Crown of Thorns (Legends and Lovers)

“Michael removed yer mark after you broke your vow. You don’t even talk the same.”

I placed my hand on his shoulder. “My mark is a symbol. It’s a way of ensuring you’ve correctly guessed who your fated mate is. It may happen to you one day as it did me. Its removal means nothing. Elin is mine. Always has been. Always will be. I will get her back.”

“And when she finds out?”

He was referring to what I’d done to hide him in plain sight. Nephilim were seen as a threat to us. They had our power and could walk among the favored humans with no consequences. A pack of rogue angels had decided to make it their mission to hunt them down like dogs while I’d been on earth tasked to see the McAllister clan make it to America. It was a practice I planned to stop. Even still, Cin would be a target for simply being my son.

“I will beg for her forgiveness,” I answered.

What I didn’t say was I would have her again as my wife or would die trying.

Sixteen

Bonus–Cináed

* * *

There had always been trust between my father and me. I couldn’t say the same now as I watched him fly off. He’d said all the right words, but he’d been different. He hadn’t put up a fight when they’d taken the love of his life away from him.

For all I knew, he could be paying me lip service, saying all the things I wanted to hear.

I would find Mother, I thought as I walked into the castle. An approaching car captured my attention. One of my gifts was that of superhuman hearing. The car was a bit off but heading directly here.

Da had warded the castle. Most would be deterred by a thick fog from heading this way.

“Hello.”

My attention was drawn away from the approaching car back to the voice. No one was in the castle. All were gone many years ago.

“Hello?” the woman called again.

The car was still approaching, so I used a bit of speed to climb two stories, where I found the woman checking each room as she passed.

“Who are ye?” I asked.

She was stunning, for sure. Though she was dressed in a gown fit for the times when I’d been a boy.

Her hand covered her cleavage, much to my dismay. “Oh, thank God. Where is everyone? Where is Duncan? I didn’t know he had a brother. But never mind that. I must straighten this out. He can’t be married to that horrible woman.”

I’d heard the stories. There were days when Da would talk endlessly about the past.

“Rebecca?” I asked, just as the car came to a stop in front of the castle.

She didn’t have to agree for me to know I was right. That explained where Ma had sent her rival. Now the more pressing question was who stood at my door.

* * *

THE END… only for now.

This is just the beginning for Elin…