Blue Violet (27 page)

“For
graduating from high school?” she teased.

“For so many
things. But tonight, yes, for graduating from high school. You managed to do it
while saving my family from a force that should have terrified you. And you saved
them bravely and unwaveringly.”

Ellie’s eyes
filled with tears. “I did it for love,” she whispered.

Giving her
another soft kiss, he grabbed her hand and turned them toward the door. “Come
on, graduate. They’re waiting for us.”

Ellie walked
in, Alex right behind her. All the lights were off. Frowning slightly, she took
a few more tentative steps. She saw hundreds of candles lining the hallway,
illuminating a blanket of rose petals scattered along the floor. Simply
beautiful.

She glanced
uncertainly over her shoulder at Alex, who just shrugged. “Let’s keep going and
see what they’re up to,” he said vaguely.

She followed
the trail of candles and petals, past the kitchen and dining room and into the
living room to the scenic windows. The room was covered in candles and rose
petals.

Everyone stood
there smiling.

“What’s this
all about?”

“Why don’t you
turn around and find out,” Griffin suggested, a wide grin breaking across his
face.

She turned to
see Alex down on one knee before her, a gorgeous diamond ring held in his hand,
sparkling in the candlelight.

Ellie gasped,
tears rushing to her eyes.

“We are
te’sorthene
.
You are the other half of my soul. I’ve waited more than a century for you and
find that I cannot wait another moment longer. Would you do me the great honor
of marrying me?” Alex said simply. He might have said more, but he was clearly
choking up.

Ellie flung
herself into his arms, nearly toppling them both over as she cried, “Yes, of
course I will marry you!” She was rewarded with a deep kiss.

Alex slipped
the ring over her finger and helped her to stand up. He pulled her back into
his arms, expelling a pent up breath.

She gazed at
him, love shining clearly in her eyes.

“Were you
worried about my answer?” she teased. She pulled back to take both his hands in
hers.

“I was only
worried that you would think the timing was too soon.” He grinned, letting go
of one of her hands to rub the back of his neck.

“It may appear
that way to the rest of the world,” she told him softly, recapturing his fingers
and then bringing both his hands up to her lips where she lightly kissed them.
“But you and I know how long we’ve been in this world. And how rare a thing our
finding each other truly is. Why would I want to wait? How could I?”

 Alex laughed,
utter joy in the sound. He picked her up and spun her around the room. And then
they were surrounded by their family, kissing them, congratulating them. Even
Griffin looked thrilled, which made Ellie very happy. They’d had only each
other for so long.

“Will you give
me away?” she asked him softly.

“I wouldn’t
have it any other way. Do you even have to ask?” he whispered as a tear
gathered in the corner of his eye. He glanced down, blinking.

After enjoying
a lovely dinner, they all retreated to the living room to talk and start
planning the wedding. Ellie stood back observing the scene. In just a few short
months, her entire world had changed in ways she could never have imagined.

She felt
Alex’s arms steal around her from behind. “Happy, baby?” he murmured in her
ear.

She gave a
contentedly blissful sigh. “Happier than I’ve ever been….ever thought I could
be. I’m so lucky.”

She turned in
his arms and gave him a kiss that spoke of her love, and her happiness, and her
hope for their future.

*****

Griffin
watched his twin. She glowed with a radiant delight that lit her up from
within. And he couldn’t have been more overjoyed for her. At the same time,
though, he’d never felt more completely alone than in this moment. Ellie had
found her
te’sorthene.
But what she didn’t know, what none of them knew,
was that Griffin had found his as well. A silver-haired angel who’d appeared to
him in so many dreams he’d lost count. A Vyusher. One of the Vyusher
responsible for killing almost everyone he’d ever loved. And he could never
have her. Fate apparently had it in for him. To make the potential source of
his greatest happiness also the source of the worst event of his life was just
cruel. Bitterness seeped into his being, and darkness threatened to crush his very
soul.

Griffin turned
away from his tormented thoughts and joined in the celebration, refusing to
contemplate the future further.
It held no promise for him now.

Dear Reader,

Thank you so much for trying
out a self-published author. I loved every second of writing this book, and I
hope you enjoyed exploring this little world I created that has been floating
around in my head for years. I have many more books and ideas in me and plan to
continue to put them out there as fast as I can write them down. If you enjoyed
this book, please look for the next installment of this series out in early
2013. If you would like to contact me, feel free to go to any of my author
sites. Thanks again!

Sincerely,

Abigail Owen, Author

Author Sites:

·
        
Website & Blog:
http://www.abigailowen.com

·
        
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/Abigail.Owen.Books

·
        
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/AOwenBooks

·
        
Pinterest:
http://pinterest.com/abbyowen/

·
        
GoodReads:
http://www.goodreads.com/abigailowen

Be the first to find out about new releases, contests, give-aways,
and other fun stuff by signing up for my email distribution list. Go to the
“contact” form at abigailowen.com.

Note from the Author: Hyacinth
is still a work in progress. I am only on my first draft and have not done any
editing yet. Enjoy!

*****

“There’s
something else isn’t there?” Ellie asked.

“Together,
your families were my best hope of ending Gideon’s power over my family,”
Selene said quietly.  She looked up with an apology in her eyes. “I have so
much to apologize to you for, I don’t even know where to begin,” she continued
quietly, “I put you in danger after hiding you all these years.  But it was my
only option. Or at least the only way I could find.”

Ellie sat
quietly for a while, thinking.

“Were you a
part of what happened to my family?” she finally asked in a husky voice.

Selene closed
her eyes.  The question she had dreaded had been asked.  “Yes,” she answered
honestly. “I wasn’t as controlled in my powers then.  I could only stop one
person’s powers at a time, not all of them like I can now.  Gideon would
determine who I should stop, and then force me to stop them.  He never fought
himself.  Just coordinated and controlled all of the rest of us. I never… we,
none of us, ever had a choice.”

She didn’t
tell Ellie that she was the only one of the pack under Gideon’s control who was
aware of it.  She suspected because of her specific combination of abilities. 
Everyone else accepted Gideon’s thoughts and directives as their own. But the
pain of living with that knowledge, of knowing the evil they were doing, and
her part in that, however unwilling, was something Selene wouldn’t make anyone
else live with.  Not if she could help it.

She looked up,
directly into Ellie’s sober eyes. “I’m so sorry, Ellie.”

Ellie was
quiet for a long time. Thinking.

“She’s telling
the truth,” Addison’s voice sounded from the back of the room by the entrance
to the kitchen.

“I’m sorry for
eavesdropping,” Addison said as she came further into the room, “but this does
involve me too, in some ways.”  She turned to Ellie, taking her hand, letting
Ellie take over her power, saying “You can see the truth in her words, but also
in her emotions Elle.”  Glancing at Selene, Addison prompted her, “Say it
again. The end of it.”

Selene
repeated her story, and her apology, willing to do or say anything if it helped
Ellie.

When she
stopped, tears were running down her cheeks.  Looking up, she could see that
Ellie and Addison were both crying as well.

Ellie stood
up, walked over and pulled Selene out of her chair, and then wrapped her arms
around her in a tight embrace. “I forgive you,” she whispered.

“What is she
doing here?” the bitter cold rage in Griffin’s voice rolled over the three
ladies, and caused Selene’s heart to sink into her stomach. 

Ellie
responded first, giving Selene a chance to gather herself.  Composed, and with
all her guards back up, she turned to face him. No one watching, especially
Griffin, would ever guess that her heart was pounding in her chest.  Or that
she was desperate for him to accept her.

“She’s not
dangerous Griffin,” Ellie argued.

“You don’t
know that Elle,” he growled, never taking his eyes off Selene, glaring at her
as he moved further into the room to stand beside his sister.

“I do,” Ellie
replied stubbornly. “Look.”  She reached to take his hand, but Griffin twitched
out of her grasp.

“Anything
you’re seeing about her is probably a lie, Ellie,” Griffin insisted.  “Her
family killed ours. And she was part of that.”  At that point Griffin stopped
talking, took his eyes from Selene and stared intently at his sister.  Selene
could tell that they were using their powers to speak to each other
telepathically.  After a few minutes of tense silence, Ellie shook her head,
with a sigh.  Turning to Selene she opened her mouth to speak, but Selene
stopped her, raising her hand.

“I think I can
see how things are, Ellie,” she spoke softly, taking care not to look at
Griffin.   “I don’t want to make any trouble in your family.  I’ll go now.” 
Selene dropped her shield just for Ellie, saying into her thoughts, “Griffin
can’t hear me Ellie. I’ll let you tell him about where I’m attending college. 
He seems to need some time to cool down first.  And you don’t have to worry. 
If I see any of you on campus I’ll walk the other way.”

Ellie shook
her head vehemently.  But Selene couldn’t hear her thoughts. That wasn’t one of
her abilities.  Gathering her purse, Selene headed out the door.  Ellie tried
to follow her but was held back by Griffin.