his sword and headed for the
caretaker’s home. Michael would be there and so would Clarity
Shaw.
Chapter Nine
“What’s happening?” Clarity asked Michael.
The wall shook as if a giant had taken an interest in them and now
demanded entrance.
Mr. Donner appeared beside them, making
Clarity jump. A curse left her lips and her hand flew to her chest
as if she could prevent her heart from leaping from it. “Dear Lord,
can you give us a warning before you pop in for a visit?”
He gave her a sheepish grin. “Sorry, but I
came to warn you. Samael has gained power. He’s in a solid form
now.”
“How did he manage such a feat?” Michael
asked.
“He took Hester Higgins’s essence.”
“Is Hester dead?” Clarity swallowed back the
lump in her throat. Even though the woman had some serious issues,
she didn’t wish her dead.
Mr. Donner nodded his head. “Most likely.
She stepped over the line and into our plane of existence.”
“But I thought they were working
together.”
Michael turned toward her. “Samael
manipulates and uses. He has no loyalties.” His gaze shifted toward
the door again. His restlessness made his wings pulsate and his arm
muscles flex. “It will be over soon.” He spoke the words more to
himself than to anyone in the room.
“What will be over soon? What do you mean?”
Her hand lightly caressed his arm and he looked back at her, his
brows furrowing as if for a moment, he forgot she stood there.
“He must fight Samael,” Mr. Donner informed
her. “It’s the ritual that cannot be avoided.”
Michael caressed her cheek with the back of
his hand. His eyes filled with a mixture of tenderness and lethal
determination. “You must stay here, where it is safe. Remember, you
gave me your word.”
Her fingers gripped his arm. “Stay here,
too. Don’t fight him. This could be the answer to breaking the
curse.”
He shook his head. “Once long ago, I thought
so, too. I tried to stay away, but the compulsion to fight grew too
strong and my feet moved of their own accord. I have no choice,
Clarity. I’ll be drawn to the fight as if I have no will of my own.
I must live the final moments of Mary’s death. The only difference
is that only Samael or I die.”
Tears stung her eyes and she gritted her
teeth tightly, trying to keep her emotions under control. “The
outcome being different each time, but nothing ever settled.”
He nodded. “Once one of us lies in a puddle
of blood, the night ends for us. We both return to our stone
slumber to wait for the next thinning of the veil, where we’ll
fight once more.”
“Halloween is the only night to break the
spell.” She glanced at the book she still held in her hand. “What
do fairytales have to do with your plight?” Her gaze met his again.
Then she looked at Mr. Donner, hoping he had the answer.
His bony shoulders lifted in a shrug. “I’m
afraid, I do not know. I had hoped you would. The witch’s journal
claimed the female descendent would know the meaning of the
kiss.”
“It is the kiss, but I have kissed him. It
didn’t break the spell.” She didn’t want to let Michael down, but
without seeing the connection the kiss had to the stories and to
the curse placed on him, how could she free him?
“I know you’re in there. Come out and face
me.” Samael’s voice rumbled from outside the door, anger pouring
over each word with a promise of death.
Michael closed his eyes as if wishing to
block out the summons. Sweat trickled down the sides of his
forehead. “I must go.” He looked at her one last time. Passion,
longing, and regret radiated from the depths of his eyes before he
turned away from her and headed for the door.
“Wait,” she called to him, not sure he could
stop.
When he slowed his steps and turned to her,
she ran to him. Her hands lifted to her eyebrow earring and quickly
unfastened it. Slipping it free, she grabbed his hand. She placed
the earring in his palm, curling his fingers over it.
caretaker’s home. Michael would be there and so would Clarity
Shaw.
Chapter Nine
“What’s happening?” Clarity asked Michael.
The wall shook as if a giant had taken an interest in them and now
demanded entrance.
Mr. Donner appeared beside them, making
Clarity jump. A curse left her lips and her hand flew to her chest
as if she could prevent her heart from leaping from it. “Dear Lord,
can you give us a warning before you pop in for a visit?”
He gave her a sheepish grin. “Sorry, but I
came to warn you. Samael has gained power. He’s in a solid form
now.”
“How did he manage such a feat?” Michael
asked.
“He took Hester Higgins’s essence.”
“Is Hester dead?” Clarity swallowed back the
lump in her throat. Even though the woman had some serious issues,
she didn’t wish her dead.
Mr. Donner nodded his head. “Most likely.
She stepped over the line and into our plane of existence.”
“But I thought they were working
together.”
Michael turned toward her. “Samael
manipulates and uses. He has no loyalties.” His gaze shifted toward
the door again. His restlessness made his wings pulsate and his arm
muscles flex. “It will be over soon.” He spoke the words more to
himself than to anyone in the room.
“What will be over soon? What do you mean?”
Her hand lightly caressed his arm and he looked back at her, his
brows furrowing as if for a moment, he forgot she stood there.
“He must fight Samael,” Mr. Donner informed
her. “It’s the ritual that cannot be avoided.”
Michael caressed her cheek with the back of
his hand. His eyes filled with a mixture of tenderness and lethal
determination. “You must stay here, where it is safe. Remember, you
gave me your word.”
Her fingers gripped his arm. “Stay here,
too. Don’t fight him. This could be the answer to breaking the
curse.”
He shook his head. “Once long ago, I thought
so, too. I tried to stay away, but the compulsion to fight grew too
strong and my feet moved of their own accord. I have no choice,
Clarity. I’ll be drawn to the fight as if I have no will of my own.
I must live the final moments of Mary’s death. The only difference
is that only Samael or I die.”
Tears stung her eyes and she gritted her
teeth tightly, trying to keep her emotions under control. “The
outcome being different each time, but nothing ever settled.”
He nodded. “Once one of us lies in a puddle
of blood, the night ends for us. We both return to our stone
slumber to wait for the next thinning of the veil, where we’ll
fight once more.”
“Halloween is the only night to break the
spell.” She glanced at the book she still held in her hand. “What
do fairytales have to do with your plight?” Her gaze met his again.
Then she looked at Mr. Donner, hoping he had the answer.
His bony shoulders lifted in a shrug. “I’m
afraid, I do not know. I had hoped you would. The witch’s journal
claimed the female descendent would know the meaning of the
kiss.”
“It is the kiss, but I have kissed him. It
didn’t break the spell.” She didn’t want to let Michael down, but
without seeing the connection the kiss had to the stories and to
the curse placed on him, how could she free him?
“I know you’re in there. Come out and face
me.” Samael’s voice rumbled from outside the door, anger pouring
over each word with a promise of death.
Michael closed his eyes as if wishing to
block out the summons. Sweat trickled down the sides of his
forehead. “I must go.” He looked at her one last time. Passion,
longing, and regret radiated from the depths of his eyes before he
turned away from her and headed for the door.
“Wait,” she called to him, not sure he could
stop.
When he slowed his steps and turned to her,
she ran to him. Her hands lifted to her eyebrow earring and quickly
unfastened it. Slipping it free, she grabbed his hand. She placed
the earring in his palm, curling his fingers over it.
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