Tom realised that they would never have a say in it when they were shunned out onto the street, and with the library doors locked behind them. "What do we do?" he asked hopelessly. "We can't just let all of these innocent demons die."

"Do you think Kie and the others know the truth?"

"Maybe they've been spinning us in circles." Tom looked up to see Ezra glaring straight ahead of him. "I don't think we can trust them anymore."

"I don't think we can either," Ezra said, taking Tom's hand and pulling him back towards the pub.

The morning was still sunny, and warm with the promise of a sweet spring breeze. Tom would have loved to invite Cal and some of his other friends to the pub. He would have loved to drink in the sunshine. But that was a time before Ezra, and before he knew what he did now.

"We can't let this happen," Tom said. "We just can't. But the other option is an uproar."

"Why are the demons doing this in the first place?" Ezra asked. "There has to be a reason. They want something, and I don't think it's just to fight."

"How do we find out?" Tom asked, and Ezra slowed his walk, so he could look at him as they moved.

"Monelle," he said. "If she was telling the truth about loving a demon, she wouldn't let this happen."

That night, Ezra went looking for the angel. Tom lingered tiredly by the back entrance of the pub. He wanted to go to bed and sleep peacefully after his long shift. But really, Tom hadn't felt peaceful in a while. Today he had been distant, snappy with customers, and distracted.

He had gotten so many orders wrong that his father had pulled him aside to ask what was going on. Tom didn't know how to tell them that an angel was planning on wiping out every demon in the country. So, he apologised and said he was tired, and that he needed an extra break that evening.

Ezra was also distracted as he worked his full shift after being almost beaten to death. But the night had been calm, and no demons had entered all evening.

Tom paced back and forth in socks on a wooden floor, so he didn't make too much noise. The noisiest part about him was his deep anxious breaths. He was worried for Ezra, and hoped that he wouldn't get himself into more trouble looking for Monelle.

He hoped Ezra didn't have to travel far to find her.

He waited another thirty minutes before sleep tempted him to crawl back upstairs and into his waiting bed. He stood up and stretched arms above his head, but as he turned to grip the handrail, the door opened.

Tom expected Ezra to be ducking under the door with an angel following closely behind. So he was surprised to see Kie standing there, dripping rainwater all over the floor.

"What-"

"Come with me," Kie said urgently. "Now, Tom."

Tom hesitated. "Why?" he asked, gripping the handrail.

"Come, or I will force you to come."

Tom shivered when another figure appeared in the doorway behind him. He could fight two demons, but then a third appeared, and a fourth, until Tom realised the entire group was outside his home.

"I'll get my shoes," he murmured, thankful that he was already by the shoe wrack. The last thing he wanted was for a group of demons to trudge through the house when it was past midnight.

He also grabbed a waterproof coat and zipped it up to his chin before he was led outside. The group swarmed him, and Tom had a peculiar feeling that he was being protected by them. "What's going on?" he asked, but all he got in return were weak smiles.

The rain came down hard, a total switch from the sunny day. He felt cold almost immediately, wearing a t-shirt underneath and shorts. But still, he walked.

They led him up the country road, past Cal's street, and towards Berry pond. Once there, everyone turned to look at him, and he was painfully aware that he was the centre of a demon circle. If any of them turned on him, he wouldn't be able to fight his way out. Though he could summon Ezra, but would that be too dangerous for him too?

"Please tell me what's going on," Tom said in a firm voice, showing no fear.

"Ezra has been seen asking for an angel. You were both spotted this morning talking to Othrowan. I think it's you who should be telling us what's going on," Kie said, crossing his arms in a manner that always meant business.

Tom looked around at all the faces. Each one was unique in their own way. Some wore battle scars, some had piercings, and some had features that showed how time had worn them down. But all of them had the same expectant expression.

"Do you know why Ezra left for a few days?" he asked, when silence followed, he explained that Ezra had gone to talk to other demons he knew about the angels.

"And why did he come back beaten within an inch of his life?" Kie asked.

"Because he's an ex angel. He has far more enemies than friends. Othrowan caught wind of what he had been up to when an angel tried to collect him for Soul Stripper duties. But Ezra was too sick to go. So Othrowan wanted to speak to us about it. He wasn't happy." Tom had chosen his words carefully. He didn't know who to trust, so he didn't want to tell them the full truth.

Kie nodded slowly with his words. "See, I told you there was nothing to worry about," he said as if Tom's loyalty had been the topic of conversation.

"But why is Ezra looking for an angel now?" Another demon asked.

"He's wanting to help her with something. Something I don't think I'm at liberty to say," Tom confessed. "It's nothing to worry about."

The demons glanced at each other, and for a moment, Tom wondered if he had just chosen the wrong path, and made them more suspicious.

"You're right," Kie said. "It is none of our business. We shouldn't have dragged you out of your home like this in the middle of the night. Ezra will be worried about you."

"Worried?" a voice snapped behind them. Tom knew who it was, and not just from his voice, but from the fear in the other demon's eyes. "You mean to tell me that Tom had no choice here?"

Ezra stood next to Tom, immediately putting an arm around his waist.

"I'm sorry Ezra, but we thought you had both been up to something behind our backs. We felt like a little intimidation would help get to the truth quicker," Kie said, holding up his hands.

Tom felt Ezra's grip on him tighten. "You had no right," he said lowly. "And a little intimidation? In the dark, you force him to come with a group of demons to a secluded place to question his loyalty, and you call that a little intimidation." Ezra made a low noise of distaste. "If you ever do this to him again, you will not be here to see the sunrise. Have I made myself clear?"

"Look, we had a valid reason for doubting you both. We just-"

"Have I made myself clear?" Ezra spat through gritted teeth.

Kie sighed heavily before nodding with defeat. "We won't do this again."

"You won't ever go near him again without me there." Ezra lifted his arm from around Tom's waist and enclosed it around his shoulders instead. He pulled him away and stormed down the path and back onto the road.

Tom could barely see his own hand in front of him, so Ezra held on until the lights from the pub's first floor loomed into view. "Did you listen to what I told them?" Tom whispered.

"Yes. You did well," Ezra replied, and only when they were inside and Tom was taking off his coat, did he see the distraught look in Ezra's large brown eyes.

"I got back, and you were gone, and I could tell demons had been. You should have summoned me straight away."

"I didn't want you to be in danger," Tom said, which earnt him a lengthy stare.

"Thomas O'Connell," Ezra said, gripping onto his shoulders. "Don't ever think like that. We are in this together now, are we not?"

"We are," Tom said with an apologetic smile. He gripped Ezra's waist, and their bodies leaned together. "I'm okay."

"Good." Ezra kissed his forehead and made sure to circle his gaze around Tom's face. "I would kiss you more, but there's an angel waiting in your bedroom."

"Monelle?"

Ezra nodded. "I found her fifteen miles from here. She was by a stream, crying."

Tom shuddered at the thought of seeing an angel that upset. "What was she crying about?"

"Well, her demon lover has just broken away from her for good."

"But she said that it couldn't work between them."

"Yes, but she told me she had been meeting in secret, but it was getting harder and harder with the choir stuff."

"Is the demon local?" Tom asked, following Ezra up the stairs.

Ezra paused in the hallway and leaned close to whisper, "It's Kie. He's Monelle's lover."