The Mark of a Fallen Angel

17: Maryanne Thomas

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"Ahaa! I win again!" Tristan shouted.

I jumped on his back. "You're cheating!"

He threw the PS3 control on the other couch and stood up with me on his back. He wrapped his hands around my legs giving me a piggy back. "It's not physically possible for me to cheat on that game. It's a freaking racing game."

He started spinning me around.

"Tristan!" I laughed.

He laughed as he spun faster.

There was a cough from somewhere in the room. Tristan immediately stopped and regained his balance. I shook my head a couple of times to try and focus my eyes. They landed on a very annoyed looking Gabriel. I shimmied out of Tristan's hold and steadied myself.

Tristan's hand shot out to steady me and Gabriel's gaze zeroed in on it.

"Hey Gabriel-" Tristan started.

He interrupted. "Is Maryanne here?"

Tristan's face suddenly darkened. "Why would she be here?"

Gabe gave a pointed look toward me.

"Isn't she supposed to be at Duke?" I asked.

They both remained silent as they shuffled through the living room into the kitchen.

Oh fine. Go into the kitchen and not involve me then.

I scowled to their backs and started walking upstairs to get my phone. I walked in and made a beeline to my table. Where did I put it? I opened one of my draws a relieved sigh escaped my lips.

My door slammed shut.

I turned around and gasped. "Jesus, Maryanne you gave me a heart attack."

She smirked. "Sorry."

There was something different about her. I narrowed my eyes slightly and spotted it. The last time I saw her was at least a two years ago and she had light brown hair. Her hair had changed into a darker shade of brown. Almost black.

Her bright blue eyes stared at me. She was as gorgeous as her mother but in her own way. Her jaw line was straight, her cheekbones were as fit as a models and her body was designed to appeal to any species alive. She wore tight fitted blue jeans and a black crop top.

Mary had always been lovely to me. Even though she is six years older and the maturity level between us was different in many ways, she was like the sister I never had.

It looks like time may have changed that.

I cleared my throat as she looked around my room. "What are you doing here?"

She glanced at me. "I'm here to see you of course."

She reached out to touch something of mine when I spotted her birthmark. It was located on the inside of her wrist going half way up her arm. Hers didn't seem as harsh as Gabriel's or Tristain's. I can't believe I hadn't noticed it until today.

"Mary, I haven't seen you in--"

"Two years, three months and fifteen days." She walked to the door and turned the lock.

My heart jumped into my throat and my eyes widened.

"Time flies by doesn't it, Alex. You've changed. My brothers are exactly the same except for the fact that you have one of them wrapped around that rash infested finger of yours." She said with a bitter edge.