Descended (Fallen Guardian Saga #1)

Preface 

There comes a moment in every human life when you sit and wonder if you could have done one thing different to change the outcome of your situation. That moment was now for Vie. She was tortured by the decisions she'd made that had landed her caged like an animal, expelled from her human vessel, and staring down at the lifeless body of the girl she knew as Vivian Thorne. If she had changed one thing, would it have made a difference? Could she have saved Vivian's life? 

Vie couldn't give up hope. She was a Guardian. She had to think. She called down to Vivian, telling her to hold on and that help was coming. Surely Carter would be searching for her. Then she remembered the sequence of events that had led her to this hell hole and realized that Carter Stone would not be coming to save her. Suddenly, Vie heard footsteps. Lucian's men had come. She watched helplessly as they entered the tunnel and dragged Vivian away. Vie started yelling at them to let her go, but they didn't even glance her way or flinch at her fury. 

Ignited by her anger, she used every ounce of strength she had, trying to separate the bars of the gilded cage in which she was imprisoned. It was hopeless. Lucian had secured her in a place that rendered her abilities useless. She fell to the ground, fighting back the tears. She thought back to just a few hours earlier when had been she was at the dance in the arms of Carter Stone, the boy she loved more than anything else in the world; the one she called her soul mate. Vie closed her eyes, allowing her mind to go back. Back to where it all began, back to the very beginning.

Chapter One 

Wish Granted

"Violet...Vie...V...!" Gabriel yelled as he scanned the room looking for his friend. "I know you're here, Vie." His smooth voice called out to her. Vie was the nickname Gabriel had given to Violet when they met. Gabriel thought Violet was a name for a flower, and Vie...a thorn perhaps, but a flower? No way. 

"How did you find me?" Violet stepped out from behind the large porcelain column in the corner of the room. 

"Easy," he replied. "I just followed the voice of an angel. Really not that hard to find you when you're singing, Vie," Gabriel joked. 

"Oh, I didn't know you could hear me. I guess I forgot I do that when I'm upset," Violet reminded herself as she turned away. 

"Yes, and we all thank those emotions that bring that joyous music from your lips to our ears." He held his hands up in the air as if he were delivering a sermon and continued, "Our paradise here would be a little less perfect without your voice, that voice, simply angelic."  

"Very funny, Gabriel!" She turned her back to walk away from her friend. 

"Funny?" he pondered. "Not funny, Vie, TRUE! Besides, you have no reason to be sad," he said approaching her with caution. 

"Oh really?" she responded with a snarl while moving quickly to meet his gaze. "You don't understand. They see you for exactly who you are, and as for me, well no one sees me. I could be great, if they would just give me a chance." She turned away again hiding her face from Gabriel, embarrassed by her sudden outburst. 

"Violet," Gabriel offered his hand to her. 

"No!" she shouted. "Don't tell me again that I'm not ready or I am going to scream!" 

"Vie," he pleaded, but she quickly interrupted him. 

"This is my destiny! I can feel it!" she said, her tone somber. 

"Gabe, did you ever know something so profoundly that it consumed your very being?" Her beautiful, one of a kind, violet eyes began to glass over. Those eyes were just irresistible, like the final color of the rainbow at the entrance to the Gates. The color that connected both worlds was glistening in her eyes. Looking into them gave a feeling of being home.