by Ciara Knight
“Alex, I’m serious. You can’t interfere. Do you remember what’s happened every other time you tried to save someone you cared about without thought of the consequences? When any of us tried to interfere?”
Flashes of car accidents, demon attacks, and nearly sealing everyone in Hell caused his wings to shake. He always sensed when she was in danger, but if he let her emotions consume him now, nothing would stop him from going to her aid.
He narrowed his gaze at Boon and nodded almost imperceptibly.
“I know it’s hard, but we must.” Then Boon’s head shot to the side, his eyes staring off toward the trees.
“What is it?” Searing fear pulsed through his body. “Is it Gabby?”
Boon took a step back and held a hand up to silence him. An eternity passed before he glanced back at Alexander and nodded for him to follow. “Remember, you’re not to interfere.”
Alexander knew he’d do just that if he felt it necessary, but Boon would never tell him where the demon was without his promise, and with Boon somehow blocking their connection it would take him too long to find her. “Yeah,” he managed.
Boon analyzed his face for a moment then marched down the narrow path leading to the beach.
With the distance growing in their connection, fear nipped at Alexander’s consciousness,
“Gabby?” He shuddered and raced after Boon. Terror grew heavier as they took a turn toward home. “You let a demon near our house? Today? Where’re Grace and Sammy?”
“The opportunity presented itself, and I took it. Grace and Sammy understand. They are allowing the Chosen One to mature into the weapon Heaven intended.” Boon halted at the edge of the woods.
Sand stirred a few feet above the ground as the ocean breeze swirled the grains into a funnel, but Alexander’s eyes were glued on the beast beyond the micro tornado. It stomped toward Gabby, towering over her. Why hadn’t she moved? Instincts took control and he crouched, ready to spring into action, but Boon shot his arm out to block him.
Remember your promise, Boon reminded him with a firm voice in his head.
If only Gabby were an angel. Then Alexander could send her reassurance that they stood nearby with only a thought. Alexander’s triceps twitched, but he remained in the shelter of the trees.
A front hoof swiped at Gabby but she tumbled to the side then raced out of reach before it could turn on her. It slid to a stop. Sand erupted in front of it before it spun around and charged at her a second time. Once again, she jumped clear of its attack. It turned as it skidded then leapt from the sand, launching into the air.
Alexander’s breath hitched, his body struggling against Boon’s command to remain an observer.
Soaring through the air, the demon swung and caught Gabby with one hoof before it landed. She soared several feet and smashed into the wood banister of the front steps. The knife she’d been holding flew from her hand and landed in the front bushes. She scrambled to her feet.
The demon shook its head, snarling and gnashing its fanged teeth. Its hind legs hunched into a ninety-degree angle and it pounced once more, the front right hoof aiming straight at Gabby’s delicate, perfect face.
Her eyes shot wide. She struggled to climb the steps backwards, but only slipped back onto the sand.
No! He wouldn’t stand by and let her be crushed. His warrior spirit merged with the desperate plea of his human emotions, and he let his wings free.
He’d send that worthless demon back to Hell where it belonged.
Don’t! Boon warned. His muscles rippled against the fabric of his shirt and black skin peeked through the stretched seams, before the entire outfit shredded into strips and floated to the ground in an instant. Only inches separated Gabby and the demon now as Boon shot into the sky.
It was too late. There’d be no way Alexander could reach the creature before it smashed Gabby’s small head beyond anything his healing powers could ever dream of repairing. He bolted from the ground, praying Boon would reach her in time. He flew across the beach and landed at the bottom step.
The demon lay motionless, completely covering Gabby’s small frame. Alexander’s heart smashed into a million pieces as if the hoof had slammed against his own chest.
No, it couldn’t be true.
Boon stood at the top of the steps near the front door, watching him silently.
“You were sworn to protect her,” Alexander yelled. His head swam in a pool of loss and despair, but he forced himself to focus. He’d need every ounce of strength if he was going to heal Gabby.
Chapter Two
Gabby shoved with all of her strength, but the beast wouldn’t budge. She opened her mouth to cry out, but the beast compressed her lungs making it impossible to speak.
Finally, the weight lifted from her body. Burning pain flowed through her abdomen and she knew several ribs were broke, but she’d done it and with no more than a stick as a weapon.
“Gabby! Thank God.” Lips pressed against her temple, then her forehead and mouth. “You’re alive,” Alexander shouted as if she’d gone deaf, her ears pounding with restored blood flow.
Chuckles erupted from above her. “She killed him with a twig,” Boon laughed in disbelief.
Alexander scanned her face, rubbing his thumb down her cheek. “Baby, are you hurt?” “Ribs,” she rasped.
His palms pressed to her left side and instant relief coated her lungs. Connected to Alexander once more, joy filled her.
Alexander smiled. “You’re amazing. You took down your first demon quick.”
Gabby pushed up as Grace and Sammy appeared at the end of the walk with broad smiles. Part of her wanted to yell at them for abandoning her, while the other part just wanted to embrace them.
“Can you believe this? She’s definitely the Chosen One.” Boon leaned over the demon’s body, studying it. “I mean, she killed a scout demon with a mere stick.”
“How’d she do that?” Sammy asked, stunned.
Gabby fought the hysterical, nervous laugh that pushed to escape. “I stabbed it in the eye. Didn’t know it would actually kill him. I just figured if I took away its sight, it’d buy me some time to retrieve the knife.”
“Well done, child,” Grace praised.
A hint of anger crept in from the thought they chose today to test her, but from first-hand experience, she knew that emotion only lead to demon fire and death. Besides, she’d finally had a chance to use her gifts in real combat. A part of Gabby wished her dad had been there to see it, too. Not that it was some epic battle. She just wanted him to be proud of her.
“Not a big deal.” Gabby pushed to her feet and Alexander tucked her into his side. His eyes gleamed with something… Pride?
Boon folded his wings. “Guess I better get some clothes. We’ve got a ceremony to get ready for.”
The reminder had Gabby’s heart exploding with excitement. It was almost time for her to become one with Alexander. She smoothed down her hair, picking a few leaves out, then paused. Her head canted to the side as she listened to a car come up the drive.
It was her father’s.
Sammy ran up to her. “Don’t worry. I’m sure the men can handle the body. Let’s go get you ready.” Sammy spun her around. Alexander’s hand gently raked across the back of her shoulders before it was gone. Distance grew between them once again, and a sense of longing washed over her. Each time they separated, it took a few moments to adjust. How would it be after they bonded?
Sammy clutched Gabby’s shoulders and directed her up the front steps, through the doorway and up to the bathroom. “Sorry, no time for that long soak. Make it a quick shower, ‘kay?”
Gabby stopped in the doorway of the bathroom. “Where did you guys go? I was worried.”
Sammy pressed her mouth into a thin line as if to think about her words carefully. “It was a test, Gabby, but you passed. You more than passed!” She clapped her hands, ushered her into the bathroom, and shut the door behind her, closing any hope of further discussion.
&n
bsp; It didn’t matter. She’d give Boon a stern talking-to later. “On the day of my bonding ceremony? Really?” she shouted through the door.
“Get ready or you won’t make it before sunset. Do you want to wait another day?” Sammy’s voice faded down the hall.
Gabby stripped off her clothes. She drained the tub and jumped in the shower. Cool water beat down, soothing the lingering heat from the hot Florida sun. Knowing time was short, she quickly shampooed and conditioned her hair.
Sammy knocked on the door. “Don’t take all day. We need to get you downstairs.”
Gabby finished showering, dried off, and tucked a towel around her. The curtains framing the open window danced in the breeze, and she hesitated for a moment, sniffing the air. Only fresh ocean scents and lavender filled the room. No demon stench. Smiling, she flung open the bathroom door. “I’m ready.”
Sammy giggled. “I think you should at least put the dress on.”
This was it, the day she would be bound to Alexander forever. Her heart thudded as she slid the delicate straps over her shoulders then Sammy zipped up the back, cinching her waist tight.
“The bonding will connect you two like you can’t imagine. You will be one person, forever.” Sammy picked up a brush and smoothed Gabby’s hair back, twirling it into a French twist. She held a silver comb with blue flowers out for Gabby to admire. “Something borrowed.” She winked.
Metal scraped Gabby’s scalp as Sammy inserted the comb to secure the twist.
After more than a year of being tortured by demons, psychotic principals, and overzealous parental supervision, they would finally be together forever. It didn’t seem possible. “What if something goes wrong?” Gabby muttered.
“Nothing will.” Grace’s voice soothed the edge of anticipation. “Alexander won’t let it.
That boy’s pacing the carpet we laid out on the beach to the point of fraying it.”
Sammy smiled as she brushed some rose blush onto Gabby’s cheeks. “My brother will make demon-pops out of any creature that interferes with your bonding today.”
Grace nudged Gabby toward the door. “It’s time. You look lovely, dear.”
A chill filled her lungs and she steadied herself. This wasn’t the time to lose control of her powers. She shuffled toward the door, smoothing the long white skirt and concentrating on each breath.
“It’ll be great, Gabby,” Sammy reassured her.
She wasn’t nervous about being with Alexander. It was more the anticipation of everyone focusing on her. Being the center of attention just wasn’t her thing, but she’d endure anything if it meant being with Alexander forever.
They made their way down the stairs and onto the front porch. The sun rested at the edge of the ocean, its muted orange glow inviting her down to the beach. Her gaze roamed ahead and she saw Alexander waiting for her near the shoreline. Her heart skidded at the sight of her soon-to-be eternal partner.
Grace made her way down the sand dune ahead of them as her dad came around the end of the front porch. “You look beautiful, G-Bear.” His breath was full of mint and a hint of… No, it was her imagination. He hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol in almost a year. It was just her usual paranoia, but she wouldn’t let it take hold, not today.
“Thanks, Dad.”
He stepped away and offered his arm. Strange, they’d become so close. Big bear hugs were almost a common occurrence each time she saw him since he returned from rehab. Maybe he was nervous. He was giving away his only daughter. Was he worried about being left alone? She’d already planned to have Alexander move into the small beach cottage she shared with her father after the ceremony. Convincing her dad to move into Grace’s house might be more difficult. He’d beat alcoholism, but she feared loneliness might drive him back to the bottle.
Sammy moved forward and fluffed the back of Gabby’s skirt. The light material floated in the wind, and the golden glow of the sun reflected off the pearl beading. Grace had hand stitched each adornment onto the fabric, a time consuming task even for an angel.
Gabby tugged the front of her dress up slightly with her right hand and hooked her left through her father’s offered arm. Her white slipper-style shoes swished against the sand as she stepped forward.
Sammy snorted as a smile played at the corner of Gabby’s lips. She’d won this round. Sammy had finally given up on trying to get her to wear heels.
As she neared him, Alexander straightened to his full height and pushed back his shoulders. He took her breath away, with his sandy blond hair glistening in the fading light of the setting sun, his broad shoulders accentuated by his dark jacket.
“Wow,” he murmured.
“Is that a good wow?” It wasn’t until right then that she realized she hadn’t looked at herself in the mirror. She knew Sammy wouldn’t have let her leave the house if she wasn’t presentable, but frankly she couldn’t care less. She wasn’t about to wait another day to bond. Sunset was when the bonding had to take place, the end of one day’s light, and the beginning of the shining moon.
Her dad let go of her hand and kissed her cheek. For a second, he looked misty-eyed, but surely, it was only a play of the fading light. Her dad didn’t cry.
Alexander pulled her to his side. “You look amazing.”
“Thanks.” An awkward sensation stirred her to say more, but she couldn’t find any words and was thankful when Grace clasped her hands together to signal they would begin.
“You look amazing, too,” Gabby whispered.
Grace nodded and smiled at them both. “The two of you have been through many trials in a short time here on Earth, yet you’ve remained dedicated and connected through it all. You both stand here today asking Heaven to grant the eternal gift of soulbonding, a commitment that can never be broken. Are you certain this path is the one you both wish to take?”
Behind her, her dad shifted and coughed. She knew he wanted to reassure her that she could walk away and all would be okay. But she didn’t want to walk away. Not now, not ever.
Alexander squeezed her hand, and they both nodded.
Grace smiled. “Do you, Alexander Lohr, agree to connect your soul with Gabriella Moore for all eternity?”
“Yes,” he rasped.
“Do you, Gabriella Moore, wish to join Alexander Lohr, never to be separated for all of eternity?”
Gabby knew these were just words to make it more of a human ceremony, but they still filled her heart with hope. Emotions threatened to silence her. Then she glanced at Alexander’s loving eyes and breathed, “Yes.”
His shoulders relaxed and the corners of his mouth curled up into a smile, revealing his sexy dimples that always weakened her knees.
“Let all of you bear witness to this union. For all eternity, Gabriella Moore and Alexander Lohr will be bound, blessed by Heaven.”
Alexander removed his coat and handed it to Boon. He pressed his lips to her forehead, and her heart thrashed against her ribs in anticipation. This was it. They would connect in the most intimate manner ever created.
He tossed his tie and shirt to Boon and tugged her flush against him. “I love you, Gabriella Lohr.”
She giggled at the sound of a name that wasn’t technically legal, but was blessed by God himself. They lifted into the air. Their eyes locked in a loving gaze. She could get lost in those eyes and never return to reality.
Held in Alexander’s strong arms, she immersed herself in his navy aura. Aided by an occasional beat of his strong wings, they floated above the beach. His gorgeous denim-blue eyes pierced her soul. They sat on a cloud of inviting mist surrounded by sweet smells of a fresh rain and eternal love.
“We will finally be one,” he said, speaking the words she’d longed to hear.
Six months they’d waited to bond. Training and rebuilding their home came first.
Alexander insisted everything be perfect.
He stroked her cheek. His look of desire and acceptance melted her heart. Happiness filled her with the thought of the oth
ers waiting below. For the first time in months, they had something to celebrate. Her father, Grace, Sammy, and Boon were here with them to share in their soulbonding in spite of their concerns. Okay, he their family and friends below couldn’t see them through the clouds. She knew that from watching Sammy and Boon’s soulbonding.
Silky feathers wrapped around her, caressing her shoulders and back. Tiny electrical currents surged through her body. She waited for the bond to take hold, to be pulled into the inexplicable bliss Sammy had told her about. Not so much a physical experience, although Sammy told her it would be better than sex. Her words lingered in Gabby’s mind. Of course, she had no idea what sex felt like either. Alexander had insisted they wait. Once they bonded, their union would be blessed, and they could be together.
A deep want to experience intimacy with him hummed through her body. She relaxed into Alexander’s embrace and sighed, rubbing her face against his strong chest—at peace and truly happy for the first time since her mother’s death.
His navy aura turned into night, and a small current jolted through her for a second then settled. Her rapid pulse pounded in her head. The salty air spun around them with ever-growing intensity. Alexander’s face blurred then disappeared into the swirling blackness. She closed her eyes, opened her heart, and waited for the connection.
The air morphed from a pleasant dance into a ferocious cyclone lashing at her skin. The world turned upside down, leaving her without any concept of direction. Sweat coated her, making it hard to hold onto Alexander. She clawed to keep him close. The more she fought the further he slipped. “Alex!” she cried.
No response, only air.
Her stomach clenched around an abyss of emptiness. Sammy hadn’t warned her about this. Was it part of the ceremony?
Her body convulsed. A slit of fire ran from her skull, behind her eyes, down her back, stopping at her waist. She tried to slap out the sting, but couldn’t reach far enough behind her. Razors slid down her back and her skin ripped open. Her insides shuddered and pulsed. Her arms spread outward, and she turned like a tilt-a-whirl gone wild.