Third Moon (Book 3 in The Awakening Trilogy)

6: First Kiss

ELIZABETH

I wake up and lick my dry lips. I spit out dirt and wipe my mouth with the back of my arm. In the woods, again. I look around trying to find where I am. I inhale deeply searching for familiar scents. Only mine. I jump into a tree and climb to the top. More woods. I sigh heavily and jump down.

"El!?! Where the hell are you!?!"

"In the woods? Somewhere? I'm not exactly sure."

"Did you try going after them?"

"No, I woke up and I was here. It happened yesterday too."

"That's how they found you."

"Actually they tricked me, but that's not important right now Jacob."

"So all you know is that you're in the woods?" I hear twigs snap and leaves rustle. "El?" I flick out my claws and continue looking around for the sound. "El!?!" I keep hearing twigs and leaves crunch, but I don't see anything. "Elizabeth!?!" An arrow flies through the air and I barely dodge it. "Elizabeth dammit!" Another flies through the air but I'm not lucky enough. It goes into my abdomen and I hiss in pain. I rip it out and look around. Three more fly at me, one nicks my leg, another misses my head, the last one goes into my shoulder. I howl and rip it out. I climb a tree and catch my breath. They aren't healing as fast as they should. I'm not bleeding, but not healing either. I hold my breath and look around. I slowly exhale and watch another arrow fly through the air toward the bottom of the tree. Sparks come out of it before it glows a blinding white. I cover my eyes and look back around. One of them climbs the tree and I jump into another. I see one of their bows on the ground with a full quiver. I moved it up to me with my mind and carry it with me. I nock an arrow and draw it back. I release it and it pierces through his heart.

"Jake, don't come after me. I'm almost home." I pull back another arrow and release it into another. I jump out of the tree and run. There's still at least one left. I make it to the cliff, but on the opposite side of the house. I hear the one coming at me. I can't run around, it'll take too long. I extend my wings and get a running start. I land on the other side and my eyes glow bright. Bullets sear into my skin and I yell out. I climb to my feet and fire an arrow. I hear a soft grunt and start running. I rip out the bullets and run again. I get close to the tree line and an arrow goes through my back. I pull it through my gut and it heals instantly. I fire another arrow and hear a scream in return. I run into the house and lock the door. I put the bow and arrows down and close all the curtains locking the outside doors. Jake comes out of the bedroom and furrows his eyebrows. Alex opens his door and hands me a picture.

"Are you sure?" I ask my son.

"That's what's gonna happen." He points to the picture and I nod.

"What happened?" Jake asks me.

"Guardian hunters; fallen angels actually. They go after Guardians so they can be stronger and rise again. They think they can rise again, but they fell for a reason. Once you fall, you're done." I reply. "I just killed three or four." I feel my wounds slowly start to heal.