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“I’m Claire. This is Erica, Brian, and Neil.”

“So what are you guys doing later?” Javed asked, still smiling.

“Do you like hockey?” Rico added.

“We won seven rink-side seats to a Kings exhibition game tonight, and four of our friends just bailed,” Celeste explained. The threesome spoke in such quick succession, it was as if they were completing one another’s thoughts.

“Oh, wow!” Brian exclaimed.

“I’ve always wanted to see the Kings!” Claire heard herself say. She glanced at Erica, sensing that she understood how important this could be. If she was in some kind of danger, and these people knew something about it, it made sense for her to go with them—didn’t it? She couldn’t explain it, but even though they’d just met, she somehow felt connected to all three of them. They had a carefree, casual manner, but still seemed genuine and sincere. On the other hand, she didn’t know a thing about them. Why didn’t she feel more nervous?

“I’m sorry if we’re coming on a little strong,” Celeste said, as if noticing Claire’s wary expression. She grinned, flashing her perfect white teeth. “You guys just seem cool.”

“If we left right now, we’d make it downtown in time for dinner,” Rico added.

“They make great nachos at Staples Center,” Javed chimed in.

“What do you think, Erica?” Claire said slowly. “You’re our chauffeur.”

“I’d love to go,” Erica replied cautiously. “We probably need to check with our parents first—school night, and all. But I’m sure they’ll all be cool with it.”

Yeah, as if my mom would ever be cool with it
, Claire thought.

Surprisingly, Neil reached over and put his arm around her with a warm smile. “It all sounds great. How about if we follow in our car?”

Before Celeste could answer, the door chimed yet again, this time accompanied by the sound of heavy footsteps. Claire’s eyes widened in surprise.

Alec
strode toward them, halting only a few feet from Claire and Neil. He was wearing a hooded black leather jacket that fell midway to his knees. It hung open to reveal an olive green army surplus vest, its multiple pockets full of—something. His black canvas guitar case was slung across his back like a knapsack.

And he looked really, really pissed.

fifteen

“W
hat are you guys doing here?” Alec asked quietly.

Fury simmered within him. He’d followed Neil, waiting for a glimpse of an aura. He’d hoped that nothing would happen, but had geared up just in case. It had been bad enough to be forced to witness Claire hanging on to Neil’s arm as they made their way up the escalator, and to find them here in a similar pose. But now
this trio
, of all people, had to appear and complicate things.

Celeste had a knack for smelling out the newly Awakened, and they were particularly susceptible to her charms. Alec knew in his gut that Celeste was out trolling for one now. Had she gotten wind that a possible Halfblood was on the loose? Is that why she’d zeroed in on this group?

“We’re just … browsing,” Claire said hesitantly. “What are
you
doing here, Alec?”

“I wasn’t talking to you,” Alec replied. He saw hurt and surprise in Claire’s eyes and quickly refocused his gaze on Celeste and her cohorts.

“Alec?” Celeste said nonchalantly, her voice dripping honey, just the way he remembered. “Long time no see.”

“We knew Vincent was here,” Javed added with undisguised interest, “but didn’t expect to see you.”

“Out on a little shopping spree, are you?” Alec pressed calmly. If he was lucky, maybe they’d reveal who they were after. It occurred to him that it could be Neil
or
Brian; they were both talented singers.

“Alec, how do you know these guys?” Claire asked. “Is something wrong?”

Before he could reply, Celeste interjected, “Don’t mind him. We’ve known Alec for years—and he’s never been any fun at all.” To Alec, she added innocently, “Stop scowling, would you? You’re scaring our new friends.”

“MacKenzie, what’s your problem?” Neil asked, baffled, his arm still around Claire. “These guys have tickets to a hockey game. We’re meeting them there.”

“Great,” Alec replied stonily. “I’m in the mood for hockey.” To Celeste he added, “Let’s go outside. I can ride with you.”

Celeste’s eyes darted to the guitar case slung over Alec’s shoulder, and she frowned.

“Hey, kids,” the owner of the shop interrupted, moving out from behind the counter with concern. “What’s going on? Is everything all right?”

Celeste turned to Claire with a little sigh. “I’m sorry, sweetie. I just remembered, our tickets are for tomorrow night. Maybe we’ll run into you again sometime.”

“Don’t even think about it,” Alec said, his tone threatening.

“Whatever.” Celeste waved her hand as if shooing a fly, then swirled up to him and whispered privately in his ear, “I can’t
believe
the great and powerful Vincent had to call
you
in as backup to rein in one little filly, even if it
might
be half-thoroughbred.”

A cold feeling stirred in the pit of Alec’s stomach.
Filly?

“Ciao.” Celeste exchanged a sharp look with her two counterparts. “Boys?”

The trio sauntered out the door, leaving a deathly silence in their wake. Alec’s heart lurched as the terrible truth dawned on him.
Filly?
They were after a
girl
? From the way Celeste had been cozying up to Claire, it wasn’t hard to guess which one it was.

“Dude, what is up?” Brian muttered, perplexed. “Did you used to bang that chick or something?” As Erica swatted him, Brian added defensively, “What? She was hot.”

Claire broke away from Neil and marched up to Alec angrily. “Alec! What just happened? What did you do that made those guys leave?”

“Be glad they did,” Alec replied, struggling to keep his voice even. “Believe me, they’re not the type of …
people
you want to associate with.”

“What kind of …
people
are they?” Erica asked, mimicking Alec’s tone and emphasis.

“They’re extremely dangerous,” Alec replied tersely.
Dear God. Claire
. He’d been so focused on looking for a boy, it hadn’t once occurred to him that Vincent might be wrong about the target’s gender. And yet, he realized now, Claire had always been more likely than Neil, who’d been in choir for years. Claire’s newfound ability to sing just days after a surge on the grid would be a startling coincidence, if it wasn’t a full-blown sign.

“How do you know they’re dangerous?” Claire demanded. “Just because they had some tattoos and a few piercings?”

“Their appearance is irrelevant,” Alec said.

“I wanted to talk to that girl!” Claire insisted. “Now she’s gone and I didn’t get her number or anything!”

“Listen to me,” Alec warned. “Should that girl—or either of the others—ever approach any of you again, promise me you’ll walk as fast as you can in the opposite direction.”

“Why?”

Alec’s eyes locked with Claire’s. A wave of deep anguish and concern swept through him, so powerful that his voice cracked when he spoke. “Because… I may not be here to protect you the next time.”

Claire gave a little gasp. Her anger seemed to fade, replaced by confusion and vulnerability. “
Protect
me?” she murmured quietly.

Alec nodded, not trusting himself to speak further. With an apologetic smile for the shopkeeper, he turned and left without looking back.

From the rooftop of the Twin Palms Mall, Alec watched as Celeste and her lackeys climbed into their sleek yellow Humvee and roared out of the parking lot into the night.

Thank God he’d been here. Who knows what would have happened if he hadn’t defused the situation?

Every day, the ranks of the Fallen increased in number. Individually and in small groups, they ignored and abused the rules of society. If they ever banded together, they’d be too strong for any human law enforcement agency to control—that was his kind’s greatest fear—yet he and his colleagues were not allowed to touch them unless they committed a blatant criminal act.

Celeste had been Alec’s assignment about six years ago—one of those rare instances where he’d been sent in to search for an Awakened. Unfortunately, before he found her, she’d been enticed into joining the two reprobates she was with now. It was one of his few failures, and it had bothered him ever since.

If only he’d spotted Celeste a few minutes earlier today, he could have stopped her before she’d descended on Claire and her friends. Now he’d have to explain away more odd behavior. The prospect exhausted him, but there was nothing he could do about it.

Was Claire the Awakened? Alec’s throat tightened with worry. If so, was she truly a Halfblood? It was starting to look that way. Celeste not only knew about Vincent’s assignment, but she’d said her quarry “might be half-thoroughbred.”

Claire. Claire
. In silent agony, Alec’s heart went out to her. If it
was
Claire, it would mean that the relationship he longed for was even more dangerous and taboo than if she were a normal human girl. But that was the least of it. His own feelings for her aside, he couldn’t bear to think about the consequences in store for
her
. Somehow, he had to protect her—to convince
Vincent
to protect her. But first, he needed proof of her identity. He needed a controlled environment in which he could run some basic tests—eyesight, hearing, reflexes—to get her guard down so she’d be forced to reveal her hidden paranormal ability, if she had one. Of course, Claire could have any number of talents which were difficult if not impossible to test for, but at least it would be a start.

An idea presented itself: a way to get what he needed. It shouldn’t be too hard to pull off. Claire would no doubt have a million questions for him after his behavior just now, and she’d be all too happy for a chance to grill him about it.

With a sigh, Alec crossed to the far side of the roof, where he glanced down at the dark, deserted loading dock several stories below. He was anxious to be on his way. Fortunately, no one was around, and tall trees obscured the alley from any probing eyes, making it safe to move in his most expeditious manner.

Stepping up to the very edge, he vaulted out into the abyss.

Feeling the weight of his body in his mind, Alec concentrated to slow his descent as he dropped through open air.
Please
, he prayed silently,
let me be wrong
.
Don’t let it be Claire
.

Because if it
was
Claire—if she was a Halfblood—it meant that, through no fault of her own, her life as she knew it was about to implode.

sixteen