Beyond by Mary Ting

shadows in half as they plunged toward him and Claudia. It had no effect on the shadows.
    Free at last, Austin summoned his bow . The impact from the silver flames and Michael ’ s sword together created enough light; the dark shadows disappeared.
    “ That was easy. I guess they prefer to stay away from the lights, ” Austin observed.
    “ It was a warning. Wh at ever released them is coming. I need to find more information. You need to warn Katherine. ”
    “ Ooo…danceee…fasssst, ” Claudia mumble d , bending over to wretch.
    “ It ’ s alright, Claudia, ” Michael whisper ed .
    “ You, ” she poke d Michael ’ s chest , “ know me? ” Then she r an her hand up and down his arms. “ Nice , like S uperman…bigger than Auss. ”
    Michael hear d soft chuckles. He knew his friend was watching, but he didn ’ t want to make a big deal of it until now. “ Come down, Davin. I know you ’ re there. ”
    “ What ? Davin was here the whole time? I knew I smelled something rotten, ” Austin grunt ed .
    Davin jump ed down from the roof top. “ Hmmm…must be smelling yourself, goose. What did you do? Take a bath in the trash bin? ” Davin laughed out loud and then frowned when no one else laughed with him.
    Claudia rub bed her hand up and down Michael ’ s chest and giggle d . “ I likie… .”
    Davin squirmed at seeing Claudia in Michael ’ s arm s and the pain on Michael’s face. As usual , he trie d to lighten the mood. “ What would humans say ? ‘D ude, she ’s blasted, wasted, trashed and so high , ’” Davin laughed .
    Michael flashe d an evil eye and Davin immediately stop ped speaking , lowering his eyes from Michael’s gaze.
    “ Claudia, you ’ ll be okay. I promise, ” Michael sa id .
    “ How you know me? ” s he muttered.
    Michael knew better, but he couldn ’ t help himself. Claudia wouldn ’ t remember this conversation, but he didn ’ t care. He wanted to tell her. Tenderly cupping her face, he gaze d deeply into her eyes, his own eyes subdued and filled with misery. “ Yes, I know you. I ’ ve always known you. I will always know you…even if you don ’ t know me. ”
    She looked at him , confused, her eyes lighting up brighter than the full moon, then slowly closing. Before they closed completely, he enclose d his wings around them and presse d his lips on hers , giv ing her a kiss she would remember.

    Davin step ped in front of Austin , and Austin roll ed his eyes. Even if he had a clear view, he would ’ ve turned away. He knew better than to fall in love with someone who was spoken for, if love was what he was truly feeling . It didn’t matter, as h is mother would forbid it anyway . Being Claudia’s guardian angel was hard enough, but living with her was torture. He had to find a way not to care. Seeing them together was a wakeup call. She did not belong to him. She was not his to take.

    Claudia t ook a dramatic deep breath . . “ I seeee…starrrsss. ” She point ed aimlessly above her head, lean ed back , and f ell fast asleep.
    “ Wow! That must have been one hell of a boring kiss. It put her to sleep, ” Austin snickered.
    Davin choked, clearly fighting laughter, and ma de a coughing sound instead ; he was obviously amused, but trying to contain himself for Michael’s sake.
    “ You were inside too, weren ’ t you? ” Austin ask ed Davin.
    “ Well…someone has to look after you two. What were you thinking , coming here again? ” Davin sa id , scowling.
    “ I don ’ t need to explain. And what were you doing inside? ”
    “ Dancing , I ’ m sure, ” Michael interrupt ed , giving him the evil eye again.
    “ Hey, when a pretty girl asks you to dance, you don ’ t say no. Don ’ t you know the rules? ” Davin says.
    “ What rules? ” Michael arche d his brows in confusion.
    “ What ? There are no rules, ” Austin blurt ed, irritated.
    “ It ’ s Davin ’ s rules. ” Davin crosse d his arms.
    “ Whatever. Just don ’ t spy on me again,