Kisses From Death | Book 1

E P I L O G U E

IT TOOK ADDISON and Cassiel about half an hour to return to Bella, Minnie, and Gabriel. They managed to find Bella first and when she first laid eyes on Cassiel, it seemed as though she was being snapped out of some sort trance, her eyes dancing with realization. Addison could only stand there and watch in pain as Bella threw herself over at Cassiel, to which the latter wrapped his arms around her smaller frame for a few seconds before withdrawing.

For that period of time, Addison chose to stay quiet, keeping to herself as Cassiel began to explain to Bella what had truly happened and what they had found out for the time in which they had been gone.

When they finally reached the room in which Gabriel and Minnie were at, they were surprised to see the both of them wide awake and seated at opposite sides of the bed, silence engulfing them both. Addison was the first to burst into tears, running over to Minnie before wrapping her arms around her best friend. When Minnie returned the action, Addison could not help but sob into her best friend's shoulder, relief running the course of her veins that this was all finally over.

The police had arrived shortly after that and Addison was sure that she could never forget the blaring sounds of the police cars. They rushed in in squadrons, guns in their hands and determination written across their features. When they realized that the boathouse was empty except for the five youth, their weapons were dropped and they immediately jumped into action, bringing them to the hospital for checkups in regards to possible injuries.

In the police car, Addison and Cassiel were placed together by a stroke of cruel misfortune. During the long car ride, the curiosity that burned deep within Addison could no longer be contained and she had to get a definitive answer from Cassiel.

"So it wasn't you the entire time?" Addison asked, her voice disappointed as she pulled the towel around her tighter. She had spent so many minutes trying to scrub the dirt and blood off of her skin but no matter what she did, she could still feel the strains of the last few days carved deep within her.

Cassiel, the real Cassiel, shook his head slightly, pale green eyes tinged with a bit of regret for giving Addison false hope. "Sorry, no. I was captured that night we went off to search for the orb. I barely even touched the gun before I was knocked unconscious and tied away."

"Oh," Addison murmured under her breath, sighing deeply in sadness. "Okay then."

With that, the two were plunged back into the silence that had engulfed them in the first place. Though whatever hatred and annoyance they had with each other since they first met was no longer there, Addison could not bring herself to face the man that looked so very much like the one she was starting to take a liking towards. She was unable to look at that set of cruelly handsome features to realize that the smile on his face was no longer for her but for someone else.

It served her right, ultimately. That disastrous crisis had not been a kind place for blossoming love and she should have known.

Upon arrival at the hospital, Addison was immediately wheeled away from her friends and was left to the capable hands of the nurses to treat her superficial wounds. They checked her through thoroughly to ensure that she was in healthy condition before releasing her to the hands of the officers for interrogation.

Now perched on a hospital bed, Addison's hands were clasped together as she fiddled her thumbs, calmly waiting for and answering each and every one of the police officer's questions. When he was done, she deemed it time for her to ask her own set of inquiries.