“Alright,” I said, shaking with excitement.
“Step back a bit.”
I took a few steps back and paused.
He grinned at me.
“What?” I smiled.
He held his arms out to his sides, and then in the still silence, two of the most beautiful wings magically appeared behind him. Layer upon layer of flawless white feathers looked as soft as silk, and shimmered in the dim light of my lamp. I was completely spellbound by him in all of his glory.
An ethereal golden glow encircled him. This is who he truly was. Who I’d always envisioned him to be. He had been reborn and was now complete.
“Emma?” he spoke softly.
Uncontrollable tears filled my eyes, and there were only two words I could manage to push out.
“You’re beautiful.”
Kade’s eyes were filled with so much love, compassion, and tenderness.
“It’s time,” he said.
His wings folded around me, encasing me in a cocoon of white. His protective arms held me tight.
As soon as he did, I felt like I was bashed in the chest. My body went limp, but Kade held me tight. Intense pain began to rain down on me, igniting the top of my head. Inch by inch the pain blazed, slowly torching everything on its way down. As much as I tried to relax, I couldn’t; my body was rigid, tensed and trying to cope with the pain.
“Kade,” I moaned. “It burns.”
“I’m here. We’ll get through this together.”
An unexpected gentle breeze brushed against my face, cooling me and taking some of the pain away. It was Kade, blowing his magic on me.
When the fire hit my chest it settled, and then a force slammed me again, jolting my body backward. It felt like something was punching a hole straight through my heart. I moaned, and Kade’s arms tightened around me.
“I’m here, Emma,” he whispered, trying to comfort me.
The fire raged on, consuming me, incinerating what was left of my mortality. As it passed below my chest, I began to bear the pain a bit, but it depleted nearly all my energy. I kept my breathing steady as it continued down my legs, thighs, calves, and exited out my toes.
When the pain finally subsided, I slowly opened my eyes.
I was face to face, inches away, from the most beautiful angel I’d ever seen.
He was perfect, and he was alive. This wasn’t a dream.
I thought I’d lost him forever, but here he was, holding me, covering me, and protecting me, like he had from the very beginning. I could feel his unconditional love. He was my soul mate. My one true love. My bonded.
His hazel eyes, swirling with gold, were narrowed with concern and distress.
“Is it over?”
“No. It’s just beginning,” I whispered.
His brow furrowed.
“My life… with you,” I explained, giving him a weak smile.
His eyes softened, and then he leaned forward and kissed me. As soon as his lips touched mine, something inside of me awakened. At first it was a small tingling sensation, but as his kiss deepened, the feeling intensified. It was as if refreshing cold water was pouring over me, washing away my internal blaze.
His kiss was healing me, from the inside out.
When I could breathe easy, I slowly pulled back.
Kade’s eyes carefully studied mine. “Are you okay?”
“I am now,” I answered, breathless.
“Can I ask you something?” he said, kissing my forehead.
“Of course.”
He placed his hands on my shoulders and stepped backward. He then folded his beautiful wings behind his back and knelt down on one knee.
“Kade?” I was trembling, my knees weak.
He took hold of both of my hands and looked into my eyes with sincerity. His touch immediately strengthened me.
“We’ve both been reborn, transformed from one life and one being, into something much greater. I once made a decision which nearly took you away from me. It will never happen again.
“Emma, I want to spend the rest of eternity with you. I want to wake up every day and see your beautiful smile, feel your touch, and wrap you in my arms whenever you need strength. I want to be your protector for the rest of our immortal lives.”
His face was blurred from the flood of tears in my eyes. My stomach twisted with a million butterflies, and my knees became weak.
He kissed my hands. “Emma Wise, will you marry me?”
It felt as if the floor disappeared from beneath me. I collapsed and fell into his arms.
“Oh, Kade,” I wept, throwing my arms around him, kissing him.
“Was that a yes?” he chuckled against my lips.
“Yes. Yes. A million times, yes!” I exclaimed. Then, for the first time, I saw his mark. It was simple; a spiral with six triangles around it. It reminded me of a sun. A perfect symbol for Kade and who he was to me – my light in the darkness. Since the day we met, his presence brightened and filled me with such warmth and hope.