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We’d see about that.
“Do it,” I said, stepping back.
Luke held Granny’s head and Ashley held tight to the silver rope binding her hands. Granny snarled and tried to bite him, but he didn’t flinch. With a quick flick of his wrist, Noah dropped the pill down her throat and forced her mouth closed. She flailed, but after a few seconds we could all see her distinctly swallow. Releasing their hold, everyone backed away to see if the pill would work.
Part of me was still skeptical. Noah hadn’t claimed a perfect track record. Granny could be the one percent—the type of human who wouldn’t survive the process. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. My emotions were torn.
At first, nothing seemed to be happening. She had returned to her hissing display. But then, the blood rushed to her face. Her neck strained and she bent backwards against an invisible force. A scream ripped from her throat and spittle rained from her open mouth. It was hard to watch, even in someone as cold and hard as Granny. Gabe took my hand in his and I felt his support as I kept my eyes glued to her.
After what seemed like an hour of a torturous display, the fight went out of Granny’s face. Her muscles went slack and she slumped forward. I exchanged a concerned glanced with Luke. It looked like she had died. Maybe I’d been right. The old woman couldn’t take it after all. She’d finally lost the fight.
Just as I was about to approach her lifeless remains, a shuddering breath went through her. She coughed and cursed before turning her head to look at me from the ground.
Her cold brown eyes took in my whole form and blinked. “I knew I should’ve drowned you.”
My breath hitched in my lungs. Yep, same Granny. Noah’s pill had worked. And with it, we’d be able to save many more humans just like her.
“Nice to see you, too,” I said flippantly. Her hatred didn’t even phase me anymore. I had all the family I needed now.
“You’re nothing but a curse on my life,” she spat as Luke helped her to her feet. Her eyes stretched wide. “Cursed child!”
“She’s not cursed.” Gabe clutched my hand tighter and gave her a glare that would’ve cowed even the toughest of the Nephilim warriors. “She’s a warrior. And you’re never going to take that away from her. We’re her family, now.”
She shrunk under his gaze—the first time I’d ever seen Granny flinch. Still, she recovered quickly and set her shoulders while Ashley worked to undo the silver ropes around her wrists.
“Just take me back to my home,” she said. “Or, what’s left of it. We need to rebuild.”
I shook my head at Granny’s stubborn attitude. Despite her many flaws, her allegiance to the town of Hanna had never faltered. She would die in that town. And I would outlive her by many centuries. In time, her influence on my life would fade to that of a distant nightmare.
My wounds had already begun to heal.
?
I led Reba out the stable doors with a nod to Laramie. Despite the damages, she’d managed to get the stables back into working order within days. She even had a Garth Brooks tune blaring through the old speakers. Things were getting back to normal.
It was the first time I’d had a moment to breathe since all the clean-up started and I was looking forward to a gallop across the manor grounds. By the looks of Reba’s prancing, she was, too. We both needed to stretch our muscles.
“Planning on running away again?” Gabe trotted up on Clint Black and dismounted next to me. A small smile twitched on his lips. “Because this time, I’m going with you.”
“Not a chance,” I replied with a grin. “I’m happy staying right here. With you. Forever.”
Gone was the humor from his eyes. In its place was a smoldering gaze that made me feel like I was going to melt into the ground. He dropped Clint’s reins and cupped my chin in his hands, raising my gaze to his eyes.
“You’d better mean that, because I’m prepared to do forever with you. You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted, Lizzy Redding.”
My knees quivered with need. I stared into his emerald green eyes and sucked in a breath. “I promise. I love you.”
“I love you, too.” He leaned down to brush his lips over mine. “Now and forever.”
No longer able to control myself, I grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him in closer. Leaning into his kiss, I opened my mouth to his and flicked my tongue across the seam of his lips. He growled and wrapped his arms tightly around my torso. Flames erupted in my stomach as he returned my kiss with equal passion. My hands splayed across his hard chest and worked their way down his abdomen until he moaned and pushed us apart.
“Don’t stop,” I cried, feeling the loss of his lips against mine.
He chuckled and brushed a thumb over my bottom lip, making it tingle. “If we don’t stop now, I won’t be able to control myself. And I don’t think you want to make a spectacle on the lawn for everyone to see.”
I looked around, suddenly aware that we were very much out in the open. Warriors were going about their day, in and out of training and walking to the stables. Laughing nervously, I nodded at him and ran a hand through my loose hair.
“I suppose you’re right.”
