The truck stopped. Soon Manfred opened the massive metal doors at the rear and stared into the van. Francis was standing next to him.
“You are sure, angel? You are sure it’s him?” Francis asked.
“Not a doubt in my mind.”
Manfred was swearing. “Not safe. This is not safe. We are ready to make a clean getaway, and you risk it all by turning back now, Persephone.”
“Then you go on, and I’ll go back alone. But I will not leave this place until I find out if he’s still here. I alone shall pay the price then if I’m wrong.”
“Send the bots, Manfred,” Francis said urgently, “Let them find Gideon and deliver back a message.”
“We shouldn’t wait.”
Persephone jumped out of the van and began running back on foot.
“Stop her, Francis,” shouted the clockmaker.
“Send the bots with her. She won’t be stopped. I’ll stay,” Francis repeated.
“And so will I,” said Rose as she also jumped down from the truck and ran toward Persephone.
“Oh dammit. Go. I’ll get my birds and gnats to follow after you and help guide the way.”
Another roar emanated from the canyon below.
“That’s him, I’m convinced that’s Gideon,” said Francis. “Dammit, clockmaker, you promised to help. Get your bots before it’s too late for any of us.”
Manfred pulled open one metal storage locker, removing four glass tubes. One by one, he unscrewed the lids and, commanded the little flying devices to follow the angels and find Gideon.
He sat on the tailgate of the van and watched as the ragtag band took off down the hill. Tabby appeared, and sat in his lap.
Persephone reached the darkened courtyard past the lab and stopped to listen for another outburst to give her direction. Hearing his scream had been what she’d been hoping for—the sound of his voice again—but she had not expected, nor did she want to hear it here, as he was a prisoner.
At least he’s alive!
The buzzing hoard of bots zoomed past her, turned left and headed directly toward a row of one-story buildings that looked like animal pens. She began to hear laughing and clanging of metal as a lighted torch illuminated a row of metal cells lined with dirty rags and straw. At the far end, a group of guards had unlocked one cage door and had descended on whomever was occupying that space.
The bots disappeared into the cell as well and soon guards began to run, several of them holding onto their eyes, or swatting swarming bugs under their clothing.
A body lay, bloody and motionless, on its side.
She was on him, lifting his head, which was hardly recognizable, his face and eyes had been so beaten. “Gideon, Gideon, my love.”
She feared he was dead and her heart was in shreds. His lifeless head hung in her arms. She brushed his hair back from his forehead, and kissed him.
“It’s me, Gideon. I am here,” she said through tears as she rocked him. “I have come to take you home. To your real home.” She kissed his ears, kissed both his swollen eyes and then his lips.
Francis and Rose appeared at the cell.
“Francis! I think he’s gone!” she sobbed. “Oh my God, I’m too late. Gideon’s dead. We’re too late.”
Francis attempted to pick him up by the shoulders but Gideon’s massive frame and dead weight proved too much. Even when Persephone tried to help him it was no use.
She hugged him, held his head between her palms and noticed some of her dust had escaped. Furious with herself for not having thought about it sooner, she rubbed her two fingers against her thumb and produced a palmful of golden dust, which she spread over his eyes, over his bloody shoulders and neck. She rubbed some of the glistening dust into his mouth and kissed him again. “Breathe, Gideon. Come back to me.”
“Persephone, I think the best we can do now is just bring him home. He’s gone, sweetheart.”
“No! I will not give up. You go if you want, I’m staying with Gideon. I have no life without him.”
She placed her palms on his shoulders. Francis held his head from rolling to the side, intending to help her bring his body to the truck. A light began to appear beneath and her healing powers glowed.
She heard a groan, and then Gideon opened his eyes and looked back to her face.
“Am I dead?” he whispered to her.
“No. No my love, you are alive, we both are alive.” She was so happy she could hardly breathe.
“I’m dreaming this.”
“No, Gideon. See? Francis is here, I’m here. We’ve got a truck to take you back home. But you’re going to have to help us.
She heard the sounds of footsteps and knew they had run out of time.
“We won’t make it unless you help, Gideon.”
Francis added, “Hell, I always knew I was stronger than you. You big fat behemoth. Get off your butt and prove you’re not dead, or we’ll leave you here. I’ll be the one to rescue Persephone while you rot in Hell.”
That got Gideon to his feet. He growled and grabbed Francis by his bloody shirt. “You don’t lay a finger on her, understand?”
The bots delayed a detail of six dark creatures who were armed with spears and swords. The little beasts stung their flesh, seeped acid into sensitive places like lips and eyes, and drilled tiny holes in their ears.
Gideon, with the aid of Francis under one shoulder, started limping into the night, following the two ladies. When he started to run, Persephone breathed a sigh of relief. Just before they reached the still waiting truck, Gideon had the strength to pick her up in his arms, and with one huge leap flew into the back of the truck and rolled with her in his arms. Francis was less graceful, and helped Rose up and then got an assist from Gideon.
The vehicle took off, lumbering down the bumpy dirt road, Persephone tucked safe in Gideon’s massive arms.
“God, you smell good.”
“And you don’t,” she said back to him.
Chapter 23
Three Months Later…
The vineyard had started greening out again, Gideon’s favorite time of year was spring. He finally had the time to tend his vines. Persephone was quick to learn everything about running a household, as well as a working vineyard, including working with a robotic crew of field hands Manfred had created for them.
With Manfred’s usual sense of the bizarre, some of the warriors were outfitted with remnants of red leather bat wings that could serve as additional hands. Skin shades varied from blue to purple and bright pink. A cluster of birds hauled small implements and buckets of grain to the live chickens they raised. Tabby spent most of her days chasing baby chicks with real feathers, and a scent that drove her crazy. And though she was admonished several times, occasionally caught one.
The gnat bots were useful keeping pests from the new leaves and Gideon knew they’d be invaluable chasing birds from the young fruit when the summer lengthened.
Francis’s allergies completely cleared up once his right wing was also surgically removed and there didn’t appear to be any lasting effects. Rose’s grief over Dimitri’s double-cross faded as she began to fall for the struggling Guardian.
One afternoon Persephone and Gideon were sitting on the back porch, drinking lemonade and watching the valley floor fall below them.
“Do you miss the Guardianship?” Gideon asked her.
“Not at all.”
“You never talk about it.”
“Everything that’s important to me is in the future, Gideon. The Guardianship is in the past. I don’t belong there any longer.”
“Do you think He will allow that?”
“After all these months, with no contact, I think he’s already telling us, we’re on our own.”
Gideon smiled smugly.
“You’re up to something, Gideon. I can tell.”
“Manfred would like to move his warehouse here.”
“No. I will not live with that angel.”
“Not with us, but on the property.”
“Then he can have the little valley over that clump of trees so I don’t have to look at him or his work. And I don’t want to run an Emergency Room for freaks of the Underworld, Gideon. I didn’t sign up for that.”
“If he promises no interference?”
“We’ll negotiate, then.”
“You’re a healer by trade, my angel. You make everything better. You could be Guardian to all the homeless beings who do not have someone to save them.”
“No, I’m going to concentrate on you, Gideon. You are handful enough. And besides, your little bots are going to drive me crazy in a few months.”
Gideon stood up. Persephone was smiling, but into her lemonade.
“Tell me that one more time.”
“Manfred isn’t the only one who can create creatures. But mine will be soft and pink. They won’t ooze acid, but they’ll smell bad sometimes. They’ll drool. And they’ll have the most wonderful father in the Universe.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously.” She threw herself into his arms.
“Wonder what he’ll be?” Gideon asked to the top of her head.
Persephone sighed. “Gideon, for all we’ve been through and what we know of the Universe, does it really matter? She’ll be ours to raise in the world of our own choosing.”
True Love never dies.
About the Author
Sharon Hamilton
NYT and USA Today best-selling author Sharon Hamilton’s award-winning Navy SEAL Brotherhood series have been a fan favorite from the day the first one was released. They’ve earned her the coveted Amazon author ranking of #1 in Romantic Suspense, Military Romance and Contemporary Romance categories, as well as in Gothic Romance for her Vampires of Tuscany and Guardian Angels. Her characters follow a sometimes rocky road to redemption through passion and true love.
Her Golden Vampires of Tuscany are not like any vamps you’ve read about before, since they don’t go to ground and can walk around in the full light of the sun.
Her Guardian Angels struggle with the human charges they are sent to save, often escaping their vanilla world of Heaven for the brief human one. You won’t find any of these beings in any Sunday school class.
She lives in Sonoma County, California with her husband and two Dobermans. A lifelong organic gardener, when she’s not writing, she’s getting verra verra dirty in the mud, or wandering Farmers Markets looking for new Heirloom varieties of vegetables and flowers.
She loves hearing from her fans:
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Life is one fool thing after another.
Love is two fool things after each other.
Series Overview
SEAL BROTHERHOOD SERIES OVERVIEW
SEAL Encounter (Prequel Novella)
Accidental SEAL (Book #1)
SEAL Endeavor (Novella)
Fallen SEAL Legacy (Book #2)
SEAL Under Covers (Book #3)
SEAL The Deal (Book #4)
Cruisin’ For A SEAL (Book #5)
SEAL My Destiny (Book #6)
SEAL Of My Heart (Book #7)
BAD BOYS OF SEAL TEAM 3 SERIES OVERVIEW
SEAL’s Promise (Book #1)
SEAL My Home (Book #2)
SEAL’s Code (Book #3)
BAND OF BACHELORS SERIES OVERVIEW
Lucas (Book #1)
Alex (Book #2)
Jake (Book #3)
Jake2 (Book #4)
TRUE BLUE SEALS SERIES OVERVIEW
True Navy Blue (prequel to Zak)
Zak (Includes novella above)
NASHVILLE SEALS SERIES OVERVIEW
Nashville SEAL (Book #1)
Nashville SEAL: Jameson (Books 1 2 combined)
FREDO SERIES OVERVIEW
Fredo’s Secret (Book #1)
Fredo’s Dream (Books 1 2 combined)
PARADISE SERIES OVERVIEW
Paradise: In Search of Love (Book #1)
SLEEPER SEALS SERIES OVERVIEW
Bachelor SEAL (Book #1)
GOLDEN VAMPIRES OF TUSCANY SERIES OVERVIEW
Honeymoon Bite (Book #1)
Mortal Bite (Book #2)
THE GUARDIANS SERIES OVERVIEW
Heavenly Lover (Book #1)
Underworld Lover (Book #2)
Underworld Queen (Book #3)
FALL FROM GRACE SERIES OVERVIEW
Gideon: Heavenly Fall (Book #1)
Box Sets
SEAL Brotherhood Series Prequel Novella, SEAL Encounter, and Book 1, Accidental SEAL, are available in a convenient digital box set format
SEAL Brotherhood Box Set 1
SEAL Brotherhood Series Prequel Novella, SEAL Endeavor, and Book 2, Fallen SEAL Legacy, are available in a convenient digital box set format
SEAL Brotherhood Box Set 2
SEAL Brotherhood Series Books 1-4 (plus 2 prequel novellas) are available in a convenient digital box set format
Ultimate SEAL Collection 1
SEAL Brotherhood Series Books 5-7 are available in a convenient digital box set format
Ultimate SEAL Collection 2
Golden Vampires of Tuscany Series Books 1-2 and The Guardians Series Books 1-3 are available in a convenient digital box set format
Immortal Valentines Box Set
Audiobooks
All of Sharon Hamilton’s books are available as audiobooks narrated by J.D. Hart.
Reviews
PRAISE FOR THE
SEAL BROTHERHOOD SERIES
“Fans of Navy SEAL romance, I found a new author to feed your addiction. Finely written and loaded delicious with moments, Sharon Hamilton’s storytelling satisfies like a thick bar of chocolate.” —Marliss Melton, bestselling author of the Team Twelve Navy SEALs series
“Sharon Hamilton does an EXCELLENT job of fitting all the characters into a brotherhood of SEALS that may not be real but sure makes you feel that you have entered the circle and security of their world. The stories intertwine with each book before…and each book after and THAT is what makes Sharon Hamilton’s SEAL Brotherhood Series so very interesting. You won’t want to put down ANY of her books and they will keep you reading into the night when you should be sleeping. Start with this book…and you will not want to stop until you’ve read the whole series and then…you will be waiting for Sharon to write the next one.” (5 Star Review)
“Kyle and Christy explode all over the pages in this first book, [Accidental SEAL], in a whole new series of SEALs. If the twist and turns don’t get your heart jumping, then maybe the suspense will. This is a must read for those that are looking for love and adventure with a little sloppy love thrown in for good measure.” (5 Star Review)
PRAISE FOR THE
BAD BOYS OF SEAL TEAM 3 SERIES
“I love reading this series! Once you start these books, you can hardly put them down. The mix of romance and suspense keeps you turning the pages one right after another! Can’t wait until the next book!” (5 Star Review)
“I love all of Sharon’s Seal books, but [SEAL’s Code] may just be her best to date. Danny and Luci’s journey is filled with a wonderful insight into the Native American life. It is a love story that will fill you with warmth and contentment. You will enjoy Danny’s journey to become a SEAL and his reasons for it. Good job Sharon!” (5 Star Review)
PRAISE FOR THE
BAND OF BACHELORS SERIES
“[Lucas] was the first book in the Band of Bachelors series and it was a phenomenal start. I loved how we got to see the other SEALs we all love and we got a look at Lucas and Marcy. They had an instant attraction, and their love was very intense. This book had it all, suspense, steamy romance, humor, everything you want in a riveting, outstanding read. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.” (5 Star Review)
PRAISE FOR THE
TRUE BLUE SEALS SERIES
“Keep the tissues box nearby as you read True Blue SEALs: Zak by Sharon Hamilton. I imagine more than I wish to that the circumstances surrounding Zak and Amy are all too real for returning military personnel and their families. Ms. Hamilton has put us right in the middle of struggles and successes that these two high school sweethearts endure. I have read several of Sharon Hamilton’s military romances but will say this is the most emotionally intense of the ones that I have read. This is a well-written, realistic story with authentic characters that will have you rooting for them and proud of those who serve to keep us safe. This is an author who writes amazing stories that you love and cry with the characters. Fans of Jessica Scott and Marliss Melton will want to add Sharon Hamilton to their list of realistic military romance writers.” (5 Star Review)
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