Starfire Angels
Raea gasped and scanned the shadows around her. Her crystal pendant glowed faintly like the aquamarine splotches on the backs and palms of her hands, but it all faded to nothing before she could blink. Impossible. She couldn't have seen what she thought she saw.
Familiarity chased away the fire and darkness. Her room. She sat in her room in Debbie and Mike Logan's, her aunt's and uncle's, house, but her covers stuck to her.
Yuck. In the dark of her room, she threw back her wet sheet and comforter and picked off her brown hair sticking to her neck and shoulders. Much better. The cold March night made her shiver, but after dreaming of fire and waking up soaked in sweat, she welcomed the cold. She'd welcome a hot shower in the morning even more.
It must have been a dream. That's all it was. One more annoying dream to forget.
She closed her eyes. Tomorrow would come too soon.
"Watch out!" Linds' voice called over the noise of various conversations in the crowded second floor hall of McClarron High School.
Too late. Josh met Raea with a newspaper clipping held aloft in his hand. With his other hand, he swiped strands of dark brown hair away from blue eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Raea, you gotta see this!"
Not another one. The first story had piqued her interest and the second confirmed it, but after five reports shoved in her face about a mysterious black-winged angel helping local residents, she had no desire to see another. Small town news. Why did she have to live in little McClarron, North Dakota? Why couldn't her aunt and uncle live in a city, or even Fargo with several high schools? That was big enough to hide from news like this and still be close to Debbie's family.
But she wouldn't have her friends, including Josh, shortest guy in the senior class -- her height -- a total geek, and a just plain nice guy. He should've found a girlfriend already. Instead, he pestered her and the others with his obsession.
What did Josh have -- sensors or tracking devices planted on each of them? He moved too quickly for her to avoid in the locker-lined halls without hurting his feelings. The least she could do was humor him. Josh might be obsessive about this, but he'd been a good friend since first grade.
She took the clipping he shoved into her hands and glanced down. Yup, another one. This time the angel had stopped a family from crashing on Highway 200 heading west to Washburn. She finished skimming the article and handed the clipping back to him. Her dreams about her mother with wings returned in vivid detail.
"'Kay...So...Anything?"
Raea shook off her thoughts and focused on Josh. That pleading gaze waited in expectance of her to getexcited. As much as she wanted to for his sake, she couldn't. "What do you want me to say?"
"What do you think?"
In answer, the bell rang. The squeak of sneakers and stampede with the slams of metal lockers around them made talking difficult. Saved by the bell. Josh was cool, but she and the others tired of hearing about their small town hero.
"I think we better get our butts into Biology," she said.
"Forget Biology. Don't you get it? They made the name official. They're calling him 'Dark Angel' for sure." He followed to her locker. Why her? "It's just wicked! I love it!"
She didn't care about his "Dark Angel." Why did they have to assign a name? Now that's all she'd hear from him.
"Oh, and there was another article."
"Josh, we don't have time." Hadn't he heard the warning bell?
"It just said a film crew from the Xplorer Channel is coming next week to interview people and try to catch a glimpse of the Dark Angel. Anyway, see ya in class."
Thank you, she mouthed and turned the dial for the lock on her green locker door. At least she wouldn't have to hear about it for a while. But a film crew? She could just see the madhouse with everyone wanting their moment of fame. Still, it would liven up their small town for a while. It would be interesting, to say the least.
With her books in her arms, Raea slammed her locker and hurried to her first class of the day.
The only thing she wanted to think about at the presentThe only thing she wanted to think about at the present was Linds's birthday party that weekend. Eighteen. Her friend would be an official adult, even if they were still in high school.
If only Raea's mother could have been there to see her reach adulthood. That would have been perfect. Her whole life would have been perfect if Padina had lived all those years. At least then Raea wouldn't have only her dreams. After her mother's and stepfather's deaths in the tornado thirteen years ago, Raea had come to live with her aunt and uncle and cousins.
Every day she wished she could speak to her mother one more time, so she could ask questions like the one that plagued her since waking last night. Had Raea really seen the marks on her hands glow last night? Like her mother's marks, the aquamarine blotches in her palms also showed on the backs of her hands, so she couldn't hide them by closing her fists. Worse still, jagged lines sprayed out from the center to her fingertips and beyond her wrists. The bullies liked them, as a reason to tease her.
Somebody bumped against her from behind, but she caught her balance with a step.
Connections
The last two days of the week couldn't have gone fastenough. Raea spent the better part of each evening practicing with Elis before the nights grew too cold to want to fly, and after Debbie came home Thursday. Apparently it had been Sheri at the house and she had mentioned suspecting squatters but found no sign of anyone on a return trip. Warmer weather was promised for the weekend. With it, Raea anticipated the chance to spread her wings.
She had talked to Pallin at school, but Debbie didn't give her a chance to go out with him, and he didn't seem inclined to ask. What was going on? Doubts crept into her mind. She hoped to put them to rest, but Pallin kept his distance since their hands brushed. Had he felt it? Had it turned him off? What did it mean?
And just when the weather was good enough to go walking. They should take advantage of it. Spring weather could change at the drop of a hat. Since March had come in like a lion, she expected it to go out like a lamb. They were in the homestretch in the latter half of the month. Spring couldn't come fast enough for her.
The best yet -- no Nina Russet. Unfortunately, as Josh informed her Friday, that was because the film crew had arrived. What a way to spoil her weekend. Now she had to worry about being videotaped and caught doing something un-human. She couldn't wait until they left.
After school Friday, Raea asked Pallin to go for awalk, but he had work to do. She could call later, though. Besides, she had the whole weekend ahead. That left her the option of practicing with Elis. She could now release the energy in a burst, but it was uncontrolled and strong. He warned that she could kill someone with it. That made her hesitate. She wanted to learn to refine her control, so she wouldn't hurt anyone.
What else could she do, besides hang out with friends?
Not this time. She wanted to push ahead with the Starfire lessons. Since getting into them, the visions and dreams had all but stopped. Elis it was.
With her mind set, she leapt the melting runoff meandering down the sidewalk, avoiding the slushy lawn altogether, and arrived in seconds next door. She pounded a triple knock and waited.
When the door opened, surprise flashed across his face for a moment. In the next moment, his smile washed it away. "Come in."
"Thanks." Was it warm suddenly? Oh, no. Not again. What was going on with her?
She ducked her face as she slipped past him. Please don't let him see the blush. The storm door hissed shut behind her. Her heart fluttered in her chest, and she removed her coat with her back to him. Ever since the pantry in the farmhouse, thoughts of being close to him occupied her mind.
"I didn't expect you this soon."
"I didn't have anything else." Pallin seemed to have lost interest but still talked to her at school. No one said he went out with anyone else, but he skirted the subject when she asked if something was wrong.
Elis shut the door and took her coat to hang it up. "You've been making incredible progress."
"It doesn't feel like it." Almost a whole week and she had managed to find the resonance inside her and release the energy in a burst. Sure, that was fast progress. When did she get to do the cool stuff?
"Really. You've learned fast. Most of us take a month's time to reach this point."
"Yeah, right." Damn, that crooked smirk was cute on him.
No. No. NO! I did not just think that.
Yes, she did. Good God. She was attracted to him. How did this happen? When did this happen?
No. She couldn't be. What about Pallin? He was hot. Elis was just like...sort of...cuddly cute.
Was this the reason she wanted to spend time with him, because she was attracted to him? What do I do now ? Why did this have to happen?
"Of course, we get the basics around seven years, before we start primary school, and we're not pushed hard. It's light work. Once we have that, our parents help us, but the real training doesn't come until after secondary school. That's when we return to Starfire Tower alone for a few years to refine our control."
"Had you contacted us, this might not have happened."
"Or you would have done nothing, because you have no evidence, as you already stated." Elis pulled her closer and Sandaman gave him a dark look.
"Playing the protective boyfriend does more harm thangood, in any case I've heard or seen. Remember that."
Point made. Raea hoped Elis took it to heart. No more running off to finish your business. They were on Earth, not Inar'Ahben. Here the rules were different.
Elis gave the man a curt nod.
"If I have any other questions, I know where to find you. Thanks for coming back. We'll find this creep."
Next to her Elis tensed.
Creep. Creeper. The nickname Chad had started and most of the school knew Elis as, or used to. Because of what he did Saturday, most of the school saw him as a quiet hero, but he hadn't been back yet. Elis had a few surprises when he returned to school. And from his performance tonight fighting Pallin, she had no doubt he was well enough to return, even if still a little sore.
"Ready?" she asked.
"What about those tapes you wanted to find?"
"I overheard some people talking -- I'm guessing her crew -- and they said they didn't get, like, any ID on Dark Angel. Too blurry or obstructed."
He squeezed her hand. "Dark Angel is safe."
"And you need rest. We both do." And time to heal emotions. All that had happened hurt. She only wanted to forget, but she never would.
He started the car, a grin crawling out. "I know."
This game again? She chuckled, glad to forget for a moment. "You know...you're way too agreeable."
"I know."
One more. She had to say it, just to see his reaction, and to hear the truth. "I love you."
He turned to her, his grin stretching wide. He didn't even have to say it. She knew.