"What happened to her?" I hear Misty ask.

"Long story, just give her some space," Leo replies.

I groan and slowly open one eye.

"Al!" Leo's hand strokes my hair.

"What happened?" I moan, my head feels like it's been pressed between two heavy rocks.

"Bitch! You passed out and scared the living shit out of me! That's what happened!"

"Leo! Fuck! Stop yelling!" I yell.

Misty takes the yelling as her cue to go back up front and tend the shop.

"Your dream, Al." Leo frowns.

"I know, Leo. It wasn't a dream. They offered my brother and me up to the devil," I say.

"I thought you didn't believe in demons or the devil?" He cocks one of his eyebrows at me and looks at me sideways.

"I don't know what I believe in anymore," I reply, looking down at my feet.

"We need to find out more about this prophecy." Leo walks over to the desk with the computer and sits down; he types.

"All right, come out demon hunters."

"Hm, did you say something?" I ask.

"Not out loud," he replies.

Fuck. My block is slipping again. I get up and walk over to the water cooler. Grabbing a cup of water, I allow the cool liquid to soothe my raging insides. I head over to Leo and look over his shoulder as he types.

He's private messaging someone that goes by the screen name, Demonslasher. The icon near his name is a symbol that looks like a horned beast impaled on both sides of the head with two daggers.

"What the hell is that?" I ask pointing at the symbol.

"It appears to be this demon hunting group's symbol. From what I've gathered, the guy I'm talking to is pretty high up the ranks. I'm trying to get more information about the prophecy, but he just keeps trying to get more information about you and your brother."

"What?" I shriek.

"Don't worry. I'm not giving him any information on you guys. I'm not stupid. Wait, he's typing..."

Leo and I both wait impatiently for the message to come through. Finally, it appears.

It says, The prophecy foretells of two vessels that will be offered to Satan. Both of these individuals, likely siblings, will be used as gateways to unleash the riders of the apocalypse and bring about the end of the world. These vessels will have significant psychic abilities and will probably be lighting rods for paranormal activity, both malicious and benign. Please, if you have even a suspicion of who these two might be, you must tell me. Their lives, our lives, depend on us finding them before they're found by the wrong people.

His words send a chill up my spine. Leo types back, Who are these 'wrong' people and how do I know for sure you aren't one of them?

You can't know for sure, but the group that wants them, the ones that want to fulfill this prophecy, go by the name of The Sons of the Apocalypse. They're a satanic cult that has operated in the shadows for years. They were once few, but their numbers are growing. They're aggressively looking for these two individuals and when they find them, they will sacrifice them, hoping to bring forth the first of the riders.

"Sacrifice!" I scream.

"Al, calm down!" Leo huffs

"Calm down? That's easy for you to say! You don't have an insane satanic cult searching for you, intending to murder you!" I pace the floor.

I have to find Max. He isn't safe. It dawns on me I haven't spoken to him in days. Immediately grabbing my phone, I dial his number.

It rings and rings, no answer. It goes to voicemail. "Max, it's me, Al. Give me a call as soon as you get this message, it's an emergency. Please. Don't blow me off this time."

Max has been in and out of trouble since he turned sixteen. He's had problems with drugs in the past and lately, I think he may be using again. Max is probably the one person I don't have issues blocking out. I've come to suspect that he's the one blocking me. Keeping me from hearing his thoughts. If that's the case, then what I've suspected our entire lives is true. Max has abilities.

Abilities he has yet to admit to. Maybe because he's seen how hard acknowledging them has made my life. How before I learned not to talk about what I heard, saw, and felt had led people to think I was crazy and try to have me committed.

My Gran was the only one who believed what I said I could do and see, was real. Even though in my heart I know Max knows it's a real too.

"Stop being crazy, Al," he'd say, "You're gonna get us both in trouble!"

When Gran passed, we inherited her home and all her money which was much more than either of us thought it would be. I had wanted to keep the house and live there with Max. Max wanted the money. So, he insisted we sell the house, which we did.

I was under the impression he was doing fine until he called me a little over six weeks ago and asked if he could stay at my place for a while. I'm guessing somehow, he's blown through his part of the inheritance.

I invested most of my share. Paid my rent for a year in advance and paid cash for a new car. That was about it. If I decide I want a house, I won't have to take a loan out to buy one, and if my abilities push me to retreat and stop working, I can live comfortably.

Leo didn't get much more out of Demonslasher, and Demonslasher sure as hell didn't get more out of Leo. I spend the day hanging out at the Emporium because I'm too scared to be home alone. Me! Scared to be alone! My favorite fucking thing, being alone, and now I'm too chicken shit to enjoy it.

Leo invited me to stay at his place where he could keep an eye on me, but I refused. He has a new boyfriend and they're still in the whole fucking like jackrabbits stage, so I don't want to impose. I take him up on his offer to walk me to my building, which he does. I give him a kiss goodbye as he gets into an Uber car.

"If the slightest thing seems off, Al, you call me. Understand?" He gives me a look that says he means business.

"Yes, of course! I'll be fine. Thanks for walking me home." I smile and wave as leaves.

The car pulls off with Leo. Walking to the apartment building entrance, I spot Avery there paying a delivery guy for some food. My insides immediately do a Cirque du Soleil routine. He holds the door open and lets me pass inside.

"Fancy meeting you here. Do you come here often?" he jokes. He looks clean and rested.

I laugh. "I've been known to pass through from time to time."

I check my phone, still no Max.

"Expecting a call?" he asks

"Yeah, from my brother." I sigh.

"I see. So look, I know I'm supposed to keep my distance until Friday night, and it's only Saturday night, but since we both seem to be in for the night, and I have all this Chinese food, do you care to share some with me?"

"I don't know." I debate the options in my head. On one hand, I won't be alone. On the other hand, being with Avery is almost as dangerous as being alone.

"It's okay, Al. Text me if you want to talk," he says, after I take too long debating. He starts to walk away. For a second all I can focus on is how fucking amazing his ass looks in his black, acid-washed, skinny jeans that ride low on his hips.

"Wait!" I finally say.

He stops and without looking back he chuckles. "Your place or mine?" he asks.

"Mine," I reply. I feel better being on home turf. Like I have the upper hand or something, but deep inside I know that's total bullshit. I never have the upper hand when it comes to Avery. He has a power over me that makes me go against every instinct I've ever have.

Before I open the door to my apartment, I lower my guard. "I can't believe she actually agreed." I hear Avery think.

It's not Avery's thoughts I'm interested in though. I'm searching to make sure no one is waiting to ambush me in my apartment. When I sense everything is as it should be, I unlock the door.

I let Avery pass, locking and chaining my front door closed once we're both inside.

"Kitchen or couch?" he asks.

"Couch is fine. I'll get plates and drinks. Beer, soda, water, or wine?"

"Beer's good, if you don't mind," he replies.

I walk to the kitchen, and as I do, I put my walls back up. The only thing is, my block works for Avery's thoughts, but not his emotions. I can still sense his excitement. I find it almost impossible to block his emotions no matter how hard I try. I always feel them so intensely.

I grab a beer and a bottle of water, along with some plates and utensils. No alcohol for me. I need all my wits about me to make sure I don't do something stupid.

I go back to the living room and Avery is flipping through television stations. Saturday Night Live is on. He leaves it there and grabs the beer I hand him. "Thanks!"

I sit next to him and plate food onto both plates. There's a comfortable silence that settles between us as we eat and watch TV. We laugh at the silly sketches and Weekend Update. I kick off my shoes and pull off my sweater, revealing the cooler tank top I have on underneath. Getting up, I grab water for the both of us and invite Avery to get comfortable if he likes.

When I walk back to him, he has his shoes off and his legs folded underneath him. He's leaning back into the couch, laughing. I can't help but stare at how handsome he is. His square jaw and defined cheekbones. The piercings under his bottom lip draw my eyes to how kissable they are. His fitted black t-shirt clings to his muscular torso. Those eyes of his are always mesmerizing and it takes all my willpower not to reach out and run my fingers through his long loose curls.

I have never really taken the time to admire his tattoos, but looking at them now, they're finely intricate. He has two full sleeves from what I can tell. If there's more I haven't seen enough of his bare skin to know for sure. The thought of his bare skin, again makes wetness pool at my center.

I feel like a horny sixteen-year-old. Unable to control my hormones around him. Maybe it has been too long since I've had sex...

I realize I haven't thought about being murdered the entire time I've been with Avery tonight. He makes me feel safe. I'm not one hundred percent sure why that is.

"Thanks for dinner," I say as I hand him a bottle of water.

"Thanks for having dinner with me," he replies. "It's a heck of a lot nicer than eating alone."

"Do you mind if I get out of these jeans?" Shit, poor choice of words. I immediately regret saying them.

"By all means, please do." He flashes me the sexiest smirk I've ever seen.

I excuse myself to my bedroom and close the door behind me, bracing myself against it and breathing heavily.