Demon Blood

oil and the sweltering heat, Taylor had teleported them back into Rosalia’s garage.
    The detective’s blurry figure backed away from them until her shoulders met the wall. She slid down to the concrete floor, pulling her knees against her chest. Deacon felt Rosalia’s breath against his shoulder, the press of her lips to his skin, and the prayer of thanks she whispered.
    God wasn’t the reason he hadn’t fried out there. Rosie was. But before he could pull her into his arms, before he could thank her, she turned away.
    “Taylor, don’t go yet.”
    Deacon’s sight had healed well enough to see the bleakness of Taylor’s expression, her blue eyes shattered and her mouth in a tight line. Rosalia moved to her side, crouched down on her heels next to her.
    “He’d have killed Deacon,” she said softly. “He’d have killed me. And if Anaria and the other nephilim learned that we’d slain the nephil in Lorenzo’s home, her revenge could have taken her to my family. Vin, Gemma, their baby. The Rules do not hold her back. You saved so many lives.”
    “I know.” Taylor pushed her hands through her disheveled red hair. Frustration overwrote the bleakness. “He was going to kill me, too. They aren’t completely loyal to Anaria. And she refuses to recognize what they are.”
    Rosalia had pegged the other Guardian well, Deacon realized. Taylor would only kill to protect or defend. And although slaying the nephil hadn’t been easy for the new Doyen, this one wouldn’t hang on her.
    “This is the wrong time to ask you . . .” Rosalia trailed off. “No, perhaps it is the right time. This has been difficult, and it is a horrible thing that I’ll ask of you—and only you could know if you can withstand more than this.”
    Taylor shook her head, laughing a little. “I already have. So lay it on me.”
    “Deacon and I have been working to destroy both Belial’s demons and the nephilim. But although we have found a way to slay the nephilim, the demons are left to kill. If Michael was alive, I would ask him. I would do it myself, but I might fail. Anaria won’t.”
    “You need Anaria?”
    “I need you to teleport with her . . . but you would be bringing her into a nightmare. Into any mother’s worst nightmare.”
    “Into a slaughter?”
    “Of the nephilim, yes.”
    “Oh, fuck me.” Taylor pushed her hands into her hair again. “And if I can’t?”
    “Then I’ll return to my original plan.”
    I would do it myself, but I might fail.
    Deacon’s voice was rough. “Does that original plan involve you dying?”
    “God willing, no.”
    In other words, Rosalia felt she had no choice but to try. And only by the grace of God would she succeed.
    “No fucking way am I letting you do that. I’ll chain you down first.”
    Rosalia glanced over her shoulder at him. Not upset by his threat or pulling her crossbow out again, as he’d half expected, but with a soft pleasure—as if surprised that anyone would care enough to forbid her from gambling with her life.
    Christ, how that ripped at him.
    “We all have to take risks, Deacon.”
    “You don’t. Not this one.”
    “That’s up to Taylor.”
    Deacon’s anger battled with his fear. Anger was on the verge of winning when Taylor lifted her wry gaze to Rosalia’s.
    “For once, Michael’s not pushing me one way or another—finally letting me decide.” Her chest rose and fell on a heavy breath. “Would you want me to do it, or him?”
    “That’s also up to you. You’re a Guardian, and so you slay demons. But this will be cold, Taylor, and you are new. Michael, Deacon, and I—we have seen enough demons that the burden of slaying them is a light one. And if you hesitated, if you struggled against him at all, you would be in danger.” Rosalia held her gaze. “But there will also be humans to protect. After bringing Anaria, they would be your priority. I can’t imagine that would be a struggle for either of you.”
    The detective managed a slight smile. “You’d be surprised how easy it is for me to find something to struggle against.”
    The warmth of Rosalia’s answering smile transformed her features from beautiful to resplendent, hitting Deacon like a punch to the heart, but her smile faded quickly. “I will be taking steps that no Guardian should take, Taylor. You should hear what I have planned before your make your decision.”
    Taylor laughed. “You’ve already got me halfway there, just by being the one Guardian who gives a warning