Forbidden Wings

Say What?

"Hey... is everything alright? I didn't mean to rush anything. I can't explain it but I just can't seem to resist you." Mason's deep timber rumbled her chest and she knew she could listen to that sound for the rest of her life.

She was looking down at her fingers, picking at her non-existent cuticles, when she felt his strong fingers push her chin up so her golden eyes stared into his beautiful blue. She was getting lost in his eyes when what he said finally clicked in her head.

She shook her head hard and replied, "No! No, it's nothing like that! I just realized we should probably talk about what is going on before it hits the point of no return, ya know?"

Looking back down at her hands, she felt him shift under her and started to move off of him, but his arms twined around her, holding her in place. She leaned in, breathing him in. He smelled like sage and cinnamon and she nuzzled into his chest, fitting perfectly. In unison they sighed, causing Atla to erupt in giggles. Mason groaned at the sound. Startled, she looked up at him worried.

He chuckled, "Even the sound of your laugh makes me want you. What kind of spell have you put on me, Atlani?"

She blushed, fully knowing it was something she was totally capable of, but of course she hadn't done so.

It was finally time to discuss the elephant in the room. Forgetting to conceal the power of her voice, her monologue left her in a rush.

"I want you to know I feel the same as you. There is something drawing us together, but I have no idea what force it is. I don't think I have the power to fight it even if I wanted to. I know what we are doing is inappropriate and you could get into SO much trouble if we are caught. Which I really don't want. I would feel so horrible if you got into trouble just because of me! I can't even imagine having you taken away from me. I know nothing about you and yet I never want to leave your side... but there is also so much you don't know about me. I am so much more complicated than I seem and gosh Mason! You would be so burdened by me, I just don't even know how this would work. Damnit I want it though. I want you and a whole life with you. Sitting here looking into your eyes, I can see everything I have ever wanted in your eyes. But that's just crazy, right? Like this can't be real! You can't be real, or at least this pull between us can't be. You wouldn't want me, I would be so much for you. You don't deserve that, you deserve so much more than I can offer you..."

As she trailed off, she just sat there feeling her heart sink as he stayed silent. Atla looked up and found his eyes hooded. She could see she should’ve hidden her voice a little better. She had never really used it to its full effect, but apparently it was a powerful little tool.

As if in a trance, he began to speak, eyes locked on hers. He mumbled something. Even her impeccable hearing couldn’t decipher what he had said. Staring back at him, she demanded he say it again.

This time, clearly with an authoritative bite to his words, he said, “Once the moon, Once the sun, these old games have just begun, Wait till you see the web I’ve spun, Once the moon, Once the sun.”

Shaking his head as though he was thoroughly confused about it, all his eyes cleared and he was back to looking at her as though she were the world.

Confused and frightened, she stood and ran out of the house with such speed she knew there would be consequences. Not realizing how much time had passed, she slipped into the shadows and reached for her phone. Selina had tried calling her but when she had not received a reply, instead of panicking she had texted a winking face. Tarani, on the other hand, had gone full mama bear. 17 missed calls and so many texts that Atla’s head started to spin. Pausing for a moment to catch her breath, she dissolved, wanting to be home with her neurotic sister instead of anywhere near Mr. LaFae.

Mr. LaFae? He hadn’t been that to her. A teacher. He was a teacher at her school, an esteemed establishment not to be tainted by her misguidance. She would arrive at school early tomorrow and set him straight. Their lives would not be connected, she would put him on a path suitable for a man of stature and that would be the end. She knew she had to prepare to stare into his deep sapphire eyes and end it. Whatever "it" was. They had kissed...twice, but nothing more. Suddenly she was relieved she hadn't let it go any further than it already had. She could still feel every nerve in her body wanting to be near him. Be touched by him. She sighed.

Already home, she burst through the door, knowing her sister who had been pacing her room, would rush down the stairs. Their combined speed caused them to collide in a mess of hair and limbs trying to hold on to one another. They were all each other had left after all. Tarani was crying and asking what the hell happened this afternoon. Atla’s calm spread over her like cool water, calming the flames of her panic. Once her breathing had slowed considerably, Tarani took a breath, daring to speak, only to be interrupted.

“We have a problem, Tari. I don’t know how big or what about. All I know is that I plan on fixing it tomorrow, so I don’t want you to worry.”

“What kind of problem?” She asked as gently as she could, hoping not to spook Atlani into silence.

“All I know is that I have messed up somehow.” Alta felt tears pricking her eyes threatening to spill over again.

“Shhh. You can tell me anything. I promise I will be a helping hand not a hurting one.” Using her fingertips to wipe her sister’s eyes, she silently prayed that Atla’s “trouble” was a normal 18-year-old trouble and not one that required their enhanced abilities.

By the deep breath Atla took before she spoke, Tarani knew she was in bigger trouble than she knew.

“There’s a man. I don’t know how, but I literally ran into him yesterday at school and I have been pulled to him ever since!” The words left her in a rush. She blew out the rest of the air she was holding in, not ready to tell the other half of the story. She could feel Tarani relax, which she knew meant she had to fess up the rest of the tale. Sucking in another deep breath she let out, “I went to his house today and it felt like magic, in a good way. It was all going so well and then I told him I needed to know why the connection between us felt the way it did and I think he answered me honestly, but his response scares me.”

Tarani tensed under Atla's hands as she recited the haunting words still circling in her head, “Once the moon, Once the sun, these old games have just begun, Wait till you see the web I’ve spun, Once the moon, Once the sun.”

Tarani stood tensed and strong as Atla looked up at her. She saw the small child she had woken up to all those years ago. She had promised to take care of Atla always, but it seemed that her little sister had found her way into something Tarani had no control over.