Free Stricken (The War Scrolls Book 1) by A.K. Morgen

guilt and fear.
    “Please let this turn out okay,” she whispered.
    If God was listening, He didn’t answer her.
     
    ***
     
    Aubrey awoke to the early morning sun spilling into her room in bright rays. Her whole body ached, and disturbing visions had plagued her dreams. The house fire that had claimed the lives of her brother and father had raged out of control while angels and demons waged war in the field outside, too caught up in destroying one another to notice the pained screams coming from her home. She’d tried to save her dad and Aaron by herself, but each time she dashed into the house, infected wolves chased her right back out.
    The last time she had run through the flames engulfing the front door, Killian and his brothers had been waiting for her, their faces twisted with hatred. Killian had grabbed her as she tried to dart around him and had dragged her back outside, demanding she stand trial for the life of the Nephilim boy Aaron had killed to save her.
    She had begged Killian to stop, but he’d ignored her.
    He had stood beside her, his expression black as a host of grim-faced angels sentenced her to death.
    Aubrey forced the dreams away and dressed quickly.
    She checked every room in the apartment twice before she relaxed.
    Killian was nowhere to be found.
    “Thank God,” she murmured, flopping down on the sofa beside Zee.
    The kitten meowed at her and then climbed into her lap, turned in a circle, and curled up.
    Aubrey scratched his ears, sighing. Her stomach growled, but she didn’t have the energy to walk to the kitchen. She stretched out on the couch instead, staring up at the ceiling. Even with her eyes wide open, Killian’s face seemed to hover before her.
    Where was he? Had he changed his mind about helping her?
    Did she care?
    “Ugh,” she huffed when the response to that last question immediately popped into her head. She didn’t like the warrior, but she needed him. The shifters weren’t chasing her for the fun of it, and she didn’t know anyone else who could help her. Unless she ran, Killian was her only hope.
    She considered the possibility of fleeing but quickly set it aside. She’d run from her past once before, and it had caught up with her. No need trying to do it again. Besides, pain and death followed her everywhere she went.
    Her mom had died when she was a baby. The Nephilim boy had kidnapped and tortured her before Aaron and an angel had killed him. And then Aaron and her dad had died in the fire. Maybe the shifters hunting her down now were further proof of her curse. So she didn’t get to hide under the blankets this time and forget about angels and demons and the humans caught in the middle. She had to fight even if the thought did make her want to throw up. And that meant she had to deal with the warrior who threatened to take her breath away every time he got a little too close.
    “Lovely.” She sighed, not thrilled by the prospect.
    The phone sitting on the coffee table rang, startling Zee. The little kitten leaped out of Aubrey’s lap, his legs scrabbling in midair. He landed on the floor with a thud then raced into the bedroom.
    Aubrey sat up and grabbed the phone, chuckling at the kitten’s skittish behavior. “Hello?”
    “Hello? Aubrey?” a familiar voice shouted over background noise and static.
    “Aunt Mel?” Aubrey’s grip on the receiver tightened.
    “Aubrey, can you hear me?”
    “Barely, Aunt Mel.”
    “Dammit,” her aunt muttered, her voice growing faint before the line suddenly cleared. “Stupid boat full of drunks. I did not sign up for disco night. I don’t even remember the seventies!”
    “Aunt Mel?”
    “Oh! You can hear me. Good.” Mel’s voice brightened. “How are you, baby girl? Miss me yet?”
    “You know I do,” Aubrey said, curling into the side of the sofa. She squeezed her eyes closed. Something in her chest tightening at the sound of her aunt’s voice. She missed Mel so much. “What about you? Are you having