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CHAPTER ONE

I loved the tickling feeling of the sand eroding from underneath my feet as the ocean waves continued to roll in and then back out to sea I'd stood in this spot so many times over the past year It was beautiful here, the way the ocean looked like it went on forever in the distance Still, as significant as this beach was to ravitate around this spot, it didn't hold any significance for me I'd never dreamt of this place or met some soul mate hottie inout with friends and faht This wasn't why I'd coer-filled blowup during dinner earlier Co here always helped me chill out, and I had hoped that for once this spot would finally unlock the ht I'd had earlier with e, by the as typical I was over their evasive answers aboutit is to know nothing about who you are, where you co like any normal person At times like this, I missed my best friend, Lynn I needed soo to join her Protector in Utah on an extendedher around Sure, we texted and Facebooked each other twenty-four/seven, but it wasn't the same Truthfully, I didn't see why Robert couldn't handle the mission on his own Of course, I kne the whole "link" thing worked, whichtotally irrational, I realized, but I didn't care I missed my only friend, damn it

My errant thoughts were interrupted when my pulse quickened and the hair on the back ofon end I wasn't the only ht

Sweeping my eyes over the boardwalk behind me, I spotted the source of my "freak alar hu by the gaping bullet hole in one of them They both had waxy complexions courtesy of a h that the other occupants of the boardwalk paid no attention to the Daemons' odd appearances It showed how oblivious humans could be

I walked casually toward the they couldn't sense me I didn't emit the sael would I was like the shadow you couldn't see until the sun decided to cast its rays I watched the the shadow from the wall that separated the boardwalk from the beach I wouldn't be detected until I was ready Typical Dae but cowards themselves I knew I should have called Haniel the h at the world right now and decided to throw caution to the wind I could take them out I may be an anomaly, but at least I was a badass one

It wasn't until I ithin three yards of them that I spotted their source of entertainainst the wall in a drunken stupor One of the body snatchers proceeded to pour tequila down Joe's throat while the other held Joe's head in place

"Two on one seems a little unfair, don't you think?" I asked as they dropped the bottle to the sand in surprise

"What the hell are you?" the bullet-holed Daeh the wire the mortician had used to sew his lips closed It was obvious they sensed I wasn't ordinary

"Are you two dipshits normally this stupid, or did you leave your brains at themy hands on my hips They hesitated to make a move, no doubt thrown off by the fact that they were unable to get a read on me I rapidly calculated hoould take theelic protection?" I mocked

"You're no angel," the second Daeh the dead round and turned his hulking body toward me

He was right, but what a dick thing to say I wasn't an angel, and I never would be It wasn't ina soul sucker remind me of that fact only pissed me off more

"Wow, you're a sharp one," I answered, stepping closer My nose wrinkled fro fluid the mortician had used on the bodies

"You're awful cocky for such a s step forward

His words struck , which I could tell confused them both as they studied me like I'd lost my marbles

"All I can say is talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong tiuess Your boss has no idea you're here You thought you'd win brownie points by bringing back a soul, right?"