Know Me By Name

James and I watched as my son’s propensity for speed finally won over. After all these years, he was finally coming into his powers. By far and away, he had more of my powers. I had yet to see Alek show any of Matthew’s powers, and I was thankful. If Aleksander had Matthew’s powers, we would be in grave danger. Only the Angel of Death could and should control powers like that.

“Kaylee, I have to ask,” James said softly. “Years ago, we made a call to Heaven, did it work?”

I looked into the warlock’s blue eyes. Concern was far more prevalent than it used to be. Emotions were taking over the Roses as tensions rose between them and Man and between Man and Hell.

“I have no idea, James. I can only pray it did. You know I was not able to stay in Heaven long. It hurt and burned. It felt like I did not belong there anymore.”

“You still never told me exactly why you needed to reach out to the people who let a pregnant angel Fall.” His eyes wandered over to my son.

Over the course of the last few centuries, James and Brian had become surrogate fathers to Aleksander. Each one taught him different skills and while I appreciated it, I did not want Aleksander to associate them as his father. Matthew had sired him and would have been a wonderful father to his son had the circumstances been different. The Council took that chance away from my love.

“The Council will get what is due to them, but they were the only ones I could trust to properly deliver my message. I know that seems ironic… trusting the Council.”

His eyebrows cocked. “Trust? You still trust those barbarians?”

“Careful how you speak, warlock. I may have Fallen, but I am still very much one of those barbarians. How I handle my business should be no concern of yours.”

James’s eyes flashed. He was clearly upset by my words. “You have lived in my home for centuries, ever since I saved you from your Fall. The Roses didn’t have to take you in, my dear. Your business has and will continue to be my business. We consider you a Rose. Don’t treat me like your lesser just because you are a former angel.”

Aleksander drew our attention before I could respond. He had just succeeded in flashing. My happiness pushed out the argument with James. My son was coming into his powers.

“Mother, my back—” Aleksander’s voice cut off as he dropped to the ground, clutching at his back.

Without thought, I raced to my child. Black blood seeped from his wing scars. Fear travelled through my body. Aleksander hadn’t had an issue in so long. He had been the perfect epitome of health. Why was it happening now?

James was next to me, pressing a hand to my son’s back. Worry was etched onto the warlock’s face which only made me more nervous. James rarely doubted his own powers.

“It’s a shame the flash came before the healing powers.” James pushed at my child’s back as if the blood would go back in.

“This is not the time for jokes!” My motherly instincts were coming out. I could not let my son die. Guardians could heal souls. Maybe I could heal Aleksander… even without my powers fully back.

Pushing the warlock’s hands away, I gathered all my concentration and strength. My hands found my son’s back as I pulled my old Guardian powers out. They had been dormant for so long, I wasn’t sure that it would actually work. A golden light haloed around us as I focused on sealing Aleksander’s wounds. It hurt like when I had tried to communicate with Heaven.

Aleksander glowed gold-white as my Guardian powers started to return. It surprised me that they were actually appearing to work, even though it felt like I was being burned alive. His back glowed gold as the scars stitched back together. I heard James gasp behind me as Alek’s back completely healed.

My glowing hands pulled away as I felt a familiar stretch enter my back. Without warning, my wings rippled out of my back, spreading to their full length. James gasped again as my son looked at me in awe. Fallen angels’ wings weren’t supposed to come back, not like this. What was happening here?

“Mom?” Alek asked as his own wings popped out. They were magnificent. They were blue like mine with black edges like his father’s. My eyes watered with pride. He was an angel. Finally, after all these years, he was a full-fledged angel.

“Kaylee!” A voice I had not heard in eons called my name. I almost didn’t want to turn in fear it wouldn’t be him.

His wings spread out, showcasing how powerful he truly was. In all his glory stood my love.

Notes

I am back loves! I'm still having a rough go. My back is all shades of fucked up from my car crash, but so it goes. I think writing is helping me feel better though.