End of Days (Penryn & the End of Days, #3)

by Susan Ee

“If you’re worried about pervs breaking into the house, it’s not going to make a difference whether I’m in this outfit or in baggy jeans and a sweatshirt. Either they’re decent human beings or they’re not. Their actions are on them.”

These are not the screams of an angry man. These are the nightmare screams of someone having his soul torn to pieces right in front of him.

“You’re matching me up with a pig farmer?” He shrugs. “Or whatever it is that decent men do when they’re not at war. Although he should be able to protect you. Don’t settle for a man who can’t protect you.” He rips a piece of tape from the dispenser with a surprising amount of force. “You’re serious? You want me to marry a pig farmer who knows how to use his pig poke to protect me? Really?”

Sometimes, I feel like my whole life is lived in this twilight space between sunshine and darkness.

But I realize now that the toughest choices, the ones that will haunt us for the rest of our lives, are ones that my mom is still sheltering me from.

“I know one thing,” says another guy closer to me. He wears glasses with a big crack on one lens. “Whether it was the angels or gangs or demons from hell who put the bounty on that girl, it ain’t gonna be me who turns her in.” He shakes his head. “Me neither,” says another man nearby. “I heard it was Penryn who saved us from that nightmare on Alcatraz.” “Obadiah West saved us,” says the woman. “And so did those funny twins. What were their names?” “Tweedledee and Tweedledum.” “That can’t be right.” “I kid you not.” “Yeah, but it was the girl Penryn who told them to do it. She’s the one who got them to rescue us.” “I heard she threatened to sic her monster sister on them if they didn’t.” “Penryn—”

“Well, at least there will be four of us in the fight.” I try to sound extra cheery. “Three,” says Sanjay. “I’m just here as the expert. Guys like me, we’re lovers, not fighters.” “You’re a fighter now,” I say, pulling him toward the water.