Angel Fire

by Shelley Russell Nolan

‘What? No. I may not be that experienced when it comes to kissing, but I’m pretty sure it takes two.’

  ‘What do you mean, you’re not experienced?’

  I shrugged, not meeting his eyes. ‘Well, it’s not like I’ve had a lot of time for boyfriends, what with being sedated for most of my life. Since I left home I’ve been focused on weaning myself off the tablets and getting good marks at uni. ’

  ‘That was your first kiss?’ He groaned. ‘Daniel is going to kill me.’

  ‘This has got nothing to do with Daniel. This is between you and me. And yes, technically, that was my first kiss, but it’s no big deal, right? It was just a kiss.’ A mind blowing kiss, for me at least, but I was sure it wouldn’t have meant anything to Nick. With his looks and easy charm he would have had plenty of kissing experience to compare my first attempt against.

  Nick narrowed his eyes. ‘On a scale of one to ten, that was a twelve. It most definitely was not just a kiss.’

  ‘Oh,’ I said, dropping my eyes, pleasantly surprised. I took a deep breath, working up the nerve to close the gap between us and see if a second kiss was just as mind blowing.

  ‘But it should never have happened. I promised Daniel that I wouldn’t touch you. He’ll never forgive me if he finds out I kissed you.’

  I swallowed heavily, forcing myself to meet his eyes, ignoring the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. ‘He doesn’t need to find out, and it won’t happen again. It can’t. You’re Daniel’s best friend. I’m his sister. It would never work. Besides, I need to focus on getting Angel back. I don’t have time to think about boys or kissing.’

  ‘If that’s what you want, we can forget it ever happened.’

  ‘It is,’ I said, the sinking feeling reaching out and leeching all emotion out of my voice. I turned away from Nick and gathered up the debris from our lunch, back stiff as I fought not to cry. I focused on the last image I’d had of Angel, terrified, strapped to a bed.

  I had to free her. Nothing else mattered.

  7

  Nick and I spent the rest of the day in relative silence, watching movies with lots of explosions and not a hint of romance, sitting as far apart as the couch allowed. Daniel rang twice, checking in and to let us know that the house was still being watched.

  After the third movie, unable to stop yawning, I stood. ‘I’m going to call it a night.’

  ‘Sure,’ said Nick as he also stood. ‘Matt’s room is this way.’ He led me down the hall and stopped at the first door on the left. He opened it and poked his head inside. Then he recoiled and slammed the door shut.

  ‘Ah, change of plan. You can sleep in my room. I’ll take the couch,’ he said with a sheepish grin. ‘Matt’s room is not fit for human habitation. I’m pretty sure something died in there.’

  ‘Oh, okay, but you don’t have to give up your bed. I can sleep on the couch.’

  ‘No way. You look beat. You need a good night’s sleep. I’m taking the couch, and that’s final.’

  Too tired to argue, I nodded and followed as he moved on to the next door. I stepped inside Nick’s room and smiled at the piles of books on every available surface. I picked up one of them and looked at the cover. It depicted a helicopter with what looked like an enormous dragon chasing it, flame shooting out of its mouth.

  ‘It’s a good book. You should read it,’ said Nick as he rummaged in a drawer. ‘Here, you can wear these tonight.’ He held out a t-shirt and a pair of satin boxers. ‘Don’t worry, they’re clean.’

  I didn’t take them. ‘I can sleep in my clothes.’

  ‘Jeans are never comfortable to sleep in, believe me, I’ve done it.’

  I took the clothes and then slipped passed Nick to use the bathroom to change. I folded my jeans and t-shirt and hung them over my arm as I stared at my reflection in the mirror. Nick’s t-shirt skimmed my thighs while the boxers rode low on my hips. I left the bathroom and went back into Nick’s room. He’d also changed into t-shirt and boxers, and a tingle swept over me at the sight of him.

  His long, muscular legs were covered with dark hairs and the well-worn t-shirt clearly showed the definition of his torso. I tore my eyes away as I placed my clothes on top of a tower of books piled up at the end of the bed. Then I straightened, waiting for Nick to leave the room before I climbed into bed.

  ‘Well, goodnight,’ said Nick as he walked over to the door. ‘Sleep well.’

  ‘Good night,’ I said, managing a small smile.

  Nick left, closing the door behind him, and I switched off the bedroom light. Then I slipped between the sheets, lay on my back, eyes closed, and reached out for Angel. But like earlier in the car, the impenetrable wall blocked my way. After several minutes I gave up and rolled onto my side, wiggling until I was comfortable. Nick’s scent wrapped around me, rising up from the pillow and bedding. Comforted, I breathed deeply and let myself drift off to sleep.

  An unfamiliar nightmare gripped me. Even as I thrashed on the bed, desperate to avoid the clutches of the brutish orderly as I fought to get to Angel, part of me noted that this was indeed a nightmare, not a memory or a vision. But it still terrified me to see Angel chained to a bed while a woman in a lab coat stabbed her over and over again with a syringe. Electrodes clung to every inch of flesh exposed by Angel’s white nightgown and dozens of machines whirred as needles scratched out the data they extracted.

  I whimpered, feeling Angel’s pain each time the syringe pierced her flesh, fear choking my throat as the machines increased their tempo.

  Then a warm hand stroked my face and Nick’s soothing voice dragged me free from the nightmare. He slipped into bed behind me, one arm going under my body to pull me against his chest. He slung his other arm over my waist, tucking me even more firmly against him. My shudders eased and I relaxed in his embrace as he continued to murmur in my ear that everything was going to be okay.

  Eyes closed, safe in Nick’s arms, I let sleep take me once more.

  Hours later, sunlight streamed through a gap in the curtains and teased me awake. I didn’t want to move, my body so relaxed, all I wanted to do was burrow even more deeply into the warmth surrounding me and go back to sleep. Then the warmth moved and my eyes shot open.

  Breath stilled, I looked at the tanned arm that held me so tenderly, suddenly conscious of the heavy leg draped over mine. Nick was spooned around me, each breath he took pressing his chest against my back, his right arm slung over my waist. Carefully, slowly, I eased myself forward to create a gap between our bodies. Nick sighed in his sleep and rolled forward, closing the gap.

  I froze when his right hand slid under my shirt to cup my left breast. Long fingers kneaded the tender flesh. Then one of his fingers brushed against my nipple and I gasped at the heady sensation that shot through my body. I pushed his arm away and clambered out of bed. I crossed my arms over my chest, shaking as I looked at Nick.

  He rolled onto his back, blinking sleepily up at me, hair all mussed. He gave me a sweet smile. ‘Hey.’

  I didn’t respond, couldn’t say a word, the memory of his intimate touch stilling my tongue.

  Nick frowned and sat up, scratching at his head. ‘I realise how this looks, but it was perfectly innocent, I swear. You had a nightmare and I was comforting you, and I guess I fell asleep. But nothing happened. I promise.’

  My eyes widened. He didn’t realise that he’d had his hand on my breast. I exhaled, closed my eyes and took one long breath after another. Okay, I could handle this. I was an adult.

  I opened my eyes and attempted a smile. ‘I was just surprised. I’m not used to waking up with someone else in my bed.’

  ‘Me either,’ said Nick, both dimples on display.

  I didn’t believe him for a second, not with how good he looked with the sheets tangled around his body, eyes heavy lidded from sleep. But I didn’t say anything as I scooted around the bed to grab my clothes.

  ‘I’m going to get dressed,’ I said as I bolted from the room.

  I’d barely taken two
steps when someone banged on the front door.

  ‘Open up, Nick.’

  I walked to the front door and unlocked it to let Daniel in. A backpack on each shoulder, he brushed passed me and entered the lounge.

  ‘Where’s Nick?’ Daniel frowned at me as he dumped the backpacks on the floor. ‘What are you wearing?’

  ‘I didn’t have pyjamas, so Nick gave me these to wear,’ I said as I knelt down and unzipped one of the backpacks, smiling when I recognised the contents.

  ‘Morning,’ said Nick as he walked down the hall. He was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt and scratched at his head. ‘I guess this means your shadows gave up.’

  ‘The van was gone when I woke up this morning. Thought I’d better get over here, give Andie her stuff.’ Daniel’s eyes narrowed as he looked from Nick to me, and then to the couch covered with blankets and a pillow. ‘Make sure she was okay.’

  Nick frowned. ‘You’re sure you weren’t followed?’

  Daniel gave a nod. ‘I was careful. There was no sign of the white van, and I took evasive action just in case they were following me, to make sure.’

  ‘Evasive action? You watch too many movies,’ I said as I stood with a bundle of clean clothes and toiletries in my arms. ‘Do you mind if I have a shower?’ I asked Nick.

  ‘Go right ahead. I put a clean towel out for you last night.’

  ‘Thanks.’ I scooted passed him, and headed to the bathroom. Ten minutes later, showered and refreshed, I returned to the lounge to find Nick on his own, the door to the flat wide open.

  ‘Where’s Daniel?’

  ‘He’s getting his swag.’ Nick stepped closer to me. ‘Listen, about yesterday, and last night. I don’t want you to get the wrong idea.’

  ‘No, it’s fine. I understand. It didn’t mean anything. You’re the first aid guy, you fix things. I get it.’ I bit my bottom lip, willing him to believe me, willing myself not to wish for anything more.

  ‘No, you don’t get it.’ Nick reached out and caressed my cheek. ‘What I’m trying to say is that it does mean something. It means everything, at least it does to me, and I’m hoping you feel the same.’

  Before I could tell him that I did feel the same, I heard a noise and turned around to see Daniel standing in the doorway, eyes wide.

  My stomach fell. He must have heard Nick’s words. He was going to be furious with me, with Nick.

  Then someone shoved Daniel from behind and he stumbled to his knees just inside the doorway. Mouth open, I stared in horror at the huge orderly as he stepped inside, three men at his back. Two of them were dressed in black uniforms, with a security badge on the shirt pocket. The other was dressed like an orderly and had a syringe in one hand.

  ‘That’s her. She’s the one we want,’ said the huge orderly.

  ‘You’re not taking her.’ Nick pushed me behind him. ‘I won’t let you.’

  ‘Son,’ said one of the security guards. ‘You don’t have a choice.’ He moved forward and grabbed hold of Nick, wrenching him away from me, while the other security guard hauled Daniel to his feet, twisting his arm behind his back to subdue him.

  Nick struggled to break the security guard’s grip on his arm, swinging a punch that landed on his jaw.

  ‘Son of a bitch.’ The security guard lashed out, hitting Nick so hard he was knocked backwards and landed on the couch. The guard was on him in a second, pinning him down.

  ‘Andie, run.’

  Freed from my paralysis by Nick’s shout, I dashed through the lounge, making for the front door. But the huge orderly blocked my path, arms spread wide. I pivoted, and raced down the hall, looking for the back door. But someone grabbed the back of my shirt and wrenched me backwards. Thick arms encircled me, pinning my arms at my sides, trapping me.

  ‘Hurry up and jab her.’ The orderly spun me around, lifting my feet off the ground as he carried me over to his accomplice who, after a panicked look at where Nick and Daniel were fighting to get free of the security guards, scooted forward with the syringe raised.

  I kicked back at the legs of the orderly holding me, but all that made him do was grunt. The other one reached my side, syringe aimed at my shoulder.

  ‘Ouch.’ The sharp sting was immediately followed by a cold sensation when the drug flowed into me.

  The first orderly tossed me towards the second one. ‘Quick, get her in the van. I’ll help sort out these guys.’

  I tried to protest, to fight, but a strange lethargy swept over me. When the orderly tugged my arm, I flowed along behind him. I lifted my feet high with each step, sure that the ground was rising up. I blinked at the brightness as we emerged from the house and tried to focus on the white van that the orderly was leading me to, a security car parked behind it.

  I frowned, shaking my head as I fought to remember something, something bad about the white van. I didn’t want to get inside it, but I couldn’t remember why.

  ‘Climb in the back and lie on the stretcher,’ said the orderly, his voice ringing in my head.

  I clambered through the open side door and looked at the stretcher that was clamped in place by brackets in the floor. I lay down on it, finding it harder and harder to keep my eyes open as I felt my arms and legs being moved. Tight bands wrapped around me, securing me in place as I gave up on staying awake, letting the encroaching darkness swallow me whole.

  The smell hit me first, strong, antiseptic, like an industrial strength version of the hand sanitiser Joyce made everyone use any time they entered her house. I forced my eyes open only to immediately slam them shut to block out the bright light streaming down on me. A pounding in my head made it hard to think, to remember what had happened. I swallowed and winced when the movement hurt my throat. I was so thirsty. I needed water and painkillers for my raging headache.

  Where was I? What had happened to me?

  I opened my eyes the tiniest bit, allowing them to gradually become accustomed to the light. Tears streamed from them as they slowly and painfully adjusted. I opened them wide and gazed around me.

  I was in a small room with white walls, strapped to a bed, just like the one I had seen in my vision of Angel. I was in The Wood’s Estate.

  ‘Good, you’re awake. Now we can begin testing you.’ A woman with dark brown hair tied up in a ponytail leaned over me. The badge on her lab coat read ‘Dr Joanna Wood’. She had two electrodes with wires coming out of them in her hands and she placed them on my temples. Then she turned to the machine that the wires were attached to and flicked switches.

  I tried to talk, to ask her what she was doing, but my mouth was so dry all that came out was a croak.

  Dr Wood picked up a white cup with a straw sitting in it. ‘Here, this will help soothe your throat.’ She brought it closer and placed the top of the straw against my lips.

  I slurped up the water, closing my eyes as the precious liquid filled my mouth. It hurt to swallow at first and then it got better, but Dr Wood took the cup away long before my thirst was satisfied.

  ‘That’s enough for now,’ she said. ‘We don’t want you getting sick. You can have more after your tests are completed.’

  ‘What tests?’ My voice still didn’t sound like my own, but at least I could now talk, even if I could only manage a few words at a time.

  ‘The tests to see if you have the same abilities as your remarkable sister, of course.’

  ‘Abilities?’

  The creases around Dr Wood’s eyes deepened when she smiled. ‘Angel is psychic. She can see certain events before they occur, as well as being able to move objects with the power of her mind.’

  My eyes went wide. ‘That’s not possible. Stuff like that only happens in movies.’

  ‘I have spent the last fifteen years studying your sister, testing her and collecting data. I can assure you, her abilities are very real. She is not as powerful as I would like, but still a perfect case study. I’m hoping you will prove to be just as useful. When I announce my findings, having two of you as evidence will create th
at much more interest in my work.’

  ‘I’m not psychic. I can’t do any of that stuff.’

  ‘I sincerely hope that is not the case. After all the effort I have gone to, cultivating a friendship with your guardians, working on your aunt’s insecurities, to get you here, I’m going to be very disappointed if I find out that you’re worthless to me.’

  Her smile disappeared. ‘Don’t disappoint me.’

  I shuddered under her glacial glare, latching on to her words as a way to distract her. ‘What do you mean, about my aunt?’

  ‘Unable to have children of her own, Joyce saw you and your brother as the means to create the perfect family. While she was easily convinced to sign your sister over to me, she refused to part with you.’ She gave me a sly look. ‘Your recurring nightmares certainly made her regret that decision. By then it was too late to ship you off to me without anyone noticing.’

  She shrugged. ‘She did allow me to assess you, but as you displayed no psychic abilities I did not push it. Still, I did get her to sign the paperwork before you came of age, just in case.’

  ‘None of this makes sense. You couldn’t have known Angel was psychic when she was three. Why did you want us?’

  ‘I knew exactly what your sister was. Your parents brought her to me when she was two, after she began exhibiting unusual behaviours. Our first session, when I was alone with her, she made a toy she wanted fall down from the shelf. I spent the rest of the session confirming what I suspected and then advised your parents to sign her over to me, for her own good.’

  She grimaced. ‘They refused to even consider the idea. I did everything I could, warned them that she would become increasingly unstable without twenty-four hour care, but they were adamant. Then they died, and your aunt signed the papers at once. A mute child did not fit her image of the perfect family.’

  I shook my head, unable to comprehend how this woman could lock a child away for fifteen years, even if she was psychic. ‘Why do you care? What difference does it make if Angel can move things with her mind? It doesn’t mean anything.’