I never figured you two for pranking types. Though this is beyond awesome.” She gave a joint of his left wing a hard squeeze. Az grimaced, knowing she felt the bones grinding. “Jesus. These things are, like, movie prop worthy.”
She rounded his shoulder for a better look at his back and he knew it was over.
She sucked in a sharp breath. “You have holes in your back!”
He nodded slowly. “The wings tuck in. Most times a sweatshirt is enough to hide them.”
His anatomy had been rearranged, concave scoops on either side of a spine lined in muscles, where the wings attached inside. A thin layer of skin hid blood and bone along his rib cage.
“Wings?” She took a step away, her voice shaking. “You were hiding wings?”
“It’s not exactly something that goes in a personal ad, Eden. Enjoys long walks on the beach and sarcastic girls. Bird fetish a plus. Can I put them away now?” he whispered, his head hung low. When she didn’t answer, he contracted his shoulders, then folded the wings back in and grabbed for his shirt in a single motion. He put it on as he dropped onto the bed, and glanced up at her.
“This is seriously happening, isn’t it?” Her eyes were wide, her head cocked as it finally hit her. Her face paled when he moved toward her. “Don’t come any closer!” He froze, but she stepped back anyway.
“Eden, I’m not going to hurt you. I promise.”
“Is that, like, an angel rule or something?” she asked, her breaths coming faster.
Az winced. “No, it’s a boyfriend rule. Not all angels are good.”
“Neither are all boyfriends.”
“I used to be the good kind. Of angel,” he clarified. “Bound, like Gabriel. I got in trouble. The wings, they’re like probation.” He forced himself to stop the ramble and met her eyes.
“Gabe too?” She took a shuddering breath, shaking her head. “No. No, I’ve seen Gabe with his shirt off. I’ve gone swimming with him.”
Az nodded. “The Bound don’t have wings. Neither do the Fallen.” So Fall. Lose the wings and you’ll look normal enough for her to love you. Az squeezed his eyes shut, trying to push the thoughts away, make them stop. The Fallen aren’t punished for love.
He swallowed hard, lowering his hand to his pocket. “I understand. If you don’t love me anymore.” Look how worthless you are. He didn’t want to call Gabriel, not while he was at Kristen’s, but if it got any worse there would be no other choice.
“I didn’t say that,” she said. She hadn’t left, hadn’t lost it. He forced his eyes open, concentrated on Eden, trying to gauge her reaction. Her expression still hovered somewhere between panic and disbelief, but she was holding her own. It didn’t guarantee she wouldn’t leave, but it was enough to push the darkest thoughts away.
She stared at him for a long moment. “What’s green mean?”
“Green?”
“They’ve always been blue.” She lifted a finger to the corner of her eye. “If they go yellow when you’re scared, what’s green?”
“Blue and yellow?” He tried out a smile. “Happy fear? Hope?”
He watched as she struggled with herself before she slowly crossed the room. She sat on the bed with him, against the headboard, closer but still keeping her distance.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“I don’t know.”
“Does this change things?”
She looked up at him, exasperated, drawing her knees to her chest. “Az, you’re telling me you’re an angel. This is either the most fucked-up day ever or I need to be locked in a psych ward. I’d say it changes things.”
He scooted closer to her. “I meant…does it change us.”
Her brow wrinkled. “You’ve had them the whole time, right?” He nodded, his heart in his throat as she seemed to consider. “Anything else you wanna get off your chest?”
Az dropped his hands to hers. So much, he thought. “How are you okay with this?” he asked. It didn’t feel real. Her still being there.
She pulled her hands away slowly. “I don’t know.” Her voice grew even quieter. “If I freak out and leave, I lose you. I don’t want that.” Her fingers found his again, entwining with them as their eyes met. “I want you. And if this is you, well…”
He pulled her into his arms, the tension in his shoulders releasing as her arms wrapped around him. “I love you so much.”
CHAPTER 5
Ivy grew thick across the back of the house, the broken path across the yard lost under green tendrils. Gabriel didn’t bother hiding his presence, using