Beyond The Veil: A Paranormal & Magical Romance Boxed Set

by Multiple Authors

  Everything slowed down as Adrian turned towards the man, hand raised as though that would stop the attack. She felt Gypsy rear behind her in fright; heard the mare scream in rage as though she knew what was about to happen.

  Persephone watched in drawn out horror as the sword passed through Adrian’s stomach, impaling him on the sharp metal. He was now inches from his attacker, angry face right in front of his own, steely calm. She could see the murderer grow unnerved as he stared into Adrian’s eyes. No one could have anticipated what happened next.

  Adrian took a deep breath as blood began to trickle from the corner of his mouth, and he tilted his head back to let out a roar. As he did so, Persephone saw a wave of power surge out in a circle away from his body. Gypsy crashed down behind her moments before the wave crested overhead. Persephone feared the horse dead, but when she eased herself around to look at the mare she noticed Gypsy’s flanks rising and falling steadily as she breathed. Leaning back against the barrel of the horse’s body, Persephone took comfort in the warmth of a living body that didn’t mean her harm.

  She hesitated to look at what Adrian’s burst of power had caused and was even more reluctant to see Adrian himself with his mortal wound. However, she knew she had to see the damage. Daring a peek, she took a fright at the sight of all the dead bodies. Many were mutilated beyond recognition, and the only reason she knew they were human was because she had seen them standing, breathing, only moments ago. She began to shake from the shock, but a glance at Adrian rocked her to the core. He was on his knees, bowed over with the sword still protruding from his torso, his wings hanging limp to drag on the ground behind him. Persephone found the courage and energy to crawl over to him, hoping he was still alive. She cautiously reached out to touch his arm, startled as his head moved to look at her.

  His face was white and waxy, a sign he wasn’t long for the world. Blood colored his lips as it continued to trickle out of his mouth, and his light brown tunic was stained dark red. She put a hand to her mouth in an attempt to keep from sobbing. Adrian smiled weakly before coughing, more blood spilling from his mouth.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispered, bubbles of blood forming as his breath rattled.

  Persephone shook her head. “It’s okay,” she softly replied before uttering a morbid chuckle as she realized what would be their last words echoed their first. The sound opened the dam walls and she burst into tears. “It’s all my fault,” she sobbed.

  “Hush,” Adrian responded. “It’s not your fault. They brought it upon themselves by allowing themselves to be tainted by such evil.”

  She looked into his eyes, which were quickly losing their light, and realized there was no glow surrounding him anymore. The thought reminded her that he hadn’t told her everything.

  “You have wings,” she murmured. “You glowed, and have wings, and unleashed a wave of power.” Everything started flooding back and the realization that she had almost died hit her. “I was dying.”

  Adrian nodded weakly. “I should have told you, I’m sorry. I don’t have enough time to explain it all right now. But I’m not truly human. I’m an angel, reborn in human form. Sounds fanciful, I know, but it’s the truth. We often come to earth to walk among the humans, for different reasons. Most come down out of curiosity; I came to find love.” He shuffled closer and cupped her face, his hands cool. “I found it.”

  “I wish it hadn’t happened this way,” she cried, placing her hands over his, resting on her face.

  “So do I,” he replied, his voice losing volume. “But remember what I told you. If anything happens, go to the sea. You will find what you need there.” His strength ebbing, he fell to the side and she pulled him into her lap, ignoring the blood now staining her dress. “You have the power now,” he whispered, touching his fingertips to her chest. “In here. Where I’ll always be.”

  Her tears fell on to his cheeks as she leaned down to kiss his lips. “I love you.”

  His mouth stretched to a final smile, and he grew still in her arms. Placing her fingers under his nose, she felt no breath and knew he was gone. She sat there, holding him in her lap for quite some time, and Gypsy stood up, then walked over to her fallen master. Persephone’s tears flowed anew as the horse nudged his body, trying to wake him up. She reached up to the horse’s head, bringing it close and noticed a tear trickle down the mare’s cheek.

  Gently brushing it away, Persephone cooed to the horse. “It’s okay, sweetheart,” she whispered. “We still have each other.”

  Unsure of what to do with his body, Persephone gently placed him on the forest floor and stood, awkwardly shifting from foot to foot. She didn’t have the strength to dig a grave, and she didn’t understand what he’d meant when he said that she had the power, now.

  Gypsy whickered and lifted her neck, drawing Persephone’s attention from the forest around her back to Adrian’s body. A new glow had formed around him, and she began to hope that maybe he didn’t die after all and would wake up. It was not to be.

  As the glow grew, his body began to fade. “No!” she screamed, throwing herself back to the ground in an attempt to hold his body back from wherever it was disappearing to, but to no avail. His hand slipped from her fingers, and moments later, the glow faded as well, leaving the clearing darker than ever.

  Persephone’s heart ached, and emptiness flooded her. Only a nudge from Gypsy stopped her from giving up her own life. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, she realized her body no longer ached where she’d been struck. She pressed her fingers to her ribs, her cheek, her temple; all wounds appeared to be healed. An odd sensation at her back caused to her look over her shoulder. The last thing she expected to see were elegant wings, colored deep red, stretching from between her shoulder blades. She wondered how to make them work, only for them to stretch wide at a single thought.

  The next few minutes were spent making her new appendages do a range of movements, from stretching out behind her, to either side, and even stretching them up to create an imposing stance. She was uncomfortable with the color; it reminded her of the blood given to grant her continued life and the wings. But in a way, the crimson color was a comfort, a constant reminder of the love Adrian had felt for her, so much that he gave his own life so that she could escape and live.

  Turning to Gypsy, she noticed the horse regarding her with interest, but not out of fear. Her gut instinct told her that Adrian had shown his true self to the animal, and Persephone even wondered if the mare was an ordinary horse, or a creature of special power. Stepping towards the animal, she was rewarded with a nudge in the same spot that Adrian had touched before he died.

  “You knew the truth, didn’t you?” she queried.

  The mare threw her head up and down, imitating a nod. Persephone looked at the animal throw narrowed eyes, studying her. She certainly seemed like an ordinary horse, quite an intelligent one at that. That wasn’t enough to suspect anything supernatural going on. Persephone had seen a few travelers with a close relationship with their horse, so close they appeared to have conversations that only they understood.

  “I suppose we should leave.” Persephone sighed, almost sad now that the time had come. She would miss the forest that had become like a second home to her, but she knew it was too dangerous to stay so close to Mythosandria, and even the neighboring villages would be risky as news spread of what had happened. Someone was bound to come looking for the mob soon. A snap of a twig nearby had her twirling in fear, expecting Malachi or one of his flunkies to appear. She certainly wasn’t expecting Daniel. He looked a little worse for wear, but otherwise he was fine. Persephone wept for joy at the sight of the old man she considered a friend, having never expected to see him again. She raced towards him and threw her arms around him, all thoughts of what had happened pushed to the back of her mind. When he tentatively returned the hug, she realized she must look a fright, covered in blood with dark red wings stretching behind her.

  Taking a step back, she bit her lip, unsure of how to expla
in what had happened. Instead, she avoided the subject. “I’m so glad to see you, Daniel,” she gushed. “Malachi was determined to make you pay.”

  The old man nodded, still seeming to take the scene in. He looked around, paling at the sight of the bodies. As his gaze returned to her, he took in her whole appearance. Whatever conclusion he reached, she didn’t know.

  “Things took a turn for the worse, that’s for sure. I managed to sneak out in the confusion of the mob chasing you down. I hid in one of the abandoned buildings until I could sneak into the forest unseen. I’m glad to see you all right too, lass,” he admitted. “You were always like a daughter to me.”

  She smiled at him, too full of emotion for words.

  “You look like you could do with a clean-up,” he stated, pointing to the bloody dress.

  Persephone looked down and almost retched at the sight of all the blood.

  “Not yours, obviously.”

  “No,” she quietly agreed. “No, not mine.”

  She watched his face soften, and she knew he understood that it belonged to someone dear. “A man?” he gently prompted. All she could do was nod as a lump formed in her throat and tears threatened to spill over again. “Well, let’s get us both somewhere safe and you can tell me about the man who sacrificed himself for such a lovely young woman.”

  Persephone took comfort in his arm around her shoulder guiding her towards the horse.

  “I trust you’ll also fill me in on how you sprouted those beautiful wings, too,” he declared matter-of-factly.

  She couldn’t help but relax in his company. Daniel was more of a father than Bruce had ever been, and she was thankful to have him in her life still. “I don’t understand it completely myself, but I’ll tell you what I know,” she concurred. “But not before a bath a long way away from here.”

  “Agreed.”

  “This is Gypsy. I guess she’ll be coming with us.”

  Daniel gently approached Gypsy as the mare snuffled his shirt.

  “Well aren’t you just the most stunning horse I’ve seen,” he cooed.

  Gypsy twisted her ears forward with interest.

  “She was his,” Persephone spoke quietly.

  Daniel let a few moments pass before replying. “Well she’s a fine beast. Come on, girl.” He beckoned to Persephone. “Time to leave this hell behind us. You get up on dear Gypsy, now. There’s a good lass.”

  Once she was mounted, she realized that the saddle wouldn’t allow them to ride tandem. “But how are you going to travel? I won’t allow you to walk.”

  He grinned at her before holding his fingers to his lips and letting out an ear-splitting whistle. “Just you wait and see,” he chuckled.

  A thundering from deep within the forest had her twisting in her seat, and moments later a large bay stallion came galloping towards them. Persephone’s mouth dropped open in awe of the beautiful beast. “That’s your horse?”

  She was answered with another chuckle. “Oh, he’s not mine as such. He is his own creature. We just have a bond. We’re like brother spirits.”

  Persephone nodded in understanding. “He’s stunning.”

  The stallion snorted at Daniel in greeting. “Hey, boy,” the man responded, walking up to pat the beast.

  “What about a saddle?” she inquired.

  “We don’t need any of that nonsense, do we, Chiron?” he crooned. The stallion threw his head around and snorted again. “Come on, boy, we need some haste.”

  A lot nimbler than his age allowed, Daniel swung up on to Chiron’s back with ease. Persephone was astonished and impressed. Gypsy whinnied, bringing her attention to the direction of the village. Persephone could hear faint shouts that were slowly getting louder. Glancing at Daniel who nodded at her, Persephone flicked the reins and turned the Hanoverian towards the south, away from the village and towards the ocean. Gypsy launched into a ground-eating gallop, weaving between the trees with ease and she heard the thundering hooves that announced Chiron was following close behind, Daniel laughing wildly on his back. Despite the tragic events, Persephone couldn’t help but rejoice in the freedom she felt as they raced away from their hellish lives.

  They sped through the forest and quickly left the trees behind, galloping across a plain of long grass waving in the wind, looking like waves on the ocean she needed to reach. She had no idea what Adrian thought was waiting for her there, but he had made her promise she would make it, and she was not about to deny him, even in death.

  Land disappeared underneath them as the horses ran hard, their strides eating the distance. Eventually, however, they needed to take a break, and when they came across a stream, Persephone reined Gypsy in, walking the mare until she cooled down. Dismounting, she finally realized the saddle bags were full. Untying them, she sat down to inspect the contents, left by her deceased love.

  Most of the first bag contained food supplies, of which she was thankful. Those supplies would come in handy. Picking out two carrots, she handed one to Daniel for Chiron and gave the other to Gypsy, standing behind her now. She grabbed an apple each for her and Daniel, biting into hers with relish.

  While she crunched away on the apple, Persephone pulled the other saddlebag closer and opened it up. His scent wafted up to her from his clothing. She closed her eyes and breathed in a musky smell of clean, and it comforted her. Opening her eyes once more, she fingered the tunics and trousers. Daniel cleared his throat, and she glanced up at him for long enough to flash a small smile.

  The clothes shifted as she fingered the material, and she noticed a flash of cornflower blue, a color that sparked her curiosity. Digging past Adrian’s clothing she found the source of the color; a beautiful blue dress made of the softest cotton with a dark blue shrug jacket. She couldn’t resist the urge and stood up to have a proper look at the dress, though she refrained from holding it against her body to avoid getting any blood on the pretty material.

  “Sure is a nice looking dress,” Daniel admired.

  “Yes, it is. I guess Adrian didn’t plan on giving me time to pack my own clothes when he came to pick me up.” Trying not to cry again, she mused, “I do so wish it had worked out that way.” Remembering why events had taken a turn for the worse, she turned to Daniel. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. I just—”

  “It’s all right, lass,” he replied. “Young love is what it is. Tell you the truth, I wish you had been able to escape with this man who still holds your heart. Too much tragedy surrounds our leaving. But we can’t change the past, only look forward.” He walked over to her and put his hand to her cheek. “Things will work out for the best, you’ll see.” A twinkle in his eyes made her wonder if there was something he knew that she didn’t. Instead of following the suspicion, she gave him a smile and sat back down to look through the saddle bags further, hoping for something of his more personal than clothing.

  Persephone was touched to find two more pretty dresses included for her—an emerald green dress that would bring out the color of her eyes and a sun dress that was a cheery yellow. They even had matching soft shoes. Tucked away to the side of the bag was a folded piece of paper with her name written neatly on the outside. Her heart was in her throat as she pulled it out to read.

  My dear Persephone

  I have written this letter in case something goes wrong, as I feel it might. There are so many things I need to tell you, but I don’t know where to start without sounding crazy.

  I have loved you since I first saw you, and I must admit the other day in the forest wasn’t the first time. About a moon ago I was in Mythosandria with my mother and my bride to be, escorting them as they looked at dresses. You walked past and didn’t notice me, but I noticed you. I thought you were the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, and was determined to find you again. So I started wandering the forest, hoping to catch a glimpse of you again, or find out your name. Coming across you in the clearing that day was beyond my wildest dreams. I hope you know just how much I love you, although we�
�ve only known each other for a short space of time.

  I should also tell you who I really am. I’m not human, but an angel. I know it sounds crazy but it’s the truth. Angels often come to earth out of curiosity. I came down to find love. Although I’m only young as a human, I’m actually older. My human mother raised me from birth, but my magick allowed me to enter her womb. It’s something I hope to tell you about properly. For now just know that there is such thing as fate, and it put us together in the forest that day.

  I hope that I get to tell you this in person, but just in case, I have loved you since I first saw you, and I always will be in your heart.

  Forever yours

  Adrian

  Tears slid down Persephone’s cheeks as she read Adrian’s note, knowing he would never get the chance to explain everything to her after all. She lifted the letter to her face and kissed where he had signed his name before tucking the letter back into the saddlebag. Glancing back inside the bag with the food, Persephone noticed a large canvas that he had probably packed to use as a tent until they found more permanent living quarters. Glancing around, she couldn’t see any large branches or rocks to drape it over so she could dress into clean clothes that weren’t stained with blood. She looked at Gypsy’s height and decided the horse was tall enough for her purposes as long as Persephone ducked down, so she slung the large canvas over the horse’s back, grabbed a tunic and pair of trousers from Adrian’s stashed clothing, and walked around Gypsy for privacy as she cleaned up and dressed.

  It wasn’t until she’d removed her dress that she remembered her new wings, and she was stumped as to how she was going to get the tunic on. Twisting the material to scrutinize all angles, she couldn’t help but speak out loud. “How on earth did you fit your wings into these, Adrian?” she mumbled.