Heavenly Blood

7 - Alice

I couldn't take it. I had to get out of this room before melted my own brain. I wanted to get out for a walk on the beach. Max's parents had returned at about eleven thirty, It now had to be at least three hours since then. I was creeping towards the stairs, conscious of every creak, when I saw the sign. It was big bold letters that said Alec. I hesitated but I knocked on the door. I then heard a muffled, "Come in."

Alec was laying on his back on his bed listening to music with his eyes closed, so he didn't see me. He was topless. His body was so muscular and gorgeous. Even in the dim light I could make out the smooth lines of his body, his bicep lines could cut a man as one was supporting his head making it flex. His phone resting on his stomach, which rose and fell methodologically and led down to the v lines which were slightly less defined from being stretched out. Like me earlier, he laid there with his legs crossed at the ankles, only item of clothing being the thick joggers covering his legs. I thought my cheeks were on fire.

"Look before you say anything, I didn't..." he opened his eyes and saw me, "Alice?" he breathed.

He got up quickly. He stared at me and I stared back, stuck in a trance in which time became non existent and we were both frozen in place. I could feel a pull from within, trying to break from my chest towards him. His eyes were so intense. I could see his hand slowly stretch, trembling. It was only when I then diverted my gaze did time start again. He then bent down to pick up a shirt. His back muscles rippled as he bent over. I unconsciously stretched out my hand to touch his back before quickly retracting it as he stood back up and put a casual red shirt on. He only had three buttons done up. His chest still clearly visible. I resisted the urge to bit my lip.

"Hi," I said unsure.

"What are you doing up here?" he questioned.

"I wanted to talk to you," I replied slowly.

He laughed bitterly, "That's probably a bad idea. Max won't like it."

"And who says she is now my master?" I replied indignantly.

Alex laughed, "Feisty as ever."

He realised his mistake. He knew me. I didn't acknowledge it. I didn't want to be kicked out quicker. I genuinely wanted to talk to him. I needed answers from someone. He offered me a seat on the window seat. I sat down and he sat next to me. His knee brushed my thigh...

I was laying in the centre of a hospital bed, my eyes closed with a thick plastic tube down my throat. My mouth surrounded by tape to seal the tube, my face as white as the tape. My hair was sprawled around my head, some of it looked singed as it was blackened and split. I watched a hand take my own. The hand was sooty and scratched against my own marked porcelain hand.

"Alice please wake up!" The owner of the hand whispered, "Please. I love you.....fuck this is all my fault..."

I kept the images I saw to myself. The voice belonged to Alec, or at least a broken version of him. I stared around his room to focus myself and hide my shudder. His room was a deep ocean blue and he had hazelnut coloured carpet. On one side of the chimney breast was a wooden desk and on the other was a matching wardrobe. His bed frame was of what looked like enforced steel, with a prison bar design headboard, and his bed covers a deep red and orange. His room was very sparse, almost too much so but I put that up to him having his own place and his parents renting out the room.

"Anyway what did you want to talk about?" he asked.

His voice was gentler than before but still on edge. I could feel the tension radiation from him each time he spoke to me. I couldn't help but feel like it was because of something in my past because it sure as hell wasn't because I was a new person in the house because nobody could be this tense about something like that. Not even the mysterious Alec Knight.

"About this morning at the beach," I said, "Jesus. I'm just gonna say it.... what did you mean when you said Angel?"

He smiled half-heartedly, "My failed attempt to flirt."

"Don't lie."

He looked taken back, "I'm not. I was trying to tell you that you are beautiful, seems it didn't go well."

"Please don't play with me," I shot, "Ever since I met you, you and Max have been acting weird around me like you are party to something that you don't want me to know..."

"What? That you are a supernatural being?" He laughed.

"I don't know ok!" I burst, "I don't fucking know!"

I stormed towards the door. I don't know what I had expected from coming here, but I hadn't expected all these games. I didn't want to deal with such a mine field of fuckery, especially not at god knows when in the morning. My hand was on the door when his arm reached above me, his face so close to my ear that I could feel his breath. His body wasn't touching mine but I was so aware of his proximity. I couldn't help but bite my lips as my breath got caught in my throat. The only saving grace is that I was turned away from him. He moved in closer, his lips almost touching my ear. I couldn't help the arching of my back as I moved closer, his cheek resting on the back of my head. Lips mere millimetre from my ear.

"You wanna know the truth?" He whispered, "In your dreams."

That was it. I got the hell out of there. How dare he. How fucking dare he! How dare them both. He had just confirmed that they were conspiring to hide something from me and now he further taunts me. Bastard. I wanted to slam the bedroom door as I walked in the room but I also wanted time to plan what I was going to scream at Max when she woke up. Our friendship meant nothing to her. She was a fucking bitch. Five years I have wanted answers and she...

It was then it hit me. What if it wasn't just an insult? I had told him earlier about my interest in tarot cards and chakra reading. What if.... no! He was just being insulting. Why would he say something so cryptic rather than just telling me outright. That was such bullshit. And yet, I found myself laying down on my bed, arms and legs both crossed and my eyes slowly closing. I let my mind be wiped until I was in an abyss within my mind. I focused hard on this nothingness waiting until finally I then pictured a light. It was small, like a candle flame but white and fiery, dancing in a non existent wind. I allowed my conscience to swim towards it, letting the light engulf me, surrounding me, becoming me. My body tingled and I felt myself rise. I could see nothing but this light, like a set light bombarding your three sixty being. And then I heard a muffled cry, my name being shouted. I removed myself and resurfaced from within. Fading to black and then cluttered with thoughts before finally opening my eyes and staring the the ceiling. However, in the corner of my eye, curling up the ceiling, up the wall and around me was a white with gold tipped feathered wing. I sat up violently, hearing Max cry out as I did so. There were two. Spanning each at least four feet. I was trembling. I turned to face Max, she stared in disbelief.

"How....how the hell..."

I could feel my hands shaking, "If this......real?"

"Alice look...."

"You lied to me!" I screamed, "You said it was all bullshit! And yet here I am! Winged and all."

"That's not....not...."

"Possible!" I shouted, "Yeah I know tell me about it. What about you huh? You have a little winged secret?"

She hung her head, "Look I didn't..."

"Just fucking leave it!" I sneered, "Actually you can take your pathetic sorry and our friendship and shove it up your arse if it means that much!"

Before either of us could reply, I threw myself from the window. Instantly I felt my wings beat and lift me from falling to the ground, the sensation of flight was new and exhilarating. Any words that she screamed after me were caught and carried off by the wind. I rose higher and higher, climbing in altitude and heightening the ecstasy. I screamed from my high. Kicking my legs over my head I flipped in mid air. In that moment I didn't care where I went.

For the first time I was free.

For the first time. I was me.