Intended Series Collection: Books 1-6 by Abigail Grant (most important books to read TXT) 📕

her and glances to Alexa and then back at her mother. “Yes, Ma’am. I’m Neo.” He reaches a hand out to her and the rest of us snicker at him.

Camilla places her hands on her hips. “What, you don’t do hugs, Neo?” she asks him, having to look up to make eye contact.

He smiles at her and shakes his head. “I’m fine with hugs, I just don’t know what a person is supposed to do when they meet their Intended’s mother. I’m not all that great in family settings and…”

“Oh boy,” Gram says and Neo stops talking.

“What?” Camilla shouts at him, and Neo looks like a scared mouse in front of the small woman. She turns to Alexa and her freckled face flushes the brightest red I have ever seen. “Lex… I know he isn’t Gavin’s Intended, so explain yourself.”

I feel the entire group take a unified step back from the drama. I watch as Alexa shuffles in her spot and steps closer to Neo. “Uh, mom. This is Neo… my uh… Intended I guess.”

Neo laughs at Alexa’s stuttering and I’m completely taken aback by the once fierce woman as she cowers in front of her mom. Neo clears his throat. “Yeah, things have been a bit crazy today, Ma’am.”

Camilla squeals and practically jumps at Alexa in the same way I’ve seen her do to me. She holds her daughter in her arms and tears fall down her pink cheeks. “Oh, I’m so happy!” she shouts through her sobs. “Both of my babies are grown-ups and are in love!”

Alexa pulls away from her mom fast and gives her a death-glare. “Mom!” she whines and the tension leaves the night as we all laugh together, including Alexa.

***

 Dishes clash and voices ring through the large dining room inside Gavin’s childhood home. Having dinner here with everyone again feels so easy and I almost can’t remember a single worry I’ve ever had. Almost.

The usually stoic Hagan smiles as he listens to whatever his son Cy is saying about his recent trip to London. Hagan’s big smile and squinting eyes cause the grooves in his face to deepen, which should make him look older, but only bring extra life to his handsome face.

Hagan’s doppelganger son, Cy has an arm wrapped around his strikingly beautiful fiance, Amalia and the two look so happy to just be in the presence of one another. I know the feeling as I sit beside my own Intended and can feel the heat from his thigh against mine under the dining table.

Kassy and her goofy Liam seem so comfortable in such a magical group of beings and I want to dive into their minds to see what they see from an outside perspective. Liam makes a silly face at little Ethan and the sweet Seer boy bursts out in bubbly giggles, his blue eyes shining.

Ethan’s dad, Uncle Jack lifts the boy onto his lap and the mom, Sophia whispers something into Jack’s ear. Jack’s eyebrows shoot up and he winks at his gorgeous wife. Sophia flicks her blonde hair over one of her shoulders with a mischievous smirk on her face.

I smile as the couple whispers who-knows-what to each other. That scene is how I imagine mine and Gavin’s life some day in the future. If the future is even an option for me at all.

My mood starts to fall as I think of the death looming over me, until my eyes fall on my Aunt Mags, Camilla, and Gram huddled together gossiping like ladies in a woman’s book-club. My smile finds its way back to me and I sink into my dining chair, wanting to glue myself to this moment in time and never leave.

I lay my head against Gavin’s shoulder, peace and exhaustion overcoming me. I slip into a deep sleep against my warm Gavin pillow and my mind is invaded by the one thing that can always kill a good time.

Barron.

He watches me with dark brown eyes and long, wavy brown hair. He has the hint of a beard, but not quite developed. There’s no smile on his face as usual and his hands are hidden inside the long black robe that he wears.

I scan the room around me and I’m no longer in the dining room with everyone. I’m alone in Camilla’s guest bedroom, surrounded by luxury silk bedding and a single night light to help me see in the dark space. I’m completely alone with the demon.

The last time I saw Barron was only a day ago, and I clearly remember him telling me that he was done visiting my dreams.

“Liar,” I say to him, knowing he doesn’t normally go back on a threat.

Barron sits at the foot of my bed and leans forward with his elbows resting on his knees. “Yes. I am a liar,” he says without looking at me.

Something is different about him, not that I really know him at all. We’ve only talked about my impending death and his never-ending hatred of the Ganis family.

Still, he is just more sluggish than usual. I scooch up in the bed and pull my knees to my chest. “Barron. I’m really confused about why you’re here like this.” I shrug. “I mean, I get that you’re evil and you hate me… but sometimes I feel like you enjoy being here.”

His head turns to me and his eyes narrow in anger.

I groan and roll my eyes. “Yeah, yeah. I’m stupid and naive and you’re a monster. We’ve done this before.”

I don’t feel in the mood to give a crap about Barron’s evilness. I see more in him than he likes to show me. Even though he will very likely come here and try to kill me and my family, I still feel incapable of that deep fear and loathing that I’ve felt about every other demon that has threatened me.

Barron doesn’t yell at me for once and instead he just continues to stare at me, seemingly calm. “I do not enjoy visiting your dreams, young Ganis.”