into nothing.
Jake swore under his breath and almost kicked the nearest pile of file folders. Did the bastards fly away— again ? He felt like a fucking cat after sneaky, sneaky birds.
"Darian," he said, hoping for an answer. "Jared? Quince? Come on, guys, cut me a friggin’ break here. Captain Freeman wants me to talk to you. Work with you."
I sound like I’m begging.
Fuck.
Jake rubbed his hand across his short hair in frustration. If begging would help, maybe . . .
The air in front of him shifted.
A second later, the demon who called himself Darian returned to visible form, standing about six feet away from Jake. Close to the terrace doors, like any second he might change his mind and fly away. Jake wanted to snatch hold of him and anchor him to the floor, but at some deeper level, he recoiled from the idea of trapping another living creature. His gaze shifted from Darian to the soft, enticing light pouring through the terrace doors and the bluer-than-blue sky beyond. His heart beat faster and his blood surged. His essence and human form shuddered before he pulled himself back together.
Why does that keep happening?
Jake’s gut tightened and he almost lost focus on the task at hand.
For two years, I have no problems staying human—then I come back to this damned townhouse and twinkle, twinkle like the goddamned little star. Shit!
Breathing high and tight in his chest, Jake forced himself to let go of his own concerns and study his quarry instead.
For a moment, Darian remained all Astaroth, fangs sharp and shining, clawed fingers curling as his two sets of wings extended. His talisman glittered against his pale flesh as he studied Jake with his clear golden eyes, then slowly, slowly, pulled himself into a vague semblance of human form. A sort of vampiric human with see-through white skin and almost white eyes, but close enough. Jake would take what he could get at this point.
"So you can shift," Darian said, his tone one of quiet surprise. "You almost did a moment ago. We’ve wondered if you could."
Jake sucked back a defensive comment and forced himself to keep a relaxed posture. "I can shift into demon form, yes. I choose not to."
Darian glanced from Jake to the open terrace doors. "Why?"
Okay, so much for relaxed. Jake’s body went taut at all the joints, and he didn’t try to hide it. "I have my reasons. For now, I’m an OCU officer and that’s where I can do the most good in the fight against the Legion." At the word Legion, Darian’s eyes flashed golden and his lips pulled back around his fangs. Jake half expected the Astaroth to hiss.
"I would like very much to fight them," Darian said. "Every day."
Behind Darian, Jared and Quince materialized and assumed pseudo-human form. They didn’t speak, but Jake could tell by their expressions they hated the Legion as much as Jake did. "How old were you when you were changed?" he asked Darian on impulse.
"I don’t know." Darian’s reply was open, not offended or angry. "We estimate two years of human age, perhaps three." He gestured to the other two Astaroths. "They were younger."
A dull ache bloomed deep in Jake’s heart.
No wonder this bunch was so skittish.
To be so very young, to know nothing of the world in true human flesh. Their first memories would have been of pain and death and murder at the hands of those they trusted. The frustration he had built over the last fourteen days of chasing the elusive, uncooperative demons faded into concern and respect, and sorrow for the babies they once had been.
The three demons shimmered, as if perceiving his deep emotion, and Darian actually put a hand over his own heart.
"You . . . radiate," Darian said. "We have seen it before. It’s disconcerting. Among other things."
Jake had no idea what the demon was talking about, and he didn’t really care. When he spoke, he made sure his tone was calm and even, and as friendly as he could make it. "Captain Freeman wants me to work with you so you
Jake swore under his breath and almost kicked the nearest pile of file folders. Did the bastards fly away— again ? He felt like a fucking cat after sneaky, sneaky birds.
"Darian," he said, hoping for an answer. "Jared? Quince? Come on, guys, cut me a friggin’ break here. Captain Freeman wants me to talk to you. Work with you."
I sound like I’m begging.
Fuck.
Jake rubbed his hand across his short hair in frustration. If begging would help, maybe . . .
The air in front of him shifted.
A second later, the demon who called himself Darian returned to visible form, standing about six feet away from Jake. Close to the terrace doors, like any second he might change his mind and fly away. Jake wanted to snatch hold of him and anchor him to the floor, but at some deeper level, he recoiled from the idea of trapping another living creature. His gaze shifted from Darian to the soft, enticing light pouring through the terrace doors and the bluer-than-blue sky beyond. His heart beat faster and his blood surged. His essence and human form shuddered before he pulled himself back together.
Why does that keep happening?
Jake’s gut tightened and he almost lost focus on the task at hand.
For two years, I have no problems staying human—then I come back to this damned townhouse and twinkle, twinkle like the goddamned little star. Shit!
Breathing high and tight in his chest, Jake forced himself to let go of his own concerns and study his quarry instead.
For a moment, Darian remained all Astaroth, fangs sharp and shining, clawed fingers curling as his two sets of wings extended. His talisman glittered against his pale flesh as he studied Jake with his clear golden eyes, then slowly, slowly, pulled himself into a vague semblance of human form. A sort of vampiric human with see-through white skin and almost white eyes, but close enough. Jake would take what he could get at this point.
"So you can shift," Darian said, his tone one of quiet surprise. "You almost did a moment ago. We’ve wondered if you could."
Jake sucked back a defensive comment and forced himself to keep a relaxed posture. "I can shift into demon form, yes. I choose not to."
Darian glanced from Jake to the open terrace doors. "Why?"
Okay, so much for relaxed. Jake’s body went taut at all the joints, and he didn’t try to hide it. "I have my reasons. For now, I’m an OCU officer and that’s where I can do the most good in the fight against the Legion." At the word Legion, Darian’s eyes flashed golden and his lips pulled back around his fangs. Jake half expected the Astaroth to hiss.
"I would like very much to fight them," Darian said. "Every day."
Behind Darian, Jared and Quince materialized and assumed pseudo-human form. They didn’t speak, but Jake could tell by their expressions they hated the Legion as much as Jake did. "How old were you when you were changed?" he asked Darian on impulse.
"I don’t know." Darian’s reply was open, not offended or angry. "We estimate two years of human age, perhaps three." He gestured to the other two Astaroths. "They were younger."
A dull ache bloomed deep in Jake’s heart.
No wonder this bunch was so skittish.
To be so very young, to know nothing of the world in true human flesh. Their first memories would have been of pain and death and murder at the hands of those they trusted. The frustration he had built over the last fourteen days of chasing the elusive, uncooperative demons faded into concern and respect, and sorrow for the babies they once had been.
The three demons shimmered, as if perceiving his deep emotion, and Darian actually put a hand over his own heart.
"You . . . radiate," Darian said. "We have seen it before. It’s disconcerting. Among other things."
Jake had no idea what the demon was talking about, and he didn’t really care. When he spoke, he made sure his tone was calm and even, and as friendly as he could make it. "Captain Freeman wants me to work with you so you
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