“Mira,” Auralee uttered.
“Put whatever is in your hand down, Kern,” she ordered and the cell phone dropped to the floor. He looked surprised that he had responded to her. Turning towards Mira, he waved his hand throwing her back. When she fell her head hit a rock.
Fury rose in me, and I stepped it up a notch making him groan a little. He seemed to be saying, “I don’t understand.”
Auralee touched my shoulder, and I grabbed the dagger off my leg and jammed it into his chest. He yelled out in pain. I yanked it out and shoved it back in him. He screamed out again. One more time, in the heart, I reminded myself. I pulled the dagger out, and I looked him right in the eyes. “Go to hell,” I told him and thrust the dagger into his heart as hard as I could.
He staggered backwards gasping for air. He tried to take the dagger out, but I kicked him and he fell to the ground. I stood over him, which made me feel superior. His face was a twisted mess of confusion. “How can you do this?”
I giggled a little. “Didn’t you know? I’m part angel!” Then I stomped on the dagger driving it completely through his heart. I watched as he took his last breath and the life drain from his eyes.
Within seconds, Vala and Ramsey were next to me. “Well done.” Ramsey patted me on the back. I looked around for the other demons, but they were gone.
I rushed to Mira’s side. “Are you okay?” She had a cut near her temple and blood was dripping down from it.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
I sat down on the ground and looked around. All my hard training had paid off. Relief filled my body along with anxiousness. What was I supposed to do now? Was that it?
The way Vala looked at me sent another shiver down my back. “Kassia,” she said, “only this part is over. If you think Kern was the only evil creature in this world, wait until you see what’s coming. It’s a battle that’s gone on as long as life itself. Good versus evil. Kern was just a pawn in this battle. Don’t let your guard down, any of you. Keep training. Keep practicing.” She put her hand on my shoulder. “Remember I told you that you were special, that your time was coming?”
“Yes.” I nodded.
“This wasn’t it.”
“Oh.” Her words left an unsettling feeling in the pit of my stomach.
“We will take care of Kern’s body. You can go enjoy your friends now.”
“What will you do with him?” I asked curiously.
“Burn him.”
“Oh.” I don’t know what I had expected, but that wasn’t it.
I stood up and helped Mira to her feet. We took a step towards the school, and then I remembered something. “Wait. What about my parents?” I turned back, but Vala and Ramsey were gone. “Hmmm.”
The three of us walked back to the clearing. Daxton, Zane, and Noe were waiting for us. I looked beyond them and saw some people getting their injuries taken care of. Some were walking around a little dazed and confused. Unfortunately, others were still on the ground.
I ran to Daxton and gave him a proper reunion hug. His warm arms wrapped around my body, and I began to sob. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
“I’m just happy,” I muttered, looking up at him. “I’ve missed you, and I was scared you might have replaced me.”
He smiled. “I think it’s a little too early for that.”
“So, you’re not with anyone else?”
“No.” He brushed my bangs away from my eyes with his fingers.
My heart leapt and I grinned. I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him fiercely. His hands held my face, and his soft lips played with mine. I pulled him against me, pressing our bodies together. My fingers dug into his shoulders, but nothing in me wanted to stop.
“Tell me,” I said, in between kisses, “that you still love me.”
He pulled away long enough to meet my eyes with his perfect brown and gold eyes. “I love you, Kassia. Now and forever.”
I smiled through my tears and began kissing him frantically again. The power in me rose, like it had done that night under the stars. We were whisked away to different dreamlands, each for only a second. When we were done, reality returned, and I buried my face in his chest. I could feel his heart racing, matching mine.
I turned to the rest of my friends. Mira was leaning against Zane. Looking at Zane I said, “Thank you. I see you would have kept both of your promises.”
He blushed. “I wasn’t sure—”
“I know you weren’t. I appreciate it. You would have saved the day if it wasn’t me.”
“You’re the one that saved the day,” he said. “If it wasn’t for you, I don’t think we would have made it.”
“Thanks. You guys were doing pretty well without me.”
I hugged Noe. “You didn’t see anything?”
“Of you? No. Not until I saw the battle. What I saw didn’t make sense, so I thought some of my own emotions were seeping in somehow.”
“I missed you, Noe.”
She smiled. “I missed you too.”
“And Auralee, thank you for being able to read minds. Not sure what I would have done with Zane if you couldn’t. “
She laughed. “Um…sure.” She hugged me. “I’m so glad you’re alive. Mira and Daxton were like little lost puppies.”
I looked over at Mira. “I missed you so much.” I swallowed hard.
She put her arms around me. “I missed you too.” We both had tears streaming down our faces. “Living without you was miserable.”
“I know. It was the same for me. I never want to go through that again.” Our eyes met. “You’re my best friend, Mira.”
“And you’re mine.” We hugged again. “Now, I want to hear what happened including how you got so awesomely terrifying, but start with this whole being part angel thing.”
I laughed and started the long story of what had happened as the six of us walked back to the school arm in arm.
* * *
None of them noticed as a pair of red eyes watched from the forest.
* * *
Roots and Wings
Sequel to The Ultimate Sacrifice
About The Author
Talia Jager has been writing as far back as she can remember. School summer vacations were spent writing stories. Bedtimes were ignored when she would hide under the covers with a flashlight, notebook, and pen. She even kept whatever story she was working on under her classwork in school.
In high school, she took all the English based classes she could. At that time the choices were limited to creative writing and journalism. She graduated high school with her major in English and her minor in French. She attended college and while she did take English classes there, she graduated with a degree in early childhood education. It wasn't too much longer that she fell in love and had a family. Writing got pushed to the side for a while.
Now, with the support of her family, she has published the books she had finished and continues to write young adult dramas.
Talia lives in Texas with her husband and five daughters. Her published works include Damaged: Natalie's Story, Teagan's Story: Her Battle With Epilepsy, If I Die Young, The Ultimate Sacrifice, Secret Bloodline, and Lost and Found. Roots and Wings is the next book in The Gifted Teens Series and is due out early 2012.
Connect with Talia online:
Blog — taliajager.blogspot.com
Facebook — Facebook
Twitter — Twitter
An Excerpt:
Coexist
by Julia Crane
Chapter 1
Keegan’s call echoed in Rourk’s mind as he was finishing his set. She always came to him when he least expected her, after which he was unable to focus on little else but her. His hands gripped the bar tightly, and he tried to ignore the pull of her thoughts. He tried to focus on training, on the cold steel and the smell of sweat in the room—anything that could take his mind off of the one girl who owned it.
Taking a deep breath, he shook his head and unclenched his jaw, quickly
finishing up the set. He had to force his hands to uncurl from the bar; it was almost painful. The tips of his fingers were bloodless—a fine metaphor for how she usually made him feel. He wiped his face and tossed the towel in the bin. The rest of the workout would have to wait.
Using one of his secondary gifts, he closed his eyes and visualized her face. It was nothing for him to picture her, to bring her into focus like a high-powered lens. Rourk smiled. She was at her favorite spot: A private corner of paradise on her parents' land.
Her beautiful auburn hair blended in with the fall leaves that surrounded her. The dress she wore was pale green and ankle-length, flowing ethereally around her body so that she was like an oasis in the rust-colored woods.
Rourk watched a smile spread across her face as she inspected a rock from the creek, and he laughed when she slipped it into her camera bag.
The first time she had thought his name—several years ago—it had taken him hours to navigate to her location. When the pull came now, it was just a twenty-minute hike through some familiar woods.
Grabbing his bag, he jumped in his old, beat-up truck and headed towards his chosen, probably driving a little faster than necessary. It was an urgent need to be near her when he heard her call, so he could never get there fast enough.
When he reached her location, he hastily climbed the rugged terrain. The dirt had the loose feel of earth unpacked by human feet; with every step, he sank a little, hindering his progress. The sun sparkled through the canopy above him, illuminating the path he forged through the trees, though it didn’t offer any warmth in the cool afternoon. A branch scraped him across the face and he impatiently pushed it to the side, hardly caring whether it had left a mark. Finally, he reached the top, bursting through the tree line and into pure daylight.
Rourk stood rigid, his lean body tensed as he looked over the edge of the jagged cliff. Why do I do this to myself? I shouldn’t even be here. She’s killing me. I have no self-control.
In the elfin society, life mates were predetermined using complicated methods to ensure ideal matches. The secret of this formula had a need-to-know basis; meaning, he would never know how the auburn-haired beauty was chosen for him. There were many creatures in this world, but his kind held their secrets close to their chest.
There were certain rules his kind had to follow. One’s lifemate may have been chosen at birth, but the first and most important rule was that they could not meet until they both turned 18. Growing up knowing that one’s other half was out there waiting brought a sense of comfort to Rourk. Ordinarily, neither knew their other half until they became of age. Their society believed it was better this way so they could enjoy their childhood.
So how did he find her?
Someone had told her his name. His chosen pulled him closer to her each time she thought of him. It was as involuntary as breathing. When he was younger he could resist with ease. As he got closer to being of age, curiosity got the better of him. Sometimes he wished he’d resisted so he didn’t have to endure the agony of waiting now.
Although, he loved seeing her even if it caused him pain.
Rourk focused his attention back on his chosen. She was standing on the rocks as the water rushed around her feet—camera in hand, as usual. One minute, she skipped across the rocks like a child, and the next she would stop, a look of total concentration taking over her face. That was when she started snapping photos.
Staring at her, Rourk squatted and rested his hands on his knees, wondering what she saw through her lens. He watched as she jumped from a rock and slipped as she landed on another, her arms flailing as she almost fell into the water.
His heart lurched. A strong need to protect her filled his body, and if her laugh hadn’t echoed up to him like music, he was poised to jump in after her. But instead, her face broke into a huge grin as she steadied herself and continued to take photos. Rourk relaxed, content to stand and watch her for hours.
Rourk didn’t even know her name, but he knew he’d never seen anything so magnificent in his life. Her wavy hair glistened in the sunlight. She had a delicate, round face with large, blue-green eyes and full lips. With her cheeks flushed from the cold fall air, she reminded him of a porcelain doll. He knew all too well, though, that looks could be deceiving. She looked sweet and innocent, but it was her eyes that gave her away. They were bold and daring, constantly observing her surroundings. Rourk smiled to himself; she would soon belong to him.
It took a lot of self-control not to approach her, but Rourk knew that would be breaking the rules. He had long ago accepted that they were in place for a reason, and he had to be patient. Their time would come. Unfortunately, she was over a year younger than he, which meant he would have to wait longer than he would like.
He pondered this as he watched her pack up, lovingly storing her camera away in its bag while her hair fell softly over her face. It wasn’t until she had disappeared down the path to her house that Rourk finally turned and left.
Keegan sat at her small, black desk looking through the photos she’d taken that morning. Her hair had been driving her crazy for the last hour, falling over her face with nearly every movement, so she pulled it into a bun. Securing it with a pencil, she continued to study the shots. She noticed there were a few decent ones she could add to her Tumblr page; she had a small circle of followers there who seemed to enjoy her pictures as much as she loved taking them. She loved photography. Life was nothing more than a series of moments and a picture could capture that moment.
Her moments often felt empty. Sighing, she turned her head to gaze out the window, her chin resting in her hand as she let her mind wander. If she had Rourk, maybe she would feel…more fulfilled. All she knew about her partner was his name. Thaddeus, her brother, was a seer. He had told her when she was younger that if she ever felt she was in danger. she should think of Rourk’s name.
Of course, she thought his name often, even when she wasn’t in danger. She loved the sound of it: Rourk. She believed he would be a powerful warrior like her father, but she wouldn’t know for sure until they met. It was possible he could turn out to be a seer like her brother or a healer like her mother. There were many powers passed down through their elfin bloodlines.
Keegan smiled, leaning back in her seat to prop one barefoot on the edge of her chair. Most humans automatically imagined elves as Santa Claus’s little helpers with enormous ears and fuzzy green tights. That couldn’t be further from the truth.
Seriously, she had never met an elf that worked for Santa.
Evolution had allowed them to blend in with the humans. The females tended to be smaller than average. Most were only between 4’9”-5’2” tall. The part about pointed ears was true. However, their ears were pointed in a cute way, and not overly large like those in most mythology projects. Due to the fact that their ancestors were from Ireland, the elves tended to have reddish hair.
Her room didn’t look like an elf’s room that was for sure. Two of her walls were pale lavender, a color complimentary to the vivid emerald green of the other two. She had posters of her favorite bands and several of her favorite snapshots framed all around the room. The bed was large with a fluffy purple comforter and four fat pillows upon which a few of her childhood stuffed animals were propped.
And there was the light—lots of daylight from her windows. Her room was her safe haven, almost as much as her spot in the woods…
Keegan was startled out of her thoughts by the sound of the door opening downstairs. It was too early for her parents to be home and her pesky brother was at Sam’s house. She closed her eyes and pictured the front door, and what she saw brought a smile to her face. It was Anna, one of her best friends.
Anna had been trying to sneak up on Keegan since they first met in the fourth grade. It was a point of pride and stubbornness on Keegan’s part; she refused to be anything but the best. It drove Anna crazy, but luckily she was too laid back to care. Keegan debated with herself whether or not to let Anna succeed
just this one time. Smiling to herself, she knew that was not an option.
She focused her mind and felt the familiar tingling throughout her body that came with using her gift. She was in no hurry because Anna couldn’t see her—invisibility was Keegan’s main power. Personally, she thought it was the coolest ability in the family, but the others did not agree. Her mom thought it was ironic that invisibility was her ability because Keegan always wanted to be the center of attention.
Down in the kitchen, Anna wistfully looked around. She loved coming to Keegan’s house. It always felt so inviting; there was a certain calmness that radiated throughout the home. It was probably the soothing sound of the rushing water from the massive wall fountain, or maybe it was the energy from the crystals collected by Keegan’s mother. Whatever it was, the moment Anna stepped through the door, a sense of serenity washed over her.
The house felt empty of inhabitants. Only the chirping of birds outside the open window broke the steady hum of the refrigerator. The large wooden table was clean, all six placemats perfectly spaced around a lovely centerpiece of wildflowers Keegan’s mom must have picked. Anna put a hand to the tabletop and closed her eyes, just allowing the peace of the home to overtake her. She needed it.
Anna didn’t seem to be aware as Keegan crept up behind her, trying not to laugh. Her best friend was off in space and had no idea she was there. She focused her mind again and, amid the tingling, she materialized before tapping her friend’s shoulder. “Gotcha!”
Anna turned and laughed, feigning surprise.
Oh Keegan, I always know when you’re there. If you only knew that I have secrets of my own.
Anna never let on because she knew Keegan enjoyed winning. It was a small price to pay to keep her best friend happy.
As usual, Anna’s green eyes were outlined in heavy eyeliner—blue today—and her lashes were long and thick. She had shimmery pink lip gloss on her pencil-lined lips; she looked like a rock star.
Keegan glanced over her eccentric friend’s outfit to see what style she’d adopted for the day. Her bangs, which she habitually pushed to the side, were now purple beneath a black top hat that only Anna could have pulled off. The rest of the day’s ensemble of choice consisted of a grey tank top, a blue cardigan, and a pink skirt with bright yellow flowers that came just above her knees. To pull the look together, she wore sparkly silver Converse shoes.