Jealousy from both sides now. Great.
“He’s here for the same reason you are apparently. And the same reason Muriel is crossing the street. I’m sure Jen and Drew will be right behind her.”
“How’d he get here so fast?” Xavier still eyed Chay.
“How’d you?” Chay countered.
“I saw them walking down the road from the tall one’s house.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose between my thumb and finger. A migraine was bouncing around, and, for once, it didn’t have anything to do with a vision. “That’s Jake,” I said.
“Whoever,” Xavier said, dismissing me. I rolled my eyes and walked away.
Let them tear each other apart. Then I won’t have to worry about my feelings for either one of them.
“I just knew,” Chay said.
“Xavier, Chay has the unique ability to know when one of the group members is in danger. That’s why he’s here before the others. Not that it matters.” I rubbed my temples.
“Ah. That’s all it is.” Xavier smiled and bent down to kiss me. I turned my face, and his kiss landed on my cheek. He frowned.
“Did you think it was something else?” Chay smirked when Xavier’s kiss missed its intended mark.
“Yeah, I was afraid you were over here harassing her.”
“Oh, would you two knock it off! We have bigger problems than who wins your pissing contest,” I yelled.
“Trouble in paradise?” Muriel whispered, walking to stand beside me.
“Yeah. I have every girl’s dream. Two incredibly sexy guys. One wants me. The other doesn’t, but he doesn’t want the other to have me. Two guys, two major headaches.”
Personally, I can’t figure it out. They are, like, Greek-god handsome and could have any girl—and I mean any—they wanted. I guess I’m nice enough, but factor in the fact that I have the demons of Hell after my soul and even that doesn’t carry much weight.
“They’re almost here.” Drew opened the front door and walked in to stand next to Muriel. “Hey.”
She giggled. I rolled my eyes and sighed.
“Milayna!” Jake called from the front yard. My blood ran cold at the sound of his voice.
I stepped through the door, my legs shaking. “What do you want, Jake?” I tried to sound bored. In truth, I was scared. Of all the Evils and demi-demons, Jake scared me the most. Worse, he knew it.
“Just to talk. Come down so I don’t have to yell.”
Yeah, right.
“We can talk from here.” I folded my arms over my chest to hide their shaking.
“Come on, Milayna. You’ve never been shy before.”
I’m not shy now. I just don’t want you handing me my butt on a silver platter. A shiver ran through me.
I didn’t answer. I didn’t trust my voice.
“Okay.” He shrugged. “I’ll come up there.” Jake took a step toward the house, and I jogged down the stairs to intercept him. I didn’t want him anywhere near my house. That was my sanctuary, free from him and the ugliness that stained his soul.
I stopped about five feet away from Jake. He looked directly into my eyes, and I forced myself to hold his gaze. The electricity buzzed across my nerves. It reached out and touched Jake. It poked at him, feeling over him, looking for the connection that would create the bridge. Just when the bridge was beginning to form, I felt someone walk up and stand beside me. I didn’t need to look to know who it was. I could smell him. But I turned my head anyway—to break my connection with Jake. I’d already felt enough of his emotion. Hate. The same as always.
“Jake,” Chay said.
“Still standing by your woman? Oh, wait! She isn’t your woman anymore from what I hear. So, who dumped who?”
“Whom.”
Jake frowned. “Huh?”
“It’d be who dumped whom, idiot,” Chay said.
Jake ran at him, grabbing Chay through the middle and slamming them both against a large oak standing in the front yard.
And here we go.
Shayla walked toward me with a grin on her face. My hand itched to slap it off. Of course, I was going to get my wish. I just had to wait for her to throw the first punch. Demi-angels never started the fights; we just defended ourselves against them.
Her hand snaked out and slapped me hard across the face. My head flew to the side from the impact. “Is that it, Shayla?”
I should have sensed that coming. What’s up with that?
She screamed and lunged at me, clawing at my face with her fingernails. I shielded my face with one hand. Leaving my foot in front of her, I moved to the side and pushed her shoulder with my free hand, sending her sprawling face-first on the ground.
That’s not going to improve her mood.
Scrambling up, she barreled toward my middle. Lifting my feet off the ground, she slammed into me. I grunted when I hit the side of the house. My head cracked against it, and stars lit up in front of my eyes. Pain ricocheted across my shoulders. A hard upper cut cracked against my jaw.
Oh, this girl is so getting on my bitch nerve.