Free The Devil's Soldier by Rachel McClellan Page A

sleep; every part of her was alert and full of energy.
    She headed to the front desk, but she didn't make it all the way. She collapsed into a nearby chair and pressed her fingers to her lips. Lucien. She didn't realize how much she had missed him until she had come face to face with him. She'd kept all of these emotions for him buried the last few months, all to make sure he was safe. If she had felt even a fraction of what she was feeling now, she would have gone to him immediately.
    She couldn't stand being away from him any longer.
    After making sure no one was watching, Eve stepped back into the small entryway into the bathroom and imagined the rooftop belonging to the apartment complex across from the Deific building. In less than a second, she was transported on top of it, next to an old air conditioning unit. It hummed with life, rattling loose screws and bolts.
    She walked to the small ledge. The Deific building was on the other side, and most of the lights were off except for on the first and second floor. No doubt two security guards were on duty in the lobby, but she wondered who was on the second floor at this late hour. Could be Henry and or maybe even Charlie, although she thought Charlie would have been with Lucien.
    Lucien wouldn't be back yet, but she hoped she would be able to see him when he returned. For that to happen, she needed to make sure none of Boaz's followers were watching the Deific.
    She closed her eyes and summoned the magic within in her. When her eyes opened, she looked through magic-filled lenses. The Deific building was aglow with a soft light that radiated upwards, pushing back the darkness of the night. It was a supernatural glow, one created by the good deeds of those who worked with in its walls. But something was tainting it.
    A long black tendril resembling the thorny branches of a rose bush had wrapped itself around the entire building. Parts of its limbs had twisted inside the windows. Lucien may no longer have a spell on him, but the entire Deific building was cloaked in dark magic. If Eve went inside, maybe even if her name was mentioned, Boaz would be alerted. She needed to find the source and eliminate it.
    She surveyed the quiet streets below. Not many cars were out, and even fewer people. Two men in worn clothes were just below her, sitting against the wall of an all-night coffee shop as if they were asleep. There was something off about them that made her spine crawl.
    Just then, the door of the coffee shop opened and a woman stepped out. The top of her head was balding severely. She also felt wrong. Eve concentrated harder. These people weren't humans—not entirely, anyway. They were Diablos, demons who have taken over human bodies. It wouldn't be long until the Diablos had lost all of their hair, teeth, skin color—anything that made them human. Eve sensed more of them within the coffee shop. Although disturbing, they were not the cause of the dark magic currently infiltrating the Deific. Most likely, they were there because they were attracted to its power.
    Eve walked the perimeter of the rooftop, scanning the area. That's when she spotted it. In an apartment kitty-corner from the Deific, a window was darker than the rest. It wasn't just black in color, but exuded an energy that seemed to smother all light around it. The darkness pulsed with power, making Eve's heart race. It was a power she once had, and it was both alluring and frightening.
    Approaching from the east, Eve sensed another powerful presence, but it felt the opposite from what she was experiencing now. A smoke-like apparition flew through the air. It was a bright light, a star zooming across the night sky. Only those with magical "eyes" would be able to see its glory. 
    Lucien.
    He dove into the alley next to the Deific and materialized together within the darkest of shadows. Eve resisted the urge to rush to him. The dark witch must be dealt with first.
    Eve was about to turn away when the front door of