A Touch Mortal

by Leah Clifford

  “You try to pull that shit on me again and I swear to God, Az.” She didn’t fill in a threat, couldn’t think.

  “I can make this right,” he said, but without her sight she heard the uncertainty. She wasn’t the only one he was trying to convince. “Just talk to me. We can grab a cup of coffee or something? Anything. Please.”

  “You’ll never be able to make this right. I really don’t need to hear this bullshit.” She opened her eyes, searching for a break in the crowd, an escape. It had been so much easier when he was on the phone; she’d just tossed it away.

  “I know,” he mouthed, too quiet to be heard over the guitar riffs. He swayed closer, his lips now only a breath away. “Give me a chance and I can tell you why. Let’s get out of here. Name a place and we’ll go. Me and you.”

  He dropped his head forward, brushing his forehead against her cheek. Eden froze. Lips finding her neck, he kissed her once, a tentative brush against her skin. When she didn’t move away, he wrapped an arm around her back, the fingers begging her closer.

  She surprised herself, let her head roll back, the feel of his hand against her hair rushing goose bumps down her arms. His mouth pressed harder this time and she drew a breath, her body remembering the familiar pleasure of it whether her brain agreed or not. Dizziness stole over her the way it had earlier, with Adam.

  Adam.

  “Az, stop.” She lifted a leaden hand to his shoulder, turning her head in a faint attempt at breaking away. “Wait.” Opening her eyes, she glanced over his shoulder toward the dance floor.

  A spiral of twisting strobes pounded across the only face she caught, the only one staring back at her.

  “Adam!” she yelled, charging past Az. She felt the hand slide down her arm as Az tried to catch her, watched as Adam’s shoulder butted against Gabe’s while he headed for the exit. “No!” She swatted the fingers away, trying to keep track of Adam’s back bobbing through the sea of people.

  Gabe caught her around the waist as she tried to pass, holding her back. “He’s gone, Eden. Let him go. I’ll call you a cab.” He ushered her toward the front doors.

  “You sold me out!” she screamed, turning on Gabe. Her hand cracked across his face, nails raking his cheek. “You set me up!” Her eyes blazed as pinpricks of blood wept into the welts.

  Gabe’s jaw hung slack. His eyes burst a morbid rainbow from amber to maroon, the angry red so deep it was almost brown. He swiped his palm across his split lip.

  “Is that what you meant by doing what’s best for me?” she yelled. “You knew I didn’t want to see him! You did this on purpose? Answer me, damn it!”

  His body seemed to swell, rippling with unchecked anger. She flinched, taking a step back, shocked by the rage on Gabe’s face. It left just enough room for Az to slide between them. Reaching behind his back, he took Eden’s hand in his. She was too startled to pull away.

  “You found me, Eden.” Gabe rocked forward. “I sent you to the bar, hoping he wouldn’t see you.”

  “Gabe, you need to calm down, right now,” Az said. “I’m sure she didn’t mean it. She’s upset.” He laid his other hand on Gabe’s shoulder, but the dark eyes never faltered from her face.

  “Maybe you should ask her why,” Gabe spat. Az turned back over his shoulder, eyes catching on Eden.

  “Who was that guy?” he asked, confused. Eden hesitated.

  “Tell him, Eden,” Gabe prodded. “You wanted answers. You wanted honesty. He’s been pining for you like some brokenhearted schoolboy, and what were you doing?”

  Az tugged her hand, pulling her next to him, not letting go. “Gabe, stop it! What’s wrong with you?”

  Gabe finally broke the gaze, eyes shifting to the stage. The last chords of a song drifted across the crowd as the band announced a fifteen-minute break. “Forget it.” His anger had flashed and gone, but a weight hung on his words. “She needs to leave. Now. The last thing we need is for you two to be seen together.”

  “Gabe. It’s too late.” Az squeezed her hand tighter, rings digging painfully into her fingers. “He’s looking.”

  Eden whirled around to the space where their stares intersected. There were a dozen people milling about, but nothing obvious jumped out at her. She turned back just in time to see fear register on Gabe’s face.

  “What’s going on?” Eden demanded. She stepped away from Az, toward the bar.

  “We need to get you the fuck out of here.” Az flicked his gaze over her shoulder.

  “Move, now.”

  Az wrenched her through the crowd. She stumbled behind, a dozen sets of shoulders and hips slamming into her as he plowed through the masses. With each look back, he pulled her faster toward the door. She dared a quick scan over her shoulder toward the stage, but Gabe stepped into her line of vision.

  “He’s seen enough, Eden. Don’t look back.”

  They burst out of Aerie and onto the street, greeted by a cacophony of cab horns and throngs of club goers gathered on the sidewalk. The sky, lost above the glow of the city lights, hemorrhaged quarter-sized snowflakes. Already the sidewalks were covered, the awning paled under a cover of pure white.

  The air froze the sweat on Eden’s bare arms. Somewhere inside was her jacket, abandoned at the coat check. The snow melted as it hit her skin. Cold droplets trickled down her shoulders, pooling at her collarbones.

  The flakes were less slow to collapse on her fingers; they’d already gone pale blue with Az’s touch. The numb sensation spread up her arm.

  Instead of taking her to one of the yellow cars waiting at the curb, Az pulled her past the ice-etched windows of shops. Car horns blared as they rushed through a crosswalk. Behind her Gabe’s boots slapped against the concrete, nearly running to keep up.

  Her chattering teeth clacked echoes off the walls of the alley Az led them down. A few dozen feet in, a high chain-link fence blocked the way, a fortress of cardboard boxes and trash bags lining the walls on either side.

  “I need to go home. I need to find Adam.” Her words jerked apart with her shivers. “Az? Please! What’s going on?”

  “She’s going to freeze out here, Az.” Gabe ran an agitated hand through his curls.

  Az ignored her question, sliding his hands up and down her arms in an effort to generate heat. His icy fingers only made it worse. He tried to dust the flakes from her hair, but she brushed him away.

  “I’m fine. Don’t touch me,” she said, backing away from him until her shoulders hit the bricks of the wall.

  “Take her,” Az said to Gabe, his attention on the sounds from the street. The snow was heavy enough that they couldn’t see the opening to the alley, which meant no one could see them.

  “Come here,” Gabe said, wrapping his arms around her. He unzipped his jacket, but instead of offering it to her, he wrapped her in with him, trapping her in with his heat. “Az, we’ve gotta get her out of here. She’s not safe.”

  Az’s gaze flicked away. “I know.”

  There was an exchange between them without words. Az cocked his head, insistence in his eyes. Gabe shook his head. “No. That’s insane. What if you can’t hold her?”

  “You know I can hold her,” he said fiercely. “You can meet us there.”

  “Damn it, Az,” he mumbled. She watched as Gabe shrugged off his jacket and held it out to her. “Put it on, Eden,” he said, his voice defeated.

  “Wait,” Eden said. “I’m not going anywhere with you! Gabe?”

  Az ignored her, throwing an arm back and catching the bottom of his long-sleeved shirt with a hook of his hand. In a single motion he pulled the shirt over his head, tossing it away. A frigid gust of air spiraled empty cups and cigarette butts in a whirlwind at his feet.

  His wings unfurled in a rush of feathers, swooping out to their full fourteen-foot span. He pumped them twice, stretching out the kinks. His shoulder muscles rippled. She could see the concave hollows where the back of his rib cage should have been, where his wings had been tucked tight. He turned back to Eden.r />
  “Ready?” he asked, holding out a hand. Her eyes widened.

  “Wait, those actually work?” She pressed herself harder against the wall, unsure. “How come you never…”

  “I’m only supposed to use them to get back.”

  “Get back?” Eden practically yelled.

  “The wings are an invitation to head home. So we’re gonna use them for that. Kinda.” He flicked his fingers, trying to catch her hand, but Eden moved it behind her back.

  “What about you?” she asked, turning to Gabe.

  He winked at her. Eden guessed he meant it to be reassuring. “One of the perks of staying out of trouble. Faster travel options,” he said, taking her hand in his.

  “Azazel!” a voice snarled from the head of the alley.

  “Keep him busy,” Az whispered to Gabe.

  Gabe held a finger to his lips, and Eden’s eyes went wide as she nodded. He shoved her with both hands, sending her sprawling toward Az.

  Az pushed off the second her arms hit his shoulders. She squeezed herself tight to him in reflex, her eyes closed as wind and windows rushed past, left below. Az’s hands caught around her waist, her hair lashing against her cheeks as he strained, each pump sending them higher. She didn’t dare open her eyes.

  CHAPTER 36

  “Bend your knees,” Az said as their speed slowed. Eden unclenched her eyelids, startled to find the ground a few feet below.

  Az was already running when they hit, catching Eden when she stumbled and forcing her up the stairs to her security door.

  He turned to her expectantly.

  “I wasn’t the one with the key,” she said with a flippant shrug of her shoulders.

  “Fuck.” Az looked up, studying what he could see of the building through the blinding snow. Flakes caught in his lashes. “You the one with the lights?” he asked.

  Her anger blazed back now that her feet were on solid ground. “What? Your little spies didn’t keep you informed?”

  Az rolled his eyes. “Save it, Eden. We don’t have time for couples therapy this second. Who’s in your apartment right now?” he asked, surveying the empty street around them.

  “Jarrod. I don’t know if Adam would have time—”

  “He wouldn’t,” Az interrupted.

  “To get here yet,” she finished. “If he’s even coming.”

  “Anyone else?” he asked, ignoring her comment.

  “Libby. Libby’s there too.”

  “Who’s that?” he asked, backing down the stairs and looking up as if judging the distance to their window.

  “She found us. I owed her a favor. She’s been crashing with us the past couple days.”

  He shot her a look. “Can she be trusted?”

  “What do you care?” she asked. A second later she rolled her eyes. “She’s fine, Az.”

  “We don’t really have a choice.” Once again he pulled her to him, and before she had time to scream they were hovering at the window. Az rapped his knuckles against the glass. Two silhouettes cast shadows on the plastic slats of the shade.

  He uncuffed her, Eden thought, surprised.

  “Is there a code or something?” Az asked. Eden almost laughed.

  “Yeah. If an angel flies me home and is hovering outside a window that also happens to be sans balcony, I rap four times.” The sarcasm felt comforting, like some part of her she’d been missing the last half hour had come back.

  The shade slowly rose. In the backlighting it was hard to make out the look on Jarrod’s face, but Eden could see Libby clearly, her mouth open in shock.

  “Open the window, Jarrod,” she lipped, knowing he couldn’t hear her through the heavy glass. His shadowy hand undid the latch, and she felt one of Az’s wings flutter against her leg as they curled, drifting them back to give the window room to swing out.

  “What the hell…” Jarrod cried as Az pushed Eden in through the window. Tucking his wings tight against his back once his feet were on the sill, Az followed, swiveling his naked shoulders to slide through the frame.

  Jarrod and Libby stood back. Eden sunk to the floor, her quick breaths the only sound. One by one, each set of eyes turned to the wings of the figure crouched near the living-room window.

  “She lost her key,” Az said finally, shrugging. He stood, pointing left. “I need water. Kitchen?” Libby nodded blankly, her eyes still wide.

  “Hey!” Eden called. He turned around just in time to catch the jacket she’d shrugged off and tossed to him. He slipped the leather coat on, covering his wings, and winked at her.

  When he was gone, Libby turned to her.

  “He’s a…”

  “Pain in the ass,” Eden said, standing up on shaky legs, hoping the tone of her voice would be enough to end the conversation.

  “Where’s Adam?” Jarrod asked, glancing at the open window. Turning away from him to close it, Eden kept her face hidden as she slid the hooked lock back into place.

  “He’s fine,” Az said from where he leaned against the doorframe of the kitchen. He took a draught from the giant plastic cup in his hand. The ice clinked as he drained the last of it. “He needed to blow off some steam.”

  Jarrod took him in with suspicious eyes.

  They jumped as the call box for the front door buzzed. Jarrod was the first to rush to the intercom.

  “Adam?” he yelled into the box.

  Static popped and hissed for two long seconds before they heard Eden’s name whispered through the crackle.

  “Who is this?” Jarrod demanded.

  “Eden? Can someone come?” Each word strained through the speaker.

  “Gabe!” Eden went for the doorknob, but Az grabbed her wrist, his other hand on her cheek, forcing her to look at him.

  “You have to stay here, Eden. I need to make sure he’s alone.”

  “No!”

  “Don’t let her leave here, understood?” Az said over her shoulder. Jarrod’s arms encircled her before she had a chance to react, pinning her arms at her sides. Her feet swung furiously, and she bucked in his arms until he lifted her off the ground, twisting her out of the way. Az slipped out the door, closing it behind him.

  “Stop it, Eden. Let him check it out!”

  She settled with a last jerk of her shoulder.

  A long minute passed before there was a kick at the door. Libby opened it.

  Az had his arm around Gabe. One of his eyes was swollen, a shallow cut running from his eyebrow to his cheek, bleeding onto his chin. He hissed a breath through clenched teeth as he tried to put weight down on his foot.

  “Oh my God,” Libby gasped, not daring to look again. “That is so broken.” At the ankle, his left boot was twisted almost backward.

  “He just needs to sit down.” Az helped Gabe to the couch, moving the table so he could stretch out his leg.

  “Are you sure? It looks awful. Do you need, like…something?” Libby asked, unsure of what to offer.

  Gabe reached down, gritting his teeth. With a swift twist, he ripped the foot back around, a shout squeezing past his lips. Everyone squirmed at the crunch of shifting bones.

  “He’ll be good as new by morning,” Az whispered, his voice hoarse. “But thank you.” He looked up at Libby again. “Actually, can I get another glass of water?”

  Eden stood off to the side, where Jarrod had finally set her down. Her attention flicked to the door as it opened.

  Adam stepped inside, his face unreadable as his eyes skipped across the scene, stalling on Eden.

  “Adam,” Eden sighed, covering the steps between them. She hesitated, but he held out an arm to her, pulling her into an embrace. He glanced at Gabe’s bleeding cheek. “Are you okay? What happened?” he asked him.

  Libby came back into the room, looking guilty as she handed Az the cup. Adam’s jaw went hard. He squared his shoulders as he took a step closer to Az. “If you touch her again, I’ll kill you.”

  Gabe raised an eyebrow at Eden. “Bit protective?” Adam turned to him, but Gabe li
fted a hand. “Easy there, tiger. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

  Az turned back to Eden. “They all get like this about you?” he asked, fascinated.

  “Well, you didn’t exactly make a sparkling first impression,” she said. She met Az’s eyes as she put an arm around Adam and his fingers found hers, squeezing tight. Az broke her stare without a word, his face stoic.

  “You did good, girl. You’ll need them.” Gabe lifted his leg, tried to wiggle the ankle but winced and lowered it gingerly.

  Az drained the glass of water in a single gulp, setting down the cup on the coffee table. He chewed an ice cube with a crunch and Eden cringed, thinking of the sound Gabe’s ankle had made.

  “It was the Fallen, wasn’t it?” Eden asked.

  Gabe leaned back with a nod, closing his eyes as his head hit the cushion of the couch. “He’ll need a day to recover,” he said. “That was too close, Az.”

  “So you’re him?” Adam said, his voice icy. “She’s with me now. And you need to get the hell out of our apartment.”

  She thought she saw a flash of something cross Az’s face.

  “Adam,” Eden said. He jumped at her voice. “Stop it. You don’t know anything about the Fallen. These two saved my ass tonight while you were off—” She cut herself short. “Both of them did. They’re staying here tonight.”

  “This is ridiculous,” he grumbled.

  “Jarrod, set Az up on the floor. Gabe gets the couch.” If Adam hadn’t come out all defensive she wouldn’t have opened her mouth. Now she was stuck with Az. Though Gabe did look spent. She crossed the living room and squatted down next to him, her hand balancing her on the armrest. “We’re safe here? You’ll be able to heal?”

  He considered it and then nodded.

  “Good,” she continued, standing. “Party’s over.” She surveyed the faces. “Sleep if you can. We’ll sort this out in the morning.”

  Her eyes darted to Az.

  “Adam and I will be in my room if you need us,” she said quietly, taking Adam’s hand. Az only stared, the longing clear on his face. His fingers twitched as if he wanted to reach out for her, but he kept the hand at his side. She led Adam to her room, not looking back, sure she still knew Az well enough to hit below the belt.