Read Ascension of Evil (Battle for Souls Book 3) for Free Online

facing a war that could end humanity, and she had been denied the promise of eternity with Alexander.
     
    ****
     
    The way Gabby’s eyelids drooped with sadness before she walked away tortured Alexander. He wanted nothing more than to make her happy, but he couldn’t give her what she wanted, what he needed. His body trembled with desire. But he couldn’t, not until he understood just what happened between them. Her powers could still be too unstable.
    He punched a tree, sending it tumbling down onto two others. Dang, Grace was going to be mad when she saw the damage. She loved the tree line down the side of the house.
    He shook off the rising sense of hopelessness that plagued him too often lately and marched up to the front of the house. Stomping the dirt off his shoes, he walked up the porch steps.
    He wouldn’t risk their acceptance to Heaven, or Gabby’s powers going nuclear. They were back to chaperones. Oh, and a lot of cold showers and evening swims.
    Heaven denied their soulbond for a reason. He had to discover why and fix it.
    Alexander opened the front door, placed his shoes on the mat, and inhaled. Fresh paint from the recent construction still lingered in the air, a reminder of why he had to let Gabby go tonight.
    Alexander, come join us . Grace’s soothing voice in his head invited him to the kitchen. He pushed open the swinging door. The smell of baked apples and pumpkin welcomed him. Round tins with half-eaten treats lined the green tile counter top. He’d skip the pumpkin pie, his tongue still remembering the taste of the rotten one he’d eaten his first day on Earth.
    “How is she?” Sammy leaned into Boon’s side.
    A twinge of jealousy threatened to spread through him like a disease. He shook it off and took a piece of apple pie. “Not good.” He sighed. “I wish I could do more.”
    Sammy handed him a fork. “Shouldn’t you be with her?”
    “No. That’s not a good idea right now. She’s distraught and, honestly, so am I. Why would Heaven reject our bonding?”
    “Heaven didn’t.” Boon put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “You two are joined, just not in the way Sammy and I are.”
    “What does that mean? If I rise to Heaven, will she go with me?”
    “I don’t know. But I don’t think Heaven is where you are meant to be right now.”
    Alexander’s throat tightened. He never knew words could slice through him with such ferociousness. “I remembered. Heaven, the bliss, freedom, everything.” He balanced his plate of pie in one hand and gripped the side of the counter with the other, in hopes of making the world stop spinning out of control.
    Grace touched his arm and a mild breeze through his soul soothed him. He welcomed her calming presence. A little touch of Heaven on Earth. “Grace, what are we going to do? Gabby doesn’t believe she can lead an army of angels. If she doesn’t master her gifts soon we won’t stand a chance in this war.”
    “Then we must make her see she is the Chosen One.”
    Alexander sighed. “We need to figure out what happened between us first. What we have to do to earn Heaven’s full blessing.”
    “Patience, my child. In time, we’ll figure everything out.”
    “Patience? We both know I’m not blessed with much of that,” Alexander huffed. Time was a luxury they didn’t have. If the war came and he fell to darkness at the hands of Satan, would Gabby fall with him?
    He froze. That’s it. That was why they hadn’t bonded. “Perhaps we didn’t bond because she’s The Chosen One. It would be to big of a risk to bond her to a healing angel during wartime.”
    Grace nodded, “It’s possible, but let’s keep that to ourselves for now. Until we know anything for sure, we don’t want to upset Gabby more than necessary.”
    “I’ll go see her first thing in the morning and make sure she’s okay,” Sammy offered.
    “Thanks. I’m worried. Things were crazy earlier, but I thought something was…off with Bruce,” Alexander said,