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I walked until I came across an empty forest with hiking trails. Perfect? Not even fucking close. But I’d survive. I found a spot where there were relatively few large trees, shed my jacket, and let my wings unfurl. The fabric of my shirt tore as my wings spread out from my back.
It felt like stretching after being curled in a ball for way too long. I wasn’t big on lounging around with my wings out—they got in the way and took up too much space—but I had to admit it felt wonderful to feel the breeze blowing through my feathers.
My wings were dark red, almost the color of human blood—a nod to the sixth order, which I’d been born into. I blamed my heritage for why I hated being on Earth so much. I didn’t belong here. My wings were proof of that. How many stories have you heard about angel sightings where the angels hadredwings? Yeah, I haven’t heard any either.
I crouched and then sprang into the air, feeling a rush of freedom and euphoria as the wind raced past me, tugging at my clothes and ruffling my hair. I was born to fly… and to fight. But while I enjoyed fighting, I loved flying. More than I’d ever admit to anyone.
I didn’t pay attention to the world below me. Sightseeing wasn’t exactly high on my priority list. The bond guided me toward Sierra and left me free to enjoy the night air.
I soared higher and higher until it felt like I could reach out and touch the heavens. Of course that wasn’t an option. Physically, I could return to Heaven whenever I wanted, but if I set foot back there before my contract ended, I would be cast out. There would be no going home anytime soon.
The bond led me to a heavily populated part of the city. Of course she would be in the most crowded area in a ten-mile radius. I scowled in her general direction as I hovered far above where I would be noticed. There was no way I was going down there to deal with the Saturday-night crowd.
I would wait until she got back in her car and got out of the city before I confronted her again. There had to be some way to convince her what her reality was going to be like going forward. She could deny killing that lord of Hell all she wanted, but that wasn’t going to make the problem go away.
After less than five minutes of circling around the general area, I felt a sharp tug in my chest. It was borderline painful and left me feeling wild with desperation. Every bit of my attention was consumed by thisneed.
I listened to the pull without consciously thinking about it. There was no room in my brain for caution or thinking things through. I followed the bond, hurtling toward the ground at full speed.
I landed hard, the impact shuddering up my legs and forcing me nearly to my knees. I looked up, my hands already reaching for the knives in my boots.
Three demons turned to look at me. I guess they weren’t expecting someone to drop from the sky and crash their little party. They were the bottom of the barrel, giving off a wimpy amount of demonic power. Their appearance was mostly human if you could look past the reddish skin, pointed ears, and horns coming out of their heads.
I gave them my most inhuman smile as I rose to my feet, my wings spreading out behind me and my knives shimmering with heavenly fire. “You just made my night so much more bearable.”
Sierra gasped. “Holy shit.”
I glanced in her direction, my eyes sweeping over her body to check for signs of injury. She looked unscathed for the moment. “I told you you were in over your head, baby girl.”
Her eyes narrowed on me. She was reaching for something at her hip. “Any chance bullets will actually kill these things?”
“Nope.” I turned back to the demons, daring them with my eyes to attack.
Sierra let out an exasperated sigh. “Will bullets killyou?”
“Kill me? No.” I swung one of my blades as the first demon came at me. “Piss me off? Definitely. Let’s not try it.”
“What are you?”
“The only being here who’s actually on your side.” I stabbed the second demon on my way toward the third, who was running away from me and straight for Sierra. “I don’t think so,” I growled at him, sinking my knife deep into his back.
The demon collapsed into red smoke, leaving me face-to-face with Sierra.
“Now do you believe me?”
She took a shaky breath. “Believe you about what exactly?” Her eyes jumped from one of my wings to the other and back again.
“I told you Hell would come for you.”
She shook her head, but I didn’t think she was disagreeing with me.
“You don’t have to like it—trust me, I’m not too hot on the idea either—but youdoneed me.” I tucked my knives into my boots and straightened again. “You’re not prepared to deal with what’s coming for you all by yourself.”
Her throat bobbed on a swallow. “I don’t understand.”
I let out an impatient sigh. She was really that determined to make this difficult? I grabbed her wrist and pulled her into my chest, my wings wrapping around us in a cocoon.
She sucked in a sharp breath, which I ignored. I wasn’t interested in her virtue.
