A Touch Mortal

Chapter 7





Az reached forward and tucked a few strands of her hair behind her ear. Eden glanced up, smiling. The hotel comforter was scratchy, but she didn’t mind as she stretched out on the bed. She reached up to pull him closer, her hand sliding over his back, feeling the shape of his wings under the fabric. They were real. Still there and not some figment of her imagination. Az really was an angel.

He flinched and she lowered her hand.

“What time is it?” she asked.

He pulled out his phone. “Almost midnight.”

Eden groaned, taking out her own cell and dialing home. Her mom answered on the second ring. “Hey, it’s me. I’m with Az. Just wanted to check in.” There was silence on the line. “You there?”

“Who is this again?” Her mom sounded confused.

Eden sat up in bed. “It’s your daughter? Eden? Firstborn?” She didn’t know why she bothered anymore. “What time do you want me home?” she asked, finally.

Instead of an answer, the call disconnected. “God, she can’t even talk to me?” Eden snapped the phone shut, turning to Az. “I haven’t done anything bad all summer and she just gets more and more pissed at me. She acts like I don’t even exist.” Eden forced her mom’s weirdness out of her head. She winked at Az as she ran a finger across his chest, her voice coming out sultry. “I could just stay here all night.”

He didn’t smile like she expected. Instead, he clicked off the television, rolling over and off the bed.

“Where are you going?”

“I need air.” He crossed the room to the balcony, not looking back. He raised his hand to the metal of the handle and left it there, his head drooping. The exit sign behind her buzzed a steady, angry hum.

“Seriously?” She felt her cheeks redden with humiliation, wondering why he’d pulled away.

He flung open the balcony door without an answer, rattling it down the track. Eden jumped as it slammed. When he was outside, he slid it almost closed, leaving only the last inch open. An invitation.

She sat, unbelieving, on the bed. What the hell is wrong with everyone lately? The blinds still swung wildly. Slowly she stood and made her way across the room and slid the door open.

“Are you okay?” she asked cautiously.

“No.” He leaned, his hand hanging beyond the railing of the balcony. Her fingers grazed his arm, following down until she caught his hand. She squeezed. His head fell onto her shoulder. His fingers found one of her rings, slipping it gently against her knuckle before he dropped her hand and turned away.

“Az, if something’s wrong you need to tell me.” When he looked up, the sadness in his eyes caught her off guard. “I can handle it. You don’t have to keep secrets from me.”

“Everyone Upstairs gave up on me a long time ago. As long as I keep the wings I’m not technically Fallen, but Gabriel’s the only one who sees it that way.” A sarcastic snarl crept into his voice. “Of course, I’m welcome back the minute I repent for my horrible misdoings.” His anger seemed to burn out as quickly as it came. His voice sounded shattered and small, breaking. “I never told you why I was cast out.”

She’d never considered why he’d been kicked out. She stepped closer to him, her heart hammering as she steeled herself. I’ll love him no matter what, she thought, knowing how naïve the promise was even as she made it. “What did you do?”

“I fell in love.”

“Love?” She couldn’t keep the disbelief from her voice. “That’s why they kicked you out?” Her fears of something terrible, horrendous, melted away. “But that makes no sense. I thought Upstairs would be all about love.”

“Exactly. We’re welcome to love angels, but not mortals? It’s delusional! When we were caught, they wanted me to admit I was wrong for loving her. I wouldn’t do it. So they kicked me out.” He pulled his cell phone from his pocket, checked the time before he shoved it back.

Eden moved behind him, closing her arms around his waist. Under his shirt she could feel the wings shift slightly. “Well, that’s stupid.”

“I was supposed to go back,” he said quietly. “I was supposed to repent and run home with my tail between my legs. But I didn’t. I wasn’t wrong. I gave up everything for her.”

She kissed his neck softly. “Romantic, though. A bit like Romeo and Juliet.” Suddenly she stopped.

An awkward silence bloomed between them, the question obvious. She asked. “Az, where is she now?” He swallowed hard.

“Dead. She died a long time ago.”

“Jesus,” Eden whispered. “What happened?” she asked.

“I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you.” A dark shadow seemed to pass over him. He shuddered as if to shake it off. “I’m afraid for you.”

“Afraid for me? Why?”

He swallowed hard. “As long as I’m not full Fallen, I could go back Upstairs. The Fallen will do whatever they can to get to me, make me one of them. They’ll come after you, Eden. Hurt you.” He pulled away from her, hopped up on the railing, his legs wrapped around the spindles for balance.

Panic twisted in her stomach but she forced it down, met his eyes. “Let them f*cking try.”

“She said the same thing.” The raw pain seemed to radiate from him. “They’re capable of cruelty you can’t imagine.”

She laid her hand on his knee. “Stop,” she said gently. “Nothing is going to happen to me.” She tried out a smile but Az shook his head. He let go of the railing, dropping his hands onto his knees.

When he looked at her, the sorrow in his eyes made her breath catch. “You’re going to regret me.”

“Regret you! What are you talking about?” She stepped toward him, confused. “You lost me, Az.”

At her back a door slammed. Her stomach dropped as Az’s eyes widened. The Fallen, she thought. She spun, ice running down her spine. Her hip smacked against Az as she turned. Gabriel stared at them blankly from the door he’d just closed.

She didn’t have time to register her relief before she heard Az gasp, turned back toward him.

Tipped off balance, his hands flailed through the empty air. There was no sound in the moment before gravity took over, when time froze, when she looked at him, where their eyes met.

He fell.