Edge of Darkness (Confessions Book 2)

Edge Of Darkness Chapter 9

Edge Of Darkness

Chapter 9

　

　

Cole rolled over trying to protect me from those banshee like wails that were sounding through the night. Our peaceful interlude was over and as the screams grew closer I knew it was time for Cole and I to have a talk. I honestly wanted to tell him everything, my heart told me I should. He needed to know everything, from mom and Lucian being gone to everything I knew about the reaper and the unusual phone call just before he had shown up to save me from Spence.

We pulled our clothes on in a hurry and as soon as we were dressed Cole was grabbing my hands pulling me to the cliffs edge with him. In moments we were airborne. The screams however were still gaining on us. It seemed that at any minute they would overtake us. The closer they came the more each wail took on a distinct personality, I knew those wails. I didn't know if we should be fleeing or running towards them. Something told me that running was the smart thing but that I needed to see something first.

We were flying at what felt like warp speed, I looked to Cole not knowing how to ask but needing to know if he was hearing what I was. "Cole, can't you hear them?" My question was brief but it got an answer from him that I didn't want to hear. "Yes, Cat I can but we're not going back towards them or even looking their way, we can't save them." The way he said it was so cold and for just an instant he reminded me of the Cole from the phone, almost menacing. That was when I began to back away from him. I hadn't even realized he was still holding my hand until I tried to pull away.

He just held my hand harder not in a way that actually hurt but in a way that wasn't comfortable. "Cole, let me go." It wasn't a demand, more of a request but he wouldn't let go. "Cat, listen to me, those things back there they aren't Max and Kristen, or even Chase, I can't explain what they are but I just know that if we turn towards them we die." He looked down at me and his face was a mask of fear and concern. HE gripped my hand pulling me closer to him flying faster all the while. This was my Cole speaking and it was then that I finally got it. Whoever he made the deal with didn't have any control over him yet. The menacing voice wasn't his being evil but his being scared. I had never really seen Cole look scared or show real fear until then.

As we flew my mind kept running through so many things, well as many as it could with the piercing wails still screaming in our ears. I don't know how long we flew for certain but as we flew over time I felt myself start to tire and the next thing I knew I could see the sun rising on the horizon ahead of us and as it rose those screams finally faded. We finally landed in a field below. We were tired and panting, I was starved, I wasn't sure about Cole but we had to find food and rest. Our little flying adventure had lasted half the night and my wings hurt, that was another thing. I had no clue how to get them back into my back.

Cole didn't seem to be having the same problem I was. He folded his wings and in moments the were tucked back into little crevices in his shoulder blades. I tried mimicking his gesture but I couldn't even get mine to fold right, so there was no way I could get them back into my back. This was just great now I was a walking anomaly, a freak show on legs if anyone human saw me. I looked to Cole only to see a half smile on his lips as if he thought my whole wing problem was funny.

"A little help here, if you don't mind." I wasn't really mad but I had to get back at him for thinking it was funny. "How the heck did you learn to control your wings, you've had the less time than I've had mine?" I asked him looking serious. Actually I had a lot more questions than that, like where the hell did his wings come from, I admit I didn't really know much more about mine but I hoped he knew more than I did.

"Cat, I don't know it was like one day they weren't there and the next day they were part of me and I already knew how to fly and how to use them." He suddenly lost his sheepish expression and looked a little upset. "I think they have something to do with my deal." I had already figured that much out for myself. "I think that the one who wants me to kill you gifted me with them and a few other things to make sure I get the job done." He turned away from me and sucked in a deep breath and somehow deep inside I felt what he was feeling.

He was hurting inside, he feared hurting me and he was more afraid of losing me than anything else. I walked over and put my hand on his shoulder, "Cole, we'll figure it out, I promise." I know that most of the time promises are empty but I knew that this was one I was hell bent on keeping. "The thing is Cole, We aren't going to figure anything out if I'm caught standing out here wings out for the world to see." I only wanted to make him smile a little so I said it jokingly but he took me seriously.

His expressions wasn't exactly sad but when he turned he was all business. "Okay, I'm not real sure how to explain this Cat but I'm gonna try. Your wings they're part of you like anything else and if you think about what you want them to do they kind of listen." I had no clue what he meant by my wings would listen to me but I put on my happy face and I spoke out loud, "Wings be gone." I know it was corny but it made Cole laugh, it was just what I had hoped for. "I guess that's not what you meant, huh?" He just shook his head like I had lost my ever loving mind. "Okay, let's try it this way, your wings are like your arms and legs, part of you. You don't really tell your legs to walk, they just kind of do what you want them to, right?"

"Right," I answered not really having any idea what he was getting at.

"You don't really have to tell yourself to breathe either, it's just something your body does. I want you to close your eyes and think about putting your wings away. Relax breathe deep and just imagine them going back into your shoulders."

I felt really silly like he was trying to get me to self visualize or some crap but I figured what the heck it wasn't like I had any other ideas. I sucked in a breath and did what he said and the next thing I knew my wings were folding inward towards the little slots below my shoulders. That was when I doubled over in pain. It had been the same way before. I could faintly hear Cole telling me to relax and breathe but I couldn't think not when my entire back felt it was being shredded. I don't think I screamed but I might have. The pain was unreal. When it was finally over and my wings were once again hidden inside my back, I collapsed the rest of the way to my knees and sobbed.

"This really suck s you know it." I wasn't joking when I said it.

"It doesn't really hurt when mine go back in only when they come out." He was staring towards my back intently like what had just happened made no sense.

"I feel like shit right now and you're wondering why your wings don't hurt when they go back in." I hadn't meant to sound so mean but I guess sometimes we all say things we don't mean. I had caused Cole to flinch away from me with my words.

"I'm sorry, Cat. I didn't mean anything by it I'm just trying to figure out why your wings are still bothering you and why you can't control them yet." He looked so upset.

I really hadn't meant to hurt his feelings but sometimes saying sorry doesn't count, sometimes it's better just to pretend everything is okay, or at least that's what I thought. I wobbled getting to my feet. Reaching out I took his hands in mine doing my best southern belle accent and told him that I was starved to death and that we had to find food before I keeled over. He laughed a little at the fact that my southern belle sounds more like an irritated cat.

"Come on, Tonto, lead the way." I laughed pulling him with me and for me this was as close to normal as a person could get. We walked in silence for a couple mile before I finally said what was on both of our minds. "We really need to talk, I don't know how much you know and you need to know what I know, so we both spill." Just like that we were both telling each other about everything that had happened since he had disappeared earlier. Some of it wasn't very interesting, that is until, I described the mysterious reaper to Cole and he looked at me like I was crazy. His response was even crazier. He stopped me from talking, he actually shushed me and then he turned around and asked me a question.

"Do you know who you're describing?" He paused and turned back around to look at me, "Cat, couldn't you see it you were describing yourself only with a different hairstyle."

His words hit home and I figured it out, Cole was right. The reaper could have been my twin and there was only one person or a I should say fallen angel assassin out there who looked that much like me. Victoria. It had to have been her. She was playing tricks in my dreams now trying to convince me to do the wrong thing. This was just freaking wonderful, I couldn't believe I had been such a freaktard as to have not seen it the first time myself. It took Cole's pointing it out tom me.

"Oh, my freaking goodness," I was practically shouting, it was obvious Cole had figured out the looks connection but hadn't realized who it was yet, "Cole, Victoria is the reaper.