Her shoulders relaxed a bit. Demons don’t build things. They destroy them.
Yes, demons usually came through the portal in a group of three, but there was no way the three men could be demons. The dark creatures would have slaughtered the old man and woman, killed their animals, and watched the forest burn to flames. They wouldn’t be dusting flour off of an old woman’s face, carrying plates, and helping two people obviously in need of it.
“So nothing weird happened here a few weeks ago then?”
James shrugged. “There was a weird storm. It came out of nowhere! But other than that, nah, nothing weird. Why do you ask?”
Does the storm have anything to do with the demons who entered this realm around that time? Most of the time when demons came nearby angels simply sensed the disturbance. But she had heard of times when a freak storm would come with their arrival. It had something to do with magic, but what, she wasn’t sure.
Stiffening, she realized that everyone was staring at her, waiting for her to answer. “Walking through those woods got me a little... spooked.”
Abigale laughed, reassured her, and started to tell another story.
She felt Daniel’s eyes on her, but refused to look at him. Who cared if he was suspicious of her? Tomorrow she’d been gone and none of their opinions would matter.
Actually, I should probably go today. If they don’t have information for me, this is just wasted time. Despite herself, she couldn’t imagine leaving so soon.
Which bothered her.
They finished dinner, and the three big men picked up the table. Daniel washed dishes while Tristan swept. Mark sat down with papers covered in scribbles at the table, and hummed.
“We best get to sleep,” Abigale said, winking at her husband. “Let me show you your room.”
The woman led her down a narrow hallway and opened a door to a room that had obviously been a girl’s room at some point. Abigale turned on the light and moved in slowly. She touched a doll sitting on a shelf and wrapped one hand along one of the posters of the bed.
“This room is lovely,” Surcy said, overwhelmed by the strangest sense of sadness.
Abigale nodded. “It was our daughter’s.”
Surcy sensed the woman’s need to speak and chose her words with care. “She doesn’t live here anymore?”
The woman looked up, light brown eyes filled with sadness. “She disappeared over fifteen years ago. One minute she was playing in the field, and then... just gone.”
Surcy moved forward and came to stand next to her. “I’m so sorry.”
Immediately, her mind went to the place the two realms met. She was actually surprised that these people weren’t completely riddled with unhappiness. A house this close to where the human realm and demon realm met was dangerous. Even though few demons managed to climb all the many levels of the demon realm, some did. And they’d immediately create chaos. She wasn’t sure if their location was the catalyst for their daughter’s disappearance ... or if an evil human had crossed paths with her.
But, she guessed, the reason didn’t really matter. Losing a child and having no answers was a horror she wouldn’t wish on her greatest enemy.
The older woman shook herself after a moment. “That was a long time ago. This house was quiet and empty for too long, but now we have the boys, and I doubt we’ll ever be lonely again with them here.”
Surcy smiled. “They do seem... kind.”
Those pale brown eyes locked onto her again. “They’re more than kind. They’re a blessing sent straight from God himself.”
Surcy nodded, unsure what to say.
“Well,” the old woman turned and headed for the door. “There’s some clothes in the closet. It's James’ old stuff, but you might find something that you can sleep in. The bathroom through that door also connects to the boys’ room.”
“Thank you.”
“Goodnight,” Abigale said, then smiled. “And James and I sleep like rocks. No need to worry that we’ll hear anything tonight.”
Surcy's cheeks warmed. What did this woman think, that a woman with a broken down car was going to spend her night in the arms of three hot farmers?
She froze. There must be something wrong with me, because I can’t think of a better way to spend my night.
Chapter Three
After the old woman left, Surcy felt strangely filled with energy. Going to her door, she lingered there listening to the sound of Mark’s humming. Tristan swept without looking up, his expression strangely peaceful, and she could hear Daniel washing dishes in the sink.
She needed to leave. These people seemed to have had a hard life. Things were finally going well, and she didn’t want to bring trouble to their doorstep.
Even though being here makes me feel... human, I have to keep going. She lingered for a minute longer. Her heart ached. For some reason, everything hit her at once. She missed her family. She missed having a future, falling in love, and experiencing life.
There was suddenly something very sad about being dead, and this place had reminded her of that.
She felt tears sting her eyes. Tears? She pushed the emotions away. Being an angel meant not feeling these things.
I need to get out of here!
Taking a deep breath, she headed back for the kitchen.
The three men looked up as she entered.
“Did you need something?” Mark asked, his question hesitant.
“I’m just going to get some air.”
Daniel snorted. “Enjoy your air.”
Mark ran a hand through his short, dark hair, and shook his head. “Ignore him. He gets grumpy when he doesn’t get a nap.”
She laughed, and the sound surprised her. When was the last time I laughed?
The men glanced at her as if they too hadn’t expected her response.
“It was nice having you here,” Tristan said, watching her closely.
It’s as if they all know I’m leaving.
“Thanks, but I—“
An explosion of thunder shook the house and lightning lit the sky behind the curtains. A vibration moved through her body, causing every hair to stand on end.
Magic!
Running for the door, she threw it open. The sky was filled with lightning that split the sky over and over again. Thunder rolled around them, and a strong wind had picked up. It slashed at her face, sending her dark hair whipping around.
She sensed the men behind her. Turning, she shouted over the noise. “Stay here!”
Even the big men would be no match for whatever had brought the chaos. Perhaps a demon with magic.
The thought chilled her. Demons didn’t lose their powers in death and a demon warlock would be a very powerful adversary.
She moved toward the location where the two realms met and froze. What in the hell?
Low level demons prowled out of the woods. Like massive, red hell-hounds they sniffed and pawed at the ground. There must have been... dozens of them, and they were all slowly heading toward the farmhouse.
“This isn’t possible,” she whispered to herself.
And it wasn’t. At least she didn’t think so. Low level demons couldn’t pass between worlds without being destroyed, not unless they had the help of a powerful being. Even then, she couldn’t think of a time when she’d ever heard of dozens of them being unleashed onto mankind.
I might not survive this, but I have to protect humanity.
Suddenly, the three men were at her side.
Tristan spoke, his voice soft. “If we all fight, there might be a chance of saving the Arthurs.”
She turned to him. Why wasn’t he scared? “They’re stronger than they look. None of you with survive this.”
His mismatched eyes focused on her. “Do you trust us?”
She stiffened. “No, I don’t know you.”
“We can fight amongst ourselves or team up to fight them. But we need your trust.”
The demons crept closer. She caught their horrible scent in the ai
r, like that of rotting bodies. Her heart sped up. What would it be like to be torn to pieces by them? Yes, she’d be reborn again, but death was always painful.
“Surcy?” he repeated her name, his gaze growing tense.
There’s something about these men. I’ve felt it from the beginning. Perhaps if they aren’t scared of the demons... they aren’t human. What are they? Vampire. Werewolf. Warlock. It didn’t actually matter, if they could help her save the Arthurs.
“All right,” she whispered.
Her soul-blade materialized in her hand, like an extension of herself. All angels wielded soul-blades that could glow with light in the darkness. The demons’ eyes locked onto her. She gripped her hilt tighter, preparing for battle, knowing the odds were against them.
Surcy stood with the three men, and then, dark blades lit with fire appeared in their hands.
Demons? The word caught in her mind.
It wasn’t possible! If they were Level Ten demons, she had no chance against three of them. That wasn't even considering the hoard of lower level demons. She and the Arthurs were doomed!
And yet, the three men weren’t facing her. They were looking at the hoard, determination in their gazes.
They’re fighting on my side?
A hound leapt at her. Her focus shifted, and she lashed out with her sword, slicing its head from its body. The attack came like a force of nature. Like a hurricane, even as the wind picked up, swirling around them.
She killed and killed, as did the demons beside her. The three moved with the skill of fighters, hacking down the lower level demons without hesitation. She was aware of them somewhere in the back of her mind. And when a hound locked onto her wrist, she wasn’t surprised when Tristan killed it.
Somehow, fighting with demons at her side made sense.
Which is crazy.
When the last hound fell, they stared across the farm and into the shadowy forest.
“Is that all?” she asked, shouting above the wind.
Mark looked back at her. “Something let them in. We’ve sensed an angel in the woods these past few weeks—"
An angel could do this. But why would one?
“An angel wouldn’t do this,” she said, but her heart was racing.
She looked at the man, covered in blood, his expression guarded. He looked... almost afraid.
“It’s over though... right?”
Mark moved to her, and touched her chin in the gentlest way imaginable. “This was done for a reason. Leave. Please. If you see the wrong thing, they might not let you be reborn.”
I could die... for good? Her stomach twisted.
But can I keep living without knowing the truth? “No. I need to know.”
Mark held her gaze. “Are you sure this is what you want?”
Am I? “Yes.”
He dropped his hand, his expression hesitant. “Then, we’ll do our best to keep you safe.”
Emotions rolled through her. Why did these demons care so much about her? Weren’t they... enemies? Or is this a trap?
They took off toward the woods. She followed, feeling uncertain.
When they reached the clearing, the opening between worlds was visible—pulled and held open by a force unlike anything she could imagine. The large doorway moved strangely, as if made of water. A woman with dark hair stood in the center of it, banging on it with her fists, her expression wild.
As her eyes locked onto them, she mouthed the words, “Help me!”
“It’s the farmer’s daughter,” Mark said, rushing forward.
Impossibly fast, Daniel grabbed the back of his shirt and yanked him back. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“What do you think? I’m going to get her out of there!”
Daniel shook his head. “No, you’re not. Besides, you don’t even know it’s her.”
Mark shoved the larger man’s hand off of him and pushed his glasses higher on the bridge of his nose. “She looks exactly like the pictures of Abigale when she was young. You and I both know it’s her.”
Daniel took a step closer, something dangerous flashing in his eyes. “If you go in there, you can’t escape, you’ll be trapped. Maybe forever.”
“Listen—“
“No, you listen!” Daniel shoved at the other man’s chest. “This whole thing screams of a fucking trap. Maybe that’s her. Maybe it isn’t. But either way, you’ll go in there over my dead body.”
Mark’s words came, soft but certain. “We can’t just leave her in there. We all know that.” And then even quieter, he added. “They have a chance to be reunited as a family, but not without our help. We don’t have a choice.”
Surcy’s hands curled into fists. Or we can save her and keep all of you out of the demon realm. “The answers pretty simple. I’ll go. I’m the only one of us who can pass safely between realms.”
They all turned and looked at her in shock.
“Uh,” Daniel cleared his throat. “Isn’t your whole job to send us back to that hell-hole?”
She raised a brow. “Are you trying to get me to rethink my decision?”
A smirk curled Daniel’s lips, and he opened his mouth as if to answer, but Tristan spoke first. “It’s too dangerous. We don’t know who, or what, set this up, but we won’t risk you. I’ll go.”
She ignored him and moved forward.
Tristan caught her arm. “I said I’ll go.”
And I’ll just what, watch you disappear from the human realm forever? The thought made her heart twist.
She raised her hand without thinking and pushed his hair back from his face, leaving her fingertips tingling. “It’ll cost me nothing. Please, just trust me.”
For a second his grip tightened, and then he let her go.
Moving cautiously forward, she took a deep breath, feeling three sets of eyes on her. She’d never travelled into the demon-realm before. She’d been told it was easy, similar to teleporting, but that taking humans between realms was very, very difficult.
At least without killing them.
Part of her was afraid. If she messed up, a human would lose her life because of Surcy’s failure. But the idea of leaving the woman in a place meant as punishment made her stomach twist.
I have to save her.
So do it.
With one last deep breath, she stepped into the demon realm.
It felt like escaping from a bubble. One minute she was in the dark woods, the next in a world so bright it hurt her eyes. This level of the demon-realm was entirely white, with white plants and trees growing among hills covered in caves.
The Arthur’s daughter stepped back, her eyes wide. She was covered in a thick layer of white, like everything in the demon realm, and tears streaked down her cheeks. “Can you help me get home? I got lost, and I haven’t been able to get back.”
She sounded so young and frightened that it tore at Surcy’s heart. Holding out her hand, she felt relieved when the woman took it.
“I can take you home, through this doorway, but you can’t let go of my hand. Okay?”
The young woman nodded, her grip tightening on Surcy’s hand. “Will it hurt?”
I don’t know. “I don’t think so. But it’ll be over quickly.”
A tremble went through the woman’s body, but she nodded.
Taking another deep breath, she gathered her energy, funnelling it through her hand and into the woman. She imagined the Arthurs getting their daughter back after so long, and the sad child’s bedroom filled with laughter once more. Her power grew in strength. I’ll keep her safe, no matter what I have to do.
It’s now or never.
Stilling herself, she stepped into the portal, praying that she was doing the right thing.
Crossing over took longer this time. It made her feel strange, like her head was light, and her body was being pulled and stretched too far. She felt the woman slipping from her grip, and she held the hand more tightly, channelling more of her strength into the human.
&nbs
p; And then, they broke free of the demon-realm.
She was instantly in Daniel’s arms. His eyes were wide. “Are you all right?”
Her soul-blade faded as she sagged against him. “I—I didn’t know it’d feel like that.”
To her shock, he leaned down and brushed a kiss against her lips. “I never imagined an angel would risk herself like that for a human.”
Her mouth tingled, her breath caught in her throat. “It’s my job.”
He shook his head. “No. It’s you. Surcy. You’re different...”
“We need to get out of here,” Tristan said.
She glanced toward him. He held the farmer’s daughter in his arms, and he looked frightened.
“What’s coming now?” She asked, almost afraid to know the answer.
Tristan locked gazes with her. “The angels. They want to see if their trap worked.”
She stared confused. “I don’t understand.”
“The attack. The woman. An angel knew we wouldn’t be able to help ourselves. That we’d use our soul-blades to help the farmers, and give ourselves away, and that one of us would step through the portal to save the woman.”
“No,” she shook her head. “Angels don’t risk the lives of humans to set up traps for demons.”
He tilted his head, his mismatched eyes filled with emotion. “I can’t decide if your innocence is annoying or endearing.”
Before she could respond, Daniel picked her up, cradling her in his arms. She barely had a second to grasp his shirt before they started running. Glancing over his shoulder, she saw the place the realms met vanished. She felt its power fade, and the sky calmed in an instant.
I don’t understand what’s happening, but if angels were coming, I’d know. I’d—
And then, the sound came, like a flurry of feathers in the back of her mind. She winced as the invasive feeling sent every muscle in her body tightening. The sound grew louder. Until it was hard for her to breathe.
Angels are coming. A lot of them.
Gritting her teeth, she silenced the connection between her and them. Her mind went still, but even still she could feel them in the distance, drawing nearer.
Mates of the Realms: The Complete Collection: A Paranormal Reverse Harem Box Set Page 74
