My Constant Companion

I felt myself go numb.

My hand went slack in Shannon's. He looked away from me. My eyes were now locked on Jared's. Was he for real? Had Shannon had actually killed their mother?

My tongue didn't seem to want to work. Shannon's own words were playing in my head, I've hurt people, human and others alike, not that they didn't deserve it. So had his mother deserved to die? No wonder they were both on the verge of tears. I felt like crying myself.

Shannon let my hand go and turned his back to me. No one spoke and time felt meaningless. Finally I could form a word, only one. “Why?” And it was directed at Jared.

“Ask him.” Jared said, his blue eyes ablaze.

Shannon growled again. I went over to him and touched his arm. He jerked away from me. “Go! Leave!” he yelled at me, pointing to the door. I was taken aback. “You know you want to.”

“No. I don't.” I whispered after a moment. There were tears in my eyes. I felt hurt. “Just explain it to me.”

“There's nothing to explain.” he said.

“But Shannon-”

“But nothing, Nikka.” he said, cutting me off. “This is what I am.”

I didn't know what to feel. A tear slid down my cheek and Shannon watched it was it went to my chin. “I told you to stay away from him,” Jared said in an almost bored voice, “He's a danger, Nikka. But you wouldn't listen.”

“Shut. Up.” snarled Shannon. “Stop acting as if your some sort of saint, Jared, or as if you fucking care. At least I don't hide my shit.”

“But you ran.” Jared said loudly. “Only the guilty run.”

“Or the smart.”

He scoffed, “Look where it got you.”

Shannon glowered so hard at his brother that I thought he would burst into flames. “You hands aren't clean in all of this.”

“Oh, yeah?”

Shannon raised and eyebrow. “What about Mary?” Who was Mary?

Jared's face turned ugly. “I had nothing to do with that.” he whispered.

“Exactly. You didn't bother to fix a damn thing.”

I was even more confused now. “Doesn't change a thing.” Jared said, so sure of himself.

I had assumed they had forgotten about me but Shannon sighed heavily and walked closer to me.

I took a step back, not sure what he was going to do. More tears left my eyes. I just couldn't seem to stop them. Shannon cautiously reached out and slid a finger just beneath my eye.

“Sorry, doll.” he whispered so soft I could barely hear him. “I didn't mean to drag you into this.”

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Jared watching us intently. His thin lips were set in a hard line.

“Brother, I know you don't want to hear it but it's true. You can get your wings back. You can come back home. Where you belong. Things will be different. Father misses you.” Shannon ignored him and stared only at me, his eyes downcast. But Jared seemed determined to be heard. “You can't honestly tell me you like it here. Don't miss it? Your wings? Flying? Home?”

“This is home.” Shannon said looking at me. My heart beat loudly in my ears and I half smiled the angel.

Jared laughed. “Now who's sprouting bullshit?”

“You. Definitely you. You actually thought that I would fall for that, little brother?” the younger angels face turned ugly as Shannon spoke. “No one wants me there. You know what they'll do if I return. What he'll do to me. He doesn't give two shits about me. I remember every word clearly.” he stepped around me to face his brother better. “What are you really doing her Jared? You hate it here. Why are you here? You a cast out too, now?”

“Funny.” Jared said bitterly.

Shannon turned back to me, cupped my face and kissed my forehead. I wrapped my arms around his waist, needing to feel him near me. I knew he had done some bad things, but not this. Even with all that said I knew Shannon wouldn't hurt me. Never. There was a reason behind all of this and I was going to pry it to of him.

He released me. “Interesting.” Jared said bitterly. I turned to face the angel. “Either you're the most trusting woman alive or the most naïve. Probably both.” he walked closer until he was about five feet in front of me. Shannon at my back. “Seriously brother, come home.”

“No.”

“You're getting yourself into deep shit.” Jared told me bitterly, his eyes dark. “You better watch yourself.”

“Why do you care?” I asked, surprised at how angry my voice had become.

“I'm a sucker for a pretty face.” he answered with a smile that failed to reach his eyes.

I frowned. “Anything else you care to share?”

He smirked. “Just this.”

“No!” Shannon shouted.

I felt him reach for me but quicker than the blink of an eye I was in Jared's arms, and his lips were on mine. My eyes widened as the intensity of his kiss hit me like a tidal wave. Jared was in my head. Then I saw it. Fragments of images.

Shannon and Jared standing in the forest, looking to the shy. Shannon covered in blood, smiling devilishly. Two little boys running through a field. A lightening bolt striking the ground. The two angels smiling as they soared through the air. Jared picking up a dark feather from the dirty ground. And a little girl crying in her closet, clutching a teddy bear... The little girl was me.

It only lasted a few seconds, and most of the other images were too quick for me to catch. Was he trying to tell me something?

When he released me it was like coming up for air after being under water too long. I could hear a lot of noise,things breaking, scuffling. I turned but my head felt very light and I fell down, my vision fuzzy. Jared caught me, wrapping an arm around my waist, before I hit the ground. My stomach lurched and I nearly threw up. I felt sick, beyond sick, like I had been on the worlds fastest roller coaster.

I looked up, blurry eyed, blinked and then eventually saw one of the twins dealing with Matt, who seemed to be holding his own. But I was temporarily distracted because the twins had taken off their coats and what a sight they were because they had wings.

I knew they had to be angels but the sight of them was something magnificent. Huge pale wings with long feathers, similar to the ones Shannon had shown me in my dream, but even larger. Even with all of the commotion I could appreciate the beauty of it.

That is until I saw Shannon's bleeding face.

He was fighting the other twin, and kicking his ass by the looks of it.

My beautiful angel snarled to Jared, “Take your motherfucking hands off of her.”

“Okay.” Jared said simply. And he let me go and I fell to the ground. My right knee and elbow both hit the floor hard. I barely registered the pain.

Jared walked pass me to his brother. Shannon punched then elbowed the twin before kicking him, making the tall man stagger but not fall. Shannon then reached for his wing, a mistake.

The twin punch Shannon and knocked him to the ground. His face was bloody. The second twin out of no where grabbed Shannon, who fought back but even so he was thrown to the ground. Shannon lied on his back on the ground, breathing hard, but not moving.

“Don't ever... fucking touch her... again.” he snarled at Jared who stood over him.

“I could kill you...” Jared said. “Or I could kill her.”

Shannon's alarmed eyes met mine as he turned his head to face me. “Go.” he spoke in my head. It startled me. “Please.”

I looked him in the eyes and shook my head. “I can't.” I thought, not knowing whether or not if he could hear me.

“You could...” Shannon panted out, “but you won't.” I wasn't sure if he was responding to Jared or me.

Jared seemed to be thinking that over. I wanted to get up and go to Shannon who looked so fragile somehow, but I knew it would only make things worse. Plus I felt so immobile. I couldn't move. It was several long moments before Jared turned away, grabbed his coat and slipped it on. He looked at the twins and said, “Hurt him.”

“No!” I screamed and suddenly leaped up and ran over to him, but one of the twins wings slapped me, hitting me hard in the face and knocking the wind out of me and I fell back. Then one of them lifted my angel of the ground and slammed him back down again. “No please. No.” I cried out, still trying to get to him, but Jared held me.

“Stop.” Shannon spoke in my mind again. And I did. “I'll be fine.”

Their wings blocked out whatever else they were doing to him, but it sounded awful. I could see Shannon trying to stand again, only to be knocked back down again.

Then it was over and Shannon was a bloody mess on the broken wooden floor. The twins gathered their wings at their backs and pulled their spotless white coats back on. They didn't even spared a glance at the man they had just beaten. They went out the door. Jared kissed my cheek and let me go. I fell back to the floor.

“There are some dark days ahead, dear.” he walked over to the door. “Be ready.” then he turned to his brother, who was slowly rolling over, wincing, “One piece of advice Shannon.” he said, “Tell her the truth even she deserves that.”

Shannon didn't make a noise but I could tell he was in pain.

“It was nice to see you both again. And I guess I'll see you guys soon, our double date.” he smiled seductively at me. Was he kidding me? “Nikka, I can see why he likes you. You're one hell of a kisser.” he blew me a kiss then was out the door.

Once they were gone I felt my stomach return to some state of normal and I managed to crawl over to Shannon. He was on his side, in pain. “Shan?”

He spat out something in that language he had spoken earlier and even I could tell it wasn't anything good. “I'm fine.” he grunted out. “Help me up.”

“Is that wise?”

“Fuck wise.” I decided not to debate it with him. After a moment I gathered my strength and began lifting him up. He was heavy. He winced, gritted his teeth together and slowly I half dragged him over to the pool table, pieces of broken wood trailed behind him. Jesus Christ, there was a hole on the floor.

“You okay?” he asked. I nodded. How could he be concerned with me? He sat on the floor with his back to the table. I knelled down beside him. “I need you to do something for me.”

“Anything.” I said.

He turned his head and said, “Pop my shoulder back in.”

I looked and noticed his right shoulder was out of it's socket. Oh god. “Uh...”

“Nikka, please.” his hazel eyes pleaded with me.

“Okay, okay.” I took a deep breath and touched his arm.

“Just push it up as with as much force as you can.” he told me, “And make it fast.”

I looked a his face and he was didn't want to show me he was hurt. I counted to three in my head and... “Aah!” he screamed as I pushed his arm up and heard a sickening sound.

“Sorry. Sorry.” I cried out once I was done.

Then he laughed, shutting his eyes. “It's okay.” he rubbed his sore shoulder. “Later on you can kiss is better.” His left eye was swollen and his knuckles bloody as was his face which had cuts and he had a split lip.

“What else is hurting.”

“I'm fine.”

“Oh, hell Shannon.” I exclaimed. “They did a number on you. You. Are. Not. Fine.”

He gave me an exhausted look. “I've been through worse.” I frowned at him, “You're so cute when you frown.” he smiled.

“Oh, shut up. You are so ridiculous.”

I stood up and limped over to the bar, hopping over, even though my knee hurt, looking for a something to wipe the blood away and was shocked to see the Matt lying on the floor, shards of glass beneath him, his shirt torn and his nose bloody.

“Oh no.” I checked his pulse. He was alive. I let out the breath I had been holding. Shannon had gotten up and hopped over the bar. “What are you doing?” I asked in alarm. How could he even be standing. “You're hurt.”

“I told you I was fine.” he snarled. He checked on Matt. “He'll live.” I helped him pull Matt up and we laid him on top of the bar. Then Shannon sat down and leaned his back against the liquor cabinet, exhausted. I found a rag, wet it and wiped his face clean. We didn't speak. After a few minutes he said, “We need to go.”

“But-”

“Come on.” Shannon stood, scooped me up and hopped over the bar.

Then we were out in the cool Spring air. It was around 9:30 and it was dark, only a few people were on the street. Shannon was still holding me like a baby, his eyes darting all over, looking for any signs of trouble. I was mindful of his injures, but he tried to ignore his own pain.

He put my feet back on the ground. As soon as he did I felt sick again. I vomited twice before I felt better, like I had gotten something nasty out of my system. Shannon held me for a moment, as if to reassure me it was going to be alright. I had his blood on my clothes now. “Shannon you need to sit.”

“No. We might get trouble if we stay.” After my head stopped spinning we got on the motorcycle. “You sure you okay?” he asked as I wrapped my arms around his waist and leaned against him.

“Yeah. Are you?” I asked.

He didn't respond, just started the engine and away we flew.