Page 35 of Wings of Strife
Then suddenly, so quick that if I blinked, I’d have missed it, something flickers above his palms. I watch the space like a hawk, willing myself not to look away until I spot it again.
There, forming just above the palm of his hand is a puffy white cloud. It almost looks like cotton candy, and I’m half tempted to grab it straight from the air but hold myself back. As it grows bigger, the white darkens until I’m staring at two gray clouds, each the size of a watermelon.
Holy fuck.
His eyes open, meeting mine at the same moment that rain begins to fall from the clouds he just made. I’m struck by just how talented he is. Pure family aside, his power seems to come so fucking naturally to him. Part of me is jealous, but the other part is so fucking glad. It means that whatever the future holds, I know he can protect himself.
“You’re incredible.”
He lets the power dissipate until the clouds fade away into nothing, and he shakes the wetness from his hands. Professor Isidora mentioned snow earlier. If I can learn to manipulate the weather, then maybe I’ll be able to experience the wonders of the cold, white powder. Apparently, Earth is covered in it. Or at least in some areas. Humans make what they call snow angels. I’d like to try that sometime.
“Now it’s your turn. It really does feel strange at first, but let yourself get used to it before you try to build anything, alright?” He kisses my forehead and then steps back to give me space.
I repeat his stance from earlier and close my eyes, searching for that well of power. Finding it is easier than I expected, but the glowing orb at my core is hard to miss. I wonder if Raphael’s looks like the sun, or if it’s only because I’m a Seraphim. This must be where my infernal heat comes from. Maybe this will help me summon sunfire. It’s worth a try, considering nothing else has worked so far.
Reaching out internally, I stroke the orb and let the odd sensations wrap around me. It’s not painful, exactly, mostly just bizarre. Kind of like when I went to the park as a kid and would swing upside down while all the blood rushed to my head. Finally, things settle and I picture a cloud forming atop my hands, just like Raphael’s did.
His voice filters through my mind then, echoing as if it’s in an open chamber.That’s it, sunshine. I see it!
Excited, I push a little harder, hope spiraling inside me, but instead of the clouds growing, they collapse. Fuck.
I sense another presence but don’t bother opening my eyes. Raphael is here. He’ll protect me. And something tells me I’m so close to getting this right, I don’t want to lose my concentration.
“Valiant effort, Miss Hayliel,” Professor Isidora says. “This time, try having your arms stretched wide at your sides, palms curved a bit like you’re holding a cup. Exactly! Now, again.”
Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like this position made my core of power grow twice the size, but I have to be imagining it. I brush the thought away and try once more to bring forth a cloud full of rain. Wind whips my hair, but I keep my eyes closed, feeling the moisture in the air forming above my outstretched hands.
“Oh my,” Professor Isidora says, and Raphael mutters my nickname, but still I keep my eyes shut and focus. It’s only when a drop of rain hits my cheek that I open my eyes.
The space above my hands is empty, but dark clouds fill a once clear blue sky and rain pours from above. Was that from me?
Raphael whoops as the droplets fall harder, soaking my clothes and hair. He twirls me around and kisses me. His lips are wet from the rain, and he tastes like a summer storm. Bright and refreshing. His tongue sweeps across mine, sending sparks of lust straight to my pussy. I need him. I need him now.
“Ahem.”
My eyes flash open and I meet Professor Isidora’s curious gaze.
Right. We’re in power class and probably shouldn’t be wet-humping in the middle of the arena.
Raphael and I break apart, putting some much needed distance between us, and blue sky peeks from between my scattered clouds. Of course, it would have brightened when I kissed Raph. He’s light and hope and everything that’s good in the world.
“I’m sorry, Professor. I don’t know how—”
The streak of lightning comes out of nowhere. One second there’s a flash and the next I’m lying flat on my ass with pain arching across my chest.
“Hayliel!” Raphael is by my side in a second. “Are you okay? Please, please, please, tell me you’re okay.”
“I’m fine, I think.” I press a hand to my chest, wondering if I’ll find a gaping hole there, but other than a dark spot on my soaked shirt, all seems normal.
Things move quickly after that. Professor Isidora instructs Raphael to take me to the infirmary. Her eyes hold an angry glint as she turns her pissed off expression toward Seraphina. Of course she’s behind this. That bitch has had it out for me sincethe beginning, and it looks like she’s no longer content to glare and stir things up from a distance.
“I swear to the Archangels, if she doesn’t get in trouble for this stunt I’ll be having fucking words with Principal Cael.” Raphael fumes as we walk, but despite the obvious anger and fear, he never once lets me go. At least one of his hands is on my body at all times, and I can’t say I hate it.
I must still be in shock because it feels more like something I saw than something that happened directly to me. Having to tell the angel at the front desk that I’d been struck by lightning felt like a joke, but the soreness in my chest tells me it’s real.
The healer takes me to a private room and tries to have Raphael wait outside, but I turn that shit down fast. She doesn’t argue, though she doesn’t necessarily look pleased either. I get it. I doubt every angel companion would be as respectable as my Raph, who practically melts into the wall when the healer instructs me to take off my top so she can see the extent of the damage.
He doesn’t say a word, but I feel his eyes on me like a caress. He’s worried, but he also wants to finish what we started in the arena. The feeling is mutual.
