Gilded Wings (23 page)

“I love you too, man,” Kade laughed, hugging him back.

Dom stepped to me next, and hugged me. “We can’t ever have a thing now.”

“
We
were never going to happen,” I laughed.

“I know. But now that Kade’s back, we never will. I’m sorry, Emma. Do you need a moment to mourn?”

“Man, get the hell out of here,” Kade laughed, pushing him away.

“I can’t compete with wings, man,” Dom grinned. “Those things are sexy as hell.”

“Dom,” Alaine sighed. “Why don’t you and Thomas go whip up some breakfast.”

“Sure. I’ll be the manservant until Miss Lily returns. I’m fine with that,” Dom said as he made his way out. Before he completely disappeared he stuck his head back in. “By the way… breakfast will be ready in an hour.” He spoke with an English accent.

“He is something else,” Alaine said.

“He helps make life bearable,” I noted.

“He makes life complicated,” Thomas added. “Which is why I should get down there before he makes a mess.”

Thomas hugged Kade. “Good to have you back.”

“Thanks, Thomas,” Kade said.

He hugged me next and then walked out.

I walked over and shut the door while Kade stood in front of Samuel and Alaine.

“Last night, when I came back, I realized how much I needed Emma. I know the bond is a huge part of it, but, I just… I don’t know how else to explain it. It’s—”

Samuel chuckled. “Son, you don’t have to explain a thing. I know how the bond works, and I know exactly what you’re feeling.” He turned to Alaine and they shared that special look. She stepped to him and he put his arm over her. “We know firsthand what you two are experiencing.”

Kade exhaled and his face washed with relief. “Thank you. But what I really wanted to ask is…” he looked at me and I could tell he was nervous. I smiled and nodded at him.

He exhaled then turned back to them. “Samuel, Alaine… could I have permission to marry your daughter?”

Samuel paused, then with a wide smile, stepped forward to Kade. “Of course you both have my blessing. As a father, I can honestly say she will be in the best hands. You’ve proven yourself to all of us, and showed you will love and protect her. She is truly blessed. You both are.”

“Thank you,” Kade said, hugging him.

Alaine’s eyes instantly filled with tears. “I always dreamed of this day, but I guess I was never prepared, especially since I’ve only had my daughter back for a year, actually less than a year, but you know what I’m trying to say. As far as I am concerned, the answer is yes. I knew from the moment you brought her here, you were meant to be together. I saw it on your faces. She needs you, and you need her. You complete each other.”

She moved to stand in front of him. “I’m so proud of you, and what you’ve done to protect our daughter. She couldn’t find a better person. And I know you didn’t have to ask, but thank you for considering us.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way. Thank you, Alaine,” Kade said, hugging her.

“Oh, Emma,” she said, hugging me next. “I’m so excited for you. Samuel and I will be here for you both, and will help in any way we can. I never had a wedding, so this will be the greatest party I will ever plan.

“You never had a wedding?” I asked.

“No, we never really talked about it, and before we even had a chance to, Samuel was taken from me.”

“Why don’t we have a joint wedding?” I exclaimed. “It will be fun, and we can plan it together.”

“No, no, no. This will be your day. Samuel and I will have a small, simple wedding. Just the way we like it.”

“Are you sure?”

“I am very sure. My greatest joy will be to help plan your day. It will be spectacular, and I can’t wait to start planning.”

“Oh, now you’ve got her started,” Samuel laughed.

“Well, it’s not every day our only daughter will be getting married,” she replied. “Besides, I am looking forward to watching Samuel walk you down the aisle.”

I hugged her tightly. “Thank you so much.”

“So, how long do I have to plan? Have you both set a date?” she asked.

“I was thinking in about a month,” Kade said.

“A month?” I gasped, and Kade smiled.

“A month?” Alaine said under her breath. “That’s not much time.”

“Alaine, they are dealing with the bond. They don’t need to have a wedding. They are only doing it as an outward celebration.”

“Alright, a month it is. We can work with a month and it will be fabulous.”

“You’ve awakened the inner wedding planner,” Samuel chuckled.

“Good!” I smiled. “Okay, I’m starving. I need sustenance.”

“Then let’s go,” Alaine said. “Have you had any indication of what your gift might be?”

“Not yet. I think I’m still too weak.”

“Just give it another day or two,” she said, and I nodded.

“Alright, let’s go check on breakfast.” Alaine took hold of Samuel’s hand. “See you soon,” she said, as they walked out of the room.

I turned to Kade. “A month? That’s not much time.”

“If it were up to me, we’d be married tomorrow,” he said, pulling me into his arms. “I can barely be away from you right now. One month will practically kill me.”

“Well,” I said rubbing my hand across his chest. “It will be worth the wait.”

“It will be,” he said, kissing me quickly.

“Now let’s go eat.”

I took his arm and he led me down to breakfast.

AFTER BREAKFAST, I WENT BACK to my room and took a nap. I was still healing and my limbs were still very weak.

When I finally woke in my room, the sun had already gone to sleep. I checked the clock on my nightstand, and it said 9:09 pm. I’d totally slept the day away, but I did feel rested.

Kade told me earlier he was going to Dominic’s room to play some cards, and as I listened, I could hear them laughing. I smiled inside, so glad he was still in my life.

Pulling the blanket off, I stood from the bed and stretched my body.

Wow.
I actually felt great, like there was no more pain and my tired achy muscles were now strong.

I grabbed some clothes, jeans and a T-shirt, and headed to the bathroom. When I clicked on the light, I paused, staring at my reflection.
What the heck?
There were no dark bags, and my skin was luminous… like I’d put on some kind of shimmery make-up.

I stepped closer to the mirror and examined my eyes. Within the chocolate brown were swirls of gold. I pulled my lids open to make sure. Dropping my hands, I almost freaked out. “Holy crap,” I breathed out loud. My healing must have been complete, which also meant my transformation must have been too.

My insides started to somersault with anticipation, wondering what my new gift would be. I had a feeling it might be invisibility, so I thought I would start with that. You know, process of elimination.

I stood in front of the mirror, sucking in a very deep breath. This time I would keep my eyes open so I could bear witness, and see for myself if invisibility was or wasn’t one of my gifts. With apprehension, I willed invisibility, just like I had when wearing the suit.

A tingling started at the top of my head and I gasped, immediately watching my reflection flicker in the mirror, then completely vanish.

I knew it! I knew I would have invisibility!

Then as I did before, I willed visibility and watched my reflection reappear. I squealed quietly, and had a little dance party all to myself.

I wondered if I should go invisible, sneak up on the guys, then reappear right in the middle of them.

No, I better not. An instant flash of Dom, Thomas, or even Kade, smacking me with their instinctual Guardian reflexes would not make it fun. The last thing I needed was a superhuman karate chop to the face. It was a cool thought though, and would have been hilarious if they weren’t warriors.

It was thrilled to have the same gift as Alaine, but was aware I didn’t feel drained or tired at all. I actually felt strong and… powerful.

I raised my arms and flexed them in the mirror. Sadly there was no change; just the same thin un-muscular arms. I guess that’s what was expected for someone who never worked out. I sighed and thought of Kade, and how he was given his wings. How unbelievable would it have been if I had wings?

Just for fun, I held my arms out to the sides and wished for wings, dreaming about what it would have been like to be able to fly whenever or wherever I wanted.

Pain tore through my chest and felt like it ripped straight through my back. I gasped, doubling over, grabbing hold of the sink to hold me up.
What the hell was that?

As the pain subsided, I took in a deep breath and straightened up.

I screamed as I saw my reflection, then quickly covered my mouth. My breath seized, my heart stopped, and I froze.

Oh. My. God.

I was completely floored, trying to wrap my head around what I was witnessing.

Was it real?

It couldn’t be. I couldn’t have been given more than one gift, right? 

But as much as I blinked, what I saw didn’t go away.

Folded behind me, were two of the most glorious white wings I had ever seen. They were perfectly shaped and the purest white… completely flawless. Excitement bubbled inside of me, and began to spill over into a squeal. I took in a deep breath and tried to calm myself.

Still a little doubtful, I reached backward and brushed my fingers across the side. They were as soft as silk and ruffled under my touch, sending a tingle down my spine.

I couldn’t believe it. How? How was I worthy of such magic?

I had wings.

I
—had the most amazing, magnificent wings.

Hidden wings.

Overwhelmed with adoration, my eyes began to water. Then, I whispered quietly, hoping the Creator would hear my words. “Thank you.”

I wiped the pooled tears from my eyes and leaned closer to examine them. They were shimmering: gilded with strands of gold which were intertwined within the delicate pure white feathers.

I stood up and exhaled. “Oh my God. No one is going to believe this.”

I needed more room.

Overcome with excitement and disbelief I slowly backed out of the bathroom into my bedroom, so could still see myself in the mirror.

“Now, how do you work?” I whispered to my wings.

My wings softly fluttered behind me, shooting a rush of electricity through my veins.

None of the others had to speak to get their wings to work, so maybe it was just a thought process, like how it worked with invisibility.

Well, I was about to give it a try.

In my mind I willed my wings to spread out. As soon as the thought was released, I was almost thrown off balance as they unfolded spreading out to my sides.

“Holy smokes,” I squealed quietly. I tried to settle myself, but this was too freaking exciting. I mean… who the heck gets wings for their eighteenth birthday?

And these things didn’t come with an instruction manual. It was learn-as-you-go.

They were extended out so long, beyond the door frame, so I couldn’t see them in their full glory. As I looked to the sides, I was dumbfounded and dazed at how perfectly symmetrical they were. Fully extended, they were approximately seven feet long on each side.

Laughter from the guys next door snapped me back into reality. I wondered what they would think when they saw
my
wings?

Then I had an amazing idea. I would keep my wings a secret and reveal them on the day of the wedding. That would be the shocker of the century, and I was totally in. But I also hated surprises and had the hardest time trying to keep them.

In the meantime, I would show them my invisibility, hoping my wings wouldn’t magically pop out in the process. That would be shocking, but not the full reaction I wanted.

I wondered what it felt like to fly.

As soon as the word
fly
entered my mind, my wings gave a strong flap.

It happened so fast, I couldn’t control it. The force of that single wing flap thrust me forward, slamming into the bathroom wall. I screamed as my body came to a crashing halt, then fell backward onto the floor.

I heard a door slam and I knew they must have heard.

“Disappear. Disappear. Disappear,” I frantically repeated, willing my wings to vanish.

The door to my room suddenly opened and I heard Kade’s distressed voice as he crossed the floor to the bathroom. “Emma? Emma, are you okay?”

He stood in the doorway, his brow furrowed with concern.

I glanced to my sides, and noticed my wings were gone, but one single feather lay right next to my hand. I quickly covered it, then burst into laughter. I couldn’t help it, and I couldn’t stop it. I laughed so hard my belly and face began to hurt.

Kade stood there, with a look of confusion on his face. Then Dom and Thomas peeked around him with similar looks.

“Did the transformation make her mad?” Dom asked.

“Is she alright?” Thomas whispered.

“I’m fine,” I giggled. “There was a bit of water on the floor and I slipped. Being surefooted certainly wasn’t my gift.”

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Kade asked, reaching his hand out to help me up. “I heard you scream, and thought something bad happened.”

“Yes. I’m totally fine, and I’m sorry for scaring you.”  

I took his hand and immediately felt the familiar electrical current.

Kade grinned and pulled me up into a hug.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” he breathed.

“Hey, Emma. Did you discover your gift?” Dom asked.

I nodded, and while in Kade’s arms, willed invisibility.

We instantly vanished.

“Damn. That is so freaking cool, but it’s also kind of unnerving. I would never know if you were invisible… watching me… maybe even stalking,” Dom said with a straight face.

I willed visibility and we reappeared.

“Don’t worry, Dom. I’m not a creeper.”

“Well, if you ever wanted to be… I guess I wouldn’t mind. As long as I’m not in the bathroom.”

“You’re so gross,” I laughed.

As I exited from Kade’s embrace, Dom threw a playful punch at me. Without really knowing what was going on, my hand automatically grabbed hold of his arm, and launched him in the air over my head. He slammed into the ground with a thud.

I gasped and let go, stepping back, holding my hands up.

Kade and Thomas were frozen, staring at me with the widest eyes.

“Shiiiit,” Thomas breathed.

“What the freaking hell?” Dom yelled, holding his side.

“Dom, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what happened. I couldn’t control myself. I’m so sorry,” I stepped forward, begging for his forgiveness.

“Don’t touch me,” he warned, leaning away from me.

“Emma. It’s alright,” Kade said softly, walking over to me slowly and gently backing me away.

“It’s not alright,” Dom moaned. “Your chick just picked me up like a child and body slammed me. I’m surprised she didn’t jump from her bed and finish me off with the People’s Elbow!”

He looked up at me, his eyes were narrowed and I felt horrible. Then suddenly, his demeanor whiplashed.

“Holy crap, Emma. You freaking kicked my ass,” he howled with laughter. “Oh my God. She’s a beast!”

I didn’t know what to say. I still felt horrible, but his outburst of laughter made me feel a little better – and a bit embarrassed.

“We seriously have to warn everyone not to make any sudden moves around her.” Dom got up from the floor; groaning like an old man.

“She’ll be fine. She just needs to learn how to control her new gifts,” Kade said. Then he and Thomas began laughing beside me.

Dom stretched his back. “Damn… that’s gonna leave a mark.”

“I’m really, really sorry,” I repeated.

“I’m fine. It’ll heal in a day,” Dom said, shaking his head. “You really are something.”

“Yeah, she really is,” Kade said, looking at me with appreciation. “Two gifts? Invisibility
and
super strength? Makes me wonder what else is in there,” he said, throwing his arm around me.

“You know what’s not in me? Food. I’m starving,” I said, trying to change the subject.

“Sounds good to me. Let’s go get the Warrior Princess some grub,” Dom added, walking out the door.

“Ha-ha-ha,” I said, not amused.

As we made our way downstairs, I saw the complete destruction of the home for the first time since the attack. My heart began to ache replaying the horrifying events which took place only a few days ago. So much death and destruction had happened in such a short time.

But over those past few days, Alaine had flown in a few highly skilled workers who she paid well to work round-the-clock. The windows had been reinstalled, the door was back in place, and they were hanging new sheets of drywall to cover the damages.

In the middle of the foyer was a huge heap of rubble, and I noticed pieces of from the crystal chandelier and stained glass. As I glanced up at the large, clear plastic sheet spread across the hole in the ceiling, I wondered how in the world Alaine tried to explain the damages. Maybe she paid them not to ask questions. I certainly would.

There were about five men working on different sections of the room. None of them stopped to look at us. They tediously continued what they needed to.