"The others have asked that they join you for your next encounter with Daemons. They wish to observe you."
"Because I'm freaking awesome," I joked.
"Your humbleness is refreshing," Haniel said dryly.
"Good one," I said, looking at him with approval. "That was almost humanly snarky, but not quite," I teased.
"Ready?" he asked, reaching out to grasp my hand with his.
I nodded, holding on tightly. I hated this part the most. In less than the blink of an eye, the sand beneath my feet and the ocean in front of me disappeared. Traveling with Haniel was nothing like the way they showed it in movies. There was no spinning, no vortex of colors, one second you were here, and the next you were somewhere else.
It took my eyes several moments to adjust to my new surroundings. Placing my hands on my knees, I leaned over to gather my bearings. I grimaced when I saw patches of snow on the ground.
"Snow?" I complained, thankful that I at least had boots on.
Haniel waited patiently while I adjusted to the altitude and climate change. I always struggled with lightheadedness and nausea when I traveled with him. When I first started traveling with him, he had used his gifts to help me adjust, but he had tapered that off a few months ago, claiming I needed to learn to acclimate myself. After a few minutes, I had adjusted to the altitude and was able to stand upright without feeling like I was going to toss my toast.
"Ready?" he asked.
"Yeah, but seriously, snow?" I griped again, shivering slightly in the cooler temperatures.
"The altitude will help strengthen your lungs further during battle."
"You always act like a swarm of Daemons are going to crawl their way out of the depths of hell." >I opened the double French doors that faced the ocean. Moonlight streamed into my room and a gentle breeze carried the tangy smells of the sea. This was my favorite part of the whole house. An elaborate pool had once occupied the area where my doors were, but it had been taken out. Krista had turned the space into a tranquil garden that highlighted the ocean view. A large outdoor fire-pit was the main attraction with its low circular benches Mark had sanded and built when he was on summer break from the college where he taught. Other small seating areas were scattered about discreetly amongst the native plants that provided privacy without taking away the beauty of the ocean beyond.
I walked into the garden, watching the waves below breaking relentlessly against the shore. Despite everything, I loved living here. This was the only home I knew. It was my sanctuary. My wayward thoughts were cut short when a sudden movement in the distance caught my eye. I squinted in the dim light, trying to make out the shape as a cloud passed in front of the moon, obscuring my vision. My instincts put me on alert. When the cloud moved on, my pulse raced into hyperdrive as the moonlight spotlighted the leather-donning individual standing on the shore…Emrys.
I stepped toward the edge of the bluff, strangely drawn to him. It felt like an invisible string was attached to my stomach, pulling me to the stairs that led to the beach below. I fought the sensation, remembering Haniel's warning from earlier, but the invisible string tugged harder. I shook my head so he could see my resistance.
His gentle laughter seemed to drift toward me in an almost hypnotic haze. It was intoxicating until, with a small arrogant salute, he disappeared into the night.
CHAPTER THREE
I woke the next morning groggy from a lack of sleep. After Emrys had disappeared, I went to bed, but managed nothing more than tossing and turning half the night thinking about him. I wondered why he had sought me out, and if maybe I intrigued him half as much as he intrigued me.
I rolled out of bed and shuffled through the quiet house seeking a caffeine injection. Thank God someone had switched on the coffee pot, I thought while pulling my favorite oversized mug from the cabinet. I filled it with the fragrant blend that was making my mouth water, and added a splash of my favorite pumpkin spice creamer before heading to the patio with my steaming bliss.
"Hi, Mouse," I greeted our large marmalade cat who was lounging by the open patio doors in the living room. He pretty much stayed in the same spot all day, waiting for late afternoon to approach so he could bask in the warm rays of the sun.
He opened a groggy eye and squeaked his typical morning greeting to me. It was his squeak that had earned him his name. He didn't meow like a regular cat, but would squeak his messages out to us like a squeaky toy a dog might play with.
"Morning," Krista greeted me as I sat in the cushioned chair next to her.
"Yep, it is," I quipped.
"Brat," she said, setting her laptop to the side so she could ruffle my hair. "This is growing on me," she said, holding up one of my dark locks.
"Me too, plus it'll totally match the lip ring I'm getting," I deadpanned as I took a sip of my drink.
"Oh my god, Jordyn, no," she said, grimacing in distaste.
"Come on, Krista, get real. Tats and piercings are hot right now."
"Keywords: 'right now.' In twenty years you'll just look silly wondering why you decided to stamp a permanent unicorn on your calf."
"Oh, I wasn't thinking a unicorn, but more like a big old dragon that wraps around my entire leg."
"Oh, well in that case," she said while shaking her head.