Chapter 47 - Clarity

Thomas held out his hand, patiently waiting for me to take it. Unwilling to feel the effects of his touch again I lowered my eyes, keeping my fingers carefully entwined behind my back and stood up on my own.

A sound of frustration erupted from his throat. Anger made his own stubbornness stir inside him, coiling in that secret place behind his eyes like an impenetrable stone wall. Suddenly he shifted forward, closing the distance between us. I held my ground in response, defiantly raising my chin to meet his heated gaze. Firelight danced across his face, lighting up his eyes and making them look enchanted.

That's when it hit me.

Brewing with palpable tension, the air around us became heavy with friction. Standing so closely together with our bodies almost touching, the small space between us filled with that strange electric charge once again.

Like a spark ready to ignite.

Confused by my overwhelming attraction to him – the feeling much, much stronger than I'd ever felt for Vycandor – all I really knew for sure was that I never wanted the moment to end.

“Everything you see here, everything you can touch is all just an illusion,” Thomas whispered in my ear, shattering the silence.

Just like that the magical bond between us was broken, leaving me with an empty feeling inside.

I narrowed my eyes. “I don't get it.”

Exhaling sharply as if he too had felt the loss, he sounded irritated. “Death has certainly had no effect on your intellect, Chaos.”

I knew he'd meant it as an insult, but right then I was too confused for anger to register.

“What if I told you...” he began hesitantly, raking fingers through his dark hair, “that I created all of this to help you make the necessary transition.”

My voice squeaked in surprise. “Transition? Transition to what?”

“To the other side,” he answered, as if that explained everything.

I lifted both brows. “To the other side of what?”

“Here,” he urged, stepping aside. “It might be easier if I showed you.”

“Ya think?” My patience with all of his secrecy was seriously starting to run thin.

Ignoring my outburst, Thomas walked backwards directly toward a wall fashioned entirely out of logs. I followed, shuffling my feet hesitantly. I still wasn't sure where he was going with all of this, when he stopped abruptly. “First, tell me what your feelings are for Vycandor.”

I gulped in surprise. “Excuse me?”

“Never mind.” He shook his head as if sorry he'd brought it up right then. “Think about it, and tell me later.”

Thomas continued to back up with me in tow. Impossibly, the closer we got to the wall, the more it just...disappeared. The effect reminded me of looking out a window where there was none. Just when it seemed as if we could go no further, he led me out of the cabin and directly into blinding sunlight.

For a dead girl, I suddenly felt so alive inside.

It took a few frozen moments for my eyes to adjust to the assault. Vision slowly returning to normal, I found myself standing beside Thomas high up on a cliff covered in daisies and overlooking an ocean. Instead of being afraid, I felt a warm deep calm cast over me.

I didn't like it, not one little bit.

Yes, on one hand I was thankful he'd saved me from that hell hole. But somehow I knew it was going to be nearly impossible for me to lose my temper here. In a place that looked suspiciously a lot like paradise. Smelled like it too.

Inhaling deeply, the air smelled so clear, so clean, and so utterly perfect. Like eternal springtime.

My gaze dragged upwards. So close I could almost reach out and touch it, the sky didn't look real. Almost as if it had been painted on. Swirls of every color of the softest pastels were all expertly blended together, while the sun splashed brilliant golden light – masterfully framing the sky like a precious work of art.

Holding out my arm, I felt the sun's warmth. For the very first time I knew standing in direct sunlight here wouldn’t burn my sensitive, pasty white skin.

Behind me I heard a fluttering noise. I turned around and my mouth dropped open. Thomas had removed his jacket, T-shirt, and boots. All he had on now were his tight jeans.

Gee, I didn't know what was more amazing. Seeing his smooth bare chest for the very first time, or watching him gracefully unfold a pair of brilliant white, dove-like wings as if needing to be stretched.

I decided it was both.

His silver tipped wings easily spanned over twenty-five feet. Illuminated as if lit from within, they shined magnificently in the warm golden sunlight.

I finally understood what Serenity had meant by angel dust. Thomas' wings were covered in the stuff. Every time he waved them back and forth, a sparkling cloud of dust surrounded him. And managed to land all over me like a giant glitter bomb.

“Watch it, Tinkerbell,” I groaned. “Put those things away before you hurt someone.” I pretended to be annoyed, but inside I was secretly jealous as hell. Just another downfall of walking on the dark side.

I guess Angels of Darkness didn't get to have wings.

In a ruffle of epic proportions Thomas finally folded his, looking like a graceful swan settling its feathers.

He turned around unexpectedly, and caught me pouting. Tossing me a lopsided grin, he pointed behind me.

“What?” I turned around and saw nothing.

A tickle on my ankle caused me to look down. I realized for the first time that the armor was gone. Standing barefoot with my feet bathed in daisies, the hem of a flowing white cotton dress edged with ribbons and delicate lace brushed against my ankles.

My gaze traveled up my body. The sleeveless dress exposed my arms, which were somehow free of ugly black stitches.

I sucked in my breath, holding up both hands. Gone were the patchwork like stitches holding my skin together. In their place danced colorful rainbow prisms of light. Blinking hard, I took a closer look. The light was coming from behind me.

That's when I felt them.

Stretching my shoulder blades, I craned my neck as I unfolded a pair of wings. Only mine weren't white and covered in angel dust. Instead, they were engulfed in fire.

Huge ghost-like greyish feathers took a back seat to bright, orangey-red flames.

My eyes flew to Thomas.

He held up both hands, mocking me. “Put those things away before you hurt someone.”

“Oops, sorry.” I did what he said. Unlike his wings that remained on his back, I folded mine and the fire snuffed out to allow them to completely disappear beneath my shoulder blades. "Cool."

Excitement faded to embarrassment when I caught Thomas staring at me for a change. Eyes normally filled with exasperation, sometimes even annoyance, were now glazed over with something close to desire.

A rush of color mixed with shame filled both cheeks when I remembered the damage to my face. I reached to drag a piece of hair across my face in an attempt to hide, but Thomas captured my arm.

“You are as perfect as the day you were born. Your skin bears no mark or blemish.” He wrapped his free arm around my waist, drawing me closer. “You are flawless, just the way you have always been to me.”

For a moment there, I think I actually stopped breathing. Neither of us dared to move. A delicate wind lifted up my hair, playfully sending it out in all directions like ribbons dancing in the sky.

A glimmer of something caught my eye. I turned to look, only to find the ends of my hair on fire. I shrieked and started jumping around, swatting at my head to put out the flames.

Too bad it didn't work.

For a moment there, I considered hurling myself off the cliff. If the fall didn't kill me, at least the water churning in the ocean below would put out the fire.

Then I realized I was already dead. I also realized that Thomas didn't seem the least bit worried about my current fiery condition. Actually, instead of trying to help, he was bent over at the waist from laughing so hard.

I stopped beating my brains out to glare at him. “What's so funny?”

“You act like you've never known,” he choked between fits of laughter.

“Known what?” Part of me wanted to push him off the cliff. But then I'd never know what caused him to stumble all over his words.