Seb went silent. One of the candle flames flickered. “He asked if I’d like to share you,” he said finally. “And the way he looked at you...I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to hurt someone so much in my life.”

“I’m glad you didn’t,” I said softly. Not that I’d care if anything had happened to that pile of sleaze, but to Seb... I swallowed. “Anyway, don’t blame yourself – we were both upset. After what happened—”

I stopped, my chest tightening as I saw it all again in gut-wrenching detail. I couldn’t hold it back any longer. A trembling breath that was weirdly like a laugh escaped me. “Oh, god, Seb. They’re supposed to want to help people...”

His throat moved; he took me in his arms without speaking. Burying my head against his shoulder, I clung to him and wished I could wipe out everything we’d seen. I knew I’d never be able to, never – even the tiniest details would be with me for ever. The preacher staring at the ceiling with his one eye flashed through my mind, and I wondered dully why I wasn’t crying.

“Most of the Crusaders can’t have known about it,” said Seb roughly. “It had to be a – a smaller group who planned it, working on their own.”

I knew he was probably right; it didn’t help much. “What’s the use of being psychic, if we can’t stop something like that?” My voice sounded distant, as if it was coming from somewhere outside of myself.

“I know,” whispered Seb against my hair. I could feel his pain; it was as helpless as my own. “But that’s not how it works; you know it’s not.”

Inside of me, my angel was straining for his. I let her fly free, and Seb’s angel was there almost immediately – radiant and powerful, his beautiful face etched with our shared sadness.

The light from our ethereal bodies cast a tender glow in the warehouse as we hovered, facing each other. Somehow, just seeing Seb’s angel was a balm; it soothed the very core of me in a way that I didn’t even understand.

His eyes on mine, Seb’s angel reached out his hand. And this time I didn’t hesitate – I stretched out my own angelic hand to him.

Our fingers touched in a burst of light. I caught my breath at the sensation, watching in wonder as our hands merged in a blue-white glow. The details of the cathedral attack mercifully receded, leaving just Seb and me, and this feeling that was like nothing on earth – having no boundaries at all between us; our energy turned into one.