The Ascended (The Saving Angels 3)

"Here I'll get that," Shawn said, bounding up the last few steps to grab the heavy suitcase from me. He scooped it up like it was as light as the feather pillow on my bed.

"Sheesh, must be nice to be freakishly strong," I muttered for his ears only.

"I'm Hercules baby," he said, leaping down the last three stairs.

"I can get that Mrs. Miller," he said, grabbing the second suitcase from my mom's hand.

I had to stifle a groan when I saw the astonished look on my mom's face. Shawn was about as subtle as a Mack truck. He forgot sometimes that not everyone had strength that would rival a superhero from a comic book.

"I promise I'll call you tonight," I said to my mom, hoping to distract her from Shawn.

"I'm holding you to that. If I don't hear from you by nine o'clock your time, I will catch the next flight out, do you understand me?" she asked, dragging me in for a tight hug.

"I promise, but I won't make it there if you squeeze all the life out of me," I joked, trying to lighten the mood. "I love you," I added softly.

"I love you too Sweetie," she said in a voice thick with tears.

I pulled away gently, not wanting to open that can of worms again. My plan was to get out before her tears swayed my resolve.

"I'll take care of her Mrs. Miller, don't worry," Sam said giving her a quick hug.

"I trust that you will, no matter what," she said, looking at Sam sternly, making it clear that she knew more was going on in the situation than I had led her to believe.

I grabbed my favorite sweatshirt off the banister and threaded it through the strap of my backpack so my hands would be free to give my mom one last hug before we headed out the door.

"I'll call you, I promise," I called behind me as I climbed into the used Explorer my band shared. I closed the door behind me and rolled down the window to get one last unobstructed view of the house that had changed my life forever. My eyes took in the wooden porch swing that Mark and I had sat on so many times, discovering our shared connection.

My mom leaned against the wooden pillar, waving, just as Shawn slowly pulled the car away from the curb. Her face was etched in grief and I felt ashamed being the cause of her heartbreak. I couldn't help thinking about how disappointed my dad would be in me. I just hoped that if he was observing us from heaven he would understand my reasons.

As Shawn accelerated, leaving my house behind, I closed my eyes and let the wind blowing through the window wash over me as I regained control of my emotions. As effortless as this had become for me, I still found it nothing short of extraordinary. Haniel had recently commented on my astonishing control of not only my own feelings, but also those around me. I had discovered after a trip to the mall with Shawn and Sam one afternoon that I could filter the emotions of those around me without even having to work at it.

Sam had been awestruck. "You're like a Disney character. You turn weeds into flowers as you walk by." She joked. "How are you doing it?"

"I don't know," I answered honestly. "It just seems like second nature to fix them."

Haniel was closemouthed about my new gifts, but I had heard him telling Shawn and Robert that surviving the pain Mark had inflicted on me has turned me into some kind of hybrid Guide, but he did not get specific about what he meant. I scoffed at the idea, but knew he was right about my new gifts. I had been careful not to use them on my mom or my friends, but I finally caved when things heated up the night before between my mom and me. I employed a touch of them to redirect some of her anger.

"You okay, Krista?" Sam asked from the front of the car.

I opened my eyes to see her peering at me intently.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just ready to get started."

"We know you are, but we're concerned about how you're going to handle this situation."

I didn't need to ask what she meant. I was well aware of the fact that they all thought that Mark was not merely a Forgotten Soul like I was banking on, but that he had turned dark like his father. The subject had been closed for discussion around me, but it was obvious I needed to give them some kind of reassurance.

"I know it's likely that Mark can't be saved," I said quietly. "But if that's the case, then I'm doing exactly what I should be. Mark's worst fear was becoming like his father. If Mark is 'black-hearted' like his father, then it's up to us to stop them."

"Krista do you really think you could just stand by idly while the Protectors destroy him? I don't even think I can, and I know for a fact that Shawn became nauseous at the thought," she said, looking at Shawn for confirmation.

I understood exactly what she was saying, and maybe I'm just living in denial when I act like I can handle it, but what else am I supposed to do. If it comes to that, it has to be our band that takes care of it. "It's what the Mark we knew would have wanted," I said plainly, turning my gaze back out the window. I caught Sam and Shawn exchanging a look out of the corner of my eye, but I ignored it.

"So, Kieran's band showed up early this morning," Sam said, obviously deciding a change of subject was necessary.

"They did?" I asked as excitement raced through me. Our brief time spent with the other band, before the horrific events that transpired, had left such a lasting effect on me. I had grown attached to all of them, but my real attachment had been with Grace and Kieran. My heart pinched painfully as I thought about how empty their band would be without Grace, their "sunshine," as I had come to think of her. Her death had hit me the hardest out of the four band members that were lost in June.

Today was already looking brighter though. I was glad Kieran was here. She had been a godsend in my darkest hour.