Ash lounged against Devil. “A hot blood monster.”
I nearly tripped over my own feet, whilst Purah sniggered.
Quinn’s deep, musical voice was as beautiful as his rainbow arcs: Jahael’s death had broken the spell that bound his speech. His eyes glittered with tears that he refused to shed, as he met my gaze.
Then I was clutching and spinning him in a mad tangle, dragging him to the floor.
“Thank you,” Quinn whispered into my hair, with a kiss.
I’d suffered nightmares over my mistake of teaching Ash’s sisters to speak, and now it was like a dream to hear Quinn’s words.
“By all the saints, if we’re onto the kissing already…” Rebel dived on top of me, smothering my crimson face in kisses. “If I’m not off your List of Asses to Kick now, I’m resigning myself to having my arse kicked.”
“Your arse is safe: you’ll never be on my list again,” I promised.
Rebel grinned, wrapping his wings around me.
Halflings, phoenixes, vampires, angels, and Seraphim jumped into the feathery, furry pile: I didn’t need glory or power.
I needed my fam.
I blinked up at the two angels who were awkwardly standing on the edge of the celebration like the geek kids at the party, with whom nobody danced: Mischief and Drake.
“Get your angelic arses into snuggle mode,” I commanded.
Mischief cleared his throat, before nudging Drake. “We’re injured.”
I eyed his shoulder, which was no longer ice shanked. “And I’m not a scarlet pin cushion…?” I winced as I raised my arms; Mischief winced too. “What happened to the shank in your shoulder?”
Mischief shrugged. “Funny thing about ice: it melts.”
“How’s your barbecued back?” I was desperate to touch Drake’s charred skin and trace the evidence of his bravery.
Why wouldn’t he let me hold him?
Drake shifted, avoiding my eye. “Funny thing about Mischief,” he pushed the curls out of his eyes, “he healed me.”
“Then enough of this shy boy routine. I need you.”
Mischief and Drake exchanged a look, before diving on top of me.
Oomph — I startled, whilst Rebel rolled away.
Mischief and Drake’s delighted laughter — something that I’d heard so rarely unrestrained — filled me with both sorrow and a determination to make it ring out just as loud and as often as I could. I twisted between them, pushing back a stray curl, stroking over their wings, and stealing kisses like promises.
A polite cough.
I looked up at Gabriel — the new Emperor — who was imperiously peering down at us, as we writhed shamelessly on his Holy Audience Chamber floor.
At least, I was shameless.
“Sister, we have an audience.” He glanced around at the vampires.
I grinned, waving at them. A couple of the vampires grinned and waved back.
Gabriel pinked.
I shrugged. “Fangs are big on orgies; they’ll break into one themselves any moment.”
Lucifer giggled as he sprawled with his back to the divan. “Now there’s an idea.”
Anael booted Lucifer. “No teasing the Emperor: he bites.”
Gabriel’s scent wafted across me: it’s amber musk that stirred my desire to treasure and protect. I understood now that that it was his defense.
Blaze rubbed his ears against Gabriel’s leg. “Get your haughty backside down here.”
Gabriel fought his way over the giggling, wrestling blokes to push his way next to me, snuggling down between Mischief and Rebel. I wiped my fingers across a smudge of blood beneath his eye, and he turned to kiss my hand. Then he pulled me close, holding hard to the back of my head, whilst he shook. The tremors ran through me, as if they were mine.
At last, he pulled back, and I murmured into his ear, “I saw your message that day by the lake. And I do love you.”
Gabriel’s gaze met mine like we were alone; I knew that he was reading the truth of my declaration. Then he nodded, steeling himself before he drew back.
“The Gateways are open to you,” he said, rehearsed and strained, “as they are to the fae, Fallen, Acolytes, and those who Istafil transformed. You may choose any time, universe or world to travel to or…you may stay here and rebuild this realm with me.”
Hell, his hopefulness could’ve cracked hearts.
Gabriel turned away his head, screwing shut his eyes, when I crawled out of the comfortable nest of bodies and struggled to my feet. “I’m not a tyrant to make that kind of decision for you all. We still haven’t saved the Wings in Angel World or… I’m Protector to everyone still. But freedom means having choice.”
“Here’s the thing,” Rebel smiled as he too shuffled forward, “choice can be given away, if it’s willing.”
When he dropped to his knee in front of me, my heart clenched.
Ash knelt next to him, meeting my gaze. “Where you go, Violet, so do I.”
I wrapped my arms around myself, as one by one each member of my family knelt before me, until only Anael and Mischief still stood beside Gabriel.
Mischief’s gaze was agonized as it met mine. I didn’t even let him speak. “He’s your bro, you stay here with him.”
Mischief nodded, slipping his arm around Gabriel.
Anael lounged back with a snort. “And I’m your brother. I go with you but I don’t kneel to Glories.”
I stared out at my family, kneeling before me and waiting on my answer.
To take them — anywhere — in the worlds or time, freeing them from the dangers of this realm. Or to remain and help Gabriel rebuild his empire…?
“I don’t abandon fam.” I smiled at Gabriel and Mischief. “It looks like we have a new Emperor to crown. After that…you’re free from the Gilded Cage. Why not go walking amongst humans with us? Our adventures in other worlds are always epic.”
Gabriel’s face lit up with his sun-like smile; it warmed me with the certainty that no matter the dangers ahead, I wouldn’t regret the choice.
Then my blokes were leaping up in excitement, chattering out plans for the coronation, parties, and military strategy.
I grinned, flaming Godmaker through the air towards Gabriel. “You’ll be needing this, Emperor.” Gabriel startled as he caught Godmaker. “He belonged to your mum and he’s consumed your dad’s power. You’re the top boss here; you’re the one who should wield her.”
Gabriel turned the weapon thoughtfully in his hands, whilst it growled.
I looked around at the cracked walls and smashed tiles from the domed roof.
My family was safe, alive, and free.
Who knew what would happen or how long it’d take to resettle the unbound fae and vampires, as well as to establish Gabriel’s authority in such an unstable and dangerous court…?
After, I’d keep my promises to Angel World and beyond.
For now, the touch of Rebel’s pinkie, as he reached to link it between mine, was enough.
There were more supernatural creatures and realms than I’d ever imagined: I’d not even begun to explore them. And they hadn’t even begun to discover the Fallen God.
I hauled Rebel to his feet and spun him, as a new dawn broke over a freed realm of gods and monsters.
Whatever our next adventures in these magical worlds, they’d be legendary.
The End
Watch out for the next installment in the spin-off series from Rebel Angels: REBEL WEREWOLVES.
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Author Note
Thank you for reading to the grand finale of REBEL ANGELS! I love this series. I hope you do too!
As always, it means the world to me when you recommend, review, and pass on by word of mouth about my books because this is how they reach new readers. I’m totally grateful for everything you do.
When I began this series, I knew the ending and the exciting re
demptive journey that I’d be taking Violet on with J… I hoped that you’d love Violet and her family with the same fierceness as I love them!!
After all, nobody’s perfect :)
My next series is a shifter paranormal reverse harem and is set in the same Rebel Verse as Rebel Angels: the REBEL WEREWOLVES trilogy.
There’ll be new characters who I’m epically excited for you to meet…and some familiar ones from Rebel Angels both in this trilogy and the series after that *eek*
Rebel Werewolves is the trilogy that I’ve been desperate to write for about five years. I hope you’re excited about diving into another supernatural world with me!
Thanks, you’re awesome - my Rebel family :)
Rosemary A Johns
Until the werewolves arrive, how about meeting the REBEL VAMPIRES?
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Read Blood Gods Now
Versailles gave a sharp yank, and our faces were suddenly close. Versailles' breath gusted against my mouth. He was so sinfully beautiful that even now it made me gasp.
"You must bow before the Blood God, but I'll pardon you, if you refuse to bow before me," he whispered. "Do you know how rare it is for me to be surprised and yet rarer to find anyone who won't submit? It's been a delectable treat to be hunted for once and how much more delectable it'll be when we hunt together."
I panted, as my fangs ached to descend...to hunt at the side of this powerful vampire as an equal.
Every human in the café stank of blood. I craved to savage.
Versailles chuckled. "See? We're the same." Versailles lowered a single fang, slicing his tongue. I arched at the scent: rich and ancient. Versailles' eyes promised pain and punishment, yet he purred, "My child."
Then he pulled me closer, offering his lips and blood to seal the bargain...
Escape into Light’s adventures in BLOOD GODS, a Rebel Vampires standalone, Book One in the Rebel Legends series.
About the Author
ROSEMARY A JOHNS is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning fantasy author, music fanatic, and paranormal anti-hero addict. She writes sexy angels, savage vampires, and epic battles.
Winner of the Silver Award in the National Wishing Shelf Book Awards. Finalist in the IAN Book of the Year Awards. Runner-up in the Best Fantasy Book of the Year, Reality Bites Book Awards. Honorable Mention in the Readers’ Favorite Book Awards.
Shortlisted in the International Rubery Book Awards.
Rosemary is also a traditionally published short story writer. She studied history at Oxford University and ran her own theater company. She’s always been a rebel…
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