Chapter Nine

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My sentence was finished with a scream. Burning, searing agony ripped through my side. My knee buckled under me and I realized I had been shot again in the thigh. My vision swam red and black with stars and my head felt like it was full of helium, even when it smacked against the pavement as I fell. I barely noticed all my blood soaking through my clothes, pooling around me. Fuck, they might have hit an artery.

Suddenly, the sky above me was perforated with bullets, flying in slow motion.

I was going to be Swiss Cheese, my delirious mind thought slowly.

The bullets weren’t directed at me though; something above me.

No one would save me. No one cares. I’m a freak in the eyes of both of my races.

But the look in my Father’s eyes as I spoke Angellican and showed up Cecilia… He was proud of me. Was I a freak in his eyes too?

“Aimee… Aimee… Focus.” Words floated in my head. Was it my rational mind the was clinging onto survival, or something else? They seemed far away.

“Stay with us, Aimee. Just hang on.”

I could barely hear them; just quiet whispers. I was tired, so very tired of all the running I had been doing.

Flashes of light and darkness clouded my vision. My mind was slipping away like mud in a rainstorm.

I remember Xavier’s face; him always laughing and joking around with me when we were children.

I remember Reven’s face; the first and only boy I ever fell in love with. The first time I saw him, the first time we kissed, the first time we made love…

I remember Grandmother’s face; her quick remarks and gentle scolding.

I remember Mother and the very last time I saw her alive. She had been so full of life.

I’ve been denying my feelings for so long, telling myself they’ve disappeared. I’ll always love Reven, whether he lied to me or not. And I miss Mother, I miss her so much it’s beyond words. It wrenches my heart every time I think of her. I could be crying right now, but I couldn’t feel anything.

Why did those heartless people have to kill her?

I guess people say their lives flash before their eyes when they’re about to die. I guess it’s true. My mind poured over everything I could’ve done or should’ve.

“I’ll miss you.” I try to say. “I love you.”

More darkness filled my head and eyes until it was my whole being. It wasn’t scary; it was comforting, like a blanket being pulled over me when I was so cold. But a voice came through the darkness, faint at first, then it grew.

“Aimee, my beautiful girl, it isn’t your time yet. Go back, baby girl.”

“Mother? Mother! No! I miss you. Let me stay!”

I felt lips press against my forehead, if I even had one. “I’ll see you again eventually, Aimee. I’m always with you, don’t you know that? Now, where’s your father in you? Make me proud.” I heard her chuckle but I still couldn’t see her.

“Okay, Mother. Je t’aime. Always.”

“Always.” She said, completely sure.

* * *

And I opened my tear-filled eyes to see Reven and my father hovering over me.

I coughed and sat up. “Guess this means I’m not immortal.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I died, I think. The bullets--” I looked down and inspected my body. I was completely fine except for the puddle of blood beneath me. “What the hell?”

“Aimee, are you alright?” Father questioned. “I heard you scream.” He tapped his head. “So I came. Reven showed up at the same time and we took care of the humans.”

“I got shot in the abdomen and my right thigh.” I found the holes in my clothing. I stood up, shuddering at the feeling of my sticky clothes that clung to my body, soaked with my own blood. Two shell-less bullets fell out of my clothing and clattered across the cement with little metallic pings.

“You must’ve healed yourself.” Father said, crouching down and plucking the two bullets up.

“But I never could--that’s never happened before.” I was confused. Why now?

Father looked to Reven. “I suppose no one ever taught her how?”

“She avoided us.”

“That so?” He looked up at me.

I waved my hand, as if dismissing his thought. “Fruitless efforts trying to stay neutral. I’m done with that now.”

Reven and Father shared a look with each other.

I debated whether or not to tell them I spoke with my mom, but I opted out of it.

“Reven, take her somewhere so she can clean herself up. I need to talk with the others.” He stood up and nodded.

Reven’s hand rested on the small of my back, to comfort me, I think. He obviously didn’t mind the blood. My father eyed him and looked between us. Reven’s arm wrapped around me possessively, a defiant gesture. Technically, Reven was ranked above my father. Since the “I’m older and more wise” card didn’t work for my father, he just shook his head and disappeared after he told him to keep me safe.

Reven was quiet and I wrapped myself against him and cried silently into his shoulder. He stroked my hair gently. “Aimee, it’s alright, it’s over.”

“It’s never over. You don’t know what it’s like to be faced with your own mortality.”

“I can’t tell that’s not the only thing that’s bothering you. You’re fearless. You haven’t ever been afraid of death.”

“I miss my mom. Reven… I miss her so much. You’ve never lost someone who meant the whole world to you. You don’t know what it’s like to have your whole life ruined in one night.”

“What am I supposed to say, Aimee? Everything you said was true. You’re right, I don’t know what it feels like.” He pushed me slightly away and wiped away my tears with his thumbs. “Your eyes are so blue.”

I hastily wiped at my face. “God, I hate crying.”

“It’s alright, Aimee. It shows you aren’t completely one of us.”

“Will you disappear this time if I told you I love you?”

“No.”

“Do you think angels are capable of love?”

“It’s what we were made of. God’s love for humans. Granted, some of us are worse than others but your father is one of the best. I would say yes.”

I pondered on the thought then asked, “Is my black duffel bag still on the cliff?” I pointed roughly to the area it would be located.

Reven disappeared and reappeared with it in his hand. “The humans tried taking it but…” He trailed off.

“I don’t want to know. Not right now.”

“I understand.”

“Please, just take me somewhere.”

He wrapped his arm around my waist once again and the air around me was suddenly hot. I opened my eyes, not knowing that I had closed them. It was still nighttime, wherever we were. Bugs buzzed loudly and large animals called to each other over great distances.

“Africa?” I guessed.

“Yeah, I’m going to keep you safe.” He turned me around, showing me that we were on the doorstep of a mansion in the midst of a wild jungle.

“Damn, you’ve been living it up while I’ve been hopping from place to place.”

“It was always open to you.”

“You should’ve said something.” I muttered.

“But if I had, would you have listened?” He asked, amused that he caught me off-guard because I didn’t think he had heard.

“Nope.”

“Defiant to the end.” He laughed and dropped my duffel bag.

“Careful--” I begin to warn.

His hand catches my chin and he looks into my eyes. “God, you’re beautiful.” He kisses me roughly, making me breathless and wanting more. Instead, he begins giving me a tour of his fancy house.

In the bathroom, I stop him. “Hey, I really need to get cleaned up.”

“Yeah, I see that. I’ll go get you some towels.” He disappeared down the hallway.

I turned to the jacuzzi tub and turned it on. I kept my hand in the steady stream of water until it was the right temperature. I plugged the tub and peeled off my bloody clothes as the water level rose. I added a bit of body wash to make it a bubble bath. On the edge of the tub was a bottle of generic shampoo and conditioner.

I slipped into the tub, sighing at the warmth. I scrubbed away the blood and inspected my body where the bullets pierced me. There were no scars, nothing. No new scars, anyway. I had so many that covered my body, but they were invisible to the human eye. I’m sure they glared out to Reven. How did I heal myself? I washed and rinsed my hair, thinking.

“Here are your towels.” Reven announced, walking into the bathroom.

“Set them wherever.” I waved then started grinning madly when I realized he was acting like a servant.

“Want a massage?”

“I wouldn’t pass one of those up for the world.” I pulled my wet hair up and out of his way. Reven knelt down and started kneading the tense muscles in my neck. I relaxed into his touch.

“What’s gotten into you?” I asked in a teasing tone.

“I… I’ve just missed you.” He admitted quietly.

I tried not to wince away from his powerful hands. “Rub harder.”

“You’ll bruise.”

“I don’t care. It feels good.” I said as his hands moved from my shoulders to my back. The bubbles were slowly disappearing, revealing my naked body underneath.

“You’re one of us, you know that.” He whispered against my ear. “Be with me; be my queen.” He trailed his lips down my neck and his hands went from my back around to my ribs. His fingers brushed the edges of my breasts and my breath caught in my throat.

Hearing him say that, something stirred in my soul. Was it the dominant angel in me that was lusting for the power he offered, or was it the greedy human? I didn’t care right then. I turned around in the tub to face him,  my lips crushing into his. I didn’t need to speak because my lips were showing him, making him feel what I would say.

“Yes. Forever. Yes.”

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