Enjoy the chapter!

Love Never Dies,

Bella

Chapter 17

x

Out of Sight

Daniel pulled his wings in as he found the gymnasium, where he found a trickle of blood starting at the door, then ending at a vast pool of it, with the human girl Pennyweather laying upon it, her throat split open and her eyes closed. Daniel frowned and slowly picked up the girl and cradled her in his arms.

"May your soul find peace," Daniel murmured and layed her down on a table that was on the foyer and waved his hand over the blood, making it disappear into the marble floor. Now there was this aching worry in his chest, that this could be Luce as well. He shouldn't have trusted Sophia, especially not with Luce.

Daniel then closed his eyes then looked behind him, two Guardians standing behind him and awaiting orders. Daniel then nodded toward them, "Find Luce, and protect her her." The Guardians then rushed into a wall, Daniel then stepped out the foyer and flew up, his eyes grazing the top of the gymnasium/ A stained glass top, but he could see that one section of the old building glowed dimly, as if lit by a candle. Then Daniel knew, she was in there. He ducked his head and crashed through the glass and settled on his feet. His violet eyes searched around the room and took in the scene.

Luce; Strapped down and a dagger deep into her neck. Sophia holding the dagger and looking up at the shards as they rained down on everything, horror stricken. The Guardians twisted around the ropes that bound Luce down and undid them and guided around Luce's body, healing her wound as Sophia retreated it from her stomach.

Daniel's first instinct was to run to Luce, or go after Sophia - but it was obvious that the Guardians had handled it. He shouldn't have trust that deceiving woman, Daniel still couldn't understand why he'd put Luce's fragile life in the hands of a mortal. Or so he thought she was. But, as Daniel thought on it, he realized exactly what and who she was - One of the Elders.

"Not yet! It's happening too soon!"Sophia shrieked then ran towards the wall, searching for another passage. But Daniel's eyes only stayed on Lucinda, who was glowing from the Guardians that circled her body, healing her bleeding arms and face before they helped her rise. Her hazel irises squinted, searching through the blinding light before she finally found him. Her features soften and a look of ease passed over her.

It was time.

Shyly, yet almost cautiously, Daniel's arms spread to his sides, his head tilted back, and then his wings spread behind him, extending so far that they almost didn't fit in the room. His glow radiated off the walls, his body finally feeling free for the first time in a long time. His eyes opened and looked upon Luce, who gaped in awe. Daniel's arms opened up to her, taking a step forward until they finally met and he bought her body against his. For a moment, Daniel had expected something else rather than this look of pure bliss from Luce - Much rather for her to easily remember, or to turn into a puff of ash at his feet. Either way, she was here, she was here and she could finally see Daniel wholly.

Her arms looped around Daniel's neck and her fingertips traced along the base of his wings, causing himself and his wings to shudder beneath her gentle touch. However, Daniel's hands were shaky and his gut still twisted with fear - He was still scared of losing her. Her hands drew back and buried her face into his chest. "You're so. . . beautiful. I mean you've always been beautiful, but this -"

"Does it scared you? Does it hurt to look?" Daniel breathed quickly, not meaning to cut her off but this was for more important than Daniel's looks. Luce shook her head and sighed contently.

"I thought it might," She whispered, pausing as she thought of something. "But it hurts not to."

Daniel sighed with relief, his fingers brushing along her cheek. "I want you to feel safe around me." He murmured, pulling her body closer, so that the gap between them was filled. "It's a lot for you to take in." Daniel's lips twitched she leaned up and parted her lips expectantly for a kiss, his head leaning down but quickly interrupted by the slamming of a door. They both looked at the passage that SOphia had found, but it took no time at all for a Guardian to follow her out.

"What was that?" Luce asked but Daniel's fingers gently took her chin and guided her back to face him. "A helper." Daniel whispered and then he closed the gap steadily, their lips meet and instantly. Both of their eyes closed, taking in the entire kiss, the entire moment of the present. Daniel's hand went along her body, stroking her spine and gliding down her hips before slipping his fingers through her beltloops, pulling her closer. His tongue edged along her lips before greedily entering her mouth. Their bodies shaped together like a perfect puzzle, never retreating and evenly breathing. Then, as Daniel pulled away for them both to breathe, Luce's lips quivered against his, her voice broken as she spoke,

"Penn's gone, Daniel. Miss Sophia kill her. And for a moment, I thought she'd kill me, too."

"I would never let that happen." Daniel shook his head, sighing softly and brushing her hair from her face.

"How did you know to find me here? How did you know how to save me?" Luce shook her head and gasped. "Oh my god." She whispered slowly. "You're my guardian angel."

Daniel chuckled at assumption, "Not exactly. Though I think you were giving me a compliment." Daniel smiled at her and watched a light blush bloom over her cheeks in embarrassment.

"Then what kind of angel are you?" She asked curiously, referring more than likely to what side he was. Daniel shrugged.

"I'm sort of in between gigs right now."

Then he saw two figures land gracefully from the corner of his eye, Arriane and Gabbe. Both of them had their wings extended behind them grandly and a look of content on their faces, a warm smile to greet Luce, who also smiled and shook her head in slight disbelief.

"I should have known." Luce said. Gabbe wore a beaming smile in return and Arriane curtsied. But as soon as Gabbe's smile faded, Daniel knew something was wrong.

"What's going on out there?"

"We need to get Luce out of here." Gabbe urged.

"And someone needs to go after Sophia, she could not have been working alone." Arriane said, crossing her arms over her chest and an angered look in her eyes. Daniel's jaw clenched and his wings flapped once in bitterness.

"Is she on Cam's side? IS she some kind of. . .Devil? A fallen angel?" Luce asked, looking up at Daniel, who shook his head and muttered through his clenched teeth,

"No devil, but hardly an angel, either. We thought she was with us. We should never have let her get this close."

"She was one of the twenty-four elders." Gabbe explained, "A very respectable position. She kept this part of her very well hidden."

"As soon as we got up here, it was like she just went crazy." Luce rubbed her neck, where the dagger had been only minutes ago.

"They are crazy," Gabbe confirmed. "But very ambitious. She's part of a secret sect. I should have realized it sooner, but the signs are very clear call themselves the Zhsmaelim. They dress alike, and all have a certain. . . elegance. I always thought they were more show than anything else. No one took them too seriously in Heaven, but they will ow. What she did tonight was grounds for exile. She might be seeing more of Cam and Molly than she bargained for." She informed Luce, who nodded.

"So Molly's a fallen angel too." Luce murmured to herself, as if all the information she had gathered was clipping to some event.

"Luce, we're all fallen angels. It's just some of us are on one side. . .And some of us are on the other."

"Is anyone else here on-" Luce paused and swallowed. "-the other side?"

"Roland." Gabbe simply said.

"Roland?" Luce blinked, obviously stunned. "But you were friends with him. He was always so charismatic and great." Daniels only shrugged, not too disarmed by Luce's words, Arriane on the other hand shudder and whispered, "We'll get him back someday." Daniel knew how much Roland's choice affected her, though it never truly hurt their friendship.

"What about Penn?" Luce at Daniel, a hopeful look in her eyes. Daniel frowned and sighed, shaking his head, giving a soft squeeze. "Penn was mortal. An innocent victim in a long, pointless war. I'm so sorry, Luce."

"So that whole fight out there. . . ?" Luce nearly choked out.

"Just one of the many battle we wage against the demons," Gabbe said.

"Well, who won?" Luce looked at Daniel expectantly but he only he shook his head and picked up a shard and threw it at the wall as he bitterly muttered, "Nobody," He watched as the glass shattered, hoping that it'd help some of the anger that hid beneath his skin. "Nobody ever wings. It's close to impossible for one angel to extinguish another. It's just a lot of beating until everyone gets tired and calls it a night."

There was a pause before Luce finally whispered, "You're hurt."

Daniel turned to her, "No,"

"He can't get hurt, he's-"

"What is that on your arm, Daniel? Is that blood?" Ariane asked

"It's Penn's," Daniel mumbled. "I found her at the foot of the stairs." Daniel shook his head and turned away,

"We need to bury Pen, next to her father." Luce suddenly rushed, catching Daniel's attention. He frowned, his heart twisting in guilt. He opened his mouth to say something, but Gabbe had beat him to it.

"Luce, honey," Gabbe slowly approached her. "I wish there were time for that, but right now, we've got to go."

"I won't abandon her. She doesn't have anyone else."

Daniel sighed and rubbed his forehead. Gabbe was right, they had no time for this - Especially for her stubbornness. "Luce," Daniel started but Luce quickly took her chance to reply.

"She died in my arms, Daniel. Because I didn't know any better than to follow Miss Sophia to this torture chamber. Because none of you told me anything." Luce's voice sounded constricted and sincere, which made it nearly impossible to say no. She wanted this, no - She needed this. Daniel stared at her for a long moment, before he sighed and nodded slowly.

"Okay," Daniel began. "We'll make things as right for Penn as we can. But then we need to get you far away from here." Daniel sighed and shook his head, Gabbe flying down from the altar.

"Daniel's right, the truce we called after the battle applies only to angels. And now that so many know about the-" Gabbe paused, hesitant. "-um, chance in your mortality status, there are a lot of bad ones out there who'll be interested in you." Daniel shuddered at her words and knew instantly who would be 'interested' in Luce; The Outcasts. He knew that they had tried to get to her plenty of times before, and it wouldn't be the first. They had recently come up with some foolish idea that Luce was some sort of way to get back into Heaven, that she could make the choice finally and that The Throne would grant them 'admission' back.

"And a lot of good ones who will come out to help fend them off," Arriane reassured as she landed beside Luce, a reassuring smile stretched over her face. But Luce's eyebrows furrowed and she shook her head.

"I still don't get it," Luce said as she glanced up at Daniel, as if he had held the answer - Which, he probably did. "Why does it matter so much? Why do I matter so much? Is it just because Daniel loves me?"

Oh, Luce. Daniel sighed. What you don't know will save you at this point. "That's part of it, as innocent as it sounds."

"You know everyone loves to hate a happy pair of lovebirds," Arriane pitched in, her smile still on her face.

"Honey, this is a very long story." Gabbe sounded nearly sad, a sympathetic look in her eyes that only the angels could recognize. "We can only give it to you a chapter at a time."

"And like with my wings," Daniel added, his fingers ran along her collarbone. "you'll have to awaken to a lot of it on your own."

"But why?"Luce asked, a near childish tone to her voice, but at the same time - A plea. "Why can't you just help me understand?"

"We can help." Arriane assured, her fingers ran through her black hair. "But we can't unload everything on you at once. Like how you're never supposed to shock a sleepwalker in wakefulness. It's too dangerous."

Luce turned away and hugged herself as she looked away. "It would kill me," She mumbled, completing the circle. Daniel frowned and guided his arms around her waist, his hands rested on her's along with his lips gently pressed against her hair.

"It has befoe. And you've had enough close encounters with death for one night."

"So what? Now I just have to leave school? Where will you take me?" Luce tilted her head up to Daniel, her hazel eyes burned into his. Daniel's brow furrowed, the remembrance that he couldn't take her anywhere tonight - Or anywhere with him. Though Daniel had been able to hide in Skid Row and other places before, with Luce it was dangerous. He'd been easily found all those times from either flying or just using a simple gift - It was like a beam that gave off this big signal 'I'm Here!'. nd it'd be too risky to take Luce with him.

"I can't take you anywhere. It would draw too much attention. We're going to have to rely on someone else. There's one mortal here we can trust." Daniel looked down Arriane, as if suggesting to go get Mr. Cole now. He was the only mortal Daniel could wholly trust at this point, and besides - He'd keep a good eye on Luce nonetheless this time, even if that meant from a distance.

"I'll go get him." Arriane nodded and flew off through the opening in the ceiling. Luce, however, held the most bare look in her hazel eyes, her lip quivered.

"I won't leave you now. I've only just gotten you back." She whimpered, and daniel smiled sadly, his fingers stroked her hair and kissed her head gently.

"Luckily, we still have a little time."