Sins of the Innocent - Jamie McGuire Page 0,36

there would come a time when it wouldn’t hurt so much, that I wouldn’t miss the way your hand felt in mine, or your smell, the sound of your laugh, or the color of your eyes. That time came just now.”

A lump formed in my throat.

“But I always knew you were the one,” he said softly. “One way or another, you were my beginning and the end.”

“Always? As in the dawn of time.”

“Literally. Who knew curiosity could lead to all of this? I saw you, in Eden, dealing with the mess my father had created after he tempted Eve. I watched you all day and then days turned to months. I couldn’t stop,” Levi said against my hair.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered.

“I’m not. I would rather miss you than never loved you. There hasn’t been a day when I didn’t feel that way.”

The white walls reflected green hues from the setting sun shining through the storm. My cell phone hadn’t rang, so that meant my parents knew exactly where I was and why. At least they trusted me for once.

“I was in darkness for a long time,” I said. “A really long time. You saved me.”

He touched my face. “I bargained for a second chance.”

“Bargained what?”

After a pause, he shrugged. “Everything.”

I looked up at him. “That’s where the dream stopped. What happened next?”

He looked down at me, staring deep into my eyes, with a sweet smile on his face. “This.”

He pecked my lips once and then again. My lips parted, allowing his tongue inside. He pulled me closer, his hands finding their way to cup my jaw, and then his fingers brushed back my bangs.

He pulled away, touching his forehead to mine and closing his eyes. “I’ve waited lifetimes for you.”

He looked back, toward the door, and in the same moment, my senses reached beyond the dark creatures surrounding the lighthouse, Levi, and the house employees. A mixture of both good and evil was coming our way—and they were many.

“Levi?”

He stood, bringing me with him. “I feel it.”

“They’re coming.”

“I know,” he said, releasing me to open a wooden chest full of weapons. He loaded a pistol and tossed it to me.

I pressed on the handle with my thumb, and the clip popped out from the grip. “What am I supposed to do with this?”

“They’re shells.”

My parents had spoken of shells from their travels to Jerusalem where I was born. Thousands of demons had taken over the humans and attacked us, hoping to stop my birth. Possession made it easier for demons to navigate Earth’s plane even if it was an abomination and disparagement of the Balance.

“Shells?” I put down the weapon. “I can’t kill anyone.”

He clenched his teeth and picked it up again, holding its grip out for me to take. “These are demons disturbing the Balance, Eden. It’s permitted.”

“Once the demons leave them, they’re human again. I won’t kill them.”

Levi shoved the gun at me. “But you can slow them down.”

I nodded, relieving him of the pistol. I took another from the chest and shoved it into the back of my shorts. “Something else is coming. I can’t get a read on it, but it’s big.”

“Michael … I think. Possibly your grandfather. Your family isn’t far behind.”

I shook my head. “Something else.”

“We’ll know soon enough.”

I followed Levi to the entrance, spinning around when I heard footsteps stomping down the stairs. He moved unnaturally, as if his body were broken. In the next second, Levi’s fingers were around Paolo’s neck, holding him to the wall with little effort.

Paolo hissed, his eyes solid black globes protruding unnaturally from the sockets. Levi thrust his face toward Paolo, baring his teeth, a carnal growl ripping from his throat.

Paolo cowered, but the hissing protest continued.

“Get me the rope from the chest, Eden. Go,” Levi commanded.

In seconds, I had retrieved the rope. I helped Levi tie Paolo to the thick bottom pillar of the banister. Paolo struggled against the bindings. Once again, we were standing next to the door, holding our pistols close.

“Is this it?” I asked. “Is this the part where we die?”

Levi smiled. “This is my father having a temper tantrum. We can handle it.”

“But you said Michael was coming. Why would the Creator dispatch—”

“He doesn’t like it when Hell messes with his plans.”

“So, he’s going to protect us until we die? That makes sense.”

Levi cocked his pistol. “Isn’t that what they do to those on death row?”

I peeked out the curtain, seeing fifty shells standing in perfect lines, ten across, five deep. They