Ever Fallen (Shadow Guardians Book 2)

by Elle Scott

  He placed his hands on either side of her face and pulled away slightly. Resting his forehead onto hers, Riley mumbled, “Am I really that serious?”

  As Leila exhaled through her nose in silent laughter, the energy of the kiss awakened her instincts. She bounced between her feet and she took a deep inhale. “I love the smell of the forest.”

  Riley smiled. “You wanna run?”

  “Yes!” she replied with delight.

  Riley peered over the rim of his glasses. “Was that a yes to me being super serious or yes to running?”

  Leila grinned so wide her cheeks began hurting. She forced herself to reel it in, squeezing her lips shut. Throwing her arm, she said, “We’ll circle around.”

  She called her lion forward, fully shifting, and ran.

  “You didn’t answer—” Riley called behind her. “Ugh, never mind.”

  Leila slowed until Riley caught up and they ran side-by-side, wolf and lion, the night air rushing over their fur. It didn’t take long for Leila to pull ahead of Riley, she urged forward, desperate for speed. The faster she ran, the better it felt. Leaving him behind, Leila pushed into a full run. She tore through the forest, weaving trees and jumping shrubs. It was bliss in the way that nothing else mattered. The whole world melted away and it was just her, the lion, and the earth at their feet.

  “Leila?” Riley called. He sounded puffed.

  She slowed again, the weight of the world tumbling back in again. The thump of the white wolf’s paws reverberated through the soil. Closer. Closer… really close.

  A thunk rang out, fur against bark. An “ow” followed. Leila stopped and spun around in time to see Riley’s wolf tumbling along the ground, a white ball of fuzz heading directly for her. His shoulder connected with her torso and ricocheted a few yards away.

  Leila felt her ribs crack. Gasping for air, she dropped to her knees. The pain was unbearable. Her lion retreated, taking her back to human form. She fell backward, laying on dirt and small twigs. She took a few shaky breaths, calling upon her Guardian’s healing power to aim for the wound. Slowly, the agony subsided.

  Riley clambered over, already back to human form. As soon as he reached her, she felt the wound healing faster. She took a gulp of air, relieved for the pain to be gone.

  “Are you okay?” Riley asked on all fours above her. “I tripped.”

  “Mm,” Leila nodded. “I’m fine. I healed faster when you got here.”

  Riley sighed, glasses falling down his nose. “I notice that, too. If I get a scratch or something when I’m near you, I heal quicker than if you’re not around.”

  She looked up at him and felt nothing but love. Leila could do incredible things. She could ace exams, run a marathon twice over, open jars even her dad couldn’t. She could hear, see, and taste things on a higher scale than any human. But together, they were something else. They were unstoppable.

  As he hovered over her, she took his face in her hands and brought him closer. He collapsed against her unbroken ribs and they kissed. Just once.

  Riley lifted, placing his palms on the ground on either side of her head. He gave a tilted smile, then stood up. Half-shifting, he scanned their surrounds, neon-blues shining. “We should finish the perimeter check.”

  “Okay,” Leila said, a cheeky glint in her eyes. “I’ll beat you to it.”

  Then, she jumped to her feet, fully shifted, and ran.

  By the time they got back to camp, everyone except Mr. Robertson were in their tents. He sat at the base of a tree on the edge of camp, digging a pocket knife under his nail. Without looking up, he said, “See you in the morning.”

  “Good night,” Leila replied, taking Riley’s hand.

  She led him to her tent. As they reached the entrance, Riley tugged on her arm.

  “You want me to stay with you?” he whispered, glancing over his shoulder at Kale and Kiko’s tent.

  Leila nodded and walked in. He followed her and zipped up the tent, closing them in. She kept her eyes on him as she removed her sweatshirt. Riley’s eyes widened. He gulped, watching her every move.

  She settled herself onto the mattress, flipping the blanket open and tapping on the space beside her. He moved in, crawling into the spot. As soon as she let the blanket fall, he wrapped his arms around her, cradling her in close to him.

  The first move was hers. She lunged over him and kissed him, not like before. As their lips glided together, pressing hard and hungry, his hands gripped at her hips. She slipped her tongue around the inside of his top lip, and Riley let out a moan. He twisted under her and slowly sucked her bottom lip. Leila’s body ignited. Nothing else mattered in that moment. Leila dug her fingertips around the base of his hairline, urging him to come closer. She felt his chest heaving into her breasts as his hands squeezed her backside.

  Then, as quickly as they started, they separated. Panting, Riley pushed her off him. He rolled her around and kissed the nape of her neck.

  “We should get some sleep,” he whispered.

  Leila didn’t know why she expected this time would have been any different to all the times she’d tried to make a move before. He always stopped them before things got too heated. She wished sometimes he could stop being so tense and just go with it. He was always the serious one in their relationship. She didn’t see why everything was always such a heavy decision to him. She would have let him sleep with her on the floor of the forest for all she cared.

  I have to be in control. Riley’s words rang through her mind.

  The realization hit her like an avalanche. It was never her burden to bear. It was always on him. The decisions. The rules. The safety of their clan. Every possible thing that could go wrong was on his shoulders. No wonder he was always on edge.

  She clutched at his wrist and draped it over her body, nuzzling her back against his chest.

  “Comfy?” Riley asked.

  “Mm,” Leila mumbled, the urge of sleep washing over her.

  The last thing she remembered was Riley kissing her shoulder.

  Leila

  Leila woke to the sound of quiet chatter outside her tent. Imogen and Summer giggled, and one said, “Oh my god, you’re so lame, just mix the porridge with a stick.”

  Riley took a deep breath and Leila rolled over in time to see him throw one arm up over his head. The tent wobbled as his hand connected with the side of it. He took another deep breath, mouth falling slightly agape as he continued to sleep. Leila smiled at how peaceful he looked. The weight of the clan off his shoulders for at least a few hours.

  Leila recalled the first time they’d spent the night sleeping next to each other. She’d been marked and felt so safe with him. He was on edge then too, but it was different now, like his worries had multiplied.

  She hovered over him and, wishing she could remove some of the heaviness and stress, she ran her thumb around his temple. Riley rustled. In the next moment, his eyes peeled open.

  Noticing Leila, a smile crept across his face. He reached for her hair and twisted a loose curl around his finger. “Morning, beautiful.”

  Then, almost as quickly as his face lit up, it darkened. He sighed. The invisible weight he carried all at once returned.

  Leila placed her hand on his chest, spreading her fingers over the grooves of his pecs. “You know we’re in this together, right? You don’t have to bear the burden all alone?”

  Riley gave a sad smile and tucked his hands under his head. “Mm.”

  “Come on,” Leila said, sitting up. “Share it with me.”

  “How? That sounds easier than it’d actually be.” Riley propped himself up onto his elbows.

  “Well, say for example you’re worried about something or someone… talk to me. And I can tell you whether it’s something to be worried about.”

  Riley chortled. “According to you there is nothing to worry about.”

  Leila balled her fist and playfully pushed at his shoulder, causing him to fall back onto the pillow. She pouted and said, “Hey, I w
orry. The fact that Kiko’s Fallen brother, the very first Fallen ever, is hunting us… Imprints. That worries me.”

  “Okay then,” Riley said, sitting up. The blanket fell to his hips, baring the waist of his black boxer briefs. “And, how do you propose we deal with that?”

  Leila thought for a bit, then shrugged. “I dunno. Maybe leave it to Kiko to make a plan?”

  A croaking moan vibrated at the back of Riley’s throat. “That’s kinda my point. Do you think we should leave everything up to Kiko?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean…” Riley brushed his hand through his messy locks. “What if her plan sucks? What if she can’t be trusted?”

  Leila felt her mouth drop. Kiko was a little testy lately, and maybe she was making odd decisions like forcing Mr. Robertson to stay out all night, but to say she couldn’t be trusted? Riley had been over-thinking more than she knew.

  “Okay, now you’re being paranoid,” Leila quipped.

  “Maybe I am.”

  Riley reached for his jeans and stood. As he slid them on, Leila’s eyes drifted from the mark on his shoulder blade to the dip of his back. He looked over his shoulder, catching Leila’s sneaky gaze. Riley cleared his throat and Leila snapped her eyes to his.

  “Breakfast?” he asked with a tilted smirk.

  “Oh, hell no!” Leila exclaimed. There was no way Riley got out of it that easily. If she had to stop running from conversations, he did, too.

  “You’re not hungry?” Riley frowned.

  “No… well, yes, starving, but you can’t just say that about Kiko and leave it at that.”

  Riley’s eyes washed over into a daze, staring at nothing at all. After a few moments, he sniffed and looked at Leila. “It’s not about Tsukiko. Not really. So, just don’t worry about it.”

  As he stepped for the tent’s entrance, Leila leapt to her feet. She grabbed his wrist and implored, “Riley, please. Talk to me.”

  Riley inhaled and exhaled quickly, as though psyching himself up. He nodded once, moved back to the mattress, and sat down. “Fine,” he said, lifting a knee and resting his elbow over it. “Let’s talk.”

  There was an eerie second of silence. Leila hesitantly sat down. The way he said it sounded grave. As though, he was about to tell her the darkest of secrets.

  “So, remember when I told you about that girl I had a thing with while my sister destroyed our lives?”

  Leila nodded. He lost his virginity to that girl. She didn’t mean to, but she muttered her reply with a spiteful tone, “I remember.”

  Riley picked up the edge of the blanket and squeezed it between his fingers. “I didn’t tell you something.”

  “What?”

  Riley shook his head, rolling his eyes to himself. “The girl… the one I slept with… she was a Guardian. I didn’t know until later that night when I found my sister hovering over my mom. And this girl, this one who was all over me not half an hour earlier, she rushed in and told Tessa they had to go.”

  Leila’s heart skipped. “She knew Tessa?”

  Dropping the blanket, Riley let his gaze fall on her. A tear had formed in the corner of his eye, and when he blinked it stuck to his eyelashes. “It was their plan the whole time. She was meant to distract me so Tessa could do what she needed. Ruin our home. Hurt mom.”

  “Oh my god, Riley,” Leila said, “Why didn’t you tell me this?”

  “Because I regret every second of it. I don’t even remember her name for God’s sake.” Riley paused for a moment, then added, “I guess I’m just ashamed.”

  “Ashamed? Of what? Being human? Falling for someone?”

  Riley shrugged. “I wasn’t thinking with my proper brain.”

  Leila burst out laughing. “Is that it? Is that why you don’t want to sleep with me? Because you’re afraid your thinking with your—” she motioned to his crotch. “I’m your girlfriend. We love each other. I love you. This is natural, not a mistake.” Leila leaned over, resting her hands on his knees. “Not everything is a cycle, Riley. History doesn’t always repeat itself. Gabby isn’t turning into Tessa and I’m not some bitch who will sleep with you and use you.”

  Riley laughed then. “I know you’re not. I know. You and I are endgame, Leila. But there’s always something looming, some threat. We’re always overshadowed by the possibility of bad. What if one minute we’re naked and the next Gabby comes tearing through with the blood of innocents on her hands?”

  A slight pang hit Leila’s chest. “Do you really think that every time things get heated with us?”

  “It’s not just that. It’s not just the sex thing. It’s the trust thing.” Riley took a shaky breath in. “Like, I had no idea she was playing me. Who else could be, you know? I mean, do we really know that Kiko isn’t the Fallen sibling that went crazy being an Imprint?” Riley swallowed and recoiled as if tasting something rotten.

  “Riley,” Leila muttered his name, almost defeated by his constant negativity.

  He gasped for air. “What if they all are? Gabby? Sebastian? Your brother? I can’t…”

  Riley gasped again. And again. As though he couldn’t catch the oxygen fast enough. With labored breath, he continued, “We’re Imprints too, you know?”

  Inhale, exhale.

  “The Fallen.”

  Inhale.

  “Are after us.”

  Exhale.

  “Watching, waiting for us to slip up, to be vulnerable—”

  He hunched over, lungs working overtime. He bunched the blanket into fists, chest heaving in and out.

  “Stop.” Leila clutched his shoulders, dipping her head to catch his eyes. “Breathe Riley, breathe.”

  He peered up at her, breathing four times to her one. She placed her hand on his chest and underneath her palm she felt his heart racing. It was enough to bring tears to her eyes.

  “Breathe slower,” she urged.

  Leila took a breath in, nodding at him to do the same. He copied her, breath wavering as he did. Out she breathed, making sure he mimicked her. Slow and steady Leila coached him, one long inhale and one long exhale. Over and over she continued until his heart-rate returned to normal.

  Once he’d calmed, she said, “There’s always a risk of something bad happening or someone double crossing us. It will never end. It could be whether we’re attacked by a Fallen or whether we have to listen to Mom rave about vervain for the millionth time. That’s the point of having each other. That we will be the good even when surrounded by bad.”

  Riley sat back on his heels. “I know it. It’s just hard for me grasp lately.”

  “You’ve been focusing too much on what could go wrong, you forget to notice what’s right.”

  Riley reached for her and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. “When did you become the guru?”

  “Just comes natural, I guess.” Leila shrugged. A teasing smile lit her face as she grabbed her top from the bottom hem and slid it over her head. She felt her own breath shake then, sitting half-naked in front of her boyfriend. “And when I say notice what’s right. I also mean, what’s right in front of you.”

  Cedar brown eyes stared back at her. Riley shuffled closer, and reaching for her hips, he whispered, “What if we get caught?”

  “The good, Riley,” Leila said, tugging at the waist of his jeans. “Look for the good.”

  He let her undo his jeans and watched her intently as she slid them off. As soon as she was done, his fingers grabbed the grooves of her ribs and he flipped her onto her back. Straddling his legs over her, he lowered himself onto her.

  Leila gazed into his eyes and tilted her hips, pushing herself against him. His breath hitched and she watched his chest rise and fall. It was different to before, as though his body was working for him instead of against him.

  Of course, Leila waited for him to pull away, as he always did. She waited for him to put a stop to their escapades and tell her now wasn’t the time for play. She stared up at him… and waited.

  But inste
ad, Riley sunk to his elbows, face now level with hers. The edges of his mouth twitched as he used his index finger to trail her chest and torso. He curved his hand around her waist and let his thumb glide inside the rim of her underwear.

  “I love you,” he said, eyes dancing over her face. “No buts.”

  Sadie

  Sadie peeled her eyes open to the glow of the sun beaming through the orange tent wall. The sun was high, which was odd. It really didn’t feel like she’d slept that late. Actually, she was surprised she’d slept at all.

  As she sat up she felt a twang in her neck. Cursing the thin yoga mat she’d laid on, she pulled her day-old sweater over her head and stepped out of the tent. A few people were milling around, chatting by the fire or washing bowls in a small bucket. Not quite ready for breakfast or small talk, she found herself a patch of dirt in front of her tent and sat cross-legged, wondering what the day would bring.

  “Good morning,” Leila said, appearing out of nowhere. She shoved a steaming mug in front of Sadie and had an unusual glint in her eyes. “Here. It’ll warm you up. No cinnamon, sorry.”

  Sadie took the mug. She didn’t really need to be warmed though, she certainly didn’t feel cold. The heat of the fire pulsated against her face, even from five yards away.

  “Thank you.” Sadie smiled and faced the sky. Closing her eyes, she thanked the heavens for the end of winter. “It feels like spring.”

  When Leila didn’t reply, Sadie opened her eyes. Leila had dashed off, heading for Mr. Robertson with another mug in her grasp. Sadie glanced around the camp and noticed most everyone who was up had a mug in their hands. Trust Leila to make sure everyone was cared for.

  She returned her gaze upward and stared at tree tops that silhouetted the sky. There was a rustle beside her, followed by a huff. Sadie swooped her head around to see Sebastian making himself comfortable beside her. He held a bowl in each of his hands.

  “It’s my peace offering,” he said with hooded eyes.