Disclaimer: This is an unedited excerpt and may differ from the final version on sale in October.

Chapter 1

"Who the hell is Donny?"

Helena grunted and rolled over. The neon lights of her alarm clock told her it was only two o'clock in the morning.

"What?" She flopped down on her back and smashed her face into her pillow. Hazy images floated through her mind like fog. Such a good dream. A second later she heard a soft click and the room filled with light. She sighed.

"This is the third time you've said some guy's name in your sleep. Who is Donny?" The covers rustled as Jason turned in bed to face her.

Oh shit. She curled up into a ball. Maybe if I don't say anything he'll think I'm asleep.

There was a long silence before the mattress dipped. She turned over and watched silently as he rolled up the few clothes he kept in the bureau and stuffed them in a black duffel bag.

"Jason, wait."

He disappeared into her walk-in closet and reemerged a few minutes later with a ratty pair of jeans and his favorite sweatshirt.

"It's two o'clock in the morning. Can't we talk about this?" She wrapped the sheet around her body and hopped after him, tripping in the long linens. She caught up with him and grabbed his sleeve. He brushed her off with a vehemence that startled her.

"You know what? I'm over this. You forget to call, you're cold in bed and by the way, you fake it badly."

Helena gasped and reached out for him, losing the grip on her sheet in the process. Her breasts popped out and he glanced down. His nostrils flared before he turned away. She hastily dragged the sheet back up her body and wrapped it around her, toga style. "I'm not cheating on you, I swear. Donny is-"

"You know what? I don't even care. Whoever Donny is, I hope you two are very happy together." He slammed the door as he left, the force rattling the frame so hard that the pictures in the front hallway crashed to the ground. She knelt and picked up the pieces carefully but still managed to cut herself while carrying the jagged shards to the trash can in the kitchen. She held her finger under the faucet and watched dispassionately as her blood mixed with the water and slid down the drain. Within moments the cut sealed itself and turned a garish shade of pink. Her demon blood was good for something it seemed.

She picked up the cordless phone on the edge of the counter and dialed the only person she knew who'd be awake at this hour.

"Hey hellbaby. Since when are you nocturnal?" Kendra's sultry voice was a perfect match for her take-no-prisoners body and kick-ass attitude. They'd both attended the same prestigious paranormal boarding school in the Virginian countryside as teenagers. Most of the other students at Saint Lilith's were descended from fairies or shape-shifters, not vampires and demons. The two had bonded mainly because they were both feared. One look at Kendra's fangs had most people shaking and although Helena looked as innocent as her angel mother, her father's demon blood was easily apparent when she got emotional.

"Ugh, don't call me that. I had more than enough of that at school. Besides, my temper's much better. Well, a little better. I haven't blown anything up lately anyway."

"Is that how you tell if it's a good day?" Kendra chuckled.

"I do what I can. Sorry to call so late." She sighed and sank down on the chaise lounge in her living room. The room had floor to ceiling windows and custom built skylights which afforded her the best view of the sky money could buy. As the daughter of an angel she found the sight of the heavens soothing, especially the intricate celestial designs of the night sky. She'd bought this house mainly because of its incredible view, unobstructed by trees or buildings.

"The last time you called this late was when what's his name left. Wait, what was his name? Cybil?"

"Silven. He was very impressive. He was a lieutenant in the Angelic Guard."

"He was a wimp. So Jimmy finally bit the dust, huh? Are you ever going to tell me the real reason these guys keep leaving? Just tell me and maybe I can help."

"It was Jason and no one can help. Remember how much trouble you had with men before you met Kane? You couldn't find a man strong enough to handle it when you. . .you know"

Kendra burst out laughing and she held the phone away from her ear in annoyance. "Are you laughing at me?"

"Yes I'm laughing at you. No one from school would ever believe me if I told them "Give 'em hell baby" was too shy to say the word "come". Are you seriously telling me you haven't slept with any of these guys?"

"I'm not a virgin, you know that. But it's a little hard to let go when you're afraid you'll incinerate your partner if you orgasm."

"Whoa, whoa. You've slept with these guys but you're not having orgasms? Can't they tell? If they're that bad in bed, maybe it's a good thing they're leaving."

"He could tell. He even said I faked it badly. That actually hurt worse than anything else. I put a lot of thought into those fake-gasms. I thought they were pretty good."

"Okay. So you throw off a little fire between the sheets, big deal. Why don't you let me hook you up with one of my demon friends? Or actually, I know a guy who's part dragon shifter. His name is Cage. He's hot, literally. Plus he's hot. What do you think?"

"That's ok. Maybe I should just give up, get a cat. Okay wait, scratch the cat. I can barely keep this place clean as it is."

There was a long pause. "I have a better idea. Let's go get the no good son-of-a-demon who ruined you for all other men and kick his ass."

"I don't know where he is. After everything. . .he was just. . .gone." She rubbed a hand absently over the side of her neck as she looked out into the night. There was only a small bump there now, a faint reminder of how he'd branded her once.

"Do you think he's in Underworld with your father?"

"Probably. I doubt I'll run into him at my father's compound. He was never built like a soldier, that's why he got stuck guarding me."

"Whoa. When you said you were busy on Halloween I thought you meant you had plans with Justin. You're going to try crossing over, aren't you?"

"Kendra, leave it alone. And his name was Jason."

"But it's dangerous. I don't think you should-"

"It'll be fine, don't worry. Goodnight Kendra. I love you too." She hung up and looked out at the night sky. She curled up with a sigh and pulled a throw blanket over her legs. It soothed her to look out at the vast expanse of sky and stars but it was humbling as well. She was so alone in this world, something of a stranger even to those who knew her. Once Kendra was married, she wouldn't be able to just call her friend whenever she got the urge.

"I miss you Donny." She closed her eyes and was overwhelmed with memories of soft kisses on a warm summer afternoon, the scent of honeysuckle and the unique smell that was all his own. Her Donny, the shy young man assigned to guard her had been her first love, her only love. Now he was just a memory. A memory that haunted her dreams.

Her mother would be furious when she found out where she'd gone but she could see no other option. As Regent over all Underworld, her father had the contacts necessary to locate any demon below ground. He'd been absent her entire life and she'd never asked anything of him. Her father owed her. If Donny was there, he could find him. He could bring him back to her.

"I'll finally know what happened to you." She fell asleep where she was with only the dark cloak of night for company.

©2008 Minx Malone