Page 61 of Rejected Darkness

“It’s true! I can!” Harper shouts as she joins our group. Compared to the others, she is easily walking up toward me. She doesn’t even have to brace herself against the wind much. Every once in a while, I see it push her back, but she just waves her hand, and the air around her clears once again.

“How are you doing that?” I ask when she gets close enough that I don’t have to scream.

“I have power over the air. More power than Arabella, who’s only using it in response to something that triggered her if I had to guess by her appearance. This storm she created won’t hurt me. If you want to get to her, you are going to need to hold my hand,” she explains as she reaches her hand out to me. She doesn’t force me to take it. Instead, she waits on me to make the decision.

Fuck, this better be the right choice. “Okay,” I nod. “Let’s go. Get me to, Arabella, but when you do. You need to let go of me and control the storm she created. I can stop her, but I don’t know if stopping her will contain the tornado.”

“I’ll handle that. You take care of my best friend,” she demands.

The second my hand touches hers, the winds around me die away, and I can stand without using the tree to hold me still. “Holy shit, you are powerful!” I gasp, looking around us as we walk forward. “I thought you were just some little angel with baby powers. Why the hell did your mate reject you? And why the hell are you with that lame-ass angel Stark? He can’t match your power level.”

“Because I don’t show the scale of my powers to just anyone. Only Talia knew, now so do a few others,” she shrugs. I can see in her eyes it slightly bothers her so out of respect for the help she’s giving me I drop it, mostly.

“Well, your secret is safe with my brother and me, and I’m sure Arabella will keep it, too. When you need a friend, you have us. It’s the least I can do for you to help me save her.” It’s the nicest thing I think I’ve ever said to her, and if anyone asks, I’ll deny it, but for now, I mean it. She’s helping me save Arabella and putting her life on the line for it. I won’t forget that good deed, and I know she won’t either.

“Why are you saving her? Just answer me that. I won’t tell anyone, but I would like to know why I’m helping my best friend's archnemesis save her.” We stop walking just inches from the outer rim of the tornado. I already know that if I don’t give her an answer, the truth at that, she will leave my ass here and try to save her herself.

Fuck.I’ve barely admitted the truth to myself, and now I have to tell someone I barely know and don’t even trust. I reach up and grasp my hair. Turning to stare at her, I give her my I’ll fuck you up look and begin to answer. “She’s my mate.”

“Oh shit,” she gasps, lifting her free hand to cover her mouth. “Oh, this is going to be good. I can’t wait for her to tear you to pieces. Just don’t hurt her. That is all I ask.”

With that, we start walking forward in silence. I hold my breath as we push through the tornado until we reach the calm center just to the left of Arabella. In the time it took us to reach her, she’s dropped to her knees, her head hanging down in her hands, and she sobs. The wails from her break a piece of me that I didn’t know I had. Trying to drop Harper's hand to rush to Arabella, I’m tugged backward until I come to a stop. Turning to look at Harper I snarl, trying to yank my hand awayagain. Arabella is in pain and needs me, and this damn angel is stopping me from getting to her.

“Not yet,” Harper grunts. “She’s stronger than I realized. I’m not sure I can control this until she is calm. If I let you go, the wind will take you.”

Looking between Arabella, Harper, the Tornado, and through to where my brother and Talia stand, I know my decision. “Let me go,” I state calmly. “Get me right next to her, and then let me go.”

“Rhys, no!” Harper shouts. “I can’t let you get hurt.”

“It’s me or her, and I will always choose her. Now, let me go,” I bite out, my decision made. I know the risks, and they are worth every single one. She is worth every single one.

Harper nods, moving us closer until I’m a breath away from Arabella. Dropping to my knees, I reach out and hover my hand over Arabella’s shoulder. Once I’m in place, I nod for Harper to let go of my hand. Seconds it takes for me to feel the power of the wind trying to force me out of the center. At the same time, I wrap my arms around Arabella and let my power go. It takes a moment to answer my call, but when it does, I can feel my magic coating her skin, dimming her power and pulling it away from her slowly. I don’t want to drain her magic too fast, as it causes some sort of damage that I’m unaware of. I’ve never used it on this sort of scale, so I’m scared to hurt her. The only thing holding me in place is that I’m holding on to her. I know the second I were to let Arabella go, I would be flung into the walls of the tornado.

“Princess, I’m here!” I shout, hoping she can hear me. “I’m here. Let me in. It’s going to be okay. I promise.” I know it’s a lie. Nothing about this is okay, but it’s the only thing I can think to say in hopes she will hear me. “I know who is after you, and I promise he will pay. He will pay!”

“It’s not going to be okay,” she wails. “He…,” she chokes over a sob. “He hurt me.”

“He will pay!” I snarl, holding her tighter to me. Slowly, her body begins to collapse into me as the fight begins to leave her. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Harper nod and mouth “keep going” as she finally begins to gain control over Arabella's storm.

“He touched…,” she sobs again, unable to finish the sentence.

It takes everything in me to stay calm and not demand her to finish that sentence. By the look of her attire, I have a feeling I know what happened, but I’m going to wait for her to say those words when she is ready. Until then I’m going to hold her and then exact revenge on her behalf on him. He signed his death warrant today.

“I got you, Princess. He can’t hurt you ever again, Arabella. I’ll make sure of that,” I murmur, running my hand down her hair trying to soothe her. “No one will ever hurt you again.”

Finally, Harper gains control of the storms and collapses to the ground next to me. Arabella is barely holding onto consciousness in my arms as I finally let my power pull back into me and I’m unable to reach out to the unconscious angel beside us. Within a minute, Talia, Phoenix, and a few others are surrounding us. A few begin working on Harper as Talia, Phoenix, and Warrick drop to their knees in front of me.

“Is she okay?” I ask, nodding over to Harper. I owe that Angel a debt. I’ll never forget what she did for Arabella and me.

“She will be,” Talia answers softly, placing a hand on my shoulder. “How is Arabella?”

“Not good,” I growl. She shifts her body against me and grimaces in pain, I take a deep breath to calm myself. I don’t want to disturb her. “She can’t stay here. None of us can stay here.” I look directly at Talia so she knows how serious I am and exactly what I’m saying.

“Are you sure?” she questions at the same time Warrick begins shouting.

“You aren’t taking her away! This is the safest place for her! The only place her father can’t get to her!” Warrick screams, trying to reach out and forcibly take Arabella from my arms.

“Warrick! Enough!” Talia snarls, grasping his arm and yanking him back. “She isn’t safe here. Seraphim Cassiel will come demanding answers after this, and when he hears how powerful she is, then she will be in more danger. There is only one place safe for her now.”

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