The Vampire & Angel Wars Complete Collection

by G. K. DeRosa

  Broken.

  A peaceful smile etched across Declan’s lips, but his skin was too pale. Like fine china it gleamed under the powerful sun. Not a single crease or wrinkle marred his beautiful face. All the blood and grime had disappeared too.

  Declan’s wild hair splayed out on the stone like a dark halo. My gut clenched as a boulder dropped to the pit of my stomach.

  No. You can’t be dead.

  I trailed my fingers over his cold skin and choked on a sob. Cradling his head in my lap, I pulled his limp form closer. An icy chill coated his entire body sending a tremor up my spine. I rocked back and forth, pressing him into my chest to chase the cold out. “Please, come back to me.” Tears rolled down my cheeks, and then the sobs broke free. I bawled until I had nothing left.

  Declan had given up his life to save me. To save all of humanity. It shouldn’t have been his burden to bear. It was supposed to be mine.

  I glanced down at his face and traced the hard line of his jaw. Brushing my finger over his lips, I called on the memories of his soft mouth on mine. I needed to feel it one more time.

  Bending my head, I pressed my lips against his. Salty tears ran down my cheeks, dampening his skin. I breathed into him, remembering his minty taste and everything that was Declan.

  A sudden tingle prickled my skin. I winced and lowered Declan’s head, clapping my hand over my heart. Ow! Through my white t-shirt, a faint light began to pulse. Brilliant blue outlined my heart birthmark and singed my flesh. The heat intensified, working its way from my chest racing toward my extremities. Fire exploded through my veins, blazing light surging within them.

  The arm still cradling Declan lit up, encasing his entire body in a golden glow. I sucked in a sharp breath.

  The soothing heat swirled around us until we were both bathed in its unearthly hue. The pain in my chest relented, and my lungs began to function once again. I bent over Declan, examining his face. The deathly pallor receded, and his cheeks flushed with color.

  Am I going crazy?

  His chest rose and his heart sputtered back to life, beating in rhythm with mine. His eyelids fluttered, and my breath caught.

  “Declan?” I choked out.

  Bottomless brown eyes glanced up at me, and my heart ground to a halt. His hand came up to my cheek, the warmth of his touch thawing the chill within my soul. “Liv?” His voice was weak, but it was his. The deep timbre radiated love and affection.

  “You’re alive!” I pulled him into my chest as his familiar scent swirled all around me.

  He sat up, tightening his hold on me, and I melted into his arms. Nuzzling into his firm chest, the steady thrum of his heart was like a balm to my broken soul. His breath swept through my hair as he rested his chin on my head. “Not that I’m complaining, but how am I alive?”

  I glanced up to see the sexy curl of his lips as he smirked, his warm eyes drinking me in. “It’s a miracle.”

  We remained wrapped in each other’s arms for hours or maybe even days. Nothing mattered now that Declan was alive, and we were safe. I was scared to move and wake up. Finding out this had all been a dream was too terrible a thought.

  At some point, the lifeless nephilim revived. Not only did the half-angels come back to life, but so did the stryx. Declan and I watched in a horrified stupor as the corpses reanimated into full-blooded humans. The shield of light had burned away the immortal side, leaving only the human part.

  The angels and vampires weren’t as lucky. Piles of ash were all that remained of the blood-sucking monsters, while most of the angels simply vanished into thin air.

  Asher would’ve lived. It was like a sick joke. If he hadn’t tried to save me, he would’ve survived. Been human again. I shook the dark thoughts off, storing them in the far recesses of my mind. I’d have to deal with his loss eventually, but I couldn’t today.

  Declan and I strolled down Fifth Avenue as confused, newly revived humans loitered around the empty streets. It was amazing and terrifying all at the same time.

  “So why do you think I’m still alive, seriously?” Declan squeezed my hand and forced me to stop in front of Grand Central. “I was a nephilim-vampire hybrid. I should’ve died with the others.”

  I’d wondered the same thing, but had buried the question in the depths of my mind never to think of again. The image of Declan as nothing more than a pile of ash was enough to bring me to my knees. “You didn’t, and that’s all that matters.”

  He pierced me with his intense gaze, now a deep chocolate instead of the enigmatic maroon. Realization crept in as he regarded me, a vulnerable expression etched into his beautiful face. This was important to him; he needed to hear my answer.

  I inhaled a slow breath to organize the mess of thoughts clamoring in my brain. “From what I figure, the shield destroyed your angel and vampire sides.” I cupped his cheeks, needing to touch him. “You’re human now, Declan. Your soul remained intact because it didn’t only belong to you. It is and always has been half of mine. If you had died, my soul wouldn’t have survived without its other half.” I tilted my head toward the heavens and smiled. “And someone up there didn’t want that for us.”

  Epilogue

  Five Years Later

  The crisp fall breeze whipped through my hair as I stood on the balcony and admired the imposing sculptures of Mercury, Hercules and Minerva atop Grand Central Station. Hundreds of people scurried in and out of the immense building with an urgency I’d never get used to again. The hard planes of Mercury’s cold but beautiful face seemed to peer up at me. There was something about the towering stone titans that reminded me of the war. When Declan chose this loft for our home, I’d been skeptical. I wasn’t sure I wanted the daily reminder of the hell we’d survived. But that was the point: we had survived.

  The day we unleashed the shield’s power was the beginning of the end for the immortals. The heavenly light decimated all angels and vampires within ten miles of St. Patrick’s Cathedral and cured any nephilim and stryx within the same radius. News of the shield’s power traveled fast and within a week, the remaining angels and vampires vanished. I hoped they’d all gone to hell where they belonged.

  No one really knew for sure.

  We’d been fortunate that the shield hadn’t killed the half-breeds otherwise the human population would’ve been near extinction. The bustling sounds of the city below would’ve taken much longer to reproduce. Most of the “new humans” didn’t remember the months of the war. Their memories had been wiped clean. They were the lucky ones. Several hundred thousand others had survived by heading west. Some chose to remain and others undertook the slow migration east.

  For years I didn’t think I’d ever forget the atrocities I’d witnessed. All the loved ones I’d lost. A pang lanced through my chest, and I rubbed at the birthmark over my heart.

  “You okay?” Declan’s voice filtered onto the balcony, the deep timbre like a warm embrace. He wrapped his arms around my waist, and I leaned back into his firm chest.

  “Yeah. Just thinking,” I murmured.

  He pulled the jacket tighter around me and intertwined his fingers in mine. Our matching white gold bands sparkled under the sun’s rays and brought a smile to my face. We’d been married for six months now, and I still hadn’t fully gotten used to the feel of the metal around my finger. I liked how it looked though, especially next to Declan’s. I refused to wear yellow gold; it reminded me too much of the war—the nephilim armor, the sword, the shield, all of it.

  Declan proposed the day of my twentieth birthday. He’d been asking me to marry him since I turned eighteen, but for once there was no rush—no real sense of urgency. We had our entire human lives to be together. He claimed it was our duty to repopulate the earth, and I countered with, “What was wrong with just practicing?”

  I was terrified honestly. I dreaded the day the angels would return and reclaim what they believed to be theirs. So I put off our wedding until six months ago. There was something about five years later that seeme
d right. Our nation had finally started to heal and so had I.

  My stomach roiled. I bent forward as a wave of nausea crashed over me.

  “Liv? What’s wrong?”

  I angled my neck to face Declan. Panic seared across his deep brown eyes, and my heart stilled. Even after all these years, the fear of losing each other was still too fresh in our minds.

  “Nothing,” I quickly spluttered, pressing my hand against my belly.

  He spun me around and raked his eyes over every inch of me. “Spit it out, Liv. You haven’t gotten any better at keeping things from me. No poker face, remember?”

  I snorted on a chuckle. “Yeah, I know.” My twin soul. Our eyes locked, and a surge of emotion swelled in my chest. It was like Declan infused me with all his love, strength and certainty. My apprehension melted away, and the mad flutter of butterfly wings in my gut ceased.

  Taking his hands in mine, I got up on my tiptoes and brushed a gentle kiss across his lips. “I love you, Dec,” I whispered.

  “I love you, Liv Graciene McGrath.” He captured my mouth with his, deepening the kiss until my toes curled. Bending down, he scooped me into his arms and darted back inside.

  “No wait!” I giggled, pushing against his chest.

  “What? We still have a few minutes till everyone gets here. That’s plenty of time.” He smirked, showing off the dimple I loved.

  “I have to tell you something before they get here.”

  He must have seen something in my expression because his eyes darkened. “Okay, tell me.”

  “Put me down first.” I squirmed until he lowered me onto the couch.

  The crease between his brows deepened. “You’re kind of freaking me out, Liv.”

  I attempted a reassuring smile and squeezed his hand. Taking a deep breath, I swallowed down another bout of queasiness.

  “Liv?”

  “I’m pregnant,” I stammered. I inhaled, steeling my nerves and tried again. “I’m pregnant.” I hoped it sounded more confident out loud than it did in my head.

  Declan leapt off the couch as a megawatt smile exploded across his face. He jumped up and down for a minute before picking me up and doing it again.

  I laughed until I was breathless, clutching onto his neck as he bounced around like a kid on Christmas morning. And just like that, the anxiety brewing inside me for the past few days vanished.

  “I didn’t think it was possible, but I love you more now.” He kissed me hard, spinning us in a circle.

  “Dec, unless you want me to puke everywhere, please put me down—now.”

  He chuckled and lowered me back onto the couch. “When are you due? Is it a boy or a girl? What are we going to name him or her?” He assaulted me with questions until I finally lifted my hand up.

  “I don’t know yet. I only found out a few days ago.”

  “A few days?” His kissable lips twisted into a pout. “You waited all that time to tell me?”

  I shrugged. “I wanted to be sure.” I didn’t think either of us could take the disappointment if it turned out to be a false alarm.

  He nodded as if hearing my unspoken thoughts. Brushing a strand of hair behind my ear, he leaned in. “You’re going to be the best mom.”

  My heart swelled, the sensation of completeness almost too much to bear. “You’re going to be the coolest dad ever.” I could just imagine him teaching our son to ride a motorcycle. I cringed at the thought.

  A knock at the door put an end to my mental foray into the future. We both spun to the entrance as Duke raced to the door barking.

  “I can’t wait to tell everyone.” Declan rushed behind him to answer.

  “No!” I hissed.

  He whirled back, his expression falling.

  “It’s too early to be sharing with everyone. Can we just keep it to ourselves for now?”

  “Okay,” he whined. “Just for now.”

  I shot him a smile and motioned for him to get the door as the knocking got louder.

  Declan opened the door, and Trinity sauntered in, her long braids twirled up into a fancy up do. “Geez, what took you so long?” She bent down and rubbed Duke’s head as he greeted her with a slobbery lick.

  “Why didn’t you use your key?” I called from the couch. Trinity had been living next door to us for a year now. She was practically over everyday.

  “I didn’t want to interrupt—in case you were, you know…” She winked.

  I threw my hands in the air.

  “What? You’re newlyweds. It’s totally acceptable.” She squeezed my shoulder and plopped down next to me on the couch. “Besides I know how dead set Declan is on repopulating the human race.”

  We both laughed as Declan brought a bottle of champagne and set it on the coffee table in front of us.

  “Oh fancy,” said Trinity. “What’s the occasion?”

  “We’re celebrating.” Declan’s eyes shined, and my heart fluttered.

  I must have unconsciously rubbed my belly because when I glanced up, I met Trinity’s questioning gaze. A knowing glance flashed across her dark irises, and she gave me a big smile. She was my best friend; I didn’t think I’d be able to keep the news from her for long.

  More knocking at the door drew our attention away from the champagne. It was a good thing too because I hadn’t figured out how I’d get out of drinking it.

  Parker, Jayse and Britt walked in and immediately the spacious loft felt smaller. I jumped off the couch and wrapped my arms around Parker’s neck.

  “Hey there girl, it’s good to see you too.”

  In the years after the war, Parker had become like a second father to me. I’d never forget the man that raised me, but after what we went through together, we’d formed an unbreakable bond. We all had.

  The Rural Renegades had saved thousands of humans in the final weeks before the end of the war. If they hadn’t released the slaves at Arx who knew how many more would’ve died in the vampire attack. The new rebel base in the north had served as a temporary shelter for countless people until they got back on their feet.

  It took a long time for the earth to recover, for the ground to grow lush once again, but as soon as it did, we were ready for it. Last spring, we rebuilt the farm upstate. I’d been reluctant at first. There were too many bad memories—too many ghosts inhabiting my old home. Declan convinced me, and we ended up having our wedding there. He had been right; it was perfect.

  I could feel my parents’ presence as we recited our vows overlooking the old pond in the shade of the apple orchard. I could almost see a younger version of Asher and me climbing those trees as the sun set behind the grove, and we danced the night away. Even Sammarah made her spirit known in the intermittent glow of my heart birthmark.

  “I can’t believe you guys dragged me all the way down here when you’re heading up north next weekend.” Parker shuffled over to the armchair by the balcony.

  “You owed us a visit,” said Declan as he grabbed more glasses from the kitchen. “How’s Linc, by the way?”

  “He’s good. Lovin’ life down south in Florida.” He grinned. “Lucky bastard.”

  Jayse went straight for Trinity, wrapping her in his big arms and planting a kiss on her lips. “I missed you, darlin’.”

  A huge grin streaked across her face, and my heart smiled. Seeing my best friend happy was all I could ask for. After an on-and-off again relationship with Jayse for the past few years, he was finally leaving Virginia and moving up here to be with her full-time.

  They sat on the couch, snuggled close and Britt filled in the remaining seat as Declan passed out the champagne flutes. Britt lived near our farm with his wife and kids. We always hung out whenever we went up to visit. He’d found his younger brother, Jesse, a few weeks after the war ended. He’d been turned into a stryx and the shield had spared him. Britt swore he’d always owe us for saving his little brother.

  I couldn’t help but think of Asher whenever I saw Jesse. If my best friend hadn’t risked his life for me, he’d
be here with us now. Instead, his empty grave sat beside the pond in my backyard. I wanted to keep his memory close somehow.

  Declan slung his arm over my shoulder and led me to the loveseat. “Trinity, would you do the honors?”

  She waved her hand, and an icy layer of frost coated the bottle. Everyone clapped. Declan flicked his thumb under the cork, and it sprang out with a satisfying pop. He poured the bubbly all around as the chatter ensued.

  Two loud knocks interrupted the lively conversation, and I jumped up to answer. Declan’s brows knitted as he watched me. I opened the door, and a pair of mismatched irises bored into me.

  Uncle Crazypants.

  Azazel lifted his arms and drew me into an awkward embrace. A moment later Declan was at my side, freeing me from his uncle’s clutches. Our relationship with Azazel had come a long way, but a hint of resentment still remained in my husband’s heart.

  “What a surprise.” Declan eyed me as he shook his uncle’s hand.

  “I was passing through so I figured a little visit wouldn’t hurt.”

  Azazel had fled the moment after we’d gone for the shield. There was a reason he’d survived for centuries, and it wasn’t his loyalty or empathy for others. Somehow his fallen angel status had given him immunity from a quick death, however, it had stripped him of his immortality. He still had that George Clooney thing going for him, but the salt in his hair was rapidly outpacing the pepper.

  “Come in and sit.” I ushered him to join the others in the living room as Declan stalked behind me.

  He might have been upset now, but he’d thank me for it later. Azazel was the only living relative he had left. I wished I’d been as lucky. Declan still believed his father was alive somewhere, and I agreed. Nathanael’s presence was too all-powerful to extinguish.

  “And now for a toast,” said Declan, clinking his glass with a spoon. “I wanted to thank you all for joining us here today on the five year anniversary of our second independence day. What we accomplished that day would’ve never been possible without each and every one of you.” He turned to me with an indulgent smile and raised his glass. “Especially you, my love, my wife.”