Chapter 53Lucian glanced around the auditorium. He found the area that was roped off for relatives of the graduates. His heart ached for a second when his gaze landed on Arabella. The woman still had a way of making him feel like he lost it all. He had her once, so long ago, until Fate pulled her cruel trick on them. He looked down at the woman by his side and all he saw was Arabella. Lucian was coming to some conclusions of his own and Maria did not deserve to be the other woman in his life. Maria deserved better; someone who would cherish her for herself and not be a replacement for someone else.Arabella glanced up casually when someone sat down beside her. It was Lucian and his date. She almost panicked. She was the same one from the airport. Arabella hoped they would break up before Lucas’s graduation. No such luck. She held back from saying any of her thoughts out loud.“Hello Arabella, you’re looking as beautiful as always.” Lucian could not take his eyes off of the woman he l
Chapter 54Maria stood beside Lucian proudly, she might not be as beautiful as Arabella and maybe not even be in her league but she was the one standing here beside Lucian not her.Arabella stood alone at the punch bowl contemplating how Lucas had grown up too fast. He had a bright future ahead of him and she was so proud. She refused to let sadness dominate Lucas’s big day. Pasting a pleasant smile on her face that didn’t reach her eyes; Arabella mingled with the other families here to see their own graduate.Lucian stood aside with Jack as both men recounted what each had been up to sense the last time they met. His eyes never left Arabella as she moved gracefully through the crown.Her eyes caught his and shivered at the look in Lucian’s eyes; it too her back to their first meeting. Hastily, Arabella turned her back on Lucian so he would not see the emotions threatening to break out in her face. It was obvious that Lucian was now taken and she did not want to interfere with his hap
Chapter 55Gabriel lived more human life times than the age of the earth itself. He was brought into service under Mother after the earth was created. It all of his centuries he still did not understand one thing … the mind of a female. He tried everything he could think of short of really disgracing himself to get Adora to even look at him. It was as though he were a spirt. How could a female do that? How did she manage to make him feel smaller than he already felt?“Adora, please, please talk to me. I’ve said how sorry I am a hundred thousand times, okay?”Gabriel stood in front of Adora, causing her to stop. Still she refused to look directly at him. Gabriel felt frustrated but still a little glimmer of hope survived. This time she actually stopped instead of walking right over him. That was decently an improvement.Adora finally looked Gabriel in the eye for the first time since coming back from earth, “Leave me alone, Gabriel. I don’t have time for your pathetic apologies.” Adora
Chapter 56Selene’s skirts swished against her ankles as she strode toward the lower gates of hell. As she passed the inhabitants of the realm, many greeted or bowed as she passed. 'Good day, Mother,’ was repeated constantly before she started down the stone steps to the first gates of hell. There were seven gates altogether and the worse ones were down these steps."Mother! What are you doing here? This is no place for you.” Gabriel stood up from the seat in his stone niche where he sat contemplating his feelings for Adora. To see Mother down here a bit of a shock as she never came this far, preferring to send someone down if she needed anything. Lucky for Gabriel, neither demons or condemned tried to escape this shift.“I came to see you, Gabriel. It is not too often I have to straighten out the affairs conducted here in the realm, but you and Adora are trying my patience. You both have the whole realm betting what will happen next in your existence. Most think you are going to be s
Chapter 57The long scar on Arabella’s side healed down to a narrow line. She ran her fingers down the length as she looked at it in the mirror. Memory darkened her eyes as she thought of the reason for the scar. A pound of flesh. It wasn’t really a pound but at the time it sure felt like it was. Was it worth the pain to get Lucian’s memories back. Yes, she decided, yes it was. Giving Lucian his memories back was a gift she was glad to give, no matter the out come between them.Ringing of the cell phone brought Arabella back to the present. As she listened, her face became paler. Putiing down the phone, fear shown in her eyes. The plane Jack and his new lady were on went down in the Bermuda Triangle. So far, no survivors were found. By the Gods, she had to get there and fast.Pulling up a map for that area on the internet, Arabella searched for a town close to the area. When she found one, she pulled up the area that told of places of interest. It was late night there, so hopefully the
Chapter 58Jack struggled to wake up. He remembered the plane going down, but nothing else after that. A cold cloth laid across his head brought him the rest of the way awake. He opened his eyes to find a pair of blue ones staring at him.“Jack? Oh, thank God Jack, I thought you would never wake up.” Rainy Blake gently stroked Jack’s cheek.Rainy got her name from one of her five brothers. It was raining out side when she was born; a month early. Travis thought it would be funny to have a little sister named after the rain. It was tradition to allow the next child in line to name the next baby. So, Rainy it was. Where Rainy’s parents got their tradition from, Rainy was not sure. It was not a tradition in any of her cousin’s families. The name suited her parents hippy out look.Jack slowly sat up, his head hurt like he ran into a brick wall, head first. Winching, Jack looked around at the bright sand he had been lying on. There were other people from the plane wondering around in a daz
Chapter 59“I”m sorry Ms Brennan, that’s all the information we have at the moment. Rescuse is looking for the crash site now. Once they find it, they’ll look very carefully for survivors. When information is available I will personally contact the families.” The American liaison officer, Hayden Marks, looked at Arabella with sad eyes. “I promise, Ms. Brennan, as soon as I know anything, you’ll know too.Arabella was frustrated, it was now three days that Jack’s airplane had gone off of the radar and still, the crash site itself had not been found. She knew the search and rescue was doing their job but did not stop her from feeling at a loss. The possibility of losing Jack caused her heart to clinch. Nancy died when Arabella was young, so that loss was swallowed up with the life of the young. Losing Jack would be her worse nightmare. Outside of Lucas, Jack was all she had left of family.“It’s okay, mom, they’ll find him.” Lucas patted Arabella’s back. Lucas and Lucian came twenty fou
Chapter 60‘Jack is safe,’ kept running through Arabella’s head. She wouldn’t let go of his arm as they waited for the boat. Finding which island was easier than she thought it would be. Having mercenaries on your side helped. While the rescue teams had been searching in the wrong direction, Arabella and her mercenaries chose to go in a different one, following the clues Sybiln gave her. Arabella’s hunch paid off and now here they were. The rescue teams came running when she made the call over the air waves that the lost plane passengers had been found alive.Arabella watched as the medics walked among the passengers. Thank the Gods none of them were more serious injured than what they were. Sure, there were broken bones, scrapes and bruises, but no loss of life. Arabella shuddered at the thought that she could have lost Jack. She was a little angry with Sybil and Mother not helping out directly, although it was Sybil who gave her the clues she needed to find this island. Arabella sigh
Chapter 101Arabella never called.Arabella lifted her head to the rising sun. She couldn’t remember how many nights she stayed up with one grieving person or another. At times, she wondered if she even helped these people. The Borders people were using her in may ways. One of them being this, midwife. Until now, she had never delivered before. She lost count of how many she had delivered. They were constantly on the move from one village to another.“You look like shit, Ari. Go, get some rest, I’ll clean up here.” Mac had been with Borders for many years and in that time he had been many things. Throwing Ari into it without her realizing the extent of their needs. It didn’t set well with Mac. Arabella was a nice and gentle woman and had a way of putting the patients at ease. Her help was greater than she realized.“It’s okay, Mac. If we both do it we can both get some rest. Don’t think I haven’t noticed you driving yourself half to death.” Arabella replied. “You push yourself too har
Chapter 100Arabella sat in front of the cave one last time before she had to leave for the airport. She felt a great sadness when she gazed at the rubble that was once her place of peace. So much over the years was soaked into the rocks and ground. It was a place where she felt close to her mother and father. She felt a touch of loneliness when her thoughts turned toward Lucian. Too much time was lost to them. The years separated them. Adrian separated them. Arabella stood up and started the hike back to the cabin. It was time to leave.Arabella didn’t rush home. Thorn walked with her and she savored his presence. “I don’t know when I’ll be back. Jack promised to take care of the place and check up on you once in a while.” Thorn cocked his head to the side as he listened to Arabella. He understood more than people knew. He had his own large pack to take care of but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t miss the walks and talking she did with him. Over the years his pack grew to the size it wa
Chapter 99The sound of the rock slide echoed down the canyon until it lost strength and force. Arabella stood in shock as her beloved cave was no more. In the distance she could hear the forlorn howl of Thorn and his pack. The forest itself became silent as though it were waiting for something more than it had already received, Arabella felt as though the world had stopped.The sound of a living forest returned slowly and Thorn’s pack could no longer be heard. Arabella knew it would be a shock to her system but after Ella blocked her abilities before, it showed Arabella that she could handle it. The mental agony could not be avoided but that too would fade as time went on.After the dust settled, Arabella looked around the forest and clearing where the cave once stood. Somehow, it all looked brand new. It was as though she had entered a new world. The shape and color of the leaves and pine needles on the trees took on a whole new meaning to her minds eye. They were sharper and the col
Chapter 98The dog days of summer were upon them. One hundred degrees and more were now the normal. Forest fires were springing up with little chance of rain helping to put them out. Lucian and Arabella kept their days full. Lucian would not reopen his practice until after he had won Arabella’s heart back. He took it on as a full time job to try and romance her and felt Arabella’s heart was finally starting to soften toward him.Lucas and Lauren were back from their honeymoon and ready to open their own practice together. The pair decided to make Boulder their permanent home. Lucas grew up there and was delighted to show Lauren all of the entertainment and fun there was in Colorado. Everyone but Arabella settled down to the rhythm of their lives.“Do you fully understand what you are asking for Arabella?” Selene asked her for what seemed like the hundredth time. “Once done, it cannot be undone.” Frustration was evident in Selene’s voice as she glared at Arabella. “You were given a few
Chapter 97During the wedding set up and the wedding itself, Arabella ran on pure adrenaline. Now that it was finally over, Arabella had nothing else to give. Exhausted, she lay down on one of the benches that lined the pavilion. After much searching, that was where Lucian found her, sound asleep. Gently, Lucian picked up Arabella in his arms to carry her to her room.Arabella stirred slightly but did not awaken as Lucian strode toward the cabin. It felt so good to have her in his arms again, even if it was when she was sleeping. He orginally planned to propose to Arabella that evening, after the wedding. But decided that it was not the right time. This day belonged to Lucas and Lauren alone, Besides, he wanted to make it all special for the woman he loved, for his sweet Bella.Arabella awoke the next morning, still in her wedding outfit and laying on top of her bed with no memory of how she got there. The sun was peeking over the mountain tops as she made her way to the kitchen in se
Chapter 96Life slowly moved forward to normality. Lucian and Arabella’s relationship was put on hold as they prepared for Lucas and Lauren’s wedding. The young ones decided that they did not want to be married on the Island but at home on the mountain side.The wedding itself would take place on the west lawn that was large enough to hold around a thousand people, various tents full of food and drink.One tent would hold a memory lane of Lucas and Lauren as they grew from toddlers to graduate students. Thorn kept his distance as the wedding plans ramped up.Lucian worked with the wedding planner. They mapped out on paper where everything would be placed on the west lawn. There was more than enough room for them to be extravagant. Lucian mapped where he wanted the pavilion for dancing to stand. It backed up to the rose garden near the north side. The smell of the blooms would help create the romantic atmosphere he was aiming for. Lucian wanted to plan it beautifully for it would be the
Chapter 95Mother, Fate and Karma were Ella’s judge and jury. She stood before them in silver chains, insolent, uncaring. Ella lifted her head in arrogance as Mother read out her crimes. The top crime being her kidnapping of a human. One of the biggest no no’s were harming a human in any way to which Ella qualified for by her actions. Arabella stood to one side of the Dias; she was to give evidence against Ella.Arabella was uncomfortable to be in the presence of three such powerful women. She shuffled her feet so much she caught a warning look from Karma. Arabella stood stock still so as to not bring more attention on herself.The proceeding was similar as on earth except Ella was not allowed to defend herself. All of her misdeeds were playing out o the walls surrounding the proceedings. Ella was not the least bit repentant. She did not believe Mother would actually send her to be absorbed. It just was not done anymore. With that thought in mind, a small smile played out on her lips.
Chapter 94Lucian walked back to the veranda to be close to Arabella while she slept. He was not surprised to find Thorn asleep on the porch beside the lounger where Arabella lay. Smiling to himself, Lucian sat down to wait on Arabella.Arabella’s sleep was long and uneventful. Echaustion keep the nightmares away. Slowly, Arabella started to wake up. She groaned a little at the pain from sleeping in one position for a long period of time. Arabella found herself alone on the veranda and started to panic. Just as she was ready to lose it, Lucian walked onto the veranda with hot coffee and finger sandwiches.“Ah, finally, you are awake?” Lucian said with a smile in his voice. “I was hoping you would soon. You must be starving by now.” Lucian set the tray with the coffee and food on the small table in front of Arabella.“Lucian, you’re here,” Arabella breathed whispered before she could stop herself. “Where is Selene? Oh, by the Gods, where is Ella?”Arabella tried to jump up from her cha
Chapter 93Suddenly, Ella realized it was not Arabella, but Selene that stood before her. Quickly, she reached for the shadows, but nothing happened. Running to the mouth of the cave, Ella stopped short. Outdide stood Michael, his sword of rightness was drawn. Ella’s shoulders slumped in defeat.“How did you find her?” Ella was curious as to why her spell didn’t work.“Silly woman,” replied Selene, “You forgot one important element.”Ella was getting impatient and almost stomped her foot in anger. “No need to draw this out Selene.”“Please Ella,” Selene smiled, “Let me finish. You forgot she was half human. That rather voided your magic. Why did you do this, Ella? What did Arabella ever do to you?”“Do to me? You want to know what she ever did to me? She exists, Selene. Do you understand that? She exists. I have spent my life having Arabella shoved down my throat. So much so that I never felt good enough for you. What better way to reach than through your ‘daughter’. Your precious Ara