SOUL MATES (Angels and Demons Book 3) by Brenda L. Harper Page A

said, reaching up to touch Stiles’ face. “Thank you for caring so much about me. But I am a big girl.”
    Stiles studied her face and saw in her eyes the same stubborn determination he often saw in Dylan’s eyes when she fought to get her own way. He knew no matter what he said she would never change her mind. So he just pressed his lips to her forehead and sent a warning to Raphael:
    If you break her heart, I will make sure you suffer more.
    Trust me, brother, Raphael said, it is I who will suffer the broken heart.
     
     
    The food was amazing; the company more carefree than people aware of the threat that loomed constantly over them had the right to be. For just that one night, the community forgot about the dark souls and the wrath they perpetrated on the humans as often as they could. Even Stiles found himself forgetting his troubles for a while.
    After the food was packed and put away and the children were gathered and placed in their beds, a group of musicians gathered in the center of the park in the seashell shaped band shell that was built on a whim a few months before by a building enthusiast who’d spent a lot of time at Rachel’s library studying her materials on the old society’s architecture. They played songs that were remnants of the war, many of which were about hope and resilience and survival. There were a few ancient tunes that were remnants of the time before the war, songs about romance and heartbreak, but those were few and the lyrics were mostly lost to time.
    Caryn had been circling Stiles since the picnic had begun, giggling with her friends every time he glanced her way. It reminded him a little of a girl he once knew when Jack James’ group settled in Pennsylvania toward the end of his time with them. Robbie. She’d had something of a crush on Stiles despite the fact that Rebecca was pregnant with Harry at the time.He didn’t even see it until the night Mammon and his crazed buddies descended on the settlement. There’d been a dance that night, too.
    A few songs played before Caryn finally worked up the nerve to move away from her friends and make herself available. Two local boys immediately sought her out, but they quickly scattered when Stiles approached.
    “Would you like to dance?” he asked, holding out his hand with a bit of a flourish.
    Caryn looked like she was going to burst, but she managed to take his hand and stay on her feet as he led the way to the area the town had designated as the dance floor. Stiles turned to face her once they stood among the other couples who were enjoying this excuse to hold each other close in public. She wouldn’t look him in the eye, but she moved quite willingly into his arms. Stiles had to admit it was nice to hold a soft, feminine body close again. He’d forgotten how nice it could be.
    “I think we’re making a few people jealous,” he said to her after a minute.
    Caryn didn’t turn to look like most girls would. She just moved her slight shoulders in a little imitation of a shrug. “Let them be.”
    “Those boys seemed pretty intent on dancing with you.”
    “Those boys are just that…boys. They’re always doing stupid things to try to get my attention.”
    “That’s just because they like you.”
    “That doesn’t mean they can act like fools. They embarrassed me last week when they told everyone that I was going to come to this dance with the two of them.”
    “Is that why you asked me?”
    She looked up at him, a furious blush on her pale cheeks. “You’re so much more mature than them. And I saw you—you and the others—fight those demon things. It was impressive.”
    “Impressive?” Stiles shook his head. “Not impressive. Dangerous and frightening.”
    “You were scared?”
    “I would be stupid not to be scared.”
    “You fought them even though you were scared. That’s even more impressive.”
    Stiles just shook his head again even as he drew Caryn closer to his chest. He found himself watching the other