Embrace, Entice, Emblaze (43 page)

362

Embrace_FinalINT.indd 362

11/30/11 4:32 PM

chapter
thirty- six

“The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in
him, and the evil man brings evil out of the evil stored up in him.”
Matthew 12:35

I had sensed him following me for a few blocks. I stopped, leaned against a stone wall, and waited.

He headed toward me, more of a sway in his walk than ever

before. I wondered if he had ever truly been himself around me.

“What do you want, Phoenix?”

“I’m going away for a while. I wanted to say good- bye.” He

smiled, but it was empty. Th ere was nothing there.

“Fine, good- bye.”

“We’re connected, Violet. You can’t deny it. You gave me some-

thing that you can never give to anyone else, not even him, and I gave you part of myself when I healed you. We share a bond.”

I didn’t want to get tied up in a conversation about what had

and hadn’t happened between us.

Embrace_FinalINT.indd 363

11/30/11 4:32 PM

Jessica shirvington

“I’m a Grigori, Phoenix. You made sure of that. Now that I am,

I won’t turn from my responsibilities. If you cause trouble, I
will
return you.”

“You mean you’ll kill me.” His lips twitched and his eyes

narrowed slightly.

I held his eyes as I replied. “If it comes to that.”

“In many ways, you already have.”

For the smallest second, I thought I saw the genuine part of him that I’d convinced myself never existed. But as soon as I glimpsed it, it was gone.

“However,” he continued in a lighter tone, “there are advan-

tages to being a phoenix. It seems neither one of us can run from our destiny.”

He reached out and grabbed a few strands of my hair, twirling

them in his fingers. I pulled my head back, but he didn’t let go. His cold eyes flashed at me and I felt a shiver run down my spine. I pulled back again, and this time he let my hair trail over his hand.

It reminded me of something.

“The gold strands that wrap around you. They wrapped around

me that night.”

“A legacy from my mother. Her hair was the first gold.”

“Like your hair is opal.”

He smiled, but again there was nothing in it, just emptiness. After studying me for a moment, he asked, “How did you know they were coming that night? Did you really sense them from that far away?”

“Why?” I asked hesitantly.

364

Embrace_FinalINT.indd 364

11/30/11 4:32 PM

Embrace

“I’ve been trying to work it out, how you did it. It wasn’t with the normal Grigori senses. You found them with a Sight, didn’t you?” I looked away and remained silent, unsure what I should be

saying to him now and whether I knew the answer anyway. Even

though I wasn’t looking at him, I could feel his glare burning

my skin.

“Hmm…I knew it.”

I looked up. “What does that mean?”

“It’s just a theory. I wouldn’t want to burden you with it,” he said provokingly.

“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised you’re keeping secrets,” I shot back.

“Yes, we should both have learned our lessons by now. And just

as you have embraced your destiny, perhaps it is time for me to embrace mine.” He pointed to the building behind me. “Did you

really think this would protect you?”

I turned to face the grand stone church. I hadn’t even realized I’d stopped in front of it.

When I turned back, he was already walking away. It was a bril-

liantly clear day, not a cloud in sight, and yet the sun didn’t seem to reach his body. He was shadowed and I couldn’t help it: I felt sad for him.

————

Two weeks later, I was standing in a sea of people in short shorts and tank tops. Short shorts should be outlawed. Even on hot guys, they just look wrong.

365

Embrace_FinalINT.indd 365

11/30/11 4:32 PM

Jessica shirvington

I sat on a bench near the starting line to tie my shoelaces. I felt him before I saw him. But it wasn’t the senses. It was something more human.

“Hey,” he said. He sat beside me.

“Hey.”

“I wondered if you’d make it.”

I smiled. “We said we would, didn’t we?”

“We said a lot of things.”

“You knew, didn’t you? That Phoenix was dark.” More pieces

had been coming together since I’d been released from Phoenix’s hold. It had been like a fog clearing; things I’d been oblivious to at the time were now painfully clear.

“I suspected.”

I didn’t know if I could ever make things right, but I had to start somewhere. “I’m sorry, Linc, for all the awful things I said…and did.” He inched closer to me, but not so close we touched. “You have

nothing to apologize for. It wasn’t really you. And even if it was, I would have understood.”

I couldn’t hide my confusion. “Then why did you disappear

that night?”

He pushed his hands through his hair and looked away from me

toward the gathering crowd of runners. “I promised you I’d protect you. I promised I wouldn’t let anyone hurt you again. I knew

something wasn’t right about Phoenix, but I just got caught up in everything and he…” He shook his head. “Worst of all, when you

were lying there hurt and I could have actually done something to 366

Embrace_FinalINT.indd 366

11/30/11 4:32 PM

Embrace

help, I wasn’t there and he was. I’ve failed you time and time again, and I can’t keep asking you to forgive me.” He slumped forward, his head in his hands.

I turned my body toward him and softly put a hand on his

chin, tilting his face to meet mine. Our powers flared through

the small touch, recognizing each other. His chin was rough and unshaven. It was sexy as hell. “You never failed me. You’re the one person in my life who has always been there. I’m not your

mother, Linc. You can’t blame yourself for everything.” I took a deep breath. “All I know right now is, I want you in my life…if you want me in yours?”

He looked at me, his eyes revealing all the things he couldn’t say.

“Violet, we— ”

But before he could surge into that discussion, the one where he told me we could never be together, I stopped him.

“Linc, how about we just go one day at a time.”

He held my eyes and I could see how hard it must have been for

him— holding back, never encouraging me— when he knew how I

felt. When he felt the same way. But there was no other option for us. We were Grigori partners.

Yet even as I told myself this was the way it was, I couldn’t help but hold on to the glimmer of hope within, the one that whispered,
Where
there’s a will, there’s a way.

“One day at a time,” he agreed.

A voice crackled over the loudspeaker, drowning out every-

thing else.

367

Embrace_FinalINT.indd 367

11/30/11 4:32 PM

Jessica shirvington

“ALL CONTESTANTS IN THE RACE, LINE UP FOR THE

STARTING GUN.”

Lincoln stood, extending his hand to me. I took it. Power surged between us, affirming that we were strengthened together. Better together. I could see him suppressing a smile, just as I suppressed my own.

“You ready?”

He pulled me to my feet.

“Yep.”

And I was.

Running a marathon when you have enhanced abilities in

strength and endurance can be a mighty temptation. But apart

from a few healthy bursts of competitiveness, we remained well-

behaved. There were more important things in the world than

winning a race, and there was too much at stake to risk exposure.

Steph and Dad were waiting at the finish line. I couldn’t help

but laugh at their faces when they saw Lincoln running with me.

More than anything, Dad was just pleased to see it wasn’t Phoenix.

He’d been in an overly chipper mood since I told him Phoenix

wouldn’t be hanging around anymore.

After several pats on the back, Dad predictably started making

noises about getting back to the office. Before he left, he gave me a hug. “I’m proud of you, sweetheart. You remind me of your mom.

She’d be so proud of you too.”

I hugged him back and blinked away the sting in my eyes. I

hoped he was right.

368

Embrace_FinalINT.indd 368

11/30/11 4:32 PM

Embrace

Steph and I went out for a post- marathon celebratory juice.

I was impressed she only complained twice about having to get

up before 7:00 a.m. on the first Sunday since exams. When I had asked Lincoln if he wanted to come with us, he’d said there was something he had to do. He’d also reminded me there was a wall in his warehouse with my name on it. Steph rolled her eyes and threw around a few Jesus and Mary exclamations every time she looked

at my beaming smile.

When I arrived home, one perfectly bloomed white lily sat at

the foot of my door, a note tied around the stem.

Training
tomorrow, 6 a.m. x

369

Embrace_FinalINT.indd 369

11/30/11 4:32 PM

Embrace_FinalINT.indd 370

11/30/11 4:32 PM

angel
hierarchy

Th e Sole

1st Choir

Seraphim

Cherubim

Th rones

2nd Choir

Powers

Dominations

Virtues

3rd Choir

Principalities

Archangels

Angels

Embrace_FinalINT.indd 371

11/30/11 4:32 PM

acknowledgments

This story would simply be no more than a stack of papers jammed into a box somewhere if not for the wonderful people who made it more and turned it into a book.

Thank you to my agent, Selwa Anthony, who has expertly

steered me from the outset and never faltered.

I am so lucky to have had an incredible team of publishers in

Australia: My sincere gratitude to Tegan Morrison for her tireless work, invaluable input, and belief in the story. Thanks to Fiona Hazard, Katrina Lehman, Kate Ballard, and Airlie Lawson (international rights extraordinaire).

Thank you to my U.S. Publishers and the awesome crew at

Sourcebooks who never cease to amaze me with their energy and

commitment to the series. Sincere thanks goes to senior editor

Leah Hultenschmidt, publicist Derry Wilkens, project editor Kelly Barrales-Saylor, and production editor Kristin Zelazko.

A couple of good men—Graham McNeice and Ian Parry-

Okeden—who introduced me to Selwa and set the wheels in motion.

My friends and family, in particular Mum, whose support is

always cherished. Amanda, who gave me the gift that set me on

this path. Chris, whose opinion is always so valued and appreciated. A big thank-you goes to: Christine, Nick, Kylie, Liss, Peit, and Joe, and my dear friend Harriet, who gave me the push to put the manuscript out there.

I owe a debt of gratitude to my parents-in-law, Jenny and Phil, for all the research material and countless discussions and without whom this story would not be the same.