Jessica's had the nightmares for as long as she can remember. Nightmares of being judged for people who have died, of being branded by the angels. Her friends and family think she's a crazy because of it all. Yet she carries the mark of the condemned, seared into the back of her neck, and hides it and herself away from the world.But when two men she can't ignore enter her life everything changes, including the nightmares. The two of them couldn't be more different. She will do anything to be with one of them. Even tell him the truth about angels, why she never sleeps, and the scar on the back of her neck. But one of the two has set events into motion what will pull her toward her own judgment and turn her into the object of her greatest fear.
It’s been four months since Alex gave everything to save Jessica. Life should be perfect; she has Alex, she’s been freed of the nightmares, and most of all- she’s alive. But some things have changed, some things haven’t. That’s the problem. Alex still hasn’t asked “the question”. Jessica can’t see the reason why and it’s tearing her apart. He’s keeping something from her.Alex isn’t the only one who has changed though. Something is different about Jessica but she doesn’t understand what’s happened. She just knows something’s wrong, that she feels different than she used to, on a skin deep level. And it may keep her and Alex apart. Forever.
But while Alex and Jessica struggle to stay together, Cole’s not about to be forgotten. There are a few things he didn’t tell Jessica, about his past and her future. There are reasons why he came after her, reasons that are tied to his history that is darker than she could have ever realized
With the pain of the past behind them, Jessica and Alex are ready to move on with their lives. But moving on is hard when it involves reconnecting with the family who wanted to send Jessica to an institution. And living life isn’t easy when someone who doesn’t belong is watching her, threatening her life, determined to take Jessica back to the afterlife she should have joined months ago.And every day becomes a little harder for Alex. Time is ticking and if it runs out, Alex won’t be returning to the world of the living. It all boils down to Cole’s final words to Jessica: What are you willing to do to save him?
The answer to keeping Alex lies in Jessica returning to the place he saved her from.
Afterlife is the 11,000 word novelette companion to Vindicated (Fall of Angels)
Cole Emerson never was and never will be a good man. He has his position for a reason. But there are consequences for returning to the world of the living. He is about to lose the one thing he still has, his leadership of the condemned. As if that wasn't punishment enough, one of his brothers is hell bent on exposing what has happened to Jessica and Cole has no choice but to protect her. And he’ll stop at nothing to do it. Even if it means ending a few lives.
Cole never was and never will be a good man.
