Forbidden Magic Read Online Free PDF Page A

birthday party—the one and only that she’d ever had
    —if her father had shown up.
    But he hadn’t, of course. Ginny was a tool to him, not a child. It had taken her many painful years to figure that out. About the same time she’d figure out her mother was angel-struck , sort of the celestial version of star-struck. Her and Eli’s mother did anything and everything the angel said, regardless of the emotional or physical pain it caused her children.
    Nothing like a visit from a parent to stir up all her childhood angst. Sheesh, get over it already.
    The violent glow that felt like hot satin on her skin dimmed from stunning starburst to flickering firelight. “My patience thins, daughter.”
    She blinked away tears caused by the searing light and lifted her head. Lance, short for Vigilance, stood a few feet from her. He’d muted his angel fire glow, but his diamond-bright wings gave away his true essence. The feathers were the color of the moon pouring over a still lake—white diamond with veins of blue and gray. Folded like they were now, there was an elegant arch rising up to her father’s height of six foot, ten inches, then they swept down in a graceful curve to brush his calves.
    Spread for flight, his wingspan was easily fourteen feet.
    The rest of the angel appeared almost mortal—black hair, blue eyes, thin and wiry build—if one ignored the wings and internal glow that made him look like he was professionally backlit.
    He was stunningly beautiful, but emotionally cold. If given a choice, Ginny wouldn’t trade her plainness and ability to care for even a fraction of that beauty.
    She ignored his announcement of impatience and went right to what she cared about. “I can’t let those witches suffer.”
    “They are not your worry. Or mine.”
    Like he gave a shit about her worries. Speaking of worries, where was her brother? Looking around the dim, empty club with her still watering eyes, she asked, “Where is Eli? He wouldn’t just leave me.”
    Eli was as screwed by daddy dearest as Ginny. Which sucked even more for Eli since Lance wasn’t even his father, although she and Eli had the same mother. Five years older than Ginny, he’d been born a witch hunter. But because of the old curse that broke the hunters’ link with their god, Wing Slayer, Lance had been able to claim him as a servant, compelling Eli into the role as Ginny’s protector.
    And once Ginny was forced to ascend, Eli would go with her.
    In spite of Eli’s hatred of her father, and the role that had been thrust on him, Eli loved Ginny and protected her. He’d never leave her unconscious on the bathroom floor.
    The edges of Lance’s wings darkened. “He serves me. I planted a memory of him finding you sick and taking you home. He told the other hunters you’re resting in your own bed and already feeling better.”
    She hated the way her father treated Eli. It didn’t matter to Lance that Eli wanted only to serve his god as a Wing Slayer Hunter. Once Ginny ascended from this world, Eli would be ripped out of the life he loved. Ginny would not let that happen. “He only serves you because you stole him from his god.”
    Tiny sparks popped around his wings. “Defending your brother. An excellent example of family love. You’ve done well learning many of the mortal emotions. But you still lack the vital piece that drives humans to historic extremes. It’s time to finish your earthly training, Virginia, by experiencing sex, love and heartbreak.”
    Chills raced down her arms at the soft ice in her father’s voice. Many people thought of angels as warm, benevolent and powerful creatures. But they had lived for centuries, and over that span of that time, they had lost all empathy with human emotion. Angels were supposed to be the watchers of humans. But time, and in Ginny’s opinion, the arrogance of too much power, had numbed them until they no longer understood the people they watched.
    They were relearning with Halfings. The