Beautifully Unnatural: A Young Adult Paranormal Boxed Set (113 page)

She pushed the images out of her mind and focused on the immediate threat. “I don’t need an escort, thanks. I’m not scared of some fictitious creatures that go bump in the night.” She shoved her hands in her short pockets to hide their trembling. “You’ll have to do better than that to frighten me.”

She took another step forward but he slid sideways, entirely blocking her path home. “Move out of my way. I have to—”

“Let me guess,” Forras said, with a sneer. “Take your dog for a walk? Make out with Alexander?”

“Get out of my way. I don’t have time for this.” Heat radiated down her scalp and welled up inside her. It had been almost a week since her last panic attack, but it felt like only hours ago. The terror, shaking limbs, shortness of breath and heart palpitations crippled her to the floor last time. Not to mention the visions that followed. Having an attack now wouldn’t help. It would only cripple her and fuel Forras’ taunting.

“Or save your father?”

Her eyes snapped to his face. “How did you…” Seeing his smug expression, she shook her head. “No, you couldn’t have—”

“I do apologize, Gabby, but you left me no choice.” Forras grabbed her arm and pulled her closer to him. “I’m quite skilled, too, you know.” He bent his face toward hers, his hot breath singeing her nose.

Every muscle in her body tensed the second he touched her. The sound of his voice made her want to claw his eyes out. “Shut up,” she snapped. He couldn’t know about her father…unless he’d been behind her father’s fight the other night. But why would some high schooler be mixed up in something to do with her father’s work? If he was involved in something that dangerous, she needed to get the hell out of here.

She slapped him across the face and tried to free her other arm, but her struggling only made him clamp down harder and pin it behind her back. Bone chilling darkness bit into her arm, racing through her body as it grew exponentially, shadowing every ounce of her being. She clutched her chest, trying to take a breath, to clear her lungs of the suffocating pain.

He touched a hand to her cheek. “Not that kind of skilled. Where did your filthy mind go?” He laughed and something tickled at her memory.

“Stop. P-please stop.” Her legs collapsed, but her arm, wrenched behind her, kept her from falling to the ground. The sound of his laughter circled round and round her until it penetrated her soul. “My father…I have to get to—”

Forras’ laughter suddenly turned loud and demented. It echoed off the surrounding trees, pounding against her skull. “Sorry, I had to speed up the time line, but our friend is getting too close to you.”

“I know that laugh,” she gasped.

“Yes. You know who I am. Think, Gabby,” he snarled and his voice turned deep and guttural. “You have my mark.” Forras pulled her shirt up, revealing the zigzag pattern on her abdomen. One callused hand brushed against her exposed skin and she quivered, her flesh starting to crawl and burn.

She kicked and punched at him, desperate to free her captured arm. “Let me go.”

“I could make you forget all your grief,” he whispered close to her ear. “Join me and you’ll never feel the pain of loss again. You could be powerful, strong, and full.”

Darkness twisted in the pit of her stomach. Her insides collided as if her body would implode at any moment. Pain, grief, and sorrow consumed her until she feared she could no longer bear it. “S-stop. Make it s-stop. Please.”

“Join me and I’ll make it go away forever.”

“Alex,” Gabby whispered.
Please, make it stop.

“What?” He grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up at him. “You still think he’s going to save you?” His hot breath beat against her face and she gagged at the putrid smell. “Where’s your little savior now?”

“I’m right here, Forras.” Alexander’s voice broke through the pain. For a moment, Gabby could breathe again. She looked up but the sun blinded her.
How’s it shining through the trees so brightly?

“Come to watch?” Forras forced his lips against hers.

No! It wouldn’t be like this.

She clamped her mouth shut, pulling her lips between her teeth. Her mind screamed as she scratched and clawed at his face.

A blue light exploded all around her. Forras’ lips and grip on her arm were gone. She dropped to the ground, retching and spitting. Panting, she looked up through watering eyes. A figure cowered, surrounded by blinding light. Blinking, she strained to find Alexander but the light was too bright, growing so intense, it consumed the figure.

“I told you never to touch her,” Alexander growled, his voice echoing in a whirl of fury.

“Alex?” Gabby clutched the side of a tree and pulled herself up, her legs wobbling under her. Shielding her eyes from the light with her hands, she tried to move forward to find Alexander, but collapsed under the weight of the darkness shrouding her soul.

Sounds erupted from the woods. Trees cracked, and dust and dirt filled the air. It sounded like a freight train was barreling down on her.

“W-what’s going on?” Her skin continued to bubble with pain, burning from the inside out. “Ahhh! Make it stop! P-please.” No longer able to hold herself up, she slid down the tree, collapsing on the ground.

Silence descended, eerie and foreboding after the cacophony she’d just heard. Not even the birds dared make a sound.

Hearing a faint rustle overhead, she looked up. The bright light had softened to a glow. Exquisite fluffy wings glided toward her, the same ones she’d drawn except with a navy hue. She stared in wonder at them, the fire consuming her forgotten for a moment.
Is that…?

As the figure got closer, the elements of her picture became reality and she finally had a face to put with the wings.

Alexander.

The wings surrounded her, cocooning her in navy softness, and the fire dwindled. Each feather caressed her bare skin as though sweeping away the searing pain. She closed her eyes as the browns and grays of her soul merged with sun-fire yellow, eroding the darkness.

Light enveloped her and a tingle coursed through her body. Welcoming the salty taste of tears, she surrendered to the happiness and wept from pure peace.

Her body rocked, lifting to float on the wind. Something warm and firm cradled her and she rested her head against it. Wind twirled her hair, the strands whipping her face, and she reached up to push them away. When a chill shivered along her skin, she opened her eyes and looked down.

Everything spun around in a blur. Her heart thrashed against her chest as she realized they were flying.

****

Alexander held tight as he flew Gabby to safety. She clutched at him, her screams of terror lost as they reached the clouds. Her cries quickly turned to whimpers and pleas as he bolted across the sky, taking her far away from Forras. Her body quivered, though he wasn’t sure if it was from terror or cold.

Not knowing where else to go, he landed on the beach in front of his home. He fought to retract his wings and talk to Gabby, but the human emotions crippled him.

How could he have exposed himself? And now he was bringing her home to his family? There could be hunters close by searching for them, or another human could see them. Stupid! He cursed himself as he gently put her down. Grace might be the only person who could protect them now.

Slipping her from his arms, he saw the look of terror in her eyes and his heart stuttered. She sank into the sand.

“I-I’m insane,” she mumbled.

He touched her cheek, to reassure her that she was okay, but her eyes shot wide and she scooted away from him.

He took one last look at her before he climbed the front steps to the porch, knowing she’d never want to see him again.

“Grace,” he called out in a choked voice. “Help.” He stood at the door, staring back at Gabby sobbing in the sand. Forras had churned her up inside and he wanted to sooth her. Closing his eyes, he tried to calm himself, but his feathers only ruffled. If he touched her in his state, he wasn’t sure what would happen. Not to mention the fact he couldn’t return to human form.

Grace hurried outside, shot one look at Gabby then glanced back at him. “I’ll take care of her. Go inside.”

He bolted upstairs to his room, desperate to hide himself away in shame, leaving Grace to calm Gabby.

What had he done? How could he…?

He yanked a dresser drawer open, pulled out a pale green t-shirt and shoved it over his head. The one he’d been wearing lay in long strips of blue material in the woods. If he would have just stopped to think, before he exploded into full angelic battle mode, maybe he could have rescued Gabby without announcing to all the hunters in the world where they were. Any hunter within a hundred mile radius would’ve detected his explosion of angelic power with their monitors. Not to mention all the angelic and demonic evidence left from his brawl with Forras spread across a clearing. Anyone who saw it would know instantly that no earthly creature was responsible. Maybe he could return and do some damage control. No, it would be too late. No doubt a hunter had already been dispatched to investigate. If he returned, it would only help them narrow their search down to his family. Not that it would take them too long to find the culprit in such a small town.

He paced his room until he picked up the worn Edgar Allen Poe book from his nightstand and skimmed through the illustrated pictures, reading a few passages. The rhythm of the words always soothed him. Not this time. All he saw in the illustrations were winged monsters and all he felt from the words was despair. He tossed the book on the nightstand and went to the window.

Two taps at his bedroom door drew his attention but he refused to turn away from the tranquil scene outside. He tried to lull the memory of the day from his mind with the sights and sounds of seagulls and ocean waves. The look of disgust when Gabby saw his true form, her body convulsing from fear in his arms. It was too much.

“Alexander.” Grace’s soft voice permeated his thoughts as she entered the room and the door clicked shut.

How could he look at her, or anyone else? Each time he tried to save someone, he just ended up ruining their lives.

Bile rose in his throat as the image of Forras planting his lips on Gabby filled his mind. “I’ll get him for this,” he muttered. The evil edge to his voice no longer shocked him. It sounded powerful.

“Please, don’t say that,” Grace said, causing Alexander to turn around. Instantly, she gasped, her hands covering her mouth.

“What’s wrong?” Alexander strode toward her and laid a hand on her arm.

She gripped his shoulders and turned him to face the mirror with a force he didn’t know she possessed. “Look, son. Look what you’re becoming. You have to let go of the hatred, before…”

Deep blood-red eyes glowered back at him. Demon eyes. He stumbled back and dropped onto the bed, staring at the mirror. They were his. Disgusted, he shut his eyes and concentrated on calming himself. When he opened them, nothing had changed.

Grace sat down next to him, her frail frame hunched over on the bed, the blood drained from her cheeks. He softened at the sight. She was so strong yet so fragile.

Glancing back at the mirror, the red in his eyes dissipated. How could he have lost control like that?

As his hatred receded and logic returned, his heart broke. “Oh God, what have I done? I’m sorry.” He placed his arm around her, trying to comfort her.

Grace patted his hand reassuringly. “Sammy went to the clearing and retrieved any evidence. There’s no sign of hunters at the moment. We may have been lucky.”

That was something. Still, there was so much damage. Even if the hunters didn’t find them, he’d scared Gabby to death. “Was it that bad? How’s Gabby? Did you take her home?”

“No, Sammy took her home.”

“Oh.” He paused for a moment, hoping she would elaborate on Gabby’s condition. When she didn’t, his heart grew heavy. The mere act of breathing became impossible at the thought of never being near her again.

What if Forras had scared her into leaving Florida? It would be for the best, but… Or was she repulsed by him? Did she see the blood red eyes of a demon when she looked at his face? She must’ve thought there was no difference between him and Forras.

She had every right to hate him. He hated himself.

“Alex. It’s not just
your
soul you risk,” Grace whispered.

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“No, you don’t. You’re young here, with little memory of the world before your fall. You risked all of us when you lost your temper. It’s imperative we remain hidden for now. How would you have felt if Hunters were in the woods waiting with an Angel slaying sword when Sammy returned to clean up your mess?”

Alexander’s stomach churned at the thought. “I-I’m sorry.”

“I don’t mean to reprimand, you just need to understand.” Grace let out a heavy sigh. “I’m going to share a story with you. Could you listen with an open mind?” Her eyes penetrated him with sadness.

After all she had done for him, how could he refuse? There was no choice but to listen. Earthbound hunters could be at their door any moment after the explosion in the clearing, not to mention the debris and scents left behind. If they did show, he had no one else to blame but himself.