I took in a deep breath and turned the knob. The door squeaked as it opened and I paused. No one came, so I quickly slid out, quietly closing it behind me.
Outside, the air was cold and they sky was crystal clear; millions of sparkling stars gently illuminated the world around me. I glanced up to the tower and noticed the light was on. I could feel Ethon. He must be up.
I looked down at my arm and saw I was still invisible. Then something moved in the tower. It was Ethon, staring out the window right at me. Maybe he could feel me too. I quickly stepped back, pressing my back against the door and waited a few moments. When the feeling subsided, I checked again, and he was gone.
I felt bad for Ethon. Because of the bond, which found us compatible, I did have strong feelings for him. If it were just him in the picture, it would have been an easy decision. Easier, of course, without his evil incarnate father hovering above us.
Even though Ethon wasn’t like him, he still grew up in that world. It was all he’d ever known, and some of it had to have rubbed off on him.
Soon, I would have to choose, but first, I had to get to my destination and make it back alive. Hopefully, with questions answered.
I unsheathed the dagger. Holding it to my lips, I whispered, “Where is the portal to Midway?”
Although the dagger was invisible in my grasp, I started to see a dim glow. As I moved it around, pointing it in different directions, the glow would disappear and then reappear straight ahead of me. I hoped it would be guiding me in the right direction. By the looks of it, I’d be starting my journey into the dark, unwelcoming forest.
A loud shrieking caw caused me to jump. I glanced up, and Ash was flying directly above. His glossy ebony wings were outspread, soaring in the dark, cold sky. Ash was Lucifer’s eyes, and the thought of him watching me sent a skin-crawling shiver through my core. I started to second guess myself, but I couldn’t let the fear overcome me.
I waited another few moments until he finally disappeared over the tower.
Taking a step forward, I was embarking on another journey, determined to find answers and hopeful to regain control of my future.
Once the whole crew found out I was missing, I knew they’d immediately start a search party. Moving quickly was key, especially with Lucian’s legion out there. If they found me, I was as good as dead.
HURRIEDLY, I FOLLOWED THE DIM glow of the dagger which led me into the forest, further and further from my safe haven. There was no turning back now.
I ran through the never-ending spruce, as fast as my feet could carry me. Branches scratched and snapped at me; my heart and pulse thrummed faster and faster as I ran deeper into darkness. The dim glow from the moon and stars was almost immediately snuffed out by the thick boughs above, making it nearly impossible to see.
With the Fallen and Darkling on the prowl, I had to be smart and I couldn’t let fear stop me.
The dagger led me deeper and deeper into darkness. My skin crawled, feeling as if hundreds of wicked eyes were on me, watching and waiting for a chance to rip me apart.
A sudden gust of wind and a shadow, darker than the dark above me, made me stop dead in my tracks. I took in a deep breath and held it, catching a familiar scent and along with it, the amulet began to emit warmth on my chest.
Fallen were here.
I pressed my back against a tree and stayed frozen.
“Do you smell it?” one asked in a low, gruff voice.
“Yes, but the scent… it’s neither Fallen nor angel.”
“What do you think it is?”
“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.” The gruff voice boomed in laughter, sending goose bumps across my skin.
Two figures dove from the sky and hit the ground like thunder, making the ground quake. They reminded me of the Fallen we encountered in the forest on our way toward the North Pole. They were handsome with dark features and dark hair, but that meant nothing. These beautiful creatures were filled with evil. They must have been warriors because they wore some kind of armor over their chests. Their arms were bare and bulging with muscles.
I moved further into darkness, watching them carefully, holding the dagger tightly in my grasp.
“The smell is much stronger here. Maybe there is more than one. I’m catching a faint scent of Fallen.”
“Do you think it could be one of the Nephilim?”
“It could be, though I thought we killed all the others. We could be wrong. There might be one trying to make it toward the dome of protection. Maybe we can find it and kill it before it reaches safety.”
“What if it’s one of them from the inside?”
“I doubt it. Coming outside of protection would be a death wish. This is probably one we missed. We better find it and kill it quickly. Lucian will give us an extra reward if we bring back its head. Maybe we’ll get a day off.”
Deep wicked laughter boomed through the forest.
“It’s so close. I can smell it.”
Bastards. I wasn’t an it. I wish I had my power so I could kick their asses. Yes, coming out here was a death wish, but I did have some aid. The one who was “watching from above” wouldn’t have left me the note if they didn’t believe in me. I knew I was doing the right thing. I just needed to stay alive.
The Fallen crouched, sniffing the air. I tried not to breathe, but my breath wasn’t what would give away my location. I slowly bent down and picked up a rock. As soon as it touched my fingers, it disappeared, and I thrust it as far as I could.
The Fallen immediately snapped toward the sound and took off. I ran in the opposite direction, as fast as I could. Assuming I was far enough away, I stopped and hid behind another bunch of trees. My lungs felt like they were going to explode.
I hoped and prayed one of my gifts would be wings. I needed them, especially right now. Oh, to be invisible and fly… I would definitely be a force to be reckoned with.
I quickly unsheathed my dagger and held it out in front of me. It was dark, and I swung it around until it started to glow.
A sudden overwhelming feeling crashed through me like a bolt of lightning, nearly bringing me to my knees.
Ethon.
He must have been looking for me because I’d been gone for over an hour.
“Who’s there?” one of Lucian’s Fallen asked. Damn they were fast.
“What are you two doing here?” Ethon asked.
“Well, look at this,” one of the Fallen said darkly. “We are hunting, and it looks as if we caught ourselves a Nephilim after all.”
“Are you threatening me?” Ethon questioned, without an ounce of fear in his voice.
I caught sight of him, faintly catching his silhouette, along with the other two. They were huge and towering over him. His eyes glowed a dark crimson, the color I’d witnessed when he was upset. Everything inside me wanted to run to his aid, but knew if I did, this whole deal would be off.
Nothing could stop me. I had to keep moving, but first, I had to make sure he was going to be okay.
“So, you’re the bastard son of Lucifer. The eyes are unmistakable. If you think we are afraid of you, you’ve got another thing coming.”
“You must be a special breed of stupid, because you should be very afraid. Especially of this bastard son and Nephilim,” Ethon taunted in return.
The two Fallen roared with laughter, but he stood his ground.
“Before this night’s end, we will have two Nephilim heads to present to Lucian. And with the head of Lucifer’s son, it looks as if we might have an extended vacation,” one jested in a condescending tone.
“Yes, maybe we might even get a whole century off,” the other laughed.
Without speaking another word, Ethon lowered his head, his beautiful black wings expanding across his back and out to the sides. Before the Fallen knew what was happening, he jumped up and spun like a whirlwind. His wings, as sharp as blades, quickly and easily severed their heads. Both toppled to the ground, their lifeless bodies following behind with l
oud thuds. Their laughter was immediately silenced, and I could feel my lips turn upward as pride warmed my heart.
He was a killing machine, and I prayed he and Kade would never have an encounter.
Ethon tucked his wings behind his back and began to sniff the air, his eyes became a much softer red as he stepped closer in my direction. I pushed myself behind the tree.
“Emma, I know you’re out here. Please. It’s not safe. Let me take you back.” He was pleading.
I wanted to answer him, but I couldn’t. The pull of the bond was tugging at my heart; the fight was burdensome and exhausting. But I had to remain strong. It was essential for me to find answers before I made my final decision, and until I did, I’d have to keep my heart and mind guarded.
I hated how the bond toyed with my emotions.
“Alright then, Emma. You win. I don’t know what you’re up to or where you’re headed, but please be safe.” I glanced around the tree and watched him turn his back to me and walk away. After a few steps, he paused. “I just hope you know, if I really wanted to find you, I could have – quite easily. Your Guardian sent me to find you and bring you back, but I won’t interfere. You must be here for a reason.” He paused, keeping his back to me. “The area is clear from Fallen. If you need to go, now is the time. The others will be coming soon. I will make sure no one harms you. All I ask is that when you return, we have a chance to talk. You at least owe me that much.” With a flap of his wings, he was gone.
Dammit. Why did he have to be so freaking bad-boy perfect? He was really complicating things. Ethon and Kade were polar opposites, and I was equally attracted to both. Yes, the bond was magical and had chosen the perfect mate, but in my isolated case it was torturous, making it nearly impossible to choose between the two.
Once I made my choice, I knew a hole would forever remain in my heart. Both of them had a piece of it, and both were equally matched, except in mortality.
I sighed and tried to push it all out of my mind. I had to regain my focus and keep moving. Knowing Ethon was out there seemed to ease my fears.
I continued to move, steadily following the glow of the dagger, hoping it was leading me toward the portal. The suit kept me warm, but it didn’t do anything for my thirst or hunger pains. After hours of walking, the lack of sleep also caught up to me. I had to stop and rest for a while.
Ahead of me, five spruce trees were somewhat intertwined, creating a small area of protection between them. I gathered bunches of spruce needles and placed them inside the area to act as a cushion. It wasn’t nearly as comfortable as my bed, but it would work.
I could barely keep my eyes open and needed to rest, if even for an hour. I was still invisible as I curled up into the tight space, the dagger grasped tightly in my hand. Feeling safe and secure, I closed my eyes and immediately fell to sleep.
The snapping of branches nearby made me awake with a jump. I lifted the dagger in front of me, still invisible, but noticed the forest was dimly lit. The sun was beginning to rise.
I overslept. Pushing myself out of the space, I scanned the area and when I was sure it was clear, I stretched my tired muscles. As I turned, I noticed a brown satchel hanging on one of the branches of the tree next to me. I pulled it off and opened the flap. Inside was a small bag of assorted nuts, jerky, two bottles of water and Kade’s blue flask.
What the heck was going on? Someone knew I was here, and also knew I was hungry and thirsty. It wasn’t Ethon. Yes, he was out there, but I didn’t get the feeling I usually had when he was near. This was someone else; there was a different scent in the air. It was someone I hadn’t met yet. But how did they get Kade’s flask? Did he send this person to me? My head spun like a whirlwind with even more unanswered questions.
I climbed back into the space and opened the satchel, taking out a piece of jerky and a few nuts. After I ate them, I began to feel a little better. The water was ice cold, and in no time I emptied a whole bottle. Next, I lifted the blue flask and placed it to my nose. A faint scent of Kade remained, warming my insides. I unscrewed the cap and placed it to my lips, taking a small sip. The magical liquid immediately worked its way through my cells, taking my aches, pains, and tiredness away. This was just what I needed to get moving.
After placing everything back in the satchel, I climbed out from the space, and slung it over my back. I had more than what I needed for this journey.
It would be another full day of walking, but at least the light made it much easier to travel. With a renewed vigor, I followed the light of the dagger. If I kept up a quick pace, I’d be at my destination in no time. I figured that I had traveled more than half the distance last night. The rest of the way should be easy.
No sooner than the thought left my mind, I felt heat on my chest. I glanced down at the bloodstone amulet, which was glowing bright red. I ducked behind a fallen tree and listened.
Nothing.
Just as I was about to peek from my hiding spot, a loud shriek sounded, shortly followed by the clanging of swords. I ran, not caring which direction I was heading.
As I looked toward the sky above, I gasped. At least a dozen pairs of black wings soared, darkening the sky above me. They knew I was here. They could smell me. With so many of them out there, I knew it was just a matter of time before they caught me. Even Ethon couldn’t take on all of them by himself.
A battle was waging above me, and I wasn’t sure who was fighting.
After a few more seconds, I felt Ethon arrive. Then, hearing Samuel’s voice made my heart sink. They were fighting for me. Fighting because I was out here. What had I done? They’d better not get hurt because of me.
“Emma!”
I turned and thought I was dreaming. I blinked my eyes a few times, but the vision didn’t disappear. Kade was standing in the distance, looking directly at me.
“Kade?” I called out, but still questioning.
He ran over and wrapped his arms around me. “Thank God you’re okay,” he breathed. “Dammit, Emma. I’ve never been more terrified in all my life.”
“How did you find me?”
“Ethon told me where you were. He and the others are dealing with the Fallen, and they wanted me to come and get you.” He steadied my face in his hands. “Why did you leave?”
“I had to, and I’m not going back.”
“Why? Why are you putting yourself in danger? I don’t understand.”
“I can’t tell you.” My heart was breaking, and a tear trickled down my face. “You just have to trust me.”
“I do trust you, but you need to tell me why.”
I shook my head. “I can’t. I want to, but I can’t. Please don’t ask. You just have to believe me.”
“Okay,” he said, pulling me back into his arms, and kissing my forehead. “Can you at least tell me where you’re headed?”
I stepped back and looked into his concerned eyes. “Midway.”
“Midway? Why?”
“Please. I’ll go alone, just tell me how much further it is.”
“No way. You aren’t going alone. I’m your Guardian and will take you there. I need to make sure you’re safe. It’s about ten miles away.”
“Thank you,” I whispered.
“You’re welcome.” He extended his hand toward me. “We better get moving.”
Kade had me by the hand, running through the trees. I would never have been running this fast, but he seemed to know exactly where he was going. Ten miles. If we kept this up, we could be there in a few hours.
After running for what seemed like an hour, Kade stopped.
“Why are we stopping?” I panted.
“You need water and rest for just a minute, and then we’ll get going again.” He took the satchel and pulled out the blue flask. “Here, take a sip.”
“I’m fine… and by the way, how did you know the flask was in there. Who brought it to me?” I questioned, looking deep into his eyes.
He paused, his eyes locking onto mine. “You have things you can’t
divulge at the moment, and so do I.”
“Fair enough,” I said, and he smiled.
I took a sip from the flask and instantly felt my heart and pulse rate slow. I felt good as new, and ready to run the rest of the way. “You’re turn.” I handed him the flask and he hesitated, but I stood firm. He finally took it and sipped, then twisted the cap back on.
“Where are the others?” I asked.
“Probably busy keeping the Fallen away. There were only a handful of them. Nothing they can’t handle.”
“Are you sure they’ll be okay?” I asked.
“There hasn’t been any Fallen who can beat our group. Especially with Samuel…” he paused, “and Ethon. They’ll be just fine.”
“That’s good. I wouldn’t want any of them to die over me.”
“They’ll be fine and those going up against them will get what’s coming to them. Most of the time the Fallen are so filled with pride, it becomes their downfall.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re here. Thank you for coming for me, and not taking me back.”
“I’m still yours… your Guardian that is. At least until you make your final decision.” He flashed a half smile.
“Hey,” I said, grabbing hold of his hand. “Yes, you are most definitely my Guardian, and right now I need you.”
He glanced at me and nodded, then pulled me closer to him. “We really need to talk when we get back.”
I sighed and nodded, knowing I was bound from telling him the truth. “I know.”
He smiled, his eyes slowly slipping downward.
“What?”
“That suit. You know what it does to me,” he said flirtatiously.
My face flushed with heat. “It’s impenetrable,” I answered.
“Nothing is completely impenetrable. There’s always a weak spot.”
“And you think you know where it is?”
“Oh, I’m pretty sure.” He grinned and I blushed.
He softly lifted my chin with his fingers until my eyes met his. “Emma, I want you to know that my heart had never felt fulfilled, never felt whole, until I met you. After being in existence for nearly two centuries, you were the only one to unlock something deep inside of me; something I never knew I possessed. My heart is no longer my own. It now belongs to you, and will remain yours, even if you decide to give it back.” Leaning forward, he leveled his beautiful eyes to mine. They were swirling with so much emotion. His closeness was my weakness. “I love you, Emma, and I would do anything to keep you safe and make you happy.”