My eyes narrowed at the witch. “If you continue to speak about me as if I’m not in the room—my room, to be exact—you’re going to see my aura turn red.”
“Your aura is already red. Clear red, to be precise. It tells me you’re powerful and passionate. A muddied red signifies anger—”
I waved my hand to interrupt. “I don’t care. What was Violet supposed to tell me?”
Gayle straightened, holding her head high. “That I have a part in Rachel’s death.”
My eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”
Violet extended a hand in warning, but Gayle ignored it. “It was I that tried to take your mother away that night.”
I glanced at my mother’s demon. “Violet told me it was her.”
“I told you I got her outside of the sanctuary, but that I had someone waiting for me with a vehicle,” Violet said. “The witch was our wheelman.”
Gayle laced her fingers together. “Our plan was to take her away from the sanctuary. The Three could no longer protect her. Your mother had been set upon by unknown traitors. It’s even worse knowing it was the mother witch’s own grandson.”
“But why take her?” I asked. “Where else would be as safe as here?”
“Covens can offer sanctuary as well. We were created to be a haven apart from the rest of the world that views us as pariahs, rejects, casts-offs. We have powerful enchantments set in place. We would’ve protected her, down to our very last life.”
I sneered, my blood boiling. “Except that you unwittingly set her into the path of the very ones that were waiting to kill her.”
“They would’ve gotten to her eventually. My only regret is not acting sooner, but The Three wouldn’t listen. We were too late to orchestrate our plans.”
I turned to Violet. Her head had dropped back against a pillow, her face soft and at peace. I lowered my voice.
“I understand. You were concerned. Thank you for telling me the full story.”
“That’s not the reason I came tonight, Ava.” She gazed upon my mother’s demon, concern etched in her features. “I want to offer you the same protection we would’ve extended to your mother.”
“Would your lapis lazuli provide this protection?” I said, eyeing the curious ornament at her wrist.
Her fingers flew to the stone. One side of her lips lifted. “This is just a piece of jewelry. A trinket I wear to provide foolish comfort.” She tucked it beneath her sleeves, pinning me with a direct stare. “You’ve already been attacked in this so-called haven. Multiple times. You cannot tell me you feel safe.”
I picked up the Celtic boot knife Elisa had given me. The sgian dubh felt solid in my grip. “Does Fiona or the Heralds know you’re here? Do they know what you’re offering?”
But she didn’t answer. “The Three are powerful, but they’re fewer in number than what we can provide.”
My thumb traced down the edge of the sharpened blade. “And what is that?”
Gayle watched my careful caress. “At my coven, we allow only the best to enter. We have over one hundred of the most powerful coven witches and warlocks at your disposal, and you won’t have to fear for your life as you do here.”
“You cannot guarantee a shelter free of traitors. That’s impossible.” I slid the drawer to my nightstand open and placed the knife back where it belonged.
“There are no traitors in our coven. We are not as naïve as The Three. They want to trust the mortals that they protect, and understandably so. If they saw them for what they were—power hungry, greed-driven liars, they wouldn’t want to protect them as they do.
A pang of truth hit a chord. That was the same reason Nikolaos fell.
She continued. “We trust no one that hasn’t earned it, and we enforce rigorous testing of all our members.”
After replacing my weapons, I slid the drawer closed and turned to face her. “So how did Thaddeus miss your radar?”
She flicked her fingers in annoyance. “Different coven. We can’t control them all. It’s everyone’s job to report possible dissenters. My coven is elite. We take these things seriously. Those that pass our tests and stay clean of worldly pursuits are loyal to our cause. To your cause.
“We would protect you from the Annihilator, from Nikolaos. You can continue to be Defender. You don’t have to stay here to do so. Fiona and Cedric spend much of their time outside of the sanctuary and on different continents. It doesn’t affect their work. Come with me. You’d be a magnificent addition to our ranks.”
“I—” I looked to Violet. My throat felt swollen.
“Of course we would allow your demons to come with you. They have both proved their loyalty. Whatever Guardian you chose would be welcomed as well…” Gayle backed away to the exit. “Think on it.”
When the door clicked closed, I released a heavy sigh and sat at the edge of my bed. Violet’s fiery touch sent a jolt up my arm.
She watched me through curious eyes.
“She has to know I can’t go, right?”
A soft smile lifted the corner of her lips. “Can’t you?”
I pulled my hand down my face, shocked at the forgotten blood and grime still encrusted on my skin. I shook my head. “What do you think of her offer?”
“I go where you go.”
The sun peeked from behind a break in the clouds. I delighted in its momentary glow and warmth before it disappeared behind an overcast sky. I walked the coastline with my running shoes in hand. My feet melted into the cool, wet sand, leaving behind temporary evidence of my slacking off, but I didn’t care. Not a single mortal or demonic soul had found our haven on our hidden beach and no one complained when I disappeared to bask in its beauty.
As the days crawled, my mood became more and more rancid. Violet was back to her usual self and returned to her cell. Despite her being one of their old compound mates, the other residents had been quietly accepting of Charlotte’s death and permanent demonic takeover. Once the details of the attack spread throughout their ranks, not a single member voiced any objections. Despite their silent acquiescence, I waited on needles and rusted knifepoints for backlash.
On top of it all, my visions had stopped. Elisa guessed it was due to my injuries, my missing Guardian, and my heightened nerves. Whatever the reason, it only made the situation worse, giving me ample time to think about Gayle’s offer and about Darius.
Part of me wondered if I might be safer somewhere else, but I knew I would just be running away… again. It was a taught instinct—a weakness, my father’s number one reaction.
Premature regret hung heavy in my heart. I was still learning how to become Defender. Humanity deserved everything I could give—what The Three could give. All those years I had ignored them, all those visions I had misunderstood as nightmares. They were real, and the people I dreamed of needed my help. I couldn’t leave my friends.
I released a heavy breath. I couldn’t leave Darius either.
Despite Gayle’s invitation to my chosen Guardian, I knew he would never leave his sanctuary. He was the head of security. These people were his family. Every time I thought of joining Gayle and her hundreds of coven witches, it was the pain of leaving him that hurt the most. But what did that mean?
His absence not only left me reeling, it had also effected everyone else.
Hector had taken charge of security, but this did not go over very well with Roman. As a consequence to high contention within ranks, our daily exercises included the remaining Three.
No one had seen me flee training. Either that or they hadn’t said anything. I closed my eyes and relished the salty breeze against my face.
“I was told I could—holy cow!” A voice I would rather not recognize brought me out of my sullen meditation.
“What?” I snapped.
“You look horrible.” Something akin to concern crossed over Bailey’s face before she carefully tucked it away, replacing it with a more Bailey-like look.
I could guess my appearance would be the complete o
pposite of how she looked at the moment. Her long, blond hair curled to achieve a relaxed beach wave, and a floral sundress accentuated her every curve. I rolled my eyes. Of course I knew what I looked like. Gayle had set my nose, but I had refused further aid. If I was immortal, then I could restore on my own. I had become too dependent on Fiona and Cedric’s abilities.
Besides, until Darius returned safe and sound, I required that the only available Healer be ready for more important things than a banged-up Defender.
Bailey cleared her throat. “I was told I’d find you out here.”
I groaned, rolling my neck. “And I was told you went missing. What changed?” I skimmed a hand over my running shorts and the hidden compartment that held my father’s knife.
Bailey snorted a laugh. “You don’t like me, do you?” My brow pitched high on my forehead and she smiled. “Well, I don’t like you either, so we’re square.”
“Fantastic. What do you want?”
She scanned the ocean, appearing serene and at ease—but I knew otherwise. “This is beautiful,” she said, gesturing to the view. Her ankle-length sundress danced in the breeze… and I wanted to vomit, but I merely hummed in agreement.
She picked up a shell, examining its ridges. “Any news from your temp?”
I bit back a nasty remark at her question about Darius. Instead I stared out to the horizon and that near invisible line that separated sky and water.
When I didn’t answer, she continued. “Elisa said it’s nothing to worry about. He has the help of the Healer and the preemie. Strange, though… You’d think an angel would be able to find a lone woman.”
I ground my teeth, angry that my best friend would share so much information.
“An angel is not God—they don’t have everyone’s exact location. His mother must not want to be found and is shielding herself well.” At least that’s what Ray had told me, but I was still annoyed by it.
“Yeah, but you’d think an angel wouldn’t fail—”
“It is not Aaron’s job. He’s a caretaker, not a babysitter. I shouldn’t have even asked him.”
Aaron showed up daily to give us an account of what he knew—which wasn’t much. Emily proved to be harder to locate than they all assumed. By the time Darius and Cedric had arrived on location, she had run to another hideaway. This meant they had to somehow contact the demon husband for a new location, which ended up being in another state completely.
“You do seem to have a lot of conveniences at the tips of your fingers.”
I knew I hadn’t imagined the annoyance in her voice. I flexed my clenched hand, suddenly eager to release my pent-up frustration. I peered over my shoulder to smile at the witch. “I do, don’t I?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Aren’t you the least bit worried for your Guardian?”
I shrugged. “Darius is a big boy. I have complete faith that he knows what he’s doing.” But that was a lie. He had acted rashly in leaving me behind—so different from his normal behavior. My insides were in constant turmoil, twisting and churning like a rabid storm, but I would never tell Bailey that.
I squarely faced her. “What can I do for you? Surely you’ve come for some other reason.”
Her brows raised in a challenge. “I want you to release Jonathan to me.”
I laughed. “That’s not how it works.”
“Fine, then order him to come to me.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Why this sudden obsession with my demon?”
“It is not an obsession. I am his wife, you know.”
“You’re not his wife. The man you married is gone—slaughtered by the very demon you’re requesting. Jonathan was and is now only a meal ticket to you.”
Her spine stiffened, her chin raised. “And what is he to you?”
My mouth clamped shut. “He’s my friend.”
She hummed, examining a blond lock of hair. “You trust him?”
I looked toward the horizon. “I do.”
She tossed the strand away, letting it waft in the ocean breeze. “If that’s truly the case, then don’t you think he’d be more of a benefit to those that fight against his kind?”
My heart dropped as I remembered what Jonathan had said.
I have no idea who I am. I have no place to go, no home. Demons from both the Destroyer and the Annihilator don’t recognize me as anything anymore. I have no rank, no calling, no position. I am a nobody.
I cleared my suddenly swollen throat. “He is, at this time, limited in what he can do.”
Bailey pointed a reproachful finger. “Thanks to you. But he could still be of use. He could identify threats, teach us their ways, defend us against those stronger than us.”
“You want him as a glorified bodyguard then?”
Her eyes narrowed, her face reddening. “We would hold him in great esteem.”
I raised my hands. “Listen. I don’t hold the strings to Jonathan. You’re fighting the wrong person.”
“Then talk to him for me. Convince him to come to me.”
“How about you just ask him yourself?” I pressed out with my power, encompassing Jonathan with energy.
“You saw how he responded to me before,” Bailey said, unaware of the additional dialog resuming in my head. “He needs more than my gentle persuasion.”
I laughed out loud. “Gentle?”
Unknown to the angry witch, Jonathan appeared in physical form in all his perfected glory. He sauntered barefoot in the sand, his hands tucked into his pockets. A white t-shirt and dark jeans hugged in all the right places. He greeted me with a smile that would’ve melted any mortal heart, but eyed the back of the witch’s head with a mixture of confusion and annoyance.
My demon really was a beautiful specimen.
Bailey crossed her arms over her chest. “I want the Fallen’s full and complete support. I’ve been very nice about all of this, but I don’t have to be. In the eyes of the law, we are legally married. I could make this very uncomfortable for him.”
“How so?” I asked.
“There’s nothing worse for a demon than to drag him into the public eye.”
“Then you’re making this decision very easy for me,” Jonathan said, causing Bailey to spin around with a gasp. “I want a divorce.”
“I…” Bailey swallowed hard. “I didn’t mean what I s—”
“Don’t backpedal now. I have no respect for someone that issues threats and doesn’t produce. No one likes a bully.”
“Really?” I asked, spearing him with a look.
“You’re right, my darling. I’ve had firsthand experience with being a bully, but I’ve changed my ways. You’ve reformed me.” He gave a slight bow, then turned to Bailey. “I have nothing to give your coven. I’m no one’s bodyguard.”
She glared at him. “And what are you to ‘your darling’?”
“As she has said—we are friends.” He leaned over to whisper in my ear. “But I know better…” His lips grazed my check in a gentle kiss, then he turned on his heel and sauntered away. “I am fully at the Defender’s disposal.”
Bailey’s mouth dropped open. Anger infused her tone. “You won’t aid the coven, but you’ll be the Defender’s little bi—”
I inhaled a shocked breath. Jonathan had seized Bailey by the throat. Shockwaves of black power rolled from him in violent waves. His jaw muscles flexed and moved with the threat in his words.
“Do not forget who you deal with, witch. I am not someone to toy with.”
Bailey pawed at his hands. Terror leaked from her as she gasped for breath. I called to him, but he didn’t hear me, caught in his own angry spell. I reached for him, but heat seared my fingertips and I wrenched away. “Jonathan!”
Finally, he snapped from his trance. He shoved her away, causing her to fall into the sand. Tears poured from her eyes as she scrambled as far as she could get from the demon.
I held out a hand. “You don’t really burn,” I said, seeing the imprint of his hand around her neck. “It’s on
ly in your head.” But even I didn’t believe my own words. I had felt the fire of his anger.
She raced towards the veil. The wave-like entryway to the sanctuary shone like a welcoming banner, but she broke through it like a terrified child.
“Was that necessary?” I asked, not expecting an answer. “Now she’s going to tell Fiona, and then you’re really going to get it.”
“I think not,” he said, his voice calm. “She doesn’t do this for the benefit of the coven. I don’t know why she seeks me, but whatever the reason, she needed the reminder that there’s a line, and she tiptoes on that line with both me and the coven by asking for my… services.”
I cleared my throat, laughing despite the nervous twist of my stomach. “I forgot just how terrifying you are.”
One brow raised as he regarded me. “Never forget how terrifying I am… but I’m sorry if I scared you.”
I nodded and followed behind Bailey’s wild wake but hesitated before entering the veil. I turned to watch him, both confused and mesmerized by my demon. He was such a strange being. Seemingly unaware of my observations, he had picked up a shell and was examining it in the sun as if completely at peace. As if he hadn’t, only moments before, been threatening the life of a young female witch.
Jonathan glanced up and waved. He came up behind me, resting his chin on my shoulder. “Look how this one shines in the light.” He held the shell at arm’s distance. A day’s stubble tickled my neck, eliciting an uncommon giggle. I clamped my mouth shut.
He sighed, seemingly content to stay where he was pressed against me. There were times he seemed so normal, opposed to what he was.
“Sometimes none of this seems real. This world. This life. More like a dream that I expect to wake up from any moment.”
He laughed, the sound reverberating against my body. “I’ve seen your dreams. You’re not that creative.”
“Jonathan?”
When I didn’t continue, he prodded me. “Yes?”
“What would you be if you weren’t… what you are?”
He heaved a sigh, and at first, I thought he would make fun of my question, or completely ignore it, but then—
“A teacher.”
I peered over my shoulder at him. He was so close I could feel his breath against my skin. “Are you serious?”
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