Free Ascension (The Gryphon Series) by Stacey Rourke Page A

mostly as a reminder to myself. “I’m not supposed to lead demons.”
    The twins seemed to hear me and separated themselves from the pack to inch closer. “If the rumors are true …” one began.
    “ … wouldn’t helping us get you what you really want?” his brother finished. I doubted that the looks of woeful pity etched deep into the lines of their faces were authentic, but they sure as heck were convincing.
    Gabe’s elongated ears perked. “What is it you really want?”
    I struggled to keep my voice steady. Now wasn’t the time to break down and get all squeaky , sobby girl, even though I really wanted to. “Barnabus promised to bring Caleb back if I help him.”
    Gabe’s topaz eyes snapped open wide and he nearly dropped his garage sale sign. “Cee! That’s huge! You should be turning back flips over this! We get to kill the demonic mistress of the night and you get your boyfriend back!”
    “Yeah!” The Glee Clubbers bounced up and down, feeding off of Gabe’s enthusiasm.
    “Sure, we know we can’t trust these guys ,” Gabe rambled, his gusto for the idea gaining momentum. “Worst case scenario they betray us and we kill ‘em. Easy as that. Why are you even hesitating?”
    Eddie’s head whipped in Gabe’s direction. “Whoa … that took an ugly turn.”
    Why was I hesitating? I opened my mouth and snapped it shut. Oh, how I wished Keni was there. All it would take is one look and she would understand exactly what I was feeling without the aid of my empathic skills. But no, I was drowning in a testosterone hell. After another false start, I gave up on the notion of the right words magically tumbling from my mouth. There was no way to vocalize the predicament I was wrestling with, mostly because I didn’t completely understand it myself. It wasn’t that I didn’t want Caleb back, the exact opposite in fact. Each day for me still began as it had since the morning I awoke in Ireland with the bed beside me vacant. As the sun rose each day it roused the gnawing ache in my heart that flared to life with an agonizing reminder of what had been and what was lost. The question then became: If the pain was this intense after all this time, why was I hesitating?
    Because I want it too bad.
    From the second Barnabus posed his offer I wanted nothing more than to jump at the chance to do whatever it took to get Cal back. I’d even don the skank wear a la’ Kat if it meant even the slightest chance to hear that silky brogue again. I wasn’t weighing my options or calculating strategies because that would require straight thinking and a level head. When it came to Caleb I couldn’t manage either, and that was exactly why I couldn’t say yes. I had a calling in the fight for good over evil, to do the right thing and make noble decisions even when they sucked. However, I couldn’t see past my former love. He wanted to be free of the shackles of his demonic side so desperately. How would he feel if I succumbed and he learned of the line I crossed to get him back?
    No.
    Until I knew my own motivation was pure I couldn’t say yes—at least not yet.
    “I … I just can’t.” My warrior nature bristled at the tears that threatened behind my eyes. With the weight of their stares burning into my back, I spun on my heel and bolted from the garage.
    “Celeste, wait.” Of all the people I anticipated following me, Boil Face was at the very bottom of that list.
    I heaved a deep sigh of annoyance and gave serious consideration to ignoring him. “What?”
    “You … you didn’t ask the right question.”
    I ground my teeth together and peered at him over my shoulder. “Yeah? And what’s that?”
    Boil Face shoved his hands into the pocket of his loose fitting cargo pants and stared up at me from under his saggy brows. “How w ere we able to be here?”
    A foreboding chill skittered up my spine , causing my instincts to snap on high alert. “I just figured you were sent to stab me in the back. You know,