Before I get too far, I remember asking Ellie to meet me here. As much as I want time with Jesse, I can't right now.
Making a decision, I call after the hot professor, rushing to catch up. "Jesse, wait." I touch his arm lightly.
"What is it?" He turns, and I'm taken back by the desire in his eyes. "I want you to come, Mira. Can't it wait until we're alone?"
Holy fuck. My core is immediately tight with longing.
"Are you…" I don't freaking finish asking my question because even if he did mean what he said in a carnal way, he'd never admit it out loud. He is my professor. Still, there's a debate happening inside, between my body and my mind. Because I'm desperate to go with him and find out if he intends to follow through with his words. But damn it, finding out what the hell is going on with Ellie is more important right now.
Jesse moves in close, and I catch the delicious scent of him. "You want to come, don't you?"
"Yes," I say, and it sounds like a moan. "No."
He tilts his head to one side in question.
"I do want to… talk with you because I have many questions, as you know." I try to smile, but my lips tremble. "But I'm meeting a friend here and don't want to miss her."
Disappointment crosses his features, but he nods. "Another time, then," he says and spins away, continuing down the rows of books looking hotter than hell. When he reaches the end, he turns right.
My hasty decision falters. It takes everything in me not to run after him and beg him to show me what he meant. Plus, I'm anxious for answers only he can provide, but mostly right now, I want him to make me feel like he did in that hotel room. Forcing back my desires, I grab hold of the shelf nearest me and groan, working to still the hunger within.
"You gonna make it?" There's mocking sarcasm in Ellie's voice.
I wince and plaster on a smile. Steel my thoughts and turn. "Hey," I say as I face her. I adjust my backpack and push my lips into a broader smile. I can't imagine she's here at the Academy for a good reason. If I had to guess, it would be because of the gem. Fileze probably thinks I failed and am probably dead. So, he sent Ellie to infiltrate the school in the hopes of stealing the same gemstone. If that's the case, she's in grave danger. But no matter what, I'm grateful we're together.
"Quiet room four is open," I say since Jesse and I won't be using it. "Let's go talk in there."
"What the hell is a quiet room?" Ellie asks, bumping into me with her hip.
I can't help but laugh. "No idea. Let's find out together."
"Why not." Ellie links her arm with mine, and we make our way down the passageway, heading in the same direction Jesse went.
A surge of happiness replaces the dread in my heart. I can do anything with Ellie as my partner.
As soon as we step from the aisle, a door materializes directly in front of us.
"Number four," I say in surprised wonder. The number is etched in gold near the top.
"Think we should check it out?" Ellie doesn't wait for my reply but opens the door.
I follow her in.
A light automatically flicks on, bathing the room in light. It's nothing but four walls, a table, and chairs. No windows. The only decoration is the angels painted on the floor.
I avoid stepping on a cherub's face. Drop my backpack on the table and sit in one of four chairs.
Ellie does the same after the door clicks closed.
"How did you get into the Academy, Ellie?" I ask without delay. Just release one of the questions that have been on my mind since I saw her.
"Yeah, I'm surprised to see you here, too," Ellie says.
She rests one elbow on the table, leaning her chin against her palm. "I guess we were both keeping secrets."
I hear the betrayal in her voice and shake my head as confusion courses through me. Ellie is still family. After we talk, I'm hoping she'll see that. "You're an angel, then?" I try again.
She scoots closer. "Are you an angel?"
I swallow my irritation that she keeps answering my questions with one of her own. "I mean, yeah, I guess. But I wasn't keeping that a secret. I didn't know until I met Jesse, I mean my mark." I decide to come clean and hope she doesn't catch on that the angel professor is the same Jesse who is my mark.
"Your mark turned you into an angel?" Ellie's eyes scrunch together like she doesn't believe me.
"I'm serious. I went to the hotel room like Fileze told me to. As soon as I was inside, I saw my mark was a freaking angel. After a little while, he accused me of trying to steal the gem and tried to kill me. Instead, I… became an angel." At the words, my wings push against my back like they're antsy to come out.
She shakes her head, confused. "So, you didn't know you were an angel before then?"
"No. Damn, Ellie. I swear it was only after I was brought here, without my freaking permission, I might add, that I found out I had wings. Hell, I still don't know how it's possible. My mom wasn't one. That's for sure. She hated them as much as I do. And my dad…" I let the sentence drop. Because I never knew him. I only knew what my mom told me. She'd said angels killed him. But what the hell did I know. She could've been lying about that too.
Ellie scrunches up her face. "What about your tattoo?"
My face falls, and I put my head in my hands. "Okay, I had to draw the tattoo on every day. But I didn't tell you because my mom beat that promise into me from the first day I can remember." I lift my head, searching her eyes. Ellie still isn't convinced. "What about you?" I ask, frustrated. "Is your tattoo real?"
All this time, we believed the other was human. And all this time, we'd been lying. I guess it's true what people say about not really knowing anyone.
"Yeah, mine is or was real," she whispers, looking around the room like the walls might have ears.
"Did Fileze ask you to steal the gem?" My words come out in a whisper too.
"No." Her cheeks get red. "But I am here for the gem." As soon as the words leave her mouth, it's obvious she regrets saying them.
I reach out and take her hand in both of mine. "I'm confused. If it wasn't Fileze who asked you to steal it, then who?"
All the blood drains from her face. "Mira." She closes her eyes as though she's fighting back something painful.
"You're scaring me. Just tell me what's going on, and then we can work together," I say, pleading in my voice.
She opens her eyes, surprised. "You still want to steal the gem?"
I nod. "Of course. I want Fileze to give me the East Side. Same as before."
Ellie snorts, looking at me in disgust. "Why? You belong here. You're one of the elites. Now that you're an angel, you never have to see Fileze or visit the horrid Halo ever again. Your life is set." Bitterness oozes from every one of her words.
"Ellie," I begin, but she continues like she doesn't hear me.
"Hell, you could probably ask the angelic warriors to hunt Fileze down and destroy him, and they would." Tears form along her lashes. "Your life is set," she says again.
I squeeze her hand. "I don't want to be an angel. I still want to be with you. Ellie, you're my family and always will be."
She pulls her hand from mine and stands, knocking over her chair. The tears are gone, replaced by hardness. "No. Here at the Academy, we are roommates and classmates. Nothing more. I have a new family now. It's the one I chose. Me!" She smacks herself in the chest and walks to the door. There's a flash of steel in the sleeve of the hand she kept in her lap.
My eyes lock in on it.
Ellie notices and pushes whatever she's hiding in her sleeve up further and out of sight. "Stay the hell out of my way and let me do what I have to do, or you'll be sorry." Her anger abates slightly. "Seriously. I know you. And I know you want to help, but you can't. Not this time. Be an angel. Learn about your obvious heritage." The anger returns to her face and her voice. "And stay the fuck out of my business. Got it?" She doesn't wait for a response, but yanks open the door and is gone.
I sit there stunned, unable to move. I don't understand. Not even a little bit. Ellie's words cut into me like sharp daggers, and I flinch, physically wounded by them. After I don't know how long, I stand, throwing my backpack over my shoulder, and exit quiet room four.
As I make my way through the row of books, one thing is clear. Whatever Ellie's gotten herself into, I will help her find a way out of it. No matter what.