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Chapter 346
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Leesa's Advent Chapter 347
In what had become a weekly ritual that Leesa loved, she and Rave were visiting her mom and Bradley for Sunday brunch. Every week, Leesa asked if she could help in the kitchen, and every week her mom refused. Judy enjoyed cooking for her “kids,” a position Rave had now earned by marrying Leesa. Leesa never pushed it—she knew her mom was making up for all the lost years of their childhood. Bradley and Leesa didn’t mind the making up in the least.This morning, Judy had fixed French toast. The first time she had attempted the dish several months before it had come out bland and dry. Today, though, Leesa thought it was delicious. Judy had used cinnamon-raisin bread, and Leesa had topped it with maple syrup and powdered sugar. The combination of flavors was nearly as tasty as most desserts.“This is really good,” she said to her mom after swallowing a few bites. “Really, really good.”Judy beamed. “I’m so glad you like it, dear.” Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Are you telling me the truth?
Leesa's Advent Chapter 348
Leesa, Rave and Bradley pushed themselves away from the table and headed for the door. Bradley grabbed a lightweight black sweatshirt from the clothes pole beside the door. Leesa took hers—a light blue zippered hoodie—as well, for appearances sake. Wearing nothing but a short-sleeved shirt on a cool day like this could attract attention.They stepped outside, and Bradley pulled the door closed behind them.Their mom was right; it was definitely a beautiful morning. The air was cool and crisp, with just a hint of a breeze out of the north, and the sun shone brightly in a blue sky dotted with puffy white clouds. The autumn foliage had not quite reached its peak yet, but there were plenty of bright colors adorning the neighborhood’s trees.Bradley got directly to the matter at hand.“Tell me, Sis,” he said as they headed down the walk with Leesa in the middle of her two favorite guys, “you didn’t know any of this before I went away, did you?”Leesa shook her head. “Of course not. None of
Leesa's Advent Chapter 349
Rave lay stretched out beside Leesa on their sleeping mat, doing one of his favorite things—watching her sleep. His volkaane eyes easily pierced the darkness of their bedroom, allowing him to make out every detail of the face he loved looking at above all others. Caressing her with his eyes was almost as much fun as caressing her with his hands.She slept peacefully on her back, her lovely features soft and relaxed, her breathing slow and even. Her long blond hair fanned out across the pillow, framing her face in a soft, golden aura. Rave could watch her like this for hours, which he did almost every night. Some nights her sleep seemed troubled, and he wondered what dreams or thoughts might have invaded her sleep. If she didn’t mention a dream in the morning, however, he never asked—better that anything upsetting stay buried in her subconscious.Tonight was not one of those troubled nights. Leesa had fallen asleep quickly after a round of gentle lovemaking, and her features and breath
Leesa's Advent Chapter 350
Two weeks later, it happened again.Leesa’s book had not shown her anything about the spiral energy pattern, despite many attempts by her to learn something. The magical tome usually seemed able to read her mind—no matter where Leesa opened the book when she was looking for a specific spell, the spell she sought would be there. Sometimes, when she wasn’t looking for anything specific, the book would present her with a new spell it either thought Leesa was ready for or that she needed.Now and then, though, the pages she opened to would be blank. Dominic had explained that empty pages could mean one of two things: either the spell did not exist, or the book did not think Leesa was ready yet for that particular magic. Leesa had no idea which one applied when she opened her book to a pair of blank pages the morning after the glowing green energy had swirled upward from her belly. She had no doubt that the magic existed—both she and Rave had witnessed it—but it was possible her baby posse
Leesa's Advent Chapter 351
Judy's face lit up when she opened the door to see Leesa and Rave standing there.“Sweetheart! What a nice surprise.” Her eyes narrowed worriedly. “Nothing’s wrong, is it?”Leesa shook her head and smiled. “Nothing’s wrong, Mom. Can’t a girl visit her mother without something being wrong?”“Of course, of course. Come in.” Judy and Leesa shared a loving hug in the doorway before Judy stepped to the side so Leesa and Rave could enter.“Bradley!” Judy called. “We’ve got company.” She turned back to Leesa. “Your brother is studying in his room. I know he’ll be happy to see you.”Bradley came hurrying out of his room and enveloped Leesa in a warm embrace. “Hey, Pumpkin. To what do we owe the pleasure?” He nodded a greeting to Rave over his sister’s shoulder.Bradley released Leesa and backed up a step so he could see her face.Leesa decided there was no point in putting things off. “I wanted to talk to Mom. I’m going to tell her about that thing you and I talked about a couple of weeks ago
Leesa's Advent Chapter 352
The baby's magic leaked outside of Leesa’s body twice more in the next three weeks. Both times were different from the first two incidents, as well as from each other. The first occurred early in the morning, just after Leesa had woken up but before she had gotten out of bed. She and Rave were lying next to each other talking when concentric rings of the familiar light green energy began emanating from Leesa’s stomach. The circles expanded in diameter as they floated up into the dimness before fading away. They reminded Leesa a little bit of the smoke rings a guy back at school used to blow when he was showing off. Leesa and Rave both touched the rings, and just like before, felt nothing but a little warmth for Leesa and a slight coolness for Rave.The second occurrence happened when Leesa was out in the woods with Rave practicing magic. This time was different from the previous three in more than just the form of the energy—and it was much more disturbing,
Leesa's Advent Chapter 353
“My mom, Bradley and Cali will understand if I explain it to them,” she said after a moment. “Balin, too, of course. But what about Aunt Janet and Uncle Roger? Or Stacie and Caitlyn? How am I going to explain why I can’t give them a hug or stand too close to them? I may as well become a hermit.”Rave wanted nothing more than to give Leesa a hug right then, but wasn’t sure it would be safe.Leesa recognized the troubled look on his face immediately. She was pretty sure she knew what he was thinking.“This sucks. You and I can finally do anything we want physically, and now we have to worry even about merely touching? This bites worse than when we couldn’t kiss because your fire might have fried me.”Rave moved behind Leesa and circled his arms around her, embracing her from behind. He was careful to keep his arms away from her stomach, settling them just above her breasts instead.“So far,
Leesa's Advent Chapter 354
Rave lowered Leesa to the ground at the edge of the woods not too far from her mom’s apartment complex. Holding hands, they walked the rest of the way as the sun disappeared from sight beyond the western horizon.At the front door, Leesa knocked twice and then twisted the doorknob. It wasn’t locked, so she pushed the door open and stepped inside.“Company,” she called in a sing-song tone.Bradley poked his head out from his room. “Pumpkin!”He strode across the living room to embrace Leesa, but she held out her hand to stop him.“No hugging,” she said. “At least not for now. And don’t get too close.”Bradley looked perplexed as he took a step back. “Okaaaaay…. I’m sure you must have a good reason why your big brother can’t give you a hug.”Leesa nodded. “I do.”“Mom’s in the shower,” Bradley said. “Is she expecting you? She didn’t say anything about you guys coming by for dinner.”“No. We didn’t know we were coming until a little while ago. Rave’s going to be leaving, but I’m going to
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Leesa's Advent Chapter 727
Serena awoke to the sound of birds chirping and the smell of fresh coffee brewing. She rolled over lazily, reaching out for Raphael, but the space was empty. With eyes still closed, she frowned. Where is that man? That man had probably been out of bed since the crack of dawn, beside himself with nerves for today’s big event, she thought regretfully. They were to be married today. Their lives intertwined for all of eternity. What man wouldn’t have cold feet at the prospect? And they’d known each other such a short time, too. She opened her eyes and blinked a few times, and frowned again. She had awakened in the safe house. Last night, she’d killed a man in her own home, and knew she could never go back there ever again. She didn’t care how good the Brethren’s cleanup crew could restore her home. It would never erase the vivid memories and horrors of what had happened there. She and Raphael would have to find themselves a new home, together. Until such time, this place would be it, th
Leesa's Advent Chapter 726
It’s going to be a long day without Raphael, Serena thought, as she washed and dressed. But she carried on. With so many loose ends to tie up, final checks to be made, people and places to coordinate, she scarcely had time to think about anything else. Except for her father. In the quiet moments between the bedlam of planning a wedding, she reflected upon him and her heart ached. She had arranged for a nursing home staffer to drive him and his wheelchair to the Chapel of the Holy Cross for the wedding. They didn’t usually allow weddings there, but somehow, Raphael swayed their decision. Kemuel promised to wheel her father down the aisle beside her, and she loved him instantly for that. But her dream was to have him walk her down that aisle. A sob caught in her throat, and she quickly shook her head to whisk it away. None of that nonsense, Serena. Don’t be greedy. At least he is alive and here to be a part of it all. As the day waxed on to evening, Serena felt unsettled. She hadn’t s
Leesa's Advent Chapter 725
Raphael spent the next few days cloistered with Serena, away from everyone and everything, like a honeymoon before the wedding. But every morning he made creative excuses to tear himself away from her for a little while and work with Fred. To make sure she didn’t visit her father, he dropped her off at her shop first so she could plan a small wedding with Callie and catch up on the mountains of paperwork.The healing sessions with Serena’s father went spectacularly, and with Raphael’s charisma, he convinced the nursing home staff to keep any improvements secret from her. They thought it romantic that he came to help with his fiancée’s father’s rehabilitation. Everyone there rooted for him, amazed at his miraculous awakening. All of the therapists worked their tails off during his therapy sessions, wanting to see their severely stroke-damaged patient beat the odds and walk his daughter down the aisle.On the morning of the fifth day, Raphael got Fred walking without any assistance.“Co
Leesa's Advent Chapter 724
Raphael grabbed her hands. “Do it!” he demanded. He placed them on his temples and spoke to her through their bonded connection. She felt every thought he had had of Sirona over the years straight to the present down their threaded connection. She heard every thought he’d had of her, including every word he had spoken while holding her in his arms at Dr. Chappo’s estate. He sent her everything that filled his heart and soul about her, and finally, at last, she knew.She knew. And knowing was everything to her. He gently brought her hands away from his face, kissing her fingertips as he eased them down, and she took a few steps backward, looking at him as if for the first time. No one before had ever felt about her the way he felt about her, let alone express so strongly all he’d expressed when she’d lain dying in his arms.“You’re in love with me.” She gasped, astonished. Tears welled again in her eyes, but this time, for a very different reason.“Yes.” He took a bold step toward her.
Leesa's Advent Chapter 723
A bundle of nerves, that’s what she’d turned into. Since leaving her father’s, Serena had been nothing but a bundle of nerves, rehearsing over and over again what she would say to Raphael up on the Rock. Looking all around her now, frightening memories kept popping into her mind, making her think that at any moment, Steve or Wheezer were going to jump out and nab her. Unfortunately, she had gotten to the summit way too early, and now paced like a caged bobcat. It had to stop. The bad guys are dead, Serena. Think positive, and let go the past. So, finding a suitable rock to sit on, Serena decided to do a little meditation to soothe her worried heart. “When I see him, I’ll know the right words to say,” she notified the birds. It may sting for a bit, but it’s for the best.****Raphael showed up at the base of the mountain with time to spare, and noticed Serena’s Jeep already parked. Perfect, he thought. He checked his pocket for the millionth time, making sure the ring box hadn’t fallen
Leesa's Advent Chapter 722
Raphael watched Serena leave the nursing home from behind one of the bushes in the front. She seems in good spirits, he thought. Only when he saw her disappear down the street did he dare to venture out of his hiding place. He walked into the nursing home and headed straight to the reception desk.“Hello, I’m here to see Mr. Sikes.” He smiled amiably at the receptionist.“Wow, two visitors in one day. Fred’s a lucky guy. Sign in right here, please. You’ll sign out before you leave. Take this badge so we know you belong here. Room 103 is down the hall, make a left, and he’s at the end on the left.”He looked at her name tag, and winked. “Thanks so much, Judy.”Walking down the hall, he found himself fidgeting with the badge in his hand. Am I actually nervous? Hell yeah! Raphael, the man, is about to meet the father of the woman he loves. Raphael, the man, is about to ask for this guy’s daugh
Leesa's Advent Chapter 721
Great! Just great! There’s a leak in my bedroom ceiling. Wait a minute, that’s not right. I’m not in my bedroom. I’m locked away in Dr. Chappo’s house. She remembered more. Being bound to a gurney, her body broken and dying. But I’m not lying on a gurney now, and I actually feel great. How could she be dying and still feel great? And what’s with the rain shower on my face? Slowly her eyes fluttered open, and she gasped.It was raining. Angel’s tears. Raphael’s tears, to be exact.She lay in his arms, and from the way he shuddered and sobbed, she thought maybe he didn’t know she lived. To be honest with herself, she’d only realized this fact just a few moments before. Iridescent wings were outstretched and trembling though no breeze made them flutter so.She gently raised her hand to caress his cheek and whispered softly. “Shh…there now, Raphael, shh. It’s all right. I’m ok
Leesa's Advent Chapter 720
Raphael noticed a knob on the box. It made sense to dial it to its lowest setting. He followed the tubing to its clamp on Serena’s side and decided to completely clamp it off. Now, no more blood could flow. But he still needed to get the needle out of her arm. He found gauze and tape on the tray stand and proceeded to extrude the catheter from her arm carefully so as not to injure her. He replaced it securely with the gauze and tape. His hands shook. I can’t fall apart like this right now! He quickly shrugged off the threat of paralyzing fear.“Hey, Raphael, this guy says his name is Steve. Isn’t that the name of one of guys who assaulted Serena?” Gabriel asked.“Yes, yes it is,” he said through gnashed teeth. Rage filled him and he clenched his fists, trying to gain some semblance of control. “Bind him, tightly. Make sure he can see Dr. Chappo. I’d like him to see what happens to assholes like him when they choose
Leesa's Advent Chapter 719
Searing hot pain shot like lightning throughout every inch of Serena’s body. Well, every inch she could feel, which left her very disturbed indeed, because she couldn’t feel anything past her waist. She could barely breathe without severe pain ripping through her chest and back. She knew what that meant—broken ribs. But what about her legs? Where were they? And why did her wrists feel shackled? Oh, dear God! What’s become of me? Her shallow breaths quickened. Her heart raced and fought for freedom behind her aching chest. Tears burst through her closed eyes and flowed untapped down the sides of her face.A voice sliced through the whooshing sound in her ears. A voice she knew all too well, and had come to despise with every molecule in her being.“Uh, Doc, I think she’s coming ’round. What do you want me to do?” Steve asked.“Hmm? Oh, nuffin. Nuffin, Seeve. Jus’ keep watchin’,” Dr. Chappo sl
