“What are you doing?” I ask as he steers me through the living room and into the hallway.
“Protecting you.” He shoves open the last door on our right and pushes me inside. Dashing in right behind me, he shuts the door then strides over to a dresser. Jerking open the top drawer, he rummages around through the clothes, throwing shirts and pants everywhere.
I wander around the small room covered with painted canvases, charcoal sketches, and sculptures. I stop in front of one in particular of an Angel woman dressed in a flowing black dress with her wings spread wide. Her skin is like snow, her hair like ash, her eyes black. Looking closer, though, in the center of her pupils is a spark, a fire hidden inside a sea of hollowness. I also note a reddish tint to her wings and thin black lines on her skin.
“Is this…me?” I whisper, glancing over my shoulder at Asher.
He’s standing only a few feet behind me, holding something in his hand. “It is.”
“You really see me this way?” I peer back at the portrait. “I look so…”
“So beautiful yet haunted by the burden you face,” he finishes for me.
“The fire in my eyes, why did you put that there?” I ask, turning back to him. “I know from my brother and from Raven’s art that everything always has a meaning.”
He extends his hand toward me and traces a line below each of my eyes. “It’s the life inside you, the one trapped behind all of your burdens, the one I know will one day be free.”
“You really believe that?”
“I do. When this is all over, I believe you’ll have a full life ahead of you.”
“But you don’t know what happens to me after I make my choice … or do you?”
“No one does, except Michael and Altarius, but I promise you that, no matter what, I’ll make sure you have the life you’ve always deserved.”
I wish I could wholeheartedly believe him, but deep down, I know my fate really isn’t in Asher’s hands.
“What’s that?” I ask, pointing at his clasped hand.
Looking down, he unfolds his fingers around a silver and black bracelet woven in feathers.
“This is made of one of the feathers from my wings.” He takes my hand and places the bracelet in my palm. The instant the feather tickles my skin I feel a vibrant connection to Asher, a pulsating magnetism to be near him. “As long as you keep it on you, I’ll be able to know where you are.”
I stare down at the striking feather bracelet. “Why haven’t you ever given it to me before?”
“Because you didn’t have your wings before. It only works for those who have Angel blood running through their veins.” He folds my fingers around the bracelet. “Make sure to wear it at all times.”
I nod then slip it around my wrist. “I will.”
I don’t know why, but I have the strangest feeling that him giving me the bracelet means so much more than what he’s letting on.
“And, please, be careful. Even though Cameron appears to be helping us, I’m still not convinced he’s doing it for the right reason.” His fingers wrap around the doorknob. “My brother has always done things that serve a purpose only to himself. Even when we were growing up, it would seem like he was being genuinely helpful, but he always had an ulterior motive.”
“I’ll be careful, Asher, I promise.” I cup his cheek in my hand and smile with forced confidence. “I’ll be all right.”
As we head back to Cameron, I tell myself that I can do this. That I’m strong enough to survive a flight to New York City with Cameron and not lose sight of who I am. But part of me fears I might lose my way.
I hold the glass ball in my hand,
Begging it to show me
Who I am.
The girl within the crystal orb stares back at me
Through the cracks in the glass.
She tells me lies
Then, through the smoothness in the surface,
Tells me the truth,
Tells me things I don’t want to believe,
Whispers what I want to hear.
Wrong or right?
What is the answer
To my life?
Chapter 3
Ember
“How long of a flight is this going to be?” I ask Cameron after we’ve been in the sky for about an hour.
As awful as it might seem to be with Cameron, flying actually isn’t that bad as a mode of transportation. There’s no traffic, no boring car ride. It’s just me, the wind, the clouds, and the fading sunlight.
“Great. Are you one of those people who is going to ask every ten minutes if we’re there yet?” Cameron asks, sounding more amused than irritated.
“I just want to know if flying is faster than driving.” I extend my hands to the side as my wings flap, and the wind gusts through my hair.
He snorts a laugh as he dives through the clouds in his misty form. “Of course it’s faster. Don’t be ridiculous.”
I miss Asher already. Leaving him was harder than I thought. Despite my confliction with good versus bad, his presence has a calming effect over me. Now he’s gone, and any calm is gone, as well. I feel more nervous now that I’m going to somehow mess this all up and make the wrong choice.
“We’ll be there sooner than you expect.” Cameron funnels around me. “So just relax and enjoy the ride.”
Even though I hate doing something he suggests, I still force myself to relax and enjoy flying. Once I unwind, I start to grow braver. I follow Cameron as he zigzags through the clouds, zips up then down, spins around, and free-falls. By the time I catch up to him, I’m laughing.
“That was actually kind of fun,” I admit with a hint of a smile.
For the briefest moment, I don’t loathe myself for being a Grim Angel. Life feels okay and somehow strangely normal. Then Cameron opens his mouth and any peace poofs.
“Nice bracelet, by the way.” His voice conveys a taunting edge. “I didn’t know you already made your choice.”
I rotate my wrist the feather bracelet is around. “I didn’t make my choice already.”
Mist swims around my arm, sending a deathly chill through my body.
“That thing right there,” he purrs, “is like the human’s version of a promise ring.”
My eyes pop wide. “You’re lying.”
“Nope. Trust me, I wish I was, because honestly, I find the sight quite disgusting. It’s like he peed all over you and marked his territory.”
I scrunch my nose, although mostly at Cameron’s repulsive description. Part of me warms at the idea that the bracelet shows how much Asher wants to be with me.
“You should take it off,” Cameron suggests, flying beside me like a dark cloud.
I shake my head and lower my hand. “No, he gave it to protect me.”
“From what?”
“From…” I trail off as I spot a giant grey cloud heading toward us at an alarming speed.
“Cameron.” I search the sky for him and start to panic when I don’t see him. Where the hell did he go? He was just here. “Cameron, where are you?” My wings begin to flutter as adrenaline and fear courses through my body.
What is it?
A Reaper?
Fear blasts through me, cold and deadly. I start to tumble to the ground. Fast.
Clouds blur by me as I plummet. My wings fight to keep me up, working overtime, but in the midst of nose-diving, my focus on flying is lost. I can’t concentrate on anything other than the mist chasing after me.
Then, right as it’s about to reach me, Cameron appears out of nowhere and slams into the mist with incredible force. The two fogs mix together, creating a cloud of grey and black as they swirl together and tumble through the sky. They twist and turn and curve through the clouds, but I can’t tell what’s going on or who is winning.
As my wings regain their strength, and my decent toward the ground stops, I let instinct take over and allow my Reaper side to briefly gain control. While my vision shifts to red, the mists in front of me change into skeletons wearing
cloaks, but I can’t tell who’s who. I don’t know what Reaper has found us or if Cameron is hurt. I don’t know anything, and that terrifies me. Not just because I know I won’t be able to fight the Reaper off myself, but because I don’t want Cameron to get hurt.
The revelation throws me for a turn. Somehow, through all of this, I’ve developed feelings for Cameron, and it isn’t because of my Reaper blood. No, my feelings solely stem from my human side.
Moments later, one of them cries out then drops lifelessly toward the ground. My heart slams against my chest as I debate whether to chase them down or fly away.
If it’s Cameron, I need to help him.
As I start to soar downward, Cameron materializes in front of me. My vision still bleeds red, so I can make out his eyes and specks of his blonde hair beneath his cape.
“Worried it was me falling?” he teases with a grin.
“No,” I lie, but relief washes through my body that he’s still here.
He chuckles. “You’re a terrible liar, princess.”
I open my mouth to protest, but he flies away before I can get the words out. It’s probably for the better, since what he said was right. Lately, I’ve been a terrible liar.
“Do you know who that was?” I ask as I race after him. “I mean, the mist. It was a Reaper, right? But did you know them?”
“It was someone from the Anamotti.” He gives me a sidelong glance. “I’m not sure if he showed up here out of pure coincidence or if they somehow found out you were here.”
I scan the haziness and wispy clouds around us. “Do you think more will show up?”
“I don’t know.” He picks up the pace as the sunlight fades away. “But we better be on the safe side and hurry. I can only fight off so many.”
I don’t think twice. I throw all of my energy into my wings and fly as if my life depends on it.
Chapter 4
Ember
One long hour later, I finally land on the ground again alongside Cameron. I take a moment to catch my breath and skim the scenery. The realization of where I am causes my jaw to drop to my knees.
While I was flying, I didn’t pay too much attention to the ground, mainly because Cameron insisted we stay high in the clouds to keep us hidden. When we descended to a rooftop of a building, I was so focused on not messing up the landing that I didn’t notice the city.
Having never been out of Hollows Grove before, except for the occasional trip to the next town over, I’ve never seen a large city before.
Signs, buildings, and cars sparkle like millions of lively butterflies below me. The noise and humming of people buzz electrically through the air and above me, the stars contrasting with the lights.
“Holy shit, it’s amazing,” I breathe as I step closer to the ledge and peer down.
“You’ve never been to New York City before?” Cameron asks, moving up beside me.
He’s in his human form and has shed the cape. Tall, lean, with blonde hair, and designer clothes, he radiates sexiness without showing a drop of his true, dangerous self.
“I’ve never been to a city, period,” I admit, still focused on the glimmering city below us.
“That’s kind of sad,” he replies, almost sounding genuine. “You should really try to live your life more.”
“I haven’t had a lot of opportunities,” I state defensively. “I could barely afford college, let alone taking off and seeing the world.”
“If you really wanted to, you’d find a way.”
“I’m here now, aren’t I?”
“Still, it should be under better circumstances. Not when you’re being chased by the Reapers.”
I study him from the corner of my eye, trying to get a better read on his mood. His staring ahead, his eyes trained on the lofty building across from us as the wind whips through his hair. His hands are stuffed in the pockets of his jeans, and at first glance, he seems bored. Deep under the tough mask that he always wears, I swear I see a trace of humanity.
“You’re being sort of nice right now,” I remark with suspicion. “Why?”
“I’m not being nice.” He jumps down from the ledge onto a flat area of the roof. “I’m simply being truthful, which is something I’ve always done.” He strides toward a door. “Now, come on.”
“Where’s the place that we’re supposed to meet Asher?” I ask, rushing after him.
“We’re supposed to meet him down at the front of this building.” He pulls open the door, and we enter a dark and narrow stairwell. Definitely not an ideal situation to be in when I am with him, but I have no other choice except to fly down to the ground and bring unwanted attention to me.
He lets the door bang shut, and then we descend the stairs toward the bottom floor.
“But, if you’re feeling really adventurous, we could always ditch him.”
I heave a heavy sigh. “No, Cameron, I don’t want to ditch him. You should know that without asking why.”
“Should I?” he questions, gripping the railing as he trots down the stairs. “How do you figure? I mean, you’re so conflicted it’s hard to tell what you really want.” He pauses, reaching out and grazing his finger across my heart. “It’s really hard to tell what lies in here.”
I slide my hand over my heart and open my mouth to protest. I want to tell him I know exactly what resides in there, but the lie won’t leave my lips.
“I’m not confused, for reals, though,” I attempt to defend myself. “The Reaper and Angel blood just…” I bite down on my tongue and hurry down the next flight of stairs.
“Just what?” he presses, bounding after me with a cheery spring in his walk.
I wave him off. “It’s nothing. I shouldn’t even be talking to you about this, anyway.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re you.”
“Ouch.” He presses his hand to his heart, pretending to be offended.
“Don’t pretend like you actually have a heart,” I retort as we round the next flight of stairs. “I know Reaper’s don’t.”
“Actually, they do.” His hand lowers to his side. For a fleeting instant, pain flashes in his eyes.
“Really? How does that work? I mean, you’re evil, so how could you possibly have a heart?”
“I don’t know why you seem so surprised, considering how I feel about you. I’d have to have a heart in order to be able to. And a soul.”
“You have a soul?”
“Sure. It’s just a little more tainted than your average human one.”
“I’m not human anymore,” I say quietly, stopping as we reach the bottom of the stairway.
“Yeah, you are.” He reaches for the doorknob. If I didn’t know any better, he almost seems sympathetic. “You’re just Angel and Reaper, too.”
My frown deepens. “That makes me sound like a freak of nature.”
He pushes open the door, letting the cool night air spill in. “Well, you kind of are, but does it really matter? You were never really normal, were you?”
I sadly shake my head as I enter the dark alleyway just outside. “That doesn’t mean I don’t wish I was.”
“Normal is overrated, or so I’ve heard.”
“Do you know anyone who’s normal?”
He nonchalantly shrugs as he veers right and saunters toward the busy road. “My mother is pretty close to being normal now, or so I’ve been told.”
I wrap my arms around myself, shivering from the cold. “You don’t ever see her?”
He observes the people walking up and down the sidewalk. “I haven’t seen her since I made my choice to become a Reaper.”
“How old were you then?”
“Ten.”
I gape at him. “They made you make that kind of a choice at ten?”
I thought my life was bad at that age simply because I had to take care of myself. I couldn’t imagine making the choice of whether I was going to be good or evil at that age. I can’t even make that choice now.
“It’s not that big
of a deal.” He comes to a stop right before we reach the end of the alley and spins on his heels to face me. “I knew where I belonged way sooner than that.”