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"Alleged deiants And I’m the twin sister, by the way Just so you know, I’ Co Co Sorry, honey," she said "I don’t enuine smile "I know I also know that you’ll come to eat those words one day"

"De the packages of ink

"Yeah, and you’re a Sent One" Laila anchored her hands on her waist "Listen, you’re taking advantage of an innocent--hu her into the hard line of his body With a final look at Nicola, who jumped from the chair, possibly to attempt to free herfacility in Ger was perched atop ainto an aqua sky, stars twinkling even during the day Laila looked down, down, down at the earth so very far away, and screa advantage?" He didn’t wait for an answer but flashed the girl inside the building, to the rooht demons Once there, Koldo re Laila to open her inner eyes and finally see

A young trainee swung a sword of fire as two envexa darted fros of white with thin strips of gold, an indication of his warrior status Joy-bringers possessed wings of solid white The Elite, like Zacharel, possessed wings of solid gold

Though fully grown, the demons were the size of ten-year-old boys, with thick hureen as toxic sli, thin tails with barbs

Laila treasping sounds e

"They’re real," he said, "and they’re evil They roa more than to ruin your life and cut it short And you have been letting them"

"I--I--"

"Can overco pity on her, he flashed her back to Nicola’s living rooo to your room now"

"R-room Yes Thank you" With her arms wrapped around her middle, she tripped her way around the corner A door clicked shut

"What did you do to her?" Nicola de her fists into his chest

As slight as those fists were, he barely registered the impact "I proved that demons do, in fact, exist"

"You should have eased her in She had a tough day, and that kind of stress couldn’t have been good for her toxin levels"

"Some people can be eased Some must be shoved Noill return to the kitchen I’ll tattoo your ar that happened at the park"

"Wait What? Tattoo ed her forward "For your added protection against the demons"

A little dazed, she flopped into the chair "I’ll tell you about the park," she said quietly, "but first you’re going to tell "

"My hoainst evil" He owned a cloud of defense, and that cloud now surrounded the property, acting as a barrier against the rest of the world "Yours isn’t"

"But--"

"No buts I was attacked the last ti"

A gasp slipped from her "You were hurt?"

"Yes"

"Oh, Koldo I’esture of reesture that caused his blood to flash-heat to white-hot

"It wasn’t your fault," he said, his voice rough He was responsible for his own distraction "Nohat happened at the park?"

She propped her elbows on the counter, ending the contact, and he wanted to howl

He was that needy for her?

Pressing his tongue against the roof of his mouth, he finished with the ink He’d chosen a deep, rich red that, at first glance, would causeBut he didn’t exactly care what other people thought He wanted her tattoo to e, after all There was no more to it than that

For the first tirimaced

"These demons" She shuddered "They weren’t like the monkeys They orse They were snakes! They slithered froround and chased after us, and--"

"Snakes?" he interjected, his sto

"With antlers! And fur! They cornered us, surrounded us, and that’s when I called out to the Most High, and He sent angels--or s A blue like I’d never seen before, radiant and sparkling, allitter And their robes were the brightest white I’d ever seen"

"Real angels" He nodded "Continue"

"There was a battle, and then, booone and Laila and I were able to walk out of the park uninjured"

So The serps had returned for Nicola the very day Koldo awoke fro That couldn’t be a coincidence

"You’ll never regret being inked," he told her "What I put into your flesh will protect you, as the angels protected you today, but it will also do what they can’t It will strengthen you when you’re at your weakest Let me Please"

"Butbut"