“Gods.” He sounded awed, shaken. “It was the archangel wings. That was the conduit between us. When the blast went through me and hit you, your Earth created necklace and this one fused our life forces together. The spark of eternity within the wings reversed. It sucked out my immortality in order to save you.”
He looked at her, and she didn’t need a piece of archangelic jewelry, because eternity glowed in his beautiful eyes. “My beloved,” he whispered.
“I love you.” The words filled her soul. A soul she had once believed could never be hers. “I always have. And I always will.”
He tangled his fingers in her hair. “I fell in love with you, Aurora. Before I ever knew you were Eleni. It was you I wanted to save from the Guardians. I don’t even know what that means.”
She cradled his jaw and sighed softly. He had fallen for her, believing he betrayed Eleni. Her beautiful, loyal, beloved archangel.
“It means you can let go of the past. Unburden the guilt that was never yours to carry.”
He brushed the tip of his nose across hers, and deep in her ancient memories she recalled all the other times they had touched like this. How could it have been so long ago?
She remembered their life together so clearly, now.
“This mortal thing might take some getting used to. I can’t heal myself anymore.” He flexed his fingers that were still buried in her hair. “I think I’ve cracked a couple of bones in my wrist.”
She threaded her fingers through his. “You do know you could ask Zad? He’d heal you without a second thought.”
Gabe grunted. “And you do know that’s never going to happen, don’t you? I’m a mortal. I need to get used to it.”
She gave a soft laugh. “You’ll always be the Archangel Gabriel. Nothing’s ever going to change that. But that was never why I fell in love with you.”
“Just as well. Otherwise this would be a real problem. There’s no escaping our destinies. We’re bound to each other for all of eternity.” His wicked grin suggested he couldn’t wait.
A fierce, protective love surged through her. “It’s about time. And there’s something you should know.” She brushed a tender kiss across his lips. “Eternity is just the beginning.”
Christinaphillips.com
Coming in February 2020
Nemesis, a Realm of Flame and Shadow novel
Book 2
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Turn the page for more details!
Author’s Note
Thank you for reading Redemption. I hope you enjoyed Gabe and Aurora’s story!
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If you would like to know when my next book is available you can sign up for my Newsletter at my website, and receive Catalyst, a Realm of Flame and Shadow prequel, for free. Catalyst is a standalone romance, and shows what really happened twenty-five years ago between Aurora’s parents and the Archangel Zadkiel.
Christinaphillips.com
NEMESIS: A Realm of Flame and Shadow Novel
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When a vampire hunter cursed by her tainted heritage falls for an archangel out for her blood, an ancient covenant threatens to claim more than their lives...
The archangel Azrael only cares about one thing. To hunt down the dhampir army of his sworn enemy. But when he meets the bewitching Rowan, he can't stay away. One night is all he wants, except one night is not enough. Ensnared by the mind blowing sex, captivated by her brilliant mind, and intrigued by her mysterious past, he's tempted to break every rule in the book to keep her by his side.
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All dhampir Rowan Moreton wants is a normal life, but as an assassin of the Enclave of the Phoenix, she knows that's impossible. Bound to the vampires who saved her from certain death and destined to die young because of her mixed heritage, love is something she can only dream of. She learned the hard way it's too dangerous to be distracted, when her enemies lurk in every shadow. But one night with the gorgeous Azrael has her wishing things can be different. Is it possible to keep her sordid life a secret from him, without endangering him?
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As outside forces close in on them, neither will sacrifice the other. But after a bitter betrayal, their pasts come back to haunt them, and the hunters become the hunted.
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Caught in a deadly web of deception, and with time running out, they must risk everything to survive. But sometimes power isn't everything, and the price of freedom is just too high...
Acknowledgments
I first got the idea for Gabe and Aurora’s romance many years ago, and have lost count how many times I’ve rewritten this story. But even when it was published, it never quite matched the vision I had in my mind, and I was so happy to receive the rights back. It took me a few years before I was able to return to this world, and I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my amazing editor, Amanda Ashby, who encouraged me to rip the book apart and start over!
Huge thanks also to Sally Rigby for your invaluable insights and all the times you’ve talked me down the from ledge!
Cathleen Ross, your support and encouragement over the years has meant so much to me. Thank you!
Big thank you to Amy Hart for your fantastic proofreading. I’ll never get the hang of those pesky commas!
And, of course, love and thanks to Mark and our family. Big squishy hugs!
About the Author
Christina Phillips is an ex-pat Brit who now lives in sunny Western Australia with her high school sweetheart and their family. She enjoys writing paranormal, historical and contemporary romance where the stories sizzle and the heroine brings her hero to his knees.
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She is addicted to good coffee, expensive chocolate and bad boy heroes. She is also owned by three gorgeous cats who are convinced the universe revolves around their needs. They are not wrong.
Redemption: A Realm of Flame and Shadow Novel Page 27
