The Oracle: Keeper of Gaea's Gate - Chapter 1 & 2

Chapter 1: Struggle

Angeline sighed, a mixture of frustration and relief pouring out from her. The intense aroma of cigarette smoke and spices did nothing to keep her thoughts from blurring her vision. Once again, she found herself falling into the melting pot of images, feelings, and frightening memories. She was still struggling to accept she had escaped, that this place she found herself sitting in was indeed real. A shudder shook her shoulders. She had left the world and come back to something completely different. All of it in her eyes seemed surreal compared to the life she lived so long ago.

When Cedric first stepped foot on Avalon, his aura engulfed me, his soul embracing my own before our bodies dared meet. They weren’t any of my own emotions; I had lost them long before that moment. They were Cedric’s feelings coming to life inside my heart, resuscitating my soul after an agonizing silence. He woke me from my undying nightmare where I was lost, wandering in darkness.

Her skin prickled at her thoughts as the air conditioning hummed to life overhead. The cool air made the sweat on the back of her neck icy, chills trickling across her spine. She took a slow inhale and held it a few seconds before she dared her thoughts to continue.

I lost myself to the flow of time, allowing the centuries to fade in and out. For a long time, I even forgot my own name. Those images, those fleeting moments where I sat there whispering to myself in the damp darkness. Over and over again, I told myself my name was, is, Lady Angeline du Romulus. My chant of desperation. Tears had stopped falling by that point. I became a bewitched husk of my former self. Praying to the shadows, I would remember I was once a person, and even worthy of such a high title.

An old habit, Angeline found herself in a daze, lipping her own name from where she sat leaning on the bar top. No one around her noticed how she was stumbling through her emotions. She couldn’t tell which sensation was fear, sorrow, or even elation. A swirl of hooks grasped and pulled her deeper into her mind, searching for answers, trying to come closer to discovering who she was—who she had become through all the pain and torture.

I had stopped counting the passing days, but then my fears gripped me. Cedric made it to Avalon, but would he be able to survive Merlin? My salvation, my only glimmer of hope, would be shattered by Cedric’s death. All this torturous hope would end and then I would have no more whims of pleasure, no more chances of knowing I wasn’t forgotten, no one left to save me if he failed there. I would have been nothing, no one, and not even remembering my name would have saved me after that point…

The feeling of their bond reconnecting again still stung in every joint and nerve within her body. Stunned, the torrent of Cedric’s emotions jerked her out of her solitude. Thousands of years filled her memories with only the cold, harsh touch of Merlin. The day she lost her freedom, she never imagined feeling Cedric close again, not in the flesh. In fact, she had started accepting the torture as a monotonous chore. On occasion, a sickening excitement would come over her when Merlin came to her cell door.

She shuddered under the dim lights of the bar as she recalled the thrill of torture. They were the only times she knew Cedric was still out there, some place in the world. That was the one sliver of light that kept her soul from breaking into an irreparable state, from being swallowed by the void of nothingness. His determination to find her was so strong that the pain never rattled her. It had all been replaced by Cedric’s pleasure; a gift and a promise to her through their bond that was only possible with an incubus-moroi. His words echoed through her soul with each rapture, each slice and fillet of her flesh, “…as long as you feel my touch through our bond, know that I am still searching for you!”

She peered down at her drink, the bar around her fading farther away. Huffing the stinging smoke from her nose, she was having a hard time with her newfound senses. It wasn’t her first time there in Tony’s bar with its neon sign out front blinking The Lion’s Den through the dark tinted windows. Still, like the last visit there, the smell of smoke overwhelmed her. She had grown sensitive to smell and touch; even her sight looked into dark corners as if they were lit by an unseen torch. Most of the bar was dark with nothing more than yellow-toned bulbs. Her ears could hear them buzz as they cast shadows on the patrons who loitered under them. It wasn’t very busy, but they had come long before the rush. This was her way, Cedric’s way, of slowly helping her grow more comfortable with this new world she knew nothing about.

Everyone had told her their own version of what had happened the day they found the entrance into Avalon. The bar had been destroyed when the portal opened and they leaped in, magic lashing out in angry swipes like a wild animal. Tony insists that Badbh, the battle goddess, had been the front-runner in wiping out most of the place. She had destroyed the bar top with the pool table and then the rest of the furniture afterward, impatiently waiting for Avalon to return to its former state, eager to join the battle. None of that damage could be seen. The bar top was glossy black with her reflection staring up at her, doe-eyed. The long countertop came off the wall in a large L shape from the entrance to where it protected the office door. A new pool table sat under a long fluorescent light. Spiraling out from there were several tables and chairs until your eyes hit the walls adorned with booths hugging around them.

The Lion’s Den had become a meeting place for creatures and demons alike. It was a much-needed hub for building a community where they no longer fought for the top of the pyramid of power in this new age. Many hadn’t a clue that they were weighed on imaginary scales, but there was no mistaking that they were frightened by those who dominated the top: Lillith, Cedric, and Romasanta. Merlin had taken down some of the strongest non-humans in the world. With the Eye of Gaea keeping Merlin safe from recoil and curses, he had dwindled their numbers to the point that humanity was choking the remaining populations to near extinction. Many non-humans hid within unknown, unmarked barriers. Even then, it was up to the guardian of the barrier to allow you to enter or leave.

Angeline wasn’t sure if she was relieved or sad about this fact, this struggle Cedric and those like him found themselves living with. Before all of this, she had been a human girl married off to a demonic knight. This was not the world she had known, nor could she begin to decipher what anything witnessed meant or what purpose it served in everyday life. It might as well be an encrypted dream, with foreign names and purposes that felt unnecessary. Her days of camping on a route while traveling on horseback had discontinued centuries ago. There had been no signs of a horse in the few months she had been living in this place of square castles and mechanical transportation. This was not home, this was not her world. Whether human or demon, she belonged nowhere.

Closing her eyes, the conversation between Cedric and Tony was no longer audible to her ears. She allowed herself to remember the horrific events of her imprisonment. She still fought over whether it was good or bad to urge any of her memories. Her mind stretched back to the beginning of her torment. It wasn’t her time with Cedric that had rotted her soul, but one twist in fate she had failed to see coming. The frightening turning point wasn’t the fight when Cedric defeated Boto and became the new king incubus, but the appearance of Merlin.

At first glance, Merlin seemed like nothing more than an old, bald man with a long, white beard. A few layers of long-sleeved tan robes and a rope belt with a satchel added to his sage-like appearance. He was powerful and wise, yet the sensation of good faded in an instant. Merlin had placed the Amulet of Avalon—the Eye of Gaea—into one of his sleeves after snatching it from Morrighan when he turned to address them. Cedric was still in his incubine form: Horns black and curled like a ram at the sides of his skull. Glaring at the wizard, Cedric clenched his fangs tight with contempt. His hands and feet were clawed and massive. He was three times larger in overall bulk and muscle in this form. A smooth thin tail swished with anger and his massive bat-like wings, adorned with two fingers at the main fold, were still held high in alarm.

I stood there, painted crimson from the bloody war waging around me, my nostrils stinging from the iron smell. Boto’s first strike ripped into Cedric’s side, encouraging red rivulets to gush forward. Drops of blood shattered on the black marble floor, blooming like rose petals at Cedric’s feet. My chest ached from the fear clawing at me. To think, he could feel that emotion screaming through our bond.

Cedric had slain Boto only minutes before, claiming the title of king incubus for himself. Angeline witnessed the harsh reality of a bond breaking, the outburst of magic’s harsh whiplash rattling through Morrighan. The amount of pain ripping through the souls of Boto and Morrighan was unmistakable and never-ending. Her breath caught in her throat as Cedric’s fear slammed into her and she mirrored back her own. This could be them someday. She tried to voice her concern, wanting to ask if that was what he would face due to her mortality, but his green glare silenced her. The wave of dread retreated back into him, letting her know it was not her place to worry. She was a human bound to a demon, married to Lord Cedric du Romulus, the demonic knight. In that world, she had no right to voice her thoughts. The world of humans was the extent of her knowledge, while his world was a cruel place somewhere between demons and gods.

But now, I have no knowledge of any world… no place to belong…

Morrighan had fallen victim to the recoil of her sins. Years of curses had been waiting for an opening to exact their revenge for her abuse of necromancy and other black arts against magical beings and creatures. Taking the stone away was like stripping her of her shield and armor. She had been left naked and exposed to Gaea’s law and the lashing for hurting children of Gaea; those who were made by her, descended from her, or carried her magic within them. Morrighan’s punishment unfolded at incredible speed, and she took on a gruesome and beastly appearance. Spending decades, possibly centuries making chimera had made her into one as well. She fell, passing out across Boto’s lifeless body, exhausted from the sudden physical change. Cedric and Merlin had stripped Morrighan of everything she’d held valuable in her life.

Merlin had materialized before them, his power resonating through the air. He continued his casual conversation with Cedric while eyeing her at every chance. Goosebumps prickled across her skin and she involuntarily held her breath, hoping it would make her less visible.

“You see, I have been digging through a century’s worth of time trying to find this particular bloodline, but I see you have spoiled it with your own blood.” The eyes of the wizard were growing brighter as he scowled. His tone toward Cedric was as if Cedric were a child who had broken an expensive vase. “This is going to delay my work. I will have to find a way to undo the damage you have done to her witch’s blood. I despise demons and the work they do on the human body. Worse off, you have gone as far as binding yourself to her, it’s degrading.”

Cedric’s wings flared out in response to the wizard, making it known Angeline was his target. Her heart had been pounding, leaving her chest aching. Anger waved out of Cedric, the heat of it physically flowing from him. She could feel the scorching fire of his ire and his muscles tighten as if they were her own.

“Don’t touch her.” Fear shook her core at the sound of Cedric’s growl, a deep demonic tone pouring from him.

Her thoughts tightened their hold on her Am I afraid of Cedric or the wizard?

“You will not take her!” Cedric roared.

“Ah, but I will. Demons are such poor thinkers, tsk.” A smile crawled across the old man’s face.

Angeline stood, watching it unfold. No, not Cedric, but the wizard has every part of me shaking with fear. Those glowing eyes… He will leave here with me… I can feel it…

“She will be making her new home on Avalon, without you, of course,” scoffing, he continued to patronize Cedric. “It never shocks me to see how easily demons fall for humans. The wolf never sleeps with the sheep for a reason.”

Cedric snarled, “What do you want from her?”

I can’t run, he’ll get me. Looking down, she saw her enchanted bow and a sparkle of hope fluttered in her heart. But if I can land a hit with Wylleam’s bow, I can’t help but wonder if its magic might allow us to run.

“Her magic is dormant. There is nothing you can get from her.” It was more of a plea coming from Cedric.

“Ah, but you see, I have been pulling deep magic into my own blood to gain immortality. With the ancient line she holds, I will be able to achieve it, as well as the power to clean the rest of the demon powerhouses off this earth. I will become supreme ruler of mankind, not Beelzebub, or any creature of such spoiled lineage.” As Merlin continued his rant with Cedric, she gripped the wood of her bow tightly, sweat rolling down her cheek. “Feh, but unfortunately, I got here far too late and will now have to cleanse her of your filth and try not to kill her in the process. Bindings and transformations are difficult filths you hellish dogs have plagued mankind with.”

She froze. The wizard took a step toward Cedric, sending him into a charge. Her stomach knotted as she watched the distance between them grow until she was out of Cedric’s reach.

NO! He’ll get me! I know it! I can sense it! CEDRIC, COME BACK! If only he could hear her thoughts!

His claw swiped, but it met a swirl of wind. The illusion broke, becoming nothing more than a breeze. It had served its purpose: pulling his focus away from Merlin’s goal, Angeline. She watched Cedric struggle to catch his balance. A burst of wind from behind her knocked the bow from her hand. The wizard had seen her attempt. Merlin grabbed a fist full of her hair, firm and harsh, her scalp stinging. She was jerked back against the wizard, his breath hitting her shoulders hot with anger.

“You are mine!” hissed Merlin in her ear.

Her brown eyes locked with Cedric’s, both wide and full of fear.

“CEDRIC!” The shriek echoed in an unnerving manner across the great hall, muting the war waging outside.

“LET HER GO!”

Another yank of her scalp sent tears down her face, a dagger digging deep into her neck.

“Watch, girl, as your demon panics over the smell of a drop of your blood.” The tip stung at her throat and a warm crawling snaked down her neck. “You feel his fear, don’t you?”

All she could do was cry. She could tell Cedric was struggling to hide the emotions unraveling within him. Her own terror had sent her heart racing, each piece slipping through their bond, driving him further into a panic. A searing heat within her soul struck her like Death’s bell, revealing what had gone so horribly wrong. Her voice laughing, whispering an echo of a promised heartache from so long ago over a campfire. The heat of the tears on her cheeks was self-indulged anger sliding down her face.

I cursed us… That night at the fire. I left the door open for Merlin. This, this is my fault.

“Oh, what do I see there?” The dagger’s point pulled away, but his grip tightened and pulled at her further as he glowered at Cedric. “You can’t be serious? A wedding band on a demon’s hand is improper and insulting. Let me fix that.”

Merlin called forth his magic. She could barely breathe. Her lungs felt squeezed and her blood boiled in reaction to the magic being summoned by her captor. It was hard to say whether it was the smell of searing flesh or the red-hot glow of the golden wedding band that called her attention back to Cedric. In horror, she watched him scream. With ease, the molten metal burned through his ring finger. She gasped, overwhelmed by breathtaking arousal as they stared into each other’s eyes. Droplets of melted gold continued to dig into the marble floor around the fallen finger. Paling, dread swallowed her. There was no hope for him to save her against power like that. Cedric panted, the stump of his left ring finger smoking still. He demanded her to not look away from his fiery green stare.

“Angeline, remember that sensation well!” It was the first time she had seen tears fall from those sharp eyes.

He knows he can’t save me. Her heart was breaking.

“I promise you that no matter what, you will never feel pain again!” Cedric’s look of desperation and the bitter reality in his words stabbed deep into her soul. “And know that I am still searching for you!”

No! I don’t want that! Don’t do this to me! I’m not as strong as you are! Her lips trembled, unable to scream the thoughts, unable to respond to those green eyes embracing her for the last time.

Grunting, Merlin pulled her closer, the wind rushing around them. “Sorry to disappoint you so soon, but only Lillith would be able to keep a promise like that.”

Chapter 2: A Promise

Merlin was wrong. Not once did I feel my bones break, my skin slice, or even the pull of the twine sewing my mouth shut when he had grown tired of my rebellion. All of it had been blissful moments of feeling Cedric somewhere beyond Avalon, still searching. He kept his promise and never wavered.

Pausing from her thoughts, she took a sip of the drink Tony had made for her. The flavor was sharp and sweet thanks to the pineapple juice added to it. There was so much she was clueless about in this new world, so many new flavors. She had been raised in a time without electricity, without the technology that made up the everyday life surrounding her. What was once believed to be only plausible by magic was happening daily, things such as communicating across the world or flying from region to region. These things seemed meaningless compared to what she recalled in a world where storing food for winter and tending to your horses were high priorities. She looked at the glass door. There were no more horses and food was anywhere and everywhere.

Cedric gripped her thigh, a playful wave of arousal coming from his touch. He gave her a forced smile, and she knew he had felt her fear and panic while recalling her last time outside of Avalon. Taking in a slow, steady breath, she returned her own obligatory grin. She took another sip of the overwhelmingly tart drink, reassuring him she was having a good time. His smile faded. Huffing at her, his jaw muscle twitched, and she knew her deceit had failed.

He leaned over to her, his breath tickling her ear. “We won’t be staying here for much longer. You’re doing good, my Angel.”

Nodding, she looked away from his sharp green stare. Her fingers fidgeted with one another while keeping their hold on the rocks glass between them. He continued his conversation with Tony and she dove back into her thoughts, drowning herself once more in the past.

Merlin. He called himself Kronos more times than not. Whoever or whatever he was, his real power only came through with the help of the Amulet of Avalon. Several times he called it Mother’s Eye or Eye of Gaea in such an affectionate manner it sent shivers through me. So much of my memory has holes. Most importantly of all, I am missing the first year I was there. Everyone insists that I was in shock, but something grips my soul when I try to remember it. There is something horribly important about that first year as his prisoner. Even now my heart aches to remember even a droplet.

She swallowed, her attempt to break her thoughts failing. She was thrown to the time when a needle and twine were pushed through her lips once again. Kronos had tired of her chatter, but even now, she forgot why she had fought so hard to continue her verbal rebuttal. His look of disgust and terror at her flashing fangs for the first time had given her the small chance to be braver, and her time of leaving the dungeon dwindled shortly after. Those cerulean eyes were cold and cruel, the magic from the red stone wicked.

Was he afraid of being bitten? Or was it the fear that I had inherited some of Cedric’s abilities? If so, if I had fed on anything, would I have had a chance of escaping?

“Here, try this.” Cedric slid her half-empty glass away and gave her a shot glass full of a clear liquid. “It’s vodka, and unlike the mixed drink, straight liquor. You might like it better.”

Looking down, she stared at her reflection with disdain. Her eyes were tired, even empty from her ordeal on Avalon, with dark bags reflecting that she still had trouble sleeping. Worse, her hair tickled at her chin. Being forced to cut it only added to her sense of losing who she once had been. Cedric had scolded her for cutting it so short, but the number of tangles and years of being unable to bathe herself had destroyed her long brown locks. There was a phantom-like essence about her reflection, her skin pale from not seeing the sun for so many centuries. Her stomach twisted. She hadn’t aged at all, but her hardships had changed her appearance. The person wavering in the vodka had once been human, but now, not even Cedric could answer the question of what am I?

Taking in a deep breath, she gulped the sharp liquor down, eager to rid herself of the broken girl. She grimaced as it burned down her throat and warmed her belly.

Cedric laughed. “It’s got a bite, but I like that warm sensation at the end.”

Again, she mustered a smile. “Indeed, warm.”

“Cedric.” Morrighan’s voice caught their attention as she approached. “Romasanta is calling a meeting for tonight.”

He scowled, protesting. “What for?”

“His past with the stone.”

Cedric’s eyes widened, and he stopped himself before he dared to lock eyes with Angeline. “The old man has more secrets than I care to acknowledge.” He wasn’t sure how much of this would pull Angeline’s connection with Romasanta into the light.

A smile snaked across Morrighan’s lips. “Agreed, but he has very good reason for it all.”

“I never said he didn’t have a good reason for it all…” Cedric mumbled into his rocks glass, then finished his drink.

Morrighan turned and left out the door. Cedric caught the amber glare of Romasanta from across the room. The old man nodded, a discreet motion for him to come and talk out his frustrations in private.

Cedric’s jaw tensed and he squeezed Angeline’s leg to call her back to the present yet again. “I’ll be right back. I need to ask the old mutt something.”

“O-okay.” She blinked. Not only was his tension visible, but she could feel Cedric trying to hide his panic. “I wonder what has him so worked up?”

“Ugh, I never know with those two,” scoffed Tony, watching Cedric march off. “And it’s a hundred times more intense when Lillith shows up.”

“Lillith…” Flashes of the queen succubus’s toothy grin filled Angeline’s mind.

Chills made her shoulders shudder. The arrow hitting its mark and the smell of the decaying land in Williamsburg were sharp. Lillith’s face turning, her eyes gripping her soul with a wicked smile. The sense of arousal she had released over the distance between them as she pulled the shaft out, licking her lips. Angeline bit her lip, her eyes out of focus as her hands balled into fists.

Tony blinked. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you…”

“No, it’s just…” Shaking her head, she clawed herself back out of the memory. “I only met her once.”

“Oh, the time she fought Cedric?” Tony remembered Cedric’s story well, especially after being hurdled into being his descendant. “I am fortunate to have never seen that side of her…”

A wave of frustration from Cedric brought her eyes in his direction. “I wonder what they are discussing. Cedric’s not happy about it.”

“I’d rather not know.” Tony replaced the shot glass with a glass of ice, filling it from a strange hose-like contraption. “Here, some water to wash away those drinks.”

“T-thanks.” The cool water was a refreshing burst, something more familiar and welcoming to her taste buds. “What is she like?”

“Lillith?” Angeline nodded and Tony rubbed the back of his neck, wanting to answer the question with the greatest of caution. “Powerful. I suppose it’s a given for those who are aware of what she is. But even the way she walks and talks is unmistakable. You can’t help but feel that she could take over the world. I can also say from a man’s point of view, she’s sexy. Again, it’s not just her looks, though they help, but she’s the epitome of confidence. Every move seems graceful and planned. It’s, it’s terrifying to watch from behind the bar at times.”

“I see…” She took another gulp of water and continued her confession. “I’ve avoided her. Or rather, Cedric might be keeping her at bay for my sake. I feel bad since I know we are staying in her apartment but the thought that they…” She shook her head, swallowing and asking what it was she was more concerned with. “Do you think they have feelings for one another after that?”

Tears were welling up in her eyes. No one had hidden the fact that a new brood had been produced between Cedric and Lillith. Worse, the reason was solely for the purpose of gaining access to Avalon in order to rescue her. To realize that Cedric had made that decision for her sake was a bittersweet fact that left her mind numb and pained all at once. A shot glass dropped from Tony’s hands, his face paling.

“Oh, God, no!” Tony could feel a heated glare from Cedric as he peered over his shoulder. There was no doubt he felt the panic and sorrow boiling out of Angeline. “I think he would kill her before he would allow it to happen again. He only did it in desperation to find a way to get to you. To be honest, I think there’s something between her and Romasanta. And please don’t repeat that… I pray he couldn’t hear me say that.”

“You think so?” She sniffled, the notion baffling to her. “Why Romasanta?”

“I, I just know that look people get in their eyes, the one that says I’ll see you later on tonight. Comes with bartending for nearly ten years. They may not be affectionate in public, but I have the feeling there’s a behind-closed-doors love affair that’s been going on for some time between them.” Sighing, Tony realized he was failing to calm her down, though he did pull her attention from her worries. “Just don’t repeat that suspicion. I’d end up as wolf food for sure…”

Tony looked at Cedric and gave him an apologetic shrug. Grunting, Cedric hurried to finish his discussion with Romasanta. It wasn’t the first time Tony had failed at calming her since Angeline had come back to the world. She had a long hard struggle ahead, as far as anyone could see in regard to adjusting and accepting things, physically and emotionally.

*

“So you do plan on leaving out her connections to you?” Sweat was running down Cedric’s temple as Angeline’s sorrow pressed down on him ever heavier. “I just need to know that this secret will still hold until she’s… she’s okay again.”

“You’re ever annoying, pup,” snarled Romasanta. “You do realize the sorceress sisters already know. I am sure by now Nyctimus’s nose has revealed the truth and as for Lillith, she has her own secrets to track, but I am confident she too is aware of the circumstances, if not more than all of us combined. The only one not aware of this secret is Angeline herself. No one will tell her willingly, at least not in her current state.”

“Fine.” Cedric’s jaw twitched, annoyed so many could easily let it slip that Romasanta was her blood relative. “Is there something I should be aware of? Any secrets still kept from me, perhaps?”

“If there is, you’ll hear it at the meeting.” Romasanta’s brown eyes gleamed amber, addressing the condescending tone Cedric’s voice carried with it. “Now go take care of her. She is not invited to the meeting anyhow.”

Cedric snorted, no longer patient enough to entertain the banter with the old werewolf. Angeline was sobbing audibly at the bar top. Tony had failed to calm her down, losing her in his final attempts to simply change subjects. Cedric marched toward them, and Tony flinched with each angry stomp. Cedric’s green eyes ripped through him and the ice-cold sweat of Tony’s fear trickled down his back.

“What did you say to her?” hissed Cedric.

“She asked a question and I… I…” Tony tripped over his tongue and decided nothing he could spit out would appease Cedric. “I don’t know what to do, honestly.”

Cedric reached down, gripping her upper arm. He yanked her off the barstool with a commanding jerk, his jaw tight and he remained silent. He dragged her, still sobbing, out of the bar, and the bell clanked loudly overhead as he flung the door open. Wincing, she tried to dig her fingers under his, but he refused to budge. He hadn’t even glanced down at her, his muscles taut and anger waving out of him, calling her attention, making her ever more alarmed.

“Stop it, you’re hurting me!” she fussed, bewildered by the aggressive action unfolding.

Angeline’s heels skidded across the concrete, unable to slow his momentum. Cedric was dragging them between the buildings, away from prying eyes. Around another corner they met a dead end, all three sides of it nothing more than windowless backsides of commercial buildings. Her chest ached, her heart pounding in her ears. Desperate to break free, she tugged, attempting to jolt past him. His grip tightened, twisting her around, pushing her against the cold concrete block wall. Her head rang from banging against it and she glared up at him; the fear washed away. Anger was pouring from her, cheeks red with frustration. Huffing, she opened her mouth to argue, but his lips locked onto hers. His tongue pushed playfully into her mouth, skillfully alluring her own to come join. Waves of arousal flooded into her from their bond, leaving her breathless and wanting. The sting of his grip eased. His hand gently caressed her jaw. He pulled away and her heart swelled. His green eyes sparkled at the wave of sorrow. Grinning down at her, he was satisfied he had broken her out of her panic attack.

“Feel better?” he cooed, relishing in the emotions stirring within her, thirsting to feel more through their bond. “I couldn’t think of anything else to do but to drag you out here.”

“And kiss me?” She knew he could feel the excitement it brought her, but part of her was still infuriated. “Wasn’t there a better way to do this?”

“Not exactly.” He nuzzled her ear, whispering, the heat of his breath flowing over her neck and shoulders sending chills of euphoria through her. “But you got so angry that it reminded me of the woman I lost and hope to bring back…”

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled. “So sorry…”

Leaning his forehead on her shoulder, he continued whispering to her in a delicate tone. “Sorry? For what? Shouldn’t I be the one to apologize for taking so long to get you back?”

“I broke my promise.” She leaned her cheek against his head, enjoying the oaky musk of his cologne. “I’m not supposed to cry over you anymore.”

He laughed. “Not this again…”

Her arms wrapped around him, fingers clinging to the back of his black hoodie. She buried her face in his shoulder, and he froze. The sorrow she let loose that very second had left him stunned and breathless. She was struggling to talk, feelings knotting with one another as the echoes washed through them both along the ropes of their bond. The core of their emotions ached with such ferocity within his soul that Cedric found himself lost in her emotions. Biting his lip, he held in his own sorrow, fearful of only adding to the storm raging between their souls.

“I was crying over losing you.” Gasping, she squeezed into him tighter. “Why did you come back for me? You could have anyone, even Lillith.”

Cedric blinked, wrapping his arms around her, trying to keep her from shaking. She was too deep into her panic once more to see his smile.

So true, my Angel. I could have had anyone in this world, even taken them against their will, but you, you are something special. Despite the rage and hate you held for me in the beginning, you accepted me for what I was, a monster, a devil, an abomination. No one before you, no one after you has ever loved me for what I see myself as the way you did, and still do. To think you even feel jealousy in knowing I can be with someone else only adds to my desire to never let you go, never let anyone bring you harm, never let pain rattle your soul. You are mine and mine alone, my pet.

He cuddled her, indulging in the jealousy that bit at her. When silence washed all her sadness away and she shifted into a level of fear, he took his chance, confident his words would reach her soul.

“Don’t cry about what you think I might do.” Angeline stilled, her fear melting as Cedric’s words hit her ears. “Be angry at the choices I made.”

She took a long inhale, her emotions muddled and losing their peak, dulling with each second as she fought with the words echoing in her mind.

“I did some very dark things to get you back.” His arms tightened around her. “And if you think I would let you go so easily, you are mistaken, my pet.”

She gasped as a wall of affection slammed into her from Cedric through their bond, something he had never allowed to seep through, ever. It was an emotion he hid deep within him, never truly letting her know it even existed. Realizing he had failed to let her feel this protected part of his inner self, he let it flow freely into her, hoping to tear down any lingering doubts. Tears of joy washed away the ones left behind from sorrow. She began laughing as they held onto each other in the back alleyway.

“What’s so funny?” She pulled away, wiping the last of her tears away.

“I cannot tell you how relieved I am to hear that.” Another giggle rippled through her as her watery brown eyes looked up into his eyes.

Raising a brow, he questioned, “That I’ll never leave you?”

“No,” she sighed, sniffling. “For once, I am happy to hear you call me pet. Never in my life did I think I would prefer such a ridiculous nickname…”

Bursting into laughter, he took her hand. “Let’s go home, my pet.”

The Oracle: Keeper of Gaea's Gate (The Cedric Series 03)

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