My nose filled with the scent of pine, and the smell of a campfire burning somewhere far away. How was this possible? I stopped beside a tall rock wall, hitting a dead end.

  “Should we turn around?” I asked Nala. She looked up to the top of the wall, where a cliff overhang looked out above the trees.

  “My angel,” A feminine voice called to me from the top of the cliff.

  I craned my neck to see, but it was too far up. I looked down at Nala and she bumped her nose against my hip, urging me forward.

  “You want me to go up there?”

  I studied the wall. It looked like a difficult climb, but not impossible. Nala nudged me again, so I grabbed onto a groove in the rock and began my climb.

  The cracks and holes along the rock were perfectly in line for my hands and feet to find. Like it was made for me to climb.

  “You can do it, sweetheart.” The woman’s voice was encouraging and louder as I climbed higher.

  I pulled myself over the top ledge, rolling onto my back in the soft grass. I wasn’t even out of breath, but I closed my eyes against the bright sun shining down on the hilltop.

  “I knew you’d find me.”

  I opened my eyes and jumped to my feet, searching for the voice. I found a woman standing in a long white dress that billowed in the wind. She had light gray eyes and raven black hair. Her skin was a medium beige color that matched my own. On her back, she had long golden wings that shone in the sunlight.

  “Who are you?” I asked, feeling breathless. She looked familiar, but I couldn’t place her. Her pink lips smiled at me, and tears sprang to my eyes. Why am I feeling like this?

  “You know me. Well, your soul knows me. I created it after all.” I gasped, my hand flying to my chest.

  “Are you my mother?”

  Her smile grew and she nodded once. “I am. And you’re my angel.”

  More tears poured down my cheeks. “But… how? You died.”

  She stepped closer, and her hand rose to swipe the wetness from my cheek. “Well, I’m not actually here. I died on earth, yes, but our souls will always be connected. Mine is in Heaven.”

  I pressed my cheek into her palm. “I look like you.”

  She nodded. “Yes, you do.”

  My eyes drifted to her shining wings again. “How are you a Throne? I thought you were human.”

  She sighed, looking sad. “I was born a Throne angel. God came to me with a request many years ago, offering me a human life and an important task.”

  “God? Like, the actual God?” I shouldn’t even be surprised at this point.

  She giggled and the sound was so warm. “Yes, the one and only. He asked me to bring a superior being back into the world. One that had been long extinct. I was terrified, like I know you have been lately, but I was also honored.”

  My shoulders sank as confusion filled me for the millionth time in the past months. “I don’t get it.” Why did nothing ever make sense?

  “You have never been given the truth for a good reason. You need to choose your own path. Not mine, and not your father’s. It’s the only way that you can be truly divine and pure. Soon though, you will understand what you are.”

  I groaned. “Can’t you just tell me now? It would be super helpful while I run for my life.”

  She smiled, but it was sad. “I’m sorry, my girl. I cannot tell you in clear words, but I will tell you this.” She placed her palms on my cheeks, stroking her thumbs along my skin in a soothing, motherly way. “Lean on the love and support of those you trust. Do not second guess your instincts, and always strive to be better than they expect you to be. And know that I have loved you above all others.”

  I closed my eyes, taking in her words. “I wish I knew you.”

  When my eyes opened again, she was gone and true dreamless sleep pulled me in.

  Chapter 10

  * * *

  I woke up on the plane as it was making the final descent into Albuquerque. Penelope was nudging my arm and letting me know we were nearly home. I don’t know when Pen decided that my home was hers, but I felt like she connected to the humans more than she did her own kind.

  Zander gave me a swift kiss as he helped me with my carry-on bag, but his eyes lingered on me longer than usual. He could tell something was off, and that warmed my heart, but I wasn’t about to get into my dream in the busy plane cabin. I just smiled and shook my head, hoping he’d not ask.

  Thankfully, he didn’t.

  Now, it was the early morning hours and the sun was barely peeking over the horizon as I stood outside my parents’ house, anxious and ready to bust down the door. “Are you sure this is safe? Should we not be here? What if the Powers find us?” I was rambling.

  Zander pulled me into his side and kissed the top of my head. “Stop worrying for one minute, Erin. We’ll be perfectly safe here for one day, and then we can go back. You need this.”

  He was right. I really needed my parents to keep me feeling sane. I took a deep breath and climbed the steps to my childhood home. I knocked, and it felt so wrong. I had never knocked on that door before.

  The door swung open and two smiling faces greeted me. My big, burly dad reached his arms out to me with tears dripping into his full mustache. “My baby girl!”

  “Dad!” I stepped into his arms, but before I could be enveloped by him, two furry paws landed on my chest and knocked me back into Zander’s arms.

  Bruno’s tongue licked from my chin to my forehead in one wet trail and the dam I had created over the past month finally broke.

  “My Bruny boy!” I hiccuped as a sob escaped me. Of all the things to push me over the edge, it was the dog.

  My dad pulled Bruno off of me to finally lift me off my feet, and I felt my mom’s short arms wrap around my back. I was pinned, and my heart felt completely happy. If Zander had joined in the group hug I might’ve passed out from joy.

  My mom’s small sobs matched my own. “I’m so glad you’re back, sweetheart. I missed you so much, and we’ve been worried sick.”

  Both of my moms called me sweetheart. My soul ached for them to both be here.

  I stepped back and wiped my eyes as I turned to the three angels standing awkwardly behind me. “These three have kept me safe.”

  Penelope wasted no time and grabbed my parents in her own hug. “It’s good to see you both again.”

  “You too,” Dad said, trying to pull out of her angel-strong grip. “For a little one, you’ve got quite the bear hug.”

  Pen stepped back with a smile. “Sorry.”

  “You guys remember Riyon? He was one of the three that came to take me away.” I touched his shoulder, and he grimaced.

  My parents both eyed him suspiciously, and my heart hurt for him. He had a bad rep after stealing me from my home, but he was a good soul.

  Riyon waved. “I am sorry for my part in taking Erin from you both. I am her guard from here on out and I will ensure that no harm comes to her.”

  Dad nodded to him, approving his vow. “Good. Then you’re forgiven, and what about you? Are you one of them?” He looked at Zander.

  I blushed, not sure how to introduce my Guardian-slash-boyfriend. “Umm, actually. This is Zander, my former Guardian angel...” and the man that I have been making out with daily.

  My mom held her hand out to him. “Nice to meet you, Zander. Thank you for your protection of our Erin. Do you have wings as well?”

  He smiled, and nodded. “I have white wings. I’ll be happy to show them to you, but maybe not on the front porch.”

  My mom laughed and waved us all in. “Come. Everyone must be hungry.”

  Bruno snuggled up to my side all through breakfast, taking the bits of bacon that I fed him under the table. The conversation was easy going as we talked about living in the woods and what it was like growing up in Albuquerque.

  My parents brought out a photo album from when I was in elementary school and I groaned. “Oh no, not the bowl haircut!”

  Zander snorted beside me and my mouth fell open. “What’s so funny?”

  He leaned over me to see the picture closer. “I remember that haircut. You absolutely hated it and tried to cover it up with the ugliest hats on the planet.”

  I scoffed. “Stop! What else was I supposed to do? I looked like a boy!”

  My mom watched us with wide eyes. “You have been guarding Erin since she was a child?”

  “Since she was about a week old. I was there for everything.” He turned and his emerald eyes met mine. “The ups and the downs.”

  I got lost in his eyes for way too long, and my dad cleared his throat. “Uh, I take it you aren’t just my daughter’s Guardian angel anymore.” His eyebrow was raised and a chill ran down my spine at that look. Uh oh.

  Zander gulped and it was the first time I ever saw him look scared. “No sir. I’m in love with her, actually.”

  My eyes went wide and I wanted to crawl in the nearest, darkest place to hide. “Oh Lord.”

  My mom’s mouth hung open. “Erin Laura Porter. Are you dating your Guardian angel?”

  Penelope covered her mouth to hold back her laughter, and Mom spun on her too. “Don’t you think I won’t lecture you too, young lady. I see what’s going on between you two.” Her finger wagged between Pen and Riyon. “We’ll get to that later.”

  Riyon’s head jerked up and fear flashed in his eyes. Is everyone afraid of the mom voice?

  Penelope’s smile fell and she glanced at Riyon as a blush crept up her cheeks. Oh heavens.

  “Mom, Dad.” I steadied my nerves. “Zander and I are in a relationship of sorts.”

  Zander grabbed my hand. “We’re eternal mates.”

  My heart swelled, but I still struggled believing that we could really be that to one another. “Well, we hope. It’s not really official until I have wings of my own, and who knows if I will.”

  My dad stood from his seat. “Okaaay, I’m going to need a drink.”

  “You don’t drink, dear,” my mom said with an amused expression.

  Dad pulled a full bottle of whiskey from above the fridge and set it on the counter. “I do when my daughter is practically engaged to her Guardian angel and on the run from an army of warrior angels, while she develops into something far beyond my understanding.”

  The room went quiet and I figured if we were having truth-time, I should get it all out. “In that case. Drink up. I have even more news to drop.”

  All eyes turned to me, and the room stilled. “I met my birth mom in a dream…”

  Bomb, consider yourself dropped.

  Chapter 11

  * * *

  Telling my parents, Penelope, Riyon, and Zander about meeting my dead mother in a dream on an airplane was easy. Dealing with all of their pity-filled faces was excruciating.

  We had spent all morning and afternoon together, talking and catching up. My dad got a raise at work, and Mom said Bruno made friends with a neighbor dog. I told them all about my training and befriending a mountain lion. It was easy, simple conversation, but I should’ve known that wouldn’t last.

  After relaying the details of meeting my mother, I knew they all felt sorry for me, and worse, they didn’t know what I was. At least before, they assumed I was a half-bred Throne angel. Now, I was some creature created by God’s will that shouldn’t even exist.

  Which was worse?

  “Let’s get going, sweetheart.” Mom threw her arm over my shoulder.

  We were heading to the big fireworks at the park. I hadn’t even realized when we came home that it was already the Fourth of July. I wasn’t exactly keeping track of the days.

  The six of us drove to the annual Independence Day celebration at Balloon Fiesta Park. It was just getting dark, and I tried to will myself to relax enough for just one night and enjoy being human. Even though I was far from it.

  Growing up, my dad always took us to a “secret spot” to watch the fireworks. He had clearance pretty much anywhere in the city since he worked for the police department, and he’d drive us in his truck up on the hill that overlooked the park. It was a gated area, and we were the only ones there.

  Just like tonight. I watched Penelope and Riyon help my mom lay out blankets on the ground. Mom snuggled into Dad’s side on one blanket, and Pen was criss-crossed facing the park on another. Riyon sat quietly beside her, his arm barely touching hers. I was on the tailgate of Dad’s truck, silently willing Pen to just talk to Riyon already.

  “Why are you staring at those two?” Zander climbed into the truck bed with me. He sat behind me with his legs on either side of my body, and he pulled me into his arms.

  “Shhh.” I held my finger up to my lips. “I’m trying to use telekinesis.”

  Zander’s chest rumbled against my back with a soft laugh. “I don’t think that’s one of your powers, angel.”

  I shrugged, still drilling holes in the back of Pen’s head with my eyes. “You don’t know that for sure. I can control animals, so why not people?”

  “Hmm,” he sighed. “You know, you are pretty remarkable. I guess I can’t say what your limits are exactly. Or if you have any.”

  I leaned my head back and our cheeks were touching. “Yup. That’s me. The freaky half-creature thing made of good and evil.”

  Zander turned his head until his lips brushed my cheek. “Erin, you are made of only the good.” His lips trailed to my ear and I shivered. “You’re not freaky, or half of anything. To me, you are everything.”

  My heart swelled and I entwined my fingers with his, pulling his arms tighter around me. “I don’t deserve you, Zander.” A yawn escaped me. How could it not? I was wrapped in a warm Zander blanket.

  He chuckled again. “You can sleep. I’ll protect you.”

  My eyes closed, and I didn’t even care that I was going to miss the fireworks.

  A boom woke me almost immediately after I drifted off, and my eyes flew open to see reds and greens lighting up the sky. I could hear cheers coming from the park, and I had to steady my breathing that picked up from the sudden noise.

  “Erin?” Zander’s voice was panicked, and too far away.

  I turned around, and all I saw was the dark sky. My eyes drifted below me and my heart dropped into my stomach like a heavy rock. “Holy crap!”

  I was floating in the night sky above the others. I was at least twenty feet above them, and in Zander’s arms… was me. A sleeping me. He looked down at my limp body and then back up at me with wide eyes.

  “What’s going on, Zander? Am I dead?” I yelled down to him. Penelope and Riyon both looked up at me as well, but my parents just watched the others with confused faces.

  Riyon’s shirt ripped off of his body as his wings sprung from his back. He leapt into the air and floated in front of me.

  “Don’t freak out, Erin. You are astral projecting. Your soul is its own entity right now, moving around without your body.”

  I reached out to him, but my fuzzy hands went through his. I looked back to my parents and they looked up at Riyon with jaws dropped.

  “Are you speaking to her? I can’t see her.” My dad’s voice was shaky as he panicked, but Penelope touched his shoulder.

  “Her soul is floating up there right now, disconnected from her body. She will be fine like that. It’s a wonderful development, but she’ll have to learn to control it.”

  Her words soothed them, and me slightly. I tried to will myself back into Zander’s arms, but I wouldn’t budge.

  Zander yelled up to me again. “It’s okay, Erin. Don’t force it. Just try to relax. I’m right here to catch you.”

  His eyes were bright against the still booming fireworks behind me, and I relaxed my body, or soul, I guess. I started to float downward, and Riyon smiled beside me.

  “Good. You’re doing it, Erin!”

  Before I could reach my body once more, I was tugged sideways, pulled by an invisible force. “Zander!”

  Worry and shock crossed his face, and in an instant he was gone. The world flew past me in a blur, and I was dropped into a dark room, all alone.

  I spun in circles, trying to run, but there seemed to be no way out. From what I could see of my hands, they were still nearly translucent, so I knew I hadn’t reconnected with my body yet.

  “Hello?” I called out, and footsteps drew my attention to the left.

  The footsteps grew closer, and I wanted to run. I tried to pull myself back to my body, but something held me back. A fluorescent light switched on and I had to blink against the flickering brightness.

  Standing before me on an empty warehouse floor was my father, Kieran.

  He smiled. “My daughter. Finally, we meet in…,” his eyes looked me up and down. “Well, almost in person.”

  I stepped away from Kieran. “What do you want?”

  He placed a hand on his broad chest. His nearly black eyes faked sadness, and his raven wings sagged. “Is that any way to greet your sire? I am your father, after all.”

  “No,” I said, matter-of-factly. The power in my tone surprised me. “You might be my sire, but you are not my father.”

  His eyes darkened, and I was sure that they were in fact completely black. He took another step toward me and I was frozen in place, but I wanted to see how he reacted to the latest news before he spoke again.

  “My mother visited me. The mother that you left for dead.” My voice quivered at the last word, but I stood my ground.

  Kieran stopped moving. I thought I saw his eyes soften, but the look passed so quickly that it felt imagined. “She was only a human. When she told me of the child she bore, death was inevitable. She wasn’t strong enough, and you could not come to the underworld with me, so yes, I left to return another day.”

  He didn’t know she was an angel. He only saw her as a weak human to take advantage of.

  My hands began to shake out of anger. “Why did you sleep with her? Was it just an infatuation, or did you know that she would get pregnant? Did you love her in some twisted way?”

  “I was drawn to her. I found her alone, and the decision was all hers. Us fallen have a way with humans. We appear alluring, as a gift from the big man himself.”