Two Books in One - Ominous Love and Paradox - The Angels Are Here (10 page)

Chapter Sixteen

I must
be dreaming again because I'm back in the clouds, but instead of a comfy white bed to lie on, I'm soaring through the sky. Though it's a wonderful feeling, I was hoping to dream about the mystery boy again, then maybe I could finally see his face. As I ascend higher and higher, an icy cold wind takes my breath away and my ears start popping. I swallow to clear them and open my eyes.

Shoot! I'm not dreaming. I really am in the sky—and I'm not alone. I'm in the arms of an angel—a beautiful strong angel with huge silver wings. My heart thumping, I hold on tight to his powerful shoulders and gaze into his crystal-blue eyes. Oh my God! I must’ve died and come to Heaven. He’s drop-dead gorgeous with a body to die for.

He smiles at me. “Hello, Miss Beautiful.”

I blink twice, then I touch his sweet face. “Oh, Seal, you're … you're an angel. Did Devlin kill you?”

Squeezing me to his bare chest, he kisses my eyes, my cheeks, my hair. “No, Eloise, Devlin didn't kill me. I've always been an angel, your guardian angel.”

Holy Heaven!
A thrill runs right through me. Seal doesn't have a girlfriend?
I'm
Miss Beautiful? I gulp. “Am I dead? Did that bird eat me?”

Seal throws his head back and laughs. “No, babe, there was no bird. It was me who saved you. Devlin kidnapped me when I came to the party to look for you. He drugged me, then took me to his dungeon, but I found a way to change back into an angel and rescue you.”

My mind is spinning and I can't work out if I'm dreaming or awake. As I pinch my arm to see if it hurts, I glance below. Far out! We're so high up and I can see the ocean miles below us. “This is way scary,” I yell, wrapping my arms around his neck. “Don't drop me.”

“Don't worry, honey. I won't let you go.”

I squeeze my eyes shut for a moment, then as I start to feel secure in his grip, I peek out. He ascends upwards, his enormous wings flapping in the breeze. It's so quiet up here, there's nothing but the sound of his wings and the wind in my ears. As we zoom over the clouds, my silver comb drops from my hair and my curls fall in waves around my shoulders and whip across my face. Everything is so surreal and exhilarating and I’m back with the boy that I love. My heart dancing, I stare at him in awe.

“Hold on tight,” he shouts, then he grips my legs firmly and soars high above the clouds and over the top of a magnificent rainbow. The colours are so brilliant they dazzle my eyes and I wonder where he’s taking me. But as he flutters down the other side, I gasp with delight as we descend onto a familiar white cloud.

As he lays me softly down, I notice huge rips in the legs of his denim jeans, exposing his bare thighs. Unconsciously, I bite my lip. Holy Moly! I’d never have believed that Seal could look any sexier. He was already drop-dead gorgeous, but with his magnificent silver wings furled behind his shoulders, he takes my breath away.

Sitting down next to me, He lifts my hand into his. “Are you okay, honey?”

I smile. “I am now that I’m safe with you.”

Closing his eyes, he squeezes my fingers. “I couldn’t bare it if Devlin hurt you.”

A jolt of electricity shoots up my arm and into my heart. Oh, Seal, I love you so much. And I’m so happy that Devlin didn’t kill you like he said he would.” As I glance around, my eyes suddenly fill with repressed tears. Everything seems so surreal and I wonder if I’m really awake.

Seal scoops me into his strong arms and kisses my wet eyelashes. “Don't cry, baby. No one can harm you here.”

I melt onto his bare chest and inhale his sweet scent. “I'm not crying because I'm sad. I'm crying because I’m happy. I thought I’d lost you forever and now we’re together again. I’ve loved you from the moment I saw you on the beach, and now I’m sure that you’re the boy I’ve been dreaming about.” I grin. “Maybe I’m psychic.”

“You’re spiritual, honey.”

I squeeze him tight. “Maybe, but I never guessed you were an angel.”

“You weren’t supposed to.”

“Well, I’m glad you are, and that you were able to save me. I’d rather be dead than married to Devlin.”

He strokes my hair. “Eloise, you've no idea how relieved I am now that you're away from that monster, and Father Luke. I would never forgive myself if they’d harmed you in any way.”

“It wouldn't have been your fault, Seal. You begged me not to go to that party with Tom. I should've listened to you. I put your life in danger as well as my own.”

He looks deep into my eyes. “Eloise, I'm your guardian angel. I've been watching over you and keeping you from danger since the day you were born. It's my responsibility to make sure nothing happens to you, so I would be to blame, not you.”

My jaw drops. “So it was you who saved me from all those near accidents?”

He smirks, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Yes, you little klutz, you certainly kept me busy.”

“Did you save me from the car in the fog?”

He sighs. “Now, that was scary. I only just managed to blow you out of the way in time.”

I chuckle. “Did you throw the cricket ball at Tom's window, too?”

He frowns. “I most certainly did.”

“Oh my goodness. You've seen everything.” I blush at the thought of it.

He holds my face between his hands and kisses the tip of my nose. “You've done nothing to be ashamed of, Eloise, though I can't say the same about myself.”

“What do you mean?”

He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, then he looks at me. “The reason you found me naked on the beach was because God burnt my wings off with a bolt of lightning and I fell from the sky into the ocean.”

I sit upright. “You're kidding. No wonder you were unconscious. But why did God burn your wings off, and how did you get them back?” I reach around his back to feel them. “Holy shit. They’re so soft and they feel just like bird feathers.”

He pulls my hand away. “It's a long story, honey, so listen carefully. It has to do with Devlin, Tom, and you.”

The mention of Devlin's name gives me the creeps and I start to shiver. “What does Tom have to do with Devlin? They don't even know each other.”

“That's right. They only recently met. You see, Devlin is also a fallen angel.”

“What?” I hold my mouth. “How can that evil creep be an angel?”

“Eloise, be quiet for a moment and listen to me.” He presses a finger to my lips to stop me from interrupting him. “Before I tell you about Devlin, I have to explain something.”

My heart starts thumping and I sit cross-legged in front of him. “Okay.”

He looks at me for a long moment, his eyes serious. “Your paternal grandfather is a fallen angel.”

“What? How can my dad’s father be an angel?”

He shakes his head. “No, Eloise. He’s a
fallen
angel. He lost his wings because he yearned for physical pleasures and succumbed to temptation.”

“Does my father know?”

“No, he doesn't, but his father isn’t exactly
bad.
It goes back to the sixties when a group of angels lost their wings after seeking human pleasure in a commune of hippies. These hippies were into free love and three angels that were guarding some of these wild teens decided they'd prefer to join them. Of course they lost their wings for breaking the law, and your grandfather was one of them. So you see, Eloise, your father is the result of the union between a fallen angel and a human girl.”

I blink. This is hard to comprehend. “So my dad’s father is a fallen angel, but what about his mother? Does she know her husband used to be an angel?”

“No, and your grandfather might have forgotten about it, too. He just lives a normal life as a human. When angels lose their wings, they can become human, or live on earth as a demon. Your grandfather chose to be a good man, not a demon.”

My head is spinning as I try to understand it all. “Can he become an angel again?”

“I don’t think so. He probably lost God's trust for that position. Anyway, he had children to raise. God ultimately makes the decision, but if a fallen angel wants his wings and powers returned, he has to repent his sins and prove himself worthy enough to earn them back.”

“So let me get this straight. Devlin is a fallen angel and is now human and can have kids? What did he do wrong? Why did he kidnap me? And what about you, Seal? Why did you lose your wings? And how come you got yours back and Devlin didn't?”

Seal looks at me and sighs. “When you were born, Devlin wanted to be assigned as your guardian angel because it's a privilege for an angel to guard the bloodline of another angel. But I was chosen and Devlin has hated me ever since. His envy, low self-esteem, and yearning for revenge upon me corrupted him. And as you grew up and became more beautiful, he was determined to have you in whatever way he could. But because angels aren’t allowed to have sexual relationships with humans, Devlin waited until you and Tom were alone, then he possessed Tom’s body.”

“What?” I hold my head. “Hang on a minute. Are you telling me that when Tom was with me, it was really
Devlin?
”

“No, not all the time, only when you and Tom were alone together, like the time he took you to his house. Devlin would have made sure there wasn’t going to be any interruptions before he took over Tom’s body.”

“Eww, that’s too creepy. Tom was bad enough, but Devlin?”

“Honey, Tom’s just a hot-blooded teenager, but Devlin’s pure evil.”

“So if Devlin took over Tom’s body, where did Tom go?”

“He would still be there, but Devlin’s dominant personality would have taken over Tom’s mind. Tom would be confused and trance-like, then when Devlin left him, he’d wonder why he did certain things.”

“Poor Tom, and I blamed him.” I scratch my head. “So why did Devlin care so much about Tom’s iPad?”

“That could have been Tom’s personality pushing through. He probably loves his iPad. Or Devlin might have used it to check up on Tom’s plans and read his messages to you. If that was the case, he wouldn’t have wanted it broken. So that was a great idea to grab it, Eloise. I was so proud of you. Plus it gave me a chance to get the cricket ball through the window. I was so relieved when you got away from there, but you do put yourself in some dangerous positions. You must be more careful in the future, and promise me you won’t go out at night on your own again.”

“Okay, but I went to the party with Tom, and you said yourself he’s not that bad after all.”

“Maybe so, but you still have to watch him, Eloise.”

“Don’t worry, I will. Oh, Seal, do you know if it was Tom or Devlin who was fighting with you on my front lawn?”

“I had amnesia then, so it’s hard to say, but I suspect it was both of them because there were moments when Tom was just being a jerk and later he looked quite evil, but he’s not.”

“So is it Tom that calls you my naked cousin, or Devlin?”

Seal laughs. “Oh, that’s definitely Tom.”

“So when I went to the party with Tom, it was really him because Devlin was there, too.”

“Of course. Devlin is human now. He doesn’t need to possess Tom anymore.”

Twirling a curl around my finger, I try to think. “Seal, when I came home from Tom’s house that night, I went to bed and was having a lovely dream. Then I woke to find Tom in my bedroom. He said he just came around to apologise for his bad behaviour, and that I hugged and kissed him. Was it Tom I kissed? Or was Devlin still possessing him? Please, don’t tell me it was Devlin.”

Seal’s eyes search my face. “Eloise, while you were sleeping, I was guarding you from up here like I always do. I guessed you were dreaming, but suddenly you appeared on this bed next to me. I was shocked and had no idea how you found me.”

I stare at the feather mattress. “So I
was
here? It wasn’t just a dream? I thought this place looked familiar.”

His eyes go wide. “You mean you remember dreaming about
this
bed?”

“Yep, I’m sure. It’s as clear as day. I was on this feather bed and you were sitting next to me.”

“Eloise, you were dreaming then, so your physical body was still in your own bed. It was your mind and spirit that were up here. I presumed you couldn’t see me, so I kept very still, but when you knelt next to me and put your hands on my cheeks, our lips brushed together.”

“I couldn’t see your face, Seal. It was hidden in a pink mist.” I hug myself. “But I felt your sweet mouth against mine.”

“So you couldn’t see me?”

I run my hand across his broad chest and smile.

“Oh, I could see the rest of you alright, and you looked sexy as.”

He looks up at the sky, then back at me. “Eloise, Angels aren’t supposed to look sexy.”

“Too bad cause you do. Anyway, you must have known how I felt because you wrapped your arms around me.”

He stares at me for a long moment. “Honey, that wasn’t me, it was Devlin.”

“What?” I hold my face in horror. “I was ...”

“Be quiet for a moment and let me finish.”

Pouting, I fold my arms and wait for him to ruin my dream.