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through gritted teeth. “My fall!” Her cry muffled by the sounds of emergency vehicles.
    A warmth seeped in and tugged the fingers of grief loose. “ Shh .”
    “C-can’t b-breathe.” Bones snapped around her soul and skin burned into them, she slammed against the ground, gasping. With hands wrapped around a jagged rock, she sat on the cold, damp ground heaving. Her lungs expanded but the memory of her great loss remained. She’d woken up only to live another nightmare away from Heaven. She sucked in the scent of fresh pine and peanuts.
    “Peanuts?” She blinked. Through blurry vision she discovered Boon kneeling by her side.
    “I thought you might need these.” He dropped several into the palm of her hand and brushed the hair from her forehead.
    A shutter of light shone through him. She caught a glimpse of his soul and their great love, but couldn’t comprehend it. Only warm happiness remained as evidence.
    Grace joined them, kneeling by her other side. “You were right. Both of you.” Sammy clutched both their hands. “I’m not ready to remember everything.
    Boon’s gaze grew distant and his reassuring smile drooped.
    “But I don’t have to. I trust what I feel.” She brought his hand to her cheek. “And my heart tells me you are something truly special.”
    Boon’s lips curled into a wide grin and he lifted her into his arms. Her aura collided with his and an amethyst light glowed around them. He pressed his forehead to hers. Finally, I’m whole again.

Chapter Seven

    Grace stepped to the edge of the rocky ridge. “It’s time.”
    They floated down to the clearing across from Alexander. Sammy’s sandaled feet crunched into the icy snow. She shivered and leaned into Boon for warmth and listened to the tree’s creak overhead. Boon pressed his lips to hers and she melted against him. Her body warmed to his touch, one of the few pleasurable human reactions. They were connected somehow. There was no way to deny it anymore. She yearned to return to Kemp and discover the rest of the mystery between them. His arms squeezed tight before he let her go.
    Sammy tugged him toward Alexander but he resisted. “This is as far as I go for now.”
    “Why? Certainly we can—”
    “Trust me.” He glanced at Alexander. “He doesn’t need any complications right now. He needs you. I understand now. Alex has a pure heart no matter how misguided he is by his passion. Hatred is a wasted human emotion. No matter his part in your fall from Heaven, I won’t hold a grudge any longer. I see now we will need one another. In time, Alexander will realize this too. Now go, be with Alex. He needs you.”
    She clung to his strong yet small frame one more time before she released him. Boon remained in the shadows at a distance. Warmth filled her. He would always be near watching over her and she didn’t mind.
    Alex sat with slumped shoulders pounding his fists against his head in the snow. A great devastation surrounded him. He blamed himself. He tried to help them but instead played right into Forras ’ plan. She understood now what Alex had meant about Demons being manipulative. Too bad he hadn’t heeded his own warnings.
    A husky laugh from Forras gloating sent a wave of heat down her arms and legs. Headlights shone through the woods. The shadow of four horns appeared on the ground near Alexander. Forras ’ massive smoke-grey arm and blood orange eyes reflected in the light, before he vanished into the forest.
    Alexander’s wings fluttered again, but he remained grounded.
    Sammy crossed her arms over her chest. “What did Forras do?”
    “Nothing, he’s grounded by guilt. His wings are broken by the weight of his part in all that is around us.” Grace said.
    Sammy fell to her knees by his side. His pain pounded at her consciousness but she kept it at a distance. Not allowing it to cripple her.
    Forras might not have clipped his wings but there was no doubt that he enjoyed torturing lost souls. It wouldn’t be