Redemption (The Chosen #4)

by Swank, Denise Grover

  Pulling him to his feet, Raphael hissed, “You think Will likes you? Well, think again. He just tried to kill you.”

  Raphael yanked him around a corner and Jake stumbled as he sorted through the thoughts in his head. Still angry and grieving over Antonia, he was eager to take his frustration out on someone.

  Will was the final straw.

  Jake sent a wave of power into the storm. The rain shot like arrows from the sky, stabbing his skin, but he welcomed the pain. It only added to his anger. The mark on his chest was so cold his wet shirt froze to it.

  “Is that the best you can do, Jake?” Raphael curled his upper lip in disgust, but then worry wiped his smugness away, and he ran again.

  ***

  Aiden had Emma backed up inside an enclosed structure with three floors of concrete and cars over her head. He hopped the wall, walking toward her. She backed down the aisle, toward the wall behind her.

  “Now would be a good time for your next move, Emmanuella. Have you really been so poorly trained?”

  “Who the fuck was going to train me, Aiden?” She ground the words through her clenched teeth. “Will didn’t know shit. Raphael was intent on stealing my power. Alex was intent on—”

  “Yes, what was Alex intent on?”

  “Gaining control and power. Just like the rest of you. No one trained me.” She held her hands at the sides. “What you see is what you get.”

  Aiden looked pensive, then spoke. “I’m about to make a one-time proposal. No second chances.”

  “I can’t wait to hear this.” His amusement scared her, sapping her power. Aiden’s entertainment always came at the expense of others. And if his proposal involved her, she was sure there was nothing good about it.

  He continued to advance, determination now on his face. “You’re right. No one has trained you. Marcus made sure of that. He’s the one who took away your natural instincts. He’s the one who made sure that Will was The Chosen One and knew nothing of his role. You’ve been a mewling babe thrown out among the wolves, that are even now ready to rip you apart and eat the flesh from your bones.”

  “I’m not sure I have enough meat on my bones to be passed around.”

  He tilted his head and smiled. “Even now, you fight with sarcasm.”

  She was backed up against the five-foot wall cutting her off from the street outside. The parking garage continued to shake, small chunks of concrete falling around them.

  “Here is my proposal: I will give you Jake. We will go find him and I will immediately give him to you.”

  Her breath stuck in her chest. “Why?” she choked out.

  “Emma, must you ask? I’m your father.”

  “Ha. Like that means anything. There’s a catch. You told me it was a proposal. I don’t believe you’ll just let me have Jake.”

  “You’re correct. There is a stipulation, but not as bad as you might think. I realize what a disservice I’ve done to you. You needed proper training and I failed to make sure that you received it.”

  “What does that have to do with Jake?”

  “I will provide your training in the day and a half we have left. I will prepare you as best I can to make you strong enough to defeat Marcus.”

  Her eyes widened.

  “Make no mistake, Emma, he is your enemy. He may pretend to have your best interests at heart, but he is thousands of years old and he wants what he lost millenniums ago. He’s no different than Raphael. Or Alex. Or me.” He took a step closer, bending his knees so that his face was level with hers. “Or even you.”

  Her mouth dropped open, but Aiden placed a finger on her lips. Power rippled through her body in electrical currents.

  “Shhh... Do you feel it, Emmanuella? Do you feel the raw current of energy? You can have this too.” He pulled his finger away.

  She shook her head. “No, I’m different than you.”

  “Not as much as you think. You have power, Emmanuella. You just need to find it.”

  This was all too perfect. Much too easy. “And you’re going to help me do that?”

  “Yes.”

  “And you’re going to give me Jake?” She didn’t hide her skepticism.

  “Yes. There’s only one stipulation.”

  “Well, of course. I would have been disappointed if there wasn’t.”

  “I will teach you all that I can in one and a half days, and I will give you Jake, but you must leave with me now and stay with me until the final battle.”

  “Why?”

  He looked annoyed. “You’re not stupid. I’ve presented it all to you in perfect English.”

  Why would he do this? A month ago she might have taken him up on his offer, so why not present it then? And then she knew. Will. He was threatened by her bond to Will.

  Will! Why hadn’t he answered her?

  She took a deep breath to clear her head. “And if I refuse?”

  Disappointment clouded his eyes. “I expected you to be smarter than that.”

  “What’s in it for you?”

  “The satisfaction of helping my daughter.”

  Her pulse pounded in her head. “You’re a liar, Aiden, and we both know it, so cut the cheesy, protective daddy shit.”

  Aiden’s mouth hardened, and a muscle in his cheek twitched. “Does it really matter what my motives are? I’m offering two very precious gifts. Are you telling me you refuse?”

  Jake. He was offering her Jake. Not on her terms, but still, it was a chance to be with him. To hold him and let him know he wasn’t alone.

  The opportunity to learn more about her power was a bonus. But if she had Jake, would she still need her power? Whether she had him until tomorrow night or not, there was still the final battle. What was Aiden really after? She was sure this proposal was an afterthought. His main purpose in luring her here was to tell her when the final battle would happen and where.

  It all boiled down to Will. Aiden had done his damnedest to keep them apart since this all began and this was just another attempt. But did it matter? Aiden was giving her Jake. Wasn’t that the sole purpose of this fight for her? To get her son? Could she afford to turn his offer down?

  Impatience twisted his mouth into a frown.

  The parking garage began to sway.

  “I need your decision, Emmanuella.”

  No, she wanted more. If she went with Aiden, she had no guarantee he’d really let her be with Jake. Besides, he wasn’t letting her have Jake. He was letting her be imprisoned with him. They wouldn’t be free to leave. She would be at Aiden’s mercy.

  Part of her screamed that it didn’t matter. Jake was her son. Who cared about the terms? She’d get to be with him and comfort him. The rest of today and tomorrow.

  Two days.

  Two days to comfort him.

  Two days to prepare to save his life.

  She’d told Will that she’d never betray him. To go with Aiden would be the highest betrayal. Will loved her more than she deserved, and he’d do everything in his power to save her and Jake.

  Only two more days.

  She swallowed, sick to her stomach, afraid that she was possibly making the worst mistake of her life. “No.”

  He titled his head forward in surprise. “Excuse me?”

  “No. I’ll wait.”

  “I offer you your son, and you refuse?”

  “I want to be with him so badly, but I want him to be free from you more. This is the only way I know to do that.”

  “You fool,” he spat, his rage making him glow. The pure power coming off him burned her skin. “I’ve offered you everything you could possibly want, but you throw it away for what? That simpleton of a man?”

  “No. Because I love Jake, and I want him to be free. You’re asking me to put my trust in you or Will. I’ll pick Will every time.”

  “Are you that naïve? Will is with Marcus now. Marcus will stop at nothing to destroy you and destroy Jake. You will truly pick sides with that man over me?”

  “Will loves me, a c
oncept you obviously don’t understand. He will never betray me or Jake. You, on the other hand, do it without a backward glance.”

  Aiden growled, then released his power into a row of cars to Emma’s right. They exploded and the shockwave threw her backward, crashing her head and back into the concrete. Her vision faded as the heat of the flames overwhelmed her.

  “Can you do that, Emma?’

  She climbed to her feet, using the wall to support herself. “Yes.”

  “Then do it!”

  Her body was a sea of pain and her brain struggled to focus. Where the hell was her anger? Her energy had become a shriveled ball.

  Get mad, Emma! Will shouted in her head.

  Where the hell have you been? She choked on a sob. What had she done? She’d just sentenced her son to eternity with Aiden. She was going to die in vain in this parking garage. It would be a total waste. She’d done nothing to save Jake or Will.

  “You’ve made the wrong choice, Emmanuella.” Aiden’s voice boomed in the parking garage. “You’ll never save your son. You can’t even save yourself.”

  She was dizzy and the room spun, the quaking ground not helping her disorientation.

  Stop feeling sorry for yourself and fight the bastard!

  The front of the parking garage caved in, a cloud of dust rushing toward her.

  Coughing, she couldn’t concentrate, her head a fuddled mess. A wave of energy swept through her skull and her senses returned, along with a rush of power to her chest. Will had given her part of his power.

  And now her father was going to pay.

  Lightning crashed nearby and she pulled energy from it, filling her chest until she was sure she would spontaneously combust.

  Trust your power.

  She sent it rushing toward Aiden, who gaped in surprise. The cars on either side of him erupted in flames, engulfing Aiden.

  Now get the hell out of there.

  The entrance had caved in and flames blocked her escape to the back exit. The wall behind her was open at the top but it was five feet tall. She grabbed the edge with her fingers and tried to jump up but lost her hold, the concrete scraping her fingertips raw. Her choices were to try it again or find another escape.

  If she could get to the next row, the wall was low enough for her to crawl over. But she had to pass through a wall of flames to do it.

  I am fire. I can walk through flames.

  The electrical source overhead was gone. The collapse of the garage must have shut off the electricity. If only lightning would strike again, but she had no guarantee that it would.

  Fucking Aiden was keeping her from Jake and he had no right. She shouldn’t have to become his prisoner to get her son. Rage burned in her chest, but it wasn’t enough. She needed more.

  Let me help you.

  Will’s power flooded her again and the ball of power gave her a surge of confidence. She could do this.

  Trust you power. And trust in yourself.

  Cloaking herself with her energy, she walked toward the flames, amazed that when she passed through them she only felt warmth, not burning. When she made it through, she ran to the lower wall, the parking garage swaying with renewed effort. Taking a running jump, she climbed over the ledge, falling on her knees when she landed. She scrambled to her feet and ran into the street, and the pounding rain soaked her within seconds. As she scanned the street to get her bearings, the parking garage collapsed, covering her with dust and debris.

  ***

  Giving Emma his power had weakened Will more than he expected. Emma?

  I’m fine. I’m safe.

  He’d fallen to his knees when he’d sent her enough power to heal her and help her defend herself, but in the process, he’d lost Raphael.

  A broken fire hydrant across the street sprayed water into the air and Will absorbed power from the gush. Jumping to his feet, he headed in the direction he’d last seen Marcus run.

  Following Raphael’s energy waves, Will found them in an alley. Jake’s face was pale from fear and exhaustion, his chest heaving as he fought to catch his breath. Marcus rounded a corner behind Will, taking in the sight of the three of them as he walked toward them.

  “Let him go, Raphael!” Will shouted over the roar of the storm. “Send Jake over to me, and I’ll let you go.”

  Raphael clutched Jake in front of his body as his eyes darted from Will to Marcus, backing up to the opposite end. “You’re lying.”

  Will hadn’t expected to kill Raphael today, so getting Jake was worth the trade. He took slow steps forward, his hands upraised. “I swear to you. I only want Jake. You’re free to go.”

  Jake studied Will with wary eyes.

  Raphael stopped, obviously considering Will’s offer. “Okay.” Raphael put his hands on Jake’s shoulders and took a step backward.

  Dropping to one knee, Will reached out to Jake. “It’s okay. Your mom is here and she’s desperate to see you.”

  Jake took two hesitant steps.

  Will watched in horror as Marcus shot rain toward Raphael and Jake, piercing their chests and legs. Blood saturated their shirts before the building collapsed, separating them from Will and Marcus.

  ***

  The building collapsed and Raphael pulled Jake again, but Jake ran willingly this time, his stomach a tight ball of fear. Jake looked down, shocked at the blood soaking the front of his shirt from three holes. What had happened?

  He glanced up at Raphael. Raphael’s shirt was splattered with more bloody marks than he could count, and his mouth gaped. Staggering on his feet, Raphael leaned his shoulder into a building to hold himself up as guttural sounds came from his throat.

  Jake watched in silence. Was Raphael dying?

  “Don’t just stand there, you stupid boy. Do something!” Raphael spat. He wrapped an arm around his stomach. “Goddamnit!” His head leaned back and rain splashed off his face.

  The amount of blood on Raphael’s shirt scared Jake, although as he watched the dark spots grow he wondered why he was shocked. How many people had he seen covered in blood?

  “Come here.” Raphael’s words were muffled by his clenched jaw.

  Jake stayed where he was, afraid to move. He looked down at his own chest. The blood had stopped seeping into his shirt.

  “Get over here now or I’ll do to your mother what Aiden did to your nanny.”

  Anger burned icy cold in Jake’s mark. “You won’t hurt my mother.”

  A grin formed on Raphael’s mouth and his eyes filled with evil. “I’ll take great delight making her scream with pain while you and Will watch.”

  A magical current filled the air around them.

  “I said get over here! I need your power.”

  Jake crossed his arms. “No. I hope you die.”

  Raphael laughed, but it sounded like a grunt. “If I die, then you’re at Will’s mercy. Who do you think just hurt us? It was Will.”

  Jake’s mouth dropped open.

  Raphael’s body shivered and his head rolled to the side, his eyebrows raising. “You didn’t realize that did you? Who did you think did it?”

  Shaking his head, Jake’s rage grew. “No. Will would never hurt me. He wants to help me.”

  “You are so stupid. You stupid, stupid boy. Of course he wants to hurt you. If he kills you, then he has your mommy all to himself.”

  “No.” Jake whispered. The possibility that Raphael’s words were right made him lightheaded.

  Raphael winked. “Oh, yes.”

  “But… He…”

  “He stabbed us with water, you fool. He took the very rain your storm produced and used it as a weapon against you. Grow up and face the facts. Will would rather see you dead then take you to your mother.”

  “No!” Jake shouted. Thunder rumbled overhead and multiple streaks of lightning struck the ground around them.

  “I can help you, Jake.” Raphael reached out his hand. “Just take my hand and help heal me. Then we’ll defeat Will together.”

  Jake�
�s rage billowed out of control. Curtains in the windows of the building next to him burst into flames.

  Shadows danced on the wall behind Raphael’s body.

  “Let me help you, Jake.” Raphael’s hand began to shake. His face was pale.

  With a smile, Jake took a step toward him. “We can help you.”

  Confusion clouded Raphael’s eyes. “We?”

  “The shadows will help.”

  Raphael’s eyes widened in terror and he stumbled backward, falling onto his bottom. “The shadows?”

  “You let Aiden kill Antonia.”

  The shadows covered Raphael’s body and he screamed.

  “You hurt my mommy.”

  Raphael’s clothes caught fire and he rolled to his stomach, his screams growing in volume.

  The ground gave a violent shake, then shuddered with gentle ripples. Jake stood with his feet apart waiting for the shaking to settle down.

  “You’re screaming now, Raphael. Not Mommy. You’ll never hurt her again.”

  “I won’t hurt her! I swear!” His body was covered in a haze of dark gray. “Jake! Stop!”

  He wouldn’t stop. Not until Raphael was dead. Jake focused on his hatred, pulling energy from his mark, then pushing it toward Raphael. Raphael’s entire body erupted into flames, while the shadows clung to him. Finally, he stopped moving but Jake’s body still burned with energy, the heat scorching the walls around them, turning them pitch black, but Jake felt nothing but triumph.

  The shadows slid off Raphael and made a circle on the now-blackened concrete next to him. The shadow figure rose up to face Jake.

  “You have done well. You are now the keeper of Raphael’s power. Do you accept?”

  Jake scowled. He might only be five but he wasn’t stupid, despite what Raphael said. “What’s the catch? I had to agree to destroy the person who killed Alex. I’m not going to kill myself.”