Descent07 - Paradise Damned (35 page)

There was a silent plea in the curve of Elise’s eyebrows, the tilt of her mouth.

He shrugged. “When it comes to hunting hybrids…the more the merrier. Do you want me to grab anything out of the house for you?”

“I have everything I need,” Elise said, patting her shoulder. She was wearing a spine sheath with a single hilt jutting over her back.

They sauntered toward the BearCat. Lucas already had it running.

Anthony cleared his throat. “You and James are done?”

“You could say that,” Elise said.

“Not going to forgive him for whatever he did?”

“It’s not in the plan.” She stopped next to the passenger door without getting inside. “It feels like I’ve woken up, Anthony. I’m seeing clearly for the first time.”

“Cool,” Anthony said. “Cool.”

He opened the door. She climbed in front and Anthony got in back. Lucas didn’t seem surprised to see her. “All aboard,” he said, releasing the brake.

Anthony flashed Elise a smile in the rearview mirror. She smiled back.

“Let’s go hunting,” she said.

James woke up
alone in a bed that was much too small for him. He sat up with a quick intake of breath—and nearly smacked his face into the hilt of a sword.

Elise’s falchion was jammed into the wall, with a folded note draped over the blade.

He knew without having to read the paper what the presence of the sword meant, and the sight of it filled him with grief.

She was gone.

James wrenched the sword free without removing the note. It was harder than he expected, because she had driven the blade several inches into a wooden stud. It was the falchion that hadn’t been damaged by a demon’s ichor. The symbols carved into the blade shimmered when he tilted it in the light.

Even though he knew he had to be too late, he dressed and stepped outside. Elise wasn’t the only one that was gone. There was no sign of Lucas or Anthony, either.

“Hell,” James muttered.

Tucking the sword into his belt, he unfolded the note to read it. Elise’s handwriting was terrible.

I’ll find you when I’m ready.

James crumpled the note in his fist, struggling not to let the swell of anger consume him. There was no point in trying to run after her. If Elise found a good shadow, she could probably spirit herself across the world in heartbeats, as many greater demons could. She was beyond his reach. But not forever.

If she wanted to go, then she could go. He had walked through Limbo for what must have been thousands of years to find Elise, and he had found her. For better or for worse, that was over now. It was time to find his son, repair what family remained, and find forgiveness within himself.

But he knew that he would see Elise again. They were bound until death, kopis and aspis, with their destinies permanently intertwined.

He would find her. Sooner or later, he would find her.

James closed his eyes, tilted his face toward the sun, and took a deep breath.

The wind smelled like apples.

~~~

Dear readers…

The Descent Series was the story of Elise against Adam and the people that controlled her life. Now that she’s won that final battle, this series is over—but Elise and James still have a story to tell. Will Elise ever seek James out again? What happened to Nathaniel and the hybrids? There’s still a lot of story to tell. Elise isn’t ready to retire again.

Elise and James return in
Alliance
(Book One of The Ascension Series) to start the new chapter of their lives. Even better, it’s going to cross over with characters from my other series (The Cain Chronicles), so it’s a real blast. I hope you’ll join us for what comes next.

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Without getting too gushy (I’ll save that for the next page): Thank you so much for your support throughout this series. I can’t tell you how much it means to me.

Sara (SM Reine)

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A
CKNOWLEDGMENTS

I always get kind of sentimental at the end of a series, but The Descent Series is a special case. It took thirteen years for this series to come to its end from conception, and it’s the entire reason I’m a writer. No kidding! Please don’t mind my sniffles while I ramble a little here.

Deepest thanks to those on my editing team: Ashley Davis, Rory Hume, Emily LaDouceur, Kiki Wenzel, and Erin Conroy Zarro. I couldn’t have done it without all of you. Really. I mean it.

Thanks to the former members of S&R, who (very sadly) didn’t make it to the final book as a team. I wouldn’t have my career without your guidance, enthusiasm, and tentacles. Special mentions must go to those who specifically supported these books: Gen, Deb, MFM, Ed, and Phoenix.
All
of you were amazing, though—even if we don’t talk much anymore.

It feels silly to mention my husband when he’s as much of the process as the air I breathe, but please consider yourself mentioned. Honorary mention goes to my in-laws, who are abnormally supportive, what’s wrong with you.

My readers. Oh, my readers. I could kiss you all.

And my little man, my Jude, my sun and my moon and spaces between. Everything is for you.
Everything
. May your dreams always be brighter than the stories I write for you.

This series means the world to me, but fiction is nothing in comparison to the people who tolerate me in reality. Thanks to all of the above, and those I didn’t have the wherewithal to mention but still deserve love—you know who you are.

Thanks.

DSC (also known as SM Reine)