Fall From Grace(74)

A warm hand touched my shoulder and a sublime feeling crashed through my body. Gabriel.

Without even looking at him, without even a hesitation, with all the innocence of a child, I threw myself into his arms.  I felt him smile.  Calmness washed over my body.

“I don’t understand what’s going on, Gabriel,” I sniffled.

“The fallen ones do not want you and Shamsiel ever to be reunited.”  Gabriel’s always-stoic face gave the smallest impression of sadness.  “I’m sorry, Grace.  I had no idea he had escaped.  I won’t ever let anything hurt you.”  His beautiful hands cupped my jaw in a human way that made me want to jump and run.  This was Gabriel, though.  He was one of the archangels.  He had no human emotions, no lust, and no needs.

I let him hold me until I thought I could face this existence again.  I didn’t ask him anymore questions, because I knew he wouldn’t give me answers.  I didn’t want to tell him about Shane and the feelings that he stirred in me.  I didn’t want to beg for him to tell me where Shamsiel was, because I knew he’d never tell me. He kissed my forehead softly when I said goodbye.

I walked home and without talking with anyone, I jumped in the shower and got ready for the gig at Boozer’s.  I expected there to be news about finding Carl Sumpton’s body in the women’s bathroom last night, but Lea and Conner didn’t mention anything to me.

Lea knocked on my door as I was getting dressed.  My clothes were hanging over every surface of my bedroom, flung to their spots by anger.  I wore an old pair of jeans and a huge black sweater.  “There is no way I’m letting you out of this room looking like the Frump Queen.  What’s going on with you?”

I shook my head and collapsed onto my bed.  I wasn’t about to get into any serious conversation with her about my visit with a fallen angel who was trying to kill me, or an archangel who I hoped was trying to help me, or how I just wanted Shane to be a monogamous-liking guy who could make me forget everything.  “I have nothing to wear.”

She picked through the piles of my clothes and handed me the perfect outfit, of course.  “I’m talking about you and Shane, Grace.  What’s going on?”

I gave her the most disgusted look that I could muster up.  “Nothing.  Abso-freaking-lutely nothing.”

She walked right up to my face.  “Really?  Because, Grace, since your accident, when you woke up swearing off all boys unless they come packing wings, I’ve never seen anyone sway your resolve but Shane.  You let him stay in your bed last night, after kissing him.  You didn’t kick him out.”

“I tried to, but he wouldn’t leave.” I clenched my teeth.  He told her we kissed?

“Yeah, well explain it to me then how when you and him are on stage in front of a crowd of hundreds of people it feels like we are all invading your privacy.  The way you both look at each other is unreal, Grace.” She sat down next to me and placed her hands on mine. “Did you feel anything when you kissed him?”

“Lea, this body blurs all the edges of reality for me. Of course, it wanted him.  But for what?  One single night?  So the next day he could pick up some other chick at the bar and I’ll have to watch?  Besides, the last thing he said to me is that we’d be horrible together, sex would be lousy and I’d just be another hole to stick his dick in for the next six weeks.”

“That’s what he said?”

“His exact words.”