Circles and Wings

Chapter 5

*Scarlett*

I drifted from the realm of sleep and found myself wrapped in a cocoon of warmth. It was both dark and light and I had the strangest urge to let my glamour fall, but I knew I wasn't alone. No. I couldn't be alone, there were arms wrapped around my waist, and a hard chest pressed against my head that rose and fell with steady breaths. And there was something wrapped around me as well, under me and over me like a blanket.

But this blanket was soft and textured, and it moved around me with every rise and fall of the chest I was pressed into. And it seemed to twitch in movements unnatural of a blanket. I opened my eyes, the world was barely light, but not at all dark. It was... neutral. Natural.

I looked up and saw his sleeping face, it looked so peaceful, his bright silver hair against his coal dark skin. And at the base of his hairline was a ring of light. I moved the slightest bit, and his arms shifted around my waist. He didn't wake though. I shifted my gaze and saw that I was wrapped in silver feathers. Soft silver feathers that made...

No. No this wasn't happening. This couldn't be real, the feathers couldn't make... wings. They couldn't be wings. No... "SHIT!" I whisper yelled. I shuffled out of his grip in a panic, sliding out from under his wings. I was breathing in ragged uneven breaths. He didn't wake up until in my backing away I knocked into the door, slamming it shut.

"Scarlett?" He mumbled sitting up in a sleepy haze. His wings swung around him as he rubbed sleep from his eyes. I froze and stared at him. I shook my head and covered my mouth with my hand. This couldn't be happening. No. No... He looked down at himself and then his gaze snapped back to me. "Scarlett, it's not what you think. I'm not a monster, I'm an angel."

"An angel." I repeated. "And why are you here?"

He stood from the bed, and took a step towards me, I didn't move. Was he here to take me back? Was he here to marry me? Have I been so blind? "I'm here to live before I'm tied to someone." He said taking another step, "I promise, I won't hurt you."

"You won't hurt me?" I repeated. "Are you a nice angel?" He laughed and nodded. "So... you're not really from Canada?"

"There are not really mean angels." They walked over to me and put a gentle hand on my shoulder. "I'm not a mean angel. I'm good."

I shook my head and moved out of his grasp and around him, "This doesn't make any sense, why are you here?"

"I..." he started then stopped. "I don't really want to talk about it, it was a difference of opinion between my father and me."

"Ok." I nodded and he turned to face me. He moved towards me again and wrapped an arm around my waist.

"Scarlett, I like being here and I like being with you."

"With me?"

"In a strictly cute neighbor sense." He smiled and it sent rumblings into my gut. He took a step, guiding me back until my legs met my bed. "It was nice to lay with you, Scarlett." He whispered, "will you lay with me for a while longer?"

I looked up at him, and there was something in his gaze, something peaceful, that made me nod. He smiled and lifted me from the ground, and laid me back on the bed. I felt his weight on me briefly as he rolled over me, wrapping me in his wings, and holding me to him. I shifted slightly, so my hands weren't trapped beneath his back.

He took a breath in, and in one swift movement I was rested completely atop him, my chest pressed against his, and my legs resting between his. He ran a hand over my hair and I listened to the beating of his heart in his chest. He was warm and nice and good. And everything I was trying to avoid. A mother fucking angel.