Revelation (25 page)

Deacon releases a wicked laugh. “Such a brave little girl.” He motions to Kaiden with his head to move forward and retrieve me.

Kaiden
stalks to me, smirking cruelly. I try to remain calm, keeping my eyes on his at all times. Keegan pushes me forward into Kaiden’s waiting embrace. My heart is beating so fast it might just fly out of my chest. Inhaling deeply, I push the nerves down and remind myself what Callan taught me.

The minion
takes my arm with little effort. Leaning down, Kaiden puts his nose to my neck, sniffing me in. He closes his eyes in pleasure as a chill runs down my spine.

“Mm, so sweet.
I look forward to having a little fun with you before we turn you over,” he whispers into my ear like a creepy stalker.

In my peripheral vision, I see Asher’s cheek tick pick up its pace.
If I don’t stop this, he’ll advance on Kaiden without doubt.

“She is not to be harmed
in any manner or this is over,” Asher says menacingly.

“She won’t be,” Gage assures him.
“You have my word, Asher,” he promises.
Odd.

Kaiden guides me over to Deacon
, positioning me so I’m standing in front of him. Deacon blows cigar smoke into my face. I hold my stance, careful not to flinch. “It’s nice having you so close, little girl.”

The
half-demon picks up a finger and runs it over my cheek, down my neck, and to the top of my cleavage line while my skin crawls at his touch.

“She isn’t a new play toy
.” Jade seethes besides him.

“Hush. She’s whatever I want her to be until I hand her over
,” he answers with disinterest in Jade and keeps his eyes on me.

I stay silent
, not showing any fear.

“
Such a brave little girl, but we’ll break that before long.” He sneers as his promise sends a sudden fear right through me. Maybe this was a bad strategy.

“That’s enough
, Deacon. You’re not to harm her,” Gage says. “We got what we came for. Let’s go.”

Deacon drops the cigar and crushes it with his foot. “Yes, we have what we want.” Again
, he motions for Kaiden.

Kaiden takes my upper arm, and the rest of
the Declan clan prepares to vanish with me.

Keegan’s head makes a slight motion
. The signal. I take a deep breath and do exactly what Callan taught me.

Pulling
my arm in, I bend at the waist and flip Kaiden onto his back. Surprised by the attack, he quickly recovers and jumps back in my face as I front kick him in the groin, causing him to drop to the ground again.

Briefly
, I look around. Asher and Gage have their swords drawn and are circling one another. Kenna is sourcing Jade’s abilities. Callan and Keegan are closing in on Deacon. Before I can see where Leo, Tadhg and Abby are, Kaiden starts to get up again.

As he stands to lunge for me,
I round on him and place him in a defensive rear choke. Kaiden pulls a small knife from his sheath and slices it across my arm. The pain forces me to release the chokehold.

I hear Asher shout my name and I turn as Gage grabs him from behind
, throwing his sword across Asher’s neck. Panicked, I move to help him but Kaiden suddenly grabs me from behind in the same chokehold I used on him. Terrified, I realize I need to get myself out of this and fast.

Asher locks eyes
in a warning before I brush him off and reach down to pull my daggers from their secured holders then I stab Kaiden in each leg as he screams in pain and releases me. Without thought, I turn on him as something in me snaps.

It’s l
ike I’m having an out of body experience. From the training, my muscles and body instinctively know what to do as I lift and point both daggers at the gargoyle. In one fast move, I connect with his chest, piercing his heart. The thrust is so quick neither of us realizes what I’ve done. Kadien’s eyes widen in surprise.

In
slow motion, he begins to turn into stone, starting at his feet. All I can do is stand there and watch in disbelief as he becomes encased in stone within a matter of seconds.

My hands tremble around my daggers. All I can hear is my echoed breathing. As if in a tunnel, nothing else is registering. Suddenly, Kaiden’s stone body is crumbling. The dust blows away with the wind, and the only proof he existed at all is gone. I swallow the bile that has risen from my stomach and stare at the empty spot he once stood.

“
Holy shit.” I breathe out, realizing I just killed Kaiden.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, little girl,” Deacon scolds
with condescension dripping from his snarled mouth.  “You, my dear, just killed one of my family members,” he says as if I broke a vase in his house. “I do believe the punishment for that is death.”

Keegan steps forward
. “She’s not a gargoyle. Our laws don’t apply to her,” he warns.

Deacon closes the space between us and grabs my chin
, forcing me to look at him. “I. DO NOT. CARE,” he shouts, causing me to flinch.

All of a sudden
, Deacon flies back with a strong gust of wind, away from me. I close my eyes and thank Abby for manipulating the air.

I look to Asher
. He’s no longer pinned by Gage’s sword. His eyes are filled with fear but his expression is impassive, not giving anything away. I turn my focus back to a very pissed off Deacon, getting up off the ground.

Deacon turns to me,
his face laced with malice. His nostrils are flaring and his jaw is tight. “Your life is over, Eve Collins,” he says so calmly that it has the same effect as if he screamed it. He lifts his sword and points it at me.

My eyes shift again to Asher
. I know he can’t get to me in time. Even with his fast speed, Deacon is too close to me. This will be my sacrifice and mine alone.

Asher’s
eyes plead with me, begging me not to do this. He knows I’m no match for Deacon.

I swallow and face Deacon. “No, it’s just beginning,” I say as I
raise the daggers still dripping with Kaiden’s blood.

I lift my foot to charge at Deacon
just as a flash of pink whizzes by me, straight at him. Before I can even process what’s happening, I hear Aria scream.

My eyes lock on Deacon’s sword, which has run through Aria’s stomach,
and is sticking out of her back, covered in blood. I register hysterical screaming and realize it’s coming from me as I run to her with Leo by my side.

Deacon
yanks his sword out in a cruel manner, his eyes full of hatred as Aria’s body floats awkwardly to the snow covered ground. Blood is pooling beneath her. Aria’s pink clothes, combat boots, and the pure snow are now stained crimson.

“An eye for an eye
, little girl. We may be even, but make no mistake, this is not over. I will hand you over to Lucifer with not even a trace of remorse,” Deacon spits and then he and Jade vanish in thin air.

A lone tear rolls down Aria’s cheek as she gasps for air. I pull her limp body into my lap, cradling her, rocking her, willing life to return to her as blood trickles
from her mouth.

Asher prowls to
my side, kneeling down next to me. Leo cradles Aria’s head. Gage walks up slowly to me. His face pale and his expression disheartened.

“You
’ve made a terrible strategic mistake, love,” he says with a solemn tone. Asher stands, his grip tightening on his sword, ready to engage but Gage fades out.

Keegan, Callan, Abby
, Tadhg and McKenna all come over and circle us. Leo presses his forehead to Aria’s with his eyes wet from unshed tears. I rock her and my tears flow freely, dropping onto her peaceful face.

Aria swallows as I lean down to hear her before the life leaves her body. Her
chocolate eyes shift to Asher then me, the light draining out of them.

She barely whispers, “He’s your savior
and you’re ours.”

COMING SOON

Restraint: The Revelation Series

Keep reading for a sneak peek at the first chapter of
Restraint,
book two of
The Revelation Series
.

If you’d like to read a bonus chapter from Asher’s point of view, please visit:
randicooleywilson.com

Excerpt from Restraint

The biting, frigid wind whips around me in an angry whistle, a heartbreaking reminder that even in the tranquility of this moment, death is inevitable. The skies are painted grey. A depressing warning that darkness is on the horizon. My hazel eyes scan the memorial park draped in pure white snow like a lover’s embrace. Lifeless trees provide no shelter from the grief this place emits. A single tear falls silently from my eyes, inching down my frozen, pink cheek. The little bead of water nearly freezes before I wipe it away with my glove-swathed hand.

“I’m so sorry
, Aria,” I whisper, swallowing the painful lump present in my throat. I just stare blankly at the white marble stone before placing the perfect, long-stemmed pink rose on top of the marker. It lays there, motionless, not affected by the icy breeze.

I take off my glove
. The coldness hits my already frozen hand immediately as I allow it to move over the stone’s writing.

Arianna “Aria” Donovan

Beloved Daughter, Sister
, and Friend

July
1996 – January 2014

“I miss you,” I barely choke out. “I can’t believe you’re gone. How could you have run at Deacon like that?” My whisper is lined with sorrow, resentment, and admiration at her grave. I close my eyes and relive her last moments.

Aria’s pink pixie hair whooshes by in a rush of air so swift that she’s a blur. Deacon’s sword enters her stomach, exiting out her back. The scarlet liquid drips from her almost lifeless
body, staining the untainted snow. Her eyes are wide and her pink glossed mouth soundlessly opens.

Aria shifts her peaceful chocolate eyes to Asher then me as her light drains out of them. She swallows with difficulty as I lean down
, pressing my ear to her lips before life leaves her body. 

She barely whispers, “He’s your savior
and you’re ours.”

Crap
. I tightly close my eyes, shaking myself out of the mental picture.  I open them and focus on the flawless pink rose. Its petals are so lovely and perfect.

“How am I supposed to continue on this crazy ass journey without you?” A strangled laugh comes
out, as do the tears.

“She would have loved that the rose
is pink.” Abby steps next to me and claps her gloved hand in mine, clutching it reassuringly. A tiny smile crosses her lips as her eyes slide from me to the stone. “By the grace, the girl loved pink. Everything in our damn college dorm room was pink.”

“She’s the only being I know who could pull off pink hair and black combat boots with a pink sundress and still look like a beautiful doll
,” I add with a solemn tone.

Abby caresses Aria’s name on the grave. “Well, we did always say her real parents were Marilyn Manson and Barbie,” Abby recalls softly.

I inhale a rough breath and shift my eyes to the motionless forest behind the cemetery, attempting to keep the tears from falling again.

“How on earth did she get to Deacon so fast?” I ask the motionless trees before turning to Abby. “Her speed was exceptional.”

Abby turns to me, squeezing my hand. “Eve, she loved you. She loved all of us. That girl was the only one I know who unconditionally accepted who and what we are. She knew what our paths are supposed to be. Aria sacrificed her life so you could complete your ascension and fulfill your destiny. Her death will not be in vain. I promise you.”

I acquiesce and forgive that she disregarded my question. Abby gently tugs on my hand
, pulling me toward the black Escalade. “Come on. Michael would like us to get you to England before nightfall.”

I numbly follow her, allowing her to guide me
. Her hand is in mine as we walk toward Callan. Dressed only in his pea coat, jeans, and a pair of gloves, he must be freezing. Then I remember the coldness doesn’t affect them the way it does me.

As we approach, he pulls me into his signature bear hug. “It’s going to be
all right, Eves. I promise,” he speaks quietly in my ear before opening the door and helping me in. “In you go, cutie,” he orders, assisting me and then Abby into the back seat.

Asher sits on the seat bench
, waiting. His beautiful indigo eyes are marred in sorrow for both Aria and myself. He opens his strong arms to me and I fall into them, absorbed in his warmth. I place my head on his solid chest, allowing the scent of smoky wood and leather to assault my nose, a fragrance that’s all Asher. The dark stubble on his jawline and chin entangles in my hair, comforting me.

His deep voice
is gentle. “Keegan, we’re ready to go to the airport.” At his command, I lift my long lashes and notice McKenna’s platinum blonde hair in the front seat next to Keegan. A tiny smile brushes over my lips, knowing I’m safe with the London clan.

I curl into the shelter of my
gargoyle’s protective arms and briefly shut my eyes, saying my final goodbyes to my roommate and friend as he holds me.

My head turns to the window and I notice pink rose petals floating gently in the icy wind as Keegan begins to pull out of the cemetery
at a slow pace. Assuming it’s a sign from Aria, I glance one last time toward her marble stone marker only to see the stone and pink rose have vanished.

In its place, Deacon stand
s amongst the now crushed headstone. His hand is open as the pink flower petals drift in the gentle wind toward me. I sit up and press my forehead to the glass, fixated on them.

Deacon mouths to me as we drive away, “It’s just beginning.”