I glanced up at him, noting the way he scanned everything—the stars, the buildings, the streetlights.It was like he was cataloging every detail, committing it to memory.The way he took it all in reminded me of my first few days on Earth, where everything had felt so overwhelming, so chaotic.Back then, I’d barely managed to keep my head above water.But Rathiel?He was a soldier, through and through, adaptable to everything and anything.The first time I’d seen a car whiz by on the street, I’d jumped back with a scream.
“It’s also a great deal colder,” he noted, his voice laced with a dryness that made me smirk.
I chuckled at that.“Only for about half the year.The other six months can reach temperatures that have me wishing I was back in Hell.It’s the extreme swings that annoy me.In Hell, youknowit’s a gazillion degrees, and the fires will burn the hair right off your ass.But here, you never know what to expect.One day, it could be cold as balls and raining cats and dogs—don’t worry, it doesn’tactuallyrain cats and dogs—and the next, it’s blisteringly hot out.Winter always seems to surprise the humans too, even though they know it’s inevitable.Then they’re so relieved when summer hits, only to gripe about the heat a few weeks later.It’s actually quite comical to listen to.”
Rathiel huffed a short laugh.“I must say, I’m impressed.I don’t know how you do it, Lily.”
“Do what?”I asked, frowning.
“Live here,” he said, his tone carrying a hint of admiration.“You’ve made this place your own.I feel like a stranger in a foreign land, but you…you’ve thrived.”
I certainly wouldn’t say thrived.“Trust me, it didn’t happen quickly or easily.”I lifted my hands to my mouth and blew into them, rubbing them together to ward off the chill.“My first year here, I slept under a bridge.Believe me when I tell you this cold is nothing compared to the cold I experienced while trying to sleep outside in the middle of winter,” I admitted.“My second year, I bounced around a lot of shelters.Humans have a lot of rules, procedures that made things challenging.To get a job, you need a social insurance number and ID.I didn’t have either of those.”
“Then how—?”Rathiel began, but I cut him off with a wry smile.
“I met someone who promised they could help.Not all humans follow the law, and this person assured me they could get me some identification—illegally, of course.To this day, I have no idea how he did it, but he got me what I needed to survive.”
“And that’s how you got your jobs?”
“Well, it didn’t happen right away,” I told him.“It took me a few jobs to get a knack for it.But eventually, I landed the barista position.It didn’t pay much.A part-time job paying minimum wage isn’t enough to survive.But luckily, I stumbled across the bartender position a few years later.The tips keep me afloat and comfortable, but it’s still a struggle.Life hereisdifferent.And don’t get me wrong, humans have their problems too.War, racism, discrimination.But hey, there’s no hellspawn and no Lucifer.So that’s a win.”
Rathiel’s steps slowed as he turned to face me, his gaze intense.“You truly are a marvel.”
Heat rushed to my cheeks, but before I could turn away, something caught my attention.From the corner of my eye, I caught a figure moving toward us.I froze, my breath hitching as I recognized the guy I’d bumped into earlier.He’d walkedpastus in the opposite direction.So why was he behind us now?And heading toward us.
“What can I say?”I murmured quietly, more to myself than to Rathiel.“I’m a quick learner.”
“He’s been following us since you bumped into him,” Rathiel stated matter-of-factly, as if discussing the weather.
I startled, my gaze snapping to him.
So, he’d noticed too.Because of course he had.
Rathiel still looked completely at ease, his posture deceptively relaxed, like he didn’t have a care in the world.He tucked his hands into his pockets before continuing onward, his stride unhurried, almost lazy.But I knew him too well to be fooled by the façade.There was a subtle tension in the way his eyes continuously scanned our surroundings, in how his jaw tightened ever so slightly, betraying the awareness that thrummed just beneath his calm exterior.
It was a quiet, simmering readiness, a vigilance that lay just beneath the surface of his collected demeanor.To anyone else, he might’ve looked like he was simply out for a late-night stroll, but I could sense the vampire lurking beneath the surface, his instincts sharp and honed.He was playing it cool, but he attuned every fiber of his being to the potential threat behind us.
Rathiel had taught me to always be hyper-aware of my surroundings.A girl never knew when a hellspawn had a blade aimed at her back.Maybe it was nothing.Maybe this guy was just a harmless paranormal who happened to be walking the same way.But since Rathiel had noticed this guy too, I believed my instincts were right.And I wasn’t someone who ignored her instincts.
I kept my pace steady, pretending I hadn’t noticed anything, but my mind raced.There was only one way to find out if he was really following us.I needed to test him.“Let’s cross the street,” I suggested, my voice low.“See if he follows.”
Rathiel nodded once, already anticipating my move.We crossed, and I led us away from the bus stop, taking a less direct route.I stole a quick glance back, just in time to see our tail cross the street after us.
“Persistent,” Rathiel muttered, his tone darkening.“He’s not just some lost soul wandering the night.”
“No,” I agreed, my heart rate picking up.“This isn’t a coincidence.”
Without saying a word, I led Rathiel down the sidewalk.I took a deep breath, trying to act nonchalant as we continued walking.But no matter what direction we took, he followed.
Rathiel remained calm beside me, his gaze sweeping the streets with that same intense focus.He didn’t ask any questions, didn’t demand answers.Instead, he simply fell into step with me, trusting that I knew what I was doing.I had to admit, it was a relief to have him by my side, especially now.
I led us down another side street, which thankfully was deserted this time of night.It wasn’t the most ideal path to take, but I needed to confirm my suspicions.As we rounded the corner, I risked a quick glance over my shoulder.Sure enough, our tail was still there.
What did he want?Why follow us?And why keep such a distance?If he wanted something, wouldn’t he have made his move by now?If he was just looking for an easy mark, he’d certainly chosen the worst two people on Earth.Rathiel and I would obliterate him in a heartbeat.
“Lilith,” Rathiel said, his voice hardening as his eyes flicked to me.“I can take him out now.Just say the word.”
While a part of me wanted to unleash Rathiel and let him handle the situation, the more cautious side of me screamed for patience.We knew nothing about this guy—who he was, what he was capable of, or what he wanted.Yes, he could be one of Lucifer’s spies, despite me not recognizing him.Ten years is a long time for alliances to shift, for new threats to emerge.Or this guy could be some random earthbound paranormal who planned to mug us.We couldn’t afford to act rashly; we needed answers before making a move.
