Date with Destiny Collection: Angel Romance Series: Books 1 - 4

by Rachel Taylor

  He wanted to drag out his morning routine a little, lingering in the shower and at the closet, but he needed to leave early enough to pick up Eve, and he had no idea how long it would take his parents to quit freaking out about what he was going to tell them.

  “Zeph, come eat breakfast!” his mother hollered from the kitchen as Zeph was making one last check of his reflection. He was wearing a tie for once, and he fussed with the knot till it looked presentable.

  His family was sitting at the kitchen table, waiting, when he finally made an appearance. He was usually the first one at the table, snagging pieces of bacon when his mother wasn’t looking. Zeph took his spot, and his father immediately said the blessing.

  “You look extra nice today, Zephy.” Charisse stabbed a pancake and smiled at her brother. Zeph felt a little bad that he hadn’t even told Risse. He knew she would’ve been cool with it.

  “Special occasion?” his mother asked.

  Zeph gulped. It was a perfect opening, almost like she knew he had something to confess. “Um, sort of,” he mumbled around a bite of toast. He chewed slowly and swallowed, ignoring the stares of his family.

  Finally, he could avoid it no longer. Zeph sighed and rushed through the high points of the story.

  “Um, so, we found out that Eve is a Celestia. Her real father is Amadeus Cera…” A gasp echoed around the table, but Zeph ignored it and kept his eyes down as he continued.

  “I took her to meet him, and then I took Eve to meet Dominion Connan. I invited her to come to the meeting with me today.” Finally, Zeph looked up from the toast he had been addressing and into the shocked stares of his family.

  “Zeph, that’s wonderful! I’m so sorry we didn’t believe you before.” His mother shot a stern look at his father. Geoffrey just stared at Zeph like a two-headed alien. “Amadeus Cera, huh? That’s interesting…”

  “That is so cool, Zephy! You are amazing! I really like Eve. Are you guys like, together now? OMG, what if you guys got married? Your kids would be like, three-quarters Divisa! Has that ever happened?”

  Zeph blushed and quirked one corner of his mouth in a smile. “I told Eve I’d pick her up today, so…” He rose from his seat and shoved the rest of his toast in his mouth to avoid answering any more questions.

  “We’ll save you two a seat!” Faith jumped up and planted a kiss on his cheek, brushing imaginary lint off his shoulder.

  Zeph breathed a sigh of relief as he closed the door behind him. That hadn’t gone too bad. Of course, he hadn’t mentioned anything about the gift he and Eve shared. That was a conversation for another day. But what if they asked Eve what her gift was? Maybe he should warn her not to go into too many details just yet, at least till they got more clarity from Dominion Connan. Zeph’s stomach clenched as his train of thought reminded him of Dominion’s words.

  His fears got pushed to the back of his mind when Eve answered her door looking like something out of a fairy tale. She wore a teal blue halter dress in some kind of silky material that skimmed her curves like flowing water and made her pale skin shimmer in contrast. The material ended at her knees, exposing plenty of long, lithe leg. She’d curled her hair into loose waves that swung around her bare shoulders, and her cheeks were rosy with blush or nervousness, he couldn’t tell which. Every inch of her looked so beautiful, Zeph couldn’t focus on any one part.

  “Wow, Eve, you look incredible!” Zeph finally managed to speak after spending a good thirty seconds just admiring her.

  “Thanks. Is this okay? I didn’t know what to wear. We don’t usually go to church, so I wasn’t sure what was appropriate.” Eve gave a nervous smile and tugged on the bodice of her dress, making sure she wasn’t showing too much skin.

  “You look perfect.” The only thing inappropriate was his body’s response to her.

  Zeph risked a touch of her skin, trailing his fingers down her arm then placing his hands on her hips and pulling her in for a kiss. The silkiness of her dress tempted him to slide his hands lower, but he kept them at her waist as he planted gentle kisses on her lips and cheeks. Her scent bloomed in his nostrils, and he ran his nose along the length of her neck, breathing her in.

  A groan escaped him, and he forced himself to pull away before he got too worked up. He could see Eve’s pulse thumping rapidly beneath the translucent skin of her neck, and he knew she felt the same way.

  “Are you ready?” Zeph asked, taking her hand, unwilling to break the contact. Eve nodded and grabbed her jacket, letting go of his hand just long enough to slide it on.

  Eve filled the ride to church with curious questions fired one right after another. How many Celestia lived in the area? How many congregations were there in the state? What was the service like? Would she be expected to do anything? Zeph answered them all calmly, assuring her he would be right by her side and there was nothing to worry about. He prayed he was right.

  The building looked completely different on a Sunday morning. The parking lot teemed with cars and families, heading towards the entrance. The front doors were held open by smiling Celestia, and the foyer looked bright and busy instead of dark and cavernous. Several people stared curiously at Zeph and Eve, but Zeph didn’t stop to introduce her to anyone.

  “Everybody knows everybody, so they’re all curious about you, but I don’t want to overwhelm you with a million introductions,” Zeph explained, smiling and nodding at everyone they passed.

  “Thank you,” Eve whispered, feeling overwhelmed anyway.

  “They’re also staring because you’re the most beautiful girl they’ve ever seen.” Zeph winked and squeezed her fingers.

  Zeph led them into the sanctuary and towards the pew his family always occupied, but they were intercepted by a teary-eyed Amadeus who gasped and came rushing down the aisle towards them, arms outstretched in welcome.

  “Eve, Zephaniah! I can’t believe you’re here! This is so wonderful!” Amadeus grabbed the teens in a wide-armed embrace, drawing the eyes of the people around them. Eve blushed at the spectacle he was making, and Zeph pulled them out of the middle of the aisle and into a nearby pew.

  “Hi, Da…y,” Eve greeted her father, stumbling on the salutation. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to call him dad yet, or if he even wanted her to.

  “Oh Eve, it’s so nice to have you here, and you look so beautiful! I’m sorry I didn’t invite you myself. I just didn’t think. Thank you for bringing her, Zeph.”

  “I took her to meet Dominion yesterday, and he encouraged her to come.”

  Day nodded solemnly. “I need to meet with him, tell him about her. Did you already tell him I’m her father?”

  “Yeah, sorry. I probably should have asked you first.”

  “No, it’s fine. Saves me from having to do it. Dominion has always intimidated me, anyway. How did he take it?”

  “He was… excited. He was acting kind of weird, actually. I was a little worried about him.”

  “Well, he is getting up there. I wonder what will happen when he passes? He’s been the Dominion for as long as anyone can remember.”

  Zeph nodded, his eyes wide with wonder and worry, remembering Eve’s suspicions.

  The pianist began to play, and Day stretched his neck to scan the congregation. “Are you and Eve sitting with your family, Zeph?”

  “Uh, yeah, we were planning on it.” Zeph looked to Eve for confirmation and raised his eyebrows in a silent question. When she nodded, he asked, “Would you like to sit with us today?”

  Day’s mouth split wide in a smile, and he nodded enthusiastically. “I’d love to, if that’s okay.”

  The three made their way over to Zeph’s family and filed in to the pew with Eve sandwiched between her boyfriend and father. It felt strange to have two men taking such important roles in her life all of a sudden. Zeph’s mother and sister offered her a quick wave from the other side of the pew, but there was no time for chatting.

  The congregation began to sing, and Eve found herself entranced by the beautiful h
armony, a choir of angelic voices floating on the music that swelled around her. A sense of peace enveloped her, and she wondered if this was anything like heaven.

  When the worship time had ended, Dominion Connan took the stage, looking considerably different from how he had looked the day before. His crisp gray suit hung loose on his wiry frame, but his shoes were shined, his tie was straight and perfectly knotted, and a matching blue handkerchief peeked from his suit’s breast pocket. Like yesterday, his little body vibrated with enthusiasm.

  The voice that emanated from him took Eve by surprise. Gone was the squeaky, anxious twitter of yesterday’s conversation, and in its place was the commandeering presence of a seasoned authoritarian.

  “Good morning, fine servants of the Lord Almighty! Today it is my honor to celebrate once again the sacraments of this community…”

  Eve watched in interest as Dominion confirmed two babies, announced someone’s first miracle, and recognized an engagement. Zeph had said that funerals and weddings were often a part of the ceremony, but Eve didn’t see any mention of either in the program she had been given for the day’s ceremony. According to the pamphlet, the service was almost over.

  Her nerves had settled a little bit, but she still worried about what would happen after the service. Would the other Celestia approach them when there was more time to talk? How was she going to explain who she was and where she came from? She wondered if Day would take over the introductions. That would be easier, if no less embarrassing.

  Dominion’s voice grew muffled as her thoughts began to wander until she noticed Zeph’s hold on her hand tightening. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye and saw tension stretching his face into a caricature. Startled, she focused her attention on what Dominion was saying and quickly found herself just as shocked as Zeph was.

  “My dear fellow Celestia, as you may have noticed, we have a special visitor in our midst today, a lovely young lady by the name of Eve Jones. While her name may be that of an average human, I can assure you she has every right to join this congregation as a full-fledged Celestia. Her father is our own esteemed Amadeus Cera.”

  A gasp and stuttering applause filled the sanctuary as every head swiveled, hoping for a glimpse of Eve and her father.

  “He’s not going to make me go up there, is he?” Eve’s voice was a shaky whisper, and her hand grew slick in Zeph’s.

  Zeph gulped and sucked in his lip as he stared at her with pitiful eyes. After the unexpected announcement, he was almost positive Dominion would do just that.

  “You may be wondering why Amadeus kept such a secret for so many years, but, in truth, he learned of her existence just a few days ago. The credit for her miraculous discovery lies solely on the shoulders of our beloved Zephaniah Arella.”

  Another murmur arose as heads turned once again in their direction.

  “Zephaniah, Eve, Amadeus, please rise and present yourselves to our congregation.”

  Eve squeaked as Dominion called her name, and she looked at Zeph with terror.

  “I’m so sorry, Eve!” Zeph whispered as he pulled her to her feet. He hoped she recognized his sincerity and would eventually forgive him. He should have realized something like this was bound to happen. The Celestia community was not one for keeping secrets.

  Day took Eve’s other hand and led the reluctant teenagers towards the podium. As they took the stage, Eve stared out at the large congregation and tried to convince herself it was just like a Mathlete event. She wobbled a little in her strappy high heels, and Zeph and Day steadied her on either side. She almost wished someone would ask her a math question. At least then she’d have something to think about besides the hundreds of people staring her down.

  “As I’m sure you all recall, Zephaniah was unique amongst our congregation. As the first double Divisa born in many years, our community had great expectations for his abilities. Many were dismayed when Zephaniah showed no immediate bend towards any one particular gifting; his name itself reiterates the hidden nature of his gift. It is my great pleasure, however, to announce that Zephaniah has indeed been gifted with an extraordinary talent, one that allowed him to recognize the true nature of Miss Jones, despite the ignorance of herself and her parents. Zephaniah’s gift is very rare; it has not been granted to any Celestia for many generations. In fact, the last Celestia who received this gift — the discernment of spirits… was me.”

  The congregation grew restless as Celestia turned to their neighbors in wonder and curiosity, questions and exclamations passed in whispers from ear to ear.

  Connan continued his speech, despite the audience’s rumblings. “No Celestia alive today was present at my own confirmation, so perhaps you are unaware that my own journey was quite similar to Zephaniah’s. It pained me to keep this knowledge a secret from you for all these years, but it was important that Zeph’s gift remain hidden until the proper time. I have led this community for almost a century, and my body has grown weak, despite the strength of my spirit. It is time for me to begin training my replacement. Celestia Divisa, I present to you Zephaniah Arella, Dominion Futura!”

  Zeph’s brain and body halted their mechanisms as the full meaning of Dominion Connan’s words sunk it. He was positive his heart had stopped beating, his blood had stopped pumping, and the only electrical current left flickering in his brain kept repeating the same inane thought over and over again — at least he’d bothered to wear a tie.

  A thunderous noise erupted across the congregation as Celestia abandoned their whispers in favor of full-voice reactions to the inconceivable news. Zeph’s own family gaped at each other in incredulity, but at least their responses seemed tinged with pride. Zeph was pretty sure the rest of the congregation felt differently.

  How could this community, which had repudiated him for 17 years, possibly accept him as their leader? Beyond that, how could Zeph, with all his insecurities and insufficiencies, ever be capable of leading them? Until a few days ago, Zeph thought he was the least of all Celestia, and now Dominion was calling him the greatest!

  His head turned towards Eve, and in her eyes he found assurance of every virtue that would be required of him. She beamed at him, and in her confidence he began to find his own. He squeezed her hand and realized that it was knowing her that had made the difference, that had turned an insecure teenager into someone capable of greater things.

  “Perhaps you will recall that many years past I had a wife, a woman who rivaled my talents in every way,” Dominion continued when the roar from the audience had settled back to a rumble. His eyes grew misty as he remembered the gracious woman who had stood by his side for so many years.

  “The role of Dominion is too challenging for one Celestia to fulfill alone. He of all Celestia requires a helpmate to guide and advise him, someone who also has heavenly discernment. Zephaniah, too, will require a partner, a woman capable of the greatest challenge a Celestia can undertake. That is why it is so fitting that Zephaniah’s power has come to light in the discovery of his own partner, Eve Jones, who has received the gift of discernment as well.”

  Another swell of astonishment swept the congregation, and this time Eve joined in the response. How could she possibly take a role of leadership in a community she had just learned existed?! Her whole body began to tremble as the crowd displayed their fervent surprise. It was Zeph’s turn to inspire her confidence, and he did so with a strong arm around her waist and the gentle pressure of his body at her side.

  “I guess this means you’re stuck with me.” His silly comment broke the dam of her anxiety, and she laughed, burying her face in his shoulder.

  Dominion Connan patted the air in front of him, trying to settle everyone down. “Now, now, fellow Divisa, I know this has come as quite a shock to you, but please do not begin to doubt your leader now. This eventual transfer of power was revealed to me years ago, and has been confirmed to me by the Almighty. I will personally train Eve and Zephaniah in this divine assignment until the day my body breathes its last
. On that day will this couple perform their first ceremony as Dominion, in honor of my funeral.”

  Zeph’s nerves relaxed a little at that announcement. At least he wouldn’t be expected to start performing right away. It would probably take years for Dominion to teach them everything and for his old but still-healthy body to finally give out.

  “Let us now rejoice together in one final song of praise as we usher in this new era!”

  Chapter 18

  Two Years Later

  “Ow!” Zeph yelped as his sister plucked an unruly hair from the underside of his eyebrow. She was practically sitting in his lap, perfecting every inch of his skin with tweezers, exfoliating scrub, and a tube of concealer.

  “You don’t want your out-of-control eyebrows distracting your bride-to-be from her vows, now, do you?”

  “God forbid.” Zeph rolled his eyes.

  Risse knew she was channeling her own frustrations into her brother’s appearance for the wedding, but she couldn’t seem to help it. She was happy for him; of course, she was. But that didn’t stop her belly from clenching with envy every time she saw Zeph and Eve living out their Cinderella love story.

  A giggle snuck out at the analogy — Zeph was the Cinderella in their version. He was the ugly duckling turned into a swan. Her brother had spent his whole life living in Risse’s shadow, so why did Risse feel so jealous that he was finally getting his moment in the sun? She wanted him to be happy, didn’t she? She just never expected him to find his destiny first.

  Risse was the beautiful one, the popular one, the one that everyone loved; so why was she still waiting to find her own soulmate? Her mother kept saying that someday her prince would come, but Risse wondered if maybe he already had, and she’d just rejected him. She thought of all the boys who’d asked her out, and all the ones she’d turned down without a second thought. If Prince Charming did show up, would she have enough sense to recognize him?