Jordyn (A Daemon Hunter 1)

"Some other time," he said, reaching up to give my chin a gentle tug. He shot a grin at Haniel behind me before disappearing.

I stood staring, transfixed at the spot where he'd just been. I was shocked by the waves of disappointment that washed over me. What did I have to be disappointed about? It wasn't like I even knew him, and yet the letdown I felt was acute. I burned inside to know where he'd wanted to take me.

"Jordyn?" Haniel's voice was filled with uncharacteristic concern.

I turned to face him, trying to hide my disappointment. "Yeah?" I answered, shaking off the sudden melancholy that had gripped me.

"Are you in pain?" he asked.

"What?" I asked, wondering how he was suddenly able to read me.

"You are bleeding," he said, pointing to the injuries on my knees that I'd forgotten about.

Glancing down, I was shocked to see that the blood on my left knee had dripped down my leg and was pooling on my boot. "Oh," I gasped as the throbbing of both knees made their presence known. "I fell," I said stupidly, as I looked at him in confusion.

Without speaking, he reached out and gripped my hand in his. The mountain disappeared from underneath me, and the cool tile of my living room floor replaced it just as I collapsed.

CHAPTER FOUR

I woke disoriented to the sound of loud voices.

"What happened?" I heard my uncle demand.

"Shh, Mark, you're going to wake her," I heard Krista whisper, although the sting from her gently dabbing at my knees with a wet cloth didn't help either.

I kept my eyes closed, pretending to remain asleep. I was curious why Mark was so upset. So I had taken a tumble and bloodied my knees. It wasn't the first time I'd been injured, and I was positive it would happen again. Often.

"I want to know how he found her, and why he's suddenly so curious about her," Mark demanded in a lower voice, but still shaking with rage.

"He's a Trader, Mark. He can find anyone, right?" Krista said, obviously directing the question to Haniel.

"That is correct."

"Fine, but why is he interested in Jordyn?" Mark bit out.

"I am unaware of his intentions."

"What is The Light saying?" my uncle ground out.

I was surprised at his anger. I'd only seen him lose his cool once and that was when I first joined them. He and Haniel and had gotten into it in his office. I didn't know exactly what they fought over, but I had a rough idea it involved me.

"Mark, you know as well as I do that The Light doesn't just divulge information, even if you can get in to see him," Krista said gently.

My ears perked up at her words. I'd been asking them for months what heaven was like, but they always put off my questions, saying I would have to wait until I got there to see for myself. I thought their whole secretive attitude was pretty lame, but I eventually let the subject drop.

"Krista is correct. I have not been granted an audience with The Light."

"What do we do?" Krista asked.

"We enlist guard duty around Jordyn at all times," Mark answered gravely.

"What?" I asked, sitting up abruptly, no longer able to feign sleep.

"It's the only way, Jordyn," Krista soothed, scrubbing the dried blood off my leg.

"I can do that," I said, snatching the rag from her hand. "I don't need guard duty either," I said, scrubbing hard at my leg.

"Jordyn, it's our job to keep you safe," Mark said as he sat down on his chair.