"I don't want you to."

He ran one hand over his hair. "What changed, Claire?"

"Everything. He is not what I thought, Simon. But what he wants-I can do that for him. I am sorry I couldn't get word to you sooner, before you had to risk yourself, but I was-unavailable."

He stalked to the far side of the room, felt her right behind him. He wanted the freedom to curse-or talk about his ability to see power if he needed to. "What the h.e.l.l does that mean? What's going on, Claire? I expected you to be happy to see me. Instead I get the feeling you're annoyed that I'm here."

"No, Simon-and I am sorry if I made you feel that way." She pushed hair off her face, looking exhausted and fragile. "Recent information has-d.a.m.n it. I hope you're ready for this. He's an angel."

"You already told me, in the note-a guardian-"

"Not one of the guardians-who are human souls working toward redemption. He is an angel, Simon. Banished and sent Between."

"Purgatory."

"I thought the Church didn't-"

"That's the civilian talking." He pinched the bridge of his nose, fighting for patience. "You expect me to believe this."

"Honestly? No. But I had to tell you-because the banishing spell you brought with you will not work on him."

"How do you-"

"I know." She sighed. "And I think you should leave, before he discovers you're here. I've managed to subdue him for the moment, but your presence breaks the promise I made to him."

"Claire-"

"Please, Simon." She touched his arm-and he saw it. The new edge to her power, raw, almost blinding. He never had been able to see hers without contact. "You trusted me before. Trust me now, and let me get you out of here. Zach won't be as accommodating a second time."

"I don't want to leave you here with-whatever it is."

"Don't worry, I can handle him." She touched the bandage on his hand. "The fence?"

"I took part of it with me. Eric yanked the splinters out. He's got finesse, for a vet." He caught her arm before she could move past him. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Nothing."

"You are a rotten liar."

A smile tugged at her mouth. "Thank you for pointing that out again. There are things about myself I'm not ready to tell you, Simon." She eased out of his grasp. "Please go. This is one time you can't help."

"We need to talk about those things, Claire."

Panic skated across her face. She managed to control it, but for just a second, she looked terrified. And it made him wonder just how dark her secret really was. "When this is over, we will sit down, and I will tell you what you want to know. Then you can decide if you want to have anything to do with me again. But now you have to leave."

"Fine."

She looked startled by his easy acceptance, but she nodded. "I'll escort you."

He moved toward the door, making a detour to the bed. "Hey, Annie."

"My hero." He smiled, his medic's eye scanning the damage. "Nothing fatal, so you can tell Eric he won't get out of marrying me today."

"He'll be-relieved?"

"He better be."

This time he laughed. If her humor was still sharp, she was as close to all right as she could be, under the circ.u.mstances. "This'll be over soon-"

"Hey." She gripped his wrist. "Don't do anything stupid. You have no idea what Claire's up against."

"She told me-"

"And you don't believe her." Annie's voice was flat. "Don't, if it makes this easier. But do as she says. Get out. You can't help this time, Simon."

"Starting to get that." Leaning in, he brushed his fingers across her cheek, relieved when her skin wasn't feverish. "We'll get you out."

"Don't count me out yet, mister."

"I never do." Winking, he straightened. "Be safe. I'll come back for you." His glance included Regina and Hillary. "All of you." He joined Claire at the door.

"Thank you," she said. "You didn't have to rea.s.sure-"

"I did. And I meant it."

She paled. "Simon-"

"I'll go. But I'm not going far. Not until all of you are out of here and safe."

"I never expected anything else." She led the way down the hall, back toward the bas.e.m.e.nt door. "If you could help, believe me, I would be asking for it. But Zach-" She froze, grabbing his wrist. "G.o.d above-move!"

They ran, skidding to a halt at the bas.e.m.e.nt door. Claire yanked it open, all but pushing Simon through. He felt the slap of power just before she met his eyes, and nodded. The door closed between them-and a second later, an angry male voice overshouted her. The door heated so fast Simon had to back away from it.

"Where is he? I felt him, Claire. You managed to distract me with your pretty words, then you sneak in someone to banish me-"

"He came on his own, Zach. And I meant those pretty words. You have to start trusting me, or what you want will not happen. Trust is the only way this will work. Do you understand me?"

The power retreated, the wood cooling even as he touched it.

Simon stepped back, found a place to sit. He'd made his promise. He left the house. But he was d.a.m.ned if he would leave them alone.

"You want me to trust." Zach stalked forward, trapping Claire against the wall. Right next to the bas.e.m.e.nt door. She surprised herself by throwing up a diversion spell almost by instinct, and having it work. Power had been leaking through, despite her efforts to sh.o.r.e up the cracks in the wall. Now she was grateful for what she could grab on to, as it protected Simon. "Give me a reason."

"What do you want?"

"Prove to me you can do what you say."

Swallowing, she closed her eyes for a moment, and did what she had avoided since Azazel sent her back-she reached in, through the cracks, and deliberately touched what lay behind. Shock nearly dropped her when what she felt was not the demon, but her true self. The part of herself she thought she lost forever when she was cast out of Heaven.

Shaken to the core, she let it filter out, wrap around her new soul. The light, gentle touch left her breathless. Unable to speak, she held out her hand. Zach took it-and stilled, his eyes widening.

"It cannot be true-how are you-"

"Long story. Ancient." Her whisper drew him closer. "I am telling you the truth, Zach. I will do what is needed, you will let them go."

She held her breath, waiting for his temper to explode. He pulled her off the wall, down the hall, stopping at the front door.

"Do it, now, I will let them go."

"It's not that simple."

"You are an angel. It cannot be any more simple."

"It can cost both our lives if I don't do it right." She spoke quietly, to keep her voice from carrying, pretty much certain that Simon was at the bas.e.m.e.nt door, waiting for his chance to burst in. "Not only does it have to be outside, but it has to be the right time, with certain preparations. And you have to accept all the conditions that come with it."

"What do you mean, conditions?"

Taking his hand, she lowered her voice. "No matter how much I prepare you, it is going to be traumatic, and it is going to be painful. There's nothing I can do to prevent that. Falling violates all that we are. The desire to be human isn't supposed to appeal to angels-we are better, above them. But you want more. You've been down here, among them, before you were exiled."

"Yes." He swallowed. "The emotion was overwhelming. And I could feel none of my own, share nothing with them. It was unbearable. Do you know how long they kept me down here, expecting me to stand apart?"

Sighing, Claire sandwiched his hand. "I have an idea. How many years?"

"Two hundred." He jerked free, started to pace, and she saw the anger she thought she had managed to subdue flare around him. "Two hundred years of watching, with a wall between us, because I could not feel. I could not understand their joy, their sorrow, the random emotions they experienced every day. But I wanted to; it reached a point where I needed to. That was when they brought me home."

He didn't have to tell her what happened next. Claire understood now how he ended up Between. He asked to go back. To become one of them. That would have been tantamount to treason.

"Zach." He turned around, and the anguish on his face tore at her. One of his perks, and punishments, of being Between was the ability to feel, just enough to interact with the people he was sent to help. "You have to be absolutely certain. Once I start, there is no turning back."

"I have been certain-for every moment of the three hundred years I spent Between."

Heaven above- "You have been a guardian for-I am so sorry. But I needed to know this wasn't a whim, a way to escape-"

"You have no right to accuse!" He leapt forward, his fury slamming into her a moment before he did. "You sinned, otherwise you would not be here. You feel, you laugh, cry, touch-and you freely offer to commit the greatest sin." His breathing uneven, he let her go and backed away. "I want to be human, more than life. For that desire, I was punished, forced to live among the mortals, never able to be one of them. I can no longer bear the pain of it."

"Zach." Her heart ached for him. "I will help you, but you need to-"

"Free me, and they will no longer be needed. Until then," he fisted his hands, visibly controlling his temper. "Until then, they are my leverage. And they stay."

"Please. I already promised you-"

His fist clipped her jaw and knocked her into the wall.

He trapped her there, one arm braced on either side of her. "I know now that hurting you will do nothing to me in return." Exhaustion draped him. "But I am desperate enough to harm them, regardless of the injury to me. Do not make it necessary."

Pushing off the wall, he left her alone. Claire slid to the floor, dizzy and nauseous, her jaw throbbing. She cradled her head in both hands, careful to avoid what she knew would turn into an ugly bruise. How could I have been so wrong about him?

She hoped Simon had broken his promise and stayed in the bas.e.m.e.nt.

It was time to change tactics.

FOURTEEN.

"Simon-I know you're here." Claire stepped to the floor of the bas.e.m.e.nt, listening. "I need your help."

He moved out of the shadow cast by a pile of boxes. "You know me too well. Can I say I told you-d.a.m.n it." Sprinting forward, he cupped her chin, careful to avoid the bruise she could already feel. "He did this."

"It was my fault-I thought I had him pegged. I was wrong." Flinching, she eased out of his grasp. "He has more rage built up than he can control anymore. I have to get the others out, before he explodes."

"You need to go with them."

"I can't. Simon," she held up her hand when he started to protest. "I made a promise, and if I can get them clear, I intend to keep it."

"Even after what he did to you?"

"Especially after what he did." With a sigh, she lowered herself to the bottom stair, dizzy again. "That rage inside him will just get worse, until he lashes out. And the punishment for that-I can't leave him to that, not when I can prevent it. So, will you help me?"

Simon sat beside her, rested the shotgun across his thighs. "What do you think, sweetheart?"

Smiling, she leaned against him, relishing his friendship, his acceptance.

"Thank you."

"So," he said, meeting her eyes. "What's the plan? I know you have one."

"How do you feel about cat and mouse?"

"Depends. Which one am I?"

She laughed, fought the urge to take his hand. "I'm afraid you're the mouse."

"Figures." Standing, he moved out of sight, returning with a roll of paper in his hand. "I snooped while you were off getting beat up by your angel." He handed her the roll. "Floor plans."

"Oh, Simon-you genius."

"So I've been told. Are we safe here for a few?"

"Give me a minute." Claire climbed the stairs, still surprised by her healthy leg. Whispering, she drew a sigil on the door, diverting anyone who walked near it. She wasn't sure how long it would last, or if it would work at all, but it was better than hoping. "Okay." She moved back down the stairs. "Let's see the-what?"

Simon stared at her leg, then at her. "How." He sounded like he already knew.