Page 15 (1/2)

"I know you feel bad leaving Mark in that cage, but just because his father treats him like some animal doesn’t mean he deserved to be saved"

"Who are you to decide who should be saved? Who made you God? You have no idea how it feels to have to choose Would you have chosen ry I braced my hands on the wall behindposition I swayed on rasped my arm to help steady me I wanted to jerk it free, but I kneould have hit the deck if he’d let go ofroom I collapsed in one of the hard chairs that were kept bolted to the floor I always found it comical that hospitals bolted down their seats, like they wouldn’t be able to catch so a chair if they tried to carry it out the double doors right past the receptionist It really annoyed me when my dad had his heart attack and I wanted to sit off in a corner by myself, but couldn’t

Shawn sank down in the seat next to e difference between the choice you had toto choose between you and Sa his words frohten me hatever lies he fed you," Shawn said sarcastically

"Seriously? Because you doubt ifts suddenly? You think he somehow hoodwinked me when I have the power to see all that dwell in a person’s soul? And really? You question ifts after I just whisked you and Sam away from harm’s way? For someone who’s so s et your point So, explain it to me"

I opened my eyes and looked at him "Mark didn’t break our Link, I did Well, his sister Harmony didn’t help the situation, but ultimately it was me who severed the tie," I said heavily

"What are you talking about? I watched you beg for him not to leave you and I also watched as he left you and all of us with a houseful of Daemons?"

"He actually left us with one less Daeht Mark didn’t say those hurtful words, and he didn’t leave me on his own accord Victor used him as a human host while I was knocked out I never saw the Daemon enter his body because I was unconscious I should have known though I should’ve seen it The cohty his soul took should have clued me in, but I was so quick to believe he had turned into his father I’m the one who lacked the appropriate faith I should’ve believed in hiave me exactly what I was most afraid of"

"Then why didn’t Mark try to contact you once he regained control of his body?" Shawn asked I noticed his skin had taken on a delicate shade of green atinterference with his ehts She prevented either of us fro able to contact each other"

"Wellhis head in his hands "And your Link is broken for sure?"

"Oh yeah, er have that puzzle piece feel"

"So, you feel bad for leaving hi he betrayed you?" Shawn asked, trying tohim because I still love hier Guides or Protectors I felt more drawn to him than ever before And now it’s too late"

"You don’t know that Krista Haniel is still there and the other Guides and Protectors are there They’ll get him out"

"I don’t think so Harmony is a force to be reckoned with on her own and Victor is practically Satan Haniel would be able to take Victor out no problem if Harmony wasn’t part of the equation"

Shawn looked as defeated as I felt when the ramifications of my words finally sank in

"Can you try to reach Haniel?"

I shook ifts were rendered useless after the transporting sapped so much out of me"

Guilt filled Shawn’s eyes as he finally understood all led so hard with the decision

We lapsed into silence after that, watching the second hand slowly e circular wall clock that advertised so It was just barely 9:00 pm and we had been in the hospital less than a half an hour, yet it seemed as if an eternity had passed I letback at Victor’s in our absence Had Haniel discovered who the true Descended is? Had he found Mark yet or was he busy battling Victor?

Shaas unusually silent too as he struggled with his oorries and guilt I could feel the heavy eed to excite to see Sa no other reason why he would suddenly have a spurt of excite room was as empty as before I looked over at hi around hi aniathered that," I said dryly

"You said before that you could transport by having enough energy, right? What about adrenaline?"

"Like an adrenaline shot?" I asked, sitting up straighter as hope kindled inside et that here," he said, standing in front of me excitedly "We’re at a hospital after all"

"Shawn, that’s brilliant, but hoe get it?" I asked, not daring to get h

"Leave that toon the balls of his feet

"Wait, you could get in a lot of trouble if you’re caught"

"Seriously Krista? Our species is facing extinction and you’re worried about ood point," I said, realizing how silly I had sounded "Do you want o with you? Maybe I can be a diversion"

"No, I think you should stay here and rest Maybe by the tiy level will be on its way back up"

I noddedwith hi Shawn as he raced off down the hallway The truth is I was already starting to feel a little better The ache that had filledto disperse, and I felt like I was gettingoff y reservoir I allowedback to Mark’s face His hair was a little longer than the way he normally wore it, but I still liked it I would have loved to run h it to test out its suppleness My mental stroll , brown velvet eyes that absorbedof thirst His eyes were like ato his soul and I could have gazed into the interest I continued on to his face that had always turned ood looks andon the soft inviting mouth that had explored my own lips countless ti e your iven up so easily

"No, I got it," he said, flashing the slass vial of clear liquid

"Wow, that quick?" I asked shocked

"Quick? I’ve been gone over an hour I thought you were going to strangleat the clock on the wall I was dismayed to see that it was already al over Mark’s face for almost an hour and a half

"Holy crow bear, Ihtly red cheeks It had been so long since I had been eht," Shawn said, looking at ive you a shot here I got a lay of the land once I snagged the adrenaline, and I have a spot picked out Can you walk?" He asked, helping me stand up

I expected the saly stronger My dream-fantasy session with Mark ht I could even feel excitehsouilty that I hadn’t asked before