by S. A. Moss
Then again, maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised. The Fallen who wanted so badly to come back to Earth all seemed obsessed with material luxury and physical pleasure—all the things they couldn’t have in the Shroud.
But the upside of this strange development was that we were able to do some research on the layout of the space before we launched our attack. Seth’s crazy web navigation skills also led him to a site that had blueprints of the entire building.
Midway through our war council, Sada and Adele showed up. They’d gotten held up helping several Guardians bring a twenty-foot-tall scorpion-demon back to the Shroud. Sada bore a long gash on her arm that healed slowly, oozing a dark green substance.
It was after 3:30 a.m. when Arcadius finally sat back, stretching his large body. “That’s all we can do for tonight. The humans need rest. They need to be fresh for this fight if we want to have a chance at winning. We’ll make arrangements and get things in order for the attack in the meantime.”
Sarah’s head had started dipping every few minutes, jerking back up as she shook herself awake. I could see her trying to formulate an argument against Arcadius’s order, but the Council leader was right. When she opened her mouth to protest, a huge yawn came out instead. She snapped her jaw shut sheepishly and nodded.
Eve offered up the spare room in her apartment to Seth and Sarah. I was nervous about having them even that far away. But if there was trouble, I could drop right through the floor and be there in a flash to help them. Besides, there just wasn’t room for everyone to sleep comfortably in Alex’s place.
Once the three of them left, I squeezed Alex’s hand and stepped toward Sada, ready to leave with the other Guardians. But she rested her hands on my shoulders and spun me around, giving me a gentle push back toward Alex.
“We can handle this, Cam,” she murmured. “But he needs sleep, and I doubt he will get it without you here. And you need rest. More has been asked of you in the past few weeks than any new Guardian in our history. Tomorrow will demand more still. Rest. Recover.”
I turned back, an argument on the tip of my tongue. But then Alex’s hand fell on the small of my back, and the words died on my lips. Maybe it was selfish of me, or weak. But I wanted a few more stolen moments with him.
A part of my brain I tried not to listen to kept whispering that we were running out of time. That even if we won tomorrow, it would be a kind of end.
Swallowing my fear, I reached back for Alex’s hand, lacing my fingers with his.
“Thank you, Sada,” I whispered.
She nodded, her dark eyes glittering.
Then she strode toward the door, fading out as she walked. Owen and Adele left too, followed closely by Arcadius and Pearl. The red-haired girl looked back at Alex and me over her shoulder as she faded out. A small, sad smile lifted her lips as her gaze fell to our joined hands.
When they were gone, silence rushed in to fill the apartment. A sudden rush of nerves flooded me as I turned to Alex, feeling almost shy.
“Sada is right. You should get some sleep.”
He nodded, his green eyes burning into me. “I should.”
Not dropping his grip on my hand, he turned toward the bedroom. Otis and Will were curled up on the couch in a ball of grey and brown fur; it was impossible to tell where one ended and the other began. The cat’s eyes were closed, but Will gazed up at me as I glanced back.
Then Alex shut the door behind us.
He switched on the bedside lamp and tugged his jeans off, not looking at me. I stripped my pants off too, and we slid under the covers from opposite sides of the bed.
For a moment, an entire universe seemed to spring up between us in the few inches of space that separated our bodies. Then Alex’s large hand reached for me, settling on my hip and pulling me into the warm shell of his body. Our legs twined together as his hand skated up the side of my body, leaving a trail of goose bumps in its wake. He cupped the side of my face, his thumb tracing soft patterns over the skin of my cheek.
Deep green eyes met mine in the dim light, shining with love.
My heart began to beat as his gift of mortality flowed into my body—not stuttering and hiccuping as it often did when he accidentally turned me mortal, but pounding in a deep, steady rhythm.
It was sure. My heart, which only beat when Alex brought it to life, had known the truth far longer than I had.
I loved him. I loved this man with the easy smile, the kind heart, and the brave spirit. A part of me had loved him since the day I met him, but that love had been nothing compared to what I felt now.
Resting my hand against his chest, I closed my eyes, breathing in his warmth. Unbidden, a tear leaked out from under my eyelid, tracking slowly across my temple.
“Hey.” Alex’s voice was low, barely more than a deep rumble in his chest. “Are you okay?”
He swept on knuckle along the side of my face, collecting the tear.
I nodded, biting my lip as I drew in a shaky breath.
“Remember when I told you I was scared? Well, I still am. More than I ever have been in my life.”
“Me too,” he murmured.
My stomach twisted. “Part of me just wants to run away. To take the people I love and hide out in a mountain somewhere no one can find us. Just to keep them safe.”
One corner of Alex’s mouth lifted, although his eyes gleamed with understanding. “You don’t mean that, Cam. I know you. You’re not the type to run away from a fight, and you’re not the type to leave people behind. Even people you don’t know. It’s why the universe chose you to be a Guardian.”
“I wish it hadn’t, sometimes. I wish my soul hadn’t answered the call.” I hesitated. “But then I never would’ve found out what happened to my parents. I never would’ve… met you.”
He pulled me closer. “I’m glad you did. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me, Cam.”
“You too. I wish I could’ve met you when I was still alive and not fighting evil supernatural forces.” I chuckled, twisting the fabric of his shirt in my fingers.
He grinned. “Yeah, that would’ve been nice. We could’ve gone on an actual date. Seen a movie or something. Although fighting vampires and crazy Fallen supernaturals is another kind of fun, I guess.”
My heartbeat sped up, and I slid my hand up to the back of his neck, sliding it through his thick, sandy brown hair. My throat tightened with emotion as I bit my lip, the worry that had been eating away at me breaking free.
“Please don’t die,” I whispered.
Alex’s smile slipped, but the warmth remained in his eyes. “It’s a little too late for that.”
His acceptance of his fate broke my heart. How could he not hate me for what I’d brought into his life?
Maybe you didn’t bring the bad stuff, Cam. Maybe the bad stuff would’ve found him anyway. Maybe you brought the light.
My body tingled with awareness everywhere we were pressed together, and I tilted my head forward, hearing the slight hitch in his breath.
“You’re not dead yet.”
“No. Not yet.”
His lips met mine in a soft caress, an exploration. Even knowing how little time we had left, he refused to rush this. I loved him for that.
My hands slid down his back, grabbing the hem of his t-shirt and lifting it gently over his head. He disposed of my shirt in a similar fashion, and when our lips met again, our bare skin pressing together lit my body on fire.
He rolled me onto my back gently, settling between my legs and bracing his weight on his forearms as he looked down at me, dropping kisses to my lips as he devoured me with his hungry gaze.
“I love you, Cam. No matter what happens next, I love you.”
I hooked my legs around his waist, drawing him closer and gasping at the sensations that ricocheted through my body. “I love you, Alex. I always will.”
And then we stopped talking, letting our bodies and souls say more than words ever could. I drowned in his kisses and was revived by
his breath in my ear, by the worshipful caresses of his large hands. For a moment, I swore we became one, and even as the euphoric high faded, I could still feel the connection pulsing between us.
As his Guardian, I’d always had a link to him. But this was more than that. This was a connection we had forged ourselves in all the time we’d spent together, in the sacrifices and support we’d offered each other.
Afterward, Alex wrapped his arms around me, his body molding perfectly to me like a shell. The sheets were a tangled mess, and I wasn’t sure where any of my clothes had ended up. But I felt boneless, happy, and utterly safe.
His heart beat against my back, joining mine in a steady rhythm.
The hypnotic pulse drew me under, and before I knew it, my eyelids were pulled shut.
For the first since I died, I slept.
31
For some reason, I’d expected the devastation downtown to look slightly less horrific in the daylight, but I was sadly mistaken.
If anything, it looked worse.
In the bright morning sunlight, it was easier to see the breadth of the destruction Akaron had already wrought. The Chicago skyline was missing entire buildings, as if the city were a gap-toothed child.
My stomach churned with nerves as we sped down Lakeshore Drive. There were almost no other drivers to contend with, but the Guardian behind the wheel of our large SUV whipped around abandoned vehicles left on the road. Another matching black vehicle trailed behind us.
Will was perched on my shoulder, gripping my ear with his cold little front paws. I’d tried to make him stay behind, but he had staunchly refused. No matter how many times I’d plunked him back down on the couch next to Otis, he wouldn’t stay put. I’d even tried locking him inside, but the downside of having a pet from the Shroud was that he could just fade out and slip through the door. Which was exactly what he’d done.
I was glad to have him with me, even though I really hoped he’d bail back to the Shroud if things got too hairy.
Sarah, Eve, and Seth had shown up at Alex’s place bright and early. Despite the Guardian’s insistence that the humans sleep, I didn’t think much actual sleeping had been done. Adrenaline was running too high for a good night’s rest—and some things were more important than sleep anyway.
I glanced up, meeting Alex’s eyes. He sat in the seat next to me, and his emerald irises twinkled as he grinned at me. I was sure he’d read the expression on my face like an open book.
But I didn’t really mind.
Last night had been amazing, and I wanted him to know I thought so.
Grinning back, I cocked one eyebrow at him.
The driver navigated us down side streets toward our destination downtown. Many of the main roads were impassable, completely blocked by abandoned cars and chunks of debris.
Tears burned my eyes as we picked our way through the destruction. We hadn’t been able to stop Akaron and my father. I hadn’t been able to stop them. And if we didn’t bring them down now, this carnage would only be the beginning.
Alex caught my eye again and squeezed my hand. “We’ll end this here, Cam.”
I forced a determined nod, but a little voice in the back of my brain couldn’t help but think, Yeah, but how will it end?
The SUV slowed, drawing my attention back to our surroundings. I leaned forward to peer out the front windshield—
And almost fell out of my seat.
People.
Hundreds of people were gathered along the street, watching the approach of our small caravan in silence. Some were dressed in full riot gear, with batons, helmets, and plastic shields. Others had more homegrown weapons—baseball bats, kitchen knives, and small firearms. All wore slightly wide-eyed, serious expressions.
“What is this?” I breathed as the driver pulled to a stop. “What’s going on?”
Sada looked back from the front seat, a smile lighting her usually stern features. “Pearl reached out to our contacts in human law enforcement and a few other sources. None of this is officially sanctioned by their government, but there were quite a number of people who wanted to help.”
I gaped at her. “And you’re letting them?”
Her dark eyes gleamed as she tilted her head at me. “Do you object?”
“No!” I shook my head firmly as I transferred my attention out the window again. “I’ve said all along I think humans and Guardians should work together. It sounds like Akaron’s had plenty of human worshippers volunteer to serve him. Having humans on our side will help us deal with his followers. We can go after the Fallen while they deal with the humans.”
Sada opened her door, throwing a glance over her shoulder at me before she slid out of the car. “That was our thinking as well.”
Then she was gone, walking toward a large cluster of people by the side of the road. Arcadius had gotten out of the car behind us, and he strode over to join her.
I turned to Alex, my mouth still hanging open slightly.
He chuckled. “Look at that. The Council did listen to your ideas.”
My mouth slowly closed. “God, I hope I was right. If they all get killed—”
“They won’t, Cam. And they all chose to come and fight with us today. Nobody made them. They want to do something, not just wait around for someone else to save them. I can relate to that.”
I gripped his hand, and we slid out of the car, followed by Seth, Eve, and Sarah. The three of them had been pensive and quiet on the drive, but now that we were surrounded by more humans, they looked almost excited.
I had no intention of letting Eve get anywhere near the fighting, but there were other ways she could be of help without throwing herself directly in harm’s way.
We joined the Council members and Pearl, who were conversing with what looked like a few of the leaders of the human contingent. I could stop my gaze from bouncing back and forth from human to Guardian. Never in my wildest imaginings had I thought I’d see a day where we all worked together like this.
“He’s holed up in the W Hotel. We believe he’s taken the upper levels, and has humans guarding the lower levels. Other supernaturals are likely to be guarding his base too,” Arcadius said.
A man with closely shaved brown hair and a weathered, angular face dipped his head once. “You leave the humans up to us.”
“We’ll leave Guardians with you, to provide backups in the event that supernaturals attack. But this will free up some of our rank to continue up to the top with us.” Arcadius paused, his steel-gray eyes taking in the man before him. “Thank you.”
“We’d fight no matter what,” the man said simply. He had a military bearing about him and didn’t seem like the type to waste words. “In my experience, crises like this bring out the worst in a few and the best in many. Humans band together in times like this to create a united front. But with you on our side, we actually have a chance. So thank you.”
Arcadius blinked once, the only indication that the man’s answer had surprised him. It’d surprised me a bit too, honestly. I’d spent hours arguing with Arcadius that humans were more capable of accepting the supernatural than the Guardians gave them credit for—but it was a little shocking to see that maybe I had been right.
Then again, after what Akaron and the other Fallen had done in their short time on Earth, any humans denying the existence of the supernatural were intentionally sticking their heads in the sand.
Our large group moved down the street, the Guardians and the human leaders at the head of the strange procession. I slowly became aware of new bodies appearing around us—other Guardians, fading in amidst the crowd of humans. A few startled yelps accompanied their appearance, but the humans seemed awed more than afraid. They trusted us.
Suddenly, Pearl broke away from our group, rushing forward.
“You came!”
I squinted. “Who is is…?”
My voice trailed off as I caught sight of at least a dozen auras glowing in a small cluster. I faded to the mid-plane quickly, steppin
g forward to join Pearl.
“Course we came.” Reeva put her hands on her hips, her shifting features still somehow managing to look stubborn. “Can’t let the bad ones out. Must keep them in the Shroud.”
Behind her, a sea of morphing faces nodded in agreement.
“And I haven’t had a good fight in ages.” Reeva grinned viciously at that, and I was suddenly very glad she was on our side.
“Did you do this?” I turned to Pearl, my eyes wide. I couldn’t believe she’d convinced so many ghosts to join our cause.
“I just went and talked to Reeva.” Pearl beamed. “She did the rest.”
“Thank you, Reeva,” I said fervently.
The ghost bobbed her head, looking pleased.
With Will perched on my shoulder, I glanced over at the group of humans and Guardians that had continued walking past us while we paused. Then my gaze settled on Pearl, and finally on the cluster of ghosts in front of us.
Maybe, with all of these people on our side, we had a small chance after all.
32
The W loomed above us a few blocks away, so quiet and peaceful from the outside it made the skin on the back of my neck prickle.
“What is it with this guy and tall buildings?” I muttered, trying to stop the swaying and dipping of my stomach. I felt like a sailor on choppy seas, except I was on solid ground, and the only thing that seemed to be moving was my stomach.
Beside me, Alex chuckled. There was little humor in the sound, but his eyes were bright when he turned to me. “Good thing I’m not afraid of heights anymore, huh?”
I pursed my lips at him. “I guess we could call all the time we spent together one long session of exposure therapy. Maybe the Guardians can promote it as an extra service. ‘We’ll protect you from dangerous supernaturals and cure you of your phobias.’”
He outright laughed at that, and my chest warmed. As nerves ate away at me like acid, I clung desperately to every little ray of happiness I could grab. Soon, we’d be in a desperate fight against Akaron and my father. And whether we won or lost, at some point after that, Alex would…