Falling ~Book Three of Winged~

Tanning

I kick off my flip flops and sit down on a beach towel under a giant umbrella, blocking the sun. Etheriel immediately sits down behind me and pulls me backward to in between his legs. He pulls my shirt up and casually tosses it to the side as I wiggle out of my shorts. He starts putting sunscreen on my back, massaging it into my back. When my back is covered, I turn around and sit cross legged, facing Etheriel. He puts sunscreen on my shoulders and arms. He smiles a little and puts sunscreen on my chest and the small top part of my boobs that is showing. He puts sunscreen on my stomach next and then grabs each of my legs and smoothes sunscreen from the top of my thighs, down to my ankles.

"Do you need any?" I offer to put it on for him and he leans in, lightly kissing my lips.

"Don't need any... As soon as my skin even starts burning, it automatically begins healing. I don't even get pink." He pulls away, but rests his forehead against mine, wearing a small smile.

"Lucky..." I mumble and pull away, standing up and stepping off the towel and toward the ocean. Etheriel doesn't move from his spot and watches as I step into the cool water. I shriek from the cold water crashing higher up my legs. Etheriel laughs and continues to watch me wade further out into the water. I bend down in the water and pick up a shell, turning and holding it up for Etheriel to see. He squints at the shell in my hand then gets up and splashes toward me. He gently takes the shell from me and looks at it.

"It's glittery." He comments and I take it back from him, holding it tilted toward the sun so I can see it sparkle. I drop it back into the water with a 'plop'. Etheriel leans down and kisses me lightly. Water is suddenly splashed on us and we break apart, turning. Dominic is standing five feet away with a lopsided satisfied smirk on his face.

"Nathan didn't kill you?" Etheriel says sarcastically, holding me close to him.

"No, but he did throw his Angel blade at me and almost killed Malachai when I dodged." Dominic approaches us in the water.

"Is he okay?" I question, hoping Malachai didn't get hurt in the process. Dominic shifts like he suddenly got uncomfortable with talking about Malachai.

"Yeah, his reflexes are... spot on..." Dominic replies stiffly. I give him a confused look and before I can even form words to ask him what that means, he grabs my and throws me over his shoulder before quickly moving deeper in the water, away from Etheriel. I kick out and hit his back.

"Put me down!" I yell and he complies by throwing my deeper into the water. I surface and spit out sea water. My hair is covering my face so I have to push it out of the way and I don't doubt that my hair is all knotted and messed up. The water is now up to my chest. I turn and look at Dominic to see that he has Etheriel in a headlock. Up on the shore, I see Malachai walking down toward the sand, looking out at us. He stares at Dominic and Etheriel and then his eyes shift to me. He stares for a second before something grabs his attention and he rapidly looks down the beach like someone called out to him except there's no one on the beach. Malachai then looks down at his feet and slips off his shoes while pulling his shirt over his head. He tosses his shirt to the side then looks off down the beach again. What is he hearing? I hear a loud splash and turn to see that Etheriel threw Dominic into the water. Etheriel comes over and smiles at me as Dominic surfaces and spits out water. Dominic mumbles something and rakes his fingers through his hair. I look around for Malachai except now he is nowhere to be seen although his shirt and shoes are still on the shore beside the beach towel.

"What are you looking for?" Etheriel asks and kisses my forehead.

"Malachai... He was just on the shore." Etheriel looks up at where I am looking at the shore and then looks further out in the ocean.