Beautifully Unnatural: A Young Adult Paranormal Boxed Set (120 page)

It took all three of them to carry her. With each step, Alexander weakened further. Her skin burned his hands as he fought to hold onto her small frame. He grasped tighter, welcoming the penance for what he’d done.

“Sammy, are you…” Alexander began, only to trail off as his energy waned.

“Yes, just keep walking. We’ll make it,” Sammy managed through gritted teeth.

“It’s Gabby. She’s draining us. We have to hurry,” Boon said, urging them on.

They picked up speed, ignoring her screams and howls that echoed through the darkening woods.

If only he could calm her, touch her, kiss her, heal her. He’d give up his own life if he could.

To their relief, no one was home except Patronus. He barked and jumped at them as they opened the front door.

“Sammy, find Grace. She’ll know more about what to do,” Boon said while he and Alexander maneuvered Gabby through the tight hall.

“Alex, you go,” Sammy pleaded.

“No, Sammy. I need Alexander’s help. You have to get Grace.”

“But I can’t leave you two alone. You might kill each other.”

Alexander looked up at Boon, but his hatred was gone. All he cared about was saving the woman he loved, and if Boon could help even a little, he didn’t care if he was a demon, angel, or hunter. He’d take it.

“Go, now,” Boon insisted. “We don’t have any other choice.”

Sammy’s eyes pleaded with Alexander.

“I won’t harm him,” he whispered weakly. “I promise.” He couldn’t, if he wanted to. Not in the state he was in. Gabby had drained all his energy from him.

Sammy rushed to the front door, pausing to grasp the wall for balance. It was obvious Gabby had weakened her, too.

“Hurry, Sammy,” Alexander called before the door slammed shut behind her.

Alexander’s body shook, not only from the pain, but also the gravity of the situation. He pushed his fear aside so he could focus on getting her upstairs.

They fought their way up to her room while Patronus followed close behind.

“Why isn’t Patronus barking and attacking you or Gabby?” Alexander asked.

“He doesn’t have a problem with me, and as for Gabby, she isn’t exactly a demon.”

Not a demon?
“What do you mean?”
Is there hope?

“I’ll have Grace explain when she gets here.” Boon fell to his knees as they lowered Gabby onto her bed. They sat across from each other on the floor, holding her down. She arched and screamed, her face red with the heat of her fever.

Panting, she settled for a moment and he brushed the dirt stained hair from her face. Her eyes looked vacant and unresponsive.

He didn’t know what was worse, the episodes of screaming and cursing, or the deafening silence when she lay there lifeless. Each made his insides churn with worry.

“Why do you think Grace will know what to do? How do you even know her?” Alexander asked.

“I’ve known Grace for years.” Boon looked away. “It’s a long story. One I don’t want to share.”

Alexander didn’t have a chance to ask any more questions before Gabby went into another fit. His skin blazed as he struggled to keep ahold of her. Even his heart caught fire, although not for the same reason. His wings started to emerge from his body without warning, as if he’d lost all control of himself.

Patronus barked wildly at him.

“Patronus, it’s okay. I’m trying to help her.”

“You have to stay in human form,” Boon warned. “She’ll drain you completely if you change.”

Alexander concentrated on holding her down while staying in human form, his wings and back protested causing everything in his body to spasm.

Gabby’s screams quieted to a dull groan.

Patronus sat back down and rested his head on his paws. Every so often, when Gabby growled too loudly, he would sit back up and whimper.

After a moment, Alex’s wings relaxed, allowing his muscles and bones to shift back to normal and he could breathe again.

“Alex, we’re here,” Sammy’s voice echoed from the stairway. His heart leapt with hope.

Grace entered the room and leaned against the doorframe, trying to steady herself between labored breaths, as Sammy slipped around her to stand beside Boon.

Alexander pleaded with his eyes for Grace to do something. Grace shuffled toward him. “I’m afraid there’s little I can do to help, son.”

Alexander’s mind and body collapsed in despair.

“You’ve got to do something. Boon said you could help.”

Boon held up a hand in defense. “I said she would know more.”

Grace glanced at Boon and lifted a brow.

“What is it?” Alexander demanded. If whatever was between them could help Gabby then he would pry it out of them. “How do you know Boon? And why haven’t you told me before? I’m tired of secrets. Look at what secrets have done.” Alexander’s voice broke as he tipped his head toward Gabby.

“I’ve told you that I knew demons in my past. Some good, some lost, some doomed,” Grace said, her voice hushed and calm.

“You never mentioned Boon. Why?”

Another fit took hold of Gabby. The wound on her shoulder oozed greenish-brown mucus and Alexander gagged at the putrid smell. Each breath brought pain. His heart ripped open, like her wound, at the sight of her struggle.

“Stand back.” Grace made her way to the bed and knelt, using the nightstand to ease her descent to the floor. “Gabby, can you hear me? You need to keep fighting, my child. Don’t give up. I know it hurts, but remember,
God will fight for you. You need only to be still.” Grace touched Gabby’s forehead and instantly she calmed down.

“How’d you do that?” Alexander stood over them. “I tried and couldn’t—”

“I only calmed her soul enough that she could fight. I didn’t heal her. She still wages a war within herself.”

“Is she going to…” He couldn’t get the words out. They were too horrifying.

“Will she be transformed?” Sammy asked.

“No, she’s not turning into a demon. Not exactly,” Grace said, her words heavy. “Sammy told me Forras was involved. Do you know where he is?”

Alexander grunted, “No, but if I find him I’ll make sure he pays for this.”

Grace only shook her head, but she knew he couldn’t follow through with his threats without condemning himself to serve Satan. Taking a life in retribution, wasn’t tolerated, and the punishment would be severe. It still felt good to say aloud, though.

Gabby stirred on the bed. “Mom? Is that you?”

Alexander cringed. He’d taken her mother from her and now, everything good about her. Bile rose in his throat as he flashed back to the accident again. Smoke, cries, her mother’s body resting limp in her father’s embrace.

“Alex,” Gabby whispered.

Alexander raced to her side to take her hand in his. His heart leapt at the thought that she wanted him there, that he hadn’t lost her forever. “Gabby, sweetheart, I’m here.”

In an instant, her eyes changed to yellow and the skin on her arms bubbled as if small bugs crawled beneath it. Alexander fell back when she swung her arm to hit him.

“Murderer! Murderer! You murdered my mother!”

Grace pulled Alexander back and caressed Gabby’s hair. “Shush. It’s time to rest, child.”

Gabby’s skin stopped moving and her breathing steadied.

“What’s going on? How can she still be alive? I’ve never heard of a human lasting this long,” Alexander managed through choked breaths.

Grace looked at him, her eyes haunted. “You’re right. No ordinary human could survive.”

Alexander’s mind reeled with possibilities. “What are you saying?”

Grace traced the scar on Gabby’s shoulder, the one from the accident he’d caused. “All I’m certain of is that there is something special about this child. Something not of this world is helping her. However,” she looked up at Alexander, “only time will tell if she will survive.”

“You failed me,” Gabby accused, her voice deep and demented. “You’ve failed everyone and everything. Give up and go to Hell.”

Alexander looked away, unable to face her.

“Alex, she doesn’t know what she’s saying.” Sammy came around the bed to embrace him.

“It doesn’t matter. She’s right.” Anguish gnawed at his innards and he struggled to breathe.

Grace reached up to touch his face. “Alexander, you have to leave. The evil raging within her is feeding off your grief. You can stay near, in another room, and we’ll call if we need you.”

“It won’t work.” Alexander walked toward the door, his arms stiff by his side. “I’ve tried to stay far enough away that I wouldn’t harm her, yet close enough to protect her. Look what that accomplished.”

At the doorway, he turned back to face the room. “Is there anything I can do to save her?” Alexander held his breath, hoping he could do something to make amends.

Grace looked at him, her eyes sorrowful yet sad. “Pray.”

“I’m not sure I can.”

Chapter Thirteen

The morning sun rose into the sky in an array of oranges and pinks, too beautiful a sight for Alexander to watch. He shifted in the tree outside Gabby’s bedroom window. How could life go on without her in it?

He attempted to feel her presence once more, but he’d learned hours earlier it was useless. Part of him never wanted to enter the house again. What if he couldn’t feel her presence because she didn’t make it?

The crunch of tires on gravel startled him back to reality. A car was coming. Instinctively, he flew to the back of the house, entered through the back porch, and raced up the stairs.

Boon, Grace, and Sammy still sat by Gabby’s side. The sight of them caused a stab of jealousy that he couldn’t stand vigil with them, but he forced himself to refocus.

“Gabby’s father’s coming.”

At the sound of his voice, Gabby immediately started screaming obscenities at him.

“She’s alive?” His heart jumped in his chest as if beating for the first time. The smell of her wound still over-powered him with the stench of rotting flesh, but he didn’t care. He could soar to the clouds at the sound of her voice. It didn’t matter that it came with a deep demonic tone, projecting words he’d never heard Gabby utter before. She’d survived the night.

Grace clutched his arm. “Yes, but I need her quiet. I know it’s hard, son, but I need you to leave.”

Leave? Was she serious? “But if she survived the night, then—”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I said it increased her chances of survival if she made it through the night. Right now, we have to focus on protecting her.”

Sammy climbed to her feet and took his hand. “Alex, trust me. I’ll stay by her side, no matter what.”

Boon stepped away from the window. “Alexander, we need a distraction. We’ve got to get her out of here before her father arrives. Can you handle that?”

The thought of Gabby alive had distracted him from the fact her father barreled down the driveway as they spoke. If he didn’t act soon, her father would hear her screams from outside.

Grace dabbed at Gabby’s forehead. “We’ll take her to our house.”

He grabbed Patronus and took the stairs two at a time heading for the backyard. Waiting for the car door to slam shut, he then rounded the corner to the front of the house.

“Excuse me, Sir.”

Bruce quickly turned, his hand reaching behind his back. Alexander could sense the anger and panic rioting inside Bruce.

He took a cautious step forward. “I believe this dog might belong to you. I found him running lose in my mom’s garden. I thought it’d be safer for him to get out of there before she saw her vegetables all tore up.” Alexander tried to seem nonchalant, but he felt the pulse in his neck thump against his skin, belying his tension.

“How’d you know it was our dog?” Bruce said, his words slurring. His eyebrows arched and he looked puzzled at Patronus. Had he been gone so much he didn’t even know Gabby had a dog?

“My sister’s captain of the cheerleading squad. She mentioned a girl that lived over this way had a new dog. Since I’d never seen him around before, I figured this was probably the one she was talking about.”

“How’d you know where I live?” Bruce shuffled forward, swaying as he walked. Was he injured? Alexander scanned his face but only saw a few small cuts that appeared to be a day or two old. Nothing to indicate a head injury.

“My sister. She mentioned you guys lived in the house on the other side of the woods.” He laughed nervously then cleared his throat. “My sister talks a lot.”

A loud thump startled them both. He knew it came from the back of the house, but he forced himself not to look in that direction. As if on cue, Patronus started barking toward the woods on the other side.

“Let me have the dog,” Bruce said. “You best go.” The man’s breath smelled rancid and his eyes jetted in all directions. He was drunk. Not just drunk, bone-sloshed, barely-able-to-stand drunk.

Was this an isolated incident or commonplace?

Oh God, did he cause this, too? Did this man start drinking after his wife’s death? Had Gabby seen him like this?