The Ascended (The Saving Angels 3)

"No offense, but I’m hoping my gifts are going to protect me too," I said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Funny. Just one of these days though I’d like to be the one to save you okay?" he said, kissing me lightly on the tip of the nose.

"Fine by me, I could use the break," I said, giggling at his mock growl. "Okay let's do this."

He reached over and grabbed onto my hand. "I think if we step back and take it at a run, it will help."

I nodded my head. "I'm ready when you are," I said, gathering the emotions together that I planned to use to distract Mark from the pain.

Mark tightened his hold on my hand as we stepped as far back as we possibly could get without standing on the furniture. We looked at each other one last time before we raced toward the invisible boarder. I used all the energy my worn out body could muster, sending it all Mark’s way. The electrical current was more intense than I was expecting and I fought the urge to jerk back. An instant later we were through, tumbling to the ground as the current continued to race through my body. We carefully stood up on the other side of the barrier as the alarm wailed throughout the room. I looked frantically around for a weapon in case Daemons charged through the door, but saw nothing of use.

After several tense seconds with no recourse, I turned to Mark and smiled, finding him peering at me oddly.

"What?" I asked.

"That was incredible," Mark said appraisingly.

I giggled as a blush slowly crept up my face.

"Are you sure you’re okay, how did if feel going through the barricade?" I asked curiously.

"Your gifts are truly amazing. I didn't feel a thing."

"Yay, I'm glad," I said, feeling more lighthearted than I had in a long time. Standing on the other side of the makeshift jail made all the difference.

"How about you? Did you drain yourself protecting me once again?" He said, all laughter gone.

"I feel fine. Matter of fact, I feel oddly energized. It's like the electrical current recharged me or something. Maybe it worked the same as Shawn shooting me up in the heart with adrenaline."

"He gave you the shot in your heart? He and I are going to have a serious talk if we make it out of this alive," Mark said, striding across the room toward the antique wing chair in the corner of the room.

I watched in amazement as he flipped it over like it weighed nothing. He pulled off two of the legs of the chair at once, like he was pulling weeds outside. He placed the two of them to the side and pulled off the last two legs before joining me.

"Here, it's not much, but at least it's something," he said, handing me two of the legs to use as weapons.

I looked down at them admiring his handiwork. He had pulled them off at an angle so they each had the small piece of wood they had been mounted on still attached, giving it the look of a wooden hammer.

"Good idea," I said, giving him a small smile as we headed toward the door. I turned the knob, expecting it to be locked, but it turned easily in my hand. I looked at Mark puzzled.

"I guess my father never thought I would make it this far. Before you guys showed up tonight, Harmony used her warped gifts to keep me compliant. I haven't had a thought or emotion that was completely my own until tonight. He wasn't taking any chances of me Ascending and being able to fight Harmony off."

My heart twisted at his words. I felt awful that he had suffered so much over the last few months at the hands of his sister and his father. "I'm surprised you even made it," I whispered, knowing full well what normally happened to Guides and Protectors when they were separated.

"I think I did because I knew you loved me. Any time Harmony wasn't playing her sick games with my mind, I would recall moments you and I had shared, and I think that helped. Once you Ascended, Harmony tried to use that against me to make me turn, but it only made me hang on to the memories even tighter."

"I'm so glad you did," I said, humbled that he had put more faith in our love than I had.

"Ready?" Mark asked, pushing the heavy mahogany door open.

I nodded my head.

Mark stepped out protectively into the bright hallway. I followed behind him as he slowly moved down the hallway in front of me. I felt secure having him here, even with my new gifts. I had worked hard not to be envious of my friends and the bond they shared with their Protectors, but watching them over the last few days had been tough. I knew that Mark was no longer obligated to protect me, but it made me melt a little that he still embraced that role.

The hallway was well lit and as stark white as the one my friends and I had seen earlier. Several doors broke up the space of the long hallway. We paused at each one so we could check them out and I was surprised that they were much like the room we had just left. We passed another living type room and a large, oversized state of the art kitchen with every modern amenity available. We grabbed a couple of butcher knives to wield with the makeshift clubs from the chair Mark demolished. We moved past each room once we discovered they were clear of Daemons and showed no sign of our friends. >Mark pulled away and I couldn't help my small moan of disappointment as I latched my mouth back on his.

"Krista, we need to stop for a minute," he said, pulling away, holding my head firmly between his hands.

"Why?" I gasped, working to get oxygen flowing through my foggy kiss-induced state.