“I don’t really care what you do.” Jordan said in that way that made it clear that she did care very much what Stephen did and with whom. “Damn it.”

Her eyes became glossy and she angrily wiped at them.

Tears of pain, no matter who they were from, had a way of working their way under my skin and directly to my heart. She wasn’t just being a bitch. She was genuinely hurt over this.

Something flashed across Stephen’s face just before he turned away from her.

Anguish.

Stephen hated hurting Jordan like this. I’d had a hunch that he’d broken up with her at the same time he’d been turned into a gray by Natalie, and it wasn’t because he’d been romantically interested in my aunt.

No. It was because he loved Jordan and he didn’t want to hurt her.

Damn. I didn’t want to feel bad for two people I hated. But I did, anyway.

“I can’t be here right now.” Stephen turned away.

Jordan grabbed his arm. “You’re running away? Just like that? So typical.”

He yanked his arm away from her. His breathing had quickly become more labored. She’d entered his orbit of hunger. I was very familiar with how out of control he was feeling right now.

An impossible-to-ignore need for him to kiss her; heart pounding, hunger rising, but knowing the kiss would hurt her.

Torture was definitely the right word.

Stephen spun around and their eyes met. This time he caught her in his arms and pressed her back against the railing.

“I told you to stay away from me, Jordan.” But he said it in that sexy, come-hither kind of way, which would make a lot of girls just want to get that much closer.

“I wanted to.” A tear actually slipped down her cheek, and she angrily swiped it away.

“Jordan, come on,” Julie urged. “We should go.”

But instead, Stephen took hold of Jordan’s upper arms and pulled her to him. His focus had narrowed to her lips. He was going to kiss her. And she was going to let him.

It was like watching a scary soap opera.

I couldn’t let this happen. I grabbed Stephen’s arm and dug my fingers in hard. “Don’t even think about it.”

Clarity came across his clouded expression and his brows drew together. He staggered back from the both of us, swearing under his breath.

“I mean it, Jordan. Stay the hell away from me,” he growled.

She inhaled sharply, disappointment skittering across her flushed face. “I hate you!”

“Good. That helps.” Finally, he turned and began walking rapidly away.

“Wait, Stephen!” I started to run after him.

Julie stepped into my path to block me. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“Get out of my way.” I shoved her out of the way and scanned the immediate area to locate Stephen, but I couldn’t see him anywhere.

He was gone.

My one shot to talk to him, to explain why he needed to help me. And now he’d disappeared into the crowd in five seconds flat.

“Damn it!” I had more questions than I had to begin with. And absolutely no answers. How was I supposed to find him now?

“You need to stay away from Stephen,” Julie warned me.

I glared at her. “And you need to mind your own business.”

Jordan let out a shaky sigh and rubbed her eyes, succeeding in smearing her mascara. “I’m going to forget him. This time for good. He doesn’t deserve me.”

“You’re right,” Julie agreed. “He doesn’t.”

I kept frantically searching the crowd of faces, but his was nowhere to be seen.

“I hate you and Stephen,” Jordan snapped at me. “I wish I’d never met either of you.”

I tore my gaze from the crowd to meet her furious expression with one of my own. The pain was still raw enough in her eyes to deflate my anger just a little. “You might not believe this, but sometimes when things seem horrible, they’re actually a good thing. Trust me, Stephen isn’t—”

Snap!

Suddenly, I wasn’t in the mall anymore; I  was at the church. And I was looking at Cassandra and Kraven, both lit from  the bright light entering through the beautiful stained-glass  windows.

I saw them through Bishop’s eyes.

“I don’t want to talk about this,” he  growled.

“She kissed  you?” Cassandra gave him a look of sheer disbelief. “Why didn’t you tell me  this last night?”

“It’s not important.” Bishop sent a quick  glance at Kraven, who gave him a smug look in return, his arms crossed over  his chest. “Got something to say? Or have you said enough for one  day?”

“Sorry, had to be honest with Blondie  here.” The demon glanced at Cassandra. “I know it takes a lot of my little  brother’s energy to stay away from gray-girl, especially when he gets  crazy.”

“She’s dangerous to you now,” Cassandra  said with concern. “If she was to drain your soul completely...a fallen  angel or exiled demon can’t exist without a soul in the human world. You  would die.”

Bishop didn’t flinch at this confirmation.  “I have it under control.”

“I’m surprised that you got to know her  well enough to learn of her supernatural gifts. As a gray, I would have  thought you wouldn’t have hesitated to kill her. Your reputation as one who  does his job to the letter precedes you.”