Crushed Seraphim Read Online Free Page A

closer.
    Their lips were just an impulse apart when the world slid out from under their feet. Jason tried to right them, but there was no center, no way to orient his body.
    “Shh. I’ll be your gravity, Jason.” Emma’s voice was calm.
    In the swirling tempest of dark, she was his beacon. Her grip on him was gentle, and he had to trust it. He stopped trying to find a horizon and focused on her gray eyes — the color of angry clouds. She looked a little bored as time and place seemed to cease to exist.
    “Prepare yourself, handsome. We’re about to hit bottom.” She placed her lips on his, keeping her eyes open as his thoughts collided with his need.
    Breathe her in.
    They materialized in an embrace, and suddenly their private moment felt very public in the blinding daylight. Jason’s entire body tensed.
    She spoke with her mouth on his lips. “No, half-breed, here you’re as invisible as I was to your brother and sister. We’re here to observe.”
    He pulled himself reluctantly from her lips and took in the city scene before him. It was far from present day. He recognized the street, the time period, and the smells of his childhood.
    Jason’s eyes widened as he realized he’d traveled through time with his broken angel. Disoriented, he stumbled a bit.
    “I can’t believe what I’m seeing.” He squinted as if that might make the scene make sense.
    Emma rolled her eyes. “Well, you better wise up and quick. We have a job to do here.”
    A scene he remembered from his childhood began to play out before him. He’d been about ten years old when he stood up to three older boys who terrorized everyone in the neighborhood. His younger self was walking home from school, and the sight of his clothes took Jason back to the feel of his handmade wardrobe and the memory of his mother’s tape measure.
    “I know what’s next. The O’Dowell boys were a vicious bunch.” Jason nodded to the alley his younger self was about to pass.
    Jason went to step closer, but Emma squeezed his hand hard and warned him, “You can’t let go of me. Okay? No matter what, don’t let go.”
    He nodded and turned to watch again, the fuzzy memory crisping up at the edges.
    The O’Dowells had been tormenting an old, blind street dog. The shopkeepers kept it alive because they had pity on its cloudy eyes and tossed out food from time to time. The boys thought it hilarious to throw rocks at the dog. They laughed as it yelped and cowered against the wall.
    “I didn’t even know what I was doing. What was I thinking?” Jason watched as his younger self made two furious fists as he witnessed the unjust behavior.
    First, his younger self tossed his school bag at the biggest one, hitting him in the back with the sack of books. Then he jumped in front of the old dog, taking the next rock in his stomach.
    The boys were thrilled with the availability of human prey and set out to make Jason yelp as loudly as the dog. Emma put her other hand on Jason’s chest as he thought again about helping his younger self out.
    They watched as the old dog slinked out of danger and took off running down the street.
    Jason knew the ending of the story. He was beaten until he cried. They’d left him with a torn book bag and some sizable bruises. But just as Jason was ready for the scene to end, Emma shook her head and motioned for him to look in a different direction.
    His mother.
    He’d had no idea she’d been present at the end, and she was clearly enraged, shaking with anger.
    “Borrow my gift, Jason. Listen to her mind.” Emma stated this like it was the obvious course of action, but he was reluctant.
    He’d never heard his mother’s thoughts, and right now seemed like a horrible time to take a peek. But he opened his mind anyway, and his mother’s essence filled his head.
    My boy. God, I love him so much. He’s so good and kind. I’m going to kill those O’Dowell monsters. If their mother didn’t drink like a sailor…
    Jason watched as his