Gemini (Gemini Adler Book 1)
Page 13
"How did this happen?" Jesse asked sinking to the floor next to her.
She explained what had happened to her when she died and how different she was now. She told him about the rogue Nephilim and what she was supposed to do once she determined if they were not savable. Jesse listened to her completely before commenting.
“Wow, just wow.” That was the only thing Jesse said until everyone had come looking for them. They were still seated on the living room floor when Olivia, Liam, and Micah walked in.
“Y’all okay?” Micah asked as he walked in and took in the scene around him.
“Yeah. I just…well…,” Gem wasn’t sure what to say. ‘Flipped out because I just became the most powerful Nephilim in the world so I can hunt down my brothers and sisters’ was a mouthful, after all.
Jesse squeezed her hand and then answered for her. “We were just saying goodbye to the house.” He gave Gem a look that said to keep quiet about everything else and honestly, she had to agree with him. They could tell Micah later, but they barely knew Olivia and Liam even though she would be forever in their debt for helping rescue them tonight. Things would not have turned out well if it weren’t for those two showing up when they did.
“You guys ready to hit the road?” Olivia asked.
“Yeah, I think we are.”
Micah drove his truck with Dani, Mr. Johnson, and Allie. The poor dog had barely left Dani’s side all night. Jesse was planning on driving his truck until Gem took the keys from him.
“I don’t think so. You need rest after healing Micah. I honestly don’t know how Olivia and Liam are going to manage the trip home. They must be utterly exhausted.” Jesse didn’t put up too much of a fight. His yawns were all the answer that Gem needed. She helped get Bear and Bryant in the backseat of the truck before getting in to drive them the three hours back home to Magnolia Crest.
She couldn’t wait to see her baby sister and tell her about everything. Though the sooner she got back there, the sooner her mission would start. She didn’t want to let Michael down but at the same time, she really didn’t want to kill anyone. It just wasn’t who she was. Or at least she didn’t think it was.
They made it to Magnolia Crest in record time. Of course, it helped that they were driving in the middle of the night when no one was on the road. They only stopped once for gas and so Liam and Olivia could switch out driving. They made sure that no one was following them before they took the exit leading to their new home. Gem wasn’t sure how she felt about the compound being their new home, but she reminded herself that as long as their family was together home could be anywhere.
The Sisters were waiting for them at the front door. Olivia or Liam must have called them, Gem thought. Jesse was still asleep, exhausted from all the healing energy he used to heal Micah. Gem gently shook him awake.
“Hey, Jesse. We’re home,” she said.
Jesse yawned, mumbled a few incoherent words, and then went back to sleep. Gem could only smile. She was so full of joy that she felt she could just burst. Her family was safe and together. She hopped out of the truck to make introductions and was immediately swallowed in a hug by Ava.
“Don’t do that again. You had us all sick with worry,” Ava said before gasping in shock. Gem sighed. She was going to have to get used to this reaction for a while until the newness wore off.
“It’s a long story,” Gem said before letting the dogs out of the back. “How’s Taura?”
“She’s fine. We let her stay with us while you were away. I can go wake her if you would like to see her,” Ava said as she followed Gem to the other side of the truck. Gem noticed that Audrey and Aspen were already helping to get everyone safely inside.
“No, no. That’s okay. Let her sleep. I’ll see her when she wakes up.” Gem knew that she would probably still be awake for a long time. After all, she was literally dead less than twelve hours ago.
The Sisters insisted on having everyone stay in the medical ward until they could be checked out by someone. Under normal circumstances, it wouldn't have taken that long but everyone except Gem and Micah was currently passed out, due to being drugged or using too much energy. The dogs were all still awake and were currently playing with Aspen who apparently was a dog lover because she was acting like a kid in a candy store.
A couple of hours later, all the dogs, who were resting from their playtime with Aspen, went to the door, their tails wagging. Gem was a little worried at their reaction until a moment later when Taura burst through the door. She was immediately greeted by the pups who were so excited to see her. She was enveloped in dog fur and wagging tails. So much so that Gem could barely see her little sister, who was talking to all the dogs like they could understand everything she was saying. Gem sighed, maybe they could.
Finally, just when Gem thought she was going to have to tear Taura away from the dogs they let her up. She stood up and gave the dogs one more pat on the head before turning her attention to the rest of the room. Gem watched as her sister's eyes took in everyone in the room until they finally came to rest on her.
"Gemi!!" she squealed. Gem stood up and braced herself for the hug that was barreling towards her. She wrapped her little sister in her arms. She was finally whole. Everyone was together, finally, and if Gem had anything to say about it, they would stay that way.
"Hey munchkin," Gem said.
"I'm so glad you're back and that you're okay. You can't leave me like that, again, okay? I was so scared."
Gem didn't make any promises about leaving her again. She knew better than anyone that tomorrows weren't promised and that you should live every day to the fullest. Especially with the war looming.
Gem squeezed Taura one more time and then let her go. Taura went over to Micah, who had been waiting patiently for their reunion to finish, and gave him a big hug, too.
Olivia and Liam woke up shortly after that and said their goodbyes before heading off to their apartments. Gemini told them thank you again from the bottom of her heart for showing up last night and helping to save her family. Micah did the same. Gem didn't know how but she would repay them one day.
Jesse was the next to wake up. Gem talked to him about filling the Elders and the Sisters in on what happened while he was asleep. She told him that it got a little weird when part of the Elders didn’t believe her, that was until she showed them her blade. Gem told the Elders and the Sisters about what Michael had said about those in the community that may not be on their side anymore. The Elders argued for a while about that until they remembered they had an audience. Gemini figured they were still somewhere in the building arguing amongst one another but that wasn’t her concern. She knew what her mission was and whom her directives came from.
The Sisters did the welcome for Micah, Dani, and Mr. Johnson since the Elders were preoccupied with the news that Gem had dropped on them. When it came time for the tour, they let Jesse, Gem, and Taura show the buildings and all the amenities to their family. It felt like everyone at Magnolia Crest stopped to talk to them as they went from building to building. Gem thought it was strange until she realized whom everyone was mostly talking to. The dogs, of course. Gem forgot that Taura had told nearly everyone about Bear, Bryant, and Allie. The pups, to their credit, were absolutely adorable and overly friendly to almost everyone.
Gem looked at everyone who came up to them and wondered to herself if they were one of the rogue Nephilim Michael warned her about. She still wasn’t sure how she was supposed to figure it out, but she had faith that she would. She did worry that she wouldn’t figure it in time to save them though. The Sisters had asked her to come back so that they could talk once she got everyone settled.
Taura was out walking the dogs, who had not left her side. Dani, Micah, and Mr. Johnson were settling into their new place across the hall, which left just Gem and Jesse alone in theirs. They had just been sitting on the couch lost in their own thoughts when Jesse leaned over and kissed her. It had felt like forever since they had last kissed. Gem
melted into his touch, silently urging him to keep the kiss going. But Jesse had other ideas.
“Gemini Adler, I love you and the last day has taught me to not take life for granted. I want to spend the rest of my life with you as your husband. So, will you be my forever?”
Gemini started laughing. She just couldn’t help it and then the tears started. Jesse must have thought she was losing her mind but before he could say anything else, she shut him up with a kiss and an answer. “Yes, I’ll be your forever.”
Check out the exciting second installment of the Gemini Adler series coming Winter 2020.
Other books by TJ Hines:
Hybrid Trilogy
Hybrid
The Protectors
The Princess (Coming Fall 2020)