Page 68 of Rekindled Prophecy

Jasper had been there for her since the first moment she emerged from the grave. Albeit their first meeting was not the greatest. She had remained mad at him for some time for leaving her to dig her own way out. He also had been slow to fully explain her situation. But he had proven himself a true friend. After four centuries together, he had more than earned her trust.

To recall all they had experienced together would be impossible. To recount the adventures, remember the conversations, and to understand how watching the march of history, so many lives and so many deaths, had changed them in similar and dissimilar ways … was beyond her. But their connection filled her soul and made her eternal lonely existence more bearable.

Jasper had remained with her for many years just to help her acclimate to her new life and teach her the ropes. He even set up a bank account for her with his own money so she would not have to live a destitute life as she wandered the world. Even when they did not work together, he always checked in after each assignment. He was the one constant in her life. She owed him and respected him. More than anything, she despised keeping secrets from him. If anyone could help her, it would be Jasper. He would not count the cost, but she would. The weight of the pain of keeping him in the dark pressed down on her like a stack of mason bricks. It saddened her deeply to know that she was on her own now. She refused to pull her best friend into this debacle. He had been so close to death at Olivier’s hands, she just could not accept putting him back in to the fallen angel’s path.

After securing the building, the other demon hunters left with profuse thanks to Sofia for her hospitality and incredible fortitude under such extreme circumstances. They had to hurry to care for the remains of their friend before someone else found him and called the police.

She looked up at the clock. It was nearly 3 AM!

For all her calmness and strength throughout the grueling events of the day and evening, even Sofia showed signs of fatigue. It was remarkable the elderly woman had held up so well. Jasper even commented how impressed he was. “Sofia, you are quite a feisty lady. I wish everyone we saved had nerves of steel like you.”

Unsuccessfully stifling a yawn, Sofia admitted, “I believe I’ve reached my limit of excitement for one day. Time for sleep. Please stay and rest yourselves.”

Grateful for the invitation, Greylyn knew she had to return to Gaelic Haven. After all, leaving Kael to guard Kelly had been one of the dumbest decisions she had ever made.

Jasper was less than enthusiastic about the plan. “Come on, Grey! You do not seriously intend to go back there. Let me handle that dirtbag for you.” His desire to do so gleamed in his icy eyes.

“Absolutely not! This is my mess. Besides, I need to see Kelly one last time. Make sure she is really okay.” Biting her lower lip, she paused. “However, I do need one last favor.”

“One last favor? Ha! It’s never one and it’s never the last but shoot.” He flashed his signature smile.

“Would you stay here, at least tonight …just in case? It would make me feel so much better.” Of course, she did not admit that if he stayed here, he could not kill Kael.

Batting his thick, long, luscious lashes at her, “Come on, that lovely brocade sofa looks comfy and big enough for two.”

She was used to his flirty theatrics but always laughed them off. Sometimes she suspected he was not joking, but she never allowed the thought to linger. It made her inexplicably nervous.

They remained at the small dinette table for another half hour or so as she filled him in on the details she had skipped when the hunters were present. When he heard that Olivier had intentionally lured her there, and was the source of all this torment, Jasper’s usual light-heartedness turned to profound concern. He was more than painfully aware of the damage that one fallen angel could dish out, much less a fallen archangel. She had never seen her friend so out of sorts before, and that was saying something considering all they had been through.

“All this, just to set up a meeting with you. Seems a bit overdone. What does he want with you?”

Oh, the dreaded question. And the one she could not fully answer just yet.

“Doesn’t matter. Maybe that is how he gets his kicks. Thought he would frighten a little guardian angel. What’s done is done. All that matters is Kelly and the baby are safe.”

He stared at her across the table. His long, dark hair falling over to obscure one of his iridescent blue eyes. Jasper was not buying her act. She was a terrible actor, she knew it. The trouble with knowing someone for such a long time was that person could tell when one was lying. Jasper’s anxiety was obvious as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

More than anything, Greylyn wanted to throw herself into his reassuring arms, sobbing and blurting out the entire horrid story. She wanted nothing more than to break down and let Jasper soothe her and tell her that everything was going to be okay. He would take care of everything. Just as he had done several times in the past. Instead, she dug her nails into the palms of her clenched fists to fight the urge to confess.

For the first time in her afterlife, Greylyn lied to her best friend about something more important than her attraction to a dark guardian. It went against her very soul to do so, but she had no illusions it was for the best. She would not allow Jasper to risk it all for her.

“Jasper, who really knows what Olivier’s motives are? He wanted Kelly and her child. With all the work Sofia and I have done, he realized he could not break the protection barriers to get at them. He wasn’t happy about it, so he lured me here. I do not believe for a second that this is the last we will see of him. And I don’t believe Kelly is completely out of danger.”

Hoping that she sounded convincing, she continued. “Apparently, I pissed him off enough to warrant a face-to-face meeting, so he arranged the siege on this place. He didn’t try to hurt me, though, which is odd.”

With those words, she clasped her hands together, hoping Jasper did not see the dried blood on her palm from her altercation with Olivier.

“Just warned me that this wasn’t over yet.”

“Greylyn, his type doesn’t issue warnings. Hundreds of creatures were stalking the building for hours. I watched you waltz through an entire battalion of demonic creatures and you come out unscathed. Not even a bruise or broken bone.”

He leaned over and tugged a stray strand of raven hair away from her eyes and tucked it behind her ear. All so she could not shield the truth from him. He could read everything through her eyes. They were that connected.

Nose to nose, eyes locked on hers. “Tell me the truth, hon. I cannot protect you if I do not know what is going on, and Iwillprotect you always. I am not going to allow some over- achieving fallen angel to threaten so much as a hair on your head. Please. Just tell me.”

Averting her gaze, she bowed her head. They sat together in the quaint, dimly lit kitchen with their foreheads touching for a few minutes in complete silence. With more strength than she believed she had; she lifted her face to his. The hardest thing she had ever had to do was to stare into those crystal eyes and tell him less than the truth and be convincing while doing it.

Her stare shifted between the worn Formica tabletop and Jasper’s face as she attempted to reassure him. “I promise you that I am telling you everything I can fornow. The important thing is that everyone is safe for the time being, including me, so please don’t worry. If and when the situation changes, you will be the first to know.”

---