Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 88849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 444(@200wpm)___ 355(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 444(@200wpm)___ 355(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
“On me?”
“What do they know?” Kellan gestured to me. “What do they know about Shay?”
“They know everything.”
My eyes widened. Kellan didn’t react, but I could sense his surprise as well. I said, “Everything?”
“Well.” Damien laughed a little, one of his hands sliding inside of his pocket. He lifted up a shoulder. “My mom knew about Sachiel, so they’re aware of that more celestial world out there.”
“And demons?”
“They know about them, too.”
Kellan’s eyes narrowed. That wasn’t what he was asking.
I sighed. “Are they going to have a problem with us?”
“Oh!” Understanding dawned now. Damien shook his head. “No. Not at all. They know you’re my half-sister, Shay. They’ve been asking me every day when you’re going to arrive. I told them that you were coming.”
They knew.
Maybe hearing that shouldn’t have rocked my world, but it did. I felt like my stomach opened up and all my guts spilled out.
Kellan started to laugh. “You’ll take on our two demon siblings, cast out two demon parents, square off against my father, and your father, but you’re scared of meeting those humans back there.” He added, “Good humans, too. I can smell the love they have for you already.”
I was terrified.
“Come on.” Damien threw an arm around my shoulder, turning me toward the house. “I only got a few minutes alone with you. They’re going to be coming out here in two minutes, and my grandmother can be loud. She doesn’t hold back anything. I don’t think we should be talking about demons and messengers where my neighbors can hear.” He looked over to the house beside his. “They already suspect too much anyway. My grandma drinks whiskey. A lot. I told you she gets loud, too, right?”
She did.
She liked to drink, cuss, joke, and she liked to love, too. So did Damien’s mother. His father that raised him. His grandfather and his two siblings. They all loved us, Kellan included. We stayed with them until Kellan and I decided to get our own place. Well—Kellan got us a place the next day, but he waited until I brought it up before letting me in on the secret. He didn’t want to pressure me to leave Damien’s family since we just got there, but once we moved out, I couldn’t lie.
It was wonderful.
Damien’s family welcomed Kellan and me into their family. They were more reserved with Kellan, but who could blame them? Dark, mysterious, gorgeous, and powerful. Damien’s grandma was the only one who took to Kellan immediately, making him drink whiskey with her. The two of them formed an instant friendship, along with Kent Ocean. He began to visit on a regular basis and Damien’s grandma thought he was a hoot.
It was an entire year later when I woke up and felt pangs in my chest.
Kellan was already awake. He was propped up on an elbow, looking down at me, and he raised an eyebrow. “Are you ready for today?”
“No.”
He grinned. “You wanted to do this.”
“I was stupid.”
“Be human. That’s what you said.”
I scowled. I knew where he was going with this. He laughed, tugging at my bottom lip until I started laughing with him. I slapped his hand away.
“I was being stupid. I don’t want to go anymore.”
His hand went to my side, and he began tickling me. I rolled over to stop him, wrapping my arms around him, and just like that, the laughter faded. His eyes darkened, and he rolled me back so he was on top, lightly resting there. His eyes fell to my lips as he asked, “Do you really not want to go, or are you just scared of leaving your family again?”
Family. Again.
I shivered at those words.
I answered, “It feels like I just got this family, like we finally fit in with them.”
His hands smoothed over my forehead, tucking some stands of hair back. The touch was so loving and soft, I melted inside. He murmured, “They’ve loved you since the second they found out about you.”
I knew that. I had felt their love so much over the last year, but we were leaving once again.
“It’s not going to go away.”
“What’s not?” I knew what he meant, but I wanted to hear the words.
“We’re going to college, with Damien. We’re not even leaving him. We’re all going to the same school, but that doesn’t mean they’ll stop loving you. They love you almost as much as I do.” His eyes bared into me, looking right to my core. “And you know that love will never go away. Ever. Nothing can shake it. No one can break it. It’ll hold. No matter what.” He lowered his mouth, grazing softly over mine, and he whispered, “It’ll hold, Shay.”
Like his would hold. Like mine would hold. We were strong separately, but when we were together, we were impenetrable. Just like our love for the other. I let his reassurances wash over me. He was right. Everything would be fine, and feeling the unease fade away, I opened my mouth under his.
THE END