by Elena Gray
“Not good.” I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Has anyone heard from my uncle?”
Samara shook her head. “What’s going on?”
“Slade’s getting weaker.” I motioned for her to follow me as I guided Slade to the oversized chair near the fireplace. The coolness of his skin worried me. I grabbed a blanket from the basket on the floor and draped it over his legs.
“What’s happening with Slade?” Roark inquired when he, Quinn, and Jax gathered around the back of the chair. Their concern pulsed through our bond, causing my stomach to churn.
Having the four of them together made our connection easier to sense. We were stronger together, and what I was about to attempt would require their help. I just hoped it was enough to save Slade.
“Your brother’s soul is fading,” I finally answered. “If it’s not made whole again...”
I couldn’t say the words. Saying them out loud would make it real and I couldn’t allow that to happen. The ancestors wouldn’t have given him to me, only to take him away.
Blowing out a breath, I continued, “Anyway, I need to put his soul back together. I just don’t know how.”
Silence blanketed the room as all eyes settled on me. I was afraid my mates would think that I was crazy for suggesting this. Instead of finding doubt in their gazes, each one reflected the same emotion—hope.
“It might work, Katarina,” Nicholai encouraged me. “You’re a reaper with the powers of a witch. Your guardians are also a source of power. I’ve never heard of it being done before, but there’s also never been a reaper like you before.”
I tugged my lip between my teeth as I twisted my hands together. I wasn’t going to lie. I was terrified. If something went wrong, it would be my fault. But we had no other choice. I had to trust my gut and it was telling me that I was Slade’s only option.
“Where do I start?”
“By trusting your instincts.” A deep voice said behind me.
Gasping, I turned in time to see Uncle Mathias transforming from smoke into his physical form. He smiled at me just before I dove into his arms.
“Thank the gods you’ve returned. Can you help me?” I squeezed him tighter as my voice shook. “Slade’s soul is fading and I’m worried I’ll screw this up.”
As I spoke, Uncle Mathias rubbed my back, consoling me. When I released a deep breath, he eased me away. “This isn’t as complicated as you think. Like I said before, trust your instincts.”
“But what if–”
“Katarina.” He motioned for me to stop speaking. “You’ve got this. Tap into your energy and the bond you share with Slade. Your reaper abilities will kick in, and the rest will come to you. Trust me.”
How ironic it was that he used the same words I’d told Slade just before we came downstairs. I wanted my guardian to trust me—to have faith in me—but how could I expect it of him when I was constantly doubting myself? That had to change, starting now.
Kneeling in front of Slade, I wedged myself between his legs and leaned into him. His violet eyes stared into mine. I didn’t need our bond to know what he was thinking. His gaze said it all. It was filled with his trust, devotion, and compassion.
I shoved a shaky hand inside my sweater pocket and removed the sliver of Slade’s soul. Lifting his shirt, I placed it on his bare chest, then I closed my eyes.
The tether between us trembled. What was left of Slade’s soul faded with every passing second. I willed the piece under my hands to rejoin the rest and make him whole again.
Nothing happened.
Despite how much I willed his soul to merge, he was getting worse. I had no idea what to do. I was failing at this.
“Angel,” Slade whispered.
I forced my eyes open, afraid to look at him. He didn’t say anything else. He didn’t need to. Looking into the windows of his soul, I felt a sense of peace. I was doing this wrong. Instead of forcing my powers to heal him, I had to use our bond. He was my mate and our souls were connected. My powers weren’t controlled by my mind alone. They came from my soul.
As soon as the realization sank in, the connection between Slade and me jolted to life. His eyes widened just as a white light leaked between my fingers. Gray liquid pooled around my hands before his skin absorbed it. Then his body spasmed.
He grunted as the light in my hands spread over him, covering him in a warm glow. The pain and fear I sensed in our bond disappeared, and as I stared into his eyes, I felt his soul fuse together.
A silver light blinded me. Closing my eyes, I waited for the light to dim before I glanced at Slade. The serene expression on his face worried me. If it wasn’t for the smile creeping over his lips, I would have sworn I’d killed him.
“Slade? Are you okay?” I asked.
His smile grew wider and he pulled me up to his chest. He wrapped his strong arms wrapped around me as he covered my lips with his.
His body was no longer cold. The warmth I longed to feel had returned. I lost myself in the serenity of knowing he was alive. His soul was whole again and that was all that mattered.
When Slade broke the kiss, he held my face between his hands and studied me. My heart fluttered when his sexy smile returned.
“Thank you, Katarina,” he said. “I knew you could do it.”
I cradled his face and laughed when his beard tickled my palm. “You helped. I didn’t know what to do until I looked into your eyes. Then it all made sense.”
“To be honest, I said your name because I wanted you to be the last thing I saw if I died.”
“There’s an old saying amongst humans that the eyes are the windows to the soul. It’s true.” I brushed a thumb over his cheek, thankful he was safe and healing. My life felt complete now that I had all of my mates together.
“That old adage is true, Katarina,” Uncle Mathias assured me, joining us by the chair. “When you reap a soul or heal one, you must always look in the eyes.”
“I understand now,” I answered.
Roark, Quinn, and Jax hovered over us, eager to get to Slade. I eased myself off Slade’s chest and backed away. They took turns hugging their brother and telling him he needed to get back to his duties and he’d slacked off long enough. It was nice to see them smiling and teasing each other.
I smothered a yawn behind my hand while I watched my mates. Healing Slade had tapped my energy reserves, and I was swaying on my feet.
I was about to excuse myself to lie down when I felt someone staring at me. I glanced toward the sofa where Draven and Zander still sat. Zander was laughing at my guardians, but Draven was staring in my direction. When he realized I’d caught him, his cheeks flushed. Then he stood and walked toward me.
Offering him a warm smile, I couldn’t help but sense the nervous vibes he emitted. The instant he stopped beside me, he crossed his arms over his chest and glanced at Slade.
“Katarina, what you just did was amazing.”
“Thanks. I only wish I could have helped the other supernaturals who died because of Alastor Thornwell.”
His gaze shifted back to me. “That includes Samara too, right?”
“Of course it does.” I found Draven’s remark odd. Granted, I hadn’t had any reaper abilities when I’d found Samara dying outside the bar, but I had tried to get help. Samara was the one who wouldn’t let me.
“I’m sorry if it sounded like I was questioning your integrity. It’s not how I meant it. I just…”
His face twisted as he seemed to struggle for words. I knew he hadn’t come to terms with Samara’s death and that she haunted him every day. Literally. Okay, so technically she wasn’t haunting him, but she was a ghost.
“It’s okay, Draven. You don’t have to explain.”
“Damn, I’m screwing this up.” He scrubbed his face with his hand and groaned.
“I’m confused. What are you screwing up?”
His chest rose and fell with deep breaths while he stared at the floor. Whatever weighed on him was colossal. I sensed it.
&
nbsp; “I need to ask you something, Katarina.”
“I’m listening.”
Scratching the back of his neck, he gazed around the room as if he was searching for something. Then he looked back at me.
“Do you think you could do for Samara what you just did for Slade?”
“What do you mean?” He wasn’t making any sense, and I was so drained that I couldn’t decipher what he was trying to say.
“You just put Slade’s soul back inside his body and healed him. Could you do the same for Samara?”
“It’s not exactly the same situation, Draven. Slade was still alive. Alastor removed a piece of his soul, unlike Samara, whose soul left her body. Her corpse is six feet in the ground.”
I hated disappointing him, but I couldn’t help Samara the same way I’d helped Slade. She was gone. He had to accept that fact at some point. The way he pursed his lips said he was far from accepting anything.
“So, if you had her body, it would be possible to put her soul back inside it?”
“Draven…we both know this isn’t possible.”
“What if it was?” Draven’s eyes sparked with anticipation while he waited for me to reply.
“What are you asking?” I worried that his grief had pushed him over the edge. My concern for Draven spiraled through me and caused a rift in my connection with my guardians. I sensed them reacting to the tug of our bond. When I looked at them, all four were staring at me.
“Katarina, are you all right?” Roark asked.
I waved off his question. “I’m fine. It’s nothing. Draven and I were just talking.”
The way my mates’ lips pressed in a thin line said they weren’t buying my lie. I didn’t want to embarrass Draven or put him on the spot for what he was asking. Hell, I still didn’t know what he wanted.
The instant I glanced at Draven, he shook his head and sighed. “I asked if she could help Samara the way she helped Slade.”
Samara appeared at Draven’s side as everyone began talking at once. I rubbed my temples as a headache began to form. I really needed to lie down before I fell down.
I glanced at my uncle. His arms were crossed over his chest while he watched Draven. He’d remained silent through all of this. I worried about what he was thinking. Reanimating the dead had to go against the laws of the underworld. Would that apply to me, even though I was a reaper now?
Zander left the sofa and walked to the spot near the fireplace where Draven and I stood. “Is it possible?” Zander asked me. “Could you return Samara's soul to her body?”
I was about to respond when Samara positioned herself in front of Draven. “I know what losing me did to you and that you would do anything to get me back. But this is a form of necromancy. There’s no guarantee I’d come back the same.”
“Will you at least consider it?” Draven asked.
“Over my dead body. What if I come back as a zombie?” she replied.
Her response didn’t faze Draven. His brow quirked and he laughed half-heartedly.
“What is it?” Samara asked, her voice sharp.
“I don’t know how to tell you this.” Draven looked even more uncomfortable than he had when he’d been asking me about putting Samara’s soul back.
By now, everyone in the room was focused on Draven. Every movement of his hands as he nervously rubbed his neck or fiddled with the edge of his shirt seemed magnified.
“Well, try to tell me whatever it is,” she said.
He took a deep breath. “What if your body wasn’t technically dead?”
The final book in the Guardians of Magic is currently a work in progress. If you’d like to receive a release alert, please consider signing up here. Thank you!
About the Authors
Elena Gray has always had a vivid imagination. It took entering a writing contest to finally put her stories to paper, and that is how her first novel was born. She’s always coming up with new story ideas and she has pages and pages ready to be written.
She loves staying up late, and sipping vanilla lattes while devouring as many books as she can.
Read more from Elena Gray
www.ElenaGray.com
Kelli McCracken is an author of rock star-themed contemporary and paranormal romance. She loves penning a good, sexy story that stirs emotions and tantalizes the senses.
Most days you’ll find Kelli knee-deep in chocolate bars, coffee, and kooky characters. She is a connoisseur of chocolate, professional percolator, and a master in the art of procrastination. When she’s not writing, chatting with readers, or plotting her next story, Kelli loves to read, listen to music, and most of all, spend time with her family. She resides in Northeast Kentucky, is the mother of four, and is happily married to her husband, James.
Find more by Kelli McCracken
www.kellimccracken.com