Antiphon

“Yep.”

“So all those kids digging to China are in for one hell of a surprise.”

“Literally,” I chuckle.

“How did you get there? Did someone like you come after you?”

“No. I’m a creature of Hell.” I shoot a sideways glance at her, not sure how she’ll take that, but she just looks thoughtful.

“What do you mean?”

“Demons are created in Hell. We were never human.”

“I don’t get how that works.”

“We’re born from sin. My sin is pride, just like the original-King Lucifer. My name is a dead giveaway. Only creatures of pride are arrogant enough to take His name.”

Her eyes shift to her hand on my chest. “Would it be really weird if I said I think I kinda knew all along?”

I smile. “Yes.”

Her eyes flit to mine and away. She opens her mouth to say something then closes it again.

My smile widens. I lift her chin with a finger and fix her in my gaze. “What?”

She blushes and her face pulls into an embarrassed grimace. “Nothing,” she says, lowering her lashes.

“It’s obviously something.”

“I want to feel your horns,” she blurts without looking at me.

I grimace. “Why?”

She rolls with her back to me. “Forget it. It’s stupid.”

I roll her back and shift onto my elbows above her. “You’re not going to run screaming from the room?”

She lifts her eyes to mine, then lifts her head and kisses me. “After what you just did? What do you think?”

I close my eyes and push off my human shell and shudder when I feel Frannie’s fingers running slowly through my hair. There’s a tremble in her touch as she traces one finger around the base of my left horn, then up to the tip and back. I feel both of her hands wrap around them as she pulls me down into a kiss, and they vanish as I sink back into her.

When I pull back, I stare down into those sapphire eyes looking for any sign of fear or disgust, but all I see is love. I still can’t believe that look is directed at me.

“Will they try that again. with Taylor and Riley, I mean?”

I sigh and trail my finger down her nose, over her lips, down her chin and along her neck, stopping short of that insanely hot red bra. “Probably not. They know we’ll be looking for it.”

“What are we gonna do?”

I roll off her and shake my head. “I don’t know. My sixth sense is slipping. This is dangerous, Frannie. I can’t see them coming like I used to. I’m not sure I can protect you anymore.”

She smiles. “I need another cross, and I think you need a talisman. Something to ward off evil spirits.”

“And just where am I going to get this talisman?”

If I didn’t know better, I’d swear her eyes were glowing. She sits up and turns her back to me, undoing the clasp of her bra and sliding it off. As I watch, I feel things. stirring. and it’s taking every ounce of restraint I can muster not to jump her right this second. She pulls a pillow in front of her and turns back, her hair spilling across one side of her face. She tosses her bra to me with a sinful grin that would put any demon to shame.

“Your talisman,” she says.

“If you think this is going to ward off evil spirits,” I say, holding it up, “then you don’t know much about evil spirits.” I look at her and work to control my breathing. “You have no idea what you’re doing to me.” Truth is, I have no idea what she’s doing to me either. This is completely uncharted territory. But, whatever it is, I think I like it.

Still grinning wickedly, she says, “I’m not sorry.”

But then I see it. The answer. I hesitate for just a second, letting my eyes eat Frannie alive, before hanging her bra on my headboard and tossing her shirt to her. “As much as it pains me to say it, you have to get dressed. Gabriel has something we need.”

Frannie

“I’m not going to let him tag me,” I say on the way to Gabriel’s house.

“I wish you would. That’d be the surest way. But there are other things that might be almost as good.”

“Like what?”

“Being a Dominion, he’s privy to information I’m not. He’s also got power I can only dream of.”

I think about our kiss-how it made me feel-and raise my hand to my lips and sigh.

“What’s going on with you two?” Luc’s voice is soft, but with an edge.

“Nothing.” I think.

“You’re a terrible liar.”

“I’m not-” lying, I start to say. But I am. ’Cause there is something going on. I just have no idea what it is. “I kissed him.”

Luc slams on the brakes, skidding to the side of the road. “You what?”

“I kissed him.”

He just stares at me, rage storming in his eyes. “When?”

“Before us-mostly,” I say.

“Mostly? What’s mostly?”

And his rage triggers my own. “You know what? It’s none of your business. At least he wasn’t nearly naked in my goddamn bed! And I’m still not convinced you weren’t doing Avaira!”

His jaw clenches and his eyes narrow. “Did he kiss you back?”

I slide down in the seat and cross my arms tight across my chest to keep from hitting him. “I told you, it’s none of your business.”

“Well this is just rich,” he says, his voice acid, “not only are you bringing down demons, but Dominions too.” He pulls back up onto the road and stares blindly out the windshield. “So, do you want him? Because whatever you want, you can pretty much have, what with the whole Sway thing.”

I glare at him. “Just take me home.”

I keep my arms wrapped tightly around me. The ache in my chest threatens to dissolve into angry tears, but I force myself not to cry. I won’t give him the satisfaction.

He pulls over on the side of the road again and just sits there, staring straight ahead-forever.

“I can walk from here,” I finally say, reaching for the door handle.

“Stop.” His hand darts out and grasps my wrist.

I jerk my arm away. “Let go!” But when I turn to look at him, his face is soft and his eyes are deep.

“Frannie, please try to remember that I’m new at this. I’ve still got feelings-emotions-raging through me that I can’t even begin to identify. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with them. I didn’t mean what I said. I’m sorry.”

I fight against the tears again. I really want to be mad at him. I want to hate him, ’cause it feels safer than loving him.

I tug on the door handle. “Too late.” I step out of the car, but before I get ten feet, he’s there, wrapping his arms around me from behind.

“Let go of me!”

A passing car slows and pulls onto the shoulder just as I pull Luc’s arm off me and throw him over my shoulder onto the ground. A tall, skinny man about my dad’s age gets out and looks at me with wide eyes. “Do you need help, miss?”

I look down at Luc, and, for a second, I’m madder, ’cause he’s laughing.

“You think it’s funny?” I sneer. But then I realize how ridiculous we must look, and there’s no stopping the stupid smile that pulls at my lips.

“Miss?” the guy says, taking a cautious step toward us.

Luc pulls himself off the ground as I break into an uncontrollable giggle. He looks at the guy. “We’re fine. ” his