“Katie? Come out of the water, everything is alright,” Anya calls to her from the edge of the water.
Katie turns and sobs out her name, “Anya! You have to run!” Anya smiles at her and that’s when Katie knows it is a mirage. Anya’s eyes are not black and soulless. Katie turns and swims toward the falls. Her only hope is that the creature will not dare to cross the running water. Underneath the waterfall is a cavern, if she can just get to it, she could wait for help.
“No! Katie, come out. Da is hurt and I need you to help take care of him.” Anya screams and spittle flies from her fangs. The rage causes her glamour spell to slip and the side of her face shows a bruised welt along her jaw. Katie realizes she must have struck her with a rowan staff. The creature tries to step into the water and steam erupts from her feet and she roars in pain and fury.
Katie swims under the crushing force of the falls and manages to climb onto a ledge that she thought was a cavern. It is big enough for her to sit on, but that is all. Out of the rain and most of the water, she sits trembling with her arms wrapped round her knees. Staring through the wall of water, she watches the blurred image of the pacing creature. She takes a deep breath and tries to calm her heart.
“What’s happening?” Katie covers her ears and ignores the screeching sounds coming from her frustrated pursuer and tries to filter through the images flashing through her mind. Her hidden memories unlock and the pain dims.
“I was marked by the Dark Fae and Reese saved me.” Her blue eyes fly open when she remembers the rest. A vampire named Colin attacked her in her Grandmother’s house and tortured her. It was only by the grace of her friend…
“Kathleen, come to me,” Reese calls to her. The sky is completely dark as night sets on the mountain. Katie thinks it’s a blessing to be in the blinding darkness. To see the twisted images of those she loves and holds dear would be hell. She closes her eyes and waits for death. A warm salty tear trickles down her cheek and she remembers him… “Morgan,” she sighs.
In her memory, he captures her tears and turns her sorrow into dreams. She remembers the scent of the ocean and the intoxication of his kiss. “Floating with him in the cocoon of his wings…” her blue eyes fly open and she remembers he isn’t human, but Angel! He let them lock her memories away! The flash of a memory hits her, and she remembers another angel altering her memory and planting a false car crash.
“Morgan, how could you?” Katie’s betrayal whispers, and it’s as powerful as a scream. He hears her and terror floods his soul. With a rush of wings, he leaps into the air and soars through the night sky.
“Katie, come out, and I will take away all of your pain. They used you. Men always do, but I can give you the power to avenge your heart,” a seductive voice promises softly in Katie’s mind. “We have a powerful friend who wants to meet you. Caius is waiting.”
“Go away, you will not claim my soul tonight!” Katie screams at her and clutches her grandmothers’ cross necklace.
The pissed off aberration picks up a large rock and throws it through the falls at Katie, hoping to knock her from her perch. Over and over she sends rocks into the ledge and wall while Katie is bludgeoned by shrapnel from the mini explosions. With a bowed head, she weeps out a prayer, “Father, protect me from the evil here.”
A massive wind begins to blow, and it whispers to her of relief. A bright flash beyond the falls explodes through the black mountains and the flying stones stop.
“Katie, come out, all is safe now,” Morgan’s voice sends chills down her body.
“Nooo,” she moans and turns her face away from the falls and her bloody hand’s cling onto the rocks behind her.
Morgan watches from the edge of the water and realizes she is terrified. The corrupted Fae was easily dealt with, but they must go, before more come. “Looks like I’m getting wet today.” He leaps into the pool and swims silently through the water to the edge of the falling water.
Katie hears a splash and her heart begins to pound. Behind the curtain of water, against the wall of rock, she’s entombed. She can make out a shape and her heart is beating hard enough that Morgan is worried about her safety.
Morgan waves his hand and the falls go silent.
“Morgan?” she whispers almost afraid to believe. Frozen for the moment, he can see her clearly now. She is trembling, bloody and wounded. He smiles when she stands on her quaky legs,
“That’s my girl, come on.” He reaches out a hand towards her and jerks in shock when she whips out a hand and slaps him.
“I am not your girl. How could you let them do that to me?” She demands.
Morgan jerks in shock, no human has ever dared to strike him before. Katie laughs a hollow, bitter laugh. “You left me defenseless against this evil. Did it ever occur to you that I needed to know what I’m up against?”
He considers this for a second, then he pulls himself onto the ledge beside her, and he reaches to touch her bruised face softly with his hand, “I’m sorry, Kathleen. Forgive me.”
With a sob of relief, she throws herself into his arms and weeps. She feels like an ice cube in against his chest and Katie snuggles into him, hiding her face in his neck, she
