I suppose I should have been terrified, but I wasn’t. And I couldn’t close my eyes, because I wanted to take everything in. St. Joseph grew smaller and smaller, turning cars and houses into little dots as we soared toward the clouds and across the countryside.
“Don’t worry, I won’t drop you,” he breathed into my ear. I shivered, but it wasn’t from the temperature. With him wrapped around me, how could I be cold?
“I’m not.” It was true. The absolute trust I felt for Shay was something I sensed in my bones. I relaxed into him. We soared above the clouds, and I eventually extended my arms, feeling free and happy. I heard no worldly noises except the wind whipping past.
We climbed upward for a few more seconds, then he spiraled downward, the downy silver and white of his wings wrapping around us like a cocoon. We breathed in unison, and I felt Shay’s heart beating against my back. He sighed, sounding happy as he rested his chin on top of my head and his other arm crossed over my waist. Suddenly, the most intense shock passed through our bodies.
“Why does that happen when we touch?” I asked.
“I’m not sure. We can ask Kieran tomorrow.” He sighed again, but this time the tone of it was different. “It’s getting late, Zoe, and we have to talk, yet. Ready to go back?”
I turned my head so I could see his profile. “And if I say I want to stay like this forever?”
He chuckled. “I should take you back.”
Way before I was ready, we landed on my windowsill, and he took my hand to help me through. Remembering he’d need extra space for his huge wings, I moved to my bed so he could follow me in. As he did, the wings contracted, disappearing into his back, and a new black T-shirt instantly covered his torso.
“Thank you for taking me. That was incredible,” I whispered, patting the bed for him to sit next to me. “Where does the shirt go and does it have to disappear in order to fly? I mean ... if I get wings ... ah, I don’t want to be topless.”
He chuckled, unlaced and kicked off his boots, but didn’t sit. Instead, he leaned against the desk. “For guys, it’s easier to not have a shirt. But it doesn’t actually have to disappear. You can fly fully dressed, too.”
I released the breath I held. “How come Kieran didn’t come, too?”
“I think he wants to give you time and space. But I’m here because you deserve to know who’s protecting you.”
I nodded and sighed, forcing me to wrap my head around all I was told. “The prophecy ...”
Shay leaned forward and looked me in the eyes, his expression entirely focused. I couldn’t look away. When he spoke, his voice sounded almost as if he were chanting.
“Glory!
Babe born.
First and last.
Heaven and unto Earth.
Receives the highest in jubilation.
Enlightens will unite, they shall band.
Triumph be if darkness is driven back.
Help found who love, the world will stand.”
“What does that even mean?” I crossed my arms.
“I agree with Kieran that you are the babe.” He crossed and then uncrossed his legs. “When you were born, the veil to the underworld broke. So evil has been festering all this time. Waiting. When you turn eighteen, the door will bust open allowing all of hell to descend to Earth.”
“So I caused this?”
“But you’re also the Redeemer who will save us, too.”
“Great.” I shook my head. “Now I feel awful ...”
“We’ll get through it.”
“Yeah.” I laid my head on my knees and turned away from him. “Keep telling yourself that.” I sighed.
“I know it’s a lot to take in.”
“I need to wrap my brain around all that. So, tell me about you and where you came from?”
He took a breath. “My mom, Lindy, was a waitress at a diner in Santa Clara, California, when she met my father. One summer day he had stopped in for a late lunch. It was a slow day, so they had plenty of time to talk. He returned the next day and the next, eventually convincing her to have dinner with him and did whatever other young couples did back in the 1930s.”
He moved away from the desk’s edge and walked slowly around my room. “She knew she was in love with him. She would have done anything he asked.” His eyes went to mine, suddenly serious. “But Gabriel—that’s my dad—finally told her he was an Archangel, and that meant he couldn’t marry her because of the rules of being an angel.” Shay took a seat on the corner of my bed and his mouth curled up. “I was born soon after they had met. That’s when he had to explain to my mom that I would be special. I would be a Nephilim.”
I uncrossed my legs and tucked them under me, very aware of his closeness. I thought that was a little odd, since I’d been flying in his arms moments before. Oh God. I have a boy on my bed!
“Being half-angel, I’ll live longer than Ordinaries, and Gabriel loved my mom so much he asked God to grant her a longer life, too. That way she could raise and protect me, since he wasn’t able to be like a normal dad. God has sympathy, but didn’t grant his prayer. So, Gabriel gave some of his own Angel Light to her.”
“So how old are you?” I asked.
“I’m seventy-six years old.”
I twisted my body to stare at him and let that sink in. “Holy crap! You look fantastic for your age.”
“Another angel perk,” he said with a smile. “May I continue?”
I waved my hand. “Please do.”
“I grew up and played games any boy my age would do. Mom and I took vacations, and sometimes Dad even joined us.”
“Was your dad around a lot as you were growing up?”
“I saw him at least a few days a week, for the most part. He just didn’t live with us. By the time I was elementary school age, I knew I was different from other kids. It’s hard to explain.”
Shay scooted closer to me so both our backs were against the headboard. His long legs almost extended to the edge of the bed. “One day, right before I entered sixth grade, Dad showed up and took me for a walk along the river. He talked about the difficult choices he’d had to make in his past and said sometimes he was forced to sacrifice for the greater good. Then he told me that when he’d met Mom, it hadn’t been by chance. He’d been watching her for a while, and he’d seen the good in her. He knew she would make the sacrifice needed for me one day.”
He leaned his head back and closed his eyes for a moment when he opened them again he gave me a vague smile. “Yeah, he knew before they actually met that he would have a relationship with her, and she would have a son. I was a little shocked by this, but then again, I had suspicions he was different, too. Kind of like me. He told me he was an Archangel, he’d asked Mom not to tell me because he thought he should. He apologized, saying he knew he hadn’t been there for me like he’d wanted to be, but that I’d always been in his thoughts and prayers.”
He looked so sad just then, so I took his hand. It felt like the most natural action in the world.
“So if he knew your mom would be a good mom to you, does that mean he can see into the future?”
“Maybe. He hasn’t confirmed either way even when I point blank ask him. Anyway, he explained I was more special than most kids because I was half-angel. By the time I was a teenager, he said I would have enhanced physical attributes that would mark me as a Nephilim. I would be taller, stronger, and faster. I would get wings and have heightened human senses. I would grow up and look normal, but live a very long life. When I turned eighteen, I received the Heaven’s Mark.” Releasing my hand, he lifted his sleeve and cupped his palm over his bicep to cast Angel Light on a tattoo: two silver iridescent wings with the golden Triquetra symbol in the center. It was the same design as Kieran’s, but with different colored wings. I wondered if the color reflected their real wing color.
“It’s stunning,” I said. Like you. “Why do your wings glow?”
“That’s an angel thing. The glow is pretty faint, though, because
I am only a half-angel. Kieran’s are a lot brighter, and the glow of an Archangel’s wings is awesome.”
“What’s the sword I saw you fighting with?”
“It’s a special gift all Nephilim receive. The swords are blessed by God, and they’re a reward for being His servant. And just like our wings can appear and disappear, so does the sword. Each is unique to the individual and plays to his or her strengths.”
I glanced at my phone, checking the time again, and realized the sun would rise soon. I hadn’t gotten more than a few hours of sleep. How was I going to function at school today? I guessed it would be a two-latte day for me. But it was worth it.
He smirked, catching my expression. “I should leave so you can get ready for school. Plus, I should go before your dad comes in and kills me.”
I unfolded myself from the bed while he rose and slipped his boots on. He gazed out the window, watching the sunrise. I joined him there. When our hands linked, small shivers ran up my arms.
“When will I see you again?” I asked.
He beamed down at me. “Oh, don’t worry. I’m never far away.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ll see me soon.”
“Don’t keep me in the dark.”
“I’ll tell you more later. I promise.” He climbed onto the sill in a crouching position, then he turned back and hesitated. The flicker in his eyes wavered and he pulled back, deflating my hopes to receive my first real kiss. “I’ll see you around,” he said, then dropped down the two stories with no effort at all and walked down the street, leaving me to stare after him.
Chapter Eight
Zoe
I didn’t sleep a wink after that. Floating on clouds, I ran down the stairs and grabbed a chocolate muffin from the counter then dashed out the door. Still giddy after my incredible night, I practically flew to Kieran’s house—even without Shay’s wings around me. I couldn’t stop grinning.
When I arrived to the end of Kieran’s driveway, he was standing there, waiting for me with raised eyebrows.
“What?” I asked.
“Have you even looked at yourself in a mirror?” Kieran asked. “I mean, I’m no fashion expert or anything but ...”
I glanced down, jolted back to reality. I’d thrown on the first clothes I could find and ended up with a bright orange and white striped button-down shirt under a green sweater, black leggings and my purple Converses. I looked like a giant walking pumpkin. But we were already running late, so I couldn’t go home and do anything about it. Regardless, I wasn’t about to let my poor choice of clothing dampen my spirits today. I had a skip in my step and a bounce in my heart. The other kids could go ahead and have a good laugh on me.
“Let’s go,” I said, shrugging.
It felt a little weird between us as we walked to school in silence. A part of me wanted to tell him all about my evening with Shay. After all, that’s the sort of information best friends shared. I’d never talked with him about boys, so I had no idea how he would handle that kind of conversation.
But Kieran knew me well enough to know something was up. “Did Shay stop by last night?” he finally asked, breaking the silence.
Pretty sure my cheeks turned bright pink in that moment, but he was looking at our feet. “Yes,” I squeaked, barely raising my head.
He hesitated only a second. “Yeah? That’s good. So he elaborated on some matters, I guess. Is there anything else you’d like to know about? I’ll tell you anything. I swear it’ll be the truth this time. No more secrets between us.”
This time I looked at him. “I have to be honest, Kieran. I don’t like that you lied to me for so long. I’ve never lied to you.” I swallowed, biting back my words. Isn’t this what I am doing to him? It hurt to see the pain in his eyes. “Let’s just get to school.” I need to refocus on creating a list of questions to ask.
I couldn’t bring myself to tell him about last night, but he knew I held something back. I could see it in his sad expression. His eyes pleaded with mine, asking for more.
“Now that I’m in the know, what’s the plan?” Kieran didn’t need to know Shay and I had flown—or that we had almost kissed.
“I’m working on that,” he said.
Normally we would stop at Coffee Grind on our way to school, and as we grew closer, I felt his inquiring eyes on me. Today I kept walking, trying to ignore the wonderful aromas wafting out the door. I didn’t want to talk to him about anything. I knew it made the situation even weirder between us, but I just couldn’t. Once we entered the school, I darted to my gray locker.
“See you in math class,” I called over my shoulder.
He frowned and nodded, then headed to his own locker down the hall.
I dropped my backpack and tried the combination, but it didn’t open. Same result the second time. I’d been meaning to request a new one, since this one never wanted to open, but I liked its location near the cafeteria. Plus, I liked being next to Sidelle, one of the nicest and most popular girls in school.
But on the other hand, Morgan—a former preschool friend—her locker was on the other side of mine. She wasn’t there most of the time since she’d hang out at her boy toy of the week’s locker. She’s the self-proclaimed leader of a group of real snobs whom I called The Triangle. They ruled the school, dressed in the latest designer clothes and wore their hair and makeup; like movie stars, but I thought they were nothing more than bullies. They were mean to anyone who couldn’t or didn’t live up to their expectations.
On the third attempt, my locker opened.
Sidelle watched me with sharp eyes. She wore her usual stiletto heels, along with white capris pants and a white and red striped shirt under a light blue jacket. Sidelle was gorgeous, tall, thin, and dressed beautifully—as usual—making me extremely aware of my pumpkin get up. Her family had moved here from New York or some other place out East when we were in second or third grade. Maybe that was where she’d gotten her fashion sense. Of course, her father’s endless supply of cash helped. Sidelle and I usually attended the same parties, but for some strange reason, I never hung out with her by myself.
“What in heaven’s name?” Sidelle demanded, her long, manicured finger indicating my outfit. “Zoe, what is that? What are you wearing?”
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t ask. How’s it going?”
“You mean, besides you being toted off to jail because you’re wearing that?” She pursed her lips, then shrugged. “Something’s off about you today. You’re not the same jittery self.”
“I’m glad it’s Friday.”
Her eyes lit up from her smile. “I think Cali’s parents are out of town this weekend. She says she might have a party tomorrow night. You’re coming if she does, right?”
My thoughts traveled to Kieran, then to Shay. “Maybe. I’ll have to see.” I wasn’t sure if Kieran would want to go with me. Without him, my parents probably wouldn’t allow me to go. Should I even go with demons chasing me? I needed to get on board with this and we needed to devise a kick-ass plan.
And should I tell Sidelle about Shay and the almost kiss?
“Something on your mind?” Sidelle asked, lifting one eyebrow.
I was dying to tell someone. But what could I say? That I’d met a hot half-angel who saved me from two demons and took me flying? It sounded crazy.
“You look a little tired today.” She cocked her head to the side. “Are you feeling okay?”
“I didn’t get much sleep last night. And I need a fix of caffeine.”
She glanced around, frowning. “How come Kieran isn’t here?”
“Um ...”
“Ha!” she shouted, and her whole face turned into a grin. She leaned toward me and whispered loudly, “Did you guys, you know ... do the wild thang?”
I stared vacantly at her, wondering what she was implying. Then it clicked.
“No!” I yelled back, realizing a little too late that everyone could hear me.
She hitched one hand on her hip, l
ooking smug. “Let me tell you something, Zoe. I’m not buying what you’re selling. How can you not? I mean, he’s deliciously hot! Who doesn’t want to date Kieran Auduro!”
I stared at her, speechless, which only encouraged her.
“Then tell me why he isn’t here. Every day for three years, ever since we started high school, he’s walked you to school then hung out by your locker until the morning bell rings.” Her eyebrows wiggled. “And today, he kept on walking. He didn’t even say anything.”
Time to change the subject. “Did you get done with the bio reading?”
“No, and don’t deflect. Tell me why you didn’t sleep last night, and why Kieran and you are acting all weird today.”
“It’s nothing. I was just busy with ... uh ... some things at home. I didn’t even get the homework done.” I knew I was being vague, but what else could I do?
“Got busy with what exactly?” She narrowed her eyes. Then they widened, and she threw her arms in the air. “Wait. Zoe didn’t do the homework assignment? Did hell freeze over or what?”
“Jeez, Sidelle. Drama much? I gotta get to class.” I grabbed my history book from my locker and slammed the door shut, needing to escape.
“This convo is not over, Zoe!” Sidelle called. “Do you hear me? I will get to the bottom of this!”
The hot gossip around school today would now officially be that Kieran and I had done it. “Way to ruin my day,” I grumbled as I walked down the hall to my first class.
I’m a good student and not afraid to admit that. And normally I enjoy my classes. But today I needed them to be over. I wanted my life to go back to the way it had been before I knew about demons, angels, and a prophecy.
Then again, no. I wouldn’t change my meeting Shay for anything. I would have to take the good with the bad. That meant coming to terms with what I was supposedly destined to become.
When the bell rang, I was one of the first to leave the classroom. I didn’t see Sidelle at the lockers, but Cali walked toward me, her pretty face creased with concern.
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