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What if the world blows up tomorrow? I don’t want to waste it being locked up in here with you, reading some Goddamned papers. If we are all about to be splat on the universe’s windshield, I need to convince Denise to put out because there is no freakin’ way I am going to die a virgin.”
    The boy was dead serious. I forgot that Matt and Denise had started dating after the winter formal. It was hard to imagine Matt having a girlfriend , and it really wasn’t on my to-do list to imagine him doing it with anyone. Yet, he was a lot closer to getting it on than I was. “Do you think I want to die a virgin? It wasn’t in my four-year plan. But this,” I pointed to the scrolls, “this could change that. I don’t think the world is about to go up in flames tomorrow. It seemed like there was this process that needed to be gone through before any real hell-raising starts to go down.”
    Matt didn ’t look convinced. “Matt, I am going to ask you straight up. Will you help me with this? I need to know how to find Jade. I need to know how to help her. I need to know how we can stop—all this—from happening.”
    Matt leaned back and took off his glasses. He pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled. “Okay,” he whispered. “I’ll help you.” His eyes snapped open and pinned me to the seat. “But if the world does implode tomorrow and I get no sweet lovin’ before I am ash, I will hold you accountable and roast your ass in Hell.”
    I laughed and extended my hand to him. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

     
     
     
    11
    GIOVANNI
     
     
     
     
     
    Jade looked up at me when she reached for my arm. I searched her eyes. I couldn’t find a trace of Hell within them. I searched, searched every fleck of emerald, every tinge of green, but instead of finding proof, I fell into more questions. Questions that nagged at me. I tucked them away, pushed them down within me. Soldiers didn’t ask questions. They executed missions. I let the green-eyed girl, with her gentle warm touch, lead me into the back room. Her movements were graceful, like the flutter of bird wings or the shine off a blade. When she let me go, my hand went to the spot on my arm where she had held it. My eyes flicked up to see Lynx watching me with a careful gaze. I lowered my hand to the blade at my waist. “Well, I guess there are bits of the truth in the rumors.” I looked at Lynx and his steady gaze didn’t flinch.
    “ Enlighten me ,” Lynx said evenly.
    “ You left Heaven in pursuit of a personal mission. You found your way into Hell . You took the Demon Queen’s daughter. And, you brought her into the mortal world.” I pulled the blade from my waist . “Tell me why I shouldn’t bring you for Judgment.”
    “ Because,” Lynx let out a breath , “I won’t let you.”
    I laughed , “You, a chosen half-breed, think you can out run or fight an angel?”
    “ No ,” Lynx replied , his voice steady. “I don’t think. I know.”
    Rage tore through me. I lifted my blade and squared it between his eyes. I wasn ’t supposed to hurt Lynx, just bring him home. But my temper was always an unstable thing, as it was with most Seraphim. Anger ran hot through our cores, like a pulse. Lynx didn’t step back or flail ; he stood watching me.
    I didn ’t back down. I was trained on my target.
    A voice beside my cheek startled me. “Please, please, don’t do that.” Her voice was a whisper, the heat of her breath a caress on my cheek. “Please...” Her hand grazed my shoulder, down my arm to my hand on the hilt . She held it, her small hand atop mine. I could feel a shiver ripple through me, and with it my hand trembled only slightly. I swallowed hard, averting my eyes from hers. She traced the length of the blade with a fingertip and left blood on silver. With one arm, she pushed Lynx behind her and settled the blade’s point below her collarbone. My eyes fell to the blade point and then to the delicate flesh of her chest. Protect? She was