Forbidden (Fallen Series Book 2)

by Micalea Smeltzer

  “Fly?”

  “Yes,” He said looking at me like I was the crazy one.

  “Like with wings?” I asked in disbelief.

  “No, silly girl. I guess the term you would understand better is gliding. But essentially it’s flying,” he said.

  I gulped. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea. I’m afraid of heights.”

  He threw his back and laughed one of the hardest laughs I’ve ever seen him have. After our serious conversation it was nice to see him so carefree.

  “So, you’d rather risk Selena getting you than fly?” he asked.

  “Basically,” I replied, my stomach rolling around inside.

  “Come on,” he said and pulled my legs out from under me.

  “Oohmpf,” I said as the air gushed out of my lungs.

  “You better get on my back. I’ll need my hands,” he said putting me back down.

  I didn’t see any point in protesting because he’d just force me anyway so I climbed on his back piggy back style.

  “Hold on.”

  “Believe me, I will,” I said.

  And with that the ground suddenly disappeared.

  I looked down and the ground was suddenly ten or fifteen feet below me.

  Jonathon held out his hands like he was on a skateboard.

  An invisible one.

  That could go really, really, high.

  “Aaaaaaaaaah!” I screamed as tree branches flashed by my face. Every time I thought one would touch my face Jonathon soared past it just in time to miss it. He soared over branches, dunked over others, and even did a flip over another, all while I screamed bloody murder.

  Finally I buried my face into the back of his shirt so I wouldn’t have to watch.

  Suddenly the breeze stopped.

  I looked up and expected the ride to be over only to find myself, still strapped to Jonathon’s back, who was standing on a tree branch one-hundred feet in the air.

  “Oh, no,” I whispered just as he jumped from it like a diver in the Olympics.

  We soared straight down into the field of tents below. Just as I thought we were going to make a crash landing he pulled up and landed on his feet.

  I immediately fell off of him onto my butt and threw up in the grass.

  “I hate you,” I said wiping mouth.

  He chuckled, straightening out his wind whipped hair.

  “You have to admit that was cool.”

  I stood up and wiped grass off my pants. “Oh sure, the part where I thought I was going to die was the best.” But I couldn’t help but smile and add, “But it was cool.” Despite my throwing up in the grass.

  In the distance I could see Joseph walking towards us. We met each other halfway and Joseph shaking his head, said, “Show off.”

  Jonathon laughed.

  Joseph punched me lightly in the shoulder. “You gave us all quite a scare, Kylie. If you want to know the truth we were really quite mad at you. You broke his heart. It’s nice to know that you couldn’t help yourself. I speak for the whole family when I say that we are truly sorry for giving you the cold shoulder. Especially when you needed us most. You’re a part of this family and I am sorry that we treated you like you weren’t.”

  “Joseph-,” I started; prepared to explain that although my feelings were influenced I did have feelings for Isaac.

  Jonathon squeezed my hand and shook his head. His look said, “don’t, they won’t understand.”

  “No, no, Kylie. Our behavior was most unmannerly and we promise to never let it happen again. You’re soul mates. Nothing can change that. Nothing. And I’m sorry that we forgot that. I hope you can forgive us. Diana is completely torn up about it. She feels horrible. If she could cry she would. Believe me. She keeps doing this annoying dry sob noise. It’s highly irritating to a vampire’s highly attuned hearing,” he laughed trying to downplay the story.

  Jonathon laughed, “Is that her I’m hearing?”

  Joseph nodded trying to hide a grin.

  “My God she sounds like a dying animal,” Jonathon said shaking his head in disbelief.

  “She feels like she betrayed her sister. We all do. Please, Kylie, forgive us? I was told to get down on my knees and beg if need be,” said Seph.

  I couldn’t help but laugh. I crossed my arms and put a stern look on my face, “Beg,” I commanded.

  Too my shock Joseph did get down on his knees, hands in the air as if he was praying.

  “Dear, dear sweet forgiving Kylie. Please forgive the mean, horrifying, sick, soulless vampires? I beg of you, kind queen, forgive us for our evil ways. Banish us if you must but please bestow upon us your grace. Bless our soulless bodies so we may stop our evil ways and never hurt you again. I will kiss the ground you walk upon if I must.”

  By this point in time we were drawing a crowd of vampires and vampire hunters; the rest of the Pulmer family had joined us, Danny and Mason were egging on Joseph by starting a chorus of, “Kiss it! Kiss it! Kiss it!”

  Joseph kissed the ground to a roar of cheers. I couldn’t help but laugh at this theatrical performance.

  “Does thy queen forgive us?” he asked with a gallant bow.

  “Yes,” I said laughing.

  Joseph stood up and pulled me in for a huge bear hug. Danny, Mason, Diana, Patrick, and Amelia joined in too.

  Joseph squeezed me tight and lifted me off the ground.

  “Human, remember?” I managed to say despite thinking my lungs might burst.

  “Oh, sorry,” he said putting me down.

  I looked at my family. The only family I had now.

  “I’m so glad to be home,” I sighed as they hugged me again.

  Chapter Eighteen: Lightning Strikes

  I fell asleep curled against Jonathon. He was cold as ice but after not being able to touch him for so long I didn’t want to spend a second not touching him. I never wanted to face the prospect of not being with him ever again. We were made for each other. He is mine. I’m his. Never again will I forget that. I love him more than anything. More than the air that I breathe. I never want to waste a second without him. The pain of not being with him is too excruciating. My soul was lost without him. We are a part of each other. I live inside of Jonathon and he lives inside of me. Always and forever. I cannot change my love for him just as I cannot count the stars in the night sky.

  I dreamed of night. Dark all-consuming night. Stars sparked in the distance. But where we were was nothing but black. This is the end; my dream self thought. This is where is happens. Tonight is the night that will decide our fate. She must die. It’s the only way.

  “Kylie, stay back,” Jonathon’s voice chimed inside my head. I moved back so the line of vampires and Coven members could stand in front of me.

  Grief swarmed over me. I should be able to help them. They shouldn’t have to risk their lives for me.

  Somewhere in front of me blue fire sparkled in the night. I could see the backs of my protectors.

  “Come out, come out wherever you are! I know you’re here!” yelled Jonathon into the night.

  I gasped as a cold hand came around my neck.

  “Tsk, tsk, Jonathon. I thought you were better than that,” she said as the line of vampires and Coven members turned, frozen in place, “You left the girl waiting for me. How nice of you. Are you ready to watch her die?” Her voice whispered into the night.

  I woke up screaming.

  “Principesssa! What’s wrong? Please, talk to me,” Jonathon said, grabbing my flailing arms.

  I turned to tell him and my hand crunched down on something.

  A piece of paper.

  Oh, God no.

  Are you ready to die?

  I threw the paper down as if I was burned.

  “She’s been here! Oh, God she’s been here!” I screamed hysterically, yanking at the layers of blankets seeking freedom.

  Reading the note, Jonathon had gone even more impossibly pale.

  “My dream, oh God, it was an omen,” I cried.
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br />   Jonathon was already scrambling around cussing like a sailor in what sounded like thirty different languages.

  “We have to leave now!” he said urgently yanking at the tent zipper. I kept shaking and crying hysterically.

  “Wake up! Wake up! We’ve been breached! We have to leave NOW! Move!” He yelled as heads began to emerge from tents.

  He looked at me, panic pooling in his eyes, “I thought we would be safe here. This was Andrew’s home town. I didn’t think she would dare come here. I’m so sorry. This is my fault.”

  “No, it’s not. It’s not anyone’s fault. Selena is a sadistic killer. Let’s just please get out of here!” I screamed hysterically. I kept expecting her to grab me around my neck and drag me off into the woods.

  By now everyone was in high gear.

  Jonathon pulled out a knife.

  “What the hell is a knife going to do against a vampire!” I screamed at him.

  Suddenly his hand burst into flame and he ran the blade through the fire.

  “Now, it can kill a vampire so be careful with that okay? If she tries to grab you, use that and stab her in the heart. It’s more effective than a stake,” he said handing me the blade and then disappearing. I couldn’t believe he left me alone.

  Everyone ran around me gathering essentials. The Coven members were gearing up and strapping on what looked like a hundred pounds of weapons.

  “Jonathon said to get you to safety,” said a voice from behind me.

  “Jesus Christ!” I screamed startled at the sudden voice.

  Of course, I thought, Jonathon would never leave me unprotected for more than five seconds.

  “No, just me. Sorry to disappoint you,” smirked Gabriel.

  He grabbed me by the elbow and pulled me through the chaos with ease. I kept expecting Selena to come out and strike at any moment but deep down I knew that wasn’t true. This was all a part of her plan. We were her pawns. This was a game. The cards were in her hands. She wouldn’t go down easy.

  Cars flew out of the trees and vampires and Coven members dived into them. It was a mad rush to get out of here and go where ever it was we were going.

  “Where are we going?” I voiced my thought to Gabriel who was still dragging me along.

  “You’re guess is as good as mine,” He said.

  Danny and Mason came running towards us in a blur.

  “Follow us!” They said running past us.

  “Do you mind?” asked Gabriel. I gave him a confused look and then I realized he wanted to carry me. The quicker we were the better.

  “Go ahead,” I muttered but he was already picking me up.

  Everything blurred past us. It made the chaos look even worse.

  A car came screeching to a stop in front of us. It wasn’t the Infiniti we had come in. Instead it was a black Acura ZDX. Where had that car come from? I didn’t remember seeing it before.

  Jonathon stepped out.

  “Gabriel, Danny, Mason, take Kylie and go! Now!”

  “Go where?” Asked Danny getting into the drivers seat.

  “I don’t know. Just go! Anywhere but here!”

  Frustrated and realizing that even though Gabriel had put me down he still had a hold of me I shouted, “Let go of me, damn it! This has got to end! Am I the only one that sees that the only way this is going to stop is to kill her! I’m sick of this! I want this to be over! I want to be able to breathe and not feel like my breaths are limited! Is that too much to ask for? Jonathon, please, I don’t want to run anymore,” I cried.

  Jonathon looked at me completely shocked into stillness as were the other three.

  “Where do you propose we go then to end this?” he asked.

  For a moment I was blank and then something out of my control took over my body and said in a voice that was mine but at the same time a stranger, “Where it all began.”

  I blinked trying to gain control of myself.

  The four vampires just stared at me as if I had grown another head.

  “What?” I asked.

  Gabriel and Jonathon exchanged a covert glance.

  “Does anyone understand what I just said means because I certainly don’t?” I said getting scared. What was happening to me? But of course they ignored me.

  “Where it all began,” murmured Jonathon, “Where it all began?”

  “The back yard,” said Danny and Mason in unison.

  “Of course,” said Jonathon, “How could I be so stupid? Selena always did have the flare for the dramatics.”

  He ran his hands through his hair making it stand on end.

  “Okay, we fight her. Kylie’s right. This won’t end until she’s dead and we can’t run forever. I’ll let the others know and then I’ll send a group of Coven members to leave with you so don’t leave until they come,” he said looking so forlorn that I desperately wanted to reach out and take him into my arms.

  He brushed his hand across my cheek and said, “Principessa, I will make sure that she dies once and for all. She will never haunt you again. Your safety is my priority. I love you. No matter what happens just know that I love you.”

  He kissed me quickly but desperately. I could sense the urgency behind the kiss. He was worried. Death was looming over us like a dark dismal cloud. Heavy and toxic. We both may die. This may be our last moment together. I wished with all my heart that it wouldn’t be. I knew the odds were in our favor but I also knew that Selena was desperate for blood and her goal would be to kill me or someone else that Jonathon loved, someone that I loved, his family, who was now my family. Odds were at least one of us would die. Most likely me. After all, I’m the weak pathetic human. I couldn’t bear the thought of another one of my loved ones dying. I’d rather die myself than see someone else die. This needed to end. My eyes were closed and when I opened them he was gone.

  “I love you, too,” I whispered into the wind hoping it would carry my words to his sensitive ears.

  Three cars barreled towards us. The Coven members we were to leave with had arrived.

  I turned back to the car. Gabriel still stood waiting for me. Danny was already in the driver’s seat and Mason next to him.

  “It’s time to leave,” spoke Gabriel softly.

  “I know,” I said trying to mask the tears that were beginning to fall. I didn’t want to cry in front of Gabriel.

  Gabriel held the door open for me. I climbed in and he climbed in next to me closing the door. No more had the door closed than we were racing away. Within minutes the trees were a blur behind us and the small town soared by.

  It would be a lie to say I wasn’t scared but I wanted to put up the strongest front possible. I would not appear weak. I would not give Selena the satisfaction. I would not go down without a fight.

  But in a way she had already won. She had managed to separate me from Jonathon. I didn’t know where he was and my soul ached for him. I needed him like I needed air and life without air is impossible. He could be behind us, in front of us, anywhere but with me.

  As if reading my thoughts Gabriel leaned over and whispered in my ear, “He’s trying to keep you safe.” That’s when I realized I was hyperventilating and clutching my chest.

  I swallowed audibly and nodded my head. But in the pit of my stomach I felt like Selena was rejoicing. Her first plan to separate me from Jonathon by making me fall in love with Isaac had back fired but now we were separated by necessity and that made her happier than any false chemistry ever could.

  I leaned my head against the dark glass. It was cool to my skin but I couldn’t really feel it. I was too numb.

  It didn’t take me long to succumb to sleep. It was the only way I could cope with the situation. Fortunately, I didn’t have any more haunting dreams about Selena.

  When I finally came fully awake I didn’t recognize any of the landscape outside my window. I wiped the sleep from eyes trying to clear the haziness.

  “Where are we?” I ask Gabriel, giving up the hope of figuring it out myself.

>   “Mongolia, almost China,” he replied.

  “Where are we going? I thought we were going home? Back to Rome?” I ask. Completely puzzled by what could have changed in the past couple of hours.

  “We are. We’re just taking a different route in case we’re being followed. Expect it to take twice as long to get back home,” he sighed.

  “Great,” I mumbled.

  Soon the sights of China began to pass me by but I couldn’t even take them in. I was too numb. Numb to pain. Numb to life itself. I won’t be able to feel again until Selena is dead. Too feel is to cause pain and I just can’t handle any more pain; mental or physical. So instead, I choose numbness.

  A cold hand grabbed my own. I looked into Gabriel’s eyes completely shocked. I had never seen him express any kind of affection to anyone; least of all me.

  I expected him to say something bad but instead he said, “Everything will be okay. None of us will rest until she’s dead,” breaking the serious tone he added, “besides after all these years it’s nice to finally be the good guy,” he smiled. I was shocked. I had never seen him smile. He had a nice smile.

  He let go of my hand then but my hand still retained the coolness.

  Things must be worse than I thought if Gabriel is comforting me.

  Sunset turned to night.

  I could not sleep. After my long nap this morning sleep had decided to stand just out of my grasp. It lingered around the edges of my vision but always disappeared.

  We cruised silently through the streets only stopping when necessary and then only a few of us at a time.

  I never saw Jonathon. Every time we stopped he was never with the group stopping with us. I needed to see him. Being without him was like a stab to the heart. I felt like we were letting Selena win by separating. This is what she would want. To separate us. To make us weaker. The thought that she could make it through this many vampires and Coven members was nearly impossible. Nearly. Jonathon said that a vampire in Selena’s state is capable of a lot more than a sane one which makes her extremely dangerous. He said people, maybe even vampires, would die by her hand. So many had already succumbed to her evil hand that the thought of any more, especially at my expense, made my stomach churn. But Jonathon was right. He always is so I don’t know why I bother arguing with him. Selena will keep killing everyone around me until she’s dead. So the sooner she’s gone the better.