“Like a fallen angel?”
“Yes,” he replies with a sad smile. We both sit in silence as I sip my hot tea, and I’m happy to report Thallon can make a damn good cup of tea.
“Do you read a lot then?” I enquire, nodding my head at the piles of books.
“Yes, but all my books are in Latin, and they are my way of finding answers about who I am and why I’m not clearly light or dark,” he tells me. “So far, there isn’t an answer other than someone pushing me into a choice.”
“That would be horrible. I might be new to this, but I understand that everyone should have a choice,” I say.
“And that’s another reason I like you, Kaitlyn Lightson. You never judge me when everyone else does,” he says with a grin.
I smile at him, a real smile that makes me feel safe. “You might not like me in a few hours when I raid your fridge and steal your TV to watch anything. You have no clue how much I miss Netflix and my movies.”
“My home is yours,” he waves a hand. “But touch my peanut butter cups, and we might have a problem.”
“I promise not to touch them,” I say around a giggle, and he laughs with me. Even when we just talk of war and nothing but destruction, he still is starting to feel like home.
Chapter 16
“When angels first arrived on earth to see humans, tell me what the first five things they saw were?” Master Gabriel asks, and I try to swallow a yawn as Miltona, the class teacher’s pet, puts her hand up.
“They saw pain, lust, hate, joy and love,” she sweetly answers.
Nodding, he leans against the desk, tapping a pen on his leg. “Correct, but what was the very thing they were missing?”
“I am unsure, sir,” she answers, sounding panicked.
“They were missing guidance, and that is exactly what we became for them,” he smoothly answers.
“Why was it our choice to guide them?” I ask. “Surely free will is what any god wants for his child, the humans, right?”
“Who says the god who gave you a second chance at life wants humans to have free will?” he asks.
“Because they are free, and we are not,” I point out.
“Very smart, Miss Lightson. Freedom has to be earnt in our angel lives, and guidance is how we slowly pay back,” he replies. I tightly smile at his bullshit answer just as Ren appears on my desk. Literally sitting on my desk, his arms crossed and a playboy grin on his lips.
There are two sides to Ren. One is like this: playful, relaxed and fun. The other side, his serious side that tempts me with promises and truths, is far more alluring.
“Ask your teacher about vampires,” he suggests. “You did say you would after all. Now is perfect.”
“No,” I hiss back, and Ves looks at me strangely from my side. I try not to look at Ren as he gets up off my desk and walks around me. His fingers play with my hair, and I can almost feel the strands moving. I can almost feel him so close to me.
“I wasn’t asking, Kaitlyn Lightson. Ask away or I will be your new version of a haunted house,” he threatens so sweetly. Poison wrapped in candy. That is exactly who Ren is.
“Master Gabriel, can I ask something off-topic?” I question the second he finishes his speech on the holy blessing that angels are or something. I wasn’t listening thanks to my ghost vampire friend.
“I will allow it. What is your question?” he asks, and I clear my throat, finding the strength to say it.
“Are vampires real in this world?” The second he registers my question, a nervous look flickers over his features for just a second.
“Why would you ask such a thing?” he questions, and I shrug. I can hardly tell him the real reason.
“I’ve heard demons are real. Why not vampires?” I ask. “There are enough movies about them.”
“I do not lie, and you know this well. Yes, vampires are real creatures of this world, and they are truly evil beings. Vampires are born to do one thing and only one thing. Destroy,” he says, and I gulp.
“He judges us all because of what one vampire discovered,” Ren says with a low laugh.
“Surely that can’t be the entire race. Are you basing your opinion on one vampire’s actions?” I ask.
“I do not judge entire races on the actions of one, and it is rude to consider I do. In this world, you will find so many creatures, but a vampire will not be one, I’m afraid,” he firmly states, and I want to tell him I’m looking at a vampire ghost right now.
“Why?” Vesnia cuts in, clearly interested.
“Angel blood to a vampire is more seductive than any treasure in the world. Long ago, we were at war with vampires, and we won. What is left of their race will die in time,” he explains.
“Ask about born vampires,” Ren pushes.
“Can they be born?” I enquire as he tries to change the subject and turns to the board. He tenses up and looks back at me.
“Not since a great mistake was made, no. Now unless your questions are about the next project, I suggest you keep them to yourself, lass,” Master Gabriel states, and I nod in agreement. Ren winks at me before disappearing once again, and now I have a million questions for him. If vampires are evil, does that make Ren the same?
Why would Ren come to the angels if they were at war?
I make a mental checklist of things to ask him next as Master Gabriel asks us to get into pairs and go outside to note things of interest on the academy castle.
“Riley, can I work with you?” I ask him, hoping he will say yes. I need us to get back to some kind of normal, and we haven’t had any time alone together recently. He sighs before nodding once, holding out his hand. I grip his hand as we get up and leave the room after the other students, feeling Master Gabriel’s eyes on me.
“I didn’t know you liked vampires, Katy,” Riley says into the awkward silence drifting over us. “Or guys like Henry or Thallon, while we are on the subject.”
Tugging the ends of my hair, I grab his arm and stop him in the corridor. “You will always be my best friend; you don’t have to be scared of losing me.”
“I’m not scared,” he scoffs, tugging his arm away from me, but I see right through it and we know it.
“Why don’t we ditch class and go and get snacks? We could find a tree to sit under and talk like we used to all the time?” I ask, and he runs his fingers through his hair a few times.
“Alright,” he finally agrees, and I grin, hooking my arm in his. “As long as you don’t spill orange juice on me like that time in middle school. It was so embarrassing to go back to school with a big orange stain all over my trousers.”
“If I remember right, you poured your chocolate milk on me as payback the next day. Chocolate milk on trousers looks way worse,” I say, laughing. He laughs with me, and for a bit, it’s just like the old days with Riley and me.
And I wish it could always stay like this.
Chapter 17
“Sneaking out of class is against the rules, Miss Lightson.” I jump out of my skin as I step into my room, finding Master Gabriel standing there waiting for me. How do the stairs enchantment not work on him?