Falling ~Book Three of Winged~

Beach House

I stare out the window at the passing lights and the dark sky. I see my reflection in the side mirror and look at myself for a while before glancing over at Etheriel, driving with his eyes focused on the road. We are somewhere in southern Florida. The window in the back rolls down... again. I turn around in my seat and look at Malachai who is rolling the window up and down. We turn off the road we are driving on onto a sandy asphalt drive. I turn back around in my seat and look at the narrow asphalt drive. We are approaching a huge beach house. I gape at the two story beach house with a large wrap around balcony and lots of windows. There is a huge deck off the back and a porch too. The area around the front of the house is sandy with long grass and brush. Etheriel parks and I immediately get out. A few lights in the house are on and I walk toward the house. As I get closer, I can see a wooden planked bridge leading away from the house, toward the water off in the back.

"This is really nice... I'm surprised Dominic picked this." Malachai comments, walking up behind me. The front door of the house opens and Dominic steps out, looking at us. He smiles and I jump when the trunk of the car closes. Etheriel walks up beside me, holding our bags in one hand and takes my hand in his free hand. A big smile spreads on my face and Etheriel leads me toward the house. Dominic steps to the side to keep Etheriel from brushing up against him as we walked through the door. The beach house is currently void of furniture since we just bought it, but the floor plan is open. Etheriel leaves my side to take luggage upstairs and claim a bedroom before Malachai or Nathan does.

"Do you like it?" I jump at Dominic's voice so close to my ear and turn just in time to see him straighten up with a small smile. My smile slips back onto my face.

"Yeah, this is amazing." He smiles more, pleased with my reaction.

"Good... Good..." Malachai comes through the front door and looks between Dominic and I before taking the stairs two at a time. Dominic stares at me in silence for a long time, hearing something that I can't.

"You should probably go... up to Etheriel." There's a slight touch of loneliness in his voice and I contemplate staying down here with him before giving him a small smile, nodding slightly.

"Goodnight, Dominic." I whisper as I walk past him and toward the stairs.

"Goodnight, Trinity." He turns and watches me go up the stairs. I walk down the hall glancing in the couple open doors I pass, looking for Etheriel. All the rooms are barren. I pass a closed door which I figure Malachai is behind. At the very end of the hall, I find Etheriel looking out the window that looks out onto the back of the house.

"Come look at this." Etheriel senses me standing in the doorway and looks back at me, holding out his hand. I obey and go into his arms which automatically hold me. My back presses into his chest as I stare out the window at the beautiful scene of the backyard. Our backyard. After the massive deck, is some sand with brush and long grass growing and then a wooden planked pathway that leads through a bunch of weeds and dead bushes and long grasses. The pathway then leads off to sand dunes that eventually lead to the dark water of the ocean. Waves gently lap against the sand at a constant rate. The ocean expands as far as I can see. What makes it more beautiful is the moon that is casting a white glow over everything and reflecting off the water.

"Really going to have to thank Dominic for choosing such a place." I comment and lean back more against Etheriel.

"No need to thank him... He is just sucking up to you. Making up for the past." Etheriel whispers, leaning down to my ear. I stare out at the ocean and sand dunes. Etheriel seems to know what I am thinking. "We should go out and swim tomorrow... Maybe you can work on that tan you want." His voice turns teasing at the end and I laugh, turning in his arms and looking up into his eyes. He smiles down at me before leaning down and lightly kissing me, pulling me closer to his body. I slowly pull away and glance past him at the empty room.