Rayne heard Sagan’s muffled answer to her question, but couldn’t believe she’d heard right. “I’m sorry. Can you repeat that?”

The girls were laying in Sagan’s bed together, Rayne spooning her girlfriend as always, but something was wrong. Sagan was stiff and refused to face Rayne.

“I’m going out with Justin Friday night.”

If the Earth opened up and swallowed Rayne right then, she might feel better for it. As it was, she wanted to vomit while simultaneously needing fresh air for the heartache. “Why? What about us?”

Sagan curled into a tighter ball, not answering.

Rayne wouldn’t accept that. She hopped out of the bed and put herself in Sagan’s field of vision, begging. “Talk to me. Please. Don’t shut me out. What’s happening to us?”

The other girl’s violet eyes swam in tears as Sagan asked, “Don’t you think it’s time you grew up and dated a boy?”

Rayne recoiled as if Sagan had slapped her. “What?!”

“Keep your voice down. You’ll wake my parents.”

Had something sucked all the air out of the room? Because Rayne couldn’t breathe. Her heart sludged, bleeding with every beat. This couldn’t be happening.

Sagan reached out and cupped Rayne’s cheek. Her hand was soft and soothing and so very confusing. Sagan said, “I can’t stop loving you, and I’ve tried. You’ll always be the most important person in my life, but please let me try to be normal.”

Normal?

Normal?!

They were hybrids of a vampiric alien species and humans destined to save both worlds from an evil, sadistic King.

Normal?!

Rayne swallowed her tears and tried to keep her voice steady as she asked, “Can I use your cellphone?”

Sagan frowned, obviously not expecting that response. “Of course, but why?”

“I’m calling Xelan. I need to punch something.”

Rayne’s spinning aerial kick landed, and Xelan staggered back.

Three.

She didn’t give him time to recover.

One punch.

Two.

A kick to his ribs.

Three.

Four.

Xelan blocked and evaded, but at least Rayne could tell he was putting some effort into it.

Five.

Six.

She actually made him grunt. All the while, she put all her aching heart into every swing.

On the other side of the Sterlings’ garden shed, Rayne could grunt and shout all she wanted. With a war cry, she ran up onto the shed wall and almost swung her legs around Xelan’s neck for the takedown.

Almost.

Rayne plowed into him instead, straddled his ribs, and swung at him.

Seven.

Eight—

Xelan gripped her wrists like a vice. “Stop.”

No.

No, if Rayne stopped, she’d recall the tears in Sagan’s eyes as she begged Rayne for normalcy. Something which Rayne didn’t want or care to want. They weren’t normal. Both girls found men and women attractive, and both girls were training for an apocalypse. Rayne had only one thing going for her.

She could be ‘not normal’ with her best friend. Together. But now…

Rayne burst into tears sitting on Xelan’s diaphragm. How could Sagan just quit them? And for Justin?!

While Rayne hiccuped in sobs, Xelan gently rolled her off him and curled her against him in a much needed hug. He even kissed her hair, which made her cry more.

The best hugs.

They sat in the middle of Sagan’s backyard with Xelan rocking Rayne before he asked, “Do you want to talk about it?”

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No.

Yes.

Rayne mostly wanted to punch about it.

“Would a nacre help with a broken heart?”

Rayne meant her tenacity halfheartedly, and Xelan took it that way with a warm chuckle. “I’m afraid not. At least it never has for me.”

That was a curious thing. She separated them enough to peer at him. “You’ve had your heart broken?”

Xelan nodded solemnly. “Many times, and I’m here to tell you that unfortunately this will not be your last heartache. It’s a part of life, and I intend to see you have a long one.”

Rayne sniffled and wiped her eyes. “Sorry. Sagan’s shutting me out, and it hurts.” Rayne realized how immature she sounded, shored herself, and stood. “But don’t worry. I’ve still got my head in the game.” With a squaring of her shoulders, she reached out a hand to Xelan.

For a few heartbeats, he stared up at Rayne before taking her hand. Once Xelan towered over her again, he said, “It’s okay to experience your life, Rayne.”

She looked away. There were other things on her mind than Sagan—

No.

Don’t think about it. About him.

Unbidden, Rayne considered the heat of Nox’s hand. How hers was so much smaller than his. In all the times Nox had killed Rayne, he’d never comforted her or showed any signs of caring.

Until last night.

After which, Rayne spent this morning writing about it in her private notebook. Sure, she’d shared the battle aspects of the dream with Xelan from another notebook. But…

Not their conversations. Or how Nox’s smirk made Rayne’s pulse flutter with something…

Something wrong.

Feeling for Nox was wrong.

Rayne was wrong.

Despite her mature act, a hot tear rolled down her cheek. “What’s happening to me?”

Xelan wrapped Rayne in his arms, and she pressed her cheek against his chest, absorbing his wholesome comfort. Much needed. His voice sounded deeper this way as he assured, “You’re growing up, and it’s difficult for anyone. I can’t imagine what it’s like for someone with all this extra pressure.”

“I hate it.”

God, Xelan’s gentle laughter was the kindness Rayne needed right now. He separated them and promised, “It will get better.”

She looked around the shed toward Sagan’s house, resigned to her fate. “Yeah, but how do I face it until then?”

He spoke against her hair. “You’re mostly human. You need to do human things and spend time with your friends outside of training. Go back to the skating rink on Friday nights. Have movie nights with the others.”

It sounded like a worthy endeavor. Rayne asked, “But what about training?”

“We’ll still train, of course, but maybe we’ll skip Fridays or Saturdays. You need something normal.” Xelan smiled, and it lit Rayne up inside. “Go on a date, you juvenile delinquent.”

Even though it was too close to what Sagan had said earlier, Rayne knew where Xelan was coming from.

He chuckled affectionately. “Don’t let all this apocalypse business confuse you, Rayne. It’s not your life until it is, and until then, enjoy what you have.”

Honestly feeling better, Rayne beamed at her guardian. She shoved him playfully. “All right.”

Xelan made a show of rubbing his arm where she’d nudged him and then snatched up her wrist. He examined her biceps. “I feel sorry for anyone who tries to take you out. Look at these bad boys! Kicking my ass and throwing me around this yard. More’s the pity.”

“Thanks, Xelan.”

While Rayne was ready to fight Nox in her dreams, she wasn’t really ready to see Sagan curled in a ball in her bed. Her best friend’s back was to her, but Rayne could hear Sagan sniffling and saw her wiping her eyes.

Why was this so hard?

Disheartened, Rayne went to the living room and curled up on the sofa. The Sterlings wouldn’t ask why they’d slept separately, and Rayne was too exhausted to worry about it.

Her dream brought Rayne to the same stony chamber with red soil and a black blazing pyre. After three years of coming here, she realized this was Nox’s bedroom on Cinder. The table they ate at last night took up one third of the room. A desk and a set of armchairs took up another third. The bed, throne, and pyre comprised the final third.

Nox always began the dream on his throne.

Rayne checked out her change of clothes. Gone were the dancer’s pants. Now, she wore tactical pants with a multitude of pockets. Nox switched the wrapped top for a sports bra, displaying her abs, shoulder caps, and biceps. Rayne didn’t take offense. She knew Nox wasn’t interested in her that way—

But what about him holding her hand?

Rayne hugged herself, asking, “Why the change of wardrobe?”

Nox stood from the throne and took a menacing step toward her. “I thought you would appreciate an ensemble closer to your own clothing. It will improve your training. Check the pockets.”

Three knives of varying size.

One lighter.

And a length of chain, roughly thirty centimeters of it.

Rayne assessed the balance on the twelve-centimeter knife. “I find it funny that you’ll arm me, but I still can’t have shoes.” For emphasis, she wiggled her toes in the dirt.

Nox chuckled, and she enjoyed the rich sound. “I may deign to explain myself eventually, but not today.”

Tired.

Rayne’s bones felt heavy in her skin, weighing her down like someone had replaced her marrow with lead. She wet her lips, thought about what she wanted to say, and then decided it was worth a try. “Nox?”

Maybe it was the pleading in her voice, but the humor died from his eyes as he stopped his approach. When he asked, “What’s wrong?” Rayne wondered if the concern was genuine.

She hugged herself tighter, almost taking a step back, retreating to protect her broken heart. “Please. Just this one night, can you let me sleep? Please.” Her voice shook with the last, on the verge of tears.

Nox resumed his approach, coming around the fire. Purpose glittered in his eyes, and Rayne felt tears spill over her lashes. She did not want this fight tonight.

“Please. Nox, I can’t—”

Nox moved so fast, Rayne almost didn’t see it. Before she could “yip,” he’d scooped her up in his arms. Rayne felt tiny, and Nox’s arms felt like tree branches around her. Warm ones.

Rayne still couldn’t make out the entirety of Nox’s face, and what she could see was unreadable. Almost as abruptly as he’d lifted her, Nox set Rayne down on… a blanket?

A fuzzy rug or blanket had manifested before the fire. After he lowered her onto it, Nox sat beside her, watching the flames dance with that unreadable expression.

Was this…

Was Nox letting Rayne sleep?

She feared more underhanded tactics, but as the seconds turned into minutes, her body relaxed one muscle at a time.

When Nox’s voice broke the silence, it almost startled Rayne. “I won’t let you go—ever—but you can rest tonight.”

His words affected her in a way that she’d rather not scrutinize. Instead, Rayne curled onto her side, facing Nox. She could see the light dance in his eyes as he stared at the peculiar black fire. Nox’s gaze was intense, as if he’d found the answers to all his questions in the flames.

Rayne felt like an intruder, so she rolled away and tried not to think about Sagan. Or these complicated stirrings in her chest.

And other places.

Everything was so hard and confusing—

Warmth suffused Rayne, and she tensed. Nox laid down along her back and threw an arm around her, tucking Rayne closer to his front. Against her hair, he whispered, rumbling in his deep baritone, “Sleep, Rayne.”

Not only did Nox call her by her name, but he was giving her exactly what she needed. Held in Nox’s arms, Rayne found a second layer of sleep and dreamt of saving the worlds with love.