Ava climbed to her feet. “How did you burn me like that?”

The accusing tone in her voice caught me off guard. “I—it’s the angelfire. I can use it to make my power burn. I’ve done it before on an ursid reaper. He was demonic, though.” I remembered that last fight against Ragnuk. I’d used my power to burn up half of his face when he’d been about to bite my head off. It seemed I’d just done it again. Was the mysterious energy really my angelfire, or something else?

“You shouldn’t be able to do that,” Ava said, fear lacing her words.

I was about to open my mouth when Will spoke. “She is an archangel. Angelfire is hers to control.”

Ava scowled. “But it’s only in the swords. How is she able to transfer angelfire to her power and make herself stronger? Not that I’m complaining. I’m sure it’s very useful against her enemies.”

“This is a new ability,” Will admitted. “We don’t quite know what it is. Her most recent reincarnation took forty years to occur, and we have no idea what has changed in her in that time. At least you know now that you can’t underestimate her.” The tone in his voice and the look in his eyes made it clear that his last words were a warning to Ava.

I couldn’t help wondering why it had even worked. If she was angelic, then the angelfire shouldn’t have harmed her. I’d used it as a last-ditch effort. I studied Ava’s dark beauty. What if she was truly demonic? A double agent of sorts? Will trusted her. Marcus trusted her. But I didn’t. Not a Popsicle’s chance in Hell of that ever happening.

Marcus beamed at me. “Well done, Ellie.”

“You want a turn?” I teased, desperate to get my mind off Ava’s possible betrayal.

“No thanks.” He laughed. “You scare me plenty. No need for you to make it worse by beating me to a pulp the way you just beat Ava.”

Other than the minuscule frown in one corner of her mouth, Ava’s expression remained stone cold.

“I think we’re done here,” Will said. “Ava, Marcus. Patrolling tomorrow night?”

“I can’t,” I interrupted. “Movie Night. Remember? I’m off being grounded, so I get to be social now.”

He sighed. “Saturday then.”

I thought a moment. “Is Sunday okay? Kate was planning a party Saturday, so we’ll see if that falls through. I haven’t done anything lately but go to school and kill reapers. I need a break.”

Ava stared at me then Will. “Movie Night? Party? Is that wise?”

“It’s important that Ellie have a somewhat normal life,” Will explained. “It keeps her happy.”

“And sane,” I said with a laugh. “It’s fine. Just two nights this week.”

“You’re being hunted,” Marcus said. “Ava has a point.”

I shrugged. “We don’t know that for sure yet. And it’s not like I’ll be alone. Will is always with me when I go to these things. I’ll be fine.”

“I could join you,” Marcus suggested with an edge to his voice. “Maybe you’d like backup. You know, in case the demonic drop in.”

“Oh, no.” I laughed. “I’m not sure how my friends will take to your … everything. They’d be dangerously curious about you.”

“Would you kill me if I crashed?” he asked, grinning. Something told me he wasn’t kidding with that question.

“Please don’t do that,” I begged. “You wouldn’t even enjoy yourself around all those human teenagers. Will always sulks when he goes to these things with me.”

Marcus’s grin widened even more. “He sulks anyway.”

“You should see the way he broods, too. It’s very sad,” I said with a faux frown.

“I don’t brood,” Will cut in. “Or sulk.”

“I’d love to see this,” Marcus insisted. “It sounds very entertaining.”

“I don’t know,” I confessed. “Bringing two reapers would be pushing it.” But then again, my friends would love it. Marcus could have an alias similar to Will’s. In truth, I didn’t think I’d be able to babysit two reapers at one party, and I remembered from my past lives just how rowdy Marcus could get.

“You’re certainly no fun,” Marcus mused.

“You must have me and Will mixed up.”

He laughed, but I wasn’t kidding.

6

ON THE DRIVE HOME, WILL WAS IN A GOOD MOOD. He was proud of me. But there were things I needed to know, and I was pretty sure asking him would upset him.

I broke the silence between us with an easy question. “Marcus was born in the eighteenth century, right? I remember he was about two hundred years old when I knew him last.”

“Right,” Will confirmed. “He’s not that old for our kind. It doesn’t mean he’s weak, though.”

“How old is Ava?”

“A few decades older than I am.”

I chewed my lip. “Is she demonic?”

“Ellie …” At least he didn’t laugh.

“No, I’m dead serious.”

He glanced at me and frowned. “I’m very sure she’s not.”

“How sure?”

“Positive.”

“Could you be wrong?”

“No,” he said firmly. “She’s not demonic. Why would you ask?”