Slowly, she lifts her hand, grasping his. After pulling her to her feet, she looks up into his eyes. The black pools begin retreating until the white appears, then his blue irises. “You didn’t have to do that.” She runs her hands across her backside.
Considering what has just come to light, her mind wanders to the night at the club…the night when she ended up outside. “You were the one who took me out of the bathroom that night in the club.” She tilts her head slightly. “Was he there that night? Is that why you did it?”
Alex keeps his gaze on Lisa and nods. “Yes.” The thunder claps outside, causing Lisa to jump. "The weather, right? When an angel falls, the weather changes to mourn the loss." His gaze moves to the window. "When the sky turns red and it hails, a demon has died and a new one has taken its place." Alex looks back at Lisa and offers a soft smile.
“Oh, umm, alright." She considers this, then continues, "When did you…umm, manifest yourself?” she questions.
“I've been with you since your birth. You were my charge to keep safe. I was your guardian angel. The day you signed the contract, I manifested myself into human form.
“I moved myself into your building to keep close to you, then I came down to the mailroom that day, purposely, to meet you.” He sighs and his gaze drops. “Somewhere along the way, I allowed myself to fall in love with you.”
Lisa closes her eyes, taking in everything that he’s telling her. Feeling the truth in his words, she crosses her arms over her chest. “Go on.”
“When your soul was taken,” he takes a small step towards her, “that was the worst day of my entire existence. I had lost you. I couldn't bear the thought of not seeing you, not touching you, not having you in my life." Sighing, he continues, "That day, I chose you instead of remaining an angel. The results forced me to become a Fallen.”
Furrowing her brows, she raises her head and looks at him. “You chose me and became a Fallen? What does that mean?” She’s pretty sure she knows exactly what it means, but she needs to hear it from him.
“It means I was stripped of everything that made me an angel, thus becoming a demon. I was cast out of Heaven and sent into Hell.” Alex tries hiding the emotion inside of him, the experience of his ordeal still fresh in his mind. The burning is still very much alive inside of him; however, the flames have calmed some. “When I crossed into the planes of Hell, it was my intention to find you.”
“Alex.”
Flashes of memory tease her mind. She sees herself crying in Alex’s arms, telling him she loves him. At a loss for words, she stands there and stares at him, her lips parted. Her heart thumps hard in her chest, but this time it’s not from panic. Stepping closer, her hands reach up and her fingers gingerly touch his arms. Her eyes look deep into his. She looks down, then leans forward and lays her forehead against his bare chest. Alex wraps his arms around her and pulls her close. She lays her cheek over his heart and listens to it beat, her arms going around his waist. In this moment, she feels their hearts beating as one.
“In the end, we were both freed. I ended up facing a few consequences, though,” he tells her.
Tilting her head up and looking at him, a tear slips down her cheek. Alex brings a hand up, his thumb gently swiping it from her face. “What kind of consequences?” she asks.
Recalling Michael’s words, he carefully considers what he’s about to tell her. “When I became a demon, everything inside of me died, except how I feel about you. I needed something from my humanity to hold onto; it was you. It’s always been you.” He smiles softly.
Lisa closes her eyes and tries to keep the tears from falling. A few escape and Alex runs the pads of his thumbs over her cheeks. “I gave myself to free you. I accepted your fate as my own. Doing so broke your contract, and your soul was returned to your body.”
“Oh, Alex.” Having no idea what to say, she reaches up and cups his cheeks. Seeing the torment in his eyes, she pulls him down to her and kisses him softly. After their lips part, she rests her hands on his shoulders. He gently presses his forehead against hers.
“I didn’t expect what happened next to occur. I was freed from Hell, but not as a demon. I’m still a demon, but only partially. I regained a part of my angelic side. I became something of a hybrid.” Lifting his head, he stares into Lisa’s emerald green eyes, looking for any signs of confusion or fear.
She considers this, then asks, “What happens to you now?” She shakes her head. “Let me try that again. What I mean is what does this mean for you? For us?”