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"Sunny?" He gasped the word, sounding gritty like sandpaper Lifting both hands to his throat, he tried to loosen the chain, but it was no longer around his throat

"Be still and don’t try to talk," she soothed, stroking his hair

He peered up at her, not understanding what he’d just experienced He’d have sworn he was in heaven when she appeared in that halo of light "Am Idead?"

She pressed a tender kiss to his forehead, caressing his cheek "No,to be fine You’re safe"

He ht be safe, at least for now, but Sunny wasn’t! There were deht hurt her In alaret out of here," he warned hoarsely, but she pushed hiht of Thrastikas’s crus and body had been scorched, the chains melted His once-beady red eyes stared lifelessly, all the hell fire gone froelic power to turn his enemy to an ashen heap

"Sunshine," he whispered hoarsely "Thank you I’m sorryso sorry about"

"Shh, just rest, Jamie Rest" She kissed hie

Different from any other time they’d shared a kiss So much so that whatever she did caused him to fall fast asleep immediately

Sunny watched Mason and Evan hoist Jamie’s still foriven hih she’d instantly mended his wounds, the e so near to death needed to be healed as well, and that took ti peaceful--and so fast asleep that he began snoring loudly--Mace turned to her "I don’t get it" He shook his head "We were knee-deep in battle with sohost on us And where did you come from?" He pointed at Sunny "You were suddenly here and then all the deone

And Thrastikas was toast back there He was scorched against the ground What’s up with that?"

Sunny gave him an evasive smile "Well, I orried about Ja to reassure herself that he truly was all right

"So you came out into the thick of a de her on the arot to beMason toward the driver’s side "Leave Sunny be Isn’t it bad enough that she’s got to contend with Jamie? She doesn’t need you, too"

He stopped in his tracks "Contend? Fro, sissy, there’s a lot ave her brother another shove "Just drive There’s no big conspiracy here"

He was stillabout vaporized demons and supernatural forces when Shay closed his truck door, giving Sunny a brief and conspiratorial grin "Thanks, sweetie," Shay said "I knoe allowe you our lives Or at the very least e you Jah to coer to her lips draht to his head"

Shay burst out laughing "Oh, osh, you so totally have my brother’s number already"

I so totally love your brother already, Sunny nearly blurted in reply, but turned back to her car instead Her work tonight had only just begun

Chapter Ten

How long auy a break, why don’t you? You’re killing e on her iPhone He’d texted her repeatedly during the past three days, and every time Sunny had indicated that it wasn’t time yet, but that she definitely wanted to see hiive hi and delving into every book on angelic guardians, ers, and hosts that Shay could shuttle over to Sunny’s apartment And the more she read, the more convinced she became that because of her love for Jamie, she truly could exercise her own free will That she wouldn’t turn dark as a result, not if guided by her faith--and no matter how hard she prayed, she always received the sah it see she’d been called to do--and even though it contradicted Kiel’s initial chastisement--she kneas her destiny

But she’d needed ti Jaone bonkers with the waiting Patience, she was learning, wasn’t high on Ja, she texted back, I’ve been working on souy

Al we can be together? Are you iured out a way? I can’t take ht away, her phone began to ring, and she beaood to be pursued--and feltthat pursuing

She answered the phone and he plunged right in "I’m all out of patience," he blurted "Are you hoht now I’ht now?"