by Cameo Renae
“I don’t know. Not really. Well…” I paused, and Samuel and Alaine’s eyes were steeled on mine. That made me feel awkward, but if I told them the truth, maybe they would be able to make sense of it all.
“You can tell us anything, Emma. We’re here to help, not to condemn,” Alaine said with a smile.
“Well,” I continued. “I guess things started happening the night Kade went missing. I started having these weird dreams, and in those dreams were two sets of eyes. One set was Kade’s hazel eyes, and the other was these blazing red eyes.”
“I remember the feeling I had before Kade entered my room at the hospital. It was a feeling that took my breath away and zapped all the air from my lungs. When he touched me it was like a surge of electricity flooded through me.
The same thing happened when I first saw Ethon. Before I saw him, I could feel him, and when he touched me, I felt the same electricity.”
I looked at both of them for some sort of explanation, but they both looked just as bewildered as I was.
“Samuel, do you think it’s because she has both parts, good and Fallen, in her? Or could it be that when Kade became mortal, the bond transferred to Ethon?”
“I don’t know,” he answered. “I honestly don’t know the answer to that question, and I doubt that we will ever find out. Because Emma does have both good and Fallen, that very well could be the reason why she has a connection with each of them. One of darkness and one of light. It’s part of the prophecy. Eventually, she will have to make a choice, and when she does, she will have chosen her side.”
“I don’t have to make my choice soon, right?” I asked.
“No, sweetheart. You don’t. Not anytime soon. And, from a mother’s point of view, I don’t think you and Lucifer’s son would make a good match.”
“Alaine,” Samuel rebutted, in a soft tone. “Ethon is a fine boy. I know that Lucifer has some major issues and if I could go back, I would have chosen a different side, but the boy is genuinely good. He doesn’t have the same black heart as Lucifer.
“His mother was a virtuous woman, and was raped by Lucifer’s brother. The boy had no choice of who his father would be, and I’ve heard from other Fallen members, that he is nothing like Lucifer. Lucifer saved his life, but really didn’t spend much time with him. Maybe Ethon will be the one that can help to bring change.”
“Well, I don’t really care about all of that right now, Samuel. What I do care about, is what’s best for our daughter. Right now she’s too young, and doesn’t have to be burdened with making mate choices.”
Samuel laughed. “I agree, Alaine. I was just stating that since a connection has been made with both young men, sooner or later she will have to choose. Right now, we will need to keep them separated. I have a feeling that once they find out about each other, there will be no peace in this house.”
“Yes. We will need to keep them separated. Ethon agreed to stay outside, so I will give him access to the tower, away from the others.”
“That is a great idea,” Samuel agreed. He rose to his feet, walked over to Alaine, and wrapped her in a tight embrace. They gently kissed and then faced me. “You should have seen your daughter down there. You would have been very, very proud. She really held her own, and even saved a few of the Guardians. She slayed three of the Hell Hounds on her own.”
They were both beaming with smiles as they looked at me, and I suddenly felt awkward. I was still donning the black super-suit, the Bloodstone around my neck, and the dagger around my waist. These gifts saved my life. If it weren’t for them, I would be dead. But, I also didn’t want to start explaining any of that right now. The only thing I wanted to do was see Kade, and then take a loooooong, hot bath.
“I think you both should get some rest. Samuel, on the second floor you can take the first room to the left. And Emma, Kade is in the first room on the right.”
“Do you think it would be okay if I go see him?” I asked.
“I think he’d be expecting you to, and probably knows you’re back by now. He’s been so worried about you. Dominic and Malachi have been thoroughly interrogated since their return, giving him word for word descriptions of what happened while they were with you,” she laughed. “I know he’ll be thrilled to see you.”
“I think I’ll go see him before I take a bath. He’ll probably beg me to leave, since I smell like Hell,” I laughed.
“Yes,” she said, crinkling her nose. “You both do.”
“Well, I guess that’s my exit,” I said, stepping into their arms for one last hug.
“You go ahead Emma. I’ll be right out,” Samuel said, still hugging Alaine.
I left Alaine’s office and walked back down the hall. As soon as my foot hit the first step of the staircase my heart began to race. I was so excited but also nervous about seeing Kade, especially knowing that he’d waited for four months.
I was halfway up the stairs when I heard laughing and felt an overwhelming dizziness, and then that all familiar electricity shoot through my entire body. My body felt compelled to move back down the stairs, but I was too tired to respond. I knew Ethon was the cause.
I glanced down as Courtney bounced around the corner holding two bottles of water.
“Emma! Miss Lilly wanted me to bring these to you and Samuel!” she yelled with a wide grin.
“Thanks,” I said waiting for her to deliver them. I was staying put. She had enough energy to run up and down the stairs a hundred times.
As soon as she started up the stairs, Ethon came into view. When his eyes met mine a smile grew on his lips. His red eyes looked almost black in the distance, and his face was glowing. He looked happy.
Ethon was very handsome, and I had to pull my eyes away. The attraction was there. A connection I couldn’t control, especially when he was near.
This Damn bond! What the hell was I supposed to do about it? I never wanted to have these feelings for him. This was so messed up!
“Hi, Emma!” he called. I took in a breath and faced him
“Hey, Ethon,” I answered, giving him a smile.
“So, you’ll be staying up there?” he questioned, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes,” I answered. “Alaine is making arrangements for you and your friends to stay in the tower. I’ve heard it’s really nice out there.”
“That’s very kind of her,” he said.
Bane and Azzah glared at me. They were standing behind Ethon, and had permanent furrows embedded in their brows.
“Emma, are you going to see Kade now?” Courtney squealed. “He’s been waiting for you, and he’s been sooooo worried.”
“Yes, Courtney,” I said through gritted teeth, as she got closer.
“Well, he’s awake now. I’ll go take you to see him!” she exclaimed.
Oh God! She was going to throw this whole situation into a complete disaster.
“Who is Kade?” Ethon asked. His eyes narrowed with concern, and he stepped closer.
My pulse started to race and my heart began to pound so loudly I could hear it in my ears.
“Kade is Emma’s Guardian,” Courtney said in a high, lovey-dovey tone.
Oh hell. Someone must have explained everything to her while I was away.
I heard a door open up behind us, and Ethon’s eyes told me exactly who it was.
My heart, my head, my stomach…everything suddenly went into a tail spin.
“I thought your father said that your Guardian died? That before he passed he gave you the Bloodstone amulet?” Ethon asked.
Oh crap. I didn’t know what to tell him.
“Emma?” Kade’s voice, called from behind me. “Emma, is that you?”
My head snapped back to look at him and I instantly became breathless. Oh God. I didn’t realize just how much I missed him until now. He was shirtless; his muscles ripped across his chest and abs. His chocolate hair was disheveled, in the sexiest way possible, and his hazel eyes smiled and beckoned me to come.
I wanted to dash up the st
airs to him. I wanted him to wrap me in his arms, carry me away, and make me forget the hell I’d just been through. But I also knew that every other eye in the room was staring and scrutinizing. I could only imagine the expressions on Ethon, Azzah, and Bane’s faces. I didn’t want to look.
Kade brushed back his hair with his fingers, which made my heart flutter. “Wow. I can’t believe you’re here,” he said, with a smile and gleam in his eyes.
“Yes, we just got back,” I said, breathless.
“I was getting worried,” he paused, and then glanced at Ethon.
“Well, you look… great,” I said. I didn’t know what else to say. I couldn’t see his back, but he looked like he had been healing just fine.
Another door opened and soon the voices of Dominic and Malachi echoed off the walls.
Dominic rounded the corner and nearly bumped into Bane. “We have visitors?” he asked, in a snarky voice.
They both eyed each other, but the goons towered at least two feet over him and Malachi.
Dominic’s eyes suddenly caught mine. “Emma! You’re back! And you’re alive!” he yelled.
I nodded. “Yes. I’m alive,” I answered.
But by the looks of things, it might not be that much longer.
“So what did you drag in with you?” Malachi asked, in a deep tone. The same tone that scared me the first time I met him.
Bane and Azzah began to growl and glare at Malachi and Dominic like they wanted to tear them apart.
“I am Ethon and these are my friends Bane and Azzah,” he said, holding out his hand to Malachi. “I’ll be here to watch over Emma and protect her until my father arrives.”
“Why would she need your protection when she already has us?” Dominic asked. His eyes narrowed on Ethon.
“Because Emma and I have been bonded,” he paused up and glanced up to me with a smile, “and because of that bond, her safety and well-being are now my main priority.”
Shit! He did not just say that! My heart sunk down to the ground, and my face began to burn with heat and confusion. This cannot be happening right now.
“What the -?” Dominic snapped. His eyes darted to me for answers.
I couldn’t speak. All I could do was shake my head and shoot him a look of confusion.
“Ooooh Shit!” Malachi muttered, also shaking his head. He looked very upset.
I glanced up to Kade. He had a look of complete bewilderment, wrapped with pain, in his eyes.
Everyone else’s eyes quickly darted between the three of us.
There was confusion…complete and total confusion, and I felt like I was being suffocated in it.
Alaine came out from the hall and walked up to Ethon. Just in time.
“Come, gentlemen. I will personally escort you to the tower. There is a bathroom where you can shower, and we have a small kitchen that is fully stocked with whatever you will need,” she said, leading them to the front door.
“Good-bye Emma,” Ethon said with a sad smile. He turned to follow Alaine out.
I stood there…frozen.
Azzah and Bain gave me evil glares before they turned and left. I was glad they were going to be tucked far away in the tower, but even that wasn’t far enough.
With Ethon and the goons gone, I still felt the heat of everyone else’s stare on me, boring huge holes right through my soul. I had a lot of explaining to do, and they were waiting for me to give an answer. I had none.
From the start of this quest all I wanted to do was to make it back alive…and we did. All of us except Danyel, but I had to shut out that haunting memory. There was still too much pain.
We survived. We accomplished what we set out to do. We traveled through the five deadly levels of Hell and spoke to Lucifer, who was now plotting his revenge on Lucian…a plot that would save us…except one. The one soul he would claim at the end.
This was all too overwhelming.
Yes, our quest was over, but my journey was just beginning. Right now all I could think about was being with Kade. I wanted to melt into his warm embrace, and get lost in his kiss. I had missed him the moment he left me.
I hoped he would understand. I hoped he would be able to help me figure everything out.
I knew this much…I wasn’t going to make any choices. Not today. Not for a while. Right now I just wanted to be with him, and find some peace again.
I closed my eyes and sucked in a deep breath. Then I turned to Kade, and headed up the stairs toward his beautiful hazel eyes.