Page 26 of Seducing Darkness

Mazt screeched and cast her aside. She hit the shower curtain first, then slammed into the wall. Head, shoulder, and hip. The right side of her body took the impact. She dropped into the bathtub, tangled in the curtain and Harry’s body. Her heart broke all over again.

“Angel!” she heard Mazt hiss. “She is mine.”

Peeling the curtain away, she found herself between Mazt and Seren. No armor. No wings. Just a regular Joe in faded jeans and a wrinkled T-shirt under a plaid button-down. He looked like a hipster. The sexiest hipster ever created. He’d even grown a beard since she’d last seen him.

His sword appeared clutched in his hand, raised and ready to strike. “She belongs to no one. Least of all, you.”

Agone popped into the bathroom. In his human form, he stood between her and Seren. Seren paused, and Eden couldn’t blame him. Whose side was Agone on?

Agone slapped his hand on her arm. “Come with me,” he ordered.

“Like I have a choice.”

“No!” Mazt shouted. “She belongs to me!”

“She belongs to no one.” Seren was a blur as he surged into Mazt, taking the attack to him and the other beings in her bedroom.

Warm, rough fingers cupped her face as a battle raged just out of her view. “You will always have a choice with me. This I swear. Now, give me your permission.” Another command, but she didn’t mind.

For what and did it matter? No. The answer was no. “Yes. You have my permission.”For whatever he wanted to do to her as long as it got her out of there.

Eden’s internal organs quivered and seemed to liquefy. Seconds from hurling, her body shifted along with her world. The bathroom filled with Mazt and his demons and Seren with his sword suddenly vanished, replaced by trees and grass and air.

Her knees buckled, and the ground rushed toward her face. Agone’s arm banded around her waist and hauled her into his body. “Breathe. I have you.”

What should’ve been automatic took effort. Each pull into, each sip was an uphill battle. Her throat burned. Her lungs cramped, refusing to inflate.

You’re okay.”

No. Far from okay. Eden pushed away from Agone. He held tight, then his arms dropped. And so did she. She dropped and finally sucked air into her starved lungs. It was agony, but worse was the memory of Harry.

“Did you see what I was lying on? Harry,” said between gasps. “Harry’s body. She’s dead.” She fisted the grass and angled her head to see him towering over her. “That monster killed her because of me. He told me he did it. Confused her scent with mine.”

Memories of last night when Harry emerged from her bedroom, groggy from the unnatural sleep Agone had forced on her, filled her mind. Eden had made her tea and microwaved leftover pizza. She wanted to spill the beans, tell her about Agone and Seren. Tell her about the supernatural world around them.

In the end, Eden told her nothing. She swore choosing to not burden her friend with that knowledge was the right thing. Now she was dead.

“I killed her. I did this. It’s all my fault.” She pounded the ground. “Do you know him? Is he one of yours?”

“No,” Agone snapped. “I do not know everyone in hell.” He sank to his knees in front of her. “And you did not kill Harry.”

She shook her head, refusing to listen to him, refusing to look at him. He wasn’t there when he should’ve been. “You should’ve been there. I could’ve shown her you and she would’ve known the danger she was in, and she’d be alive right now.” Bordering on hysteria, she sobbed and glared at him.

“You’re right. One of us should’ve been here.” His gaze snapped to her apartment building. “It won’t happen again.” His head swiveled around, scanning the area. “Damn it!” He snatched her into his arms. “They’ve found us again. We have to go.”

A flash of light blinded her and Seren appeared. “I killed all in the apartment except one, but it was a diversion to keep us apart. More are coming.”

Agone cradled her against his chest. “They follow her. Wherever we go, they will follow.”

Because of her.

“I prepared a place for us. A sanctuary. Allow me to transport us there.”

Agone grunted. “You may, but this one time only.”

With strength she didn’t know she had, Eden shoved away from Agone and leaped from his arms. “I’m not going. Whatever is coming for me. I’m staying here and facing it. No running. No hiding.”

“You are not ready.”

---