Soul Searcher Book 1

We fell asleep in each other’s arms, and it’s only the second time I have slept this well, the other being the last time Cassie had been in this bed with me.

Waking from sleep, I decide to make some coffee and then pouring myself a cup, because Cassie is still sleeping soundly in my bed, I make my way out onto the balcony and stare at the brightening skyline. As the sun rises over the horizon, splitting the ocean from the sky, the clouds that linger have pink and purple colors tinting them, causing them to look like a water painting. I marvel at how being in love with someone can cause your view of the world to change because currently, the world I’m looking at is absolutely beautiful.

Reflecting on how weird life can sometimes be and how I came to be in this moment, I laugh at myself and think about how I will have to thank Samael for sending me on this useless mission of his because if he hadn’t, I would have never crossed paths with Miss Arryn. I realized just then that I love her! The Soul-Tie I have with her is undeniable. We have a soul connection; I would go as far as to say she is my soulmate. I have never believed in such romantic, whimsical nonsense until she crossed my path.

Pacing back and forth across the wooden planks of the balcony floor I try desperately to distinguish all the thoughts crashing through my mind. I need to tell Cassie who I am... I think. A moment later I hear the sliding door being opened and then closed as Cassie comes and joins me on the balcony. I feel her slide her arms around me from behind, nuzzle the left side of my neck before kissing my cheek and sitting down across from me.

“Good morning.” Her smile as she looks at me and says this is radiantly beautiful making it look like her entire body is glowing. I can’t help but stare in awe of her beauty. “What,” she asks, a blush tinting her cheeks pink as she gazes into my eyes. I shake my head saying nothing, but I offer her a lopsided grin. “Then why are you looking at me like that?”

Shrugging my shoulders just before I respond I say, “you just look amazingly beautiful right now. That’s all.” Cassie’s smile is infectious and before I know it, I’m smiling as big a smile as she has. The next thing I hear though is her snort and then burst out laughing.

“Ha! Did you just snort?” I burst out laughing at her because the noise was so unexpected.

“Shush, I did no such thing,” Cassie exclaims in between her giggling.

For some reason I find this statement of denial hilarious and begin laughing even harder. We laugh for about another minute or so before finally being able to calm ourselves enough to just sit and look at one another. Staring intently at her, I take a deep breath and release it slowly from my mouth. “Cassie. I um, I’ve got something I have to tell you.” I can feel the sadness in my eyes as my heart breaks while knowing once I share this information about myself, I will probably lose her forever.

“Oh. Um, okay.” I hear her say hesitantly. I can hear fear and worry in her voice as she speaks. “What do you need to tell me?” I see her face go blank, I feel the atmosphere around her grow cold and watch as her eyes harden like water freezing.

I knew it! I knew it! Cassie screamed inside her head. I’m such a sucker! I knew I shouldn’t have let him in. He’s totally about to tell me that this has been fun, but he will be leaving in a day and that will be that! Placing her hands in her lap, Cassie sits up a bit straighter while mentally bracing herself for what Rim was about to say to her.

“So, I haven’t been completely honest with you about who I am… or rather what I am.”

“What do you mean,” she asks as she turns her whole body towards me so she can look me over, probably trying see if I have a third eye or something. “Um, let’s see,” I say trying to think of a way to tell her without sounding like I belong in the looney bin. “I want to ask you a question and then I will explain why I said what I said.”

Cassie arches a questioning eyebrow before giving me a wary look. “You’re sort of making me nervous…” She lets the ‘s’ fade from her lips, worry causing her blue eyes to darken in color.

“I don’t mean to. Just promise you’ll hear me out.” Placing my hand over the top of her left hand that she has resting on the table, I look at her pleadingly. She nods her head and whispers okay. Taking a deep breath, I release it and begin. “I’m what angels and demons refer to as a Halfling.” The look of worry turns to one of confusion as she continues to hold my gaze.

“Uh, what is a half-ling?” Cassie slips her hand out from underneath mine as she shifts in her seat uncomfortably, feebly attempting to get comfortable.

“Well, you wanted to know how I moved so fast a few nights ago when I pulled you out of harm’s way at the concert. I have inhuman speed and strength because I am not human. I’m a Halfling. Half demon and half angel...” I watch her expression change as her eyes grow wide in disbelief.

Shaking her head, Cassie swiftly stands from her chair and glares at me. “How dare you try to play on my love of the supernatural and otherworldly stories! If you just wanted a fling, you could have said so. You don’t need to spin some asinine story to get me to leave you alone! Damn! I thought you were different from the other guys!” She ends her sentence in a sob, roughly wiping her hands across her face to push the fallen tears from off her cheeks.

I stand, staring at her in shock to think she would automatically assume I’m lying to her. “I’m not ly-…“, she cuts me off before I can finish speaking.

“Okay,” Cassie states fiercely, “if you’re not lying then prove it to me! Show me something, anything to validate yourself.” She crosses her arms over her chest, angrily waiting for me to provide her with some type of substantial evidence. It hurts that she wants me to prove myself to her, but I also understand that this isn’t something one encounters every day.

Sighing, I nod, and then allow the illusion that encumbers my appearance within the earthly realm to fade and for her to be able to view my true, Halfling self. I hear her gasp as my wings of white and black feathers push from out of my flesh, in the space between my shoulder blades. Two opal horns tipped with black can clearly be seen at the edge of my hairline on either side of my forehead and by the surprised, wide-eyed look, I can tell when she notices them as she finishes looking me over.

Before we can further our conversation as to what she has just witnessed, I see her wince and then she cries out in pain as she places her hands on the sides of her temples. I move just in time to catch her as she faints, falling into my arms. Scooping her up, I cradle her to my chest and walk back into the bedroom where I gently lay her on the bed. Since I had placed her on top of the comforter, I found a spare blanket in a closet out in the hallway. Draping it over her body, I debate with myself as to crawl onto the bed and holding her close to me or going into the kitchen and waiting for her to stir.

The latter seems the better choice because I don’t want her to wake and freak out. If I stay out of her way for a bit, once she is awake, she could find me or if she wished to, could just make her way to the front door and leave. But no matter the outcome, I would allow her to choose.