Page 173 of My Monster’s Keeper

This potential omega.

“We’ve been working together for three months, Diablos, we haven’t found a single one alive.”

The stress of it is getting to me. The desperate desire to find one of these girls alive, to keep her among the living. To give us a chance. We’re losing this war.

We just need one omega.

“If it’s not my kind, Shadow kin, Fae, or something else, it’s yours killing them. How can so many be after them? How do they even know which ones are starting to emerge?” Diablos growls and rakes a huge hand down his face.

He works as tirelessly as I do. We’re workaholics who don’t let anything come between us and our success. I admire that about him.

Teaching him about this planet was easy. Diablos wanted to learn about it. He loves it here, and I love him in my life. He’s becoming my best friend and most trusted confidant.

I don’t give a damn about the alphas and betas that are coming from the other worlds. What I object to and the only reason I decided to go along with this plan was because the women being murdered are Earth women. Hunted and snuffed out to stop the potential omegas from awakening.

We just need to find one to make it all worth it.

And when Diablos showed me proof. I went to the force I have sworn my life to, only to discover the corruption went all the way to the top. My entire department is in on keeping these bodies hidden.

The betrayal was almost more than I could bear.

“Breathe, Hart.”

God, that nickname, the things it does to me.

I exhale and turn to him, my fingers curling into fists. “I can’t breathe. We have to stop this. We have to find one alive, just one. We can-”

Diablos cups my cheek. I jerk back, but he follows me, staying right with me. He’s going to know, to see through me and this secret crush I’ve been nurturing. I peer up at him, undeniably nervous. Don’t see this, please don’t see it.

“It’s breaking your heart, isn’t it?” Diablos murmurs, and his thumb strokes so gently over my cheek. “I don’t want to see you broken. You are too beautiful to break.”

I want to deny it, but why is it that every human on the planet sees me as hard and cynical, but this demon sees straight through to see how scared and anxious I am.

How much it all hurts.

He sees my loneliness and desperation.

Why is it only him in the whole world who thinks I’m too beautiful to break?

I stumble back again, warily watching him as he leans in. His eyes are intently focused. He’s going to kiss me. Oh, please, I want it so bad.

“Don’t,” I whisper. A stupid last protest to save us both.

He ignores me, tilting his head and leaning in closer. I catch the smell of blackberries on his breath. I hold perfectly still, my eyes locked with his, the intensity sets my whole body afire.

I love him. I have since I saw him. How foolish of me. How impossible.

Diablos touches his lips to mine. The kiss is soft, sweet, tentative.

It changes everything. All of everything. All my beliefs, everything I thought I knew, all my dreams, hopes, all the regrets fall away.

This is the one.

This is my one.

***

I’m screaming so loud I think I’ve damaged my vocal cords. I try to stay standing, but I can’t, I drop to my knees, slamming my fist into the ground.