by Anna Santos
“Just a bit more. You can do it, Aria. I know you can. You have wings now. You can fly, so don’t be afraid. You aren’t human, yet. You may never be human again. What do angels do when they are faced with the abyss?”
“They jump and fly over it,” I replied. “But I would probably freeze in panic, fall in it, and hit the ground.”
Philippe chuckled and my heart burst inside my chest.
“I’m such a coward.”
“You are not,” he denied. “You have no idea of how strong you are. Besides, you forget that if you fell into the abyss, you could always teleport back up.”
“True,” I agreed.
“You are safe here. I will grab you before you have time to blink,” he told me. “Just a few more steps. You were the one who wanted to know where my favorite spot in the city was.”
“Couldn’t you have a favorite place on the ground like normal people?”
Philippe offered me a wider smile. “I’m not exactly normal and, despite what many might think, most favorite places are on a high ground. Think about it, normally it’s a view and to have a view we need to be somewhere above the ground.”
I nodded, fixating my eyes on his hands instead of my sneakers or the slippery and old roof tiles. I didn’t want to disappoint him.
“We are here!” Philippe rejoiced when his hands grabbed mine, and he pulled me into the security of his arms. “I’m so proud of you!”
I hid my face against his chest as I tried to calm down.
“You will love the view.”
“Now, what do I do?”
“Sit down beside me,” he said. “You are shivering. Are you cold?”
“No, just panicking.”
“I’m here. I’m holding you, and you don’t need to panic. I’ll help you sit down. Just close your eyes and follow my lead.”
I obeyed. Moments later, I was seated and clutching Philippe’s arm. Daring to open my eyes, I saw the illuminated city below. “It’s beautiful!”
“Now look up,” he said, pointing at the stars and the moon. “Do you understand how tiny we are?”
“Yes, we are tiny particles of stardust. Life and the ability to be conscious always amazed me. We are so small but also so big. We are able to compete with the gods and create amazing things but also destroy. Do you ever think about what worlds might exist outside this galaxy?”
“All the time. Humanity’s super power is creativity. Since I was born and until now, the world has evolved beyond any dream. There have been amazing philosophers, scientists, artists, writers, poets, physicists, and dreamers. Their ability to imagine, create, and challenge the laws of physics was what made the technological evolution possible. Yet, they have no idea that right there is an entrance to another dimension where angels and gargoyles live. They have no idea that vampires lurk and manipulate their realities. And they have no idea that they are the lucky ones.”
“Why are they lucky?” I asked as I watched his pondering face.
Philippe looked down at me. “Ignorance can be bliss. Weren’t you happier before you were dragged into this world of supernatural beings?”
“There’s a difference between thinking that we are happy and being happy. I can’t see myself without you anymore,” I told him as my hand held tighter to his shirt. Philippe smiled and stroked my cheek.
Placing a kiss on my forehead, he said, “I can’t see myself without you, either. But you need to understand, it will be dangerous.”
“I know.”
“I can’t protect you during the day.”
“I know.” I raised my head and kissed his lips. “No matter what will happen after Cedric and I unbind ourselves I’ll love you, and I’ll still love you even if I’m a little particle of stardust.”
My heart seemed to be about to burst from being there with him and telling him all those things that made me feel tiny and silly. The way he looked and smiled at me made me feel absurdly happy. Suddenly, all the romantic and sappy poems made perfect sense. Philippe was my whole world. It didn’t matter what happened if I had him with me. Not even the universe seemed that interesting when I could look at him.
Closing my eyes and leaning my head against his shoulder, I shattered the silence. “What else is there to see in this town before the sun comes up?”
“This was the final stop. The sun rises sooner in the summer. It’s time for us to go back home and get ready for bed.”
“I’m not tired… Selfie time,” I said, smirking and pointing my phone at us. We both smiled as the flash illuminated our faces. “I took amazing photos.”
“You look happy in all of them,” he whispered as I checked the pictures.
“I’m happy. You make me happy.” I put the phone into the pocket of my jacket. “I’m ready to go to bed now,” I whispered, putting my arms around his neck. “But I’m not sleepy, and I know you aren’t sleepy, either.”
“Do you…” He smirked, tucking my hair behind my ear. “Do you want to watch TV?”
“After eating. I’m starving.”
“Then take us home, and I’ll cook you breakfast.”
Closing my eyes, I concentrated and made us disappear and land on Philippe’s bed. He fell back, hitting the pillows with me in his arms.
“This isn’t the kitchen.”
“I know.” I climbed on top of him and my hair fell on both sides of his face. “I know it’s irrational, but I have this fear of losing you. If nothing happens, great, but if it does… I want at least this night, day, morning whatever it’s called, to be part of our memories.”
“What are you saying, Aria?” he asked.
“I don’t know. I just want us to kiss and hug. Whatever happens, happens.”
Philippe raised his head to kiss me, twirling my hair between his fingers. “Nothing will happen, and we’ll have all the time in the world for you to kiss me and for us to make love. There’s no need to rush things.”
“I’m not rushing,” I whispered. “This feels natural when we are close. Can’t you feel it, too? Don’t you feel that there’s nothing else in the world when we are together?”
“Yes,” he agreed between kisses. “I’m trying to be rational. It’s hard when you are on top of me with your lips on mine.”
“Then relax and let it happen,” I mumbled, sucking on his lower lip.
Opening his eyes, Philippe nodded as he cupped my face and kissed me again.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Meanwhile, in another realm, Josephine and Cedric were sitting on the edge of one of the numerous towers of the palace. They were silent, waiting for the sky to be tainted with the first rays of sunlight. It was only then that Josephine could say the spell to free Oliver from his curse.
None of them wanted to verbalize their fears.
Josephine’s eyes were on Oliver’s statue. She knew which one it was since it was the last thing that the King of the Angels let her witness before sending her away. After they failed the trial, she watched as the gargoyles took Oliver’s statue and placed it on the border of one of the rooftops, making it part of the decoration as many others before him.
William landed next to them in his gargoyle form. Moments after, he took his human appearance. “You should start reciting the spell now or you won’t have enough time to finish it before the sun can harm you.”
Josephine let go of Cedric’s embrace and got up. “It’s time.”
“What if it doesn’t work?” Cedric rose to his feet and held on to her hand. “What if you don’t turn into a gargoyle?”
“Then you need to look for someone else to love.”
Cedric’s eyes flashed silver. His hand clasped hers harder. “I don’t want anyone else.”
“It can also not work at all. I may not be able to free Oliver from his curse,” Josephine said, putting her other hand on his. “Cedric, you need to let me go.”
He pulled her into his chest. “I don’t want to.”
“But you must.”
“I know.” He
breathed against her hair and caressed her back. “Please come back to me.”
“I’ll try… But if something doesn’t happen like it should, please know that…I love you.” Her voice disappeared with the closing of her throat. The feelings that were assaulting her body and soul were too intense.
Closing her eyes, Jo searched for his mouth to kiss him one last time while fighting back the tears.
“I love you, too,” he said, pressing his lips against hers as he held her tightly.
William turned around to give them privacy, staring at the starry night and full moon. He woke up from his thoughts when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
“Could you please take me to Oliver? Cedric will stay here. I can’t concentrate with him by my side. I need to focus to recite the spell.”
William nodded, shifting into a gargoyle. He held Josephine and lifted off into the skies.
JOSEPHINE
As I stood in front of Oliver’s statue with the sun rising behind my back, I realized that I could disappear in two different ways today. First, I could turn into stone and never wake up. Second, if the spell didn’t work, I was left to face the deadly sun.
I held my breath, the spell echoing inside my mind, memorized since the moment I had laid my eyes on it. I had to recite it, but I wasn’t feeling the same determination to exchange my place with Oliver since I’ve met and fallen in love with Cedric. What if it didn’t work? All doubts and fears were assaulting me.
I breathed deeply. I had good reasons to exchange places with Oliver. First, it wasn’t fair what happened to him. He deserved to go to Heaven. Second, I loved Cedric. I never thought that I would fall in love with someone else so fast and so deeply. There was only one way for us to be together. I had to become a gargoyle and kiss him, proving that we were experiencing true love.
I closed my eyes, concentrating on the words. The magical words poured from my mouth as I sensed the sun behind my back. They were said in a foreign and forgotten language, the language of God. I focused on each word while my skin rippled in goosebumps, my stomach contracted, and my mind surrendered to the power that was taking over me. I could feel the words caressing my throat before materializing and being set free.
In the end, I opened my eyes, staring at the immobile statue. Nothing had happened. I blinked, trying to understand if I had said something wrong. I was going to recite it again when the statue before me began to shatter. The shattering noise warned me that the spell had worked. The rock was breaking. I had succeeded in my purpose.
Leaning forward, I cupped Oliver’s face, feeling my eyes fill with tears. I touched the cracks in the rock while coldness was spreading down my body and tiny tentacles of irradiating light seemed to immerse my skin. Suddenly, my body was heavy, and I couldn’t move my feet. As I looked down I understood that I was slowly turning into stone as Oliver was gaining life. His arms moved and his face became soft and warm. He was becoming flesh again.
“Josephine,” he whispered hoarsely, focusing his eyes on mine.
My heartbeat increased, and I smiled, overwhelmed with joy. Tears fell down my cheeks. I had saved him. After all that time, I had saved him.
His eyes narrowed. “What have you done?”
“I’m sorry for not being able to save you sooner,” I told him between tears.
“What are you talking about?” With furrowed eyebrows, he looked down. “What’s happening to you?”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Goodbye,” I said, touching his lips with my fingers. He said nothing as he stared at his glowing hands.
Behind him, white wings burst and moved, shattering the rock and sending tiny pieces of it around us. “What’s happening to you?”
His body was radiating light.
Smiling, Oliver looked at the sky. “Thank you,” he whispered, placing his hand on my face.
I could barely feel his touch because his body was fading into the light. Before I could say anything else, he was sucked into the atmosphere, disappearing in a beam of light. I had seen angels dying and ascending before, but I was confused about why he was dying if I had saved him. Maybe, his place was no longer with us.
Oliver had ascended, and I was left behind. My hands were turning into stone and my heart barely beat inside my chest. Before I was also gone, I looked behind and searched for Cedric. Life wasn’t fair and love was complicated. The pain hit me as I gasped for air, but my lungs were already turned to rock. It was pointless to fight the transformation.
“Cedric,” I called, knowing that he wouldn’t listen. I couldn’t move anymore. I wanted to see him one last time. I used my final breath to call his name again. “Cedric.”
Cedric landed in front of me. His eyes were glowing silver while shedding tears. He touched my rocky hands with his. “I’m here.”
As tears fell from my eyes, sliding down my numb stony skin, I was unable to open my mouth to tell him how scared I was. I could only look into his eyes.
“I’m here,” he repeated. “I’ll be here when you wake up. I promise you.”
Tears continued to fall while I wanted to believe that I would wake up again. But if I didn’t, if I was destined to be turned to stone forever, at least, I would disappear knowing that I had been lucky enough to have touched him, to have loved him, and to have met him. I was happy for having his face being the last thing I saw. He was there with me in my final moments, and he was the reason why I had been so full of joy on the days preceding my death.
Then all was silence. I couldn’t cry anymore. The stone had set in and all that remained was the darkness.
CHAPTER TWENTY
ARIA
I was combing my hair, sitting in front of the dresser. Yet my eyes were seeing beyond my image in the mirror. My mind was wandering away, thinking about everything Philippe and I had talked about the previously night and the fear that haunted my happiness. He had left me, so I could bathe and get ready to go out with him that night, and I was missing him already.
“What are you thinking about?”
The question startled me. I focused and saw Gabby behind me.
Turning around, I questioned, “What are you doing here?”
“Philippe wanted to talk to Sean, and I tagged along to see you since I found out that you are living here now.” Gabby raised her eyebrows in a suggestive grimace. “Are you dating Philippe? Are you guys a couple? Are you in love with him?”
“Calm down, you are asking too many questions.” I faced the mirror and placed my hairbrush on the dresser.
“You have your clothes here. Your bed is a mess. You’ve clearly slept together. You aren’t going to tell me that you don’t like Philippe because I can tell you like him.” Gabby folded her arms and pouted.
I sighed and closed my eyes momentarily.
“Where’s your other boyfriend?”
“We broke up and yes, I’m living with Philippe for the time being before I go back home.”
“Are you dating?”
I puckered my lips, unsure of how to explain to my cousin what my relationship with Philippe was. It was more than dating.
“Do you know how you and Sean are soul-mates?”
Gabby nodded.
“Philippe and I are soul-mates, too.”
Gabby rolled her eyes. “I was there when your angel boyfriend barged in and almost destroyed Philippe’s house, remember?”
“Oh, right!” I nodded. “Things didn’t work out with Cedric. He was too possessive and…”
“You broke up because of Philippe, didn’t you?”
“It’s complicated.” I nibbled on my lip while Gabby looked at the floor.
She wasn’t happy or excited about what I had told her. If anything, a wrinkle of concern appeared on her forehead.
Sighing, I asked, “Why the worried face?”
“Philippe has a reputation of…”
“Being a Playboy. I know that.” I completed her sentence while getting up and opening the wardrobe to choose a dress.
�
�Have you slept with him?”
“I don’t understand why you would want to know that.” I kept browsing the dresses. “But if you have to know, I’m still a virgin.”
“Maybe you should…wait. Guys like him… He can be playing you.”
“Gabby, Philippe has been the perfect gentleman. We are getting to know each other. Besides, he said we were only going to make love on our wedding night. But I appreciate your concern and advice.”
“Wait, what? You’re getting married? When?”
“I don’t know when. But he proposed, and I said yes.”
“Wow, that’s fast! And you were concerned about my wedding with Sean behind so rushed.”
I spun around to face Gabby. “I love him, and he loves me. We are meant to be together. He makes me happy.”
She placed her hands on her waist. “I bet he does. He’s beyond rich and a vampire. He knows how to please a girl. But you need to understand that even if everything he says may seem appealing, you are an angel, and I’m betting you can’t be both, an angel and a vampire. Even if I was rooting for you to date the guy… I had no idea that he had done all that to you…”
“You said that Sean explained to you what had happened.”
“Well, he clearly forgot to tell me that it was Philippe’s fault that you fell into the river.”
I nibbled on my lip again. “Everything seems to have happened an eternity ago. He’s different now.”
“He didn’t want you in the first place until you were dating the hot, blond angel who almost killed us the other day. What happened to him? How can you ditch an angel to marry a vampire?”
I blinked several times, gathering my thoughts and listening to Gabby’s questions and overall opinion. “If I didn’t know that you were Sean’s mate and you loved him, I would think that you were saying all those things out of jealousy.”
“You have wings, Aria. When I was teasing you about hooking up with Philippe, it was just to have fun, not to marry the guy. I didn’t know you were dating an angel. Do you really want to be a vampire forever?”
