Shadows and Sorcery: A Collection of Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance Novels

by Adkins, Heather Marie

  “Paige. You’ve been gone three months.”

  I could feel the blood leave my face and body at his words. Gone three months swirled around and around in my head until those three words made me dizzy.

  A roaring deep in my head almost made his next words untellable, “where have you been?”

  Closing my eyes, I bent over at my waist my knees almost folded in half as I tried not to faint as I tried to process his words.

  “Paige.” This time he sounded impatient.

  So much for my feeling faint. The upper half of my body whipped up and my eyes narrowed to glare at him. “You're feeling impatient Caine? Really? I just found out I’ve been gone three months and to me only a few hours have passed so if you don’t mind,” I paused dramatically for a moment before continuing, “if I take a few minutes to process that fact. Dammit! It’s only been a few hours.”

  Whispering those last words, I turned away from him to stand and stare at the falls my hands clenched at my sides. I needed to keep my cool and not lose it. A childish tantrum wouldn’t help anything right now and did I want to cry and scream. It had only been a few hours. Not months. I could not imagine how worried Mom was! I had to go see her.

  I turned back asking Caine as I hurried away from the falls, “Did you walk or take a car?”

  Leaves crunching behind me I didn’t wait for him to answer but almost ran through the forest my thoughts not on the beauty around me. The trees harboring fall leaves, the startled face of a doe as I passed. The songs and trills of the songbirds and complaining caws of the indignant ravens and crows.

  Running faster and faster until I almost thought I was flying I was moving so fast. The needles from the tall conifers whizzed past my face as I ran. Wait. Slowing down I glanced about noticing I was surrounded by the tops of the tree’s sunlight peeking through the slight spaces between the trees.

  Looking down I expected to see my moving feet instead I saw my moving feet and the ground. The leaf-covered ground not under my feet but far below. In shock I stopped all movement and began to fall the ground rushing at me so fast I would have hit if Caine hadn’t flown up to catch me.

  His strong arms wrapped around me catching me just before I splatted on the ground and I watched his black wings move back and forth with slow strokes.

  I remembered my own wings that must have appeared and tried to turn my head backwards to see what they looked like and my back muscles working and my wings moved in conjunction. I could see the long tips of blue-black feathers. The same color as my hair.

  I hadn’t even noticed when we settled back on the ground, I was so fascinated by what I could see of my wings. Caine released me and I stumbled back a few steps my mind and eyes still on the wings I could feel slowly move back and forth as they fluttered.

  Wings. I had wings. Blue-black wings. Not being able to get that thought out of my mind, excitement filled me as I turned myself this way and that trying to see as much of my back as I could. As far as I could tell my shirt appeared to naturally make a hole for the thick base that held the wings up.

  Needing to see more I swiveled back to Caine impatiently turning him so I could look at his coal-black wings the same color as his dreadlocks. I assumed Devlin’s would be dark blond like his hair.

  My hand reached out my fingers tracing from the top of the base of the wings where the feathers ended to his back where they started. A sharp intake of breath from Caine made me raise my face up to observe his to see his eyes closed and face twisted in ecstasy.

  Power surged through me as I watched the play of emotions cross his face as my fingers played around the base of his wings, my palms spanning the area my fingers unable to meet at the thick trunk of muscle and veins the dark skin still soft and supple.

  As Caine’s face went back to desire as if this was an erogenous zone my heart rate sped up and I could feel my face reddening with my ramped-up blood pressure. I craved spending more time with him but I still had to see my mother and let her know I was all right.

  Stepping away from him my hand still upraised from touching the base of his wings my fingers still itched to continue stroking the area. I cleared my throat loud, “I still need to see Mom and make sure she knows I’m okay.” I graveled out my voice hoarse as if there were rocks filling my throat.

  He nodded his face as blank as a sheet of unlined paper.

  “How do I get rid of these?” I asked as I gazed behind me my wings fluttering lightly. I could feel my back muscles conflicting with the new demands being made of them.

  Caine cleared his throat his eyes dead and stony as he instructed, “you concentrate. Almost as if you were going to create an illusion. See them disappearing in your mind.”

  Closing my eyes, I could feel my face scrunching as I concentrated on the wings going back to the way they were before.

  “You did it.” Were the praising words that filled my ears.

  Snapping my eyes open I peered behind me and sure enough the wings were gone although I kind of missed them already.

  “Where’s your car?” Wanting to hurry I started walking fast again not gazing back to see where Caine was.

  “Over that way.” He responded. I couldn’t see where that way was so I pivoted fast to find myself facing his chest. I was tall but he was a mountain of an angel.

  His arm pointed to the left opposite of the way I was headed. “Why didn’t you tell me.” My lips flattened into a thin line as I blew out such a force of air through my nose as I bit the inside of my cheek hard to keep from saying anything I would regret in a few minutes.

  Raising his eyebrows as he smirked at me, he began walking in the right direction as I stumbled behind him cursing him under my breath sending him death glares.

  Only a few minutes later a big jacked up black truck came into view from behind a bend of trees. Well of course he would have a car like this. He had so many why not a truck that would be beyond noticeable.

  Hurrying to the passenger side of the truck, knowing he wouldn’t let me drive this immaculate machine, I pulled on the door opener four times unsuccessfully pivoting to glare at him with my hip jutted out a deep sigh escaping me.

  The attractive smirk on his full lips with a self-satisfied spark in his bright eyes had me wanting to throw a punch at him or kiss him I couldn’t decide. But I wasn’t about to tell him that.

  Holding up the key fob he clicked the door open with flourish holding his arm out wide as I jerked the door open, a deep frown wrinkling between my eyebrows, as I scooted into the passenger seat slamming the door closed crossing my arms over my chest as I waited.

  Slowly he pulled his door open, sliding his big body under the steering wheel his competent fingers flipping the key on and starting the engine. Roaring the large engine, I rolled my eyes as he grinned at me with a sudden boyish charm. Were angels ever boys? Frowning again I considered the question as I slipped a sideways glance at Caine as he concentrated on maneuvering the truck safely out of the woods. I didn’t think so. I think God just made them as they were. All works of art as I imagined Caine without clothes. That made me smile and then consider him out of the corner of my eye with salacious intent.

  Switching from statue to man my heart rate kicked up as I saw his hands touching me. Stroking me and as I squeezed my eyes closed, I tried to make my mind a blank slate as I tried to get that image out. When that didn’t work, I tried to think of something I couldn’t stand. Cucumbers. Well that certainly didn’t help.

  Leaning my head back against the plush seat my eyes still closed considering what might happen when I got home. Three months. I bet Mom was hysterical and Ben confused. Shifting, unease making me unable to sit still even with as tired as I was, I was so worried.

  Blinking I studied Caine through half closed eyes rubbing my cheek against the backrest, settling my cheek against my shoulder as I slumped in the seat the harness holding me up trying to think of what I would tell my mother. I didn’t want to worry her so much and tell her about Lucifer’s
plans for me.

  “What?” Caine growled.

  Lifting a hand, I buried it under my cheek trying to think of what I would say to him. “I don’t understand your question.”

  “I can hear you thinking it’s so loud.” He shot a quick glance at me as he maneuvered the truck through the trails and non-trails.

  Untitled

  My eyes traveled over the large room; my memory slowly started to come back to me. Amy and Caine. I remembered coming back to their house and having sandwiches and watching a movie.

  Then I remembered the dream I had, thinking about it made me blush. Caine, of course, had been the star and main attraction. In my memories I watched as he removed his shirt, his body strong and hard, his muscles well-defined. His smile twisted into a sexy smirk with one side of his mouth in a slight smile. His hazel eyes had a blue glow to them as if they were a part of the deep ocean.

  My breath coming fast and hard with my imagination exploring all possibilities. I shook my head to get out of it. I didn’t have time for this not knowing what time it was. I needed my phone. it could still be early or late and there was lots to be done I was sure. We had no idea where or when demons would attack next.

  I still had no idea what time it was when I got here last night or early this morning so I hadn’t seen how huge this house was until I got inside and saw everything they had in here.

  Well, not everything, but this house was a frickin’ mansion. I supposed if you lived here on this earth forever, you’d make a few lifetimes of fortunes.

  But this was also a home. It wasn’t only a showplace it was loved and lived in. The furniture wasn’t only for showing. As I looked at the furniture around me it looked antique. At least a couple hundred years old.

  There was a knock at the door, “Come in.”

  Amy stuck her upper body around the door happiness surrounding her like a cloak. “Ready for eats?”

  I nodded with enthusiasm, and the rest of her body appeared carrying a tray filled with different kinds of breakfast items. The fresh fruit were what caught my eye.

  She set the tray down beside me and picked up a small plate to begin piling food on it.

  Looks like buffet to me.

  Sitting in a wide upholstered chair in gold tones, Amy curled her legs underneath herself and gazed at me with a raised eyebrow pointedly staring at the tray of food.

  Getting the unsubtle hint, I wrapped the sheet and comforter around me to lean forward, and, after taking a plate, took servings of a variety of fruit. I was a self-proclaimed fruitaholic. That was a thing, right?

  Watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries, mango - I loved it all and immediately made a pig out of myself. Knowing I should eat daintier like Amy but it was not in me. Mom was always scolding me for not eating or doing other things like a lady.

  As we ate, I kept giving her sideways glances to see how she was doing with her food intake. Doing pretty well I could see.

  We still hadn’t spoken, only eating in a companionable silence. “So, Dad thinks you need some training.”

  “You think?” Fluffing the pillow, I laid back to have a let the pillow hit me square in the face.

  “Ow.” Rubbing my nose, I didn’t move from my comfortable position.

  “Yeah, he said you held your own with your balls of fire.” She smirked. “But with the sudden influx of demons, he wants you to learn to bring out your sword and more about how to do your delusions.”

  My heart pounded with the thought about having my own sword and​ I jumped up to hurry and get​ dressed. I’d have my own sword. How cool was that?

  Pulling clothes from my bag, black yoga pants and a stretch bra under baggy black t shirt.

  “I’m going to grab a quick shower; I feel so grungy.” Racing to the bathroom I made fast work of my shower and changing.

  As I went back into the bedroom, finishing pulling my pants up I sat on the edge of the bed to put my boots on and grill Amy more.

  She sat sipping on a coffee cup. Not a mug like what I would use, but an actual coffee cup. Wait.

  Where had the coffee come from? I hadn’t smelled it earlier and I would have.

  I glared at her with an accusing glare but she only had an innocent expression and waved an indolent hand and a mug of coffee appeared on a tray next to me. Black with a touch of cream. Even the way I liked it.

  “Angels of Love have different abilities.” She smirked, and I closed my eyes in bliss at the bitter goodness.

  “So, when and where do we get started?” I wasn’t subtle about my impatience either.

  “My dad is going to call yours to have him come over and teach you about the delusions you can do. How to make them real and how not to. When you’re fighting, convincing the enemy that make believe is real is an asset. A real asset. Come on. You’re dressed, let’s go downstairs.” Amy stood up in a non-nonsense way and I followed her out the door.

  * * *

  In the huge living room, I immediately went to the wide sliding glass door and let fresh air and early morning sun in. There still a chill to the cold air I breathed in. Stepping outside onto the large redwood octagon-shaped deck, I waited for Amy to get Caine.

  It was with anticipation that I waited for them to come. I had learned a lot on my own through trial and error but it would be helpful to learn more if someone could teach me what I could and could not do.

  “Let’s get started, girls. Paige, I also want to see what you can do fighting wise,” Caine’s deep voice interrupted my musings.

  Shivering as the timbre of his voice snaked up and down my spine, I still answered him with confidence, even though I might not be feeling it anymore. “I have an advanced degree in Israeli fighting.”

  “That’s all good but what about fighting demons?” He smiled with satisfaction that he had outmaneuvered me.

  He wasn’t standing too far from me so I pivoted sharply and thrust my leg out behind me into Caine’s knee making him fall forward.

  Completing my pivot, I jumped high into the air and hit him with the soles of both feet into his back before falling back to the ground, landing upright. While Caine ended up with his face eating the deck.

  He jumped up; his fists clenched at his sides. “the only reason you were able to take me down was by surprise.”

  “Isn’t that the point of this training? I’m not going to be able to beat demons with only hours or days of training, so I’ll have to do surprise attacks if I can.”

  Caine nodded in agreement as he considered what I said, weighing my options. “Dev and I’ll train you as much as we can to see what your abilities actually are. And how quick a learner you are.”

  “Oh, you’ll see about that all right.” I grinned broadly in anticipation of showing him what I would be able to do. I wasn’t some quivering fluke. Well I would show him.

  “Let’s get started on a few things until Dev gets here to teach you about delusions.” Caine clapped his hands together with a sharp crack like a rifle shooting before bending down with arms spread wide apart.

  With a thin smile, I stayed standing waiting for his first movement. I didn’t have long to wait.

  A fast move, he was at me in less than a second but I was ready for him, spinning at the same time I dropped to the ground my leg out as straight as a board. But he knew what my moves were before I completed them.

  I wasn’t going to give up besting him again. After what seemed like a couple hours of full on practice fighting, I felt that pain again at my shoulder blades. This time, the agony got so bad I screamed out as I dropped to the ground before​ writhing.

  The skin on my back felt like it was splitting open and my shoulder blades were expanding outward, outside of my body. Were my wings coming out again? It didn’t hurt this bad last time.

  Hands smoothed over my shoulders and voices tried to be soothing as I was turned over onto my front. Hands took the back of my shirt and tore it open. “Oh my God. Her wings are coming!”

  “How do we hurry this a
long so she’s not in so much pain. We have to stop this!”

  “They came out already! It shouldn’t hurt this much the second time!” That was Caine’s frantic voice.

  I couldn’t differentiate the voices. They ran together in my head, both male and female running together and not separate.

  This time the pain was so bad I threw my head back and scared loud and long before everything went black.

  * * *

  Blinking, I opened my eyes to grass. Groaning, I lifted my head to try and focus on my surroundings. What had happened?

  “Paige? You’re awake finally. How do you feel?” So many questions one right after the other, I couldn’t think. How did I feel? I don’t know.

  Hands, where were my hands? As I slowly came back to myself, I found my hands spread out before me and that was when I discovered I was lying on my front.

  Getting my hands underneath me was difficult as I was so tired, I felt like I had run twelve miles and then hit by a semi-truck.

  Hands lifted me and set me on a lap. My head felt like it belonged to a bobble head doll and not to me. I leaned my head back, not being able to hold it up anymore, and rested the back of my head onto a shoulder. A strong shoulder underneath my head.

  “How do you feel?” Was repeated.

  Feel. Why all the questions. “Know.”

  I cleared my throat and a cold glass was thrust into my hand as a male hand helped me raise the glass to my lips.

  Cold, it was so good and clear. The water. I gulped at the liquid until it was removed. No.

  “Slow, you need to go slow Paige. Devlin and your mother will be here in a minute.” Caine, that was Caine’s voice.

  “I’m fine.” That was my voice now. There see I’m fine.

  “What happened? Was I hit by an invisible truck?”

  “Your wings came out.” Amy was so excited; she was bouncing like a ball in one spot.