Page 40 of Fated Angel
She is.
Gabby closes her eyes, focusing inward. Her angelic Grace, an essence of pure Light, pulses within her like a radiant wellspring. She reaches for it as if she's touching the very fabric of her being. She envisions it as a shimmering, golden light, a counterpoint to the dark influence of the obsidian. She visualizes her Grace as a powerful, radiant force, ready to confront the encroaching darkness.
The obsidian flares, more than ready for the challenge.
More than ready to win the ancient war of Light and Dark.
Gabby almost smiles. There's more to this inner struggle than just celestial and infernal power. In the depths of her heart, her love for Colt, the unwavering connection they share, is a source of immeasurable strength. It's the beacon of her resolve, the steadfast anchor that keeps her from losing herself to the obsidian's seductive darkness.
With the fusion of her angelic Grace and the love she holds for Colt, Gabby channels their combined energy into the tumultuous storm within her. The celestial Light and the profound depth of her love merge, intertwining like two lifelines in this cosmic battle. Together, they form an indomitable force.
She concentrates, her willpower unwavering, and slowly but surely, the darkness begins to recede. The obsidian's power, once all-encompassing, weakens in the face of her angelic Grace and the strength of her love for Colt. She can feel the malevolence diminishing, like a tide retreating from the shore, inch by inch.
It's a battle that demands every ounce of her strength and resolve. Her breath comes in short pants. Her heart is a thundering, shuddering mass.
Yet with each passing moment, the Darkness is pushed back further, until it's contained within a small, quivering corner of her being.
Gabby opens her eyes, her gaze falling on Colt. The obsidian is still there, a presence lurking in the shadows, but it no longer dominates her. She’s achieved a fragile balance, a delicate equilibrium.
She’s won.
Colt lets out a breath. The smile that blooms across his face is her reward. The pride, the tenderness, the love that warms his gaze are her trophies. He leans down, resting his forehead against hers. “The obsidian underestimated you.”
She angles her face so their lips are a heartbeat apart. “The obsidian underestimated us.” Gabby reaches up to cup his heart-stopping, soul-searing, life-altering, world-saving face. “It underestimated the greatest Light of all—love.”
Their lips brush, their breaths mingle. Their hearts beat for the other.
A shuffling sound fractures the moment and Colt spins toward Moroni. With a growl, he launches into the air, snapping out his wings. “You’re not going anywhere.”
He shoots forward, grabbing Moroni who’s trying to run away. The general grunts as he’s hauled a few feet off the ground by his shirt, wriggling and kicking his legs as Colt brings him back.
He soars a little higher before dropping the angel. High enough that Moroni crumples to his hands and knees, but not high enough to injure him. “I wouldn’t recommend trying to run again,” Colt growls, moving around to stand beside Gabby.
Moroni hangs his head for a moment, his wings hanging limply over his back. Yet when he looks up, his eyes are ablaze with conviction. “You still have a chance to make this right. Give me the Spear.”
Gabby tightens her grip on the golden weapon. “That’s why you’ve been helping us all along.”
“Of course it is,” Moroni spits. “As much as it galled me to work alongside a demon, I knew you’d find the pieces of the Spear and the obsidian.”
Colt doesn’t respond, simply curling his lip in disgust.
“You’ve sided with the Grigori,” Gabby points out, the same feeling coiling through her gut. “I wouldn’t be getting all divinely superior.”
Moroni slowly clambers to his feet, his hot gaze focused on her. “The Grigori are trying to save us from what’s coming.”
“By resetting the timeline!” Gabby says, working to keep the distress out of her voice.
The Grigori are planning to wipe the world they know from existence.
“And what’s the alternative?” Moroni demands. “Angels will continue to fight amongst themselves. Demons will always want to spread their evil to this mortal plane. The apocalypse is coming.”
Gabby shakes her head, her chest tight. “You really believe what you’re saying…”
“Of course I do! If the Grigori go back and influence Eve, not Lucifer, not Michael, Earth would be a place of peace. Of beauty.”
“You don’t know that,” Gabby says, shaking her head even harder.
Moroni’s face tightens with panic. “I know that if you kill the Grigori, Darkness will rise. They’ll no longer be able to protect the world from the seven Sins.”