I took one step into the demons’ black-tiled side of the stage, and Sera pulsed a bright white light from her blade, sharp and quick. “Touch my brother and I will end your life!” My wings popped out of my back, and I heard some in the crowd gasp.

The demon’s gaze went to my chest, and upon seeing the symbol there, he grinned. “You’ve got Lucifer’s temper.”

The comment was like a kick to the stomach. Did I? Was I like Lucifer?

I staggered backward and lowered my dagger slightly.

Mikey growled again and lowered his front end, sticking his hind legs into the air, preparing to pounce.

“Freeze!” a deep male voice boomed behind me. Mikey whined, lowering his bottom half, and going fully flat onto the ground.

I spun around to see a tall man in his early thirties leap onto the stage. His hair was chocolate brown, and fell in wild wisps around his face. He was stacked with muscles, like a linebacker, and his eyes were… haunting. They glowed an eerie honey color. He kept his eyes on my brother with each step he took.

This must be Clark.

“That’s my brother,” I told him. “Can you help him?”

He didn’t take his eyes off Mikey. “That’s up to him.”

The alpha moved within a few feet from Mikey and my brother started to growl. Towering over him, Clark crossed his arms, and leaned forward. “Submit,” he growled in a voice that was only half human.

Mikey’s lips peeled back as his growl grew louder and he held the alpha’s gaze.

Oh God. What does this mean?

Clark bent on one knee, shoving his face right in my brother’s, and I stopped breathing.

“You will submit to me, or I cannot help you,” he declared.

Holy Shit. My brother was going to rip his face off, I was sure of it.

A few more seconds into the stare-down and Mikey’s growl turned to a whine, his amber eyes falling to Clark’s shoes. Then my brother lowered his head and rolled onto his back, exposing his belly.

Clark’s meaty hand reached out and grabbed the scruff of my brother’s neck, shaking it. “Good pup. Let’s go,” he barked and stood.

“What? Where are you going?” My voice trembled as Mikey rose to a standing position and stood at Clark’s side.

Clark’s honey-colored eyes flicked to me for the first time, and I felt a physical power wash over me.

“I’m taking him to my land. I’ll teach him to hunt deer and calm his thirst for the kill. When I’m satisfied he won’t hurt a human, I’ll send him to school,” the alpha declared.

Umm, what the hell did he just say?

“Can’t you just force him to change back to human? Then he won’t hurt anyone.” Right? I was kicking myself for not paying much attention, during the week we spoke about Beast Shifters in my fallen history class. I figured everyone was like Luke—shift, kick some demon ass, shift back.

Clark shook his head. “He won’t be able to change back until he’s quenched his thirst for the hunt.”

A strangled gasp reached us, and I turned to see my mother listening in on our conversation.

Oh great.

“Well, can I visit him?” I called out. He was walking away with my brother on his heels.

“Maybe,” he called back.

My eyes flew to Lincoln, who just shrugged.

There were a cluster of men and women waiting by the door for Clark. When he neared, they bowed their heads, and stepped out of the way to let him pass. After he and my brother were out of sight, they pulled in the rear and left behind him. They were like a freaking cult.

‘Or a wolf pack,’ Sera offered.

I didn’t need a dose of her logic right then. My heart was hammering in my chest.

“Well, that wasn’t ideal, but Clark will take good care of him,” Raphael offered.

The archangel was standing now, dagger sheathed, and wings down calmly at his sides.

What a crazy day.

But ‘not ideal’?

My brother was stuck as a monster, and had just gone to live with some dude I’d never heard of for God knew how long.

“Extremely not ideal,” I told him, then went to comfort my mother.

If life would stop shitting on me, that would be great.

Chapter Five

I’d left the Awakening ceremony early to drive my mom back, and assure her that I would take care of Mikey. That this Clark guy was someone we could trust, and everything would be okay. Lincoln told me to let myself into his trailer and wait for him, that he’d wrap up his duties at the ceremony and meet me there.

I let myself in, and after fifteen minutes I was bored off my ass.

‘Let’s snoop,’ Sera offered.

I chuckled. ‘Oh my God, how are you an angel’s blade?’

‘Good question. They probably messed up when they made me. That’s why I got sent to Earth.’

My chest vibrated as I laughed again. ‘Wait, are you saying I’m only worthy of a reject infinity weapon?’

‘Did you just call me a reject?’ she retorted.

A grin lit up my face and momentarily all of my worries washed away.

‘What’s that little poetry book?’ Sera pressed.

My eyes flicked to the brown leather-bound book in front of me and I shook my head.

‘No way. That’s messed up,’ I told my blade.

‘They’re just poems. It’s not like a journal,’ Sera pressed harder.

I groaned. ‘Fine, one look. Because I’m bored and curious what he writes in there.’

On nights that I studied over there, he would scribble in the book and play his guitar.

Reaching over, I flipped through the pages to the last, most recent one.

Eyes like the sky, they behold mighty power.

Hair like the sun, I want to stay warm forever.

Her love fills me up, fills me up—

The door handle jiggled and I chucked the book across the table. It slammed against the wall and fell awkwardly onto the bench seat.

“Hey,” Lincoln said as he walked in.

“Nothing,” I shouted.

Oh God, that song sounded like it was about me. My cheeks reddened.

‘What a sweetheart,’ Sera cooed.

“Are you okay?” Lincoln frowned, moving toward me. I scooched over to give him room to sit next to me.

“Yep, fine. Up to nothing.” I laughed nervously.

Lincoln’s brows drew together. “I mean about your brother. Are you okay?”

In my snoop-fest, I’d momentarily forgotten about my brother. “Oh. No, I’m not okay about that. He must be so scared, and I don’t know that Clark guy, but he seemed like a dick. My mom was totally freaking out too.”

Lincoln rubbed my back slowly, up and down, over and over as I vented everything that was bothering me.

“I just want a freaking break, ya know!” I shouted. “First I have black wings, then this crazy prophecy that I’m going to kill Lucifer, and my devil mark tattoo. I thought that was enough to deal with.”

He nodded in understanding. “It is enough. More than enough. But we’ll get through this together.”

“Now my brother told me that my mom’s boss is docking her pay every week, and I’m afraid she’s not even getting enough to eat. She would never tell me if she was struggling that hard.”

Lincoln frowned. “I have ten grand left of my parents’ insurance policy money. She can have it if she needs it.”

My chest shuttered with emotion. Who is this amazing man, and how the hell do I deserve him?

“No, I’m going to send her some money out of my monthly checks. But Lincoln… wow. Thank you for offering.”

He was staring at me with those intense blue eyes, messy dark hair, and pouty full lips, and all of a sudden my mind was off my troubles, and onto the man candy before me.

He must have noticed the moment my mood shifted, because he looked down at my lips then back up at me with a half-lidded gaze.

“I love you,” I whispered tenderly, leaning forward to brush my lips across his.

His hand came up to thread into my hair as he gripped the back of my neck. Our kiss grew deeper as heat pooled in my gut. I’d never been so sexually attracted to someone as I was to Lincoln. Just the way he looked at me behind those dark lashes, with those moistened lips, it undid me.

I stood and grabbed my lower back. “I’ve really had this kink in my back lately. I’d love a backrub.”

He smirked, looking me up and down. “If you want to have sex with me, just say it.”

Laughter pealed out of me. “I totally want to have sex with you.”

‘Get a room.’ Sera’s voice invaded my mind.

Ignoring her snarky comment, I pulled her out of my leg harness and set her next to Lincoln’s sword.

Lincoln’s strong hands came around to cup my butt as he lifted me up to straddle him. I pressed my thighs around his waist to keep myself on him and pulled off my shirt. His eyes fell to the tattoo on my chest before he bent forward and kissed it. Every time he did that, it made me emotional, a lump formed in my throat. It was like he was saying he approved of me, all of me, and he loved every part of me. Even the less desirable ones.

We’d made it to the bed and fell into it together. Lincoln pulled off his shirt in one of those sexy one-handed moves and pressed his pelvis against me. I moaned and gripped the back of his neck, peppering his shoulder with kisses as he started to unbutton my pants.

“School starts tomorrow,” I huffed, panting. “You know what that means?”

His eyes were practically glowing as he looked up at me from kissing my belly button.

“What?”

I grinned. “I don’t have to call you ‘sir’ anymore.”

The grin was wiped off my face and exploded into a moan as he worked his tongue magic. I’d call him ‘sir’ for the rest of my life as long as he kept doing that.

“Thank you for seeing me, Brielle.” Mr. Claymore motioned me to step into his office.

“Are you kidding? When I got your message, I was so excited I barely slept.”

We were only a few days into school, and he thought he’d found a spell that could remove my devil mark. Setting my bag on the floor, I took a seat in a chair across his desk. Class started in forty-five minutes, but I’d willingly gotten up at six thirty to be ready for this.

He smiled, and I couldn’t help but notice how kind his eyes were. Other than the streaks of gray in his brown hair, you wouldn’t know he was an older man.

“Now, I want to warn you, this may not work. So don’t get your hopes up.” Pulling off his thick black cloak, he laid it over his chair and rolled up his sleeves.

I nodded. “Got it. Totally not overexcited or anything.” I bopped in my seat, trying to hide my grin.

He chuckled. “Come in!”

A frown pulled at my lips, not having heard anyone knock, and was surprised to see Raphael step into the room, tucking his wings back as far as he could to squeeze into the space.