As I kissed Colin, all I thought of was Bishop. It was his kiss I craved more than anyone else’s. The only one I dreamed about, fantasized about, wished for, hoped for. Bishop’s mouth against mine—after he whispered that he loved me, despite our problems, despite everything that threatened to keep us apart.
He was an angel of death and had been for a long time. He only looked eighteen, but he’d existed for much longer than that. How could I ever think I could be something more to him than a problem to solve, or an inconvenient addiction?
I didn’t think. I’d hoped.
And I’d lied shamelessly last night. I didn’t want to stay away from him. No matter what—
Snap!
The entire team was gathered in the church.
“It’s a problem,” Connor said. “I’ve been looking into it and I’m sure this is it. All the recent suicides—they’re connected. There’s a demon loose in the city, one who escaped the Hollow. Like the Source of the grays fed on souls, this demon feeds on hope and happiness and the will to live. It drives these kids to kill themselves.”
“You’re sure about this?” Cassie asked, her beautiful face tense as she listened to Connor’s speech.
He shook his head. “Hell, no. I’m not sure about anything anymore.” Connor usually had a quip or a joke for anything, but today he looked pained. Concerned. “But I think I’m right. The suicide rate in Trinity has skyrocketed over the past week. This demon is getting hungrier and it needs more and more to sustain it.”
“Then we need to find it.” Bishop rubbed his forehead. “Damn. My head—it’s killing me.”
“You okay?” Cassandra asked.
“Trying my best.”
“Who cares?” Kraven mumbled. He leaned against a nearby pew next to Roth, his arms crossed over his chest.
“You’re working too hard,” Cassandra said, ignoring the demon. “Did you get any sleep after staying out all night looking for that gray?”
“I got enough.”
“I doubt that. Not if you’re feeling this way. I know you’re having trouble concentrating.” Her expression hardened. “And would you stop doing this?” She pressed her hand against his torso. He flinched.
“It’s none of your business what I do.”
“It is my business. Show me. All the way this time.”
He looked at her for a moment without making any moves. Then he peeled his shirt off completely over his head.
“Where are my five dollar bills when I need them?” Kraven said drily. “Just do me a favor and leave the pants on, okay?”
Roth said nothing, but gave Bishop a dark look. Something in the demon’s eyes went beyond regular distaste.
Bishop looked down at himself and the deep cut bisecting his abdomen. “It’s the only way I can keep my mind clear.”
“You could get Samantha to help you,” Cassandra said, her brows drawn together.
Bishop shook his head. “She made it clear. She doesn’t want to see me again. And it’s for the best.”
Snap!
I hadn’t stopped kissing Colin, but the jarring mind meld had managed to give me back a fraction of my normal clarity. I tasted his soul as I devoured it, saw it in my mind—a ghostly shimmering ribbon—little by little, leaving him and entering me. Feeding me. I’d nearly taken all of it when I managed to push back against him and break off the kiss.
He slid to the ground. I hadn’t taken it all. Not all.
But I’d taken most of it.
I stared down at him with horror. Black lines branched around his mouth and he looked dazed and pale. He made a sickly wheezing sound as he gathered his breath. Immediately, I wanted to go back for more and it was by sheer will alone that I stopped myself.
The lines faded and he pushed at the floor, trying but failing to stand. “What happened?” He looked up at me. “Sam, why do you look so upset?”
“Are you okay?” I choked out, tears streaming down my cheeks.
“I think so. A little dizzy, but otherwise...”
“I’m sorry.”
“For kissing me?” A small smile appeared on his lips. “No reason to apologize for that. It was amazing.”
I just shook my head, wiping at my tears. He seemed okay, now after two kisses. Did a soul grow back or could someone survive indefinitely with less than a whole soul inside them? “I need to go.”
“Where are you going?”
“Away. Now.”
“I’ll come with you.” He looked so lost, so alone—like he had nobody. My heart wrenched, but it didn’t change anything. I needed to put distance between us, for his own good.
“No, just...no, Colin.” I ran away from him straight to my locker where I dropped off my books and grabbed my coat. I left right after that, bursting out into the morning air. I was going to miss the rest of my classes. At that moment, I didn’t care.
I’d lost it. And the worst thing this time—or competing for worst thing—was that my hunger hadn’t been sated even a bit. I wanted more. Something was changing inside me, making this even worse than it had been before. Before I could control myself, unless I was in extreme conditions. But now...my control was slipping away at breakneck speeds.