Because standing over Jamie's prone body, radiating with heavenly power . . . stood Sunny herself.
Sunny pressed a hand to her lips. "That's terrifying."
"What?" Shay turned to her, blinking in surprise—almost as if she were coming out of a deep trance.
Sunny pointed to the drawing. "Look at it. He's in danger . . . because of me."
Shay studied her own drawing for a moment, then shook her head in disagreement. "That's only one possible interpretation."
"You got another?" Sunny's heart leaped, no longer lodged quite so firmly in her chest.
Shay pointed to the image. "Yeah. Maybe you're meant to fight with him. Maybe you're supposed to be a team.... You're together in this image."
"And he's in trouble because of that."
Shay shook her head. "You're watching over him here, helping," she said, then gave Sunny a long, significant look. "Looks to me like you're about to save his butt. And that's exactly what fighting partners do: watch each other's backs."
Sunny buried her face in both hands. "Oh, honey, but that's not what I'm called to do. I'm Kate's guardian, not Jamie's."
"Sometimes mission priorities change. That's true on Earth, so I'm guessing that might be true for heaven, too."
Sunny's hands fell to her lap. "If I only had information, some way to know that you're right."
Shay smiled, a conspiratorial gleam in her eyes. "Uh, Sunny? I didn't just bring my sketch pad."
She reached inside her big purse and retrieved three dusty volumes, leather-bound, with ancient writing on them. "I brought these, too—smuggled them out of the cellar without Jamie knowing. I say it's time we go to the source and look for real information."
"About what, though?" Sunny's thoughts were whirling, confused. So much was happening, and so quickly.
Shay's voice became much quieter. "Whether angels can ever choose to become fully human."
Night finally came to Savannah after what felt an almost interminably long day. Jamie had spent many hours researching angel lore down in the cellar, including what would happen if one fell to Earth, and he'd only come up empty-handed. There appeared to be no way that he could hope to pursue a relationship with Sunny, yet it didn't stop his heart from hoping. Stupidly hoping.
And one tiny verse in a rare ancient Greek text had given that sparking hope a bit of kindling. It was from the book they called The Hunter's Lexicon, a set of instructions to demon hunters from the oldest times. In it, Jamie had discovered a passing reference to human atonement. That should a hunter engage inappropriately with a heavenly guardian, he should atone by spilling demon's blood.
He would've been out on River Street tonight anyway. Knowing that hunting his demonic quarries might absolve him, possibly even Sunny, of his sin of wanting her was an extra benefit.
Perhaps if he could just fight hard enough, kill enough demons, then perhaps he might be worthy of Sunny. Perhaps God might deem him worthy, his sin forgiven.
The cobblestoned walkways of bustling River Street were always the perfect hunting ground, and so he'd enlisted Mason, the two of them rolling into downtown after ten p.m. This time of night was usually when some of their worst nemeses began preying on unsuspecting tourists, taking advantage of the inebriated state of the humans to do some soul sucking or body possession.
Jamie and he dressed in all black, fading into the riverfront, unnoticeable to most of the partygoers out at the bars and restaurants. The cops were on their side, and always turned a blind eye to their subtly concealed weapons and paramilitary gear.
Walking beside him, Mason sighed heavily. "Dude, would you stop glowering like that?"
Jamie turned to his brother. "I'm not doing anything but my job," he said defensively. "Just scanning the perimeter, looking for the usual perps, like always. I tell ya, if Thrastikas shows up down here tonight, I'm in no mood to issue any pardons."
In fact, that higher-ranking demon would make a perfect atonement. He'd performed a litany of vile deeds in the past month—including motivating a stabbing that Jamie had witnessed firsthand.
The victim had spent weeks in ICU. That demon needed to go down, and Jamie was ready to off the beast. Besides, Thrastikas had been after Jamie's blood for a while, and tonight was the perfect time to end their feud.
Mason grinned, his own eyes searching the dark side alleys. "I thought Thrastikas was your best friend. That you wanted to turn gay together."
"Okay, that's beyond disgusting, so I won't even go there."
Thrastikas had thick leather wings that were prone to making earsplitting noises when they beat together. He also wore manacled chains about both legs that clanged and dragged loudly, which only emphasized his permanently hunched shoulders and crooked back.
"In fact, that's about like me saying you wanna go straight with—"
Mace hit him on the arm, silencing him. With two fingers he indicated the side alley, and sure enough, who should be lurking in the shadows along with a lower minion but Thrastikas himself.
Jamie reached to his hip, where he had a dagger sheathed, and slid the powerful blade into his palm. Beside him, he felt the whisper-quiet motion of his brother doing the same; one of Mason's best fighting skills, in fact, was how lethally quiet he could be. Stealthily, he and Mace crossed the street, concealing themselves against the bar that stood adjacent to the alley where the demons were waiting. And Jamie had no doubt that that was precisely what the pair were doing—waiting for unsuspecting humans to molest and violate.
Jamie paused in the shadows, Mace right behind him. If they didn't enter the alley directly, the demonic duo might vanish into the dark. But if they waited, they might have a better chance of ambushing the pair, especially if the demons left the alley and ventured out onto River Street.
Jamie's heart hammered in his chest. No matter how many times he'd gone on the hunt, he never ceased to get an adrenaline rush that made his entire body grow taut. He also never failed to remember that one false move, and his current demon battle could be his last.
Mace touched his arm, pointing to the alley, signaling that he wanted to advance first. Jamie shook his head; Mace might be the marine, but Jamie was the leader of the Shades. No way would he let his brother take point in such a potentially dangerous situation. Jamie adjusted the dagger in his palm, securing his hold on it. He'd go right for Thrastikas's throat; Mace could take down the demon's little sidekick. Turning, he met Mace's stare and showed him the middle finger —it was their longstanding joke, their way of indicating the leader was going after the biggest, baddest demon dude in the mix.
Mace gave a curt nod, and Jamie swept into the alley—and crashed right into the thick barrel chest of Thrastikas himself. Neither of them expected the impact, and it sent Jamie sprawling onto the alley's pavement. Thrastikas staggered, his feet momentarily tangled in the heavy metal chains about his legs.
But his minion, despite being small and clearly of the dumber, lower variety of demon, moved fast. Perhaps because he was so little, Jamie didn't have time to process, but the critter flung itself at Jamie's head, beating him with its scaly wings.
Jamie swatted at it, lashing out with his dagger, and the acrid-smelling demon slumped lifelessly on Jamie's chest. He flung the wicked thing across the alley, rolling to his feet. Mace had Thrastikas by the leg chains, the demon prone on the ground.
Thrastikas lashed at Jamie with a clawed foot, drawing blood from Jamie's calf. He kicked back in return, raising his dagger. It was time to finish this foul demon once and for all. The atonement might help, too. Might provide Jamie an opening with Sunny . . . or at the very least, earn him points for good behavior.
"I'm going to finish this. Now," Jamie said.
Mason tightened the chains in his grasp. "I've got him, bro."
Jamie lunged forward, prepared to slice the blade across the demon's throat, but as he moved in for the kill, Thrastikas used his chain-bound legs to knock Mace across the alley with a painful cry. That one moment of distraction was all it took; right as Jamie lunged, the demon's massive wings unfurled and he soared heavenward, clanking chains swinging in the air.
Mace groaned, rolling onto his side protectively. "Oh, man, he nailed me in the balls. Hurts like a mother."
Jamie knelt beside him, still searching all around the alley and the street for any sign of their enemy. But both Thrastikas and his minion were gone. He'd missed the real action he'd come here for, and now Mace was going to need a little recuperation time. Maybe that was a sign he should study the lore for more ideas. After all, he would be seeing Sunny again in just a few more days, and he had a lot of work to do between now and then if he hoped for any chance of a relationship with her.
Chapter Seven
"I don't understand why you don't want to come." Kate stood in Sunny's kitchen, dressed up for the New Year's Day party at the Angels' plantation—an event that Sunny had decided she couldn't possibly attend. Not after seeing Shay's prophetic drawing, and the danger she possibly represented for Jamie. Even after spending the past days tirelessly studying the ancient volumes on angels, she'd found no plausible way that she could choose to fall, not without being destroyed or turning evil. Shay had promised to retrieve more volumes, but Sunny just couldn't put her heart into the quest. Kiel's warnings still sang in her ears. Which meant that, despite Jamie's desire for friendship, it was impossible. Sunny was too attracted to him, out of her right mind when around him. She was lucky that Kiel hadn't appeared to her a second time to further warn and chastise her.
"Sunny, I just don't get it. You had a good time out at the Angel place the other day." Kate glanced at her watch. Dillon was waiting in the car, and they were a little late as it was.
"I sure did. Shay and Mason are fabulous—"
"And you thought Jamie was hot. I saw the way you looked at him," Kate teased. "And, by the way . . . where was it you disappeared to the other night, exactly? I noticed you both vanished for a good long while."