“Steady,” Roger says, and I feel the car slow down now. My eyes open as I see that we’re approaching the clinic. “Dominic, what’s the plan here? Are we just going to burst in here? Or –“ But as Roger pulls the car towards the front of the building, our plan presents itself for us. Because out of th
Ella My internal screaming continues, echoing through me as I grab whatever bond I have to my Goddess mother and pull on it as hard as I can – And I’m still screaming, there, in my mind – and honestly maybe from my throat as well, I’m too far beyond myself now to know – when suddenly… …She’s
“I love you, Ella,” she says as she begins to fade from my sight. “You will always have a piece of me,” she says, reaching out hand to point towards my chest, where her gift grows warm. “Use it well.” And then, quite suddenly, she is gone. And I blink back to myself realizing that – That even
Ella The gift burns through me and the ice strips away from my body faster than I thought possible, water sliding to the floor as I push myself out, as I free my legs and start to run. I have to grab the door frame as I fly into the hall, using it to pivot around the corner and keep running tow
_____________________ Sinclair I blink my eyes open in the forest and wince as the bright white light stings my eyes. Fuck, I think, covering the top half of my face with my hands. Is it already morning? But then I realize, quite suddenly… That I don’t remember going to bed. I sit up, wary
Ella “Hey, handsome,” I say again, in the real world this time. A little smirk pulls on my lips as Sinclair’s eyes flutter open. We’re laying pressed quite close together in the little hospital bed, so I can see every twitch of his eyelash as he begins to focus on me. He doesn’t say anything at
“I know,” he replies, and I can feel him nodding, agreeing with me. “I’m so sorry, Ella. Never again. You’re right – it’s not worth it. I can’t keep putting my body on the line like this. Peace, now. Peace.” “Do you promise?” I sigh, hoping to hell that he means it – because that’s all I want in t
Ella We’re an almost ridiculously cheerful group about an hour later when Roger and Cora come to join me and Sinclair in his little clinic room. Roger is first through the door, his face stark with worry as he storms into the room after getting word – probably from Hank – that Sinclair is awake
He shakes his head at me as tears fill his own eyes and he leans forward, pulling me against him while somehow miraculously managing not to crush our children between us as he holds me tight in his arms. “So, I guess it wouldn’t matter,” he murmurs against my hair as I sniff back my tears and nod.
“Even more than the kids!?” I gasp, my mouth falling open a bit. “I mean, the kids,” he says, shrugging as if they’re not much, which makes me laugh. But then he goes a little rigid as he realizes something, raising his eyes to glare at me a bit. “Wait, are you saying you like the kids more than m
Ella “Nope,” Sinclair says, heaving himself out of bed and grabbing his phone off the bedside table as he does. “I can’t live like this, Ella – I’m calling Roger, I’ve got to know –“ “Dominic!” I say, laughing and grabbing for him, trying to catch the edge of his pajamas and failing because I’v
She laughs and I look first at Sinclair, who shrugs, and then back at my sister. “Come on,” Roger says, nodding at the crowds of people waiting to congratulate us and at the small table of refreshments. “Let’s decide this over some champagne.” Sinclair nods at me and I sigh, moving with my famil
The last image, though, lingers. Ariel, with Rafe and Jesse on either side – as they always are – and her two mates behind her. All standing together on a battlefield with Ariel at the center, magic welling between her hands and passing to her brother, to her cousin. Their faces are serious as t
Cora The images of Ariel’s future come in quick flashes, and somehow I get the impression that the Goddess is eager to share these glimpses of her life. The ones that come first are what I sort of expected, especially after seeing some images of Rafe’s childhood and hearing about the ones that
“We are not,” Cora scoffs, gently taking Ariel into her arms as Sinclair and I laugh. Roger grins, leaning forward to kiss me on the cheek before passing Jesse to me. “You know I’m kidding, right, Ells?” he whispers. I smile at my brother-in-law and gently pat his cheek. “When in doubt, Roger,”
Ella Three weeks later – Ariel was born under a waning quarter moon, not a new moon like her brother and her cousin – I stand anxiously in the woods, my little girl held tight in my arms. “I’m sensing some anxiety,” Cora says, grinning at me with a little too much glee as she comes up to my sid
“Oh my god,” I say, the words spilling out of my mouth. “Oh my god,” I sit up straight, staring at Henry, my eyes flicking to his legs – because honestly, I don’t even notice his chair anymore, or think of him at all as someone whose abilities are hindered. Or of me as someone who is able to do an