Saturday, September 7
I have trouble sleeping these days.
Harry and Niall keep reassuring me that the Hunters can't get to me, that I have two of the most powerful people on Earth protecting me, but it does nothing to ease the discomfort that picks at my brain.
Harry's begun to take it personally, despite my constant reassurance that's not the case. I know that it seems that way, like I don't trust in Harry's ability to keep me safe, but it almost feels like... a premonition. I've tried to explain it to him but it's gotten to the point that when I bring it up, his mood sours instantly. The last time, he wouldn't even look at me. I ended up spending the night alone while he did God-knows-what to calm himself. That night was hard on both of us for more reasons than one.
Niall taught me how angels track souls in the West, how he tracked me for all these years. It's like Traveling, except in your mind. I can distinguish auras and follow them to their host, and it's almost like being a ghost in the room. However, in more skilled beings, they can shield their aura to prevent it from happening (it's what I'm currently working on).
I'm constantly tracking Harry.
I don't even think about doing it most of the time and before I realize it, my mind has drifted. The more angelic I become, the stronger this... bond between Harry and I grows. Niall tells me it's because I've chosen Harry as my partner or Ikigai, my reason for living. Angels often become territorial and possessive when it comes to their Ikigai, and the older I get, the harder it will become for us to be apart. Honestly, I can't fathom it getting any worse though, I'm practically on-edge by the end of the day waiting for Harry to come home. The ache in my chest so intense that it feels like my heart will combust.
The only reassuring thing Niall had to say about it is that it will get easier for me to think past the separation pain.
I sure fucking hope so.
I sigh, turning on my side to trace the strong curve of Harry's jaw. Stubble coats his cheeks and his curly brown hair has started to grow out again. It's been a month since the penthouse was bombed and there hasn't been any word from the Hunters. Niall keeps reassuring me it's a blessing because it has given me time to continue my training, but I can't help but feel like they're waiting on something... and the longer they have to plan, the more of a threat they become.
Harry stirs, as if sensing my unease, and subconsciously pulls my body closer to his, inhaling my scent before going still again. An ache forms in my chest despite being in his arms and I fight the need to wake him up to reassure myself that he's still alive, even though I know dying is impossible for him.
It's shit like this that worries me, feeling so distant from him even when we're close.
"Harry..." I whisper so quietly, I'm not sure he would even hear it if he were lucid. "It's getting worse Harry... the feeing that something really bad is going to happen, like we're about to be ripped apart and I— I'm afraid."
I curl my body into his and rest my head on his arm, admiring his side profile and trying to commit every detail to memory.
"If you're taken from me... I don't know what I will become. I need you Harry, I need you more than I need the air in my lungs or the blood in my veins."
He stirs and I look up at him as his green eyes slowly open to lazily watch me. I try to keep the sadness from my eyes as we watch each other and I reach up to kiss him. He returns the kiss instantly and just like that, he's awake.
He rolls so that I'm underneath him, his weight supported on his forearms. His nose brushes against mine and his voice is thick and raspy from sleep.
"I'm here Aurora, no one will take you from me."
The warmth of his skin soothes the ache but I can't fight off the worry, which causes him to growl irritably.
"How can I convince you? What more can I do or say to prove it?"
I stroke his stubbled jaw, watching his eyes close in response to my gentle touch. My fingers trail over his lips, mapping his face and he nips at them playfully.
"I love you, Harry."
I try to keep the tears from my eyes and fail miserably. He groans and kisses them away, caressing my face between his palms.
"I hate it when you cry."
"I'm sorry."
And I am, but it doesn't help to stop the tears. A heavy sigh leaves him and when he lifts his head to stare into my eyes, there is so much worry, frustration, and helplessness in his expression. It tears me in half. Even now I am causing him grief, putting the weight of m—
"Fucking stop." He interrupts my train of thought with a heartfelt plea, as if he's the one suffering. "It's unbearable to watch you this way. If you can't control it, whatever brought this on, I will be forced to leave. I can't fucking stand it Aurora."
My heart accelerates at his threat and I tighten my grip on him, wrapping my legs around his torso to keep him in place. The thought of him leaving me now, causes a fresh wave of grief to wash over me and even though I'm holding onto him with all my strength, he pulls away easily to glare into my sad eyes.
"I mean it, Aurora. Enough."
I know by his tone that if I don't get my shit together, he will leave me here. I take several deep shaky breaths as I stare into his dark green eyes and eventually my tears subside. My fingers go back to tracing his jaw as we both stare into each other.
"Don't leave me." I whisper, hating the whine in my tone.
I let my hands wander through the hair at the nape of his neck, letting the soft strands slip through my fingers. I reach up and press my lips against the g on his shoulder, then trail down to the sparrow and back up his neck. Each kiss is an apology for the pain I've caused and will cause, it's an act to show him just how much I need him, want him, cra— A groan rumbles in his chest and when I peak up at him, his eyes are closed, savoring the feel of my lips on his skin.
"Never." His voice is raspy and low with lust but sincerity shines behind his emerald eyes when he opens them to watch me.
He grates his hips against mine, slowly and teasingly. The breath catches in my throat and I close my eyes. He leans his chest against mine and I wish I wasn't wearing a shirt right now. I want t— Harry's fingers tear through the fabric abruptly, throwing it aside without so much of a blink. I think my ovaries just fucking exploded.
He presses his chest against mine once more and the feel of his skin against mine is Paradise. His perfect lips brush against my ear and his teeth nip at my earlobe before whispering, "How could I?"
I gasp and a shiver runs down my spine from his breath brushing across my neck.
"I am broken without you."
That's when I know. I know why Harry can't listen to my fears. It's as if I'm telling him his are about to come true: failing to protect me, keep me safe, and by his side forever. I fight the tears from my eyes again and a pained groan leaves Harry's lips, echoing my sorrow.
His hips roll against mine again, slowly and methodically. I feel how much he wants me through the fabric of our underwear and he puts all his weight on me, nearly suffocating me, but I don't fucking care. Even now he doesn't feel close enough... He must feel it too because his large hands start to explore my naked abdomen, trailing down underneath my panties to press against my core. I gasp and he covers my mouth with his to inhale it greedily, savoring it.
"My Ikigai."
Hearing the angel term on his lips has me burning in hell fire. I use my feet to move his boxers away, taking matters into my own hands, but he stops me and adjusts his body so that my thighs are pinned down too. He rips my underwear off in the same manner he did my shirt, sending another spark of fire in my veins.
"Die große liebe meines existenz."
It's German, and I don't know how but I already know what it means: The great love of my existence.
He finishes removing his underwear and brushes his tip against my opening. A loud moan rips from my mouth and I'm about to beg, but before I get the chance, he pushes all the way in. I watch as his eyes close in ecstasy and I'm so wound up that it sends me over the edge. He frees my legs so that I can wrap them around his ass, using my heels to push him in farther inside me.
He doesn't move until I've come down from my high but when he does, its slow and steady. He worships my body with his lips as they travel across my heated skin. I curl my fingers in his hair and throw my head back as the pressure slowly starts to build once more. He murmurs endearments between his kisses, never the same one and never in the same language, as he makes love to me.
I get so lost in him, the rhythmic rock of his hips, the rasp of his voice, the brush of his lips... I black out from the euphoria. And by the time, I've come back, his hips start to move a little faster, never breaking their graceful movement. I surrender myself to him completely as he brings me higher and higher until it's almost painful, then his hand finds my most sensitive area and he pinches it between his fingers.
I'm a fucking goner.
I come loudly, so loud I wouldn't be surprised if it woke up Niall and Darcy, but I don't even fucking care. Harry breaks the rhythm and pounds into me roughly, one, two, three times and—
"Fuck, I love you Aurora. I fucking love you."
Then he releases with a loud groan and collapses on top of me, both of us utterly spent. His long fingers scratch against my scalp lightly as he weaves them into my hair. My eye roll into the back of my head and I attempt to squeeze my thighs but his weight is on them, holding me in place.
He hums appreciatively at my response to his touch and lowers his cheek to rest against mine. There are no words to describe how Harry makes me feel, love just isn't enough. I can't lose this, I can't lose him. No matter what Harry thinks or will allow himself to believe, something bad is brewing and it's coming like an impending storm. I know it like my body knows to breathe. Something is coming, but I'll be ready. I won't allow anything to happen to him, ever.
Even if it kills me.
~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~
"So glad you decided to get up, did you sleep well?"
Heat rises to my cheeks as I sit at the bar and Niall pours me a glass of orange juice with a knowing grin. If I could disappear, that'd be pretty great right now.
Harry chuckles and makes his way to the fridge, pulling out some eggs and bacon. Next he gets a pan from under the stove and goes to work making breakfast. I fixate on the fluidity of his movements, every single one flawless and precise, like a well-oiled machine. The corner of his lips lift into a cocky grin and when I focus on his eyes, he's already staring at me. I bite my lip and shrug at being caught.
His eyes watch me lustfully and I slowly release my lip, smiling coyly.
"Aurora, listen to me." Niall snaps irritably.
It takes me a minute to register Niall's voice, too lost in the haze that Harry puts me in. I shake my head as if to dissipate it and turn to gaze apologetically at my Guardian. He rolls his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest and murmurs something in angel under his breath. He's teaching me the language and I don't really know a lot yet, but I know enough to know he is complaining about "love-sick Ikigai".
Darcy rushes into the room, looking flawless as always, but her expression is alarmed and I'm instantly on edge. She snatches the remote from the counter and clicks on the TV in the kitchen.
"You need to see this."
She flips the channel and stops on the news channel. There is a news reporter standing in front of a familiar street in Seattle and Harry takes the remote from her, turning up the volume.
"As you can see behind me, there is a man strapped with a bomb on his chest standing on top of what is known as Acerbus Enterprises. It's CEO, Mr. Harry Styles, is one of Seattle's youngest entrepreneurs and self-made billionaires—"
"Oh my god." My eyes widen in horror as the camera zooms in on a man standing on the edge of the building.
There is a gag in his mouth and he's only able to open one eye because the other is swollen shut. I know from just looking at him, he's a demon. The screen switches to a helicopter hovering overhead and a man shouting for the bomber to step away from the edge. I can see tears in the demons eyes and he struggles to maneuver the gag from his mouth. He eventually gets his mouth free and opens his mouth to shout—
There is a crack and a glimpse of fire before the screen blacks out. I feel Harry's anger from across the small space and my attention is jerked back to the TV when the reporter's face comes back on. Behind her, what used to be Acerbus Enterprises, burns as the building starts to crumble.
A roar splits through the loft and something blurs into the TV, shattering the screen and cutting of what the reporter was saying. I jump at the impact and turn to find Harry's black eyes framed in red veins, his chest heaving with his wrath.
"I have to go." He spits through his teeth and I nod.
He points a hard finger in Niall's direction and his voice is even deeper than it was a moment ago.
"Anything fucking happens to her, and I'll fucking kill you."
Niall nods gravely. Then Harry's gone.
This feels unreal, like a bad dream that can't possibly be real. I pinch myself and squeeze my eyes shut. When I open them again, it's the same scene. The broken TV in the corner, Darcy and Niall's shocked expressions, and an eerie silence that seems to stretch into eternity.
"This is bad. Aurora, we need t—"
The loft suddenly shakes and I drop to the ground as rock and debris shower around me. I hear the thunderous roar of boots against the ground mixed with a high pitch ringing sound. Niall shouts something at me and I focus on his mouth to read his lips.
Run.
Snapping out of it, I jump to my feet and watch Niall do the same with a sword already in hand. Darcy has already begun to tear into the mass of intruders pouring through the giant gap in the wall where the door used to be. A part of me wants to stay back and fight, put the last month of training to good use, but a stronger part is urging me to do as Niall says. I listen to that part.
I use my new found speed to dash behind Niall and towards the fire escape. Bullets fly past me, shattering the glass and I dodge them as I jump through the open space. A piece of glass catches on my shirt, tearing the material and scraping again my skin. I hiss in pain but don't stop as I make my way down. My heart beats furiously in my chest as I continue my descent and once I reach the pavement, I jump and run as fast and as hard as I can.
I make it to the end of the street and turn the corner, then I freeze. A man is standing there, blocking my way and the back of a near-by truck bursts open, men pouring out of the back to surround me. Harry! My subconcious screams but I know the futility of it. He won't come. The bombing on Acerbus wasn't some random act, it was a lure to separate us.
Ready or not...
"You have no where to run Ms. Whitman."
I look around me to find an escape but there isn't one. I feel like a caged animal and something inside me stirs, threatening to break loose, something... raw and foreign.
The suited man who spoke to me before, clears his throat and I look towards him. He's wearing a crisp suit that fits his slender body and his black hair is styled perfectly, not a single strand out of place. He's tall, probably about the same height as Harry but unlike Harry, he has missed one too many days at the gym. His brown eyes shine in the afternoon light and a smile curls at the corners of his lips.
The bones in my back suddenly feel like they are on fire and the feeling kicks into high gear. My vision goes blurry and an intense pressure fills my skull, threatening to make it burst. I grab the sides of my head and grind my teeth together painfully. My mouth opens in a silent scream and I swear if it I don't let... whatever it is, out—
A streak of light cuts through the space between us with a loud crack and the army of men jump in surprise. Niall's body forms once the light dissipates, standing between me, the suited man, and the army of soldiers waiting to kidnap me. One of his bloody hands reaches back to grab mine. It's like he starts to sap the feeling from my veins and into his own until the pressure is gone from my head, and all that's left is a dull burning in my bones and the ache in my chest that is always present in Harry's absence.
Niall's eyes remain fixed on the oncoming threat and I notice there is a sword hanging from his arm, stained with crimson.
"We have no quarrel with you angel, let us have her and no harm will come to you." Suited man calls, annoyance clear in his voice.
Niall gives a slight bow of his head, "I'm afraid I must decline on that offer."
He broadens his shoulders and brings his sword to the ready, accepting whatever harm the Hunters will bring him. I clutch his hand in mine, trying to pull him away from the Hunter but Niall remains solid. Suit tsks his tongue giving him a disapproving glare, like a father to a son.
"Very well, angel." He turns away from us and begins to walk away, turning to the men at his side.
"Take them both."
The army of men leap into action, rushing at us from every angle. Niall rushes to meet them but before they collide, another flash of lights crackles through the morning air, and I instantly know they're angels. There is something is different about them though... their auras are darker, more demon like... Fallen.
Niall hesitates a moment, clearly caught off guard by their appearance and within seconds he's swarmed. I rush to help him but before I get half way to him, a swarm of armed men block my path. I don't break my stride as I dodge their hands and attempts to stop me but suddenly an arm catches mine and I'm yanked back and thrown to the cement. My attacker attempts to hit me with the but of his gun, but I thrust my palm into his chin roughly, raising my knee at the same time. He cries out in pain, falling off of me but by the time I've gotten to my feet, I'm surrounded by a solid wall of black armor.
I hold up my fists threateningly and yell as I rush towards them but small and sharp pierces my neck. I pull whatever it is out and bring it to my line of sight. A dart. I look back towards Niall's battle cries but I'm seeing double.
"Niall!"
My vision goes blurry and my head feels like its full of cotton but I fight to keep my eyes open as I stagger forward. Niall's sword now lies on the ground several feet away from him as he fights off the oncoming Fallen, their bodies moving so quickly that I loose who is who in the black shapes. The forms suddenly stop and one of the angles is brought to his knees. I narrow my eyes but all I manage to make out is dirty blonde hair. The other Fallen rush around the man on his knees, three of them grabbing each of his arms to keep him detained. The angel that defeated Niall finishes ripping of Niall's shirt and for some reason, a feeling of dread washes over me.
"Stop!" I scream.
I have no idea what they are about to do, but the pit in my stomach feels even worse than it had for the past month.
"Please," I beg. "I'll come with you and I won't fight."
My cries fall on deaf ears as the Fallen takes hold of something invisible connected to Niall's back and pulls out a crystal looking blade from his back pocket. He chants something in angel and then brings the crystal blade to Niall's skin and starts hacking away at his flesh. A agonized cry rips from Niall throat and the sound sends a jolt of pain through me. The feeling I had earlier flares suddenly and with it a burst of alertness that allows me to rush to Niall's side to cover his back with my body.
The Fallen spits at my feet, still talking in his angelic language, and grabs me to toss me aside like a rag doll. My face slams into the cement and it scrapes against my elbows and knees as I roll. The feeling leaves me and it takes every ounce of strength to open my eyes again.
Niall's lips are moving but I can't make out what he's saying because of the ringing in my ears. One of his eyes is bruised shut and almost every inch of his skin is bloody and beaten. His jaw falls open in another scream as the Fallen cut a smilier pattern on the other half of his back. A tear slips from my eye as I watch them torture my Guardian and when they are done, they kick him to the ground.
I can barely keep my eyes open but I manage to find his as we both lay on the street, bloodied and beaten. I'm sorry, I try to say but my lips won't move. As a matter of fact, I can't feel my body at all. The last thing I remember is it starting to rain as they lift our bodies and carry us towards a van. A tear slips from my eye. Somewhere, deep in my soul, I hear Harry's agonized cry and the pain becomes too much. I let the blackness consume me.
The trouble is, you think you have time...
All the love.
-A