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C harlotte’s mind was racing. So much had happened in the last few hours, she could barely take it all in. Roman had made love to her, and the memories replayed nonstop. Each scorching image of his hard naked body, the sound of his groans, and the feeling of their bodies entangled left her wanting. She craved his touch like she was an addict and Roman her drug.

He’d made her feel things she never could have dreamed of. She knew it was crazy. She’d only known him for a few days, but Charlotte was falling in love with him. Since she was first taken, Roman saved her and protected her. He’d been patient with her even after she’d run from him, getting herself kidnapped for a second time. Then, last night when he finally kissed her, it had been heaven.

She swore she could still feel the fire his touch had left on her body. He’d awoken all her senses, making her feel pleasure like she’d never experienced before in her life. Roman had been gentle with her after the shock of her virginity had worn off. Then he had claimed her body and soul like a wild man, and she’d loved every minute of it.

Her mind constantly whispered, I want more every time she looked at the blond-haired, blue-eyed angel.

It didn’t take long for reality to rip it all from her after she had awoken from the nightmare.

That’s right. The devil wants to kill me. I’m going to bring on the end of the world.

She thought nothing could shock her more than when she heard the witch say Lucifer was going to eat her heart until she’d told everyone she was Roman’s soul mate. Then, to top it all off, Roman had changed, terrifying her.

Charlotte slowly backed away from Roman until she bumped into Armaros, startling herself. The giant warrior placed his big hand on her shoulder to steady her. They quickly shared a glance before he removed his hand.

Roman stood in front of them, his appearance now back to normal. He had looked evil moments ago when he’d completely gone off the deep end. His eyes had gone from glowing to on fire. He had grown giant fangs, which had scared the living shit out of her. When he’d snarled at Armaros, she didn’t think it possible, but she’d been sure he had grown in size, which made no sense at all. It was like he’d been in the midst of some kind of… transformation.

In that moment, Charlotte didn’t know why she had stepped in front of him. Her fear of him hurting Armaros, someone she felt safe with, who’d protected her from those demons, had caused her to act in the end. She also knew Roman wouldn’t forgive himself if he hurt one of his friends. But she had never in her life been so terrified than when she had looked into his crazed face and those flaming red eyes.

She couldn’t believe it when he’d stilled, the flames rapidly disappearing. Charlotte could see him shaking off the rage and pulling himself back from the brink of whatever had been happening to him. It still didn’t change the fact that Charlotte was now terrified of him.

“Roman,” a man snapped.

He looked so much like Roman. She frowned. The same hair color and tanned body. Only his eyes were green instead of blue, and he was slightly shorter.

He approached Roman with a frustrated frown. “You better answer me, brother.”

Brother?

Roman looked torn and exhausted, the weight of the world now resting on his shoulders. Concern for him rushed over her. The sight of this strong, fearless warrior looking so vulnerable made her heart melt. She almost took a few steps toward him, but a flash of his burning eyes passing through her mind kept her standing where she was.

“Now, Roman,” the guy said angrily.

Roman slowly shook his head, making eye contact with him.

“I’m sorry, Maalik,” Roman whispered.

“For what?” he asked coldly.

“For the secret I’ve been keeping. When I fell into Hell, the hordes captured me. They had been ordered to lock me up in the cells, then they knocked me out.”

Whatever harrowing memories Roman had buried from long ago were now creeping across his face, and his expression grew dark. “When I came to, four demons were dragging me through the tunnels. I took them by surprise, fought them, and killed them. Disoriented, I stumbled around, trying to regain my bearings. When my eyes adjusted, I could see giant caverns carved into the walls with thick bars and no doors. I must have backed up too close to one cell, and something… bit me.”

“What? What bit you?” Maalik asked, alarmed.

Roman looked at Maalik, then he glanced over his shoulder, locking eyes with her for a moment. He looked completely tormented. “Some kind of ancient fire demon, maybe. I-I don’t really know. It changed me, altered me. Turned me into something… different. If I lose control, I mean fully lose control, I turn,” he said quietly back at Maalik.

“Turn into what, brother?”

“I don’t really know what it is. It was so dark inside the cell, I couldn’t make out much,” Roman answered, looking ashamed as he stared at the ground.

The room was silent. Charlotte’s heart froze at the word demon .

No, no, no! her mind screamed. He couldn’t be a demon. Her eyes started to tear up. Charlotte took a step back, hitting Armaros again, forgetting he was behind her. She couldn’t deal with that; she was terrified of demons. They had plagued her dreams for too long and hunted her for her whole life. Attacked her and hurt her. She’d never been more terrified of anything in her life than the creatures chasing her in her dreams. Now, to find out the angel she’d begun to fall in love with was not an angel at all, but… a monster.

Oh god, she’d let him make love to her, take her virginity. A demon. Charlotte felt sick, the sandwich she’d just eaten starting to make its way back up. She held her stomach, her hand going over her mouth as she shook her head in disbelief.

This can’t be happening.

“Charlotte, please.” Roman started walking over to her, his face twisted in anguish.

She held her hand up, making him stop. “Stay away from me,” she whispered.

Maalik watched her closely with a small frown, taking in his brother’s tormented look. “Charlotte, let him explain,” Maalik told her, taking a few steps toward her.

“Don’t touch me. I don’t know you! Roman, stay away from me you… you… demon!” she snapped, terrified, a tear escaping and trailing down her cheek.

She moved behind Armaros, hiding from them. Realization hit hard that she didn’t know anyone in this room. All these immortals were staring at her and Roman, watching them with blank expressions. She couldn’t tell what any of them were thinking.

A hand touched her shoulder. Charlotte screamed, slapping it away, then turned to find Cassandra standing behind her.

“Do not be afraid of him, Charlotte. He is not what you think.”

Charlotte leaned away from her. “Armaros,” Charlotte said, her voice trembling. He was the only one she felt safe with. He had protected her, no questions asked, for years.

The giant angel looked over his shoulder and down at her. “Yes?”

“Can you please take me to my room? I-I don’t feel safe here,” she whispered, tears now flowing freely.

Charlotte couldn’t stop herself from shaking. She had to get away from Roman, had to get away from all these eyes on her, so she could think straight and make some sense out of all this craziness. But most of all, she needed to try to wrap her head around what Roman had just said.

Armaros looked surprised before simply nodding.

“Charlotte, wait. Please let me explain,” Roman pleaded, making his way over to her again.

Maalik grabbed Roman by the arm. “Give her some space, brother.”

Roman looked at his brother with an incredulous look, as if Maalik’s request was insane.

“She will be fine, Roman. I will take her to one of the guest rooms where she can rest,” Armaros answered, trying to reassure him.

Charlotte could see Maalik whispering to Roman, never letting go of his arm. Roman’s eyes never left hers. Finally, he stilled, giving Armaros a small nod. Charlotte released a breath as Armaros gently took her hand.

“Come.” He led her from the room and away from all these beings.

* * *

Charlotte sat in a chair on the balcony of the room Armaros had led her to. When he’d first left her in the room, she’d immediately locked the door behind him, knowing damn well all the men in this goddamn mansion could probably just rip the handle off, so it really was no use. But it made her feel safer to lock it. She’d lay on the bed just for a second, she told herself, but exhaustion took over, and she passed out for God knew how long. For the first time in a long time, she’d had a blessed, dreamless sleep, waking up feeling more refreshed than she had in a long, long time.

The view from the balcony was stunning, looking out over the Hills to the city below. It was insane to Charlotte that she had been living such a normal life only days ago, down there in the bustling city with no knowledge of these immortal beings even existing. There was this whole secret world living right alongside her, as well as all the other humans down there, and none of them even knew about it. Even more disturbing was that an entire war was going on between these different species of immortals, a dangerous war at that. And now, here she was, sitting on this balcony in a house full of fallen angels, surrounded by magic and ancient prophecies, and she was the star of the show. The one person who could bring on the end of days. Oh, and don’t forget she’d just found out she might be an angel. Or part angel? God only knew.

I didn’t ask for this , Charlotte thought helplessly, hugging her knees to her chest.

To top it all off, she’d gone and done something stupid. She had fallen in love with a monster.

Her feelings tore her apart. She had started to trust Roman, to feel safe with him and care about him. Only to find out he’d been hiding a huge secret, not just from her, but from the people he cared about the most. He wasn’t just a fallen angel—he was also a demon. It terrified her. Demons had tormented her for so long, and now the person she wanted to trust the most, turned out to be one.

Charlotte had been alone for so long. Besides Ava and Kate, she had no one. She had always fantasized that a knight in shining armor would come and save her from her dreary life. Where she didn’t have to work so hard just to survive. After what happened with Roman and the feelings she’d begun to have, she’d allowed herself to think maybe he could be that for her. Until it all came crashing down.

“If you don’t get sacrificed first, stupid,” she angrily snapped to herself.

Charlotte had to make a decision. If all this was true and she could be the reason the world burned just like in her dreams, then maybe she should consider other options. Maybe I should be killed . The deadening thought crept through her mind. What if she took herself out of the equation and killed herself? The thought sank heavily into her chest, realization slamming into her that this was probably the best option for everyone. The only option.

If Lucifer got out, millions would die in a horrible, agonizing way. How could she let that happen? She couldn’t.

A knock on the door snapped her from her dark thoughts. Charlotte got up and walked back into the room.

“Go away, Roman!” she yelled, too scared to open the door and face him.

“It’s not Roman. It’s Maalik,” answered the deep voice coming through the door. “May I please come in? I just want to talk.”

Charlotte stood, staring at the door. She had never spoken with Maalik. Knew nothing of Roman’s brother, except that he had been just as shocked as her about Roman’s secret. She couldn’t see any harm in just talking to him. She walked over, unlocked the door, and pulled it open.

Maalik stood there, looking at her with penetrating emerald eyes, his hair the same golden blond as Roman’s. His hair looked dishevelled, as if he had been running his hands through it. He towered over her like a handsome god. His black dress pants and white shirt with the top few buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up past his elbows did nothing to hide his large, lean, muscled body.

Do all these angels look like gods? she thought as Maalik entered the room, shutting the door behind him.

He held a tray full of food—fresh fruit, little fancy cakes and pastries, small sandwiches, and a big cup of coffee. Her mouth watered at the sight of it all. It was like a little high tea on a tray.

“Grigori thought you might be hungry,” Maalik said, holding the tray out to her.

I love him , she thought, smiling greedily and taking the tray from Maalik.

“And that is why he is my favorite immortal in the house.” She smiled, heading straight back out to the balcony and placing the tray on the small table by her seat.

Charlotte sat down, picking up one of the small sandwiches. It looked like ham, salami, cheese, and God knew what else. Maalik strode onto the balcony, taking a seat in the chair next to her as she took a bite, her eyes sliding shut in delight.

“Oh my god, it’s like a little piece of heaven,” she said, opening her eyes to find Maalik staring at her with a small smirk.

“Indeed,” he answered, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees.

“Oh, sorry. How rude. Would you like one?” she asked.

Maalik shook his head. “Thank you, but no. I’m on a special… diet.” He grinned. “Charlotte, I need to talk to you about my brother.”

“Did he send you here?” she asked, picking up the coffee and closing her eyes as she inhaled the intoxicating scent of caffeine. While having her first glorious sip, she looked over at Maalik to find him once again staring at her, looking captivated by the way she drank and ate. “Are you sure you don’t want some?” she asked again nervously.

He laughed, sitting back in the chair. “No, I’m sure. It is absolutely fascinating watching you eat. The way you are enjoying and savoring the taste of everything. You actually make me miss eating food.”

“What? Are you joking? Of course you eat food. Oh, wait, are you on one of those crazy protein shake diets?” she asked, thinking it would make sense to maintain that devastatingly handsome body.

Maalik burst out laughing. Anyone would have thought she’d told him some hilarious joke.

“What are you laughing at?” She frowned, confused.

“No, Roman didn’t send me here,” he told her after he composed himself. “You really haven’t been told much about us or the supernatural world, have you?” he asked, staring at her curiously.

Charlotte shook her head. “No, not really. Recently, as you would for obvious reasons know,” she said sarcastically, giving him a pointed stare, “I’ve discovered demons are real and that you all fell from Heaven. Hell is also real, and Lucifer rules down there. I also know Lucian is a Lycan or werewolf, and was the first of his kind. I’ve picked up bits and pieces on my own too, such as witches and whatnot.” She shrugged. “Honestly, no one has really explained anything to me,” she told him, a little frustrated.

Maalik nodded, his face softening. “I can understand how the last few days would have been confusing to you then. How about I give you a quick crash course in our history and the hierarchy of things to help you?”

“That would actually be pretty amazing.”

“Okay, let’s start with us. We were all angels in Heaven. You have the Almighty, who rules us all. Then, you have the Archangels. They are the strongest and most worthy of the angels. Then there was the rest of us. Roman was a commander in the Almighty’s Army, and we were his soldiers. Then, one day, we fell.” His voice trailed off as he spoke the last words.

“Is Hell run the same way? Does Lucifer have armies and commanders?” Charlotte asked with a shiver as images of demons flicked through her mind.

“We honestly aren’t too sure. One thing we know is it’s a misconception that Lucifer rules Hell. Humans, over the centuries, have blurred Satan and Lucifer together as one entity. But that’s wrong. They are two different beings. Satan had been the ruler of Hell long before Lucifer fell. You could say Lucifer is Satan’s second in command. He seems to have free rein and does what he likes as far as we can tell, anyway. We know there are Archdemons, but as for whether there is order in Hell, we do not know. There are different species of demons. You have low-level demons, which you’ve met. They can possess a human but have no powers. Then, you have stronger, more dangerous ones. Think like what you see in the movies where they do exorcisms. Those demons are dangerous. Their job is to steal human souls and send them to Hell.”

Goosebumps broke out over her body at his words. The thought of some evil being taking control of her body horrified her. “Do you try to help those who are possessed?” she asked, her heart breaking for the people who were possessed and being tortured.

“We do what we can, Charlotte. Some fallen angels actively travel around the world, searching for humans possessed by the most dangerous demons. They perform exorcisms and try to save the possessed mortals. As you’ve already witnessed in the time you’ve spent with us, our family, as I like to call us, are more hands-on. Instead of hunting certain species of demons, we hunt everything and anything that is a threat to you mortals. We help as many people as possible and send as many demons back to Hell as we can. It is a never-ending war, and one we have been fighting for thousands of years.”

Charlotte nodded, thinking how lucky the world was to have these fallen angels trying to save people, and no one even knew they existed. She frowned as she picked up another sandwich, taking a bite. She pictured Roman and the others over the years, fighting the demons and doing their best to protect humanity.

“You know, Roman is not the only one who transformed when we fell. We were all angels before this, up in Heaven.”

“Were you transformed?” she asked softly, not knowing if she wanted to know the answer.

He simply nodded. “Yes, I was. My brother isn’t a monster like you think. He is good, loyal, and would do anything to protect us all and those that he cares for.”

“But he lied to you all as well,” she answered, thinking of how the betrayal must have hurt them all.

“Yes, he did. I’m angry that he lied,” he told her. “But I also understand why he did it. Since the fall, Roman has carried an enormous amount of guilt, one that has slowly eaten away at him for all these centuries. He blames himself for us all falling from the heavens. He also blames himself for everything that has happened to us since the fall.”

“Was it his fault? Why you fell?” Charlotte asked, curiosity completely taking over. Her thoughts on Roman softened hearing the torment he’d been putting himself through all this time, all that responsibly weighing him down.

Maalik shook his head. “No. We all made our choice; we all pledged ourselves to Roman long ago, and we don’t break our word or our bond. Someone deceived him. Someone he trusted. There was no way of him knowing that the outcome would have been what it was. But he won’t listen, so there is no point fighting him on it.” He frowned.

“May I ask what happened to you? How were you transformed?” Charlotte hoped she wasn’t probing too much.

Maalik looked out over the city as if in deep thought. She could tell memories long buried were flooding back from the haunted expression on his face. “My story is a lot like my brother’s. I fell into the pits of Hell but wasn’t lucky enough to escape straight away. Lucifer was angry that my brother had gotten away. Although angry would certainly be putting it mildly. In his deranged state, he decided to send a message to Roman.”

Charlotte knew what he was about to tell her was something horrifying and personal on a deep level. She couldn’t even imagine what he must have gone through. The things she had seen in her nightmares had terrified her. Whatever these angels had faced in Hell, she could never comprehend.

Malik turned back to Charlotte, his face hard. “In a fit of rage, Lucifer tore out my wings. But that wasn’t enough to satisfy him, so he ordered a creature to be brought from one of Hell’s prison cells. Then Lucifer forced it to bite me. From that moment, I’ve been forever changed.”

Charlotte stared in shock, her eyes tearing up. “Maalik, I’m so sorry. I… your wings.” She could barely speak.

He seemed taken aback by her reaction. He gave a small shake of his head. “Do not say sorry, Charlotte.”

“Are you like Roman? A… demon?” she whispered the last word.

Maalik shook his head. “No. I’m something different. The best way for me to describe it to you would be to tell you I’m like a vampire. The first of my kind, hence why I could not share food with you,” he explained, watching her closely.

Charlotte’s heart broke for him. Having his wings ripped from his body was unthinkable. Then to be forced into becoming a vampire. Charlotte really couldn’t comprehend anything these angels had been through. The horrors they all had to face.

“I—Maalik, I’m so sorry. Sorry for everything you’ve had to endure,” she told him, her heart aching for all of them.

They are trying to get home , Declan’s words whispered through her mind. Her view of all of them, even though she didn’t know them all, started to change, beginning to soften.

They all deserve to go home , she thought helplessly. But if Lucifer gets a hold of me, they never will.

“You don’t need to apologize, really. I came to terms with what I am a long time ago. My brother blames himself and thinks it should have been him in my place. I only tell you this story so you can understand who he is. Roman is not a monster, Charlotte. His heart is bigger than anyone I’ve ever met. He has been so hard on himself for so long. He doesn’t think he deserves any happiness in this world, but the way he looks at you, the way he acts around you… he cares for you.”

Charlotte’s heart melted in that moment. I care for him as well.

She couldn’t deny her feelings. It would be stupid to continue to convince herself that they didn’t exist. Everything Maalik had just told her swept away most of her fear of him. He was nothing like Lucifer. The furthest thing from it. That he held all this guilt for so long, that he loved his brother and the other angels so loyally and fiercely, proved he wasn’t a monster. Monsters didn’t love people. Monsters didn’t care about anything or anyone. Lucifer wanted to kill millions of innocent souls. Roman wanted to save them. Charlotte would have to talk to Roman and tell him how she felt before it was too late.

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think you have feelings for him also?” Maalik asked.

She looked at Maalik and felt she could trust him. He’d freely shared with her one of the darkest moments in his life, trusting her without knowing her. He’d also come here intending to help Roman, which showed he cared deeply for his brother. Something they now had in common.

She gave him a shy nod. “Yes, I do. I think I may love him, as foolish as that sounds.” It felt freeing to say the words out loud, a smile creeping over her face.

“Why foolish?”

“Maalik, I’m going to die. There is no outcome in this scenario where I live. I’m slowly coming to terms with that now,” she said sadly, looking out over the city. “I think you should all kill me. Millions of people will die if Lucifer gets out. My life isn’t more important than anyone else’s. The smart thing to do would be to kill me, then Lucifer can’t have me.” She glanced back at him.

He sat back in his chair, running his hand roughly through his hair, her words clearly shocking him. “That’s no longer an option, Charlotte. My brother will claim you as his soul mate, if you will have him. No one, and I mean no one on this planet, in the heavens or Hell, will ever be able to touch you now. Roman will kill anyone or anything that tries to take you from him. We will have to find another way. I will find another way. If we lose you, we lose my brother, and that is just not an option.”