

The One Discovered:

Chronicles of the Diasodz, Book 1

By Yvette M. Calleiro

Copyright 2014 Yvette M. Calleiro

Thank you for downloading this ebook. This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. If you enjoyed this book, please visit http://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com to discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

## The Chronicles of the Diasodz Series

The One Discovered

The One Enlightened

The One Betrayed

The One Revealed

The One Awakened

## Table of Contents

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

About Yvette M. Calleiro

Connect with Yvette M. Calleiro

Acknowledgements

Sneak Peek

## Dedication

To Dominic,

May your love for reading be never-ending.

A child born on Earth will be the savior of our people...

## Chapter One

Sofia closed the latest novel that had captured her interest and leaned back against the familiar bark of her weeping willow tree. She sighed as she recalled the last scene. If only she could know that kind of love, where a man would risk heaven and earth simply to fight for the love of the woman who had stolen his heart. But that would never happen to her, not if her mother had anything to say about it. She closed her eyes, welcoming the slumber that carried her to her realm of dreams.

There he stood, her newest creation of fantastical beauty. As he leaned against a white wall of nothingness, his black, wispy hair was a stark contrast to his pale skin and sky-blue eyes. Those baby blues fixed onto her as he smirked, causing her heart to flutter and her mind to feel faint.

She never thought her small imagination could conjure up someone so perfectly put together, but there he stood, staring right at her. She checked behind her just to make sure he was, in fact, focusing on her. Then again, it was her dream. Of course, he was looking at her.

"Good evening," he said.

He pushed off and walked toward her. He stood tall, much taller than her 5'6" frame. His fit muscles were tastefully hidden behind his faded denim jeans and dark blue shirt. He approached her slowly, allowing Sofia to absorb him in all his perfection. He walked with confidence, maybe too much confidence. She considered editing that part of her dream but decided against it. He had a right to be a bit smug when he looked that good.

"I've been waiting for you." He strolled over to her.

"For me?" Her inner self jumped for joy. "Why are you waiting for me?"

He smiled. "To get to know you, of course."

Of course. She should have known. Why else would he be in _her_ dream? It's not as if gorgeous guys popped into her dream every time she fell asleep. She smiled, feeling like a little schoolgirl instead of a confident _almost_ -adult.

"And what exactly is it you want to know?"

He sauntered dangerously close to her, studied her features as if he were absorbing every minute detail, and then looked her in the eyes and smirked. "How about we start with your name?"

Her heartbeat was barely containable. He was mysterious and delicious, especially at this proximity. She wanted to kiss him. She'd never had such a strong urge to kiss someone. Ever. Her eyes kept looking at his lips, which were still pressed into that sexy, over-confident smirk. He stood close enough that all she had to do was grab him and do it.

A surge of heat coursed through her. Whether it stemmed from passion or the embarrassment of wondering if he somehow knew her thoughts, she wasn't sure. She had a feeling he knew exactly what effect he had on her, but she couldn't help herself. She didn't have the guts to commit a grab-and-kiss, not even in her dreams.

"Sofia," she managed to say.

"Hi, Sofia. And who do you live with?"

"My mom." _What a weird question to ask?_

"And what's her name?"

"Liana. Why?"

"Just making sure that you are the one."

_The one? What could he possibly mean? And why did her mom have to find a way into the dream?_ It was almost as if her mom was reaching into her dream to warn her not to get too close to strangers. She was always so wary of others, especially guys. Before she could ask, her mysterious dream guy asked her another question.

"So, how old are you?"

"Seventeen. And you?"

He chuckled. "My age...is questionable."

"Questionable? What is that supposed to mean?"

"No worries, beautiful. It'll all make sense soon enough." He looked past his shoulder. She followed his gaze but saw nothing. "I have to go now."

"What do you mean, you have to go? This is _my_ dream and I don't want it to end yet."

She knew she was pouting, but it had been so long since her dreams had given her something so yummy to fantasize about. Normally her dreams were of the mundane sort, like showing up at school in her pajamas, or the crazy kind, such as feeling as if she's falling out of the sky to wake up right before hitting the ground with a huge splat. But this dream fulfilled her hopes for her real life, and now he wanted to end it. _This is MY dream_ , she mentally whined.

"Do you always get what you want?"

"No. Yes. Well, I don't want a lot. I mean, I'm happy with all that I already have." Now she was babbling. How did this great dream turn into such a flop?

He laughed, and it melted her. His sky-blue eyes seemed to light up even more when he laughed. "Well, we're going to have to work on that."

"Work on what?" Her brain just couldn't process anything while she stood so close to him.

"What you want." He winked.

He picked up a strand of her curly brown hair and twirled it through his fingers before kissing it and letting it fall to rest back on her shoulder.

"See you soon," he said before disappearing completely.

She sighed, resigned to accept that the dream was done. She shrugged her shoulders. It would be her luck that just when she finally had a dream that showed real promise of giving her some fun, it would end too quickly. There was no sense in staying asleep.

Her body awakened moments before her eyes opened. Dusk had already darkened the day; she had napped longer than she had expected. Her mom would be worried about her, as usual. _Back to reality_ , she thought as she grabbed her book and walked the pebbled path back to her house.

-o-

Ar'ch picked up his ringing cell phone, disappointed he had been forced to end her dream sooner than he had wanted. He hadn't been able to stop himself from studying every aspect of her. He could pretend it was for the mission, to make sure he had, indeed, identified the correct target, but the reality was that she was beautiful.

Her features perfectly fit her cute, little frame. She seemed a little fragile, but he'd had plenty of experience in the past to let him know how deceiving looks could be, especially among his kind. Her long, brown, curly hair looked so soft that he couldn't stop himself from touching it.

Her eyes were mesmerizing; they were brown and yet they weren't. If nothing else told him it was possible for her to be his target, her eyes would have given it away. Of all the tasks he'd been given over the years, this one looked like it might be the most enjoyable one yet.

"Yeah, brother. What's up?" he said as he answered the call.

He thought about how Sofia kept looking from his eyes to his lips which had caused him to do the same. And she had the most kissable lips. _Focus_ , he chastised himself.

"Did you find the one we are searching for?"

"Yes. Her name is Sofia. She's the one."

"Sofia," his brother repeated softly. "Now that I know my target, I'll make sure to get to know her better tomorrow at school."

"Sounds good to me. The sooner we finish this mission, the sooner we can go back home."

"That's the plan."

"Listen, I'm going to track her tonight to see what other intel I can gather. Talk to you later."

He thought back to Sofia's dream world. It had been surprisingly easy to enter. Reading the minds of others was as easy as breathing for him, but altering their thoughts was an entirely different scenario. He couldn't remember ever having that much ability, even when he first came into his skill.

Completely entering the dream realm and interacting with the dreamer was even more complex. It had been a while since he had even tried to enter someone else's dreams. He had given up on his last attempt because of the amount of effort it took. Maybe she was _the one_. At least she was cute. If he had to track and capture someone, it might as well be someone with whom he could have a little fun.

-o-

Sofia entered her home and heard her mother on the phone in the kitchen. It sounded as if she were arguing with someone, which was very unlike her mother.

"Hey, Mom. I'm home. I'm running late, so I gotta rush."

She ran upstairs before her mother could ask her twenty questions. Ever since she was a little girl, her mother had always acted as if something horrible would happen to her. This past year had been the worst yet. Her mother jumped at every phone call and every knock on the door. She would constantly tell her to be careful. It must be a motherly burden to worry more as your child got closer to adulthood. Pushing away those thoughts, she jumped in the shower to prepare for work.

-o-

Liana listened as Sofia's feet stomped up the stairs. She waited until she heard the shower start before returning to her conversation.

"Sofia just entered the shower. Sorry for the interruption. I really think we need to reconsider -"

The person on the other end of the line interrupted her. "There will be no reconsidering. We made a deal. You must meet your end of it. We made a commitment to see this through, and I have every intention of making sure it is successful. Plus, at this point, you have more to lose than you have to gain if you back out now."

Liana leaned her head back against the kitchen cabinets and took a deep breath. "I just didn't think it'd be this hard. What if something goes wrong?"

"Nothing will go wrong if you stick with the plan."

"Maybe I should talk -"

"It is not time for talking. When the time comes, I'll let you know. Now, I must go and take care of a few errands. Do not disappoint me, Liana," the caller said and hung up.

She shook her head in resignation. She heard the shower being turned off and headed upstairs to see Sofia.

-o-

Just as Sofia finished putting on her uniform, her mom popped her head into her room. Her mother was beautiful and looked nothing like her. While she had wavy brown hair, her mother's locks were thick, curly, long, and blonde. Her mom stood taller than her by two inches and her eyes were a midnight blue whereas Sofia's were brown with a large speck of red in the lower right corner of her left eye. She loved to joke that her DNA hiccupped when her eyes were being created, especially since she had never really seen anyone else have a speck like hers.

She hoped one day her own body would blossom into her mother's incredible figure, but so far, the curves were a no show, which seemed to make her mother very happy. She was just average in the sexy figure department, but she accepted her flexibility with pride. Her mom's golden, tan skin contrasted with her pale, olive tone, but in the summer, her skin usually took more of a golden shade.

Her mother told her she looked more like her father, but she would not know whether that were true or if her mother was trying to appease her. She had never met her father, and there were no pictures of him in her house, so she had no way of knowing. She sometimes wondered if her mother worried her father would come looking for her. She once asked her, but her mother told her he was dead. Still, ever since she was a child, she had hoped beyond hope that her father was out there somewhere.

"How was your day, sweetheart?" Her mom stood in the doorway.

"Same old thing, different day. I fell asleep at the willow, so I'm running late."

She hesitated in sharing her dream with her mom. Usually, she told her everything. As a young child, her mom ingrained in her that family did not keep secrets from each other. Lately, however, her mom had seemed a little distant, almost as if her mind was over-occupied. Even now, standing in the doorway, she looked exhausted.

Sofia increasingly felt as if her mother was keeping secrets. On several occasions, she almost asked her, but she feared her mom would say she was sick with cancer or something equally as horrible. She couldn't handle that kind of news, so she stayed quiet. She figured no news was good news. Nothing had really happened in this dream, so she didn't see the point in sharing it. Still, an emptiness enveloped her. She missed the days of giggling with her mom about carefree topics.

"You fell asleep again?" Her mom laughed.

"Yeah." She smiled and shrugged. "Guess it's becoming a habit."

"You've always loved that tree. It's special." Her mom's her eyes misted over.

Sofia pulled her hair up in a ponytail and grabbed her purse. She wasn't sure what she had said that made her mom emotional, but she knew she didn't want to see the tears.

"Gotta run, Mom. I can't be late."

She kissed her mom on the cheek and headed out the door as her mother yelled after her, "Be careful."

She clocked in just in time.

"Another close call," Melinda, another waitress at Fridays, said.

Melinda was one of the few people she let into her circle of friends. Her mom had always told her to be wary of getting close to too many people because most people were not genuine. Over the years, she had learned to trust her mother's advice.

Mel was one of the exceptions to the rule. She was a great contrast to her. Mel had smooth "café mocha" skin, as she would call it, with beautiful, soft, ebony hair that hung in waves to her mid-back. She also had distinctive almond-shaped eyes. She had the curves Sofia wished for, and she knew how to use them.

She had already graduated, but she was taking a year off to save up money for college. Sofia believed Mel had no idea what she wanted to do with her life, so she stuck with what she knew.

"But I made it." She tossed her purse into an employee locker.

"As always." Mel laughed before handing her assigned tables to her.

A basketball game on the screens in the bar area kept her tables occupied, and it helped pass the time. She got home, exhausted. When she had first started working, she only worked Friday and Saturday nights.

With graduation just a few months away, she had started working a few school nights to save up more money. Her grades hadn't been affected, so her mom didn't give her a hard time about it. She took another shower before plopping down in her bed. She pulled out her journal from her nightstand to write about her new dream.

Another dream today. I haven't had a dream like this before. This one was about a guy. A really, really cute guy. Who am I kidding? He was hot. His name was... I guess I never got his name. Well, that's a shame. It's hard to fantasize about a guy when you don't have his name. Maybe I'll call him Mark. No, that doesn't fit. Richard? William? Edward? Ian? Haha...no. Still doesn't sound right. Whatever. It was just a dream. But – wow – was he hot! I'm not really cheating on Rafe if it's just a dream, right?

Feeling guilty, she picked up her cell phone and texted Rafe, her best friend and boyfriend, good night. He sent a reply text that he'd see her at school tomorrow. She placed her journal in her nightstand drawer and went to sleep.

And there _he_ was again. Immediately, she looked down, hoping she was not in her pajamas. Relief filled her when she saw herself wearing the clothes from her time at the willow tree. She would have been mortified if he were to see her in her sun and moon pajama pant set.

After the panic subsided, she turned her attention to her mystery man. A spark of electricity ignited within her when she saw him. She didn't feel that kind of attraction with Rafe. Not that she was expected to, but still. This electricity was what she always thought she'd feel if she were ever allowed to have a real boyfriend.

"Well, hello again."

"Hi." He wore the same clothes from before. "How was work?"

"Same as always." She almost asked how he knew she had been working but stopped herself by remembering this was her dream. "So, do I get to ask you questions now?"

He smiled and her heart skipped a beat. She braved a chance at looking at his eyes. Specks of white mixed with the blue. _Weird_ , she thought. She'd never seen anyone with white in their irises before.

"What would you like to know?"

"What's your name?"

"Ah, yes, I guess you would like to know that bit of information. You'll know soon enough."

"Why can't I know now?"

"So impatient. I'm not ready to tell you just yet. I have to make sure you won't go writing it in that journal of yours."

"How do you know... Never mind. This is my dream. Got it. Why can't I write your name in my journal?"

"I wouldn't want your mom to know who I am." He walked around her, almost inspecting her.

"Why would that matter?" She turned around to continue to face him.

"You ask a lot of questions."

"And you answer them in riddles."

"All in due time, beautiful."

Sofia melted as the word _beautiful_ bounced around in her head.

"Well, time for me to let you sleep."

"Wait! Do you have to go so soon?"

"Yes. I have to take care of some...things. Don't worry. You'll see me again soon."

He winked at her and disappeared. Sofia took a deep breath, frustrated, and then lost herself in a dreamless sleep.

-o-

Ar'ch reentered his state of awareness next to his brother. They stood a good distance away from Sofia's house, but they could see Liana picking up in the kitchen. She seemed completely unaware of their presence outside. If he accessed Sofia's dream world with Liana so close to her, she should have had some inkling of his energy. Yet, she did not flinch or look concerned in any way.

"I still can't believe you are able to enter her dreams." Angel broke Ar'ch's concentration. "It's been a long time since any of us have had that much skill."

"I know, brother. It feels amazing. At first, I could barely feel her thoughts. Now, I can close my eyes and interact with her with very little effort. It's thrilling. Of course, I always knew my skills would strengthen when I truly needed them."

In truth, he never thought he'd ever develop so much ability. No one his age possessed so much skill nowadays. The Elders would take special interest in his discovery.

"Of course." His brother rolled his eyes and laughed. "Did you find out anything new?"

"No. She's a persistent little lady. She wants to know my name, but she keeps a journal, so I'm not sure how much information I want to give her just yet. We can't take a chance of Liana reading it."

"I don't think Liana would read it. Do you?"

Ar'ch wasn't the biggest fan of Liana. He had no reason to trust her, but he knew Angel couldn't help but hope she was still trustworthy. He shrugged his shoulders.

"Probably not. Are you using your real name tomorrow?"

"Yes. It's just easier for me. Plus, I have a common name."

"My name is common."

"Maybe where we come from, but not here. I wouldn't even say it's too common at home, either. Acceptable, but not used too often."

"You have a point." He smiled. "It's only given to those who come from greatness."

"Thank the Goddess no one has ever implied that you are humble." Angel laughed.

"To thine own self be true. Didn't some famous human say that?"

"That would be William Shakespeare, Ar'ch. Dad says he was a great man. If you ever paid attention to our lessons, you would know."

"Whatever. Listen, as much as I'm enjoying my new strength here on Earth, I'd love to get home as soon as possible. This place is just downright boring. How do you want to go about securing Sofia and taking her home with us?"

"What do you suggest?"

"I don't get the impression she knows anything about us. I also can't tell what skills, if any, she has. Being that she is the chosen one, I would assume she does, indeed, have skills. Since my skills have intensified just by being around her, she must be powerful in some way.

"I just can't tell if she's aware of her capabilities. So, I think we need to err on the side of caution and gain her confidence." He paused. "Or we can just knock her out and take her with us. Either way." He shrugged and smiled at his half-joke.

"What about Liana?" His brother stared in her direction.

"Look at her, Angel. _Really_ look at her," he said with empathy in his voice. He may not be a huge fan of hers, but he understood Angel's ability to see the good in everyone.

His brother frowned. "She's aged more than I expected. I know the longer we stay away from home, the quicker we tend to age, but I didn't think she'd age so...earthly. Maybe you're right. Maybe she's changed her fate, but it's not fair to assume that without asking her."

"Brother, our mission is Sofia. When we are ready to go, we will give Liana her options."

Angel took a deep breath. "Fine. We keep her out of the loop. For now. I just can't leave without speaking to her."

"I understand. You'll get a chance after we've secured our mission. Okay?"

Angel nodded in agreement. He clapped his brother on the back before they turned away and headed to their rented apartment.

## Chapter Two

Sofia took her seat in her English class, the last class of the day, and saw a new student had this class with her as well. She had seen him sitting in the back of her economics class, and now he sat right next to her. He was boyishly cute with pale skin and thick, wavy, blonde hair that fell to just past his ears. He looked at her with a smile that reached his dark blue eyes. She was taken aback a little when she realized that his eyes had light blue specks in them.

Until her recent dreams, she was the only one who had odd eyes. Now, here in the flesh, sat another person with multi-colored eyes. Before she could think more of it, the teacher started her lesson so she focused on absorbing every detail needed for the upcoming exam. As the bell rang to end class, she collected her things. The new kid grabbed his things and approached her.

"Hi." He extended his hand. "I'm Angel." He smiled and she felt herself smiling back.

"Hi." She shook his hand.

She noticed he stood taller than he looked while he had been seated. Like Rafe, he was about four inches taller than she. He somehow broke through the usual guard she had when meeting new people. Kindness radiated from him. She felt she shook the hand of the ultimate good guy.

"You're in a couple of my classes, right?"

"Yes, I believe I am. I'm new in town."

"I can see that. We don't get a lot of new people in this town."

He smiled.

Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around her from the back. She turned around and embraced Rafe.

"Hey. This is Angel. He's new to school."

"Hey! What's up? I'm Rafael, but everyone calls me Rafe. How do you like our town so far?"

It didn't surprise Sofia that Rafe was so friendly. Everyone liked him, even though he had moments when he could be quite moody. He was built like a running back, strong and lean. His tanned skin went well with his dark brown hair.

His hazel eyes usually gave away his mood. More often than not, they were green which showed him in a great mood. Every now and then, the brown in them would be more predominant, showing that he was moody. She didn't see that side too often, but she knew it existed.

"So far, so good. I'm Angel. Nice to meet you." He shook Rafe's hand with the same genuine smile he had bestowed on her.

"I see you've already met my girlfriend, Sofia." Rafe draped his left his arm around her shoulders.

"Yes, just now."

"So, do you play any sports?"

She interjected, "Rafe is on the football team. He catches the ball and runs down anyone who gets in his way. He's on the wrestling team as well, best in our region."

Her boyfriend laughed and kissed her cheek. "Sofia doesn't follow sports much."

Angel smiled. "I'm not much into sports, although I do love to swim."

"You should check out our watering hole, then," she said. "You'd love it."

"Thanks for the suggestion."

"Ready to go, babe?" Rafe asked, redirecting her attention. "My mom wants to have an early dinner, so I figured we could go straight to my place to hang out before your mom comes over."

"Sure. It was nice meeting you, Angel. See you in class tomorrow."

"Absolutely."

-o-

Angel watched as they walked away. He had instantly liked Sofia. He had observed her throughout the classes they had in common. She kept to herself for the most part. She sat in the front of each class and focused on listening to the teacher. Yet, there was nothing about her that screamed _geek_ or _nerd_.

She was also very pretty, something Ar'ch had somehow forgotten to mention to him. Maybe Ar'ch didn't find her particularly beautiful. Most of the girls he tended to entertain were of the eccentric variety whereas Sofia's beauty was more natural. He had spent the classes watching her, wanting some proof that she was the one they were after.

Once he stood face-to-face with her and saw the mark in her left eye, he knew she could be the one. Still, he had to agree with Ar'ch; he didn't feel any power coming from her. He wasn't sure what he expected, but he expected some kind of _greatness_.

He wasn't sure what to make of her boyfriend. He had noticed Rafe's possessive stance but did not feel threatened in any way. Angel realized he was marking her as his, and though he had no interest in dating her, Angel did have every intention of taking her. He also knew that, when the time came, Rafe would not be an issue.

He had attempted to get a feel on Rafe's emotions, but everything about him seemed neutral. Except for his looks, that was. Rafe was on the good-looking end. He smirked just thinking of how Ar'ch would consider Rafe no match against him.

Luckily, this wasn't a battle to win Sofia's heart. She was just a mission for them. Rafe, on the other hand, could become a complication. He realized that he needed to gain her trust.

Ar'ch was just joking about knocking her out and taking her, but he knew his brother well enough to know that he would accomplish this task with whatever means necessary. He doubted the Elders would approve of that tactic, but Ar'ch never really seemed to be able to do any wrong by them.

It would be up to him to make sure they completed the mission as peacefully as possible. And that meant he would have to win over Rafe. With just their little bit of interaction, he knew Rafe was protective of Sofia, and he needed to make sure Rafe did not see him as a threat for her attention.

He could see why she liked him. He was good-looking, athletic, strong, and charming. It wouldn't hurt to get to know more about him. It may even help provide Ar'ch and him with some valuable information about Sofia. He'd talk to Ar'ch later about his idea.

-o-

Rafe started the car as he and Sofia fastened their seatbelts. She played with the radio until she found a song she liked. This had been their routine for as long as she could remember. She and her mom had dinner with him and his mom at his house every Monday night. When they were younger, her mom would take her over to his house, and the four of them would play board games before dinner and then watch movies together.

It seemed as if it had always been just the four of them. They were inseparable practically from birth. Maybe it was the fact that both of their fathers were missing from their lives or that their mothers were best friends. It was no wonder they became best friends and eventually boyfriend and girlfriend. They were practically soul mates.

"So, there's a new guy in town," Rafe said as she rested her head on the headrest.

"Yeah, he seems nice enough." She shrugged.

"What do you know about him?"

"That he is the new guy in town." She laughed. "I just met him. Why do you ask?"

He shrugged. "No reason. It's just we haven't really had anyone new move into our town in years. I wonder why he moved here."

"I don't know. Guess we can ask him tomorrow." She smiled as she looked at him. "Are you a little worried that he may steal your thunder?"

He laughed a little too deliberately. "And how could he possibly steal my thunder?"

"Well, he is kinda cute."

"Oh, yeah? I guess if you like that whole blonde-haired, blue-eyed, all-American sort of look."

He looked over to her, as if waiting to see her reaction. She knew he was watching her, so she pretended to think about it. And think about it. And think about it some more. He began tickling her as he pulled up to a red light.

"Mercy! Mercy! Do you always have to tickle me to get your way?"

"Hey, if it works, why not? It's important to know the weaknesses of those you let into your circle." He winked at her as the light turned green.

"Oh, really? Well, blonde hair and blue eyes are not on my weakness list, so you have no reason to worry." She laughed.

Suddenly, her memory sent her a vivid image of a sexy, dark, and mysterious stranger, and she sighed. She felt him look at her quizzically, and she smiled and turned up the radio.

As they entered his house, they could smell the aroma of delectable dishes coming from the kitchen. They followed their noses to the source and hoped they could steal something to satisfy their curious tongues. Speaking in hushed voices, Damiana and Liana were sitting on the bar stools next to the kitchen counter. She gave them both a kiss on the cheek. Her mother's eyes were glassy with blinked away tears, and her shoulders seemed to have a heaviness to them.

Her mother tried to quickly cover her sadness, but Sofia had seen it. She looked inquiringly at her mom, curious as to what the two of them had been discussing, but her mom just shook her head and smiled. Her mother picked up one of her curls and twirled it before touching her cheek and smiling again. She returned a tight smile, knowing that whatever had just transpired was not going to be discussed with her in that moment. She only hoped her mom would share it with her later.

"So, what's cookin', good lookin'?" Rafe grabbed a handful of kettle corn before his mom could swat his hand away.

Damiana laughed. "Don't you worry about what I'm cooking. It's all healthy, and that's what's important."

"Mom, everything you cook is _always_ healthy, but this smells absolutely sinful."

"I am the queen of sinful cooking." Damiana winked at Liana, and Rafe laughed.

"Well, call us when it's ready. We'll be in my room getting our homework done."

Her mother called out before they were no longer in hearing range. "Sofia, you better get your homework done! You can't slack off on your grades just because you are a senior."

"Don't worry, Mom! Homework first." She took the stairs two at a time.

Rafe could joke all he wanted, but homework always came first with them. They didn't play the nerd role, but learning came easily to them. She plopped down on his bed and began taking out her homework.

Rafe had an office with two desks down the hall but they always completed their homework on his bed. His room was much neater than his office. His bedroom was metro chic. All his trophies throughout his years of playing soccer, baseball, and football were neatly arranged on shelves on the left wall.

Despite the sports section, his room felt as if you had entered a forestry oasis. The walls were a deep green; the furniture was a dark mahogany. A pattern of dark and light greens decorated his bedspread, and the blinds complemented the furniture. The only items that seemed as if they didn't belong were his flat panel television and his plush, black, bean-bag chairs. She had never seen his room in disarray. Everything had its place; it was as if even his belongings knew they had to behave.

He put both of their book bags on the bed before settling himself on his bed with his back against the wall. Once upon a time, his bed was centered in the room with the headboard against the wall, but when it became apparent that they would spend most of their time doing homework on his bed, he moved it to provide himself more back support. He always gave the headboard to Sofia. They settled into a comfortable silence as they quickly completed their monotonous assignments.

When she finished, she packed her book bag and leaned back on the bed, watching him finish his last assignment. "Have you given any thought as to what college you want to go to?"

He looked up from gnawing on his pencil, a habit that she somehow found both charming and disgusting. "Not really. Why?"

She shrugged. "Just curious if you are leaning toward any one university in particular. I'm sure you've had a ton of them offering you scholarships."

He finished his last problem, closed the book, and neatly stuffed everything back into his book bag. "Sure, I've had offers here and there from colleges that want me to come play ball, but I'm not really focused on that."

"Why not?"

"I guess I always figured we'd stay close to home." He got up and turned on his game system.

"What if I decide I want to go away for college?"

She settled into the bean bag and grabbed the remote control. She didn't want to move far from her mom, but she was curious about his response. She worried he wasn't taking the decision seriously enough. College was a big deal, and she had expected him to at least be stressed about which college had offered him the better deal and where he would want to go. His lackadaisical response irritated her.

"Then, I'll go wherever you go. No biggie."

She put down the remote. "No biggie? What if the school I want to go to doesn't offer you a scholarship? What if what you want to study isn't at that school?"

"Sofe, why are you worrying about this? I'll go wherever you go because I want to be with you. You and I have always been inseparable. I don't see why that should change after we graduate. Unless-" He paused. "Unless you want it to change."

"Don't be silly."

"Then, why are you fixated on this all of a sudden?"

She picked up the remote again. "I don't know. Let's just play."

He turned on the game, and they fell into their normal routine except she still felt on edge. Shouldn't he care about where he was going to study? Why was she questioning him about wanting to be with her? And why did the decision have to land on her shoulders? What if she chose the wrong college for herself? Or for him?

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. No sense in worrying about something that was months away. She'd make the decision when the time came. It's what she always did; this wouldn't be any different.

## Chapter Three

"It's a beautiful morning," Angel announced as cheerily as he could muster while pulling the covers quickly off Ar'ch's bed.

Ar'ch groaned and rolled over, grabbing at his sheets to recover himself. "Must you wake me from my deep slumber just because you have to be up for school?"

Angel laughed. "Absolutely. Why should I be the only one suffering?"

Ar'ch threw his pillow in the direction of the door and missed hitting him by a yard. "How long has it been since you've practiced your throwing skills, brother? Your aim is way off."

"Knives...about an hour before we left home. Pillows..." Ar'ch stretched and sat up, running his hands through his hair. "Probably not since I was ten. I hope you, at least, made coffee for me."

"Of course. Did you manage to enter Sofia's dreams again last night?"

Ar'ch shuffled to the kitchen counter as Angel poured him a cup of wake-me-ups. Ar'ch shook his head while blowing on the coffee he had handed him.

"Thanks. No, she was at her boyfriend's house for a while, so I decided to do some research on them. As far as I can tell, she's kept a pretty low profile. Her boyfriend, on the other hand, is some kind of athletic hero in this town."

"Do I detect a bit of jealousy?"

Ar'ch smirked. "Oh, please. As if any human could compete with me if I wanted something he had. Which I don't, by the way." He sipped his coffee. "This is just a mission."

"If you say so, brother. I just couldn't help but notice that she is pretty."

"I guess, in a fragile, mundane sort of way. So, you said yesterday that you did not feel any aura surrounding her when you met her, right?"

"Right. Either she knows nothing of our kind, which would leave her vulnerable and easy to capture, or she's shielding very well, which I doubt, or she's just not the one."

His brother took a moment to finish his coffee before responding. "She's the one. She is the only one living in the house with Liana, so she must be the one. I don't think she is shielding because I easily entered her dreams. Of course, it is possible she hasn't learned to shield in her dreams yet. I believe she is unaware, but I wouldn't bet my life on it."

"I still don't understand why we can't just tell Liana."

Ar'ch took a deep breath. "Liana is shielding. It amazes me she even has the ability to do so, but she is definitely shielding. I tried to enter her dreams last night and couldn't. I tried several times and failed each time. I used up so much energy attempting different avenues that I exhausted myself. I had nothing left to try to enter Sofia's dream realm. Who would Liana have to shield from? It just doesn't make sense to me. I'm not comfortable with letting her know we are here yet."

Angel grabbed his book bag, once again defeated. "All right, brother. I'll trust your judgment as I always do. I'll see what I can find out at school today."

"Thanks." Ar'ch stood. "And thanks for the coffee."

He smiled and left for school. The school day passed quickly enough, though he really wished the weekend would come already. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy learning; he just never thought he'd have to sit through classroom lectures again. He missed his training center. He missed his room at home. He missed his pool and the lake.

This was his first mission, and he hoped he would have many more to come. He was grateful that his parents considered him ready and that he had been paired with his brother. There were many in his city who would undermine him, but Ar'ch believed in him and he would make him proud.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't realized that the bell had rung. Sofia stood in front of him, waving her hand in front of his face, and smiling. He blinked a couple of times and then smiled at her.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, sorry. Guess you caught me daydreaming."

She laughed as he stood and followed her out of class. "I almost left you, but I just couldn't be that cruel to a newbie."

"Thanks! I owe you one."

Rafe walked over and gave her a kiss on the cheek before turning to him. "Hey. So, how was day two for you?"

"Good, I guess."

Sofia laughed. "He zoned out during the last half of class."

"Don't worry about it. It happens to the best of us. What are you doing after school today?"

"Not really sure. Why?"

"Sofia has to work, and practice got cancelled, so I figured I'd see if you wanted to hang out."

"I'd like that. Thanks for the invitation."

"You two have fun. I've got to get moving if I don't want to be late."

She kissed Rafe on the cheek and waved to Angel before leaving him with Rafe.

-o-

As soon as Sofia picked up her table assignments, she stopped in her tracks when she saw the person who sat at table four. It was the guy from her dreams a couple of nights before. She took a deep breath and slowly approached his table.

He seemed to be studying the menu, so she took the opportunity to absorb him. He was even more stunning in person. She gazed in awe at the flawless way his black hair fell around his face and how each feature of his face felt perfectly fitted for him. There was no mistaking it; he was the guy she dreamt about. _This is not possible; he was just a dream._

She sensed he knew she was coming toward him. She felt an almost electric thread pulling her to his table. Her heart leaped out of her chest, but she put on a calm appearance.

"Welcome to Fridays. Do I know..." She blinked and shook her head to try to compose herself. "Do you know what you'd like to order? Or could I suggest a few items?"

He lifted his eyes from the menu and looked at her, seeming not to recognize her at all. He wore dark denim jeans and a black button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up. The top two buttons were undone to show just a peek of his chest.

He was breathtakingly beautiful, but she kept her composure with great effort. She wondered if it were possible for her to dream of a guy before she ever met him. He appeared serious and formal until he spoke.

"I'm pretty sure I know what I want, but I'd like to hear your suggestions."

Was he toying with her? This just had to be some weird coincidence, right? People from dreams just don't appear in real life. She tried to calm her heart so she could talk without stumbling over the words.

"The pot stickers are a great appetizer. As for entrees, I would recommend the baby back ribs or the spicy chicken. Can I start you off with something to drink?"

He smiled at her, the same wicked smile from her dreams. She wondered if he had any idea as to her reaction to him. Then, she remembered his confidence in her dream and figured he probably knew exactly what effect he had on her and probably all women.

"Water will be fine. I like your suggestions. I think I'll take the spicy chicken, please."

"And your name?" She couldn't stop herself. Deep down, despite the impossibility, she knew this was the guy from her dreams, and she wanted a name for that face.

He laughed. "And what do you need my name for?"

"I like to know who my customers are." She pasted her server smile on her face.

"Of course." He shook his head and chuckled. "My name is Ar'ch."

"Erick?"

"No." He smiled. "Close, but it is pronounced Ar-rick, like the letter 'R' and the name Rick put together."

"Oh." She nervously wrote his name on her notepad. "That's a different name. I've never heard that name before."

"I'm a unique guy." He winked.

She felt the wave of heat before the blush crept up to her face. "I'll place your order and bring you your water."

"Thank you, Sofia." He looked at her name tag.

She walked quickly to the computer to put in his order. Her hands trembled. She felt nervous and excited at the same time. She couldn't stop looking over at his table. Why did he have this effect on her? It's not like she had never had a cute guy as a customer before, but no one, not even Rafe, made her feel like this.

"Man, that guy is HOT!" Mel said, startling her. She stared in the same direction as her.

"No kidding. The crazy thing is that I think I dreamt of him a couple of nights ago."

"Girl, I dream of men that hot all of the time. That guy is dee-lish-us."

"No, I mean, _he_ was in my dreams, not a guy like him. _Him_. And now he's here! That's not even possible, is it? I must have seen him somewhere before, right?"

She tried to recall possibly bumping into him at a gas station or the movies or somewhere. Anywhere. Nothing came to mind. Mel looked at her and then at the table before returning a skeptical look at her.

"Obviously, you were meant to meet him. Enjoy it."

"Mel, I have a boyfriend, remember?"

"Oh, puh-leeze! Save that for someone who doesn't know Rafe as well as I know him. You guys are more like a bowl of fruit than a hot, delicious, chocolate, molten lava cake."

As one of their closest childhood friends, Mel knew exactly how their relationship had come to be. Still, Sofia rolled her eyes. "Still, he's my boyfriend."

"Okay, girl. Your loss." She grabbed a glass of water and headed straight to his table.

Sofia didn't expect the wave of jealousy that came over her as she watched Mel saunter over to his table. She didn't want to watch, but she couldn't tear her eyes away. Mel was curvy and sultry and threw discretion to the wind if it benefited her. She had confidence and pizazz, and now she headed straight to Ar'ch's table.

-o-

Ar'ch had just finished listening to Sofia and Mel's complete conversation even though they were at least twenty feet away from him. He pulled it from the air without even going into a trance. His powers were strengthening, and he couldn't be happier about it. He could feel Sofia's heart rate increase as her friend brought him a glass of water. He smiled as Mel placed the glass of water on his table.

"Hi, there," she said with a very mischievous smile. "I hear you're new in town. I'm Mel."

He returned the smile. "I'm Ar'ch. It's nice to meet you, Mel. Are all the servers here beautiful, or is it just you two?"

"They are definitely not as gorgeous as Sofie and I. You're a lucky guy to have met the two most beautiful girls on your first night here."

She winked at him which made him laugh. He knew Sofia was watching. He could feel the heat of her jealousy from his seat. He widened his grin, knowing Sofia wasn't very happy about her friend's flirtatious ways. In another place at another time, he would reciprocate Mel's flirtatiousness. She had an energy about her that just screamed fun, but he had a mission to accomplish, and that came first.

"I am definitely a lucky man." He took a sip of his water.

"Well, if you need anything, just let me know. I aim to please."

"I'll keep that in mind, Mel. Thank you. So far, Sofia has taken care of my needs, but I will definitely keep that in mind."

Mel gave him one last wink before returning to the server section. He watched her leave, but then turned all his attention to Sofia, who quickly turned around and left his line of sight. He knew exactly how to use jealousy to his advantage, and Sofia was playing right into his hands.

-o-

Sofia had watched the moment between Mel and Ar'ch the way a deer watches a car coming toward it. She wanted to turn and run, but she just couldn't pull herself away from looking at them. As he smiled and flirted with Mel, she felt this overwhelming heat envelop her. She felt flushed and a bit dizzy.

She vaguely recalled this happening to her as a child when her favorite toy was snatched away from her during a play date. Her mother had coached her to calm her breathing, splash cold water on her face, and focus on a cool breeze. Her mother had told her terrible things could happen if she lost control. She took a deep breath and shook her head. That memory had come out of nowhere, and she didn't have time to revisit it.

Still, she felt feverish. The idea of Mel hooking up with Ar'ch was sending waves of heat up her chest, through her neck, and to her head. She went to the bathroom and splashed water on her neck and her wrists to try to cool down. She wasn't going to dare splash water on her face and ruin her make-up. She visualized a breezy, autumn day with her lying down under her willow tree, listening to the branches sway in the wind. Several deep breaths passed before she was good as new.

-o-

Fifteen minutes later, Sofia returned with his food. She placed it on the table but didn't even look at Ar'ch. She mumbled, "Enjoy," before walking away.

He laughed inside, knowing he affected her...almost as much as she was affecting him. He had enjoyed watching her become jealous as he flirted with the saucy, confident waitress, but once she had retreated to the back, he no longer found any amusement in the situation.

He couldn't deny the heat that filled him whenever she came near him. He felt a passionate pull to touch her in some way...her hair, her face, her hand. It didn't matter. He just wanted to feel her near him, and that wasn't normal for him.

He _never_ needed a girl. Maybe it had something to do with her being the one. Whatever it was, he knew he needed to get control over it. The mission came first.

He was curious about how much his powers had grown since being near her. He directed a wave of energy in her direction to see not only if he could but also to see if she could feel it. He watched as she took a deep breath and shivered. She looked around as if she was trying to figure out what made her uneasy, shook her head, and continued working.

So, she was receptive. Very interesting. The question now was: What did it mean? Was she aware of what was about to happen to her? How much did she know? She didn't seem to know anything, which was a good thing, he supposed. He finished his dinner, left enough cash to cover the bill and a generous tip, and left the restaurant. On his way out, he called Angel.

"Hey, brother! What's up?" Angel answered. He spoke more loudly than usual, talking over the music in the background.

"Where are you?" He crossed the street from the restaurant.

"I'm hanging out with my new friend from school, Rafe."

"Rafe? As in Sofia's boyfriend?" He furrowed his eyebrows.

"Yep. I'll see you back at our place, okay?"

"Don't be too long. We need to report in."

"I understand." Angel hung up.

Ar'ch watched Sofia from the other side of the street. She was different from all the other girls he'd flirted with in the past; she didn't throw herself at him or play coy. Then again, she'd been raised as a human.

He was almost certain that she didn't know her importance in the world. He shook his head, not even sure if he believed she was really the one. Yet, if his mom said she was the one that would save his people, then who was he to doubt her? Sofia had been chosen, and it was his job to make sure she met her fate, and that was exactly what he was going to do.

## Chapter Four

Angel hung up the phone just as Rafe entered the room with a glass of green tea. "Thanks. I'm surprised you actually have green tea." He took the drink from Rafe.

"My mom is against soda and anything artificial. She prefers organic because it comes directly from Mother Earth. She has mad respect for the planet."

"As should everyone, I guess." He tried to sound like a normal teenager but probably failed. "So, what's it like growing up here?"

Rafe sat down on the bean bag in front of the game station. "Great! This town is calm and quiet, but we manage to have fun. My mom moved here when she was pregnant with me. My mom and Sofia's mom are best friends, so we've known each other practically since birth. If you hear my mom talk about it, our lives were intertwined before we were even born." He laughed and turned on the television and game system. "What about you? Here I am going on and on about me, but I don't really know anything about you."

Angel smiled. He liked Rafe. He had felt an immediate connection with him when he had first met him, which was odd for him. He was usually shy around people he didn't know. Rafe was an insignificant bystander in their plan to capture Sofia, but he had this inexplicable need to have Rafe like him. He wanted to be honest with him when speaking about himself, but he couldn't tell him the full truth, especially because of his relationship with Sofia.

"I live with my dad, my stepmom, and my half-brother. We came here because I'm looking for my real mom and the child she is raising."

"Cool. Any luck finding them?"

"I'm sure we'll find them soon enough." He sat on the other bean bag and picked up the remote. "You didn't mention a dad. Sorry if I'm being too forward."

Rafe laughed. "No, not at all. Both my dad and Sofia's dad are out of the picture."

"Sorry to hear that. Why is that?"

"Well, my dad was imprisoned for a crime he was framed for. I've never met him, and I don't know much about him. Every time I mention him to my mom, she gets very upset. She still loves him very much. I stopped asking about him several years ago. She told me once that we would all be reunited one day, so I figure I'll just wait for that day to come," Rafe replied before concentrating on choosing a game for them to play.

Angel heard the sadness in Rafe's tone as he spoke of the father he never got the chance to know, but he couldn't pick up any specific emotional energy. Before he could think of what to say, Rafe shrugged his shoulders and continued.

"Sofia's dad isn't around. Her mom won't talk about him at all. She told Sofia that her dad was dead, but Sofia thinks she's lying. Either way, it's just our moms, Sofia, and I."

Angel could see why Sofia liked him. Rafe seemed so sincere and genuine that he didn't think too much of not being able to read his emotions clearly. After they had settled into playing a racing game Rafe had selected, he asked, "So, Sofia is your girlfriend, huh?"

Rafe shrugged. "Yeah. We grew up as best friends, but we moved our friendship into a relationship because most people already thought we were a couple, so why not? I don't really want to be with anyone else, and her mother is WAY too overprotective, so we figured it worked out for both of us if everyone just assumed we were a couple."

"Do you love her?"

He realized he was holding his breath in anticipation for the answer. He didn't understand why he was taking a real interest in his feelings when Rafe was not their objective. He tried to convince himself that he was only doing it to get more information about Sofia, but he found himself genuinely interested in him. He hated the idea that taking Sofia away may cause pain to someone else.

"Well, yeah...I guess. I mean, yeah. Who wouldn't, right? She's beautiful, funny, smart..." Rafe maneuvered his character to get in front of Angel's.

Angel could see his hesitation, but he couldn't read his true emotion, which was both odd and frustrating. He could usually read emotions quite easily, even back home. He hadn't been gone from home long enough for his senses to diminish. Maybe it was because he was also focusing on playing the game.

With Ar'ch's skills strengthening, Angel didn't understand why his skills weren't stronger. Ar'ch was certainly going to tease him about not being as powerful. He sighed. He was used to his brother's playful teasing, so he'd just do what he always did and deal with it.

As he tried to home in on Rafe's emotions, he lost concentration and crashed his character's vehicle. As Rafe reset the game, he looked around the room. Maybe if he didn't focus so hard on him or the game, he might be able to absorb the emotional energy that reverberated in the room.

As his eyes passed over a picture on a shelf, he felt a coldness come over him and he froze in place. He hesitantly stood up and slowly walked over to the picture as if the picture itself was dangerous. He blinked several times, hoping that his eyes were playing tricks on him. The photo did not change. It was a picture of two young women that he recognized very clearly, two women who should have had nothing to do with each other.

One of the women was Liana. The other woman in the picture was the problem. Her long, black, curly hair, her brown eyes, her olive tone, and her thin frame were immediately recognizable to him. She looked so innocent and fragile, but she was nothing of the sort.

He felt his mouth go dry and his heart speed up. Angel put his shields up as an immediate defense. "Rafe, who are these people?"

Rafe got up and casually came over to the picture. He pointed to each woman. "That's my mom and Sofia's mom. And that's Sofia and I when we were little. People used to joke that we looked like brother and sister when we were younger."

He felt dread creep through him. He looked closely at the picture to make sure he was not mistaken. There was absolutely no doubt in his discovery. He would know that devious woman's face anywhere. Not only had he learned about her in one of his training classes, but he knew the heartache she had caused his parents.

Ar'ch was not going to be happy when he learned about this. He wanted to continue asking him more questions about his mother, but he knew it would be hazardous for him to be there when Rafe's mother came home.

He feigned looking at the clock. "Wow. I had no idea what time it was. Sorry, Rafe, but I need to head home. See you tomorrow at school?"

"Sure." Rafe walked him to the door.

-o-

"We have a problem," Angel said as he entered their apartment. "Damiana is here."

Ar'ch took a deep breath. "Damiana? As in the right-hand demoness of Lucifer himself? That Damiana? Are you absolutely certain?"

"Yes. I would recognize her face anywhere, especially after all the trouble she once caused back home. She's the reason so many people have turned away from the Goddess."

"Not to mention the death of so many Diasodz, including Z's mother."

"Her deceiving face is etched into my brain. No wonder our families haven't heard anything about her since before my birth. After she had a hand in getting Liana pregnant with me, she disappeared. Guess she's been living here on Earth since then."

"Well, hell. Do you know what she is doing here?"

Ar'ch couldn't believe their luck. Of all the places for one of their vilest enemies to show up, it would have to be in this small town. He knew this couldn't be a mere coincidence.

"You're not going to like this. She is Rafe's mother."

Ar'ch cursed under his breath.

"There's more. According to Rafe, she and Liana are best friends. Rafe says Liana and Damiana have been best friends since before he and Sofia were born."

"How is that even possible?"

"I don't know, Ar'ch. Maybe Damiana has changed. I mean, she hasn't caused havoc in over twenty years, and havoc is her specialty. Maybe having Drake imprisoned destroyed her enough to make her leave our world and try to recuperate down on Earth for a few decades."

"Doesn't Liana know who she really is? How could she allow that much evil to have access to Sofia, especially since she was entrusted to care for her and protect her? Mother is not going to be happy with this bit of news."

"I can't believe Liana knows who Damiana really is. She would not deliberately put Sofia in danger, and Rafe spoke so kindly about his mother. It was as if he were speaking of a completely different person."

Ar'ch smiled. "You know I have nothing against Liana. I want to agree with you, but even though Liana is not a noble, she should still be able to sense the evil coming off Damiana. Damiana is powerful enough to mask it, but she's too arrogant to care. Something isn't right here. Maybe I should try to tap into Liana's dreams again or maybe even Damiana's thoughts."

"No, brother. Damiana will feel you coming from a mile away. If she means to prevent us from taking Sofia, we cannot give her any awareness that we are here."

"You have a point, but if Damiana is here, we may need reinforcements. Maybe Damiana has something to do with me not being able to access Liana's dreams."

Angel took a deep breath. "Maybe Damiana's time on Earth has lessened her powers as it does to our kind when we stay here for extended periods of time. Maybe Lucifer is punishing her for focusing on her own selfish desires instead of his demands so many years ago, so her powers have been stripped from her. Or maybe she has grown stronger and can mask her evil well enough for Liana not to notice it."

"I doubt her powers have weakened. Look how much my skills have strengthened during my brief time here. Then again, I've only been here for a few weeks. What about Rafe? Do you think he is one of us?"

He shook his head. "I can't read his emotions. I thought maybe I was having an issue with my skills because we were here, but your skills seem to be fine, even strengthening. I can read Sofia's emotions just fine, but I get nothing from him. So, maybe he's human or half-human, and my skills just aren't tracking human emotions well."

Ar'ch paused and pondered what he said. "I don't like this, brother. Our task has just become much more difficult. Do you think Damiana is aware that Sofia is the one? If she does know, she will fight us if she finds out we are here."

"I would think if Damiana knew Sofia was the one, she would have kidnapped her and taken off with her already. She may know Liana and Sofia are like us, but I don't think she knows who Sofia really is. Damiana does not know we are here, and we need to keep it that way. She wasn't there when I was at Rafe's house. Let's contact home and see how they want us to proceed."

Ar'ch nodded and brought out his athame. He placed it on the glass table, facing east, and whispered his intentions. Gradually, the glass table transformed into a portal to their world where they saw their mother and father seated at the dining table.

Nolan, their father, looked up first. His blue eyes were not as dark as his or as light as Ar'ch's. He had Ar'ch's pitch black hair, although his had a short, military cut. There were silver hairs scattered throughout, but that was to be expected when you were 57 _other_ years old, or 408 in human years. Still, he was strong and muscular and ready for battle at a moment's notice.

Valerie, their mother, sat next to their father. She, too, was fit and strong and would not hesitate to go into battle as well, as all men and women of the noble class were expected. Her light green eyes complemented her long, brown, straight hair. It was braided at the moment, although she was known to let it hang loose in times of peace, and supposedly it was a time of peace in their world. He worried the absence of both of her sons was stressing her more than she'd want others to know. He saw the concern in her eyes as she touched his father's arm.

"What is it, my sons? What has happened?" his father asked.

"All is going well for now, Father, but we've hit a little snag." Ar'ch raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips. "Damiana is here."

His mother gasped. "How is that possible?"

"We are not sure, Mother. I saw a picture of her at the house of Sofia's boyfriend. Apparently, Liana and Damiana are best friends."

"No, son. That is not possible," his father said. "Liana would not betray us in that manner." His father took his mother's hand in his. "She would not do that."

Valerie nodded but looked away, unable to display the same confidence in Liana that her husband did.

"And you are sure Sofia is of Liana?" His mother seemed worried and tense.

"Yes, Mother. Sofia says that Liana is her mother," Ar'ch answered.

He saw his mother's shoulders relax slightly. He had not asked very many questions about this mission. He trusted his parents to provide him with all the information he needed to complete his objective, and he had never failed in any task given to him. Still, he felt as if he was missing some vital information. It was not his place to question them, though.

"So, Sofia is the one, then?" his mother asked, still not sounding convinced. "I just always felt that it would be a boy."

"My love," his father replied. "Wouldn't the Goddess want our savior to be in _Her_ image? It makes perfect sense for her to be a girl."

His mother nodded with little conviction. A part of Ar'ch wanted to use his powers to read his mother's mind. He would never actually attempt it; she was far too skilled to not feel the invasion of her thoughts. He just couldn't stop feeling left out of the unsaid message between his parents.

"If the prophecy says it will be Liana's second child, then she is the one," Ar'ch answered.

"It says Liana will provide life to the savior of our people," his father stated.

"How would you like for us to proceed, Father?" Angel asked. "Ar'ch wanted to infiltrate Damiana's thoughts to see if she is aware of who Sofia is, but we agreed it would be too dangerous. So, Ar'ch feels we should lay low and investigate some more to see what Damiana is up to. I think we should go to Liana, tell her we've come to take them both home, and just leave."

Ar'ch spoke up. "Father, I'm worried Liana may have become corrupted by Damiana. If that is the case, we will have a battle on our hands."

"I understand your concerns, my sons," his father said.

He stood and paced for a few minutes. His mother closed her eyes and meditated. His father reverently touched her cheek. She gazed into her husband's eyes for a few moments before nodding. Then, he turned his attention to them.

"We don't have a lot of time before Sofia's death day, and it's imperative she be here when that occurs. Investigate as you need to avoid a battle but do so with haste. I would like to personally monitor this young girl's death day."

They nodded. "Yes, father," Ar'ch said. "We will work as quickly as we can."

"May the Goddess bless you and keep you safe," his mother said before closing all communication.

They stared at the glass for a moment longer before Ar'ch picked up his athame and put it away. "It just couldn't be easy, could it?" Ar'ch laughed. "Guess it's a good thing that I love excitement. Let's go to bed, brother. Tomorrow is another day."

## Chapter Five

"Really, Sofe, he is so easy to talk to. We just seemed to click," Rafe told Sofia over the phone.

"That's great, Rafe! He seems like a really nice guy."

"Hold on, Sofe. My mom just came in. What's up, Mom?"

"Honey, don't forget you have a doctor's appointment tomorrow, so you won't be going to school. It is a school night, so you should probably let Sofia go to bed. Tell her good night for me," Sofia heard his mother say.

"I'm back."

"Did I hear her correctly? You aren't going to school tomorrow?"

"Yep. Apparently, I have a doctor's appointment. You know my mom and her crazy natural healing preventative crap."

"Yeah." She let the disappointment show in her voice. "I was just looking forward to hanging out with you during lunch."

"Sorry, babe. I got an idea. Why don't you hang out with Angel tomorrow? Maybe you guys can have lunch together or something. I think he'd appreciate having someone to sit with."

"Really? You wouldn't be worried that he might try to steal me away?" she teased, remembering his insecurities in the car.

He laughed. "He's not your type, right?"

Now it was her turn to laugh. "Definitely not my type."

"Then, it's not an issue. Plus, he seems like one of the good guys."

"I think so, too. I'll see if he wants to hang out, or I'll find a quiet place and work on homework. Okay, well, I better get to bed before your mom calls my mom and tells her to get me off the phone."

"And you know she'd do it, too. Okay, babe. Talk to you tomorrow."

She hung up and grabbed her journal to write a little before she went to bed. It had become her nightly ritual. Her mother had bought her a journal from the moment she had started scribbling. She had taught her early on that it was unwise to let thoughts build up in her head because those thoughts would turn into emotions, and those emotions would eventually explode. At first, she just scribbled. Then, she drew pretty pictures and slowly advanced to writing. She couldn't remember a time when she didn't have a journal.

Few people knew she kept one. She was teased once that journal writing was so old-school; she was told she should just blog about her life. She loved the act of physically writing her thoughts and feelings. She enjoyed knowing they were for her eyes and hers alone. Now, whenever her head felt overloaded with thoughts, she always found time to jot them down. And her mother was right; it did have a calming effect on her.

Instead of beginning to write something new, she was drawn to reread what she had written about her dream with Ar'ch. She still couldn't believe he showed up in her real life. Not that it meant anything. If she thought he was hot in her dreams, he was so much hotter in reality.

He was sexy and mesmerizing, and that smirk of his nearly caused her to come undone. He was also confident and overly flirtatious with Mel, at least as far as she was concerned. Then again, everyone was flirtatious with Mel. He left the restaurant without so much as a goodbye to her, although he did leave her a great tip.

She closed the journal without writing anything, frustrated that she had already wasted so much of her time on thoughts of him, and went to sleep. She felt herself in her dream state again, but she didn't recognize her surroundings. It was a beautiful, vast spread of the greenest grass she had ever seen. In the distance, she saw what looked to be a golden light.

She was drawn to it like a moth to a flame. As she walked toward it, she saw a gigantic, gorgeous, golden willow tree. It was stunning and majestic. She stepped through its hanging branches only to run right into Ar'ch.

At first, she was startled. Her heart was racing, though she wasn't sure if it was from the shock of bumping into someone or from the fact that he was there with her. She felt confused, not understanding how he once again entered her dreams. She wondered if the dream-him and the real-him knew each other. Just on the off chance that they did, she was not going to play his game. She crossed her arms as if to give herself a little strength against his good looks and charm.

He laughed when she crossed her arms. "And why, pray tell, are you being so standoffish with me? I thought we were getting along quite well the last time I visited you in your dreams."

She didn't know what to believe. He was acting as if the restaurant scene had never happened. Maybe it hadn't happened to him. Still, she couldn't get her mind around the idea of there being a dream-him and a real-him, especially when the dream-him came before she ever met the real-him.

It was taking her too much energy to try to think it all through. He leaned against the tree and watched her. She let out a sigh and uncrossed her arms. No sense in not enjoying the dream.

He smiled when she uncrossed her arms, which annoyed her. But the truth was that she liked him and felt comfortable with him. She looked around at the tree and thought of her tree back home.

"So, where did we leave off when we were here last time?" He smiled.

"I don't remember."

"I think you were telling me more about your life."

She laughed. "If I remember correctly, I was asking you questions and you were not answering."

"But you say you don't remember, so you'll just have to trust me." He held out his hand to her. "Would you care to sit?"

She looked at his extended hand and hesitated before taking it. As soon as they touched, she felt the electricity travel through her again. He tensed, and she could tell he felt it, too, but he didn't let go of her hand.

A comforting warmth enveloped her as she relaxed and allowed herself to enjoy his touch. He helped her sit next to the tree. She felt reluctant to let go of his hand, but she did to avoid any awkwardness. He then sat across from her so that she couldn't help but look at him.

"So," he cleared his throat. "Tell me more about your life."

"I'm really not that interesting. I was born. I have lived here my whole life. I live with my mom. I go to school. I work. That's about it."

"What about your dad?"

"I've never met him. My mom says he's dead." She shrugged and leaned her head against the tree. Her gaze drifted above her through the labyrinth of limbs that seemed to weave themselves together for miles and miles.

"But you don't believe her?"

She reluctantly pulled herself away from the beauty of the tree. "I don't really have any reason not to believe her. It just doesn't feel true, I guess. I've always felt he's out there somewhere."

"I've always been taught to go with my gut, my inner self. It's never steered me in the wrong direction."

"So, tell me a little bit about yourself, Ar'ch. Your name is Ar'ch, right?"

He nodded before becoming still. She must have caught him with his guard down.

"I knew it! So why did you act as if you didn't know me in the restaurant? And how is it possible I met you here before I met you there?"

She could see he was silently chastising himself. Then, he laughed.

"Okay, fine. You got me. Let's just say it's important no one knows that we know each other."

"Why?"

He took a strand of her hair and twirled it through his fingertips. He stared at her lips before moving to her eyes. "I never noticed that your hair has a reddish tone to it, just like your eyes."

"Stop trying to change the subject."

She was practically holding her breath. She looked into his eyes and saw white clouds moving lazily in the sky. She felt as if she were floating on air. She looked at his lips as they ventured nearer to hers.

Her heart rate sped up. Her body started to become enveloped with an intense warmth. She could hear her heart beating, and she felt herself become light-headed as he moved in closer and closer.

Then he disappeared, just vanished out of thin air. She swayed until she felt herself leaning back against her willow tree. She was no longer in his dream world but in her own.

"Wait! Don't go!" she said to no one, for he was already gone. She touched her hair, her cheek, her lips... "Don't go," she whispered and then lost herself to a dreamless sleep.

-o-

Ar'ch jolted up. "Why did you go and do that?"

"Because you were crossing the line," Angel replied.

"No, I wasn't. I was doing research."

"Not the kind you should be doing, brother."

"How do you know? You can't read minds like I can."

"No, but I can read emotions loud and clear, and your emotions are telling me that you need to take a very cold shower so you can remember what our objective is."

Ar'ch sighed. "Come now, brother. Mother simply told us to bring Liana and the child she is raising home. She never said we couldn't enjoy ourselves in the process."

"There was nothing simple about it. Father made it very clear that Sofia was the savior of our kind and that we were to make absolute sure that no harm came to her."

"I wasn't hurting her."

"Not yet, but when you're done with this new challenge of yours, you'll move on and leave her heartbroken, and I doubt very many people will appreciate that."

"Fine, fine."

It was true he had quite a long list of broken hearts on his love life's path, but Sofia was different. Then again, Angel wouldn't find that argument too convincing since he had used it once or twice before with other girls back home.

He could no longer deny that he enjoyed his time with her. It wasn't his intention to invade her dream again; he just couldn't stop thinking about her. Before he knew what he was doing, he was searching for her. He was shocked and flattered that her thoughts were of him.

She intrigued him. He felt a certain energy around her that he'd never felt before with any other girl. He found himself wanting to touch her skin and feel her lips, to test if that electricity was there again. He could tell she was mesmerized by him, but what startled him was how mesmerized he was by her.

Maybe it was because she was the one, but he refused to believe that. He just enjoyed being with her. She had a spunk about her that the girls at home didn't have. She didn't throw herself all over him. Maybe that was what it was – she was a true challenge, and he loved challenges.

Still, this time really was different. Sofia was...exceptional. He heard his own thought travel through his brain and realized he was in trouble. He shook his head to try to focus on his mission.

"I don't see how Sofia's our savior when she's not even aware of who we are."

"It's been foretold, Ar'ch. Do you doubt the prophecy?"

"Goddess, no!" he said sarcastically, irritated. "The prophecy must be revered."

"The prophecies have never been wrong."

_Never_ ... He didn't believe in absolutes. He couldn't allow himself to believe that a prophecy would determine his future.

"There's always a first time for everything." He grabbed an apple.

Angel his hands up. "I'm done. I've got to get up early for school. Why humans feel it's necessary to wake up before the blessed sun to go to school is beyond me!"

Angel walked toward his room to go to bed. Ar'ch settled back onto the sofa, thinking about Sofia and their _almost_ kiss.

## Chapter Six

Sofia awoke, thinking about her newest dream. She wondered why she kept dreaming about a guy she didn't even know. Sure, he was cute and sexy and mysterious, but she didn't understand why he was consuming all her thoughts. She rolled over and grabbed her journal.

He was there again. I almost kissed him. Well, at least, I thought he was going to kiss me, but then he just disappeared. He keeps showing up and then disappearing. I wonder what that is all about. I'm sure Freud could give me a hundred different reasons, but I just want one. Did I make him up? Or did he choose me? And how did I dream about him before I even met him? What is really going on?

She shut her journal and prepared for school. As she entered her first class, she remembered Rafe wouldn't be there. She was instantly relieved because he would be able to see her distractedness. All throughout her classes, she could not stop from daydreaming about Ar'ch.

She thought of his dreamy, sky-blue eyes and about the white clouds she swore she saw drifting in them. She knew it just wasn't possible, but it was her dream and the clouds were there. She thought of his confidence, which should have irritated her but didn't. She recalled the electricity she felt run through her any time they touched.

There were so many feelings stirring inside her, and none of them were feelings she had ever felt toward Rafe. That very thought saddened her, but she knew her relationship with Rafe wasn't based on romance; it was founded on friendship and convenience. That didn't mean she didn't love him because she did.

Still, now that she felt these new emotions, she did not know if she could continue pretending there wasn't something more precious out there waiting for her. Sofia sighed, knowing she had zero chance of being able to learn anything today with the way her mind was going. She tried to focus on her teachers, but her efforts were in vain.

-o-

Angel sat across Sofia in class and monitored her emotions. He found it so easy to read each emotion she emitted. He thought back to when he was with Rafe and couldn't read a single emotion. She was practically broadcasting her feelings compared to Rafe.

He felt her go through confusion, desire, more confusion, and then sadness. He couldn't read thoughts the way Ar'ch could, but he was pretty sure these mixed emotions were caused by his brother.

Back home, Ar'ch was very much a ladies' man, and he took full advantage of the status. It didn't hurt that he could sometimes pick up thoughts in the minds of those interested in him and use their thoughts to make them fall even crazier about him. Ar'ch could have his pick of women, noble and fair alike, but he never seemed to want to settle down.

Now, he seemed to have his sights set on Sofia, but Angel was not going to let that happen. She was the savior for their people, not a piece of entertainment for him. She needed to be their priority. Ar'ch needed to keep his eye on the ultimate goal, and it wasn't hooking up with Sofia.

He understood Ar'ch's attraction. Sofia was beautiful. Ar'ch always chose beautiful women. He, on the other hand, had never had any interest in having a relationship with anyone.

He never felt that attraction toward another person...until recently. He sighed. He was doing exactly what he was accusing his brother of...losing focus. He needed to follow his own advice and concentrate on his mission.

The bell rang and Angel approached Sofia. "Hi." He smiled. "I haven't seen Rafe today. Is everything okay?"

She returned his smile, but he could tell she was weighed down with her thoughts.

"Yeah, everything is fine. He just had a doc appointment. His mom is into natural medicine and tends to take him for 'preventative' sessions." She laughed and he joined her, although knowing Damiana was his mother, he wondered what was really taking place. "Want to join me for lunch?"

"Sure," he replied.

As they were eating, he felt her sadness thicken. He wanted to remove it. His skills had not worked with Rafe, but now he wanted to try them with her. He sent his energy out slowly to not startle her. He watched Sofia as she lifted her head a little higher. Her shoulders began to relax, and the happiness began to return to her eyes once more.

It was easier than he thought it would be, especially since Rafe was like a concrete wall compared to her. It just further confirmed for him that, although Damiana was Rafe's mother, he could not be one of them. He knew enough about Damiana to know she never did anything without a purpose. He wondered why she would choose to have a half-human child.

Before he could ponder too much on that thought, Sofia started talking to him. "Listen, I've been a little out of it today. Do you think you could catch me up on what happened in our classes?"

He laughed but filled her in on the most important lectures. He even offered to let her borrow his notes for which she was grateful. "So, Rafe told me you two have been friends from birth. What is life like here?"

She shrugged. "Normal, I guess. Nothing really exciting ever happens. I have a few friends, but mostly, it's been Rafe and me since we were little."

"What about your parents?" He wondered what type of story Liana told her.

"It's just my mom." She shrugged. "I don't feel like I've missed out, though. My mom has always given me plenty of love. She is beyond overprotective, but I'm her only child, so I guess I can understand that. What about you? What's your family like?"

He felt a pang of sadness with her belief that she was an only child but washed it away. He wanted to tell her the truth, but he knew the time had not come yet. Still, as with Rafe, he did not want to lie to her. He knew that, soon enough, he would need her trust.

"I live with my dad, my stepmom, and my brother. They are great. They are very loving and supportive. My brother can be a little on the crazy side sometimes, but I'm very grateful to have him in my life. My mom lives close to here with her child. I'm hoping to get to know them soon." He sensed her mood faltering. "What's your relationship with your mom like?"

"She's an amazing mom, although she is a little on the weird side. She's very big on organics and being one with the Earth. That's probably why she and Rafe's mom get along so well. They are both crazy about taking care of our planet." She laughed. "We've always been very close until recently, I guess."

She fiddled with her sandwich a little. "She's been edgy lately. I feel like she's been distancing herself from me, but I don't understand why. Usually, she's on top of everything I do, asking me a thousand and one questions, but lately... Lately, she just skirts over the basics. She almost seems paranoid about something."

"Why do you think that?" He wondered if Liana had somehow realized they were in town.

"I'm not sure. I overheard my mom talking to Rafe's mom about some upcoming trip. She seemed sad or worried or...I don't know. It sounded like she was almost scared."

He touched her hand to comfort her and felt a blast of heat come from her. She pulled her hand quickly away. He pretended to have felt nothing, hoping she also felt nothing. He sent energy her way to alter her emotions just as the bell began to ring for their next class.

"I'm sure everything will be fine, Sofia. I guess we should head to class."

She nodded. They threw away their trash and left.

-o-

As Rafe began to get dressed after his acupuncture/hypnotherapy session, Damiana pulled Dr. Kimp out of ear-shot range. She had paced for the entire two hours Dr. Kimp and Rafe had been in the room. When he was a child, these sessions were just matter of fact. She brought him to the sessions, Dr. Kimp worked his magic, and they were on their way.

Things were different now. She felt the energies shifting and knew she would need to bring him more often to keep it all under control. Her anxiety levels were higher than she could ever remember them being. She had worked too hard and suffered for too long to allow everything to fall apart when she was so close to having it all.

"Dr. Kimp, speak frankly with me. How is Rafe holding up?"

"Damiana, Rafe is perfectly fine. His aura is well in check. He is quite strong and very healthy. He shows no signs of stress or irregularities."

She felt herself relax. It was always this way. She worried during a session, and Dr. Kimp always reassured her. Yet something felt different this time. "Are you sure his otherness is under control?"

Dr. Kimp nodded. "You have nothing to worry about."

"I have many enemies. I fear they will come after Rafe, and I need him well protected."

"I am the best at what I do. That is why you bring him here. You may bring him more often if you feel you need the reassurance, but all is well. He is a healthy, young man."

Rafe walked out of the dressing room and smiled at Dr. Kimp and his mother. She walked over to him and held his hand, absorbing some of his energy to assure herself that all was as well as Dr. Kimp had said. Satisfied, she smiled.

"Ready to go home?"

Rafe nodded. She thanked Dr. Kimp and led Rafe to the car. He fell asleep the minute he got in the car. She was grateful for the silence; usually, he argued about how he didn't see the point in the sessions. He always made it clear that he felt fine before them. Dr. Kimp would load him up with acupuncture needles and, without fail, he'd pass out for a while. He always woke up sluggish and disoriented.

She knew he felt the appointments were completely unnecessary, but he did them for her because she always seemed at ease after he was seen. Her new age mentality never really made sense to him, but he loved her and would humor her at least until he graduated, and that was exactly what she was counting on.

"Honey, we're home." She ran her fingers through his hair. "Why don't you go rest for a little while?"

He nodded and pulled himself out of the car.

She opened the door and placed her purse and keys on the kitchen counter. She felt her skin prickle, closed her eyes, and focused for a moment. Rafe was already starting up the stairs. She quickly ran past him and locked herself in her room.

"Where is it? Where is it?" She hastily looked for her hexagram. It had been so long since she had felt a summoning. She rummaged through her drawers, through her nightstands. "Where is it?"

She felt desperation taking over and froze, closing her eyes, and focusing on the energy. A smile slowly crept across her face. She opened her eyes and calmly reached between her mattresses. It was still glowing. She sat cross-legged on the floor with the hexagram in front of her and opened herself up for the caller.

Slowly, the image appeared above the hexagram. As it came into focus, her heart raced in anticipation. It had felt like an eternity since she had seen the only true love of her existence. She was not expecting to hear from him for another few months, but watching his image come into focus brought back all her longing and desire to see him and touch him and be one with him again.

"How is my family?" Drake's husky, deep voice caressed her from the inside out.

"We are holding up well in this God-forsaken town, waiting for the moment when we can reunite with you. I didn't think you would be able to contact me so soon."

"Soon, Damiana? It has felt like a hundred life-years to me."

She looked down in remorse. "I want you home so badly. I have done everything you have asked."

"I don't have much time. It cost me greatly to summon you. How is my son?"

Those words bit into her more than she cared to admit. "Rafe is just perfect, as you would expect him to be. Do you not care to ask about anyone else?" Her anger overrode her hurt.

"I can see you are perfectly fine, Damiana. You always take care of yourself best."

"I miss you, my love."

He looked behind him quickly and then returned to her. "I must go. Send word through the gatekeeper when the time comes."

Before she could reply, before she could even blink, the connection was gone, and she was alone. He was still upset with her, but she knew that would change once he was released. Once he saw the great lengths to which she had gone to make him happy, he would forgive her and love her again. He would be hers completely this time. She'd make sure of it.

-o-

After school, Sofia called Rafe to see how his appointment had gone.

"Fine. How was school? Did I miss anything important?"

"No. What was your appointment for this time?"

"You know my mom and her new age stuff. She wanted me to see some energy healer. I just humor her."

She laughed. "I'm surprised my mom hasn't taken me to one of those since our moms are so similar."

"Probably because she knows it's a waste of money."

"Yeah, I guess. Are we hanging out tonight?"

"I can't. Mom needs me to help her with something," he said, without elaborating.

"Oh. Okay. Well, guess I'll see you tomorrow." She hung up.

She was disappointed because it was a Friday night, and she really wanted a distraction. Her mom wasn't home. She remembered the conversation she had had with Angel. She didn't understand why her mom was behaving so strangely. Her mom had been pulling away from her the past couple of months. She had even heard her crying a few times in her room. It just didn't make sense.

She felt warm again. It was happening more often lately. Maybe she was coming down with the flu or something. She'd never been sick before, but there was always a first time for everything. Maybe she'd mention something to her mom.

Then again, that would just give her more to worry about. She took a deep breath. She didn't want to stay home and have these thoughts, so she grabbed her book and headed to her willow tree. She hoped she could lose herself in her novel and let go of the worry that was taking over her.

## Chapter Seven

Ar'ch watched as Sofia left her house and travelled the path to her willow tree. She was wearing a pair of jeans with a thin, red sweater. He conveniently placed himself on the path so she would bump into him. The last bit of sunlight had disappeared moments before, and the streetlights had just powered up to illuminate the area. He stood in the light so as not to startle her.

Until he saw her walking, he didn't realize how much he was looking forward to seeing her again. There was something about her, some type of magnetism that drew him toward her. He wanted to be in her presence. He felt stronger, more complete when she was around.

"Well, hello, there. Sofia, isn't it? From the restaurant?"

He was in the mood to be playful, to pretend he knew nothing of the dreams. He tuned in to her thoughts long enough to see that she was too embarrassed about their almost kiss to confront him about visiting her in her dreams.

"Yes, the restaurant. And what are you doing here?"

"It was such a lovely night out. I thought I'd take a walk." He tried to hold back the smile that was threatening to blow his cover. "In what direction are you heading? Maybe I could escort you. It's not so safe for a girl as pretty as you to be walking by yourself so late at night." He winked.

"Fine, you can walk me, but it's not really necessary. I'm perfectly safe at my tree." She began walking in the direction of her willow tree.

"What's so special about that tree?" He walked alongside her.

She smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "My mom has brought me to this tree for as long as I can remember. She told me that if I ever felt in danger or sad, I should come to this tree. She said it would be my escape from reality when I needed it. I have always felt at peace when I'm there. I feel rejuvenated when I leave it. It's just special to me."

The willow tree sat at the base of the small hill, overlooking a peaceful pond. As they approached the tree, Ar'ch felt an energy coming from it. The closer they got, the stronger the energy became.

There were healing qualities embedded in the tree as well as protection wards all around it. He knew his kind could do this, but Liana was not noble and should not have been able to put this amount of energy around an earthly tree. He would need to ask his parents about this later.

Sofia turned to him as they reached the tree. "Well, thank you for escorting me." She waited, as if she wanted him to leave.

He smiled. "Would you like some company?"

"You're just a stranger to me. We only met once at the restaurant, remember?" She was taunting him, and that made him like her even more. "It wouldn't be wise for me to hang out with a stranger."

He smirked at her game and laughed. He shook his head. He was having too much fun. "Well, why not get to know me now?"

He walked beneath the branches and leaned upon the tree, the way he had so casually done in her dream. As soon as he touched the tree, the leaves began to sway despite there being no wind. She looked at the tree, looked at him, and then looked back to the tree.

"What?"

"Nothing," she replied. "Just thinking of a moment from _Pocahontas_."

"From what?"

" _Pocahontas_ , the Disney movie."

He was still clueless. He wished he'd paid more attention to the lessons he was taught about human culture.

"Never mind." She laughed.

He invaded her thoughts and saw an animated movie of a white man with an Indian girl under a willow tree. The willow tree pushed them together and they kissed in the movie. He laughed without thinking and saw her turn red with embarrassment or maybe anger.

He could read that she felt he was playing with her, teasing her, and she didn't like it. She turned away from him. He stifled his laugh and went to turn her toward him by touching her cheek, but when he did, he found that her skin was on fire.

"Are you sick? You feel as if you are running a fever."

She pulled away from him. "Sometimes my temperature goes up for no reason. My temperature is usually higher when I'm here, but I feel perfectly fine." She turned back to him, with anger in her voice. "Weren't you leaving?"

"Do you really want me to leave?"

She crossed her arms and put on her best "what-do-you-think" face.

He laughed. "Aw, come now. Aren't you the least bit curious about me?"

She sighed and threw her hands up. "Fine." She plopped down by the tree. She leaned against it and the branches seemed to exhale. "Who exactly are you?"

He smiled. He lay down in the grass next to her, propped himself up on one elbow, and ran his fingers through the grass, feeling the incredible energy emanating from around him. He thought of toying with her some more and giving her half-truths, but he knew time was not on their side.

"What if I told you that I wasn't human, that I was a supernatural being?" He paused and looked at her.

She raised an eyebrow and smiled.

"What if I told you my parents sent me here to find a woman and her child and bring them back to our world?"

Sofia stayed silent as if absorbing the information, and then it was her turn to burst out laughing. "Seriously? That's the best you could do?"

He chuckled and lay back with his arms crossed under his head. He could see the moon peeking through the branches of the willow. The moon illuminated the clouds despite their attempt to obscure her. He knew she thought he was toying with her. He wondered if she would have believed his flirtations more than she believed the truth. He shrugged.

"Believe what you will. It's your choice. We always have choices to make." He turned his gaze toward her. "The goal is always to make the right one." He held his gaze for a moment before turning back to the moon. "Isn't she beautiful?"

"Who?"

"The moon. She's so much bigger in my world."

Sofia looked up. "Yes, she is. I've always loved the moon. It's always constant, always there, yet ever-changing. But always beautiful."

He stared at her.

"What?"

"Nothing really."

"Another lie?"

He laughed before becoming serious. "I was just thinking the moon isn't the only beauty to cast my eyes upon tonight."

She looked down and blushed.

He abruptly jumped up. "Well, gotta go."

-o-

Sofia looked up, startled. Ar'ch kneeled on one knee in front of her, gazed into her eyes, and leaned in to kiss her. She felt light-headed all over again.

"Until we meet again, beautiful," he whispered. Instead of kissing her lips, he took hold of her hand and placed a gentle kiss on it.

She looked down at her hand and when she looked up, he was gone. She looked around but couldn't find him. How was it even possible that he was there just a few seconds ago and now had vanished?

For a moment, she wondered if she was dreaming again because it didn't make sense that anyone could disappear so quickly. She had really been looking forward to getting to know him better. She shook off the feeling of disappointment. She opened her book and tried to read, but she just couldn't focus.

"Forget it," she said, irritated.

She picked herself up and headed home. When she plopped down on her bed, she took out her journal.

He is so frustrating. Why do I let him get to me like that? I can't believe I wanted him to kiss me. Again! And yet he didn't. AGAIN!!! It's as if he knows I want him to, and he's just playing with me. Well, fine. Two can play that game. Ugh! Who am I kidding? I want him to kiss me. Maybe I can dream of him tonight and kiss him when he least expects it. Maybe.

She closed her journal and laughed. She knew that, even in her dreams, she wouldn't have the guts to be so forward. Then again, it would not hurt to try. She closed her eyes and welcomed sleep.

-o-

Ar'ch walked in casually to his apartment. "What's so important that you had to summon me, brother?"

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"I felt your worry, almost panic, from across town."

"What? How? I haven't ever been able to project across such a far distance, even at home."

"Well, I felt it and knew it was you."

"Where were you anyways?"

He smiled. "Doing some research."

"Really? And what subject were you investigating this time?"

He waved him off. "Never mind. What has you so riled up that I felt it miles away?"

"Father sent us a response."

He walked over to the mirror and saw a message rune inscribed upon it. He touched the rune with his athame. The rune transformed into the following message: _The Elders believe the one is protected. But her death day is still unknown. Take care but make haste._

He reread the message. It didn't seem urgent enough to interrupt his wonderful evening, but he couldn't fault his brother for being worried. It was Angel's first mission after all, and he wanted it to be successful. He whispered his gratitude to the Goddess for allowing the message to arrive safely before closing and eliminating the rune.

"Brother, did you read this before I came?"

"No. I just felt it had to be important since they have yet to contact us first. Apparently, they must think we are not moving fast enough."

"Actually, I believe it's Father's way of letting us know the Elders were consulted and approve of our tactics. We need to stay focused, be cautious, but also be productive. And I just happen to be an expert at all three."

"You have a plan."

He smiled. "I have a plan. First, we need to investigate Rafe."

"I already did. He's cool and seems unknowing," Angel said quickly.

"Yes, but he's Damiana's son. You said it yourself. You couldn't read his emotions."

"True, but –"

"Brother, I know you've taken a liking to him. And I trust your instincts, but we must keep our guard up."

Angel looked down. "I will not allow my personal feelings to hinder our mission, brother. I just can't imagine that Rafe would be a problem for us. Then again, I will admit it's hard to believe someone who is seemingly so good could be Damiana's son."

He nodded. "Tonight, I learned that Sofia's willow tree is filled with our energy and has protective wards around it."

"But how? Liana should not be able to do such a thing."

"My thoughts exactly. We'll have to figure that out, but for now, let's discuss my plan."

## Chapter Eight

It was a beautiful Saturday morning. Rafe and Sofia decided to enjoy every minute of it at the swimming hole. It wasn't much, but it was all they had to resemble a beach. A large man-made lake was surrounded by tons of sand to give it a beach-like appearance.

Caribbean-themed lifeguard stands were spaced evenly on the beach. Two tiki huts, selling food and refreshments, were on opposite sides of the lake. Lounge chairs and beach towels were scattered around wherever space was available. Island music permeated the air through speakers placed on top of the lifeguard stands.

They laid out their towels on the shore. Last night's encounter with Ar'ch was still fresh in Sofia's mind, but she promised herself to not think of him while she was with Rafe. They hadn't had a lot of time together lately, and she missed hanging out with him.

Besides her mother, Rafe was the only constant she had. He was the only guy with whom she had ever felt relaxed and comfortable. Sometimes, she wondered if it was because he could relate to her not having a father in her life.

In the past, she envied her other classmates who had two parents. She would see them at the park or the movies or around town. It was more lonesome when she was a child, but even as a teenager, she had moments when she wished she had known her father. She and Rafe had had many conversations about how their lives may have been different if their fathers were around.

In the end, they always found a way to convince themselves that they were better off. They'd tell each other that there was one less parent to tell them what to do, or that a father would put more restrictions on them, or that they didn't have to share their mothers with someone else. They'd make lists of all the ways they were lucky. It helped ease the pain...sometimes.

She was grateful he would comfort her. She was fully aware that one day his father would be released from prison, and he would have his dad back. Sure, they would be strangers at first, but they'd have a lifetime to get to know each other and learn to love each other. She would never get that chance.

She sighed as she lathered up with sunblock. She glanced at Rafe who was doing the same. She was so lucky to have him in her life. She couldn't imagine her life without him. He made her laugh. He comforted her when she wanted to cry. He made her feel protected. He was cute. He had a personality that everyone enjoyed. He was a popular athlete and not cocky about it.

For a long time, he had girls throwing themselves at him. That slowly stopped once they started dating. It was one of the reasons why they became an item. She loved him, but it just never felt passionate.

It never even came close to the scenes that took place in the novels she read. Until recently, that had never bothered her. If she were honest with herself, she loved him more as a friend. Meeting Ar'ch just further clarified that her feelings for Rafe were not of the romantic sort.

Ar'ch seemed to ignite within her a passion she didn't know existed. She found herself wanting to be near him at all possible moments. She wanted to explore these new feelings, but how could she do that without betraying Rafe? It wouldn't be fair to him.

Yet, how fair was it to not allow herself to truly feel something more for someone? She wanted passionate love, romantic love as well as companionship love. She wanted it all. She looked over at Rafe. Her mother told her real love developed slowly and started as friendship. True love was patient.

Why was she doubting her relationship with Rafe? She knew the answer before the question even finished formulating in her head. The answer had jet black hair and sky-blue eyes. As she watched Rafe relax on his towel, she realized he wouldn't be the only one affected if she allowed herself to consider loving someone else. Her mother would probably have a stroke. She never understood why her mother had such an issue with her having friends.

It was almost as if her mother had experienced a horrible betrayal in her past and wanted to prevent her from going through the same pain. Because of her mom's paranoia, she stayed away from organized sports even though she was strong and flexible. She didn't join clubs, either. Her friends consisted of Rafe and Mel, and now Angel.

Angel seemed to infiltrate their circle of trust so quickly that it almost felt as if he had been their friend since childhood. Rafe was usually more protective of her and didn't leave her alone with people he didn't know. She would laugh at him in these instances because he acted more like an over-protective father than a boyfriend. He once told her it was because both her mother and his had made it perfectly clear to him that they would skin him alive if anything ever happened to her.

She liked Angel, and she had a feeling Rafe really liked him as well. They hadn't spoken much about him. They had always shared everything with each other, but she was beginning to realize some things just couldn't be shared. She didn't feel right sharing Ar'ch with Rafe.

She suddenly felt guilty about wishing Rafe had feelings for someone other than her so she could explore her feelings for Ar'ch. As soon as the thought was processed, she had to laugh at herself. As if Ar'ch would truly want to explore anything with her!

"Turn around so that I can put some on your back," Rafe said, interrupting her daydreaming.

She smiled and lay flat on her stomach.

"You seemed like you were a million miles away." He started to smooth in the sunblock. "What were you thinking about?"

She moved her hair so he could lather up her shoulders. "Just thinking about how lucky I am to have you in my life."

"That makes two of us. Life would be horrible if I didn't have you around to share it with." He finished spreading the lotion. He tapped her on the butt to let her know he was done.

She turned over so she could enjoy the sun on her face. "I can't believe it's almost the end of the school year. I can't wait for summer vacation."

"I know. I was surprised the weather warmed up enough for us to come here today. Usually, we have to wait a few more weeks."

"Your mom would probably say it is because of global warming and that people are destroying this beautiful planet."

He laughed. "And your mom would be right there with her!"

"True."

They both laughed and relaxed, enjoying the feel of the sun on their bodies. After a while of sunbathing on her back, she turned over to lie on her stomach. She hated having an uneven tan, and she knew it was so easy to burn on the first tan of the season.

"Thirsty?"

She nodded as she made herself a pillow with her extra towel.

"Okay, I'm going to go get us some drinks." As he rose, Sofia saw him wave and yell, "Hey, Angel!"

She looked up and was startled to see Angel walking alongside Ar'ch and immediately tensed up. She saw Rafe look toward Ar'ch and knew he saw him smirking at her. She felt Rafe's jealousy meter skyrocket and was not sure she wanted them to meet.

-o-

"Hi, Rafe and Sofia," Angel said as he got closer. "I'd like to introduce you to my half-brother, Ar'ch."

Ar'ch played nice and shook Rafe's hand. He felt all sorts of negative vibes coming off him, but he couldn't seem to connect to his thoughts. He was hoping that by touching Rafe, he would be able to see more directly into his thoughts, but all he got was a rough handshake from him. _Jealous much_ , he thought as he nodded to Sofia.

"Hi." Sofia sat up and put her sundress back on to cover herself.

Rafe turned to Sofia. "Have you guys met before?"

Before she could answer, he replied, "I dined in the restaurant where she works. She waited on my table."

He saw her relax at his explanation. He used all his strength to keep from staring at her. It was beyond difficult because she looked stunning in that bikini of hers. The red and orange fiery design was emblazed into his mind; he couldn't forget it if he tried, and he definitely wasn't trying.

He knew he would dream of her in that bikini later. He was disappointed when she started to cover up. He almost asked her not to, but he knew Rafe already had him on his radar. Their mission was not to upset Rafe but to try to get Sofia to become a little more open to the possibility of their reality.

He felt the tension radiating off Rafe. Although he couldn't read his emotions the way Angel could, Rafe was broadcasting loud and clear that he wasn't too keen on him. He looked at Angel and risked a side glance at Rafe.

He watched as Angel attempted to ease some of the hostility from Rafe and was surprised to see him take his tension down a notch. Angel's skills were strengthening, and Ar'ch couldn't help but accept that it was because of Sofia.

"Do you mind if we join you guys? I haven't really met too many other people," Angel said to Rafe.

-o-

Rafe looked at Angel and begrudgingly nodded. Angel was one of the good guys. He didn't know how he knew that, but he did. His brother was probably the bad apple of the family. He knew plenty of families who had a good child and a bad child. Both he and Sofia had never had to deal with that situation since they were both only children, but he wasn't going to shun Angel just because he didn't like his brother all too much.

He realized he wasn't giving Ar'ch a fair chance, but something told him not to trust him. Maybe it was Sofia's nervousness as they walked up. He wasn't sure. Either way, he enjoyed Angel's company and saw no harm in them joining them. If anything, it would give him an opportunity to learn more about Angel's half-brother.

"So," he said to Angel as he and Ar'ch settled onto their blankets on the other side of him, "did you find your mom? Is this the brother you were looking for?"

Sofia looked from him to Angel to Ar'ch. He saw her look of confusion. "Angel had told me at my house that he moved here to be closer to his mom and her kid." He turned back to Angel. "So, is Ar'ch your long-lost brother?"

-o-

Ar'ch telepathically spoke to Angel. _A little too much information, don't you think, brother?_

It startled Angel, who looked at him and was not met with a happy face. _I had no idea Damiana was his mom at the time. And since when can you speak to me through thoughts?_

_Since now, apparently. Guess my skills are getting more powerful._ He smirked at him. _Um, you may want to answer the question. Rafe is looking at you, waiting._

Angel returned his focus back to Rafe. "Sorry, man. What did you say? I spaced out for a moment."

Rafe repeated the question.

"No, this is my half-brother from my father's side. He moved here with me." He turned his attention to Sofia. "I did find my mother and my half-sister, but I haven't approached them yet about who I am." His focus lingered on Sofia for a moment.

Sofia turned from him to Ar'ch, wide-eyed, and then shook her head.

"Why not?" Rafe asked.

Ar'ch laughed, causing everyone to look at him. "Because he's afraid she won't believe him or accept the truth that's right in front of her." He looked directly at Sofia, but he could see she still felt shocked over the fact that he and Angel were related.

"Well, that's ridiculous," Rafe said to Angel. "That's why you moved here, right? You just need to have courage and do it."

"I know you're right, Rafe." He looked at Sofia. "I'll do it soon. Hopefully, when I tell her, she'll believe me and trust in me."

Ar'ch took a moment to peek inside Sofia's mind when she looked from Angel to him and then looked down. Her head was spinning with too many thoughts. She felt so confused. She was wondering if they were brothers, then what were the chances Angel had told him about the only two friends he had made in school? And what were the chances Angel had mentioned that she and Rafe were a couple?

If he had that information, why would he flirt with Sofia? What would be the point? And more importantly, _how did he show up in her dreams before she'd even met him?_ And now that he and Rafe had met, how could she even consider getting to know more about him without betraying Rafe? Maybe this was why her mother told her to stay away from knowing too many people. She was beyond distraught.

He smiled at how much she thought about him. His voice pulled her out of her inner drama. "So, this is the watering hole, huh?" He looked around.

Sofia's voice came out calmer than he knew she felt. "Yes, it's where we tend to spend our summers."

He continued to observe everything. "Hmmm... Not much, huh? Where I come from, there are lakes so breathtakingly beautiful that just being near them is a gift. It's where Angel enjoys spending his free time."

"And where did you say you were from?" Rafe asked.

"I didn't." Ar'ch smiled and did not elaborate.

Angel interjected. "Excuse my brother's rudeness. Rafe, I'd love it if you could show me around a bit. I've never been to a water hole such as this."

Rafe hesitated, looking at Sofia. Ar'ch could tell he did not like the idea of leaving her alone with him. Every nerve in Rafe's body seemed to be telling him that he needed to protect her from him. He had no doubt it was Sofia's reaction to him that had Rafe all riled up.

"I'll be fine, Rafe. I'm a big girl." She smiled.

He stifled a laugh. Rafe deliberately kissed her on the lips, which made everyone feel a little uncomfortable. Ar'ch noticed his brother's reaction and wasn't happy about it. Rafe read Ar'ch's discomfort incorrectly and smiled.

"I know, babe. I won't be long." Rafe looked at Ar'ch.

Ar'ch smiled his mischievous smile. Angel pulled Rafe away before he could change his mind. He watched them walk away and concentrated on reading Rafe's mind. He felt a shield in place but was able to break past it. It took some effort, but he got through.

He wanted to believe it was because he was brilliant, though it was more likely because Rafe was so upset that he wasn't concentrating. His mommy obviously had taught him a few tricks. He had never met a human who could master their skills; that was probably why he was able to break his attempt at shielding. Either way, he was in. He had only just begun reading Rafe's thoughts when Sofia broke his concentration.

"So, pretending you didn't know me wasn't enough? Now, you're going to ignore me?"

He came back to the present, took her hand, and placed a kiss on her palm. The minute his lips touched her palm, he felt shivers pass through his body and noticed she seemed to feel them as well. He pulled back.

"Ignore the attention of a beautiful, young lady? Never!" He ignored the electricity that was caressing him.

She looked around for Rafe.

"Don't worry. Your little boyfriend can't see us."

She redirected her attention to him. He noticed she didn't like the way he spoke about Rafe. "He doesn't seem to like you very much."

He laughed. "Guess not. I can understand, though."

"Really? Why? He just met you."

He propped himself up on one elbow, facing her. "Well, if I were him, I'd be worried that my girlfriend had the hots for me, too." He smirked.

"I do not! You are so high on yourself. You're not even my type."

"Me thinks thou doth protest too much." He laughed. "Anyway, isn't this a watering hole? Where's your bathing suit?"

He scanned her body from head to toe and raised an eyebrow. He watched her blush. She looked up and pointed to the clouds.

"No point in sunbathing without the sun."

He had been so focused on trying to read Rafe's thoughts that he hadn't realized the day had become cloudy. That was not going to help him enjoy the sights that he wanted to see. Suddenly, the clouds parted for the sun to shine through. They both looked up.

He had just thought it was a shame the sun wasn't shining through so he could get another glimpse at her incredibly sexy bathing suit, and then the sun appeared. Was it a coincidence? Or...? She was looking at him quizzically.

"Did you...?" She pointed up at the sky. She laughed and shook her head. "Never mind."

He was still looking up at the sky, wondering if it were possible. _I've never been able to do that before,_ he thought. _Nothing even close._ His attention was pulled back to Sofia as she shed her sundress to enjoy the sun.

He couldn't stop staring at her. She was mesmerizing. He realized his staring had made her self-conscious. She started to put the sundress back on when he stopped her by grabbing the dress.

"Please, don't. Sorry for staring. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. It's just...you're beautiful."

-o-

Sofia blushed as the long moment of awkwardness passed. She didn't know how to respond to that. _Thank you? You're hot, too?_ It wouldn't matter even if she could think of the perfect thing to say because, at that moment, Ar'ch began to peel off his shirt, and she was no longer capable of doing anything but watching. She wondered if the sun had suddenly just blasted heat in their direction or if her body was about to burst into flames. She watched as he shed his shirt and revealed his fit and muscular frame.

His shoulders were as defined as chiseled marble. His chest was flawless, and his abs called to her fingers to trace every ripped muscle. As if to taunt her even more, she noticed matching tattoos peeking out from his swim trunks. Each one sat right above where his pelvic bones were located.

From the little that was visible, they looked as if they were matching sword handles. Instead of being the typical black of most tattoos, these were a deep hue of purple. She had never really considered tattoos as sexy, but she felt an intense need to reach out and trace them. Only pure will and her embarrassment over her reaction to him kept her steadfastly in place.

She watched him take his time taking off the shirt. He smiled and seemed to be waiting for her to compliment him. Instead, she just sat there; she was not going to do so because his ego was already too high. She did her best to keep her facial expression neutral but knew she had failed when he shrugged and laughed aloud.

She frowned. "What's so funny?'

He did a half-shrug. "Words are unnecessary."

She threw her sundress at him. "Ugh! You are so irritating." She grabbed the sunblock and began to reapply her lotion. He sat next to her.

"If you need help with those hard to reach places..."

"I'll manage just fine."

He laughed and lay down with his hands behind his head, which just happen to make his muscles flex ever so distractingly. She chastised herself for having no self-control. Try as she might, she could not stop herself from looking over at him.

What was it about him that she could not resist? Sure, he was devastatingly gorgeous, but he was also arrogant and annoying and too full of himself. So, why was she finding herself drawn to him? She was so close to letting him put lotion on her back. She craved his touch, but the idea that Rafe would come back in that moment threw cold water on her almost as fast as Ar'ch's cocky smirk.

-o-

Ar'ch kept his eyes closed to make it easier for him to focus on her thoughts. Goddess knew if his eyes were open, his thoughts would be totally consumed with wanting to touch her and kiss her. He was not there for that. He was there to put their plan into motion, and he was on borrowed time.

So, he had to stay focused. Of course, his task was made even more difficult when her only thoughts were of him. He only hoped Angel could keep Rafe away long enough for him to plant the seeds today.

## Chapter Nine

"This place is a lot bigger than I anticipated." Angel tried to divert Rafe's attention from Sofia.

Rafe faced him and continued to walk away from Sofia and Ar'ch. He knew every fiber in Rafe's body was telling him to go back to Sofia. She was in a public place; nothing terrible could happen to her. So, even though Rafe wanted to sucker punch Ar'ch for being a jerk, Angel knew he had no reason to worry.

"Sorry, man," Rafe apologized. "It's just your brother..."

"I know. He can be a jerk sometimes. He's cocky and doesn't know how to rein it in most of the time, but I promise you, he's one of the good guys."

Rafe looked at him, took a deep breath, and relaxed. He stayed calm and carefree so Rafe would see he had no reason to ruin the day by getting all worked up. Rafe took another deep breath, put a smile on his face, and clapped him on the back. The instant his hand connected with his back, Rafe's demeanor became calmer and more in control.

"I'll trust you on that one, bro. Come on, let me show you around this place. It's not much, but it does have a few highlights."

He smiled. "I'd love to see them."

They walked past others, who were sun-bathing, until they reached the pathway. Rafe took a left, and he followed. Rafe waved to people here and there as they walked. He reminded him a lot of Ar'ch in the sense that they were both popular and both very comfortable in their skins. Rafe just didn't have the over-confidence that Ar'ch had. That was a great plus in his book.

"Over here is the kiddie section. Sofia and I used to see who could hold our breath the longest here. It always grossed my mom out because she couldn't understand why we would want to submerge our heads in water where other kids urinated. We were kids. What did we care?" Rafe laughed.

"Did your mom bring you here often?"

"Nah. She always claimed she was allergic to the sun. Sofia's mom brought us here a lot, though. She loves the sun. Her favorite thing to do is to sit on the edge of the sand pool and curl her toes through the sand. She says there is beauty where the earth meets the water. The earth can be cleansed and rejuvenated, and the water can know it is not alone."

Angel felt a tug at his heart. "It sounds like she is a great woman."

"She is." Rafe smiled. "She's real down to earth, although Sofe will probably tell you that she's overbearing and overprotective." He laughed. "But I think she's amazing. She's like a second mom to me. Her laughter is contagious and almost has a magical feel to it. It's a shame she doesn't laugh more often."

"What do you mean?"

Rafe shrugged and kept walking. "I don't know. It's as if every time she laughs, she stops and looks a little sad. I asked my mom about it many years ago, and she said Liana might feel guilty about laughing. It didn't make sense to me back then. Now, I think maybe it reminds her of Sofia's dad or someone she lost."

He wondered if it was sadness or guilt that prevented Liana from living fully. If it was sadness, he would do what he could to ease her pain. If it was guilt... He took a deep breath. He needed to focus on his conversation with Rafe. Luckily, he was ready to continue playing tour guide.

"On this side of the lake, they have a few activities. Nothing out of this world, but they make for a fun time. Sofe and I used to compete on the floating pads to see who could get to the other end the fastest. And over there-" Rafe pointed to his far right. "are the bungee jumps. To this day, I haven't been able to get her to do even the smallest one."

Angel took in the scene around him. The lake seemed to be narrower in this area, but it was still very deep. There were ropes connecting the two sides with giant artificial lily pads that floated between the ropes in the water.

He watched as kids held onto the ropes above their heads while trying to balance on the lily pads to cross over to the other side. In the distance, he saw stairs that led to three different leveled platforms with bungee ropes secured at each level. He watched as teens propelled themselves off the platforms headfirst toward the water.

"Looks like fun."

"It's definitely an adrenaline rush. Do you want to give it a go?"

He laughed. He could feel the competitiveness in Rafe coming to the surface. Any tension that was there before, courtesy of Ar'ch, had disappeared. As much as he would have enjoyed spending more time with Rafe, he worried about leaving Ar'ch alone for too long with Sofia.

"I would love to try it out, but maybe after you finish giving me the tour."

Rafe smiled a mischievous smile. "I'm going to hold you to that later, so don't think you're getting out of jumping. For now, I'll finish showing you around. Follow me."

He couldn't help but smile back. It was nice to see Rafe relaxed and in a fun mood, especially when he wasn't trying to control his emotions. He knew Rafe was an insignificant bystander in the big scheme of things and not part of the mission, but he was such a likeable guy. He couldn't help but want him to be happy.

He walked beside him as he continued to show him around. Every now and then, someone would wave to Rafe, and he would smile his charismatic smile in return. He felt himself relax and allowed himself to just enjoy the moment.

"Do you see that dock in the middle of the lake with the big rock formation toward the back?" Rafe pointed to the lake. "That is Make-out Point. At least, that's what all of those in the know call it."

"Why is that?"

"Well, that rock formation sits in the middle of the floating deck. You can't see it from here, but there are slides built into the formation that lead into the water. On the other side is more deck. And since that side is not visible from the beach area, guys tend to spend most of their time over there making out with their girlfriends. There are only three ways of getting out there: canoeing, paddle boating, or swimming. Most adults don't bother so it's a free-for-all for us teens."

"Nice. Do you and Sofia ever go out there?"

Rafe laughed. "Never. I was brought up to respect her."

He looked at him quizzically. "Surely you guys make out. I mean, it's not my business or anything, but..."

"No worries, man. I guess I was brought up to be a little old-fashioned. There's more to a relationship than PDA."

"PDA?"

"You've never heard that acronym before?" Rafe laughed. "Public displays of affection. PDA. My mom and Sofia's mom as well, for that matter, have always taught us both that school comes first. Physical lusts will only make us stray from our ultimate goals in life."

He couldn't imagine having a partner without showing affection. "What would those ultimate goals be that would require you to abstain from making out?"

Rafe shrugged. "College, I guess. I know it sounds weird, but my mom has always been right about everything else in my life. I've watched my friends change when they get girlfriends. Their grades start slipping. They don't hang out with the guys anymore.

"It's like lust completely takes over. I don't see the point in that. My mom says my perspective on life will change once I graduate from high school and that I shouldn't make any big decisions until that time comes."

Angel took a moment to absorb it all. Something just didn't add up. Rafe seemed like the typical all-around good guy, but his mom was Damiana. She was the epitome of havoc and chaos. She lived to make others' lives miserable.

How could it be possible for her to be his mother? Angel sensed no evil whatsoever in him. Maybe he was adopted. Still, her influence should have rubbed off on him.

And this whole abstinence from PDAs...what was _that_ about? Damiana was as lustful as they come, and she loved to meddle in others' sexual desires. He couldn't imagine her son would not carry at least some of that trait. Could living on Earth really have changed her so dramatically?

"What about Sofia?" He realized he had been lost in his own thoughts a little too long. "Does she feel the same way?"

Rafe started to walk again. Angel followed but remained silent, waiting for an answer. Finally, Rafe said, "She feels the same way, I guess. We haven't ever really talked about it. But our moms have the same beliefs, so it's easier on both of us. What about you? Any girlfriends back home? I'm sure you left a few broken hearts."

He shook his head and smiled. "Nope. No boyfriends, either."

Rafe stopped walking for a split second, looking startled. Then, he continued walking. "Hey, man. I didn't mean to offend. I just wasn't expecting that."

He laughed. "You didn't. I am an equal opportunity lover. I know it's not very common here, but I believe in being true to who I am."

"Huh?"

Angel took in his confused emotions and was grateful that repulsion wasn't one of the emotions coming from him. "I find all people beautiful, sexy even. Well, some more than others." He winked. "So, I prefer to keep my options open."

They continued walking quietly for a bit. "And your parents are cool with that?"

"I've never understood why..." Angel caught himself almost saying _humans_ and quickly changed his words. "...people are so judgmental. My parents want my happiness. That's what's important."

"Wish my mom felt the same way," Rafe practically whispered to himself.

"What was that?"

He had heard Rafe whisper something about his mom, but he couldn't quite make it out. If only he had Ar'ch's ability to read minds.

Rafe waved his hand as if to get rid of the thought. "Nothing. So, have you found anyone that you like?"

He chuckled. "Not yet. Well, not completely. I, too, have been focused on my studies and my training. I haven't really pursued a relationship with anyone. But don't worry, Rafe. I won't hit on you...or Sofia." He smirked. "I prefer that when I do choose to love another, she...or he...is available to love me back the way I deserve to be loved."

"Cool. What about your brother? Does he share your same beliefs? I didn't really like the way he was looking at Sofia."

He felt a blast of contempt roll off Rafe when he mentioned Ar'ch. He didn't want to lie, but he also needed to bring his guard down a little bit when it came to Ar'ch, if that was even possible.

"Ar'ch is definitely only into the ladies, but, honestly, he is mostly in love with himself. He isn't a threat to you. He's very sure of himself, and the girls definitely like him, but his relationships never last very long.

"He respects a girl's choice just as much as I do. A person's choice is sacred. He'll respect Sofia's choice to have you as her boyfriend. So, you have nothing to worry about, unless you don't trust Sofia."

"Of course, I trust Sofia."

He clapped Rafe on the back and sent a wave of energy toward him to improve his mood. "Then, no worries, my friend. My brother can be annoying, but he isn't harmful."

He watched as Rafe stretched his neck muscles and took a deep breath, breathing out the tension in his body. Rafe nodded.

"Good to know. Thanks." He looked at where they were standing. "Well, that's pretty much the grand tour. This is our last stop. It's our food and entertainment court."

He looked around. Over to the right were different stands offering smoothies, ice cream, hot dogs, and pizza. On the left, there were two rows of games you'd find in a carnival. There was a basketball hoop game and a water gun game.

A game of throwing baseballs to strike down milk jugs was followed by a dart throwing game to pop balloons. There was another game to toss rings onto old soda pop bottles. At the end, there was a room that seemed to house video games.

"This is pretty cool. I take it everyone tends to spend a lot of time here."

"It's definitely our major hang out once the weather gets warmer. Why don't we grab some drinks and head back?"

"Sure." He hoped he had given Ar'ch enough time to get through to Sofia.

## Chapter Ten

As Sofia continued to apply lotion to her body, Ar'ch watched the clouds float by in the sky. There was a slight breeze in the air, and he closed his eyes and embraced it as it caressed his skin. He centered himself and focused again on the purpose of his time with Sofia. He needed to find a way to get through to her before Angel and Rafe came back. If nothing more, he needed to plant the seed of belief.

"So, do you believe me now?" he asked without turning toward her.

She focused on reapplying sunblock, though he knew she was just trying not to look at him. He watched her look in the direction to which Rafe and Angel had gone. She was probably wondering what was taking them so long, but he was hoping they'd stay away as long as possible.

"Believe what?" she asked him.

"Who I am, why I'm here..."

She laughed. "You want me to believe you are like some immortal god that's come to rescue some girl from her mundane human life? Except for believing you think you are a god, I'm sorry but that kind of stuff only exists in the novels I read."

He propped himself up on his elbow and faced her. He watched her shake her head in disbelief. The flirt in him had so many ways to respond to her comments, but he needed to stay focused on his mission. He needed to keep it serious.

"Not immortal. I mean, once upon a time, my kind were immortal, but then they did something terrible. We've been fading ever since. And definitely not a god. The God and Goddess would not like it if we pretended to be their equal. And as for rescuing someone...Well," he paused and sat up, taking the lotion from her hands.

Despite the need to get through to her, he couldn't stop himself from wanting to touch her. "Let me help you."

She tried to take the lotion back from him in protest.

"Sofia, please. You can't reach your back. I promise to behave."

She took a moment to pout, her arms crossed and her eyebrows furrowed. Then, she threw her hands up in defeat and turned around so he could apply the lotion to her back.

"Only my back."

With him out of her line of sight, she relaxed her shoulders. He began to spread the lotion over her shoulders and down her back. He felt the warmth of her skin and the energy emanating from her. Suddenly, the day felt warmer, brighter.

He inhaled deeply and absorbed the sun's energy. "I don't think we are here to rescue her. I believe it is she...you...who will rescue me."

He paused, giving her time to absorb what he had said. He felt his heart speed up as he realized what word he had used. He allowed himself to caress her hair lightly. "I mean, our people."

She turned around so abruptly that they were suddenly very close to each other. Neither one of them moved. He couldn't help himself. His gaze traveled from her lips to her eyes, those beautiful brown eyes with a speck of red in them. She was watching him, scrutinizing him with her eyes.

"Me?" she whispered, before clearing her throat and putting some distance between them. "You really want me to believe you came here from another world to take my mom and me to your world so I can save your people? Seriously, Ar'ch? Next, you're going to tell me that I have superpowers." She laughed.

He raised an eyebrow at her and smirked. He found it difficult to pull his attention from her lips, but he managed. He gazed into her eyes and whispered, "You do. Or at least that is what has been foretold."

She exhaled slowly, put a little more space between them, and then laughed. She ran her fingers through her hair and shook her head. "That has to be the best pick-up line ever." She grabbed her water bottle and started drinking it to give her something to do.

He closed his eyes and read her thoughts. Then, he looked out at the lake. "You don't want to believe me because it doesn't seem possible, but part of you, deep down, knows you are different, that you are special. Part of you has always felt as if you do not fit in here. You are afraid to believe me because that would mean giving up the only life you've ever known." He turned toward her to see the shock on her face.

"How?" she muttered in total surprise.

He smiled sadly. "I'm not trying to hit on you," he started and then paused.

He couldn't stop the wicked smile that played his lips. No matter how much he tried to be serious, flirting was as much a part of who he was as breathing. "Well, let me correct myself. I have been telling you the truth."

They sat there, staring at one another, in complete and awkward silence. He smirked as he caught Rafe and Angel walking toward them, carrying bottled water, in his peripheral vision.

"We're back," Rafe announced, causing her to jump a little.

He plopped himself down next to her and put his arm around her possessively. Ar'ch looked up at Angel and nodded.

"Looks like the sun decided to show up after all. Wanna go for a swim, babe?" Rafe asked Sofia, putting emphasis on the word _babe_.

"Sure."

She looked at Ar'ch and quickly looked away. He knew she was trying to process everything he had just told her. Rafe jumped up and extended his hand to help her get up. As soon as she stood, the clouds moved back in front of the sun.

Smiling, Ar'ch said, "Looks like the sun is done playing for today."

Rafe looked irritated, which further improved his mood. She turned to him with disbelief. He didn't hide his smug look of satisfaction, which caused her to become angry. Angel watched the interaction between them and peered up at the clouds in amazement.

"It looks like it's going to rain. Sofe, do you want to take this party back to my place? My mom is working late tonight."

Ar'ch could see her anger boiling up inside her and knew he was its source. He was certain she blamed him for the clouds rolling in, but she also refused to believe he had the power to do such a thing.

"Absolutely." She started to collect her belongings. "I'm ready for a change of environment."

Rafe smiled. "Nice seeing you again, Angel." He helped Sofia collect their things.

"I enjoyed your company today," Angel replied. "Thanks for showing me around."

Rafe gave him a warm smile before turning to Ar'ch and completely losing the smile. "Ar'ch," he said coldly.

Ar'ch kept his cocky smile and mimicked his tone. "Rafe."

Rafe turned his back on him and took their belongings from Sofia so she could put on her sundress. As they started to leave, she chanced a glance at Ar'ch; he didn't hide his disappointment at her departure. Rafe began speaking to her, causing her to turn back around.

Ar'ch and Angel watched the two of them leave. As soon as they were through the exit, the threatening clouds began to slowly disperse. Angel looked at the sky and then at him.

"Are you controlling the weather, brother?"

He shrugged. "I think so. Well, the clouds anyway. I didn't do it on purpose. I just thought about it and, apparently, they obeyed. I may have had my doubts before, but I believe the prophecy now. She is definitely the one."

"Did you tell her? I tried to keep Rafe away as long as possible."

He chuckled. "I could see what a great difficulty that was for you," he said with just a hint of playful sarcasm.

"Ar'ch, please. Why would I invest my time in something that will never happen? He's the son of Damiana, remember? And at least half-human. Not to mention the fact that we are only here for a short period of time to complete our mission and go back home. Now, answer me. Did you or did you not tell her? And, assuming you did, does she believe you?"

"Yes, I told her. No, she doesn't want to believe me, but she will. She's already doubting what she holds to be true."

"We don't really have a lot of time for her to accept it."

"I know." He stood to prepare to leave. "But we do have some time. The seed is planted. The doubt will grow. We just need to continue to find ways to convince her."

"How do we do that?"

"I'll visit her dreams again."

Angel laughed. "Such a sacrifice!" He shook his head. "And what would you have me do?"

"She knows we are related now. She'll come to you with questions. Answer them carefully. We need to keep Rafe in the dark as long as possible. If Damiana gets word that we are here, all hell will break loose. Literally."

Angel stared in the direction in which they had left. "You talk to Sofia. I'll keep an eye on Rafe to make sure he isn't learning too much about us."

Now it was Ar'ch's time to laugh and tease. "Such a sacrifice." He playfully punched Angel in the arm.

Angel shoved him and laughed. "Shut up." He shook his head.

He put his arm around Angel and rustled his hair as they headed out of the park.

## Chapter Eleven

Rafe and Sofia silently climbed into his truck, both lost in their own thoughts. Rafe seemed to be brooding as he drove. It surprised Sofia how protective he became of her around Ar'ch, almost as if even his DNA knew Ar'ch was a threat to him. It was a good thing Ar'ch was too old for high school because the last thing she wanted was to have to deal with him and Rafe on a daily basis.

She was lost in her thoughts of Ar'ch as well, but this time she wanted to be. As Rafe drove toward his house, she realized she really didn't want to go to his place. She just wanted to go home and review every word, every look, and every moment of her time with Ar'ch. She needed time to think about the absurdity of his words, and she couldn't do that with Rafe around.

What was wrong with her? She was finally getting some time to hang out with Rafe, and all she wanted to do was go home to think about Ar'ch. She mentally slapped herself as her phone began to ring.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Sofe," Mel said. "We need you, girl. Kris called in sick...again. I know it's your night off, but don't make me work harder than I already do. Can you come in?"

She felt her whole body relax in relief. "Sure, girl. Anything for you."

She could feel Rafe looking at her and knew he would be disappointed, but there was no way she was going to make it through the next couple of hours if she had to just sit in his room and play video games.

"I'll be there in half an hour."

"I owe you one, girl. Thanks," Mel said as she hung up.

"Who was that?" he asked as she put the phone in her beach bag.

"Mel. She's short servers, so she asked me to come in."

"And you told her yes? I thought we were going to hang out."

"I know, but Mel's always there for me. I can't leave her to deal with tonight's crowd by herself. You know how that place gets."

He took a deep breath and turned left to head toward her house. "Fine, but I'm not happy about it."

She ran her hand through his hair. "I'll make it up to you, okay?"

He shook his head and laughed. "Don't worry about it. Mel would skin me raw if I gave you a hard time about helping her out."

As soon as he stopped the car in her driveway, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and ran to her house. Once inside, she went upstairs and changed into her uniform as quickly as she could. She was looking forward to going to work now that it was an option. She grabbed her keys, jumped in her car, and drove to the restaurant.

Since it was still early, the parking lot wasn't too crowded. She found a spot in the back right next to Mel's car. As she walked inside and put her purse in the locker, Mel threw her arms around her and squeezed her so hard that it left her breathless. She tapped Mel on the shoulder who took the hint and let go.

"Thank God you came in today! I swear if I had to deal with my tables and Kris' tables, I was going to jail after my shift because I would be heading straight to her house to beat the living crap out of her. This is the third time in two weeks that she's called in sick. Give me a break! I don't know why they don't just fire her already."

She shook her head. "No worries. I'm here to save Kris' life and yours since the last thing I want is to have to visit you in jail. Plus, I was more than happy to come in tonight."

Mel puckered up her lips, put her hand on her hip, and gave her that _don't-feed-me-that-BS_ look. "You? Happy to come to work? On a Saturday night when you are scheduled off? What happened? Trouble with Rafe?"

She rolled her eyes and headed over to the server's station to pick up her tables. The last thing she really wanted was twenty questions from Mel.

"Or it is that new guy who came in here the other night?"

Sofia kept walking, eyes straight ahead. She did not want to think about Ar'ch, nor did she want to talk about him with Mel. What could she possibly say to her? That she's falling for an alien who can enter her dreams and read her thoughts and make clouds move at his will? The thought stopped her dead in her tracks so suddenly that Mel nearly bumped into her. She shook her head.

_What is wrong with me_? she thought. She was not bothered so much by the idea that Ar'ch could really be some alien or superhuman with powers. The fact that she was almost starting to believe it could be true should have disturbed her, but it was the lesser of the scary thoughts.

What really freaked her out was the thought that she was falling for him. _That just isn't possible. I don't even know him_. She covered her face with her hands. What kind of mess was she getting herself into?

Mel put her arms around her. "Relax, girl. I can see that whatever it is has got you all tied up in a knot. You do what you gotta do. Just know I'm here for you when you want to let it all out." She gave her a small hug and then handed Sofia her list of tables. "Until then, prepare yourself to work your butt off because I've got a feeling it's gonna get really busy up in here tonight."

She laughed. Leave it to Mel to know when the limit line had been reached and to walk away from it gracefully. She looked at her tables list and saw that the table in which Ar'ch had sat was part of her section. She really hoped he didn't show up tonight.

The very last thing she needed was his kind of distraction. She just needed to stay busy. No sooner had she finished the thought when her tables began filling up. And once the crowd came in, it didn't let up until closing time.

The night had been demanding but productive. Not only was she richer in tips, but she had successfully kept busy the entire night. Only when she grabbed her purse from her locker did she realize she was both relieved and disappointed that Ar'ch never showed up. Ninety-nine percent of her was happy she didn't have to deal with him trying to convince her of more crazy thoughts that night, but that one betraying, destructive, double-crossing 1% wanted him to pursue her.

It was that 1% who held on to the hope that he would be at her car when she walked out of the restaurant. It was that 1% that wished he'd be waiting for her by her house when she pulled into the driveway. And it was that 1% that was completely deflated when she made it home, showered, and plopped down onto her bed without even a glimpse of him.

She replayed her conversation with him in her head. He had said his people were immortal at some point in time and they had done something to lose that power. What had his people done to have lost their immortality, if they ever really had it? He mentioned a God and a Goddess.

The only other person who she's ever heard mention a Goddess before was her mother. Well, her mother and the Greek mythology stories she'd read as a child. He spoke of the Goddess as if she were real and current, the way her mother did. She had always thought it was just some new age stuff her mom and Rafe's mom were always preaching, but when it came out of Ar'ch's mouth, it seemed different, maybe even real.

He also said he was there to take her mom and her to his world to save his kind. He said she had superpowers. She laughed at the thought. What kind of superpower could she possibly have when she couldn't even recognize if someone was telling her the truth? And if she had superpowers, wouldn't her mother know about it?

Yes, she distinctly remembered he had told her in her very first dream of him not to write about him in her journal because he didn't want her mother to know about him. Why? If he truly planned to take them both to his world, wouldn't her mother already know about him? What would be the big deal about her writing about him in her journal or even speaking to her mom about him?

She looked at her journal, passing her hand over it, lost in thought when an idea came to her. She opened the nightstand drawer and pulled out a couple of her older journals. She started to peruse through them, looking for any kind of clue that something, anything that Ar'ch had said could be true.

Her mom had introduced her to journaling before she even knew how to write. As she filled book after book, her mom had suggested she moved to a notepad or a tablet to keep her thoughts, but she enjoyed the traditional feel of holding a pencil in hand and letting her thoughts form words on the paper with the flick and swirl of her wrist. She didn't spend too much time on the drawings and early year journals. She went straight to the later elementary years. Almost toward the end, she found an entry that held her interest.

Mommy made me feel good about myself again today. She told me I was special. She said I'm not like everyone else. I'm unique. My specialness is inside me, and that one day people will know just how special I am. I think I'm special because Mommy is special. She's very special to me.

She smiled. Still, it didn't prove anything otherworldly. What mom doesn't tell her child she is special? She kept reading and came across another passage written during her middle school years.

I had another fever today. It came out of nowhere. I was mad because Mom wouldn't let me go to Rafe's house, even though all my homework was done. She said my chores were not completed and I needed to practice my strength training exercises. I was so frustrated that I must have accidently filled the mop bucket with boiling water because when I put my hands in it to wring out the mop, my hands came out burned.

Then, the fever set in. Mom had to help me calm down. When I was finally in bed, resting, she told me yet again that I have to be careful. She told me I had to control my emotions. She reminded me that my life is important, not just to her but to others as well. I don't know why I let such petty things upset me, but I promised her I'd be more careful.

She had almost forgotten about that incident and the many other times her mom had worried about her fevers. She had almost forgotten because the fevers had pretty much gone away once she started her sophomore year. But recently, almost about the same time Ar'ch had entered her life, she had started to feel rushes of heat. They weren't necessarily fevers; she had never thought to connect the two. She just figured he made her hot. She laughed.

What if the fevers were returning? She debated mentioning it to her mom but decided against it because she really didn't want her mom doting on her again. Her mom already seemed preoccupied as it was. She made a mental note that if a full fever came, she would tell her. Until then, there was no reason to worry her.

Looking back at the passage, she noticed again that her mom had said that her life was important to her and to others as well. Was she just talking about Rafe? Or could there be truth to what Ar'ch was saying? Was she just reading too much into all of this? She took a deep breath and groaned. She had no answers, so she picked up the pencil to write out her thoughts in hopes that one day she could make sense of it all.

I am so confused. I've let a complete stranger put ridiculous thoughts in my head. I know I read a lot of paranormal books, but I also know they are all fantasy. There's no such thing as vampires or werewolves or shadowhunters or the fae. That's the beauty of imagination. You can escape reality and live in fantasy for a little bit.

But this guy...He wants me to believe I have powers, that I'm meant to save an entire race from dying. Me?! He's beyond mistaken...right? There's nothing overtly special about me. I'm just me. Sofia. No powers. No unique abilities. Nothing.

He has to be wrong. And when he discovers he's wrong, will he lose all interest in me? Or is his interest in me simply because he thinks I'm "the one" he's looking for? And why do I care whether he is interested in me? Rafe is my boyfriend

But this guy...(sigh) he makes me feel things I can't even write about because that might make it real. And it can't be real. Because if he's real, then what he says could be real. And if what he says is real, then am I really some kind of supernatural being?

She laughed. This was just crazy. She's letting her hormones control her brain. Never in her wildest dreams did she think she'd ever encounter someone as perfectly sexy as Ar'ch, and never has someone as dreamy as he been interested in her.

Despite the guilt she felt over not having those feelings for Rafe, she could no longer deny the electric pull she felt any time Ar'ch was around her. She craved his touch. She wanted his attention on her. She fantasized about him kissing her. She sighed. This was getting out of hand.

Today, she found out that Ar'ch was Angel's brother. How is it possible that Angel had never mentioned it before? Did he know Ar'ch had already met her? Was he aware of how she felt toward him? Of course, he probably knew. They were brothers.

She buried her face in her hands out of embarrassment. How was she going to face Angel, knowing that Ar'ch probably told him about their meetings at her tree or his visits to her dreams? Then again, if what Ar'ch is saying is true, then wouldn't that also mean Angel is one of them? Was he also of this so-called otherworldly people that she was destined to save? If so, why hadn't he ever mentioned it to her?

She closed the journal with the determination to confront Angel about his crazy brother on Monday. She put all her old journals back in the drawer and placed her current journal on the nightstand. She clicked the button to turn off her light and settled in for sleep, half-hoping that Ar'ch would visit her in her dreams so she could see him again and ask him more questions. She was granted half of her half-hope. She dreamt and Ar'ch was there, but it wasn't the real Ar'ch. It was truly just a dream.

Sofia stood on solid ground. Rafe, surrounded by a brown mist, was standing on one side of her while Ar'ch, surrounded by an orange mist, was on her other side. Each guy was saying, "Pick me, Sofia."

She turned to Rafe who said, "Sofe, pick me. We are soul mates. We've been best friends since we were born. You know me, the good and the bad. You trust me and I trust you completely. You know you are safe with me. You are happy with me. You know I will always protect you. Always."

" _Sofia," Ar'ch said, causing her to turn toward him. "Pick me. You and I – we have this passion inside of us. I know you feel it. I can read it in your mind as easily as I can read it in your body. You want me, and I want you. You are one of us and you belong with us...with me. I can show you a world you never thought was real, a world that will bring you so much happiness. I will help you tap into your powers. You are more than what you seem, and I want to be at your side in your journey to free yourself."_

She kept looking back and forth between them as they continued to try to persuade her to choose. Yet, she couldn't choose. They were both right. Their reasons were both solid, and she couldn't make one weigh more importantly than the other. She became more and more confused and frustrated. She felt she needed to make a choice, but she just couldn't.

Part of her argued that she should choose Rafe because he was all she ever knew, but the other side of her wanted Ar'ch and all the excitement he made her feel. Suddenly, out of her frustration, a red mist began to surround her and consume her. As the mist darkened, she started to lose sight of each of them. She began to panic that she was losing them both because she couldn't decide who to pick. She became so upset that she burst into flames.

She woke up with a jolt. She was feverish and drenched in sweat. Her breathing was erratic, and she knew she needed to get control of it. She started taking deep breaths, practicing the breathing exercise her mother had taught her to calm herself down.

She felt the panic subside and slowly her breathing became regular, but her body was still burning up. She jumped up and quietly made her way to the shower. She had no idea what time it was, but she did not want to wake her mother.

She took an ice-cold shower. At first, she felt nothing. She only saw the steam coming off her body. _Come on, come on_ , she thought. _You've got to get this under control._ She stayed under the water until she felt the water's coldness and saw the goose bumps on her skin, a sure sign she was back to normal.

She put on new pajamas since her other ones were drenched in sweat. She lay back down in bed and began to cry, allowing the fear of the fever to be released. She jinxed herself by reading her past journals and thinking about her past fevers. This one was a big one, one she couldn't just ignore. She was going to have to tell her mother about it.

Even scarier than the fever was the dream that had woken her up. _If only the solution to that nightmare could be solved with a cold shower_ , she thought. She hugged her pillow and closed her eyes and drifted into a dreamless sleep.

## Chapter Twelve

Liana sat across from Damiana at a dark and cozy restaurant just outside of town. The furniture was a dark mahogany and the décor kept the dusky theme with hues of red, burnt orange, and dark yellows. The bar wrapped around one wall with two high definition TVs surrounding the various bottles of alcohol. The floor was scattered with high top tables and chairs while booths wrapped around the other walls. They were seated in the booth furthest away from the bar.

Liana took a sip of her lemon water while Damiana sipped her chocolate martini. They met once a month at this place, Damiana's version of a girl's night out. Up until recently, Liana had enjoyed the outings, but lately the tension was thicker than a slab of concrete. She waited for Damiana to begin the inevitable conversation.

Damiana sipped her chocolate martini and leaned back in her booth, completely relaxed. Damiana looked across the table at her and pursed her lips.

"Really, Liana. You must work on your facial expressions. You look like your mother just died."

"I apologize, Damiana. I wasn't aware I needed to be deceptive around you. I thought you would appreciate the sincerity of my emotions."

Damiana took a deep breath. "Yes, I always expect full honesty from you, but must you wear it in such a depressing way? Everything is going according to plan. My phone calls have brought us progress. Soon, I will be able to close the worst chapter of my life and move forward with the next, exciting journey. Our children will come of age, and no one will be able to stop us from enjoying our destiny."

The water felt like acid cascading down her throat. "When are you planning to tell Rafe? When should I tell Sofia?"

"I told you already. We still have time. There is no reason to add more stress to their lives right now. Let them enjoy their innocence." Damiana continued to sip her martini.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Damiana? Are you sure you can be without your -"

"Why do you always try to ruin my mood?" Damiana interrupted. "Sacrifices must be made to reach our goal. Nothing is permanent, Liana. The time is coming when I must deal with my decision, and I will because it will benefit us all in the end. I will be strong and brave through this process, and you must be as well."

She nodded while watching her fingers catch the beads of water running down her glass. "I didn't think it would be this hard."

Damiana rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I don't understand why not. What did you think was going to happen? We've discussed this before. They are coming of age. Every child grows up and leaves their nest to go to college, but they come back. Like I keep telling you. This is not permanent. We will see her again."

"I just don't think it's right. I think we are making a mistake."

"This is no mistake. I have worked long and hard to make this dream a reality, and I am not going to let your hesitation ruin it all. Come on, Liana. We've discussed this time and time again. We have both made sacrifices to make this happen, and I've promised you that you will be heavily rewarded for the sacrifices you have made. One wrong word, one wrong action could put all of us and our dreams in jeopardy. Do you really want to risk that?"

"No," she whispered.

She thought about the choices she had made in her life. She thought about the opportunities that awaited her if she could only go through with this. She reminded herself of the alternate plan that Damiana knew nothing about.

Then, she took a deep breath and strengthened her resolve. "No, I won't risk that."

"Good. Very good. Now, let's enjoy ourselves, shall we?"

An hour later, she entered the house feeling completely spent. The house was utterly quiet, and she imagined Sofia was fast asleep. She gently placed her purse and keys on the dining room table and slowly made her way up the stairs to her bedroom. Her slowness was less about being silent and more about the heavy weight she had been carrying for so long.

She entered her room and went straight to her closet. She stepped out of her shoes without taking the time she usually did to make sure they were neatly arranged next to the others. Walking toward the bathroom, she saw a picture of the ocean in its permanent place on her nightstand. She sagged onto her bed and reverently held the frame in her hands.

So many sacrifices. So many wrong turns. From her very first innocent error, she'd been trying to do the right thing, trying to make amends, but it seemed as if every time she tried to do what was right, she just delivered herself into more problems. She sighed deeply as her fingers traced over the waves in the picture. If only she could go back... She lay back on her bed, clutching the frame to her chest.

She gave up her first child because she knew it was the right thing to do. She knew she could not provide him with the life his father could. And she did not regret that choice. She would never regret it, but it was a sacrifice that almost destroyed her. Then, she was called upon again to make another sacrifice, one that would bring honor and respect back to her life, a sacrifice that would help right the wrongs of her past.

How could she have possibly known how many difficult choices that sacrifice would bring her? How could she have known the Goddess would not help her make better choices? And now it was too late. It was seventeen years too late.

Damiana was right about one thing: there was no turning back. But their dreams were very different, and she had every intention of making sure all those years of struggling would not be in vain.

## Chapter Thirteen

Liana peeked into Sofia's room after realizing she hadn't risen for the day. It was almost noon, and Sofia never slept that late. She was fast asleep, hugging her pillow, and she was twisted in her sheets. She watched her for a moment.

She loved watching her sleep. She looked so innocent with not a care in the world. She knew the time would come soon when that innocence would be taken away; it was inevitable. Still, she'd give anything to prolong it as long as she could.

She silently walked over to her and pushed a strand of her hair away from her face. It reminded her of when Sofia was younger. She could feel the heat coming from her even before her fingers caressed her face. Her heart rate sped up with worry. This wasn't good.

She quickly exited the room and went downstairs to make Sofia some tea. The water wasn't boiling fast enough for her. She knew it was important that she kept the fevers away. As she waited for the water to boil, her eyes caught a picture of the two of them laughing.

She couldn't believe it was possible to love someone so much when they were so different. She never thought her life would have followed the path it had, but she was thankful she had been given the opportunity to love Sofia. And now, she wanted the very best for her.

She would do everything in her power to make sure Sofia lived the life she deserved to live, and that meant getting this fever under control. When the tea was finally ready, she went back to Sofia's room.

-o-

Sofia was starting to wake, and she smiled when she saw her mother enter. She saw the worry in her mother's eyes and couldn't stop a few tears from escaping. Her mother set the tea down and sat down on her bed before gathering her in her arms.

"I'm sorry," she whispered through tears.

"Sorry for what, honey?" Her mother ran fingers through Sofia's hair.

"The fevers. They're back. I had a really bad one last night, but I didn't want to wake you, so I took a cold shower. I thought it had gone away, so I went back to sleep."

"Oh, honey, you didn't make the fevers come back. It's not your fault."

She just shook her head and wrapped her arms around her mother. Her mother could believe she hadn't caused the fevers, but she felt she brought them back by looking into her past. And now her mother would worry because of her. Her mother pulled away only long enough to grab the tea and hand it to Sofia.

She took the tea, taking a moment to inhale the scent of mint and lavender. She sipped it slowly to enjoy every bit. Her mother always gave her tea when she had a fever. The main ingredients were always the same: elderflower, licorice root, and Echinacea.

Every now and then, her mother added an ingredient or two. Her favorites were lavender, peppermint, or yarrow. When she was younger, her mother had told her the tea had healing qualities and would help the fever go away from the inside out. It always worked, so she never questioned it.

Her mother focused on her neck. "Honey, where is your necklace?"

She instinctively reached for her neckline, even though she hadn't worn a necklace in years. "Mom, I haven't worn that for a while now."

Her mother stood up and vigorously started looking through her dresser drawers. "It is imperative that you wear it at all times, Sofia."

"Why?" She wasn't too fond of the reprimanding tone her mother was using.

"Because it will protect you from evil."

She sighed. "Mom, you can't actually believe that?"

Her mother turned to her, very serious. "I do and it will. The stones are magical and will protect you."

"Not you, too." She thought of Ar'ch.

Her mother looked at her with worry written all over her face. "What do you mean, not me, too?"

For a moment, she considered telling her about Ar'ch but decided against it when she saw the anxiety on her face. "Mom, magic doesn't really exist."

Her mother brushed her hair to the side, behind her ear. "You may not want to believe in magic, but you cannot deny that evil is real. And if wearing that necklace will bring your mother some peace of mind, do you think you can do that for me?"

"Of course, Mom. I'd do anything for you."

Her mother let her breath out with relief. "Where is it, honey?"

She pointed to the pink and white box with a unicorn on top of it. "In my jewelry box."

Her mother rose and retrieved the necklace. Its chain was made of platinum, but the teardrop stone was broken into four chambers, each holding a different stone: aquamarine, coral, quartz, and topaz. As soon as she held it in her hands, her mother's demeanor changed. Sofia saw her mother's shoulders relax. She lifted her hair so her mother could clasp it around her neck.

"Now, drink that tea while it's warm. It will help your body cool down."

"Thanks, Mom. It makes no sense that hot tea will cool me down, but it always does make me feel better." She smiled.

"Of course, it does. It's magic." Her mother winked. They both laughed. "I have some errands I need to do today. What are your plans for the day?"

"I need to get my weekend homework done. I was thinking of going to the tree to do it. Then, I have to work tonight."

"The tree sounds like a great idea. Are you meeting up with Rafe later?"

Just then, her phone rang. She checked the caller ID. "Speak of the devil." She pointed to the phone and answered it. "Hey, Rafe."

Her mother gave her a kiss on the check and left the room to give her privacy.

"Hey, Sofe. What do you want to do today?"

"I need to get my homework done, and then I have to work, so no fun for me today." She continued to sip her tea.

"I have homework to do as well. Do you want some company?"

"Sure. Let's meet at my tree."

"Okay. I'll see you there."

She hung up and finished her tea. As soon as she finished the last sip, she felt good as new. She washed up and put on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and went downstairs. Her mother had already left, so she wrote a note to remind her where she would be, grabbed a bottle of water, her picnic blanket, and her book bag, and then started walking to her tree.

On her way there, she couldn't help but think of Ar'ch and how she had conveniently run into him on the way to her tree the other night. She shook her head to try to get rid of the thought. It was no use. She pictured his flirtatious stance, his cluelessness over _Pocahontas_ , his cockiness about his looks and the effect he was having on her. She visualized his lips and his mesmerizing eyes.

She stopped walking. _Stop it! No more._ The images and thoughts disappeared. Sofia breathed a sigh of relief just as she reached her tree. It was such a beautiful, cool day, so she lay her blanket outside of the tree's branches to enjoy the sun. As she settled in to get started on her homework, Rafe arrived. He set down his materials and gave Sofia a quick kiss on the cheek before sitting down beside her.

"So, what homework do you have?" Rafe asked her as he got comfortable.

"English and history. Nothing too difficult, just busy work. What about you?"

"Math, a lot of it. And a little bit of science."

"I'm so happy I don't have your math teacher. He abuses you all so much."

"Tell me about it. It's not that I find it difficult. I just don't see why I have to do twenty-five of the same type of problem for each section. If I got the first ten correct, wouldn't that show I understand how to do them?"

She smiled. "Yes, but not everyone in the class is as smart as you. And they are the ones who need the extra practice to drill it into their brains."

"Was that a compliment?" He poked her in the side.

She laughed. "I said you were smarter than the others in your class. I did not say you were smarter than I am."

"Oh, really?" He attacked her with tickles.

She laughed until her stomach hurt and then called for mercy. He obliged with satisfaction, laughing as they both settled down and focused on their homework. After about an hour of pure concentration, he stretched.

"So, spring break is next week. Well, technically, it starts this Friday since it's a teacher's planning day and no school for us. And then before you know it, we'll be graduating."

She finished writing the answer to one of her English questions. "I know. I can't wait! Hopefully, the weather is nice enough to hang out at the watering hole some more."

The moment the words left her mouth, she wished she hadn't said them. She didn't want Rafe's mood to turn sour with thoughts of yesterday. Thankfully, that didn't happen.

"So, are you going to finally join me on the bungee jumping?"

She laughed. "Not in this lifetime. I want to actually live to see my graduation."

"Sofe, people jump all of the time. No one has ever died from jumping."

"That's because no one who is as afraid as I am has ever actually jumped. If the fall doesn't kill me, my fear will."

"You're such a wimp." He tousled her hair. "But a cute wimp, so you're forgiven." He winked.

She playfully pushed him back. "Let me focus. I only have about another hour or so before I have to go to work, and I still have one more English question and then the chapter questions for history to complete."

"You're such a nerd," he teased as he settled back into his homework.

She shook her head and sighed. Rafe was such easy company. Everything about him was carefree. He had the same goals as she did. They were the same age. He made her laugh and feel good about herself.

No awkwardness. No nervousness. No talk of other worlds or special powers or...And there she went again, thinking of Ar'ch. _Focus, Sofia._ She took a deep breath and began working on her last English question.

Nearly an hour later, he closed his science book and flopped back on the blanket to relax while she finished her history. He put his hands behind his head, closed his eyes, and enjoyed the sun on his face.

"You know, Angel and I had a pretty nice conversation yesterday," he said while keeping his eyes closed.

"Oh, yeah?" she absently replied while focusing on the last of her questions.

"Did you know that he's gay? Well, not really gay. He's more like bisexual. What did he call it? An equal opportunity lover." He laughed.

She laughed along with him. She hadn't seen that bit of information coming. Angel didn't give off any bisexual vibes. Then again, he usually kept the conversations away from him.

"Good for him. I'm surprised he told you. Most people around here would keep that to themselves."

"Yeah, but he's not from around here, remember?"

_How can I forget?_ she thought.

"Anyways, he's pretty cool. I thought I'd feel awkward after he told me, but he made it very clear that I wasn't his type." He laughed again.

She smiled as she finally finished her last question. She closed her book and lay next to him. "Were you worried he would be interested in you?"

"No, not really. Even at my house, he was always cool. He's never done anything to make me feel weird. He told me his parents don't care. He said they just want him to be happy."

"That's how it should be, right? I mean, I would hope my mom would accept me regardless of who I fell in love with."

Again, she thought of Ar'ch and wondered if her mother would lose her mind at the thought of her liking someone other than Rafe. She forced the thought away. She was with Rafe. She was his girlfriend, and she loved him.

"That's how it should be." He fell silent for a little while. They lay side by side in comfortable silence for a while and then he laughed. "I showed him Make Out Point. Can you believe he didn't know what PDA is?"

"Seriously?"

"He'd never heard that acronym before. I told him how people go out there to make out. He asked if you and I had ever been out there."

"What did you say?"

"The truth. We've never been out there."

She nodded, though he could not see her nod with his eyes still closed.

"I mean, you haven't ever really wanted to go out there, right?"

She shrugged automatically, though it did her no good. He stayed completely still, hiding behind his desire to absorb the sun. She'd never made out with anyone. Both of their mothers frowned upon it, and he had never even tried to do more than pop kiss her. Her only concepts of making out are from the stories she's read. Would she want to go out there? Probably not, but she would love to make out with someone she loved.

"Honestly, I would –" she started to say but he cut her off.

"I know. There's plenty of time for that later, after we graduate. There is no need to rush it."

She felt deflated. "True."

"Anyway, we had an enjoyable conversation."

She felt as if he was trying to manipulate her into sharing what she and Ar'ch spoke about, but she really didn't want to speak about Ar'ch. First, she couldn't really tell him what they talked about because he would have a hundred demeaning things to say about Ar'ch. Secondly, she didn't want to make something up and lie to him.

Her cell phone alarm started to sound, indicating it was time for her to get ready for work. She sat up, relieved for the interruption.

"Time to get my butt in gear." She began packing her books in her book bag.

Rafe gathered his things off the blanket before folding it for her. They walked back to her house, hand in hand, in silence. When they reached her house, she took the blanket from him and hugged him.

"Thanks for coming over to be with me today. I really enjoyed being able to spend some time with you."

"There isn't any other place I'd want to be." He kissed her on the mouth.

She kissed him back. A part of her wanted to force the kiss to be longer than their usual chaste kiss, but he'd just made it clear that the time for that had yet to come. She pulled away and smiled, although she couldn't bring herself to look him in the eyes. She felt guilty for having allowed Ar'ch to affect her, especially when Rafe was nothing but wonderful to her.

"See you tomorrow." She turned to open the door.

Once inside, she saw a note from her mom. _Hope you are feeling better. There's a sandwich for you in the fridge. Love, Mom_. Her stomach growled as she read the note, making her laugh. She had just enough time to eat the sandwich and change clothes before heading to work.

As she pulled into the parking lot, she wondered why Ar'ch hadn't even tried to contact with her. She exited her car and locked the door. When she turned around to enter the restaurant at the employee entrance, she saw Ar'ch leaning against the wall, smiling at her.

He looked heart-stoppingly sexy. He wore a thin, coffee brown, long-sleeved shirt under a sleeveless, black, leather jacket, black denim jeans, and black Sketchers.

As she approached the door, he said, "Miss me?"

Her heart betrayed her and sped up. Her face flushed with heat. In less than one minute, she was flooded with relief, happiness, desire, frustration, confusion, and anger. Not sure which emotion she should display, she chose to go with apathy.

"Who are you again?"

He mock-grabbed his heart. "She pains me with her words."

She couldn't stop her smile. She shook her head to try to hide it. No matter how hard she tried to be nonchalant with him, her body betrayed her. He winked at her, melting her in her spot.

"Did you miss me?" he asked again, more sincerely.

"Nope." She crossed her arms.

He shook his head. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Remember, I know better." He tapped his temple.

She threw her hands up. "Whatever. If you think you know, then why bother asking me?"

"To see if you are ready to face the truth."

She rolled her eyes. "I have to work."

He walked over to her and stood inches away from her. She felt the energy between them and cursed her heart, which felt like it was about to explode. He caressed her with his eyes before whispering, "Tell me you miss me."

"No," she whispered back, not for the feel of intimacy but simply because she could barely breathe with him so close to her.

He stepped in closely enough to kiss her. She held her breath. Time seemed to have stood still for seconds, minutes. Sounds completely disappeared except for her rapidly beating heart. He looked wistfully at her lips before letting his eyes travel to her hair. He gazed into her eyes and smiled.

"Tell me."

She shook her head, not trusting her voice, afraid it would betray her like her beating heart.

He chuckled. "Oh, my little firecracker, you are so much fun." He caressed her lips with his thumb.

She felt the electricity flow through her and couldn't stop herself from embracing it. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't think. She just wanted him to kiss her so badly. Even his voice made her desire him.

"Do you want me to visit you in your dreams tonight? Choose wisely because I won't ask again."

She willed herself to say no, to not let him be in control or think he affected her, but who was she kidding? He did affect her, and she had so many questions for him. She nodded in defeat, disappointed in herself for having absolutely no willpower.

He smiled and stepped back. The sounds of the town flooded back into her ears. Did he really control what she was able to hear as well?

He smiled triumphantly. "Great! Enjoy your shift!" He put his hands in his pockets and started to walk away. He turned back. "Oh, and Sofia...sweet dreams!" He winked and then turned the corner.

She finally allowed herself to breathe. How could she have allowed him to have that kind of effect on her? What was she thinking? She should have stuck to her guns and said no. She turned around, opened the employee entrance door, and then slammed the door shut.

"Hey! What crawled up your butt?" Mel asked as she stormed past her to the lockers.

She breathed out, exasperated, "Guys!"

"So, you and Rafe had a fight?"

She scrunched her forehead in confusion. "No."

Mel smiled. "Ah! So, it's someone else? Perhaps a very sexy and seductive, black hair, blue-eyed type?"

"Ugh! Can we just drop it?"

Mel laughed. "Sure, but whoever he is must be hot to get you all bothered." Mel winked before laughing again.

She threw her hands up and shook her head. "We are not having this conversation."

She walked away while Mel kept laughing. She had to come up with a plan of action. There was no way she could let Ar'ch be in charge. SHE needed to be in control of their next meeting, which apparently was going to take place tonight.

She sighed. All she could hope for was that she was stronger in her dreams than she was in her reality. If she wasn't, she was in serious trouble. _What am I getting myself into_? She grabbed her list of tables and dove into her work.

## Chapter Fourteen

"So, how did it go?" Angel asked as soon as Ar'ch entered their apartment.

Ar'ch grabbed a juicy, green apple from the fruit bowl in the center of the coffee table and polished it against his shirt. He plopped himself down on the sofa and rested his head on one arm of it while crossing his feet comfortably over the other end.

"She's totally into me." He bit into the apple and smiled at his little brother.

"Great. Just great. You weren't supposed to make her fall in love with you."

He shrugged. "Can I help it if I'm irresistible?" He took another bite of the apple.

His brother groaned and sat down in the love seat next to the sofa.

"You have to admit that it does make things a little easier if she likes me. Her uncontrollable desire for me is letting her drop her guard, which will make it easier for us to take her."

Angel took a deep breath. "Still, what happens when we get home and you drop her? Do you really want to earn the wrath of someone as powerful as she is?"

He laughed. "She hasn't shown any signs of power yet. She may not even make the transition to our kind."

"She is the one, brother. Do not break her heart before she can save us."

He rolled his eyes and shook his head. "What makes you think I'll hurt her?"

His brother gave him the are-you-seriously-asking-me-that-question look. He held up his hands and laughed.

"Okay, fine, fine. Can I help it if girls want too much from me?"

"Ar'ch..." Angel started in the tone that said _prepare for a lecture_.

"Look, she's different, okay? I promise I'm not playing with her."

"Aw, hell! Are you telling me you actually _like_ her?"

He did not reply; he simply kept eating his apple.

"This is _not_ good. Ar'ch. She is our _mission_. You do not get emotionally involved with a mission! Even I know that."

"I know. I know. There's just something about her, brother."

"Of course, there is something about her. She's the one. We need to get her home before her death day so she can save us all. This is not the time to be losing focus."

Ar'ch stood up to throw away the apple core. "Don't get your britches all twisted. I know what our mission is. I got this. And tonight, I will make sure I keep us on track. She'll be ready to go with us in no time flat."

"Great. And I'll be here to make sure you keep your emotional radar under control."

"I don't need a chaperone, little brother."

"Then, you won't mind me seeing that for myself." His brother was not going to back down on this one.

He smiled a tight smile. "Suit yourself. We have a few hours until she's asleep, so I think I'll take a nap."

He turned and went to his room for some rest. He was not happy about this turn of events. He enjoyed his time alone with Sofia, and he certainly did not want his brother lurking and ruining the mood. Still, his brother was right. He knew better than to get emotionally involved with a target, but it's not like he did it on purpose.

He didn't even know how it happened, but it did. She got under his skin when he wasn't paying attention, and she was almost embedded in his... He shook his head. No, he wasn't going there. Emotions were a waste of time; they led to pain and suffering. Angel was right. He had a mission, and he needed to focus on that.

-o-

In the living room, Angel buried his head in his hands. He did not want his first mission, and probably the most important mission he'll ever have, to fall apart because his brother had finally found his heart. He felt like he couldn't trust Ar'ch to be focused on the mission now that he was compromised by his feelings.

He still couldn't believe it. In all these years, Ar'ch had never had feelings for a girl. He just played with them until he got bored and moved on. How was this happening? And why now?

How many times had he wished for his brother to stop playing around and find someone he could love? But what was his brother thinking, falling for the one person who was prophesied to save them all? As if Sofia wasn't going to have enough challenges ahead of her when they got back home! The last thing Sofia needed was love issues, especially love-with-Ar'ch issues.

He felt protective of Sofia. Maybe it was because Liana raised her. Maybe there was a connection through that link. He wasn't sure, but he did know he felt an obligation – no, a compulsion – to keep her safe and to see her happy.

Then again, it could be that he knew her importance to them all. If Ar'ch messed this up... Angel raked his hands through his hair. As he looked up, he saw a rune appear on the mirror. He debated waking Ar'ch, but he knew he needed to rest before entering the dream state with Sofia that night.

He went to the mirror and opened the rune. His father was sitting comfortably in his favorite chair.

"Blessed be, my son. How goes everything?"

"Everything is going well, Father," he replied, unsure of how much to give away. He didn't want his father to worry. "Ar'ch and I have both interacted with her. She is kind and beautiful." He smiled as he thought of her.

"Is she powerful?"

He shook his head. "We have not seen any skills within her yet."

His father brought his forefingers to his lips. "That's fine. The death day should help us. When are you coming home?"

"Soon, Father. She has taken a liking to Ar'ch, so we are hoping to ease her into the idea of leaving cooperatively with us."

His father laughed a hearty laugh. "Of course, she has! Ar'ch is a very likable young man, as are you!"

"Ar'ch is a likable guy when he wants to be. Despite Damiana's presence, we have sensed no evil in the area. Even her son feels full of goodness."

His father's demeanor switched quickly from joyful to serious and pensive. "Hmmm...that just doesn't sound right."

"Maybe being on Earth has changed her."

His father scoffed. "That demoness is not capable of change, my son. Keep your shields up at all times. Do not allow her to sense you."

"We are, Father. We are being very careful."

His father looked around before awkwardly asking, "How is Liana?"

He looked down, embarrassed and ashamed. "I have not confronted her yet."

"So, she doesn't know you are there to bring them home?"

He shook his head. He had wanted to reach out to her the minute they had arrived, but he still hadn't done so. And with each passing day, it seemed more difficult to do.

"Ar'ch is worried about her allegiance to us since she's become best friends with Damiana."

"Liana would not betray us," his father said sternly. Then, he added with more care, "She would not forsake you."

He pressed his lips together and sighed. "She barely knows me, Father."

"You are her son, Angel. She loves you. Do not doubt the love she has for you. She may not have been able to be around while you grew, but I know the love she has for you is strong."

He couldn't look at his father. He knew of the sacrifices his mother had made for him and all his kind, but that knowledge didn't take away his need and desire to have her in his life.

"I hope you are right, Father. I will approach her right before we leave and give her the option to come home with us. It will be her choice as her choices have always been hers to make."

His father nodded. "I know how important that is to you, son. I only hope she doesn't disappoint you."

"As do I," he replied with little conviction.

His father appeared to be looking around their apartment, searching for something. "Where is my other son?"

He smiled. "He's taking a nap. He plans to enter Sofia's dreams tonight."

His father's eyes lit up. "Is he capable?"

He realized his father did not know of their increasing abilities. He excitedly shared them with him.

"Oh, Father! He can do that and so much more. Yesterday, it seemed as if the clouds obeyed his every command."

His father clapped his hands together and laughed joyously. "By the blessed Goddess! His powers have strengthened. The prophecy is true! Oh, to have the powers I once took for granted!" He laughed and shook his head.

Angel felt exhilarated. He wondered if it were possible he was feeling his father's excitement from so far away.

As if reading his mind, his father asked, "What about you, my son? How is she affecting you?"

_Not like she's affecting Ar'ch_ , he thought before focusing back on his father. "I can read emotions more easily. I have altered someone's emotions once or twice. Oh, and Ar'ch and I are able to communicate telepathically."

"Oh, joyous news! Amazing news indeed! I cannot wait to meet her. When do you plan to bring her here? I want to be ready. Preparations need to be made to assure a successful death day for her."

He smiled. "Soon, Father. Soon."

His father looked behind him. "Your mother is calling. I must go. I can't wait to share the news with her and the Elders. She's been so worried about you all."

"Send her my love."

His father nodded. "Blessed be," he said before the signal faded away.

Angel smiled. He truly was very blessed. He had a loving father, a devoted mother, and, despite his occasional annoyance, an amazing brother who doubled as his best friend. He was accepted as nobility. He was blessed with skills and powers even though he was a half-breed.

And now, he had an opportunity to bring his seed mother home and get to know her better. Plus, he now had a half-sister who just happened to be the savior of his kind. Yes, he was most certainly blessed. He only hoped nothing would happen to change that.

-o-

Ar'ch paced outside of the restaurant, brooding over his brother's words. Angel was right. It was dangerous for him to get involved with Sofia for so many reasons. She was their mission, and one did not get involved with the subject of a mission.

He knew this. In fact, he was the epitome of not getting involved. He trained others on controlling their emotions during missions, so why was he having so much difficulty controlling his own?

Not only was Sofia their mission, she was _the one._ She controlled the fate of his people. If he broke her heart, the entire race would want to kill him. He ran his hands through his hair. He had no intention of breaking her heart, and that was the problem.

Never had he even consider the heart as a viable thing. His relationships were always convenient, fun but never serious. With Sofia, he wanted it all; he needed it all. It seemed surreal...and frustrating as hell! The Goddess truly wanted to torture him if She made the girl that finally warmed his heart be the one who was emotionally tied to the entire race's future.

The door of the restaurant opened, and Sofia walked out, smiling and saying good-bye to someone from within. He stopped pacing, stopped breathing, stopped in every way except watching her walk, smile, and move.

In that moment, he didn't care that she was the one. He didn't care that the fate of the entire world rested in her hands. He didn't care that she was his mission or that others would be disappointed in him for screwing things up. The only thing he cared about was her – touching her, kissing her, claiming her as his.

He took one step toward her and was immediately in front of her, his eagerness to be close to her increasing his speed and his heart. He was there before she even turned around to walk toward her car. She gasped and stepped backwards, startled by his sudden presence. He grabbed her hand to prevent her from taking another step, instantly feeling that intense electric magnetism course through him.

"Don't," he whispered. "Don't step away from me."

She took a deep breath and stayed where she was, her hand in his. "I didn't know you were here. I thought I'd see you tonight." She looked down. "You know, in my dreams." Face still bowed, she looked up at him through her lashes.

He couldn't tell if she was being bashful or teasing him, but he didn't care. She looked so very sexy, too sexy for him to leave her alone. He took his free hand and raised her head, his heart racing, daring him to do what he wanted while his head told him to stay calm and cool.

"I couldn't wait that long."

She leaned into his hand and whispered, "Oh? Why not?"

Goddess forgive him, but those lips of hers forming an 'o' did him in. He took her hand in his and wrapped it around his back and pulled her closer to him just as his other hand led her lips to his. He kissed her tenderly at first, savoring the feel of her lips, the smell of her skin, the sweetness of her tongue.

It wasn't enough; he needed more, and she was more than willing to give him more. She wrapped her free arm around him and pulled him even closer. He couldn't believe he was really kissing her, that she was letting him kiss her, that she wanted more. He kissed her then with all he had, as if this were the last moment he would ever have and had every intention of taking full advantage of it.

He let go of her hand but continued to kiss her as he walked her backwards until her back was against the wall. After several more minutes of passionate kissing, he pulled away, panting. He ran his fingers through her hair and soaked in every part of her beautiful face. He traced her lips with his finger as she closed her eyes and sighed. To hell with the mission! To hell with what others would think. He had never felt this before. This was beyond passion. This was, this was...

"Sofia," he whispered, "I –"

Ar'ch felt himself being shaken.

"Ar'ch, wake up, brother!"

He reluctantly opened his eyes and looked around the room until he saw Angel. He sighed and frowned. His brother laughed at his expression and then became very serious.

"Based on your emotional reading during that dream of yours, I'd say you definitely do _not_ have things under control."

He rolled his legs over the side of the bed and sat up. He took a deep breath to give him time to process that it had only been a dream. He wasn't sure if he should feel relieved that he hadn't lost control so easily or worried that he might have such little control when it comes to her.

_No_ , he thought, _I am completely in control of my actions. Always._

"Talk to me, Ar'ch. What's going on? I just spoke with Father. If you can't -"

He interrupted him. "I was having an absolutely fantastic dream of what and who awaited me when we got back home, and you interrupted it at just the wrong moment. Thanks, brother."

He knew his brother could not read his mind, and he knew he would trust him to be honest with him, but this was not something he could share with him. The mission was what was important, and that was how it was going to be.

"So, you're telling me you were dreaming of some girl from home?"

"Not one girl. Many girls. And I was just getting to the good part when you woke me." He stood. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need a cold shower."

He felt Angel probe his senses and knew he was reading his emotions, so he focused on slowing down his heart and calming down. He needed his brother to have faith that he was telling him the truth and was completely in control.

Angel took a deep breath. "Sorry about that." He looked away in embarrassment. "Um, let me know when you're ready to visit Sofia in her dreams."

"Still insisting on babysitting me?"

"Yes."

He shrugged. "Suit yourself. I'll meet you in the living room when I'm done."

He grabbed a towel and headed to the bathroom. He made sure to keep his emotions neutral even though his thoughts were miles out of the neutral zone.

## Chapter Fifteen

Sofia was freshly showered. She had washed her hair to get the food smell out. Not that she thought the hair stench would have gone with her into her dreams, but she did not want to smell like that in the morning. Now, she had to decide whether to blow dry her hair straight or let it dry naturally and have wavy curls.

Rafe liked her hair both ways. She wondered which way Ar'ch preferred. Images of Ar'ch twirling her hair between his fingers danced around in her head. He probably liked the curls.

She looked in the mirror. "Time to get the blow dryer."

If he liked it curly, then she'd put it straight. _She_ was in control. Plus, the last thing she wanted was to have wet mop hair in her dream. That would not be very attractive. Then again, maybe that is exactly what she needed. Maybe she needed the wet dog look to keep him from getting too close. She held the dryer in her hand and chewed on her cheek. What should she do? Why did it matter so much?

She sighed in defeat. It did matter, which meant she was blow drying her hair. She didn't want a wet dog look in front of Ar'ch; she wanted to look beautiful. To try to keep some control over the situation, she told herself she was blow drying her hair because it would not be wise to go to sleep with wet hair, especially after the fevers she experienced last night. She looked at herself in the mirror and nodded. That was a perfectly logical, unemotional reason she could justify.

She busied herself with blow drying her hair in sections. She fell into her regular rhythm and admired the red tones that weaved themselves throughout her strands. Her mother had beautiful blonde, curly hair. She must have gotten the curls from her mother, but the color must have been from her father.

She wished she could have met him or at least seen him in a picture. Her mother kept no pictures of him in the house. In fact, her mother had said they had all been destroyed before she was born. Sofia knew there was a story there and was pretty sure the story wasn't pleasant. She had stopped trying to ask years ago, but one day she had every intention of learning all about the father she never had a chance to know.

When her last strand of hair was dry, she turned off the blow dryer and put it away. She went to her room and opened her drawer full of pajamas. Now, she had to figure out which pajamas to wear. She wasn't sure if her dream self would be wearing whatever she wore to sleep, so the decision seemed important.

Did she go for the red, sexy negligee that Mel bought her once as a practical joke? Definitely not. There was no way she could pull off sexy tonight, or any night for that matter. She could almost still hear Mel's uncontrollable laughter at the face Sofia had made when she pulled it out of the bag.

Mel teased her for months about it. She told her she was going to teach Sofia all about being sexy once she was ready. Being that Rafe was quite content on the snail pace of their relationship, she didn't see the need to subject herself to Mel's wisdom any time soon. The red-hot nightie stayed in the drawer.

Instead, she pulled out her favorite pajamas. It was a dark blue camisole with stars glittering everywhere. The drawstring pants were dark blue with stars and moons decorating them. Ar'ch made it seem like he was from another world, so the whole outer space theme fit right in. Plus, they hugged her body comfortably. It didn't hurt that they showed off her figure.

She retrieved her journal as she curled up in bed. There was no way she was going to sleep without writing her thoughts first. Try as she might to tell herself there was nothing to worry about, she was a nervous wreck. Maybe if she put it all on paper, she could let go of her jitters and gather her strength to be in charge.

I am so nervous about falling asleep. He's going to be there. He told me so, and I believe him. I feel wired with crazy emotions. I am excited about seeing him. I mean, who wouldn't be?! He's...(sigh) he's gorgeous! There, I said it.

He's incredibly hot. And no matter what I do, I can't seem to stop my unfaithful heart from speeding up and going crazy over him. I feel so guilty about it...because of Rafe. I should not have these feelings for anyone but him. I should not be looking at another guy (much less letting him visit me in my dreams). Did I seriously just write that?

This just all seems surreal. How is it even possible he can visit me in my dreams? How does he know what I'm thinking? This stuff doesn't happen in real life. But it is happening, and it's happening to me. Why? I never asked for more excitement in my life. Did I?

Well, I mean, sure I've wished to have a love affair like in my books, but...did I wish this to happen? No, that's crazy. I love Rafe. He's my best friend, and he's always been so good to me. But...Ugh! What if "A" is the one? I mean, he keeps saying I'm the one, but what if he's the one for me?

The chemistry between us (or at least, the electricity I feel around him) is undeniable. It feels as if it's a physical entity just waiting to be ignited. I've never felt that before, and I'm not so sure I am willing to give it up. Does that make me a horrible person? He makes me feel things I've never felt before, things that I've read about and dreamt of and hoped for.

But he says he's a different – I don't know – race, species, being. Seriously, is that even possible! And if it is, shouldn't I be running as fast as I can in the other direction? I need answers...but to what questions?

She closed the journal and pursed her lips. She didn't feel more confident, just more confused. _Might as well get this over with_. She put her journal on her nightstand, turned off her light, and settled down to sleep.

As soon as she fell asleep, she was immediately transported to the golden willow tree from Ar'ch's world. It looked even more beautiful and mesmerizing than the first time she had seen it. The last time she had visited this realm, she was in such wonder that she didn't take in her surroundings. This time she wanted to savor it all.

She turned away from the tree and looked behind her at the miles and miles of fields around her. She saw narrow walkways branching out in different directions. One walkway seemed to be surrounded by sleeping sunflowers. Another walkway was caressed on both sides by brown, tall grass. In the distance, she could almost make out the silhouette of mountains. Another path led to small hills covered in white freesia. She smiled and inhaled deeply and caught a faint whiff of the beautiful aroma. This land was beyond beautiful. She turned back to the tree and noticed there was a large lake behind it.

She walked toward the lake to absorb its beauty. It was a very large lake, so immense that she couldn't see the end of one side. Across the lake, she saw glittering lights which seemed to be a city.

Surrounding the glittering lights was a wall of lavender. She loved the smell of lavender but knew she was too far away to enjoy its scent. The city's sparkling lights looked majestic, reminding her a little of her pajamas' stars. She couldn't help but wonder what a city in this world would be like.

She felt Ar'ch before she saw him. She turned back toward the golden willow tree to the best sight around: Ar'ch. She sighed. He was sitting on a bench in front of the beautiful willow tree, smiling. He was dressed in dark denim jeans and a dark blue shirt that had a crescent moon surrounded by misty gray clouds on it, almost as if he had tried to match her theme. She felt a surge of electricity as she absorbed the view of him sitting on the bench, calmly watching her. She sighed again. She was definitely a goner.

Ar'ch tapped the space on the bench next to him and she obediently sat. "Hi, again," he said, smiling.

She laughed. "Hi." She shook her head.

"What's so funny?"

She looked around her. "This. All of this, and the fact I believe this is really happening. This is crazy!" She shook her head. "This doesn't exist. It can't exist."

He took her hand. She looked at him as he nodded. "Yes, it does."

"How?"

He smiled, letting go of her hand. "Now that is a long story, too long for this dream."

She rolled her eyes. She still felt the warmth from when he held her hand and wished he hadn't let go. "Longer than seven hours? I will be asleep at least that long."

"How long do you believe you have been asleep?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Ten, fifteen minutes max. We only just got here."

He laughed. It was such a beautiful, scintillating sound, even if she knew he was ridiculing her. "My dear Sofia, the dream realm has no concept of human time. Neither does my world for that matter."

"What do you mean?"

He flicked his hand as if to wave off the question. "Simply that we do not have seven hours or anything close to it. Let's start with simple stuff. I'm sure you have questions."

She took a deep breath and sat up straight before nodding. She would simply treat this as an interview. Question and answer. Question and answer. She could do this.

She saw him studying her as she silently coached herself. He winked. "Fire away."

"Okay. How did I meet you in my dreams before meeting you in the real world? How can you be in my dreams as you instead of my version of you? And how did you change the weather?"

She had wanted to be professional, but her mouth and mind had other plans. They wanted answers, and they were very impatient, so the questions came spilling out of her like reverse quicksand.

He laughed a good, hearty laugh. "Slow down, slow down."

She looked embarrassed. So much for being in control! She sucked at this. She pouted, which she knew was not attractive, but she couldn't help it. She shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, how?"

"I'm superhuman." He stood to do his best rendition of a Superman stance.

She rolled her eyes and smiled. He knew just what to do to make her feel better. "You look ridiculous standing like that."

He laughed again. "Fine." He sat back down next to her. "I want to answer all your questions honestly and completely, but I need to have your word that you will not speak to your mother or Rafe or anyone about any of this. It is vital they know none of what we discuss."

His emotions quickly changed from playful to serious.

"Why? Is it because they will tell me that you are a psychopath?"

His body language tensed up and he looked at her with such seriousness that it made her nervous. He took her hand in his. "There are those out there that would bring you harm, Sofia. This information will put you and those you care about in danger."

Her heart sped up. She wasn't sure if it was because he was touching her or because she was afraid of what he was saying. She chose to go with fear because his words did worry her.

"What do you mean? You wouldn't hurt them, would you?"

The minute she said it, she worried even more. In all seriousness, what did she really know about this sexy superhuman sitting next to her?

He shook his head. His eyes showed kindness, relaxing her fears. "No, Sofia. I would not harm them, but there are those who would do whatever they could to keep me from you."

She couldn't stop the laugh that bubbled up. "Rafe is definitely one of those people."

She regretted even the mention of Rafe. Her mind wanted to drag her into a guilt-ridden lecture for entertaining Ar'ch at all. He distracted her by pulling his hand away from hers and hanging his arm over the bench with way too much arrogance.

"Rafe is no concern of mine."

"That's because you have not seen him fight." She crossed her arms, automatically defending Rafe.

He smirked and tapped her on the nose playfully. "Ah, my dear Sofia, trust me when I tell you that Rafe is no match for me."

She felt nervous again. "Promise me you will not hurt Rafe."

He pressed his lips together. "I am not here to harm any human."

"Why do you keep saying 'humans' as if you are not one? Do you have green scales beneath the face I see?" She thought back to a really old TV show her mother liked to watch every now and then.

He laughed. "No more answers until you give me your word to stay quiet about all of this."

She loved the sound of his laughter...a little too much.

"You haven't given me any answers."

"Your word." He raised an eyebrow, determined to hold out until she gave in.

She rolled her eyes. "Fine. I promise not to tell anyone."

"I will know if you do." He tapped his temple and grinned.

She became a little nervous of the idea that he could read her mind. She had almost forgotten about that little inconvenience. "How can you do that? Read minds, I mean?"

He shrugged and leaned back into the bench, putting one leg up to rest on the other. "I told you. I'm superhuman."

She raised an eyebrow, pressed her lips together and crossed her arms. "I already promised, so details, please."

He chuckled. "You're even more attractive than normal when you do that."

She blushed and uncrossed her arms. He thought she was attractive. Oh, she was done for now. How would she manage to focus after that knowledge?

"Okay, answers," he said, bringing her attention back to him. "I met you in your dreams before the real realm because you have less inhibitions in your dream state, and I wanted honesty from you. I am me in your dreams because it is I who enters them, not you who creates a version of me, although I'm completely okay with you dreaming of me anytime you'd like." He winked.

She rolled her eyes at his overconfidence which made him laugh. She needed to try to think of rotten eggs or green vomit or some other mundane or gross item to keep from revealing too much. She was deluding herself. There was no way to think of anything but him when he was around, or even when he wasn't.

He continued speaking. "I can change the weather and read your mind because I have been gifted with those abilities by our Goddess. Our kind have special skills, some stronger than others."

"So, you really are from a different planet?"

He shook his head. "No, we live in a different dimension."

She felt more confused than ever.

"I know it's a lot to absorb. Just accept it as true. It will all make sense in time. Just not in the time we have in this dream."

She nodded and breathed deeply. "Right. So, why me?"

He smiled. "You are the chosen one."

"What does that even mean? Why was I chosen? What was I chosen for? Why me?"

"It was prophesied a child living on Earth would save our people."

"No offense, but there are a lot of children living on Earth. How are you so sure I'm the one the prophecy mentions?"

"Because you are Liana's child."

She remembered how he had asked her who her mother was when he first visited her dream. It had struck her as odd that he would ask her that. "Why her?"

"It was prophesied."

That was his reason? Something wasn't adding up for Sofia. "What are you not telling me?"

He shrugged. "I don't know the whole prophecy. I was only given the part I needed to locate you. I'm sure when we get home, my parents will share the whole prophecy with you."

"You only know a _part_! So, you could be totally wrong, then? There must be at least one other person on Earth named Liana. You could be completely and utterly wrong."

She was a fool to believe any of this. Of course, he was wrong. There was nothing special about her. She knew he was too good to be true for her. She caught the disappointment in her thoughts and tried to dismiss it, but it was real.

She had allowed herself to believe this craziness, and a part of her was excited about it all, but he had to be wrong. Sofia leaned over and hung her head in her hands.

As if he'd read her mind, he confidently replied, "I am not wrong."

She felt defeated. "How do you know?" She practically whispering through her hands.

He leaned toward her. He lifted her face so she was looking at him. He took a lock of her straight hair and twirled it between his fingers. His eyes watched her hair flow through his fingers before he gazed at her face. Her heart skipped a beat or three. He was so close to her that she couldn't blink.

"I know because our powers have strengthened just by being around you." The softness in his voice caressed her down to her toes.

She was completely caught in his eyes. She felt dreamy and enamored. She shook her head to stay focused. "What did you just do to me?"

"Nothing...on purpose." He sat back.

"What does that even mean?"

"Apparently, I have some...effect on you." He smirked.

"Oh, geez!" She rolled her eyes.

She pulled away and sat further toward the other side of the bench as he chuckled. She added obnoxious to the other adjectives she had piled up to describe him. She was about to tell him that he was deluding himself when she processed what else he had said.

"Did you say that our-" She used air quotes on the word _our._ "powers are stronger around me"?

He nodded.

"As in you and Angel? He's really your brother? Is he one of your kind?"

"Yes, yes, and yes. He's technically a half-brother of sorts. Our kind are slightly more complicated than humans."

She took a moment to consider what he said. "So, Angel coming to my school was a set up to get to know me?"

He put on his best innocent look, smiled, and shrugged his shoulders, but he didn't answer her question.

"So, this whole story about him looking for his mother and sister was a ruse?"

"No, that is true."

She slumped back on the bench. This was all so overwhelming. Angel was one of them. He was a...superhuman. And he's looking for his mother and sister, so they must be superhuman as well, right?

"So...am I his sister?"

He gazed behind him. She looked in the direction he was looking but saw nothing but the beautiful scenery.

"What are you looking at?"

"It's time for me to go."

"But you didn't answer my question."

"It isn't a question you should be asking me."

He touched her lips with his thumb as the rest of his hand caressed her cheek. She allowed herself to lean into his hand, enjoying the heat his skin brought to her face. His eyes glimpsed at her beautiful lips before traveling to her mesmerizing eyes.

"Sleep well, beautiful."

She felt herself drifting. "No," she complained with great effort. "I'm not done asking..." She fell into a deep sleep before she could finish her sentence.

-o-

Ar'ch awoke with a smile. Angel was right beside him, coming out of his own trance.

"That was...wow!" Angel said in awe. "How did you do that?"

"Did you doubt my power, little brother?"

"No. Well, yes. I mean, I've never experienced that before. I could see and hear everything, but she had no idea I was there."

He looked at him with a smug smile. "I am amazing, I know."

His brother playfully punched him. "I could read her emotions loud and clear."

"And what exactly were her emotions?"

Angel sighed and shook his head. "You fascinate her, but don't let it go to your head."

He laughed.

"She is in awe and curious. She has doubts, but I feel those walls will crumble soon enough."

"Of course, they will." He was very confident that Sofia was going to not only believe and trust him, but that she was also going to want to go with them.

"So, now what?" Angel asked.

"Now, you prepare what you will share with her about your life. Be careful not to give too much away. We don't want to confuse her or scare her away."

His brother smiled. "I will be careful. Don't you worry."

He patted him on the back. "I'm not worried, little brother. She is ours for the taking."

## Chapter Sixteen

Sofia jolted awake from the screaming of her alarm clock. Her heart raced until she realized the source of her agony. She slapped the clock and rubbed her face. Disoriented, she looked around her room until the familiarity of her surroundings helped her realize it was Monday morning and school would not wait for her. She sighed and grudgingly threw her legs over the side of the bed and shuffled to the bathroom to get ready.

Usually, she didn't feel so tired. It wasn't until she turned on the light to the bathroom and the brightness made her squint that she remembered her dream with Ar'ch. She squeezed toothpaste onto her electric toothbrush and began brushing her teeth as she sorted through every detail of her time with him.

He may be in her dreams and he was definitely dreamy, but he was real. All of this was real. She believed it all, crazy as it seemed. How could she not believe it when he so easily proved his ability to invade her dreams and to change the weather? Yet, she still didn't know what to do with that information. She seemed to have even more questions this morning than she had had last night.

As she splashed hot water on her face, she recalled his hand against her skin. Just the thought brought warmth radiating through her body. What was it about him that caused her body to short-circuit and gravitate toward him?

As she entered her room to get dressed, she saw a picture of her with Rafe on her dresser. Immediately, guilt grabbed onto her heart and squeezed. She had no right to be thinking these thoughts much less feeling what she felt for Ar'ch. Rafe was her boyfriend and her best friend, and there was no way she was going to hurt him because of some strange, new guy, even if he was superhuman.

What she needed to do was have a serious conversation with Angel and get a better understanding of his part in all this. She had been focusing on Ar'ch too much; and according to him, Angel was the one to whom she needed to ask her questions. She finished dressing and went downstairs to grab breakfast-to-go.

Her mom was brewing tea in the kitchen. She looked as tired as Sofia felt, which was unlike her. Normally, her mother was always happy and full of energy. She corrected her thought. Lately, her mother had been different. She'd been so caught up with Ar'ch that she hadn't been paying attention.

And now, with the knowledge that she may be other-worldly, she wondered how much her mother really knew. And why hadn't she said anything to her? She wanted so badly to confront her mother, but she had promised Ar'ch. The least she could do was wait until she spoke to Angel before approaching her mom.

"Good morning, sweetheart." Her mother placed freshly cut fruit on a plate.

"Morning, Mom." She kissed her on the cheek and grabbed a cold Pop Tart and a bottle of water.

"Honey, how many times do I have to tell you there is nothing healthy about your idea of breakfast?"

She grabbed a banana but kept the Pop Tart. "Better?"

Her mother shook her head. "I guess. I'll see you tonight at Rafe and Damiana's, right?"

"Absolutely. Gotta run, Mom. Don't want to be late."

Her mother smiled and hugged her as she went by. She wasn't expecting it, and it stilled her completely. She missed her mom's affection; it had felt like forever since they had really bonded. She returned the hug and felt her mother relax in her arms.

"I love you, Sofia," she whispered into her hair.

"I love you, too, Mom."

She wanted to ask where that came from, but not only would that have made her late, it would also have opened the door to other conversations she technically promised not to have. So, she just smiled, gave her mother a kiss on the cheek, and headed out the door.

School brought with it the comfort of her normal routine. She embraced the business of each class and made the effort to be actively involved in the discussions taking place. She needed as much help as possible to keep her mind completely away from a certain sexy superhuman she was trying not to think about.

At the ringing of the lunch bell, she shuffled outside with the rest of the class and was immediately wrapped up in Rafe's arms. She smiled and quickly wrapped her arms around him as well. She could tell he was in a great mood. She embraced that and hoped it would seep into her skin and make her feel the same. He seemed so happy and carefree whereas she reeked with tension.

Before she had met Ar'ch, she was just as carefree as Rafe. She laughed and joked and didn't have a care in the world. Now, she spent most of her time worrying about what to do about her feelings for Ar'ch.

If she could only shut off what she felt for him... If she could go back to when she hadn't known him... Then again, if she could do such a thing, then she wouldn't know the kind of passion that stirred within her when he was around, and she wasn't sure if she was willing to let that go.

She sighed as he loosened his hold on her. He kissed her on the cheek as Angel approached them. Rafe waved Angel over to them.

"Hey, Angel! How was your weekend?" Rafe left one arm around her shoulders.

Angel smiled at her and kept his eyes on her longer than usual. She knew she looked tired and tried to stand a little taller. She felt some of the exhaustion in her limbs ebb away. She contemplated whether Angel had anything to do with her feeling less tired. She smiled a tense smile at him before looking away.

"My weekend was great. I wish it would have been longer."

Rafe laughed. "Don't we all! Do you want to join us for lunch?"

"I'd love to." Angel followed them to the picnic area surrounding the cafeteria.

She observed Angel while he made small talk with Rafe. He seemed so relaxed and in control of his emotions. She caught him glancing her way every now and then when he ran his fingers through his thick, wavy, blonde hair. He gave no indication that he was aware of her rendezvous with his brother the night before, but he _had_ to know.

She wanted so desperately to get answers to her questions, but she knew she wasn't going to find out anything with Rafe around. She'd have to wait until she could find some time alone with him.

"Spring break is right around the corner." Rafe tore her away from her inner thoughts. "I cannot wait for it to get here. I'm so excited to be able to wake up late and spend all day, hanging out with you, not having to worry about a curfew or homework." He took hold of her hand and then turned to Angel. "You are more than welcome to hang out with us if you want."

"Thanks for the invite. I think I'd enjoy that very much."

Rafe smiled and turned back to her. "And before you know it, we'll be celebrating your eighteenth birthday and then we'll be graduating and welcoming adulthood and freedom."

"When is your birthday?" Angel asked.

"Mine is May first. And Rafe's is August ninth. We end one school year with mine and celebrate his right before we start another year."

"May first. That's a little bit over a month away."

"Yes, it is," Rafe said. "And I have a big surprise for you, Sofe."

She shook her head. "I told you I didn't want anything crazy."

Rafe shrugged his shoulders. "Yes, you did, and I will honor your wishes. However, I cannot promise you that we have the same definition of the word _crazy._ " He winked before kissing her quickly on the lips.

She knew it was futile to try to argue with him. It would only further solidify whatever plans he was making. She made a mental note to ask Damiana to talk him out of whatever he was planning.

In an effort to change the subject, she asked, "Have you decided what college you want to go to yet?"

Rafe shrugged. "I'll decide that in the summer."

"Babe, it'll be too late. We already need to send our acceptance letters to whatever college we choose to hold our spots. Otherwise, they may fill up!"

"We applied to so many and got accepted to practically all of them. It doesn't matter to me which one takes me. You choose one, and I'll go there."

She could not hold in her frustration. "You should choose the college that's the right fit for you. You should not pick a college just because I pick it."

He patted her hand as if he was trying to soothe a child. "Babe, as long as you are there, it's the right fit for me."

She glanced at Angel and then looked guiltily away, knowing that Angel probably knew about her and Ar'ch.

Rafe turned to Angel. "What about you? Have you picked a college yet?"

"I'm waiting until the summer."

Rafe turned to her. "You see! I'm not the only one who sees the logic in waiting."

She shook her head in defeat. "Fine, you guys wait. I'll be making my choice during spring break. I'm not taking a chance of losing out on the school that I want."

Rafe smiled in relief as the topic ended. "Angel, have you had any luck with your mission to find your mother?"

"I have, indeed. I found both my mother and my sister, and I plan to talk to them very soon." Angel focused all his attention on Rafe before looking at her.

She felt her body heat up as Angel looked at her. She smiled a hesitant smile. She held his gaze until it began to feel awkward and then looked away. Rafe seemed completely oblivious to their silent acknowledgement. She felt some of her tension slide away as she realized Angel was willing to talk to her. She would have answers soon.

"Would you like to come to my house after school?" Rafe asked Angel.

"Thanks for the invite, but I've got something I need to take care of with my brother today after school."

"You're coming over, right?" Rafe asked her.

"Of course, I am! It's Monday, isn't it?"

Even if it weren't Monday, she would have gone over. She needed to spend more time with Rafe. She needed to remind herself that she did, in fact, have a boyfriend who adored her. The more time she spent with Rafe, the less time she'd have to think of that other person of whom she was not going to allow into her thoughts.

The lunch bell rang, bringing with it the automatic rising and depositing of trash in the trash bins while students moved to their next classes. It also served to break up any thoughts that were trying to formulate in her mind.

-o-

Angel said his goodbyes to Rafe and Sofia since his next class was in the opposite direction. He focused his attention on Rafe as they walked away. He seemed to be beaming with positivity, and it looked very good on him. He was wearing jeans with a tight, dark green shirt which not only brought out the green in his hazel eyes, but it also showed the fit physique Rafe worked hard to achieve.

He knew Rafe's happiness would be short-lived once they took Sofia home with them, and it bothered him that he would be partially responsible for that pain. Still, he had to stay focused on the mission, and the mission had nothing to do with Rafe, unfortunately.

He wished he could have taken him up on his offer to go to his house after school. Even though he had told them otherwise, he didn't have anything else to do. He only said that because the idea of running into Damiana was enough to keep him from accepting the offer. He would have loved to spend more time with them, but he couldn't risk Damiana finding out they were there.

He turned his attention to Sofia as they turned the corner and left his sight. He knew her birthday was approaching, but he had no idea that it was so soon. Time was not in their favor. He and Ar'ch were dallying too much and losing focus. They only had two more weeks, or less, to take her to their world. His father wanted to supervise the ceremony so they would need to work a little more quickly with their plan to make it happen.

He adjusted his heavy book bag on his shoulder and went to class. He couldn't wait to stop attending his classes. And now that their deadline was just pushed up, he'd get his wish sooner than he thought.

## Chapter Seventeen

Rafe and Sofia settled onto his black, leather sofa. Since their homework was done, they decided to watch one of the new movies that had just been released on Netflix instead of playing video games. Flipping through the choices, she nearly grabbed the remote when Rafe almost passed over a movie she had been dying to watch.

"That one! That one!" she cried before he pushed the "page down" button on the remote.

" _The Hunger Games?_ That doesn't sound very interesting. Don't tell me this is some kind of romance story where the girl hungers for a guy who doesn't want her?"

She rolled her eyes as she took the remote from him and chose the movie. "No, dork. There is little to no romance in this movie. You'll love it. I promise. It's about teenagers who get thrown into this arena of sorts where they must fight to the death to bring food to their village back home. I read the book, and it was amazing!"

"Oh, geez! Another book-turned-into-movie? Am I going to have to hear you complain about how horribly the director screwed up the storyline like you did with those vampire books you read?"

"No." She pressed play so the previews would start. "Mel already told me the movie is perfect! I'm telling you, babe. You are going to like it. The arena is this huge forest area, and there's blood and violence and fire and weird creatures. Trust me!" She felt a twinge of guilt, knowing her behavior of late left a lot of room for him to not trust her.

"Fine, but if I don't like it, you are gonna owe me big time."

She clapped like a little girl which made him laugh. He raised his arm so she could curl into him. She automatically leaned her back onto his chest and curled her legs up on the sofa while he wrapped his arm around her like he had done for years. He rested the bowl of popcorn on his lap so they both could reach it comfortably.

It was such a familiar and comfortable position for the two of them. _Like best friends, not lovers_ , whispered her subconscious. She instantly frowned, grateful he could not see her face. As the previews played, she contemplated why there was no chemistry between the two of them.

Was it because they had spent so much time as friends? Or was it because they were both so focused on school? But shouldn't there be some arousal when they kissed? Then again, all they ever did was pop kiss. Maybe that wasn't enough to create any real passion. _You haven't kissed Ar'ch_ , her evil subconscious retorted.

What if she was caught in a Peeta/Katniss dilemma where Rafe felt more for her than she did for him? Did he feel passion for her? Sofia hated feeling guilty about how her body reacted to Ar'ch. She wished she could react that way to Rafe.

She needed to find a way to see if she could discover that kind of desire with him. Maybe after her birthday, he'd be more willing to be passionate. The movie began, and she let go of her inner turmoil and focused on losing herself in the story.

"Okay, I'll admit it," he said as soon as the credits began to roll. "That was a great movie."

"I told you it would be."

"So, what happens next? I'm assuming there is another part, right?"

"Yep. It's called _Catching Fire_ , and there's a third part, too."

"So...what happens next?"

"I'm not telling you. You can either read the book or wait for the next movie." She even stuck out her tongue in good measure.

"Oh, yeah?" He began tickling her. "We'll see about that."

As she fought the urge to cry for mercy, Damiana walked into the house with her mother behind her. "My two favorite children!" Damiana said, causing Rafe to stop tickling her.

She took the opportunity to jump out of his reach and gave Damiana and her mom both a hug, silently thanking them for saving her from the tickle attack. Rafe followed suit and gave them both a hug.

They all fell into their normal, Monday routine. She and Rafe went upstairs to battle it out with the video games while their mothers prepared dinner. They ate dinner together, surrounded by one another's love and moments of great laughter.

Monday nights were always a favorite of hers because it made her feel like they were one, big, happy family _. Like brother and sister, not lovers_ , her mind interjected. She wondered, and not for the first time, if it was possible to surgically remove her subconscious.

Rafe went downstairs to bring them both something to drink. He'd been gone for a while, and she was afraid of what other thoughts her mind would subject her to while she was alone, so she got up off the bean bag to go find him. She was about to head downstairs when she heard his voice coming from his mother's room. She knew it wasn't right to eavesdrop, but she couldn't help but be curious about what was taking him so long. She stood in the hallway, close enough to the door to hear what was being said.

"Honey," Damiana said, "you have another appointment tomorrow."

"Again, Mom? Didn't I just have one?"

"Yes, but you need another one."

"Why? I used to go once in a blue moon. It feels like I'm going almost every week now. I'm not even sick, right?"

Sofia felt like she heard fear in his voice. What if he was sick and his mother was keeping it from them?

"I know you are not sick, honey, but you have to trust me when I tell you that this is necessary. It is my job to protect you, and I will do that in the best way I know how."

"Protect me from what?"

Damiana sighed. "Illnesses."

"I am not sick," he said slowly, emphasizing every word.

"It's called prevention for a reason."

"Fine, Mom."

"I managed to make the appointment in the afternoon so you wouldn't have to miss another day of school. Come home straight after school, alright?"

He began walking toward the door. Sofia heard him coming and scrambled back to his room. She had just thrown herself on the bean bag when he pushed his way into his room, carrying two glasses of water. She worked to control her breathing so it did not give away the fact that her heart was racing a mile a minute.

"Thanks," she managed to say in her normal tone as she took the water from him. "What took you so long?"

He plunged into his bean bag before placing his glass of water on the floor next to him and grabbing his remote. He pressed his lips together and shook his head before resuming the game.

"My mom has me going to yet _another_ of those crazy appointments! I swear, sometimes I think I'm adopted because I completely do not get what she sees in all of that silly, mumbo jumbo, spiritual crap that she buys into!"

She laughed. "Yeah, your mom definitely makes my mom seem normal."

He laughed at her comment and relaxed. "That's the understatement of the year. At least, the appointment is after school, so I don't have to miss any of my classes. I hate having to play catch up the next day in school. Plus, then I have double the homework the next day."

"There's the Rafe I know. Now, you are looking at the positive."

He gave her a little love shove. "Shut up and play so I can beat you already."

She picked up her control and pretended to concentrate on obliterating his character, but she knew it was a hopeless cause. She sucked at video games. The rest of the night passed by with no more talk of pleasantries and no more interruptions from her rude subconscious. When it was time to head home, they said their goodbyes, and she and her mom left.

She filled her mom in on her upcoming work schedule as well as his plans for a surprise for her birthday. She tried to get her mom to tell her by using the logic that a month was too long to keep a secret from her, but her mother just laughed and said she'd have nothing to do with ruining the surprise.

After showering and crawling into bed, Sofia grabbed her journal. She hadn't heard from Ar'ch all day, not that she expected to. Her dream left her with the feeling that she wouldn't hear from him until she got answers from Angel. And now that Rafe would be busy tomorrow afternoon, she finally saw an opportunity to have some alone time with Angel.

Tomorrow I hope to get the answers I'm looking for. I hope Angel will be more open with his answers than Ar'ch was. Ar'ch is all about riddles and half-answers. I need full answers. The real question is, will I be able to handle the answers?

If what Angel is hinting at is true, does that mean my mom is his mom? Am I his sister? And if I am, why hasn't my mom ever mentioned that I have a brother? Wait a minute! Is it possible Angel's father is my father? Could my father really be just a few questions away from me? No...I am pretty sure I remember him saying he had found his mother and half-sister. Guess my father will remain a mystery to me.

This is all so confusing! If Angel is my brother, then my mother has kept him from me for my entire life. I just can't imagine her doing that. But if it is true...I might have a brother. A real sibling of my own!

I've never let myself feel sorry for being an only child, but to have a brother would be great! Wouldn't it? Or would Mom finding out that he's come to find her break her heart?

Wait. A. Minute. Angel is Ar'ch's brother. So...would I be Ar'ch's sister? Could I be lusting after my own brother? Ew! No, I cannot even imagine that being true.

No, no...I distinctly remember Angel saying Ar'ch was his half-brother, so it cannot be true. Whew! That would be completely and utterly gross.

I don't know what to think anymore. If I have a brother, then Mom has been keeping secrets from me. That gives more truth behind Ar'ch's claim to me belonging to another world. I really hope Angel doesn't tell me that some immortal God impregnated my mother and that I'm some kind of demi-god like Hercules. That would explain the whole missing father situation. So would the guy being a dead-beat dad, or would he just be dead?

Guess I'll find out tomorrow. Now, I just hope I can sleep tonight. I know I slept last night, but I truly feel as if I was wide awake all night. I need sleep to process whatever it is I'm going to need to process tomorrow.

She took a deep breath. She had a feeling that after all the cards were finally dealt, she was going to need some major therapy. Maybe Damiana's natural doctor could help her out. She didn't see any reason to put off the inevitable. The longer she thought about it, the fewer hours she had to sleep. With that thought, she put away her journal and turned off her light. As soon as she closed her eyes, she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

## Chapter Eighteen

After the last bell for the day had rung, Sofia caught a glimpse of Angel through the crowd and hurried to catch up with him. She'd seen him in class and had hoped to catch him before he left the room, but one of her classmates had held her back with a question about the homework. She breathed a sigh of relief when she caught up to him because there was no way she could wait another day to get answers.

"We need to talk," she managed to say after he greeted her.

Angel nodded. "Where should we go?"

She looked around. The last thing she wanted to do was have this conversation on campus where lingering ears could listen in. "Not here."

"Okay. How about Main Street?"

"That will work."

"Lead the way." He waved his arm in front of him.

She nodded and took the lead. He followed her to her car and got in when she unlocked the doors. It was a short ride to Main Street, and it was a silent ride as neither one of them knew what to say. She parked away from most of the traffic at the very end of Main Street.

He then took the lead and headed to one of the small round tables surrounding a large fountain in the middle of a circular park. She watched as he sighed and smiled at the fountain. She listened to the sound of the trickling water cascading from it.

The fountain was shaped in a barbed quatrefoil. The concrete had been given a hue of deep rose. The inside of the quatrefoil was made up of four dolphins as if they were dancing around one another. Water escaped from each of their mouths to fall separately into one of the sections of the quatrefoil. It was beautiful, serene, and perfect for the conversation they were about to have.

As soon as they sat down, a waiter from one of the nearby restaurants came by to see if they'd like to order anything. Angel asked him to bring them glasses of water with no ice. She realized her nerves were shot as she watched the waiter leave. She had been on edge all day, allowing her worries to get the best of her.

Now, seated across from Angel, she felt even edgier, almost angry. She resented that he hadn't told her earlier about Ar'ch or about being other-worldly or about anything for that matter. She was also nervous about what he would tell her. She noticed a change in her mood and remembered Ar'ch telling her that Angel had the ability to control emotions.

"Did you just do that?" she asked to break the silence.

"Do what?"

"This." She waved her hand over herself. "Change my feelings."

He shrugged apologetically. "I thought you might prefer to not have so much tension in you."

"Well, don't. Don't manipulate me. I get enough of those intrusions from your brother. I don't need it from you, too."

"I apologize." He withdrew his power.

She felt the change as her heart started beating faster in nervousness. "Okay, I take that back. Maybe it would be better if I wasn't so edgy." She felt herself relax again. "Thank you. You just should have asked me first."

"You're right."

The waiter came with their glasses of water. After Angel explained they would need nothing else, the waiter left. She took a deep breath, relieved that her heart was beating at its regular rate. She wasn't expecting to be so nervous or so angry. She was certainly glad the anger was gone, but her mind still seemed upset.

She may feel resentful, but she knew she wasn't angry at him. Except for not being upfront with her from the start, he hadn't done anything to her. Maybe that was enough to fuel her fire...he had kept her in the dark ever since he arrived. Why?

"I'm sure you have a lot of questions for me," he said, breaking her from her thoughts.

"Yes. I just honestly have no idea where to start."

"Start with the first question that comes to your mind."

The first question that came to her mind was too loaded to ask. She wasn't ready for the answer. So, she started with something she already had an idea about. "How do you control my emotions?"

"It is the skill the Goddess gifted me with, and I am very blessed She honored me with it. I simply focus on my target and visualize myself holding the emotion and reforming it into what I wish it to be."

"That sounds complicated."

"It is at first. It took a lot of training before I was able to master it."

"When did you start learning to control it?"

"After my eighteenth birthday."

"I didn't know you were already eighteen."

"Yes, I have aged almost 19 years."

"You have aged?" She laughed at the weirdness of the phrase. "What does that mean?"

He smiled. "Our people age differently than humans."

"How differently? Will I get older faster because I am one of you?"

"No." He laughed. "Actually, just the opposite. Your first eighteen years, you age about the same as humans do. After-" He hesitated, which made her feel as if he was holding something from her. "After then, you will age much more slowly. You will age one year for about every ten human years."

After some calculating, she asked, "So, you are really like 28 years old?"

He shook his head. "Twenty-eight human years have roughly passed, but I have aged only nineteen years. Well, almost nineteen years."

She chewed on her lower lip while she processed this new bit of information. "So, you live for a very, very long time?"

He nodded. " _We_ live for a very, very long time. Some would say we are immortal, but that is inaccurate. We can be killed, and we eventually die when our spirit is ready to leave the world and be reborn anew. But yes, we live for a very long time."

"Wow." She felt speechless for a moment. "So, then how old is Ar'ch? Wait, maybe I don't want to know."

He laughed heartedly. "My brother has aged twenty years."

She calculated that before saying, "Ew! So, he's like 38 years old?! That's pedophile -ish!"

He shook his head and laughed again. "No, Sofia. You should not think of our age in terms of the years of humans. He has the mind and body of a 20-year old. I share with you the human years calculation simply so you can have an idea of how much time passes on Earth versus how time passes in our world."

She remembered something Ar'ch had said in her dream. "Is that why Ar'ch said my dream wouldn't last a full seven hours?"

"Yes and no. The dream realm measures time differently on its own, but if you visit our world in your dreams, then time becomes shorter as well because of the distance of our dimension."

"So, you know about our dreams?"

She felt the blush before it presented itself on her face. She looked away in embarrassment. She wondered what he thought of her traipsing around in her dreams with Ar'ch while having Rafe as her boyfriend.

He touched her hand to draw her attention to him. "Sofia, you need not be embarrassed with me. I know my brother's allure. I do not judge you."

She saw the sincerity in his eyes and accepted his words to be true. She took a deep breath. "Your brother seems to think I am this all-powerful person who will save your kind."

"I believe that to be true as well."

"Why?"

"Ar'ch has already explained the factual reasons to you, but I know from my own awakenings that you are the one."

"What do you mean?"

"I should not be able to manipulate emotions the way I am able to around you. Theoretically, I have been trained to do so. I've also been trained to manipulate water in all its forms. I have never been able to do much more than read the emotion of someone very close to me."

"Why not?"

"Because I am a half-breed. When I am with you, all of that changes. Ever since I have been around you, my powers have increased to levels I have never known. Not only can I read emotions of probably every person within miles from here, I can manipulate them as well if I so choose, which I don't. But the fact that I can confirms for me that you are the one. I can also do this."

He pointed to her glass full of water. She looked at it and watched as the water began swirling upward until it had risen a few inches up above the glass to resemble a soft serve ice cream cone. She looked at him in disbelief as he slowly lowered the water back into her glass. He pointed back at the glass and she watched as he caused the liquid to clump together to create crushed ice.

"That was...wow. And you think you can do that because of me?"

"I know it is because of you. It's been prophesied."

She wanted to roll her eyes, but she couldn't deny what she had just seen. "Wait, you said you shouldn't be able to do any of that because you are a half-breed. What do you mean?"

"My father, Ar'ch's father, is a noble in our world. He is a warrior, a protector of our kind. Back before our people upset the Goddess, our nobles were very powerful. My mother is a commoner. She is not gifted with powers of any kind, except with the knowledge of herbs, plants, crystals, and their healing properties. Had she kept me, I would have had little to no power. So, she gave me to my father and his wife so that I could have the opportunity to have a skill of the nobles."

"Wait a minute. Are you trying to tell me your father had an affair with your mother? And his wife agreed to raise you?"

"It's not as simple as that." He smiled. "My mother is an honorable woman. She was manipulated by forces outside of her control, as was my father. I'd rather not get into the details today if that's okay with you. I promise to tell you the entire story at some other time. It's just rather lengthy, and I don't think our time today should be focused on that."

She took a deep breath, knowing that he was right. She also knew the time had come to ask her real question. It was now or never.

"And this mother that you speak of? Is she the one you came here to find?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"And you found her?" Her heart was about to explode.

"Yes, Sofia. Liana is my mother. At least, she conceived me."

She heard him. The words filtered in through her ears and wrapped themselves around her brain. They were spoken, and they were true. Yet, she still wasn't sure what to do with them.

"You are my half-sister, Sofia." He smiled a smile of pure joy.

"I don't understand. My mother had an affair with a married man. Then, she gave up her baby...you. Then, she had me and kept me. And I don't know who my father is. Am I a bastard child as well?"

She felt the hysterics coming and did not want to fall apart. "Angel, now I am asking you. Please take...this...away," she pleaded, hyperventilating.

"With pleasure." He quickly released the tightness growing in her chest.

She slowly exhaled. "Thank you." Her thoughts were still the same, but the panicking feeling was subdued, almost as if her emotions were on mute.

"Sofia, do not think of our mother in that way. Liana made a huge sacrifice to provide me with the best possible life in our world. Then, she made another great sacrifice to leave our world and raise you here until you were ready to become our savior. Our people see Liana as a saint."

"How can you say that? She abandoned you."

He smiled. "Do I look abandoned? I have been well-loved all my life. I have been accepted as a noble, even though I am a half-breed. I have been blessed with the skills of the noble, even when I should not have been. Liana put my needs before her own. I hold no ill-will toward her, and neither should you. Has she not raised you with kindness and love?"

She nodded.

"Has she always provided for you and cared for you?"

She nodded again.

"Do you love her?"

She nodded once more as a tear trickled down her cheek.

"Then, why should my words hurt your heart? Why should you think differently of her?"

"Because she never told me any of this!"

He took hold of her hand again. "And when should she have told you, Sofia? When you were five? Ten? How about fifteen? Would you have been able to process any of it? Could you have kept it all to yourself and not have told anyone about it? Not even Rafe?"

She stared at him, feeling the anger build once again, not wanting to admit he was right in his logic. "I had a right to know."

"You know now. Liana knows we will come soon for the two of you. I'm sure she thinks she still has time to tell you."

"So, she doesn't know you are here yet?"

"No, and I'd like to be the one to tell her if you don't mind. I promise you won't have to keep it secret for much longer."

She shrugged her shoulders. She knew she was pouting, but she was having difficulty processing it all. "Fine. I mean, if she can keep a secret from me for almost 18 years, I can keep a secret from her for another week or so."

"Sofia," he started to say.

"Look, I'm trying to wrap my head around all of this, but it's not the easiest thing in the world to have dumped on you. The mother whom I know and have loved all my life has been keeping a secret from me. I'm from another planet. I'm some special person who can save a whole bunch of other people I never knew anything about, even though I think you are all nuts to think that when I have zero powers."

She put her hand up when he looked as if he was going to interrupt her and kept ranting. "My mother had some kind of _honorable_ affair, giving me a brother I never knew I had! And now you've come here to take me back to a world I know nothing about. You want me to leave everything I've thought to be true about my life to go to a place that is just...unreal to me."

He smiled sadly at her. She placed her head in her hands in frustration. She kept her head there as he spoke.

"Imagine how it was for me. All my life, I knew my mother had given me up for my own good. When I was old enough to want to know her, I find out that she had come here to Earth to raise our savior. Imagine my surprise when I found out that my first mission was to bring home my mother and sister. And then to meet you and know that not only are you our savior, but you are my sister. I understand your frustration and grief and confusion, but I am beyond excited and honored and proud to be able to have you as part of my family."

She lifted her head and couldn't deny the joy his eyes held. She had a brother. Okay, half-brother, but still...he was her family. She wasn't alone anymore. How could she refute the love that she saw in his eyes? She couldn't, and she smiled as tears ran down her face.

"I have a brother."

He smiled proudly. "Yes, Sofia. I am your brother, and I cannot wait to share my life with you."

She took a few deep breaths. "So, now what?"

"Now, I figure out when we go home."

"Hold on. I didn't say anything about going to your world." She was barely able to accept the whole brother thing. She wasn't sure if she could accept leaving Earth and Rafe.

He nodded. "I feel your hesitation. Don't you owe it to yourself to at least see my world? If you don't like it, you can always come back here."

She chewed on her lip again. She recalled the part she saw in her dream, and it was majestically beautiful. How would she explain to Rafe that she was taking a trip without him?

"Could Rafe come?"

He did not hide his sadness. "No, Sofia. Unfortunately, humans cannot enter our realm. If they even try to, they die."

"What if you are wrong about me and I'm only human? What if I die trying to go to your world?"

"I am not wrong. Ar'ch is not wrong. Liana is your mother. Our mother. You are one of us. The prophecy says so."

"I can't think straight right now. I need time to figure this out." She stood.

He stood with her. "I understand. Take the time you need. If you have any questions, I will answer them honestly and openly. Or you can ask my brother. He will answer your questions as well."

She huffed. "Yeah, with riddles."

He laughed. "He toys with you because he likes you, but worry not, Sofia. He will answer your questions now."

She smiled and then frowned. "So, I can't tell Rafe any of this? He can't know about you and me?"

"I would love to share with him that you are my sister, but I don't think that would be wise. At least, not yet. Can you keep it a secret for the time being?"

"I'm keeping a whole lot of secrets all of a sudden."

"Please."

She sighed in defeat. "Fine, for a little while."

"Thank you." He wrapped his arms around her.

She hugged him back, enjoying the feel of a brother's arms around her. She wasn't sure how this was going to work itself out, but somehow it had to. To think that just a few weeks ago, her biggest worry was picking a college to attend; now, she was having to decide which world to live in. She only hoped she made the right decision.

## Chapter Nineteen

Sofia clocked in and put her personal belongings in her locker. She was grateful her mother wasn't there when she arrived home from school earlier. She had never been good at hiding her emotions from her mother, and she knew she was a hot mess right now. She must have processed her conversation with Angel at least fifty times.

She had a brother. A real, living, breathing brother. And he was kind and cute and sweet and everything she had ever hoped to have in a brother. She wanted to shout it from the rooftops, but instead she had to keep it quiet. She hoped her work would take her mind off everything for a couple of hours.

"Hey, Mel! How's it looking?" she asked as she approached yet another person from whom she had to keep secrets.

"Hey, girl! It's slower than watching golf, but we'll manage."

She laughed and took her table assignments from Mel. She normally tried not to work too many weeknights so that she could focus on school, but one server had been fired and she had volunteered to pick up an extra night to help get a little bit more cash for spring break. Rafe always insisted on paying for everything, but it never hurt to have a little bit more money.

Mel wasn't kidding when she said it was a slow night. Her area was usually full, but tonight there were just one or two tables occupied at the same time. With the down time, they hung out in the back, gossiping. Mel always had a way of making her feel better. She was her best girl friend, almost her only girl friend.

The thought of leaving to another world and never seeing Mel again made her very sad. Angel had said she could always come back, but still... She wouldn't age as they do. How would she be able to explain that to them? Was she really considering leaving?

Mel interrupted her pity party. "Penny for your thoughts."

"Huh?"

"Well, I was just talking about how we should go shopping next week and buy some cute, little, sexy outfits and you were in lala land."

"Sorry, girlie. I've just had a lot on my mind."

"I can see that. Usually, you respond with saying there is no way you'd let me dress you in one of my completely amazing and absolutely sexy outfits. Today, you just stare into space. Wanna talk about it?"

Sofia wanted nothing more than to talk about it. She needed advice. She didn't want to have to make this decision on her own, but she promised she wouldn't tell anyone. Well, she promised she wouldn't tell anyone about Angel being her brother or about them being from another planet or about their powers. She did not, however, say she wouldn't talk about her situation.

"Okay, here's the thing. You have to promise not to say anything to Rafe until I'm ready to make a decision. I want to tell him myself."

Mel gave her a serious face. "I promise. What's going on?"

She took a deep breath. "Okay," she said and then paused. She thought up what she hoped was a great cover story and then continued. "One of the schools I applied to just sent me an acceptance letter."

"That's great, but it's not the first one you've gotten, so why is it such a big deal?"

"I didn't tell anyone about this place. It's in...another country."

"Oh. So, it's like a study abroad program?"

"Yeah." She hoped her story would work.

"So, what's the big deal?"

"I didn't tell Rafe about it."

"So what? Do you have to tell him everything?"

She rolled her eyes. "You know he's hoping to go to the same college I go to."

Now it was Mel's turn to roll her eyes. "Whatever. I'm sure he can apply through a late application process, right?"

She had to think quickly. "Not really. It's an all-girls school."

Mel pressed her lips together and looked at her. "Hmmm... Is that why you didn't tell Rafe?"

She nodded.

"And you really want to go to it?"

She felt her heart skip a beat. Was there a part of her that really wanted to go with Angel and Ar'ch? If she were honest with herself, she'd have to admit she was more than a little curious about it. And if her Mom was from their world, wouldn't it make sense for her to give it a chance? At the same time, could she break Rafe's heart and leave Mel alone?

"Yes, I think I do."

"Why?"

She sighed. "Because it's different and new and... Mel, I've only ever lived here. This is my opportunity to see somewhere new, to explore and discover who I really am. Don't I owe it to myself to find out?"

"Even if that means losing Rafe?" Mel lifted an eyebrow.

She slumped her shoulders. Was she willing to risk losing Rafe? Mel pulled Sofia into a hug.

"Lighten up, girl. I think it's a great idea. Personally, I've been dying to see you cheat on Rafe."

"Mel!"

Mel laughed. "I'm just kidding. But seriously, Sofe, go. If Rafe is the one for you, he will tell you to follow your dreams, and he will wait for you. Knowing him, he'll probably find an all-boys school close by." She laughed.

She relaxed and smiled. Mel had a point. Angel said she should at least give herself the opportunity to know about his world. Maybe she could go and check it out and then come back to Rafe.

"Thanks, my friend." She hugged Mel. "I knew I could count on you to help me clear my head."

"You are welcome! That's what friends are for, right?" Mel winked. "Now, let's get back to work. It might be slow, but the customers still expect good service."

She went back to her tables with a smile on her face and a skip in her step. Maybe it would be okay to take a small vacation to another planet. Maybe she could go and say some special words to save their people and then come back to her life back here.

Maybe it was possible to have the best of both worlds. She laughed at the thought that maybe that phrase came from someone who had been faced with her same dilemma in the past. It was possible.

The rest of the night passed smoothly enough. She didn't get as many tips as she normally did, but it was still enough to enjoy a night out. Maybe she would take Mel up on her offer to go shopping (minus the sexy outfits, of course).

She walked to the back of the restaurant after cleaning up her tables. They were the last ones there since everyone else had already clocked out. She wanted to say goodbye to her before taking off. Mel was on the phone in the break room, so she waited against the door jamb to give her some privacy.

"It's me," she heard Mel say. "Yeah. It's time...yes, I'm sure...I know what to do."

Mel turned around and saw her standing there. Mel smiled and held out a finger to tell her to give her a minute. She nodded. "Got it. Listen, I gotta go. We'll talk later, okay?" Mel hung up the phone and smiled at her.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. I was just telling the big boss that it was closing time. He's starting to leave me alone at night to close up, but I like to check in with him every now and then just to make sure I've done everything correctly."

"That's smart. I'm glad he's giving you more responsibilities. You deserve it."

"Thanks, girl. Are you ready to get out of here?"

"Yep." She grabbed her purse and car keys to walk out with Mel. "Thanks for listening to me earlier today."

"We're best friends, right?"

She nodded and smiled.

"We've been best of friends for our whole lives, and we'll be best of friends forever, no matter where we are living. I'll always keep an eye on you and watch your back. That's what friends do."

Sofia unlocked her car. "I'm really lucky to have you as my friend. I don't know what I'd do without you in my life."

"You don't ever have to worry about that. I will always be here for you."

"Thanks, Mel." She settled into her car.

Mel wished her good night and shut the door for her. Feeling relieved, she drove home and was happy she had managed to get her best friend's advice without breaking her promise to Angel. When she pulled into her driveway, she felt her anxiety return as she parked next to her mother's car.

She knew everything Angel had said was true. She saw the love in his eyes when he spoke of their mother. If he could forgive her for abandoning him, Sofia figured she could at least wait on condemning her until she at least had a chance to explain herself.

She opened the front door as quietly as she could, hoping her mother was already asleep. The house was already in sleep mode. The lights were all off. She used the flashlight app on her cell phone to light her way to the stairs. She tiptoed up the stairs to her room. She managed to make it to her room and thought she was in the clear until she heard the creaking noise as she opened her bedroom door.

"Honey, is that you?" she heard her mother call out from her bedroom.

"Yeah, Mom, it's me. Go back to sleep. I'm gonna shower and pass out."

"Okay, honey. Good night. I love you."

"Good night, Mom. I love you, too."

Despite everything Angel had told her, those words still held true. She loved her mom. Her mom had raised her with love and joy and kindness and respect. She never wanted for anything even though her mom raised her on her own.

Come to think of it, her mother never even tried to remarry. Was it possible her mom had chosen to sacrifice finding a husband because of who she is? She knew she had to wait to pass judgment on her mother until she knew everything from her mom's side.

She took a quick shower because it was already late and jumped into bed. She recapped everything that had happened in her journal, knowing she would want to reread it tomorrow to help her process it all. Things always looked a little different when time could settle situational stones. After putting her journal away, she fell asleep swiftly.

-o-

Damiana hung up the phone and paced across her room, exhilarating anticipation overriding her ability to think. All her planning, scheming, and schlepping with the humans was about to come to an end. It was happening a little sooner than she expected, but that was even better for her.

She pulled out her hexagram again and smiled. She poured her energy into the hexagram and waited for a response. She continued to pace because there was no way she could contain her excitement at a moment like this.

She watched the hexagon the way humans watch those horrid elevator doors. Why wasn't he answering? She stopped pacing and focused her immense power on the hexagram to demand the gatekeeper's immediate audience.

"What do you want?" the gatekeeper griped as he came into view.

He was not a sight worth seeing. Too many years guarding the Dimension of Redemption had not been kind to him. He was still a force to be reckoned with. Had his face not looked like a dried-up prune, she would find his muscular build worth sampling. As it were, she found him repulsive, especially since his attitude of late matched the sourness of his face.

"How dare you speak to me that way!"

"Damiana, dear, with what I am doing for Drake, I can speak to you any damn way I please. Now, what do you want?"

She took a deep breath, reminding herself she needed the gatekeeper's help for the time being. She would deal with his insubordination once he had fulfilled his part in all of this.

"I need you to tell Drake that it is time."

She watched with delight as those words registered in the gatekeeper's pea brain. He had promised to be able to accomplish a feat no one had ever been able to do, and as the words registered in his head, she saw his hesitation and doubt at being able to fulfill his promise.

"Is there a problem?"

"No," he muttered. "No, of course not. I will relay the message. I must let you go. There is much to do."

"Make sure it is done quickly," she threatened before the gatekeeper dissolved their connection.

What was it with people hanging up on her lately! No matter. Soon, she would oversee it all, and then no one would dare defy her. She smiled the most deliciously evil smile and began putting the other parts of her plan in motion.

## Chapter Twenty

Angel awoke happier than he had felt since they came to Earth. After speaking with Ar'ch last night about his conversation with Sofia, he felt confident she would willingly join them on their trip back home. Ar'ch had wanted to infiltrate her dreams last night, but Angel had convinced him to give her a night to sleep so that she could think clearly in the morning. He had felt Sofia's weariness and knew it had to do with her dreamscapes with Ar'ch. She needed real rest, and he was grateful Ar'ch agreed to give her a breather for one more night.

He left the house as quietly as he could. Ar'ch had made it very clear that he wanted to enjoy his mornings and sleep as late as he could before they had to return home. He knew that once they returned home, his father would have them both waking up early to train.

They may be qualified already to send on missions, but there were always new skills to learn, especially now that they could tap into more of their powers. Their father was going to have fun training them in skills that had been cast aside for so long; it had been ages since their kind had been able to tap into them. He was eager to get home and learn as much as his body could handle.

The school day couldn't pass by quickly enough for him. The classes were easy enough; he had finished his traditional schooling last year. The only entertaining class was his social studies class.

He had already learned the history of Earth in his world. It was an absolute requirement for him. He knew many of his kind had already given up on teaching his generation about Earth, but his father believed they might come back one day and live side by side with the humans, so he brought up his sons to know everything there was to know about the humans' past and present.

Sofia, Rafe, and Angel sat together again at lunch. He sensed she was happy and at peace, which made him feel as if she had made her choice to come with them. True to her word, she did not give any indication to Rafe that anything important had taken place yesterday. Luckily, Rafe was in the mood to focus on the upcoming spring break, so all they had to do was listen and respond every now and then.

"Babe, the football guys are hanging out at the arcade after school. Do you want to go?" Rafe asked as they began to throw out their lunch trash.

"Okay." She turned to him. "Do you want to join us?"

He smiled. "I'd love it, if that's okay with you." He looked at Rafe.

"Absolutely! You should come with us. It's like a pre-spring break party. You'll love it," Rafe said just as the lunch bell rang, sending them all in different directions.

After the last class of the day, he and Sofia walked together out to the parking lot. Rafe had just joined them when his cell phone rang. He answered it just as he gave Sofia a kiss on the cheek.

"Hi, Mom! What's up?" Rafe said into the phone. "Why?... Does it have to be right now? Can't it wait until I get home? I was just about to go to the arcade with Sofia and some friends... Ugh. Fine, Mom. I'll head home now."

He ended the call and shoved his phone into his pocket. Angel could feel the frustration oozing out of him.

"What's wrong, babe?" Sofia asked.

"My mom wants me to come straight home. Apparently, there is something she wants to talk to me about that can't wait until I get home."

"Did she tell you what it is? Your mom has never demanded that you come home like that."

"No, she just said it was really important. She was acting a little weird this morning, too, but this is just..." Rafe shook his head in frustration.

Angel could see Rafe had been looking forward to going to the arcade and hanging out with them. Rafe turned to him.

"I'm sorry. Guess I'll have to join you at the arcades some other day."

"No worries! We'll do it some other time." He smiled.

Rafe turned to Sofia. "I'd invite you to come with me, but my mom said she wanted to speak to me alone."

"It's okay. Like Angel said, we'll do it some other time. The arcade isn't going anywhere." She looked away.

Angel felt her trepidation, but she masked her expression before Rafe could see it.

"I'll call you later unless my mother is on a rampage and doesn't let me call you." Rafe kissed her goodbye. He said his goodbye to Angel and walked angrily to his car and left.

-o-

Sofia turned to Angel. "So, now what?"

He smiled. "How about some ice cream?"

"Yummy! Sounds like a great plan!" She unlocked her doors, and they both climbed in.

"Would you like for me to invite Ar'ch?"

Her heart sped up. She hadn't seen or heard from Ar'ch in a few days. She had hoped he would have visited her in her dreams last night, but he didn't make an appearance at all. She woke up feeling disappointed and realized she missed him. Now, Angel wanted to invite him to hang out with them.

She couldn't deny she wanted to see him. Every fiber of her body and mind was at full attention just hearing his name, and that was the problem. She still felt guilty over how she reacted to Ar'ch even though Rafe was her boyfriend. Angel had said he understood his brother's allure, but that still didn't excuse how she drooled over him.

Having Ar'ch around with Angel there would be difficult for her. When she was with Ar'ch, she just wanted to _feel_. When she was with Angel, she just wanted to _be_. She wasn't ready to combine the two.

"Nah, I'd rather it just be the two of us if that's okay with you."

He laughed. "Definitely. I know my brother can be a handful sometimes."

"Is he really that bad?"

"No, not at all. Ar'ch is the best big brother a person could ask for. Sure, he's completely full of himself but with reason. He's smart, quick, skillful, and beyond good-looking. The problem is that he knows it and uses it to his advantage. Still, he is very loyal to his family and is always there for any of us. He likes to put on this outer tough guy persona at home, but those of us who love him know the real him."

"So, he's not well liked where you live?"

"He's very well loved by the ladies," he said, causing her an immediate wave of jealousy. She watched as his eyes widened with her reaction. "He's loved by his friends, but he can definitely rub a person here or there the wrong way with his...confidence."

She pressed her lips together as she drove to the ice cream shop. She changed the subject to trivial things in the car, and he followed along. She controlled the direction of their conversation.

The ice cream shop was located near the entrance of Main Street. It had the feel of an old diner with red vinyl seats and a jukebox on the table of every booth. The booths were lit with vintage stained-glass hanging lights. The walls were decorated with pictures of cars from the '50s and '60s. The servers even dressed as if they were from the '50s. When they settled into a booth, they placed their orders. After their sundaes were delivered, Sofia brought the subject back to his world.

"What's it like?"

"What is what like?"

"Being you..." she said, not knowing how to put it. "You know...someone with powers. A super-human, alien, whatever you are called."

He laughed. "We are called Diasodz."

She crinkled her eyebrows and pursed her lips. "Dia...what?"

"Diasodz. We are the children of our Goddess, the healers and protectors." He put a spoonful of ice cream into his mouth.

"I've never heard that term. I guess that shouldn't surprise me. Does that make me a Diasodz, too?"

He nodded. "Yes, Sofia, you are one of us."

She ate some of her ice cream to give her some time to think. "So, how did you get your powers? How were you created?"

"Our history is a long one which I'm sure my father will insist that you learn." He winked. "Suffice it to say that when God created humans, our Goddess created us. She created us to watch over and protect the humans. Our powers were granted to us so that we could help humans heal when injured or sick and so that we could protect them from harm."

"Isn't it kind of hard to do that from a whole other world?"

"We used to live here on Earth alongside the humans. At some point, the humans turned against us, so our people abandoned them and went to live in our world in peace. Unfortunately, when we abandoned the humans, our Goddess turned her back on us. Our powers began to diminish, and, sadly for some, fade completely."

"And some prophecy said I could change that, right?"

"Right." He smiled. "You are the key to restoring our skills and making things right with the worlds."

"You said the worlds, as in both worlds?"

He nodded. "Many Diasodz miss living here on Earth. Our world is a paradise, but we were created to help and heal humans. Many of us feel as if a part of them is empty because they are not serving their purpose."

"But if they live here, they age, right? I mean, my mom... _our_ mom has aged. She doesn't look as young as when I was a baby." Sofia scooped more ice cream in her mouth.

"Mother has definitely aged. Back when we had our Goddess' blessing, we aged on Earth the same as we do in our world. Because of this, our people had to move often to keep suspicions away from us. Apparently, without the Goddess' blessing, we age more quickly here. I'd still say it is not as quickly as humans, though."

"And I'm supposed to have powers, but I don't."

"Our powers manifest themselves somewhere around our eighteenth birthday. Some Diasodz will have an affinity for one of the elements almost from birth. Others will have their skills develop through growth spurts while still others will have no inkling to their skills until their..."

He put ice cream in his mouth midsentence. After swallowing the scoop, he continued. "until after their eighteenth birthday. It is possible your skills will not show until you are in our world or until you turn 18, which from what I understand isn't too far away, right?"

"Right." She smiled. "So, when did you and Ar'ch know your powers?"

He laughed. "Ar'ch was practically born with an affinity for air. He's quite powerful, or at least he would be if we had the Goddess' blessing. I did not discover my affinity until right before my eighteenth birthday.

"I always had great compassion for others, but I couldn't sense their emotions or change them at all. I thought my skill would simply be focused on emotions. The fact that I would be blessed with a skill was enough for me, but to be given the affinity of water as well...that is a true honor for me."

She smiled. "I think your powers are very cool. So, does your prophecy say what my power will be?"

"No, it doesn't, but whatever it is, I've no doubt it will be powerful. It has to be in order to save us all, right? I can tell you I'm looking forward to your development. It's going to be fun watching you take Ar'ch's confidence down several notches."

She laughed. "Oh, I don't know if I'll be able to do that. He's quite sure of himself."

He joined her in laughing. "Yes, he is which is why I'm looking forward to you coming into your powers."

She saw the sun beginning to lower over the buildings. She had no idea she had been there so long with him. Time seemed to fly with him. She watched him finish his ice cream and wondered how lucky she was to have been given such a gift as him for a brother.

"It's getting late, and I really don't want to get home too late. I still have to finish up my homework. Do you want to come home with me?" She hoped he was ready to confront their mother.

"Not yet, Sofia. I'm sure it will be soon, but I have to make sure the time is right."

Disappointed but understanding, she offered, "Well, can I at least drive you home?"

"Thanks, but we are staying in an apartment just down Main Street. It's a nice walk from here."

He paid the bill and escorted her to her car. Before she could change her mind, she turned around and hugged him. He startled for a moment but then wrapped his arms around her.

"I'll see you tomorrow at school, little sister."

That put a huge smile on her face. She got in her car and closed the door while lowering the window. "You can count on it, big bro."

Smiling, she backed out of her parking spot and drove away. When she arrived home, her mother's car was not there. There was a note on the kitchen counter from her mom telling her that she had to work late tonight.

Her mom had left her dinner in the crock pot. She wasn't hungry after the ice cream, so she stored the food and went upstairs to get started on her homework. Two and a half hours later, she finished her homework.

She was a little hungry but not hungry enough for a whole meal, so she fixed herself a small salad. She picked up the novel she had neglected soon after Ar'ch and Angel had entered her life and read while she ate dinner. She put the dishes in the dishwasher before heading upstairs to shower and get ready for bed.

Once in bed, she continued to read her novel. Her eyes grew weary and she struggled to stay awake, but she managed to get to the end of the chapter before completely giving in to sleep. At first, she thought she was dreaming about the characters in her novel. She used to do that often. It was her favorite kind of dream...until _him_.

She and Ar'ch were sitting on what appeared to be a wall of some sort. It was made of stone, but it wasn't uncomfortable to sit on. In front of her were the fields of lavender and in the distance, beyond the lake, was her golden willow tree. She wasn't sure when she started claiming it as her own, but she realized now that she did.

If she listened to the tiny voice inside her, it was their tree. She quieted that voice, not ready to travel down that road. When she tried to look behind her, it was cloudy and dark. For whatever reason, she couldn't see it. She accepted that it wasn't meant to be a part of her dream.

"Did you miss me?" His voice brought her out of her observations.

"Not really. I've been quite busy getting to know my brother."

"Ouch! Well, in that case, I can just leave." He made a motion to rise.

"No!" When she saw him try to contain his smile, she knew she'd been fooled. "Fine. I've missed you a little."

He let his smile reach his eyes, and she felt herself swoon. He was better than any dream she could contrive from the novel she was reading.

"Good, because I've missed you as well."

"Then why did you stay away?"

"Angel asked me to let you sleep, and I agreed with him that you needed to rest."

"Oh." She looked out upon the lake and the fields that surrounded it. "This is beautiful."

He followed her gaze and then looked back at her. A strand of her hair had gotten loose. He retrieved it and placed it behind her ear, causing her to turn toward him.

"It's nowhere near as beautiful as you."

She felt the heat radiate throughout her whole body from where his fingers touched her ear as he placed her hair behind it. What was it about his touch that drove her crazy? She couldn't deny the way her body reacted to him, and she certainly couldn't control it. Her whole body craved another touch.

If a simple caress of her earlobe made her this hot, what would his kiss do to her? Her eyes travelled to his lips on their own. She wanted to kiss him. In that moment, Rafe wasn't even a thought in her mind. All she could think about was finding out what his kiss would do to her.

He broke the moment by looking back out across the lake. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and give herself a moment to chastise her hormones into behaving. He kept his eyes on the lake.

"I can't wait to show you the beauty of my world." He stared at the fields. Then he turned to her and corrected himself, " _Our_ world."

She looked down at her hands in her lap. "I still haven't decided to go with you."

"I know." He tapped his temple when she looked up at him. "I also know you are at least considering the idea."

She took a deep breath and nodded.

"You're afraid."

"Yes," she whispered. He could peek into her brain and pull it all out if he wanted to, but she needed to voice her concerns and he waited patiently, encouraging her to speak. "I'm afraid of leaving the world I know and the people I love. I'm afraid of hurting them."

"You can always come back and visit them."

"But for how long? If I age more slowly than they will, it won't be too long before they start to see the difference."

He nodded. "There will come a time when you will have to let go or share with them who you truly are. When you save our people, it might be possible for you to share the truth with them."

"Really?" Hope filled her for the first time since she had begun to really consider her options.

"I don't see why not."

Her bubble of hope burst with her next insecurity. She looked away. "What if you are both wrong about me? What if I am just human and I die when you try to take me to your world?"

He turned her face toward him so she lost herself in his eyes. "I am not wrong. You are the one, and I will protect you with my life. You will not die as long as I am with you."

All she had to do was look at him to see his confidence and determination and...something else. Before she could register it, he lowered his hand and looked away.

She asked her next fear. "What if I am not the one? What if I'm just another half-breed like Angel? We have the same mother. What if you do not have the right person?"

He smiled. "Sofia, you are the one. The prophecy is not wrong. Your mother was given a great blessing in being chosen as the one who will provide life to our savior. Stop doubting yourself. You will fulfill your destiny and save us all, humans and Diasodz alike."

"How will I save humans?"

"If all the Diasodz fade, who will protect and heal the humans? Many of our kind still choose to live on Earth, and they continue to heal and protect through more traditional methods since most of their skills have diminished. If we all fade, who will heal and protect humans from the evil that is out there? And trust me when I tell you there is evil out there, and I am not speaking merely of murderers, rapists, and armed robbers."

She felt a shiver run through her. Not only did her decision affect her half-brother and his people... _her_ people, but it could also bring harm (or help) to her friends as well. Did she even have a choice?

"So, how do I get to your world? Do I think of this place and click my heels three times? Or do we go in a spaceship? Or do you beam me up?"

He looked completely confused. He looked at her quizzically and then started laughing. "I really should have prepared myself by watching more of those boring, human movies. No, Sofia, we do not do any of those things," he said, still laughing. "We use portals."

"Portals? Are those...safe?"

"Yes, completely safe. They take a while to create and must be created with great power and great care. There are always protective wards around them so it can only be used by those who are granted access. We will be completely safe."

"I meant...How does it work? Does my body disintegrate into millions of different atoms to be put back together on the other side? Will my nose end up back on my face, or will it end up on my elbow?"

"You're so cute, my little firecracker." He laughed. "I think you need to start watching less of your movies. We do not disintegrate. We simply travel. Fast. A human's body would not be able to handle the journey and would end up fragmenting into millions of tiny atoms that would not reconnect. Diasodz are able to handle the transition perfectly fine."

"So, if I am human, I will die."

"You are not human."

"Can't I just stay here until I become one of you?"

He smiled. "You already are one of us, but I understand what you mean. You will be safer in our world."

"Am I in danger?" Worry crept into her voice.

"It is so easy to die here on Earth. Car accidents, shootings, slip and falls. If you die as a human, there is no way to bring you back, and I, for one, want to see this beautiful face for many, many more years." He caressed her cheek. He looked past his shoulder. "I must go."

"Why? Why do you always look past your shoulder and announce your departure at the most inconvenient times?"

He smiled. "I am being called away. You cannot feel it yet, but you will in time." He took her hand in his and brought it to his lips for a light kiss. "Sleep, my Sofia. You need your rest. I will see you soon."

She sighed as his lips touched the palm of her hand. She wished it were her own lips that he was kissing. She closed her eyes with that thought and fell into a deep sleep.

-o-

Ar'ch awoke next to his brother, thinking about how badly he had wanted to kiss Sofia. He was drawn to her in a way he had never felt before, but the dreamscape wasn't the proper place to do such a thing. When he kissed her, and he definitely planned on kissing her, with or without Angel's blessing, he wanted to make sure it was in the flesh.

The dreamscape was too easy for him to manipulate now that his skills had increased, and he didn't want her to have any doubts about her actions or reactions when he finally took her in his arms and kissed her. He had felt his brother's agitation so strongly that he knew he had to get back to him quickly.

"What has happened, brother, to upset you so much?" He sat up.

"We received a message from father." Angel pointed to the mirror. "I opened it while you were with Sofia, thinking Father just wanted an update."

He looked at the mirror and read the message inscribed:

Others are aware. They must know who she is. They must mean to destroy her or use her for their own purpose. Protect her at all costs. Bring her home. Time is of the essence.

"Well, hell! I had felt a few disturbances in the area throughout the day, but I could not pinpoint their source or their angst."

"So, now what?"

He pondered their options while pacing. He reread the message. "Time is of the essence," he read. "That is not the same as 'Do it now.' That means they want us to be cautious and know what dangers we are facing before we attempt to leave with her."

"So, now we move up our plans." His brother took a deep and steady breath. "It's time I go and have a nice little visit with Liana."

"Are you sure you are up to this? I'll do it if you want."

Angel smiled. "No, but thank you, brother. I need to do this. I am the one who needs to speak with her."

"Fine, but if you need my help, just let me know."

"I must keep the pretense of attending school so I do not worry Sofia. I will visit with Liana afterwards."

"For now, let us rest. We have little time left in this world. We need to be ready for what is to come. Good night, my brother. Blessed be."

"Blessed be," Angel replied before heading to his room.

## Chapter Twenty-One

Angel did not have to worry very much about keeping up a pretense at school. Rafe was wearing his gloom all over his aura, and Sofia was wrapped in concern for him. Lunch was quiet and uncomfortable.

Both Angel and Sofia tried unsuccessfully to start various conversations, but Rafe seemed to be more focused on rearranging his food than talking. He considered assisting Rafe in improving his mood, but he was concerned Sofia would be offended that he did so without permission.

After school, the three of them walked out toward the parking lot. Rafe seemed to be in a better mood. His head was held higher. He was smiling and making small talk with friends that they passed. Angel still felt a sense of sadness, but it was masked by a wall of determination. Rafe was working hard to seem normal.

"So, do you want to hit the arcades today since we couldn't yesterday?" Sofia asked Rafe.

"Nah, maybe some other time. I kind of just feel like hanging out at my house. You guys are more than welcome to come over and hang out there."

"I'd love to." She looked to Angel to see if he'd join them.

"Thanks. Unfortunately, I have something I have to take care of today."

"Then, a rain check, my friend," Rafe said as he clasped his hand and pulled him into a one-arm guy hug. He was startled but went with it, especially since he had a feeling this might be goodbye for him. He gave Sofia a quick hug and headed off to visit with his mother.

-o-

Rafe looked at Sofia, "Follow me to my house?"

"Absolutely," she said, happy that he appeared to have let go of whatever was bothering him.

They sat on his bean bags, playing their third round of Mario Kart in his room. Rafe had already beat her at two other games, and usually he let her win in this one, but she seemed distracted and kept making errors.

"What's wrong?" He took first place again.

She shrugged her shoulders, unsure of what she could possibly tell him about the decisions running through her head. She shook her head to try to avoid the question. He lowered the Wii stick and pressed his lips together.

"Did your mom tell you about us moving? Is that why you're so upset?"

She looked at him with whiplash speed. "What do you mean, moving? When was this decided? Why didn't you tell me? Why are you moving?"

He sighed. He leaned back against the footboard of his bed, realizing he had just stuck his foot in his mouth. "My mom's been talking about it for months, but she asked me not to tell anyone."

She felt the anger bubbling up inside of her. "But I'm not just _anyone_ , Rafe. I'm your best friend!"

"I know. Trust me, it's been hard, but she specifically told me not to tell you. She said there was no sense worrying you until it was for sure. But yesterday, she got confirmation." A huge smile spread across his face. "My dad is finally being released from prison, Sofe. I'm finally going to get to meet my dad."

"Seriously? Wow, that's...great." She wanted to be happy for him. He'd wanted this for so long, and she _was_ happy for him, but... "but what does that have to do with moving?"

He shrugged. "My mom wants us to start over in a place where no one knows any of us so that my dad has a fresh start. She and your mom were talking about it last night. I thought she may have told you."

"No. My mom hasn't really told me much of anything lately."

Silence filled the air as her mind reeled with the fact that both he and her mother had kept this from her.

He broke the silence when he whispered, "Girlfriend."

"Huh?" she mumbled, still locked in her irritation.

"You said we were best friends. You're also my girlfriend." He didn't look at her.

She looked at him and hugged him. Slowly, he hugged her back and held her. "I know. It's just we've been best friends forever and this whole boyfriend-girlfriend thing... Well, it's kind of new and... I don't know. I guess I'm just not used to it."

He held her tightly. "I know. I feel the same way. I love you, Sofia, more than I've ever loved anyone."

"I love you, too. I don't want you to move."

"So, your mom really didn't tell you?"

"No." She felt her heart crumble.

"How stupid of me! I should have realized from your reaction that you didn't know." He pulled away a little to look at her. "Sofe, you are coming with us. I overheard my mom tell your mom to come with us!"

She pulled back even more, thoroughly confused. "What? When?"

Her mind felt so jumbled. First, she found out her best friend...boyfriend... was moving. Now, he told her she was going with him. But...how could she if she planned to leave with Ar'ch and Angel? Her brain just could not process so much so quickly.

"We leave tomorrow." Excitement coated his voice.

"Tomorrow? Why so fast? Why not wait until school is out?" Panic crept into her voice. She wasn't ready to decide one way or the other. She just found her brother. How could she possibly leave tomorrow?

"Spring break is a good transition time. Dad wants to start some place new for all of us."

"Why hasn't my mother said anything to me?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. The little I could hear about their conversation was weird, but I definitely heard her tell your mom to join us."

She felt her gut go on alert. "What was weird about it?"

"I don't know. My mom said something about your mom being alone and no longer fitting in. Then, she said something about it being important for her to be close to us. Then, she said something about it being time to let go. It was weird."

She sat there, stunned.

"What's wrong, Sofe?"

She felt numb. It was as if her brain had a momentary lapse in all thought processes. She stared around the room at nothing in particular. After what seemed like forever, she said, "I'm just really confused. I don't know what to think anymore."

"What's there to think about? We're just moving. That's all."

"That's not all!" she cried hysterically. "Moving where? And if it's tomorrow, why hasn't mom said anything to me? And why tomorrow? What if she hasn't told me because she knows about Ar'ch ..." She stopped midsentence, realizing that she had verbalized one too many fears.

He grew still. Slowly, he asked, "What about Ar'ch? What does he have to do with any of this?"

She tried to avoid the path she was going down. "You don't seem to like him very much."

"I feel weird around him. My mom once told me that someone would come to threaten all I hold dear and that I would need to protect those I love from them."

She looked at him in disbelief. "You never told me that."

"It didn't seem important or realistic back then. You know my mom says weird things every now and then."

"But still, you kept it from me like you kept your dad's release and tomorrow's move from me."

"As if you aren't keeping things from me!"

She looked down. "You're right. I'm sorry."

He took a deep breath. "Talk to me, Sofe. I've always been here for you, haven't I?"

She leaned back against the headboard and brought her knees up to her chest to hug them. She couldn't contain the secrets any longer. He was right. He had always been there for her. He was her only constant, besides her mom, and if he was leaving tomorrow...if they were leaving tomorrow, she needed to get everything out in the open.

She told him everything. She told him about Ar'ch visiting her in his dreams (minus her reaction to Ar'ch) before meeting her at her work, about Angel telling her that he's her half-brother, about them having powers and being from another world. She told him about them wanting her to go with them to their world.

It all came out like a vomiting geyser of words. When she finished, she looked at Rafe who seemed dumbfounded. He stared wide-eyed at his wall, immobile. He slowly looked around his room, barely breathing. He wouldn't look at her as he processed everything she had just said. He cocked his head to one side and furrowed his eyebrows as he replayed her words.

After a while of sitting there in silence, he finally said, "You've been dreaming about Ar'ch?"

She punched him in the arm. "Seriously, Rafe? With everything that I've told you, _THAT_ is what you are focusing on."

"Sorry. You're right. But you don't believe him, do you?" When she didn't say anything, he continued, "You can't. I mean, do you really believe they are from some other planet and have powers?" He started laughing. "Come on, Sofe. I know you read all those supernatural books, but...puh-leeze."

She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, once, twice, several times to clear her mind. She remembered how she dreamt of Ar'ch before meeting him. She recalled how the willow tree reacted to him and how the clouds seemed to obey his will.

She remembered the electric surge that ran between them when he touched her. And she thought of Angel and what he did with the water. She thought of his sincerity and his ability to change her emotions.

She shook her head. "I don't know what to believe."

He stood up, enraged. "This is ridiculous. Men from outer space. Wow, Sofe. He's really done a number on you. I can't believe you fell for that crap."

She rose and grabbed her book bag. "I think it's time for me to go home. I need to talk to my mom."

"Yeah, you do that. Maybe she can knock some sense into you." He crossed his arms.

Her heart felt heavy and hurt. She hated fighting with him, but she couldn't see any way of fixing this without first speaking with her mom. If Ar'ch and Angel were telling the truth, her mom would confirm it. He was so boiling mad that she didn't even want to approach him. She shook her head and left before the tears could escape her eyes.

## Chapter Twenty-Two

As soon as Angel left Sofia and Rafe in the parking lot, he headed straight to Sofia's house. He knew she wouldn't be home for hours if she hung out at Rafe's house. He let himself in the home easily enough using his energy. Liana wasn't home yet. He took some time to look at the pictures of Sofia growing up. He took special interest in the pictures of his mother.

She was beautiful. He had her thick, wavy, blonde hair, though he kept his much short than she did. He had her dark blue eyes, although hers were much darker than his. Still, there was no doubt that he was her child. She looked genuinely happy in the pictures, as did Sofia. It was obvious she loved Sofia very much.

For just a small moment, he envied the time she and Sofia had been given together. He wished very much he would have been able to experience her love and joy as a child. He sighed and refocused.

His mother had made a great sacrifice in both giving him up and in accepting her role as their savior's mother. And the time had finally come where he could have her in his life. He would have plenty of time to make up for the past if all went according to plan.

He was sitting at the kitchen table when his mother walked in. She didn't notice him. She placed her purse and keys on the table by the front door. He read her emotions loud and clear without having to put any effort. She was troubled, anxious, and deeply sad. She looked in the mirror above the table, ran her hands through her hair, and took a deep breath as she closed her eyes, centering herself.

"Hello, Mother."

She jumped and looked frightened out of her wits. She looked around as if expecting someone dangerous to be there.

"It's just me, Mother," he said softly.

She continued to look frantically around. "Where is Sofia? Have you taken her already?"

"Taken her? Why would we take her without you?"

Her anxiety was off the charts. It worried him that his visit would bring her so much angst.

"I thought..." She didn't complete her sentence.

She just looked around, dazed. He stood and walked toward her. She took a step back.

"I can feel your fear, Mother. Are you afraid of your own son? Why?"

"Are you here to kill me?" She sobbed.

He was taken aback. "Why would I kill you, Mother?"

"Because I..." She gathered herself before continuing. "Because I no longer serve any purpose."

"Not serve any purpose? What are you talking about?"

"I raised the child like I was told to. I figured they had no more need for me." She looked away and trembled.

"The child? No more need for you, Mother? Stop speaking in riddles."

"I am not your mother." Tears streamed down her cheeks. She raised her hands and covered her face in shame.

He sighed, his heart breaking for the woman in front of him. "It is true you did not give birth to me and you did not raise me, but it was your seed that gave me life. That makes you one of my mothers."

She fully looked at him for the first time, shock and gratitude filling her expression. "I did not think they would tell you the truth."

"Why wouldn't they? They speak very highly of you and the sacrifice you agreed to make to raise your daughter in the human world until it was time."

She laughed a half-laugh. "My daughter? Is that what they told you? She is not my daughter." Liana shook her head.

"What do you mean?"

She took a deep breath and ran her fingers through her hair. "She is not my seed."

He took a moment to absorb this new truth and then nodded. "Another transfer. Still, you gave birth to her. You raised her. You sacrificed being in our world and raising me to save our people."

She broke down, crying hysterically. "Oh, Goddess! What have I done?"

He went to wrap his arms around her to comfort her, but she pulled away. "Mother, I can feel your agony. What has caused you to feel so much torment?"

"I have to make things right," she whispered, almost to herself as she began to pace.

"Make what right? What am I missing?"

She straightened her shoulders with new resolve and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "When do you leave for home?"

The sudden change in her demeanor took him aback for a moment. "Tomorrow. It's getting too close to her death day. We can't risk staying here any longer."

She nodded. "I will not be going with you."

"I don't understand. Why not? I thought..." He paused, reigning in his own hurt and disappointment. "I thought I'd finally get to know you."

She took his face into her hands. Her tough resolve melted when she touched him. "You have grown into an incredible man, my son." She sobbed. "I see so much of your father in you. As much as I want to make up for all the time I have lost with you, I cannot go home with you just yet. I will serve our people better if I stay behind and take care of a few things."

Although his heart was breaking, he felt an insurmountable amount of pride in the sacrifices his mother continued to make. He nodded, understanding her. "Damiana."

She pulled back. "You know about her."

"I've met her son. He seems nice enough, and Ar'ch doesn't detect any evil in him, which is surprising given who his mother is."

"Ar'ch is with you?" Panic reentered her voice.

"Yes. This is my first mission, Mother," he said proudly. "It would not be wise for me to have such an important mission on my own, especially given that it is my first one."

"Then, you are truly a noble. Have they accepted you as one of their own?"

He smiled. "Yes, they have. Your sacrifice was great, but you provided me the opportunity to reach my full potential. The Goddess has blessed me with an affinity to water."

"Then, my sacrifice was successful, and you are better because of it."

He felt her pride one moment and then the despair smothered her again. "Mother, I hate to ask this, but how could you have allowed Damiana to get so close to you and Sofia? You know how evil she is."

She began to cry again. "I was careless and too trusting. I didn't know who she really was until a few weeks ago. I don't have any powers, Angel. You should know that." When he nodded, she continued. "I couldn't have known what Damiana looked like. I'm just a servant." She lowered her head in shame.

He pulled her into an embrace, sensing her need for her son's love, if just for a small moment. "You are more than just a servant. You are my mother. And you are the one who has brought a savior to our people. You are a hero."

"Looking into your eyes, I almost believe it, and I will hold that look in my heart forever." She reached up to his face, caressed his cheek, and smiled. They heard Sofia's car pull up in the driveway. "Sofia's home. You need to leave. I need to prepare her by myself."

She began wiping her tears as she led him to the back door. "Goodbye, my son. Not a day has gone by that I haven't thought of you or tried to send my love to you."

"And I, you. I'll see you soon. Blessed be, Mother." He placed a kiss on her forehead.

She cried silently and whispered, "Blessed be, my son!"

He left through the back door just as Sofia entered the house. He sent a silent prayer to the Goddess to keep his mother safe. He couldn't understand why his mother wouldn't join them, but he had to trust she knew what she was doing.

He spent the entire drive back to his apartment replaying his conversation with his mother in his head. He had had such high hopes about finally getting to know her and sharing his life with her. He tried to convince himself this was just another brief period of time he'd be without her, that once she accomplished whatever it was she felt she still needed to do, she would come back to him, but his heart felt too weary to hold on to that hope.

-o-

Sofia walked into the house just as Liana wiped away her tears. Sofia had looked very angry, but her expression turned to concern when she saw her. "Mom, why are you crying? What's happened?"

She held on to Sofia and whispered, "Goddess, forgive me."

"Forgive you for what, Mom?"

"For all I've done and for what I'm about to do."

"Mom, you are scaring me."

She took a deep breath and pulled back to look at Sofia in the eyes. Her resolve came back to her as her decision solidified itself in her heart and her soul. "I should have prepared you for this. I knew this was coming. I have failed you."

Sofia sighed in relief. "Mom, stop. Rafe told me about the trip. It's okay. I don't mind moving if that's what you really think is best for us. Really."

"Rafe? Moving?" She momentarily forgot about last night's events. When understanding settled in, she looked at Sofia with great sadness. "Oh, no! No, Sofia. You aren't going on that trip."

"Not going? Why? I don't understand."

"Have a seat, baby." She led Sofia to the sofa.

She had been so consumed with her own personal struggles that she had neglected to consider how Sofia would react to all of this. She had wanted to do right by her, but now she felt she was doing everything wrong. Sofia deserved better than panic and confusion.

Sofia hesitantly sat down. Liana didn't know how to begin. Every time she tried to start, the words seemed so unbelievable to her own mind that she wasn't sure how to convince Sofia of their truth. As she saw the growing hysteria in Sofia, she just let the words flow and hoped the Goddess would bless her with the right ones.

"I have been keeping a secret from you ever since you were born. I have thought of telling you so many times but have never seemed to come up with the right words. What I'm about to tell you is going to sound completely crazy, but I assure you I have not lost my marbles."

Liana paused and smiled. "Honey, you and I...we are not human. Now, before you start picturing green, little aliens or blue, one-eyed Martians, we are not like that. Our Goddess created us as super-humans, so to speak. We were given certain...powers to help heal and protect humans. There is nothing weird about us. We are special beings. You are the most special of us because you have been given great powers. You have been chosen as the one to help our kind survive."

"But Mom, I've never seen you use magic a day in your life. And there is nothing special about me. I mean, out of the ordinary, normal, I'm-special-because-I'm-your-daughter kind of specialness. I don't have any special powers, either."

She smiled at her innocence. "We are called Diasodz, healers and protectors of humans, but we are not all the same. I am part of the Curatus class. We do not have the same powers as the nobility. Our Goddess blessed us all differently. My family has always been gifted with the ability to use herbs, crystals, minerals, and stones to cast spells meant to heal and protect humans.

"We lost a lot of our abilities centuries ago when our people turned their backs on our purpose. I can still use herbs and such to help heal and protect with our Goddess-given properties, but I have lost my powers to cast spells and do more than simple incantations."

"So, you're a witch?"

She laughed. "Some humans from the past believed that to be true. No, I am not a witch. I am a healer...as are you. But you..." Liana cupped Sofia's face and smiled at her reverently. "You are a noble and not just any noble. You have been blessed with the power to change our destiny. A prophecy was given that said that you would save our kind from fading. You may not have powers right now, but once your death day comes, your powers will follow. You need to be with our kind when that happens."

Sofia pulled back in shock. "My death day! I don't want to die. Ar'ch never mentioned anything to me about dying!"

She couldn't hide her concern. She had been so wrapped up in her own blunder of finding out that Damiana had deceived her for all these years that she had not given proper attention to Sofia for the past several weeks. She worried about what Ar'ch may tell the Elders about her carelessness.

"You know Ar'ch?"

Sofia nodded.

"And Angel?"

Sofia nodded again.

"Mom, I don't want to die."

"Oh, honey." She once again wrapped her in a warm embrace. "You are not going to die. Diasodz are human for the first eighteen years of their lives, and then we transition into our powers through our death day. Our human mortality and limitations die, but we continue to live a much, much longer life than any human could ever dream of.

"We strengthen and come into whatever powers the Goddess has blessed us with. Some Diasodz experience their powers before their death day. In fact, you have been having small episodes for a while now, but I have managed to diminish them through herbs and stones."

"I have?"

She nodded. "Your fevers... They are not from the human world. I used special teas to keep them at bay. Your necklace-" She touched the beautiful necklace hanging on her neck. "It has protective entities embedded in it to keep you safe. Your fevers were your powers' way of trying to surface, but it was not safe for you to come into your powers while here on Earth. You need to be with our people so your transition can be monitored and go smoothly."

"So, I'm not going to be sacrificed in some ritual for the greater good?"

She laughed. "No, honey. You will be very much alive, more alive than you have ever felt."

Sofia leaned back into the sofa. "Why don't we already live there? Why did I have to grow up here away from others like me?"

"The prophecy states you needed to live on Earth for your human life. We do not question our prophecies because they have always been correct. Angel and Ar'ch are here to finally take you home."

"So, Ar'ch was telling the truth," Sofia whispered, almost to herself. She turned to her mother. "Well, then why does Rafe think we are moving with them?"

She became very sad as she looked at her. "Because I am moving with them, Sofia, but you are not. You cannot. You must go with Angel and Ar'ch."

"Like hell I must! I'm not going without you. There is no way I am going to some strange planet with people I just met without you next to me to guide and protect me!"

She bowed her head as if in silent prayer. "Honey, I know it's scary. I know I'm throwing way too much at you too quickly, but you were born for this. It is your destiny." She sighed. "It is your choice. We all are given choices to make, and we must make the choices we feel are right. We must also live with the consequences of those choices. Please understand, Sofia, your choice affects more than just you. If you stay, it is possible you may not make it through your transition, and then you will experience a true death."

"But Ar'ch says the prophecy says I will save everyone. So, if that's what the prophecy says, then it has to come true whether I choose to stay here or not, right?"

She smiled sadly at her naivety. "The prophecy states I will provide life to our savior. That would be you, but if you make the wrong choice... If you do not go, then our people, including me, may very well fade away."

"But you are not certain that will happen!"

She took a deep breath. "I am certain that I fear you will not make it through the transition if you stay here. Still, you are right. It is your choice. Think it over tonight. May the Goddess help you make the right decision."

"Tell me more about the Goddess, Mom. I know we believe in Her and worship Her, but I have never heard you speak so passionately about Her."

She felt a sense of peace embrace her. "Our Goddess is the most wondrous deity. She created us to heal and protect humans when God created the humans. She gave us a special connection to the earth so we would know its extraordinary healing qualities. And to some, our noble men and women, She gave them special powers, the greatest of which are connected to the elements."

She paused, thinking of how the Goddess blessed her half-breed son with an affinity to water. She took a deep breath to gather her emotions and to prevent herself from falling apart. She stood and helped Sofia up before pulling her into a strong embrace.

"I am so blessed that the Goddess chose me to be the one to love and raise you. I am so proud of the young lady you have become. I am honored to love you as a mother and to watch you come into your true purpose in life. You do know how much I love you, right?"

-o-

"I know, Mom. I love you, too." Sofia held onto her mother for dear life. She couldn't stop the tears from flowing freely down her face. "But if you don't come with me, who is going to joke with me about falling asleep under the willow tree again? Who is going to play board games with me and deliberately lose? Who will laugh at me when I'm running late like I always do? And who is going to chastise me for eating a crappy breakfast every morning?"

She sobbed uncontrollably and felt her heart rip into a thousand different pieces as memories of times with her mother flooded her mind.

Her mother pulled her closer and stroked her hair. "Oh, honey! You will not be alone, and you will be loved. I am not abandoning you. We will be together again soon. Never doubt that I love you with my entire capacity to love. Never doubt that I have always done what I felt was best for you."

She sniffled. "I have never doubted you, Mom. You are everything to me."

"Then do not doubt me now when I tell you that what is best for you is for you to leave with Ar'ch and Angel."

She stiffened with the reality of the harsh truth in her mother's words. She nodded as her mother released her from their embrace. Her mother gave her a kiss on her forehead and tenderly wiped her tears off her cheeks before gently nudging her toward the stairs.

She headed to her room for the last night of her life in the only home she'd ever known. She pulled out her journal and began crying. It was all happening so quickly.

She wasn't ready to make this decision. She took out her favorite pencil and began writing her thoughts, hoping the words that flowed from her fingers would assist her in making the most difficult decision of her life.

I don't know what to do. It's all real. Every last bit of it is real. And now I have to figure out what to do. A part of me wishes I didn't have to make the decision. A part of me wishes Mom would have just said what to do. I love her and respect her even more for letting me make the choice, but now I have to make a choice. What if I make the wrong one? Okay, I need break this down.

If I stay... I could die. But Mom said her kind...my kind...used to live here on Earth, so I would think they had this "death day" here on Earth back then. There shouldn't be any reason I couldn't survive it if I stayed on Earth, right? I mean, if I'm that important, then these Diasodz people can use their magic to keep me safe here, right?

If I stay, I could be with my Mom and Rafe and his parents. I could go to college and live a normal, human life. But what if, by staying, I kill off an entire race? What if I end up killing my mom? What if I also die?

But would the Goddess really kill off the children She created? I mean, did they do something so horribly unforgivable that She would do such a thing? Mom always spoke about our Goddess as if She's kind and giving, loving and protective.

And how would I explain all of this to Rafe? What if this death day thing crept up on me in the middle of graduation or a party and people actually thought I died and buried me? How would I explain to Rafe I wasn't aging as fast as he was?

Okay, devil's advocate time...

If I go.... It's hard to even think of living without Mom. She's been my life, but she wants me to go. She says I need to go. So, if I go... I will get to know my brother and possibly a father who is waiting for me over there! If I go, I'll get to visit a world I've never known of, a world my dreams have shown me is beautiful beyond anything I've ever seen. If I go, I'll be with Ar'ch. Just writing his name makes my heart race!

If I go, Mom says I'll survive my transition. I'll learn what my powers are and how to use them. How cool would that be! I might very well have powers. Who would have thought! Still, if I am "the one" that they keep claiming I am, why can't they train me here?

Angel said I can come back to Earth if I don't like it there so if that's true, why can't they just come here to train me? Why can't I have the best of both worlds?

Ugh! The truth is...I'm afraid. I feel a connection with both Angel and Ar'ch (although the type of connection is WAY different), and Mom seems to know and trust them, but what if I fail? What if I embarrass myself? What if I leave and break Rafe's heart so badly that when I return, he doesn't want to see me ever again? I don't think I could handle that. How do I make a choice when both options have dire consequences?

I just...UGH!

She slammed her journal shut and placed it on her nightstand. It was useless. She had every reason to stay and a few really tempting reasons to go. In the end, she took out her suitcase. Either way, she was leaving. She might as well pack a light bag of essentials. She put her most prized journals in her red drawstring backpack, leaving her current journal on her nightstand in case she needed to write something else.

Tomorrow morning, she would be saying goodbye to her home forever. It was just unreal. She looked around her room one last time before turning off the lights and going to bed, secretly hoping Ar'ch would visit her one last time in her dreams.

## Chapter Twenty-Three

Angel walked into their apartment, his steps heavy with disappointment. Ar'ch did not need the ability to read emotions to see how distraught his brother was. The conversation with his mother obviously did not go as well as he had hoped.

He had a feeling it would not going well, but it was not his place to interfere. That was between them. As much as he always tried to protect his little brother, he knew he had no place between a seed mother and her son. Still, it pained him to see Angel so upset.

Angel sat on the sofa. "Liana is not coming back with us."

He nodded. "I had a feeling you were going to tell me that. Did she give a reason why?"

"She said there is something she must still take care of here on Earth." He ran his hands through his hair. "She's hiding something, Ar'ch. I can feel it. She was tormented by something.

"Her emotions were all over the place. One minute she was panicked and frantic; the next minute she was filled with sorrow and regret. I tried to comfort her, but she was so wrapped in grief that I couldn't reach her."

He was about to ask Angel how he felt about all of this. Instead, he peaked into his brother's head to alleviate his need to verbally express himself. He knew Angel felt the intrusion, but he let his shield down to let him in. He allowed him to "see" what took place between them.

He let out a deep, steady breath. "So, Liana is not Sofia's seed mother?"

Angel shook his head.

"Whose child is she, then?"

"I don't know, brother. Honestly, I didn't even think to ask. Whoever it is must be very powerful since Sofia is the chosen one."

He nodded. Part of his doubt about Sofia being the chosen one had come from the fact that Liana could not possibly have the power to create such a powerful being on her own, but he knew better than to doubt the Goddess. The Goddess could choose whoever She wanted to create miracles if it was Her desire. He felt more secure in Sofia's path knowing Liana was not her seed mother, though he would never share that with Angel.

He stood and placed a hand on Angel's slumped shoulder. "Let us contact Father and inform him that we are ready to come home, brother."

Angel nodded and stood.

Ar'ch wanted to help him focus on the mission to distract him from the disappointment he was feeling. He pulled his athame out of thin air and faced east. He whispered his invocation. "Father, we wish to speak with you."

The mirror behind them rippled before their father came into view. "My sons, what news do you have for me?"

Both sons turned to face the mirror. Ar'ch replied, "We are ready to come home, Father."

"And the chosen one? Sofia?"

"She will be with us when we come home."

His father clapped his hands together. "Joyous news, my sons," he exclaimed before seeing Angel's expression. "Son, why are you so sad? I would think you would be excited to accomplish your first mission so successfully."

Angel smiled with a heavy heart. "My mother. Liana will not be coming home with us, Father."

"I am sorry to hear that, my son. She has made a great sacrifice for us all and deserves to live her remaining years as she wishes, although I am shocked she does not want to live them with you."

"We will need you to create the portal for us so we can bring Sofia home tomorrow," Angel said.

His father nodded. "Yes, yes. Of course. I will send word tomorrow morning of where it will be. Until then, may the Goddess provide you with the peace you need in your heart right now."

"Thank you, Father," Angel said.

"Good night, my sons, and blessed be."

They replied with their blessings before closing their communication and going to bed in preparation for their journey home.

## Chapter Twenty-Four

Sofia awoke the next morning to find her mother was already gone. She had left a note on the kitchen counter that stated, _I love you, Sofia. I believe in you, and I am proud of you. May the Goddess bless you and keep you safe on your journey._

No, she thought. She could not do this. She made up her mind. She ran upstairs and grabbed her suitcase. She was going to Rafe's house.

She quickly opened the door and ran right into Ar'ch. She couldn't believe he could look threatening and delicious at the same time. He wore black jeans with a deep blue shirt that peeked out from the black trench coat he had over it. He looked dangerous and sexy and completely in control.

Ar'ch looked at the suitcase in her hand, raised an eyebrow. "Going somewhere?"

She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. "Yes, I'm leaving with Rafe."

-o-

Ar'ch saw her determination. It pained him to accept she had chosen that simple mortal over him. It did more than pain him; it shocked him. He didn't understand how she could deny the connection that they had.

Rejection was not a feeling he was used to, and he really didn't enjoy the bitter taste it left within him. He gave himself a moment to absorb the truth, and then he closed off his emotions. He didn't have time to feel; he had a mission to complete.

"You can't."

She put the suitcase down. "I can and I will. My mother told me it was my choice, and I'm not going with you."

"So, you would be willing to kill our entire kind? For what? A stupid mortal?"

"Rafe is not stupid. And it's not just about him. I am not leaving my mom."

He slowly pushed his way into the house and closed the door. She threw her hands up in aggravation. He ran his hands through his hair and stared at her.

"Didn't your mom explain to you the importance of all this? Didn't she tell you that you could _die_ if you do not come with us? Didn't she explain that if you die, our kind will be lost and die along with you? Isn't any of that important to you, or are you so selfish that you can't see beyond your immediate needs?"

He saw the anger in her eyes.

"How dare you call me selfish? This coming from someone who just wants to take me back to your world so you can get more powers. Your kind has been living here on Earth for...well, forever, and they have all gone through this death day thing without any problems. So, whatever you need me to do, you can get me to do it from here."

He took a deep breath. He was trying to keep himself closed off, but the angrier she got, the sexier she became, and he couldn't keep his thoughts and emotions detached.

"Back when we had our full powers, we had no problem making our transitions here. We are not who we once were. We are fading, Sofia. There is no guarantee you will survive if we do not go home. Why can't you understand that?"

Her body started to shake and her hands quivered. She crossed her arms as she trembled. "I'm afraid, okay."

Despite the rejection, he couldn't stop himself from walking over to her and taking her in his arms. He held her close and caressed her hair. Slowly, she loosened her arms and allowed them to wrap around him. He pulled away ever so slightly so he could turn her face up to his. He wasn't going to give up so easily.

"Look at me," he whispered. He knew that when she finally looked up, she would see the little white specks in his eyes. He felt her body relax. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. I just..." He paused before deciding to risk it all. "I want you to be with me. I want you to want _me_."

He moved even closer to her, leaving only a breath of space between them. "Choose me, Sofia."

"I'm afraid," she whispered.

"You will not be alone. I will be with you every step of the way. I will not leave you. I will not allow anything to harm you."

She sighed and laid her head on his chest, allowing him to embrace her and give her strength. He placed a kiss on her hair and felt the undeniable urge to kiss her passionately.

Suddenly, his tattoos began to pulse. Then, his phone rang, startling them both. He picked up the phone and listened. "Got it," he said and then hung up.

She looked up at him questioningly.

"We are about to have company and need to leave now."

Sofia's eyes widened in panic. She began to walk to the suitcase.

"The suitcase cannot come with us."

She took a deep breath. She opened the suitcase and began to transfer a few essentials to her drawstring bag. As they were about to leave, she stood and headed toward the stairs. "I have to go upstairs and get my journal."

"We don't have time for that."

She ignored him and rushed upstairs to get her journal. He cursed under his breath and prepared to fight, pulling out his swords that, up until then, had been concealed. At that moment, deminions broke down her front door. He was relieved they were deminions instead of demons. Deminions - beings that, by essence, were lesser demons or the slaves of demons - were not as strong as the demons themselves.

He cursed about the amount of time he had wasted trying to kindly convince her to go with him. He should have just brainwashed her into thinking she wanted to go with him and have been done with it. Or he could have knocked her out cold and just taken her. But no! He had to get all chivalrous and be a gentleman about the whole thing. Now, he was stuck battling these low-class deminions.

The deminions were barely worth his time, but he knew better than to underestimate them. They were a good foot or two shorter than him with thin, pale limbs. The few black wisps of hair did nothing to cover their bulging eyes. Their sharp, pointed teeth were ready to sink into his flesh just for pure pleasure. Their gray, thin arms held weapons, but none of them were a threat to him.

Because of his training and his powers, they were not strong enough to kill him individually, but if he let his guard down, they could harm him. Sofia was his concern. She was still human, and any deminion could easily poison her with its claws or teeth. He threw a deminion into a wall, which made the photo frames crash to the ground.

"What was that?" She called out from upstairs.

He ran to the stairs to block the deminions' access. "Stay upstairs!" he yelled to her right before slicing a deminion through the stomach. He didn't have time to savor the kill as the deminion's body turned to ash and disappeared because another deminion was already approaching him.

He blocked their access to Sofia, knowing they were there to take her for their own purposes. He fought them off one or two at a time. They were no match for him. Between his skillfulness with his swords and his ability to use air at his command, he managed to kill them all within minutes.

Still, he knew he had no time to waste. These deminions were sent to stall them. He did not want to be there when the greater demons arrived. He shoved his swords into their sheaths and raced upstairs to find Sofia, with her drawstring bag across her back, standing there in a frozen panic.

"Sofia!" he yelled to try and break her out of her paralyzed fear.

He saw and felt her terror as he raced over to her and took her in his arms. He quickly led her to her balcony and turned to her. Grabbing her face with both hands, he forced her to look at him. "Trust me."

Terrified, she quickly nodded. He relaxed, knowing she trusted him to protect her. He centered himself and silently called his Goddess-given affinity of air to him as she watched in amazement. As she gazed into his eyes, he stared at her while the white specks in his irises grew until they were brilliant white orbs almost encompassing both of his irises.

Before she could react, he threw himself, with her in his arms, off her balcony. They floated, as if on a cloud, down to her driveway. He unlocked the doors of his car with his mind.

"We need to go. Now." He helped her into the passenger seat.

He ran to the other side and jumped in. They both quickly fastened their seatbelts as he peeled out of the driveway and raced to meet Angel before anything else could go wrong with their plan.

## Chapter Twenty-Five

Rafe stretched in his bed, allowing his body to awaken at its own pace. As he lay there, he relived his fight with Sofia the night before. He had wanted to call her last night, but he was angry and offended that she had kept things from him. In truth, he was jealous and hurt.

He knew they didn't really act like a couple in love, but still, it wounded him when he realized she was falling for his crazy stories. It bothered him even more that Angel was in on the whole thing. He had really liked Angel. He didn't understand why Angel would do something so mean and hurtful as helping his brother steal Sofia away from him.

He grabbed his phone to call Sofia. He had to make things right between them. He was about to dial her number when he heard Liana downstairs with his mom. He jumped out of bed, realizing Sofia was probably downstairs as well. He got dressed and washed up before heading downstairs.

The last thing he wanted was to have bedhead and be in his pajama pants and the old t-shirt he used to sleep in when he saw her. Not that she hadn't seen him plenty of times before like that, but if she was really starting to like Ar'ch, then he needed to look his best in front of her.

As he came down the stairs, he heard Liana and his mom talking in the kitchen. He looked around and didn't see Sofia anywhere. He felt his worse fears taking hold of him as he began to wonder if Sofia really decided not to come with them. He began walking to the kitchen but stayed back to eavesdrop and see if he could learn anything before having to confront the truth.

"I don't feel I made the right decision," Liana was telling his mother.

"You did the right thing, Liana. This was the best thing for everyone involved. The Goddess will reward you for your sacrifice," his mother said.

_Her sacrifice_ , he thought. What was that all about? He couldn't stay in the shadows anymore. His concern for Sofia overrode his desire to hear their thoughts.

"What sacrifice? Where is Sofia?" He looked around and confirmed that Sofia was definitely not there.

Liana jumped when he approached them. He had startled her. He could see she was on edge. He saw sadness and compassion in her eyes and steeled himself for what she was about to say.

"Rafe, honey, Sofia is not coming with us. She is going to be staying behind to finish school. She has a different path that she must follow."

"No, I refuse to accept that. She can finish school wherever I go to school."

His mother stepped in. "Don't be childish, son. You will see Sofia again soon."

"But you are coming with us, right?" he asked Liana, ignoring his mother.

Liana nodded. "Yes, Rafe, but Sofia cannot join us just yet."

"I'm sorry, but that doesn't make any sense to me. I'm not leaving without her." He took off before either of them could stop him.

-o-

Damiana picked up the phone as Liana ran out of the door after Rafe.

"Rafe, wait!" she called out and ran after him, but it was too late. He was already in the car, driving away.

As she walked back into the kitchen, she heard Damiana say, "What do you mean? What have you done? I did not order that!" Damiana saw her looking at her oddly. "Never mind, we have more important matters at hand. Bring him back," she said and hung up.

She wrung her hands as she paced the kitchen, tears streaming freely down her face. "What have I done?"

Damiana placed her phone on the kitchen counter before turning to her. "You have done the right thing. Do not worry. Rafe will come home. All will be fine."

She looked at her and wondered if anything would ever be fine again.

## Chapter Twenty-Six

Sofia asked Ar'ch, as he drove like a bat out of hell, "Where are we going?"

"To our portal." Ar'ch dangerously just missed the car in front of him.

"Where would that be?" she asked after her heart descended from her throat.

"Main Street fountain."

"Seriously?"

He risked a quick glance at her before giving all his attention back to the road. "Yes, that is our rendezvous point. Our father placed the portal there."

"Don't you think the fountain is a little too...public?"

He smiled as he finally reached Main Street. "Do not worry. Humans will not notice our disappearance." He parked the car.

They jumped out of the car quickly. Ar'ch raced over to her side and took her hand in his. She took a moment to savor the electric energy between them. She spotted Angel just as Ar'ch did. She watched as his face went from relieved in finding Angel to disturbed.

"What's wrong?"

"The deminions are here as well." Ar'ch opened the car door again.

She looked around and saw nothing out of the ordinary. Locals were walking about, doing their own business. She even recognized some of her classmates at the ice cream shop. She felt her heart become heavy at the thought that she'd never see any of them again just as he started to push her back into the car.

"Stay in the car for me, will you? I have to help Angel get rid of the deminions." He shut her door.

She still didn't see anything. Angel was sitting at a table close to the fountain. He seemed to be meditating. Then something weird happened. As Ar'ch approached his brother, there was a ripple effect in the air around them, almost as if someone had pushed a wall of water. She blinked to make sense of it, and then all she saw was Ar'ch sitting next to Angel, both looking as if they were gazing at the fountain.

It made no sense to her. Why would they be sitting calmly when Ar'ch had made it seem as if they were in danger? She crossed her arms and exhaled in frustration. When he came back for her, he was going to have to do some serious explaining.

-o-

Ar'ch hoped Sofia did not choose that instant to come into her powers because the last thing he needed was for her to see the number of deminions he and Angel were up against. He was impressed with how well Angel was holding his own. Not only was Angel using his daggers, but he commanded the water from the fountain to form into icy blades and attack the deminions.

Deminions were falling right and left near the fountain. They were not the smartest of beasts and could not figure out who was throwing the icy blades. Because the icy blades were simply made of water and not blessed with magic like Ar'ch's swords and Angel's daggers, the deminions who were hit with the icy blades would take longer to disintegrate.

He couldn't worry about that small detail. First, he had to make sure they were all destroyed. He could help Angel clean up the mess before they dissolved the visual barrier. He jumped right into the action once he knew he had crossed over into the visual barrier that had been put in place to keep the humans from seeing their battle.

He pulled out his swords and immediately took down two deminions by slicing them through their backs. Three deminions, who were en route to attack Angel, changed their course when they saw him obliterate their brothers. He blasted one of them with wind while he sliced the two who were advancing him with his swords. Then, he brought the third toward him with a gust of wind so that the deminion fell straight onto his sword.

There were so many of them that they should have been overtaken. He had only a moment to process that thought before he realized what was really taking place. The deminions were not there to destroy them; they were there to prevent them from leaving.

He turned to Angel just as he saw one of the stronger deminions heading to the portal. "Angel, the portal!"

Angel turned just a second too slowly. He threw an icy dagger at the deminion. The deminion continued to move toward the portal even though it was hit by his dagger. They watched in horror as the portal was destroyed into a million pieces. The deminion disintegrated out of their visual barrier.

Infuriated, he turned around to fight off the rest of the deminions. Instead, he watched as they hesitantly walked away from them. Before he had time to process why they were not engaging them anymore or whether he should allow his anger to kill them all anyway, he heard Sofia scream. Angel used his daggers to finish off the deminions who had been defeated so they would disintegrate instantly. Then, he brought down the barrier just in time to watch Sofia running toward the side of the fountain.

-o-

Sofia had been watching Angel and Ar'ch sitting there, looking at the fountain, and wondering if she had totally lost her mind. Ar'ch had said the deminions were there, but she could not see anything out of the ordinary. She had had enough of waiting in the car.

She got out and started walking to them. Suddenly, the ripple in the air happened again and her eyes were drawn to the left side of the fountain. Mel was standing there, clutching her stomach. Sofia saw blood seeping out between her fingers. She screamed as Mel collapsed to the ground.

-o-

Angel followed Sofia's line of sight and saw the moment when the girl fell to the ground. Ar'ch, too, saw what Sofia was seeing and cursed under his breath. Sofia had reached the girl's side when Angel threw up another visibility shield around them. The last thing they needed was more attention.

Angel watched Ar'ch take a moment to look at each person who was around the area and knew he was quickly erasing the memory of Sofia's scream from the humans' minds. The patrons shook their heads for a moment before returning to what they were doing.

"Oh my God, Mel!" Sofia knelt beside her. Mel was gasping in short, uneven breaths. "What happened?"

"I...don't...know." Mel gasped between breaths, looking from Sofia to Ar'ch and him. "I was...walking...and then...." Mel looked down at her hands and saw the blood.

Ar'ch touched Sofia's shoulder and felt her tense up. "Sofia, we need to go. We don't have much time."

Sofia cried freely. "Help her! She can't breathe!"

"We need to go."

Sofia looked up at Ar'ch and then him, tears streaming down her face. "She's my best friend. She can't breathe. Something punctured her lungs."

He couldn't believe one of his loose icy daggers had exited the barrier he had put up, but he was new to all this. Maybe he had panicked when he saw the deminion heading to the portal. Maybe he had done this. He saw the pain he was causing his sister, but he knew the danger they faced if they stayed there. He looked to Ar'ch for guidance.

"Didn't you tell me the Goddess created you to heal humans? Didn't you tell me your purpose was to heal and protect?"

With sad eyes, Angel nodded.

"Then, heal her, dammit! Make her whole because I'm not leaving unless you do!"

Ar'ch puffed in frustration. "Brother, let us try because we definitely don't have time for this." He leaned down over Mel. "Sofia, move back. Neither of us has ever truly healed a human, so give us some space."

Ar'ch placed his hands on Mel's wound above the rib cage. Angel could hear her wheezing. He knelt next to Ar'ch and placed his hands over his. He could feel her blood leaking out of the wound. They looked at each other, knowing they did not have a lot of time to save her, if they even could.

-o-

Ar'ch could not believe he was wasting their time on this. It wasn't that he didn't want to save Sofia's best friend's life; it was that doing so was putting all their lives in danger. Still, Sofia was not budging, so the sooner he tried to save Mel's life, the sooner they could get out of there.

He closed his eyes and silently called upon his Goddess-given talent. When he felt air caress him, he visualized the air moving into Mel's lungs and filling them with the oxygen her body needed. Immediately, he felt the air follow his command and watched as Mel took a deep breath, then another, and then several. He heard Sofia gasp in hope. He looked at Angel.

-o-

Angel closed his eyes and prayed to the Goddess that She would bless him with enough power to not disappoint his sister. He focused on Mel's blood, knowing all liquid belonged to water. He envisioned the blood seeping out of the wound.

He commanded the flowing liquid to retract back to where it came from. He ordered the sticky substance to coagulate and create a seal both on the skin and on the lung tissue so that both could begin the healing process.

He held his breath, waiting to see if he had enough skill in him to ask such a great task. Creating icy daggers was easy; asking blood to do so much was on a whole other level. He watched as Mel's eyes closed and she took a deep breath.

She opened her eyes in wonder just as he felt her lung seal and her blood act as super glue to hold it together. He sighed in relief as Sofia pushed past him to hug Mel. He and Ar'ch gave them a moment. It was a moment more than he knew they could afford.

"Sofia," Ar'ch said with determination in his voice. "We healed her. We must go. Now."

Sofia looked up at Angel with wonder and gratitude. She nodded. She turned to Mel. "I can't explain any of this. I'm sorry, but I have to go. I love you, Mel."

She hugged her one last time and stood to leave with them. He helped Mel stand as Ar'ch dissipated the visual barrier. None of the local humans knew what had taken place. They walked quickly back to Ar'ch's car, trying not to draw attention their way.

As they reached the car, Sofia asked, "What happened back there?"

He attempted to smile at her, but he felt guilty he could have possibly caused her best friend to die. Ar'ch looked angry. Angel felt his anger and hoped it wasn't directed at him.

"What happened back there is that those damn deminions destroyed our portal."

"Was it the same kind of deminions you said were at my house?"

Ar'ch nodded. "Someone is working very hard to keep us from leaving."

"Maybe I'm not supposed to leave."

Angel felt doubt overwhelming her.

"Maybe I made the wrong choice."

Ar'ch took Sofia by the shoulders. "Sofia, these deminions know who you are. You are no longer safe on Earth."

"So, now what?"

"Now, we find another portal," Ar'ch replied.

"We've never had to create the rune ourselves," Angel said.

"No, but I know how to do it."

"In theory," he responded.

"Do you have a better suggestion?"

He felt Ar'ch's frustrations growing with every passing moment that they just stood there. He stayed silent, knowing he knew of nothing else that could help them.

"So, where do we find another portal?" Sofia asked.

Silence filled the air around them for a few moments before Ar'ch's eyes lit up. "Your willow tree."

"My tree?"

Ar'ch was suddenly very excited. "Yes! Do you remember when you told me what your mother had told you? You said she told you the tree would be your escape from reality when you needed it! She wasn't talking about you needing a moment to yourself. She was telling you that it would be a portal to our world!"

Angel felt Sofia's heart beat faster. "Are you sure?"

Ar'ch smiled. "There's only one way to find out."

## Chapter Twenty-Seven

Rafe skidded up Sofia's driveway. As he parked, he saw her door was wide open. He ran into her house and screamed for her. No answer. He felt evil all around him, but he couldn't make sense of it. He ran through the house. He went upstairs and checked all the rooms. He checked the rooms downstairs as well. No Sofia.

Frustrated, he put his hands on his hips and hung his head. It was then that he saw her suitcase on the floor, opened with her clothes thrown about. It wasn't like her to leave everything a mess like that. He wondered if he were her, where would he go if he were upset? Immediately, the tree came to his mind, and he took off running toward it.

-o-

Ar'ch, Angel and Sofia arrived at the tree. She felt the energy as soon as she came close to it. The trees' branches parted on their own for them, amazing her. The three of them entered the tree and watched as the branches fell back into place.

"I feel it," she whispered in awe.

She looked at Ar'ch and smiled. She could feel the energy he had told her he had felt when he visited her at the tree. It was wondrous and powerful. Her tree seemed to glow.

"Everything feels different and looks a little different. Is this how you guys see it?"

He smiled. "It's the power from our world. I felt it the first time I came to your tree, but it wasn't this strong then."

She looked up at her tree, the tree she had sat under for years. It was the same tree she had used as an escape to read her books and to write in her journal, but at the same time, it seemed brand new to her.

"I've never felt this before."

"Your mind has been closed to your true nature," Angel said. "You are beginning to believe you are one of us. Your mind is awakening."

Ar'ch searched the tree as they continued to talk about what she was discovering. She watched Ar'ch and saw excitement on his face when the portal rune suddenly revealed itself as if it had been there all along.

"I've found our way home."

They rushed over to him. Just as Ar'ch was about to open the portal, they heard the branches rustle, and the three of them turned to watch Rafe walk through. Sofia watched Rafe sigh in relief in finding her, but then she watched as his expression changed from confusion to anger when he realized Ar'ch and Angel were with her.

She turned to Ar'ch and Angel, pleading with her eyes. "I need a minute, please. I need to say goodbye."

"We don't have a minute, Sofia. We have to go," Ar'ch reminded her.

She turned to Angel, who was looking at Rafe with a pained look. She felt Angel understood how difficult this was for her. He nodded. "One minute."

Ar'ch breathed out in frustration and turned to begin opening the portal. She knew the last thing he wanted to watch was an emotional departure scene between her and Rafe. He called Angel over to his side to help him with opening the portal to give them some privacy, for which Sofia was grateful.

She walked over to Rafe, hoping she had enough strength to do what had to be done. Rafe looked so distraught and confused and hurt and angry. She knew he had every right to each and every one of those emotions, but she also knew there was no way she could stay. She could not let something happen to him the way it had almost happened to Mel. She straightened her spine and prepared herself for the hardest goodbye she'd ever faced.

"What is going on?" he asked as soon as she was close enough to him.

"I have to go, Rafe. My mother was right. Our paths are taking us in different directions right now. You need to go be with your father. And I...I need to go somewhere else for a little while."

"Where?"

"I wish I could tell you. I just need you to try to trust me. I will come back to you." A tear betrayed her and slid down her cheek.

He trapped the tear with his finger. "Come back with me now."

"I can't. That path is not meant for me."

He frowned. "That's what your mother said."

She nodded.

"Don't do this, Sofe. You can change your mind. Come back with me."

She shook her head and took his hands in hers. "You are the best friend that I have ever had. I promise we will see each other again someday." The tears flowed freely down her cheeks.

She knew he understood that he could not change her mind, and she hated that she was breaking his heart. He leaned in to give her one last kiss but paused when her eyes went wide as she looked at something behind him. She couldn't believe what she was seeing.

They were grotesque. There were at least ten, maybe fifteen of them. They reminded her of the Orcs from the _Lord of the Rings_ trilogy except they were much smaller and darker. Swallowing the bile threatening to escape from her throat, she asked, "What is _that_?"

-o-

Ar'ch and Angel turned around from working on the tree when they heard the panic in her voice. As they followed her gaze, they saw upper-deminions cutting the branches of the willow tree to enter. These deminions were stronger, fiercer, and more dangerous. The willow tree was trying to stay rigid and create a barrier for them, but she had no defenses to the daggers the deminions were carrying.

"Ah, hell!" Ar'ch cursed. "Goddess, protect us!"

With super quick speed, he grabbed Sofia out of Rafe's stunned arms and pulled her toward the portal. He turned to her. "Stay. Put."

Angel began to put a shield of protection around her while Ar'ch collected branches that had fallen at their feet to use as weapons to throw at the deminions' hearts. His swords would be of no use unless they got closer, and he hoped it didn't come to that. He watched as a few deminions fell when the branches penetrated them. The other deminions, hesitant to get within his throwing range, approached them slowly.

-o-

Rafe looked behind him and saw nothing. He turned back to Sofia and looked completely confused. He could feel a pressing danger, but he didn't understand what was happening. He watched as Angel slowly waved his hands up and down around Sofia. He saw Ar'ch throw branches past him with amazing speed. He shook his head. He must be losing his mind.

-o-

Angel finished the shield of protection around Sofia and had just finished telling her to stay in place so she would be safe. As he turned around, he saw a brave and stupid deminion pull out a dagger and run toward them all.

He yelled, "Rafe, move! Get out of the way!"

He watched as Rafe turned to look behind him, but he knew Rafe saw nothing. They watched in horror as a deminion ran toward Rafe with a knife. Ar'ch called upon air to send branches toward the deminion to stop him in his path just as Rafe's body began to convulse and slumped to the ground.

The deminion fell upon Rafe's body and moved no more. The other deminions had begun to advance forward from the bravery of what looked to be their leader but then paused as they watched him fall. Slowly, they retreated and exited the willow tree before disappearing completely.

-o-

For a moment, none of them moved, too shocked at what had just taken place. Then, Sofia broke through her protective shield and ran to Rafe's side. She shoved the deminion's body off Rafe and shook him, trying to get any response at all from him. He moved from her force, but otherwise, he was lifeless.

She screamed and cried as she slapped him and shook him, trying to get him to wake up. She had blood all over her hands and her clothes and that's when it hit her. It didn't matter what she did because Rafe was dead. Her best friend, her boyfriend, her closest childhood friend was gone.

-o-

Ar'ch could feel her love pouring out for Rafe. He wasn't used to such uncomfortable circumstances. Part of him, the part that would never admit to feeling jealous, wanted to make a sarcastic remark and move things along. The other part of him, the part that did not want to admit his feelings for her, wanted to wrap her in his arms and hold her while she cried. He approached her and softly touched her shoulders.

She jumped and pulled away from him. "Leave me alone!"

He said, softly, "Sofia, we really need to go. The portal has already been opened, and we don't have much time before it closes."

She shook her head. He tapped into her mind to try to find a way to reach her. Her thoughts were blasting out. She couldn't believe Rafe was dead. And it was all her fault. Rafe had come for her. If it weren't for her, he'd still be alive.

"Sofia, we don't have any time left," he tried to say with empathy. "We don't have a choice. We have to go now."

She turned to him. "I have a choice. I ALWAYS have a choice."

He could feel the heat building up around them. He understood she was in pain, but they were out of time. Rafe was dead. He couldn't bring him back to life, but if they didn't leave right then, they were going to have to worry about losing their own lives.

"Yes, Sofia," he said, becoming sterner with her. "And do you feel as if you've been making the right choices?"

-o-

Sofia looked back at Rafe and shook her head. If she hadn't argued with Ar'ch at her house, they may have made it to the portal at the fountain in time. If she hadn't asked for a minute with Rafe, they would have made it safely through the portal, and Rafe would still be alive. Tears streamed down her face and landed on his still body.

She leaned down and placed a last kiss on his lips and whispered, "Goodbye." She stood up and turned to them. "Let's go."

As soon as she reached Ar'ch, she paused. She shook her head. "I can't leave."

Ar'ch rolled his eyes. "Now what?"

"His funeral," she replied, still shaking her head. "I can't miss Rafe's funeral. What would people think if I weren't there for it?"

She saw Ar'ch look to Angel, who then calmly asked her, "Sofia, didn't our mother say they were moving?"

She nodded.

"I doubt his mother would have a funeral just so people would mourn him. It's more likely they will leave everyone believing he is alive and well somewhere else?"

She looked at Angel, processing his words through her pain. It did sound like something Damiana and her mother would do. Why make everyone else suffer like this? But still...

-o-

Ar'ch sent a message to Angel, _She's not buying it. Calm her emotions so she isn't so panicky._

Angel replied, _I can't. I promised her I wouldn't manipulate her emotions without her permission._

Ar'ch let out a sigh of frustration and turned to Sofia. He turned her face toward him and looked deeply into her eyes. He could feel when his powers connected with her. He knew she would see his eyes differently, but she was too emotionally distraught to be able to fight his persuasion.

"Sofia, your mother will make sure you do not miss Rafe's funeral, if one is planned."

He knew she was fixated on the moving white specks in his eyes. She nodded. "Of course. My mother knows how important Rafe is to me. She would never let me miss the funeral."

Angel stood with his mouth agape. _Brother, did you just manipulate her thoughts?_

He turned to Angel, breaking his connection with Sofia. _We need to leave. We can't be here when Damiana finds out that her only son is dead. I did what needed to be done._

Sofia looked at Angel for reassurance. He nodded at her, tears streaming down his own face. She nodded back. It was time to go. Ar'ch held out his hand to her. She put her hand in his.

He raised her hand to his lips and kissed her palm while looking at her with a soft smile. He could not change what had just happened, and he wasn't going to allow these events to change what he felt was the beginning of their future. He knew she was hurting, but he had a lifetime to help her heal, and he would.

He pulled her into his arms. "Sofia, trust me. I won't let anything happen to you."

She looked up at him, like a wounded puppy. His heart broke for her.

"Hold on tight," he whispered.

Then, Ar'ch held her hand to his chest before pulling her with him through the portal. Hope surged through him, knowing he was bringing their savior home to save them all.

-o-

Sofia watched Angel turn and enter the portal. Then, it was her turn. As she felt herself being pulled through the portal, she wrapped her arm around Ar'ch and laid her head on his chest.

She thought about the past seventeen years of her life and the events that had taken place in the past few weeks. She thought about her mom and the sacrifices she had made for her. She thought about Rafe and the mistakes she had made with him. She would never forgive herself for what she had caused. Somehow, she would have to find a way to atone for her mistakes.

She felt Ar'ch pull her closer. She wondered what this new world would hold for her. She was scared. She had only seen beauty in her dreams with Ar'ch, but the deminions she had seen that night were from her worst nightmares. What other evils would she learn about? She felt Ar'ch's hand wrapped around hers and his other arm securing her tightly to his body. She gave in to his embrace, needing his strength and his comfort.

She was not alone. She had her brother with her, and she had Ar'ch. She still did not believe she was the one who would save them all. If she were that powerful, then she should have had enough power to have saved Rafe. And Rafe was dead. Hopefully, the Diasodz holding her safely in his arms believed in the prophecy and in her enough to make it come true.

Only time would tell...

Dear reader,

Thank you for reading the first of several novels about my charming and irritatingly sexy Diasodz. My first invitation into the world of the Diasodz was a dream I had in which Sofia was crying over Rafe's body, and I knew her story and the challenges ahead of her had to be shared with the world.

Here are a couple of fun facts for you. Rafe and Sofia's watering hole was based on a sand pool I used to go to when I was a kid. My dad was in the Army for 25 years, and for a couple of those years, we were stationed in Virginia. During that time, we used to visit a sand pool. It didn't have all the bells and whistles that their watering hole had, but it's where I came up with that idea. I've learned the sand pool no longer exists, but it holds a special place in my memory bank.

Another fun fact for you is that I was originally going to kill off Mel's character in this book, but Mel's sassy self made it perfectly clear she wasn't done with me yet. So, if you liked her character, you are definitely going to want to keep reading this series.

If you are reading this, it warms my heart that you finished the novel. The entire series has been overwhelmingly loud in my head, and book two is ready for you to download and enjoy. I am a bit of a perfectionist. If you have found an error, please do me the favor of emailing me at calleirobooks@aol.com. I would truly appreciate it.

Please take a moment to write a review on whatever site in which you purchased my book. If you fell in love with a character (or three) or if you wish you could virtually slap me for Rafe's death, share your love of reading so others may venture into the world of the Diasodz. I look forward to reading your reviews.

Sincerely,

Yvette M. Calleiro :-)

P.S. If you want a sneak peak to The One Enlightened, book two in the series, keep flipping a few more pages. Happy reading!!

## About the Author

Yvette M. Calleiro is a heavily addicted reader of both young adult and adult novels. She spends most of her time pseudo-living in paranormal worlds with her fictional friends (and boyfriends). She's also been known to ride the stationary bike at her gym for hours while reading anything from paranormal to fantasy to suspenseful thrillers.

When she's living amongst real people, Yvette M. Calleiro is a middle school Reading teacher. She's been sharing her love of literature with her students for over fifteen years. Besides writing about the various characters that whisper (and sometimes scream) in her head, she enjoys traveling, watching movies, spending quality time with family and friends, and enjoying the beauty of the ocean.

Yvette lives in Miami, Florida, with her beautiful son who also enjoys fantasy. She also shares her space with an assortment of crazy saltwater animals in her 300-gallon tank.

## Connect with the Author

Twitter: @YvetteMCalleiro

Facebook: <http://www.facebook.com/yvettemcalleiro>

Web site: http://yvettemcalleiro.com

Blog: http://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com

## Acknowledgements

The publishing of this novel has been a dream come true. There are so many people who have helped make this dream a reality, and I will most likely forget someone because my memory is holier than a spaghetti strainer.

I am forever grateful to my parents for instilling a love for reading and writing in me and for always being supportive of everything I do. To my sister, thank you for motivating me and encouraging me to never give up. To my best friend Liz, thank you for listening to me go on and on about my characters and never telling me to shut up.

To Armando, thanks for sharing with me the tidbits of history that helped me shape the Diasodz and for sharing your Wiccan ways with me. Any misrepresentation of historical events or elemental magic are solely my errors (or rather, it is the Diasodz' way of insisting on being unique). To Rob, my first true fan, your excitement over my characters and their world have truly been inspirational.

I also want to thank my former students, Nieves, Elissa, and Lauren, for introducing me to certain young adult novels that brought me back to my passion for reading and writing. Although I was your teacher, it was you who inspired me, and I owe you a debt of gratitude.

I am extremely thankful to my friends and family who spent hours upon hours combing through my novel to find errors and to give me suggestions: Mom, Kristy, Liz, Bina, Rob, and Patty. You never gave me a hard time about checking just _one_ _more_ revision, and that really means a lot to me.

A huge thanks also goes to my Goodreads Beta Readers: Claire Robinson, Jeni Hamilton, Lin White, and Lisa Weir. You guys are awesome, and I truly appreciate your honest advice and critiques. I am in awe of how my cover design artist, Tatiana Villa of Vila Design, was able to pull my vision from my head and display it for the entire world to see.

A special thank you goes to Rene for using his professional photography expertise to help me make sure my cover was perfect. Finally, to those of you who read my book and take the time to write a review or encourage your friends to read it, thank you! Your support means the world to me.

##

## Sneak Peek

## The One Enlightened

## (Chronicles of the Diasodz, Book 2)

Rafe was dead. Sofia looked over at his still body, marked with blood and disappointment and failure. She looked past him to the concealment of the willow branches, recalling how the deminions had retreated after Rafe's death. Those hideous creatures were still out there somewhere. She could still picture their bulging eyes, their sharp, pointed teeth, and their skin the color of death.

She never wanted to encounter those evil beings again. She turned and saw Ar'ch and Angel waiting for her, the gleaming open portal behind them. If those horrible creatures had not confirmed for her the existence of another world, that portal certainly did. Her options dwindled away in front of her.

Her old life had died with Rafe. Ar'ch and Angel had told her that she would be the savior of their kind, that she was a Diasodz, a being created to heal and protect humans. Yet, there she stood, in front of the best friend she had ever had, and she could not heal him. She could not save him. Tears streamed down her face, flowing down her jaw onto her neck like a waterfall of grief. She walked toward Ar'ch, numbed with heartache. She would go with them and learn whatever she needed to learn to make sure she never felt this type of sorrow again.

He pulled her into his arms and exhaled, his anxiety for her safety speaking through his breath. "Sofia, trust me. I won't let anything happen to you."

She gazed up at him; she wanted to believe his words, but her despair made her feel hollow inside. She collapsed into his embrace, letting him comfort her and caress her with his strength. Angel stood beside the portal. She half-wished that she would disintegrate once she entered so that she wouldn't have to live with the pain of losing Rafe. As Ar'ch led her closer to the portal, she felt a strong need to move away from it. He steadied her.

"It's okay. Your human body is reacting to the portal's protective barrier which makes your body feel the danger and want to avoid it. But you are a Diasodz, Sofia, and you have permission to enter. You will be okay. I promise you."

She let go of her resistance. If she died, so be it. The need to run away crawled upon her skin for a moment and then suddenly vanished. Ar'ch smiled reassuringly at her.

"Like I said, you have nothing to worry about."

Angel spoke, his voice gentler than she had ever heard it, concern for her written all over his face. "Are we ready?"

Ar'ch nodded. "You go first. We'll be right behind you."

Angel forced a smile her way. "See you in a minute, sis." Then, he took a step into the portal and disappeared.

She tensed up, her anxiety heightened by watching someone else she had grown to care about vanish in front of her. Ar'ch pulled her closer to him and rubbed his hand up and down her back.

"Remember when we were on your balcony?"

She nodded.

"This is very similar. Just look at me and hold on."

Beautiful, peaceful clouds began to form in his eyes. Those clouds offered her so much promise of better times to come, times of laughter and harmony and happiness. She felt herself begin to relax when Ar'ch said, "Here we go," and stepped into the portal with her in his arms.

She tried to maintain eye contact with him, but it was too painful. She felt as if he saw straight into her shattered heart, but that pain belonged in the private depths of her soul. She wasn't ready to share with anyone the agony that ripped her insides to shreds. She closed her eyes and laid her head upon his chest.

She thought about the past seventeen years of her life and the events that had taken place in the past few weeks. She thought about her mom and the sacrifices she had made for her. She wondered how her mother would react when she found out that she had caused Rafe's death.

She thought about Rafe and the mistakes she had made with him. He was kindness and warmth and comfort and security, and now he was still and cold and dead because of her. She would never forgive herself for what she had caused. Somehow, she would find a way to atone for her mistakes, even if it took an eternity.

She felt Ar'ch pull her closer. She wondered what this new world would hold for her. Uncertainty began to wrap itself around her. She had only seen beauty in her dreams with him, but the deminions she had seen that night came from her worst nightmares. What other evils would she learn about? She felt one hand wrapped around hers, and his other arm secured her tightly to his body. She gave in to his embrace, needing his strength and his comfort even though she didn't deserve it.

As soon as she relaxed, she felt a searing pain attack every cell of her body. Her whole body wanted to rip apart the way a savage predator gnaws at his captured prey. Her mind barely had time to register the excruciating pain before a tidal wave of nausea hit her. It felt as if she were on the sickest roller coaster combined with the most fast-paced IMAX experience ever.

Fear crept into her pain-filled, nauseated mind. Maybe they were wrong. Maybe she was only human after all. Maybe this was it for her and she would die. And maybe that was –

Abruptly, she felt solid ground underneath her feet. She stumbled a little before Ar'ch tightened his hold. She kept a death grip on him. He caressed her hair and loosened his hold just a bit to encourage her to relax. As she accepted the floor beneath her as real, she began to lessen her hold but only enough to allow his blood to flow.

With her heart beating so quickly that she could barely catch her breath, she slowly opened her eyes and gazed upon the floor before looking around the room. She still felt quite queasy, and her insides threatened to revolt. The bright, glaring, white walls forced her to cast her eyes to the floor once again. She automatically squinted to lessen the assault of light on her unaccustomed eyes.

The elegant, beige marble floor reminded her of a sandy beach. Either her ears had yet to adjust, or silence suffocated the room. She caught movement from the corner of her eye and watched Angel walk over to a couple standing by a beautiful, blue sofa. He embraced a man and then a woman before he turned to her and smiled.

She took a moment to observe the couple while he embraced them. The woman was regal and stunning. She was tall and fit beneath her dark green gown. Her long, brown hair complemented her pale skin, and her eyes drew Sofia in. They were a lovely, light green with a very predominant, dark green speck within them.

The man standing next to her smiled a warm, inviting smile. He was taller than the woman but not by much. His physical demeanor intimidated her. Muscles protruded everywhere, and the black suit that he wore seemed to only emphasize his strength. He had black hair styled in a military manner, like the men at home would wear. Silver hairs randomly poked out through the black, but there was nothing frail about this man. His blue irises contained light blue specks within them which reminded her of both Ar'ch and Angel. The man and woman turned to look toward her and Ar'ch, and she turned away, embarrassed.

Angel interrupted her observations. "Mother, Father, this is Sofia."

She tried to smile, but her stomach still complained about the sudden change in environment. Though not looking directly at them anymore, she could see that the man appeared completely overjoyed, but something about the woman's reaction sent an uneasy chill through her. The woman, Ar'ch and Angel's mother, scrutinized her as if she were inspecting a new specimen. She did not seem to share the same enthusiasm as her husband.

The woman made a small shake of her head. Sofia would have missed it completely if her inner insecurity had not already latched on to this woman's distress. Her eyes followed the woman's hand as she slowly brought it over her chest and inhaled deeply. She felt herself inhale as well, possibly with even more unease than the woman.

She raised her eyes to the woman's face in hopes of being wrong about her reaction. Their mother gasped as soon as their eyes met. "Oh, my Goddess!" She covered her mouth. The man turned to his wife with concern etched into his eyes.

Sofia looked at one and then the other as panic began to invade her mind. She could see that the woman felt that something was amiss. She could not tear her eyes away from her. She tensed up her feet, her body, and her hands to make sure that all her pieces were in the right places. Nothing seemed out of order except for the horrible nausea. Angel seemed just as confused by his mother's reaction.

Maybe his mother believed they had brought the wrong person. She had thought that herself. Making it through the portal proved she was one of them, but what if she wasn't _the one_? What if everything she had just been through – leaving her mother, abandoning her friends and her schooling, causing Rafe's death – what if it was all for nothing?

Her chest began to tighten. A numbness enveloped her hands. Her heart rate quickened, yet she couldn't breathe. Her vision became spotty as a coldness crept over her skin. She turned to Ar'ch for help, but, in her panic, she turned too quickly and felt her entire world shift before losing her balance and blacking out.
