Falling ~Book Three of Winged~

Moving In

After I told Malachai about my nightmare, we stood in the water for a while before retreating to the sand dunes and then sitting there staring at the water for what seemed like hours.

"You should get back up to Etheriel... He wouldn't be okay with you being out here without protection." Malachai reaches for my hand and pulls me up as he stands.

"Why would I need protection? We're not in danger anymore and aren't you pretty good protection? You guided me through Barzakh." We brush sand off of us.

"I'm an Angel of Death. I killed people when their times' were up and took their soul to Heaven or Hell. You found me in Barzakh, I wouldn't trust me either. They don't know me... Dominic and Ziel saw firsthand of how dangerous I am. I can take someone's life..." he snaps, "like that." I stare at him and how serious he is. In his eyes, I can see a touch of fear. He is afraid of himself. I reach out to him and lightly touch his arm.

"You're in control, Malachai. I trust that you would never hurt me. You were sent to Barzakh a long time ago, you're different now. You learned from your mistakes and you've changed.... You've already proved that when you helped me out of Barzakh and you stuck around. You fought those people who tried to hurt me and you fought Michael when he tried to take me. You fought against an army of Angels and Demons just for me. You stitched me up after Eli cut into me and left me for dead. You've done nothing to make me think that you are a bad person." I squeeze his arm and he stares at me. He gives a weak smile and pulls me into a hug. I hug him back tightly to show that I trust him.

"No, but seriously... You should get back to Etheriel and at least get a little more sleep... It's good for your soul." He pulls away and gives a lopsided smile. I smile back laughing slightly. I start toward the wooden walkway back to the house. Malachai follows with his hands in his pockets. When we get inside, he locks the double doors and then quietly trails me up the stairs.

"Night." He whispers and slips into his room. I walk to the end of the hall and slowly open the door to Etheriel and I's room. Etheriel is still asleep stretched out across the mattress, oblivious that I am missing from his side. I check my feet to make sure that I got all the sand off my feet before carefully crawling up the mattress. I move Etheriel's arm and lay down, carefully setting his arm back down. I stare at Etheriel's sleeping face until I finally fall back asleep.

I wake up to my legs tangled up in Etheriel's and my arms around his neck while his are tightly around my waist, pushing me against him so much that my back is slightly arched. My head is under his chin, against his neck. I pull back a little and look up at his peaceful sleeping face. I stare a little too long before wiggling out of Etheriel's hold and slipping off the mattress. He sleeps like a rock. I slide down my shorts and then dig around in my suitcase, pulling out a pair of black shorts and putting them on. I glance back at Etheriel, still sleeping, before pulling my tank top over my head and picking up a maroon loose long sleeve shirt with a low back, putting it on. I look back at Etheriel once more before leaving the room and silently shutting the door behind me. The two doors that were shut last night are open now. The one Malachai went into last night is empty besides the neat pile of bedding and the air mattress box sitting unopened in the corner, telling me he didn't go to sleep even after we came in from outside. In Nathan's room, the queen air mattress is aired up and the bedding is a mess on it from being slept in. I continue toward the stairs and halfway down the stairs, I stop and stare.

"Push! You can do it, push! Push, you bastard!"

"Dominic! Shut up! I'm not giving birth." Nathan yells at Dominic who is standing to the side of the opened door, giving motivation to Malachai and Nathan who are trying to fit a huge couch through the front door. Dominic senses me and glances at me before looking back and smiling.