Luna dipped her head, and Aylin nodded.
Connor, you need to open your mind and project the orb into the ground. Once you connect, go through the earth. Don't stop.
Aylin? I asked through our bond.
Now!
She sent the ball swirling through the air, but it lost its momentum and landed at Gabriel's feet.
He laughed. “You missed. You pathetic half-breed.”
I barely heard Gabriel's words over the thumping in my head. Now, now, now. The persistent voice commanded. My arms tingled, the sensation wrapping around me until I felt like the heat would cause me to explode.
My palms broke out in a sweat and crackling fire broke out into my hands. I aimed toward the ground and beyond—past the snow, the grass, the dirt, and even further until a large black hole whirled faster and faster. Cupping my hands, I blew toward Gabriel.
“No, she didn't.” Luna's spoke quietly.
Gabriel toppled into the black abyss. His screams faded as he fell deeper.
Aylin waved her hands. The hole whooshed shut with a thump, extinguishing the fire as if it never existed. “Until next time, you asshole.”
She threw her arms around me and kissed me with a fiery passion that consumed me. “I knew you could do it.”
“Glad someone did.” But I grinned and wrapped my arm around her waist. I wasn't even sure I knew how to deal with what I just witnessed but, apparently, I now had power. Amazing power.
Drew approached us first, hugging Aylin and shaking my hand. “Thank you for protecting her.”
“What?” Aylin looked like she tasted something rancid. “He didn't protect me. We protected each other?”
I laughed and pulled her tighter. She had done it, but I would always be her pinch hitter. I kissed the top of her head. “You did great, babe.”
“Well, Luna helped, too.”
“Yeah, about that.” Drew's gaze darted between his sister and Luna. “How did you all work that one out?”
Luna stood slightly outside the circle, as if she didn't belong to our group.
“Well,” Aylin said, “we sort of understand each other.”
“You can communicate like Bryn and Liam?”
“No, it's different. Connor and I can talk telepathically through our link but, with Luna, I just know what she's thinking. When she lowers her mental walls, I understand her. This was her plan.”
Luna's pale face flushed with Aylin's admission.
“Well, in that case, thank you very much,” I said.
She shuffled her feet and bowed her head. “It was nothing. I'm glad it worked out.”
“C'mon, let's go grab a drink at Murphy's,” Liam said. “I'll call Bryn and have her meet us there. I think we can use a reason to celebrate.”
“Sure thing, man.” I slapped his back and walked hand in hand with Aylin.
An icy chill ran down my back. I stiffened.
She tugged on my arm. “C'mon, honey. I want a drink. A really strong one.”
A flicker of light caught my eye, and I turned. A twig cracked. The wind whistled. But nothing approached us or ran into the woods. I frowned. Odd. I could swear I felt someone starring us down. Hatred crawled over me like a cluster of spiders.
“Hon?” Aylin tugged again.
Was I the only one who sensed the bad vibes?
“I'm coming.” I took a slow step forward and waited for something to happen.
I took another step.
The snow crunched undera third.
I let out a lengthy breath. Maybe I was just paranoid. Making things up in my mind because Gabriel wasn't the type to go down easily. We had won another battle, but what about the war?
What chance did we have of truly wiping him of his powers? After all, he led the charge to stamp out all soul-bonded couples.
Aylin tilted her head as I ignored her attempts to pull me along.
“Seriously, Connor, I'm parched.”
Burying my reservations and attempting to forget about Gabriel, I pasted on a smile. “Well, we can't have that now, can we?”
Still, one day, he would return.
***
Aylin
I placed two juicy, humungous New York strips into the broiler and began chopping a salad. Connor was due home any minute from his construction of my new house, or I should say Luna's house, as I would rent to her for the time being.
I grabbed a tomato from the strainer and sliced.
“Isn't it wonderful?” Cassiel's heavenly voice rang through the kitchen.
My hand slipped and the knife sliced through my fingertip.
“Son of a gun!” I yelped.
“Oh, dear. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you.” She waved her hand, and the laceration healed.
“It's fine. You're always welcome here.” I sat on the bar stool across from Cassiel. “So, what brings a member of the Table of Seven to my kitchen?”
“It's the minor things in life that you need to hold onto. Like cooking a meal for your man, a slight caress, the sun on your face, the laughter of a child.”
I held my hands to signal stop. “Hold up, no one is talking kids just yet.”
Her laughter made me grin. “Not yet.”
I cringed at her emphasis, as if she knew something. I was determined not to have any children anytime soon. I was still getting used to being in a relationship, and I didn't want to stress about a baby on top of that.
“Anyhow, Uriel sent me to check up on you.”
“I'm fine.” The harshness of my tone surprised me, but it was not Cassiel's fault. If I was honest, it wasn't Uriel's either. Without his interference, I wouldn't be where I was today with Connor.
“You will be.”
“What are you even doing here? I thought you weren't allowed on this plane?” I asked.
“Oh, the funny thing about life is it always changes. The Table of Seven is growing stronger and your pack is inspiring others to follow suit. Soon, our kind will be like we were decades ago. Strong, bountiful and, with those magical species, we will need a more adaptable governing board.”
“And?”
“We would like you to join the Table of Seven as our very own enforcer. We will permit you to stay here, in this place,
