“Good,” Jude exhaled a puff of smoke in Tristan’s face. “I’m glad you’re listening. That girl behind me? The one you seem to think you have some kind of claim on? She’s not for you. She doesn’t even exist in the same world you live in. So it’s time to back down gracefully now, and let better, more qualified men have her attention. You’re a waste of her time.”

I opened my mouth to yell obscenities at this jackass. Honestly, who did he think he was? But before I could, Tristan surprised us both by punching him soundly in the stomach.

Jude bent over at the impact and a whoosh of breath rushed out of his mouth. He took a step back, smiling a malicious grin, and bounced on the tips of his toes as if he were getting ready to box. He pointed at Tristan with his middle finger and then sucked in a deep puff from his cigarette.

“You’re a surprise,” he chuckled.

Tristan looked easily as dangerous with his stoic expression and every single one of his muscles was tensed and ready. He shook his head at Jude and seemed to choose his words carefully. “I don’t know who you are and honestly, it doesn’t matter. But what you need to understand is that there is nothing in this Universe that will take Stella away from me. So you need to back the hell off and leave her alone. Or things will go badly for you, my friend.”

I didn’t know what to do. I was used to Tristan and Seth fighting for me, but Jude was kind of a wild card. And I didn’t entirely understand his motivation. Was this all contract related? What was his end game? And why was he picking fights with a human?

I looked down at Jude’s glowing hands and decided it was time to step in, “Jude, stop.”

He glanced over at me, taking another drag from his cigarette and met my stare with his deep gray one. He looked back at Tristan and then back at me. “You’re right.”

And then he walked away again. He stopped near the office door, stomped out his half-finished cigarette and yanked the office door so hard the glass rattled. He disappeared into the office and leaving Tristan and me again.

“Who is he?” Tristan demanded before I even had a chance to take a deep breath.

“Fallen,” I whispered.

“Then what is he doing here?” Tristan must have picked up all the signs, because he didn’t seem surprised that there was a completely evil being walking around the halls of our high school.

I turned back to face Tristan and give him my full attention. It was time to fill him in. “He’s here to protect me.”

“What?” I almost laughed at how disbelieving Tristan sounded, but held it in. This situation was way too messed up to be funny- except in the I’ve-finally-lost-my-mind-completely way.

“When Seth left, he didn’t just join the Alliance of Evil, he sold his soul in a contract to it.”

“Really? Comic book references?” Tristan chuckled despite our heavy topic. “You’re such a

nerd.”

I shrugged and continued, “This contract is absolutely binding. And it’s what we call a ‘third-

party contract.’ So it took three signers to complete the pact: Seth, who sold his soul to protect me from any kind of harm until I’m eighteen. Aliah, who bargained his own life to ensure Seth’s loyalty. And then the third party- Jude. He is like the leverage both sides need. If he lets something happen to me that is not fatal, he dies. If something happens to him by one of us, Seth dies.”

“And what if something fatal happens to you?”

“Aliah dies.”

“Sounds like all the bases are covered.”

“Exactly,” I nodded. “Except the part where I’m not a pawn in some sadistic game of Spy vs. Spy.”

“Because without his soul….?”

“Seth is basically Fallen,” I filled in the blank. “He has nothing to hold onto his Light. He has no tie to goodness, or humanity or his purpose on Earth. He just exists as a lost individual constantly in the company of the worst evil in the galaxy.”

“And when you turn eighteen?”

“We’re all released. Supposedly Seth gets his soul back and I’m officially fair game again.”

“Why until your eighteen? That’s fifteen months away. That seems like a random time frame.”

“When I turn eighteen, I come into the fullness of my powers. I’m assuming Seth did this so I could have a fighting chance against this thing. That’s the only explanation I could come up with.”

“I wasn’t thrilled with Seth,” Tristan took a step forward and pulled me against his chest. He wrapped his arms around me and I immediately buried my face in his chest, needing the familiarity of his body close to mine. “But I like him a hell of a lot more than this guy.”

I let out a tense laugh and nodded. “He’s kind of crazy, right?”

“So crazy.”

“At least I have you. Thank you for not going anywhere.”

“Are you kidding?” Tristan pulled back and stared directly into my eyes, like he could see further than what was on the surface, like he could see what was in all of me. “You’ve got me Stella. For as long as you want me.”

I dove for his chest again and just let myself stay there. It was so weird not having to worry about Seth finding us like this, or worrying about making him feel bad. I loved Seth, yes. But I also loved Tristan; I loved him for a whole lot longer than I even knew Seth.

The strangest thing about this hug though, was that there was no guilt. No, I didn’t have to worry about Seth walking in on us, but in a way, I was still betraying him. And while he risked everything for me.

So why didn’t it feel wrong to hug Tristan?

There was something different between us, but I had no idea what it was. I had loved Tristan for as long as I could remember. He’d always been a part of my life. And he would always be a part of my life. I had to wonder if maybe I was ready to accept that fully. Seth was removed and now my heart felt free to choose completely.

Or maybe not.

It didn’t matter now though, because I needed this hug. I needed to let Tristan hold me.

I would figure the rest out later.

“Where are Serena and Nate?”

“You’re home early?” my dad commented when I slammed the kitchen door behind me.

“Soccer was canceled because of the weather.” I gestured through the kitchen window at the lightning and heavy rain outside. “Dad, do you know where they are?”

“Stella, sit down,” he ordered. He looked up over his book- some biography on World War Two- and gave me his “concerned” expression.

I obeyed and then took a moment to breathe. I was worked up from a day of Jude following me around and missing Seth and feeling confused about Tristan. And I didn’t want to sulk at home and think about how differently I could have behaved with Seth.

I wanted to kill things.

Lots and lots of things.

“How are you doing, kiddo?” Dad asked me. His bright blue eyes sparkled with life and his skin was brilliant with his inner glow. I loved my parents so much; they were always there for me. I couldn’t have asked for a better set. But I could see how antsy they were getting with their orders to stay on Earth. They were meant to fight, and they could only do so much of that here. I had been selfish before with my unwillingness to grow up and be who I was meant to be.

No more of that.

“I’m fine,” I shrugged, anxious to get out of here.

“You’re fine?” he chuckled.

“Ok, obviously I’m not fine. I’m thinking the best thing to do would be to go fight off some of this stress.” I gave him a charming smile and forced myself to sit still. I hadn’t told my parents or Jupiter about running into Seth the other day, because I couldn’t exactly tell them that he stalked me just so he could make out with me, and then embarrass me in front of his sister. And I wasn’t planning on telling them about the whole fainting incident at school either. I didn’t want to appear weak while I was trying to get my on-field experience upped.