Heart of a Demon (The Dark Angel Wars 1)

The eastern woods were within sight across an open expanse of lawn that seemed to stretch forever. It wasn’t an ideal escape. Someone might spot me before I made it into the woods. I was used to hiding in the forest, but the short cut green grass offered no cover to someone trying to escape. But it was the only way out of here.

Time to make a run for it, I told myself. It was now or never. Once I got to Dumont, I could worry about clothes, food, and traveling. Until I was out of this place, I wouldn’t feel safe, no matter what Gabe promised.

Breaking into a sprint, I ran at the edge of the forest, keeping my hands on the hoodie pocket to stop the snacks from spilling out. It was surprising to me that they hadn’t surrounded this place with a fence to keep the other demons out. I would’ve thought it made them more vulnerable to attack, but right now that didn’t matter. It only made my escape that much easier.

I was halfway across the lawn when a blond blur dove into me, tackling me to the ground. Granola bars and Twizzlers and candy bars fell out of my pockets and across the grass. The blond blur grabbed my wrists and threw me when I tried to get back up, slamming my head into the hard ground.

Adam’s face appeared in front of my eyes, his icy blue eyes filled with deadly determination. I tried to kick and squirm out from under him, but he was too strong. He wrapped a hand around my neck and began to squeeze, cutting off my air supply.

I knew they’d kill me. I just hadn’t expected it would go down this soon. Granny had warned me about the demons a million times. They’re vicious, she’d say. Creatures from hell weren’t to be trusted.

As my vision darkened, something hit Adam hard enough that he released my throat and went tumbling to the grass beside me. Looking up, I saw Gabe with an intense rage burning in his face. He stood deadly still, his whole body tense like a lion getting ready to attack. Although he was glaring at Adam, a shiver of fear went down my spine at the sight. I scrambled backwards on my butt to put some distance between us.

“Touch her again and I’ll kill you,” Gabe growled.

The air shimmered and sparked around him, as if he were standing in a cloud of flammable gas. Every inch of his exposed flesh began to shine with a light so pure that it hurt my eyes. I had to look away just to keep from going blind.

“I was just trying to keep her from running away,” Adam replied in a dry voice. He stood up and brushed the grass off his pants. “I didn’t think you’d want her to end up a plaything for the demons. That’d be a fate worse than death. Something that you’re all too familiar with, I’m sure.”

Gabe maintained his powerful stance, but didn’t say anything as Adam walked away. I kept my eyes glued to the grass in front of me, intent on studying the wrapper from a rogue Milky Way bar. After a minute had passed, I heard him take a couple of deep calming breaths and sit down next to me.

“I had a feeling you might try to run. The woods aren’t safe right now. That demon got a taste of your blood and she’ll never give up until she reclaims her sacrifice. The safest place for you is the manor.”

I swallowed hard. If I never had to see that demon again, I’d be happy. To know that she was still after me and my blood made me want to throw up. I’d die before I’d let her take me.

“Where were you trying to go?” Gabe reached out to touch my hand, but I snatched it back.

His skin wasn’t shining anymore, but that didn’t mean he was safe yet. My mind was still reeling from the sight of him standing against Adam.

“To Dumont,” I whispered. “Anywhere but here. I know you said you’d protect me, but I can’t live with demons.”

I saw his head snap up out of the corner of my eye.

“Demons? You think I’m a demon?”

Lifting my head to him in confusion, I nodded. “Granny told me that there were two demon clans fighting for territory in the woods. She said they were evil and would kill me the second they laid eyes on me.”

“Well, that’s true about demons,” Gabe said. His eyes were much softer now, but a frown still pulled at the corners of his lips. “Just like that demon your town worships and tried to sacrifice you to. But we’re not demons. We’re Nephilim.”

I’d never heard of the Nep

hilim before now. It was a strange word that didn’t roll off the tongue very easily. Gabe must’ve seen the confusion in my eyes.

“The Nephilim are a breed of warriors descended from humans and angels,” he explained. “Unlike our angel relatives, we’re mortal. But we live much longer than humans and have inherited some angel abilities.”

My head spun. So Gabe wasn’t a demon after all? He was an angel. A true-to-God angel who killed demons in the woods. And the goddess I’d spent my life worshiping and praying to was an evil incarnate demon. I wouldn’t have been surprised if I woke up suddenly and found this all to be a dream.

“Take a guess on how old Luke is,” Gabe offered.

After all this news, I had no idea anymore. “Um…fifty?”

“Wrong. He’s three hundred and twenty and will probably live to nine hundred if the demons don’t get him first. Once we reach maturity, our aging process slows way down.”

I narrowed my eyes and looked at Gabe. “How old are you?”

A smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. “I’m a baby compared to most of the Nephilim out here. I turned a hundred and twenty last December.”

Oh great. I had the hots for grandpa. The idea sent a flush through my cheeks and I buried my head in my hands.