"I feel like I should be going", Jade said. She held my face still and started drawing dark lines across my eyes.

"You'd get recognized", I remind her, "I want to do this. I want to help."

"Dante could get recognized."

"He has a disguise.", I say but it's a weak excuse, Paul's disguise is a wispy two week old beard. I just want Paul to go with me.

Jade stepped away and I studied the dramatic back eyeliner, it was thick and curved. The black made my blue eyes look piercing. My face was completely matte to make the sparkly eyeshadow and glittery lipgloss stick out. Jade told me to keep my plum-red hair straight, because it made me look younger.

For a while we'd been lucky to escape the imposed lockdown The Prince had put everyone else under. We'd been allowed to go to DRA and back, during which I performed more recon for the party we were crashing. I'd sat with Corey during lunch a few times and she really was interesting. I liked hearing about her family and wondered what it'd be like to have a mom and dad.

The only time I could talk to Paul was on the bus to and from DRA. No matter how much yelling and whining I did Seraphina refused to apologize for pulling a gun on Paul and she never let me leave her sight. I wasn't a child . . but honestly I wasn't sure if I wanted to do all the things Paul wanted to do. . . but that was my choice not hers.

"Are you ready ? They just left", Paul yelled from the door.

Callum was the only member of The Brotherhood who knew about our plan to infiltrate a daemon recruitment party. Paul trusted him to help us and I had to admire Callum's loyalty to Paul. Seraphina would have never done that. Callum agreed to help us by getting Mr. Prince and Seraphina to leave for the night. He'd been planting the idea in Mr. Prince's mind since Christmas. He kept hinting at wanting to go out and drink for New Year's Eve. He got other Demons stuck on the idea until Mr. Prince had agreed.

Callum said he would keep them out until midnight. That gave us three hours to figure out who Isaiah was using to recruit and where he was keeping them.

"Yeah. I'm ready" I called down.

I stood up and pulled down the tight purple sleeveless dress Jade lent me. I slipped into a pair of purple platform shoes and went to where Paul was brooding in he corner. Paul smiled but he wouldn't say anything about how I looked in front of the others.

"Okay, guys", Jade said, "Remember the plan. Find out who Isaiah is using to recruit and where he is keeping the recruits. Then get out of there ASAP."

"Couldn't Corey be his recruiter ?", I asked

"No, she doesn't have that edge.", Jade said.

"Here", Dante  slipped something cold in my hands. I recognized the white gold knife as one of Seraphina's. It was Raziel her favorite. In Dante's other hand he held up a holster he'd also stolen from her.

"Did you steal this ?"

"Hey, she stole from me."
 
"I can't take this. Where do I even put it ?", I gestured to my mini dress.

"You can figure it on later .Let's go. The cab is outside."

I gabbed Dante--no Paul's hand and followed down the street. We kept checking back to make sure no one saw us leave. The cab was waiting a few blocks down.

"You kids getting into trouble", The Cab driver asked.
 
"No, Sir", Paul said giving the guy a conspiratory smile.



Corey Pendelton's party was in a Midtown high rise apartment building on the 4th floor. I recognized some of the kids from school waiting in line to get in. It was odd seeing everyone out of their uniforms. I was glad to see I was dressed appropriately in a short dress and heels. Corey was waiting by the door with her iPad and a basket of. . . stickers ?

"Ariel. . . you bought a guest ?", She seemed surprised and narrowed her eyes at Dante.

"Yeah, is that cool ?",  I repeated the line just like Jade told me.

"I. . . I guess."

Corey handed us each a sticker and opened the door. Dante put his hand on my lower back and gently pushed me in. The room was thick with teenagers, rubbing against one another

"These are cute.", I said looking at the smiley face sticker.

"It's LSD."

"Oh. . .Oh. Anne never liked this stuff. It was really popular in the 70's"

"It could help you relax for tonight." , Dante said, "Go ahead I'll watch out for you."

I put the little square in my mouth and wait for it to dissolve. It tasted oddly sweet and I didn't feel any different, then again these drugs were made for human bodies.

Paul put on a pair of oversized red glasses and since hadn't shaved since Christmas break he looked like a completely different person.  He kept his arm around my waist, pushing me through the crowd.There are bodies pressed together, groups of people smiling and laughing. Some of them are just grinding together in big clusters. This can't be dancing ? They are way to many flashing lights and people. I felt so uncomfortable.

"This is too much for me", I say to Paul and my body starts to feels shaky.

Dante looks around the loft and leads me into the kitchen. It's empty so he pushes me in and puts a trashcan in front of the door so no one else can get in and pulls out his phone.

"I took some video", he turns the volume down. He was all business. It was kind of sexy, "Look. I thought so"

He pauses the video and zooms in on a familiar looking girl with long braids in the crowd.

"Oh, that's Leslie.", I remember the girl whose locker was a shrine now, "I guess she's not missing anymore."

"Look at how sallow her skin is and how dark her eyes are. She's got to be a daemon now. Probably one of the new human eating ones."

"I though they just craved human blood. Do they really eat people ?"

"No. But close enough. Leslie must be the recruiter.  If it goes down like it did for me, then at some point she is going to choose who she wants to turn into a daemon. She will invite a small group to come with her to get an 'ultimate high'.  She's going to offer  something with an Angel element in it to kickstart the process. "

"Like a Snowfire Apple ?", I ask starting to catch on

"Those are gone now. According to Callum's Intel--"

"You mean the information Seraphina gave you."

"Whatever. Isaiah is using something more potent and new he manufactured. The next step in the processes is death. She might stab you or something. That will be hard to fake and then --

"Okay. Okay. One step at a time. Let see if I can get chosen first"

"You've got this Ariel", Dante reached over to kiss me but I pulled back, "Do this for me."

"Caden never asked me to do this kind of stuff.", I said

"He had you do other stuff. He had you sneak him into Queen Anne's and steal the Snowfire apples."

"Can we just.  . . go and dance or something. I mean if you want to teach me."

"I think you'll pick up quick. It's easy. Let's practice"

Paul smiles then pulls me closer to him so we're chest to chest. He gets a firm grasp on my hips and we move to the beat of the music. I can't believe people do this in public. I put my arms around his neck and I can feel a blush crawling up my neck.  Once I think I have it we start kissing and Paul's hands start to wander.

"Paul", I said wondering where he was going with this.

"It's okay, the door is locked.", he gestures for me to sit on the counter and I'm really conscious of how short my dress is and that the door isn't technically locked.

I let myself trust Paul and don't think twice about the door. When we finally emerge the party is still going on. Paul finds us some drinks and we circle the dance floor keeping close to Leslie. She doesn't talk to anyone, she just watches the crowd and waits to make her move.


"Hey hey hey, what are you doing ?"

Callum jumps up from his place at the next table when he sees me reaching for my coat. I'd thought Callum had lost his mind when he said we should go to the local blue collar bar, Riverdale Tap,  for New Year's Eve. It had been a bit of a tradition over the past few years. I'd agreed only because we'd all be together and there was no way Helios could leech someone if we were in a group. The second reason was because I had to get away from St. Lilth's.

Isobel had declined to join us and went to meet with her old roommate in the city and go out for drinks. Her male roommate. I'd been generous and agreed to let her go. She even agreed to take one of the Brothers with her just in case something happened. I'd wanted to go with Isobel but how could I explain my face to her friends ?

Damien stayed behind at St. Lilth's to keep an eye on the Brothers who didn't join us for the outing. If I'd learned one thing it was that I could trust my original circle of Brothers. They'd yet to let me down. Well . . .except for Jona.

When we'd arrived at the bar I settled in a booth with Ashe and a few others for the night. We'd spent the past five hours drinking, talking about absolutely nothing and playing cards. There were a few local girls hanging around but they weren't to interested in a group of clean cut Vitamin D deficient guys like us.

What really threw me off was that Callum had invited Seraphina to comes with us. He said he wanted to extend and olive branch to her. Between Christmas and New Year's Eve they found they had a lot in common. They both hated each other, liked to fight, and had bloodstreams filled steroids and there was something dark in Callum's past that Sera saw.

Seraphina had sat alone at the bar all evening, keeping as far away from us as she could get. She'd sipped several glasses of whiskey, none of which she had to buy and kept her attention either on her hands or one of TVs. She'd trimmed her hair into an impressive crew cut and was dressed simply in a black muscle-t and black pants.

"Where are you going, Paris ?", Callum said, "It's not even midnight. Stay"

"I'm. . . tired."

"Come on. It's not even midnight. Don't be a pussy. Besides you had like eight drinks. You can't drive drunk. You know how hard it is when one of us gets arrested."

I sighed. He had a point.

"I'll walk. It's only a mile."

"By yourself ? You want Helios to knife-jack you again ? Stay.", Callum moved to stand in front of me.

"I'll. . . ask Sera to walk with me."

"I think she's busy", Callum gestured to the bar.

The pretty young blonde bartender was leaning across the bar and talking to Seraphina. I saw the way Seraphina bought her hands down to the girl's tiny star wrist tattoo. Sera even did that flirty thing with the shot glass between her lips.

"I'm leaving Callum."

"But--"

"I'll see you when you get back."

I saunter up to Seraphina and smile at the girl. The young bartender was apart of the family that owned the bar. She had seen me around the bar before and she gives my newly cut face a double take.

"You should see the other guy", I tell her "You can put Sera's drinks on our tab. Sera, I need you to walk back with me."

"I'm not leaving", Seraphina says and this makes the blonde girl blush.

"You're supposed to be protecting me."

"I'm busy", Sera says turning back to the blonde.

"She's sixteen", I say and shrug on my coat.

Seraphina starts to say something but instead she just slides off the stool and grabs her jacket. I follow her out the door.

"Are you good to drive ?", I asks

She considers this for a moment.

"No."

"Walking it is."



She doesn’t seem put out about walking, but lately nothing seemed to really put her out. We turn from the parking lot and down the main road.  It’s not the most walkable part of town, but there is a decent shoulder and sometimes a sidewalk. It's also not that far from St. Lilth's

“She was . . . pretty”, I said not being able to take another moment of silence.

She offers nothing return.

I stay in step with her, and there is nothing but the sound of the occasional car driving by. The headlights occasionally highlighting her profile. Sometimes I see something familiar in her face, but then she quickly goes back to unrecognizable.

"Why do we always end up like this ?”

She has her hands in her pockets and look down as she walks.

“Like what.”

“Alone. . . together. I’m not saying it means anything. It's  just two months ago you were knocking down my door just to get a piece of me and now we barley look at each other.”

“Excuse me ?”

“What ?”, I said, “I mean you must have been pretty into me before,  it's like the second we were alone you started taking your cloths off.”, I said with a bit of humor

She thinks about it, her eyes do something shifty as she remembers.

“You were…innocent. Innocent men are always eager to please. Easy to teach”

“Do you have much experience with. .. innocent men ?"

She shrugs.

“None of it mattered. We should have kept things professional. I stepped over the line and now all this has transpired.”

“I don’t regret it for a moment”, I said, “I learned how messy love could be”

“A cautionary tale ? Is that all we had.”

We both quietly consider this. I get tripped up as the sidewalk gets uneven and gives way to gravel. My reflexes are slow and I fall face first into the gravel.

"Shit"

"Paris"

Sera turns instantly and stared to reach for something.

“I’m fine”, I said, “Still together. Help me up.”

She frowns.

"My knife is missing."

"Huh"

"It was. . . nevermind"

She reaches down and grabs my wrist and pulls me up to my knees.

“Wait”, I said before she could pull me all the way up

“What ?”

“I-Sera. . .”

“What ?”, her eyes darted looking for danger, "What's wrong ?"

“Um, Seraphina”, I started again

“What’s wron—“

“Will you marry me ?”

She let go of my hands, but I reached for her wrist at the last second, while shifting to one knee.

“What is this ?”, she asks.

“I just need to know”, I said pulling out the ring Leon had said she would want,  "I need to know before I let us go. You said you wanted a choice and I just want you to know mine. Being with Isobel is easy but I don't want easy. I want you. I want you Seraphina."

“Paris”

“I won’t touch you. Ever”, I said, “Nothing has to be. . . consummated. I just want you by my side. We can unite our people. that's out destiny. I know it. Think of what we can do together, Sera I lov--”

“Get up”

“Sera. . . please”

“I said get up”, her voice is instantlyy commanding and cold

"No"

“Is that what you think this is about”, she demand,” You think I’m afraid to be touched ?”

“I”,  I started apologetically, “ I don't know. I’m sorry . . . I don't know anything."

“Trust”, she said, “I learned I can’t trust anyone, anyone. I don’t know who is going to turn on me next. Whose going to let their emotions and urges get the better of  themselves. In the mean time if a companion is what you seek I’d rather not be considered."

“It’s not a competition”

“This needs to stop.  I won’t tell you this again. Isobel loves you and you love her. I’ll be fine. I will always be fine."


She turns on her heels and  we walk  in an awkward silence and  veer on the path that leads to St. Liliths.

“Well”, I said opening my door, “I’m two for two in the proposal department.”

“Isobel makes you happy.”, she says, “You need that.”

She follows me into my room and shrugs off her jacket then heads for the door that leads to the main hall.

“Wait”, I call turning on the overhead television, it’s at the 39 second countdown mark, "I don't want to ring in the new year alone."

Seraphina turns to the TV, her eyes squinting recognizing the location.

“It’s in Times Square”, I tell her, “Look at all those people”

She watches as the ball slowly descends and the New Year's sign lights up. We both freeze for a moment expecting Helios to try something, instead the camera pans to the crowd. Sera watches the crowd very carefully. She watches the confetti falling and people kissing.

“Happy Fucking New Year.”

Instead of responding to me she leans in to kiss me and I let her. Her lips aren’t as smooth or soft as I remember. She opens her mouth a little deepeing the kiss. I’m not sure if this is okay or where to put my hands.

"Sera--

She pushes me against the wall and leans into me. Shit. I hate how much I miss this. She presses herself against me, this is starting to become more than a kiss.

"I told you. . .I'm not afraid to be touched", she whispers, "I miss it--does that make me vile ?"

"No. I mean-- I think this is something you should talk to someone about. I don't know. a professional"

She leans in to kiss me again and I wrap my arms loosely around her waist

"I want you to touch me", she says

"Are you drunk ?"

"No", she whispers.

She reaches down and lifts her shirt over her head. She had on a thin black sports bra, I could still see the slowly fading bruises on her ribcage. She unsnapped the buttons on her cargos and I swallowed hard.  My head was a little cloudy but I didn't want to reject her.  I kissed her again because I couldn't convince any part of my body to do anything else.

I slide my hands safely back around her waist and lead her over to the bed. She sits and I carefully push her onto her back. With her hair so short I could see every perfect angle of her face.

I kissed the dark veins and deep lines underneath her eyes, the offset of her nose and an old scar on her lip that I'm pretty sure was always there. I moved down to her neck and the swollen muscles from her shoulder to her arms and wrist then across to her belly and  the slightly intimating  V-shaped  muscle that ran along her hip disappeared below her waistband.

Sera and I both jump when the  inside door bursts open.


“I’m late. . . fuck I’m late”, Isobel starts then stops, "What are . . ."

Seraphina doesn’t give Isobel  a chance to finish, instead she calmly picks her shirt off the floor and walks past Isobel and out the door. Isobel closes the door shut behind her and slowly turns back to me. Isobel has a bottle of champagne in her hand and glares at me.

“What the hell Paris  ?”, Isobel says, “She’s not well you can’t have sex with her—“

“Nothing like that was going to happened.”, I say and regret it because that made me sound guilty," I’m not stupid, Isobel."

"What if I hadn't walked in. How can you--"

 "Trust me. Nothing would have happened", I said and it was true, I still couldn't get hard for shit around Sera, "What are you doing here anyway. You're supposed to be having fun. It's your night away what could be so important that."

She opens her mouth and says nothing. My eyes travels over to the TV where the clock is set a 12:09. Had that all really taken nine minutes.

 “Isobel. . .Please tell me you didn’t rush back here to kiss me at midnight.”

“I. .  . um. . . actually . . .”

“Do I know you or what ?”, I said solemnly and rubbed my face with my hands.

"Or what." , she said opening the cheap champagne and pouring me a glass.

"I proposed to Seraphina", I told her.

"Is that your thing now  ?", she says lightly, "Did she say no."

"Uh", I though about this. She hadn't said no. That at least made me smile.

We drank in silence and watched the footage from downtown. I think we both expected something to happen.

My landline rang about 20 seconds later.

I reached for it, my eyes on the TV.

"Hello"

"Happy New Year, Paris", Helios said

"Helios", I greeted him

"I need to see you tomorrow morning. I'm sending a car. Bring Isobel too."

"Why"

"Because I can't  trust anyone here. Rumor is one of my men is your new informant."

"Helios--"

"Be there"

The line went dead.