“Oh my God, this can’t be real. I have to be dreaming…” I say, stepping back and running my hands through my hair. “Am I dreaming? I am right?”
Liam laughs, his deep boisterous laugh. “You’re totally not dreaming, Eva. Though I thought I was for the longest time.”
“Longest time? How long have you been—?” I begin.
“Time is really so fluid. It’s hard to say. They wouldn’t let me see you until I’d done some preparation. I guess this means I passed,” he says, stepping up and placing a hand on my cheek.
I lean into his touch, allowing it to radiate its warmth and peace through my skin. “So, this is real?” I whisper. “You’re really here?”
He nods.
“You see, my dear—sometimes, when it feels all is falling apart and nothing is making sense, it’s really the universe setting things into alignment with your wishes,” she says. “New destinies cannot be built on crumbling ground.”
“I didn’t know the universe had any idea about Liam—or at least my desire to be loved by him,” I say, embarrassed to allow the confession past my lips.
The Throne Angel scrunches her face and cocks her head.
“I know. I should have, I guess,” I say, dropping my gaze to the ground.
Liam steps closer yet, taking my hands in his. “This might be a bit forward of me, but…Evangeline, if you would have me, I would love to be your soul partner. I want to stay by your side for the rest of eternity.”
Between the thrumming in my ears and the thumping in my chest, I feel both light-headed and ecstatic—and completely shocked. He’s here. Liam is here, and he’s here to stay.
Our forbidden bond has been severed, and now we can be together.
“Of course, Liam. I would love nothing more than to be bound to you— I… I think I always have been,” I whisper, fighting back tears.
“You were instrumental in Liam’s training, Evangeline. You should be proud. You did an excellent job,” the Throne Angel says, taking a step back.
I shake my head. “All this time, I thought I was losing my mind. I thought I was doing something wrong, but I couldn’t help myself. There was just something about him.” I return my gaze to his, taking in his hazel eyes as they flash green, gold, and brown.
“The feeling was mutual, Eva. I don’t know why, but as soon as I knew about you… as soon as I knew there was a love outside of what I’ve known, I knew I needed to find out why. I needed to know you. You certainly didn’t disappoint. You were everything I could have imagined, and so much more,” Liam says, sighing contently.
Without another word, I close the gap between us, placing my head on his chest. He encapsulates me in his embrace, and I know after all of the fighting—both internal and external battles—I’m finally home.
Chapter 20
The Awakening
“Are you ready for this?” I ask, walking hand in hand with Liam. “Your first charge is a pretty big deal.”
The garden is beautiful, and for the first time I can remember, I see the utter beauty and allure of the Silver City. Flooded with golden-white light and music, I can barely remember what it was like to want nothing more than to reside on the Earthly plane—but not here. Never here.
Liam’s face tightens, and he cocks his head to the side, “Mmmm, I think so? I mean, this is a pretty big step. I just hope I can do justice to whoever it is. You know what I mean?”
I nod my head, “Yes, I absolutely know what you mean.”
Twisting to face him, I push a strand of dark hair out of his hazel eyes.
“Was it like this for you? You know, the first time you had a charge?” he asks.
“You know, I honestly don’t remember my first charge. I wasn’t like you, Liam. I don’t ever remember having a human life or body,” I say, shaking my head. “This is literally all I remember.”
“Really? How old are you?” he says, his eyes sparkling with the curiosity I know and love.
I shrug. “I would have no clue. We don’t celebrate time the same way humans do. It’s not a linear thing here, as you now know. It bounces back and forth, adjusting things and balancing them so the fates can all be in alignment.”
“Do you think I will always remember what it was like to be human?”
“I’m not sure on that, either. Perhaps ask the next time you speak with the Guild. They may have answers for you,” I offer.
He tips his head in acknowledgment. “I think I just might do that.”
“Is it nice to have your memories back? I mean—after everything with the wraiths…”
Chuckling, he shrugs. “I don’t remember actually being out of it. But I do remember when I was asked what form I’d like to take, the first thing I remembered was you. And I knew who I was. Who I needed to be.”
Smiling to myself, I turn back to our walk. The apple trees lining the path are in full bloom, and their scent lifts my spirits along with his words.
“Maybe that’s why I don’t remember my life?” I say, thinking.
“What do you mean?” he asks.
“I just mean, I don’t remember being offered a choice. I don’t remember the beginning of things. I’m not even sure when I began because perhaps in my human life, there was never anything this important. Not until you,” I say. “I mean, at a certain point, I remember what I was doing as a Guardian and the people I’ve helped. But mostly, they have all blurred together now. You’re the only one who has stood out in a way that I know I’ll never forget.”
“Maybe things are designed that way. So you don’t get too attached and break any of the Creeds. You know what I mean?”
“Could be,” I say, nodding in agreement.
Liam looks up slightly, his eyes going distant. “It’s time.”
“Would you like me to come with you?”
“Why would I want anything less?” he says, smiling.
Following his lead, we phase out of the Silver City and rematerialize in the middle of a beautiful nursery. A large mahogany crib sits in the middle of the room, with large open windows billowing in the summer sunlight and fresh air.
“Where is the child? Will he or she be born here?” Liam asks, confusion written across his face.
“Sometimes the child will already be born before a Guardian is called. It’s possible they are about to arrive,” I begin. “Other times, the parents may use the nursery space as their birthing room—though I am not seeing any evidence of it.” I look around the space, and it’s clearly meant for a new baby. The books and toys are all in neat rows, and clothes are folded and ready to be put in the dresser.
“Should we wait, or—” Liam begins.
“Let’s lay him down,” a man’s voice says from the hallway. “He doesn’t have to be in your arms every waking moment.”
“But it’s so hard to put him down,” a woman’s voice responds.
The door to the nursery opens, and a couple walks inside. The man’s smile beams from ear to ear as he hovers over his wife’s shoulder. Her golden hair is tousled to the side as she cradles the little boy to her chest. He’s nothing more than a tiny bundle of blankets and dark hair.
The aura of his soul rolls off him—a big soul with a connection to us both. Turning to Liam, I question him with my eyes, wondering if he can feel it too. Taking a step toward the couple, Liam looks over their shoulders, trying to get a better look.
“What have they told you about this one?” I ask. Because I’m not his Guardian, I’m not privy to any information beyond what Liam shares—but I don’t need to be to feel his presence.
“Just that he’s the reason I was meant to be here. We’re bound in a tangle of events and he’s going to use his cunning and innate people skills to one day change the world,” Liam says, smiling at the boy as he’s placed in the crib.
“Are you sure he’ll be okay?” the mother says, turning to her husband.
“We have motion sensors under his mattress and state-of-the-art baby monitors. He’ll be fine,”
the father says, placing his hands on her shoulders. “Now, please. You need to rest. If you’ve gotten more than a couple hours of sleep since he was born, I’d be surprised.”
As if on demand, she yawns widely.
“See? Come on—let’s go take a nap while he’s sleeping. That’s what they say to do, right? Sleep when the baby sleeps?”
Nodding in agreement, she says, “Okay. Maybe a few minutes wouldn’t hurt.” However, she hovers at the crib’s edge, watching the little boy doze. “He’s so beautiful. Isn’t he?” she says, tilting her head slightly.
“This little one is very loved,” I say softly, sliding my hand into Liam’s and turning to him.
Liam smiles, but there’s a hint of sadness hidden in it. “That he is.”
“Are you okay?” I ask.
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?” he says, turning to me with a quizzical expression.
“Well, I know how hard you struggled with your own family history when you were human. I just didn’t know if—”
Liam shakes his head, “None of that matters now. I understand that. Mothers, fathers—they all do the best they can with what they have. Besides, all of that is set into motion well before their actions have an effect. I get all of that now. There’s always a bigger picture at play.”
The father grabs hold of his wife’s shoulders, dragging her reluctantly from the room. When they reach the doorframe, she twists back, blowing a kiss toward the crib.
“Sleep good, Abraham Jacob Larson. Mommy and Daddy love you. We’ll just be in the next room,” she whispers. Her voice barely carries on the breeze, but we both still hear it.
“Love you, nugget,” his father says, stepping forward and grabbing hold of the door handle. “Have a nice nap, Braham.” He shoots another grin and as the door closes with a soft click, the baby sighs contently.
Liam turns to face me, his eyes wide. “Braham Jacob... I know it seems like a strange question to ask, but it’s not... I mean, he’s not—”
I nod, smiling. “I sensed him as soon as she brought him in. Can you feel it?”
Liam’s eyes go distant, but after a moment, he nods.
“This is the reincarnation of Jake. Or at least, pieces of him,” I say, my eyebrows skirting up high.
“But he was—I thought he was a demon?” Liam says, scratching at the back of his head.
“He was—until you crossed him over,” I say. The Throne Angel was right. Things have been finely orchestrated so each piece falls into place at exactly the right time.
“I crossed him over? How would I have been able to do that? I haven’t even had a charge until now. I don’t even know if I can call on the element of spirit yet.”
“When we were in the Temple of the Intermediaries, you were able to ignite my elemental sword,” I say, shaking my head. “At the time, I thought it was strange that you could even wield it. Only a Guardian can do that, let alone summon an elemental energy. Now I understand. It was all a part of this bigger picture. You were changing—you were almost a Guardian.”
“I don’t remember any of this,” Liam says, narrowing his gaze and placing a hand on the tiny body in front of him.
“Your mind was affected by the wraiths at that point—it hadn’t been repaired yet. It was the whole reason I needed to cross you over. You would have become one of them had I not—” I cast my gaze to the ground, unable to continue.
“You don’t have to be sad for what you did. Had I known this would be my fate, I would have asked you to do it so much sooner,” he says. “But from what I understand though my training, we can’t cross over demons. Has that changed?” he says, turning back to me. The green flecks in his eyes glow brilliantly as he tries to make sense of it all.
Biting the inside of my cheek, I take a step back. “He wasn’t a demon…” I finally say.
Liam snickers softly. “What are you talking about?”
“Bear with me...” I say, raising my hands. “According to Alda—the Intermediary—when we were sent to Purgatory, we no longer were what we had been. I no longer had my powers. Neither did Jake. Whatever change we endured there opened him up to a second chance.”
“So, you’re saying he was human at that point?” he says, narrowing his eyes.
“Not exactly. I was still a Guardian, but inert. I think he still had some of his own gifts, which is why the wraiths didn’t attack him. I’m not sure, but maybe it opened him up to accepting a soul,” I say, playing out the options.
“Yeah, that actually makes a lot of sense,” Liam says, nodding as he turns back to the baby. “Well, Abraham—Braham, looks like you and I have some unfinished business to attend to.”
I smile, unable to escape the uncanny ability of the universe to think of everything. Even when we can’t see our own path clearly.
“If you ask me, he couldn’t have received a better Guardian for his second chance at being human,” I say, admiring the little boy as he sleeps.
“So, what next? Do I say with him at all times? Or…?”
“No, you are bound to him now. You should be able to sense when he needs you—” I say. My smile falters as I think back to the accident with Liam. “Well, unless things are predestined, I suppose. But for the most part, you’ll know what you need to do… and when.”
Liam’s eyebrows knit together, but he doesn’t ask what I meant.
For a moment, we sit in silence, watching Braham sleep. His breathing is slow and deep, and the breeze moves the long, dark strands of his hair like the branches of trees.
“Do you think he’ll be the same as he was? Or remember anything about his past life as an incubus?” Liam asks, turning to me.
I shake my head, “Probably not. Most of the time, when reincarnation happens, all those memories are lost as different atoms, cells, and energy are merged to create a new being. He may have some of the same characteristics—charisma, perhaps. But he won’t be anything like the demon he once was.”
“Good,” Liam says, nodding. “I wouldn’t want him being tempted down the same path. I mean, not that sex is bad—”
I catch his eyes and they flash mischievously as a grin spreads across his lips.
Smirking, I grab hold of his arm and laugh. “You are on a very slippery slope here, my dear.”
“What? I’m just saying… in the right circumstances, it is… heavenly. That’s all.”
I beam back at him, wondering if he remembers our time together in Purgatory, or if he’s trying to entice me into something new. Either way, it’s working.
“Regardless, he’s a little young to be thinking of any of that right now. I’m sure the only thing he’s thinking about is—”
“The end of the world,” Liam says, pulling up short. His face darkens and his eyebrows tug in.
“Excuse me?”
“He’s thinking about the impending darkness, and what he’ll need to do to stop it,” Liam says, his eyes distant as he connects with his charge’s mind.
“But… he’s just a baby. How can he possibly be—?” I say, stopping as recognition clicks into place. “Oh. He’s receiving his downloads.”
“You mean his subconscious programming?” Liam asks. “It’s coming to him now as he dreams?”
I nod. “Yes. All the stuff he’ll need to carry with him so he knows he’s on the right path will be downloaded into his subconscious mind.”
I swallow hard. If Braham is here to stop some impending darkness, then what we’ve been through—all that we’ve endured—plays at a much bigger picture than I realized even before.
“Well, if what I’m seeing is true, the future doesn’t look all that bright. At least, not for those on Earth,” Liam says. “What happens to us if he fails?”
I shrug, “I have no idea. Let’s hope he succeeds… in whatever he has to do.”
Liam’s lips press into a thin line and he tips his head. “No pressure, then.”
“I believe in you. You have always been the most loving man and as a Guardian,
I have no doubt you’ll guide him to his path.”
In everything I’ve done throughout my tenure as a Guardian, the tying together of desires and wants… prayers answered on even an angelic and demon level—it either means good things are coming. Or very, very bad things.
“Goodnight, little man. Sleep well, young man, and take heed. You have much to do,” Liam whispers, bending down and kissing the baby’s head. “But we’re in this together, big guy.”
As if sensing him, Braham sighs softly and stretches.
“Don’t wake him,” I say, nudging Liam’s shoulder.
He turns to me, his eyes sparkling with happiness and a hint of mischievousness. “A very good point, my sexy angel. Now—what if you and I go find a nice quiet place in the universe to be alone together? After all, the baby is sleeping,” Liam says, grinning. “And I haven’t had even close to enough time alone with you.”
Pulling me into his arms, Liam places a gentle kiss on my lips. I wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him closer and kissing him back. Some alone time sounds heavenly, but the heaviness of Liam and Braham’s role puts me on edge.
“What about the oncoming apocalypse?” I whisper. “Do you think we should—”
“It’s not happening today. And it’s going to be up to Jake—I mean, it’s going to be Braham’s job—to avert it. In the meantime, I will do all I can to guide him.”
“That’s all the universe can ask of you,” I say, leaning into Liam and allowing him to whisk us both to a quiet corner of the universe.
THE END
Also by Carissa Andrews
Diana Hawthorne Supernatural Mysteries
Oracle: Book 1
Amends: Book 2
(February 26, 2021)
Immortals: Book 3
(May 28, 2021)
The Windhaven Witches
Secret Legacy
Soul Legacy
Haunted Legacy
The Chronicles of the 8th Dimension - Limited Edition Box Set (4 Books): A Supernatural Thriller Box Set Page 65
