A Touch Mortal

Chapter 50





Gabe staggered, the weight of the ungainly things throwing him off balance. He’d had them almost an hour and still had no idea how Az made them look so graceful. He swallowed, trying to catch his breath. It’d taken him forever to run the last few blocks and climb the damn fire escape. Already he missed the easy instantaneous travel of the Bound. Clearly, there was a lot to learn. Not that he would. The wings wouldn’t be there long.

Az had talked about how it felt, the pull of both worlds while he was between them, the constant pressure of making a choice. Gabe felt none of it, the skin of his back yanking tight as his left wing dipped. Instead there was only the ease of words, the intrinsic knowledge of how simple it would be to speak them aloud, to come clean. To be free of it. He straightened the wing, this time using the correct muscles without a second thought.

“Like the new look?” Gabe stepped back, taking a deep breath. “I told the Bound. Now let her go or we can add wrath to my list.” The violence seemed to fill him, strengthen him. He felt strange, free. Threats bubbled into his head, the horrible things he could do if he chose. Everything about Upstairs, it all felt far away. Foreign. On the rooftop, everything felt…consequenceless. “I said let her go, Luke.”

He glanced to Eden again. Her mouth hung open, Luke’s arm around her, the shears near her cheek now. Gabe cast up a useless prayer that she would be strong enough to seize the moment, use the distraction to make a move. Az was still tied to the chair. Eden hadn’t moved. Everything rested on her. He could only buy so much time.

“Is that all, Gabe?” Luke smiled. Gabe hesitated, unsure for the first time. Luke’s eyes were locked on him, prey caught but not yet devoured. “Libby’s Siders are Downstairs when she finishes them. She’s tied to me, Gabriel. But if Eden’s tied to Az, why couldn’t I find hers?”

Luke stepped closer.

“You know,” Gabe whispered.

Az yanked up on the bindings, his face pale but for the crimson leaking from his eyebrow, sliding down across the gouge marks on his cheek. “Gabe, no! Don’t say anything!”

Gabe silenced himself. Why was it so easy to say these things?

But it would be so easy. It made sense. The power was there for the taking; all he had to do was come clean. Such a little detail. A shiver thrilled its way down his spine, the wings quivering as if they were a separate entity, a parasite feeding off the dark admissions under the surface, begging to be spoken. The wings were a flaw, a sign that things were incomplete. That there was more to be done. He wanted them off. Gone.

“What did you do, Gabe?” he heard Eden gasp.

“She’s tied to me, Luke,” he said, his voice drowsy, his head full of cotton. He could feel Eden’s eyes on him, heavy with uncertainty. He met them.

“Gabriel,” Az yelled, sudden strength in his voice, drawn out by sheer desperation. “Please, listen to me! Fight it! Don’t say it!”

But the desire burned too strong. Confess, it whispered. Fall. Be glorious. His voice came out strong, the truth behind it undeniable. “I murdered Eden.”

The confession sent a rush of hot shame across his tongue. He stopped, swallowing hard.

“It’s not true! Gabe’s just trying to protect me!” Az yanked up on his bound arms. “He’s lying!”

“I did it for Az,” Gabe said, lifting a shaking hand. “I couldn’t let him lose the wings. If you’d gotten a hold of Eden, he would have.”

Luke’s head tilted, a smile playing at his lips. “I thought so. As soon as Eden said she was sending them Upstairs. After that, it was only a matter of getting you to admit it aloud.” He loosened his arm, setting Eden down gently before turning his attention back to Gabe. She curled, rolling onto her knees, crawling away. Luke made no move to follow.

Gabe’s mouth felt like it was on fire. He’d failed. It’d all gone wrong. “I meant no harm,” he whispered, turning to Eden. She’d made it a few yards across the roof to Jarrod, sat looking back at Gabe in shock.

His lungs burned. He choked out a breath, sure he heard the crackle of fire in his chest.

Great plumes of rippled steam rushed from him and the taste of disappointment slid out across the enamel of his teeth. His met Az’s eyes, terror widening them until they were almost comical. They both knew what was happening. It had taken centuries for Az’s fire to burn out, for him to go cold, but for Gabe it was happening all at once. So, this is what it feels like when Heaven leaves you.

Fallen. Now, he thought frantically, eyes darting to Eden. Do something.

Forgive me. It was his last thought before the shudder ripped through him, a slosh of frozen spray sliding across his insides, filling him.

It doesn’t even hurt, he marveled just before the first spasm of pain ripped through his shoulders, dropping him to his knees. The root of each feather, like a barbed hook, shredded his flesh as it pulled free. They scattered across the rippled tar and plummeted over the edge. His skin burned as the puckered leftovers of the wings collapsed. The bones disintegrated, digging their way into his back, the flesh ripping and stitching itself back together. His scream broke the air.