“Mendoza, he’s drunk and started saying these guys were spying on him. He’s slipping and I need to get there.”

“Spying?”

Kael sighed, rubbing his forehead with the back of his hand. “Paranoia from constantly being in situations where people are trying to kill you,” he said.

His words rattled me.

“I’m sorry I have to go.” He kissed my forehead, then my cheeks, then my mouth. “I’ll be back as soon as I’m done there.”

“Do you want me to go with you?” I asked, knowing the answer, but wanting to offer anyway.

He shook his head. “I told him I wouldn’t tell anyone. If he sees you, he won’t trust me. I need to get there before he starts a fight.” His fingers moved quickly to lace up his boots. He stopped tying them for a second and looked up at me. “I appreciate the offer, though.”

I had a really bad feeling about whatever was going on. My stomach ached as he stood up and met my eyes.

“Don’t worry about me, okay?” Kael tried to assure me.

“Right.” I rolled my eyes at him. We both knew that worrying was my specialty.

I followed Kael through the hallway, to the kitchen door. The sun was so bright, it clashed with my thoughts. In my mind a storm was brewing.

“Mendoza will be okay, right?” I asked him. I was aware that I barely knew the guy, but I could tell how much he meant to Kael.

He nodded. “Yeah, Kare. He’s going to be okay,” he reassured me, and stepped outside.

“Lock the door!” I heard him say.

I smiled at that and the way he called me Kare. Only Austin and my mom ever called me that and I really, really liked the way Kael said it so effortlessly.

After I watched his Bronco pull out of my driveway, I returned to my room and fell into bed thinking about how many soldiers had demons chasing them long after they had left the battlefield. Home wasn’t such a safe place for them once they returned. I drifted off to sleep wondering how many demons were chasing my soldier, and if they were too strong for him to defeat.

CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE