Fallen (Undergoing editing)

Chapter forty-nine:

She'd been with him.

Demetrius could feel it deep down in his bones. Lilith had touched him—been with him. It had been more than just a dream. He'd felt her, witnessed her lips touching him, her hands, caressing him, but he couldn't wake up. As much as he fought the weight of unconsciousness, he was stuck in himself, held prisoner in his mind as the owner of his heart leaned over him, her scent driving him on the edge of madness.

"You are my grace now, keep it safe."

Demetrius could feel the wetness from her tears, splashing like a raindrop against his cheek. He wanted to reach out with his hand and cup her face in his fingertips, capturing her lips until they bruised so dark, the color resembled blood.

But just then he awoke.

So abruptly, he almost rolled off the bed.

Panting he looked around the room, expecting to see her face, her beautiful raspberry brown eyes, the cute roundness of her lips and the oval features of her face.

But he was alone.

The only comfort was the icy silence that ate at him like the sting of an empty stomach. She was gone. He didn't know how he knew it, but he did. Maybe it was because of the grace she'd given him or maybe it was everything else; the crook of her hip that seemed as though it was made for his hand that wandered there whenever they kissed or the light in her eye that seemed to light up his whole world.

His hands balled up angrily.

Something was in his right hand. He stopped; the anger seemed to melt away as he looked down into his open palm that glistened with sweat.

It was a small silver necklace with a glittering white stone in the middle. It was an angelic stone. He'd seen similar ones on the angels he'd killed, but it took no scientist to realize it was hers. Left with him like a final painful goodbye. Demetrius would've thought being in opposite skins he would understand where she was coming from, but he didn't, at least not anymore. It hurt twice as bad now.

He looked up suddenly to the doorway where Alice stood with a careful look about him. He hadn't even heard him come in.

"She's gone." Was he could manage without completely losing his mind.

Alice nodded solemnly as if he'd seen it coming, but said nothing. It irked Demetrius.

"It would seem so."

Demetrius winced, clutching the necklace tightly in his grip. "Why? She—she knew I loved her."

Alice snorted as if he'd said something funny. "Out of everyone here, Demetrius, I thought it would be you who would understand."

"Just because I was like her—"

Alice chuckled again.

"I don't see what's so goddamned funny, Alice!" he roared, bubbling with anger.

Alice stopped, looking at him seriously now, almost apologetically. "I'm sorry, Demetrius, I really am, but you know there would be nothing either of us would be able to do to make her stop."

Demetrius shook his head trying—pleading to make sense of it all. Did he do something? Did he not do enough of something? What could he do to make this whole nightmare come to an end? What could he do to get her back?

"She'll be alright, Demetrius. She will be, I promise you that."

He snorted. "You promise way too much stuff."

Alice snorted. "Why do you think I lie so much then?"

Demetrius couldn't help but laugh at that one.

Laugh.

He did it, a simple noise, an amateur start, but it was something. Demetrius stared shocked down at his hands.

"I bet you haven't done that in a long time," Alice said nodding to him.

Demetrius didn't know what to say. He reached up and touched his cheeks that were damp. Crying? He was crying? He couldn't remember the last time he'd done anything like this before with actual emotions attached.

He felt his heart heave as he sobbed into his hands that faintly smelled of her. He cried and cried hard. In a cruel wicked way, it felt good. Like a hose with a kink finally straightened.

"It hurts," he hiccupped.

Alice nodded. "It will, but with wounds, it'll heal, may always hurt forever, but at least you'll survive."

Demetrius panted, holding his chest that ached, ached like sin. "I don't think I will."

"Broken hearts, it comes with the territory.

Broken heart. Is that what he had? No, couldn't be. People got broken hearts when they fell out of love, a love that didn't exist anymore. He loved her. He knew with every bone in his body that he did.

"What do I do?" he sniffled, wiping his cheeks. He was ridiculous.

Alice sighed, crossing his arms over his head. "Well, I would start by putting some pants on, having some breakfast and see where you go from there." He grinned. "Baby steps Demetrius."

He nodded. He would do that, if it meant getting closer to not sobbing like a little girl, that's where he would start.

"But first, I think someone wants to see you."

Demetrius looked up and saw a little figure standing timidly in the doorway behind Alice.

"Demi?" a little voice said.

Alice moved aside to reveal Raven, her long white hair traveling over her shoulders like it always did, even when she was a little girl.

Tears exploded down Demetrius's cheeks again as he gazed at his sister—his beautiful sister.

"Raven," he choked.

She rushed to him, throwing her arms over him. "You're—you're..." It was not even she could believe it; that her demonic brother was okay again. He was Demetrius.

"Yeah," he said. "I'm okay," he sniffled.

Raven laughed through her own veil of tears. "Are you really crying?" she said wiping his cheeks.

He felt his cheeks flame up. "Don't judge me," he sobbed as he leaned into her shoulder and cried some more.

Together, they bother cried, doubling over in emotions that overruled them both.

Done crying, and dressed, Demetrius stood out on the cliff with his cup of Luna tea, gazing at the beautiful sun that began to rise high into the sky.

It was an eternity since he's watched the beautiful fiery ball of flame rise from the hills and crawl into the open sky like a bird taking flight. He only wished he was watching it with someone—with her.

His eyes watered thinking about it. Hanging around his neck was her necklace, the angelic stone settled right on top of collarbone. Demetrius took a sip of his tea, its sweet smoothing tang settling in his stomach that tightened with loss.

He gazed out into the sky as if he could see her between the mountains or hovering somewhere below in the river. He only wished. He closed his eyes as he felt the sun's rays climb from the darkness and touch his skin with beautiful light.

He could feel her inside of him, a piece of her lighting up the dark crevices of his heart that had been forever hidden away. He felt every kiss and the curve of her lips, the warmth of her body, her fresh scent like the fresh breeze.

She was his everything; she was his grace and would be no matter how far she flew from him. Neither she, nor he would be able to escape it.