Sins of the Innocent: A Novella (19 page)

I looked at my friend and then back at Mom. The walls behind her were crushed and broken, paintings hanging from the wall and broken glass covering the floor around her feet. Morgan wasn’t in any better shape than the foyer. There was only one way to save him.

“This is what I’m meant to do,” I said. In that moment, I realized the choice had already been made.

“No,” Mom said, her voice breaking. “I’m your mom. I’m supposed to save you.”

I smiled. “You have. Now, it’s my turn.”

Levi grabbed my shoulders. “I don’t know what your plan is, but you can’t save him. Morgan’s gone.”

I touched Levi’s cheek. “Not if I can help it.” I leaned in and kissed his lips, saying good-bye and confessing my love as best I could in those tiny few moments.

“Eden—” he said, gripping my wrist.

“You hold Bex’s life in your hands. I’m trusting you to honor that.”

Levi’s eyebrows pulled in, and he shook his head once. “I’ve waited an eternity for you. You’re not leaving me now.”

“Him or me!” Morgan cried out.

“You,” I said, escaping Levi’s grip and shoving Bex out of the way with all my strength.

I wrapped my arms around Morgan, whispering into his ear, “Release him, and you can have me.”

Lucifer looked down upon me, excitement in his eyes. “Just like that?”

“You have my word. His life for mine.”

“Eden, no!” Mom cried.

Dad reached out for her, and they held each other while Lucifer walked backward with me in his grasp.

“What will this win you, Father?” Levi screamed. “Nothing! You gain nothing!” The skin around his eyes was red, his pupils dilated, his entire body tense with fear.

“She took something very important to me,” Lucifer snarled.

“You want me?” he asked. “Then take me,” Levi said, desperate. “Take me back to Hell.”

Lucifer considered the offer and then dismissed it. Levi took a step.

“Levi, listen to me,” I said, my voice smooth and calm. “This is the right thing, and you know it. This is why I was given a second chance.”

Dad clenched his teeth and then raised his gun, aiming it at Morgan.

“Daddy,” I said, trying to keep my voice from breaking. “He’s an innocent.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t let you do this, sweetheart.” He gripped his gun tightly, his knuckles white.

An eighth person appeared, standing behind my parents and Levi. Eli put one hand on my father’s shoulder and the other on Levi’s.

“Eli!” Mom said. “Do something!” she begged.

“Jared,” Eli spoke softly. “If you shoot him, you’ll disturb the Balance.” His words weren’t a warning or direction. He simply told my dad the truth.

Dad shook his gun at Morgan. “Shelling disturbs the Balance. The punishment is death!” he yelled, the wrinkles in his forehead deepening.

“Not by your hand,” Eli said, patient.

Levi’s eyes widened. He knew it had all come down to this moment. Every turn we’d each taken had somehow brought us to my grandfather’s house where it had all began. The realization that he was waiting for me to be saved when I was the savior played out on his face. Almost everyone who loved me would watch me give my life for Morgan’s. He was human. My purpose was to save them … all of them … one of them.

Eli saw the understanding spark in my eyes, and he watched me like a proud father. Knowing I had finally reached the end made a strange calm wash over me.

“You’ll see her again,” Eli said. “You’ve found redemption in turning your back on your father, Levi. You must let her do the same.”

Levi’s eyes glossed over, his bottom lip trembling. “I can’t.” He looked to my dad. “Shoot him, Jared.”

Dad’s hand shook as he fought within himself.

“Shoot him,” Levi said, his face contorted. “Shoot him!” he screamed.

Dad swallowed, and a tear fell down his cheek. He lowered his weapon, every inch seeming to cause him real physical pain.

“Jared, no,” Mom said. “No!” she cried as he lowered his weapon.

She grabbed at his arms, reaching for the gun, and then tried to push past him to get to me. He held her back, his eyes red and wet, his mouth curled up and trembling.

“Love you,” he said, holding my mom away.

“It’s okay, Mom,” I said softly. “I’m not afraid.”

Still pushing against my dad, Mom turned to Grandmother. “Do something!”

Grandmother looked at me with weary eyes and then back at Mom, shaking her head.

“I know you can!” Mom yelled.

“I can’t,” Grandmother said. She cleared her throat, regret and sadness clear in her eyes. “We might not always understand it, Nina, but some things aren’t meant to be changed.”

“Levi!” Mom cried.

In a blur, Levi ripped the gun from my dad’s hand and pointed it at Morgan. I leaned to the side, putting myself between my friend and Levi’s aim.

Levi choked back a sob. “Don’t do this,” he begged, a tortured, helpless expression on his face.

“I love you,” I whispered.

“You’ll see her again,” Eli repeated, squeezing Levi’s shoulder.

“I’ll see you soon,” Levi whispered in a comforting voice, a tear falling when he blinked. He lowered the pistol, pure anguish in his eyes. “I’ll see you soon.”

My mother wailed.

I faced Lucifer, seeing Bex’s expression as I turned. He looked exactly like my dad when he cried, his face crumbling as he watched me from the other side of the room, as I accepted my purpose.

My back to my father, I looked to Morgan. Instead of seeing pain and suffering in twin black orbs, my friend’s sweet russet irises had returned.

I exhaled a breath of relief and peace that only came with completion. Some people waited their whole lives to know their purpose. Seconds from now, I would fulfill mine. With the tears and protests of my family swirling around me, I swallowed my fears of death and the unknown, and I surrendered to my fate. It was a beautiful feeling, second only to being loved by Levi.

I thought about Eli’s words, “
You’ll see her again
,” repeating them in my mind, holding on to them like a promise.

Somehow, someway, I would find my way back to Levi.

“I’m ready,” I whispered.

Morgan placed his hand on my cheek, and I closed my eyes, letting the world fall away.

The End

Thank you to my sweet husband for an abundance of things. Together, his good deeds and acts of selflessness could form their own novel. I love you.

Thank you to my children for their patience and inspiration, and specifically, to Eden for the use of her name. Writing this novella was particularly difficult because of my choice to use her name for the child born to Jared and Nina. I hadn’t imagined I would one day be writing a romantic scene with her name—even a tame one!

Thank you to Jovana Shirley for working on the edits during her vacation. Your sacrifice is not lost on me! To Sarah Hansen for being so patient with me during the process of the cover design, and to Kelli Spear for taking time for a final proofread. I thank you often!

Thank you to Megan Davis for EVERYTHING—for the listening ear, the shoulder to cry on, and the constant help and kindness.

Most of all, thank you to Providence fans, who, six years later, are still interested in the story of Jared and Nina and their family. I hope you don’t want to throw things at me right now.

Jamie McGuire was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She attended Northern Oklahoma College, the University of Central Oklahoma, and Autry Technology Center where she graduated with a degree in Radiography.

Jamie paved the way for the New Adult genre with the international bestseller
Beautiful Disaster
. Her follow-up novel,
Walking Disaster
, debuted at #1 on the
New York Times
,
USA Today
, and
Wall Street Journal
bestseller lists.
Beautiful Oblivion
, book one of the Maddox Brothers series, also topped the
New York Times
bestseller list, debuting at #1.
Beautiful Redemption
and
Beautiful Sacrifice
, books two and three of the Maddox Brothers series, respectively, have also made appearances on the
New York Times
bestseller list.

Novels also written by Jamie McGuire include:
Red Hill
, an apocalyptic thriller; the Providence series, a young adult paranormal romance trilogy;
Apolonia
, a dark sci-fi romance; and several novellas, including
A Beautiful Wedding
,
Among Monsters: A Red Hill Novella
, and
Happenstance: A Novella Series
.

Jamie lives in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, with her husband, Jeff, their three children, three dogs, three horses, and a cat named Rooster. When Jamie is not writing, you can find her hiking, running, or looking for a sweater.

Find Jamie at
www.jamiemcguire.com
or on
Facebook
,
Twitter
,
Tsu
, and
Instagram
.