Celestial Worlds

Chapter Thirty-six

“Hell no,” he says.

    I have released my golden wings, my dress ripping from the back and my shoulders aching because of the time I kept then inside, the time I kept hiding them. He’s still gaping, not believing that we’re both supernatural and we both have wings that vary in colour. I hear his intake of breath, a sharp one, as he reaches out a hand and touches my wings, ever so slightly.

    My lips part and I suck in a breath, feeling wonderful.

    No one has touched my wings like that before.

    “You’re an Angel,” he states. He says it like a guy says ‘I like it’. But I know from his tone that he doesn’t really like the idea of me being an Angel.

    I nod lamely at his statement. Then, after a while, he says, “Gold?” he looks up while caressing a feather between his fingers. I smile warmly at him and say, “The Gift. That’s my Gift.”

    He nods, his lips in a thin line.

    “So,” he says, looking at me, still caressing a feather between his fingers. “That night on the lawn. The…sacrifice you were talking about, this was it?” his eyes are guilty and his mouth is bitten. He says it like he realizes what really happened that night, and he really is guilty.

    I look down, back at my feet and nod. He drops his fingers from my wings and he folds his arms around his knees. I fold my wings too, but they’re still visible. Like a bird after flight.

    I mimic his position and wrap my arms around my knees also. We both look at the dock, where we were seated just a moment ago, everything completely normal and sane. Then just before we know it, everything’s messed up and everything’s not right. Every string has been cut and we’re falling, we’re falling straight and fast but we’re falling together.

    And there’s no branch, no bone, no sinew, and no twig to hold on.

    We’re alone in this world, just the two of us.

    Because only the two of exists. There’s no one to call, no one to tell our secrets to but each other.

    We can’t escape.

    After a moment he exhales and I know he’s going to say something. “Victoria,” he says, his voice a strained whisper. “I’m so sorry.”

    He buries his face in his knees and he grips his hair. I know he’s sorry and I want to say I’m sorry too. I’m sorry I didn’t understand you, I’m sorry.

    Instead, I say, “It’s okay,” and place my hand on his back, the most we’ve made contact after the kiss.

    Then just before I know it, he pulls me fast and he kisses me, so hungry. My wings flutter and his wings flutter too, sending shivers of air around us. I’m just kissing him as hungrily when he says, “We should fold our wings back,” beneath my lips. It comes out in a murmur but I understand well. I feel his wings disappear and I fold my wings too, sending them back inside my body.

   Oh, God, how I’ve missed these lips.

    I kiss him back harder and he grumbles, which I know is a supressed moan. A hand goes up to cup the back of my head and another stays on my waist. I have gotten on my knees and I don’t know how I did it, I don’t know how I’m doing this when—

    “Victoria?”

    We break apart, his lips straining to get near. I turn around and see Daniel.

    Daniel.

    Oh God.