Eli answered him in the same language, and then I understood. They were speaking the language of Heaven. After Eli’s lengthy response, Jared turned around with tears in his eyes.

“Can I do this alone?” Jared asked.

“None of us can do anything alone, Jared. That is why we exist in families.” Eli’s expression was calm, the opposite of Jared’s. I felt an overwhelming urge to go to Jared and hold him in my arms until the tortured look left his eyes.

Jared seemed to understand what I did not. He pulled me to him, kissing the top of my hair. I wrapped my arms around him.

“It’s going to be okay. Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out,” I assured him.

He smiled, but his face crumpled around it. “I’ve put you in serious danger, Nina. You’re father was right, I should have stayed away. I’m so sorry.”

I shook my head. “I’m not,” I said softly.

Eli sighed with satisfaction. “She’s a keeper, Jared. She has faith. Maybe it will rub off on you.”

Jared’s eyes softened. “Maybe.”

In the same moment, we were alone. We made our way back to the SUV, and then Jared opened my door, lifting me to the seat.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to move back to Andrews right now,” he said with an apologetic expression.

I touched his cheek, worried about his reaction. “Jared, I can’t keep staying with you. What will people think?”

He laughed once, but he was perturbed at my question. “I don’t give a damn what anyone thinks. I’m more concerned with keeping you alive.”

I smiled patiently and kissed his cheek. “I’m staying with you on the weekends, remember?”

“It’s not enough, Nina. I need you with me at all times.”

I raised my eyebrows in protest. “Well, you can’t. I have class…and friends. I have a life outside of this craziness. Jack didn’t move in with you, and he had more enemies than I do.”

“If my mother was Gabe’s Taleh, he would have moved her in. If Gabe had created a fun new game for a legion of demons to play, he would have moved her in,” Jared said, rubbing his forehead with his fingers.

“Do you have a headache?” I asked.

Anger exploded across Jared’s face and he walked away from me, paused a few feet away, and then walked back, still furious.

“Nina! For God’s sake, your life is in danger! And it’s my fault! Quit worrying about me!”

I sat there, stunned. Jared walked away, picked up a baseball-sized rock and hurled it at the warehouse. I lost the rock with my human eyes before it crashed through a window.

“Impressive,” I said.