Stained by Ella James

behind them like a giant steel forest with leaves of light. They stopped in front of a pale yellow building and got out.
Cayne took the lead and cut through the yard, and Julia noticed a light on in one of the downstairs rooms. She took it as a good sign, until Cayne opened the door without knocking.
A familiar curdling odor filled Julia's nose, and just two steps inside, she found the source. A young family of three was dead at their kitchen table. The mom and dad slumped into their plates. Pasta. The mom's arm was still reaching for her son.
Julia backed into the wall, wide eyes devouring everything. Theirs were open, too, staring dully at the blood that pooled around their heads. It was still dripping onto the floor.
Julia felt a whoosh of air behind her and yelped. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a shadow flitting deeper into the house.
"Cayne," she cried, but he was already dashing down the hall.
Julia stayed on his heels, cradling her arm as she listened for the danger she sensed but couldn't see. They went through a living room and a library and then up cedar stairs.
The little boy's room was the first on the right. The walls were bright green; the windows were open, and the long navy curtains rippled like tiny waves on a cool breeze. His bed had a sailboat spread and tiny pillows shaped like fish. A Nintendo DS sat at its center, the screen still lit.
Julia covered her mouth, and Cayne squeezed her elbow. "We need to search the rest of the floor."
She nodded and followed him into the parents' room. All clear.
"Maybe I just imagined it?"
She was hopeful, but Cayne shook his head. "I saw it, too."
He also probably felt it. Julia certainly did. There was a dark presence in the house with them. Malice. Danger.
She was almost relieved when something creaked in the hall. Cayne summoned his dagger and sprinted lightly to the door. He motioned for Julia to stay in the bedroom, but that wasn't going to happen. She grabbed Cayne's free hand, and, quietly, they crept out of the bedroom.
Both of their gazes darted to the only space they hadn't checked: the bathroom across from the staircase.
The door was slightly ajar, but Julia couldn't see anything but shadows within. She bit her lip and dropped several paces behind, so Cayne passed the boy's bedroom a few feet ahead of her.
That's when the shadow darted out.
Julia screamed as Samyaza thrust his dagger at her. Cayne lunged to deflect the blade, stopping it not an inch from Julia's chest. He backhanded Sam and drove his knife into the dark Nephilim's side.
Sam tackled Cayne, and the two rolled down the stairs in a heap. The Nephilim Lord landed on top, and he brought his fist down on Cayne's face. When Julia caught up, she did one of the bravest things she had ever done in her life: she plucked a framed picture from the wall and tossed it at his back.
It bounced off harmlessly, and Sam whirled. Cayne locked his legs around the Nephilim king and punched him in the chest. They wrestled in what could only be described as fast-forward, tumbling through the living room at sprinting speeds.
Cayne wrapped his arms around Sam's neck, but Sam pushed off the floor and rammed Cayne into a wall. Cayne's grip loosened, and Sam tossed him over a couch. Julia, who was still standing on the last stair, her hands over her mouth, realized there was nothing between her and the murderous Nephilim. Sam realized it, too.
He dove for her, but Cayne's dagger sliced the space between them. Sam twisted to avoid the blade and crashed head-first into the wall. Cayne plucked Julia off the stairs and tried to whisk her away, but Sam grabbed his leg.
Cayne and Julia landed hard. He kicked out at Sam, catching his jaw. Cayne leapt to his feet, shoved Julia behind him, and raised his dagger. Sam, now standing, matched his pose.
While the two eyed each other, Julia tried to find a weapon. Fighting Sam was second to last on her Fun Things To Do list, but Letting Cayne Get Killed was at the