Prologue
I remember as a child my mother would tell me how there was always an angel looking out for you. That "God can do everything but even he needs an extra pair of eyes." My mother believed her guardian angel was her mother, a sweet woman who died when I was five. I don't remember much about her but that she smelled like laundry detergent and kept her hair in straight backs. As much as I think I loved her, being a child I wanted my guardian angel to be something cool like Storm from X-Men or Tiana from The Princess and the Frog.
Eventually, like most people, my imagination went with age and so did my belief. Too many bad things happened and I couldn't believe in my mothers words anymore. Why should I when life has beaten me so low I could no longer see the sky?
There was a night when I was just ready to let go. I can still remember how cold the floor was. How musky and metallic it smelled. The screams, god, the screams were the worst part of it. Worse than having my fingernails torn from my body. Worse than being branded repeatedly. It was the screams of everyone else's suffering that made me give up. I shouldn't have lived through that night.
And the only reason I can tell you any of this right now is because someone had heard my pleas for it all to end, just not in the way I was thinking. That night I was saved by an angel with black wings that seemed too small for the room. She brought a calmness and peace with her that humans chased and only accomplished in death.
I was exhausted and knew I could finally rest now that she was here.
"They're real mama."
Chapter 1- Imver
"I still can't believe they are performing as Champagne Enema tonight. They are literally drunk shit" I said offend Handly as me and my girlfriend, Opal, got dressed to support our friend. She was busy pulling on her fishnets and had already fallen over twice.
"It's a placeholder boo. They're going to change it soon, like always." She reminded me.
I just shook my head while pulling on some bracelets. "They need to settle on a good name. Like, yesterday." Opy just made a noise of agreement. She had managed to get her fishnets on and went to the bathroom to do her face. She wasn't in there long, maybe 15 minutes, before she came out and I got the full effect of her outfit.
She was rocking a leather mini skirt, black ankle boots, a sleeveless and cropped band tee with waist beads that hugged her curves perfectly. Her black and white eyeliner complimented her dark plum lips and lightning earrings. She had also put on a burgundy wig, in a severe bob that brushed her shoulders. It looked good against her peach skin that I personally indulge in whenever I can get the chance.
"I am so happy I'm a lesbian sometimes." I said basically eye fucking her, which I can do because she's my girlfriend. I never get tired of mentioning that, I don't think I ever will.
"Me too because if I were just straight I wouldn't be able to take in the full essence of you my darling." She smiled. She walked over to me to wrap her hands around my waist and place a chaste, purple kiss on my neck, right on my _. My breath hitched and my head felt lighter but I held on.
It took a minute for me to find my words and they weren't exactly strong. "We- we gon be late if you start something."
"But I always finish what I start." She whispered seductively in my ear, placing a kiss below it. I pulled away as quickly as I could with a heated face, glaring at Opal who just looked oh so satisfied with herself.
Fuck what I said about indulging whenever I get the chance. I refuse to be late again, especially on Clary's birthday. Hot woman with a talented tongue be damned!
"You are why we are always late. Not this time you sex demon. We are going to be there on time." I huffed and grabbed my dark jean jack from off our bed and marched out the room. Opy's laugh followed closely behind me.
"Imver, don't do me like that!" She shouted between laughs.
That woman will one day find a way to keep me in that bed, I swear.
Now Simon wasn't a lot of things like confident or fashionable or good at picking movies, but that boy could sing. I think on stage performing to people was the only time he had some sort of confidence, well that and when he was around friends.
Clary was enjoying it the most or maybe it was the extra effect of his sole attention that made her feel so dazed. Sometimes I wish those two would just get together because their chemistry was something to be jealous of. Sorry Maureen, you lost before you even got in the game.
Me and Opy had hung back for a sec before joining the trio and I'm glad we did because I just totally caught Clary checking out Simon.
My girlfriend, being the doll she was, wolf whistles his way making him blush in our direction. "Damn Si, if I were into men you'd definitely be top 10."
"Below Michael B Jordan, Michael Ealy and Michael Jai White, respectively." I listed off Opy's top three hottest men who just all conveniently had the first name Michael. She has a problem.
Simon laughed awkwardly. "So I'm competing with well known hot Actors? That's a serious confident boost. Thanks Opal."
"You're welcome. You're Like somewhere below where Johnny Depp and the dude who plays the young Magneto are."
"Mm!" I placed my right hand over my heat and swooned. "See now if I were into men, top of my list, young magneto. That man, something about that man."
"Don't forget about James Macavoy." Clary piped in. "He plays the young Charles Xavier and I am a sucker for those baby blues and that accent."
"Beast is so much hotter than him." Maureen argued.
"He's top five for sure but nothing will replace that hot brainiac." Clary said.
Before we could debate some more Simon ruined the fun. "Can we please change the subject? I'm starting to feel very objectified."
"Welcome to our life." Opy whispered in my ear, making me giggle. She proceeded to place light kisses on my neck which was very distracting and I barely paid attention to my friends. I only caught 'Rock Solid Panda' , most likely another dumbass name and 'Paint.' They left me and Opy to our own devices which we took full advantage of.
It was amazing how in love we still were after five years together. We first started dating when we were fourteen, lost our virginities to each other at seventeen and only a few months later moved in together. Now 19 years old living the lives of college students with jobs, (which neither of us really needed since we were now technically trust fund babies) the honeymoon stage had yet to go away.
I didn't want to rock Simon's van, again, so I pushed Opy against the nearest wall and kissed her like it was our last. My hands gripped her waist and I brushed my thumbs on the smooth skin of her waist. She wrapped her arms around my neck keeping me as close to her as possible. She tasted like grapes and her lips were softer than cotton candy. We kept it PG 13 at most because as physical as we were we did not want to get arrested for public indecency.
Opy had just swiped her tongue on my bottom lip when I pulled away. Not because I wanted to end the kiss but because I felt something. Something bad, something wrong, something I haven't felt since I was younger.
I turned away from her and instead of seeing people for who they were I saw them for what they were. It was an ability I had picked up after that had happened and it served me well. The psychical vessels dropped away into colored auras, all in a varying shade of gray. Humans were always shades of gray, some were darker, most were on the lighter side but walking away from me was an aura so black and dense that unlike the gray colors that floated like clouds, it dripped like a sludge leaving its mark everywhere it stepped.
"Imver!" Opal's plea pulled me back and once again everything around me was normal. I looked at her and saw her eyes tighten with worry. "Is it one of them?"
I shook my head and took an unsteady breath. "It's not them but it's the same species. It was just so wrong."
"Is it still here?" She pulled me closer, looking around for a threat she couldn't see.
"No. It went into Pandemonium."
She wrapped her hands around me in a secure hug and I tucked my head away into her neck. "It's ok. It's gonna be ok." Opal soothed as she patted hair. We stayed like this for I don't know how long but I felt calmer when she asked "Do I need to call her?"
"No. Can we just go?" My voice had gotten so small. I still couldn't shake my fear after all this time and it always made me wonder if I would ever be ok.
Opy took my hand and without another word started walking us to our car. "I'll tell them we left when we get home."
I only nodded, lost to my thoughts and the past that seemed to keep coming back.
