The Fallen: Angels of Darkness

Daughter of a Legend II

That was merely the first of her injuries. That first summer alone she broke her wrist attempting a triple flip off a dive board and four ribs doing a motocross jump she knew was impossible. She caught the ground wrong, flipped over the handlebars and crashed into a concrete castle that had been built as a slide and abandoned. The worst had been after she turned sixteen, despite the fact she walked away mostly unharmed, but it also made her father watch her like a hawk. She had been trying to impress Will by winning a race and wound up flipping her Chevelle when she got pinned in a corner and flipped the car at least four times. Will had been tasked with watching her after that and he'd quickly become her best friend, still was to that day.

She made a gesture Will had never seen another Alpha male, breaking eye contact to glance at the ground and a pretty blush flushed her cheeks. "I wasn't really thinking to be honest. I'm just hurting which is making Hel antsy and she was itching for a fight. The b***h just triggered us both. I'm sorry."

Will couldn't stand to see Phoenix hurting so he decided it was time she escaped for a bit and he formulated a plan on the spot. "I know for a fact that you've got a few days to spare from the shop and I also know for a fact that you haven't taken a vacation in over a year. Let's head down to Daytona, just the two of us and just disappear for a few days."

"Right now? I don't even have clothes with me."

He sent her a lopsided grin, bringing her back to their youth and when she had very first fallen in love with him before she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. Back then he had been nothing more than her ever faithful guardian. "Last time I checked, Daytona still had clothing stores. I'm more than happy to buy you new ones if that means you'll step away how you need to. You're my best friend, Nix, all I really need is for you to be okay."

Phoenix locked gazes with Will, needing nothing more than his acceptance and he was her salvation, even in the darkness. She may be dark, but he was her sun in the darkness always there to pull her back from that sinister ledge and she knew with every fiber of her being that he always would be. There was no universe in all of the realms where he would ever fail to come to her aid. He had come into her life suddenly, become her best friend almost immediately and, although she would never admit it aloud, she had fallen in love with him along the way. He was right in his assessment and only looking out for her best interest. A weekend away with her best friend was just what she needed and maybe it would give her the time she needed to reveal her feelings for him. She quickly mind linked one of the warriors to make sure her bike was returned home and smirked up at Will. "That's the best idea you've had in a while. One thing though ... I can afford my own clothes, buddy," she teased, patting his muscular chest.

He broke into a dazzling smile and swept her into a bone crushing hug, eliciting a squeal of delight from her. When he returned her to her feet, his face became noticeably bashful and he dragged a large hand through his strawberry blonde hair which fell to the middle of his muscular back. "So you want to follow me? I kinda... ummm, well, I already booked rooms because I was really hoping you'd agree to come get some peace."

Her silver eyes swirled with endless adoration and an astounding smile curved her lips as her knuckles brushed across his stubbled cheek. "You always knew exactly what to do to save me from myself." She fell silent for a moment as she fought her inner doubts and forced herself to speak before she could second guess herself. It was well past time that she finally confronted her feelings for this man. For goddess sake, they had been steadily growing since she met him at fifteen and maybe, just maybe, he felt the same. "Would you mind if I rode with you? I'd really like to not be in control for just a little bit."

Will quickly tamped down his excitement because there was no way she meant that the way he wanted her to. It was wildly inappropriate. He had known her since she was fifteen, watched her grow up and was her father's Beta, as well as best friend. He was the only one that Steve has ever entrusted her safety with and the Alpha would kill him with his bare hands if he ever touched her. He had no doubt that his friend would come back from the beyond for his daughter, the man worshipped the ground she walked on. He had trusted will as his Beta to protect her and he could not betray that. That didn't mean he couldn't take this opportunity and savor this moment for the rest of his unbearably long life. "You know the back of my bike is reserved for only you and it's yours any time that you want it."

"In that case, let's get the hell out of here!"

He chuckled at her enthusiasm as she dragged him to his crimson Dyno and he stopped to yank a spare long sleeve from his saddlebags. "It might be chilly closer to the beach and I don't want you to get cold," he said to cover his true motivation. She took it with a small smile, slipping it over her head and the possessiveness in his chest instantly felt soothed at the sight, despite the fact it was fairly comical. The black bike week shirt, a favorite so it was covered in his scent, fell past her thighs and the sleeves were a good six inches past her hands. The shirt swallowed her completely and if it weren't for her stunning features, she would look like a child. Instead, she looked perfect in his shirt. "That shirt looks way better on you than it does on me."

She felt her cheeks heat at his praise and she dared to hope that he might have feelings for her too. Wolves were very possessive creatures, driven by their senses, especially scent and she had caught the satisfaction in his eyes when she pulled it on. Now she was utterly encased in the scent of pine and sandalwood and it urged her to get on the road so she could wrap her arms around him, feel his strength beneath her fingertips. "Let's get this show on the road. Now that you've convinced me to go, I'm really looking forward to getting away from responsibility and hanging with my best friend."

He grinned at her enthusiasm, swung his leg over the seat, lifting the bike from its kickstand and held his hand out chivalrously. She didn't need it which he was well aware of, but she took it anyway and settled behind him in a matter of seconds. When he felt her arms wind tightly around his waist, his heart could have exploded with joy and he stared at her delicate arms around him for a moment, just drinking it in. He didn't want to spoil the moment so he kept silent, flipped the ignition switch and roared out of the clubhouse parking lot. He might not be able to claim her as his, but he could drink in these small moments and pretend he didn't want more than to be her best friend. He was almost positive that she was his anima, but that didn't mean he could have her and that fact eviscerated his soul.