Page 52 of Redeeming the Angel

At my questioning look, Akasha explained, “To protect her ears.She can still hear the music, though.”

In addition to Xochitl’s Siamese cat, Isis, a second Siamese, this one with darker markings, perched on a shelf, watching the band.I saw little forcefields surrounding the felines and wondered if those too served as ear protection.It was certainly needed, for the band was much louder than my stereo could go.

I sipped my cocoa and tried not to gape like a fool at how much more powerful Rage of Angels’ music was in person.I immediately saw the lines of magic tethering them together and pulsing outward at the audience.At the sight of this proof, I finally believed that it was indeed Xochitl’s band that was responsible for the rapid return of magic to Earth.

Even without the power, the group was insanely talented.Aurora’s drumming was complex, fast, but still compelling in a way that made it impossible not to tap one’s foot along.Beau’s bass was astonishingly dynamic, going from a blood-pumping thrum to percussive beats and back as needed.Xochitl’s and Sylvis’s guitars sang, growled, howled, and soared.And Xochitl’s voice… not even the best of Luminista’s various choirs could match her vocal range, passion, and beauty.

I peeked at Kerainne and the pure unadulterated pride in her face as she watched her daughter speared my heart and brought a lump to my throat.

I should have been here,my heart shouted.I could have watched Xochitl learn and grow with her music.I could have seen this band come together, grow even more, and reach the heights of talent, success, and power they wielded now.Instead, I’d been the worst of fools.

But I was no longer that fool.Razvan, Delgarias, and all the other vampires who’d supported and encouraged these girls and boy would have another male joining their ranks.And maybe other members of both Leonine and Jagwolfe clans when I showed them what a mistake they’d made in cutting ties with the Earth Jagwolfes.

And these songs, fates, not only were they as aggressive as their early work, yet somehow more brutal, the lyrics directly spoke of the upcoming war and called for allies to take up arms and join their cause.I found myself silently swearing to redouble my efforts in recruiting others to luminista.

When the band finished practicing their songs, I wiped my damp cheeks, only then realizing they’d brought me to tears.Kerainne caught me and gave me the strangest look.

The couches and beanbag chairs were pushed back around the TV while Razvan and Radu returned the speakers to the entertainment center and hooked them up again.

“Why do we have to do this again?”Razvan groaned as Xochitl got out the DVD ofEclipse.“I was already subjected to this torture last week when we were in New Orleans.”

“Because Silas needs to see all of them,” Aurora said.“And neither has Akasha.Oh, and we have new victims in Lucian and Uncle Del.”

Before the film started, bags of chips and popcorn were doled out and nearly everyone switched their beverage choice to beer or cider.I noticed the vampires passing around shot glasses with a finger of scotch.

This time, Kerainne allowed me to sit beside her.However, with Kiara on her lap, I knew better than to attempt to put my arm around her or hold her hand.Instead, I reveled in the heat of her body next to mine and laughed at all the remarks and reactions being bandied about.

For some reason, everyone laughed uproariously at the way one vampire said the words, “Battle scars.”

Silas once more grew angry at the choices the main vampire made when it came to trusting and protecting his mate.“He knew there was a storm coming and didn’t bother to get a tent heater?”

“Right?”Anthony’s voice was rife with annoyance.“And I may be a city creature, but I’m pretty sure there would be better tents and sleeping bags for that weather.

Xochitl laughed.“If Ed-boy shopped smart...”

“S-Mart!”Sylvis and Kerainne chimed in.

“Then they wouldn’t be able to do the love-triangle with Jacob cuddle scene.”

“Ugh.”Akasha snuggled closer to Silas.“I’m so glad you’re not ice-cold.”

“And I’m gladyouaren’t being manipulated by an immature werewolf.”

The rest of the movie was spent laughing at how the vampires broke like marble statues, Akasha not realizing that the very bad wigs were wigs, and Silas and Razvan both loudly agreeing at how they’d made alliances with werewolves if they were real.

By the time the film ended, Kiara was sound asleep.Kerainne took her back upstairs to her bed and the McNaughts’ cat followed to watch over her.

When Akasha, Razvan, and Tony went out for a smoke break, Xochitl passed me a cold cider and said, “I’m glad Kiara went to bed before this next one.”

“Why?”Silas frowned at her.“These seem bloodless enough.Though if she ends up thinking either of those boys are healthy partners, I’ll be concerned.”

“Something really fucked up happens in this one and I’m not sure how much she understands.”

But it turned out that Kiara wasn’t the one to worry about.The movie, of which over half was dedicated to a very boring wedding and even more boring honeymoon, suddenly took a shift when the girl became pregnant with a rapidly growing fetus.

Lillian, Radu’s Bride, was outrage at how scientifically impossible the whole thing was, given that these vampires’ bodily fluids were supposed to be venomous.Akasha and Silas expressed their relief that their child grew normally in a surrogate.Kerainne, however, had gone very stiff and was watching the screen with an expression that looked pained.

I placed my hand on her shoulder and she jumped, then relaxed slightly when her attention was pulled from the movie that had gotten progressively more gruesome.

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