“Don’t stop!” Adelia shouted at the last surviving demon. “Kill her. Kill her!”
Walter and Phinneas were too far away to do anything, and as Melina looked over at Henry, she saw that he was as well. Fear and hopelessness instantly consumed her as she fell back to the ground, clutching at her throat. The squeezing sensation had moved up to her windpipe now, making it almost impossible to get any sort of breath. All of her surroundings started to spin, making everything grow blurrier and blurrier.
You’re going to die, Melina, if you don’t do something. No one is going to reach you in time. It’s all up to you. You’re going to have to save yourself. You don’t want to die. You can do it. Trust in yourself.
Just at that moment she thought of Lee. He trusted her. That was the key to it all. Walter had even said so. She needed to help him with his problem, but she also needed to gain his trust. His complete trust. And she had it. And now that she was accepting that fact, she felt the pain start to fade away.
A faint white glow began to emanate around her, and it didn’t disappear. The pressure that was now over her entire body began to lighten as well as the tightness on her throat and lungs. Her fear and hopelessness were immediately replaced with confidence and faith.
All of a sudden there was a massive explosion of bright white light all around her that seemed to illuminate the entire park. The last demon and Adelia, who was right next to her now, were blasted into the air and out of sight. She then saw Walter, Phinneas, and Henry all running toward her, but just as she tried to call out to them, they were blasted back as well. She screamed as she reached for them, but it only made things worse for her. Everything around her went black as she slumped back down to the ground.
Chapter Thirty-Three
“Wake up. Melina, please, wake up,” the voice said.
Melina coughed and rubbed her throat before easing herself up to a sitting position. She looked around and saw Walter, Phinneas, and Henry all gazing down at her. Her eyes stopped at Walter’s, asking him the question that was burning on her tongue.
“It’s over,” he replied as his lips formed into a small grin. “It’s all over.”
“I’m not going to die?”
“No,” said Walter, shaking his head.
A rush of different emotions hit her all at once — relief, happiness, shock, triumph. She started to laugh and cry as she looked around at everyone again. “It almost seems too good to be true!” she exclaimed as she pushed herself up from the ground and flung her arms around Walter’s neck. Even though she was still smiling, she began to cry even harder.
Walter gently hugged her back, and for the next few moments, no one said anything.
Melina finally stepped back and wiped away her tears. As she looked down at her leg, she noticed the scarf was gone and her wounds were healed. She lifted her eyes to Henry’s. He smiled and gave her a quick nod.
“Thank you, Henry. And to both of you as well,” she gestured at Walter and Phinneas, “for saving my life.”
“We just helped to protect you,” said Phinneas. “You saved yourself.”
“I did?” Melina asked, a hint of pride in her voice.
“Yes,” Walter said. “It seems like you have full control of your powers now… and then some.”
“What do you mean by that?” she asked.
Phinneas stepped toward her and offered a hand to help her up off the ground. “Well, since you’re human, your emotions affect your powers and amplify them. I can only assume you were scared for your life and desperate to save yourself, so those desperate emotions doubled, even tripled, the power of your protective shield causing it to literally explode around you. Luckily for the three of us,” he said as he gestured to Walter, Henry, and himself, “we had a short warning window to bring our own protective shields up, but the last remaining demon and Adelia weren’t so fortunate.”
“You’re certain she’s gone?” Melina asked.
“Yes,” replied Phinneas. “I felt it. The other elders, Cecil and Helene, did as well. They came here briefly when you were still unconscious, and they appointed Walter as the new elder.”
Adelia was gone. Destroyed. Melina had never felt so relieved in her life. But then the last thing Phinneas said finally registered in her mind. “Walter, you’re an elder now? Does that mean you won’t be able to help me anymore?”
Walter shook his head and smiled. “I’ll always be available to help you, Melina. I doubt you’ll need me anymore, though. Are you sure that all of your pain is gone?”
“I’m pretty sure, yeah.”
“Maybe you should try out some of your powers real quick to be completely sure,” Walter said.
“Okay.” Melina closed her eyes and said in her mind that she wanted to teleport to the entrance of the park. Within a second she was there, and then in a couple more seconds she was standing back in front of Walter, Henry, and Phinneas.
“Any pain?” Walter asked.
“Well, it was completely gone before, but now there’s a little bit. It’s just in my head, though.”
Walter’s forehead creased as he raised his hand up to his chin. “Hmm. Well, you can’t exactly try your mindreading powers or see how a vision goes, seeing that there aren’t any other humans present, but try your shield out.”
Melina nodded. She didn’t have to exert any energy at all or be in a state of fear. Her light shield immediately burst out around her, and she was able to keep it up with ease. She kept it out for a few more seconds, and when she told herself to let it go, it disappeared just like that.
“How do you feel now,” asked Walter.
“It didn’t get any worse, but there’s still a slight amount of pain. It seems to be fading, though.”
Walter turned and looked at Phinneas. “What do you think that means?”
Phinneas shrugged as he looked at Melina. “We’ve never had a human survive the powers before, so I’m not one hundred percent sure. But since the intense, all-over–the-body pain is gone, I’d say you’re in the clear. The slight pain is probably your body still adjusting to your new abilities.”
Melina didn’t like that he wasn’t for sure, but then he'd been right when he'd said that they were in uncharted territory with her being the first one to survive the powers and the demons. The thought of her being the first survivor made her smile, even when she began to think of her parents. She knew they wouldn’t want her to be sad and continue to mourn their fate. Instead, something told her that they were proud of her and wanted her to use her new abilities to do some good in the world. With Walter’s help, and maybe even some assistance from the other elders, she knew she could make that possible.
She smiled again at the thought of the new direction her life was taking when Lee popped into her mind. She wanted to go and see him, but it looked as if it was getting late. Besides, Tessa would probably be upset if she didn’t see her first to let her know that everything was okay.
She was still thinking about when she should go to see Lee when Walter approached her and grabbed her hands in his.
“You are now the first of many more like you to come. From now on you’ll be able to help so many people, and you’ll learn to cherish your gift.” He squeezed her hands briefly. “I think you have a couple of people you would like to go and see now,” he said with a knowing smile, “so we shall leave you for now. You know how to reach us if you need anything.”
“Yes,” she said, smiling at all three angels.
“Can I take you somewhere before we go, though?” asked Walter. “I’m sure we’d all feel better knowing that we didn’t leave you alone here in the park.”
“Yes,” she said again. “I’d like that. Can you take me to Tessa’s, please?”
“Of course,” Walter replied.
She made sure to thank Henry and Phinneas once more, and then she and Walter quickly teleported over to Tessa’s condo. After giving him one last hug, Melina said good-bye to Walter, knowing she would see him again soon. She wat
ched him disappear and then made her way up to Tessa’s front door and knocked. A few seconds later she heard rapid footsteps coming toward her.
Tessa flung the door open and wrapped her arms tightly around Melina. “You don’t know how happy I am to see you!” she exclaimed.
“And I you,” said Melina, returning her hug.
When they finally looked at each other again, tears of joy were streaming down their cheeks, and they both started to laugh.
“Tell me everything,” said Tessa as she pulled her inside, “and I’ll make us some tea.”
Melina continued to smile as she followed Tessa into the kitchen. Just a few hours ago she'd thought she might not ever see her friend again, and now she was getting ready to share a cup of tea with her. She was so grateful for that and happy to be able to sit down with her to chat, even if it meant recalling all the terrifying moments that had happened at the park.
Chapter Thirty-Four
When Melina woke the next morning, she saw that it was already nine o’clock. She obviously needed the rest and was pleasantly surprised that her body allowed it. The pain didn’t plague her even once throughout the night, and she didn’t feel any now either. It really was over.
She stretched as she sat up and wondered if Tessa was awake yet. They had stayed up late, talking about what happened at the park and what Melina’s plans were for the future, and she'd ended up crashing in the guest bedroom. But surely Tessa was up by now. She had said last night that she was going to call Gwen in the morning to have her open the bookstore.
Melina opened the bedroom door and was greeted by the sound of Tessa singing along with the radio in the kitchen. A short laugh escaped her at the expense of her out-of-tune friend, and she made her way into the room. Tessa quickly came into view, dressed in a fluffy, pink robe and matching slippers, her blond hair piled high atop her head in a mess of curls.
“Good morning, Tess.” Melina raised her voice as she spoke so she would be heard over the music.
Tessa abruptly stopped singing and turned off the radio. “Well, good morning, sleepy head. How do you feel?”
“Really good, actually.”
“No pain?”
“No pain,” Melina said with a smile.
“That’s wonderful,” Tessa said as she smiled back. “Do you want something to eat real quick, or do you just want to get going?”
Melina cocked her head and let out a short laugh. “Get going? Are you kicking me out?”
“No, silly! I thought you’d probably want to go and see Lee.” Tessa gave her a quick wink and then turned to fix herself a cup of coffee.
Melina couldn’t help but smile. Tessa knew her pretty well. “Okay, so you’re right about that. You’re not upset that I’m leaving so soon?”
Tessa shook her head as she turned back to her. “I’ll even be so nice as to let you borrow some clothes and use my make-up to get ready.” She smiled at her again and then took a sip of her coffee. “Oh, and I’ve already laid a towel out for you in the bathroom.”
“Thank you, Tess, for understanding.”
About an hour later Melina was on her way to Lee’s. She wasn’t sure what was going to happen once she arrived, but for once she didn’t feel the need to have a plan. She didn’t even know if he was home or not. Twenty minutes later, she parked her Jeep in front of his apartment building and walked up to the front door.
Barry, the regular doorman, greeted her with a smile. “Good morning, Miss Rowe.”
“Barry,” Melina said with a surprised expression. “You remember me.”
“Well, of course,” he said as he turned to punch in the security code. “Mr. Atwood is looking forward to seeing you.” He opened the door and ushered her inside.
“Oh, well, thank you,” she said.
Barry tipped his hat to her and then closed the door behind her. Melina walked slowly over to the elevator.
So Lee was expecting her. Hmm… Even though Lee had said that he trusted her now, she didn’t want to assume anything and get her hopes up. She took the elevator up to Lee’s floor and then knocked on his front door. He opened it within a couple of seconds, as if he had been waiting by the door just for her.
“Hi,” she said.
“Hi,” he replied, giving her a sheepish grin. “I’m so glad you’re here. Please, please come in.”
Melina walked inside, and he led her over to the couch in the living room. They both took a seat and then were silent for a moment until she finally spoke up again.
“So… were you expecting me to come here?”
Lee let out a short, nervous laugh. “It’s more like I was hoping you would come here.”
Melina blushed. “Oh. I see.”
“After the way you just disappeared on me, I wanted to be sure you were okay. I guess I can assume that since you’re here, you’re not in danger anymore. Am I right?”
“Yes,” she replied. “I now have full control over my powers and—”
“You still have these powers?” Lee interjected. “You didn’t get rid of them?”
“No,” Melina said, giving him a nervous look. “I didn’t get rid of them.”
Lee looked away from her and started to bite his lip.
“Is that a problem?” she asked.
There was a moment of silence and then Lee looked back up at her. “No, it’s not a problem. I’m just trying to wrap my mind around everything.” He smiled at her and then waited for her to continue.
“Well,” she said, “I’m out of danger now. Out of danger with my powers and with the demons, and it’s all because of you.”
“Because of me?”
She nodded. “I needed you to trust in me and you did, just in time.”
He smiled. “Just like you came along to help me, just in time.”
She smiled back at him. “So where do we go from here? Should we wipe the slate clean and start over or…”
Lee looked at her for a moment and then shook his head. “No. Starting over means that we’ll act like everything didn’t happen, and I don’t want that. I could use a very thorough explanation, though, considering I’m still not sure I believe everything that happened.” He let out a small chuckle. “Could we maybe try out another dinner date? You know, so you can explain things to me and maybe even…” His voice trailed off as he reached over and took both of her hands in his.
Melina squeezed his hands in return as happy tears started to form in her eyes. “I would love that,” she said with a radiant smile.
“Good,” Lee said as he started to rub his thumbs over her knuckles.
She slowly leaned over to him, and as her lips met his, she couldn't help but think, once again, about the exciting new direction her life was taking. Running into Walter was definitely no accident. It was a collision designed by fate. And even though she was a bit scared of her new powers and her budding relationship with Lee, she was the happiest she had ever been.
About The Author
Ashley Stambaugh grew up in a small town in Illinois where she and her two siblings created some of the best memories playing on their family’s farm. She stayed in the southern region of the state to attend college where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and also met her husband.
Now, she and her husband live in central Illinois and spend their time creating new memories with their two rambunctious boys and their comical black Pug. She also enjoys reading, taking long walks, and finding great bargains. When her sons are a little bit older, she has a great desire to travel with her family. Oh, and she also has a slight obsession with chocolate.
When she’s not busy chasing after her two young children or losing herself in a good book, you can find her curled up on her couch with her laptop, writing.
Also From Astraea Press
Chapter One
Park City, Utah, Present Day
Arianna Delacour thunked her black duffle bag at the foot of her bed, wondering if she should even bother unpacking. This was her sixteenth boarding sch
ool. Sixteen in nine years, but there would have been more if she hadn’t been home schooled until third grade. That was when the Family started sending her out to hunt.
Wrong life. She shoved the thought away, jumping to a safer one. She had to focus on this life now. She was about to start her senior year, and she wanted to graduate. So, quieting the flames running through her blood, she started unpacking.
“Who are you?” a high pitched voice demanded behind her.
Ari didn’t turn to investigate. “I’m Ari. Who are you?”
“This is my room,” the voice said.
Ari thought it over, decided there was nothing to respond to, and continued unpacking.
“I said, this is my room.” The voice grated on Ari’s ears and made her teeth ache. Sighing, Ari stood up, shoving her long black braid over her shoulder as she turned. A much shorter, somewhat round blonde girl stood in the doorway with her hand on her hip, green eyes glowering back at her.
“Apparently, it’s also my room. If that’s going to be a problem, you should take it up with the headmistress.” Ari’s dark brown eyes clashed with the girl’s green gaze. The girl’s lips tightened as she gave Ari a slow once over. Ari folded her arms and glared back. Finally, the blonde gave up, shaking her hair away from her face.
“I’m Brittany.” She dropped her hand from her hip and pushed her way into the room. She threw herself down on her unmade bed and scowled at Ari.
“Hey.” Ari turned back to her unpacking. Brittany stayed on her bed, filing her nails and watching, until it was obvious that Ari wasn’t going to attempt to socialize. With a huff, she got up and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Ari smirked.
This school had uniforms, which was nice. They saved her the time and effort of trying to decide what to wear that would make her stand out the least. But she was five foot ten for one thing, when most girls her age were closer to five foot four, and for another thing, her long black hair had dark red streaks running through it — streaks that were natural yet looked anything but. Between the two, and the fact that she was always the new kid, fading into the background was impossible.
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