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Authors: R.K. Ryals

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The old lady was
and always would be someone extremely important in my life. She had taken it upon
herself to help me finish
highschool
even though she
didn't know enough written English to read the books.

I also kept trying to convince her that
highschool
wouldn't do me much good in the Outer Levels of
Hell, but the only thing that excuse had gotten me was a little grumbling, a
nice hot cup of tea, and a lecture. She'd looked at me with those knowing,
raised brows of hers and
said,"You
will be here
on Earth part of the time, and you'd be surprised what you need to know,
Child."

There was no
point arguing with her. Maria's cane came down on the boy again, and his 'yowl'
could be heard all the way across the yard.

There, on the
edge of the property, two heads came up, and my grin widened when I recognized
Luther and
Conor
, their laughter obvious when they
caught sight of Maria and her new, unsuspecting protégé.

The Demon and
the gargoyle had developed a strange camaraderie, and I was sure part of it was
Conor's
current obsession with hybrid rights. It was
a fight that wasn't over yet. It was a fight
Marcas
was heading and Alessandro was sponsoring. Strange that, but I wasn't about to
question the motives of the S.O.S.'s leader. I was, however, interested in
meeting the Demon-hybrid girl who had
Conor
tied in
knots. So far, he had been evasive, but I knew she didn't live far from the
S.O.S. manor, and now that things were beginning to calm down some, I was going
to go on a human scavenger hunt before long.

We were all in a
good place.
Marcas
and I were still learning what it
meant to be bound. Before, we had been so focused on getting
unbound
that we had never really enjoyed
the benefits. And it was important we learn. Bound, we were constantly in
danger. Heaven and Hell had us marked, watched. In their eyes, we linked two
realms that shouldn't be linked. But, so far, neither realm had attempted to
undo it. I think
Bezaliel
had a little something to
do with that, and it was a good thing too because I never intended to wear the
Seal of Solomon ever again for the rest of my long, currently immortal life. They'd
have to kill me first.

But, for now, I
lived as long as
Marcas
lived. Bound, my life would
continue as long as his did. It was a little disconcerting at times, but
reassuring. I wasn't sure I could live without him, so it was a comfort knowing
that if something happened to him, my life would be forfeit as well.

So, I used my
new immortal time effectively. I trained with
Marcas
,
I did school work with Maria (although I was beginning to discover I was
schooling her more than she was schooling me), and I read and wrote A LOT.
Books were a comfort to me. They always had been. I was even attempting my
least favorite book,
Romeo and Juliet
by William Shakespeare. Why?
Because, in the end, my story
wasn't much different.
Dayton
Blainey
of the
house of Heaven fell in love with
Marcas
Craig of the
house of Hell, but we had rewritten our ending and given it a purpose.

I was banking on
that purpose.

"Do you
believe the prophecy pertains to
Marcas
and me?"
I asked my father suddenly.

Bezaliel
looked at me,
his eyes searching mine, and I felt something I hadn't felt since mom died.
Kinship.

"No. Your
relationship does not completely fit the prophecy. It was foretold that a
relationship would arise out of retribution. You may have sought that later,
but your relationship did not arise from that. And I think
Marcas
is right. It will be a full-blooded Demon and Angel. It will come to pass, but
not yet. Not now."

I nodded. It was
enough. His hand covered mine on the railing, and I didn't pull away.

"How's
Amber?" I asked him.

He had returned
to the Abbey recently, and I knew he had met with her.
Bezaliel
smiled.

"She is
well. She has flourished in the sect under Sister Mary. They are doing a lot of
good."

This relieved
me. She was my sister. We shared a history no one else would ever understand.

"Monroe is
in New Orleans now," I said.

It was an
attempt at conversation, but I also knew it would interest my father. Monroe
had spent a lot of time at my house when we were children.

"New
Orleans?"
Bezaliel
asked, surprised.

I laughed.

"I know,
right? I asked her if she was suddenly interested in becoming a Voodoo
priestess, but she swears it's for her witchcraft. She has an aunt there who
owns a shop. She thinks she can help Monroe with this connection she seems to have
with Demonic power."

Bezaliel
nodded,
his expression grave.

"She is in
danger now. Lucifer is aware of her powers, and he is interested."

I was afraid of
that, and it worried me.

"Will you
send Lucas to watch her," I asked.

Bezaliel
smiled.

"He's
already there."

I looked back
out over the yard. It was a good thing Luther didn't know that. I had seen the
hybrid Demon's interest in my best friend. It surprised me a little actually
because Luther was a loner who wasn't known for being serious.

"I'm proud
of you, Dayton," my dad said suddenly, his voice breaking into my
thoughts. I pulled my hand free of the rail and turned to him.

"Dad,"
I said slowly, my voice breaking despite my resolve not to get choked up.
"I don't blame you for Mom's death. I did once, but I don't anymore."

Bezaliel's
eyes were
bright when he looked down at me.

"You saved
me, Dayton."

This surprised
me, and I felt my eyes widen.

"Saved
you?"

He nodded.

"I was
making a lot of bad choices before I saw your mother and assumed Daniel's
identity. I was on a fast road to Hell. And then you came, and I had to protect
you, protect what you were."

He leaned down
and lowered his voice.

"The first
time your mother laid you in my arms, I knew."

I
gulped,
the tears too close to the surface to hold at bay
much longer.

"Knew
what?" I asked.

He placed a hand
on my shoulder.

"That you
were my redemption."

No greater words
could have been spoken between a father and a daughter. He opened his arms, and
I went into them. It was like coming home. And in that moment, when I closed my
eyes, I saw my mother's face as she whispered, "Save him."

And I knew now
who she meant.

About the Author

R.
K.
Ryals
is a scatterbrained mother of three whose
passion is reading whatever she can get her hands on. She makes her home in
Mississippi with her husband, three daughters, a
Shitzsu
named
Tinkerbell
, and a coffeepot she
couldn't
live
without. Visit her at http://rkryals.com