most.”
Michael’s glance in their direction was subtle but clear. They were a liability.
“But to take away his powers,” Naomi argued, “it will crush him. How can he protect himself without them?”
“It must be done. It is for our safety,” Michael said.
“Then let me do it. He’s my son,” Raphael said.
Michael shook his head. “It has been decided. Gabrielle has volunteered to execute the punishment.”
Naomi looked around in disbelief. It was over.
Raphael’s face was stoic as he held on to Rebecca as she cried into his chest. Rachel made her way to Uri and held his hand. And Lash . . . his heart was breaking.
She’d done that to him—to all of them. She couldn’t take it anymore.
“I’m sorry, Lash.” She ran down the steps, tears blinding her vision as she rushed out of the hall.
10
L eilani couldn’t move . She wanted to escape the crushing pressure. It was as if her arms and legs were made of lead.
What happened? Why couldn’t she open her eyes?
All she could remember was that one moment she was swimming up, following the string back to the homemade buoy. Then everything went black.
There was a warm pressure around her waist. Something drew her to the warmth, and her body came alive.
It’s him. It’s Jeremy.
Heavy eyelids slowly lifted. She could barely see him and struggled to open her eyes. It was strange. Everything looked so hazy.
Jeremy wore a determined expression on his face as he held her. They drifted higher until they were out of the water. He didn’t stop. Somehow they were floating in the air, heading toward the night sky.
I’m dreaming.
She’d had this dream before. Jeremy would take her into his arms, sapphire eyes gazing lovingly, moonlight shining on his golden hair. Then suddenly they would be flying through a sky filled with twinkling stars and a full moon. And when she arched her neck, waiting for his lips, she could see fire in the shape of wings behind him. He was a golden angel.
Even after he had disappeared, she’d held on to those dreams. But as days had turned into weeks and he didn’t return, she’d known she had to let go of her childish dreams and grow up.
And here she was, dreaming about him again. This time it felt so real—the warmth of his chest against her cheek, the frantic beating of his heart.
She could feel his damp hand lifting her chin and his sweet breath on her lips. Her heart sputtered as if waking up for the first time as his lips inched closer until finally they pressed against hers. Her body lit on fire as life’s breath soared into her, calling her soul.
It was so real. It was a dream, but so what? Jeremy was finally with her.
“Leilani!”
And so was Sammy.
What the hell?
“Leilani, don’t die!”
What a weird dream. She wasn’t dying.
A sudden jolt smashed against her chest, and Jeremy disappeared. There was another jolt and she choked.
She couldn’t breathe. Her chest was going to explode.
“Sammy! Jeremy!” Her mind screamed their names, but no sound came out.
Then there was a flash of light. She coughed and water spewed out of her mouth.
“You’re alive. She’s going to be okay, buddy. Give her a minute.”
Slowly, her arms and legs pricked to life. She could feel the sand beneath her.
Aw, crap. She hadn’t made it up to the surface in time, and somehow Jeremy had gotten to her and dragged her sorry ass back to the beach.
“Leilani.” Jeremy’s voice called urgently as he lightly slapped her cheeks.
“Stop it,” she croaked as she slowly opened her eyes to worried pools of blue. His handsome face taunted her heart.
If she had to drown, why did he have to be the one who saved her?
Again.
“Come on, we need to get you to a doctor. I’ll help you up.”
“I don’t need your help.” She slapped his hands, cussing as she struggled to sit up.
“You’re better,” Sammy said. “She only cusses when she feels good.”
“She sure is,” Jeremy chuckled as he touched her cheek.
Michael’s glance in their direction was subtle but clear. They were a liability.
“But to take away his powers,” Naomi argued, “it will crush him. How can he protect himself without them?”
“It must be done. It is for our safety,” Michael said.
“Then let me do it. He’s my son,” Raphael said.
Michael shook his head. “It has been decided. Gabrielle has volunteered to execute the punishment.”
Naomi looked around in disbelief. It was over.
Raphael’s face was stoic as he held on to Rebecca as she cried into his chest. Rachel made her way to Uri and held his hand. And Lash . . . his heart was breaking.
She’d done that to him—to all of them. She couldn’t take it anymore.
“I’m sorry, Lash.” She ran down the steps, tears blinding her vision as she rushed out of the hall.
10
L eilani couldn’t move . She wanted to escape the crushing pressure. It was as if her arms and legs were made of lead.
What happened? Why couldn’t she open her eyes?
All she could remember was that one moment she was swimming up, following the string back to the homemade buoy. Then everything went black.
There was a warm pressure around her waist. Something drew her to the warmth, and her body came alive.
It’s him. It’s Jeremy.
Heavy eyelids slowly lifted. She could barely see him and struggled to open her eyes. It was strange. Everything looked so hazy.
Jeremy wore a determined expression on his face as he held her. They drifted higher until they were out of the water. He didn’t stop. Somehow they were floating in the air, heading toward the night sky.
I’m dreaming.
She’d had this dream before. Jeremy would take her into his arms, sapphire eyes gazing lovingly, moonlight shining on his golden hair. Then suddenly they would be flying through a sky filled with twinkling stars and a full moon. And when she arched her neck, waiting for his lips, she could see fire in the shape of wings behind him. He was a golden angel.
Even after he had disappeared, she’d held on to those dreams. But as days had turned into weeks and he didn’t return, she’d known she had to let go of her childish dreams and grow up.
And here she was, dreaming about him again. This time it felt so real—the warmth of his chest against her cheek, the frantic beating of his heart.
She could feel his damp hand lifting her chin and his sweet breath on her lips. Her heart sputtered as if waking up for the first time as his lips inched closer until finally they pressed against hers. Her body lit on fire as life’s breath soared into her, calling her soul.
It was so real. It was a dream, but so what? Jeremy was finally with her.
“Leilani!”
And so was Sammy.
What the hell?
“Leilani, don’t die!”
What a weird dream. She wasn’t dying.
A sudden jolt smashed against her chest, and Jeremy disappeared. There was another jolt and she choked.
She couldn’t breathe. Her chest was going to explode.
“Sammy! Jeremy!” Her mind screamed their names, but no sound came out.
Then there was a flash of light. She coughed and water spewed out of her mouth.
“You’re alive. She’s going to be okay, buddy. Give her a minute.”
Slowly, her arms and legs pricked to life. She could feel the sand beneath her.
Aw, crap. She hadn’t made it up to the surface in time, and somehow Jeremy had gotten to her and dragged her sorry ass back to the beach.
“Leilani.” Jeremy’s voice called urgently as he lightly slapped her cheeks.
“Stop it,” she croaked as she slowly opened her eyes to worried pools of blue. His handsome face taunted her heart.
If she had to drown, why did he have to be the one who saved her?
Again.
“Come on, we need to get you to a doctor. I’ll help you up.”
“I don’t need your help.” She slapped his hands, cussing as she struggled to sit up.
“You’re better,” Sammy said. “She only cusses when she feels good.”
“She sure is,” Jeremy chuckled as he touched her cheek.
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