He was worried. Cyrus had been right about Eden al along. There was part of Merrit inside her. She was a good kid but her soul eater nature was determined to destroy that part of her, as was her family. Not to mention that sleazy cousin of hers. Noah's fists clenched just thinking about it.

His head was throbbing as he ascended the metal stairs up to his apartment. Perhaps there was stil time . No, there is still time, dammit. He shook his head, fumbling for his keys.

He'd never expected that he would need to save Eden as much as he did. But he had to.

Noah blinked as he opened the door, light filtering in behind him to il uminate the girl on his bed. He frowned, taken aback to see her there. Quickly, he stepped inside and locked the door.

"Hey, Noah." She stood up, tal and lithe and completely mortal. She wound her arms around his neck, her long blonde hair brushing his arms as they encircled her waist.

"Romany." He managed a smile just before she kissed him, long, slow and deep.

When she final y al owed him up for air, he squeezed her a little closer. "What are you doing here?"

"Can't a girl visit her boyfriend every now and then?" Noah pul ed back, throwing her a look as he dumped his keys on the sideboard and headed for the mini fridge for a c.o.ke. "Not when he's on a.s.signment." Romany pouted at him, her hands sliding onto her hips.

She wore a sleeveless tank with tight fitting jeans.

Comfortable clothes that outlined her toned and strong physique. Under those jeans would be a dagger or two.

Just in case. "It's been a while, Noah. I wanted to see you.

I've missed you."

He smiled at her but didn't say it back. Romany was a Warrior of Neith and one of many mortal warrior girls Noah had fooled around with over the years. Sure, he and Romany had been together a couple of years, since she was eighteen years old in fact, but he'd never bored of the relationship because she wasn't clingy. Or so he thought.

She seemed to read his mind and snorted. "Oh get your head out of your a.s.s, Noah.

I'm here because Cyrus sent me to warn you."

Instantly his body hardened and he froze with the can inches from his mouth. His eyes said, 'wel ?'

Suddenly Romany grew serious and cool. "Word is out on you and Cyrus' little half-blood. Despite our best efforts, there's a faction out there who believe she's an abomination."

Noah's heart began to pound. Abomination was never a good word to throw around.

"They're coming for her?"

Romany nodded. "They don't know where she is yet...

but you better watch your back, Noah. I happen to like it."

Chapter Five.

The Monster Within "What are you doing, Stel an?" Eden asked quietly, her eyes flitting between him and the pretty girl on his bed.

After she'd fled from Noah, Eden had wandered around for a while, trying to gain control over herself, trying not to cry in public. She couldn't believe she'd almost hurt Noah.

Noah. She'd taken her frustrations out on a guy who'd pul ed out on her as she was trying to leave the car park.

Her horn nearly broke under extreme use and the poor guy was bright red with embarra.s.sment from the blasting she gave him. She told herself she didn't feel guilty for being a b.i.t.c.h.

She thought about driving around for a while, despite the check engine light, and then she'd gotten a text message from Noah.

Things will work out. Promise. N.

Eden had just been about to smile in relief when her phone buzzed again.

Haul ur a.s.s back to the house, Paradise. It's show and tell time.

At Stel an's text, her stomach had roiled with nerves, but she knew she wouldn't ignore him. When she'd gotten home, Celine had been on her way out for one of her own 'dates' and had told Eden to stand by for Stel an who had something important to share with her.

"I think it's a good idea, so would Ryan. While I'm out, listen to your brother." The elegant blonde had nodded briskly at her as she pa.s.sed, reeking of Chanel and evil.

Eden watched the door close softly behind her, smirking.

That could almost have pa.s.sed for a normal conversation.

I'm going out for a while, darling. Be a good girl and listen to your big brother while I'm gone.

The young girl on Stel an's bed, probably a col ege freshman by the worshipping eyes she cast Stel an's way, looked up in confusion at Eden standing in the doorway to his bedroom.

"Good, you're here." Stel an grinned up at her and then patted the freshman girl's hand. "This is Lana."

Lana frowned at him. "Why is your little sister here?" Yeah, Stellan, why is your little sister here?

Eden had a feeling she already knew the answer to that.

Great, it was like he had a sixth sense or something, cornering her when she was at her weakest.

In reply, Stel an gripped Lana's chin lightly and held her gaze. Her body slackened immediately, entranced by him.

"Eden's going to hang out with us for a while, and you're not going to talk."

"Eden's going to hang out with us for a while, and I'm not going to talk," Lana repeated.

The sight of the girl completely defenceless made Eden slightly uncomfortable.

This was the side of her brother she liked to pretend did not exist. "Stel an," she said hesitantly, trembling against the doorframe as the hunger grinned from within.

within.

He clucked at her wary tone and stood up from the bed.

"Eden." He gave her a patient smile. "You promised you'd let me try and convince you."

She nodded numbly, glancing at the girl again, who sat frozen. She almost didn't look real. That made Eden feel a little better.

"I'm not asking you to feed." Stel an shook his head rea.s.suringly, and a little of her unease dissipated. "You know I can't. But watching might change your mind... plus, you should know what to do for your Awakening Ceremony.

I promise you'l want this, Paradise. When I'm done, you'l need this." He sounded so reasonable. So loving.

She shivered, eyes locked on Lana who gazed up at Stel an like he was the second coming. Eden's hunger scratched at her, like a dog at the door begging to be let in.

Stel an fol owed her gaze and smiled. "Watch and learn." Slowly, he lowered himself back to the bed. "Come closer, Eden." He threw out at her without taking his eyes off Lana.

The sickening, cowardly urge to turn and run back to her room fought with the need to please Stel an. To please the hunger. Shuffling forward, Eden obeyed them both.

Smiling softly, Stel an leaned forward to press what, in any other circ.u.mstances, would have been an incredibly romantic kiss on Lana's lips. The girl sighed into him and reached up to clasp his head to kiss him harder. Eden felt her cheeks heat and lowered her gaze. A husky chuckle rumbled up from the back of Stel an's throat. "Easy, Lana." He pul ed back. "Eden."

Her gaze flew back up to meet his eyes. "I'm stil here." Her gaze flew back up to meet his eyes. "I'm stil here."

"Keep watching," he insisted. "You grab their head," he instructed, clasping Lana's head between his two hands.

The girl buckled into him. "Now when I'm done, Eden, I'm going to have to compel her. To compel someone, you merely lock your eyes on theirs and command them.

Easy as-"

"I know how to compel someone," Eden interrupted.

He grinned at her in surprise. "Oh real y?"

"French teacher," she mumbled.

His eyebrow quirked and he threw her a dopey, knowing smile.

Eden shrugged. "OK, math teacher too."

Laughing, Stel an nodded. "OK. So you know how to compel. Good." He turned back to the freshman. "Lana,"

Stel an whispered like a lover. Eden felt a frisson of excitement rush through her as he tipped her chin and leaned over, his lips inches above the girl's. At the hitch in his breath his grip tightened, his grey eyes bled of their colour to a terrifying white. Only the black of his pupil remained. The temperature in the room dropped as Eden's heartbeat increased; need, thril and revulsion pulsing through her veins like cowardly confused worms. Her brother's face grew taut, hardening over like marble, and as he began to suck, Eden thought she would die with shame.

Lana's eyes flashed wide in terror and pain, her mouth fal ing open in silent screams as pieces of her soul were drawn out of her and into Stel an in tendrils of a blue smoke-like property. Veins popped up al over Lana's face, her skin as transparent as tracing paper.

her skin as transparent as tracing paper.

Slowly the grey returned to Stel an's eyes and his skin began to soften to normal.

Abruptly he stopped, throwing Lana away from him, and the girl lay back on the bed, eyes stil slammed open, mouth stil shrieking no sound as her skin gradual y returned to normal.

It was a horrifying sight.

Eden began to fight the hunger, the l.u.s.t for the soul feeding trumped by her disgust now that it was over and this girl...

"Stop her," Eden demanded hoa.r.s.ely, reaching forward and then drawing back.

Stel an heaved again, his hands trembling as he tried to compose himself. "Stop her," she said a little louder, dying to scream. He made no move.

"Stop her!" She cried, fighting back tears. Final y processing how upset Eden was, Stel an cursed and leaned over Lana, pul ing her to him. As soon as he focused on her eyes, Lana fel limp.

"You're OK, Lana. You didn't feel a thing."

"I'm OK. I didn't feel a thing."

"You're going to get into your car and go home. You were never with me today.

You've been at the library, studying for the American Literature final."

"I'm going to get into my car and go home. I was never with you today. I've been at the library, studying for the American Literature final." Eden stared at her as she stood up, smoothing down her dress as if nothing had happened. She strode towards Eden, and just before she brushed past her, Lana turned her head a little to look up at her blankly. Eden stifled a gasp, her fingers curling into fists. A darkness flickered in the depths of Lana's eyes like a black flame, cruel and useless in light places. As the girl left them, the sound of her heels clacking against the polished stairwel and foyer, fol owed by the click of the door shutting softly behind her, Eden began to shake, thinking on how confused Lana's family and friends would grow over the coming days when they realised the girl they knew had changed irrevocably.

"Paradise." She felt Stel an's hand on her shoulder and flinched away from him, glaring. His eyes widened in hurt.

"Eden, don't. This is what we are."

Demons. Evil. Soul sucking b.a.s.t.a.r.ds who took a piece of someone from them forever and left a little monster behind in them. They were cowards. Eden shook, a hot anger flushing across her skin. She was a coward. A coward who stood by and watched her family do it. Her brother, whom she loved. How could she love someone who could do this?

"I'd die, Eden." Stel an choked hoa.r.s.ely, as if he'd read her mind. "First, I'd go insane, and then I'd die. Would you want that?"

She raised her head slowly and their eyes locked. His shone with tears and love...

for her. Like always. How many times had he hugged her close when Ryan had been especial y cruel? How many times had he blown off something with his friends just so she wouldn't be alone on a Sat.u.r.day night? How many times had he told her he loved her, and protected her from Teagan, from their parents finding out the truth about her? She was the one that wasn't normal here, not Stel an. And stil he loved her.

When he put his arms around her, she fel into them, the fear and guilt over what had just happened churned in her fear and guilt over what had just happened churned in her chest like too much oxygen.

"I love you, Paradise." He kissed her head affectionately.

"And I won't let you starve." His voice had turned to steel. "I know you wanted it.

I felt your need. Your hunger. You can't deny that." Eden stared blankly over his shoulder at the doorway where Lana had walked out a different, worse kind of person than she had been when she'd walked through it. A wave of nausea washed over her as she tightened her hold on her brother. "No. I can't deny that."

Chapter Six.

On the Edge It would have been awkward anyway, talking to Noah after what occurred between them at the lake. But then Stel an had knocked her off her feet with her own need, her own hunger. Somehow, that felt like a betrayal of Noah. Like if he ever saw that in her he would never talk to her again.

He'd hate her. Noah was the best person she knew.

Obviously, since everyone else was one of the Blessed. So it made perfect sense that after watching Stel an steal the most precious thing he could from Lana and having wanted to do the same thing to her, that Eden would avoid Noah.