Curse of the Fallen by Eve Archer

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Ella

I walked over to the swing set, my chubby hand gripping the chain links as I steadied it. I wasn’t always brave enough to venture onto the swings, but today I wanted to try again. Even my child’s mind knew it was to impress the man sitting with my mother on the park bench, the man whose gaze was so intense I was convinced he could read my thoughts.

I didn’t know what a godfather was, but this man was apparently mine. He was nothing like my real father, who was kind and gentle, and smelled of soap. No, this godfather didn’t look like any father I’d ever seen. I could tell the other children at the park thought so too, their expressions wary as they watched the tall man with piercing, blue eyes and wavy, brown hair.

Still, I wanted to impress him. I could tell my mother did, too, the way her cheeks flushed, and she fluttered her fingers through her hair over and over. So, I climbed onto the plastic seat of the swing, sliding my butt to the edge and reaching for the ground with my toes. I walked myself back as far as I could go, then let go and pulled my feet up, straightening them out as I flew forward. I held tight to the metal chain and tucked my feet under me as I raced back toward the ground, remembering how my mother had taught me to pump my legs to keep myself going. I’d never been very good at it before now, but then, I’d never wanted to impress anyone so badly as I wanted to impress this godfather.

Pumping my legs hard, I swung back and forth, going higher and higher until my body lifted off the seat slightly as I reached the top of the arc. I squeezed my hands so tightly that they began to ache, fear tickling its way down my spine as I suddenly realized I didn’t know how to stop or get off.

My gaze found the bench, locking onto my mother, hoping she’d see my terrified expression and come to my rescue. But she was absorbed in her conversation with the man, her eyes wide as she shook her head. My fear became panic when I realized they were arguing and not looking at me at all. They hadn’t seen my magnificent swinging, and they wouldn’t see me crash into the ground when I eventually let go.

I wanted to scream for help, but the words were trapped inside my body, as if flying had stolen all the wind from me. Why was my mother arguing with this man? Why did this godfather make her hands shake and her cheeks redden? Why did he upset her so much that she’d forgotten all about me?

As I watched him talking calmly and her shaking his head, anger blossomed in my small chest. She’d snatched his attention away from me and ruined the moment I’d imagined in my head. Instead of watching me soar through the air, he was focused on her words, sharp even from where I whizzed through the air.

Well, I’d show her. I’d show both of them. Without thinking too much, I let go of the chain as I flew forward, the momentum propelling me from the seat and through the air. For a moment, I was weightless, my body hurtling toward the impossibly blue sky. I was soaring higher and higher before a scream jerked me back to reality, and my body dropped like a stone plummeting to earth.

Then strong arms were catching me, and I was gasping from the terror and exhilaration as I stared into my godfather’s face. He wasn’t angry or fearful like my mother, who ripped me from his hands and shook me before wrapping me into a smothering hug. He was curious, his lips curved into a hint of a smile.

My mother didn’t put me down or thank him for catching me. She simply turned on her heel and marched us away without a backward glance. I looked back, though, watching my godfather as he watched me. Then when I blinked again, he was gone.

My eyes flew open, and I sat up, breathing heavily. Early-morning light was slipping through the windows and dappling the stone floor and the colorful rugs covering it.

I dragged a hand through my hair and flopped back onto the pillow, my heart racing. It was nothing like the dream I’d had about Dominick, but ever since he’d mentioned my godfather to me, I hadn’t been able to think of much else. I didn’t have many memories about the man my mother called Gabe, but the ones I did have had been replaying in my mind since we’d flown from Marbella and landed on the private Greek island that housed the castle Dominick referred to as the fortress.

I cut my eyes to the other side of the bed. I’d been exhausted when we’d finally landed, but I’d still hoped Dominick would join me in bed. Clearly, he hadn’t. My gut clenched as I thought about the journey to the island. We’d all been too stunned by everything that had happened to talk about it, but Dominick and Rami had huddled in hushed conversation, glancing at me a few times.

They were obviously as freaked out as I was, which I thought was unfair, since they were fallen angels, who dealt with demons and other immortals all the time. Had our healing Sara made Dominick feel differently about me? I couldn’t imagine why it would, but I also had never imagined that he’d tuck me into bed and leave me alone for the entire night. After spending days missing his touch, I couldn’t believe I’d slept alone—again.

He had kissed me when he’d carried me to our bedroom, but it had been nothing like the passionate, soul-claiming kisses I’d been used to. It had been tender, which was nice, but almost tentative, which was not what I expected from Dominick Vicario. Shouldn’t he want to rip my clothes off after rescuing me from my abductors? Or at least climb in bed next to me and hold me?

Unless his feelings for me were fading, I thought. He was well known as a ladies’ man. Even though he’d professed to be devoted to me, that was exactly what a suave ladies’ man would say to seduce a woman. Had I fallen for his smooth charms and convinced myself that I meant more to him than I did?

“Stop making yourself crazy,” I whispered, kicking off the covers and slipping from the bed. “Dominick wouldn’t have flown all over the world to find you and fight off demons to save you if he didn’t care.”

I didn’t need to talk to Sara to know that was exactly what she’d say, as well. My heart skipped a beat as I thought about Sara, the memories of her coming back to life making me both elated and nervous. I still couldn’t explain what had happened or my part in it. All I knew was that my best friend was alive.

Padding across the floor in my bare feet, I tugged open the heavy, wooden door, the old hinges creaking. I glanced down at my silky shorty pajamas and decided they were appropriate enough to wear around Dominick’s castle, especially since it was so quiet it felt deserted. I slipped into the wide hallway, the vaulted stone ceiling reminding me just how old the castle was, and how long the Fallen had occupied it. I held my knuckles over the door next to mine where Sara slept, but my knock was halted by a scream emanating from somewhere a deep within the fortress. A scream that sent shivers down my spine.