From Ashes

by Amanda Perry

  “All right,” I relent. Caleb’s body sags with relief. “I’ll give you the chance to prove it to me. I’ll trust that you’re telling me the truth. Just...” I swallow hard and squeeze my eyes tight, remembering how painful it’s been without him. “Don’t break me again, Caleb, please.”

  “Never,” Caleb vows breathlessly. He tugs me into a tight hug that I embrace easily. This is where I’m supposed to be—I know, as my body hums with contentment. “I’ll prove to you how much I need you, how much I love you. I swear, I’ll make this whole thing up to you. Thank you for giving me a chance, baby.”

  I shake my head against his chest. “If what you say is true, it’s not really your fault. It was just all a misunderstanding.”

  Caleb rests his lips on the top of my head and takes a deep breath. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am for hurting you. I was horrified when Mark told me that you were afraid of me. I’ve never regretted my actions more than I did right then. I never should have gotten angry with you, and I’m so damn sorry I yelled at you. I can’t tell you how sorry I am for that. Fuck, baby, I was just panicking. I can’t lose you, not ever.”

  “Caleb.” I pull away from him, only enough to look into his eyes. He’s beating himself up about a misunderstanding, and I hate it. “Yes, I was upset, scared, and confused, but that’s not your fault. You’re allowed to have the feelings you did. It’ll take more than a few months for me to get used to the fact that you react normally with your anger and other emotions, though. It’s not what I’m used to. I’m trying to get better about it, but I still need time to work on my own reactions.”

  “I hurt you,” he reminds me.

  “No, you didn’t—” I cut myself off and cringe because it isn’t entirely the truth. “I mean, you did. But not because you were upset, not because you yelled. You hurt me when you didn’t come back, when I was led to believe you really were done with me and that you didn’t care anymore. I thought you were done when you said it, but what confirmed it for me was when you didn’t come back.”

  “I tried so hard to come back, but Mark was determined to keep me out.” Caleb’s pained expression cuts deep. He was hurting, too. “He wasn’t about to let anyone or anything else hurt you. I can kind of understand his determination, but I also wanted to kick his ass.”

  “I don’t understand why he would tell you that I didn’t want you around.” My brow draws together as the memory from the hospital again tries to push its way forward in my mind. Try as I might, I can’t clearly remember what had happened.

  Caleb shrugs. “We can ask Mark when we get back.” He tightens his hands around me, pulling me back into his embrace. “Right now, I just want to hold you for a few weeks. Maybe months.” I allow his smoky scent to wash over me, his tight hug to comfort me, and his words to soothe me. It’s only been a month since I was in his arms, but it feels like a lifetime. I never want him to let me go.

  All too soon, Caleb pulls away, taking my hands in his. “We should head back. Everyone is worried about you. They’re all looking for you now. According to Mark, I wasn’t to come after you, but I couldn’t let you run out alone. I think he’s pretty pissed off at the words I used when I left the house.”

  I start to agree, but something in the dark corner of the park catches my eye. I freeze. A feeling of wicked dread washes over me. We aren’t alone anymore, and whoever joined us is a bad person.

  “Baby?” Caleb glances around, his eyes scanning the area where my attention remains. “What’s wrong?”

  “Shh.” I try to figure out what caught my eye and why it sends revolting chills down my spine. I squint into the darkness and finally manage to make out a silhouette. Seconds later it shifts, and I watch in horror as a figure steps out into the light. “It’s Samael,” I choke out. “And he’s not alone.”

  Chapter 8

  “Fuck.” Caleb slides his body in front of mine, blocking me from Samael and the two men who flank him.

  “Well, well, well...” Samael’s voice sends a shiver down my spine. My hands dart out, and I grab a fistful of Caleb’s jacket, then press my front to his back. “Hey, sugar, it’s been far too long. I sure have missed my little step-daughter.”

  “You don’t speak to her,” Caleb spits. “You’re nothing to her, and she isn’t your anything.”

  When I peek my head around Caleb’s side, his eyes widen briefly in surprise before he catches himself, and they narrow dangerously. Samael’s lips turn up into a devilish sneer as he turns his attention from Caleb to lock eyes with me.

  “Kill him,” Samael orders the two men beside him while pointing to Caleb. His gaze never leaves me. “Bring the girl to me, alive.”

  “Run,” Caleb whispers before Samael finishes giving his orders. “Get out of here now, baby.”

  While his demand registers in my brain, my body refuses to cooperate. It’s like the incident at the mall all over again, only ten times worse.

  The two men on either side of Samael take a threatening step toward Caleb and me. My most pressing concern is Caleb’s safety. Samael is here because of me, and I won’t let him or his goons hurt Caleb. The only problem is I’ll never be able to take on Samael and the other two men on my own. Realistically, I wouldn’t even be able to take one of them alone. Knowing Samael’s strength, I can’t let him get to Caleb. If I run like Caleb said to, Samael will follow me. Caleb’s odds against the two other men are better than putting him against all three.

  With my half-baked plan in place, I turn tail and race for the parking lot on the opposite side of the park. With a quick glance over my shoulder, I find my strategy working. As predicted, the two men launch themselves at Caleb. If not for Samael fast on my heels, I wouldn’t be able to continue running away from him.

  Unfortunately, I’m not at my best right now, and while I know I possess the ability to outrun Samael any other time, I currently don’t have it in me. He gains on me quickly. His hand wraps around my long ponytail, using it to pull me to a harsh stop. I cry out, my hands flying up to my hair, tugging it away from him in vain.

  Once he stops me in my tracks, he grabs my bicep in a bruising grip and spins me around to face him. He lets my ponytail go, only to wrap the same hand around my neck and pin me to the chain-link fence surrounding the parking lot. He twists my arm into an awkward, upside-down position and uses his body to pin the rest of mine against the fence.

  It takes every ounce of courage inside of me not to cower away from him. My instincts scream at me to revert back to the scared, little girl he remembers. Being face-to-face with his dead eyes and evil smile makes me sick to my stomach, but I refuse to give him the satisfaction of my fear. Instead, I match his glower with my own. His mask of indifference slips again, giving away his displeasure and how stunned he is by my lack of visible fear.

  He shakes himself, gaining his composure and tightening his hand on my throat. Each breath I take becomes painful and difficult. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you, sugar. I’ve missed you so much.” He appears elated to have finally found me, and my stomach drops. What will he do now that he’s found me? “I have a lot of friends who were searching for you. I managed to track you down in Sacramento, but I couldn’t get you alone. Then, you disappeared again, and I had to do a bit of research to find where you went. When I got word one of my new friends had found you, I was all too happy to pay a visit. It took far too long for you to come out and play.”

  I frown, unsure what he means exactly. Who told him where I am? The only time his minions found me was at the diner on the way to Sacramento. Jaxon and Caleb took care of the two Fallen who tried to take me, though. They didn’t have a chance to report back to Samael. No one knew we were in Sacramento, aside from the council. Could one of them be working with Samael? It would explain how word of my existence was leaked to the Elemental community. Samael’s new friend is a mystery, though. Next to no one knew about me. I don’t talk to many people aside from my family, and I haven’t left the house in weeks.

>   “Are you ready to give up this chase and come home with me?” Samael distracts me from my thoughts. His offer makes me want to vomit all over his shoes. “We could do wonderful things together, sugar.”

  I scrunch my nose in disgust and turn my head away from him. “I’ll never go anywhere with you, S-S-Samael.” My voice comes out raspy, but he understands every word.

  “So,” He tightens his hold more on my neck and pushes my torso farther against the fence, the metal digging into my spine, “You got yourself a new, little family, and you think it makes you worth something now, is that it? You think you’re destined to lead them and all the other pathetic Elementals who think they’re good for anything?”

  I search the area until I find what I’m looking for over Samael’s shoulder. Caleb is still in the middle of a fight with the two other men Samael brought with him. While he holds his own against them, it’s still two against one. His back is turned to one while he dodges an attack from the other. The man behind him tries to sneak up on him. I open my mouth to call out a warning to Caleb, but Samael’s grip is too tight. Only a small squeak escapes me.

  Without considering the consequences, I focus every bit of energy left in me on the Earth. It rumbles beneath our feet as I pull and twist the components I have in mind. It’s easier than I had expected to bring forth a large tree root. It breaks the surface of the Earth and wraps around the leg of the man behind Caleb seconds before he can follow through with his attack. The man pushes and pulls at the root, but I refuse to let up. I tighten the wooden cage and force it to climb all the way up his thigh to his hip. With one of them deterred, Caleb is able to focus on the other without worry.

  Small sparks shoot from his fingertips as he faces off with his opponent. I try to muster up any strength to help him, but I only cause a warm breeze through the cool, November air.

  Samael glances over his shoulder and finds one of his men stuck in place and the other on the losing end of a fiery battle. He turns back to me, his eyes shooting daggers, his body vibrating with anger. He might kill me if I don’t break away from him soon. “You think you’re something special, don’t you?” He doesn’t bother giving me a chance to respond. “I have news for you, little girl. You are nothing. You mean nothing to that so-called family of yours or anyone else, except for me.”

  I blink in surprise. Did he just say I mean something to him? Is he insane?

  He loosens his grip on my neck minutely as he continues. I want to try to break free from him, but I bide my time, knowing that if he keeps talking, he’ll distract himself and his hand will loosen more. “You were destined to be with me, with the Fallen. Why do you think I let your stupid ass live for so long? I knew who you were, what you were meant to do. I was sent to keep an eye on you. If your fucking mother hadn’t gotten in my way and angered me that night, you would have never known about your pathetic father, and you’d be where you belong—beside me as I lead my elite group of Fallen. We are far stronger than any number of Elementals, and we’ll kill every single one of them, starting with that family you think is so precious. This is your last chance to make the right decision. Come with me now, and you’ll be with people who want you, who need you. You’ll do amazing things.”

  He waits as I pretend to mull over his offer. The longer I feign my consideration, the less pressure he uses to hold my neck and torso. The fence no longer digs into my spine, and I’m able to take a deep breath.

  My heart leaps in my chest when a familiar engine revs in the distance. If I’m correct about whose car it is, it could work to my advantage. I need to distract him, and the only way to do that is to keep him talking. “If I mean something to you, why did you hurt me all the time?”

  Samael’s sorrowful look is as fake as my consideration of his offer. “I was trying to teach you, Riley. You have to be tough in this world, and I wanted to make sure you were able to handle everything when the time came. You had to learn.”

  Without drawing attention to it, I call on the wind around us and focus it in a single spot behind Samael. It starts as a small swirl, then slowly builds momentum into a dust devil. I give Samael a small nod. “I know where I really belong.” My tone is relenting, and Samael takes the bait. I continue to push more force into the dust devil, ensuring I have a small tornado with enough strength to knock over a large person, specifically Samael.

  “Come then, sugar.” He steps backward, just outside the tornado and holds a hand out to me. “I’ll make sure you’re where you need to be.”

  “That’s the thing, Samael...” I say, quietly inching my tornado forward. My body grows weaker by the second, and I won’t be able to hold on to the momentum much longer. The car in the distance grows closer, and I know for sure who it is when it speeds up as it rounds the corner and the occupant catches sight of the park. Samael’s too focused on winning his mind-games with me to notice the fast-approaching newcomer. “I am where I need to be. I have a family who loves me, and I love them. You were never anything to me, and you never will be. You are nothing. They are everything.”

  Samael turns an unflattering shade of red and lashes out, his fist connecting with my cheek, knocking me to the ground. My head spins, and my cheek burns. But I won’t allow myself to be deterred.

  “You little bitch! If you don’t come with me willingly, I’ll just have to force you.” He takes a menacing step toward me at the same time I swing my tornado around and scoop him up in it.

  He’s thrown several feet away and drops to the ground with an audible thud. He scrambles to get to his feet, only to pause at the sound of squealing tires entering the parking lot. We both turn to watch Jaxon’s car hop the curb and race through the parking lot. It takes more effort than it should for me to keep my focus on the scene in front of me—all I want to do is close my eyes and rest for a few minutes—but I refuse to look away. Jaxon’s on a mission to go bowling, and he has three pins to take down. He continues to gain speed until he plows straight into the man whose leg was stuck in my rooted cage.

  The second man Caleb fought against stands in front of him, engulfed in a fiery inferno one second, then he disappears into ashes the next. Samael jumps to his feet. My vision blurs in and out of focus as I wait for him to make a decision. He weighs his odds of getting to me before Jaxon’s car can run him down or before Caleb can come after him. By the defeat in his eyes, he knows he’s outnumbered.

  “This isn’t over.” He sends a longing look my way, turns tail, then races for the tree line.

  Jaxon revs his engine once more, but unfortunately, Samael manages to disappear into the dark, wooded area before Jaxon can run him down. I glance toward Caleb and find him nearly in front of me while Jaxon jumps out of the driver side of his car and Cassie bursts through the passenger side. The three of them blur together momentarily until I shake my head and blink several times.

  “Riley! Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” When he reaches me, Caleb runs his eyes over my body, checking for injuries. He pauses on my neck and cheek, his eyes narrowing into slits.

  “I’m fine. I’ll be okay.” I grab his hand in mine. I need to be touching him to convince myself that he’s okay and that he’s real and with me. “You’re okay, right?”

  He winces when I squeeze his hand, and I notice his knuckles are a bit cut up. He also has a bruise below his left eye, but other than that, he appears fine. Still, it makes me sick to see him hurt at all. I frown and gently touch the darkening spot below his eye. “You’re hurt.”

  “Hey, I’m alright.” Caleb uses his free hand to take mine from his face and kiss the back of it. He ducks his head to be eye level with me and smiles softly. “Don’t frown, baby, you’ve done enough frowning lately. I miss your beautiful smiles.”

  In an attempt to lighten the moment, I give him the dorkiest smile I can muster. It seems to work on Jaxon and Cassie as they chuckle while striding up to us. Caleb rolls his eyes and kisses my forehead. “Cute. Very cute.”

  “Please tell me I ran over a Fallen p
iece of shit and not some random dude stuck in a root.” Jaxon looks from Caleb to his car, then back again. “I can’t go to jail. I’m too pretty for jail.”

  Caleb snorts, turning his attention away from me momentarily, though his hand doesn’t leave mine. I decide to rest my eyes while he and Jaxon talk. I’m exhausted, but I’ll only take a minute or two to rest. “You’d end up in a cell with some guy named Bubba calling you sugar tits for the rest of your life.” Caleb laughs at his own joke. “Don’t worry, though, we’ll visit your sorry ass.”

  “Fuck off, Montgomery,” Jaxon grumbles. He clearly doesn’t appreciate the disturbing image Caleb has painted for us, and I don’t blame him—it doesn’t sound pleasant.

  “Riley?” Cassie speaks up for the first time. I mean to answer her, but my body won’t cooperate. “Riley! Open your eyes!”

  I really want to do as she asks, but I need a quick minute to recuperate. Caleb calls out to me, wrapping his arms around my body. I take a long, deep breath and relax into him as his smoky scent washes over me. “Jus a mint...” My words are meant to reassure them, but instead, they slur together. I don’t bother correcting myself, though. I’ll tell them when I wake up.

  Chapter 9

  “Welcome back, Chosen One.” Instantly, I recognize the whispered voice of Niyol, the god of Wind.

  My eyelids fly open, and I stumble on my feet. I expected to be lying down, not standing in the middle of the endlessly white room they always bring me to. I’ve come to expect surprise visits from them. I don’t panic like I did the first few times, nor do I question how or why they brought me here. Their presence brings me nothing but comfort and a sense of security.