by Lola StVil
“The give root isn’t safe. It can demand dark, cruel things from you or anyone who seeks out its flower. It’s not safe.”
“I have to agree with the Kon. The give root is best left alone,” Ambi says.
“Is there another way to save Swoop?” I ask.
“No,” Ambi replies.
“Then why is this even a debate? Bex, where is the Midnight Kiss?” I ask again.
“It’s somewhere far from here, and we did that for a reason. Pry, it’s not safe,” he says again.
“So you’re okay with my sister’s death?” Key asks.
“Key, you know I’m not. I’m just trying to keep all of you from getting into something you won’t be able to get out of,” Bex reasons.
“What the hell does that mean?” Key barks.
“The first Kon to rule placed it where no one could get to it without incurring serious injury or death.”
“Where is it?” Key demands.
“Uh-oh, looks like the lovers are fighting,” Randy says under his breath.
“Randy, not now,” Key snaps.
“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t know when the best time was to watch my girl rekindle her romance with the king,” Randy replies bitterly.
“I am trying to find a way to save my sister. Bex and I are just friends, and I really don’t have time to stroke your ego right now,” Key counters.
“Just admit you want to be with him. Everyone here knows it, just like everyone here knows that Pry and Silver will end up in bed,” Randy blurts out.
“Okay, that’s it. You are done talking for the duration of this meeting,” I order.
He’s about to say something but decides against it when he sees the look on my face. Aaden is no more pleased than I am, and I think Key is only seconds from blasting Randy into the next county. Yet the angel who is the most upset, if not outright livid, is Bex. But I’m not sure which comment set him off, the one about Aaden and me or the one about him and Key.
“Look, we need to save Swoop, and if that means we face danger, then so be it,” Aaden says.
“Just tell us where the flower is and we’ll go get it,” Easton assures Bex.
“I will tell you, but only if you allow me to come along,” Bex says.
“You don’t think we can do this without you?” Diana asks.
“Figures,” Randy says.
“Human, back off,” Bex warns.
“Randy, whatever is going on with you and Key needs to wait,” I remind him.
“I just want to help,” Bex replies.
Aaden smiles and shakes his head in disbelief. Bex glares at him and I am certain the two of them will come to blows if we don’t get past this.
“Bex, tell me where the flower is, and if we need the help, we will ask for it,” I offer.
“The Midnight Kiss flower is in Odessa.”
We all look back at him as if to ask if he’s serious. Randy studies our faces and shakes his head with profound regret.
“Okay, so go ahead and tell me it’s somewhere on Earth that’s ridiculously hard to get to,” Randy says.
“It’s not on Earth; it’s under it,” Diana says with dread in her voice.
“We’re going under the earth?” he asks.
“Yes. There is a series of lava caves called Odessa Caves. It’s filled with Midnight Flowers. But there are creatures guarding them. They defy the laws of nature. They are vicious and territorial. Anyone who has gone there has never come back,” the Kon says.
“Okay, just so I understand, we are going under the earth, into a series of lava caves where evil creatures are waiting to kill us. Then if we get past them, we will get to a field of flowers. In order to get the flower, we have to give something to its root; and chances are it will be something we are not ready to part with. And if we survive all that, we can use the flower to kill Raven and save Swoop. Am I right?” Randy says.
“Yeah, that’s about it,” Ambi says.
“Just once I would like to be wrong about how dangerous our mission will be. Just once,” Randy laments.
“Randy, you don’t have to—”
“No, Pry. I want to. I’m part of the team, as you said.”
“I can’t force you to take me, but I think I could be of help,” Bex says.
“I agree, it would be great to have you with us,” I reply.
Bex nods slightly and Aaden scowls while Randy pouts over in the corner.
“We don’t have a lot of time. Raven is very strong. So, let’s get supplies and be on our way. I want everyone to meet up at the warehouse by sundown,” I order.
“Thank you so much for helping us, Ambi. We really appreciate it,” East says.
“You’re welcome. Good luck,” Ambi says as she starts to go for the front door.
Key calls out after her. “Ambi, when my mom turned into Redd it was because of a traumatic experience. Could it be the same for Raven?” Key asks.
“It very well might be,” she replies.
“Let’s say someone overdosed on drugs, is that a trauma that would bring Raven out?” Key says, dripping with guilt.
“If she loved that angel who was on drugs, then yes,” Ambi confirms.
“So this could all be my fault,” Key says softly to herself.
“No, it’s not. Key, you have been battling addiction and winning. Swoop is proud of you,” Randy says, sounding more like his old self again.
“My drug use is what’s doing this to my sister. It is my fault. Don’t you see that?” Key asks.
“No, it’s not that. There may be something else, something that was so difficult it caused her to lose it completely; she was pregnant and drank a mixture to change that,” Aaden says carefully.
“Getting rid of a baby could be the very trauma I was referring to. Who was the father of the child?” Ambi asks.
“Does it matter?” Aaden replies.
“All of it matters. We need to know what kind of being we are dealing with and what her life experiences were. So knowing who she mated with may tell us exactly how much darkness we are dealing with,” Ambi assures him.
“Look, I know this is all to protect Swoop, but telling her business like this…keeping the identity of the father secret was very important to her. I don’t want to…she’s still ‘Bird’ to me. She’s like my kid sister. I taught her how to use her wings. I don’t want to betray her and put all her personal crap on the table.”
“This is the only way we can help her. Silver, please tell us what we need to know,” Key begs.
Aaden sighs heavily and rubs the back of his neck with his palm, in deep thought.
“Silver, we need to know: who was Swoop pregnant by?” I ask.
“The Gentleman.”
Finding out that Swoop had a relationship with Malakaro’s second in command is earth-shattering news for Key; not to mention it has the team in an uproar. I’m pissed about the news, but I can’t worry about that now. So I order the team to focus only on the mission before us and nothing else.
Diana and Key hand out a list of things we will need in order to survive under the earth. Everyone then takes to the air to find the supplies on his or her list. I walk away from the team with a confident stride and my head held high.
However, once I turn the corner, I head into the alley and burst into tears. The stream of tears running down my trembling face doesn’t care that I am a leader. I sob so loudly I have to place my hands over my mouth to stop all of New York City from hearing me.
“You don’t play fair,” someone says.
I look up and follow the voice. Standing a few feet away is the Kon. Great, the king of Paras is watching me cry. Crap. I quickly wipe my eyes, clear my throat, and do the best I can to regain my composure.
“What did you say?” I ask, thankful that my voice is steady.
“I planned to be angry with you for taking off your necklace. In fact, I followed you so I could scold you and ask why the hell you would take it off. But I get here and, well, how
can I yell at an angel in tears? You’re not playing fair,” Bex says.
“Sorry, I’ll try to play my part.”
“Pry, you did what you thought was best at the time. That’s all you can do,” he assures me.
“That’s not good enough, Bex. I almost killed a member of my team. How did I let things get this far? I should have talked to Swoop like Key said. I should have sat her down and gotten to the bottom of things. Instead I just made things worse. I nearly ended Swoop’s life. What was I thinking?”
“You had no idea there was an alter ego. Key has lived with her twin forever and she didn’t even know. How were you supposed to know?”
“Bex, it’s my job to know. I should not have gone off on her like that. She could have died!”
“All you knew was that she killed Sam. Yes, it was an alter ego, but that doesn’t change what happened.”
“I keep saying that, but I’m not sure I’m right. Swoop is a victim in this. I am her leader; I am supposed to help her fight her demons, not beat her to death as she tries to explain.”
“Then why didn’t you?” he pushes.
“I tried to think clearly, but I couldn’t. I saw the Replay and I noticed something about Sam, something I missed before.”
I place my lower lip between my teeth and bite down so I can stop the fresh stream of tears building up in my eyes. It doesn’t work; they slide down my face again and betray me.
“What did you notice?” he asks, getting closer.
“Sam’s shirt. I didn’t realize it was so thin. He was always sensitive to cold. He’d call out for me at night because my room was closest to his. I’d go there and put warm blankets over him. He’d mumble, ‘Thank you,’ and close his eyes again. I covered him and kept him warm—that was my job. But the day I found him, he had on that shirt and it was thin. He must have been cold; he must have been so cold…” I wail and break down, sobbing uncontrollably.
Bex pulls me into his chest protectively. The more I try to control my weeping, the harder it is to do. Bex doesn’t tell me to be strong and to pull myself together, like he would have years ago. Instead he just holds me like I’m the only angel in the entire world. Once again his embrace offers warmth, security, and stability—all the things that have been lacking in my life.
“I let him die alone. Even if I couldn’t save him…I should have covered him up. Instead I let him die cold and alone.”
He gently pulls me away from his chest and looks deep into my eyes. His voice is just as warm as his embrace.
“Sam didn’t die alone. He was never alone a day in his life because you loved him. He died knowing he was your heart. Beings who are loved, truly loved, are never alone,” Bex says adamantly as he wipes tears from my face.
I look into his eyes and it’s as if I’m seeing him for the first time. His inner strength, compassion, and sincerity are enthralling. I lean in even closer and inhale his scent. It’s a mix of earthy warmth, dark amber, and spice. Together they form an intoxicating drug that I find myself needing.
I lean in even closer and study his face. I always knew Bex had nice eyes, but right now they are exquisite. His perfect lips part slightly, and as he looks back at me, I wonder if they feel as soft as they look. I can’t stop myself from finding out.
I lean in as far as I can go and now we have only inches between us.
I close the gap by placing my lips on his. As soon as we make contact, a current whirls its way from my toes to the tips of my hair. Kissing Bex feels so much better than it should. I can’t fight it, and more importantly, I don’t want to. I wrap my hands around his neck, close my eyes, and feast on his succulent lips. Desire grips me; the more of him I taste, the hungrier I am for more. I moan as I pull away, fearing we may end up naked on the ground right here in the alley.
I look into Bex’s eyes to see if the kiss was as wondrous for him as it was for me. But Bex isn’t looking at me. Instead he has his eyes fixed on the entrance of the alley. There is a tall figure with wings watching us a few yards away.
“Silver.”
Book II:
Aaden "Silver" Case
“That night I didn’t say anything. I just watched you leave and in the end, I just stayed sleeping awake. Somewhere between a sweet dream and a beautiful nightmare, hoping one day you’d return to rid me of the demons you left behind.”
—Robert M. Drake
Chapter Thirteen:
The Hole
WEEKS EARLIER
I lie naked under the covers with one hand placed behind my head. There’s a full-length mirror above the bed in case I had any doubts about the shady-ass nature of the motel room I’m in. I Recharge for no more than an hour or two and my eyes reflect that. They look troubled and seem to grow darker by the day.
It’s been a few weeks since Malakaro paid me a visit and told me about Swoop. I know he’s full of shit and I can’t wait to prove it. Yet while I’m sure he’s wrong about Bird being Raven, I have to admit, all the evidence I’ve collected so far points to Swoop hiding something.
There are times when Swoop should have been playing a gig at a club but was actually nowhere to be found. There are dates she told us she went on that, in reality, she didn’t. My next step is to track down her ex-boyfriend, the guy she got pregnant by. She was so adamant about us not finding out who he was, I’m sure he’s important somehow.
What if it’s really Swoop who killed Sam? What will happen to her when Pryor finds out? How can the team bounce back from that? How can Pry? Should I have told her? Is keeping this from her a crap move on my part? After being raped and losing her parents to the light, how much more can Key handle? When Swoop’s parents come back from the light, how are they gonna function knowing what their child has done?
I know that once the questions start filling my head, they won’t go away. In fact, more will follow. They will get harder to answer and make it impossible to think or function at all. Can I get just one night of peace? C’mon, Omnis, you bastard, can’t I get just one night? My reflection seems to laugh at me as if to say hell no, and sure enough, more questions fill my head.
Where is Pry right now? Who is she with? Does she ever think about me, about us? I know she hates me, but just how strong is that hate? Does she regret everything or just the last time we saw each other? Is she with someone else? Is he holding her right now? Is she giving him that silly smile, the one that makes her tilt her head to the side and makes her eyes shine?
Does she miss me at all, or am I a nightmare she’s relieved to be free of? Is she crying? I can’t take the thought of her in tears. I would fucking rip out the heart of anyone who dared hurt her to the point of tears, but what do I do now that the guy is me? Why did I screw this up? If it was going to end, why didn’t I just let that shit play out?
None of this matters because she’s probably with someone else and she’s letting him mend what I broke. She’s not just with someone; she’s with him. Yes, that’s probably what’s happened. She’s with Bex. Are they together right now? Is she sharing her feelings with him, her hopes and fears? Is he holding her against him as they kiss, and whispering in her ear? Could the two of them be laughing and shit like lovers in a chick flick? Lovers? Are they at that point? Have they slept together? Wait, what if that shit is happening right now? It’s happening; he’s taking off her clothes…
I bolt upright in the bed and gasp. I sit on the edge of the bed, plant my feet on the floor, and run my fingers through my hair. The pain tightens in my chest and spreads over my whole body. I lean my head back as if desperately trying to get air into my lungs.
“Baby, what’s wrong? You look so tense. Do you want me to make it better?” she asks.
I almost forgot about the woman in my bed. To be perfectly honest, I’m not sure I remember her name. I think it’s a color of some kind. Ivory? Aqua? Blue? No. Argh! Aaden, you asshole, what the hell is this chick’s name?
“So…should I make it better?” she asks again.
“No,
I’m good. Thanks.”
“Hmmm, yes, you are,” she moans as she slides her fingers across my back.
She tells me how much it turns her on to see silver-colored wings next to her in bed. It took a while for my wings to go back to grey after losing my soul. They were black for a while and I kind of liked it. No one knew who I was, at least not at first sight. But since they’ve turned back to grey, I’m back to being bombarded by personal questions.
“I opened my eyes and I said to myself, ‘Amber, it’s real. You are really in bed with Silver,’” she says.
Amber! That’s it.
Crap, I really need to get my shit together. I don’t feel too bad for Amber because she’s using me to get over some guy who dropped her for her sister. She knows this isn’t love and so do I. It’s just something to kill time. Despite that, I make sure not to see Amber too often. In fact, this is only the second time we have been together. But judging by the way she’s purring and looking into my eyes, I don’t think a third time would be wise.
I look at her reflection in the mirror. She’s about five seven, dark brown hair, grey eyes and has supple curves that defy the laws of nature. She’s flexible, experienced, and naughty in ways I never dreamed a woman could be. She straddles me so that her bare ass is on my lap and her arms are around me. Her full lips, ample breasts, and malleable tongue make her a weapon.
The more we intertwine, the more Pryor invades my mind. I smell her scent in the hotel room and I hear her laugh. The more I kiss Amber, the harder it is to get Pry out of my head. I kiss Amber feverishly and try to clear my mind. I flip her over onto her back and place her on the bed. She laughs in delight as she starts to part her legs. I catch a glimpse of us in the reflection in the mirror above. I don’t have one mark on me; my chest is bare.
“What the hell? Where are my tattoos?” I demand as I stand up.
“I took your tribal tattoos away to see what you look like without them,” she says.
“Don’t use your illusion bullshit on me! Put the tattoos back.”
