She twisted the shadows experimentally in her fingers. The darkness seeped through her hands and wound around her wrists gently, caressing the palm of her hand gently. Riley opened up her hand, palm up and fingers tense. The shadows gathered in the palm of her hand and upon her command, floated right above th skin of her palm. She flipped her hand over, pulled her arm back to ready, and thrust her palm forward.

The shadow ball shot away from her hand and hit the wall with a loud smack. Riley's nose twitched as she smelled burned paint and she got up from the bed to examine the wall. "Nice," Riley snickered as she inspected the burn mark on the wall. "This'll give Jay something to talk about," she growled as she examined her hands.

Gentle hands on her back made Riley spin around. "Damn it, Felix. Don't sneak up on me like that," she hissed as she dropped her hands at her sides. His hazel eyes searched hers wordlessly and she found herself looking away. A few minutes ago, she was reveling in the power of the shadows. Now, under Felix's gaze, all she felt was ashamed.

"Look at me," he said as his fingers lightly brushed against her chin. Riley turned her head away even farther, but let her wings brush against his arms. His fingers tightened slightly against her jaw and he shivered, his hand slipping away from her face to trace against her feathers. Riley shuddered at the heat that trailed from his fingertips. Shocks bounced across her feathers and ran across her skin every time he touched her plumage.

She f ound him pulling her closer, tugging gently on her wings to close the distance between them. Riley's legs slid around his waist and he pressed his lips against hers, everything seeming to be okay when they kissed. Her eyelids fluttered before closing and she lost herself in him for a moment, the shadows slithering away from the light-filled passion that was taking place.

She opened her eyes hesitantly and found his hazel gaze on hers. His eyes widened for a moment and he broke the kiss. "Your eyes," he said as his fingers traced along the top of her cheeks. Riley's fingers overlapped his and she sighed as she felt the shadows fill her again.

"I thought only J--a light angel could do that," she murmured as she closed her now black eyes. "Blue right?" she asked him hesitantly.

"Beautiful," he responded as he pushed a lock of hair out of her face. "What are you going to do now?" he asked, his hazel eyes probing hers.

"Fight them," she breathed and looked down.

"The shadows?" Felix asked hesitantly, but she could hear the pleading note in his voice. Riley's eyes narrowed. Why was it that no one could accept the shadows were a part of her? She shook her head slightly and attempted to cool her frustration, not wanting to push Felix away again.

"No. The light angels who want to kill me. And if they find you, they'll..." she broke off again and looked away.

"Finish," he urged.

"If they know you're still alive, Felix...they'll kill you, too."

____

Before, I was meaning Riley told Felix she was staying with him. So he said, "I'm glad." Guess it wasn't as clear as I thought. xD

"So what's the plan?" Felix asked as he leaned against the armchair of Riley's couch. The girl ran her fingers through her hair and sat down heavily on the opposite chair. Her black eyes seemed to swirl with the shadows now as her hatred set in and Felix hated it. "Riley," he snapped and her gaze flickered up to him coldly before she turned away.

"Get used to it," she snapped back and Felix sighed as he sat down on the couch. "You need to get out of here and away from me before they find you. I can take them," she said, but Felix could hear the uneasiness in her voice.

"You keep pushing me away like you're a hazard," he said softly as he moved to sit next to her.

"Because I am a hazard to you," she replied at an even lower whisper as she turned her black gaze back to him. "Fel, I can't lose you again. I know you don't know me or remember me," she started bitterly. "But trust me, I know you and I can't do it. I just can't," she said with a shake of her head.

"Well, you're my Hazard," he said teasingly as he ran his thumb against her cheek. "You don't have to lose me again, Ree." he said as he stroked the side of her face. Riley's black eyes widened slightly and a small smile appeared on her pursed lips.

"You used to call me Ree and I never liked it, but I must admit, it had grown on me." she said with a chuckle.

"See. We'll get through this and then we'll have all the time in the world to catch up on what I've lost with you," Felix continued with a nod. Riley merely nodded before tilted her face up slightly, black waves falling onto Felix's arms as he placed his hands on her hips. They kissed again, every touch of their lips sending the essence of memories sparking almost painfully through their bodies.

His lips became rough, needy, as he pulled Riley closer against him. Before he went farther, Riley turned her face to the side, voice more rasped than its natural state. "I can show you more," she murmured. "More of us and what we had, Fel. Just ask for it," she breathed and he maneuvered his lips back onto hers, fingers straying to her now outstretched wings that encased both of their heated bodies.

"Show me," he breathed back, his words being swallowed by her throat.

-stalks-

:3

Edited the last post. ^^;

Like Riley did, the shadows responded obsessively over Felix's touch. His request for the past made her shudder as the shadows swirled around them, tracing along the contours of both of their faces as they continued to kiss. They were wrapped in darkness as Riley sorted through memories, picking a certain time and place this time because she anticipated Felix's wish.

She pulled back regretfully as the shadows died down, heart hammering in her chest and breathing hard. Her dark eyes opened to meet his and his hazel eyes seemed to bore into hers, pleading the he didn't want to stop. She brushed her slender fingers against his lips when he tried to speak. "Shh," she whispered and pointed behind him.

There was the spitting image of Felix behind them, broad shoulders and dark hair. He held a laughing Riley in his arms, hands resting on her hips as he crossed his arms over her chest. He whispered something into her ear that Felix couldn't catch, but Riley voiced it for him. "You told me we were going to get away from the world and be alone together," she whispered quietly and the other Riley laughed.

"I'd like that," other Riley said as she snuck a kiss from other Felix. He released her from his close grip, but twined his fingers with hers. Other Riley glanced at him with something that made the present Riley turn her head away. It was hard for her to see these memories, knowing which ones ended badly and where everything took one wrong turn.

"We'll get through this, Ree." Felix murmured to her and Riley blinked, looking up at him with a blank ex
pression on her face.

"Okay," was all she said, but she didn't have the heart to tell this boy that there was no hope. Instead, her lips found his again, but their kiss was short-lived as she let the shadows waver over them, taking them back to the present faster than needed. When they were on her couch again, she pulled back and stared at him, wings quivering with anger. He saw the shaking of feathers as sadness, hopelessness, and he tried to comfort her.

Her eyes honed in on a piece of paper that lay on her coffee table, wings calming at Felix's soothing touch at the same time. Before she melted into his embrace, she snatched the note off of the table. Fear spiked through her as she read through the note.

Rye, I knew you were hiding something. Who would have thought the lover-boy would have come back after all these years? We're going to take him, Rye. We'll kill him. And I'll kill you.

She growled at the note and Felix tore it from her grasp. "He knows about you," she said angrily, black eyes turning crimson around the irises. Felix glanced up from the note and winced when he saw her eyes. That caused them to burn even brighter and she had trouble keeping her wings from flinging out from anger and knocking Felix over.

"It's okay, Ree." he pleaded, hazel eyes wide as he watched her.

"No, it's not okay. They're going to kill you again," she cried as she balled her hands up into fists. Felix's hands grabbed for her again, but she pushed him away and stood angrily. The shadows swirled around her, feeding off of the bloodlust she was feeling. "They want a fight, they'll get one." she snarled as she flung open her window.

She scrambled through the window pane and landed on the edge of the overhanging roof of the window below her. She pulled her wings through the hole and narrowed her eyes when she felt Felix's strong hands grabbing her feathers. "Let go," she growled as she turned her neck back to see him.

"No," he responded. "I'm not going to let you get killed, Riley."

"You have so much faith in me," Riley sarcastically hissed back.

Felix shook his head and frowned. "I do have faith in you, Ree. I just don't want to lose you," he said. "Not as soon as I found you again." he continued, but she felt his grip slacken on her wings before disappearing altogether. She tucked her wings against her back and turned her body around to face him. Her fingers ran the length of his cheek before she rested her hands on his shoulders.

"I'm not going to die, Fel. They can't keep me apart from you," she said back and slid her fingers to his neck. "There are some battles only angels can fight in," she murmured and Felix pressed his lips against hers. She pulled him closer, needing his strength, but knowing each moment she continued this, the harder it would be to leave.

He pulled back for her, knowing she wouldn't be able to now, but he kept her face close to his. "Promise me you'll come back, Ree." he breathed with a tremor in his voice.

"I can't, but I'll try." she said and drew back. He held her hand for only a moment before she closed her eyes and let her body fall backwards through the air and off of the overhang. The wind howled in her ears and tore at her back, but she twisted through the air where her back was to the sky instead of her stomach. When she felt herself nearing the ground, she snapped her black eyes open and unfurled her wings.

Their sleek forms protruded into the shadows of the night, filling the darkness with an angered aura of their own. Nighttime again; she and Felix had been in their memory a long while. Every wingbeat through the air made her anger stir again, but she pulled out her silver aviators from her pocket and placed them over her eyes to block out most of the wind. "That's better," she mused as she continued flying as a shadow in the night.

Even though the lenses of the aviators were in fact sunglasses, Riley could see perfectly well in the dark. Her pupils were huge, dark black orbs overlapping her usual black iris. She continued her flight past various run-down buildings, her wings beating silently against the air. She had no idea where she was going, following only the tug of something in her heart. She trusted it and urged herself to go on, confidence spreading through her lithe form with ease.

She blinked once when she saw the corner of a building seeming to be illuminated by an unearthly light. "Bingo," she said under her breath as she let her boots hit the ground. Her wings fluttered as she gained her ground on the hard asphalt. She tucked the dark plumage against her back and pulled down the cuffs of her black leather jacket. The light stung her eyes, even with her glasses on, and made the shadows roll anxiously around her.

She sidled along the wall of  the building and peered at the light draping itself over the edge of the building. She leaned back against the brick for a moment and caught her breath, her heart beginning to race With her face twisted into the makings of a snarl, the tore herself from the wall and leaped from the alleyway.

She landed in a crouched position in the middle of the street, but blinked when she could sense nothing. Instead of embarrassment washing over her, Riley felt only the spike of fear taking hold on her body. She looked back at the wavering light that intimidated her from the corner of the building.

She straightened and examined the light with a better eye, removing her aviators in the process. She winced as the pure white stung her eyes. She found that the light stretched from the corner of the roof of the building and billowed down to the ground, creating what looked to be a cone shape. "What the," the started as she approached the light.

Every step she took closer to it made her head spin and she realized when she looked back that the shadows were fleeing. She looked down at her hands and attempted to conjure the darkness, but there was nothing. She pulled her aviators from the top of her head and held them before her eyes to see her reflection. "Angel work," she muttered as she saw her blue eyes.

Of course the light was the work of the angels, but what for? "Let's find out," Riley growled as she cracked her knuckles. She forced herself to push farther and approach the curtain of light. Her fingers reached for it, skin just a breath before the searing light. She pulled her hand back and swatted at the curtain, crying out as blinding pain shot up her arm.

She looked down at the curtain with frustration as the light crawled up her arm with a mind of its own. "Get off," she snarled as she attempted to shake it off. She realized then what the curtain was and felt foolish for not recognizing it earlier. There was no use fighting the celestial bind, as it was known as, so she let the icy curtain wind its way around her.

It detached itself from the wall and spun around her form, pinning her dark wings against her back with another bout of pain. "Honestly Rye, even I thought you were too smart for that trap for simpletons," she heard and Riley spun around, but her momentum was ruined because her hands were pinned to her body. She pitched forward and landed headfirst on the ground, humiliation making its way to her face.

"What are you playing at, Jay? Release me," she said forcefully as she peered up at him. He grinned at her for a moment before sending a blow from his foot to her face. His shoe connected with her cheek and she rolled over a few times before resting at a stop, breathing hard as she regained her composure. "That the best you can do, James?" she screeched at him, eyes wild with anger.

His eyes narrowed dangerously at her and he lifted his foot again, but Riley didn't so much as bl
ink. Instead of kicking her again, he squatted down next to her. "Spirit. That's what you got, Rye. That's why I loved you," he said as he petted her head. Riley was furious. When Jay's hand strayed near her cheek to brush a lock of hair out of her face, Riley snapped her head to the side and bit down hard on his hand.

"Damn it, Rye." he said as he pulled back, white wings flaring out to the side. He sent another kick at her, to her stomach. Riley lay there, eyes glazed with pain as her stomach clenched with pain, kick after kick sending spasms through her body. "You see, Rye? You're trapped. I can," he began, sending yet another blow to her side. "I can keep you here forever or take you away, locked up in the Celestial bind with no way to be free. I can kill you Rye, but I won't," he hissed.

"Coward," Riley managed to spit out at him as she squeezed her eyes shut. "You couldn't beat me unless I was in this damn bind," she managed to choke out.

"I'll let you go, Rye. Not yet. First I have to pay a visit to dear old lover boy," he cooed into her ear. Riley's eyes snapped open and she screamed at Jay.

"No!" she screeched as she struggled against the bonds. "I'll kill you, Jay. I swear to God, I'm going to murder you," she said, blue eyes angered and wild.

"You're so pretty when you're angry," Jay merely said as he rolled his eyes. He patted her cheek and snatched his hand away before she could bite him again. He turned to go, wings risen in the air as he readied himself to lift off. Riley bit her tongue before another thought struck her.

"You can't kill him. He's human. Angels can't kill humans," she said as she blinked, the realization dawning on her and making relief sweep through her body. Jay turned back to look at her, a smirk playing on his lips.

"We can kill you," he simply said as he lifted himself off into the night sky.

Riley watched him go, her furious gaze on his disappearing form. She dreaded what he would do to Felix, feeling like such an idiot for not realizing what was happening. Her eyes found themselves looking at the other end of the street, pulsating shadows dripping from every corner of the building across from her. They were afraid of the light, but they had not truly left her. She was comforted by the thought.

She waited with her eyes closed, breathing slow and measured. With every breath she inhaled, the Celestial Bind seemed to constrict even more. She let her thoughts wander, whisking herself away from the situation, away from her beaten body lying defeated on the ground. Her thoughts fled to the shadows, but there was nothing she could focus on except for him. "I screwed up," she breathed to the heartbroken Felix in her mind.

"I'm sorry," she said as she squeezed her eyes tighter, feeling the tug of the shadows across the street. Losing him again, Jay would make sure of it. There would be nothing left to lose, nothing to live for. Because he had sacrificed himself for her before, she had kept on living. For him, the words kept flowing through her mind. She opened her blue eyes and wondered who she really was. Angel of Light or Angel of Darkness?

Her eyes were blank, ex
pression wiped clean off of her bruised face. Her gaze flickered back to the shadows and she saw them approaching her, drawing back whenever the Celestial Bond glowed brighter in warning. "Fight back," she urged them and the darkness swirled in an aggitated frenzy. I said fight back! she cried from her mind to the shadows.

They rushed at once, enveloping the bond with pure darkness, smothering the light with the beauty of their dark veil. Riley pushed herself up and held her hands out to her side, chin tilting up to the sky and eyes closed as she breathed in the night air. "Neither. Just a rebel," she answered herself before spreading her wings and taking off into the sky.

She knew where she would find him just as he knew she had escaped. Riley's wings cut through the air confidently, her form rising above the city buildings. She flew above the cloud bank, hair streaming behind her and blood running from her split lip down to her neck. Strong down-strokes propelled her through the sky, feathers rolling with darkness and blending in with the night.

She left to go to the outskirts of the city, rural houses popping up every half mile now. She knew what was coming yet she found herself oddly at peace. She had fought all of her life for something she didn't even know how to explain. She was stubborn, proud, and never wanted to give up, but she was done with this world. If they were going to take him away, she was finished.

She landed near a small lake, the soft grass beneath her sneakers sending another wave of reassurances through her. Her gaze picked him out across the long expanse of water, his white wings raised in the air like sails yet they were unwavering, unmoving. He wanted her to come closer. She could see Felix, too, could imagine his brown eyes watching her form with terror in his veins.

Her long strides seemed to make her glide along the edge of the lake, water lapping at her shoes, urging her to sink into the lake's murky depths. She kept her chin up, eyes wiped of all emotion. She would stay strong until the end. When she came five feet within Jay, she stopped and waited for him to speak.

"I knew you'd find some way to escape, Rye. What was it that did it? Love, hate, --"

"The shadows," she cut him off with along with giving him a bat of her eyelashes. "Did you know they were strong enough to douse your light, Jay?" she asked innocently. Jay's wings flared out to the sides and Riley smirked.

"Damn you, Riley." he said. When he did not get a response, he held Felix up by the back of his shirt. "I'll end it, Riley. Right here and right now," he screamed at her, anger flaring in his purple eyes. Riley crossed her arms, unimpressed, but anxiety was making her limbs stiffen.

"Kill me." Riley's eyes widened as she heard Felix's soft murmur echo through the area. The lapping of the water on the lake seemed to fall silent, water still and breeze dead. "Kill me and let her go," he repeated as he looked at Jay with a typically serene look plastered on his face. Jay set the boy onto the ground, but kept him in a strong hold by gripping Jay's arm tightly.

Riley threw back her head and laughed, Jay grunting in obvious frustration and anger. When her guffaws silenced, she gave Jay a shake of her head. She walked up to Jay and reached out to stroke the boy's face. "Felix, he can't kill you," she murmured as she brushed his hair out of his eyes. Felix's lip quivered and he fought again Jay's bond.

"But the first time--"

"The first time, you sacrificed yourself. No one killed you," Riley said with a shake of her head. Jay's fist came out of nowhere, his iron knuckles connecting with Riley's cheek painfully and causing her to spin around once before spiralling to the ground.

"Riley!" Felix yelled as he fought against Jay. "You call yourself an Angel?" Felix cried as he struggled against Jay's hold. Riley rubbed her jaw with narrowed eyes and spat out a few drops of blood. Jay shook Felix angrily and silenced the boy.

"Boy, you don't know what she is," he growled. "She's a danger to us all."

"No," Felix said with a shake of his head. "She may wield darkness, but that's because of you. Falling in love with a human is not a crime. It's a sign of passion to want to give yourself to another, to do anything for them." he said forcefully. "Just because she didn't love you doesn't mean it's right you do this, Jay." Felix said quietly. Jay stared at Felix with his purple eyes, dumb-struck by the speech the human just gave him.

"Felix, it's not right for me to exist." Riley said quietly. "I've been running from the truth," because of you she said in her mind, but would never be as cruel to say it out loud to him. "Fallen angels can only exist because they're unloved. They stay away from tilting the balance of humankind and I-I can change that with the shadows," Riley said as she looked up into the sky.

"Look at me," Felix murmured, his hands clasped behind his back as Jay's hands kept him in place. "Look at me, Ree."

But she didn't. "I love you, Fel." she murmured. "Jay, let's end this." she said, her lips parting as she drank in the clean spring breeze. A sharp cry reached her ears as Jay's elbow connected with Felix's head, knocking the boy out for the count. She winced at the sound of his pain, but forced herself to focus. She opened her coal black eyes and shot Jay a wry smile. "I'm not going down without a fight," she said, her promise to Felix too important to throw away.

She would fight 'till the end.

They would go about it as they had the last time. He rose on his white sails, majestic feathers creating a light of their own in the night sky. Her wings, darker than the black of the night, she cast out with an elegancy only the shadows could provide her with. They rose silently, black and blue gazes never leaving the other. She flew out above the middle of the lake, the stagnant water below her seeming bottomless in the eerie night.

Jay's wings had Riley stuck in a trance, their white light alluring and seductive. She shook her head and steadied her wings to coast along a slight breeze that kicked up below her. Thermals rose from the lake water, something that only seemed to happen when the angels were near. She kept her wings out, as did he, feathers rustling only because of the zephyr that blew upwards and kept them aloft without their muscles needing to work.

"Did you ever see an end, Rye?" Jay asked quietly, his violet eyes boring into hers.

"I'm not the type of person that believes there is no end. I knew I was going to die, Jay."

"I don't want you to hate me, Rye." he whispered to her and Riley's ex
pression hardened.

"Too late for that, Jay." she said as she stroked her wings downward and propelled herself toward him. Her fist, blackened with writhing shadows, connected with his cheek. She heard a satisfying snap as his neck twisted, but she was in shock to hear Jay actually cry out in pain. He looked at her with wide purple eyes, realizing that despite the old laws, this fallen angel could kill him.

"Looks like I have a chance," she said with a curl of her lips. Her anger settled in her eyes and she let the darkness overcome her whole body, the tendrils covering every inch of skin and only leaving her now red eyes, pulsing with rage, for Jay to see. She truly was a monster. Jay stared in horror as Riley attacked, shadow claws extending from her hands and slashing through his white wings.

He cried out in pain as light spilled from his wing, the angel blood spiraling down into the water below them. "No," he said as he beat his wings erratically, rising in height at an alarming rate. Riley growled and soared after him, the monster inside of her wanting to rip Jay to shreads, to scatter his feathers amidst the dark reaches of the sea.

She shot after him and he rose in a straight line through the sky, eyes turning hard before closing. When he reached his peak, he closed his wings and dove headfirst down at Riley. His purple eyes snapped open as he brandished a sword from thin air, the Light weaving from his palm to create a Celestial weapon.

He sliced at Riley and managed to slash her arm, the deep cut spreading from her shoulder down to her wrist. Riley ignored the pain and pulled her wings in to dive after Jay. She felt the shadows curl in her palm and she let loose a cry as she flung the ball at Jay's form below her. It hit his middle pack, the fire spreading to his wings. He screamed and Riley barreled into him from above, not realizing she had been at a slight incline; they were both sent rolling onto the grass along the bank of the lake.

She heard Jay sobbing to himself as the shadows began to tear at his feathers, tattered and broken wings limp behind his back. Riley forced herself to slide next to him. "What a terrible thing for an angel to lose his feathers," she noted as she stroked his ruined wings.

"End it now," he pleaded softly, the fight dying from his eyes.

"I won't, Jay." she breathed. "I'm going to leave you here to suffer," she purred into his ear.

"No, you're not." Riley spun around, teeth bared in an animalistic snarl and shadows curling around her arms. Her eyes burned a full red, gaze staring hatefully at the boy who was interrupting her. She blinked then, his hazel eyes making her snap back into herself. At once, the shadows died down, seeming to swallow up the crimson in her eyes.

"F-Felix?" she asked, her voice wavering. He refused to move, his eyes wide as he cautiously sat across from her. She cocked her head to the side and ran her fingers through her hair. "Fel, I'm not going to hurt you." He just watched her silently.

"You lost yourself, Rye. The shadows took you," Jay choked out. "It'll happen more now that they've gotten hold of you. You think they were going to help you?" he rasped, glazed eyes reflecting his pain. "No, the shadows are only using you as a tool. You can't escape them, Riley. That's why I'll help you get rid of them," he forced out and Riley cried out as a burning pain overtook her chest.

She flung her head back, dark hair streaming behind her as she howled in agony. She flung her arms back, shadows pouring from her hands and slinking up to Jay. His screams silenced as the shadows devoured his body, dousing his light. Riley looked down at the Celestial sword that was poking out from her chest before the thing disappeared, leaving a gaping, ragged hole in her chest.

"Felix," she said through clenched teeth. Tears brimmed on his eyes and he slid himself over to her, eyes portraying the regret of alienating her only moments ago. "Thank-you," she said as she closed her eyes and leaned her head on his shoulder. "It's for the best," she breathed into his ear.

"You can't go. You can't," he struggled and pushed her away from him, only to cup her face in his hands. "I'll sacrifice myself for you again," he said as sobs wracked his body.

Riley shook her head sadly. "You don't know how, Fel. I'm not going to show you, either." she whispered.

"Why?" he pleaded as he ran his fingers through her hair, his other hand on her wound attempting to staunch the blood flow.

"Because I can't live without you again. Not again," she said, her words becoming almost inaudible as she tried to force her eyes to stay open.

"Then I'll make a different sacrifice," he said, his fingers grasping the back of her neck. She opened her eyes only to find his face before hers, his nose brushing against her cheek just before he tilted her chin up to meet his lips. She closed her eyes as she focused on his lips molding so easily against hers, pushing away the pain of her chest. He pulled her closer, Riley's legs wrapping around his waist as he deepened the kiss.

"I'll give myself to you," he murmured. "I'll love you." Riley felt her wrists slide to the nape of his neck, fingers curling into his hair. She felt something pass between their bodies then as he opened her mouth slightly in the kiss. She felt his hands slide from their new spot on her hips up to her chest. He pressed one palm against the wound and dipped his head down only slightly, breaking their lips apart for only a moment. "I love you," he said and with that, sealed her chest with the promise of love.

"So it's over?" he asked as he stroked Riley's dark curls, her head lying on his chest as they both looked up at the stars. She didn't answer him, instead kept her gaze on the stars, but he was patient. His hands strayed to her bare shoulder and Riley smiled to herself and she turned her chin to face him. Felix's eyes watched her, filled with honesty and trust. She shifted her position and ended up with her cheek pressed against his, head resting on his shoulder.

"There's no need to say good-bye for now," she whispered to him. He wrapped his arms around her torso and let her rest against his bare chest. Their cheeks were touching, flickering heat traveling between the two wherever their skin touched. He picked his head up slightly to trail a few featherlight kisses from the corner of her lips to travel behin her ear. She closed her eyes and one hand slid to his neck, falling to stroke his cheek as he kissed her skin, her neck.

He came back up from the alcove of her neck and held her even tighter now. He didn't need to murmur the three words that had formed on both of their tongues, threatening to slip into the air where it would lose its meaning. No, they could tell all they wanted with every touch, evey kiss, and they could feel whole. "You said you'd give yourself to me?" Riley breathed.

She tilted her chin up to catch his grin and light chuckle. "I believe I did; if I remember correctly," he murmured back as his forehead pressed against hers. So much devotion lay in those eyes that she so loved and she pressed her lips back to his for a moment before pulling back again. "Then give yourself to me, under the stars," she whispered into his ear.

"Riley," he whispered back, voice quivering with anticipation, rough as he looked at her. "I will."

Le skip here.

She woke to his breathing soft in her ear, dirt smeared on her toes and her back. She watched him while he slept, calm and serene face taking her breath away. "What have you done to me?" she murmured as she traced her fingers against his cheek. She was surprised to see the bottom feathers of one wing resting underneath his sleeping form, the other arched up on the ground in the same position.

She merely shook her head, lips pursed as she remembered herself flinging her wings out last night. His eyes opened then, a few rays of sunlight poking through the cloudy sky that rolled above them. He sat up, Riley along with him, and just looked at her. He began to speak, but she cut him off with a finger against his lips. "I know," she murmured.

He reached for her hand and they slipped their clothing back on. He walked her around the lake, sometimes his hand straying from their twined fingers to rest across her shoulders, sometimes to pull her in for a heated kiss that stole her breath. They continued like that until they reached the road, Riley sighing as she realized how far away from town they were. He pulled her in for a hug and kissed her softly on the top of her head. Suddenly, she knew what she wanted to do.

"Close your eyes," she said softly and Felix did as she commanded, releasing her from his hold. She walked behind him and wrapped her arms around his torso. "Do you trust me?" she asked as she let her wings slide out from her back. Felix's head cocked slightly and she felt a rush flow through her as she realized he recognized the sound of her wings rustling in the wind, as silent as they may be.

"You won't let me fall," he said back and she knew his eyes were still closed.

"There's only one situation where I'd let you fall," she replied as she snapped her wings down. They lifted off into the air easily, Riley's wings actually providing strength to her typical human form. When her wings were outstretched, she had the heightened strength and speed of an angel. Felix's eyes opened then, she could sense it.

She let her head rest on his shoulder as they flew. "It's beautiful, Ree. It must be amazing for you," he said.

"I guess it is; you never really get used to the sights. At least, I don't." she said back.

"I love you," he breathed.

"I know."

They laid on her bed, Felix's hand running the length of her legs, once in a while brushing against the bottom of her jean shorts. Riley's head rested on her own pillow, face a few inches from Felix's, but it seemed too much in her opinion. She glanced down as he lifted her shirt up, but he only snagged the clothing so far to see the silver skin that had grown over the hole in her chest. His fingers brushed against it gently and Riley watched as sadness spread across his face.

"Fel, what's wrong?" she asked and he busied himself with rolling her tank top back down. His arms lay strewn around her side now, fingers barely touching her back as he thought. Riley's eyes searched his and he kept her gaze with an even stare.

"I don't like the thought of losing you. That's a constant reminder now," he murmured and Riley's lips turned up slightly in a grin.

"Well, I guess you can't see me shirtless anymore," she teased and Felix laughed. Riley let loose a sigh she didn't know she had been holding, caused only by the fact that something had been wrong with Felix. She felt better making him laugh.

"So let me ask you a question," he said.

"Shoot," Riley responded, curiousity clear on her face.

"Are we technically boyfriend and girlfriend now?" he asked and Riley's whole body shook with the laughter that came from her mouth. She twisted on to her back and Felix propped his head up on his hands, elbows on the bed, to take a good look at her as she laughed. "Well?" he asked with arched brows.

"Yes, yes I guess we are." she said as she looked up at his face that loomed over hers.

"Then say it," he edged, his eyes twinkling with delight.

"Felix Drayce, you are." she said, her body scooting up on the bed so her head rose against the headboard. "My," she continued, her nose brushing against his now. "Boyfriend," she breathed and they were caught in each other's stare, losing track of everything around them. They forgot whether it was night or day, winter or spring; there was only them.

"Well, Riley Castor, I'm pretty damn happy to hear you feel that way," he murmured. "You're my girlfriend, Riley, and you always will be." he finished for her and they both drew away from each other so they could laugh.

"I forgot what it was like, Fel." Riley said as she looked up at the ceiling. He waited for her to continue, knowing she would elaborate when she got her thoughts together. "When we were together...before, I felt so...I don't know, like I do now?" she said, phrasing it as a question. "And it feels good, better now that you're here again."

"What was the old Felix like?" he asked, surprising her with the question.

"For starters, you looked almost the same."

"Almost?"

"Yeah. That's why I had trouble recognizing you that first day of class, when I saw you. Your build wasn't as lithe and you were taller. Not that your six foot two isn't tall enough now," she chuckled out. "Your hair was lighter, but I guess that was just the sun's doing. Your brown eyes were exactly the same, gold and silver flecks and all. You had a fetish for onion rings which I disliked because it made kissing rather gross," she said and Felix smiled softly.

"You did have a dog named Cast which you named after me. Your personality is much the same. The first time I met you, you annoyed the hell out of me."

"Do I now?" he asked.

"Sometimes, like now." she responded and Felix glanced at her.

"How so?" he asked with a bemused ex
pression on his face.

"Annoying because being next to you really makes me want to kiss you, but I also want to tell you about yourself and about us," she said and Felix grinned as he leaned back over to her.

"Well, don't we have to kiss to see the past?" he murmured into her ear.

"I think we do, but we've wasted enough time already. Let's go out today," she said suddenly as she pushed herself off of the bed. Felix looked at her, completely bewildered, but he shook the feeling off. Riley busied herself with sliding her tank top back up so it actually covered her, shooting Felix a look as she did so. He grinned and opened the bedroom door for her.

Riley passed through and reached for her leather jacket that was on the coffee table. When she put it on, it did nothing to remove the chills that were passing through her body. The shadows hadn't left her, but they were different now; stirring with power she was afraid she couldn't control. Release the beast once and it will always lust for blood, they seemed to murmur in her head.

Moar plz.

"So why'd you want to come outside?" he asked her as Riley stepped out of the bottom floor to her apartment building. She merely shrugged and pulled her jacket closer to her, Felix giving her an odd look as she did so. Before he could say a word, she pointed to her motorcycle, sighing when she realized it was lying banged up on its side from where she'd left it earlier.

"Um, Ree?" he asked as she picked the bike up, boot nudging the kick stand back into place. She leaned against the seat and Felix draped his arms over her shoulders, his hips touching hers as she parted her legs. She looked into his eyes as he tilted her chin up, her gaze averting from him involuntarily. His fingertips strayed to push a lock of hair out of her eyes.

"I knew something was wrong," he hedged, but she remained silent. "Ree, tell me." he urged and Riley snapped her neck back so she was facing him full on again.

"Let it go, Felix. I'm fine," she said as she pushed him away, but he wasn't giving up that easily. His hands grasped her shoulders and held her in place even as she tried to turn away. "Felix," she warned, black eyes flashing a startling crimson. He held her angry gaze for a moment, his own spark of irritation flaring in his eyes. He gave up then, releasing her shoulders and stepping away from her as if she had struck him.

"Fine. I'll leave you to figure this out, then." he said as he turned around. Riley's own pride made her watch him go, never uttering a word for him to come back. She turned back to her bike and when she heard his car start up, she smacked her fist down hard on the bike's seat. She missed him already, loathing herself for letting him go.

"Damn it," she hissed and she cried out as she felt the shadows erupt from her skin. Her eyes narrowed, burning a blood-red, a purple haze setting over her gaze, anger welling up inside of her. She took her right hand which pulsated in writhing tendrils of shadows and drove her fist into the back of her motorcycle. It was catapaulted into the air, the back half of the bike devoured by shadows. as it crashed into a wall.

At the wreckage, Riley's mind cleared, panic setting in as she frantically pushed the shadows away. She stumbled backward and fell against the cool concrete wall of the garage behind her. "No," she whispered to herself as she fell heavily on her butt. "No," she said, louder this time as she knotted her fingers in her hair, knees folding in to her chest.

She held out her wings before her, hating the black of her feathers, the almost evanescent shadows that swirled in the plumage's depths. "Oh, Jay." she murmured as she leaned back against the wall. It had always been Felix for her, will always be, but right now, she craved Jay. She wanted his touch to push the shadows away and soothe her anger. She wanted to remember what it was like to be in the light.

DX

Nyu! But teh nasty Jay tried to keel chu and Felix!

Part of her wanted to run back to Felix, but her stubborness won out. Deciding to leave whatever remained of her motorcycle in the garage, she set out into the streets on foot, wings tucked in neatly against her back. It felt odd for her black feathers to be so crammed against her back, pulled in tight enough so it barely brushed the back of her tank top. She shrugged her leather jacket back on, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

Bringing her wings out had really taken its toll on her, the muscles doomed to become stiff from lack of use again. She shook her head and sighed, shoving her hands into her pockets as she did so. She kept her chin up, intimidating swagger in place, and aviators set on her face. She knew it was rather pitiful, the aimless wandering she was doing to keep Felix off of her mind. So far, it hadn't worked.

She wondered about what he was doing right now; thinking about her? More than likely, she thought to herself. Angry with her? Definitely. She sighed and ran a hand through her black curls. She suddenly felt bored with California, as she had moved around often in the past. With little money to her name, she never lived in any grand place; her apartment now actually luxurious to her. But she didn't give a damn for life's so-called pleasantries. She found her own.

She continued her walk to the livelier part of town, the afternoon sun providing light for whatever thing was being organized for an event tonight. She located the busiest street and found a man handing out fliers. Grabbing one as she passed by, she peered over the pastel blue paper. A Masquerade Ball? she thought aloud as she scanned through the sc
ript. Entry fee is twenty dollars a couple. Proper attire includes a mask for both sides of the couple. A dress for the ladies and a tuxedo for the men are also required. She almost threw the paper in the trash as she walked by, but something made her hold on. Something she had shied away from since Felix had left her the first time. Humanity.

----

"I really need to get a cell phone," she muttered as she sifted through her various clothing in her closet. She knew she didn't own any type and, or form of dress, but Riley wasn't one to be defeated. She dug around in her closet, pulling out tank tops and short shorts by the handful. "What does he see in me?" she murmured as she threw a pair of old biker boots to the side.

Finally, underneath all of the clutter, she found a medium sized wooden box, about as big as both of her palms on it at once. She sat down on her bed and cracked it open, the musty scent of the United States dollar filling her nose. Her gambling box hadn't been touched in a while, but she had saved quite a bit of money. She scooped up the wad of cash and stuffed it into her pocket.

Again, she was back on the streets, eyes flickering about as her aviators flashed in the sunlight. She checked the sun and grimaced. Starts at eight. I don't have a dress...or a mask. I don't even know where Felix lives. I don't know if he has a tux and I don't know if he even wants to come, she thought with a shake of her head. But after a moment of doubt, that one thing kept her moving forward. She found a dress shop, more than likely dedicated to the ball tonight.

Mannequins behind the glass glowered at her from behind their masks, petite smiles splayed on their plastic faces. Riley grimaced and walked in to the store. She blinked as she was instantly surrounded by shopkeepers, the ladies already running down the isles to pick out dresses for her. One of them came down with a yellow dress covered with flowers and Riley held her hands up.

"Oh no," she said with brows arched. She took off her aviators and settled them onto her head, hands then placed on her hips. "Black," she ordered and the woman rushed off to fill her demands. Maybe this won't be so bad after all, she mused as she looked around the shop. Most of the masks were cliche, the peacock looking ones, butterfly masks. None of them fit her originality.

She turned as she felt someone tap her back and a little girl looked up at her with wide blue eyes. Her dark hair fell past her shoulders in ringlets and the resemblance between the girl and Riley was shocking. Riley's gaze shifted to the little girl's hands where she seemed to be carrying her weight in a black dress. On top lay a mask that made Riley cock her head.

"How'd you know?" she asked with a smirk as she lightly ruffled the girl's ringlets. "You remind me of an angel," she replied as she handed the clothes to Riley. Before the elder girl could utter a word, little Riley look-alike was gone.

Riley's hands slipped over the fine silky feel of the dress and upon closer inspection, she could find little crimson specks woven into the black. One woman who was holding about a dozen black dresses at once sighed and waved Riley into a fitting room. When Riley closed the door behind her, she undressed wordlessly and slipped the dress on.

It hugged her waist line and complimented the curve of her hips. There was one strap that lay thick on her right shoulder, the rest holding her breasts well, but still giving her a striking appearance. It had a slight dip at the neck, showing much of her shoulders and collar. Below her waist line, it ended just above her knees, curving around her legs with a look that suited her.

Riley fingered the mask that the girl had found for her and she smiled when she slipped it over her nose. Two black feathers, the bottom of the shafts held just above her right eye, the rest of the two feathers stretching out over the mask and dipping back slightly to touch her hair. The rest was pure black, the nose piece seeming to be hard plastic or something along the lines, that resembled a raven's beak. Tiny red gems gittered around the eye holes.

She dressed quickly and paid for it in a hurry, grabbing a mask with an elongated nose for Felix on her way out. She wanted to thank the little girl, but she was nowhere to be seen. Trying not to be disappointed, Riley hurried home and dumped the bags onto the floor. She peered out her window and looked at the sun's position. Seven.

"Damn it," she muttered. She grabbed the bags again, hesitating for a moment. She turned back around and went into her room, dressing quickly. Once the dress was in place, Riley glanced down. Biker boots it is, she said with a soft smile. No way was she going in high heels or anything along the lines. On her way out, she grabbed Felix's mask, slipping her own on as she did.

Instead of going down through the apartment building, she headed up to the roof. When she stood at the edge of the roof, she let her wings slide out of her back, the ghostly feathers sliding through the dress without so much as a shiver. With her mouth set in a firm line, Riley leaped from the roof. She wasted no time, already the sun was down near the horizon, a few shadows covering her form as she skirted through alleyways.

"Find him," she murmured, her stomach twisting slightly as she sent a few shadows from her palms. They snaked away from her and she could sense their unhappiness wth her giving them orders. She shook the though away and continued to fly until they returned. She was letting her fingers run against the wall of a run-down building when they came back to her, filling her eyes with images of a similar apartment to hers not too far from her current position.

"Thanks," she muttered as she veered to a right and stroked her way towards his apartment. When she reached his floor, she practically ran down the hall, face windstreaked and hair windblown. She rang the buzzer to his room once and she held her breath when the door opened. His face appeared, eyebrows shooting up as he took in her attire.

"Ree?" he asked, the beginning of a laugh crawling onto his smile. She ignored it and held out his mask.

"How do you look in tux?"

XD

Yey!

"Riley Castor in a dress," he mused as they walked hand in hand down the shadowed street. She rolled her eyes and leaned against his shoulder, pushing away the thoughts the shadows were mumbling in her mind. He wrapped his arm around her side and pulled her in close, yet they still continued to walk.

"Why, do you not like me in a dress?" she asked as she playfully nipped at his ear.

"No, I like it very very much." he said as he snuck an unsuspected kiss on her mouth. She pulled back suddenly and merely shook her head, a smile almost breaking through on her pursed lips. She looked up at him as they walked. His mask was tilted up on his forehead, the long nose looking more like a unicorn's horn as it was. He looked down at her and noticed her gaze on the mask. "Honesty, Ree. Why'd you have to pick a mask where I couldn't kiss you all night?" he asked and Riley rolled her eyes.

They approached the building where people were flooding in, soft music could be heard coming from inside. The man at the front took their money and marked both of their hands with invisible ink. If they wanted to leave and come back in, they'd have to have their hands scanned.

Riley led her through the building while she examined the interior; high ceilings painted with depictions of various myths and legends. The columns that held the old building up were set along the side and upon closer examination, Riley realized they were made of pure marble. Her eyes finally set to where Riley was leading them and she tugged back on his hand.

"Dance floor is this way, silly." he said as he pulled gently on her hand.

"I don't dance," she said and Felix gave her an odd look before he took both of her hands in his.

"We're at a Masquerade Ball and you don't want to dance," he said, a statement...with sarcasm. Riley pulled her mask down over her face and crossed her arms. Felix shrugged and pulled his mask down, his eyes lighting up his cream colored mask. "Well, you're going to dance with me now," he said as he pulled her closer, his breath tickling her ear for only a moment before he scooped her up in his arms.

With only a few protests at first, Felix led them onto the ballroom floor, most of the dancers swaying away from them as they accomodated for their lack of space. A few glowering stares were shot at the two of them, but Felix ignored them. He set Riley down and smiled when he saw her biker books. "Damn, you're beautiful," he said as he straightened.

"And you're handsome in that tux," she said, and she meant it. The black tuxedo was slick and stylish on Felix's lanky body. He wore a loose tie for the occasion, straight black with crimson flecks in it. Riley blinked as she noticed the similarity between the tie and the dress. "You're good," she added and Felix looked up as the last song ended.

"May I have your hand?" he asked as he slipped one hand unde hers, the other resting on her hip. She looked up into his eyes and placed her hand on his shoulder. When the next tune started, Felix waited for a moment to assess the tempo. He started unexpectedly, taking a step toward Riley and causing her to fall against his chest.

"Whoa there," he chuckled as she straightened, her black eyes sparking with red flecks beneath her mask. She set them up again and winked at him. "On my count," she whispered and Felix smiled. "One, two, --" and he started again, but she was ready. He stepped toward her right and she, to the left.

Every footfall took them into another turn, his hand leaving her hips to allow her to twirl for a moment. They fell back into the dance, breaking apart to expand their space for a moment, coming back together for another whirl. He began to hum to the music and Riley felt herself entranced by his movements, effortlessly controlled as he picked her up and twirled her around.

When the song ended, she circled her arms around his neck and looked up into his eyes. "You never told me you could dance," she said, but she remembered the old Felix's expertise at the art. Present Felix merely shrugged and gave her a quirky grin.

---

"Five hours?!" she exclaimed as she fell against her couch. "We danced for five hours?"

"More like four and a half, but yeah, five." Felix replied sleepily as he leaned against her small living room wall. She threw her mask to the side and he did the same. When he turned to go into her bedroom, she smiled at the familiarity of it all; the normalness from which he casually pulled off his tie and threw it onto her floor. She was up from the bed to help him remove the tux and his shirt.

He shimmied out of his dress pants, but kept his boxers on as he slid into her bed. She slipped off her dress and dove around in her closet for suitable sleepwear. After finding some old sweats and a white t-shirt, she took off her dress and changed before him. He closed his eyes to give her some privacy, but she didn't mind either way. "That's hot," he said as she nestled into bed beside him, his hands fingering her shirt.

"Jay's gone now," she responded as she grabbed his hand and placed it on her heart. She paused for a moment and focused on slowing her breathing. "And my heart still beats for you," she said as she rested her chin on his shoulder.

"What's been wrong with you, Ree? Ever since that fight with Jay," he said as he stroked her hair.

This time, Riley wasn't going to push him away. "You remember what I...became during the fight."

"The shadows covered you, yes." he said, his eyes carefully guarded.

"Jay was right when he said I wouldn't be able to control them anymore," she said and shivered. Felix pulled her closer to him and the shudders quelled. "When I pushed you away before, after that, they took hold of me again. I was so angry," she said hopelessly and Felix knew she was done talking about it.

He looked at her with soft eyes that seemed to promise everything and his words followed soon after. "I'm here, baby. No one's going to leave you. We'll fight this together." he continued to talk for a while, the same words rolling off of his tongue. She knew he was trying to console himelf just as much as she, but she fell asleep contented with the sound of his voice, the murmurs of the shadows growing silent as he talked.