Beyond (50 page)

“
Wake up Michael and Austin !
”
Caleb shouted.

“
I ’
ll do it, ”
Davin volunteered , getting ready to throw pebbles at them, the ones he found underneath his feet.
He sprung on top of an adjacent tree.
He would have to aim for their heads since most of their body parts were covered by the branches. With precision, he aimed the numerous pebbles at Austin ’s and Michael ’
s heads.

With the hit
s from the pebbles and hearing the loud commotion, Michael and Austin shot their eyes open to find themselves up i n the tree , wrapped up like cocoon s . Michael spotted Claudia fighting the demons. Not only was she using her bow, she was using the power within her. It jetted out of her hands as she wave d th e demons away from her , as if it was a magic trick.

Michael felt so proud of how much s
he ha d grown into her own. Never did he imagine , the firs t time he laid eyes on her , that this would be her destiny …
their destiny. How times had changed, but one thing remained constant …h e loved her more than anything he c ould possibly imagine , and he would do anything for her.

“
Michael, wake up. Stop staring at Claudia and get your sorry butt down here, ”
Davin bellowed as he threw more pebbles on Michael’s head.
Looking irritated, Michael pe e led his eyes away from Claudia and scowled .

Austin
realize d he was in midair while everyone was beneath him. When he saw the swaying motion of something next to him, he was astounded to see Michael wrapped up like him.
“
I guess we spent the night together. Was it as good for you as it was for me?
”

“
I ’
ll say anything you want if you can get us out of here.
”

Michael and Austin tried to wiggle out of the hold as they continue d to watch their friends below, making sure all heads were accounted for. The numbers of branches were increasing by the minute , and they could see their friends struggling. Seeing Michael and Austin conscious, Vivian jumped from the same location where Davin had stood and sliced the bra n ches that wrapped around them.

Set free, Michael and Austin landed on their two feet, but were unsteady when they fell. The venators and the alkins quickly gathered around, giving them time to wi eld their weapon s and steady themselves. Michael winked at Claudia when she looked over her shoulder .
Claudia smiled shyly , and Austin turned with a twisted pang in his heart when he caught the exchanged look between them.

More branches flared out, slashing and w
h ip p ing, but this time they had something that looked like thorns protruding from every direction .
One coiled around Holly ’
s body , taking her. She screamed out loud from the throbbing pain that cut her deeply. Austin soared to Holly, cut its arm at the base , and caught Holly ’
s fall.

“
It hurts like hell, ”
Holly winc ed , s till in Austin ’
s arm s . H
e waited safely behind a boulder with her while she healed. After what seem ed like a long time —even though it wasn ’
t …
in times like th o se every second counted —Holly jump ed out of Austin ’
s hold.
“
I ’
m better. It ’
s good to have you back.
”

“
Good to be back.
”
H
e ruffled her hair and joined the others.

Michael jumped up to
a tree, slashing the base of the branches. He leaped from tree to tree doing the same thing. Odds were in their favor now as Kathe rine and the watchers appeared , along with Michelle and Gracie. Since they just arrived, they were stunned to see the branches of the trees in motion.

“
These trees are possessed by the dark shadows. I thought they only possessed humans, ”
Gracie said as she chop ped one in half.

“
They can claim basically anything that is living, except for angels. Thank goodness , or I would have to kill one of us, ”
Michelle said , dashing sideways to escape. Instead of missing her, it nicked her. She howled in pain. Blood seeped through her shirt, but quickly healed and she was on her feet again.
“
Shit , that hurts , and my shirt is expensive …
not that I paid for it.
Did you see those things sticking out?
”
Michelle asked Gracie.
There was no response from Gracie . She had been thrown a few feet away from where she stood.
“
Gracie!
”
Michelle ran after her.

The watchers were already mesmerizing in statue form, but seeing them alive was comp elling.
Their grand height and physique was enough to intimidate anyone. Without a word from Katherine, the watchers knew what to do. The alkins, venators and watchers fought side by side. When wings were expanded, it was like observing numerous white feathers gliding with the wind. With the watcher s ’
help, the arms of the branches were all cut down .