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buildings.
    Aethan unlocked the barred door with a thought and waited for Riley to enter the musty building. Aethan followed. Theirs was an unusual relationship. He’d saved the demon’s ass from being annihilated by his own kind a millennium ago. He had no idea why he’d done so. Maybe his own nightmares, his guilt, had him saving the life of one that most wouldn’t give a damn about.
    “What’s so urgent?” he asked the demon.
    The male like the rest of his species was good-looking, with brown hair and sharp green eyes.
    “There’s movement in the Dark Realm,” Riley said. There was no small talk, no pacing from him. “It’s not good. A demon from the upper hierarchy’s gotten hold of a scroll—a prophecy. He searches for an oracle who can translate the cryptic writings.”
    Aethan narrowed his eyes. Most demoniis were a damn nuisance, a pest to the mortal world. But demons, on the other hand, were a whole other curse. Especially those who dwelled in the Dark Realm and had their hands on a prophecy.
    “He’s an old one,” Riley continued. “Can’t be demonii . They are banished to the Strata of the Damned when they turn . Since I haven’t been down under , I can’t be certain.” He raked a hand through his dark hair, his gaze growing wary. “There’s more—”
    The air near them shifted and Týr materialized.
    Aethan cursed. He’d hoped to do this meeting without Týr. No wonder Riley had been edgy. The moment Týr’s gaze fastened on Riley, residual rage like lava spilled out of him. He attacked.
    For fuck’s sake !
    Aethan grabbed the warrior’s arm a second too late. The coppery scent of blood invaded his nose. “Dammit, Norse! We don’t kill the innocent, no matter the species. Back the hell off.”
    “Just honest about my feelings, man.” Týr jerked free of Aethan’s grip. “A demon’s still a fucking demon. You can’t trust these bastards.” Cold amusement laced his words. He stepped back, wiping the bloody blade on his black T-shirt.
    “I’ll meet up with you later,” Aethan said—a warning which meant, Get the fuck outta here.
    “You want to listen to his shit, it’s on your head.” Týr dematerialized.
    Aethan turned, surprised the demon hadn’t hightailed it out of there. Riley didn’t bother to wipe off the blood dripping down his neck. But his green eyes were a blaze of color in the darkened building.
    The demon stared at him, his expression unreadable. Cold. “The prophecy is about the angels,” he said and then he flashed out of the warehouse.
     

 
    CHAPTER 4
     
     
    The jarring sounds of the alarm going crazy on the bedside table jolted Echo awake. She fought to free her limbs from the tangle of covers as the remnants of her dreams held her in its grip, her heart hammering against her ribs.
    Faint fingers of the breaking dawn crept between the gaps in the parted curtain, casting eerie shadows in her room.
    Reaching out, she slammed her hand down on the alarm, and welcome silence filled her small apartment.
    “It’s only a dream,” she whispered. Dragging in a shuddering breath, she sat up and switched on the bedside lamp. Soft light filled the room. The images of her nightmare faded, but Tamsyn’s voice still rang in her head. ‘It’s your fault ! Your fault, I’m dead !’
    Echo dropped her head into her hands, squeezed her burning lids closed. It wasn’t the first time she dreamed of Tamsyn. But her friend’s voice haunted her long after the dreams ended.
    Sighing, she lay back on her bed, covered her eyes with her arm, and tried to push away her nightmare...only to have it replaced by images of another kind. One she couldn’t forget, no matter how much she tried—the glide of his mouth on her nape and desire flowing like molasses through her blood. Groaning, Echo rolled on her stomach and buried her face in her pillow. Argh! She shouldn’t feel this way about a man she didn’t even know.
    A heavy weight landed on her butt, distracting her as