HarperMy eyes snapped open to darkness. I was back on the bed, but I knew I was still not alone as my eyes swiftly adjusted to the dark and the first thing I saw was a dark shadow towering over me. I lashed out on instinct seconds before realising that the shadow was Elias.“Ouch,” he grumbled as I knocked him off the bed.“Shit.” I jumped off the bed after him in panic. “Fuck, Elias. I’m sorry,” I said as I reached him. He chuckled in response and pulled me onto his knee while I tried to fuss over where I had hit him on the face. “Well, we know your reflexes are still all good,” he said as he nuzzled into me. I leaned into him allowing his sea salt and mint scent to wash over me and calm my rapidly beating heart.“I’m sorry,” I said again, “I just freaked out.”“What was it about?” Elias asked and I turned to look at him. “What was what about?” I asked.“The nightmare,” he said, “I woke you because you were distressed.”“Oh,” I fumbled for an answer. For some reason, I didn’t want
HarperI smiled at Elias as he glared at the people over my shoulder, a low growl in his throat. We were back in the library after a quick shower and getting dressed. And now my top was sitting on one of the tables while the others were looking at the new glowy design on my back. “It’s marvellous,” Aaron said as he prodded my back over and over. Elias growled again, and I squeezed his hand gently. I knew, due to me being his mate, that he was a tad possessive but he really seemed to be caught up in it right now. He looked up at me and I saw the demon flash behind his eyes.“Sorry,” he whispered and cleared his throat. Then he looked over my shoulder at Aaron. “I watched it as it formed,” he said, “It was really dim at first, like barely an outline, a blink and you miss it. But then the shine got brighter.” “Oh Harper, it’s so pretty,” Katie said, and I sighed. “I wouldn’t know,” I said. “I can’t see it properly.” Elias had drawn my attention to the mark in the shower together and
EliasI watched the scenery rush past as I stared out of the passenger window. We were back in the car, and had been for the last half an hour. Harper had been eager to get to this witch as quickly as possible. I could see the frustration on her face as Drake insisted on showing her how to seek out and identify the Divine grace, or whatever it was. It had taken her a couple of hours before she suddenly seemed to feel something. The expression of excitement on her face as she said she could feel the other warrior was almost infectious. Almost. I wanted to be happy for this newfound strength of hers, and I was happy. I didn’t like how she had been struggling over the past six months. The exhaustion from using her angel blade was getting worse, and I had been worried that she would burn out, for good this time. Drake assured me that now that Harper had fully accepted her place within the Divine Order that there would be no energy drain anymore. But I wasn’t sure if I liked that this mea
HarperElias gripped my hand as we walked along the seafront. I glanced at him, seeing that he was in his own thoughts, and squeezed his hand. He looked over and smiled at me.“Sorry, just…” he trailed off and tapped his head with a grimace. I smiled and nodded. He meant he was in conversation with the demon. At least it was in his head and not out loud again. It wasn’t so bad when we were in private, but out in public like this had the complications of people who had no clue what was happening around them, and most them human. I couldn’t very well pass it off as, don’t worry he isn’t crazy or anything, he’s just talking to the demon in his head as we try to stop hell from spilling out on earth. Yeah, that might get more than just Elias locked up in a psych ward somewhere.“It’s so pretty.” Katie drew me back out of my thoughts as she danced and walked along in front of us. I smiled at the delight on her face as she would stop and look out at the sea view before dancing off again. I l
Elias“A cult!” Harper exclaimed, “like an actual cult, not a coven?” We had been sitting in the cafe with Brianna for about thirty minutes. The majority of the time was spent helping the poor girl calm down. The fear was coming off her in waves to begin with and not only my wolf but also the demon, had been very attracted to the scent. They saw the girl as prey which wasn’t ideal since we were trying to put her at ease. After her boss had brought her a mug of hot chocolate and announced that he was going to close up, and to take our time, Brianna had started to relax. Harper had coaxed her to start talking after telling us that Brianna thought we were here to kill her. “Yep,” Brianna said as she hugged the steaming mug with her hands. “I mean they said it was a coven, but it ran like a cult. They were obsessed with The Order and bringing in the next Divine Warrior.” she sneered as she said the last part. Then looked at Harper apologetically. “I mean,” she said, “I’m sure it’s not
EliasFive hours later after much discussion and assurance, and promises made, we were all sitting in a small apartment on the other side of the town. Or most of us were sitting. Harper and Brianna were on the floor, both laid next to each other. Harper was twitching in her sleep, her breathing even, but Brianna was as still as the grave. Sticking out of her stomach was an angel blade. Her white t-shirt was stained with blood and she was, for all intents, dead.Harper had explained in detail about her own experience. How she had burned up from the angel grace and how she had ended up in the Neverplain with the angel trying to connect with her. I tried to block out most of what she was saying. I still had nightmares about what Nathaniel did and how I saw her die in front of my own eyes. It was still painful to hear that Nathaniel
Elias“I’m going back, Drake.” I glanced over at Harper as she all but yelled into the phone. We were back in the car on our way back to Midnight Moon pack. This time Marcus was driving, with Katie sitting up front, and myself, Harper and a very wide eyed Brianna in the back. Harper had been on the phone to Drake for the last twenty minutes after ignoring several messages from him. “It’s Louise,” she sighed, rubbing her eyes. “I’m not going to sit by and not try to help one of my best friends.” I saw Brianna turn from staring out the window to look at Harper. Our eyes met, and I threw her a reassuring smile. The poor girl had pretty much had her life tipped upside down in less than twenty-four hours. She had already had to face something awful in the Neverplain, something that neither she nor Harper had spoken about, and then she was rushed to pack some clothes and dragged across the country. Harper paced her apartment impatiently while Brianna packed, and almost refused when she ha
Harper“Welcome home everyone.” I looked up to see Marcus grinning in the rear-view mirror. I looked out the window to see my mum, Caroline Stokes and Alice Chambers standing in front of the pack house. It felt weird to be back here after six months.“I’m going to have to go Drake,” I said into the phone, “We are here.” I heard Drake sigh, and I smiled. We had been arguing about me coming here the whole trip. He had gone on about the warnings and the danger of being so close to the seal like a record on repeat. Clearly I had won this one, because here I was. “How is Elias?” Drake asked, and I glanced over at the seat next to me. Elias was leaning forward and in discussion with Marcus. “He’s fine.” I said, “Doesn’t look any different, no horns or anything.” I was lying of course. Elias had spent the entire journey here with that glassy look in his eyes that told me he was conversing with his black-eyed friend. He had even responded out loud a few times, scaring poor Brianna. I looked
HarperThree days laterI laid in bed with the covers over my head. I had spent the last three days crying. I cried for Andrea, and all the demon bloods who had been injured in the battle that had gone on while we were in the Neverplain. I cried for all the sacrifices and the losses, but mostly I cried for Colton. He did what I was meant to do, and I knew now he would suffer for it. The throne in Hell would remain empty and the Horsemen would punish those that helped me try to overthrow them. The battle had already ended when we returned to the earth plain. Tommy told me that they were overwhelmed and losing until my army attacked. He told me that I should be proud of my people, because they were the reason that Midnight Moon was still standing. I wanted to be proud. Hell, I wanted to wrap my head around having all these people ready to lay down their lives for me. But I couldn’t right now. I couldn’t get past the hole in my heart and the grief that I felt. I heard the door go and p
HarperMy eyes flew open, and I recognised the spare landscape of the Neverplain. I looked around to see Drake and War standing with me. “Where’s Marcus?” I asked and looked at War, “Did you let go?” He shook his head and looked around.“Well this is pleasant,” he said. He turned to me with a smile. “Shall we complete this bond then my dear?” I glanced at Drake and felt my leg. I could feel the Neverplain version of the angel blade strapped to my thigh. Drake nodded and stepped back. I stepped forward towards War and looked into his eyes. He smiled down at me and leaned in to kiss me. I felt as he ran his fingers in my hair and grabbed on and yanked my head back. I yelped from the pain.“Do you think I am stupid, child?” he sneered at me. I tried to struggle, but he had a firm grip on my hair. Drake moved forward but stopped as I felt something against my neck. It burned against my skin and I gasped. “Don’t come closer or I will slit her throat and take her to Hell in chains,” War c
TommyI rushed through the corridors back up to the pack house. I had set Greg and a few other Warriors on doors to the basement. I rushed into the library where Aaron, Katie, Alex Caroline and Colton were waiting. I looked Colton in the eye.“Can you do this?” I asked, and he nodded.“Yes, of course I can,” he said.“Are you willing to do this?” I asked, and he nodded again.“Anything for my Queen,” he said.“You understand that this will not go well for you,” Aaron said. “You will be seen as a traitor among the ones you deceived.” Colton nodded. “I know,” he said. He looked at Katie and nodded again. “It’s the least I can do, and I know it’s still not enough for what I have done.” Katie glanced up at him and I saw Aaron tense up.“It’s a start,” she said. “If I get to keep my best friend, then it’s a start.” Colton nodded. “We really need to get down there,” Caroline said. “He needs to get in when they do.” “Brianna knows,” I said. I had been dealing with conflicted feelings sinc
HarperI laid Andrea down on the ground as gently as I could. I looked up at Caroline as I stood up and she bowed her head to me. Colton bent to his knees and looked up at me. I looked around and the three men did the same. Abigail looked up at me with tears in her eyes. She kept looking down at her mother and I could see that everything in the poor little girl was to kneel, but her need to grieve for her mother was strong too. I walked and kneeled in front of her. I forced a smile on my face and wiped at the tears on hers. “Thank you,” I said and her eyes widened. “Thank you for your loyalty. But you don’t need to be strong.” She burst out crying and flung herself at me. I held her as he hung onto me and sobbed. We sat there for a while. I hugged the devastated little girl as I watched the people move around us. I watched as Samual was dragged off through the woods and as the three men carried Andrea back over the border. Finally, it was just me and Abigail sitting on the edge of t
HarperI made my excuses to War and left him alone in the room. I walked down the hallway to Tommy and Louise’s room. As I neared, I could hear arguing.“It’s stupid, that’s what it is,” Louise yelled.“Calm down will you,” Tommy responded, and I heard the sound of skin on skin as she slapped him.“Don’t you fucking tell me to calm down,” she growled, “This is my best friend we are talking, and your bloody niece. What sort of Guardian are you if you are going to let her do this.” Well I guess I knew what they were arguing about. I sighed before knocking on the door. The voices in the room stopped, and I heard footsteps. The door opened and Tommy looked out. I could still see the red mark on his cheek from Louise’s slap. I smiled sympathetically.“Hi,” he said. He then looked behind him. “It might be safer if you didn’t come in.” “Is that her,” Louise called from the room. “Harper Kirby, get your ass in here right now.” Tommy winced and mouthed sorry at me. I shook my head with a smil
HarperI walked into my room and saw that Elias, or War, was lying on the bed. He looked up and smiled at me as I walked in. “Hello sweetness,” he said as he sat up. “Where have you been?” I forced a smile on my face. “I was just catching Drake up with what happened,” I said. “You know with your sister.” I watched his face, but there was no falter of his smile. “Ah yes,” he said. “My apologies for that mess. If I had known what I know now, I would never have left you alone.” He walked over to me and reached out to pull me into an embrace. I flinched away without realising. A hurt look crossed his face, and I widened my smile.“I’m a mess,” I said. “And covered in blood. Let me get a shower and I will be right out.” I went to walk past him and he grabbed me by the waist and pulled me against him. I felt a purr in his body as he pushed himself against my back. “Maybe I could join you in the shower,” he said. I tried not to pull away as he started kissing my neck. The kisses sent shi
Harper“What?” Tommy exclaimed. He shook his head. “I don’t think so.” “It’s the truth,” Caroline said. “I saw it years ago.” She smiled at me. “That was the vision that I saw all those years ago.” Tommy’s eyes widened, and he looked between me and Caroline. “Vision?” he asked, and I nodded. “I heard Samual talking to Brighid about it,” I said and Drake looked up.“Brighid?” he asked, and I nodded again. “Samual didn’t like that his sweet Divine Warrior granddaughter would be the one to open the seal,” Caroline said. “And when he found out that my Colton would be one of the people responsible…” She trailed off and looked at Tommy pointedly.“That was why he attacked the demon bloods?” Tommy asked and Caroline nodded.“He wanted to kill Colton,” she said, “But our family defended him. They were already angry about Nathaniel being exiled.” I watched Colton as she spoke, but he showed no sign of upset. He seemed to be completely aware of the entire story.“But then if Harper is this
HarperColton watched me quietly for a moment before nodding to Tommy behind me. “We need my mum,” he said. He then looked at me. “And your witch.” I turned to look at Tommy and he nodded. “Not here though,” he said and his eyes glazed over. I waited until he was back with us and he gave me a grim smile. “I suspect that we might have some compromised people. I want to make sure that what we say is completely confidential.” He looked towards Damien’s cell as he said it.“He was right about Lily,” I said with a shrug.“I don’t care,” Tommy said, “I don’t trust the prick.” He then looked at Colton and frowned. “I don’t trust this prick either, but at least he can explain some of his shit with the demon. Damien is just a prick.” Colton laughed, and I raised an eyebrow. He shrugged.“Can’t argue with that,” he said. I shook my head at the pair of them. A couple of minutes later Greg Henderson came into the cell. “It’s all set, boss,” he said to Tommy and Tommy nodded. He turned to me.
HarperI don’t know how long we sat there for. It can’t have been that long though. Because soon enough the clearing was a rush of activity. First Tommy came running, followed by Alex and Brianna. It wasn’t long before there were pack warriors all over the place. I tried to explain what happened to Tommy. But I couldn’t keep my eyes from the still forms in the middle of the clearing. “What do we do?” One of the warriors asked Tommy. “Leave him be,” Brin said as he walked into the clearing. “Just give him some time to deal.” I knew that Brin had been there when Marcus’ father had died. Elias told me that he didn’t know much but did know that he had been the one to take care of Marcus’ mother afterwards. Tommy nodded in agreement. He watched Marcus with sadness. He had also been the one to take care of my own mother when my father had died. Slowly the other bodies were removed, and the clearing became empty again. Or almost empty. I sat at the edge watching Marcus. He was still in wo