Chapter 17

R ainy days followed in the weeks after the fight and it kept most of the students inside,
they weren’t brave enough to risk stepping into the torrential downpour that drowned plants
and soaked anything that ventured into it for more than half a second. Nia remained with her
brothers most of the time and tried to use them as a nine large buffers between her and the
stupidly hot Archangel that kept popping up out of the blue. Well, he never actually popped,
but the school was home to the both of them and they ran into each other too often outside of
class for her to be comfortable. It was a chore keeping her hands off him, so strongly did she
feel some sort of bond between them. She knew he felt it too, when he stared at her in class as
though trying to figure it out. And when he looked up before she was even near him. As
though he could sense her. Which he probably could.

Nightmare discovered that she knew exactly when he was reading, or flying, or working out.
She knew when he was sad, happy, lonely, bored. It freaked her out just a little to have
emotions that weren’t her own floating about in her head. But it was also nice. If she couldn’t
be near him physically without wanting to touch him, she could relish in the emotional and
mental connection she had with him. Many times, just before she dropped off to sleep, she’d
heard him whisper the words

“Sweet dreams,” right into her head. Then she slept the whole night through. Impossible.

Classes bored her brains out and turned them to gross jelly stuff that you saw in CSI, and her
eyes always felt heavy. Blinking was stupid and often. She watched the TV and knew when a
big disaster or war thing had happened because she would blink and her head would be
crammed with the faces of all those who had perished. Then she’d check the news and
obituaries to see if it was true. It always was. Thankfully, the ghosts of the annoyingly
departed left her alone pretty much all of the time, unless they felt her getting weak. Then
they struck in full force and tried to get her to do….something she didn’t understand nor had
any idea how to carry out. She refused to be weak, so, see, no problem.

“Where are you going?” Nia whirled, innocent, and stopped still. Lykan caught up to her and
waited for an answer, red hair bouncing to a stop. He was lovely; even she had to think so.
Pretty, not handsome, just amazingly pretty. The fact that there were three of him, just added
to the amazement. Her other brothers were all masculine handsome, but they didn’t have the
vicious fighting skills of Lykan, Kian and Phoenix. She had learned all she knew from
them….and Xena, Warrior Princess, but that wasn’t the point. Looks could be deceiving in
her family. The pretty ones were the ones you never called gay or feminine just because you
thought that they were as delicate as they looked. No, you’d be set upon by three ninjas who
became so involved that they sometimes didn’t know when to stop. Bully the ones that look
masculine and you’ll be hurt, but not dead.

“I want to walk in the rain. It is Saturday, no classes, so I can get as wet as I want. Go play
with your girlfriend.”

“No need to be snarky, Nightmare. I was just asking. I don’t want you to catch your death. I
actually like you.” Then he turned and stormed away from her.
“Fuck!” She hurried after him, immediately sorry for being a bitch and hoping he would
forgive her. It was her moody week, happened every month and was something to be feared.
Lykan should have known.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean….I’m sorry.” She widened her eyes and looked up with puppy dog
eyes that failed on her parents but worked on all her brothers.

Defeated, Lykan groaned and tugged her to him with one arm round her shoulder.
“Whatever. You’re forgiven. I don’t want to see you ill, that’s all. It seems that every time
you go off somewhere you get hurt, or attacked. Or die. I don’t think I could bear it if it
happened when I was around to stop it.”

She sighed and nodded. Her luck hadn’t been too great lately and even she looked out for
potential threats, like falling apples or drowning in a puddle. She loved her brothers and
didn’t want to hurt them. But every day recently had just felt…. not worth it. She felt
separated from everything no matter who she was with or what she was doing. Nia knew she
didn’t belong and the feeling got stronger every minute.

Lykan steered her out into the courtyard, where the rain bounced off the paving stones and
jumped up to waist height. She threw her head back and let the rain fall on her upturned face.
Her hair slicked back and curled as it was drenched and her skin glistened with the individual
drops. Lykan stared at the look of pure pleasure on his little sister’s face, as if the entire world
had just been washed off her shoulders. He didn’t know what was going on with her, but if
the rain helped to ease the frown that seemed to be constantly furrowing her brow then he’d
let her sit out here forever. He, on the other hand, was cold and had arranged to meet his girl.
Dropping a kiss on her now relaxed and smooth brow, he left with backward glances. She
remained where she was and simply sighed.

*****

The upper window looked out onto the courtyard and Raphael sat in a chair by it, watching
the rain pound the courtyard and followed the drops as they ran down the pane. He had no
classes, couldn’t really be bothered, not when Nightmare was in so much pain. Her head hurt,
her stomach hurt, hips, back, everything ached and her mental health was worrying too. He
always felt the sadness well inside her and take over; he felt the deaths of people through her
but didn’t understand how. He’d spoken to Michael, worried and concerned – some would
say they are the same thing, but Raphael felt both with painful individuality. The Head had no
more of an idea than he did, but said he would look into it, both her abilities and the bond
Raphael expressed concern about.

The rain distorted the shapes of everything beyond the window, and yet Raphael knew it was
Nightmare the moment the girl stepped into the rain. He smiled as she lifted her face in
welcome to the fall of water, and how the pain on her face relaxed into pleasure, serenity.
Amazing, really, how the simplest thing could take away so much stress from her. She looked
like a water nymph as he watched her with her brother. She wasn’t nearly so animated as she
used to be, something had definitely changed, but she was happier, he could feel it. As soon
as Lykan left, Nia pulled something out of her pocket and he peered through the rain to see
what it was.

Ahhh! One of the gifts some freaky stalker had been sending her. Weird pictures of herself
with wings, teddies with wings, or horns, jewellery she never wore. He’d heard about it from
Elena who’d been speaking about it to Dagan. Yes, he was becoming an eavesdropper, but
since she avoided him and he her, he had to get his intelligence from places other than the
source.

The stalker was becoming an issue. If she said she liked something, it would appear in her
room that very day. It was creepy and Nia was scared, he knew each time she found a gift. He
sat and watched her for a while, hoping she didn’t catch pneumonia until Michael came
through the door behind him.

“Our scouts say that a band of Fallen has moved into Area 3 and are steadily moving in
towards the school. Area 3 is 12 miles away. If they get to Area 2, we’ll have to attack. Do
you think the eldest are up to it?”

Raphael didn’t take his eyes from Nia.

“They’re ready. Most of them. Send the best, but only if they get to Area 2. The Fallen must
want something to get this close and not do anything to the humans. There have been no
attacks, no mayhem, nothing to signal war. What are they waiting for?”

As he spoke, Nightmare’s face changed and she whipped her head around to look in the
direction of the forest. Her frown deepened and she cocked her head as if listening. Michael
stepped up beside him and watched the girl quietly.

“Think she knows something? She has always been amazingly sensitive to the Fallen. When
she was four she woke up her entire household in blind panic just hours before the mansion
was attacked. Luckily, her family took her seriously and were ready. It could have turned out
quite differently.”

“I remember. We should tell her. Maybe she can help.” He didn’t want to put her in danger,
but if it worked then they could get the jump on the Fallen and eliminate the threat. He was
aching for a good fight.

“No, go down there, talk to her and see if she tells you anything. If she is picking up on
something we aren’t, we need to know….I’m worried about her. If her abilities manifest
before she gets her wings and the Angel control that comes with it, I think we might lose her.
We can’t afford to lose her.” Then he left, leaving Raphael annoyed and even more anxious.
He watched a moment longer then headed down to the courtyard.

Chapter 18
“P enny for your thoughts?”
“Is it a chocolate penny?”

“It can be.” He pulled out the gold foil wrapped circle and dangled in front of her face. Her
wild seascape eyes followed it like a cat follows a piece of string and then she caught it in her
hands when he dropped it. She smiled up at him through the rain.
“Thanks.” She moved over on the bench and patted to the puddle beside her. “Have a
paddle.” Her hand splashed the water up at him and he winced as he placed his already wet
body into the pool of water.

“So, I gave you the penny. You owe me a thought.” He looked at her, sweeping his braid over
his shoulder – it thudded with a squelch against his back – and waited.

“We’re not alone. Haven’t been for some time. There is darkness waiting for us over the hill,
and I think they can outwait us. The perfect moment. That’s what they are waiting for. And
they have all the time in the world to be patient. They won’t move until we do, they’ll break
us up, one by one until the entire population in this school is either dead or Fallen. Then
they’ll have their army.”

“How do you know all this? Michael just got word from the scouts that there was a band of
Fallen in Area 3. Waiting. How on earth did you know that?”

Nightmare hesitated, unsure whether she could trust this man, this wonderful, beautiful,
strong man…..her man. She knew deep down he belonged to her.
She plunged in, her heart keeping her afloat so she didn’t drown in her insecurity.

“The departed ones told me.” They’d also recently told her that they didn’t like being referred
to as dead. To them, they weren’t dead, they were there. So departed, or otherworldly,
something not as scary as dead. If she called them dead, they gave her a headache. She
glanced askance at Raphael and monitored his expression. It remained patient, curious, calm.

“Ghosts?” When she nodded he exhaled slowly and she held her breath, waiting for the
psychoanalysis to begin. It didn’t.

“How long have they been there?”

“Two days. They are waiting for someone. I don’t know who.”

“How many are there?”

“Last count came up as fifty, but then someone else came up with thirty and another a
hundred. Some of them have been gone so long they forget how to count. But I’m guessing
it’s between thirty and a hundred. More or less. They aren’t often wrong.

Raphael nodded and seemed to be working something out.

“Too many for us to take alone. If we got the two final years to help, we would be more on a
par, but we have no chance of getting other Archangels here. Some Angels we could
get…..We will be able to destroy them if we get enough warriors. I hate not knowing what
they want.” He growled, frustrated and she rubbed his arm, raindrops dripping off the end of
her nose. His eyes fixed on one drop that rolled down her cheek, her jaw. He reached out and
caught the drop on his finger. Nia swallowed as his hand grazed her jaw, wary of the heat
spreading through her body. He didn’t seem to notice, was just fascinated by the rain on her
face.

Nightmare wore no makeup, her skin was smooth and blemished only by a few scars caused
by fights as a child, but the crescents on her jaw line were barely there and only shone
because water had gathered in the small grooves. She’d once asked him whether he had any
scars, since she hadn’t ever seen any. He’d lifted up the back of his shirt and dropped
whatever magic protected him. There had been deep, long gashes, thick scar tissue that lay in
lines, as though he’d been whipped repeatedly. He had more on his chest, a curved scar on his
left pectoral, three claw marks on his abdomen, and a scar that ran from the right side of his
ribcage, and down over his left hip to disappear into the top of his pants.

Fallen.

When he was younger, he’d been attacked by a band of fallen and tortured. He’d been
rescued, able to endure without spilling a word. His brother had not been so lucky.
Looking at Nia, Raphael felt the deepest urge to protect her, to not allow anything else to scar
her. But then again, every scar she earned would probably be because she fought against
whatever sought to hurt her. The feel of her hand stroking his arm through his trench coat was
like sunshine; he forgot that it was raining; he forgot they were in the school courtyard.

Nia licked some of the rain from her lips and shivered, not from the cold but from the
emotion shimmering emerald in the Archangel’s eyes. She really didn’t give a damn about
Fallen in that moment, they could burst in and she wouldn’t care as long as they didn’t touch
Raphael. If they did, they’d die. She knew for a certainty that she would kill to protect him,
even though he was over 200 years older than her and had way more experience. It was the
thought that counted. No matter how many times she reminded herself that he was her teacher
and an Archangel to boot, she couldn’t bring herself to completely quell the feelings he
evoked.

“You should tell Michael everything I told you. As long as it goes no further than him. I don’t
want people to think I’m completely insane. No one is putting me in a padded cell.”

“Ok.” He laughed and wiped a hand over his face. “You know, we are soaked through to the
bone, right? I mean you can feel that?”

“I like it. The connection. All my clothes are wet, my skin is coated by the rain, it’s part of
me. It gives without wanting anything in return. I like the rain.” Her eyes followed the jagged
flashes of lightening as they stormed across the sky. Each flash lit up her eyes and face and
made them luminous.

“I suppose you’re right. I never though of it that way before.” He observed her, face upturned
again to the rain, and wondered why she always seemed so sad when something as simple as
rain and lightening could make her so happy. Michael’s voice in his head startled him, but he
recognised the summons and had to answer it.

“Michael wants me. I have to go. Will you be alright here? You’ll go in if it gets any worse?”
She nodded but he didn’t believe her, there was something noncommittal in the gesture. He
sighed and cupped her face in his hands, kneeling before her.

“You have to cheer up. You have everything to live for. You can beat whatever is the cause
of this melancholy. I miss the teasing girl who blackmailed me into saving her. I want Nia
back, not this shadow that you send out into the world in her place.” She stared at him eyes
startled and big in her pale face, and tears gathered as he watched. Then she shocked him.

Quicker than even he could comprehend, she had his face between her hands and had pressed
her lips to his. He responded instantly, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her up
and into him. She sighed and deepened the kiss, playing her lips over his, slick with rain and
tasting of the chocolate penny she’d savoured. Her hands fisted in his hair, pulling the braid
from where it was doubled up at the back of his head and clutching the loose strands between
eager fingers. His own hands held her waist, travelling up to play with the wet curly strands
of her hair and pressing her closer.

The fire she felt blazed through every nerve ending, until she was shaking and clinging to his
broad shoulders desperately. Nia wanted to crawl inside of him and never come back out. She
wanted to hide away in his soul and just let it soothe her. But impossible was impossible and
she would never be that close to him. This was all they would ever be allowed.

To her dismay, he forced himself backwards, out of her arms and she stood, bereft for some
time, both silent and breathing hard. Nia’s eyes flickered towards the windows, but no one
was around. His hair was plastered to his head, curls of it sticking to the slight stubble on his
jaw and curling around his face. Thunder sounded overhead, heralding the arrival of the
storm. As if the rain wasn’t enough of a welcome wagon.

“Michael wants me.” Raphael finally managed to compose his voice and speak the words that
would allow him to leave her.

“I know. Go. I’ll be fine. I promise not to jump off a bridge or anything. Just a bad day.” She
smiled wryly and her lips tingled. Her hand rose to meet the swollen skin, and her face heated
as she remembered what they had done. His eyes were conflicted when she found the
courage to look into them, but he nodded and walked away, leaving her to flop back down
onto the bench and get even wetter.

Chapter 19
T he storm only lasted one night and the weather was back to cheerful sunshine and clear
skies. Pretty but not half as fascinating as a storm. Angels milled about, Sunday making them
relaxed and carefree. Only Nightmare was wired and ready for an attack. It never came, but
still, she was ready. She brushed passed an Angel with fire red wings and walked towards the
woods, not wanting to be around anyone again, and really not wanting to see Raphael. She
couldn’t stop thinking about him and that was a bad sign. Remove temptation and you will
not be tempted. A creed that had led many people to kill the object that tempted them. But
she wasn’t that crazy. Yet. So instead she removed herself and wandered through the still
damp undergrowth and pushed through low branches and bushes and avoided the trees that
jumped into her path. Yes, trees can jump and they do if you don’t watch where you’re going.

Wolves padded alongside her, content to just be in her presence, and she leaped over tree
trunks as she increased her speed and started to run. Not much wind beneath the thick canopy
but the speed she was travelling at created a breeze, her hair flew back over her shoulder,
billowing out behind her like a cape, her legs stretched and muscles contracted, pushing her
onwards. Her wolf pack kept up easily, loping along in her wake, occasionally being diverted
by the scent of rabbit or another small mammal. Nia finally experienced that sense of
belonging she’d been craving the past few weeks and for once she relaxed, watching,
listening to the heartbeat and movement unique to nature. She dint take on the form of her
furry friends for the simple fact that if anyone came across her, they wouldn’t know it was
her and may inadvertently shoot her. Human hunters sometimes managed to get on the
premises and hunted the wolves in the area to near extinction. Never mind that the woods
were full of deer. You couldn’t throw a tone without hitting one.

She’d tested that theory and now stood by it. She’d hit a lot of deer.

When the alpha nudged her leg, she stopped and cast out with her senses, trying to identify
what the male had spotted. Ahhh, food. A large buck was grazing in a clearing not too far
ahead. She crouched low, and crept forward, not a twig cracking beneath her feet, stealthy as
the animals she was hunting with. The alpha male settled to her right, the female to the left
and the rest spread out, circling and coming up on all sides of the buck. It is head shot up and
its nose quivered, scenting the air. They were downwind and it didn’t have a chance. Metres
away from it, she sank back on her haunches and prepared to strike.

Suddenly, a browny blur intercepted and knocked the deer clean over, its neck torn out, eyes
glazed in death. Nia looked around frantically but saw nothing, nothing until her eyes
alighted on the moving shadow across the clearing, blood coating its arms She stifled a
scream at the sight of the warped Fallen, at the sight of its veiny wings and mottled skin, of
the yellow teeth and bumps that signalled the arrival of horns.

When it made no move to approach the dead animal, she signalled to her wolves to pull back.
Then she waited. It hadn’t detected her, probably wouldn’t, she was good at hiding, and
curiosity held her immobile. She desperately wanted to know how it had got onto the school
grounds. Angel scouts patrolled night and day, it was never left unguarded.
Shock swept through her as a second figure came running from across the clearing and
stopped at the edge, panting heavily.

“You were too slow. Your father will be disappointed. You told him you had been practicing.
It is obvious you have not. Since I beat you again.” The Fallen’s voice was like nails on a
chalkboard and she clapped her hands over her ears to stifle the sound.

Carter paled. “No, I have been practicing. It is just I was also doing my own project. I have
chosen my mate. The girl who will accompany me in my journey as one of the Fallen. Father
told me that it was important I find one. She is strong, and beautiful, and vicious. She will
Fall easily I have no doubt. She will relish the lack of rules and boundaries. I was merely
arranging gifts to ensnare her. It took a lot of time. He will understand?” He was supposed to
sound sure but his voice wavered and went up at the end, turning confident statement to
childish question.

Nightmare dug her nails into her palm to keep herself from leaping up and strangling the pink
eyed pervert. It had been him. Taking pictures, breaking into her room, leaving weird gifts.

Ugh! She felt violated.

They were talking now, but the words were too low for her to understand, or were foreign,
she couldn’t tell.
She turned around, preparing to flee when the Fallen took off into the air, leaving carter
standing staring at the carcass in front of him. Michael, she had to get to Michael.

A twig snapped beneath her foot and she felt eyes probing the shadows that concealed her.
She dared not move again. Footsteps over soft grass warned her of the approach and she
whirled just in time to see a fist coming at her face. Off balance and caught unawares – she
would never admit it though – Carter managed to pin her to the floor and catch her hands in
his so she couldn’t move. He sat on her butt and pressed her face into the ground. She bucked
and twisted, managing to free her hands and curled underneath him, bucking her pelvis up so
he fell forward, his bland hair tickling her face. His pink eyes bled to black and he snarled.
She threw him up and over her with her legs, kicking out and dislodging him. He lande4d in a
bush and spun around and ran. Michael, Michael, Michael, she chanted. But he didn’t have
the connection with her that Raphael did. So she reached out to the one person she knew
would always hear her.

Fallen! She screamed in her head, hearing Carter’s body crashing through the wood as he
gained on her. Fallen, Fallen, Fallen, dammit answer me!

Nia? What’s going on? Where are you?

Woods, south side, heading back towards the school. It’s Carter, he’s the one they were
waiting for. It is him who’s been sending the gifts. He wants to Fall and join the band that
are in Area 3. Something about his father. He wants me to Fall. Hurry up!
I’m coming.

She heard his wings as he took flight and soared to the south side of the school. Carter was
almost on her, some freaky Fallen power that made him faster than he ever would have been.
His hand gripped her forearm and jerked her backwards into his body. She elbowed him
sharply in the face, hearing his cheekbone crack. He elbow throbbed and she thought she
might have damaged it. Oh, well. She’d take that over Falling any day. But then it was as
though all the strength had been drained out of her. She crumpled against him, legs refusing
to support her, arms hanging loosely. Like when you sleep on an arm and then can’t move it
without picking it up with your other hand, like the muscles don’t work. That’s what
happened, her entire body felt like that and her mind screamed orders to various parts, her
will still struggling to fight.

“You can’t fight this, Nightmare. We are meant to be together. You don’t belong with that
blue haired freak they call Raphael. He isn’t man enough to handle and take care of you. You
should never have been an Angelic. You were born to Fall. I see it every day in the way you
act. Just relax, and this wont take long. I can’t have you fighting against us when we take
you.”

Nia recoiled at the images that flitted through her mind at the thought of being taken to the
Fallen, or did he mean by the Fallen? She tried again to move, but he was slowly draining the
remainder of her strength from her prone body and she was completely powerless to stop
him. The powerful beat of wings sounded overhead and Carter jerked away from her. She
slumped to the floor in a boneless heap, feeling like jelly.

Raphael. At the sight of the tall, broad blue haired freak, Carter ran in the opposite direction
and then disappeared completely. Nightmare stared at the place where he had winked out and
frowned – her face muscles still worked at least.
Her guardian angel – LOL! Guardian angel! – bent over her and looked into her eyes.
Convinced she was conscious, he knelt beside her and worked at restoring some strength to
her muscles. She moaned as pins and needles spread throughout her entire body then started
to laugh when she moved and it tickled.

“You let him go.” She accused once she was strong enough to sit up on her own.

“I don’t care about him. I care about you. He took your strength?”
She nodded. “How, though? I don’t get it.”

“It’s an ability that the Fallen all learn quickly. For some reason we can’t access it. Probably
to stop Angels draining the strength of Archangels and replacing them. It would cause power
struggles if we were all able to do it. Guess the Fallen aren’t too bothered about that though.
Can you walk?” She tried and promptly fell back down. He laughed, hooked an arm beneath
her knees and lifted her easily into his arms.

“How come every time I leave you, you get into trouble?”

“Not my fault. I went for a run. He just happened to be there with his scaly little friend.”
Raphael’s deep laugh vibrated against her back. He carried her across the least populated
grounds and into an empty common room, where he deposited her gently on a couch. She
wriggled her limbs to get rid of the last few pins and needles that still poked and tickled her
nerves, and then looked at him.

“I still feel weak. My head feels floopy, and my shields are down. I don’t have the energy to
put them back up. Will it last long?”

“I don’t know; it’s different for each person. It might take you an hour or, a week. I don’t
know. Sorry. Do you want me to get you anything before I report to Michael?” She shook her
head and he departed after dropping a kiss on her forehead. She warmed all over and
snuggled down into the cushions, replaying everything, but not scared anymore, because
Raphael had kissed her.
 Chapter 20
T he voices screamed at her, the departed yelled and berated, people died in every corner
of the world and she couldn’t do a thing to block them out. Curled in a chair in the common
room, she cried, hot salty tears that burned her cheeks and sobs that rasped her throat until it
was raw and aching. She couldn’t concentrate in any of her lessons and had been excused
from them all on account that she was unstable and had attacked two people simply for
nudging her as they passed. It had been a month of hell since Carter had taken her strength.
She couldn’t maintain her shields for more than a few minutes each day, and not at all if there
were a lot of ghosts clambering for her attention. She was sure that she mainly got the ones
destined for Hell, as all they did was torture her incessantly with her faults and bad memories
and desolate future.

Twice she’d stood on top of the roof and wanted to fling herself off just so she could get
some peace. Silence was non-existent and she’d forgotten the meaning of the word.
Twice she’d pulled herself back as they’d laughed and jeered, but she didn’t now how strong
she would be at the end of the month, she didn’t know if she would be able to keep on with
the living thing people seemed so fond of.

Nightmare had always praised herself for the fact that she had never needed anyone’s
approval for anything. She never needed to know she looked pretty or was smart. She was
confident in herself, always had been. Subjected to a whole month of insults and degradation
from people you couldn’t punish, was enough to drive anyone mad. Nia held onto her sanity,
but was struggling mightily with holding on to life. It was slipping from between her fingers
and she was so weak, she couldn’t grasp it back.

*****
Elena watched her friend worriedly as the girl slumped for the third time that day and cried as
though her heart was breaking. Wrapping a strand of blonde hair round her fingers, she let
tears roll down her cheeks in response to the pain she could not take from her friend. Nia
refused to talk about what was bothering her, to anyone. Elena had tried to talk to her, even
tried to get her to talk to Raphael, but she avoided them all like the plague.

When Nightmare got up, Elena didn’t follow, but thought over everything that could be
bothering her.

*****

Nightmare walked to her room with a quiet determination. The words span around in her
head.

“Demon…”
“Abomination….”
“Bitch….”
“I hate you…”
“I hate you….”
“I hate you….”

Over and over they ran in her head, driving her towards her room, blinding her with tears and
making her heart ache. She didn’t actually know if it was possible to tear out your own heart,
but she was going to try. All it did was cause her pain. Stupid emotions!

Her door loomed in front of her and she opened it, blind and aching and sat down to prepare
for a life without pain. If you could call it life.

*****

Raphael gasped in pain as he felt the burning cut of a blade to his wrists. He bent and
scrabbled with his shirt sleeves, desperate to stop the flow of blood…..that wasn’t there.
Michael stepped beside him and whispered,

“Are you ok, man?” Raphael shook his head as the same burn sliced his thighs, the femoral
artery opening to release his life blood. He roared in pain and his knees buckled, but still no
blood.
Then he heard the crying, the soft keening that ripped at his heart and filled his head until all
he could see was blood and sadness.

“Noooooo!” His roar reverberated around the room and down the corridors, filling the school.
He flung the door open with a crash, the glass smashing and falling to the floor. Staff tried to
catch him, students screamed as he barrelled passed them, but he paid them no heed. He had
to get to her. She needed him. He made his legs move faster, feeling his heart slow as her
body died.

Her door splintered as he threw his body at it. Raphael’s own heart actually stopped at the
sight in front of him. Nightmare was laid on the floor, arms spread, legs limp, and the carpet
around her was drowning in her blood. The deep gashes on her wrists still dribbled blood, but
she was running out of the precious crimson liquid, and the stains on her jeans were
darkening as more blood flowed. He fell on his knees in the bloody carpet, the now cold
liquid soaking his jeans through to his skin. Raphael dragged her into his arms, her blue lips
and dimming eyes making him frantic. Tears fell on her face and she stirred ever so slightly,
turning towards him.

“Rafe…” Nia’s voice was thin and whispery and she was fading fast. He bent his face close
to hers and her lips brushed over his cheek and jaw, the corner of his mouth. Knowing it was
so wrong, Raphael couldn’t help but claim her mouth with his. Gently, coaxing, he willed her
to respond, but she was too weak and her last breath became his.

“No, no, no, nonononono….NIA!” Raphael’s cry was heard throughout the school and as his
tears fell on the prone body of his student, staff swarmed in and tried to take her from him.
He growled, baring canines and sharpened molars, wings spread wide in order to shield her.
His tears fell even more as he rested his forehead against hers. But then his tears fell on her
open lips, and they pinkened. Fell on her tongue, which lapped at the salty droplets.
Nightmare’s eyes fluttered open and as she looked around, groggy, but definitely not dead,
she turned angry eyes on him.
“Damn you!” And then she fell into the sweet release second only to death; unconsciousness.

*****
Hair the colour of midnight, navy blue, shimmering, flowed over her body. Nia turned into it,
grasping the strands between her fingers and came into contact with the warmth of another
body. She turned her head to see Raphael sleeping peacefully beside her. The room was dark,
outside the moon shone in through double glass doors that led onto a balcony. The bed was
massive. A bed for Angels. Two, to be precise. But she had no wings; she was cuddled on top
of Raphael’s, the feathers warm, the wing strong beneath her. His bare chest rose steadily as
he breathed, still sleeping and unaware of her gaze. When she moved the covers off her and
stood to cross to the window, the air chilled her bed and body heated skin, even through the
black cami and short set she wore.
The doors opened silently and she padded on bare feet over the marble floor of the balcony
to look out at the scenery. It was foreign to her, a place she’d never been. Three luxurious
pools glittered below her, looking like natural ponds surrounded by plants and rocks, carved
from stone. Beyond the garden, lush and green that it was, was the largest expanse of desert
she had ever seen. It was beautiful, like out of a romance, with camels crossing in the
distance. She was in a palace in the middle of an oasis, in the middle of a desert. With
Raphael.

Speak of the devil, strong arms wrapped around her waist, and pulled her back tight to a
warm chest. She rested her head in the spot just below his collarbone – since she was too
small to reach any higher – and placed her hands over his, squeezing.

“Come back to bed, love. It gets cold at night.” He feathered kisses over her hair.

“Where are we?”

He laughed as though she were silly, then answered her indulgently.

“We are in Marrakesh. On our honeymoon. You do remember the wedding don’t you? Are
you still asleep?” He spun her gently so she faced him and looked into her wide awake eyes.

“Sorry, I had a dream. I think I died. I’m just a bit groggy.” He lovingly rained kisses over
her face, all the while walking backwards, tugging her gently with him until his knees hit the
bed and he sat down. He lifted her by the waist and sat her facing him, so her legs wrapped
round his waist.

“I love you.” He spoke softly, but the emotion behind it was deafening and she smiled shyly.

“I love you.” She returned, before lowering her head to kiss him. Her husband.

*****
The monitor bleeped rapidly as something in Nightmares unconscious mind caused her heart
to speed up. Raphael hoped she wasn’t being attacked, or fighting.
Her eyelids flickered, but didn’t open and he sighed as all hope swept out of him. It was
always like that. A movement; hope would spring up from wherever it slept; then die as it
turned out to be nothing. He’d stayed with her ever since she’d passed out and she had yet to
regain consciousness. He slept with his head resting on the bed, his body stuffed into an
armchair dragged from one of the common rooms. He ate only if someone brought him
something. Elena visited, and her brothers, and Seraphina, and when they came he left to
shower, shave, everything else. But not for long. Then he was back outside waiting for them
to leave. Michael had tried to make him leave but he’d thrown the redhead across the room
and seriously damaged the plaster. He’d been left to do as he like since then.

Why wouldn’t she wake up?