Aiden Lobo is a graduate student in a world where magic, gods, and demons are part of everyday life. After a terrible betrayal, he is cursed with a Crack in his heart, slowly turning him into a living doorway for an ancient war demon. If Aeshma breaks through to Earth, he will kill millions.<br><br>But before Aeshma can open the Crack, Aiden is rescued by his guardian angel, who uses his own Light to seal Aiden's heart. As a servant of the divine, the nameless angel was supposed to kill Aiden to avert the growing cataclysm inside him. But he loves Aiden too much to end his life, even to save the world.<br><br>It's impossible for Aiden not to love his warm, generous guardian in return. He names the angel Eskandar, but then learns to his horror that because Eskandar was created for him, when Aiden dies, Eskandar will too. The angel has long since accepted this fate, but Aiden refuses to. He will do anything to keep his beloved angel safe. But with no other recourse than to sacrifice himself to prevent the apocalypse, there's only one way for Aiden to save Eskandar: a terrible betrayal of his own.

A Crack in the Heart

Aiden pulled himself shakily to his feet, leaning heavily on the stump and looking for a weapon.


Aiden ignored that, too, in favor of kicking viciously at an imp before it got close enough to stab him in the thigh. Imps looked a lot like goblins, only bigger and red. This one had horns and a pitted iron sword it dropped when it ran away from him. The sword was more like a dagger in Aiden’s hand, but he figured it was better than nothing.


His cutlass was maybe ten feet away, near the edge of the clearing. Tanner and the warrior were in the way, but he might be able to get it.


I’m not leaving that guy to fight for me, he responded


You can barely walk, idiot. Maybe if you’re really lucky, Tanner will trip over your body when you pass out.The voice reminded him a lot of Cass.


Chapter 13