How do you know if you’re one of the damned? As a child, Don wanted to become a priest. Now a grown man mostly at ease with being gay, he’s left the Catholic Church and has chosen instead to help people through his work as a parole officer. His strong faith is shaken when his latest assignment turns out to be Michael, a young man Don hasn’t seen since he took Michael to church as a child -- and saw his parish priest cast Michael out of the church as a demon. Meeting him as an adult re-ignites the obsession Don had with the boy he couldn’t save. But can Michael be saved at all? Or is the strangely compelling demon with a taste for risky sex as damned as he believes himself to be?

Angel

“I see you never made it to the priesthood.”


Don fought down the defensive feelings that rose up in him. It hadsounded like a challenge, though. “No. I’m no longer a member of the Catholic Church, as it happens. I attend a non-denominational church downtown. I find they’re more accepting.”


Andras’ eyebrow raised slightly. “Have a lot to accept, do you?”


Don’s lips tightened. “I’m gay.”


There was a definite smile, now. “Oh? I’m guessing you’re never short of a date on Saturday night.” Andras pulled out the chair on his side of the desk and sat down unbidden. “You know I used to think you were an angel? After we left Clarkson, I got books on all that stuff. Used to hide them under the bed so Mom wouldn’t see. You looked just like the pictures of the angels—all blond hair and pretty face, the light of God shining in those heavenly blue eyes of yours.”


Chapter 3