Beautifully Unnatural: A Young Adult Paranormal Boxed Set (126 page)

Her hand danced several more colors across the rough page. Greens and browns formed trees. Orange and yellow rays broke through the leaves. Silver lined with white flakes. Small red ovals fell from the silver.

She turned the page around and around until the white space left on the paper revealed angel wings. She fell to the floor clutching the finished drawing.

It was an angel.Speared through the wing,he dangled helpless in the trees while a demon stood laughing a few feet away. Her heart ripped to shreds with agony at the sight.

“Alex?”she whispered.She clenched the picture to her chest and sobbed.

Chapter Eighteen

“Where is she?” Alexander touched down a few feet from Boon. Squaring his shoulders, he scanned the woods for any sign of the violet hue he’d seen moments before. He found nothing amongst the trees but gray Spanish moss clinging to the brittle branches.

“Where’s who?” Boon stepped to the side, his eyes downcast like a dog that had just relieved itself on a rug.

Crickets chirped, summoning dusk, while seagulls squawked in the distance. Didn’t they know to be afraid in the presence of a demon? Something wasn’t right.

“You saw her, too. I can see it in your eyes.” Alexander circled Boon, studying him. “I saw an angel hiding in the trees, watching the house. She’s here, isn’t she?”

“Sammy’s not here,” Boon retorted.

“I’m not talking about Sammy. I’m talking about Eliana. I know she’s here.”

“Eliana? Who’s Eliana?”

Boon’s brow raised in question, but Alexander saw through it. There had been an angel here. He knew it. He saw it.

“Listen, I just came to give an update on Forras,” Boon said. “I believe he’s headed back with the weapon now. But there’s still no sign of him so I’m going to stay in the woods between Gabby’s house and yours.”

“We’ll be fine,” Alexander said. “Just keep an eye on Gabby.” Alexander couldn’t believe he trusted Boon to watch over Gabby, but having more eyes and ears around wouldn’t hurt.

“I will. I promise, Alexander. I won’t let anything happen to Gabby or Bruce, but I don’t think Forras is after them. It doesn’t make sense. Why would he search for a weapon that can kill angels if he was just going to attack Gabby or Bruce?” Boon shook his head, his face sullen. “No, he’s after one of you.”

Alexander eyed him for a moment. “There’s something you’re not telling me.”

Boon rubbed his forehead. “He wants to destroy you by harming those you love. He’s after Grace or Sammy.” Boon visibly shuddered at his own words.

Did this demon really love his sister that much? How? Love wasn’t in the nature of a demon.

“I’m going to make another round by Gabby’s house. Please, watch over Sammy and Grace,” Boon insisted.

Alexander didn’t have a chance to respond before Boon vanished into the trees.

He stood there, trying to comprehend the depth of affection he’d seen in Boon’s eyes. A look he’d seen in his own eyes not long ago. His insides twisted at the thought of Boon worrying about Sammy. Was it the same gut-wrenching fear he felt for Gabby’s safety? It surprised him that he didn’t feel disgust but empathy when the demon mentioned his sister’s name.

No. He wouldn’t be fooled. That was their specialty after all, twisting emotions to guide you down the wrong path.

He shoved his compassion deep down and made his way back to the house. No matter what it took, he’d keep those he loved safe.

****

“Sammy,” Gabby called as she ran toward her friend. “Thanks for meeting me here.” Coming to a halt, she panted, trying to catch her breath then motioned for Sammy to sit down on a fallen tree at the edge of the clearing. “I didn’t know what else to do. Dad’s been hovering all afternoon. Finally, he took Patronus for another walk and I knew I had to come warn you. There just wasn’t a way to explain it over the phone.”

“It’s okay. Calm down.” Sammy placed a hand on her arm.

“No, I’m not losing control again. Look!” Gabby shoved the picture of the angel in Sammy’s face.

Sammy stared at it for a moment. “You think this is Forras murdering Alex, don’t you?” Sammy’s voice trembled. “This doesn’t mean it will happen.”

“Yes, it does. There’s more, though.” Gabby retrieved several other pictures, some revealing scenes that had already transpired.

A monster scratching Gabby’s arm.

A dog barking at a creature in the night.

“You see the one where the monster scratches me? I didn’t know it at the time I drew this, but I know those eyes now and the darkness that surrounds it. Those are definitely Forras’ distinctive four horns and there’s Alex on the ground.” Gabby trembled at the memory of that night near the pier.

She shuffled through the pictures, handing each to Sammy as she explained what they detailed.

“Yeah, I can see that,” Sammy said.

“Well, I couldn’t figure out what it was until after it happened. Since then, I can make out bits and pieces of the pictures. It’s like a jigsaw puzzle. In this one, I can make out the form of a demon, but there are no distinctive features to tell which one. And this one is evil fighting light, but I don’t know who represents the evil and who’s the light.” Gabby grasped Sammy’s hand. “You need to convince Alex to leave.”

“Gabby, I know you blame him for—”

“My mother’s death? No, he didn’t do it. You can’t tell him though. If he knew the truth, he’d never leave and it might be the only way to save him.”

“But he’ll be alone again.”

“I know.” Gabby glanced down at her hands still holding Sammy’s. “My heart aches to be with him, to tell him how much I love him and to beg his forgiveness for ever doubting him. But I still think it’s better if he leaves, just until we can figure something else out.”

Sammy squeezed Gabby’s hand. “I guess. I just—”

A twig snapped from behind and they both jumped. Gabby shoved her artwork back into her bag and stood up to face whoever was coming.

Why didn’t Sammy warn her someone was there? Certainly, she should have felt the presence of a human or animal approaching.

“Well, well, ladies. I hear there’s cause for celebration.” Forras appeared before them, carrying a long object covered in pine green cloth with a gold braided tie.

“Where’re the rest of your goons?” Gabby said, forcing her voice to sound casual. Her eyes glanced around the clearing purposefully. “I’m surprised a coward like you would go anywhere without your boys to protect you.” Unable to control her hatred for him, she stepped forward. But Sammy yanked her back. Forras’ demon blood pulsed through her body, provoking her anger and she struggled to keep it in check.

Forras pulled a long silver object from the cloth.

“What do you think you’re doing, Forras?” Sammy stood in front of Gabby. “You don’t stand a chance alone. I won’t let you near Gabby and you know it. I’ll fly off with her before you can even get close.”

“You have it all wrong, sweet, little, innocent Sammy,” Forras chuckled. “I’m not after Gabby.” Forras erupted in dramatic laugh, the trees surrounding them amplifying the sound.

“Well, I wish I could say I’ll let you live,” Forras continued, “but this is a special sword. I know, because this is the blade that caused my fall.” He paced in front of them, turning the sword around as though admiring it. “You see, a hunter had set a trap for me. He threatened the woman I loved, and when I tried to save her, he speared me…with this,” he lunged forward, thrusting the blade through the air, “ripping my wing and grounding me forever. After that, he killed the woman I love. There was no reason for me to fight to live as a fallen angel any more. What good is an angel that can’t fly? That’s when I discovered the power of Satan and the gifts he could grant me.”

Could Forras be telling the truth? Did an earthbound hunter cause his fall? Could that sword really harm Sammy?

Her friend stood frozen beside her, the fear flashing in Sammy’s eyes confirming her suspicions.

“In a rage, I tried to kill him and instead, the woman I loved died. It’s been lonely around here ever since, so I thought why not get some sisterly company for myself. It seems to work for our pet, Alex.”

“Go, Sammy! Go, now!” Gabby shoved Sammy away from Forras.

Sammy’s wings exploded from her body as she grasped Gabby around the waist to take flight. Gabby was barely off the ground when Forras grabbed her ankle. She fell with a thud and looked up to see Sammy circle back for her.

“No, Sammy. Don’t!” Gabby cried. She waved her arms, trying to ward her friend away, but Sammy wouldn’t listen.

Sammy swooped back down between the trees as the picture she had drawn that morning flashed through her head.

“No, Sammy! Please! Get out of here.”

Ignoring Gabby, Forras climbed into the branches, the blade drawn. Gabby shoved to her feet and raced after him. She reached the tree he’d just climbed, but didn’t see him.

“Looking for me?” Forras lept from one tree to another, intercepting Sammy’s dive to rescue Gabby. Mid-air, he lifted the sword overhead and plunged it through her wing, pinning her to the trunk of a giant oak tree.

Sammy’s shrill cry shattered the air. Searing pain shot through Gabby’s skull at the sound. She covered her ears. Stumbling forward she tried to help Sammy, but her legs crumbled beneath her. She fought hard to move, to walk, crawl, shuffle, anything, but she kept falling to the ground.

When the screeching stopped, she let go of her ears and looked up. Sammy hung limp, still pinned to the tree. Forras sat in his perch, his crude laughter quickly filling the ensuing silence.

No! Sammy, please be alive!

Gabby had almost reached Sammy when the underbrush behind her rustled loudly and a massive creature launched into the clearing.

The most intimidating demon imaginable, with skin black as night, stood snarling only a few feet from her. Cords of muscle intertwined and shot out in all directions. The monster towered over Gabby by more than a body length, snorting steam from its horse-like nostrils. Its razor-sharp teeth dripped saliva as it bellowed ferociously. Claws longer than her arm arched from its fingers, ready to shred her.

Fear froze her in place for a second before she scurried away, holding her hands up in a feeble attempt to defend herself. Where had this creature come from? It stood taller, wider, and more ominous than Alexander, Forras, or any other earthbound creature she had yet to experience.

It lunged at her.

She fell to the ground, covering her head with her arms but nothing happened. No claws tore her flesh. No teeth crushed her bones. Looking up, she saw the demon already half way up Forras’ tree.

It glanced back at her and opened its mouth. “Get Sammy. I’ll deal with Forras,” it said, its voice powerful and commanding.

“Boon. You dare betray me?” Forras’ voice rang out from far above her. “I’ll destroy you for this.”

“Boon?” No way. That massive demon couldn’t be small, pale-skinned Boon. But Boon or not, Gabby had to help Sammy.

The black walking hell of a being hurtled over a log, smashed through bushes and pounded after Forras.

Gabby hurried over to the tree. Sammy hung some twenty feet up and she wasn’t sure she could reach her. Even if the branches could support her weight, could she deal with the height?

Sammy’s moans grew louder.

She had no choice. No one else was around to help.

One branch at a time, she scaled the tree. At first, it didn’t terrify her as much as she thought it would, but after she glanced down, terror strangled her muscles into paralysis. She longed to return to the safety of the ground where she belonged.

Sammy cried out in agony as she struggled weakly to free herself. Charcoaled feathers surrounded the wound. The wind carried ash to the ground below. Her wing reeked of decaying flesh. Forcing her fear from her mind, Gabby urged her body to jolt to life. One hand, one foot at a time, she climbed farther and farther up the old swaying branches.

Bellows, loud thuds, and the cracks of snapping branches sounded in the woods around her from the ensuing battle between Boon and Forras.

When she reached Sammy, she gasped. Her friend’s body had transformed to a human state except for one wing—the one the sword plunged through, keeping her pinned to the trunk. Florescent green oozed from the wound. Layers of dried, bloodied feathers flaked away where the steel punctured it.

“Forget me. Help, Boon,” Sammy pleaded. “I can’t lose him.”

Gabby ignored her pleas and reached for the hilt of the sword. She carefully slid the blade from the tree as Sammy wailed in pain. Gabby grabbed Sammy, the additional weight almost knocking her to the ground.

With no way to hold onto the sword while she descended the tree with Sammy in tow, she looked down and dropped the weapon to the ground. It bounced once before landing against the tree trunk.

“Sammy? You have to help me get you down. Try to stay conscious, hold onto my back and I’ll do the climbing. If you pass out, we’ll both fall.” For once, Gabby was thankful for her oversized gymnast shoulders. Without that upper body strength, they both would have plummeted to the ground. It didn’t hurt that Sammy was the size of a child and weighed no more than ninety pounds.