FORBIDDEN (35 page)

Angie had a point. The tension was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. We were all on pins and needles. Here Owen lay, ready to be eliminated, yet part of me felt horrible for doing so. Clay said we were similar. How so? Would he ever change? I doubted it. I wished we could have finished him before Clay got here.

Hannah was hiding behind Clay until this point, but she emerged and stepped toward Angie. Her eyes were resolute. “Let him go.”

Angie looked at her, shocked. “Are you serious? This evil thing has been hunting you for God knows how long, and now that we can end him, you say let him go? He ruined my life, Hannah. You forget I’m invested in this, too.”

“You’re a kind soul, remember?” Hannah asked. “Don’t forget what you are, just because you may have changed a bit.”

I was stunned. Owen’s legs were starting to rustle, and his groans were becoming louder. It wouldn’t be long before he was competent again. Our time was running out.

Hannah never missed a beat. “Let him go. We all need to have the chance to redeem ourselves. Owen isn’t an exception. He will have to live with the fact that he owes us. That’s not a small debt. He’s a victim of circumstance. Angie chose to fight being a Hunter. Maybe we can help him see there’s another way, too. Clay doesn’t need to lose his son tonight, no matter what the circumstances.”

Clay’s eyes shone with tears, but also with appreciation. He grabbed Hannah into a hug. “You are more than too kind. I vow to keep you safe, no matter what.”

I sighed. I couldn’t believe we were going to let Owen go. He had come to and heard Hannah’s declaration. He snarled, but said nothing. I held tightly to his legs. “Be gone, demon. You’ve heard the human’s ruling, and you know you’re indebted to her. She spared you. It would be smart for you to remember it. Now leave.”

The living room floor rumbled underneath us and ripped open angrily to take back Owen. Angie jumped off Owen’s back and flipped over the back of the couch just as Owen began to drop into the massive, sulfurous hole that materialized. I jumped backward and watched as he fell into the crevice. As quickly as it opened, the carpet began to roll back over itself and close up. Within seconds, Owen was gone and the floor looked as intact as it could, considering it was littered with debris from the fight.

Hannah stood on the other side of the room, clearly shaken. I looked at her for a split second before she ran across the space that divided us and found my arms. I put my head to the top of hers and breathed in her scent. Vanilla. I had once hated that smell, but now it was a lifeline to me. “You’re a better woman than anyone I’ve met.”

Clay nodded earnestly. “I owe you my son.”

Angie smiled and shrugged. “You guys act surprised. I knew she was cool all along.”

I laughed and looked at Clay. “You know we’ve opened up a can of worms. Owen will be back.”

“I know, but I’m hoping I can talk to him and reason with him. Nothing is ever a lost cause, if there is but one person left to stand for it. I won’t give up on him.”

Ethan snorted where he was, still holding his makeshift weapons. “You’ve got a long road to haul, buddy.” He turned and pointed his knife toward Hannah teasingly. “I thought you decided you were going to leave this poor human alone?”

“She’s kind of addicting,” I admitted. I tried to shake out my wings, but the right one was beyond repair. The pain was overwhelming, but I tried to ignore it.

Clay came over and placed his hand on my wings. “You’ve proven yourself a worthy Guardian for Hannah.”

When he let his hand fall, warmth spread through my body. It felt like when Hannah had cried for me to be all right. I knew the sensation meant my wings were being healed. It was a sweet relief.

Hannah gasped and smiled when she saw the result. “Your wings…they’re not white, but they’re not black, either.”

Ethan chuckled. “I think they fit him. Stony grey. It’s a good look on you, dude.”

It didn’t matter what color they were, I just wanted to know Hannah was safe. I looked to Clay. “So am I considered a Guardian, then?”

“You are most definitely a Guardian,” he said. “I’ll attest to that any day.”

Angie fidgeted where she stood. “I think I need to go check on some stuff back at my house, and I need to apologize for running away.”

Hannah looked at her quizzically. “Is that your cover?”

“Yeah, it seems as good as any other. I’m home now, happy, and I need to get back into the swing of things. Ethan here saved me.”

I looked between everyone, but pointed a finger at Clay. “You know you owe me a lot of explanations.”

He laughed. “I certainly do, but would you like some time with Hannah first? We have all of eternity, after all.”

That sounded good to me, and the look in Hannah’s eyes told me she wanted that time as well. Clay patted me on the back. “Go, boy. We’ll clean up here. It’ll look like nothing happened, and her parents will be none the wiser.”

With that, I swept Hannah into my arms once more and ran out the kitchen door, and took her to the skies. For once, it’d be safe.

THIRTY-THREE

“You never told me you were a bleeding heart,” I teased her as we sat in the tree outside her window. We’d spent the night together, just enjoying one another and knowing we were safe to do so, if only for tonight. “You really shouldn’t have let Owen go.”

“Well, I figure we’re going to have things to battle no matter what,” Hannah reasoned. “Might as well know what’s coming for us.”

“That’s one way to look at it.”

We sat in silence for a while, our fingers intertwined. The stars shone brighter than I’d seen them, or maybe I was just hopeful. I watched Hannah out of the corner of my eye and smiled. She was still wearing her battered dress from homecoming, and I was still in what was left of my torn up tuxedo pants. We looked like quite the pair. Even so, it was impossible to take my eyes off her. She looked at me with a look of confusion. “What?”

“You’re beautiful, that’s all.”

She shook her head. “I’m going to have to figure out how to explain you to my parents.”

I laughed. “Can we take one day at a time? I’d like to just enjoy tonight before you put me in danger with your parents. You’ll need to guard me when you tell your dad we’re official.”

“That sounds fair to me.” She paused for a moment and cocked her head to the side. “Will you get in trouble for being with me?”

It was a good question. Technically, I wasn’t supposed to be near her, let alone romantically involved with her. It was another challenge to overcome. I smiled at her and ran a finger through a loose strand of hair by her cheek. “Probably, but you’re worth the hassle it’ll cause.”

“I can’t believe Ethan is human,” Hannah commented out of the blue.

It really was a shock to me, too. Clay explained to us that Ethan had given the ultimate sacrifice – his immortality – to save Angie. In turn, Angie was saved. What she’d become, Clay wasn’t sure, but it was obvious her kind soul was still intact, and she was on our side. Only time would tell how Ethan adjusted to human life, but part of me knew he would make the most of his second chance. “Me, either,” I admitted, “But it doesn’t mean he’ll be any less annoying. It just means I can run from him finally.”

She laughed. “This is true. But I’m glad things are somewhat working out, even if nothing’s set in stone.”

She wrapped her arms around me and snuggled closer. I could get used to this. Instinctively, I wrapped both my arms and wings around her and looked to the sky. “You won’t leave tonight, will you?” she asked quietly.

“No, I won’t leave,” I assured her. “I will stay beside you and watch over you until the end of time, no matter what the cost.”

She sighed and said no more. The silence that filled the air was soft and sweet, and I knew I could do this forever.

If only Hannah had forever to give to me, too.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Megan Curd graduated from Northwestern College in St. Paul, Minnesota with a degree in Intercultural Studies. She has enjoyed traveling to many different countries and working with young adults of all ages.

When not writing, Megan enjoys spending time with her family, snowboarding, and playing the occasional video game. Megan resides in Wisconsin with her husband, son, and two dogs.