Redemption Read Online Free PDF

the bed and lay next to her, staring into her eyes.
    “I love you, Will.”
    Those were the words he seemed to be waiting for, and he resumed his trail of kisses over her body.
    They made love with a gentleness that contrasted their usual frenzy and need, and when they were done, Emma lay in Will’s arms, her cheek resting on his chest.
     
    ***
     
    Will’s fingers stroked Emma’s arm, as he closed his eyes, committing the moment into memory.
    “Will, that was…” She looked up at him and smiled. “Beautiful.”
    He gave her a cocky grin. “Just making sure you don’t regret our shotgun marriage.” While he joked, part of him worried that she did regret the decision. Everything about their joining had happened so fast. She’d been pinned by a car to the side of the cliff and the car was falling, taking her with it. He’d joined with her in an attempt to save her using their combined powers. But their joining was eternal, and in hindsight, he wondered if he could have found another way. He was sure the ramifications of their joining had further-reaching implications than either of them realized.
    Her smile fell and her worried eyes searched his. “Do you regret it?”
    “No, Emma. Never.”
    “But you just got your memories back. Maybe you needed more time…” Her gaze lowered.
    He lifted her chin and stared into her face. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my entire life.” He paused and his voice lowered. “Do you regret it?”
    She shook her head slightly. “No. Other than Jake, you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I’d do it again. I love you.”
    “I love you too.” His arm around her back tightened and his mouth lowered to hers.
    Emma wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.
    “I bet it wasn’t the type of wedding you had hoped for. I suspect you wouldn’t want a big one, but at least something more romantic than what we had.”
    She laughed. “How I got married was never important, and what could be more romantic than you risking your life to save me? It’s definitely more memorable. A story to share with our grandkids.”
    He kissed her again, partly in desperation. Would they live long enough to have children, let alone grandchildren? They were pawns in a deadly game. A game of elemental immortals that had begun millenniums ago, and soon, the final confrontation would begin.
    Four shall fight, two shall remain .
    Will didn’t know how the math of that played out, now that there were seven participants. But Aiden had claimed that he didn’t intend to fight. He’d created a loophole to be exempt.
    And any world with Aiden still in it was unacceptable.
    Will clung to Emma, desperate to protect her and spare her the pain her father intended to inflict. Aiden held Jake as a hostage to force Emma’s participation. He’d orchestrated her entire life, from her neglectful, emotionally abusive mother, to sending a then-unenlightened Alex to search her out in college nearly six years ago and rape her to determine if Alex was The Chosen One. She’d lived like a hunted animal when Aiden sent men after Jake, forcing Emma and Jake to hide in one town to the next, always trying to stay one step ahead.
    Emma had lived through more pain than a person ought to, and she would face more. Will could do nothing to stop it, and that knowledge tormented him as he tried to fall asleep.
     
    ***
     
    Will stood outside. He heard water splashing behind him, but he couldn’t see anything. He had no idea where he was, but smoke surrounded him, and fear swamped his senses.
    This was a familiar dream.
    The smoke parted and the back of a woman’s head appeared, her long dark hair hanging down her back. When he was a kid having this dream, Will always thought she was his mother. Now he wondered why. While his mother had had dark hair, it had never been that long.
    Fire raged around him and iciness coursed through his veins. Water drenched his body, the fire heating the