“It’s really you?” she ventured.
“You wished to see my demon visage, Eden. Here it is.”
It took her a moment, but she tentatively stepped closer and couldn’t feel any heat coming from him.
“How is it possible?” she asked.
“The fire is part of me — I won’t burn you. I promise.”
She shakily touched the surface of the golden fire. It felt very warm and dry, as if she was touching sand on a hot beach. It didn’t hurt at all. She forced herself to press closer until she felt his hot skin underneath — now hard and rough to the touch, but solid and real.
“Get away from her!” Ben yelled from behind. “Don’t hurt her!”
“Eden, you need to let me go back to my human form,” Darrak said. “Please.”
“H-how?” she stuttered.
“Give me permission.”
She looked up at him, this demon who stood in front of her in all his hellish glory. He looked nothing like the Darrak she’d gotten to know over the last few days. He sounded nothing like him. But it was Darrak. They were the same.
“Okay, fine. You have my p-permission to return to human form.”
Immediately the flames extinguished and he returned to his normal size — still over six feet and muscular, but much smaller and less intimidating than as a full demon.
His handsome face was filled with pain, but she wasn’t sure if it was emotional or physical. “I really didn’t want you to see me like that. I can imagine it was a bit… jarring and terrifying.”
Her hand still rested on his chest, now clad in his usual black T-shirt.
“Jarring, yes.” She nodded. “But… surprisingly enough, I wasn’t all that terrified.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Now you’re the one who’s lying.”
She shook her head. “No lie.”
He studied her with disbelief. “Were you drinking heavily this morning when I wasn’t looking?”
“Maybe that would explain it.”
“Step the hell away from her now,” Ben growled.
Eden turned and her breath caught when she saw that Ben, who still stood over by the door, had his gun out and aimed at Darrak. “Ben, no. Put the gun down.”
“You convinced me that he’s a demon. Funny how seeing is believing.”
“Ben, it’s okay.”
“That — that thing almost killed you.”
“He didn’t. It’s fine.”
“Fine? No, it’s not fine. Not in any sense of the word.”
Darrak held his hands out to either side of himself. “I mean Eden no harm.”
“Shut up.” Ben swore under his breath, his brow was furrowed with stress. He lowered the weapon a little. “He was right. Malcolm — he was right about everything. You’re a demon.”
Darrak pushed Eden away from him and took a step toward the cop. “Put down the gun before you hurt somebody.”
“You’re dangerous. I saw it with my own eyes. I need to stop you.”
Ben raised his gun.
“No, Ben—” Eden lurched forward to try to stop him before this got out of control, but it was too late. He’d already pulled the trigger.
Eden gasped as the bullet tore through her chest. It felt as if she’d been hit with a baseball bat. Pain exploded inside of her.
The force of the bullet made her stagger backward into Darrak’s arms. She gasped for breath, but every inhale felt like a red-hot knife slicing through her lungs. Her vision began to whiten at the edges.
“Damn it!” Ben moved forward, horror etched on his face. “Eden! Oh, my God. Why did you get in the way?”
“Stay back!” Darrak hissed at him. “You’ve done enough.”
She looked up at Darrak’s strained face. He’d placed her gently down on the floor and he pressed his hands over her wound.
Her breathing was ragged and it hurt with every inhale. “Darrak… if I d-die… what will you… what will you do?”
“You’re not going to die.”
“I’m sorry…”
His brows knitted together. “For what?”
“For not trusting you.”
He actually laughed shallowly at that, but there was no humor in it. “Can’t say I’ve given you much of a reason to up until now.”
“But… you’re… you’re my… guardian angel… I shouldn’t have forgotten that.”
“This is no time for insults. Shh, Eden. It’s going to be okay.”
She touched his hands he held over the wound. She didn’t have much longer. She knew she was going to die.
Would she see her mom? Caroline Riley had never seemed like somebody who’d want to hang out in Heaven if she was given any choice in the matter. But maybe…
Suddenly, she felt an unusual warmth where Darrak’s hands were. “What are you d-doing?”