A Slither of Hope (8 page)

Cam moved behind the couch, gripping the carved woodwork along the top. “There are a few things I’d like to clarify with you.”

“Not about that either. Anything else,” I said. He hesitated, his face falling. “Please,” I added, and decided angels could probably spot-clean as well as the rest of us and took a seat, though I refrained from leaning back.

“Okay. How—”

“To clarify”—I twisted around to look up at him—“tell me something about you. Something good.”

Half of Cam’s lower lip disappeared between his teeth. I fought back a smile at the very human gesture. “I had a lot of time to think when I left Earth.” He circled to the front of the couch and sat down beside me. His wings shimmered through the back and arm of the fabric. I pretended not to notice, feeding off the subtle hint of excitement in his voice. “I did realize something.”

“Something good, I hope?”

“I think so.” He took my hands in his so smoothly, it was like he’d done it a hundred times before. The sureness of the gesture kept me from pulling away, which was my first instinct, thanks to living with Kade and his tricks for the last month. “It was about you.”

My heart ratcheted up, my wings lifting a fraction. “Me?”

“Humans. Life on Earth. The simplicity, and the beauty.”

This was the closest to a normal conversation Cam and I had ever had. Everything else had always revolved around Az, angels, or the killings at our old school. But this—Cam talking about everything and nothing and all—this was gold.

“I noticed so much more the last time I was here. Things I never noticed before.” His fingers relaxed away from mine. Since I wasn’t a hundred percent into holding hands anyway, I watched him stretch out his fingers.

“The way the sun filters through the trees, the leaves both blocking the light and letting the smallest amount in. Sleeping restfully and being woken up by songbirds. Sunsets. Shoes.”

I looked at him with my head tilted to the side, blond fringe staying straw-stiff.

“They really are great inventions,” he clarified. “Speaking to someone and making them smile, or laugh, with just your words.” His gaze focused behind me, toward the window. His knee fell against mine, but he was a thousand miles away with his toes buried in dirt or sand, spinning in circles with his head thrown back, savoring the very taste of the air.

Neither of us said anything for a long time. He continued to stare outside and I continued to watch him. His eyes and mouth moved in almost imperceptible ways. I imagined him reliving so many small moments, all of them instilling a different brand of wonder on this angel’s face. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt any of those things. I stayed as still as I could and tried to experience them again, with him.

“It’s good to be back,” he finally said. His slate gaze found its way to me, looking me over like he hadn’t seen me in years, only slanting once on my wings.

“You must have been here a hundred times before. What made last time different?”

“You, I think. I thought about you a lot. Much more than I should have, I’m sure.” I could feel myself blushing, could practically see the bright pink blotches staining my cheeks. “While getting to know you, Rayna you opened my eyes to so much.” He slid closer to me, eyes intent. “And we did things we shouldn’t have done, but I don’t regret them.”

“The kiss?” Heat built in my stomach.

This time when he nodded, it wasn’t his usual sure-of-himself, Protector-Cam nod. It was something softer, almost human. “I wouldn’t take that moment back for anything. No matter what happened.”

“Neither would I,” I said. Even though complete chaos had erupted in my life, I’d never forget my first kiss. Or the angel that gave it to me. My gaze dropped to his lips, turned up ever so slightly on the outside corners. Instead of warning myself of the dangers, I self-consciously licked my own lips.

“Rayna, I…”

He stopped, but I nodded anyway, my chest swelling, waiting to explode with tension.

This was the moment I realized we were alone. For once Cam and I were completely devoid of prying eyes. We were in his apartment, on his couch.

“…I’m so sorry for—”

I shook my head. This was not what I wanted to hear. I felt myself slowly being pulled closer to him by some indescribable force, like magnets crossing an incredible distance to meet.

Cam nodded in that same shy, almost human way and my stomach flip-flopped. Then he swallowed. “You… made me feel. For something more than just my assignments.”

For Cam, this was practically a declaration of love.

Inside my body was going haywire, but in all the right ways. I wasn’t sad or annoyed. I was almost… alive again. But I needed more; this little taste of happiness wasn’t enough. I tested my voice.

“Cam.”

It came out weak and low, but it was still there. The voice that I had been hiding away, covering up—that part of me was still alive. “When you left I thought I’d never see you again and it almost broke me.” I scooted closer. Our legs touched. “But you’re back, and so different. Everything’s different.”

My fingers touched his cheek and slid down to his hard jaw. It wasn’t tense like every other time we'd gotten close before. He was relaxed. His fingers trailed down the sleeve of my sweater and up again, lingering on the back of my neck. Slowly we inched closer, needing to be near each other.

“Can we do this?” I asked even as both of us crept closer.

“I don’t think I could stop myself this time, even if wanted to.”

And just like that his lips brushed mine. Soft and sweet and fiery hot. The blood in my veins sizzled. His lips disappeared then came again. His soft sigh blew against my cheek; his breathing was ragged. He pulled away and looked at me like he could have for hours.

My heart pounded so hard I swore he could hear it, but now my lips felt cold from his absence. The quick kiss wasn’t enough. I pushed to my knees and leaned into him again, my lips finding his with so much ease it was like they belonged together. His lips froze, as if in surprise, but it didn’t take him long to wrap his arms around me and give in. My hands rested against his chest. I leaned in farther, desperate to be closer, to lock in this feeling of happiness. We toppled back onto the couch, our bodies pressed together. The ends of my wig hung over my shoulders and onto his. With Cam beneath me, it was easier to be so close, to use his lips to ward away the pain inside me.

Nothing, not even Kade’s training, helped me feel this way.

Kade. The very mention of his name crumpled my stomach with guilt.

No. He wasn't allowed to make me feel this way. Kade lost his chance when he hooked up with someone after baring his heart—all lies—to me. He didn't just lose his chance with me; he never had one to begin with.

So then why did Cam's lips suddenly feel cold beneath mine? His touch became just fingers, his body nothing more than skin and bone. This wasn't what I wanted. I pushed off him, separating us by necessary inches and looked at him. This wasn't what I wanted.

Something clicked, a noise that wasn’t the old couch creaking. Cam sat up, pulling me with him. Standing in front of the fireplace was another angel.

Chapter Eleven

Rayna

My heart hammered. Cam and I peeled ourselves apart, taking separate sides of the couch. The sudden instinct to apologize for our behavior bubbled up inside of me. In my haste to chase away my sadness, I’d forgotten that for Cam, and for this offense—feeling too much and especially acting on it—there was no
I’m sorry
. There was only Falling and black wings and cynicism. There was only change.

Oh, God. What have I done?

Cam leapt to his feet. “Sir.” That one word echoed in the room for what seemed like an eternity.

Both angels stood ramrod straight, like steel was forged to their spines. But the new angel didn’t move.

I wanted to drop my head into my hands, to hide in my shame, but I couldn’t look away, so I just stared with my head down. Even being able to see only the tips of the other angel’s wings, neatly tucked away, and the lower part of his calves, I knew he was more than just another angel.

Where had he come from? These angels were worse than cats the way they could sneak up on you.

Moments passed too slowly while Cam and I waited for him to speak, to move, to do something more than stare at an empty fireplace and unadorned mantle.

“So you’re the one with the sight. I was wondering when we’d meet.” His voice was deep, but smooth, like a still river—the kind that swallowed you whole the instant you waded in.

I dared to look up.

Cam’s gaze shot to me. The calm, almost human Cam was gone, replaced by the angel. The angel I should have remembered he was five minutes ago. I couldn’t read his stony expression, but his thoughts had to be racing. Mine were warring with my stomach for most freaked out. He swallowed once again, and I got the impression he wanted me to talk.

“I…I guess I am.” My voice broke. “We—”

“It’s good Camael brought you here.” The angel turned around, the motion sharp, but slow. His gaze leveled just above my shoulders. “You and I have much to discuss.” The planes of his face were well-sculpted. His jaw was wide, and more rectangular than square. His eyes were a mild brown, as was his hair and highly arched brows. The set of his lips was perfectly proportioned to his face: wide and narrow, like his eyes.

“Sir?” Cam’s steady voice wavered.

“My name is Elyon,” he said to me, disregarding Cam. “I can’t divulge my rank to you, as you are human, but know that what I’m about to tell you is the truth and should remain between the three of us.” He crossed the room without looking at me again, and without so much as acknowledging Cam, even though he was standing there like a wounded puppy. “Your ability to see us, Rayna, is remarkable, but we believe it didn’t happen by accident. And it isn’t the first time.”

So he really wanted to get right into it. Okay. As long as he had answers—the one thing I’d been longing for for months. And he sure seemed willing to gloss over the fact that Cam and I had probably broken like ten angel laws on this very couch. I shifted in my seat, but refused to let him see me fidget. “I’m not the first?”

“There was one other on record, long before you.” He spun to face us. Black slacks and a blue-striped dress shirt were well-fitted to his tall form. He wasn’t muscular, but he wasn’t all lean either. A bland blue tie was knotted at his neck. The only thing out of place was a long, sheathed sword hanging from his black leather belt.

How the hell was it even possible to walk around with a sword these days? A few centuries ago it probably would have been weird to see a man without one. Then again, he could probably influence people the way Cam and Kade could.

For the second time today, the thought of Kade gave me pause. Elyon didn’t want this conversation leaving this room, but how could I keep something this major from him?

“I am aware of your mental condition. As your sight has unexpectedly developed into”—again his eyes darted over my shoulders—“the physical presence of wings, this conversation has been put off for long enough.”

Of course he knew I’d been diagnosed and shipped off to a mental hospital more times than I could count. He must have brought this up because I'd allowed too much time to pass without saying something. Crap. So he thought I was nuts. Great. I’d already made the worst possible first impression. Caught making out with Cam, and now being too slow to answer him.

Pull it together.

“If you feel you can’t continue this conversation now, just say the word and we can stop.” In the flash of a second I swore I saw his hand twitch by his sword.

“How?” The word came out as alone as I felt. I pushed on. “The one before me with this sight thingy. How did they get it?”

The side of Elyon’s lip twitched up, but when he opened his mouth to speak, the hint of a grin disappeared. “That we aren’t sure of. Ultimately, that person proved they couldn’t handle the pressure and ended their own life.”

“Oh.” Hope, and my face, fell.

For the second time since we parted, I felt Cam’s eyes on me. His movement reminded me of our indiscretion. My lips were still raw from his kiss. I did everything I could not to bring my hand to them.

“So you’re afraid I won’t be able to handle this.”

“Not exactly,” Elyon said crossing the room again, finally settling into the white chair upholstered with charcoal writing along the back. It angled away from the fireplace, facing the couch. His wings turned to smoke, passing through the armchair, the tips brushing the hardwood. His eyes finally swung to Cam. “Relax.”

Cam swallowed and eased himself onto the couch.

“My father was attacked. What guarantee do I have that my sister won't be next?”

Elyon crossed his ankle over his knee, revealing perfectly polished brown leather shoes in a very large size. “I can't put a detail on her, but I can have someone check in on her, and as you know, your father is in our best hands. Anything else?”

Thanks to Cam's “checking in” on Dad from Heaven, I had very little faith in Laylah's safety. I thought about adding Lee to this little equation, but as long as no one saw us together, he'd more than likely remain safe. Plus he wouldn't be too happy about being tailed by any angel. I shook my head.

“As for the appearance of your wings,” Elyon continued, “before you, wings were either white or black.”

Duh. “What about the person before me?”

“Wings like yours have never existed before. We don't believe the one before you lived very long with the sight before they took their end.”

So much for a kindred spirit. “What else can you tell me?”

“Only that we believe you may not be able to roam the streets freely.”

“Why?” I asked, unable to decipher if his vague statement was intended as a threat or not.

“There may be more surprises coming your way soon.”

“Like what?” No one knew the definition of surprises like I did.

“There’s no way of knowing, but as your wings signal an escalation, the consensus is your sight most likely isn’t done with you yet.”