- •I’m definitely blushing now from his compliment. “Fittie,” that’s like extreme hotness. I never think of myself that way. He must be a playa or something.
- •I go rigid when I hear echoing undertones in Reed’s voice. The student immediately leaves without a word. Reed’s green eyes shift back to mine as if nothing out of the ordinary has happened.
- •I can almost believe that he’s teasing me; if that isn’t the most ridiculous notion I have had thus far. “I just knew I was going to regret that question,” I mumble as I blush.
- •I stare at him in utter amazement. “Ha, ha, you’re funny, Russell. You know who I am,” I say, but I see by the look on his face that he is confused now.
- •I stare at it breathlessly before I find my voice to ask, “Russell, your necklace…” I want to reach out and touch it, but my hands are shaking, so I put them in my lap to hide them.
- •I see him smile for a second until he reads the serious look on my face, then his smile falters. “Ya do wut?”
- •I squeeze his hand lightly and reply, ““He’s more of a techie than a sportsman.”
- •I shrug, and say with a small smile, “Megan totally fell for it, too. It was worth the stink eye she gave me.”
- •I recognize it immediately as an ip address. “You got it! I knew you wouldn’t let me down,” I say proudly, reaching over and giving him a soft tap on the shoulder.
- •I could spot Reed from a mile away, even with his helmet and face guard on. It is the stealthy, predatory way he moves that completely gives him away.
- •I ignore his confidence in the fact that my knee is going to all but fix itself shortly. “Wouldn’t that be off the hook?” I mutter, and take another sip of cognac.
- •I frown at him while I nod.
- •I hesitate before saying, “But you haven’t done it yet, so one can only assume that you may have envisioned a scenario in which eliminating me is not advantageous?”
- •I turn to see my new professor hailing me back into the classroom. I walk back in slowly, unsure of why Mr. MacKinnon is singling me out. “Yes?” I ask.
- •I look away from him, replying sarcastically, “Well, you can tell jt and Pete for me that the next time they hold a knitting bee and gossip circle, I could use a new sweater!”
- •I give him a funny look, then explain, “Your vitals—your email and all of the websites you think you need to sweep,” I say, smiling at his anti-geek question.
- •I program my number in Freddie’s cell, and then giving it back to him, I look at Russell. “I was going to tell you,” I lie to Russell.
- •I take a huge bite of oatmeal and chew it demonstratively, “Mmmm…oatmeal…my favorite.”
- •It takes me several breaths to answer him because I have never seen him smile like that—it’s intoxicating, especially because I never thought he would smile like that at me.
- •I don’t look at him, but hold the stick tighter. “Because I need it,” I reply evasively.
- •It’s probably nothing to him if I get hurt. I mean, why would he care?
- •I rest my hand on his chest, before cautiously peeking around him. Coffee grounds litter the floor by the coffee maker. “Coffee?” I whisper.
- •I’m not disappointed; it is extremely dreadful to me when he says, “Destroying evil. Fighting the legions of the Fallen damned. I’m a soldier, Evie, an assassin…I told you that.”
- •I stir uneasily to see his face, asking, “But if protecting me will be dangerous for you, why would you take on that responsibility?” He’s crazy to get involved with me.
- •I sigh. “I mean, what are they like when you’re not fighting?” I probe, hoping to get a glimpse into his world.
- •It would’ve been much nicer to hear him say he was ecstatic that I exist, so I try to ignore his comment and ask, “So I can’t tell anyone?”
- •I sigh, “Do you want to come with me?”
- •I set my plate on the table next to Reed’s as he pulls my chair out for me. “Better?” he asks when I am seated.
- •I think for a second, and then say in disappointment, “Oh, yeah, I get that I’m a frustrating creature.”
- •I give a little shrug, “You probably would’ve made the second half, but the Kappas had to forfeit—it was a shut out,” I reply, grateful that there’ll be no second half.
- •I nod, feeling a lump forming in my throat. “So, are you saying that it probably thought that I was one of them—an evil spawn released on the world to destroy it?”
- •I think I really touched a nerve in Reed because he seems to want to say something else as his eyes argue with mine, but after a few seconds, he nods while he says, “Of course. Goodnight, Genevieve.”
- •I try to smile back at Owen, but I hear two sets of growls, one from Reed and the other from Russell. “Thank you, Owen,” I reply, but I’m on edge now, waiting for the next shot to be fired at me.
- •I almost smile, because as I glance around the table, everyone here looks to be feeling completely awkward. Everyone, that is, with the exception of Reed; he’s cool and removed from all of this.
- •I am about to leave but he holds my arm and says, “You should be with Russell.”
- •I let out a breath like he has punched me in the stomach. Holy Freaking Crap! He’s an angel! Don’t freak out—ask him his name, like you’re interested—buy time, I think.
- •I try desperately to reason with Russell again, “We have to help Reed!”
- •I stop kissing him. Straightening, I search his stormy-green eyes again. “But that’s cruel,” I murmur warily.
- •I take a step back from Reed, frowning at him because he knows his voice doesn’t work on me. “Reed…” I say, holding my ears, trying to get the ringing to stop.
- •I don’t get a chance to finish, because he is up rushing around again. “No, we go tonight,” he says as he continues to pack my things.
- •I frown. “Oh…” I breathe, trailing off.
- •I cringe. “I’m only half human,” I correct him softly.
- •I am startled by the angel’s soft, deadly tone as he says, “No, I think I will stay. Something very interesting just walked in.”
- •I shake my head. “I never met my father. I didn’t know that he was an angel until recently,” I reply.
- •I don’t even want to talk about their color, I think.
- •I swear, if he keeps doing that I might purr like a kitten. Don’t think about that right now, just concentrate!
- •Intense frustration shoots through me then as I open my eyes. “Why are you stopping?” I demand breathlessly, searching his face, which looks a bit too smug for my liking.
- •I pull Russell over to the sofa. Sitting down in the middle of it, I make Russell sit next to me. “Did they realize that you were watching them?” I ask him pointedly.
- •I’m not doing this well! He doesn’t understand. I have to do something, but what? I think in desperation.
- •I stop smiling when Reed says, “Evie, we really do have to leave Crestwood now. This place is going to be crawling with curious angels.”
- •In the morning, I awake to sun streaming in the windows of Reed’s guest bedroom. Reed is next to me when I open my eyes.
- •I interrupt him. “Why would my soul give you redemption? How do you know that it’s not evil and would bar you from your Paradise?” I ask him searchingly.
- •I wince at his words. “Purify it? How?” I ask him urgently.
- •I rest my hand on his arm pleadingly. “You don’t want to do this, Freddie.” I say, trying to reason with him. “You and Russell are friends. Russell loves you, I know it,” I beg.
- •I sniffle. “So…Russell’s alive?” I ask.
- •I shake my head. “No, not yet. I don’t want anyone but you right now,” I whisper honestly. “Is he okay?” I ask as Reed tucks the blankets back around me.
- •I sigh tiredly, rubbing my forehead. “Ugh, there is so much to do. I don’t even know where my books are,” I say unhappily. “I have to do well or I’ll lose my scholarship.”
- •I can feel my face paling. “Russell, Alfred is still out there. He still wants my soul, so you aren’t safe until we get him,” I say with urgency.
- •Intuition: The Premonition Series
- •I give Buns a skeptical look. I doubt that any of them would ever think I’m darling. “Pampering is for wimps,” I say, trying to make light of it all.
- •I look over at Reed and see him frowning. “Buns, can you find something else…something a little more feasible…tactically?” he asks.
I don’t even want to talk about their color, I think.
“Evie, they are perfect,” Reed says, and when I frown, he lifts my chin so that I will meet his eyes. “Truly, they are perfect. They are small now because you are young. They will grow larger over time, but truly, they couldn’t be more beautiful than they are now. You will be able to control them soon. It will take some time, but you will learn,” he says as he gently strokes my wing.
“You like them?” I ask in surprise. “I thought there was something wrong with them.”
“Evie, you have no idea how much I like them,” he says ruefully. “You are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen.”
“How is that possible? They’re crimson!” I state blandly. “Why aren’t they white or grey, like yours?”
“They are crimson because you are a Seraph. If you were an Archangel, they would be white, or if you were a Power, like me, then they could be several other colors. Only Seraphim have your coloring, and that means you outrank Archangels, Thrones, Virtues, Cherubim, Powers…but don’t let it go to your head because you still have to listen to me while we are here,” he states, smiling.
“Don’t be ridiculous. How can I possibly outrank anybody? I’m a mutant, and if you hadn’t noticed, most angels would like nothing better than to crush the soul right out of me,” I reply dully. “You were right that day at registration, when you said we’re screwed. I’m screwed, aren’t I? I’m never going to survive.”
“You just did survive, against all odds. Zephyr is a machine when it comes to killing the Fallen…and yet, you managed to survive him,” Reed says soberly. “Not only that, I would lay odds that he would fight to protect you as well. You have won him over, and he is a powerful ally. You also survived the other one, at the formal, and you survived me as well. You have some sort of power over us. It seems that, in each situation, you find the weakness that turns us to your side. Even the fallen one was captivated.”
“I survived Sebastian because you were there, and as for you, well, I had the butterflies on my side,” I reply softly. “And I’m not so sure about Zephyr. He scares me to death.”
Reed’s face turns grim as he says, “I am sorry that I wasn’t here tonight. When I think of what might have happened to you…I don’t know what I would have done if he had harmed you,” he says anxiously. “I went to Chicago to pick up your birthday present. I was going to give it to you at the party, but Russell called me when I was on my way back to town. He told me you were coming here and why. I had already received a call from Zephyr, telling me he was here because there were souls hovering all around town. I cannot think of what stirred them all up…” he says in frustration at the bad timing.
“Zephyr isn’t the only angel in town, Reed. I spotted two more at the Delt house when I was there. I asked Russell to call you—Russell! I have to call Russell and tell him I’m okay. I left him at the party, and I was in a hurry—he knew why I had to go. He must be so worried…and nobody is watching him!” I gasp, gripping Reed’s hand urgently, brushing aside the fact that I know exactly why the souls are walking around town. “Please, let me use your phone.”
Reed hands me his phone, but I pause before dialing. I hear a crunch of tires on the gravel driveway outside, announcing a new visitor is arriving and at breakneck speed, by all indications. The car comes to a quick halt near the door to the house. Then, someone shoots out of the car, not even bothering to close the car door.
The front door opens up with a crash as Russell calls out, “Red!”
“Damn! It’s Russell, what do I do? He can’t see me like this! How do I get these things back in?” I ask Reed urgently, turning back to the mirror. I try to move them again, but they won’t budge.
“Don’t worry, I will just persuade him to leave,” Reed starts to say until I grab his arm.
“No, you can’t do that! I’m supposed to be watching Russell, remember? You have to get him to stay, and you have to help me get rid of my wings!” I plead.
“But, I like your wings,” he says, smiling sweetly while stroking them again.