Defiant Destiny Ch. 07

***Alexis***

I couldn't stop smiling - despite the muscles in my cheeks hurting, I simply couldn't stop.

Again I gazed at the woman walking next to me. She was eagerly taking in every word I said on how humanity had progressed this past millennium. Her gasps and giggles were like music to my very soul and I couldn't help myself in pulling her close to me each time we had to make room on the pavement for people to pass us. She didn't mind.

I wasn't sure whether she had realized it yet, but I sure did - this wonderful woman at my side was my soulmate. I knew it from the moment I heard that delightful giggle coming from above and gazed upon her for the first time in the factory hall. Her beauty and grace blew me away and her voice was sheer music to my soul. I loved her there and then and would gladly lay down my life for her if I could, even though we hadn't even met. She was mine to protect, mine to love. Mine.

My smile grew larger, straining my cramped cheek muscles even further. I relished in the possessiveness that came with finding your soulmate, as I also knew that it would fade eventually. For the moment, I gladly indulged in it.

Again I peeked at Eir and realized she also displayed possessive behavior, whether she was conscious of it or not - pulling me close when women would approach us or unconsciously steering us away from succubi when they were around. It made me smile even more.

We leisurely made our way to my apartment to get her something to eat, since Dante's vampiric nature made grocery shopping a useless pastime for him. At least, that's what I told her. The true reason is that I wanted her all to myself as quickly as possible.

I did not like other men gawking at her. My rational voice would say people stared at her because of her foreign outfit, staff and white eyes, but my possessiveness got terribly in the way of my rational thinking. I had never wished I could growl before, but I sure did now...

During our walk we came across so many novelties that Eir was interested in hearing about.

She was fiercely intelligent - soaking in all I had to say and asked brilliant questions on matters that were still unclear to her. I was astounded. Never in my entire existence had I met such a delightful, inquisitive and cheerful person. I couldn't place the descriptions I had heard about her that she was a cold and distant immortal-hating woman - impossible, simply impossible.

Cyrea told me that a lot of pain lay hidden behind those beautiful white eyes of hers - pain that had caused her to hate us immortals so. My smile lessened, giving my cheeks some unintended respite. Both of us seemed to carry scars on our souls. Again I gazed at her, happily listening to her chatting away about the folly of "decorative replica plants".

She knew about my past. She must have. Otherwise there would be no way where she could see my aura and not be curious or shocked. I saw her glance at my wing occasionally though, when she thought I wasn't looking. Her face would temporarily frame itself in sorrow and compassion with an occasional glint of anger. I suppressed a sigh. There was nothing anyone could do about it now... I had accepted it, and so would she, eventually.

We had just entered the elevator to my penthouse when Eir suddenly halted her musings on why people began using electronic vacuums instead of regular brooms. She lifted her non-staff-wielding hand to gently cup my face and looked intently in my eyes.

"What is the matter, Alexis?" she asked me softly, concern clearly showing in her eyes. Cyrea had also told me earlier it was difficult to read Eir because of her lack of irises, but I had no difficulty with this whatsoever - I could perfectly see every emotion in them, like they were a blank canvas for me to explore.

I let out the sigh I suppressed earlier and covered her hand with mine, rubbing her fingers with my thumb. The corresponding smile I got from Eir erased the concern from her face and made my heart pick up its pace.

"I wish we would have met... before..." I admitted softly, unable to keep the sorrow from my voice. "Before I was reduced to a mere shadow of the angel that I used to be."

Compassion flooded her eyes.She definitely knew - her silence was proof. I sighed again and looked away with shame filled eyes.

Eir put her staff in the corner of the elevator and took my face in both her hands, turning my face towards her. "You, Alexis, are the most wonderful and amazing man I have ever met... I cannot imagine you were more amazing or wonderful before your fall. It is simply impossible," she whispered, letting her fingers gently stroke my cheeks.

My soul soared at hearing her words. What an amazing woman, and one of the so very very few who did not see failure when they looked at me. I gazed deep into Eir's eyes and marveled again at their beauty. Slowly I leant in towards her, listening to her heart beat increase as I drew near. I tucked her soft, ashen blonde hair behind her ear and caressed her cheek with my thumb. Her heart rate shot up rapidly when I brought my face close to hers. I heard her breath hitch when my lips found hers.

"Thank you..." I whispered with a trembling voice, before I let my lips touch hers and kissed her softly for the first time.

A breathless whimper escaped Eir's mouth and she pressed her lips against mine, tentatively opening her mouth to let my tongue play with hers. The kiss was both the softest and most electrifying I had ever experienced. I slid my hands through her hair, pulling her face closer to mine and deepening this wonderful kiss, wishing it would last forever. Her soft sighs and mewls made my heart flutter.

We completely lost track of time. Unfortunately for us the elevator didn't and it pinged us out of our private little moment. Eir tensed and looked around with wide eyes, panting slightly from the intense kiss, to gawk at the doors silently sliding open and revealing the hallway to my apartment.

I took her hand and placed it on my arm, taking her staff in my other hand and led her into my home. The door opened automatically - its automated lock detecting the key in my pocket. I could tell by Eir's reaction that she was both curious and impressed, and was relieved she didn't ask me about it at this moment.

I led her into my home, overjoyed at the momentous occasion of bringing home my soulmate. I was curious to see what she would think of my modern and minimalistic interior, since it was probably very different from what she was used to in her time. Eir didn't seem to notice however, and was immediately drawn to the overwhelming view of the city. She gasped at the sight of the explosion of colors from the impending sunset above the city skyline and her hand slid out from under my arm as she wandered over to the vast wall of glass separating us from the view. She tentatively placed her hands on the glass panes and gasped again at the sheer magnificence of the view. I placed her staff on the kitchen counter and stood next to her while she greedily took in all that she could see.

I slid my arm around her waist and pulled her close to me. She sighed pleasantly and leaned into me, resting her head on my chest and wrapping her arms around my waist. I closed my eyes and took a moment to enjoy this intimate simplicity. I placed a gentle kiss on her head and deeply inhaled her wonderful scent. Having her here, in my home, completed me in a way I didn't know existed.

"What a tremendous view..." Eir sighed blissfully.

I chuckled. That was the reason I bought the place.

My smile faded when I thought of the real reason though... "This view is the closest I can get to soaring the skies..." I mumbled softly.

Eir lifted her head to look in my eyes. I did my best to mask the pain I felt - it wasn't like I could grow my wings back.

No - what was done was done.

I managed to procure a smile when I looked at Eir. "However, all the events in my life have brought me here. With you. I would gladly give up my wings any day to be with you, my lady," I whispered, leaning in for a tender kiss.

Eir answered my kiss with a delightful sigh and wrapped her arms tighter around me. I felt my cock slowly harden and wanted nothing more than to make love to this wonderful woman.

I broke our kiss and stroked her cheek with my thumb. "I would like to take you into my bedroom..." I said softly, carefully watching her reaction. A myriad of emotions were visible in her eyes - joy, surprise, excitement, but also anxiety.

"I would love to as well, but..." she answered, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I've never been with a man before..." she confessed.

Eir was still a virgin... No other man had touched her. She was truly and fully mine! My cock couldn't be harder than it was at this moment. I ignored the tidal wave of lust that rampaged through me and gently cradled her face to give her a tender kiss.

"My sweet, sweet Eir," I mumbled onto her lips. "Please allow me to show you the wonders of love. Please... Let me love you," I said, kissing her again and again, thrilled that she returned my kisses with increasing eagerness.

"Let me make you mine... My Eir... My soulmate..."

Eir froze and went completely rigid in my arms. Her breath rushed out of her lungs in a painful gasp, as if something had punched her in the stomach.

She stumbled backwards, raising her shaking hands to ward me off when I tried to touch her.

"No... No... Please... No... Don't do this to me..." she whispered, painfully. Tears leaked from her white eyes, despair and fear etched on her beautiful face. "Not you..." she sobbed with a broken voice.

Her eyes fiercely lit up in a bright blue hue and her staff floated towards her hands.

'What the hell just happened?' I thought in a panic. Eir stepped away from me, raising her staff at me in warning, piercing me with her pained, glowing eyes. The carvings on her staff were cast in a bright blue light and I could feel her magic thrumming aggressively in the air.

My heart broke and my soul shattered into a thousand pieces, watching my soulmate fear me and cautiously back away from me. How? Why? What happened?!

I took another step towards her, but her eyes brightly pulsed with blue light and the painful sting of her magic warned me not to come close.

"Eir, please!" I called out to her. "Please tell me what's wrong!"

Tears steadily streamed down her face, pain poured out of her eyes.

"I will not be controlled," she spoke in a shaking voice, then her magic lashed out at me once more. The lights in my apartment flickered ominously and the bulbs loudly shattered one by one, like warning gunshots. All around her the air was lit with electric sparks making the electronic devices in my living room spasm and die one after the other.

The large glass windows behind Eir had begun cracking loudly and suddenly shattered with a tremendous roar. Her magic was becoming so strong, its pulses cut my flesh like they were knives. But the worst thing - the absolute worst thing - was the immensely deep pain in Eir's eyes. Something I had said wounded her to her very core, and I had no idea how or what sparked this explosive reaction. I did the only thing I could think of - do everything in my power to comfort her, to let her feel my love for her.

Through her tempest of magic I slowly made my way towards her, ignoring the continuous and excruciating onslaught of her magic on my body. Every step I got closer to her felt like dozens of swords slashing away at my skin, cutting me deeply. Every step I hoped my healing abilities would mitigate the damage... I had to reach her... I had to make her see... I had to...

Eir's eyes pulsed brightly again, painfully pushing me away with her magic and warning me not to come close. She sobbed dreadfully when she watched me take one step after agonizing step to reach her, groaning in pain, my blood dripping from my body from the wounds she inflicted.

"Don't..." she whispered with a hitched breath, but I endured and walked towards her with my arms open. Her magic swirled faster around her, wrecking everything it touched - including me.

My blood started seeping into my eyes from multiple cuts on my forehead and scalp. The pain was rapidly becoming unbearable and weakness crept into my body from the loss of blood, but I finally reached Eir inside her maelstrom of magic. I took her face in my bloodied hands and looked deep into her white, teary eyes.

"I love you," I whispered, answered by a heart wrenching sob from her. "Look into my soul, Eir. Look inside and see the love I have for you."

I screamed in excruciating pain as she violently searched my soul, her feral power making this otherwise subtle action an excruciating experience, but I endured, never breaking eye contact. She had to see that I truly loved her and would never hurt her. She had to...

However, my body and mind could no longer endure and this relentless assault had finally taken its toll. I saw Eir's eyes return to their regular white color just before darkness took over and I slumped to the floor.

***Eir***

He spoke true!

He did...

Alexis loved me...

He loved me!

Like a doused candle my magic receded and I heard countless objects fall to the floor now that my power was at peace. The silence after my magical onslaught rang in my ears and with trembling limbs I knelt down beside Alexis amidst the broken glass and shakily reached over to trace his wounded face. Despite the deafening silence, I could not hear his breathing.

"What have I done..." I panicked.

His skin was covered in countless deep cuts - some had healed, others hadn't.

I... I lost control so suddenly, and so terribly...

Tears streamed down my face when I realized his wounds had completely stopped healing. A heart wrenching sob escaped me and I desperately stroked his skin.

"Please... Please heal..." I sobbed, my tears blurring my vision. "I am sorry! I am so sorry for hurting you!" I apologized to his unconscious form, wiping his bloodied blonde hair out of his face. "Please... Wake up... WAKE UP!" I screamed desperately.

I panicked. I completely broke down and panicked. I sobbed and wailed heavily, frantically letting my shaking fingers trail his gorgeous, bloody face.

Here he was - my soulmate...

And I killed him...

I kept stroking his face and whispering apologies to him, but he didn't wake up. He didn't open those gorgeous pale blue eyes of his, nor did that wonderful smile frame his face.

Pain and despair like no other wrecked my heart and I frantically searched my memories for any healing spells that might work, but my panicked mind was incapable of thinking of anything, for it was flooded with intense regret and the dreadful fear of losing Alexis.

Sobbing heavily I pulled Alexis's head in my lap with shaky hands. My tears fell on his face and mingled with the drying blood from his wounds. Wounds that still weren't healing...

I bent over to place a shaky kiss on his lips, but no reaction. With teary eyes I looked around me, frantically looking around if there was a way to reach out to Dante to help us. I wailed in frustration. Even if I knew what all these technological devices were or how they worked, they seemed to be broken when I lost control of my magic.

Then my eyes fell upon my staff - more specifically the white gem encased in my staff. I blinked a few times to clear the tears from my eyes as I watched it swirl.

Elias's soul.

Slowly, the panicked fog in my mind cleared and I could focus on the anger that boiled up. It was his betrayal that caused me to distrust Alexis's declaration of being my soulmate. I stared furiously at that bastard's soul.

A strange calmness washed over me when an idea formed in my mind. I let my magic flow through me and willed my staff in my hands. I watched it lit up in its usual blue light and float over to me, never taking my eyes off the white gem safely embedded in the wood.

It was Elias's betrayal that damaged me and Alexis, and it would be Elias's soul that would set things right.

The fear and panic that wrecked me had completely dissipated from my system and I withdrew the white gem from my staff with steady hands. I stared intently at it. How ironic that the treacherous soul of the one posing as my soulmate, will be the soul to heal my true soulmate.

I placed a quick, loving kiss on Alexis's lips and quickly got up to begin my healing spell. I dearly hoped I was not too late...

I let my magic flow through me, summoning all I could and encased myself in its comfortable blue hue. I closed my eyes, focused on that little crystal that was Elias's soul, and started fragmenting and dissecting it.

Slowly but surely the soul came apart, its immense energy being released into the air. Swirling my hands in large circles I willed my magic to gather the soul's massive energy and pushed it into Alexis's body, frantically mumbling the most powerful healing spell that I knew. Sweat was dripping from my forehead while I meticulously worked to restore him, slowly but surely.

Seconds dragged by. Moments turned to minutes.

There.

It was done.

Keeping my eyes closed I let my magic recede and fell to my hands and knees in exhaustion. I let my head hang down and was panting heavily, sweat dripping down my nose as I took a moment to catch my breath.

Truthfully... I was afraid to open my eyes. I was beyond terrified that my spell didn't work...

That he was dead...

Tears welled up behind my closed eyes and I could feel them trickling down my cheeks, gathering at the tip of my nose before they fell down. I squeezed my eyes, forcing out the tears and allowing myself one last moment of fear before opening them, to see if the healing spell had worked.

***Alexis***

I felt wonderful - no other word could describe it. The tiredness that had crept into my body these last few days had vanished. It had been a dreadfully long time since I'd had such a wonderful night's rest and I felt so utterly and entirely rejuvenated. I frowned though, while my sleepy body slowly started registering strange things as I woke up. Like, how my "bed" wasn't my bed, but... turned out to be ...the floor? What?

Slowly I got up my hands and knees, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. Groggily I registered that there was ...broken glass on the floor?

How on Earth?

Still rubbing the sleep from my eyes I peeked through my fingers and froze. I blinked, utterly baffled by what I saw.

"Impossible..." I whispered shakily, for my eyes kept seeing something my mind refused to believe - etheric feathers.

My eyes told me there was an abundance of golden etheric feathers dangling in front of me, attached to two very large wings. I raised my head to take a good look. Attached to ...me!

My ...wings?

Unbelieving, I flexed my jagged wing and to my joyous disbelief both wings moved! I grunted loudly in confusion. "How..." I whispered.

I closed my eyes and tried to focus on unfurling my wings. It had been such a long time since I had done so, and I was afraid I didn't know how anymore.

I needn't worry though - immediately a familiar warmth flowed to my upper back. Briefly my shirt stretched tightly across my chest before it ripped and two large, golden wings sprouted from my back.

With shaky hands I tentatively touched the feathers that were now dangling in front of me. My laugh came out as a sob as the soft feathers slid through my fingers. My wings were back! Tears flowed unashamedly from my face while I shakily stroked my feathers.

I heard a soft sniffle behind me and turned around to see Eir sitting on the floor, tears in her eyes as she watched me - her face torn between happiness and regret. Slowly, memories of the past few minutes came back to me.