“New York?” Cole chimes in.
Alex’s eyes brighten at the idea so I know I can feel excited too. “That sounds perfect. It’s only a six hour drive if we take the bridge. It would be so epic!” I want to jump up and down like a little girl but I keep myself grounded and just nod to Cole enthusiastically.
“We’ll have to miss a day or two of school to be able to actually enjoy ourselves up there,” Alex either thinks out loud to himself or is telling the ground. Alex face hardens at the thought of missing school and I can tell he is starting to slip out of the idea. I can see his brain calculating everything he’ll have to catch up on if he skips town for a few days.
“We never miss school. It’ll be fine.” I console him since the floor doesn’t. Alex is such a goody-goody.
“I have an apartment up there,” Cole is trying to coax Alex.
I am about to burst with excitement. “You do? You never told me that.” I sound like I’m teasing him but I’m not.
“It’s never come up,” he shrugs. He walks closer to me and whispers in my ear so Alex doesn’t hear. “I have apartments everywhere.”
“Really?” I mouth back to him, our lips almost touching.
“That trip this summer? We will not be staying in hotels,” he informs me, still whispering. I smile back at him and give him a quick kiss.
“Alright, I’m in.” Alex has finally worked out the arguments with the floor.
“Yes,” I hiss, excitedly. “Thank you, Alex.” He just ‘yeah, yeas’ me.
We start discussing all the things we should do and see up there. Time Square, Statue of Liberty, China Town, Greenwich Village, Central Park, Metropolitan Museum of Art; the list goes on.
“Are we going to invite more friends or are we thinking small like just us and Kaitlyn?” I ask them.
Cole shrugs to let me know he can accommodate anything and Alex says, “Just Kaitlyn. If we invited more then we’ll see less and everyone will want to do something different, we’d end up separating, someone would get lost. No, I don’t want to deal with that.”
“I agree.” I’m so relieved.
*
Two weeks later we are in New York! Technically, Alex and my birthday fell on a Tuesday so we couldn’t actually celebrate our birthday then. We had a dinner with just our parents that night and our friends had given us little presents during the day. We left for New York after school on Wednesday. It was already night when we pulled into the parking garage below the building that houses Cole’s apartment.
I am so excited to be here. I’ve been to New York once, when I was a little kid but it was not like this. Ollie’s apartment is more beautiful than his house. The walls are all cream colored with expensive gilt framed artwork. The furniture is all light tones of blues, yellows, and gold. Everything looks so soft and takes our breath away as we walk into the apartment.
Cole lets us circle away in the living room that flows from the entry way as we stare in wonder at all the beauty in the room.
“It’s almost surreal,” I say at the same time Kaitlyn says, “Beautiful.” Even Alex looks stunned.
“Thank you,” Cole tells us. “Let me show you where to put the bags.” Me and Kaitlyn each have a suitcase as we didn’t know what occasions to dress for and since it’s the first week of November, it’s cold so we have lots of pants and sweaters. Alex only has a medium size duffle bag and Cole doesn’t have anything.
Cole leads us past the kitchen pointing it out and telling us that it’s already stocked. Then, down a hall that has only three doors. “The door on the left is a bathroom and the door on the right will be you guy’s room,” he tells Kaitlyn and Alex. They hurry to rush inside and I hear Kaitlyn squeal at what she finds. Cole and I smile at each other and he leads me to the last door. “This is our room.”
My mouth would have dropped open if I hadn’t already been used to the extravagance of his bedroom back in Virginia Beach but still, I can’t help exclaiming, “Cole, this is beautiful. So different than your house.” There is a large bed centered in his room with pure white bedding. Gold curtains are spread out elegantly against the wall to create a mock headboard. There is a little sitting area to the left of the bed with a couple of chairs and ottomans across from a beautiful white-painted wood framed fireplace with a large mirror over it. Everything in the room is white and gold, making it look so elegant and pristine.
I walk to the French doors that are decorated with the same curtains that are above the bed. They open up to a beautiful large balcony that overlooks Central Park. He has a modest patio table set up in the corner of the balcony and a couple lounge chairs.
Cole follows me outside and rests against my back encircling me in his arms as I lean against the railing, taking in the view from the twenty-eighth floor. “There is so much evil here that I wanted my place to appear to be untouched.” He explains the differences of his two houses.
We stand there for several moments looking at all the sparkling streetlights mapping out paths throughout Central Park. You can just make out people walking around amongst the trees. The city noise is muffled but you can still hear the traffic from up here.
I press back into Cole feeling all the strength and warmth from his body. His hands are moving slowly inside of my coat, across my stomach and sides, making my body crave him. I turn around in his arms, taking my eyes off the view below and onto him, making his hands now caress my back. I lean in towards his soft lips and he closes his eyes preparing for the contact. I tease him by not kissing him but asking, “So what are we going to do?”
“Tonight?” he asks, opening his eyes back up and mirroring my teasing smile. I nod. “Nothing. I thought we would hang around here. It’s already past ten.”
“Ok,” I pout. I’m just kidding though because I would rather stay here with him.
He leans in and steals a kiss from me. “I love you, Lexi. Happy birthday,” he whispers against my lips. Just him saying it makes me swoon into him. I kiss him more passionately, my whole body feeling consumed with electricity radiating from the core of my body. I try to pull him back into the bedroom without breaking a kiss but I get clumsy and almost fall over a lounge chair. Cole sweeps me up into his arms and carries me into the bedroom.
*
The next day we act like typical tourists as we walk around Central Park. There is too much to see and do. We go ice skating for awhile, putting Alex and Kaitlyn to shame with our skating abilities. Alex keeps joking, calling me a ‘show off’. After that we eat the standard hotdog from one of the million hotdog stands gracing New York’s corners. Cole takes us to the Chess and Checkers House so I can challenge the Chess champ. I think this makes Alex suspicious that I told Cole my talent. He watches us more closely after that. We end the day with a carriage ride and a New York style pizza. I’m exhausted when we get back to Cole’s.
“What’s on the agenda for tomorrow?” Alex asks us while we sit around the living room. I have my head on Cole’s lap, about to drift off to sleep at any moment. My eyelids feel so heavy and the couch is so comfortable. I wouldn’t mind sleeping here tonight.
“The Met of course,” I yawn out before closing my eyes fully. I hear Cole chuckle. “I don’t want to go on the weekend. It’ll be busy enough on a Friday,” I try to explain. I hear Cole tell them that we can check out Time Square on the way back from the museum before I completely fall asleep.
*
I see Cole with his wings still attached. They are glorious, arching high on his back like they stand at attention. They are silver and gleam as they move, catching the light on his feathers. He is kneeling down on one knee, like he is paying homage to a king or queen. I walk closer to him because I want to feel his wings. I want to know if they are as soft as they look. As I walk up, Cole lifts his bended head to look at someone in front of him. I try to see what he is looking at but all I see is a silhouette in a blinding, silver light. I put my arm up to block the light and have to look away. “Not yet,” I hear whispered to me so
ftly before I wake up abruptly.
*
“Are you ok?” Cole asks from behind me. He must have carried me to bed because that is what my disoriented mind is telling me. I am wrapped up in his arms as he is curled up behind me. I notice my clothes from yesterday have left my body.
“Yeah, just a weird dream,” I tell him, turning to face him so I can hug him to me. I lay my head on his bare chest and snuggle down into the blankets.
“You jumped,” he informs me. “What made that happen?” He starts running his fingers up and down my naked back.
“I don’t know. But you had wings in the dream. They were silvery and so beautiful.” A tear slips out of my eye as I recall the dream. “Someone else was there but I couldn’t see them. There was a lot of silver light. I had to look away.”
Cole doesn’t say anything and I look up to see he has a faraway expression on his face. I kiss his chin and then snuggle back into his chest. “A woman’s voice told me ‘not yet’. And that’s when I woke up.”
“Is that all you remember? You didn’t see the woman?” Cole sounds urgent.
“I think it was her silhouette that I saw. But I couldn’t make out any features. It was just a dream. A really nice dream. I wish it could come true.” I yawn and stretch. “Ready to get up? I can’t wait to see the museum.”
Cole still looks lost in thought as he replies, “Yeah.”
Chapter 18
The museum is so magnificent. I couldn’t even imagine how big it would be. I could spend a week in the museum and not be able to see everything inside its walls. Cole, Alex and Kaitlyn patiently walk around with me, waiting at every entrance when they are done browsing. I try to explain to them certain pieces but they are lost and I finally give up.
When we walk into one of the Modern Art rooms a painting stops me in my tracks. I walk over to it slowly like it is a dangerous animal and I am gauging whether it is going to attack me or let me touch it. The others follow me towards it. Alex and Kaitlyn notice what draws me to it right away and can’t stop exclaiming about it. Cole grips my hand tightly.
It’s my face again but I look angry and resentful as two angels shove me into the side of a mountain. There are ghostly shadows of people inside a shimmering veil of the mountain side that I am being pushed into. The shadows have their eyes closed like they are sleeping. One of the angels has blond hair with light brown eyes and the other angel has striking red hair and green eyes.
“Cerviel and Malachi,” Cole whispers to me so the others don’t hear. He looks awestruck as he gazes at the painting. I get the feeling he has never seen this painting before. It is definitely a Kakabel, if the colors and techniques didn’t give it away the placard bearing his name would have. The date is three years ago.
“Funny seeing you here,” I hear a familiar voice say.
I spin around quickly. “Patryck, I didn’t know you were in town,” I say with more enthusiasm than I should. I momentarily forget he’s another angel and I can tell by Cole’s sudden death grip on my hand that he does not like him. I can’t help liking Patryck though, he is so charismatic.
His smile widens at my tone. He ignores Cole who steps away from him and me. He grabs the hand that Cole just released and kisses the top. He pulls me close to him. “Word is getting out about you.” Patryck whispers in my ear, still holding the hand he just kissed.
“What about me?” I ask as innocently as the most ignorant child, my eyes widening. I am the world’s best liar.
“Don’t you know?” he asks with confusion in his eyes. I stare at him, still wide eyed, shaking my head ‘no’. “The art world,” he replies. “They are taking interest in you.” He finally releases my hand and steps away from me. He doesn’t fool me. He knows my father, which means he is probably working for my father, trying to find out through some other means how much I know about him.
“Oh,” I say looking flustered.
Alex and Kaitlyn walk up to us. “What’s wrong?” Alex looks over to Cole who is glaring angrily at Patryck.
I quickly walk over to Cole and grab his hand again, holding tight so he will not pull away from me again. “Nothing,” I tell Alex.
“You guys this is Patryck. He’s an artist I met in one of my classes. Patryck this is my brother Alex,” I nod my head to Alex. “And this is Kaitlyn and Cole.” I know I don’t have to introduce Cole but I’m not supposed to know they know each other. Patryck shakes Alex and Kaitlyn’s hand but just nods to Cole.
“How are you doing Cole?” Patryck asks him. He looks a little amused at Cole’s angered face. Cole doesn’t answer him. He seems to be having an internal struggle on what methods to apply when chopping off Patryck’s head. I can’t help feeling sorry for Patryck. It’s not his fault my father is using him in this game.
Patryck turns to Kakabel’s painting. “I see you found this in here. Magnificent isn’t it? I don’t think that if I live to be over five thousand years old I could create a similar masterpiece.” He thinks he’s funny by dropping hints about my father. He studies the picture for awhile. “He calls it ‘Amare Capta’. It means…”
“Love captured,” I finish for him.
“Yes,” he says smiling at me.
“It’s eerie how much it looks like Lexi,” Alex says from behind me. I noticed that he and Kaitlyn have come over to listen to what Patryck says.
“Kind of is, isn’t it?” Patryck raises his eyebrow at me.
“Extremely,” I tell him coolly. “There was another painting like this at his opening at the Chrysler. It was called Selene.”
“Really?” He acts like he didn’t know. I nod my head nonchalantly and look back to the painting. “He must admire your face.”
“Except that I was only fourteen or fifteen when he painted this,” I throw at him. I look at him to see how he responds to this and am satisfied when he looks lost at how to counter. “Don’t worry, Patryck. It has to be a coincidence, right?” I’ve just told him I know. I can’t help it. I’m tired of playing this game. Besides, I know who my mother is now.
I grasp Cole’s hand tightly and walk away from the painting and out of the room. Alex and Kaitlyn are scrambling to catch up to us after my sudden and rude departure from the painting and Patryck.
“What’s going on, Alexis?” Alex demands of me, pulling my arm to make me stop fleeing. “Is your art teacher obsessed with you or something? Because that is just disturbing. You need to stay away from him.” There is anger in his eyes.
“It’s not like that.” I look down because it is getting hard to keep this from him. I don’t know how much longer I can go without telling him. I notice Patryck has come out of the room and is standing in the doorway to the Contemporary Art room, watching us.
“What is it like then?” Alex is getting impatient and pissed off. Cole looks at me and gives me a nudge like he’s telling me to go ahead and tell Alex. Kaitlyn just looks confused; her head keeps going back and forth between me and Alex.
“I don’t know.” I shrug my shoulders and refuse to look at him. I look up and stare back at Patryck as I tell Alex, “I’ll tell you but not here.”
I turn so we can leave but Patryck calls to me. I tell the others to wait a minute so I can go talk to him alone. “What?” I walk up to him with my arms folded across my chest in a defensive position.
He hands me a slip of paper. “I think you should go talk to him. He’s here.” I grab the paper and see an address. I want to keep up the charade and act like I don’t know who he means but I’m emotionally, mentally and soulfully exhausted from playing games. All I want are answers now. “Take Alex with you. He wants to finally meet him.”
“Why are you the messenger now?” I look into his eyes and see that he is looking at me with pity and regret.
“Because, he does not trust your boyfriend anymore. Cole had a mission and he let his emotions get in the way. He won’t cooperate anymore,” Patryck tells me.
“I understand. Thank you.” I feel bad for Patryck because
he doesn’t want to be a messenger either. “Sorry, you were dragged into this.”
Patryck smiles at me but it doesn’t erase the pity or regret. “I’m happy to have met you. We will know each other more at another time.” He takes my hand and kisses it again before he starts to walk away from me.
I call out to him and he stops retreating. I walk over to him as he turns around. “I have a question.” I don’t know why but I want to admit to him that I know everything, almost everything.
He raises his eyebrow, waiting for me to ask. “Why have all the angels I’ve met been artists or musicians?” I’ve only met four angels that I know of, but I have been thinking that it’s not a coincidence that three of them have been talented in the arts.
“All angels are attracted to beauty. Some are drawn to music, some to art, some to dance, some to the written word, and some to women,” he answers me, with a twitch of his lips when he mentioned the last line. I nod and walk away, back to my friends and family.
Chapter 19
“I’m going with you,” Cole tells me. We went back to his apartment after my talk to Patryck. Cole is pissed off that Patryck was there, that he was chosen to talk to me. Apparently they have never gotten along and I think it’s a bad time right now to question why.
Alex looks hurt as he sits on the couch being comforted by Kaitlyn, who is disappointed at me. I told Alex that it’s pretty likely my art professor is our father and he wants to meet us now. I didn’t tell him that our father is not human. There was a lot of yelling when we first got back to the apartment. Alex is mad that I didn’t tell him the minute I figured it out. Kaitlyn yelled at me for the same reason. Cole didn’t yell at me until I told him that Patryck gave me the message for me and Alex to go meet him.
“You can’t go. You need to stay here and keep Kaitlyn company. I’m not leaving her alone in New York for one minute, even if it’s just in this apartment. I don’t know how long we will be but I’m sure it will be a very long conversation,” I try to convince Cole.
Lunangelique (The Lunangelique Series) Page 18