Intended Series Collection: Books 1-6 by Abigail Grant (best summer books .txt) 📗

Jack’s voice speaks from the driver’s seat. “Were you able to talk to him?” he asks.

“Yeah. By the way, that’s a total newsflash to me. Nobody told me I could astral project to my Intended after bonding!”

Alexa nudges my side. “El, we can talk about that later! What did he say? How was he?” She has been more concerned for Gavin than the others. Being his twin, there is a connection that isn’t matchable.

I curl back into myself, not wanting to tell her about Gavin’s condition. “He uh… the demons have been hurting him pretty bad I think.” Tears fill my eyes again, somewhere from the deep dry well within me.

Alexa growls inside herself and Neo pulls her closer to his side. He rubs her arm, likely sending soothing feelings with his magic touch. He talks to her in a quiet voice, his New York accent shining through. “I know I can’t say ‘don’t worry’ cause that can’t be helped. But we’ll get to him, Lex. I promise you that we’ll do everything to get ‘im back.”

He’s right. I will do absolutely anything to get my husband back. I grab Alexa’s hand in mine and squeeze it. “He told me he will keep fighting too. If I know my Intended, he will kick some serious demon butt to get back to us. He is anything but weak.” I flinch as another wave of pain constricts my heart, but I try to hide the ever growing pain.

Alexa notices my distress and her eyebrows raise. “Is it getting worse, El? The pain?”

I shake my head. “It’s worse, but also not… if that makes any sense. The pull toward Gavin gets loose at times, like we’re closer to him, but then it suddenly tightens up and hurts like crazy.”

Uncle Jack speaks again. “Maybe it’s because he’s in hell. It’s not just another place on the earth that you can get closer to. It’s everywhere and nowhere.”

I nod, even though Jack is focused on the winding forest roads and can’t see it. “Anyone else feel like nothing at all makes sense lately?” I ask nobody in particular.

Jed raises his hand from the front seat, and for a peaceful moment, we all laugh. Jed is very much the silent, dry humor type. I feel like every demon-hunting crew needs one of him. The car comes to a sudden stop on the side of the dark road, and everyone is quiet.

Uncle Jack turns in his seat, shrugs his shoulders and looks at each of us with his dark brown contacts. Can’t look like a Seer when you’re storming a demon-infested hell. “Well, let’s go get our boy. Hell or highwater, eh?”

I’d prefer the highwater.

Chapter 8

Walking through the Redwoods at night, knowing that hell is here, is an entirely different experience than driving past the big trees and admiring the forest. I’ve always thought it would be fun to hike around here, but never like this.

Aunt Mags leads the way in front of our motley crew of Seers, humans, and Wicca. Each step along the dirt and vegetation is agony as Gavin’s absence from me continues. I just want to hug him and feel him beside me again.

Kassy falls in step with me and grabs my hand. “Hey, married lady. How are you feeling?” She has a bow and a quiver hanging onto her like a backpack and she carries a crossbow in her other hand. With her platinum hair pulled back in a messy bun and the tight leather coat zipped up to her neck, she looks like a mix between an elfin warrior ready for battle and a biker chick.

Everyone is geared up tonight, not knowing what to expect when we get to the entrance. Aunt Mags has never entered hell, she only knows of a few places that lead to it. Even I have my leather knife belt on around high waisted leggings.

I shrug to Kassy, not sure how to answer her question. How am I doing? I’m in pain constantly and my husband was taken to hell by evil demons because of me. “I’m okay.” Liar, liar, pants on fire.

Kassy tilts her head at me and raises a single eyebrow. “Liar,” she says. I can’t deny that the girl knows me. “You don’t have to say you’re okay. Just be honest and if you don’t want to talk at all, then be honest about that too.”

I nod and release her hand to run both of mine through my unwashed hair. “Fine. I’m not doing okay at all. Everything hurts and I’m worried about Gavin. We bonded only a day ago and he’s gone!” My voice rises with the truth. “I don’t want to fight anymore, but at the same time I want to fight everything and everyone to get back to him, and to top it off, my powers feel like they’re going to blow up the world!”

Everyone stops walking and turns to me as I yell. I cringe and my face flushes with heat. “Sorry. I guess I have some issues at the moment.”

Jed scoffs and I spin to my right where he stands with wide eyes. “Finally! I’m freaking out too!” His flipped out hair sticks out around his ears and the sword on his back jostles as he throws his arms in the air. “See, El. It’s okay to be stressed. You don’t have to be so cool all the time. You need to just get mad and kick some…”

“Jed,” Hagan whispers his son's name and holds his hand up. “We’re here.”

Everyone looks around us in silence and listens to the exceptionally dark woods. Aunt Mags lifts her hands, palms forward, in front of her and the path ahead of us lights up to show an amazingly large tree just feet ahead. All of the trees we’ve passed are big but this one tops them all, with a large root sticking up from the