Even this late at night, even in this neighborhood, there were people on the streets of Los Angeles. Bree couldn’t worry about them or what they thought of her. Not now.

Not when she had a pair of demons on her ass.

Her breathing was harsh and ragged, her heart pounded, but she ran on, her hand curled to catch the blood streaming down her arm. If it spattered to the sidewalk, she’d be leaving a trail anyone could follow, and demons already had too many advantages.

She glanced over her shoulder and saw nothing except a few people staring after her. Clear. That wouldn’t last. She’d only hurt her attackers enough to slow them momentarily. And piss them off. If they caught up to her— No, make that when they caught up to her, the demonic duo would make her pay.

Reaching a corner, she turned abruptly. The change of direction probably wouldn’t lose her pursuers, not when they had such heightened senses, but it was worth a shot.

Wouldn’t her mentor be proud if he could see her now? His top demon slayer running from the enemy.

Bree tried to smile, to show fate that the irony wasn’t lost on her, but sometimes a strategic retreat was smarter than battling it out. Smarter than dying. A live slayer could fight another day. A dead one was a waste of training.

Another turn put her in an area that was deserted. A single streetlight glowed and moonlight spotlighted the graffiti tagging the buildings. The gang symbols spun, and Bree swallowed a curse. She had to stop the bleeding before she ended up more than light-headed.

Ahead, she saw a warehouse, the first without a chain-link fence around it, and changed course. She couldn’t stay long, but she needed a minute. Or two.

Jimmying the lock took longer than she liked and Bree was nervous by the time she pushed open the door. Immediately, she closed it behind her.

High windows allowed the glow of the moon to illuminate the space, and the walls here were covered with graffiti, too. Dirt and dust had accumulated deeply enough to cover the toes of her boots and each step kicked up more. There were footprints in every direction showing that others had used it for shelter, but no one was here now. She could feel the emptiness.

Everywhere she looked, there were scattered piles of debris, mostly made up of rotting wood and chunks of cement. Bigger castoffs were strewn about as well—broken pallets, damaged crates—and they added a feeling of eeriness to the abandoned building.

Shaking it off, Bree headed for a patch of moonlight. She pushed her jacket off her left shoulder and studied her wound. The puncture was ugly and throbbed like mad, but blood wasn’t flowing any longer and his talon had missed bone.

It could have been worse. Hell, she’d believed it was worse than this from the way the blood had been running down her arm. Not that this wasn’t bad enough—she’d never been hurt this severely in battle before—but it wouldn’t need stitches and she’d only be off the streets for a few days.

A sound jerked her attention from her injury. Damn, the bastards had found her.

Bree had the ability to hide her energy, but she’d been too weakened to use it while she’d been running. Now, she delved deep, dredging up what remained of her strength. No matter what, she had to come up with enough to conceal her presence. She managed to cloak herself as she moved away from the light.

Scanning for a good place to hide, she chose a cluster of large, dilapidated crates. They tipped precariously near the wall, but they deepened the shadows, and odds were they wouldn’t fall on her. Probably.

The wait seemed interminable. Her nerves pulled taut and blood roared in her ears, but despite that, Bree was able to hear the demons. They were drawing closer.

Her hand dropped to the dagger strapped to her thigh and she eased it from its sheath.

The enemy wasn’t in any hurry. They moved slowly, and she assumed it was because they wanted to be thorough, to make sure they didn’t miss her. Only training prevented her gasp when they came into view. There were three—not two—and none of them were the males she’d fought earlier.

How many demons were after her?

As she watched, they checked behind every pile, every pallet, anywhere she could hide. They’d find her.

Running wouldn’t work. If she moved, they’d hear. At the very least, they’d see her. There was too much open space between her and the exit, and the dark couldn’t hide her from a demon’s eyes.

Bree held her breath as they neared.

“She’s ours.”

Her head snapped toward the voice. Her original attackers had arrived. The three who’d been searching turned and walked to meet the duo in the middle of the floor. “The prize belongs to whoever can capture it. That’s not you.”

“You’ll not swoop in and profit from our work. We fought her. We weakened her. We have claim,” one of the duo said.

Her heart stuttered. Could she get lucky enough that the two groups would fight? If they inflicted enough damage on each other, she might make it out of this alive yet.

The demons argued. Their voices grew louder, angrier, and their postures became more belligerent. It shouldn’t be much—

One of the pair flung himself across the gap and went after the leader of the trio. For a moment, she watched, but they were focused only on each other. Now was the time to get out of here.

Before she could do more than shift her weight, she felt arms wrap around her, imprisoning her against a muscular male form. His hand covered her mouth. For an instant, her body betrayed her and Bree nearly leaned into the man. Nearly surrendered.

Never!

She began to struggle, but he tightened his hold, forcing her to be still. His lips were against her ear, and voice barely a whisper, her captor said, “Hush, I’m here to help you.”

Andras. As relief overwhelmed her, Bree sagged against his chest, but only for an instant. They weren’t safe, and if she acted like some helpless idiot, she might get him killed right along with her. She firmed her knees and regained her poise.

His embrace eased and Bree turned in his arms, her breasts pressed against his chest. She couldn’t stop the shudder of awareness that coursed through her, and despite the danger, she allowed herself a few seconds to drink in the sight of him.

His dark brown hair waved gently and it appeared as if he’d impatiently pushed it off his face. His chin was square, firm; he had high cheekbones and full lips that she wished she could kiss. Like her, he was wearing jeans and a black leather jacket, but his white T-shirt glowed like neon in the moonlight.

Bree almost reached for the zipper of his coat, wanting to make sure the shirt didn’t give his position away, wanting him to remain safe and hidden.

Hidden. Andras might be a demon slayer like she was, but it was unlikely that he had the ability to conceal his energy. Few did. That meant they had to get out of here before the demons read his presence. But how had he found her?

A demon went sailing, landing on the ground about ten yards away from where they stood. If he looked to his left… But he didn’t. The dust hadn’t even settled before he leaped to his feet and charged back into the fray.

“We need to leave while they’re busy,” she whispered. “Come on.”

But when she tried to move, Andras locked his arms around her again, stopping her.

“Wha—“

“Not now.”

“But those demons—“

“Aren’t the problem. Be quiet.”

She scowled. Did he think that his Y chromosome gave him insight into the situation that she didn’t have? She was the one who’d battled two of these males and she probably had as much experience at demon slaying as he did. Bree started to push away from him, but her shoulder twinged and she bit back a groan.

Before she could make a second attempt to get free, motion caught her eye. Another demon strolled toward the fray. She hadn’t realized he was there.

He paused to watch the fight for a moment before resuming his progress toward the combatants. Something about him, about his lack of concern over the others, made her tense.

In a glance, she pegged him at a couple of inches over six feet—tall, but not quite as tall as Andras. His blond hair gleamed in the moonlight and the ends brushed the shoulders of his black turtleneck. His chest was broad, his movements graceful. With his elegant demeanor, he should have been a vampire. Hell, Bree would have preferred a vampire.

One of the fighters caught sight of the newcomer and froze. As his motionlessness registered, the other males stopped and followed his stare. And went as still as the first.

This was so not good.

Her gaze turned to Andras. The grimness of his expression made a lump lodge in her throat. Months ago, she’d watched him take down a demon powerful enough that she would have thought twice before engaging, and if he was concerned now, there was good cause. Her hand clenched around her dagger.

“Gentlemen,” the demon drawled. He had a slight accent that she thought might be Russian. “You can leave now, thank you.”

Nobody moved.

The blond male smiled and it was so cold, Bree’s heart began racing. “Not a wise decision. You’ve no hope of overcoming me.”

“Five against one,” the leader of the trio said. The other four shifted positions, aligning themselves on either side of him to show unity.

“So be it.” With a flick of a hand, the newcomer sent out ropes of fire from his fingertips. They hit the leader square in the chest, but the male didn’t go down.

All five demons simultaneously fired at their adversary.

“Move. Quietly,” Andras whispered, and grabbing her hand, led her through the shadows near the wall.

Bree squelched the urge to look over her shoulder to see what was happening. With the debris on the floor, she needed to watch her step or risk tripping over something, and any noise would bring six demons down on their heads.

A high-pitched scream made her swallow hard—some instinct told her it was a member of the gang. How powerful was the blond demon? A second cry echoed through the warehouse and Andras picked up the pace.

They were about halfway to the exit when they startled a rat. In its panic, it grazed a rubble heap and dislodged a piece of wood. A small board clattered as it hit concrete. Loudly.

Andras moved just short of a run now, but the demons would have heard the sound even in the middle of a fight.

He stopped abruptly and Bree plowed into his back. Stomach sinking, she went up on her toes to peer over his shoulder. Everything inside her froze. The blond male blocked their path.

Bree tried to stand next to Andras—she’d fight with him—but he shifted, keeping her squarely behind his body.

“Step aside,” the demon ordered. “She’s my kill.”

The command for Andras to move shocked Bree. Demons didn’t waste time talking to humans, not even slayers, so why had this one bothered? Deciding it didn’t matter, she started forward, only to freeze midstep.

“You’ll have to go through me to touch her,” Andras said and she could hear the promise in his voice. The man was willing to die for her. That was the last thing she wanted. If anything happened to him…

Bree moved again, determined to fight beside Andras, but before she got there, a scuffing sound made her whirl.

Two demons were coming up on their rear, the same pair she’d barely escaped earlier. Both appeared battered, but they’d heal fast. She’d have to protect Andras’s back and let him take care of the blond male without her.

Gathering up her remaining power, she used it to create an energy shield around herself. It wouldn’t block a physical attack, but it would stop the fireballs that demons threw. She only hoped it lasted through the fight.

Without giving them time to position themselves, she charged toward the two, dagger raised. Their surprise didn’t last long enough.

The demon she targeted deflected her strike, and her blade sliced air. Damn.

Using her momentum, she spun out of range of the shorter demon’s talons. She risked a quick glance at Andras. He and the blond male were brawling. That wasn’t a shock. What stunned her was the demon wasn’t shooting fire and he hadn’t extended his claws, and Andras wasn’t using a blade.

Her stomach knotted up. Demons were stronger than humans; Andras couldn’t hope to win with his fists. Sometimes even a knife—

Bree pulled her attention back in time to avoid another swipe from the shorter demon. Kicking out, she caught him below the kneecap before going for her other foe. He evaded her strike and made a grab for her leg.

He was quick, but she was quicker, and she jerked away from his hand. Her landing, though, left her off balance. Bree felt the tip of a claw slice across the back of her jacket, but the leather protected her.

Locating the nearest demon, she slashed down with her dagger. He darted out of range, but he fell over a pile of refuse.

Before Bree could put him down for the count, the shorter demon shot a couple of fireballs and charged forward, face contorted. She tried to dodge out of the way, but she wasn’t fast enough. The fire connected with her shield. It wobbled and she held her breath until it stabilized. If that went down, she wouldn’t last long.

Neither of the pair seemed to realize how weak her protection was and she had to keep it that way. Drawing in a shuddery breath, she worked to regain her equilibrium. She needed to end this before they discovered how vulnerable she was.

The demon on the ground tried to get to his feet and she shifted, ready to put him back in the dust. She didn’t get the opportunity. The shorter demon came at her, ready to defend his partner. As he reached her, she grabbed him and used his momentum to send him sailing over his friend.

Her rush forward stopped abruptly when she heard a crash behind her. Andras! Bree spun, her gaze frantically searching for him. He had to be okay, he had to be.

She couldn’t see either male. “Andras!”

No answer. Knees shaking, she took a step toward where she’d last seen him. She wouldn’t let anything to happen to him.

The blond demon appeared from behind a large crate and Andras followed. They were circling, each completely focused on the other.

A hand jerked her head back by her ponytail and Bree sucked in a sharp breath. Instead of pulling forward, she dropped to her knees, counting on surprise to free herself. It worked.

By the time she was back on her feet, they’d separated, making themselves two distinct targets. That swung the odds further in their favor.

Bree moved, but they moved with her, countering her measure. Damn. She wasn’t used to being double-teamed. In the past, she’d always made sure the demon she was after was alone before fighting him. If she could get rid of half the threat, her situation improved. Some.

They let loose with bursts of fire and she twisted, trying to avoid their shots. Which one did she go after?

She made a quick decision—she’d focus on the shorter one. He had an arrogance that might make him overestimate himself. Bree took a deep breath and ran straight at her chosen target. His shots faltered for a split second, but it gave her enough time to reach him.

As a ploy, she raised the arm holding the blade. When she saw the demon’s attention follow, she delivered a snap kick to his knees. He hit the ground and she followed him, blade raised.

The other demon grabbed her by the collar of her jacket and flung her off his comrade. With a curse, she staggered to keep her balance. But the bastard came after her and struck her between the shoulder blades.

Bree went sprawling, the dagger clattering from her grasp. A boot landed in the middle of her back, pressing down with enough strength to force her flat on the floor.

She strained, stretching her arm out as far as she could to get her knife. Her fingers brushed the hilt, but she couldn’t reach it. Bree tried to shimmy forward. If he fired at this range—

The warehouse lit up. It started on the side where Andras’s battle was taking place and traveled to where she was.

A heartbeat later, the weight was off her back and she scrambled to her feet, snatching up her blade as she moved. It took a second before she realized the blond demon that Andras was fighting must have shot fire at the one who’d pinned her down. He’d saved her life.

Why? What the hell was going on here?

Nothing made sense. Bree danced out of the way of another fireball. A second shot from the other demon connected.

Her shield fell.

For an instant, she froze. In the next second, she sent all the energy she had left to reinforce her protection. There was a hesitation and then it sputtered back to life.

Crouching to avoid a blast, she scurried behind two large crates stacked atop each other. She needed a minute to come up with a plan of attack. There had to be a way. There always was.

Bree squared her shoulders. She was a slayer, damn it, and a good one. If she was going down, she was taking at least one of the enemy with her.

As she leaned forward to check where they were, she rested a hand on the crates. They swayed alarmingly.

Her eyes widened. The crates!

Cautiously, she poked at the bottom one and watched the direction it took. Bree measured the height of the wooden boxes and then mentally marked the target zone on the floor of the warehouse. If she waited until the demons were within that area, she could take out both of them.

It was a gamble. There were so many ways this could go wrong that she couldn’t count them all. She tucked her knife back into the sheath and prepared herself.

Frowning, she waited for the demons to close ground. Let them get a little nearer. Don’t hurry. Don’t lose this chance.

Then they hit the mark.

Bree surged upright. With her full strength, she pushed the crates, using her hands for the top one and her foot on the bottom.

For an eternal moment, she didn’t think they were going to fall. She pushed harder, adding a roar as if her voice could supply power. It seemed to happen in slow motion, but the boxes toppled over, taking down both males, and exploding into pieces.

Pulling her dagger, she clambered over the debris until she found one of the demons. He was already stirring. She drove her blade into his heart and looked for the next.

Demon number two sat up, pushing the boards off his body and Bree launched herself at him. As she brought down the arm holding the knife, he tried to block her, but he was clumsy, uncoordinated. Her steel found his heart and he slumped to the floor.

She staggered to her feet, her knees shaking so badly that she wasn’t sure she could stand. Then she heard the groan from the front of the warehouse and adrenaline flowed. Andras!

Bree rounded the piles of crates in time to see him connect with a punch that dropped the blond demon.

Andras turned his head, his gaze meeting hers, and she gasped. His face was bruised and bloodied. She hurried forward, wanting to do something to fix him, but he grabbed her outstretched hand and pulled. “Come on, we have to get out of here.”

She hesitated for a second—the blond demon wasn’t dead—but Andras didn’t give her the chance to voice a protest. He moved and he moved fast. Half running to keep up with him, she sheathed her dagger as they reached the door.

He jerked it open and they were on the street. Bree spotted his motorcycle to the left. Pulling free of his grasp, she took the lead, heading toward the bike.

The blond demon appeared on the sidewalk behind them and shot a rope of flame so intense that it lit up the street as if it were daylight. Andras put himself in front of her, saving her from the blast. She held her breath, scared that his shield would be shattered, but he withstood it.

“Get to the bike,” he ordered.

Bree didn’t argue. She reached the motorcycle and climbed on as the demon’s fire eased. Making room for Andras, Bree looked over her shoulder, needing to ensure he was all right.

The blond demon was closing ground fast and she swallowed the urge to warn Andras. He knew. His eyes were glued on the enemy. And as she watched, he brought his arm back. For a split second, she thought he was going to throw a dagger before she realized there was nothing in his hand.

It turned out he didn’t need a blade.

Andras released his own stream of fire and his was every bit as bright as the blond male’s. He got on the bike in front of her while the demon was regaining his feet.

As they sped off, what she’d seen finally penetrated her daze. Andras had been the one who’d saved her when she’d been pinned on the floor of the warehouse, not the blond. It took a second longer for the bigger truth to hit.

Andras wasn’t a slayer, he was a demon. A damn powerful demon.

Andras locked the door of the hotel room behind them and turned to Bree. She sat on a chair near the window, as far away from him as she could get. Her glare spoke volumes.

Ignoring that, he checked out the rest of the place. There was a small table next to Bree, another table with two chairs that could be used either for dining or working, a dresser faced the two queen-size beds, and between them was a wide nightstand. There was an artificial flower on top of it, held in position with white stones.

He crossed to the clear vase and fished out four of the pebbles. Closing his hand around them, Andras shut his eyes and whispered an incantation. Once he was finished, he moved around the room, placing a stone in each corner.

“What are you doing?” Bree demanded.

The suspicion in her tone made his lips twitch, but he stopped his smile in time. No point in angering her more than she was already. He put the last one in place and straightened before he said, “I cast a spell on the stones to screen our presence. We’re not invisible, but we can’t be picked up from a distance. A demon would have to be near the hotel to detect us.”

Bree scowled, but Andras ignored that, too. She’d had a hell of a night and it wasn’t over yet. Unzipping his jacket, he shrugged out of it and hung it in the closet.

His bruising had healed during the bike ride from the warehouse to the hotel and a touch of magic had freshened their clothes and cleaned them up as good as a shower. They’d still gotten an odd look from the desk clerk, but that probably had more to do with the lack of luggage than their appearance.

He walked toward Bree, but she tensed when he neared the halfway point. Changing course, he jammed his hands in the front pockets of his jeans and leaned his hips against the dresser. “You ready to talk?” he asked.

“What do we have to talk about? You’re a demon.” She spit out the word like a curse.

“I am,” he said, keeping his tone relaxed and easy.

“That’s why you and that blond male didn’t use weapons or talons. It’s why you didn’t kill him when you had the chance.” Bree’s dark eyes were shooting daggers at him. “He’s a friend of yours, isn’t he?”

“I wouldn’t call Raum a friend.”

“Oh? And what would you call him then?”

Andras considered that for a moment. “I suppose I’d refer to him as a colleague.”

“You like him.”

The accusation in her voice had him taking a deep breath. This attitude wasn’t unexpected. Andras had known how she’d react when she discovered what he was from the first time they’d met. “I don’t dislike him and I respect his skills.”

Bree folded her arms over her chest, but didn’t say a word.

He let the silence stand until some of the rigidity eased from her muscles. “I’m sorry you found out about me this way. I intended to break it to you in my own time and more gently.”

“You expect me to buy that?”

“Yes.”

“Why should I believe a word you say?”

Pulling his hands from his pockets, he curled them around the edge of the dresser and held on tightly to stop himself from going to her. She wasn’t ready for that yet. “Because you trust me. You do,” Andras cut off her protest. “If you didn’t, we both know you wouldn’t be in this hotel room with me now.”

Bree looked as if she was ready to argue that point, but instead she settled back and released a long breath. Her anger seemed to evaporate with the sigh. Andras relaxed his grip, his own tension ebbing as the worst of her temper passed.

“I can’t disagree with you there, can I? Not when I paid for the room.”

His lips curved. “It’s hard to apply for a credit card when you list your residence as the other world.”

Her grin was reluctant, but it was real and she lowered her hands to the arms of the chair. “Not to mention the thing about having a human job and a social security number.”

“That, too.” His voice came out raspier than he’d intended, but her smile affected him.

She was beautiful—her long, dark hair was pulled back, away from her face, but he knew what it looked like loose; he had fantasies about her trailing it over his naked body. Her face was oval with high cheekbones and lips that were full enough that she always looked as if she was pouting. He knew Bree well enough to guess she hated that, but it made him want to kiss her.

Hell, he thought, shaking his head, he almost always wanted to kiss and hold her. And it was her, not her lips, that tempted him. He loved the way her chin went up and her brown eyes flashed when he challenged her. He loved how she laughed, unafraid to enjoy a moment to its fullest. But most of all he loved her tenacity, her determination, her fire, and her desire to protect and defend others. Bree Molina was special.

“Do you know what the deal was tonight?” she asked, sounding slightly subdued. “Why are so many demons after me?”

Reluctantly, he turned his focus back to the conversation. She needed to understand exactly what was going on in case something happened to him. “I know. Charges were brought against you in my world. You were tried in absentia by a tribunal formed for this hearing and found guilty of murder.”

“Murder!” She appeared indignant. “I never killed anyone!”

“You’re wrong. You’ve killed demons, and a lot of them, over the years.”

Bree pushed herself to her feet and came toward him, not stopping until she was about five feet away. “Why now? I took down my first demon when I was sixteen, why wait ten years?”

Andras glanced over at small ink spot on the neutral beige carpeting and drew a deep breath before he met Bree’s gaze again. “Because you confined yourself to killing stronger demons. As long as the fight was considered fair, it wasn’t an issue.”

“Every man for himself?”

One side of his mouth quirked up. “Something like that. But about a month ago, you hunted down a weak demon.”

Bree’s puzzled look lasted for a couple of seconds before memory cleared it away. “There was a male a few weeks ago who felt, I don’t know, less…dangerous than most, but I caught him trying to rape some college girl. He deserved what he got.”

Her tone was unrelenting, but Andras expected nothing less from her. “I don’t disagree, but his family raised an outcry and the trial was convened.”

“Talk about a kangaroo court.” Bree reached back and released her hair. “It can’t be legal if I’m not there.”

She began trying to smooth the renegade strands and Andras clenched his hands to keep from reaching out and doing it for her. Damn, he wanted to touch her, to gather her to him, but they had a long way to go before she’d allow him to do that.

Clearing his throat to lose the lump lodged there, he said, “Our justice system is different than yours. It wasn’t necessary for you to be present, merely represented. You were. Your advocate lost the case.”

“Let me guess, my advocate was inept.” She stuck whatever had been restraining her hair into the front pocket of her jeans.

Andras straightened, but when Bree took a step back, he resettled against the dresser. “I don’t know that, but I wouldn’t be surprised.”

“So the demons tonight were what? A posse?”

“More like bounty hunters. A price—a significant price,” he corrected, “was put on your head. Avarice runs deep in my people and pretty much any demon who thinks he has a chance of taking you is out for your blood.”

Her brows drew down. She was thinking through what he’d told her, and Andras wondered whether she’d notice there were omissions in what he’d shared. Maybe she was too overwhelmed. Somehow, though, he doubted he was going to get that lucky, not with Bree.

“Those five demons who were in the warehouse were afraid of the blond one,” she said slowly. “Is that because they’re amateurs and he’s a professional bounty hunter?”

“No.”

She waited, but when he stayed silent, she prodded, “Then why were they scared?”

A strong urge to fabricate welled up, but Andras pushed it aside. Omissions were one thing, but he wouldn’t outright lie to Bree. He couldn’t if he wanted to keep her trust. Still, he wasn’t ready to watch her connect the dots once he gave her the unvarnished truth. “It would be speculation—“

“Then speculate.”

So be it. “We break ourselves into branches—different types of demons belong to different groups, some stronger than others. Raum is from the most powerful group.”

“And?” She took a step closer. “There’s more—spit it out.”

“A price on your head wasn’t the only part of your sentence. You also have someone assigned to execute you for your crimes.”

“Raum.”

Andras nodded and held his breath.

“Your colleague, which would make you an executioner, too.” He nodded again and she spun away, stalking over to the window. “How many humans have you killed?” she demanded.

“None.” Bree looked skeptical and that angered him. He’d never prey on the weak. “None,” Andras repeated, voice hard. “My job is to hunt the darkest and most dangerous of my kind, the ones that our courts have sentenced to death. My talents would never be wasted on a mere human.”

“Really? Then why are Raum’s talents being wasted on a mere human?”

Shit. He’d let his temper take over and said the wrong thing. Would a feint get her off this track? One glance was all it took for Andras to drop that idea, but there had to be a way to avoid this subject. “You’re hardly a mere human.”

Bree’s lips curved and Andras breathed a sigh of relief. Too soon, he realized, when he heard her next question.

“Is Raum after me because I’m a slayer and slayers are considered differently from other humans?”

She wasn’t going to let him off the hook and there was no evasion left that he could make. Andras straightened and moved enough to block the path to the door in case she decided to run. “There are no living slayers that are completely human.”

“What? That doesn’t make any sense.”

Only because she didn’t want it to make sense. “Do you honestly believe that any human is strong enough to survive a fight with a demon? You should know better.”

She shook her head with enough force to send her hair flying. “Lots of slayers have survived. I’ve survived.”

“Because your father came from the strongest branch.” Andras softened his voice. “You’re part demon.”

Bree stared at Andras, waiting for him to laugh and say, I’m joking. Only he didn’t. His demeanor remained sober and his gaze steady.

“I’m not half demon!” There was more force in her voice than she’d intended and Bree cleared her throat. “You’ve made a mistake,” she said in a more reasonable tone. “My mother was a slayer—she killed demons.”

“No matter how much you’d like to deny it, you have demon blood. More than half, too.”

His calmness seemed to increase her panic, but she was determined to control it. “No, that’s not true. If slayers were part demon, someone would know about it.”

“It is true. Maybe you and the others are unaware of it, but you can bet whoever recruited you knows.” He took a step toward her, but came to a halt when she backed up. “I’m sorry. I’d hoped to break this to you later, after you’d had time to adjust to what I am. After you’d had time to mellow your attitude toward demons. Unfortunately, this situation forced the timing.”

Shaking her head, Bree fought harder to hang on to her self-command. His sympathy was making it difficult for her, though.

Andras said softly, “Your mother was at least half demon herself, probably from one of the most powerful branches. As for your father, he came from the same group that I do.”

She shook her head again. “Why do you think that about my mother? Because she was a slayer?”

“That’s part of it, but not all.” Andras tucked his hands in his pockets and studied her. Maybe deciding how much he was going to share. She was about to push him, when he continued, “Your parents were mated. That could only occur if she was at least half demon.”

Bree unclenched her fists. “Not true. I’ve heard of demons who’ve—“

“I didn’t say we don’t get involved with others. It happens. Our prince has given his heart to a vampire female, but he’s not mated to her no matter how much he’d probably like to be. Mating is only between two demons.”

“Anyone can get married,” Bree scoffed, but it was bravado. Fear was rising up, choking her.

“It’s more than marriage. Demons can usually identify their destined mate within minutes of meeting, and once they’ve mated, they’re bound to each other for life. Not only do they desire only each other, but they’d die to protect their mate. Your parents had that tie—that’s why the demon slayers killed them both—your mother wouldn’t run and leave your father.”

Bree fought to slow her heart. Everything he said seemed to fit together, seemed to be logical, but it couldn’t be. “A demon killed my mother.”

“No. You were there. Cast your mind backward in time. Look at the visions.”

It wouldn’t work, she decided, but she closed her eyes anyway. Besides, if she got something, it would show he was wrong. Instead, in her mind’s eye, she saw a dozen slayers encircling her parents. Bree hurriedly looked back at Andras. As much as she wished she could accuse him of planting thoughts, he hadn’t. But she wasn’t ready to examine what she’d seen, not now. That was for some other time when she was safe, when she could afford to be vulnerable. “How can you know anything about my parents?”

“My father and yours were friends and visited often. You and I met because my father asked me to find you, to check and see how you were faring.”

“So your people finally remembered I existed, huh? Took you long enough.” Bree could barely force the words out. “Of course, since I’m not a demon, it makes a lot more sense that no one paid me a visit before you did.”

He shrugged. “I can’t speak for what others did or didn’t do. All I can tell you are my actions. You require proof of your heritage? Take off your jacket.”

“Why?”

“Just do it.”

For a long moment, she stared at him. Bree trusted Andras, he was right about that, but she was frightened of this so-called proof. She wasn’t a demon. She couldn’t be and whatever he was hoping to demonstrate would fail. Lowering the zipper on her leather jacket, she shrugged out of it and tossed it on the chair behind her. Her black tank top had ridden up, baring her middle, and she tugged it down. “Well?”

“Look at your shoulder. The one that was injured.”

Her breath stopped. An hour ago there’d been an ugly puncture, one that hurt like crazy. Now there was nothing there except a pinkish circle. Bree rotated her shoulder and her pulse accelerated when she realized there wasn’t any pain. Her gaze went back to Andras. “So what? I’ve always healed fast.”

“Humans don’t heal that quickly. They can’t. Only demons and vampires, and you’re not a vampire.”

“Maybe I’m part vampire, did you think of that?”

Andras grinned and took his hands from his pockets. “Now I know you’re desperate if you’re claiming a tie to those bastards. Trust me, you’re demon—at least three-quarters’ worth, possibly more.”

She wanted to question him about why he didn’t like vampires, but Bree knew that would be nothing except a way to avoid the discussion and she wasn’t that big a coward. But damn, she wished she could be. At least for a few hours. Andras wasn’t right. She wasn’t a demon. She wasn’t.

He must have read the disbelief on her face. “That wound—” he gestured toward her shoulder “—was serious. Your attacker nicked an artery, and if you weren’t demon, you’d have died of blood loss before you got to the warehouse. At least you would have passed out and needed medical intervention to survive. But the injury healed itself from the inside out and your body produced the blood it required to replace what was lost.”

The temptation to deny the severity of her injury was on the tip of her tongue, but something inside her balked at the thought of lying to Andras. “You can’t know how badly I was hurt.”

“You’re wrong. I felt it when the talon pierced your flesh. I felt the blood pulse from the wound. I felt it when you became light-headed and I felt your cells working to repair the damage. I would have found you anyway, but the strength of those sensations made it easier to track you.”

She didn’t know how he could feel any of those things, but Bree didn’t want to hear his answer to that, so she didn’t ask. “Why were you looking for me?”

Andras hesitated again before he said slowly, “I’d learned you’d been sentenced to death, and without being aware of the powers you possess, I didn’t think you could survive the night.”

Bree sighed and pushed a hand through her hair. “I could have handled Raum.”

She expected him to disagree, but he surprised her. “Maybe you could have, but could you have handled the other five after you took care of him? And if you put them out of commission, could you have taken on the dozens of other demons you might have encountered tonight?”

“There’s no safe haven, is there?” Bree had to fist her hands to hide the way they shook. “I’ll be on the run for the rest of my life and that can be measured in days.”

This time when he stepped toward her, she met him halfway. Burying her face against his shoulder, Bree hung on to Andras. As she feared, tears welled and she blinked hard, trying to drive them back. She was tough, damn it, and she wouldn’t cry.

“You’re not going to die,” he murmured against her ear. “I won’t allow that to happen.”

“And how do we stop it?” Her voice sounded close enough to normal that she didn’t think Andras would realize she was scared. “Even if you help me, we can’t run forever, and once they find me, it’s only a matter of time before they wear us out.”

“I know that. You think hiding until we’re hunted down is the best plan I could come up with?”

Bree blinked one last time and pushed herself back far enough to meet his gaze. There was determination and a spark of something she couldn’t identify in his light bronze eyes, but it knocked the weepiness out of her. He did have something in mind, but she couldn’t come up with what it might be. “There’s really a way out of this mess?”

Taking a hand from her back, he ran his thumb over her bottom lip. “Of course. There’s an authority above the tribunal. We request that the demon king stay your sentence.”

It was tempting to draw his thumb into her mouth, to run her tongue around the pad, but she managed to resist. Barely. “The demon king? And how do we get him to come here?”

“We don’t. We go to him.”

Twisting free of Andras’s arms, Bree returned to the windows before turning to gape at him. “Are you nuts? Go to him? He’s in the demon realm.”

“I’m aware of that.” Andras put his hands on his hips and stared right back at her. “You’ll be safe. Once there, you’ll be protected by the law of passage until the king rules and you leave our world again. No one will make any attempt to hurt you, I promise.” His lips curved and she suspected he read her skepticism. “Besides, I have a reputation.”

She thought about how the other demons in the warehouse had been frightened of Raum. Andras had the same job and it stood to reason that he’d be equally as feared, right? And when the five had fought Raum, he’d been kicking their butts. She had to trust Andras when he said she’d be okay. “Will the king agree to pardon me?”

“I think so. That’s not the part I’m worried about.”

Bree bit her bottom lip. “What does have you worried?”

“The portal to the other world only opens sporadically. With the spell in place to conceal us, I’m confident we can remain hidden until the next cycle, but the gateway isn’t that close to here.”

“Wouldn’t it make more sense to be nearby?”

Andras shook his head. “Raum isn’t stupid. He’ll guess that we’ll try to cross and he’ll spend the hours between now and dawn when the portal is accessible again canvassing the area surrounding it. He’s damn good.”

“And instead we have to traverse the city, which means we could easily run into other demons out looking for me.”

“They won’t be a problem.”

“Why not? If enough of them gang up on us, it won’t matter how strong you are, they’ll defeat us.”

“None will dare approach us.”

Something in his tone made her tense. “Because they’ll think you’re bringing me in for the bounty?”

“No.”

He didn’t say more, but instead of ticking her off, Bree felt unease travel down her spine. Her instincts were screaming, but she wasn’t going to act like a coward. “Why, then?”

Andras hesitated, then with a shrug, he said, “Because we’ll be mated before we leave this room and that will be enough to dissuade everyone but Raum from going after you.”

Mated? She took a step back and nearly ran into the table. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“I explained earlier about demons and their mates. You’re mine, Bree.”

Bree found herself staring at Andras. Again. But then he was tossing out bombshell after bombshell tonight. “I’m not your mate and I’m not a demon!”

“Okay.”

His easy agreement made her alarm bells start jangling. It wasn’t so much that he was humoring her—at least she didn’t think he was—but more like he was up to something. She didn’t know what that was, though. Andras reached for the hem of his T-shirt and pulled it over his head.

Bree fought an urge to go to him and smooth the hair that he’d mussed up, but then her gaze wandered lower. His broad shoulders and muscular body held her spellbound for an instant and sent warmth shooting through her. Her fingers tingled and she took a step forward before she stopped herself. “What are you doing?”

“Getting undressed.” His hands went to his belt buckle. He opened it, and reached for the button at the waistband of his jeans.

Did he think that he could proclaim he was her mate and then they’d hop into bed? “We’re not having sex.” But her voice came out husky instead of adamant.

“Okay.” Andras lowered his zipper.

“Stop it. I told you, we’re not having sex.”

“And I said okay.” He took off his boots and stuffed his socks into them. “It’s your call. You say no and that’s it. Word of honor. I won’t leave my half of the room.”

She stared at him, replaying what he’d said. “If that’s true, why are you shedding clothes?”

“I’m going to bed. If you’re not a demon and not my mate as you claim, the sight of my naked body shouldn’t shake your control. Maybe you’ll become aroused since even you’ll admit we’re hot for each other, but you’ll stay over by the windows and I’ll climb into bed to grab a few hours of sleep.” His lips curved. “That is, of course, if you’re not my mate.”

Bree didn’t need to ask him what would happen if she was wrong. It was easy to guess that she’d lose her self-command and they would be sharing a bed. Heat filled her. She’d wanted Andras from the first time they’d met and nothing had changed that.

Lifting her chin, she steeled herself. No matter what, she couldn’t prove him right. She wasn’t a demon, she couldn’t be, because if she was, it changed everything she’d ever believed.

He stepped out of his jeans and Bree found it hard to breathe. The white briefs he wore didn’t hide the fact that he was excited. Very excited. Telling herself to move her gaze didn’t help; she couldn’t lift it from his erection.

Blood roared in her ears and she gasped in air. It didn’t matter how much she wanted him at this moment, she had to stay where she was. But she wanted to go to him, slide her hand under the cotton and stroke him. He was big, thick, and he’d feel so damn good inside her. She knew it without question.

And then he took off his briefs.

Desire hazed over her mind, and every cell in her body screamed for him. She fought her instincts for all she was worth, but it only took seconds before she decided that nothing mattered except reaching Andras.

Bree ran at him, taking him down to the bed with a full-body tackle. The feel of his hard muscles destroyed the lingering remnants of her control, but she didn’t care. Even Andras’s arrogant grin didn’t cool her off.

As she straddled him, she yanked off her tank top and tossed it onto the floor. Her bra followed. She dived down for a kiss, pressing her mouth to his and demanding complete compliance. She got it. Andras kissed her like a starving man and that sent her higher. She ground against him and growled with frustration as her jeans prevented complete contact.

Thwarted on that front, she settled for rubbing her breasts against his chest. His sprinkling of hair teased her nipples and Bree’s eyes closed as she savored the sensation.

She moaned a protest when Andras sat up. “Hush, love,” he murmured. “Let’s get rid of the hardware.”

The endearment sent ripples of pleasure radiating through her. This was different than arousal, it was emotional and she froze to revel in it.

He reached for one of the straps of her dagger sheath and that brought her back to the present. Bree attacked the other fasteners, wanting it off as much as Andras did. The haft thudded as it hit the carpet, but he stopped her from pressing him back down to the mattress.

Before she could find the words to form a complaint, he pulled her belt free of its loops and unsnapped her jeans. Bree’s hands tangled with his as they both tried to lower the zipper. She shifted and twisted, shoving the denim down. Her pants got stuck at her boots and she rolled off Andras, snarling when she couldn’t kick free.

“Hang on,” he told her and left the bed to tug off her boots. By the time he placed the second one on the floor, she’d removed her jeans, panties and socks.

Bree wrapped her arms around Andras when he rejoined her, pulling him down until his chest met hers. This time, though, he took charge. Where her kiss had been a demand, his was a seduction. There was still hunger—she couldn’t doubt that—but his mouth moved slowly over hers, asking, not taking. He nibbled at her bottom lip.

With a sigh, she opened her mouth beneath his, inviting him deeper. As their tongues dueled, Andras slid his thigh between hers. Bree arched, undulating against him.

Before she was ready for it to end, he broke the kiss, and propping himself up on his arms, looked down at her. There was a red glow in his eyes that was purely demonic. Instead of shaking her out of arousal, her need grew, and reaching up, she framed his face in her hands.

Andras was gorgeous, so sexy he took her breath, and he was hers. She knew it in her heart, but she didn’t tell him that. “Are you going to do more than stare?”

“In a moment.”

Bree hooked her leg behind his and twisted, putting Andras beneath her. “A moment’s too long.”

“So I see.” She heard his amusement, but couldn’t care, not now. He wrapped his arms around her, drew her to his chest, and turned until he was back on top. Andras ignored her protest. “But our first time is going to be more than a race to orgasm, this I promise you.”

Her objection came out as a sound rather than a word, but it didn’t matter. She recognized his determined expression and when Andras made up his mind…

Leaning down, he nipped her chin before kissing away the sting. He trailed his lips up her jawline to her ear and Bree angled her head back, allowing him better access. With a sigh, she gave herself over to him, trusting him to see to their pleasure.

He feathered kisses over her collarbone, the bend of her elbow, and drew each finger into his mouth, sucking softly one minute, swirling his tongue the next. Some of her languidness left as he pressed his mouth between her breasts. Finally!

It was another damn tease. Andras slowly moved his lips down her body to her navel. He rimmed it lightly, then blew on the moisture, sending shivers through her.

Bree released her grip on the bedding and buried her hands in his hair, lifting his head until their gazes met. “There’s foreplay and then there’s torture,” she said, voice thick. “Remember that.”

The red glow in his eyes flared brighter. “Got it.”

At last, Andras put his mouth where she wanted it—almost. He nibbled at the underside of her breasts, avoiding her nipples no matter how much she shifted. Her growl didn’t sound human.

That stopped him. He studied her for a moment and then a supremely satisfied grin spread across his face. This time his kiss was as demanding as hers had been earlier. “You’ve let go. Your eyes are burning red,” he told her against her lips.

She’d let go a while ago, but Bree was beyond words, too aroused to care about anything except Andras and what he did to her. His mouth closed over a nipple and she didn’t have enough air to say anything anyway. She settled for a low moan of approval.

He shifted, pinning her hips to stop her from riding his thigh. On the one hand, being unable to move left her frustrated. On the other, he was perfectly centered and she liked the feel of his hard body pressing into hers. If he’d ease up a tiny bit, she could take him inside and—

“Not yet,” Andras said.

Why? But she couldn’t find her voice.

“Because,” he said, answering her question even though he couldn’t have heard it, “there’s one final barrier in your mind that needs to fall, love.” Andras splayed his hand through her hair to hold her steady and kissed her so tenderly, Bree thought she’d come from the sheer emotion.

He was hers. He’d always be hers. Just as she’d always be his. It felt right and she couldn’t imagine why she’d ever thought giving herself to him heart, mind, body and soul would be frightening.

Arching up as much as she was able, she pushed more fully into him. Turning her head far enough to free her mouth, Bree stared up into Andras’s eyes. “Mine,” she told him, voice guttural. Her gaze locked on his, daring him to disagree. He didn’t refute her. Instead, his lips curved in acknowledgment. She returned the smile and leaned forward to bite his shoulder.

She sensed his control snap as her teeth sank into his flesh. His weight eased up and she tilted her hips, inviting him to enter her. And then Andras was there, sliding into her with barely restrained need.

Bree released her bite and her eyes drifted shut so that she could focus on nothing but the sensation of his body joining with hers. When he was deep inside her, he stopped and waited. With a soft growl, she looked at him. His eyes burned an intense red, but it was the mark on his shoulder that contented her most.

She’d claimed him.

“My turn,” he told her. Andras leaned forward, and after kissing the spot, bit her left shoulder. He’d staked his own claim and it felt so sexual, Bree rocked into him.

Lifting his head, he gazed down at her and thrust. They moved together easily as if they’d made love a thousand times before and she lost herself in sensation. And in the intimacy. Andras kept his attention on her eyes, on her face. She couldn’t look away, couldn’t break the connection between them.

Arousal built higher, taking her to places she’d never been before. Places she’d never imagined existed. Bree wrapped her arms around him and held on for all she was worth. She needed Andras to anchor her.

She plain needed Andras.

Her moans became more frequent, her pleas incoherent, but he was on the edge every bit as much as she was. She sensed it. Saw it. Knew it.

Orgasm ambushed her, coming so fast, so unexpectedly, there wasn’t time to shield herself. Bree rode out the first wave and a second before he joined her. Staring into his eyes while they both came broke something deep inside her. Something she hadn’t known was there and she felt tears well as her third orgasm crashed through her.

Bree didn’t know how long they lay there before she regained enough sense to remember where she was. At some point, Andras had rolled, putting her on top, and she straddled him, her entire body limp.

Her shoulder throbbed in time with the pleasure that continued to ripple through her, but it was a good sensation.

As more and more awareness returned, Bree began to feel like Humpty Dumpty. She’d fallen, cracked into a million pieces, and no one would ever be able to put her back together again.

He’d been right—she was his mate. She’d never bitten anyone before, not even as a child, but she hadn’t hesitated to do it to Andras. Claiming him. That’s what she’d done, marked him as hers, marked him off limits, and he’d done the same to her.

She didn’t want to know how she knew this.

But Bree had a bad feeling it had to do with the other thing she understood now—she did have demon blood. With the block in her mind gone, she could see how it had been constructed after her parents’ deaths. Her mentor had been the one who had killed her mother and he’d gotten custody of Bree, systematically brainwashing her from the age of three. A sob escaped her.

Andras tightened his arms around her. His instant support threatened to unleash the floodgates, but Bree refused to cry. Tears didn’t do any good, but as his hands stroked lightly up and down her back, she couldn’t contain them.

It took a while before his voice penetrated and she realized Andras crooned the same thing over and over, “It’s going to be all right. It’ll all be fine.”

When she had some control, she propped herself up on his chest. “It’s not all right.” Her voice came out barely above a whisper, but she could hardly manage that much. “Everything was a lie. I’m a lie.”

“You’re not a lie. You were lied to, there’s a difference.”

Bree shook her head vehemently. “You don’t get it, I don’t know who I am anymore.”

“You’re still Bree Molina. You’re still courageous, you’re still strong, and you’re still my love. The only thing that’s changed is what you know about yourself.”

For a long moment, she thought about what he said, then Bree tightened her thighs around his, wanting to keep him close. Everything might be a lie, but he wasn’t and neither was what she felt for him. Until she found her balance again, Andras would keep her safe. She trusted that and she trusted him.

Andras maneuvered his motorcycle through the predawn streets of Los Angeles. Bree had her arms wrapped around his waist and he wished he could relax and enjoy the warmth of her body against his. Hell, if it came down to it, he wished they were in bed, naked and pleasuring each other, but the portal’s opening was imminent and they had to cross before it closed again. The next opportunity to enter the other world was nearly four days away and he doubted they’d live that long.

Not when Raum would hunt them with unrelenting determination.

Of course, there wasn’t any guarantee they’d live to see sunrise today. They’d have to fight to use the gateway and Raum would have help with him. There was no malice involved, but his counterpart wouldn’t step aside and allow them to visit the demon king. Their training was to give no quarter.

Andras pulled the bike over to the curb a couple of blocks away from the portal. They’d already concealed their energy so that no demon could sense them and they would go in on foot from here.

After Bree dismounted, he got off and hooked their helmets to the motorcycle. The area looked as if it had been firebombed, but he didn’t waste magic to protect the bike. Chances were good that his aura was embedded deeply enough in the metal to keep humans away. He shrugged. If it was stolen or damaged, it was replaceable and he needed all his power for the battle to come.

Instead of moving immediately toward the gateway, he considered his mate. She was distracted and that wasn’t good, not when she had to fight with him.

He moved nearer and ran his thumb over her cheekbone. “Love,” he said softly, “I understand you’re reeling, but I need you with me, not lost in thought.”

Bree jerked her gaze to his. “I’m sorry. I’ll be focused by the time we reach the portal.”

“Not good enough. You know that as well as I do.”

“Yeah.” She reached up and put her hand over his, stopping his caress. “Will you send how to use my demon powers again? I don’t feel comfortable with that yet.”

Andras nodded and telepathically transmitted the information to Bree. The damn thing was that no matter how many times he shared this, there was nothing he could say or do that would make reaching for her new abilities instinctive and even a split-second delay gave Raum the edge.

She was adjusting fast—Bree had already stopped shying away from their mind link—but she needed more time to accept at every level that she was a demon. Time they didn’t have. If he could defeat their adversaries on his own, it wouldn’t be an issue, but he and Raum were about equal in strength. Andras had to be able to focus solely on the other executioner.

After sending the knowledge, he stayed close to Bree. They could spare a minute more. He studied her face, wanting to memorize every nuance…just in case. Then, leaning forward, he kissed her slowly, trying to indelibly imprint this sensation on his very soul. She clung to him, kissing him back intently.

With more than a little regret, he lifted his head. Bree understood as well as he did that they might not be successful. He wished— Andras shook his head. Wishes were useless.

“We need to go, don’t we?” she asked, but didn’t step back.

“Yes.” He didn’t move either. When they’d mated, he’d opened himself to her, allowed her to share everything, so she knew how he felt about her. But she’d been raised human and in that culture words were necessary. Andras wanted to make sure she had no doubts.

“Bree.” He waited until her full attention was centered on him. “I love you, and even if you weren’t my mate, you’d have my heart.”

Her chin wobbled before she regained control. “You don’t think we’re going to make it, do you?”

“You’ll make it.” If Andras did nothing else, he’d ensure that. “I already told you how to find the demon king. Use the portal and follow what I sent you. Everything will be fine.”

Bree laughed, but there was no humor in the sound. “You expect me to focus after saying that?” She shook her head. “Listen up, mate of mine, if I’m crossing that gate, you damn well better be with me and that’s an order, mister, understood?”

That statement was so Bree, Andras couldn’t help but smile. “I’ll do my best. I can’t promise more than that.”

She tightened her grip as he tried to step away. Going up on her toes, she put her lips close to his and murmured, “One last kiss.”

It was explosive enough to rock Andras. For the first time, Bree held almost nothing back and her feelings for him left him humbled. And even more determined that she survive. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his body. She fit exactly right. Even a lifetime with her wouldn’t be long enough, damn it, and demons lived thousands of years.

In the back of his mind, his internal clock ticked incessantly and forced Andras to end their embrace. It took him a long moment to find his self-command. “We have to go.”

 

Bree had been anxious about battle in the past, she’d even been scared a few times, but she’d never known the kind of all-out terror she felt right now. From what Andras had said, from what she’d discerned through their link despite his efforts to hide it, she knew he’d decided that if it came down to it, he’d sacrifice his life for hers. She wanted to argue until he understood that wasn’t a viable option, but there was nothing that would shake his resolve.

Because she’d learned something else. As urgent as her desire to defend him was, a demon male’s need to protect his mate was a hundred times stronger. It was instinctive and not something she could talk him out of, no matter how much she wanted to.

To only have one night with Andras— Bree cut the thought off quickly. If she went down that path, she’d be useless and the fight would be over before it started.

She didn’t need to be told when they grew close to the portal. Bree could sense it and she shivered despite wearing her jacket. She wanted to turn and run, dragging her mate with her, but there was nowhere they could hide. Not indefinitely.

Andras needed her to be strong and Bree was determined to be calm. When she had it, she opened the link between them. It would be easier to fight together if they knew what the other planned.

Get your protective shield up, Andras growled in her head.

Bree did it without snarling back because she could feel the concern that drove his testiness. Taking a deep breath, she locked down her emotions and drew her dagger. Maybe she had demon powers, but there was no reason why she couldn’t use her blade, too.

He pulled up short at the corner of a graffiti-covered building and Bree went up on her toes to peer over his shoulder. Her gaze zeroed in on the vacant lot in the middle of the block, and though nothing was visible except crumbled brick and garbage, she could feel the pulse of the portal. It took her a second longer to spot the pair of demon males guarding it.

Their enemy had only brought one friend to the party. A quick scan showed her why—demon number two looked stronger than any she’d fought before and nearly as powerful as Raum himself.

Sneaking up on them wasn’t a possibility, not the way they were positioned. That left a full-frontal assault as their only option. Andras came to the same conclusion. He pulled his arm back and called down two enormous bolts of lightning.

Sharing thoughts helped, and when her mate charged, she was with him. The lightning exploded against the pair’s shields. As the brightness faded, the demons remained standing.

Andras shot more lightning as he ran. Bree tried to do the same, but found she could either move or fire—she couldn’t do both. Cursing, she kept running. Her own shield lit up continually, but it held. Of course, she wasn’t the primary target—both demons were zeroing in on Andras. She was a liability, damn it, something she swore she’d never be.

Bree ran harder. If her new powers weren’t awesome, well, she’d killed plenty of these bastards with her blade.

Demon number two shifted attention to her as she drew close. He was expecting her to strike with the dagger, so she launched a flying side kick at him. She caught him in the center of the chest, driving him back a step.

As soon as she landed, she spun to face him, but he was already out of range of her knife. Drawing from the earth as Andras had told her, Bree gathered power and shot fire.

Her attempt looked pathetic, like a sparkler amid fireworks.

Tightening her grip on the haft, she rushed her adversary. With a casual flick, he let loose with a fireball that made her stumble.

She tried a second time with the same results. And while she was useless, Andras was getting hit from both demons.

How long could he continue being double-teamed before his protection fell? And why wasn’t her firepower good enough? Her heritage was supposed to be dark and that meant she should be able to do better than this.

Bree tapped into the earth again, drew power with all her strength and focused as she fired. Slightly better, but her demon swatted it away as if it were an annoying mosquito.

She couldn’t let Andras fight on his own. Maybe she wasn’t anything more than a gadfly, but she’d be the biggest damn gadfly possible. With a growl, she raced at demon number two. He fired at her, but she dodged and kept coming. When she neared, he let loose with another shot. She was too close to evade it by jumping to the side, so Bree dived low and hit him at the knees.

He fell and Bree was on him in a heartbeat.

Just as quickly he tossed her away, sending her sailing a good twenty feet. The landing knocked the air out of her and she gasped, trying to suck in oxygen as she struggled to her feet.

And in that moment, she felt Andras’s grimness. Her vision cleared enough to see the two demons had him pinned between them and both were firing nonstop. Her mate staggered and she swallowed the urge to scream his name.

If she didn’t figure out how the hell to fight and fast, the man she loved with all her heart was going to die.

Bree squared her shoulders and charged back into the fray. Jumping on the nearest demon, she muscled his head back with one arm while she brought her blade around with her right. The tip barely touched Raum’s throat before he sent her flying. It took her longer to regain her feet after this landing.

She hadn’t done much, but she had bought Andras time to find a more defensible position.

And now he was concerned about her, his attention fragmented. Bree risked sending him a reassurance that she was okay. She needed to be an asset, though. Somehow.

Why couldn’t she master the demon weaponry?

Her shots should be nearly as powerful as the males they were fighting, but they weren’t. So why the hell not?

Because, love, Andras sent and she could feel his exhaustion, you view demon powers as something outside yourself. You have to accept them as part of you and—

His thought was cut off abruptly as he took a hit. Bree watched her mate slam into the side of a building from the force and a red haze of fury filled her. She didn’t fight the emotion, she embraced it, and this time when she pulled power, it seemed different.

She didn’t waste time thinking about it, she fired. This was no weak shot. It exploded against demon number two’s shield with enough strength to make his knees sag.

That drew his attention away from Andras.

Bree twisted out of the way as her enemy sent a rope of fire toward her. She let loose once more—and had another sputtering sad little ball of nothing peter out before it reached him.

What had she done that made her last shot successful?

Ducking another blast, Bree hurriedly tried to figure it out. And then what Andras had told her registered—she’d been viewing the powers as demonic, something that didn’t belong to her. She was using them, but keeping them as far away from herself as possible—kind of like holding out a smelly sock.

When she’d gotten angry, she hadn’t kept them distant, but had brought them inside herself. Wielded them as she would her dagger. That was the difference.

And while she didn’t like it, she was more demon than human. Her mate, the man she loved, was totally demon. If they both lived long enough, their children would be much, much more demon than human.

Bree dropped to the ground to avoid a lightning bolt, then rolled to her feet, evading another.

These powers weren’t something alien or barbaric. They were as much a part of her as her brown eyes and dark hair. Maybe she wasn’t as practiced with them as she was with a blade, but she’d been successful once. She could do it again.

This time as she pulled in the energy, she let it swirl inside herself, building and growing. When it felt so big that she couldn’t contain it any longer, Bree fired.

This was no pathetic shot. Demon number two’s shield faltered, weakened by the blows Andras had already landed. She sent another blast, but she was too slow to recharge and lost her advantage.

But she knew how to use her powers—she wasn’t a liability any longer—and she had her adversary’s full attention. Andras only had to worry about Raum now.

She swayed when one of the demon’s shots connected.

The drawback was that now that she had his focus, she was going to have to withstand some blows. Bree strengthened her protection, and gritting her teeth, she sheathed her dagger, preparing herself for a rock-em, sock-em magical slugfest.

As they fired back and forth at each other, she gave as good as she got.

Sweat covered her body and a rivulet ran down her temple, but Bree smiled. Her opponent was pissed off, and with high emotion in control, she had the edge.

Confident, she pulled deeply and felt some last resistance inside her disintegrate. Being part demon and part human gave her benefits that she’d never realized. Benefits that she welcomed. The acceptance created by that knowledge seemed to strengthen and expand her bond with Andras. Bree opened to that as well.

And as she fired, she noticed she wasn’t only using her strength, but she’d drawn from her mate as well.

It terrified her that she’d left him at a disadvantage, but she didn’t dare let her concentration waver. Demon number two got a shot off a split second before hers connected. Bree pivoted to avoid it and heard her foe cry out. She turned back in time to see him weave, to feel his shield go down.

With everything she could muster, she fired at him again. He fell and didn’t move. She freed her blade and charged, prepared to drive it into his heart. Bree stopped before she reached him. He was already dead.

Putting the dagger away, she leaned forward, braced both hands on her thighs and gasped in air. She needed a minute, then she’d join Andras. But as she stood there, trying to recharge, she felt her mate pulling from her much the same way she’d done from him earlier. She looked over in time to see Raum hit the ground. He didn’t get up.

“You look like hell,” she told Andras when he reached her.

“I feel worse. You’re okay?” Bree felt him scanning her for injury even as he asked the question.

“I’m doing better than you are.” Because he’d taken a lot more punishment than she had. Her fault.

Before she could kick herself, her mate slid an arm around her and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “No, don’t blame yourself. As powerful as Raum is, I’d be in about the same shape even if his buddy hadn’t attacked me, too. Besides, demons heal fast. A couple of hours and you’ll never know I was in a fight.”

Somehow that didn’t improve Bree’s mood, but she wrapped both arms around Andras and hung on tight. “I love you, you know that, right?”

“I know.” But he smiled and some of the tension left his face.

From the corner of her eye, she caught a flickering blue light and turned her head in time to see a glowing doorway flare into existence. Bree glanced up at Andras.

He nodded. “Time to see the demon king.”

 

The sun was up when she and Andras exited the other world and returned to Los Angeles. Bree looked around, but everything seemed suddenly unfamiliar.

She’d changed. In a few hours her entire perspective on the world had shifted and it left her feeling as if she stood atop quicksand. “Well,” she said, trying to ignore how unsettled she was, “that was anticlimactic. Your king listened to us and then pretty much said, yeah, okay.”

“Not quite. You’re on probation.”

Bree shrugged. “He gave me permission to work with you and slay the outlaws sentenced to death. My only restriction is not to kill any demon who isn’t condemned. I can live with that.”

“Good.”

Before he could say more, Bree hurried to ask, “Why didn’t you kill Raum? We had to wait hours for confirmation that he’d heard my sentence was overturned.”

Hours when she’d been surrounded by demons. Hours when she’d not only met Andras’s family, but also people who claimed to be related to her. She’d heard stories of her parents from Andras’s father and it made them seem more…well, human, for lack of a better term. For years, her only perspective on her mother had come from her mentor, and what she’d heard today had been different. It was part of what made it seem as if her skin didn’t fit her any longer.

“I didn’t kill Raum because he was doing his job, nothing more. With your execution rescinded, he won’t be any threat to you.” Andras paused until her gaze met his. “If the situation had been reversed, I’d have done many of the same things he did. Would you have liked him to kill me?”

“Of course not.” And this unnerved her further. She didn’t want to see Raum as a soldier fulfilling his duty, she wanted him to be evil. Demons had always been the enemy, only now they weren’t. They couldn’t be because that would mean hating Andras. It meant hating herself.

The dissonance and the emotions tied to it were crashing down on her, drowning her. How did she get her feet back under her when the earth wouldn’t stop moving?

Andras reached out, took her hand, and her turmoil eased. She wasn’t dealing with this on her own, Bree realized. She had her mate at her side and he’d anchor her until the storm passed. His eyes held love as well as concern and she managed a small smile for him. “It’s been a hell of a night.”

“That it has been.” He inclined his head toward the street and they walked away from the lot. “Give it time. With all the bombs lobbed your way, it’s no wonder you’re shell-shocked, but you’ve accepted a lot already and the rest will fall into place.”

“Eventually.” And they would because she wouldn’t allow anything to hurt what she had with Andras. Bree laced her fingers with his. “You know what I want to do when we get home?”

“What’s that, love?”

“Take a long bubble bath—with you.”

One side of his mouth quirked up. “You’re not going to put in some girlie-smelling stuff, are you?”

They reached his motorcycle. Not only was it where they left it, it was intact and the helmets were there, too. She took the one he handed her before she said, “Yeah, I probably will. Got a problem with that?”

Andras leaned forward and brushed his lips over hers. “For you, I’ll deal.”

They donned their helmets and Bree climbed behind him on the bike, winding her arms around his waist as he pulled away from the curb. For you, I’ll deal weren’t exactly the most romantic words ever, but they left Bree choked up. Maybe it was because she could sense how deeply his commitment to her ran, but she knew he was promising her more than his willingness to smell like jasmine. Andras was telling her that he’d love her forever, no matter what.

Bree grinned and hugged him a little tighter as calm filled her. Yeah, her life had changed dramatically, but she’d control the fear because she wasn’t alone and she’d never be alone again. With her mate at her side, she could conquer anything.