Senior Sacrifices: Connerton Academy, #4

By Cassie Hargrove

Love.

Family.

Forever.

 

It wasn't supposed to be like this.

A surprise attack has left us weakened when we're supposed to be at our strongest. I'm not even sure our family can survive, let alone win the battle.

Not like this.

 

I wasn't aware a pain like this existed. The pain of losing someone I love is worse than I could have imagined, and it wasn't supposed to happen.

I feel like I can't breathe without him.

 

But the angels need to pay for their sins, for the wrongs they've done.

They won't get away with this. We will do whatever it takes to end this once and for all.

 

** Connerton Academy is a college aged reverse harem romance where the FMC end up with 3 or more men.

It contains dark elements and mature subject matter. Readers should be 18+. **

*** Previously published as a high school aged romance, and has since been reworked and edited, but the storyline remains largely the same. ***

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cassie Hargrove
• Release date: Apr 2, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215972472

Book preview

Prologue

BRIAN

It wasn’t supposed to end like this. I was never supposed to leave Harleigh’s side. I was supposed to protect her forever, and I failed.

I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to her, or spend eternity without my girl, my soulmate, my whole world.

Would she get a new guardian angel now?

I know Colten, and Orion will keep her safe, but the look of devastation in her eyes is something I can never unsee. There’s a good chance she will never be able to come back from this.

That’s the thing about losing your soulmate, though. You lose a part of yourself and there’s no way to make you feel whole after. A part of you will forever feel lost.

Fuck, that kid came out of nowhere, and if I hadn’t seen that silver glint in the corner of my eye it would be her dead right now.

I guess in the end, I did save her… but it wasn’t supposed to happen like this. Were the angels attacking right now? We weren’t prepared for a war to happen today.

Mark, Darren, and Adeline never warned us about seeing or hearing anyone more than the delivery truck, so maybe it was just the first of many attacks.

But why?

Why a solo attack on Harleigh? They have to know who they’re up against. Anything less than an army would end in certain death for all of them. Even with an army, they’re likely to lose their lives.

Rubbing my chest where the blade went through, I can still feel the sharp ache, like it’s still inside of my chest.

It won’t hurt forever, Brian, Dad rasps, sitting beside me in an all-white room.

I know we’re in Heaven because there’s nothing quite this white and pure on Earth, but I don’t want to be locked up in this room right now. I would give anything to be back with Harleigh instead of here.

I look around, trying to figure out what’s going to happen because I’m not really sure where we go from here. What happens to me now that I’ve been killed with an angel blade?

What happens now, Dad? What about Mom? Will I ever see either of you again? I ask, hearing the break in my own voice.

I don’t know, Son. I was instructed to bring your body back, and to wait here.

Is that normal protocol? I question, desperately trying to find some sort of answer. He turns to look at me, his eyes red with unshed tears.

All deceased angel’s bodies are to be returned to Heaven. But this, being in this room? It’s not something I’ve been a part of before, so I don’t know.

Will you tell Mom I love her? That I died to save the love of my life? I croak, and he nods as a tear slips free from his eyes.

I will. I’ve never been so damn proud of you. You’re an incredible angel, and son, Brian. I didn’t tell you that nearly enough, and for that I am eternally sorry, he rasps.

Now I’m crying as I pull him into a hug, never wanting to let go.

I love you so fucking much, Dad. Thank you for supporting me. I squeeze him as he pats my back in a loving gesture before I pull away. I need you to promise me you will watch over her. He goes to answer, but a door opening has us both turning in that direction.

That won’t be necessary. Hello, Brian. I’ve heard a lot about you.

Michael. Dad’s voice is filled with surprise.

Wait, this is Michael? Like the Michael? Wow.

David. He nods his head to Dad in acknowledgement before turning to me. Wish I could say it was nice to see you here, Brian.

I swallow and nod. I didn’t want to die.

He nods solemnly, meeting my eyes. The hardness and strength he’s known for flowing off him in waves.

It was unexpected. Angel blades aren’t supposed to be in existence anymore. I nod, rubbing absently at my chest and he watches the movement. I’m sorry it happened this way, Brian. But we need to talk.

That doesn’t sound ominous at all…

1

Orion

I can’t even begin to process how angry I am right now.

Seeing Harleigh so broken was like having my heart ripped out of me. I feel Brian’s loss already, but I feel it because of her.

Her soul is officially broken, missing an irreplaceable piece. She’s fractured and broken. So fucking broken.

I’ve never seen her so inconsolable, and didn’t think I would have to until her human parents died many years down the road.

I’m currently dragging the asshole who caused all this pain by the throat as Darren follows behind in silent support, right to the basement.

I decide on the room we had Darren in. I don’t need him being reminded of everything that went down in the other one a year ago. Not when there’s so much at stake right now. I need his head in the game.

Though, I doubt any of us are thinking about anything that happened even yesterday right now with the disaster surrounding us.

What are you going to do with him? Darren asks, and I growl at him, feeling more dangerous than ever. I don’t feel like a house cat right now. I feel like a wild animal about to break loose. He hears it too, and steps back. Are you changing? he questions, and I growl out a roar.

I have no fucking clue what’s going on right now. No one in our family has ever changed before. We’ve always been one animal and that’s it. It’s not unheard of for shifters to level up so to speak, but it has never happened in our family.

I don’t fucking know. I just know I’m going to destroy this bastard. You need to grab Mark’s chains, Darren. Now, I demand.

He nods and moves over to the corner where the Hell chains are. The idiot in a choke hold just laughs at me.

You can’t kill me, you know. Only an angel blade can kill me, and you don’t have one, the idiot snarks.

I growl at him, tightening my grip on his neck as Darren brings the chains and wraps them around his neck and wrists.

Call Mark down here. Darren does as I say without question, and it’s only a minute before Mark shows up.

What do you need? His voice is raw, and filled with emotion, but that will happen to anyone who has to knock out their own child in order to stop them from feeling this kind of pain, and hurting themselves. Pain that this prick caused.

Secure these, and then I need blood. He nods, walking over to where I’m holding the guy, using his powers to activate the chains magic, and the angel instantly dropping.

What the Hell are these things? he asks fearfully, looking at Mark who narrows his eyes.

Chains forged in Hell fire. Only Lucifer, and his direct blood line can get you out of them. Or the Father, but I promise you, He won’t be helping your sorry ass, Mark growls at the angel by our feet, before turning to me. It’s going to take a bit to get the blood.

Can’t you just give me some of yours? I ask, and he shakes his head.

No. I still have the blood of an angel. Harleigh, Colten, and yourself all have some blood, but not at the right levels. You and Colten are half human, and Harleigh is more angel than anything else. He looks at Darren before walking up and hugging him, trying to seek comfort and strength from the person he loves.

How long until Harleigh wakes up? I ask, and Mark looks back to me.

Few hours, maybe longer. I’m going to talk to Dad about keeping her out for a while until we can have some answers for her. I ca— I can’t see her so broken again without being able to offer her something.

I nod in understanding before kicking the little fucker who brought this down on us.

Can you call Lucifer? I know Harleigh is the one that can get him here the quickest, but… He shakes his head.

He already knows. He’ll have felt her losing control. They both would have. The Father and Lucifer both he means. But I’ll message him to bring some blood for you. I nod, and he gives Darren a quick kiss before leaving to be with Harleigh again.

I scowl down at the kid in front of me because I’m pissed off. I should be with my girl too, but right now she needs answers and revenge, and I refuse to let her darken herself with this. I will destroy his will to live before delivering him to the Father. Because as he pointed out, I can’t kill him.

What he doesn’t know is I can seriously fucking harm him, and I’m going to enjoy every damn second of it.

Colten:

She’s still asleep. Lucifer just got here, he’s on his way down now.

Thank fuck.

I’m getting sick and tired of listening to this little shit talk about Harleigh like she’s some sort of evil being that needs to be dealt with.

It’s not even what he’s saying that pisses me off the most; It’s how he’s saying it.

Me:

Perfect. Thanks

Colten:

Make him pay, Orion. Deeply.

Yeah, we’re all feeling this in a hard way. Colten isn’t usually one for quite this dark of violence.

Me:

You can bet on it.

We decided to stick strictly to texting so we don’t bother Harleigh with our thoughts while she’s resting. She needs to sleep away this new reality for as long as she can.

Orion. Darren. Lucifer walks into the room, nodding to us in acknowledgement, and the kid scoffs.

A little old to be joining a futile effort, aren’t you? I’m an angel. You can’t hurt me. This fucker doesn’t know when to shut the fuck up.

The dark look that comes over Lucifer’s face as he focuses all his attention on him is delicious, though. It means blood, and I’ve been waiting.

I’m a lot older than you, Joshua, he growls, and I nod in thought. At least I have a name to taunt the fucker with now.

How do you know my name? Joshua questions, watching Lucifer from the chair he’s now sitting in.

Lucifer pulls out a large syringe filled with blood before stepping up to him with a sinister smile.

Because I’m your worst nightmare, Joshua. You really shouldn’t have come alone. He moves so fast I barely see him do it until the syringe is empty.

Hey! What the hell, man?! Joshua curses him out, and Lucifer just cackles.

That’s a very apt description. Turning to me, he walks over to my table, laying the syringe down beside my tools. It will take a few minutes, then you should be good to go.

I nod.

How is she? I question, and he growls.

Screaming and crying in her sleep. I can’t handle it, so I’m going to stay down here with you, he says darkly, and I smile.

I will gladly work alongside you. Any time, any day. What killer wouldn’t give everything to work alongside the Devil, and learn his tricks?

He’s the whole reason I knew about demon blood weakening angels in the first place. While Harleigh was asleep, healing in Hell, Lucifer was teaching me things that could come in handy for this battle.

Darren, I think you should be with Mark. He’s not handling this very well either. Darren nods and leaves without questioning it. Between Mark needing him,