I sat staring out the large bay window. From where I was sitting on the windowsill I could stare out at the waves as they lit up by distant flashes of lightning, way cool. I smiled to myself enjoying the unusual quiet. I alone, and everyone quiet. This happened maybe once millennia, so it was definitely something to treasure. I liked these kinds of storms. Liked watching the faraway winds wash across the sea; lightning dying everything shades of blue and purple. Me and the flock were safe for now, but being the eternal pessimistic I am, I didn't think it could last, neither could this peaceful scene. Shivering I opened the window letting the cool breeze play over my skin, tickling my stretched out wings. I smiled to myself, clearly my shorts and t-shirt weren't on the menu for life in Maine.
I felt a hand on my shoulder; startled, I spun crashing into the person standing behind me. I raised my fist ready to cheerfully beat them to death; however, the person stepped out of the shadow allowing me to register their cinnamon skin, raven black hair hanging in layers about his face, and dark chocolate eyes starring intensely at me. I raised my fist and punched him in the shoulder,
"That's for sneaking up on me." I hated it when fang went all stealthy, even I couldn't hear him, and it creped me out. Fang's smile lit up the darkness. I felt I shiver run up my spine. I stepped back needing to put some distance between us.
Why don't you just admit that you love him? Spoke up my annoying voice.
Cause I don't, I growled mentally back at it.
Sure, the voice retorted, and I swear it was rolling its eyes at me.
God I hated that stupid voice. It was never there when I needed it, but when I wanted to handle my personal life, by myself, it was all over it. Fang stood studying me in the half light, his eyes concerned. I was so sick of people looking at me like that. I spun desperate to escape his gaze and ended up perched shivering on the windowsill again. Picking up a blanket he draped it over my shoulders, letting his hands rest on my shoulders slowly making his way down my spine. No I wouldn't let him do this to me again. Finally, I managed a mangled whisper.
"Please don't."
His hands stopped, but I could tell he was frustrated. He grabbed my shoulder spinning me around to face him. I avoided looking at his face.
"Max… Max at least looked at me," he called.
When I refused, he gently grabbed my chin tilting it so I was forced to look in his eyes.
"What's wrong with you," he growled, low voiced, "ever since we left Anne's you won't talk to me, you won't look at me. What did I do?"
Angrily I brought up my hands shoving against his chest. He stumbled back a foot or two. I hissed, enraged at him.
"Don't touch me you asshole. You lost that right when you told me you loved me and two days later were stuck to the red haired whore." Fang looked shocked and angry.
"I do love you I told you that, I always have if you can't accept that then that's your problem."
"Ya you love me when there is no one else around, then you're stuck like static to the first girl you see!" I yelled angrily at him.
Behind him the flock was stirring sitting up looking confused. I sprang onto the windowsill and launched myself out into the wind. I dropped a few feet before I rotated my wings, loosening up the muscles. With a furious surge I flew forward, tears streaming down my face mingling with the rain and spray from the sea. Shivering I wished I'd grabbed a sweater and some pants before storming out. Faster and faster I flew pouring on the speed till I was streaking like a rocket. I wasn't enjoying it this time. I poured on the speed trying to escape, concentrating on my muscles, not allowing myself to think. Below me thousands of lights rushed by, pearls of headlights and taillights glistened like some messed up glowing necklace. Slowly even my thoughts relented, and I went on auto pilot concentrating on the movement of each muscle. My mind exploding in pain as I attempted to block out the voice, I didn't want to listen to its ten cents about running away.
I flew too numb to even care where I was going, not feeling the rising storm beating at me. Finally, too exhausted to fly, I folded my wings landing clumsily, running a few steps before falling onto the grass. There I lay crying in heaving sobs, tears running down my face until finally I was spent. Then curling in a ball I just sat there watching the lightning.
Finally it entered my foggy brain about how long I have been gone. I stood unsteadily wiping my sore eyes one last time, starting across the meadow. I took a few faltering steps before launching myself in the air. My wings ached as I scooped the air gaining altitude. I settled into the steady beats trying to ignore the cramping and tearing of my muscles. I was too exhausted to even try to use my super speed. I battled against the winds for hours, I was so worn out I needed to find a place to land soon. All around me the winds shrieked; invisible fingers tearing at my clothes and feathers. Finally up ahead I saw the beach with the rocks. I could hear the wind building around me; I needed to get down before it reached me. Tucking my wings in I dove toward the ground spiraling; racing the winds in the brief calm. I pulled out of the dive at the last second back pedaling hard, feeling the muscles shred. My feet brushed the stones which were too tired to support me. I collapsed on the rocks feeling their jagged edges against my wings. As I began to tuck my wings in I watched the wind come rushing toward me, bending the plants and shrieking threw the rocks. Then it hit with an angry roar grabbing my feathers and tearing open my wings; throwing me back into the air. For a brief moment I hung suspended by the storm's fury. Then with a violent shriek it slammed me back down. My wings pinned underneath me. I screamed in agony as the jagged edges of the rocks tore threw my clothes digging into my back; breaking and ripping out feathers. I withered trying to escape the wind as it tore again at my wings, lifting me for a brief moment and tossing me into the sky. It slammed me chest first into the rocks. My breath left me in a whoosh, and my ribs were battered and sore. I could feel the rocks all around me clawing at my feathers and tearing into my skin. I struggled against the wind trying to yank in my wings, but they no longer listened to me.
Twisting and turning I clung to the rocks; distantly I heard footsteps and the clattering of rocks. Someone stopped in front of me screaming my name; I glanced up trying to respond.
"My wings!!" I finally managed to yell.
Fang bent down, stroked my hair and grabbed the edge of my wing, tucking it as gently as possible into my back. I winced in pain, moaning as his fingers brushed the raw flesh. He grabbed my other wing as the next gust of wind hit us. Grabbing my feathers the wind flipped me over onto Fangs chest. I clung to his neck sobbing in pain and exhaustion his hands clung to my hips pulling me closer to his chest. Then wrapping his arms around my waist he held me as the wind buffeted my free wing. He waited until the wind died down, then flipped me over setting me gently on the rocks. Straddling my chest he quickly grabbed my wing and carefully tucked it into my back. Then he hovered over me, careful to keep his weight off me. Gently he reached up wiping the hair off my face, and gently lowered himself so our bodies pressed together, but couldn't feel his weight. He bent down gently kissing me. I clung to him in shock for a few moments, and began kissing him back. He nibbled at my lip and I parted them for him. He deepened the kiss for a moment, his tongue sliding between my lips. Before trailing kissing up my cheek to my ear, his lips tickled as he whispered to me.
"I love you max. I always loved you."
I tilted my head staring deep into his chocolate eyes, the gold flecks in their depths shone brightly as I studied him.
I tilted my head forward allowing my lips to play across his and down his jaw. His lips tasted so good. Better than anything I had ever tasted. His masculine and spicy smell made my mouth water. Our kiss was like fire, passionate and all consuming. In that instant I realized I had always loved fang. Exhausted I leaned back my vision darkening around the edges. With a content sigh I studied Fang's face, noticing how beautiful his cinnamon colored skin was wet and gleaming in the lightning flashing overhead. His black hair was mussed by the wind and draped over his chocolate eyes. Still burning passionately as my vision narrowed I whispered, "I love you Fang," and let the darkness swallow me.