The laughter snapped off, and the next time Kaitlyn lifted her head she'd returned to the little room at the back of the church. His laughter kept echoing in her head. She could still taste the saltiness of his cum in her mouth. Worst of all, she could sense his presence, almost as though he was there in the room with her.

Kaitlyn flipped onto her back and sat up, her heart pounding so hard her chest ached. But the room was empty. She could almost cry. She remembered. She remembered! And it was exactly what she'd feared her dreams were—worse. She was a slut! She was whore! How could she? How could she?

She thought of Jacob and the rest of the angels. She'd betrayed them. All their kindness and patience—and look what she proved herself to be. Father Bartholomew had been right to do what he'd almost done. Perhaps she should just die. If she couldn't even resist him in dreams, then how was she going to resist him in reality?

You cannot resist me. You were designed for me.

No. It wasn't because of that. She was just weak. That was all. She was disgusting. Even now, as she wallowed in her guilt and misery, she felt herself burning. She was so wet. She was so hot. He hadn't satisfied her. The urge to complete what he'd started was so strong her hand was down her skirt before she stopped herself. No. This was a church! And there were angels in the next room! Besides, what if God was watching?

Kaitlyn gazed into the darkness, panting. Grabbing up her pillow, she crushed it to her chest. She'd never felt so filthy in all her life. Shame and guilt and horror tied a sicking knot in the pit of her stomach. How could she look at herself again? How could she look at Jacob or the others again? If they knew what was happening, what would they think of her?

It made her want to vomit.

She'd never done something like that before, never in her dreams and certainly never in reality. It was disgusting. And yet, even as she remembered, she felt herself aching for the experience, she felt herself yearning for him. To have him back in her mouth ... To have him inside her ... To have him coat her in his seed ... To fall pregnant to him ... To have his baby ...

Appalled, she turned her head. What was happening to her?

Her skin prickled, sticky and dirty. She desperately needed the bathroom. The electric light threw eery shadows against the walls. She looked down the hall. The light seemed brighter. Please let it be morning. She couldn't go to sleep again.

'What am I going to do?' she asked the darkness.

The walls were silent. The darkness was suffocating. She dropped her face into her hands with a gasp.

For the rest of the early morning, Kaitlyn stayed in her room, staring at the wall, waiting as the grey light down the hall grew brighter and brighter. She couldn't go out there. How was she going to face them? They would see her shame. Her guilt was probably written all over her face.

When she thought of Jacob her heart lurched. After all his efforts, she couldn't even do her bit. Surely, resistance was a simple thing.

And she couldn't even do that.

Kaitlyn turned at the sight of movement, a man's shadow thrown up against the wall. The sound of footsteps followed. Wriggling back into bed, she threw her blanket over her head. The footsteps got closer. She sensed someone standing in her doorway.

'Kaitlyn?' a voice said quietly. It was Zeke. She didn't move. She didn't want to move. Let him go away. 'Kaitlyn?'

It could be worse; at least it wasn't Jacob.

After several moments, he left and Kaitlyn curled up in a ball, biting at her knee.

She stayed resolutely awake as time slipped by. Then she heard more footsteps, louder this time. She sensed another presence in her doorway. Kaitlyn kept herself hidden away. She was thirsty. She was hungry. And she was busting to go to the toilet. Not to mention she felt so incredibly uncomfortable—she desperately needed a change of clothes, particularly her underwear. Kaitlyn wondered if the angels had thought to bring her any in their bags.

Whoever it was turned and walked away.

It was maybe an hour later, maybe two hours, when a third presence approached, but this time they entered her room.

'Kaitlyn,' came Jacob's voice, much too close. Kaitlyn jerked back. 'You have to get up now.'

'Too tired.'

Silence followed. Kaitlyn squeezed her eyes tightly shut. Please don't ask.

'Is something wrong?'

And there it was.

'No.'

'Let me see your face.'

'Why?'

Silence. She sighed. Slowly, she pulled the blanket from her head. 'Better?' His presence was like a stab in the chest. Whore. Traitor. She gave him a quivering smile, then yawned, a big lie of a yawn that made her feel a little embarrassed. 'There's nothing wrong. I'm just tired.'

His glorious emerald gaze seemed to bore straight through her. Kaitlyn kept her eyes safely lowered. She knew he didn't believe her in the slightest.

'You must at least eat. We have breakfast for you,' he said.

'Okay.' Another quivering smile that wouldn't convince a doorknob. It was his gentle face—it always did it to her. It was hard lying to a face like that. It was hard keeping secrets from a man like him. She pulled the blanket back over her head before he could see her tears. 'I'll be out in a moment.'

Kaitlyn didn't lift the blanket until she could no longer hear his footsteps.

After straightening out her dishevelled hair and clothes as best she could, she switched off her light and walked dizzily down the hall. She'd been in bed for way too long. Probably several hours too long. The air felt warm enough that she thought it was probably close to midday. Kaitlyn winced. She was busting to pee so much it hurt to walk.

Zeke, Samuel and David were present. A table and a chair had been erected by the steps of the chancel, just like in the last church. There was fruit and bread and juice. It looked like the angels had gone out again for more supplies.

'Where's Jacob and Catherine?' she said, keeping her eyes averted.

'Out keeping an eye on things,' Samuel answered. He gestured at the food. 'You should eat.'

Kaitlyn winced again. 'Bathroom.'

Zeke went over to their pile of supplies and removed a roll of toilet paper and what appeared to be a bedpan. Her eyes widened. Where did he even get one of those? 'What-what is that for?'

'To relieve yourself in.'

Kaitlyn stared at him. 'I'm not using that. I want to use a toilet.'

'There is no running water here. The church is abandoned.'

Of course it was.

Shit.

Kaitlyn slowly shook her head. 'There must be another way.

'There is no other way,' Samuel answered. 'You cannot leave the church's hallowed ground. Not even for a moment. Else our enemies might discover you.'

'I was in the car, and they haven't found us.'

'We were on the run.' He looked around the nave. 'We hope to stay here for as long as possible. And we can't do that if you keep popping in and out to relieve yourself.'

'Just this—just this once?'

He stared at her. 'We aren't letting you out. Not again.' The unspoken reminder of what she'd done rang around the room.

Kaitlyn bit her lip.

Zeke handed the bedpan to her with a sympathetic smile. 'Don't be embarrassed. We know all about the human condition.'

'Yeah, well, that doesn't really make me feel better.'

She looked around the nave.

'There's a room down the back,' David helped, pointing past the chancel.

With a nod, her cheeks burning, Kaitlyn hurried away.

Again, the room was like a cell. They'd left another lantern glowing in the corner. It was the most awkward and embarrassing situation Kaitlyn had ever been in—but it was done. She stepped away in disgust, her underwear around her knees. She couldn't put them back on. She just couldn't. They were so filthy and wet and sticky. If she put them on again, she'd probably get an infection. Besides, all they did was fill her with shame.

Kaitlyn chucked them in the corner as she leaned her forehead against the cold hard wall with a groan. Now that she no longer felt the pain of her full bladder, all those burning sensations returned in full force. Clamping her knees together, she tried to think of non-sexual things: the beach; her pets; her dead grandmother; what was awaiting her for breakfast. But nothing worked. He kept flashing in her mind. Breakfast—all it did was remind her she'd already had something to eat. Something hard and long and explosive. She remembered how it rippled in her mouth. Pressing her forehead harder into the stone, she bit her lip. Her thoughts turned to the angels. Naughty thoughts. Sinful thoughts. Even towards Catherine.

But mostly to Jacob ...

She had to do something. She couldn't go back out there with all those beautiful men—looking so much like him. Kaitlyn winced as she thought of their broad shoulders and narrow hips and what lay hidden beneath their pants. It made her feel so hot, so guilty.

Shaking her head, she reached into her skirt and touched herself. Just like Satan had, she used long slow strokes as soft as his tongue. It didn't take long. Once she was done, she quickly wiped herself down with toilet paper, then washed her hands vigorously with the bottle of hand soap Zeke had also given her.

Satan's face flashed in her mind—and it was grinning triumphantly.

She returned to the nave, feeling a little better (physically, at least), though she was getting one of those throbbing headaches she usually got following one of her more intense dreams.

The angels were spread around the church as she sat down for breakfast on her plastic seat in front of her plastic table. She wondered where they'd got it all from. They didn't have cash. Did they even know how to shop? Did they not feel exposed in their hoodies? She remembered the three dazzling figures back on the street. Jacob. Catherine. David.

Angels.

How could they do such normal things as shopping?

Kaitlyn ate.

They were working so hard and doing so much to help her, even when she was making such grave mistakes, that it felt wrong to ask anything more of them.

She was halfway through her cereal when she finally built up the courage. 'Could I-could I ask a favour?'

'Anything,' Zeke said, leaning his big shoulder against a pillar as he gripped his elbows. He was half-naked again, his silken black hair gleaming against the daylight as it tumbled down his bare chest. His amber eyes were smiling.

Kaitlyn cleared her throat. 'I'm in desperate need of a wash, deodorant, n-new underwear, clothes. Is it at all possible you can get me some? I feel ...' Kaitlyn grimaced. She did not like this no underwear situation, particularly when she was so ... hot all the time. She crossed her legs.

'It's not a problem. I can go shortly,' Zeke replied.

'What about Catherine? Shouldn't she do it?'

'Catherine is an angel, not a woman. She knows no less and no more than the rest of us.'

'Right.' Kaitlyn started buttering her bread. She gazed at the knife a moment, then went back to buttering. 'Oh, and could you get me a razor? And,' she twisted her mouth as she felt the heat fill her cheeks, 'some feminine hygiene stuff.'

He nodded. 'I can do that.'

Kaitlyn glanced at him. He didn't seem disturbed or uncertain. He wasn't embarrassed. Angels were certainly not like men.

Kaitlyn watched as Samuel disappeared down the back of the church. Moments later, he returned bearing her bedpan. Her belly twisted into a knot. 'What are you doing?'

'I'm getting rid of it.'

She stood. 'Let me do it.'

'I told you before you can't leave the Church. I must do it.' And he walked up towards the front doors. David opened them and he went through.

Kaitlyn winced as the door shut behind him. As she sat, she swallowed down the bile in her throat. 'I can't do this.' Her hand started to tremble around her knife. She shook her head. 'How am I going to do this? Twenty years! Do you believe him?' She looked up at Zeke and David beggingly. 'Do you think this is a battle we can't win? Do you think I'll ... I'll ...'

She swallowed hard as the bile rose again.

Satan's hungry blue eyes rose up before her. I missed you.

'We can't know what will happen,' David said. 'But you must have faith that God will triumph. He always does.'

All Kaitlyn could do was nod, though his answer rang hollow in her ears.