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  I refocused on the task at hand and continued blindly into the darkness. I tripped and stumbled forward, scraping my knees across the muddy ground. I sat down and cradled my head in my hands. “I can’t do this,” I whispered, tears of anger filling my eyes.

  “Angelina,” a soft voice whispered from within the darkness.

  I wiped my tears of anger away and listened. Deafening silence fell upon my ears. Just when I started to question my sanity, I heard it.

  “Angelina, be strong,” it whispered lovingly.

  I recognized that voice. It couldn’t be…could it? I stood up and stared into the darkness. “Momma?” I whispered back. I listened and heard a slight humming noise. My heart stopped once I realized it was the tune I had heard a million times as a child. It was the one song that held so many special memories for me and my parents. It was the song that my father had used to win over my mother’s heart: Brown Eyed Girl.

  “Mom!” I called out, forcing my feet to stumble blindly down the muddy floor. Suddenly a dim light appeared in the distance. I shielded my eyes from the unfamiliar light as it moved closer. It floated through the air like a whisper through the wind.

  “Angelina.”

  I stared at the glowing orb in awe. “Mom?”

  It bobbed through the damp air and settled momentarily in front of me. “Don’t be afraid.”

  I reached out to touch the light glow in front of me. It flew into the air, causing me to take a step backwards. My heart fluttered in my chest as I retracted my hand back to my side protectively.

  “Don’t be afraid,” it whispered again.

  I swallowed my fear and continued to follow the soft glow through the winding darkness. A few moments later, I found myself standing outside what looked like the entrance to another portion of the cave.

  “Go inside,” the loving voice persuaded.

  I hesitated. I didn’t want to leave the soft glow of my mother’s light. It was as if her spirit had been placed in a star that had fallen from the sky to show me the secrets that had been hidden from my mind. I found comfort in her soft voice and was reminded of how much I truly missed her.

  “I can’t go,” I said, choking back tears. “I can’t lose you again.”

  The orb bobbed through the air, “Angelina, you must go.”

  I shook my head. “Please don’t make me leave you.”

  It stopped moving and pulsated close to my face. A warm sensation filled my body and I knew her soul had touched mine. “Fear not, my daughter, for I will always be with you,” her soft voice promised. “Forever.”

  I felt a tear slide down my cool cheek and nodded. “Forever.”

  It bobbed towards the opening once again and I sighed. “Well, here goes nothing.” I stepped inside the opening and nothing could have prepared me for what my eyes saw next.

  Chapter 31

  Connected

  Nicolai stared at his mother who seemed pleased with herself He had witnessed that smirk many times before.

  “What’s wrong?” Daniel whispered with a soft nudge.

  Startled, Nicolai looked down and shook his head. “I don’t know. Something’s not right.”

  “What do you mean?” he questioned, raising a brow in suspicion.

  “She smirks.” He nodded towards his mother. “But for what reason?”

  “Do you think Angelina is okay?”

  For a moment, he contemplated his answer and finally muttered, “I need to go.”

  “I’ll take that as a no.”

  Nicolai felt a small hand rest upon his shoulder, “Fear not, my dear friend, for Angelina is safe.”

  “How are you so sure?” he asked the lavender-eyed Bethani.

  She smiled sweetly at him. “Though your mother once walked the path of death and destruction, she now walks the path of righteousness and remains true to the goodness in her heart.”

  “Then why does she smirk?”

  Bethani glanced at Ctephanyi and squeezed Nicolai’s shoulder softly, “She sees what Angelina’s currently seeing.”

  “Wait.” He stared at her in surprise. “What do you mean she sees what Angelina is seeing?”

  She let out a girlish giggle. “Right now, their minds are connected so that Ctephanyi may watch over her in spirit. What Angelina sees is shared between the two of them.”

  He glanced back at his mother and watched her facial expressions change. Her smirk curved up into a full-blown smile while a tear fell lazily down her pale cheek. In some sense, he was jealous. He wondered what she was seeing and could only imagine all the emotions she was feeling at that very moment. Sighing, he hoped that one day his mind would link with Angelina’s, so he could feel the raw emotion he knew she carried within her.

  Daniel nudged Nicolai’s shoulder, breaking his train of thought. “So, do you think we’ll stop Tristan?”

  Nicolai wanted to say yes, but something nagged at the back of his head. The memory of Tristan and his mother flashed back into his mind. He looked at Daniel and hesitated. “At first I did…yes.”

  “What do you mean at first?”

  “Well, the situation has changed.”

  Daniel grew quiet and cocked his eyebrow. “How so?”

  “He’s grown much more powerful now, and well…he’s gained…” He paused before muttering, “bargaining chips.”

  Daniel frowned. “Yeah, you’re right. Angelina’s not going to give up easily though.”

  Nicolai smirked. “Yeah, isn’t that the truth.”

  “You know, when we were little kids, I always knew she was special.”

  Nicolai glanced over at him, amused. “How so?”

  “Well, she always seemed to have this aura around her,” he said thoughtfully. “Once we were in the woods and we happened to come across a small fawn that had been left abandoned. It was severely emaciated and I knew if I didn’t put it out of its misery that it would continue to suffer.”

  Nicolai watched as emotion from the old memory began to make its presence known on Daniel’s rugged face.

  “Angelina begged me to not to touch it, and I explained to her that it was for the best.” He smiled momentarily as the memory replayed itself in his mind, “You know what she said to me?”

  “What?” Nicolai answered, intrigued.

  “She looked up at me, confidence in her big, innocent eyes and simply said: I will fix him. If you touch him, I will break you.”

  “Wow,” Nicolai laughed. “Big words from such a little girl.”

  “Yeah.” Daniel shoved his hands into his pockets.

  “So, what did you do?”

  He shrugged. “I let her fix him.”

  Nicolai let out a laugh. “That was probably a smart decision.”

  He nodded. “She has so much life in her, but…” his eyes grew dark and he looked down.

  “But what?” Nicolai raised a brow.

  “She has a dark side, too.” He kicked at the ground. “One you do not want to see.”

  Nicolai stared at him curiously. “How so?”

  “Where there is life, there will always be death, and that is something we can never change.”

  “What?”

  Ctephanyi’s voice chimed in, “We have to go.”

  Nicolai’s gaze shifted to his mother. “Is something wrong?”

  “Yes,” she replied calmly.

  He swallowed hard and drew in his breath. “What is it?”

  “I know who the traitor is and they have Angelina. We must get to her before it’s too late,” Ctephanyi said.

  Daniel’s muscles began to twitch with anticipation. “Well, what are we waiting for?”

  “Why, you boys, of course.” Bethani’s sweet voice interrupted.

  The feeling that had been nagging at the back of Nicolai’s head returned and he knew he had been right. Something was wrong. What if his mother was one of the traitors and her smirk was because she had known all along what Angelina was walking into? He had no idea what he was about to get into, but he kn
ew he would do whatever it took to save the one person he knew had been made just for him.

  Chapter 32

  Best Friends

  I looked around and let out a gasp. Before me stood my best friend, Marie. She looked at me and smiled. The shadows in the room hidden deep within the cave played across her pretty face. She pulled me in for a hug and I pushed her away. Something just didn’t feel right.

  “What are you doing here?” I questioned, still somewhat surprised by her appearance.

  “The bigger question is, why you are here?” she asked in return.

  Puzzled by her question, I debated whether I really wanted to tell her what—or should I say who—had led me to her.

  She ran her finger down my cheek and turned around. “I know who you followed.”

  “You do?” I asked.

  “I do,” she replied, not turning around.

  “How did you…”

  “You’re not the only one around here who is special, you know,” she interrupted.

  “Wait,” I began, “I never said I was special.”

  She finally turned back around and raised her hand in protest. “You didn’t have to say anything. It’s all about the way you carry yourself, Angelina.”

  I fought back the anger that was beginning to course through my veins. “I don’t carry myself any differently than I had before.”

  Jealousy filled Marie’s eyes as she put her hands on her slender hips in displeasure. “You and that freak, Nicolai.”

  “Excuse me?” I hissed through clenched teeth. “You had better watch your tongue.”

  “Just what are you going to do, Angelina?” She smiled wickedly as her eyes shifted past me.

  I was afraid to turn around.

  The smile on Marie’s face turned upside down. She nodded and walked past me without another glance. My heart beat angrily inside my chest, and I cringed when Tristan’s voice filled the room.

  “We meet again, my sweet, sweet Angelina.”

  I was disgusted. “Tristan.”

  “How funny life is, wouldn’t you say?” he chuckled, picking up a long strand of my hair.

  “Don’t touch me,” I warned.

  He twirled the strand around his index finger. “Soon you will be begging me to touch you.”

  “Right…” I rolled my eyes. “Like that is ever going to happen.”

  “Oh, but it is going to happen. You see, I have a little secret, and maybe if you’re a good girl, I will share it with you.”

  “I don’t want to share anything with you,” I hissed.

  He pointed to the wall. “You’ll want to share this.”

  A vision appeared on wall in front of me, like that of a drive-in theater, only this movie was silent. Nicolai’s beautiful sunset-colored eyes stared back at me. He had a smile spread across his handsome face. My father was next to him, his hand on Nicolai’s broad shoulder. They looked to be chatting like old friends do when they’re together. Suddenly, a little girl ran out of the forest and Nicolai bent down with open arms. She jumped into them, followed by a little boy with platinum blond hair.

  “It can’t be,” I said.

  “Look at your perfect little family,” he said. “Aren’t they just so darn cute?”

  I pointed at the wall. “What is this?”

  “This is their future if you give me what I want.”

  “And if I don’t?”

  He smiled. “Then this will be their future.” He waved his hand and the vision on the wall changed.

  “No,” I whispered.

  “Yes, I’m afraid so,” he replied. “Sad, isn’t it?”

  The Crimson Moon hung high in the sky, shining its blood-red light down on a small graveyard. The same graveyard my human mother had been buried in. Next to her headstone were four fresh graves.

  I shook my head. “This isn’t real. You’re lying.”

  “Am I?” he asked. “It’s your choice.”

  Mathias’ words replayed through my mind. “You will have to make a choice…”

  “Give me what I want and your loved ones will live a very long, happy life,” Tristan coaxed.

  Shuddering, I stared at the graves in front of me. Nicolai, Josiah, Baby Girl, and Baby Boy. They were the names of every single person I loved, including my two unborn children.

  The time had come for me to make a choice. A choice that could ultimately lead to the end of the world as I knew it. I didn’t know what was worse, letting the ones that meant the world to me die, or letting the world around me die. Mathias was right, this was most certainly going to be the hardest decision I would ever have to make.

  Chapter 33

  Emotions

  Nicolai frowned. He felt as though he couldn’t get to Angelina quick enough. So many thoughts ran through his mind and no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t push them away. What were they doing to her? Was she hurt? Was she even alive? Would he be able to save her?

  Bethani nudged him lightly. “Stop it.”

  Nicolai frowned. “I can’t help it. I’m worried sick about her.”

  “I know,” she answered sympathetically, “but she’s strong. You know that.”

  “You’re right, but how strong do you have to be before you break?”

  A blank expression crossed her face as she fell silent. They continued walking side by side for a moment before Ctephanyi joined them. She pointed towards a cave that could be seen in the distance. “We’re almost there.”

  Nicolai’s heart began to race. “In that cave?”

  She nodded. “Yes, that’s where they are.”

  “They?” Daniel asked, slowing down his pace to join their conversation.

  “Yes, they,” she answered, her white eyes beginning to glow brighter.

  He was annoyed by her vagueness. “Okay, can you elaborate as to who they actually are?”

  She stopped abruptly and stared at him. Her icy eyes made him shudder.

  “Daniel, your sister is about to make a choice that will affect all of us. Does it really matter who ‘they’ are?”

  He looked down, feeling somewhat ashamed.

  “Mother,” Nicolai interjected, “he just wants to know what we’re going to be up against.”

  “What neither of you seem to understand is that regardless of who is with her, it is the choice she is about to make that we must stop. I see into her heart and she is torn. She needs to follow her instincts, but he is playing on her human emotions to win her over.”

  “He’s a trickster! Are we sure she sees through his wicked games?” Nicolai asked.

  She nodded. “He now knows what her fears are and what she’ll do to protect the ones she loves.”

  “No, she’s smarter than he is,” Daniel argued. “She’ll figure out what he’s up to.”

  “I wouldn’t be so sure,” she replied, her lips pursing into a thin red line.

  Daniel didn’t argue. Angelina was smart, but he also knew every creature felt emotions strong enough to cause all sorts of trouble.

  Nicolai quickened his pace. “Well, we just need to get in there and get her out.”

  Bethani put her small hand on his shoulder. “It’s not going to be that easy, my friend—we’re being watched.” She looked up at the trees and nodded.

  He followed her gaze. Sure, enough there were eyes on them from what seemed like everywhere. The vapor demons sat quietly in the trees, watching their every movement.

  Daniel caught onto what was being talked about and whispered, “We’ll never be able to take on all of them with just the few of us.”

  “We must try,” Bethani said, pulling an arrow out of her quiver slowly.

  “She’s right,” Ctephanyi agreed. “If we don’t at least try, then what is the point of coming here in the first place?”

  Stephen smiled mischievously. “Well then, I suppose we should show them all what an ass-whooping means, shouldn’t we?”

  Bethani slowly pulled an arrow out of her quiver and set it in her bow. “I
think you’re right,” she replied with a quick wink.

  A big smile spread across Stephen’s face. “A wink, huh? See I knew you had the hots for me all along.”

  “Hots?” She laughed, letting the arrow fly.

  Nicolai grinned, “I’m thinking she probably has a case of the ‘nots.’”

  “You would say something cocky like that, wouldn’t you?” Stephen asked.

  A high-pitched scream rang out, indicating Bethani’s arrow had hit its mark. Suddenly, numerous vapor demons appeared before us.

  A challenge had presented itself and Daniel’s muscles twitched in anticipation of it. “You ready for this?”

  “Oh, you know I am.” Nicolai smirked, cracking his knuckles before charging at one of his demon duplicates.

  Snow growled and let out a long, vicious howl before leaping into the crowd of demons that were closing in around them. One of the demons let out a shriek, sending the others into a frenzy.

  Ctephanyi’s eyes brightened. Nicolai, who was standing close to her, grabbed a vapor demon and broke its neck. Appearing out of thin air, the demons swarmed them. They were going to need a miracle to get out of this one.

  Chapter 34

  Fate

  “Some say time goes on forever, you know,” Tristan said, smiling wickedly at Angelina, “but most don’t get to live forever like we can. All you have to do is agree to be mine.”

  “All things come to an end,” she retorted angrily. “I will never be yours.”

  “Oh, but my dear, that’s where you’re wrong.”

  “I doubt it.”

  “Doubt what? That time goes on forever or that you’ll be mine?” He danced around her. “What you fail to see is that your time with Nicolai is nearing its end.”

  I felt my face twist into a look of disgust. “Nicolai and I will be together forever, which you cannot and will not change.”