Page 79 of Wings of Lies
When the figure stepped out, my thoughts took a sharp turn and dropped me off at Fantasyland, where handsome princes came and stole away girls from their terrible lives. But in my life, shit like that didn’t happen.But just damn it.
Rough leather hugged the contours of his muscular body, and wavy brown hair fell across his forehead brushing his sculpted cheekbones.He was handsome and alluring in his unusual uniform, with a sword at his hip. And those eyes? Those azure pools sparkled like sunlight dancing on the surface of our tranquil pond behind our house, reflecting a depth of emotion that stirred my soul.
“Who are you?” I asked, suspicious and intrigued.
He didn’t respond, watching me.
The prickling of my Glory traveled up my arms. I was about to lusceler away and tell my mom we were compromised by a handsome stranger when I noticed a flash of silver reflect in a ray of sunlight. Surprised, my fear and Glory vanished.
“It’s you.”
He was wearing my amulet. The sparkling, ruby wing clasp rested against his exposed neck. It was an angel wing my mom gave me as a birthday gift. She explained the color signified my birth month, according to humans and their made-up system. She loved the quirky things humans made up and created. I, on the other hand, was indifferent and a little bitter. Probably because while she got to go out and experience said human quirks and creations, she kept me locked away at home, threatening me if I ever followed her.
I stepped closer until only a few feet separated us as he watched me with a wary expression. With each step, he seemed to stiffen more. Part of me feared he’d run away. But I wanted to know who he was. I always imagined this moment, meeting the stranger who warmed me after my outburst.
“I’m not sure how you found me. But sorry, we moved. It wasn’t safe to stay. Do you have a name?”
A muscle throbbed in his jaw.
I gave him a tentative smile. “It’s only a name, right? For all I know, you could give me a fake one.”
His lips pursed, considering, then said, “Aspen.”
Shit. He shouldn’t have talked. I forgot what he sounded like, and the smooth, low tones did nothing for the fantasies I created about this mysterious male.
“Lucille.”
He gave a sharp nod, still stiff. “I know.”
“Right.” I told him the first time we met when I was naked. My cheeks flushed. “Why—why were you there that night?”Why was he here now?
The chirping of birds settled the fluttering of my nerves from his silence. I took a slow step forward, and he took one back.
“I swear I don’t bite.” I smiled, unable to hide the laughter in my eyes. He stared at me like I stunned him. The flush increased under his intense, curious gaze. “You do know how a conversation works, right?”
He gave another sharp nod, making me laugh. It sure didn’t seem like it. When I stopped laughing, his gaze traveled down to the pocket of my sweats, to my dangling headphones still playing my music.
I pulled out my iPod and watched his eyes narrow in confusion. “It’s an iPod.” When that didn’t clear the puzzlement, I said, “It plays music.”
How didn’t he know that?
I lived hours away from civilization, without a TV or phone, and I knew what an iPod was.
Bold, I stepped into his stiff bubble and placed an earbud in his ears. He jerked up as if to fight me off, grabbing my hand, then stilled. But I wasn’t sure if he stilled from the music playing in his ear or from the strange, tantalizing tingles erupting at his touch.
“Who are you? What is this?” I whispered as the tingles enticed the butterflies in my stomach.
He pulled back his hand and shook his head. “Stay here. Stay put. Stay safe.” Then he luscelered away.
“What the hell?”
He was an angel, or part—an angel who made no sense.Stay put? Stay safe? He couldn’t possibly know our situation, could he?I hopednot, but he wanted me safe, so that had to be good. Although, if my mom found out what happened, she’d find an island and lock me away in a basement with bubble wrap and every binding rune she could think of. It was a good thing she couldn’t use an angelic feather anymore, or she would have another horrible Binding Rune on me.
Yeah, that was a big hell-no to telling my mother. Plus, I wanted to see if he’d come back.
And he did, two weeks later. I might’ve taken up the habit of running in the forest every day to check.
I sat on pine needles, soaking in the rays of sunshine sneaking through the canopy as I listened to music and ate my favorite chocolate bar. When I saw movement, my lips twitched, hoping it was him and not the wolf who somehow followed us to this house.
