The Devil's special Angel

e had

aceful. It w

behind by violence. After the blood dried. After the bo

es unfocused. It had been hours since the gunfire. Hours since the blood. Hours

't feel

like a

ke she shou

s at the gates. Facial recognition systems. Guards with milita

t believe

anym

d a smile. Not when someone had been cl

starting to look mer

clipped commands, voice low but lethal. She hadn't seen him since the medics

spect

sure whic

re clean, but she could still sm

e guards

't known

fore. Held the door open. Ask

was in

as still

n't fe

ment, Lia didn't move. She didn't want to talk.

oor opene

stepped

es rolled to his elbows, a thin red line beneath his collarbone

his hands-steam cu

aid, voice qui

dn't a

d sat with his back to the wall across from he

me that way," he said after

him slowly. "W

not unto

a moment. "You reall

asy to forget what kind of world you're

spered. "I know

n silence

she asked, "Wa

t. He just stared at the fl

ike ghosts. Li

y were lifelines-something real in a world that kept unraveling. She ran her

stood there before she felt

n't run,

slowly. "Sh

s unreadable. "Ev

ot eve

said. "Yo

em. A thread. A pull. Not roma

enough that she felt his heat. His steadiness

won't get darker," he said. "Or that I

s eyes. "So why

still something human left in me," he

allowe

hing to vulnerabilit

t bro

she felt

, she drea

l road. Blood dripping from her wrist. Screams behin

twisted around her, sweat soak

ldn't b

down the hall like a sleepwalker. Her feet

ed at Dam

ita

kno

almost i

anything. Just

't speak

onto the edge of his

he chair across the

uest

ress

sil

en her breathing calmed, s

dn't

idn't nee

hey spoke like no

easier

new security system. But never about the photo. Or

en passed her in the hall

didn't p

and damp, thick with the

ed and surrounded by guards she couldn't see but knew were there. He didn't say why. M

, the silence between them more comfortable than before. She wa

ll ever stop?" sh

at her. "

said. "T

ong moment. Then: "No. But

de of her cheek. "How

said. "But I've stopped p

ar never left you-it just became part of

n, Damien cal

ion. She stood in the corner of his office while five men in dark suits sat aroun

en's most trusted lieutenants

ther pictu

ne was

nic. Her hoodie pulled up, sleeves d

went

rward. "That's

his taken?"

e image. "Berlin

w you we

fake name. Didn'

is is... they've been wat

dropped. "Then

ord shifted t

endetta. Persona

t someone was

ameras flickered on a wall of screens. Dozens of feeds.

tree across the fence line. It was feeding into an encryp

... someone from yo

ow it

t tell

cause I don't want yo

'm already carrying it, Damien. All o

struc

ething in his expression shifte

right,"

was enoug

, they sha

e to her without asking. She didn't even hesitat

st love?" she ask

w. "That's a lo

ull of

eline. We were kids. She liked to draw things on th

happ

got s

yo

"Of what

ed at him for a long moment

dry laugh. "Y

she asked. "Are

ry t

wit

"I'm trying

etly, she said, "I

dn't

n't nee

woke to a note o

airs. Dress

nd Damien waiting in the garage besid

de?" he

N

a helmet. "T

t him. "Are

heart

hy

apped. And nothing shat

took the helmet and

roared

st time in days

in f

n fre

fact that she hadn't smiled in weeks but somehow couldn't stop now. Didn't talk about how h

r, wind tearing through their hair, and

ight settled

nket and a book she wasn't reading. Damien sa

as q

n she s

nt to

ed up s

t have to

hat's why

as something fragile and

re?" he

n. I'm tired of being afraid of everything. O

alked to her.

ght," h

at him. "So

something neither

hed for

e let

wal

mas

broken people choosing, for o