Concrete Angel

Mus wandered the halls of the manor restlessly, grumbling to himself. "Another night he's in there. Another night I am out here, not in that bed, where I belong. He's in there again."

He frowned, glaring at the door as though he could see through it. He knew what they were doing in there, and cursed in Brunnen. He started to swing his arm, then stopped. It wouldn't do anyone any good to punch a hole through the mansion wall, he was not angry enough for that, not yet anyway. Besides, he didn't want his brother to have to suffer for his misery. He let out a sigh, slumping against the wall, sliding to sit on the floor. His mind went over their times together, before the other was there. He didn't deny his brother deserved happiness, but did he have to be miserable to give him that? It wasn't fair.

"I will...discuss this with her tomorrow," He muttered to himself, as he heard the sounds of her breathing slip into the steady rhythm of sleep.

The next morning dawned cloudy and with promises of storms. They easily matched the storm in MusiKai's mind. Sparrow escorted his lady to her spot at the dining room table, cheerfully greeting all as he settled into his seat. MusiKai watched, grinding his teeth, silently fuming, his stormy eyes the only reflection of the turmoil and anger inside. The cheerful chatter grated his nerves this morning, and he excused himself shortly, snapping at Blade when he asked whether or not his brother wanted a chocolate soufflé to eat.

Arania was startled. He had never raised his voice at anyone in the house in anger, and could see the same shock on the faces of all the others at the table.

"I...think I better see what's wrong." Sparrow moved to get up, but she shook her head. "No, I will talk to him alone."

Mus paced back and forth in her bedroom, his braid hitting him in the side of the face as he turned, but he ignored it. His mind whirled over what he would say. He wanted Sparrow out of the picture, if she was going to push him away, then he would be the one to give the final shove, but the other direction. He would not allow that...that...second rate alpha wannabe to push him out of his place in her life. Hell, that clone couldn't even figure out whether he was an alpha or a delta.

He heard the door open, and felt her eyes on him. He stopped, back turned to her.

"No, do not touch me." He hissed at her, still refusing to look at her. "You had another night with him." He fairly spat the word out, stepping well out of her reach.

"Well, I wasn't, and you didn't ask did you?" His voice hard, the hurt of being spurned broke through a little.

"You had guard duty till midnight, I didn't want to sleep alone. You know I don't like that."

"And of course you couldn't wait a few hours, and had him take my place." He finally turned to look at her, hurt and anger feuding for a place on his face, his eyes showing a mix of the two.

"No, I didn't want to wait." She sighed softly, sitting on the bed. "I'm sorry Mus."

"Well, you will be." He stood his full height before her. "You have to choose, it will either be him or me Lady Arania." He spoke formally, his words emotionless.

"But....but..." Her eyes started to fill with tears, her heart pounding in her chest. "I can't. Mus..."

She sat, tears rolling down her cheeks. "MusiKai, I won't..You're angry, I am sorry for that.."

"Very well." He picked up a set of keys from the dresser, speaking coldly. "Goodbye madam."

Without another word, he walked out the door. Downstairs, they heard the door slam as he left.

A short while later, a blue blur raced through the dining hall, and out the back door, leaving echoes of tears and sobs in it's wake.

The storm came quickly, and she sat on the stone in silence, letting the rain pour over her. She had already sent Sparrow back inside once, he would no doubt be back, but she wasn't ready to move from the spot. The lightening wouldn't have any effect on her, and she really didn't care at this point whether she got sick.

She had cried herself out, and lost track of time a long time ago. She sat as still as a stone, eyes on her feet. She had chosen this place, as it truly felt as though it were hers. Taking a deep ragged breath, she laid herself out on the stone, letting the water on the flat stones soak into her skin.

"Why should I care?" She muttered to herself. "He doesn't any more. Sparrow can get by without me, he adapts well, with his programming. Is that all that ties either of them to me?"

Another bout of tears found their way out. Her body was slowly giving in to exhaustion. Her feet felt like ice, her hands quickly joining them. She was past the point of caring though.

"If I were a statue...I wouldn't have to hurt anymore." Her eyes drooped closed, lashes resting against her cheeks as her spirit slipped away.

The ghost like figure walked through the tall green grass, her foot steps silent. The long gown she wore floated around her. Her hair floated in a halo around her face. The garden surrounded her as she paused at a statue. From somewhere in the background came music, a familiar song.

She walks to school with the lunch she packed,
Nobody knows what she's holdin back,
Wearin the same dress she wore yesterday,
She hides the bruises with a linen and lace ohhh,
The teacher wonders but she doesn't ask,
It's hard to see the pain behind the mask,
Bearin' the burden of a secret storm,
Sometimes she wishes she was never born,

Through the wind and the rain she stands hard as a stone,
In a world that she can't rise above,
But her dreams give her wings and she flies to a place where she's loved,
Concrete angel,

The statue before her showed the sorrowful face of an angel on her knees, hands clasped on her lap, eyes closed. Her hand holding stone roses. The stone below having the word "HOPE" carved into it.

A shudder passed through the ethereal body of the spirit as it brushed its fingers across the word. Slowly it stood and walked on.

Somebody cries in the middle of the night,
The neighbors hear but they turn out the lights,
A fragile soul caught in the hands of fate,
When mornin' comes it'll be too late,

Through the wind and the rain she stands hard as a stone,
In a world that she can't rise above,
But her dreams give her wings and she flies to a place where she's loved
Concrete angel

A second statue stood in her path, this one a small child like angel, wings curled protectively around her body. It's forlorn face turned to the sky, hands clasped in prayer. The stone at her feet read simply "FAITH". Again a shiver crossed the spirit, her fingers tenderly brushed the face of the child statue. Slowly, it moved on.

A statue stands in a shaded place,
An angel girl with an upturned face,
A name is written on a polished rock,
A broken heart that the world forgot,

Through the wind and the rain she stands hard as a stone,
In a world that she can't rise above
But her dreams give her wings and she flies to a place where she's loved,

The last statue was a reflection of the spirit herself, angel wings sheltering the stone from the driving rain that had come up. Her stone hair draped over the monument. Oddly the statue here was in color, as though the stone had been stained in its creation, the color too pure to be paint. The sleeping figure looked sad, and heartbroken. Vines grew over the marble stone, hiding the word that it bore. Slowly she brushed the vines away, her ghostly touch causing the vines to withdraw on their own.

She gasped softly, and dropped to her knees as she read the word carved and glittering in the marble beneath.

She was startled awake by the sensation of warm liquid being poured into her. Coughing, she spat it out, trying to clear her throat before she choked. She sat up, and grabbed her head as it started to swim from the sudden movement. Looking around she realized where she was.

"What am I doing in here?" She asked, not happy, but without the energy to protest too much.

"Sparrow brought you inside. He found you passed out in the rain." Dr Ben again tried forcing the tea into her. "Drink this now, I don't wanna have you gettin sick like Kai does."

She nodded, mind whirling, and drank the tea. Once he let her go, she hurried up into her bedroom.

"I won't let it go that easy." She said to herself as she dug through her closet. "He isn't going to stand a chance."

She had bought the outfit a long time ago, but had never had the chance to wear it. Tonight was perfect.

She ran a steaming bubble bath, and while the water ran, called Blade down in the kitchen.

"Blade, I need you to make me something extra special, so listen carefully." She whispered the instructions to him.

MusiKai sat on the couch in the old apartment he had been holding onto in case of emergencies. He had never thought he'd be using it for this.

Now that he had time to think about, he had realized how childish he had been. It bothered him even more after he had gotten a call from one of his brothers at Haven, telling him that Arania had run out into the rain and not come back. He hadn't gone back there, he had been certain she would come to him, that that was her aim when she took off. Now he was nervous and worried that something had happened to her.

He knew he had to apologize for being so harsh, but his pride kept sticking its fat nose in, keeping him from going out to find her. He'd be damned if he caved after she hurt him. If she came here though, he would apologize for what he said, and accept her apology for hurting him.

He had already cleaned the small apartment three times while he waited for her. He wanted to scream, his heart and mind was so muddled with emotions, but there were neighbors to think of.

He went into the tiny kitchen and got himself a dew, draining it as fast as he could open it. As he dropped the can in the recycling bin, he heard the knock on the door.

MusiKai opened the door, and had to hold onto the door frame. Standing in front of him was the woman he had longed to see. Her hair hung loose over her shoulders, green streaks framing her oval face. Her eyes looking down at her feet, he had a chance to take her all in, holding himself back from scooping her into his trembling arms and loving her.

Her hands were clasped in front of her stomach, fingers twined tightly, knuckles a pale blue from her nervousness. The dress she wore floated around her, the silk and lace blending shades of green and blue, the necklace of white pearls clasped around her neck setting the colors off beautifully. As she stood there in front of the light, he could make out her figure beneath the ethereal material. The neckline of the dress dipped dangerously low, revealing the curve of her breasts to his hungry eyes. He could hear her heart pounding in her chest as she stood there, waiting for him to react.

She knelt a little, picking up the basket she had set at her feet. He got a glimpse of blue skin, the dress hanging as low in the back, almost to the small of her back. He stepped aside, allowing her in first. The dress was just as sheer and beautiful on her from this angle. He kept one hand on the wall to brace himself.

She delicately settled into the chair, the basket being set out of the way. She still hadn't looked at him, she was frightened, he could smell it on her. He could smell so much more, her perfume, the very scent that was her. It took all of his willpower to make himself sit on the couch and not kneel in front of her. One of the rare times his pride actually helped him.

Her voice was barely audible, and had he not had enhanced hearing, he might not have heard the words. "MusiKai, I love you, with every fiber of my being. I love Sparrow too, and could never choose between you. You were my first love, and I will love you until we cease to exist. Nothing could stop me from loving you. I am sorry I didn't talk to you, that I didn't ask if you wanted to be with me after you finished your shift. Can you forgive me?"

It took him only a second, his answer to her came in strong arms wrapped around her, his lips pressed insistently to her own. The kiss took her breath away. When he finally released her lips, he whispered into her ear in a husky voice.

"I never should have said what I did, you are my heart, and nothing can take that away from you. A hundred, a thousand times over I would forgive you. I am so sorry for every word I said to you in anger. Never again, I will never speak to you out of anger again." The final promise was more for himself than her, but it started a fresh torrent of tears down her cheek, tears of love and happiness, that she was with him, where she belonged.

Again their lips met, he drew her into his lap on the floor in front of the chair. His hands held her tightly to him, not wanting her to be even inches apart.

"MMM...Mus..I did bring something for you." She pulled her arms free from his grip, and pulled the basket out from beside the chair. Opening it released the sweet strong fragrance of rich fudge and chocolate cake into the small room.

"It.." He looked at the dish in the basket, then back at her. "From the first time we went out, the same cake from that night."

She nodded, and laughed as he kissed over her cheeks, and neck, his cold lips giving her shivers at each touch on her body.

"That, my love, will wait till I finish with you." He growled lustily into her ear, sending goosebumps down her back and arms.

He laid her back onto the floor, tongue teasing circles over her shoulders, and down her chest, tracing the edges of the dress as it dipped to her stomach. His cool hands slid the cloth down her arms, revealing more of her beautiful blue skin to his adoring eyes. The silk gave no resistance as it slid off her smooth flesh. The dress pooled around her hips, causing her to raise them, giving him permission to seek further, mouth chasing the material as he pulled it down and off her body.

Her body tingled as his icy tongue found her treasure, plunging deep within her hot moist box, plunging in and out of her folds. Her body arched up off the floor, his hands teasing and caressing her full breasts as they heaved with each passionate breath. Biting hard on her lip, she pressed her body towards his seeking mouth more and more, trembling hard as he found her button, and pushed her over the edge. Her voice echoing in the small apartment, the sound heaven to his ears.

He couldn't hold himself back any longer, kissing his way up her panting body, he plunged his arrow into the target, causing her voice to rise in passion and pleasure once more. His hips thrust and ground into her, teeth nibbling and grazing her nipples, the tips rising from her skin and becoming peaks of their own. His lips met hers once more, sharing her taste with her, tongues dancing within their passionate kiss. His body grew hot from the heat of her, spreading from each part she touched until the flame consumed him. She cried out once more, her eyes glowing, burning into his as she felt him spill his icy seed into her hot body, overflowing and seeping out around where they were joined.

"Yes...beautiful, wonderful....forever." he whispered huskily, embracing her in his strong arms, taking her into the bedroom.