Light in Torment: An Annora Park Novel: Book Three

Chapter Eighteen: Sailing the Sky

"Good, good, amour. Now tuck your wings in and you can barrel roll."
I was enjoying myself this time. It felt incredible to fly, to see things down below from above.
"I'm really flying," I laugh.
"Quite elegantly too," Branuel says from my right side.
"I, too, think, considering you just got your wings, your flight seems effortless and easy."
"You should have seen me the first time, you wouldn't be saying that if you'd seen that mess."
"It wasn't a mess, beloved," Chamuel says coming to stand in front of me, his wings flapping softly. "You were just learning. In fact I'm amazed that you've made such progress in so little time."
"Well, that's me, Annora perfectionist Park. Couldn't let you guys show me up, could I?" I concentrate on standing midair. "It's harder to stand isn't it." More statement than question.
"It can be in the beginning. Since you have to control the speed of your winds and keep it so you're not exactly still, but you are also hardly moving. You are doing exceptionally well." Chamuel says.
"Well, I had a good teacher," I say, giving him a soft smile. Chamuel adorably blushes.
    Oh, that's so cute. Big strong angel blushing for me.
"The teacher is nothing without the right student." Chamuel comes to take my hands in his. "Thank you for trusting me in this."
"Of course," I murmur.
"Enough," Branuel barks, looking slightly annoyed, or is that perturbed. "I am about to be sick on the sweetness I'm seeing now."
"It's lovely though," Terrenel says sighing. And I can see by his look he was wishing I was having this moment with him.
    I was getting there. I was. I'd forgiven him, right!?
"It's getting late," Chamuel says, "Perhaps we should call it a day."
I almost argue with him until I see his expression. Oh ho, he really means it. He wants to stop now. I can give him this concession. As I fly back down to Walker's house I ask him, "Why were you so determined that I stop flying right this moment?"
Chamuel sighs, "It takes a lot of energy to fly and between your Tread earlier today and this much flying; I believe you'll really find that it will take it's toll on you."
    He was taking care of me in his own way. Just like all my guys did. They took care of me, each in their unique ways.
"That was amazing, baby girl!" Walker grabs me and begins spinning me around once both of my feet touch the ground. "Well. From what I could see it was amazing. And you told me you were awful. Such a liar, baby girl."
"I was, I was terrible, Walker. I don't know what came over me today, but it just was easier and felt more familiar to me."
"Each time it will get easier," Chamuel says, and Branuel and Terrenel come to settle their feet on the ground.
"That was refreshing," Branuel says. "Not a huge need for me to fly anymore, so this was quite...quite...." his jaw clenches and I laugh
"Come on, you can do it, you can say it. You won't burst into flames."
"...Nice, it was nice all right?" Branuel says and brushes his hair out of his face.
"It was nice." Terrenel says with a smile. "Only with you do I find myself revisiting things."
"Revisiting?" I frown, "Surely you fly every day," at their looks I say, "once a week?" I'm flummoxed. "You guys go that much time without flying?"
"We rule kingdoms, and ruling kingdoms doesn't require much flying these days."
"Well that's just sad," I say. "I should order you to exercise your wings more, but it's not my place."
"Then whose is it?" Terrenel says mischievously. "You are my Queen, and if my Queen makes a command I must seriously consider it."
"Yes," Branuel nods, "As my Queen..."
"Okay I get it," I wrinkle my nose. "Not your Queens yet, and I still am not commanding you to exercise your wings. That just feels weird."
"But it is a good idea," Terrenel says.
I'm about to respond when my phone rings. I take a deep breath and answer it, "Parks here. Yes, yes, I got it. I'll be there in ten." I turn to my guys and say, "I gotta go."
"We'll come with you." Terrenel says.
I shake my head. "No I really need to Tread this one on my own. It's on human controlled territory and they'll be too many cops and law enforcement there. Let me do this one my own, please."
"I don't like it," Branuel says.
"You don't have to like it, you just have to accept it." I look at my phone, at the time and shake my head. "I really have to go now."
"Then go, baby girl..." Walker's eyes have deepened and swirl with so much emotion. "Just know someone is always watching you. You're never really alone."
"Thanks for going all creepy on me, Walker," I snort.
"My pleasure, sweetie."
"Don't call me sweetie."
"Sweetums, sweetapotomus?"
"Not getting into this with you right now." I make my wish and decide to appear a block away. Don't want to shock the officers and end up getting shot.

                                                *****

    I arrive on the scene and Garrett grabs my arm and pulls me to the side.
"It's really bad."
"They're all bad, Garrett."
"No this one is bad. Did you notice where we are?"
I'd been so focused on my portaling and getting to the site I hadn't.
"Shit, we're at the U.S. Embassy."
"Yeah, the Fae and human liaison was murdered." Garrett tells me quietly.
   I sigh and swipe my hand over my tired eyes.  All murders were bad, but to kill the human Fae liaison was horrific.  Now the cops were involved and the task force and all the people I DID not need around me.  Or should I say, I didn't like around me.
   "Well no time like the present," I murmur.  "Show me our girl, Garrett."
   Garrett flashes our badges and the guards at the gate let us in staring at us with narrowed eyes.  Maybe they felt my "otherness" I don't know, or maybe they were just on high security since this went down.  At the steps of the consulate I saw her, splayed out,  her entire back and shoulders have been skinned.  No blood.  Not that I expected to see any.  I put on some plastic gloves and get in close, studying the wounds, and myriad of cuts.
   "He's getting good, really good.  He's perfecting his craft and it seems like he's almost there, Garrett."
   "Where does that leave us, Ann?"
   "Either up shits creek, or we can try to get ahead of him."
   "How do we do that."
   "I'm not sure yet.  But I know there has to be a way to catch this sicko!" I shiver although it's not cold and suddenly a blinding light blasts through the consulate courtyard.  Police officers scream and Garrett shields away.  I try to keep my eyes open.  Suddenly I feel what feels like talons grab my shoulders carefully and pull me into the sky.  WHAT. THE. FUCK?
   "I just needed to wait for the perfect time." The unearthly voice speaks and I take a guess and guess that this is the Shasharra we're hunting. Interesting he'd come for me.
   "Why me?" I ask.
   "I saw you at the last scene.  You have wings, magnificent wings.  I've never seen such glorious wings before.   I believe your wings will sustain me much longer than then measly Fae wings I've been taking."
   I reach to my belt and pull out my service revolver, part of him is solid and I aim at that part, and fire away.  He screeches and drops me.  I'm hurtling toward the ground and I know I have no choice (other than reveling DeJinn nature to everyone) I call forth my wings and gracefully land on the sure footing on the ground.  Garrett stares at me awe.
   "That was beautiful," He said, "I'm so sorry I couldn't do anything, Ann...I tried, but he was up before I could even fire off a shot."
   "I got him, it's okay.  Silver tipped bullets, it'll take him a little bit to recover from that.  Not long enough I fear, but a little bit of time on our sides." I smile widely and holster my revolver.  "This is good,"
   "It is?"
   "It is.  The asshole wants my wings and i doubt this will be his last attempt on gaining them, he called them unique."
   "They are."
   "All the more valuable to our psychopath murdering sonofabitch.
   "You're going to use yourself as BAIT?" Garrett nearly yells and I slap my hand over his mouth. 
   "Quiet.  Not exactly, I'm just going to hid out.  I'm going to be more visible and attend more functions and basically put myself out there, giving him the opportunity to get to me."
   "That bait, Ann!"
   "Well okay, if that's the term you want to use, the, bait I am.  I can't think of a better lead that this.  He thwarts us at every turn and how this, I beckon over the murdered girl.  The police are going to be all over this hit.  AND god help us if the FBI step in.  You know they like these high profile cases."
   "Ann..."
   "Garrett, he wanted me. He risked exposure to come and life me away from the scene and he did it.  It means he's getting a bit desperate.  This is going to work.  And hey, it'll be less treading for me."
   "I guess there's that," Garrett mumbles.  "What about your...uhmmmm guard?"
   Oh how cute he'd become to think of my harem at guards.  I guess in a way they were that as well as my lovers.  "What about them?"
   "How will they take this?"
   "They'll learn to deal."