.lovelysweet.

Ilana frowned again as she thought about what Michael had said. He looked down at her with his infinitely kind eyes and she tried to avoid them, not wanting to get lost in them. Not again. Not ever.. She had gone down that road and at its end was only heartache. This time, she knew better than to give in. But when he reached out and pulled her to him, just close enough for her to feel his glow, his incredible warmth, his strong energy.. she felt her eyes well up. Dammit, no tears! she told herself. He gently reached up and cupped her cheek with his hand, then tilted her chin up to him, his eyes holding hers despite her willing them to look away. "Tessy... " he started.. "Don't.. don't use that name.. you know its Ilana now.." she said quickly, willing him to look away. But he didn't. "You will always be Tess to me." he said, a softness in his voice, and intimacy that she had so often willed away from the recesses of her memory. "...

After finding a secluded area to change, Ilana readied herself for the hunt. Her senses attuned at all time outwards, listening, sensing, feeling, while at the same time holding her emotions in check to keep the energy field around her as neutral as possible. Demons and angels had a special affinity for each other, and even gifted humans could sense her.  She didn't need to worry about humans in this town, that was for sure , she thought as she hid her wings. Riflnig through her knapsack, she found found clothing more appropriate for demon hunting.  Once dressed, she stashed her knapsack, and picked up her sword. Weighing it easily in her hand, with a seemingly effortless movement, she spun it around her fingers then above her head to slice in the air with deadly accuracy. The blade hummed. Ilana smiled. While she could easily use a less precise weapon, the most efficient way to kill a demon and be sure it was dead was to cut its head off. Most hunters had their we...