by SJ West
“How is Liana?” I ask her, feeling somewhat remorseful for torturing her daughter all these years.
“She’s fine, no thanks to you,” Anna replies sharply. “She’s getting something to eat right now since her appetite has finally returned. We’ll talk about all of that later, Helena. Right now, you should go see your son. Don’t waste time talking to me.”
I nod, understanding her words. I’ve waited a long time to see Cal, and now that he’s asleep, I can be in the same room with him and not have to worry about accidentally touching him.
Even though Jules is the only person in the room who can’t phase, I turn to her anyway, because out of those present, she’s the only one who doesn’t outright despise me.
“Will you show me the way to his room, Jules? I’ve never been there before.”
“Of course I will,” she replies, leading me out of the room and practically jogging through the castle to reach a set of stairs that go up to the second floor.
“Why are you in such a hurry?” I ask her, finding myself having to trot beside her as I hold up my dress’s hem so I don’t trip over it.
“No time to waste,” is all she says in reply.
Finally, we reach the second floor where presumably Cal’s room is located. We walk halfway down the hallway before Jules stops in front of one of the doors and reaches out to open it for me.
“Take all the time you need,” she urges me with a small smile that seems to be insinuating something I don’t understand.
It’s only when I walk into Cal’s room that I know why she was in such a rush to get me here.
Cade stands from his chair positioned by our son’s bedside. I don’t even realize I’m running toward him until I feel him envelope me in his arms and hold me tight. Even though I start crying uncontrollably, a strange sense of calm settles over my heart now that we’re together again, and I know everything will be all right.
“Is this the last time I’ll ever see you?” I ask, feeling my heart break all over again at just the thought. I hold him as tightly as possible, because if he phases away, I want to go with him no matter where that somewhere is.
“No,” he tells me, gently rubbing my back with his hands to bring me comfort as I continue to cry. “We have one more time, my love.”
“I thought when I saw you in Hell that used up one of my visits with you,” I admit.
“Didn’t my father explain things to you?” he asks me.
“He just gave me the ring so I could leave my domain.”
Cade holds me tighter to him. “You always think the worst of Him when all He’s ever wanted to do is help. He would never tease you and I so unmercifully by only letting us see a glimpse of one another.”
“How long can you stay?” I ask him, lifting my head from his chest so I can look at his gorgeous face.
“Until our son wakes up,” he replies, smiling down at me with more love in his eyes than I know I deserve. “We have some time before that happens. Possibly even until morning.”
I move my hands up over his chest until my arms are resting across his shoulders. I sigh contentedly as I bury my fingers into his silky blond hair at the back of his head.
“I’m not sure I’ll be able to let you go this time,” I warn him. “If you haven’t noticed, I’m kind of selfish.”
Cade chuckles, filling my heart with more love and hope than I’m worthy of being given by someone as perfect as him.
“It’s almost over now,” he tells me. “Things will work out, Helena. You just have to have a little faith.”
“Faith in your father?”
“And faith in the love we share for one another.”
Cade’s eyes hold a great secret within their blue depths, but I know he won’t tell me what it is even if I ask nicely. If I dwell on it, I know my temper will get the better of me, and I don’t want to waste what little time we have left together.
I look over at Cal lying on his bed. He looks so peaceful as he sleeps, but I have to wonder what he’ll be like when he awakens. Even though Cade was able to come to Hell quickly after I called for him, I’m not sure it was soon enough to stop Cal from becoming the creature my domain wishes to transform him into.
“He’s beautiful,” I say, marveling yet again at how someone so perfect could have come from me and Cade.
“Yes, he is,” Cade agrees as he gazes down at Cal. “And he’ll need your help when he wakes up, Helena.”
“I know,” I reply. “I won’t let you down. I’ll find a way to stop what’s happening to him.”
“I know you will,” Cade replies, full of confidence in me.
When I look back at Cade, I feel like the world around us simply falls away and all that’s left is the two of us. I lift up on my toes and gently touch my lips to his.
“I’m not sure what’s going to happen next,” I tell him, “but I want you to always remember that everything I do from now on will be for you and Cal. I will save our son, Cade. There isn’t anything that I won’t do for him.”
Cade smiles and continues to hold his secret tightly to himself. When he leans his head down to continue our kiss, any questions I have for him get pushed so far back inside my mind I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to retrieve them later, but they really don’t matter in the grand scheme of things. All I need to know is the man I love loves me back, and he has faith in my ability to protect our son.
Whatever God has planned for me, I’ll deal with it in my own time and on my own terms. All I know is that I have the two people I love most in the universe in the same room at the same time. That in itself is a miracle to me.
This is my own personal heaven, and I plan to enjoy it for as long as God will allow.
Epilogue
As Levi sits on his golden throne in the palace of Nimbo, he eyes the two lesser men who walk into the room with open disdain.
“Oh lord and master, we are here to bring you news from beyond these sacred walls!” Hale announces with the pomp and circumstance of a disgruntled messenger.
Abaddon, wearing a new human body, snickers at Hale’s obvious contempt for Levi as the prince of Hell continues to masquerade as Emperor Zuri Solarin.
Levi remains mute as he waits for them both to walk down the long red carpet and stand in front of him.
“Why have the two of you called this meeting?” Levi asks through a yawn. “I’m already feeling bored to death.”
“We thought you might be interested in something that happened in Nacreous last night,” Hale replies as he holds out his hand. A holographic image materializes above his palm, showing the interior of a crowded nightclub.
“Did you and Abaddon have a dance off?” Levi asks, unable to stop himself from chuckling at the imagery. “I would have paid good money to witness that in person.”
Hale raises a dubious eyebrow at Levi and shakes his head in dismay at the other’s sense of humor.
“Just watch,” Hale says in exasperation. “Then we’ll talk.”
Hale waves his hand over the holographic image, which makes it start playing.
When Levi spots the heirs to the Cirruan throne walk into the nightclub, his interest becomes piqued. The young man with them has an impressive set of wings on his back, but so do a lot of the people in the club. It’s only when the princess of Cirrus collapses to the floor that Levi becomes seriously interested in what happens next. As he watches the young man’s physical transformation, he’s unable to hold back a gasp of surprise. When he sees the same young man fly into the air above the crowd and vanish, he looks over at both Hale and Abaddon with only one question on his mind.
“Was that Helena’s son?”
“It has to be!” Abaddon says excitedly. “I told you there was something strange with that boy when I saw him in Stanton that day. I knew he was her son! This just proves it.”
“Where is he now?” Levi asks as Hale lowers his hand, shutting off the holographic video.
“We don’t know,” Hale answers. “But if
we can find him, we’ll finally have leverage against Helena and be able to force her to do what we want. It’s obvious she cares about him or she wouldn’t have concocted the story about his death and kept him so well hidden all these years.”
“Caring about people is always a weakness,” Levi says in disgust. “Quite frankly, I’m surprised she allowed herself to get knocked up by that War Angel.”
Levi stands from his throne and walks over to Hale and Abaddon. “Gentlemen, I propose we pool our resources to find Helena’s son. Once we have him under our control, we will finally have control of Hell itself. We’ll make Helena share her power with us by threatening to end her son’s life.”
“What if we’re miscalculating how much she actually cares about the boy?” Abaddon asks. “If she really loved her son, wouldn’t she have kept him with her all these years?”
“I have a feeling there’s more to the story than we know,” Levi answers. “If her child is still alive, it’s only because Helena is protecting him. Let’s find the boy first, and then we can negotiate terms with her.”
“Where do you suggest we start?” Hale asks.
“I believe we should begin with the last two people to see him: the Deveraux children. Find them, and we’ll find your first lead. I’ll see what my spies here in Nimbo can find out. They may be able to discover something about the Cirruan royal family that we’ve missed over the years. Now go before the trail gets cold, and report back to me if you discover anything interesting.”
Both Hale and Abaddon phase out of the throne room to start their search for Helena’s son.
For the first time in years, Levi has a reason to truly smile and look forward to seeing his wife again.
THE END
AUTHOR’S NOTE
Thank you so much for reading Between Worlds, the second book in The Everlasting Fire Series. If you have enjoyed this book please take a moment to leave a review. To leave a review please visit: Between Worlds
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Thank you in advance for leaving a review for the book.
Sincerely, S.J. West.
THE EVERLASTING FIRE SERIES
The Everlasting Fire Series continues with SHATTERED SOULS , Book 3
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NEXT FROM S.J. WEST
THE VAMPIRE CONCLAVE SERIES
As a thank you for purchasing War Angel Contingent, the first book in The Everlasting Fire Series, I have included in this book the first chapter of Moonshade, book1 of The Vampire Conclave Series.
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“Find me, Sarah…”
When a handsome stranger whispers these three little words to Sarah Marcel, she knows her life is forever changed.
For two weeks straight, Sarah’s been unable to eat, sleep, or even form a coherent thought properly. She fears she’s losing her mind until a chance encounter brings a man into her life who seems to hold the key to solving her problems. With a single touch, he’s able to ease her troubled soul and bring her some much-needed peace. Yet, just as Sarah believes she’s found the solution to her dilemma, he disappears.
As Sarah begins to unravel a mystery surrounding her family’s past, she quickly discovers her role in a world that’s hidden from most humans. Being a Marcel comes with certain responsibilities, and there are some things that you can’t hide from forever.
Exclusively on Amazon! FREE on KU!
MOONSHADE
Sneak Peek
* * *
Now, please enjoy this sample of Moonshade,
Book1 of The Vampire Conclave Series.
CHAPTER ONE
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It all started about two weeks ago. I woke up one morning, feeling anxious about something. It’s just like the feeling I used to get when I was a kid on Christmas mornings. I would want to rush downstairs as soon as I woke up to see what Jolly Old Saint Nick had left me underneath the Christmas tree, but I knew I had to wait for my parents to wake up or Santa might not be as generous the next year. That’s the exact same feeling I have right now. Like there’s a present somewhere just waiting for me to discover it. The only obstacles are: one, I have no idea what it is and two, I have no clue where to start looking for it. My heart literally feels like it will shrivel up inside my chest if I don’t discover the whereabouts of my secret gift, but my mind is a complete blank as to where I should begin my search.
I decide to tell my best friend, Kaylee, how I’m feeling. I always thought Kaylee and I could pass for sisters. We’re the same age, and have the same oval face and high cheekbones. Her hair is a bright shade of red cut in a cute short, layered style; whereas mine is long and a dark auburn color. She has green eyes, and I have brown eyes. She’s a cute, petite 5’4” and I’m almost 5’7”. Well, on second thought, maybe we don’t look that much alike, but we were raised as sisters, so that should count for something.
When I was ten years old, Kaylee and I had a sleepover at her house. The next morning I learned the home I shared with my parents caught on fire, destroying not only the house I grew up in but also my life. After the death of my parents, Kaylee’s folks went through the legal hassle of adopting me. Since I have no living relatives, they saved me from being swallowed up by the foster care system and raised me in a loving home where I was truly a part of the family. The Hugheses weren’t rich by any standards, but they always made sure Kaylee and I never wanted for anything important. We lived in a quaint neighborhood at the end of a cul-de-sac in a nice ranch-style home with the obligatory minivan parked in the driveway.
The first year after the loss of my parents was a tough one for me. If it hadn’t been for the unconditional love the Hugheses supported me with, I’m not sure how my life would have turned out. It’s quite possible I could have ended up living on the street if the state had tried to shuffle me around between different foster homes. I count my lucky stars every day that I was blessed with the perfect people to help me cope with my grief.
After Kaylee and I graduated from college with our degrees in education, she married her high school sweetheart. Ever since we were children, Kaylee has always written stories and dabbled in poetry. With her love of the English language, she decided to be a high school English teacher. I, on the other hand, was always drawn to science and the logic behind how things work, so I decided to be a biology teacher. We were lucky enough to both find jobs at the Pecan Acres Junior High School. Yesterday was our last day of the spring term, which ended up being perfect timing for me. I’m not sure I could have concentrated on my classes, considering my current state of mind.
Kaylee’s gained a lot of weight in the past seven months, but I guess she has a good excuse. She is growing little Emma Louise after all. The only problem with trying to discuss things with a pregnant woman is that her responses seem completely driven by the raging hormones running rampant inside her body.
“Maybe this anxious feeling you’re having means you’re about to find the love of your life,” she enthuses excitedly while we sit at her kitchen table. “You know, your horoscope for this month said you would meet new and interesting people.”
“I don’t believe in that mumbo jumbo. You know that,” I tell her, absently playing with my half-empty cup of coffee on the table. Even though this is supposed to be a relaxing Saturday morning breakfast with my sister, I’m unable to shake the uneasy feeling that I’m supposed to be somewhere else more important.
“Sarah, you need a man in your life,” she sighs.
Kaylee and I have had this discussion at least twice a month since she became the poster woman for marital bliss. She is determined to have me engaged by my twenty-fourth birthday. Luckily, that means I have precisely a year before she goes into super psycho matchmaker mode.
“I wish you could find someone like my Ben,” she says with a dreamy look on her face.
Ben Whitaker is Kaylee’s husband. We all went to high school and college together. Ben and I never really hit it off. We only
tolerate one another because we have to share Kaylee, but I have to give him props. He does make my sister extremely happy, and that’s all that matters in the long run.
“You got lucky,” I tell her, feeling a small unwelcome pang of jealousy. “Not everyone can find the person they’re meant to marry when they’re sixteen.”
Kaylee places a comforting hand over the one I have resting on the table beside my cup of coffee. “There’s someone out there meant just for you. I know it.”
“Ever the optimist.” I try to smile, but my facial expression doesn’t quite make it that far.
“One of us has to be where your love life is concerned.”
I finish my coffee and make up an excuse about needing to restock my kitchen with groceries.
“Hey, would you mind telling me how Emma is feeling today before you leave?”
I can’t help but smile at Kaylee’s constant desire to be reassured her baby is emotionally well-adjusted. However, I guess if I had access to that kind of information about my own unborn child, I would want to know too.
Ever since I can remember, I’ve always been able to sense what other people are feeling. I’m sort of like Deanna Troi on Star Trek, an empath. Sometimes it’s a real pain in the ass sensing the emotional states of strangers, but the certainty of knowing the people you love the most love you back just as fiercely is priceless. I’ve learned how to dampen my ability when I need to, if for no other reason than to just keep my sanity intact. There are some real weirdos out in the general population. The world is a much happier place when I don’t know they’re out there.