“I hate to break this up, but you two need to go. Live is going to stay with me while she gets acclimated.” Jenna walked over to us.
I looked over to where my brothers had been. I stood on my toes but didn’t see any sign of them. “Where are Damien and Lucas?”
Sadness welled in Jenna’s eyes. “They are at your parents’ home. Now, I just need to send you two back, and I will be able to rest. Live will be able to contact you, and vice versa, but traveling back and forth will need to be arranged.”
“Are you okay with those arrangements?” He asked Live.
Live nodded. “Your mother thinks it’s a good idea for now.”
I was going to ask when she’d spoken to Lillianna, but figured the angel had her ways. “Thank you, Jenna, for your hospitality. Don’t keep my brothers waiting too long.”
Jenna inclined her head. “See you soon, Raina.”
Live looked at Creed, then at the grass beneath our feet. “Give me a moment with my sisterkin.”
He placed a kiss right where his mother had on my cheek. The warmth spread to my heart.
Chapter Eight
Ieliminated the space between myself and Live, still unable to believe this being was willing to give up her life, or at least two years, which would have felt like an eternity, for me. I knew why Satan wanted my life. To consume even the small amount of light within me, Satan would have access to Earth and, possibly, other realms in his own form. He’d clearly taken Raina, knowing she was my Chosen, knowing I would sell my immortal soul to the Devil himself to save her.
Stopping in front of Live, I took a deep breath. “Thank you for what you were willing to do for me. Had I known about you, I’d have ensured your safety just as Kyrene did. I’m sorry I didn’t do better for you.” My hands itched to hold her. Kyrene never allowed me to do such a thing. The demon was more of a hate demon, but she’d allowed me to provide the creature comforts I could offer and had wanted to learn how to defend herself.
“Kyrene said you wouldn’t want another dependent. She said I was her burden to raise, and I had to hide whenever you came near.” Her liquid silver eyes lifted to meet mine. Hurt radiated up at me.
I shook my head. “She lied. I’d have taken care of you. I’d have offered you everything I could.” I had to swallow. “You have a goodness in you she never had. I don’t understand how she hid that from me.”
Live gave a mirthless laugh. “She was very good at lying. Not to mention, you were easy to hear when you were near. She would summon me and send me to the deepest pits of Helland ensure I was covered with things best left unmentioned.” A shudder wracked her frail frame.
Unable to stop myself, I lifted one hand and cradled her cheek in my palm. “I am sorry.”
A lone tear leaked from the corner of her eye. When she didn’t pull away from my touch, I decided to say fuck the past and Kyrene’s aversion to my affection. “Can I hug you? A brotherly hug?”
“I’ve never had a hug.” Live lifted her head from my hand.
I made sure I didn’t crush her bones as I wrapped both arms around her, again shocked at the fact I had a sisterkin who wasn’t filled with darkness. “I will make sure this is the first of many, sister.”
“I think I like that better than Halfling,” she whispered shyly.
Sitting her back on her feet, I used my thumbs to wipe away the moisture from beneath her eyes. “Me too, Livey.”
Her eyes squinted. “You are the second to call me that. First, that Jenna person, now you. What is that?”
“That is a nickname. And, it suits you better than just Live. Although Live shows you are worthy of the name, because it takes a strong soul to survive where we were born and brought up. You are beautiful inside and out. Livey is what I will call you, if that is okay?” I wasn’t sure what I’d do if she said no.
A nod was my answer. “I think I like that. I will still call you Creed. It means faith. You were the one thing I believed was good, even though Kyrene tried to tell me otherwise. I knew if you did all you did for her, you couldn’t truly be that bad. I had complete faith you would save me, too.”
If I could, I’d go back and...no, I still would have taken care of Kyrene. She was my Halfling. I couldn’t, wouldn’t be able to look at her as I did Livey, but she was still my blood.
“I will be back, and you can contact me through Jenna. Try not to…well, try to get along with the Fey, she’s different, but good.”
Live’s eyes went to where Jenna and Raina stood staring out toward the purple and pink sky. “I think we’ll get along just fine. The ladle named Nessie?” She tilted her head in question. “We shall see. I have seen many monsters, but that one doesn’t scare me at all.”
I gave her another hug, kissing the top of her head. “If I could erase it all, I would.”
“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Livey stepped away, holding her head high.
We both began walking back to the other two women. “Then we are both made of the strongest stuff,” I agreed.
