Birth pains didn’t help build character in me. They made me try to will myself out of my body. And here I am, out of my body completely just as Logan and I were moving in the right direction.
We’re still moving in the right direction. And I will get my damn body back.
I step out onto the porch, careful to avoid the branches of that bushy tree I killed on my way in. At least it served a decent purpose.
Gage snatches me by the wrist and yanks me back into the house in one herculean move.
He bears those glowing blue eyes over mine. “You’re not going anywhere.”
8
Gage
Ihave spent my life loving Skyla, dreaming about her before we ever met, dreaming about her long after our time was through.
Nothing has changed. At the core, I am still the same. But there is a reason for my hardened exterior, the wall I’ve erected around my life. It is strictly there to protect. Everything I do is for Skyla. Each life I take, including her own, is to ensure our eternal standing.
Yes, in the beginning I pushed her to fight. And just when I thought that was a fruitless effort, that I would confess my sins, tell both her and Logan what I know, I found them together in that Mustang—going at it, acting out a dream I once had, my prophecy skills on point once again. But the fight in her, for her people—my God, I thought after my coronation it was over. Skyla had rolled over and played dead. Her belly full of Logan’s child was the new focus of her life, but I couldn’t be more wrong.
Then the Celestial shit hit the fan. First, with the regeneration of the Videns—who now side with Celestra—then with the serum that caused the rest of the Nephilim to slide on over to her side. All unholy hell broke loose. Then Rory pulled the ace out of her sleeve and shoved Chloe into the field as my enemy. I watched Wes fall like a domino, and now my own brother is against me.
And don’t even get me started on the shit show that is Cooper Flanders. Who knew Coop would be the wild card in all this? I would have pegged Logan for it. Lord knows I’m still waiting for the shock and awe campaign Candace Messenger will have in store for me via him.
I watched my kingdom fade in an hour. I knew I needed to take drastic steps to protect my eternal standing with Skyla.
In a horrific irony I had gotten exactly what I wanted—Skyla fighting for her people. What I didn’t expect was for her to succeed. Brutish thinking, I know. But I underestimated her, and the only way to stop from spending eternity apart was to stopher.
Rory’s scheme was perfection. She would take over Skyla’s body while allowing me to rule the roost, and I will.
I would have ironed out all the damn kinks by now if Skyla hadn’t gone interrupting things once again. Like I said, I had expected her to fight while she was breathing. I didn’t expect her to fight once she was dead. That says a lot about her tenacity.
Initially, I thought once she left for paradise, I’d visit her. I was going to give her a few days to cool off, to get acclimated, to spend time with Sage and her father. Then, I was going to beg her forgiveness and pull the curtain back and let her see the shitty circumstances I’m up against. Skyla would understand. Because as much as I love her, she loves me. We are a forever kind of deal. We’re not some flash in the pan, together a moment and content to never see one another again.
Yes, there is Logan, but there is us, too. And now she’s back. She is pissed. And there’s a damn tree in my living room to prove it.
I navigate Skyla into the hall a moment before picking up the tree at the base and shooting it out into the front yard like a missile.
I turn to her. “You didn’t leave me a door to slam. You took the drama right out of the situation.”
“I’m sure you’ll put it back in.”
My cheek flickers with the hint of a smile. I will never get used to seeing Chloe’s face, but my spirit can feel Skyla inside of her. A part of me knew before she ever exposed herself to me. I would have known had she decided to keep it from me. There’s not a place in the universe where Skyla can hide from me, or my love.
I cage her in against the wall as the moon bleeds in and steals the color from our world. Chloe’s face is lost in the shadows, and I’m glad about it. I can focus this way.
“What the hell was that about?”
“You know what that was about,” she hisses. “Tonight was Rory’s bachelorette party. I made sure she had a very good time. But it looks as if she knew where to go to have abettertime. Now that Logan isn’t giving it to her, I guess she was in search of the next best thing.”
My lips curve with discontent, and I can’t help it. I refuse to believe I’m the next best thing. I am the best thing.
Foolish ego,pride.
“It’s nice to know you still regard me so highly. Is that why you’re here? You want the next best thing?”
“Don’t make me waste my spit on you. I came to stop her. You have no right to touch my body in that way. But since you’ve probably crossed that line a long time ago, I’m reporting you to the Justice Alliance. The both of you.”
I close my eyes in an effort to stave off a laugh. “Skyla, when has the Justice Alliance done you any real favors? Yes, they cock-blocked Wesley’s powers for a time, but that was it. Nobody is cutting off my powers. I’m the king. I’m in charge. Yes, you ran ahead of me a little, but that’s why Rory was brought in.”
