around and began to wipe the counter next to the cash register. “I watched the rain for a while. I’m surprised the storms didn’t wake you.” “It stormed?” “Three times.” “Didn’t hear them. Thunderstorms never seem to wake me or bother me.” “My mother always used to tell me that thunder was angels bowling, and lightning was them shooting off fireworks in Heaven. It was the only way I’d calm down during them.” He laughed and moved behind the bar until he was just inches from her back. Up close, her wet hair smelled fresh and clean, like she’d been out in the rain. He took several deep breaths until she finally turned to face him. Her eyes were dark this morning, and several emotions passed through them, including fear. “What’s got you so spooked, Teresa?” he asked softly. “The storms last night, or something else?” “Storms no longer frighten me, Damien.” “Then what is it?” She swallowed and her eyes flicked toward the windows. He put down the cup and touched her cheek, withdrawing his finger almost as soon as he made contact with her skin. Her pull on him was much stronger than Leta’s had ever been, but he had to stay strong. Everything she told him yesterday had haunted his dreams. He needed

time to make sense of it all. And if he let himself get physically involved with her, it would only end in disaster, just as it had done with Leta. Teresa was marked. Sooner or later Cresil and his demons would catch up with her, and he doubted his former Nephilim status would be able to protect her from the fate they’d decided for her. “Teresa. Let me help you.” “You can’t help me.” The tone in her voice was so final, so desperate. And there was that quick dart of her eyes again toward the windows. “Did you see something again in town?” “Across the street. Last night. In the rain.” Damien’s heart raced. If they knew where she was why hadn’t they simply come in and taken her? Were they playing a game with her? Anger at Apollyon rose up, and it was all he could do not to run into the street and call down the demons chasing her. Fucking bastards. Why toy with her like this? Why not just get it over with? She searched his face, and once again he had the uncomfortable sensation she could read his thoughts. Maybe she’d be able to make more sense of them than he could? They were a jumbled mess. Confusion over how he felt toward her, about the reason she was being hunted, and why he was letting her stay made him feel suddenly weak and powerless. He wanted to help her, but he didn’t know how to. And worse yet, he knew if he did his own fate might well end up the same as hers. Tangling with Apollyon’s rules had landed him here to begin with. The king of demons wouldn’t let him off so easily this time. “Damien, I’m going to make you something to eat.” Yes, that was it. He hadn’t eaten anything since the Chinese food last night. That must be it. He was simply hungry. “You don’t have to do that. You’ve done enough this morning.” She walked toward the stairs. “It’s nothing. Sit down before you faint. I’ll just be a few minutes.” **** Tom Howe showed up just before Damien turned on the Open sign, loud, tanned and with a bear hug for Maddie. His usual Friday afternoon routine. He clapped Damien on the back. “What’s this I hear about a new bartender you hired earlier this week?”

Teresa was suddenly at Damien’s side. She must have done the fast walking thing because he hadn’t heard her cross the room, and those brand-new boots made a lot of noise on the wood floor. “Hot damn.” Tom practically drooled as Teresa shook his hand. “And where might you be from, gorgeous?” “Chicago.” “Fine damn town.” Teresa regarded him with mild curiosity, and Damien bit his tongue to keep from smiling as he imagined Teresa scrutinizing past Tom’s playful exterior to see the ruthless businessman he was during the week and the four wives who’d each taken him to the cleaners. She wouldn’t be fooled by his flirtations. He could already see understanding filling her eyes. “Damien, this place is going to be fucking packed tonight. Everyone in town is talking about her.” A flash of fear shot through Damien, hot and sharp. Was Tom talking about the incident with the college kids the other night? “What are they saying about me?” asked Teresa, flashing a demure smile and tossing back her hair. Tom actually flushed. “That you’re the damn prettiest thing they’ve ever seen, and you can mix a mean margarita.” She laughed, soft and tinkling, and Damien let out the breath he’d been holding. If those college brats never showed their faces in here again he’d be eternally grateful. “All right, let’s get to work,” he said. “It’s Friday night.” Will Latham finally showed up around seven, and Damien put him to work in the storeroom. There would be time for him to meet Teresa later. He was just grateful Will had shown up at all. Letting him take a vacation was always a tenuous act. One time he hadn’t shown up in town again for nearly two months. It was crowded behind the bar with four of them mixing and serving, but that was nothing compared to the crowd of customers sitting at tables and the stools. The noise was so loud Damien could barely hear his employees when they spoke right next to him. At one point he actually had to pull Will from the back and have him start a waiting list for tables. Not once in all the years he’d been running the bar had he ever had to do such a thing.

He didn’t recognize a lot of the customers, and that disturbed him more than it made him happy. Business was business, but if people were talking about Teresa it was also dangerous. He watched her thread among the tables, balancing drinks on trays, talking, laughing and flirting. She was in her element and having a fabulous time. And, she was a hard worker. He couldn’t refute that fact. She didn’t mess up an order, spill a drink, or miss a beat as she wooed his customers, old and new. Gone was the fear he’d seen in her eyes that morning. She called his regular customer by name and had already memorized their favorite brands of beer. Even Jack Williams seemed to be her friend now. The poor man’s face was red with the effort of trying to talk to her, and he tripped over his words every time she asked him a question. Maddie was unusually silent, and more than once he caught her giving Teresa a long stare, as if trying to figure out a puzzle. It wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to deduce Maddie knew what Teresa was, or at least strongly suspected it. Her brother had committed suicide over a demon, after all. Did Maddie know that? He knew Josh had told her about the fight where Leta killed a customer, but had he told her what Leta was? She turned around as he was lost in memories, and the searching look she gave him reminded him so much of Teresa’s piercing gazes that for a moment he wondered if Maddie could also read his thoughts. He must be losing his mind to imagine such a thing. “You all right?” she asked. “Yeah, just a bit overwhelmed tonight.” “You might have to hire more people. Teresa certainly can draw a crowd.” “How are your tips tonight? Better than usual?” She laughed. “Let’s just say if this keeps up I might be able to buy another car after all.” “I’m glad, Maddie.” Maddie looked like she wanted to say something else, but Teresa was signaling for a drink order so he turned his attention back to work. When they finally closed and the last customer left, it was after three in the morning. Tom offered to drive Maddie home and Damien thanked him. He’d always hated the thought of her walking alone so late at night, but she said it cleared her head to do so.

“I’ll see you tomorrow night,” said Tom, winking at Teresa. “Can’t wait,” she quipped. Will stayed another half hour, helping Damien and Teresa clean up, although he did more staring at Teresa than cleaning. Finally Damien sent him home, watching out the back door until Will started to drive away. “Alone at last,” she said as he came back into the bar. “What a night. And I have you to thank for it.” She smiled. “It was nothing.” “Yes, it was Teresa. I’ve never had a crowd like that. This is just a local bar where people come to hang out. Tonight felt more like I was running a tourist attraction.” “You should consider serving sandwiches or something.” “I don’t know who would make them.” “Hire a cook.” He grinned. “You make it sound so easy.” “I have experience running a club, Damien. This bar could be that successful. People like you, Maddie and Tom. I even saw Will talk to a few people tonight. I get the impression he doesn’t do much of that.” Damien joined her in wiping tables and putting chairs up for the night. “No, he doesn’t. Will is a high-school dropout whose parents were killed when he was a junior. He has no other family that I know of. Maddie’s family took him in after the car accident that killed his parents, but he was never the same. They finally kicked him out when he wouldn't stop using drugs and hanging out with some gang in Cleveland.” “That’s so sad.” “Yeah, it is. He eventually went to rehab and has been clean since, as far as I know, but he’s a loner. I have no idea where he goes at times. He just tells me he needs a vacation and I tell him to have a good time, but to make sure to come back.” “He’s not using. I’d be able to tell.” He stopped working and looked into her pretty face. “I can too.” “How much of your former nature did you retain, Damien?” “More than makes me comfortable at times.” “Why were you made human?”

Her eyes searched his face as if looking for clues. It would be so easy to confide in her, but it was too soon. He’d never told anyone the truth about Leta. If he kept it buried it couldn’t hurt him. “Teresa, I know you mean well, and I know it’s not fair that you’ve told me your story, but I need more time to figure this out.” They stood facing each other, their gazes locked, and Damien’s cock grew hard. She must know the power she had over him. He should turn away, break eye contact, but when he looked into those unusual colored eyes of hers he could barely form a cohesive thought. “Okay, Damien. I understand. Let’s get this place cleaned up so you can get some sleep. You look exhausted.”

Chapter Nine Regret

Teresa couldn’t remember feeling this comfortable since she’d been human. Working in a bar again, serving drinks, talking to customers, gave her a sense of satisfaction she remembered feeling when her father would look on her with pride in his eyes. She did the prep work for Damien Saturday morning while he did paperwork, and when he turned on the sign there was a line at the door. Damien grinned at her from behind the bar while she greeted the customers, enjoying the recognition from some who’d met her the night before. Later in the evening, Maddie spent time talking to a group of women in the far corner. Loud laughter rang out from their table, punctuated by looks toward the bar. Teresa finished washing the glasses and sidled up next to Damien. “Who are those women?” He glanced up and frowned. “They come in here every Saturday night. I wish they’d find another bar to drink in.” “Why? They seem pretty friendly with Maddie, although that tall dark-haired one keeps giving me the evil eye.” “That’s because I keep talking to you.” He grinned and her pussy grew moist. She’d crept into his room early this morning and watched him sleep, debating. He’d said he needed time and she understood that, but her body ached for his touch. She knew he wanted her too. How long would he make her wait before they made love again? “Did you used to go out with her or something?” “Go out with her? Teresa, it might shock you to realize most women don’t want to be involved with a guy who can only go out in the late mornings or Monday nights.” “That is a shocker.” She laughed and rested her hand on his arm, glancing at the women to see if they were watching. “Yeah, isn’t it? No, we didn’t go out. They have this thing they do every week. Sort of like a bet. The one who doesn’t pick up a guy for the night has to buy drinks for the group the following week.

Apparently I’m one of the few guys in town who hasn’t succumbed to their charms.” Teresa laughed as Tom sauntered up to the bar. “Hey Teresa, you ever hear of this? That group in the corner swears during Prohibition there was a drink called a Red Death Cocktail. Any idea what the fuck that is?” “Sure. It’s vodka, amaretto, triple sec, Southern Comfort, sloe gin, mixed with orange and lime juice.” She glanced at Damien. “Do you have more Southern Comfort? I used up the last of the bottle the other day. The secret to a great tasting Red Death is to use just a touch more lime than orange juice.” “Fuck,” said Tom. “I just lost a bet.” Teresa and Damien laughed. “How much did you lose?” asked Damien. “Fifty bucks.” “Do they want to taste one? I could go look for the whiskey.” “Yeah, okay. Make it strong. Maybe if they get drunk enough they’ll forget about the bet.” “You wish,” she said. She found a bottle in the storeroom, and as she passed by the open back screen door she spotted Will taking out a trash bag. Teresa froze, nearly dropping the bottle as the image of a man rose up behind him. A man dressed in black and wearing sunglasses. Her mouth dried up as the smell of sulfur filled her nose. Will whistled a tune as he advanced toward the bar, unaware of the demon behind him. She stood rooted to the spot, unable to move or speak. The demon’s face broke into a terrible grin and her stomach contracted in a violent spasm. He wouldn’t dare hurt a mortal, would he? She was the one they wanted. Before she could make her feet move toward the door, the demon disappeared in a puff of dark smoke. She squinted, trying to see past Will, but there was nothing outside except the trees. “You okay?” Will’s thin pale face was filled with concern. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just getting this.” He moved past her and she closed her eyes for a moment, trying to collect her thoughts. What the fuck was going on? They were playing with her. What else would explain what had just happened? As if Cresil betraying her to Apollyon wasn’t cruel enough, he had to fuck with her now?

She was an idiot to have believed she was safe here. And Damien…they knew where she was which meant they knew he was hiding her. He used to hunt bounty as a Nephilim. Surely Apollyon would know that about him, or could easily find out. Would they harm him too? Back behind the bar she started to mix the cocktail and thought she caught a whiff of sulfur again, but refused to look up from her work to find the source. Her fingers trembled and she spilled some of the triple sec. When she’d finally mixed the drink she glanced around for Tom, who was busy with a table near the back. “I’ll take it to him.” Damien’s voice was soft as he reached for the glass, and his eyes were dark and thoughtful. “Why don’t you take a break for a while? You’ve been working hard tonight.” “No.” She spat the word out and immediately wished she hadn’t. The frown on his face deepened. She didn’t want to worry him with what had just happened, but there was no way she was leaving the safety of the crowd right now. “I’m fine. Really.” “If you say so.” The look on his face and the tone of his voice gave her no doubt he didn’t believe her. Teresa went through the motions after the bar closed, avoiding Damien’s piercing gaze, until he took her arm, removed the chair from her grasp and sat in it, pulling her onto his lap. “I know. Dangerous thing for me to do considering your powers of seduction and the fact I’ve vowed to keep our relationship from turning physical. But what happened earlier? You went to get the bottle of SoCo and when you came back you looked like you’d seen a…” His voice trailed off and the muscles in his jaw went slack. “What did you see, Teresa?” “I’m not sure.” “Whatever it was seems to have scared you as much as when we saw the man duck behind the bank.” “So you did see a man that day.” “Yeah, I guess I did.” Teresa swallowed. “I don’t want them to hurt you too.” “I’m already knee deep in it, Teresa.” “I know. And I hate that.” She moved off his lap and sat in a chair opposite him. As tempting as it was to seduce him tonight and forget all this for a

while, this time she was the one who felt like she needed time. Staying here put him in danger. He wasn’t a Nephilim any longer and didn’t have Tyre’s protection. If they’d decided to play mind games with her instead of just getting it over with, they might not care if he was in the cross fire when they finally decided to take her. The best thing for him would be if she left, but the idea of doing so filled her with sadness. She was happy here. “It was my choice to become involved, Teresa.” “Damien, do you really have any idea what they could do to you?” “Yes, I do.” “Explain.” He leaned back in the chair, put his boots on the table and his hands behind his head, and let out a loud sigh. “You know, I usually only allow myself a beer or two on Sunday nights after I close because I don’t open the bar on Mondays, but I sure could use one right now. What about you?” She rose. “What brand?” “Sam Adams Pale Ale.” “Good choice.” She popped the tops off two bottles and handed Damien one, taking a long swallow of hers. Teresa didn’t drink very often and she couldn’t technically get drunk, but the beer had her feeling mellow within a few minutes. “I’d forgotten how good this tastes.” He clinked his bottle lightly against hers. “To Boston, where this fine ale is brewed.” “To Boston.” She took another long swallow and closed her eyes for a second, willing herself to relax. “Now I’m ready to explain, but you aren’t going to like it.” “Noted.” “I was made human as a punishment, Teresa. Not by choice.” “Why?” He must have done something terrible for Tyre to agree to such a thing. Damien turned his chair to face her. “I met a demon named Leta eleven years ago. She was also involved with Maddie’s brother, only I didn’t know that at the time. Maddie was still in high school. I was between jobs for Tyre, but I heard through the grapevine that Dagon was hunting Leta. She was a rogue, and had risked exposure of

the demon world too many times. She’d also killed a lot of humans along the way.” He shifted in his seat and Teresa touched his arm. “It’s okay, Damien. Just take your time.” “I helped Leta evade Dagon. I also suspected she was seeing someone else and I followed her one night here to Northlake, into this bar. Maddie’s brother Josh owned it then. I confronted them.” Teresa’s mind raced. He’d said something about being given the bar to run from someone Maddie had known. Did he mean her brother? She recalled the look of pain on his face several nights ago when she’d asked where Maddie’s brother was now. Had he hurt Maddie’s brother, or had Leta done that? “When Josh closed the bar I refused to leave and we got into a fight. His friend Mark was still inside and jumped into the mix. I held back because in reality I could have crushed Josh’s skull with one hand, but I didn’t want to kill a human. Mark broke a beer bottle over my head, which didn’t hurt me at all, but Leta went ballistic. She was full of rage as it was, pissed off that I’d found out about her and Josh. She picked Mark up by his crotch and tossed him into that wall.” He pointed to the wall next to the front windows. “I’ll never forget the sound of his head hitting the sheetrock. It actually put a hole in it.” Teresa put her hand over her mouth. “No wonder you wanted me to leave that first night.” Damien nodded. “Yeah. It was like reliving it all over again. Only you weren’t laughing with glee as you did it, or telling me you didn’t give a fuck what happened, like Leta did.” “What did happen? Did Maddie see the fight? Is that what she meant that first night when she said you didn’t need trouble again?” “Maddie wasn’t there but Josh told her about it later. To this day I’m not sure if Maddie knows what Leta really was. Right after Leta killed the guy, Apollyon and Tyre showed up, along with Dagon. I was made human as punishment for breaking the rules, and for flaunting my relationship with his prey in Dagon’s face. Tyre and Apollyon decided it would be more fun to make me live a mortal life than to simply demote me.” “What happened to Leta? Did they destroy her?” Damien’s eyes filled with confusion. “You’re not upset with me for what I did?” She shook her head. “Why should I be?”

“I was fucking a demon, Teresa. You know it’s forbidden for a fallen angel and a demon to have sex. And on top of that I hid her from the bounty hunter who was after her. Hid her from one of my own kind. Doesn’t that bother you?” Teresa choked back a laugh. “Ah, Damien, have you forgotten what I told you I did to land me in this mess?” “Your calm reaction to this surprises me, that’s all.” “You didn’t judge me when I told you what I did, so I’m not going to judge you now. Tell me what happened to Leta.” Damien drained the rest of his beer and picked at a blemish in the tabletop. “I begged them to make her human as well. I… I believed she wanted to be with me and that Josh was just a fling. She declined.” “Declined?” “She said she’d rather be destroyed than live a mortal life again… or be stuck with me in one.” The only sound in the room came from the clock, ticking out the seconds as Teresa watched him pick at the spot in the wood. “Help me understand why you’d want to be with her after you watched her kill an innocent bystander.” Damien ran a hand over his face. “I thought if she were human the rage would disappear. I was foolish enough to believe she could be redeemed. I was wrong. She killed without remorse.” “Then why were you with her in the first place? Were you in love with her?” “No. It wasn’t love. I was smitten, Teresa. Stupid, foolish and smitten. I fucked up big time.” She ran a hand over the dark dusting of hair on his forearm, alarmed to find his skin so cool. “How did you end up owning the bar?” “Maddie graduated from high school two years later and Josh tried to give her the bar. He didn’t want any part of it after what happened to Leta, but it had been in his family for generations and he couldn’t bring himself to sell it. Maddie didn’t have any interest in owning a bar, so she signed the deed over to me. I’d been working for Josh since that night.” “He gave you a job?” “Yeah. I think he felt sorry for me.” “What happened to Josh?”

Damien’s eyes filled with pain. “He committed suicide a few years later.” “I’m so sorry. How did Maddie end up back here, working for you?” “She got married right out of high school and they took off for Kent to attend college together, but he eventually left her and she came back home. She didn’t think she’d ever live in Northlake again, and she certainly didn’t think she’d end up working in the same bar her brother once owned, but she was pretty torn up about her failed marriage and hasn’t had the guts to leave this shitty town ever since. I’ve offered to sign the bar back to her more than once, but she doesn’t want it.” “Why did you stay here?” He shrugged. “I had no place to go. I was human, but with no family and no means of supporting myself. Working here or owning the place, either way it was something.” “Damien, I’m so sorry. I just assumed you chose to become human.” “It’s not so terrible. I like the bar, my customers are loyal, and I’m able to pay the bills.” She took another sip of beer and stared at the wall next to the windows, shivering. She’d lost control that first night and could easily have killed both those men. It was a wonder Damien had let her stay. Would he have done so if she hadn’t seduced him? No wonder he’d tried to resist her that night. But what was she to him? Just another demon, that’s what. He was probably expecting her to lose control again and maybe kill someone next time. Teresa watched him spin the empty beer bottle in circles and wondered again if leaving wasn’t the best thing for both of them. Apollyon couldn’t do much more to him than he’d already done, but what if he didn’t care whether Damien lived or died this time? It would be her fault. She couldn’t get the image of him asking for Leta to be made human out of her mind. He’d wanted to be with Leta, despite what she’d done. What he do the same for her if given the chance? Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she wondered what the hell was wrong with her. She was thinking like a jealous girlfriend or something. Best not to let that train of thought leave the station. Being

with him was impossible, and after what happened with Leta he’d never let himself become that involved with a demon again. Teresa started to rise from her chair but Damien caught her arm, his gaze intense. He leaned close enough for her to feel his breathe on her face. Their mouths were no more than two inches apart. All she’d have to do was move forward and kiss him, and they’d be in bed together instead of talking about demons killing humans. She knew he wanted her. She could feel it coming off him in waves. “Thank you for not judging me, Teresa.” “Thank you for telling me what happened.” “It’s damned near impossible to go to sleep knowing you’re here, Teresa. I can’t stop thinking about making love to you.” Teresa bit back a moan. “I think about it too, Damien, but I’m trying to be strong and give you space like you asked me to.” He sighed. “I know. I didn’t think you would. I thought you’d be more persistent.” How could she tell him she was the one now who needed time and space, or that she was seriously considering leaving? “You’re not that irresistible, you know.” “Oh, is that so?” He grinned, and her traitorous pussy grew moist. Her nipples tingled and images of fucking him silly raced through her mind. “Damien, I don’t want you to have any regrets in the morning.” He moved away, frowning. “I’m giving you what you asked for.” “Just like that? It’s too easy.” “It’s not easy at all, but like you said, it’s the best way.” She rose, picking up the beer bottles. “You should get some sleep. It’s late.” Turning around before he could see the struggle on her face, she started to walk toward the bar. Damien put his arms around her from behind, pulling her close to his chest, but the hug felt more friendly than lustful. “You know something, Teresa? You may have done some rotten things, but right now you’re showing nobility and strength I’ll bet no one even knew you had.” His voice was soft, full of admiration, and it was all Teresa could do not to turn around and kiss him into oblivion. The image of

that demon and his horrible grin rose in her mind, and she closed her eyes again, forcing back the tears. “Thank you, Damien. Sleep well, okay?”

Chapter Ten Racket

Damien’s alarm clock went off and he groaned. He only set the alarm on Sundays because he opened the bar at one, especially when there was a game on in the afternoon. The events of last night came back to him and he rolled out bed, resting his chin in his hands. He still couldn’t believe he’d told Teresa about Leta, but it had seemed like the right time to do so. He’d thought her as shallow as every demon he’d ever met but he was wrong. There was a depth to her he’d never imagined. If circumstances were different and Cresil wasn’t chasing her… Don’t go there. **** The Indians were playing at home and the game wasn’t blacked out, so the usual Sunday afternoon crowd filled the bar as soon as he opened the doors. Teresa was all smiles today. No trace of fear from whatever she’d seen last night. He realized she never had told him what scared her when she went to the storeroom, but he wasn’t going to ask her again. As he watched her flirt with the men and smile at the women, he found himself wishing again they didn’t have this storm cloud hanging over their heads. She was fun to have around and easy to talk to, but it was as if he could see the invisible clock attached to her head, ticking down the days, minutes and seconds until Cresil and his team swooped down on them. All the more reason for him not to let her under his skin or into his bed again. It wouldn't be fair to either of them. “Sure,” he muttered, pouring a draft for Skeeter. “Just keep telling yourself that.” “Telling yourself what?” “That the Tribe is going all the way this year,” “Yeah, I hear ya.” Skeeter turned his attention back to the TV, and Damien continued to watch Teresa.

Maddie came in from running a quick errand, interrupting his daydreams about Teresa not being chased by demons. “The bar protestors are out in full force today. They’re heading this way.” “Ah who cares,” said Skeeter. “I’m sick of this shit.” Damien pulled out his cell phone and called Tommy Farley, his contact on the Creek Ridge police force. He left a message on his voice mail, complaining again, knowing it wouldn’t do much good but too stubborn to stop trying. Several customers rose from their tables to look out the windows as the crowd, carrying signs with Bible quotes scrawled across them, paraded in front of the windows. Their chants couldn’t be heard over the buzz of conversation or the baseball game, but it annoyed the hell out of Damien just the same. “What’s going on outside?” Teresa was at his side, dressed in the same bright yellow tank top and short denim skirt she’d been wearing the first day she showed up. Damien’s entire body ached for her. “This strip of bars along Lake Ridge is less than a mile from the town limits. Over the line is Creek Ridge, and they’ve been trying for decades to get our bars closed down. Something about zoning laws in a hundred year old Ohio Supreme Court decision.” “Bunch of fucking nonsense,” said Skeeter, belching loudly. “They just don’t like it the bars are so close to all their churches.” “We call it their Holy Strip,” said Damien, chuckling. “There are half a dozen churches, all lined up next to each other.” “Can’t you make them leave?” asked Teresa. “Freedom of speech and all that jazz. There’s nothing I can do. If you go out there and try to reason with them it just inflames them. It’s best to ignore them. They’ll get tired in about an hour.” “Sounds like what my father and other club owners had to put up with,” she said quietly. “I’m betting you can’t pay anyone off to make this go away, can you?” “Not a chance.” Teresa sauntered over to the windows and stood in front of them. Dagon stared at her lovely ass, wondering if she was wearing underwear today, then mentally chided himself for going there. The crowd standing around her laughed. It looked like she was talking but he couldn’t hear what she said. He hoped she wasn’t about to do something like taunt the protestors. Just in case, he walked

around the counter and moved in closer until he was standing directly behind her. “I saw those three in here Friday night,” she said, pointing. Damien followed her gaze and she was right. In fact, he recognized at least a dozen protestors as regular customers. As the crowd drifted away from the windows and returned to their tables or the bar, Teresa stood rigid, facing the windows. “Shit,” she whispered. “Not now. Please.” Damien scanned the protestors but couldn’t figure out why she’d reacted that way. He was about to ask her what was wrong when he spotted a man standing in front of Joe’s Place across the street, dressed in black and wearing sunglasses. The man grinned, but it wasn’t a grin of amusement. His face stretched into something terrifying and evil, reminding Damien of old horror movies. He placed a hand on Teresa’s shoulder and she yelped, turning around to so quickly she almost knocked him over. “Oh, I’m sorry. I just…” He glanced around at the tables near them, but no one seemed to have noticed her reaction. “Come on, sweetheart. Move away from the window.” She nodded, grabbing his hand and squeezing so hard it nearly brought tears to his eyes. “Just walk,” he whispered. Teresa didn’t move from behind the counter for the next two hours. She mixed drinks and carried on conversations with the customers as if nothing had happened, but Damien noticed the slight tremor in her hands. Maddie asked him what was going on and he shrugged, avoiding eye contact. He felt like a giant shit for lying to her but what was he supposed to tell her? That demons were about to invade their bar once again? Tom and Will left early, as they usually did on Sundays, and because the Tribe lost again the crowd had thinned so much that he asked Maddie if she wanted to knock off early too. She studied his face carefully, and it was obvious she had things on her mind and questions to ask, but Damien couldn’t deal with any of that right now. Finally she agreed to leave, and Damien was able to close the bar two hours early. “Alone at least,” he said, watching Teresa stack the chairs.

She nodded, and he winced at the haunted look in her beautiful eyes. “Teresa, let’s leave this for one night. We can sweep the floor in the morning.” “Are you kidding, Damien? There are more peanut shells back here than I’ve ever seen in one place.” He crossed the room, took the chair she was holding, placed it end up on the table, then pulled her into his arms. Her body trembled and felt cool under her clothing. Rubbing her back in long, slow strokes, he closed his eyes and tried to think of something to say that would comfort her, but came up blank. The danger was real, and there was no use pretending it wasn’t, or telling her not to worry. That would only sound condescending. “What am I going to do, Damien?” “I wish I knew.” “It’s the waiting that’s so horrible, you know? They’re playing a game with me and all I can do is wait. Or leave.” The way she’d said it was so final, so determined, that Damien pulled away and looked into her face, searching. “Do you really want to leave?” Her lips trembled and her eyes kept darting to a spot over his shoulder. “I’m thinking of it.” “Why? They’ll just find you again.” “But at least they’ll leave you alone.” “Oh Teresa…” He pulled her close again, unable to believe she was willing to run again just to protect him. The demon who’d scared him half to death in the john earlier this week wouldn't have done that. “Damien, I’ve been giving this a lot of thought. I think it’s the right thing to do.” “I’ve been thinking about it too, ever since we saw that demon duck behind the bank, and I have to ask you this. Are you sure these are the demons tracking you?” She looked at him like he’d just gone mad. “Who else would they be?” “So far it’s just one demon, right? You saw him last night when you went to the storeroom, didn’t you?” She nodded. “He was outside near the trash dumpster behind Will, but Will didn’t see him.”

“And you saw him in the rain that night, and now again today. So if they know you’re here, why haven’t they simply come in and taken you?” “I don’t know. They’re playing mind games.” “But why? It doesn’t make any sense.” She ran a hand over her face, looking more drained and tired than he’d ever seen her. “Sweetheart, isn’t possible he could be someone else?” “I guess so, but who? And why?” “Don’t know. But I do know I hate seeing you live in fear like this. So far all he’s done is dart behind buildings and grin. You popped in here easily enough. If he’s after you why isn’t he in here right now? If he’s watching the bar he knows everyone has left. And for that matter, why hasn’t he come in during the night when I’m sound asleep?” Teresa glanced around as if expecting all the demons of Hell to show up at his words. “Think about it, Teresa.” She looked into his eyes with such trust it unnerved him. He hoped to High Heaven he was right. “So what should I do?” “Just keep doing what you’re doing. You’re really good at this, you know.” He swept a hand toward the bar. “You know what you’re doing behind the bar, and my customers love you. Don’t draw any attention to yourself like that first night and just ignore the grinning asshole out there. Can you do that?” She almost smiled. “I’ll try.”

Chapter Eleven Routine

Teresa wanted to believe Damien, wanted to with all her heart, but if the man outside wasn’t one of the demons after her, who was he? Damien began to pick up the chairs. “Thought you wanted to leave them for the morning?” He grinned and her body tingled. Had it really only been days since they’d made love? It felt like years. “Nah, it would drive you nuts, and you’d just be down here in the middle of the night doing it anyway.” She laughed because it was true. “I guess you have me all figured out already.” “Not entirely. I am curious about one thing you said tonight.” She began to help him with the chairs. “Oh, what’s that?” “You were talking to Jack Williams about poker. Do you play?” “Not very well, but when we’re done I’ll challenge you to a game of Throw Down.” “Throw Down?” She gave him a droll look. “Really? You don’t know that game?” “Afraid not. I think you’re making it up.” His heart-stopping grin made it difficult to concentrate on card games. Images of fucking him silly on one the tables filled her mind. “Oh is that so? Well put down that chair and grab a deck so I can show you how much you don’t know.” She watched his ass under those sexy jeans as he walked toward the back hallway. While he was gone, she grabbed two bottles of Sam Adams from the fridge and turned off some of the lights. When he returned with the cards, she was sitting at a table with the tops off the beers. “Ready?” she asked crossing her legs to give him an eyeful of her upper thighs. He chuckled. “Is this a card game or foreplay?” “Maybe it’s both?”

He turned his chair around and straddled it. “Okay, Teresa. Let’s stick with cards for now.” She raised her bottle and clinked it against his. “To card games, then. For now.” He nodded, lifted the bottle and raised it to his lips, his eyes fastened on hers. She shuffled the cards, cut them, shuffled them a second time, then cut them in half and placed each stack face-down, one in front of Damien and the other in front of her. “This is like War, only instead of just tossing the cards down one-by-one, and the lower card has to pick them both up, you have to call high or low first. If you’re wrong, you take both cards. If you’re right, the other person takes them. The person who gets rid of all their cards first wins.” “Who calls it, both of us?” “We take turns.” He took a long swallow of beer, his dark eyes dancing with light. “How do I know you can’t see the cards?” “Excuse me?” “You’re a demon. You know which card is going to be drawn next.” “What do you think I have, x-ray vision or something?” “Do you?” “No. And just so you’ll stop being such a whiny baby I’ll let you call first.” “That’s so noble of you.” “Shut up and make the call, Damien.” Teresa couldn’t stop smiling as they played. Damien’s eyes bored into hers, dancing with delight. She realized she hadn’t seen him this relaxed and happy since their first night together. When he won the first game he accused her of letting him win to throw him off guard, but she knew he was only joking. She won the second game, which once prompted him to accuse her of cheating. When she won the third one, and they had each finished their second beers, he suggested they switch to poker. “Why, so you finally can beat me?” she teased. “Well, duh. Of course.” Teresa laughed so hard she nearly fell off her chair. She’d never had this much fun with a man fully clothed. It amazed her to

realize she could actually enjoy herself without trying to seduce him, or worry about who might be outside. Damien yawned and stretched. “I think we might have to save the poker games for tomorrow. I’m really tired.” “I had more fun tonight than I’ve had in ages. Thank you.” He studied her face, then reached across the table and stroked the back of her hand. “I did too. Thank you, Teresa. For everything.” She wanted to kiss him so badly it hurt. That’s all it would take — one kiss — and they both knew it. The same unspoken truth was there in his eyes. And yet, somehow she felt that by crossing that line they’d break the spell. Teresa didn’t want that. She wanted this feeling to go on for a while longer. It was peaceful, and easy and carefree. “I’ll finish cleaning up. You get some sleep. Tomorrow I’ll let you beat me at poker.” He smiled. “Do you want to try going for a walk again tomorrow? We won’t venture far.” “I’d like that, Damien.” He stood. “It’s a date then. Good night, Teresa.” “Good night.” **** It took every ounce of willpower Damien had not to crawl of out of bed, find Teresa, and kiss her until neither of them could breathe. He’d never had fun like that with Leta. Their relationship had been purely physical. He couldn't imagine joking around with her or playing cards, and they’d never gone for a walk together. When he woke Monday morning, Teresa had coffee and breakfast ready. She’d dressed in jeans and a tee shirt, this time featuring unicorns, and her hair was pulled back into a ponytail. The effect was innocent and sexy, all rolled into one, and he had trouble concentrating on the food in front of him. “You know, I was thinking maybe we should take a drive to the park instead of walking in town.” A shadow passed over her face. “Is that safe?” “Would you be more comfortable in a crowd?” She nodded. “Yes. And indoors.” “All right. I have just the place then.” They arrived at the Cleveland Museum of Art just as it was opening. Teresa picked up a leaflet in the lobby that described the

collections, and Damien was surprised by the look of amazement on her face. “You know, I haven’t been to a museum in… I don’t remember how long, to be honest.” “Doesn’t Chicago have a fabulous art museum?” “Yes, but it wasn’t built yet when I lived there,” she whispered. She took his arm and held onto it as they browsed the collections, stopping to admire some, and laughing at others. Teresa was particularly fascinated with the collection of Andy Warhol’s work. “What is it you love so much about it?” he asked. “I think I love the mystery surrounding him, you know? He captured that in his work. You’re not quite sure, looking at it, if he was a genius or completely bonkers.” “Most geniuses are completely bonkers, aren’t they?” he asked, leaning in close so the couple next to them couldn’t hear. She giggled, pressing closer to him. “I think you might be right about that.” They ate at a restaurant in Little Italy, outside in the enclosed courtyard. Teresa didn’t glance around or look worried. Instead she chatted about the exhibits and the food. Damien didn’t want the day to end. Her mood seemed to darken as he pulled the car into the garage behind the bar, so as soon as they went inside he reminded her about their poker game. She really was a terrible player, and after he’d beaten her at three hands in a row, he suggested they do something else. “I have a better idea,” she said, shuffling the cards. “Why don’t you teach me to play this game for real? Obviously I’ve never learned.” “I love that never surrender spirit of yours.” **** Teresa and Damien played several hands of poker every night that week after the bar closed. She was a fast learner and on Friday night she finally beat him, fair and square. “Yes, yes, yes!” She jumped up and down, pumping her fists in the air. Her boot heels struck the wood floor in competition with the thunder outside.

“Congratulations. But don’t get too comfortable. It won’t happen that often.” “The hell you say.” She put her hands on her hips and started to dance, her moves so suggestive his cock twitched. This had been the longest two weeks of his life. Every accidental touch as they worked side-by-side, every glance, had sent his hormones racing. He’d never hidden behind the counter with a raging hard-on that many times in ten years, let alone two weeks. And unless he was very much mistaken, she was as hot for him as he was for her. Several times each evening he’d caught her watching him with what could only be described as lust in her beautiful eyes. When they closed the bar and said good night, it became a silent battle of wills. Who would give in first? He gathered up the cards and put them behind the counter, watching her dance in the center of the room. “You need to stop that.” She eyed him, licking her lips as a loud clap of thunder boomed overhead. “Looks like another storm is brewing.” That was the understatement of the century. A storm had been brewing between them since the moment he’d told her she could stay as his employee only. He’d set down the decree, and he’d have to be the one to reverse it. She had more far more willpower than he did, obviously. **** Teresa watched Damien, every nerve ending on fire. She couldn’t stand it anymore. If she didn't have him she’d go out of her mind with need. Every chance she got this past week she’d brushed up against him or touched him while they worked. There was no way he’d misinterpreted her gestures. “What if I don’t stop it, Damien?” She faced him, pouring all her strength into a look of challenge and pure lust. The rain beat down on the pavement and slashed against the windows, thunder clapped, and lightning flashed. But the real storm was going on inside this very room. Teresa’s breath came in short gasps as she strolled toward the counter. Damien stood as still as a statue, watching her, measuring her steps, as if unsure of his next move. This past week had been so full of contentment, it seemed perfectly normal to make love to this man who had truly become her best friend. Could he finally see how right this was?

When she reached the counter she leaned on it, giving him a nice view of the top of her breasts. “Well?” He swallowed. “If you don’t stop then I guess…I guess I won’t either.” His eyes were dark and serious, but in their depths she saw a flicker of something else. Something sweet, and kind and wonderful. She walked around the bar toward the stairs, not bothering to turn around to see if he was following. He was. She heard his boots on the floor behind her. They reached his bedroom and Teresa opened the door, then turned to face him. “Are you sure this time?” she whispered. Before he could answer she kissed him. His lips were warm and soft, and when he stuck his tongue in her mouth she moaned deep her in throat and rubbed her breasts against him. He stroked her back, the movements slow and deliberate, causing goose bumps to break out on her flesh. She pulled off her top and bra and tossed them on the floor. When he tugged at her skirt she helped him slip it off and stepped out it, taking her panties off as well. They were still locked in a hot kiss, their tongues exploring and teasing, as Damien backed them to the edge of his bed. Teresa straddled him and raked her teeth over his nipples through his shirt. His cock strained at the front of his jeans and she ached to have it inside her. When she teased his erection through the denim, he groaned and tugged at his shirt. “Let me,” she said, sitting back on her heels. She pulled his shirt over his head, admiring the dusting of dark hair on his chest and all those muscles, then trailed her fingers along his abdomen, teasing lower and lower while he raised his hips off the bed. “I’ve been out of my fucking mind wanting you.” His voice was thick and pleading as he reached for her breasts. The man knew what to do with his hands. He teased her nipples until her pussy was soaking wet and she was so aroused she thought she’d go out of her mind with desire. “Me too.” She unzipped his jeans and freed his shaft, then licked it in long, slow strokes until he was writhing on the bed and begging her to fuck him. It no longer mattered who had given in first. This man filled her needs like no other ever had, and she never wanted to leave this room or his bed. “Inside you. Now.”

Teresa straddled him and lowered her pussy over his cock until she’d sheathed all of him. Damien held on to her waist as she rode him, as slow as she could stand it. She was almost dizzy with the intensity of each plunge inside. Another climax was building, and Teresa fought it with every ounce of control, wanting to prolong the sweet torture. His gaze bored into hers with an intensity that almost frightened her. She was used to men looking at her with lust or longing, but this was different. This was the way a man gazed at his lover. She closed her eyes and took one breast in each hand, throwing back her head to enjoy the inevitable orgasm. Damien’s thumb rubbed her clit as she moved up and down, while his other hand held her waist firm. “Open your eyes, Teresa. Please?” The tenderness in his voice took her by surprise, and a quick jolt of fear shot through her. She couldn’t let this get out of hand. Fun was one thing, but she hadn’t forgotten she was a marked demon. “I want to look into your eyes when you come.” Teresa opened her eyes and stopped moving. Damien reached up and stroked her cheek lightly. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” he whispered. She didn’t know what to say. No man had ever looked at her this way, or had been this sweet and tender with her. Once again, the realization she was falling for Damien washed over her, and for a split second it scared the shit out of her. “Are you all right?” Damien asked. “I’m not sure.” Damien gently moved her off him then sat up and took her in his arms. They were warm and comforting and she let herself relax into his embrace. “I didn’t mean to upset you.” “You didn’t upset me, Damien.” He stroked the side of her hair. “What is it then?” “I honestly don’t know.” How could she explain this to him? How could she explain this to anyone? She didn’t understand it herself. “What do you want me to do, Teresa?”

She studied his face. A handsome face. And those eyes…she could melt right into them and lose herself. Teresa had always found dark eyes fascinating. Up close there were so many color variations in them. Damien was hers, for as long as she wanted to enjoy him. There was nothing to fear tonight. “Make love to me, Damien. Just make love to me.” Damien pulled her into his arms and kissed her, tenderly at first then rough and deep as the passion overtook them. He stroked her breasts and her ass until she thought she’d explode from desire. She ground her pussy against his cock, teasing her orgasm, holding it off as long as possible. When Damien reached between them and stroked her clit, she cried out as the climax sent wave after crazy wave through her body. He kissed her neck, her jaw, her nipples and still the contractions didn’t stop. Damien spread her legs and plunged his cock inside her pussy, thrusting deep and fast. She held onto his shoulders and moaned with each thrust, pushing against him to urge him on. As her breasts bounced against his chest her nipples, already sensitive from his kisses, brushed against the light dusting of hair. The sensation sent tiny shock waves straight to her quivering pussy. The next orgasm was long, slow and deep. Teresa was only dimly aware of the tears coursing down her cheeks and Damien whispering her name. He held her close until it stopped, then gently laid her on her back and continued thrusting, slower this time, building the next climax. He cupped her face, kissed her, then trailed his tongue down to her nipples again, making her crazy with need. When she came again he joined her, and the waves between them went on for long, luscious moments.

Chapter Twelve Recklessness

Damien awoke with Teresa wrapped in his arms. Soft rain fell against the roof but he no longer heard thunder. She stirred next to him, and his cock grew hard at her touch on his skin, warm and soft. It suddenly didn’t matter who was out there of that she simply waited to be found by Cresil and his minions. Which of them had caved first no longer mattered either. Teresa was here, with him, and he never wanted to let go of her. He wanted to erase her fear and her pain, and hold her for as long as he could. He kissed her, and it took a few seconds but she finally responded, opening her mouth to allow his tongue inside. Damien stroked her hair and moved his tongue and lips over her mouth until she sighed and wrapped her arms around him. Reaching underneath he gently massaged her nipples, his cock throbbing now. Teresa reached for his shaft and he thought his head would explode. She was so fucking sexy it drove him mad. She ran her hand up and down his cock until her touch was painful, He took one of her perfect pink nipples into his mouth, running his tongue over it until she moaned and dug her fingers into his skin. She stroked him, her fingertips like tiny trails of fire over his sensitive skin. “Teresa… I can’t get enough of you.” They stood together, as if she’d read his mind, and he picked her up in his arms. He kicked open the bathroom door and set her on the tile floor, then reached in and turned on the shower. He enveloped her in a tight embrace, breathing in her scent. “I love this,” she said. “Being naked with you.” “Me too.” He took her face in his hands and kissed her again. She held onto him so tightly it was painful, but he didn’t release her mouth. He wanted to drink her in and never let her go. She broke away first, stepping into the shower, smiling. It was so wonderful to see her sweet seductive smile again his breath caught in his throat. He joined her inside and pulled her into another embrace, letting the warm water melt away his fear and jealousy.

There was only Teresa, her incredible body, and her mouth that drove him to distraction. He released her and picked up the bar of soap then turned her around. Taking her breasts in his hands he lathered them with soap. Each time his fingers brushed her nipples his balls ached. The pressure was unbearable. She ground her ass against his cock and it was all he could do not to fuck her silly. She put her hands against the shower wall and leaned further into him, torturing him with that beautiful ass. He moved the soap to her pussy, and reached under with one hand to drag the bar from her clit around to the top of her ass crack, over and over again, until she whimpered. “Damien please… please fuck me.” Oh how he longed to, but it was such a rush knowing she wanted him. Finally he couldn't take any more and dropped the soap. He stroked her clit and pussy with two fingers of one hand while he massaged her ass cheeks with the other. His mouth found her neck and he nibbled and sucked. She pounded her fists on the shower wall, moving her hips in time with his stroking. When she came, a long moan escaped her throat. The sound broke his self-control and he plunged his cock inside her contracting pussy as far as it would go. He circled her puckered hole with a soapy finger then slid it inside while he thrust in and out of her wetness. She pushed against him, urging him on, and it didn’t take long until he felt her come again. Damien couldn’t hold back any longer. He let go in a gut-wrenching orgasm that left him shaking and breathless. Teresa turned around and wrapped her arms around him, kissing him until he was sure he’d pass out. He became dimly aware she’d retrieved the bar of soap and was lathering his back, his arms and hands, anything she could reach while standing up, including his sore cock and balls. “Lean against the wall, Damien. I don’t want you to fall down.” That was an understatement. He was actually dizzy. She backed him against the wall and knelt, rubbing the soap up and down his legs. Teasing with her fingers, higher and higher toward his groin, she made him crazy with desire again, and he watched, fascinated, as

his cock grew stiff again. The intoxicating power this beautiful woman had over him was incredible. When she dropped the soap and smiled up at him his heart skipped a beat or two. He was in deep, too deep to give her up to the demons hunting her. Somehow he had to find a way to protect her from them, to keep her for himself. She took his cock into her mouth and sucked him hard, almost to the point of pain, then backed off and licked him in long soft strokes, alternating between the two until he wanted to shove it into her mouth and blindly fuck. His balls were on fire, and when she caressed them he almost lost it again. She licked them and gently took each one into her mouth to suck. He groaned and braced himself against the sides of the shower, knowing he couldn’t hold back his orgasm much longer. “Teresa, please…” She responded by pulling on his shaft while continuing to tease his balls with her lips and tongue. The pressure was insane. Tiny flashes of light danced behind his eyes as he fought to hang on. “I’m going to come…” She took him into her mouth just as he exploded. Her tongue teased him while the climax tore through his body in hot waves. When he could breath again she rose and kissed him, and he didn’t even mind that he tasted his own seed mixed with the sweetness of her mouth. She was the sexiest creature alive and he’d do anything for her. The water had turned cold so she reached over and turned it off, then led him out of the shower and wrapped them both in a towel. He held her close until his body stopped trembling. They tumbled onto his bed, where they shed the towel and lay in each other’s arms. When he woke later she lay on top of him, kissing him. He gathered her in his arms and stroked her back, her ass, her hair and finally her face. She sat back on her heels and teased his cock with her fingertips until he was rock hard again. He reached for her breasts and rolled her nipples between his thumbs and forefingers, wanting them in his mouth. “I love your tits.” His voice was thick. She was a drug and he had to have her. “I noticed.” She leaned forward and let him capture one nipple in his mouth, his tongue and teeth teasing, tasting, wanting more.

She kept moving out reach, laughing deep in her throat, her face smiling and playful, so he rolled over and trapped her underneath him, then took her breasts in his hands and dared her to try and keep him away. “Oh, you think you’re a big strong human now, don’t you?” she asked, her voice sexy and teasing. “Stronger than you, obviously.” “Maybe I just let you do that.” “And maybe you’ll let me do this.” He spread her legs and dipped his head, licking her in long strokes from her clit to the opening, already soaking wet. She made whimpering noises in the back of her throat and pushed his head closer. Her taste drove him to the edge. He slipped two fingers inside and teased her clit with his tongue, knowing she was close to another orgasm already. She whispered his name and the sound washed over him like a cleansing spring rain, making him feel fresh and alive. When she came, he moved between her legs and slid his cock inside. She wrapped her legs around him and moved with him, looking into his eyes with such tenderness he thought his heart would burst. He stroked her cheek, moving slow enough to hold off his own climax, but fast enough to bring about hers, and the realization he was in love with her hit him like a sunburst, peeking through storm clouds and bathing everything in its radiance. “Teresa…” He closed his eyes as the orgasm swept through his body. It went on for long moments, and when it finally ended he opened his eyes and looked into her face. He knew she hadn’t come, and he felt like a giant shit. He pulled out and bent his head again to lick her but she pushed him away. “Oh God, Teresa. I’m sorry.” “I’m not upset with you.” He blinked a few times and looked into her eyes. They were filled with fear. His heart began to race. Had she seen the man again outside, or something worse? “What is it, sweetheart? What’s wrong?” “Didn’t you hear it?” “Hear what?” “The screaming.”

Chapter Thirteen Recklessness

Damien listened, but all he heard was his own heart beating and the crickets outside. He rose and opened the window, listening again. Even the rain had stopped. “Teresa, there’s no one out there.” She was at his side. “I swear to you I heard a woman scream.” He was about to suggest she’d imagined it when he heard not only a scream but someone distinctly yell, “Stop it!” Teresa grabbed her clothes and began to dress. She moved with inhuman speed, and before he could pull on his jeans he heard her footfalls on the stairs. He caught up to her as she disarmed the security system and ran out the back door. Movement in the bushes behind the bar caught his eye. “Shut up, bitch. You’ve been begging for it.” The voice belonged to Mister Abercrombie hoodie. What the hell was he doing? Teresa sprinted toward the pair and that’s when Damien saw the young girl. He recognized her as one of the high school kids who lived in a house on the other side of the woods. Teresa picked the kid up by his shirt collar and shoved him hard against a tree trunk. His head struck the bark with a dull thud, and the sound made Damien’s stomach clench in fear. He didn’t think he’d be able to stop her from killing the brat this time. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Teresa’s face was no more than two inches from the kid’s. “What? What the fuck man? Who the fuck are you?” The girl, whose name Damien struggled to remember, let out a choked sob and ran into the woods. “Fuck.” Damien tried not to think what would happen when she told everyone in town what Teresa had done. “I wasn’t gonna hurt her. I know her.” The college kid’s voice was slurred. Damien stepped closer and caught the whiff of beer. “Liar,” said Teresa. “She told you to stop. She was crying.” “Teresa, put him down.” Damien’s mind raced, trying to think of a way out of this, but he came up blank. One or both of them was bound to talk about this. “Yeah, put me down you crazy bitch.”

Damien tensed as Teresa’s hair stood on end. How long before she snapped his neck? In the glow of the streetlight he watched the kid’s eyes grow wide. It had been the same with Leta. He’d watched helplessly, unable to intervene. No, he couldn’t let that happen again. He couldn’t lose her. “Teresa, it’s okay sweetheart. Please put him down.” Her shoulders rose and fell with the effort of her breathing but finally she dropped the kid to the pavement. He scrambled to his feet and Damien pushed past her, grabbing the kid’s arm. “If I ever see you near that girl, or any girl her age again, I’ll have your ass in jail for statutory rape. You got that?” “I didn’t rape her.” “Shut up. I know what I saw. Now get the fuck off my property and don’t come back. Understood?” “Fuck you.” The kid ran down the street, and Damien fought with every ounce of self-control he had. He wanted to chase him down and silence him for good. He was so screwed if that kid or the teen talked about this. He turned to face Teresa. She stood rigid, watching the tree line. A scuffling noise reached his ears. He tensed, expecting all the demons of Hell to come out of the bushes, but saw nothing. “No one’s there, sweetheart. It’s okay. Let’s go back inside.” “Damien,” she whispered, her face contorted with fear. He watched the tree line, expecting to see the man again. This time he’d confront him, ask him who he was and what the hell was going on. But it wasn’t a single demon who materialized this time. The air filled with heat and soot, and Damien choked on the acrid smell of sulfur. Two distinct shadows arose from behind a lilac bush. Teresa sobbed. “I’m so sorry, Damien. I’ll never forget you.” Before he had time to react, Teresa disappeared. **** Teresa had no idea where she was. When she saw two men emerge from the lilac bushes behind Damien’s bar, she’d simply evaporated, with no particular destination in mind. No visualization, so they couldn't follow her. Only a form shift until she landed on pavement again. It wasn’t yet dawn, but she was able to make out snow-capped mountains in the distance. She stayed in shadow form, waiting for the inhabitants of the neat homes lining the street to leave for work. Sobs shook her body as

she remembered Damien’s kisses and the tender look in his chocolatecolored eyes. She didn’t think it was possible to cry so much. She’d left him behind to face the demons hunting her. Would they hurt him? Should she go back and turn herself in? No. They weren’t after him. Once they discovered she wasn’t there they’d leave him alone. This was the only way. She had to forget him and keep running. This fate was her own doing and she couldn’t involve him any longer. It wasn’t right. She’d felt safe with Damien. Protected and loved, for the first time since her childhood. Now she’d have to find a new place to hide out and learn to keep her hormones and her feelings in check. But she’d never find another Nephilim-turned-human who made love like Damien, or who had eyes the color of warm chocolate. There was no other man who would give her shelter, teach her to play poker, or laugh with her as he’d done. Teresa shook her head. She had to forget him. This was the only way. A man and a woman dressed in business suits emerged from the house in front of her. She quickly crossed to the front door, scanning the yard. No basketball hoops or other evidence a child or two might live there graced it, so she slipped into their home before the door closed. Teresa stood still and sniffed the air. No humans or pets. She went into the nearest bathroom and washed her face, but there was nothing she could do about her red puffy eyes. That would fade in less time than it would take if she were still human. She debated whether to borrow some of the women’s clothes but finally decided to stay dressed in what she’d thrown on earlier. It hardly mattered now what she wore. Recalling something Damien had said to her two weeks ago, she looked through the house for a computer. Finally she spotted one in the corner of the living room. Damien had asked if Faina might help her get in touch with Jahi. It was a long shot, but she had to try. The guilt she’d experienced telling Damien the story of how she’d betrayed Jahi had shocked her, but it had also given her a sense of peace she hadn’t had in a long time. Explaining her motivation to Jahi was something she had to do, even if it meant getting caught. At least her conscience would finally be clear. Teresa couldn’t remember that feeling anymore. She must have experienced it when she was

human, but she couldn’t recall what it was like. If she was going to be destroyed she didn’t want to leave behind any loose ends. She sat down and typed in Jace Blackmon, the man Faina had fallen in love with. It took only seconds to find their address in Los Angeles. Where city was she in now? Teresa clicked on the favorites and found a link to the Denver Post. How long would it take to get to LA from Denver if she couldn’t evaporate? She could walk but the damn Rockies were in her way, and it would take too long to find a way through them, even at the ground she could cover as a demon. Teresa clicked on several of the favorites, trying to formulate a plan, when she came to the Southwest Air site. She had no ID with her but if she stayed in shadow form it could work. Worst-case scenario, she’d simply evaporate again if anything went wrong. *** Damien couldn't pretend this time that what he’d seen was a trick of light. Two distinct shadows materialized from behind the lilac bush, and he knew one of them was the man he’d seen duck behind the bank. Before they completely took human form Teresa whispered she was sorry and disappeared. The shapes dissipated immediately, and if Damien hadn’t been damn sure he’d seen them in the first place, he would have sworn he’d imagined the entire scene. Why had they never seen the second man before? Had she been right all along? They’d simply been playing a game with her. This was his fault. He’d talked her out of being afraid when all along she’d known the truth. He stood still, hoping Teresa had only taken shadow form. “They’re gone, sweetheart. Come on back.” When she didn’t return he sat against the back of the building and leaned his elbows on his knees, listening to the night sounds, and trying not to remember what it felt like to finally make love to her again. She was gone, and as the sun rose he grew absolutely certain she’d never come back. The pain that racked his body was so sharp he began to wonder if he was having a heart attack. Part of him hoped he was. Without Teresa he didn’t want to live any longer. He returned to his bed when the robins took up their morning song in the trees and he heard traffic sounds. It was over. It hadn’t even begun and it was already over. He rolled over and punched the pillows again, trying to get comfortable. He wanted her here, with him. His entire body ached for the feel of her warm silky skin and that

delicious mouth that did incredible things to his cock. He wanted be to be inside her hot wet pussy that squeezed his shaft and eagerly took all of him, again and again. How he longed to hear the sounds of pleasure she made, and to listen to her sweet sexy laugh again. And those eyes… they’d seared his soul with her memory. How would he ever forget her? He finally threw off the sheet and sat on the edge of the bed. Teresa’s scent still hung in the air, despite the open windows. Or perhaps it simply hung in his head, the way Leta’s scent had lingered in his dreams and waking thoughts for close to a year after he was made human. Dragging a chair over to the window, he took a seat and listened to the sounds of his town waking up, picturing Teresa walking through Discount Mart without underwear. Her reckless streak was part of her charm. Where had she gone? Where was she right now? An image of her scared and hiding filled his mind and he abandoned the window to pace the room. There was nothing he could do. He didn’t know how to find her, and even if he could what would he do with her? He could keep her here, in this room. Forget about having her work downstairs. He could hide her from Apollyon up here. No one would have to know about it. God, he missed her. Fuck it all. He wanted her back, in his arms and in his bed. It had been so long since he’d let a woman into either, and he knew he’d compare any woman he met from this point forward to Teresa. Damien stood in the center of the room, closed his eyes, and whispered her name. **** His cell woke him up an unknown time later, and he answered it, hoping somehow it was Teresa. Before a frantic hello escaped his throat he remembered she didn’t have a cell phone, at least not one he remembered seeing. “Damien Walker?” A woman’s voice, but not Teresa’s. He sat up. “Yes.” He glanced at the alarm clock, shocked to discover it was three in the afternoon. He had to open the bar in an hour.

“You don’t know me, and this is going to sound weird, but do you know a woman named Teresa? She has long red hair and is about twenty-five…” “Who is this?” “Don’t worry, I’m not a nut or anything. Please just tell me if you know her.” Damien had to clear his throat before he spoke because his mouth had gone bone dry. “Yes. Yes, I know her. Who are you?” “Really? Oh thank goodness. Finally. I’ve been on the phone for two hours. Do you have any idea how many Damien Walkers there are in the country? She wouldn’t tell me where you live.” Damien’s heart pounded in his ears. What if this was a trick to find Teresa? “Who did you say you were?” “Oh, sorry. My name is Faina Blackmon. I don’t know if she ever mentioned me. Look she’s been crying since she got here and it was all I could do to get your name out of her.” Damien dropped the phone. When it he picked it up again his hands were trembling. “Is she there? Let me talk to her.” “She’s all right, but she doesn’t know I’ve been trying to reach you. I can’t get much out of her. She’s crying too hard and that scares me. I’ve known Teresa a very long time and I’ve never seen her cry.” “She’s in big trouble. Let me talk to her.” “Yeah, I know she is. She’s knee-deep in some serious shit. How much do you know?” He summarized what Teresa had told him about her human life, and what she’d done to Jahi. “She told you a lot. She must really trust you.” “Yeah, I guess so. I want to help her. Is there any way out of this for her?” “I have no idea, Damien, but I can’t let her stay here. Jahi is my best friend. She’s human now, and I don’t want her to face Teresa. It’s too soon and she has no defenses this time.” “Jahi is human?” “Yes, and so is Dagon. They’re getting married.” Fuck. Damien’s vision clouded and he had a sudden urge to throw the cell phone across the room. He wanted to watch it shatter into pieces. That fuck Tyre had allowed Dagon to become human so he could be with a demon? Damien had begged him and Apollyon to

make Leta human…pleaded, but it had been for nothing. In the end Leta made her choice, and it wasn’t him. “Damien, are you still there?” “You’re going to turn her in, aren’t you?” “No. It’s not my fight, but I can’t deal with this. I don’t want to just send her away, but I have a husband and a daughter, and another child about to pop out any day now. I can’t have this shit in my house.” “Where are you?” He fumbled in the nightstand for a pen and paper. “Give me your address.”

Chapter Fourteen Restitution Teresa sipped the tea Faina had made for her while she watched Jaidyn, Faina’s daughter, build a lopsided house out of Legos. She hummed and laughed to herself when the blocks kept falling down. Teresa tried to remember what it felt like to be a child, so carefree that a morning of playing with plastic blocks was sheer delight, but she couldn’t seem to focus her memories. Faina came back into the room and sat across from her. “Don’t be upset with me. I found Damien. He’s on his way to LA.” “No.” Teresa nearly dropped the teacup. “Teresa, it’s okay. They aren’t after him. They won’t know he’s coming here.” “I don’t care if they find me. I just don’t want him to be in trouble.” Faina smiled. “Right. You didn’t hear his voice on the phone. He’d move mountains right now to find you.” “I didn’t seduce him just for fun, Faina.” Faina glanced at Jaidyn then leaned closer and lowered her voice. “I don’t care why you slept with him. I only care what this is going to do to Jahi.” “You said you’d call her. I need to talk to her.” “I still think that’s a very bad idea.” “Please, Faina? Look, I know we weren’t friends, but I have to do this.” She cut her gaze to Jaidyn, who’d grown quiet. How much could the child understand? She didn’t want to frighten her. Faina rose. “Jaidyn, you want to watch Barney?” The child squealed in delight and toddled behind Faina. When Faina returned, she took her seat again. Teresa stared at her protruding belly. “What’s it like to be pregnant? Does it hurt?” Faina smiled. “Not really. It’s hot and uncomfortable mostly. My ankles swell a lot and I can barely pick up Jaidyn anymore.” A sick wave of jealousy shot through Teresa at the life Faina now had, and Jahi would soon have. If Clayton hadn’t been such a prick they would have had children and a real marriage. “Are you happy like this, Faina?” “It’s wonderful, Teresa. Jace is a good man and I love him.”

“I never told you what I did as a human.” “So tell me now.” “My parents owned a club in Chicago where men came to drink and get laid. Only it was a classy place, like Lily’s.” Faina nodded, her deep blue eyes growing serious. “I was married at sixteen to the mayor’s nephew so his family could get out of debt. Two months later I walked in on him getting a blowjob from my best friend, and hit him in the head with a fireplace shovel. I ran because I was afraid of the consequences.” Faina picked at a spot of dried jelly on the table. “That sucks,” she said softly. “Teresa, this is weird. You and me sitting me in my kitchen, talking about your past.” “I know. I’m so sorry for everything I’ve done.” “Tell me what you want to do. If you’re going to stay here until Damien arrives I need to call Jace at work and let him know.” “Will he freak?” “No, he’s been down this road before, but I don’t want him blindsided like last time. When Vassago was after Jahi she and Dagon showed up here so he could seal our home, because Jaidyn muttered Vassago’s name in her sleep.” “That’s creepy.” “No shit.” “So, what did you think of Dagon?” “He seemed to care about Jahi. Why?” “Damien knows him.” She didn’t want to tell Faina about Leta. That wasn’t her story to tell. How much do you know about Damien’s past?” “We mostly talked about mine.” “Well I hope you can trust him as much as you think you can.” **** Maddie spent precious minutes trying to talk Damien out of flying to Los Angeles. He finally told her he’d raise her pay if she let him go, but with or without her blessing he was leaving. She surprised him by giving him a hug. “If you let anything bad happen to yourself, Damien, I’ll kill you.” Damien assured her he’d be fine. He broke several traffic laws but made it to Hopkins Airport in time to check his luggage and board the plane. Twice while he shifted his weight from one leg to the other in the interminable security line, he swore two men dressed in black

and wearing mirror shades were watching him, but when he blinked they were gone. He had to be imagining it, but the memory of those shadows rising from behind the lilac bush kept playing in his head. When he touched down at LAX it was seven in the evening, LA time. He grabbed his carry-on and looked for a cab. As he stared out the cab’s window at the California sunset, he thought he saw the men again, once as the cab turned onto the Pasadena Freeway and again while stopped at a red light on the corner of Monterey Road and Via Marisol. Damien leaned back against the seat and closed his eyes. He was just overtired, that was all. No way did two demons follow him across the country. Faina’s home was tucked in between two equally stunning houses in Monterey Hills. A wave of jealousy hit him as he climbed the front steps. She and Jace lived a life he’d never have. A man with dark hair and eyes answered the door, fixing him with a wary look. “Are you Damien?” Damien stuck out his hand. “Damien Walker.” “Jace Blackmon. Come on in. She’s been pacing for two hours.” “The plane was delayed.” Teresa’s eyes were red and puffy and the sweat pants and tshirt she’d pulled on early this morning were rumpled, as though she’d slept in them for days. He’d never seen any woman look more beautiful. She ran into his arms and buried her face against his chest, muttering incomprehensible words. “Here we go again,” said Jace. Damien didn’t know what that meant and he didn’t care. All that mattered was that Teresa was safe and back in his arms where she belonged. He stroked her hair and glanced over at Jace and the woman he assumed must be Faina. Her blonde hair and striking blue eyes were exactly as Teresa had described them. She was pregnant, and quite far along from what Damien could tell. “Damien, did you have time to eat dinner?” she asked. He hadn’t even thought about food, but as soon as she asked he realized he was starving. “Not really.” “Well, come into the kitchen. I made sandwiches. Jahi and Dagon are on their way. It took me a while to talk her into it.”

At the mention of Dagon’s name Damien froze. Teresa pulled away and looked into his eyes. “I’m sorry. Jahi wouldn’t come without him.” Damien watched a curious look between Faina and her husband. Had Teresa told them about Leta? “This was a mistake. We should go. You’ve placed these people in danger.” “No she hasn’t,” said Jace. “The house is sealed. They can’t get in here.” “Sealed?” “Dagon did it when Vassago was after Jahi,” said Faina. Damien wanted to ask more questions but didn’t think it would sit well with Faina and Jace to challenge Dagon’s motives. He’d heard of an angel sealing a home against other angels but would it also work against demons? The image of those two men rose up in his mind and he shivered. What if he had been followed? He’d led them straight to Teresa. “You both look like you’re going to fall over,” said Faina. ‘Please come in and sit down.” Teresa clung to his arm like she was holding onto a life raft as he followed Faina and Jace through the house. He stared at the art on the wall and the wool rugs on the floor. Compared to this his cozy rooms over the bar appeared shabby and dull. “Pretty, isn’t it?” asked Teresa, her voice soft. “It’s something.” “Damien I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.” There were so many things he wanted to say to Teresa, but not in front of strangers. His mind still raced with unanswered questions, and he hadn’t thought far enough ahead to figure out what to do once he found her. His only thought had been to go to her. “As soon as Faina called me I knew I had to come.” He sat in Faina and Jace’s kitchen with dried jelly on the table and crayon drawings taped to the wall, eating a delicious turkey and cheese sandwich, wondering would happen next. Should he simply wait for Jahi to show up, let Teresa have her say then take her back to Ohio and hope for the best? Was there another option? He didn’t want to think about what might be waiting for him back in Northlake. He still held out hope the college kid had been so drunk he wouldn’t remember Teresa slamming his head against a tree trunk.

Jace and Faina exchanged worried glances every few minutes and he wondered what they were thinking. The only person in the room who didn’t appear to notice the awkwardness was Teresa. He could hardly believe she was the same confident woman who’d materialized in the bathroom two weeks ago. Right now she looked drained and defeated. He wanted to make everything all right for her but he didn’t know where to start. “Thank you for the sandwich,” he said, rising with his empty plate. When Faina didn’t move to take it from him he put it in the sink with the rest of the dirty dishes and took his seat again beside Teresa. “It was kind of you to take Teresa in.” Faina looked about to answer but stopped at the soft knock on the back door. It took her a few seconds to get out of the chair, and when she opened the door Teresa reached for Damien’s hand and squeezed it so tightly he saw spots in front of his eyes. The woman he assumed was Jahi walked in first, giving Faina a quick hug. Her green eyes fixed on Teresa as she licked her lips in a nervous gesture. When Dagon walked in Damien let go of Teresa’s hand and stood. They locked gazes, and Dagon’s mouth opened. His hazel eyes filled with disbelief, then anger. It was all Damien could do not to lunge across the table and deck him. He was human now. At least the odds would be even. His gaze traveled over the man this onceproud Nephilim had become. The same light hair, but now a hint of stubble graced his chin and the muscles in his bare forearms weren’t quite as impressive as Damien remembered. “Damien…” Faina and Jahi exchanged a nervous glance, then both women looked at Teresa, their eyebrows raised in identical gestures. “You know each other?” asked Jahi. “Yes, they do,” said Teresa. “What the hell are you doing here?” asked Dagon. “It’s a long story.” Jace stood up. “Ah, guys, let’s keep it civil.” “I need to talk to Jahi,” said Teresa. Dagon placed an arm around Jahi’s shoulder. “Alone, before it’s too late.”

Jahi glared at her, those emerald green eyes snapping with hate. “Whatever you have to say to me will have to be said in front of everyone. I only came here because Faina asked me to.” Jaidyn walked into the room, rubbing her eyes. When she spotted Jahi she smiled and ran over to her. Jahi picked up the toddler and held her close. “Someone is up late tonight.” “Yeah, I think it’s time for her bath.” Jace took his daughter from Jahi’s arms, then addressed his wife “You okay if I leave for a few minutes?” She smiled and nodded, then kissed Jaidyn on the forehead. “I’ll tuck you in after your bath, pretty girl.” As soon as Jace and Jaidyn left the room Jahi glared at Teresa. “Okay, talk. And don’t think just because I’m no longer a demon that I’m afraid of you.” Damien took his seat and put an arm across Teresa’s shoulders. “Let her get this out, okay?” “Don’t speak to her,” said Dagon, taking a step toward Damien. “Dagon, please sit down. I’ll listen to what Teresa has to say.” Dagon glared at Damien but finally took a seat. Faina eased herself into a chair after Jahi sat beside him. She clasped her hands on the table so tightly that her forearms quivered. Damien rubbed Teresa’s shoulder. “Go on, sweetheart.” Dagon rolled his eyes but Damien decided to ignore it. It was more important that Teresa get this off her chest. “Jahi, what I did was so wrong. I…Vassago backed me into a corner at The Devil’s Playground and threatened…” She looked up into Damien’s eyes. “It’s okay. Just tell her what you told me.” “Vassago found out I was still seeing Kenton Hall and he said he’d go to Apollyon if I didn’t do what he wanted.” “So you gave up a fellow demon?” “Yes.” Teresa looked at the table. “I did. I was stupid and selfish. I’m so sorry.” Damien saw the brief look of shock pass between Jahi and Faina. “Why me?” asked Jahi, “I mean I know we weren’t friends or anything, but what did I do to deserve such a betrayal?”

Teresa shook her head. “Jahi, I would have done the same thing no matter who he’d asked me to bring to him. It wasn’t anything personal against you.” “So why are you running? Didn’t Cresil just clean up the mess for you?” Teresa drew in a long breath and Damien pulled her closer. “Cresil gave me up to save himself.” “So you latched onto a former Nephilim.” Dagon’s voice was hard, direct. “You aren’t helping,” said Damien. He squeezed his hand into a fist, fighting for self-control. Teresa had just apologized, and he knew how hard this was for her, but all Dagon wanted to do was stir the pot. “Dagon, let Teresa finish, okay?” “Why should I?” he asked Jahi. “How can you sit here and listen to this after what she did to you?” “I’ve known her a long time. Trust me when I tell you this is very hard for her.” “I’m with Jahi on this one, Dagon,” said Faina. “I knew Teresa when I was human before. This is… out of character. Please let her finish.” Faina smiled at Teresa and Damien wanted to shout for joy. He’d thought her tracking down Faina was the craziest, most impulsive thing she could have done, but it had turned out to be the right thing to do after all. “Jahi, I don’t know what else to say,” said Teresa. “I only wanted the chance to explain in the hopes you’d understand. When they find me they’ll destroy me, and I wanted to go out with a clear conscience.” Jahi swallowed hard and cast her eyes to the table. “Teresa, I don’t know what to say right now either. I don’t know if I can forgive you, but I appreciate the explanation and the apology.” “It’s all right if you don’t forgive me. Thank you for listening.”

Chapter Fifteen Recollection A warm feeling spread through Teresa, like the time she’d given up her seat near the front of the train to a girl with a cast on one leg, without being asked to do so. She couldn’t have been more than ten years old, traveling to New York with her parents. The girl limped on, and Teresa had simply stood and told her it would be easier for her to sit close to the front because she’d have more room for the cast. She ran a hand over her mouth, fighting the urge to smile. That memory had come out of nowhere. Teresa hadn’t been able to remember much about her childhood for decades, and now suddenly she remembered doing something nice for another person without any ulterior motive. “All right,” said Dagon, glaring at Damien. “She’s had her say. Now it’s my turn. Do you think this is your chance to make up for Leta?” Damien stood so fast the chair fell backwards. “This isn’t the time or place to talk about that.” Dagon rose slowly to his feet. “Oh, I think it is. You have your arm around her, you’re calling her endearing names… does she know about Leta? Does she know you’ve done this before?” “Leta has nothing to do with this.” “She has everything to do with this. You tried to save a demon back then and you’re doing it again.” “You aren’t hunting this one.” Damien’s voice held an edge like steel. His jaw was hard and set, but all Teresa wanted to do was touch his cheek. She wanted to erase his anger the way apologizing to Jahi had done for her. His past no longer mattered to her. “Who are you to judge me?” asked Damien. “You’re sitting here with a former demon. You broke the same rules I did.” “Jahi wasn’t marked. She wasn’t being hunted by her king and our former boss.” “But you still broke the rules, Dagon. You were a Nephilim the first time you fucked her.” “Did you tell her about Leta?”

“He told me about her, Dagon. I don’t care about his past,” said Teresa. “He was in love with her, Teresa. I was hunting her by order of her king and Tyre, our boss, and Damien hid her from me, just like he’s been hiding you.” The broken glass sound was back. Teresa tried to fight the fear that washed over her but her emotions were still too raw from everything that had happened today. It wasn’t possible that Damien had simply used her to make amends for his past. He told her he wasn’t in love with Leta. No way had he lied to her. She couldn’t accept it. “Teresa, don’t listen to him. I told you I didn’t love Leta and I meant it.” Damien’s voice was filled with fear. “This is not the same thing.” “No, you should listen, Teresa. Whatever you think this is you’re wrong. They were caught and your lover here was lucky that Tyre didn’t let Apollyon destroy him right along with Leta.” Teresa folded her hands in her lap and stared at them. All the sound in the room seemed to stop. She couldn’t even hear Damien’s breathing next to her. She looked into his eyes. “Are you sure it’s not the same thing?” The pain in Damien’s eyes sent a jolt of fear through her body and she wished she’d kept her mouth shut. The last thing she wanted to do was give him a reason to relive painful memories. He’d traveled across the country to be with her. That had to mean more than just sex. The sound of broken glass was louder this time, and when Faina screamed Teresa knew it hadn’t only been in her head. The two men who came crashing through the patio door still wore mirror shades, even though the sun had set. They weren’t shadows this time, and Teresa knew from the reactions of everyone around her she wasn’t the only one who could see them. It was over. She felt much calmer than she’d imagined she would as she rose to face them. One of them removed his sunglasses, glancing around at the people in the room. “Who sealed the house?” “I did,” said Dagon. “I used to be a Nephilim.”

“That so? Well you’re human now. In fact…” he glanced at each of them in turn, smiling when his gaze fell on Teresa. The emotion didn’t reach his eyes. “There seems to be only one creature among you who isn’t.” Teresa swallowed hard, determined not to show these demons fear. “Give me a minute, okay? I just want to say goodbye to everyone.” The two men exchanged a puzzled glance. “Goodbye? You aren’t going anywhere. It’s not you we want.” His fake smile settled on Jahi and Teresa finally realized where she’d seen it before. These demons were two of Mastema’s followers. They weren't after her. It was Jahi they wanted, and she’d inadvertently led them straight to her. Understanding dawned on her as the men lunged across the table. Jahi screamed as Dagon tried to throw himself in front of her, only to be knocked against the wall by one of the demons. Faina put both hands over her protruding belly and Jace stood rooted to her side, his face frozen in fear and confusion. Teresa had to do something, and fast. No one else could fight them. She grabbed the shirt of the man who’d taken off his sunglasses, yanking him back from Jahi just as he touched her arm. He whirled to face her, his face a surprised grimace, and she morphed into her true demon form, no longer caring that there were humans in the room. It was the best way to even the odds. Jace let out a choked sob but she ignored him, pushing past Damien to reach the other demon as he also morphed into his true form. The first man circled behind her and she elbowed him in the crotch. He howled in pain and she grabbed the first demon’s arm, twisting with all her strength, but he was stronger. He pushed back against her and it was all she could do to hold him off. She heard the first man rise to his feet behind her. If she let them overtake her Jahi stood no chance at all. There was only one way to save her now. Teresa summoned her king.

Chapter Sixteen Resolve Apollyon arrived in a cloud of purple smoke, wearing a long flowing robe with a high collar. The air grew heavy with the smell of sulfur and burned toast. He spun around, surveying the scene in front of him, his eyes widening at the sight of Teresa struggling with two demons. “Who summoned me?” “I did my lord.” Teresa let go of the demon’s arm and dropped to her knees. The two demons who’d been fighting Teresa started toward the open patio door but Apollyon held up a hand and they grimaced, dropping to their knees. “Well, well. Look who we have here. Ornias and Zepar. I’ve been looking for you.” “My lord, have mercy.” The fake smiles had been wiped clean, replaced by shaky voices and trembling limbs. “Mercy? After what you’ve done? Mastema and the rest of his followers are waiting for you in the sulfur pits. Be gone.” He waved his arm and dark metal cuffs appeared, binding the demons’ wrists. They howled, just before disappearing in a blast of heat and smoke. Teresa changed back to human form and raised her eyes to face her king. “Why did you summon me?” he asked. “Surely you knew it would mean your end.” “They were after Jahi.” Apollyon’s lips curled. “Are you telling me you were trying to save a human? You?” “That’s exactly what she was trying to do,” said Jahi, taking a step forward. “It’s true,” said Faina. Apollyon regarded them for a moment, then turned his gaze on Jace. “Have you anything to say?” Jace swallowed hard. “I’m finding it a bit hard to keep up with all this, but Faina and Jahi are telling the truth. Teresa took her demon form right in front of us and went after those two. Who were they?”

“Two of Mastema’s followers that have been free all this time,” said Jahi. “They were after me because of what happened three years ago when I told Apollyon about the contract Mastema had forged.” “They were the last two,” said Apollyon. “You need have no further worry.” He glanced at Dagon. “You were lucky Teresa was here today or your future wife would be dead right now.” Dagon cut his eyes to Damien. “I could be wrong, but they only found us because Teresa came here.” “No. It was me they followed.” Teresa hated the look of pain on Damien’s face. She wanted to go to him but didn’t dare. “You didn’t know, Damien,” she said. “Those are the men we kept seeing in town and behind the bar, aren’t they?” She nodded, feeling like the biggest fool in history. She’d assumed they were two of the demons after her, and realized now they were simply tracking her to find Jahi. When Damien came to LA, he led them straight here. Teresa shuddered as she glanced around the table. She’d placed six humans in danger by coming here, one of them only a child. “Why did you come here, Teresa?” asked Apollyon. “I came to explain to Jahi why I betrayed her.” “Is this true?” Apollyon raised his eyebrows at Jahi. “Yes.” “A noble gesture but it’s too late, Teresa. Surely you realize that.” Damien skirted behind Apollyon and moved to her side. Teresa blinked back tears. “I know it’s over for me, but may I please say goodbye?” Apollyon let out an exasperated sigh. “What is it with all of you, falling in love with humans?” Damien held out a hand and she took it, rising. “Teresa isn’t in love, Apollyon. At least, I don’t think she is.” Damien searched her face, a question in his eyes. Breathing was suddenly difficult. She’d never wanted to feel such agony, such overwhelming need, for another person. Love was something poets wrote about. It wasn’t for the likes of her. Her husband had married her for the money, and couldn’t even bring himself to share her bed

more than once a week. No doubt Felicity had been sapping him of all his strength in that regard. And the men at Madame Lily’s were there for sex, nothing more. She’d felt nothing for them. They were a means for her own pleasure, as were all the men she’d seduced into signing away their souls once she became a demon. Even Kenton, as much as she enjoyed his company, wasn’t someone she’d loved. And Cresil had been self-preservation, nothing more. There was no love among demons who used each other. “Teresa?” Damien’s handsome face was a mixture of pain and desperation as he moved to face her. Teresa glanced around the room. The folds of Apollyon’s robes swayed even though they were indoors. Faina stood next to Jace, both hands on her belly, as if protecting the child within from the scene in front of her. Jace eyed Apollyon warily. Next to Jace, Dagon stood tall and proud, his arm across Jahi’s shoulder. Jahi watched Teresa with a knowing look in her eye. Everyone in this room was waiting for her reaction, but she could hardly put it into words. The realization she’d fallen in love with Damien should have sent her into a panic. Who would want her? She’d killed a man and become a prostitute, continuing to use men even in death. To save her own skin she gave up a fellow demon. Were those the actions of a woman worthy of love? And yet Damien stood in front of her, the love shining from his eyes, and she knew without him telling her that he felt the same way. “I told you love was bullshit but I was wrong,” she whispered. “It’s not bullshit. I mean, I always thought it was but I no longer feel that way. I’m so scared of this, but I love you, Damien.” He wiped the tears off her cheeks, his eyes shiny with moisture. “I’m so sorry for everything I’ve done. Please forgive me.” He shook his head and pulled her close, stroking her back. “There’s nothing to forgive. I love you too, Teresa.” **** Damien held Teresa, wondering how he’d ever let her go. He knew now that what he’d felt for Leta hadn’t been love, because the emotions churning inside him were nothing he’d ever experienced. He

wanted to wipe away Teresa’s tears, and hold her, and spend the rest of his life making her smile and flirt and play. He couldn’t lose her. There had to be a way to change Apollyon’s mind. He turned to face the king of demons. “You and Tyre made me human as a punishment, but it wasn’t. It forced me to face the truth about myself and I’ve done that, over and over again. Now I want to spend the rest of my mortal life with Teresa. I love her.” “Not possible.” “It is possible and you know it.” “No.” Apollyon’s voice thundered around the room. “Not after what she’s done.” Damien swept his arm around. “Three people in this room were made human despite what they’d done. Why is her situation so different?” “She betrayed one of her own kind. Do not push me, Damien.” “And what she did today means nothing? Dagon and Jahi were lovers as Nephilim and demon. They broke the rules yet here they both stand today, human, in love and planning a wedding.” Dagon glared at Damien and took a step forward. Jahi put her hand on his arm but he shook it off. “Damien, you never learn, do you?” “Shut up, Dagon. This isn’t the same thing and you know it. Leta had no desire to be redeemed but Teresa does.” “Is this true?” asked Apollyon, his eyes riveted to Teresa’s face. “I’ve been careless, my lord. I’ve never really learned to take responsibility for my own actions. But I want the chance to make up for that. I want to make amends for the things I’ve done to hurt others.” “Apollyon,” Jahi stepped forward, ignoring the warning look Dagon shot her. “I worked with Teresa for over one hundred years. She’s never shown remorse or compassion for anyone. I don’t know what’s happened to her but I believe she’s sincere.” “Jahi, come on…” Jahi turned to face Dagon, reaching up to ruffle his hair. “It hasn’t been that long since we were both begging for forgiveness as well. Don’t let your past with Damien cloud your judgment now. She deserves the same chance we were given.”

Damien watched in fascination as the anger melted from Dagon’s face and he gathered Jahi in his arms. A twinge of envy shot through him, making his stomach contract in fear and pain. He wanted that kind of relationship with Teresa, and his only chance rested in Apollyon’s hands. And idea came to him. A crazy idea, but what else could he possibly lose? He locked gazes with Apollyon. “Keep her a demon then. Set a time frame. If, after that time, she proves herself worthy of redemption, make her human. Let her prove she means what she says.” He turned to gaze at her. “Because I believe in her.” Teresa smiled for the first time since he’d set foot in this house, and the sight filled him with hope. He wanted to kiss her into oblivion. “You’re willing to take such a chance?” asked Apollyon. “I sure am.” “Teresa, are you willing to accept terms such as this?” “Yes, my lord.” She didn’t take her eyes from Damien’s face. “Even without knowing the time frame I’ll give you?” “The time frame doesn’t matter. I’ll spend the rest of Damien’s mortal life proving I’ve changed if that’s what it takes. As long as I’m with him that’s all I care about.” Apollyon moved closer to the pair. “Six months. That’s all I’m giving you, Teresa. And the demons who were hunting you will keep watch. If you risk exposure of our realm even once, or step out of line in any way, it’s over. Nothing you or Damien say at that point will change my mine. Do you agree to those terms?” “Yes, my lord.” She put her arms around Damien. Damien no longer cared that the king of demons, his former nemesis, and two former demons watched them. He kissed Teresa, his heart soaring with joy.

Chapter Seventeen Rejoicing “Teresa, we have a plane to catch. You look fine. Let’s go.” “I haven’t seen them in almost a year. “And it’s a five hour flight. You’ll be fixing your hair and make-up again once we land.” She emerged from the bathroom, looking too pale. She’d been human for three months, and in that time had grown even more beautiful. When Apollyon showed up in the bar one night after closing, six months on the dot after that fateful day in Faina’s kitchen, Damien had nearly pissed his pants in fear. But not Teresa. She’d stood her ground and ticked off all the reasons why she deserved to be human. He’d agreed without hesitation. But for the past two weeks she’d appeared weak and frail. When Dagon and Jahi had asked them to come to LA to help celebrate the birth of their first child, Damien had eagerly accepted. They weren’t exactly bosom buddies with the couple, but they’d finally accepted Teresa on her own terms, and Damien was thrilled. Now, he wasn’t so sure a long plane ride was the best thing for her. “You should see a doctor.” He’d said the same thing to her every day for over a week. She put her bag on the floor and smiled. A blush crept up her neck as she sauntered toward him. Even though she looked like she was about to fall asleep her sexy walk made his cock hard. He’d never grow tired of her, and he’d never stop loving her. “I don’t need to see a doctor, Damien.” “Yes you do. I’m worried about you.” She held a small white stick in her hand. “I’ll need to see one when we return to Ohio, but for now you don’t have to worry. I’m not sick.” “What’s that?” He stared at it, not wanting to hope, yet there was the thin blue line. “You know what this means, right?” “Oh, God… Teresa… you’re pregnant?” She nodded, fear filling her beautiful eyes. Did she think he was upset? He picked her up and twirled her around, then took her mouth in a rough, deep kiss.

“We’re going to miss our plane.” She pulled back, her eyes shining and wet. “Are you all right to fly?” “I’ll be fine.” “Teresa, I love you so much.” “I love you too, Damien.” He placed his hand on her still-flat stomach. “I never imagined I’d be a father.” “And I never thought I’d have a child.” “We should get married.” She laughed. “That’s not exactly the romantic proposal I imagined.” “I don’t even have a ring to give you.” “Let’s buy one in LA. I’m sure Faina would be happy to take us to Rodeo Drive.” “Oh, I see how it is. You won’t marry me unless you have a ring from Beverly Hills.” “Damn straight.” He laughed and picked her up again, holding her as tightly as he dared, knowing he’d never let her go. His beautiful, sexy Teresa, the woman he’d moved Heaven, Earth and Hell to have. The End

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Other Books by Carolyn Rosewood: The Last Soul Hunted Midnight Seduction

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