Can Angels Cry?

Monster

Flame's P.O.V

The sun is beginning to set when I sense the first wave, the distant sound of their wings alerting me to their presence. I tense, unsure of how to take my next course of action. I could tell Josh, Damien and Valerye who will then tell our sergeants, which will end up with me stowed away in some underground cabin until the skirmish is over. No. I want to fight. No more hiding. I slip away from the other 3 and take off my jacket to spread my wings. I unsheathe both swords from the contraptions at my waist, their leather hilts soaking up my sweat.

Despite the cold night air, I am drenched in nervous sweat. This will be my first actual kill in years. Alone, no backup. Just me and them. Judging by the volume of the wingbeats, there are 5 maybe 6 Others. Probably a scouting party. Still dangerous. I fly up to the top of an old skyscraper and wait.

I hear the voices of the leader, a female, maybe 20 or so in human years. I crouch even lower, my eyes just peering over the short wall on the edge of the roof. I catch sight of a redheaded woman with blood red wings giving orders to a short, swarthy man with brown hair and wings. I take my chance and shoot upward, moving my wings down in a single, powerful stroke. Then, just as gravity is about to take over, I position my head downwards and enter a spiral, shooting down towards the pair. My blades spin as I rush down at them and I hear the sound of flesh being torn apart as I drive them into the body of the male. The female screams in shock and jumps back, fear blazing in her eyes for less than a second before they harden into cold voids of anger. She rushes towards me and thrusts forwards with her dagger, trying to hit me in the gut. I sidestep her and hold my blade out. She whirls around, only for her neck to come into contact with the deadly sharp blade, slicing her head clean off.

I can hear the rest of the Others approaching, their voices muddled in confusion. I stand with my blades hanging at my sides and my head bowed. The blood of the two Others I killed drips onto the ground, mixing with the dirt and ashes. I hear a scream come from an Other behind me. "You bastards," I say, turning around to face the group of three Others, "You fucking bastards. You killed my species, my family. Time to taste your own medicine."

With that, I swing into action, my blades spinning so fast that my eyes can't keep up. I hear sounds of confusion come from the Others and satisfaction ripples through me with every slice that I make into their flesh. 

I become a machine of death, focused only on killing every Other near me, ignoring everything else. I will avenge you. Mother, Father, Josh's family, Valerye's family, all of them! I WILL AVENGE YOU! 

I stop, suddenly, and lower my blades. The Others lie in a mess of blood and gore, unrecognisable from before. I smile softly.

"Flame! What the fuck-" I hear Damien rushing towards me.

"I avenged mother, Damien. Aren't you happy?" I look up, expecting there to be a big smile on his face. Instead he stares at me in horror. 

"You're a fucking monster! Why? We could have used them! Goddammit Flame!" He strides up to me and shakes me by the shoulders, "Why did you-"

I can't control it. My hand just slides forward through the air, blade still grasped firmly. But... but now... what have I done? "Don't touch me again."

His face is pale and his fingers scrabble at the blade stuck in his abdomen, blood welling up around the hilt. "What did... you...do?" He coughs, blood spurting out of his mouth and falls backwards. I catch him just before he hits the ground and lower him down gently. "You... bitch... you are no... sister of mine." I watch as the light fades from his eyes and his grip on my hand loosens. But the words that he said will never leave me.

***

Valerye watches the scene from the roof of an old skyscraper. Cold, calculating. Her powers are growing stronger. Huh, she thinks, why do they put their trust in that little bitch of a girl? They should be afraid of ME! I am the stronger one!  She breathes heavily for a few minutes before returning to her usual, calm manner of thought.

The loss of Damien was an unfortunate necessity, but a necessity nonetheless. It's good in a way. No obstacles between me and Josh. With Damien gone, Josh will have to love me, he has no choice. Unless he wishes to move his affections to Flame. No. No one could possibly love that little whore, not even her own father found it in him to love her. Damien was just faking, we all knew that. We all were faking it. Maybe I should kill the bitch, save her from the pain of knowing that no one gives a shit about whether she lives or dies. No. Let her suffer.

***

I sit by my brother's corpse all through the night. When Josh comes to usher me into my quarters, I resist and burst into tears. He joins me in my mourning and we sit together in silence until the midafternoon, when the authorities come to clear up Damien's body. Tears stream silently down my face, dripping from my chin and the tip of my nose and landing on the ground to form a tiny puddle of salt water. 

When evening finally rolls around, Josh hauls me up and carries me into my room. He bathes me and scrubs the blood of Damien and the Others off my clothes and limp body. He leaves me to clean the skin beneath my undergarments with the excuse that he needs to get some clothes for me. I finish bathing and step out of the tub, shivering slightly as I exit the warm water. I grab a towel and sit on the floor of the bathroom until Josh gets back. He hands me the fresh undergarments and night clothes and I change, ignoring the blush spreading to my cheeks. Once my hair is dry I leave the bathroom to find Josh sitting on my bed.

"Is everything ok?" he asks, concerned. I give a non committal grunt and sit down next to him.

"Of course it's not, I'm an idiot," he sighs softly and stops talking. We sit in silence for a few minutes until he clears his throat loudly. "Umm... I don't know how to tell you this, but I feel that you should know. Uhhh... do you understand the way that you feel towards some men?"

I nod, unsure of where exactly he is heading with this question.

"Well, I feel the same way... towards men. Specifically, Damien. I never told any of you guys because I didn't know if you'd take it well. After all, the elders state that such emotions, let alone actions are-"

"Hush. There is no need for you to explain yourself." I look into his eyes, trying to show him my sincerity. "In life, you have no control over who you are or how you are born. We are all created with a fate, a reason. You were made the way you are for a reason, and no one has the right to tell you that the reason is wrong." With that, I hug him and sense his surprise. After a second he eases into the hug and after what feels like an eternity, we both let go.

"We both lost someone last night," he says, turning away. "I lost the person I loved, you lost what you thought was your brother."
"What do you-"
"Please, Flame. I can't explain it now. Maybe another time when you are less overrun by emotions. For now, what you need is sleep."

He gets up and walks away from the bed. When he is about to leave, he stops, his hand resting on the doorframe and turns to me, "Whatever you do, don't trust Valerye. She has it in for you. Watch your back."

***

Kaden stares out of the window of his study, gazing at the mountains adorning the distance. Does she know, he asks himself, Does she know how dangerous she is, how she could easily wipe us out if it takes her fancy. I'll just have to pray that I get to her before she meets Lilliana. Their ideals are too similar. And if it is discovered that I created her... it's too dangerous. I must either win her over or destroy her,