Ethan’s breath hitched as the darkness in the alley thickened, twisting unnaturally. A pair of glowing red eyes flickered to life, followed by another, and then another. Shapes materialized from the shadows—tall, lean figures with elongated limbs and razor-sharp fingers. Their bodies pulsed with an eerie, shifting blackness, as though they were made of living smoke.

  His throat tightened. “Seraphina, what—”

  “Demons,” she muttered, her voice sharp. Her wings flared, feathers gleaming like molten silver under the dim streetlights. Ethan swore he saw her pulse with energy, the air around her vibrating with something unseen.

  One of the creatures stepped forward, its mouth splitting open to reveal rows of jagged teeth. “Angel,” it hissed, its voice layered and inhuman. “You shouldn’t be here.”

  Seraphina didn’t flinch. “Neither should you.”

  The demon let out a guttural growl and lunged.

  Ethan barely had time to react before Seraphina moved. In an instant, she was a blur—twisting, dodging, and striking with effortless precision. She slammed her palm against the demon’s chest, and a burst of golden light erupted on impact. The creature shrieked as its body burned away, dissolving into nothingness.

  The others hesitated, but only for a moment. Then they attacked as one.

  Seraphina fought like a force of nature, her movements impossibly fast. Every strike of her hand sent a demon writhing into oblivion. Yet, even as she held her ground, Ethan could see it—she was outnumbered.

  He took a shaky step back, his mind racing. What am I supposed to do?

  As if sensing his panic, Seraphina shouted, “Stay behind me and don’t do anything stupid!”

  A demon broke past her defenses, its clawed hand swiping at Ethan. He barely had time to duck, the creature’s talons slicing through the air inches from his face. Instinctively, he threw out his hands in a feeble attempt to shield himself—

  —and then it happened.

  A surge of heat coursed through his veins, electrifying his senses. His body moved on its own, jerking away just before the demon struck again. He stumbled, his heart hammering. What was that?

  Seraphina’s head snapped toward him, her golden eyes widening. “You—”

  But she didn’t get to finish.

  Another demon lunged. Ethan had no time to think—his body reacted before his mind caught up. He twisted out of the way, a strange energy guiding his movement. The demon’s claws missed him by a fraction of an inch, but instead of fear, a strange certainty settled in his chest.

  He wasn’t helpless.

  Seraphina didn’t waste the opportunity. She slammed her foot into the demon’s back, sending it crashing into the wall. A burst of golden light followed, and the creature disintegrated into ash.

  The remaining demons hesitated, their crimson eyes flicking between Seraphina and Ethan. Then, with an ear-piercing screech, they melted back into the shadows, retreating as suddenly as they had appeared.

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  Silence settled over the alley.

  Ethan exhaled shakily, his entire body trembling. He turned to Seraphina, who was staring at him—not with irritation this time, but with something else.

  Shock. Confusion. Recognition.

  “What just happened?” he asked, voice hoarse.

  She didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she took a step closer, studying him with an intensity that made his skin prickle. “That energy,” she murmured. “That wasn’t supposed to happen.”

  Ethan frowned. “What do you mean?”

  She hesitated, her gaze locked onto his. Finally, she whispered, almost to herself, “You shouldn’t have been able to move like that.”

  Ethan swallowed hard. He wasn’t sure what that meant, but one thing was certain—

  Whatever this bond between them was, it had just changed everything.

  Chapter 3

  Ethan’s breath hitched as the darkness in the alley thickened, twisting unnaturally. A pair of glowing red eyes flickered to life, followed by another, and then another. Shapes materialized from the shadows—tall, lean figures with elongated limbs and razor-sharp fingers. Their bodies pulsed with an eerie, shifting blackness, as though they were made of living smoke.

  His throat tightened. “Seraphina, what—”

  “Demons,” she muttered, her voice sharp. Her wings flared, feathers gleaming like molten silver under the dim streetlights. Ethan swore he saw her pulse with energy, the air around her vibrating with something unseen.

  One of the creatures stepped forward, its mouth splitting open to reveal rows of jagged teeth. “Angel,” it hissed, its voice layered and inhuman. “You shouldn’t be here.”

  Seraphina didn’t flinch. “Neither should you.”

  The demon let out a guttural growl and lunged.

  Ethan barely had time to react before Seraphina moved. In an instant, she was a blur—twisting, dodging, and striking with effortless precision. She slammed her palm against the demon’s chest, and a burst of golden light erupted on impact. The creature shrieked as its body burned away, dissolving into nothingness.

  The others hesitated, but only for a moment. Then they attacked as one.

  Seraphina fought like a force of nature, her movements impossibly fast. Every strike of her hand sent a demon writhing into oblivion. Yet, even as she held her ground, Ethan could see it—she was outnumbered.

  He took a shaky step back, his mind racing. What am I supposed to do?

  As if sensing his panic, Seraphina shouted, “Stay behind me and don’t do anything stupid!”

  A demon broke past her defenses, its clawed hand swiping at Ethan. He barely had time to duck, the creature’s talons slicing through the air inches from his face. Instinctively, he threw out his hands in a feeble attempt to shield himself—

  —and then it happened.

  A surge of heat coursed through his veins, electrifying his senses. His body moved on its own, jerking away just before the demon struck again. He stumbled, his heart hammering. What was that?

  Seraphina’s head snapped toward him, her golden eyes widening. “You—”

  But she didn’t get to finish.

  Another demon lunged. Ethan had no time to think—his body reacted before his mind caught up. He twisted out of the way, a strange energy guiding his movement. The demon’s claws missed him by a fraction of an inch, but instead of fear, a strange certainty settled in his chest.

  He wasn’t helpless.

  Seraphina didn’t waste the opportunity. She slammed her foot into the demon’s back, sending it crashing into the wall. A burst of golden light followed, and the creature disintegrated into ash.

  The remaining demons hesitated, their crimson eyes flicking between Seraphina and Ethan. Then, with an ear-piercing screech, they melted back into the shadows, retreating as suddenly as they had appeared.

  Silence settled over the alley.

  Ethan exhaled shakily, his entire body trembling. He turned to Seraphina, who was staring at him—not with irritation this time, but with something else.

  Shock. Confusion. Recognition.

  “What just happened?” he asked, voice hoarse.

  She didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she took a step closer, studying him with an intensity that made his skin prickle. “That energy,” she murmured. “That wasn’t supposed to happen.”

  Ethan frowned. “What do you mean?”

  She hesitated, her gaze locked onto his. Finally, she whispered, almost to herself, “You shouldn’t have been able to move like that.”

  Ethan swallowed hard. He wasn’t sure what that meant, but one thing was certain—

  Whatever this bond between them was, it had just changed everything.