Fallen Angel Reclaimed: The Complete Series by Lacey Carter Andersen
13
The soundof someone knocking at Surcy’s door filtered out to the balcony. Exhaling slowly, she willed herself to be ready for whatever she might face next, then turned and walked back into her room. “Come in.”
Mark entered, and she swore he looked worse than before. Is he losing weight?
“Did you use it again?” She hadn’t intended it, but the words came out harshly, almost as bad as an accusation.
He winced. “Yes.”
“And you’ve found another Immortal?”
He nodded.
“Maybe… maybe this time just Daniel and Tristan and I should go,” she offered, knowing it would change nothing.
He drew himself up taller. “I’m fine.”
“No, you’re—“
“None of you could find him without me, so this is how it is. There’s no use in discussing it.”
She wanted to argue, but she bit her lip.
“Can you join us at the table?” He held out his hand.
She smiled at the simple gesture and went to him, taking the hand he offered. Instantly, a tingle ran between them, and she moved closer, planting a kiss softly on his lips.
He looked down at her, his blue eyes filled with happiness. “I can’t believe you’re real.”
She touched the stubble on his chin. “Of course I am.”
“It’s just… sometimes when I look at you, all I can think about was the first time we met, how the sun bathed you in light. How we were all worried you’d find out what we were and send us back to the demon-realm.”
Her smile faded. “I wish I remembered.”
“I do too.” His gaze ran over her. “It’s strange to have a whole lifetime of moments with you, and for you to remember none of it. I keep trying to push them away, but they’re still there.”
“I wonder which of us this is stranger for.”
He tilted his head. “It’s painful to remember, but I’d never want to forget.”
She kissed him again, overwhelmed with sadness. “Shall we join the others?”
He nodded and tugged her gently out of the room, his hand still holding hers.
At the table, Daniel and Tristan were eating massive sandwiches, with chips piled high on their plates. When Daniel looked up, his gaze moved to their held hands. He put his sandwich down and stared at his plate.
Suddenly, she felt uncomfortable. She was glad when Mark released her hand and sat down at the table.
“I’ve found another Immortal. And there’s possibly more of them. But there’s a catch.”
“Isn’t there always?” Daniel grumbled.
Mark ignored him. “The next Immortal... I think he may be a dragon.”
“Dragon?” Tristan frowned. “That should be no great problem. Dragons walk among us even now. They are hot-tempered, and conceal their dragon-forms with powerful glamours, but I would think with their egos, they’d be pleased to be named an Immortal.”
Mark shook his head. “There’s something wrong with this dragon. He’s… dangerous.”
Tristan looked unconvinced. “Many believe gargoyles to be strange and dangerous.”
“No,” Mark said. “We need to be prepared for a fight here.”
Tristan shrugged. “I always am.”
They rose from the table and equipped themselves with weapons. As Surcy pulled her daggers from the weapon’s chest, her hand recoiled as she brushed against the gun. Her flesh tingled uncomfortably at its nearness. She wasn’t sure why most paranormal beings hated the feel of the weapons, but she knew they often malfunctioned when they were around any way.
The demons likely keep it here just in case it’s needed.
Closing the chest, she went back out into the main room, where her demons were ready. Mark sat on a chair, his hands pressed against his temple. Another warning sang through her blood, but she pushed it aside. He knew his limits. Right?
“Ready?” Tristan asked, and she knew he was aware of her worries.
She nodded.
Mark rose slowly, and they went to Surcy. They all took hands, and she closed her eyes as Mark sent the image to her. It looked like a mountain top in the clouds. It was a place she could have never imagined, but the picture was all she needed to teleport them there. Taking a deep breath, she felt her powers flow around them. A minute later, the four of them stood on the ledge of the mountain.
“Fuck,” Daniel muttered, moving back from the edge. “Of course it had to be high up.”
Tristan shifted into his gargoyle form, his wings spreading wide behind him as his flesh changed to the stunning color of wet-stone.
She tore her gaze from him and placed a steadying hand on Mark, who looked even paler. “I think this is as close as I could teleport to it.”
“Dragons don’t like to be disturbed and always create shields around their lairs.” Tristan explained slowly. But then, he looked up and frowned. “But unlike the legend, they don’t enjoy living in desolate caves. They enjoy wealth and beauty, such as large manors and castles. This seems… unusual.”
She glanced up to the cloud-covered top of the mountain. “We had better start climbing if we plan on being there any time soon. And, uh, maybe Tristan should take Mark up, so he can get a good view of the place and see if there is anything else he can tell us about it.”
Tristan nodded and wrapped his arms around Mark. It worried her that the druid didn’t refuse him. In seconds, Tristan began to flap his large, stone wings and rose above them, disappearing within the clouds.
“No problem, we can climb,” Daniel muttered, turning to the almost sheer rock, his eyes travelling slowly up.
Surcy moved beside him, reached up, finding a handhold, and pulled herself up. It wasn’t that she enjoyed climbing, but without her wings, she was left with little choice. She hoped Tristan had the sense not to leave Mark alone at the top.
The climb was more of a challenge than she ever expected. Sweat made her clothes stick uncomfortably to every inch of her body, and she was breathing hard. Several times she nearly lost her grip, but Daniel was always there, one hand clenching the back of her shirt as she gained a stronger handheld.
Glancing up, she saw the top of the mountain just above them and knew her shaking legs would thank her when she got to solid land.
But just as her mouth curled into a smile, a roar shook the earth, sending tiny rocks and dirt raining down onto them. She had to press closer to the rock to keep from falling, even while her heart raced.
“What the fuck was that?” Daniel asked, sounding out of breath.
“I’m guessing an angry dragon.”
He said nothing, but neither of them moved for a long minute, as if waiting for a dragon to come bursting toward them. When nothing terrible happened, she took a deep breath and looked above her once more. They needed to get to the top. If Tristan and Mark were facing an angry dragon, they would need all the help they could get.
She reached for the next handheld.
