Rating: R for language, sex
Sex: oral sex, petting, sex
Language: 11 F words, 26 Lord's name in vain, 25 S words
Violence: fist fight, impaling,
HEA or Cliffhanger: cliffhanger
Do I need to read books before this one: yes
Would I read more of the series: yes
This is crazy intense!
----SPOILERS----
Samson: Ethan in hospital since Monday night, car crash, head injury. His parents arrive. Ethan hadn't been with them at all, has no female cousin. Fight. Dad kicks her out. She overhears Dr say he should be awake. Did his dragon tattoo get broken? Necklace protects her, what protects him?
Samson tells Nara he was on a plane 2 years ago, man next to him: Go to little brother now. Stops suicide attempt. N: Tell Ethan this story, that you're open to possibilities, that dreams aren't just images.
She asks Sage for help. While Sage works on jewelry to help Ethan block dreams so he can wake up, Nara updates Lainey and Drystan. D still wants her to train today. Sage makes 2 rings. Nara slips into Ethan's room, puts his ring on, puts hers on, and puts on crystal necklace.
Ethan fights a manticore, sees ring appear. He dodges beast, finds Nara, shields her, faces beast again, N: use your sword. The warm blackness tries to protect her. No, protect Ethan! She uses her mind to make walls fall on beast, imagines a door so they can escape. Except he can't get across. She wraps her legs around him, kisses like it's their last, cutting hand on his sword, and leans backward to pull him through door. Wake. N: Where were you last month? E: Last thing I remember is bday picnic. Nara has to leave because she's banned and because she hurts so much. He doesn't want her to go; as soon as door closes, he begins thrashing and yelling.
Drystan: Register for coed soccer with me and Lainey. Harper's attack has Matt watching Lainey like a hawk. Why did she attack? N: Crazy. D: I learned coincidences don't exist, random happenstance is bull crap, and people lie a lot. N: Help find Ethan's cell phone? In a car on hydraulic lifts.
She lures mechanics away with pizza, finds phone, puts it in rice. Samson texts Ethan won't talk to parents; Samson did, she's not banned. N: Don't want to cause a fight, I'll talk to him when he's home.
Ethan comes, mad she sent flowers; he wanted to see her. He walked 5m from the hospital, left Samson sleeping. You said you'd talk to me when I'm home, so I came home. I'm only talking to you in the car on the way back to the hospital. He remembers it was a driving need that made him leave, the only reason he can think of is to protect her. He knows they're connected. Yes, but not the way you're thinking. Explain. Why weren't you in my dreams last night? I haven't been having dreams since Saturday, except normal people dreams. E: Whatever's in front of us, don't let it change us. She promises Together 'til. What about the rest? That's up to you.
She takes a nap after school, dreams of looking for Ethan again, and he wakes her up. He's actually been released. She shows him pictures of where he fought Drake, tells him about Freddie, shows him the necklace, his bday note. They go to school to look at the hall, find Drystan. E: How long you here for? D: Long enough to do some damage; the first game will be near our park. Ethan's jealous. He doesn't know about the self-defense training. E: What did you wear to dance? Remembers closet kiss and emotions. E: What else happened? A blur between them, Harper: Where's Drake? Where's the book? Ethan grabs her shoulder, she hits him in the chest, sends him flying 20f. H to N: You're too weak to be Corvus, I'll take info. Can't; she's blocked. Nara punches her in throat. N: Let's go Ethan! He wants to fight. You need your sword. What sword? He knows Corvus is Raven, but that's all. You obliterated Drake, poof. She recounts her conversation with Fate, the journal she made for him, shows him the journal and Freddie's book, her necklace and what it does. She can't remember what the paper said. Drake and Harper wanted the secret. I've never wanted to hurt another person as much as I did when I saw her grab you. What did you feel? Dead calm, then cold fury. An absolute knowing that she must be eliminated. What did you feel physically? My shoulder burned. He's got the instincts, she just needs to trigger them. She touches the hilt, makes him closes eyes and picture what happened, how he felt when Harper attacked her. He jumps up and rips off his coat and shirt. A tattoo writhes down his arm, hurts, the point starts to emerge behind his fingers. What's happening? He holds her, the sword retreating, so he can breathe. She makes him put his shirt back on. Danielle might have the answers. Mom's home, take the journal. He wants reassurance they're meant to be together, and she can't. She's trying to keep an emotional distance.
At school, she asks Lainey to look up a number on Ethan's cell; nothing else saveable. Ethan whispers I remembered I kissed you in a place I've wanted to for a long time. Drystan walks by, she tells Ethan about phone, Drystan's teaching her self-defense. Has he hit on you yet?
They go to Freddie's. She has a hard time. Ravens welcome them. By the dozens. Patch shows up. Their warmth heals Nara. She reenacts the cyclone. He's amazed. Enters the cyclone and kisses her. I'll never accept a substitute for you. You still lied and that's very real to me. I'm all in, I'll do whatever it takes to get my wheels back, Sunshine.
Ethan smells her with ravens, remembers phone call with ravens. When she whispers I miss you, nothing could've kept him away. No damn way was I letting them touch her in any kind of intimate scenario. I'm the only one who will fill her needs. He's missed her I'm so happy to see you smile. Gravelly Voice is back, You don't deserve her. Tell me where I've been the last month. He goes to band Weylaid, plays with them. His parents have been waiting for him at his house for 2 hours. Dad's mean, Ethan threatens emancipation. They just want to be part of their sons's lives. Make amends with Samson first, then maybe I'll talk to you.
After school, he waits for Nara. Strong buzzing rings in ear and hairs rise. Shiny mustang, Danielle drives it. It's his. He gets in for answers. Drystan and Lainey tell Nara. D: Lots of girls are hot, but hot isn't the whole package.
She rakes leaves. Wicklow comments on all the ravens. They defend when he steps on grass. He studied ravens. He invites her to tea to talk. It's the Order's mission to get to know Corvus, be there when they need us. He looks at her shoulder, Has it changed yet? Fate is the one who told her to ask the Order about Corvus, but he hates her. Is the Order a group of hunters? Patch is practically on her shoe. She acts confused, Wicklow backs off.
Danielle is attending school. The phone number on Ethan's cell belongs to William Gaston. She's gorgeous. Nara's angry. Ethan says memories are coming back because he's wanting all the time. Why won't you tell me what happened between us? Because you lied to me, how can I trust you? Danielle is the person who posted on a message board 2 years ago about a feather tattoo. Is she Corvus? I'll tell you if you tell me what I sense about Drystan. Can't. Danielle trained him how to kill demons. There are three realms: Celestial, Mortal, and Under. Corvus is a spirit whose sole purpose is to maintain balance in Mortal Realm by sending demons back Under. Once the Corvus spirit merges with the human body, the Corvus's purpose overrules the human's fate. Demons can change human bodies. Corvus see demons, demons can't see Corvus. Corvus is always spirit. Demons are forced into spirit when they enter the Mortal Realm. A veil surrounds the Mortal Realm. Angels battle demons in it in physical form, sometimes demons break through. The tattoo gives Corvus away. Angels can be in the Mortal Realm physically, but not long enough to battle. What about the Order? Danielle said they betrayed Corvus once; don't trust Fate. I thought we were on the same path. We haven't changed, Nara. I refuse to let what I am redefine us. I'm trying to keep you safe. She thinks, But we're better together, already linked with dreams, ravens.
Nara joins Lainey and Matt at coffee shop. Danielle inherited William Gaston's entire estate. He adopted her, though only 8y older. Died in fire. Drystan joins, invites her to train. He teaches now at local school. He'll be her punching bag so she won't be anybody's punching bag or doormat.
Ethan's at soccer practice, warming up. He doesn't trust Drystan. She doesn't trust Danielle. Drystan and Ethan are very physical in scrimmage. He's by her car. E: I don't like what's happening between us. N: You wanted time to train. E: So you spend time with the one guy who wants to replace me in your life? N: At least I've introduced him to you. I still haven't met the girl who answered my boyfriend's phone at 10 p.m. when he was in the shower. E: It feels like you're leaving me. I'm trying to remember. N: It's hard. Kisses, tummy touching, hands on her heart. E: My heart. N: What does Danielle say about our connection? E: All you want from me is answers? He runs. She wants Danielle to know what they have is beyond special.
Looks like Ethan and Danielle are a couple. Drystan offers to use them as training dummies. Ethan introduces Nara as his girlfriend, puts hand in her back pocket. Adoptive father trained her. They're looking for Harper, who may have answers about their connection. E: I feel like I'm the only one fighting for us. I don't want you to worry, I just want you to love me. Nara's afraid of heartbreak when his memory returns.
She stalks Ethan late at night. Ethan comes home, she sneaks in, wears Sage's necklace. Dreams she watches Ethan and Danielle train. She sleeps in friendly darkness. Sees Ethan stab a man for Marcus, then Fate yanks her away so she doesn't interfere. Demons are his bane. N: I'm connected to Corvus somehow but I don't know why. F: the answers start and end with the raven book, go back to its creation. Fate invades her body, turns it to ice. E: Fight, wake up. Dark warmth wraps around her. He's not giving her that necklace back ever, she got so cold and scared him. He kisses her, wants her, wants her to admit the truth about them. You said we needed to be just friends. Because you left me! You didn't trust me to help you! E: You took my wheels away, ripped them right out from under me. Fierce kiss. I love you, Sunshine, even the stubborn parts. My life is never worth risking yours for. We're stronger together. I'll never willingly put you in danger, it's not in my DNA. Is that Ethan or the Corvus? All me, there's no room for the Corvus between us. I don't share you with it, with anyone. He touches scar on her hand; it's from your sword. It's not supposed to hurt humans. You killed Drake. If I plunge it into their chest, it kills the demon but leaves the person. Unless I twist it. He unsnaps her bra, remembers doing it before at daytime, how far did we go? You got to 2nd and stopped. He holds her left breast, looks at her eyes: This is my heart. Mine to love. Mine to cherish. I love you. I'll always love you. You make me better than I am. You make me whole. Seduction. Phone buzzes, N thinks hers, it's E's. Danielle: See you at 7. XXX. N gives the phone to E, leaves. E's angry. Got her trust, then it was yanked away. N calms him. Gravelly Voice is back, not part of Corvus. He texts Danielle to never text him again.
Patch wakes Nara. Nara looks who designed raven book. News: train derailment in Europe, 100s injured, Nara sees rip in veil. Emails designer, video chat. Madeline asks what was inside. Knows Order were overseers, kept history. Lucifer's angels (Inferni) cast out, roam Earth, man is inherently good and will ignore. God created Corvus to stop Inferni taking bodies, to send back Under. The body's human spirit becomes lesser angel (Furiae) to Lucifer; once killed by Corvus, can never leave Under. Inferni come through veil. Veil weaknesses caused by sudden severe weather. Angel tags human child, Corvus chooses who to inhabit; angels can't communicate with Corvus directly. 1 Master Corvus, breaks off pieces of spirit to infuse into human Corvus. Corvus and demons equal numbers. Furiae aren't balanced, pests, but wreak havoc. Inferni has to inhabit body long enough to turn human evil, then when Corvus kills, Furiae created but Inferni has to painfully go Under, long healing. If Inferni attacks Corvus, knows risk; prefer stealth mode. Necklace shows 3 arms: Corvus, Order, humans, balanced; except 30y ago, something unbalanced. Does E know he's creating Furiae?
Nara hides book in Freddie's grave. Blonde man nods to Ethan sliding note on headstone. "He's lost, Inara, like a compass spinning out of control. Be his magnet. Point him in the right direction." She tells Ethan everything. Maybe Danielle doesn't know. E takes out demons so they don't reveal he's Corvus. Humans usually don't remember what happened when they were possessed, but the Furia might. Do Inferni remember? Veil wipes memory. Sword tells him if human is evil. But how evil? Ethan leaves, she reads note on headstone to Marcus who gets to come home from foster care now.
Danielle wakes Nara. D: leave Ethan alone, you're holding him back. N: He needs me or he'll be sucked into darkness. D: That necklace is mine. N: Ethan gave it to me.
She visits Wicklow, a member of the Order. Leader of Order and Master Corvus fought 30y ago, all Corvus recalled. She was found by her internet searches. Wants to assign a Paladin to help her, someone whose sole purpose is to keep the Corvus grounded in our world. Paladin has to have special power. Without Paladin, Corvus gets contaminated by demons. Master Corvus can be in human, only when Lucifer on earth. No Paladin in Virginia currently. Corvus training Corvus is dark. Wicklow leaves to get tea, she leans over a globe and her necklace attracts to it. He comes back in, drops the tray, Where did you get that necklace? Can I see it? I didn't think another one existed. I'm not Corvus. He gives her his number, keep the necklace safe, help your friend.
She tells Ethan about dream. Danielle is Corvus. Gives the necklace back to him, afraid of Wicklow. She leaves. Necklace burns hot, then icy cold, throws at fireplace, shatters into dust.
At school, Ethan finds her in copy room, remembers everything. He's talked to Danielle, too. After school, they go to her room. Kiss. Danielle told him she's the Master Corvus. Nara tells him about Dad.
School, Ethan and Drystan fist fight. Nara stops it. Danielle: Back off, we're more than friends. Ethan: I woke to her kissing me, thought it was you, stopped it immediately.
She trains with Drystan. He had dream about the kiss she rewound time for. Ever wondered about us? Almost kisses. Lainey: Talk to Ethan so Danielle doesn't win.
She goes to Ethan's, tails him to McCormicks, he's in band. Does she even know him? Danielle's there; Nara leaves. He chases her, explains. He got a TTTWFO tattoo with other symbols so she'd always be with him. Passionate kissing. I've seen the Order; training with Danielle could kill you. He sees her white feather. You did this. I never meant to.
Danielle after concert: Let's hunt. E: I won't create Furiae; won't hand Lucifer God's children, they should have chance of redemption.
Patch drops Dad's hat in her lap. Drystan holds it, sees Dad, they skip school. Ethan's already there. He's glad he got her dream because Fate can't see him so won't interfere.
Terrorists holding Dad because they're taking down White House. Ethan gets Dad out to Nara and Drystan, goes back inside to make sure terrorists stay until cops come. Drystan sees Ethan's tattoo. She calls cops, Sage. Ethan affirms to Drystan they're a couple. Drystan goes home. Nara sees Dad. A tall blonde man told him to pay attention. He hadn't dreamed that, so he did. He told a young man to save his little brother. She invites Ethan in, Dad sleeps. Ethan okays her telling Dad about dreams, not Corvus. She wants all of them to face Fate. Dad and Ethan agree absolutely no Fate for Nara.
Sage comes; they'll all stay in her hotel room. Nara and Ethan go for talk. She got her dreams back when the necklace broke. It protected her from demon possession. Ethan brought the crystal necklace, he's willing to help her dad do it, but not her. She tells Ethan her dad talked to Samson on the plane. E: You are my existence, my sustenance, my every breath. He gives her oral sex.
Ethan sleeps touching Dad, Dad holds necklace. Nara waits, then Ethan says she's needed. Ethan fights terrorists. Dad gives his ability to Fate, Fate wants Nara's, too. When Fate goes to kill Dad, Ethan's Corvus intervenes, almost kills Fate until Nara talks him down. Wake. Ethan only agreed to this to protect Nara. Corvus is protective vengeance, sadness, and loneliness all rolled into one. You're not allowed to be jealous of something powerful enough to keep us both safe.
Morning, Mom: someone tried to break in, installing a security system. Dad's secretary who sold him out. Ethan: a demon tried to get in Nara's house.
Harper attacks Lainey to hold hostage to get to Nara; Danielle frees. Ethan and she hunt. Nara walks Houdini, Drystan visits Wicklow (uncle). She feels deceived. Spanish teacher coming for Christmas Tuesday, Mom gone Saturday am to Monday pm, Sage at fair on weekend; Dad'll be here in a week.
Drystan has no idea about Order. They train Saturday. Drystan's possessed, starts sexually assaulting, Danielle tells him to kill Nara.
Ethan wakes uneasy. Patch is frantic, other ravens banging into window. Harper's been found dead. Nara's not home, he goes to Wicklow. You're the Corvus. Danielle is the threat because Corvus are territorial. The necklace points to new Corvus. Patch and others in backyard. Ethan thinks to Patch: Help me find her.
Danielle killed her Corvus father. Master Corvus is myth. Corvus ash hides demons in bodies. Nara punches Danielle. Demon impales Danielle, she explodes. Nara runs. Ethan comes! Inferni gets away, knows about ash. She calls Wicklow, demon's left Drystan, he doesn't remember. He hoped Drystan would be Nara's Paladin.
Ethan and Nara talk, then sleep. She takes Houdini out, Drystan says goodbye, going to England with Wicklow Monday. She hugs him. He remembers possession. She lets him kiss her cheek. They're still friends.
Ethan takes her to McCormicks. At the end of the first set, Ethan gets acoustic guitar, sings song he wrote about TTTWFO in response to poem she wrote about being only together 'til. N: You have your wheels back. They go to her home. He carries her into her bedroom--through the closed door with wings. Make love.
Next morning, after shower, Fate writes message on mirror: "He's the Master Corvus. He needs to know." She looks at her map of unusual natural events followed by disaster. She scratches her shoulder, peels off piece of dead skin, except it's the white feather; tip cuts her. Gets tissue, map has bright lights on it, her feather is in hand like pen, she has to touch each bright spot. She puts feather down, hands itches, then feather is on her back, top is black that fades to gray, as if tip dipped in ink and only a little bled down the vane. Ethan wakes, puts rings from Sage on them, now with yin-yang symbol to stop demon possession. Ethan wants to burn map because shows location of all Corvus. How could I map them when you're the Master Corvus? She goes to get matches. Blonde man: Don't destroy map. I will unless you tell me who you are. Michael archangel. Ethan is Master Corvus. He's forgotten who he is, help him find his way, to know who he is and his true purpose. Help him find out what happened so he can find his way back to his destiny. Your world depends on him remembering who he is.