When Angels Fall (12 page)

Melody clutched at him desperately, slowing his descent. As she looked down, her gaze was drawn to a large gash in his shirt, showing a charred circle of flesh where the plasma ball had hit his flank.

“What can I do?” Melody’s eyes pierced Alec’s. She felt the clench of her jaw and the firm line of her mouth, while willing away any thought of tears. Her heart hammered hard against its confinement, as if trying to break through to the man at her side, and if she could she would have let it. Now was not the time for sentimentality; she needed action to save him.

Alec’s unspoiled side leaned on Melody for support; his head slumped at her shoulder. “I’m afraid there is nothing...you can do.” He spoke slowly, wincing in pain.

“Don’t give me that. I’ll call an ambulance. The injury doesn’t look that bad,” she lied.

“It’s not like my power; it’s slower, more insidious.” The color seemed to be draining from him by the second, his voice barely a whisper.

“Shut up and let me get help!”

His answering smile and chuckle were weak but real, and he took her hand as he spoke. “Stay with me, please.”

She gripped his hand firmly, lifted it to her lips, and kissed his knuckles. Melody didn’t realize she was crying until she felt the wetness on her cheeks. The tears she’d been holding back flowed freely as the sheer volume couldn’t be contained any longer. There were no body-wracking sobs, she didn’t scream or cry out, but the salty moisture continued to stream down her face, like an incessant rainstorm on a windowpane.

Melody was unsure whether seconds or hours had passed. Time seemed to stop as they sat in silence, and she held him close. Then it started again. She was unsure why at first, but slowly she realized, it was the light. She was looking at the spot where Walsh had been cremated, and it was becoming brighter, like a spotlight was being shone directly on the position and in tiny increments that light was being turned up. This continued until it was burning with such a fierce intensity she feared she would be blinded.

She turned to Alec, who was staring at the same place. He showed no fear and she took solace in that. They both shielded their eyes as the light became momentarily unbearable, only for the spotlight to dissipate almost immediately, and in its place stood a beautiful, curly-haired, blonde woman.

She began to walk toward them, her dress long and flowing and a bright white, which seemed to be exuding its own light.

Alec squeezed Melody’s hand. Neither took their eyes off the woman.

“It’s Grace, your guardian; she’s coming for you, isn’t she?” The woman before her was like a heightened version of the Grace in the photo—she was more beautiful, but in an ethereal way. Grace smiled at Melody as she reached them, and then looked at Alec.

“My beautiful angel, you fell so far for me.” Her voice was so melodious it sounded almost like singing.

“Grace, forgive me. I never stopped loving you, but I love Melody too.” He tried to get up, one hand cupped over his wound, the other still firmly in Melody’s, using it as a lever to raise himself higher.

Grace reached out, lovingly stroking the side of Alec’s face once, before allowing her hand to drop. She then bent down and placed both her hands over his, as they hovered above his wound. A warm, soft light emanated from Alec’s palm. On removing their hands, Melody was able to see the singed shirt, but the flesh underneath was normal and perfect, just as before.

Alec and Melody turned toward Grace, their eyes wide, their mouths gaping. Melody’s mind worked furiously.
She’s healed him only to take him with her. I have to let him go
.

At this Melody turned to Alec, took his face in both of her hands, and tilted his head to look at her. “I love you, Alec, with all my heart and I want you to stay with me.” Her voice broke over the words as the tears threatened to overwhelm her. “But I won’t let you go through the pain you did when Grace died. Go and be with her. I love you enough to want that for you and to not have you suffer again.”

“Melody, I don’t want to leave you.” His voice was fierce.

“I know, my love, that’s why I’m making the decision for you.” She stood to look in the eyes of the beautiful angel beside her. “Grace, he has to go with you.”

Grace looked at the two of them with the eyes of a doting mother. “I would never take you away from each other. I have helped guide you, Melody, your entire life, hoping to bring the two of you together. I’m not Alec’s angel, I’m yours.”

Melody lurched, as if pushed by an invisible force, and Alec stood quickly, steadying her.

“I know you; you speak to me in my dreams.” Memories of Grace filled her mind, as if a door opened and all the dreams she had ever entered came flooding through.

Grace turned to look at Melody. “I always knew you’d be the one for him.” Her smile was gentle, warm, and filled Melody with peace. “I’m not here to take him away, but to tell him he can stay, no strings attached.”

“What does that mean?” Alec’s words were tentative.

“It means, my love, you are no longer immortal, you are human, to live a human life with Melody, with whatever happiness and hardship that brings. It has also been arranged that no one from the other planes will ever come looking for you or Melody.”

“I don’t understand, how that can be? Her life-force is that of two people, no demon could resist—”

“Melody’s life-force was so powerful for one reason only, because I made it that way, so one day there would be enough to share.” Grace looked from Melody to Alec.

“Melody, you’ve proven your love for Alec. You were willing to sacrifice your own life for his, as he was for you. Will you do this last thing for him?”

“He already owns my heart, how can I not share my soul with him?”

A proud smile radiated from Grace.

“Don’t I get a say in the matter?” Alec gave both women a look of consternation.

“No,” they replied in unison, and then smiled at one another.

Melody beamed at him. “I want this. I already know you’re my soulmate; this will make it official.” Her face then dropped slightly. “Unless you don’t want it?”

“Want this? Melody, I may not have known it, but I have loved you from the moment I saw you. I want to grow old with you. We’ll adopt a houseful of children, if that’s what you want.”

Grace beckoned the couple closer with both of her index fingers, and placed her hands at the center of each of their chests. A warm, golden glow flowed from Melody and up Grace’s arm. It seemed to congregate at the center of Grace’s chest, shining more brightly with each passing second, before it separated with a burst, flowing down both of Grace’s arms and into Melody and Alec’s chests.

When the flow subsided, she lowered her hands, a smile of great satisfaction on her face. “This will be the last you see of me, for a while.”

“Grace, I...” Alec began.

“Shh, you deserve this. I love you too.” She embraced him, kissing him lightly on the cheek.

“If you made her for me, and she’s had this double force her whole life, why didn’t I sense her in Edinburgh before now? She’s been here five years.”

“It’s not all about you, you know.” Her tone was admonishing, but also indulgent. “It needed to be the right time for her too.” She became suddenly coy. “Although...I may have accidently held on to a part of her essence. Of course, I immediately returned it to the owner, when I remembered a few days ago. I think you know the rest.”

“You haven’t changed a bit.” His smirk soon turned into an adoring smile.

Her smile faded and a frown affected her porcelain skin. “I am sorry about Walsh, though, he was never part of my plans.”

“I know. There’s no need to be sorry.” He looked at Melody, and she felt a blush creep along her cheeks.

Grace also turned to Melody. “I’m so proud of you, you’ve been so strong, through all of this. I knew I’d put my faith in the right soul when I chose you.” At this, she hugged Melody and when they broke apart, Grace looked at her tenderly. “Oh, and I don’t think adoption will be necessary. Though I’m not saying you shouldn’t, the more the merrier, but you’ll
both have your hands full
soon enough.” Grace’s smile widened and eyes twinkled as she looked pointedly at Melody’s stomach.

Melody and Alec both dropped their gazes to her stomach as well.

“I always thought my name was very pretty, and I like it when boys are named for their father,” Grace observed casually, a cheeky grin appearing. “I won’t be visiting you quite so much anymore. I’ll be very busy in about nine months, you know how it is—young
people
need guidance.” With a meaningful smile, she stepped away from them and seemed to become translucent before disappearing like smoke on the wind.

They both stood, staring at the spot where Grace had been moments ago, before Alec turned to face Melody. “Are you sure?” His eyes seemed to be searching hers for confirmation.

“You’re literally my soulmate. How could I want anything or anyone else?” She saw her own calm decisiveness reflected in his face.

He leaned down, wrapping his arms around her body and pulling her to him. “We’re going to be parents.” The smile that he radiated astounded her.

“You don’t think Grace meant...no, that’s silly...but two names, both our hands full, young
people
...” Melody’s voice drifted off and she shook her head, trying to dispel the thought.

“I think that’s exactly what she meant.”

They looked at each other, speaking at the same time. “Twins!”

The joy they saw in one another’s faces was enough to light the sun.

Alec took Melody’s mouth with his own, and she reveled in the thought of their long and happy future together, growing old at each other’s sides, and kissing like this every day for the rest of their lives.

Biography

Melissa is a proud Kiwi girl currently residing on the South Coast of England with her young family. She embraces the lighter side of love, sex, and the paranormal and thus aims for that in her writing.

Her passion is writing men who are rough and ready for anything, and women who can usually look after themselves, but won’t say no to the right man tagging along.

She sets her stories in places she has visited and loved, with the type of people she would have a few drinks and a barbecue with—if only they were flesh and blood.

Melissa can be found in a variety of places, and would love to hear from anyone who takes the time to give her work a chance.

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