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Simon hung out at the haven after checking in the fire demon. He wanted—no, he needed some time away from Zach, to process what had happened.
Elias whispered in his mind.
“You already know, priest. You saw it the night he fell, felt it surrounding the witch demon.”
“Call her that again and I will never let you suggest any activity. Ever.” One of the haven counselors made a wide berth as he passed, staring at Simon. “Fantastic. Now it looks like I’m talking to myself.”
“In a way, you are.”
Shut down, Elias, or I’ll do it for you.
The silence was blissful. Simon knew he would pay later for it, but he needed the space now, without Elias poking around, offering his unwanted opinion. Sharing a soul with an outspoken angel was hard on the psyche.
He walked around the corner of the office—and collided with a small figure. His hands reached out to stop her from falling, her appearance surprising him. He had been so wrapped up in his own thoughts he didn’t sense her. And when she lifted her head, he recognized her.
“Diana?”
“Simon.” She gripped his hand, searching his face with those haunting blue eyes he remembered. She looked much better than the last time he had seen her. “You and Elias have—found a compromise?”
He smiled. “You could say that. How are you?”
“Adjusting.” She stared at his chest, her voice so quiet he had to lean in to hear her. “I wanted to thank you, and Zach. I was afraid I might be dying when I saw you last.”
“You were, sweetheart.” Simon cupped her chin, gently tilted until she met his eyes. “It’s good to see you, Diana. What are you doing at the Santa Luna haven?”
Her eyes brightened. “Alex asked me to help with one of the new arrivals. They lost their mate on the way here, and I can—ease their grief.”
“You’ve come a long way, reaching out to help someone surrounded by death.”
“It’s not as bad, now, my gift. Y’all help me so much, give me space when I need it.” She took a deep breath. “I’m ready to start giving back.”
“You are a marvel, Diana.” On impulse, he kissed her.
It was meant to be a friendly kiss—but the desire that swept through Simon had him pulling her into his arms and taking the kiss deeper. Diana wrapped her arms around his neck and held on, surprising him with her response. When he finally came up for air, he just stared at her, shocked by his reaction.
“Simon.” He braced himself, ready to let her go if he’d gone too far. “Please kiss me again.”
He laughed, then moved closer to the wall, taking them into the shadows before he granted her request. A low moan from her had him pinning her against the wall and kissing her until they were both breathless.
She studied him, tracing her fingers down his cheek. “Do you feel—”
“Peace? Yeah.” He slid his hands into her silky hair. “You’re the first woman to get in since my—” He cut himself off, the old pain of his former life surprisingly sharp.
“There was a death,” she whispered. “One you blame yourself for.”
He swallowed, closing his eyes. “I wasn’t there to protect her, when she needed me. Kerry was my first wife. When I was deployed, she followed me, determined to be as close as possible. When I discovered her in country, I found what I thought was a safe place.” Diana’s hands framed his face when he paused, her warmth reminding him that he wasn’t alone. “She was killed when a suicide bomber walked into the café where she was eating lunch.”
“I’m so sorry. You carry such guilt, Simon, for a death you couldn’t have prevented.”
“She was there because of me—”
“She was there because she chose to be.” One hand cradled the back of his neck. “Look at me.” Bracing himself, he did. Instead of the expected pity, admiration filled her eyes, and more than a little anger. “That you take responsibility is honorable, but to keep blaming yourself, shutting yourself off from the possibility of love again—that’s plain stupid.”
He laughed, surprising both of them. “It was an easy way to avoid complications.” An easy way to help him forget that his old talent had failed him when he most needed it. He should have been able to sense the demon possessing the boy; he saw it too late, after the deadly explosion, the demon walking out of the burning café. “I made the choice to be responsible for my own life.”
“You were a priest, before you died. I’d say that was the ultimate avoidance.”
“I was on sabbatical, but you’re right.” Simon sighed, brushing her cheek. “I needed to find my own sort of redemption, and giving up my former life seemed to be the easiest way. I found a sense of peace, stripping my life down to its essence, helping those in pain. It worked—until the talent I hid from my congregation failed me again, and someone else died for it.”
“This talent, it brought you to Santa Luna?”
“Eventually.”
“You don’t have it anymore.”
He sighed, leaning in to kiss her forehead. “You’re too young to be as wise as you are, Diana.” Too young for him to be having the thoughts he was having about her. “Elias burned it out of me. When we—joined, I acquired a new set of talents. Ones I’m still learning.”
He forced himself to let go of her and step back. She made his attempt to distance himself harder by following him, lacing their fingers together. The contact made his heart pound.
“I can help you. I want to help you, Simon.” She stood on tiptoe and brushed her lips over his. “You have such a good heart. I would know.” Her mischievous smile left him helpless.
He gathered her in his arms and buried his face in her hair. They stood that way for a long time, and would have kept holding on to each other if one of the haven employees hadn’t walked around the corner and nearly run into them.
“Hey—there you are, Simon. Matthew is looking for you.”
“Thanks.” Simon stepped away from Diana. He needed to; right now, holding her felt too good. She didn’t deserve the mess that was his life. “Tell him I’m on my way.”
“Sure thing.”
“Don’t you dare.” Diana’s quiet voice stopped him three steps into his escape.
Forcing a calm he didn’t feel, he turned around. “I don’t—”
“You know exactly what I’m saying. You’re withdrawing, damn you, so I don’t get hurt.” She stalked forward and slapped both hands against his chest. “I won’t break, Simon. I’ve been through too much, walked through my own fire. I want to figure out what’s between us, what might be possible if we give ourselves the chance.”
Panic and hope fought for control. “Diana—”
“Tell me you didn’t feel it, still don’t feel it, and I’ll let you walk away.”
He opened his mouth to deny it, to protect them both, then shook his head. “I can’t.”
“Good. Now, I want you to do one thing for me.”
Panic was definitely winning. “What?”
She smiled up at him. “Ask me on a date.”
***
Still shocked at the turn of events, Simon walked into the office and greeted Matthew, the older man in charge of the Santa Luna haven.
“Thanks for stopping in, Simon.”
“What is it?”
Matthew leaned against his desk and crossed his arms. “How is the demon hunting? More than normal?”
Without even thinking about it, Simon checked the number of non-humans outside the haven. “There are at least fifteen roaming just outside Santa Luna.”
Matthew frowned. “I was afraid of that. I’ve checked in eight today. My usual is that much in a week, tops. Some of them came in injured, claiming they were fighting another demon determined to recruit them.”
Simon stilled. “Did they say anything else?”
“They were too terrified to say much more than that. Any idea what’s going on out there?”
Elias started whispering and Simon mentally shut him down. “Not yet, but I’ll find out for you.”
“Thanks. You’re doing good work, Simon. How’re things with the resident angel?”
“Annoying.”
Matthew laughed. “I can imagine. Let me know what you find out.”
He held out his hand and Simon shook it, then pulled out his phone as he left the office, tapping in Zach’s number.
“Hey, Simon. What’s up?” He felt the tension in the boy’s voice.
“I need you to take a trip to Emmettsville, talk to Alex. Matthew told me the number of demons has gone up, dramatically.” Simon gave Zach a quick summary of their conversation. “See if Alex is having the same issue there.”
“You felt fifteen, just around Santa Luna?” This time panic edged Zach’s voice. “I need to call Mom.”
“I’ll do it. Get yourself over there. And Zach—keep your tattoo covered.”
“Yeah.”
Zach ended the call before Simon could give him any more ultimatums. He rubbed his forehead, another headache on its way, and looked up to find Diana standing at the corner of the building.
She moved forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. With a sigh, he pulled her in tight, already needing the warmth and understanding she offered.
“How bad?” she whispered.
“I don’t know yet. But I’m afraid it could get ugly real fast.”
The demons he sensed were benign—for now.
He wasn’t sure how long that might last.