I nod. “That is what’s wrong with our world. They preach forgiveness, yet, angels keep falling at the drop of a hat and are not being given the exact thing that they preach to humans. So much for leading by example.”
Irene and Daniels look at one another and tears run down her face. “It’s a pity you don’t wish to lead them.”
Daniels nudged her, “But we understand your decision, and your choice in Xavier is excellent. He’s one of the few who accepted the new race of angels.”
“We have to get back,” says Daniels, “but I can portal you to your home before we do. Would you like that?”
I stand up and look back at the house. Through the window, I can see Benjamin and Stephaine. I see her laugh at something that he says and Benjamin moves toward her, putting his arms around her waist and lifting her up off the floor. I know that without Ezra, they’ll now be okay.
I look form them to Hunter, and smile, “Are you ready to go home?”
“I’ve been ready,” he says.
Daniels and Irene portal us back to my room. “We’re proud of you,” Daniels says before they vanish, leaving a faint whisper in the air, saying that they love me and always will.
As soon as I turn around, I trip over a chair in my room and within seconds, Andrew is coming to check on the noise. He freezes at the door for a moment while looking at me.
“Kayla?”
Crying, I run toward him and throw my arms around his neck. “I missed you, Dad.”
He cries too, “We missed you too. I have to call your mom. KELLY… KIM…”
He looks over at Hunter, “Thank you.”
“Hon, why are you in Kayla’s—”
Kelly’s uncontrollable crying makes me cry even more. She wraps her arms around me and we hug for the longest time, until I see Kim and a little girl who I know is Carolyn, standing at the door.
“Welcome back,” says Kim. “I wanted to help get you. I really did, but no one would let me.”
I smile at her. “It’s okay. This is where you belong anyway.”
THIRTY-TWO
HUNTER
I watch Kayla with her family as she cries and laughs. I know her emotions are a roller coaster, but it’s expected. I know she’ll move on and we’ll finally be able to have a normal life, only, we don’t know what normal is. From the first day I became close to Kayla, I wasn’t even human and she was seeing things that didn’t belong. As she hears the stories about the years she missed and about her sisters growing up, she smiles and nods and pretends that she is happy for them, but I know that is not the case, because I know her. I know she wants them to think she is happy, but in reality, she dreads the fact that she’ll never get those years back and for the first time, it dawns on me that what we talked about as normal, it’s not our normal. Our normal is danger in a world filled with good and evil. I start to wonder if it was a mistake to ask for Kayla to let me take her away, but then, I know I also couldn’t bring myself to take her into that world. All I can hope for is that she will adapt to life with humans once again.
Eventually, as she hears their stories, she becomes distant and her parents believe she is tired and suggest that she rests.
“Is it alright if Hunter stays?” she asks.
I suck in a breath, thinking that her dad is going to kick me out of the house at anytime.
He looks at Kayla, and I can tell he is having a tough time dealing with the fact that she’s no longer 16, even though she still looks that age. We don’t tell anyone that she is immortal, not yet.
To make their decision easier, I say that I have to go anyway, knowing that I will be back that night.
“No, it’s okay. You can stay, Hunter. We couldn’t possibly ever thank you for bringing her back. Our home is your home,” says Kelly. I look at Andrew and he reluctantly nods in agreement.
It feels strange going to Kayla’s room with her, with the knowledge that her parents know that I’m here. I stop at the door to Kayla’s room knowing that there is something that I need to do.
“What’s wrong?” she asks.
“Nothing. There’s something I need to do. I’ll be back soon, okay?”
She nods.
Downstairs, I see her dad talking to her mom.
“Is everything okay?” he asks.
“Yeah. I was just wondering if I could have a word with you.”
“Of course.”
I follow him into his home office, and not even fighting demons has ever made me this scared.
He looks at me, “Are you sure everything is okay? You look pale.”
I nod. “Mr—”
“Call me Andrew, please.”
I don’t even know where to start or how to do this. Nervously, I just spit out, “I want to marry your daughter.”
He sighs. “I knew this would happen one day.” He takes a deep breath and I feel like I can’t breathe at all. “Although my first instinct is to say no, that you’re too young and that you should go to school first, I can’t. What you and Kayla have gone through is just…” he shakes his head. “Have you asked Kayla?” he asks.
“Not officially.”
He grins. “Son, we both know you don’t need my approval. Kayla is a strong willed girl and she’ll do what she wants to do, but if you really need to hear me say it, you have my blessing.”
“Thank you.”
I put my hand up to shake his hand and he pulls me into an awkward hug.
“Do you have a ring?” he asks.
I shake my head. “I gave her a promise ring once, but I haven’t exactly had the time or means to—”
He puts his hand up and walks over toward a painting on the wall. He opens it, revealing a safe behind it.
I watch quietly, as he opens the safe and brings out a small black box. He walks toward me and opens the box where there are two silver wedding bands.
“These belonged to my grandparents. This is also the ring that I used to propose to Kelly. I want you to have it.”
I nod, speechless. He hands the box over.
“Thank you. I don’t even know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything, son. Your actions over the past few years speak more than words.”
He then walks me outside of his office and I go to Kayla’s room.
I find her sitting on her bed and staring down at her dagger.
She doesn’t notice me there until I’m sitting next to her.
“What’s on your mind?” I ask.
She shrugs. “It’s not important. We’re here now and it’s time to move on.”
I would usually let this go, but not this time. I want her to be able to tell me anything, even if I’m not going to like it.
“You think you’re letting them down, don’t you?” I ask.
She nods. “I just need time to adjust and let go of certain things.”
I look at her, knowing that this is all wrong. Every single time she mentioned that she no longer knew who she was, I told her I would be there to remind her and I’m already failing her in my promise and as her protector, merely for taking the easy way out. I reach for her hand and stare at the promise ring I gave her. We just stay silent for a few seconds, just staring at the ring then I finally do what I was supposed to you.
“I made you a lot promises, Kayla, and it’s time for me to make good on every one of them.”
I look up from the ring into her eyes and I don’t know if she is scared or confused, but she listens to every word I say without interrupting.
“Kayla, I know that things haven’t been easy and how much things changed. Do you remember when I told you I would always be here to remind you of who you are whenever things get crazy?”
She nods.
“This is not who you are… not anymore. You are meant for much more… so much good… I was being selfish every time I asked you to let me take you away. The way you protect the fallen—the forsaken—they need you to lead them.”
“What about you?” she asks nerv
ously.
I grin at her. “I just need you to be alive and happy.”
“But you don’t want that life. You never did.”
I shake my head. “I don’t care if we end up in heaven, the Otherworld, or even in Hell, what I want is a life with you.”
I interrupt her before she can say anything else. I get up and hold her hand helping her up.
“About my other promise,” I say as I get on one knee in front of her and bring out the ring. “You know… the one that was to remain unspoken.”
I wink at her and she laughs.
“Will you marry me?”
Her smile grows wider.
“Yes.”
I put the ring on her finger and stay down on my knee.
“Well, shouldn’t you get up and kiss me or something?”
“…or something,” I laugh, knowing that what I’m about to do feels right.
“I need you to know that I promise to continue being your protector, not just in this world, but anywhere you choose to be, and…” I take a deep breath and reach over where she left her dagger. I grab the handle and still on my knees, I offer her the dagger like I offered her the ring, “We both know where you—where WE need to be. This is who you are, Kayla. You are a nephilim.”
EPILOGUE
KAYLA
I lay by the lake with my head on Hunter’s lap and we watch the sun set, as he plays with my hair. Things got a lot quieter after the Forsaken transitioned into the role of protecting the haunted.
Everything just fell into place after Hunter and I got married. We allowed Kelly and Andrew to do everything they wanted to do for us, and in a way, that was our goodbye.
The ceremony gave them closure. At that moment, they truly realized that I was no longer the sixteen-year-old little girl, but someone ready to be on her own.
The ceremony took place on the backyard where I grew up. It was a small wedding, with only family, but I could sense fallen everywhere… Xavier, Clarissa, oh, and some ghosts too, like Chase. That was the last day we saw Chase. We wonder whether he moved on past the Otherworld and even if he was able to reincarnate, something that was made possible again once the number of angels were restored. And now, the only one who haunts my dreams is Samael, which is really not that bad.
From the moment we returned to the Academy, Xavier helped me leading the Forsaken in the right direction. We never treated them with any less respect or honor as the full-blooded angels. We never even stripped them of their abilities. Honestly, that was what was wrong with this world. Some people just need a second chance. How someone became a fallen because they loved someone else was still beyond me. It’s funny how everyone says people should learn from their mistakes, but then not give them the benefit of a doubt when they do so. Once the forsaken and fallen were given a chance instead of just being punished, their recovery process improved, and things in my family’s world were safer.
And then, there is the biggest reward of it all… when days like this come around, days when Ethan and Jennifer get to bring Trent to see us, and we can enjoy our time spent with him knowing that he is safe.
Author’s Note
Thank you to all loyal and enthusiastic readers for joining me in Kayla and Hunter’s journey, even when Kayla was being a brat. *Laughs* I hope you enjoyed seeing her ‘grow up’ throughout the series as much as I did.
Please follow me on facebook, twitter, or any other social media for updates on future projects related to the Academy of the Fallen series!
Also from Daniele Lanzarotta …
YOUNG ADULT
Imprinted Souls Series
Imprinted Souls
Bloodlust
Divine Ashes
Blood Bound
Shattered Souls
Academy of the Fallen Series
Wide Awake
Nephilim
Sins of the Fallen
Forsaken
NEW ADULT
A Mermaid’s Curse
Insatiable
Fated (coming soon)
About the author:
DANIELE LANZAROTTA
is the author of fantasy/paranormal novels, including Imprinted Souls Series, Academy of the Fallen, and Mermaid’s Curse. She enjoys reading and writing novels with just about any sort of paranormal or supernatural bent ... vampires ... ghosts... Daniele currently lives in Virginia Beach, VA with her husband, daughter and two lovable puppies (who are not really quite puppies anymore), Stitch and Gizmo.
***
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Table of Contents
PREFACE
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EIGHT
NINE
TEN
ELEVEN
TWELVE
THIRTEEN
FOURTEEN
FIFTEEN
SIXTEEN
SEVENTEEN
EIGHTEEN
NINETEEN
TWENTY
TWENTY-ONE
TWENTY-TWO
TWENTY-THREE
TWENTY-FOUR
TWENTY-FIVE
TWENTY-SIX
TWENTY-SEVEN
TWENTY-EIGHT
TWENTY-NINE
THIRTY
THIRTY-ONE
THIRTY-TWO
EPILOGUE
Author’s Note
About the author: