Her wings had already lost their lustre, dulling to a dirty coloured cream that filled me with excitement. She had them sitting out, just past her body. It was enough to show the underneath had darkened more than the outer layer and the downy feathers that were closer to her body were almost black. Darkness was leeching into her, soon she would meet my father's requirements and soon, she will be allowed out of this layer.
Though I felt odd about that one, I've always liked this layer. It was hell but it was different. We were alone but we were never far away from someone.
As I pulled a loose feather from Emily's wing, I wondered if my parents would be receptive to Emily and me staying in this layer permanently. This place wouldn't be suitable, I'd prefer something that wasn't the family holiday house. Maybe we could have something on the other side of the island. Tropical heat was ideal for Emily at the moment, it was what she would be used to. Acclimatising to this world would be easy with a little time.
I removed my shirt and tossed it aside, moving into the refreshingly cool water. My mind was plagued with the thoughts of everything I had to do in the time between now and when my father was scheduled to visit. Emily and I had to get to know each other, not just physically but emotionally as well. I had to know that I was prepared to spend an eternity with her, I had to ensure she could cope with a life in hell. Then once I was sure of everything, I had to prepare her for the future. Emily would have to devote herself to my father, to the underworld and hell and to our way of life. Once she had cut all ties to her former life and my father was satisfied that she was fully transformed, then she would be accepted into our world.
Then she would be given a task, a job in this world and it was expected that she would do it with great effort and without complaint. There were no idle bodies in this world, everyone did something. Even I was expected to find something to do when my education was finished. But that was for another day, now all I had to worry about was keeping my hands to myself.
I realised that it was a lot to ask as I watched her slide off the deck and into the water, the swimwear was not enough to hide her gorgeous form. Luca had chased after a shrieking and laughing Kelsey, now they were under the main hut in the shadows and being suspiciously quiet.
"So how long are you here for?"
Emily wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling her body closer to mine. I shrugged as I lifted her legs around my waist, enjoying a path over her backside.
"For a while. I've been pulled out of school until the transformation is complete, the gates are locked."
She nodded and then frowned, looking at the darkened water under the hut.
"How did they get in?"
"They're on a list, life in hell still goes on even if the gates are shut."
"Is your father worried? I don't want to cause any issues."
I laughed, grinning like a loon.
"Are you kidding? He's almost frothing at the mouth with the thought that he's got a fallen angel in his midst. I am now officially the favourite child."
Emily grinned, I looked into her amused eyes and saw red at the outer edge of the lilac. I'd miss those pretty eyes, replaced with something that was so boringly familiar.
"I wouldn't worry about any issues and my father is not worried. He loves to keep the angels on their toes."
She kissed me softly at first, her grip on me tightened as our kiss heated up. I wanted desperately to give her more but until she was transformed, I couldn't take the risk. The chances of impregnating her were extremely high and my father warned me that no matter what humanly protection she or I might use, it wouldn't work. Once she was a complete fallen angel and had devoted herself to this world, we could do as we wanted.
But restraint was so damned difficult. I wanted to pull away the bikini, lay on the sand and explore everything about her. Warnings were shooting through my mind, not just my father's words about poorly timed pregnancies but my mother's words of concern. I was too much like my father, I was terrible at waiting. Living life fast, eager to get things for myself quicker than necessary.
It was the truth, I'd pushed myself to this path way too quickly. I'd not developed anything with her and yet I am planning a life with her. To be fair, she'd given up on her life as an angel and she was accepting a life here with us. But what if in a week or a month, one of us didn't like the other? Were we destined for a future together or one that saw us walk away with broken hearts?
My mother was right, I did before I thought. It was a scary thing to realise, we were accepting so much with such little knowledge of each other.
Our kiss ended when we heard Kelsey giggle from the darkness of shadowed water. Emily and I looked at each other and smiled.
"Maybe a walk around the island before we hear the vampire mating call?"
She giggled and pulled away from my arms. We swam as far as we could, walking to the edge of the shore. Remaining in the water was the easiest and rather cooling.
Emily took my hand, looking up at me with fascination.
"We need to get to know each other, don't we?"
I nodded.
"And you know that we can't have sex until we're ready for the possibility of children."
I nodded again.
"I've got no clue about being a mother." She said sadly.
I pulled her into my body, her arms wrapped around my waist as we continued to walk through the water.
"Then you need to spend a lot of time with my mother and learn. She is an amazing woman who has never failed me or my siblings. Her start in life was pitiful, her parents and her sister were horrible to her yet she overcame her issues and stood strong. And with another child almost here, I'm sure she will happily give you lessons in dealing with a newborn child, a stubborn and self-absorbed teenager and a hyperactive child. Oh, and of course her favourite, me."
She chuckled and hugged me harder.
"I'm sure you're the biggest headache of them all."
Emily shrieked when I picked her up and put her onto the sand, covering her wet back. As I put sand through her hair, she howled with laughter, trying to escape which was hard because I was straddling her hips.
When she stopped laughing Emily looked up at me, the smile remaining as she tilted up as far as she could and then resting back on her hands.
I couldn't resist the pull to her, kissing those perfect lips. As we kissed one sandy hand moved over my waist, sliding to my back. It wasn't until I felt her hand pull at the waistband of my shorts and warm sand falling down them that I realised what the minx was up to.
She chuckled and pushed me off her, pinning me to the ground as she began to cover my stomach in sand. Then she stood, looking at me with smugness as her wings expanded. Daring me to chase her, she took off into the jungle, leaving nothing but a wind filled with sand.