Chapter 7

I still could not believe after hundred years of waiting and suffering finally I got to taste the tears of my reward. Our mouth and tongue moves in synchronicity, her lips is so supple and sweet.

My heart leaped out of my chest when I felt Celestine's arms loop around my neck as she pulled me even closer against her but before this prodigious and frenzied sensation controlled me. No matter how difficult is it. Slowly, I pulled away from the kiss.

Our eyes closed and both breathing hard.

"I'm sorry Celestine," I told her sincerely while my thumb gently caresses the side of her face. "I don't want to take advantage of you,"

Celestine took a long and deep breath. "You didn't," we both opened our eyes and stared at each other. "Salt, I- I-" The moment she said those words, tears started to spilled out of her eyes. "I'm emotional but I don't know why..."

I can't utter any words to comfort Celestine. How badly I want to tell her who she really is and where she came from but I could not defy the rules of heaven and earth.

My hands gently cupped her beautiful innocent face and swept her tears away. "Breath Celestine,"

Celestine shook her head eagerly, tears still won't stop falling from her eyes. "It-it feels like I found something really special to me, in my heart and in my soul but I don't know what is it," she lifted her head and stared at me. "I'm sorry- I must be crazy!"

"You are not," The words drew slowly from my mouth. "There are a lot of things on Earth that you can't explain and sometimes you have to go with the flow so you will be able to free yourself from past," Celestine could not be even more confused with what I said. "I will get you a water," I hurried went to the kitchen and poured some water. "Drink this,"

"Thank you," Celestine took the water and sipped it slowly. Eventually, she finally stopped crying. "I'm sorry I was such a crying baby," she was frowning hard. My feelings told me that it was Juno's tears before she dies.

"Don't worry about it," I gave her an assuring smile and out of nowhere Blaire popped up in my head. Since Celestine is here. I will take this opportunity to ask her about important question. "How are the twins?"

"The kids are okay. They are at my relatives house now for a birthday party," she replied. There is always a smile on her voice everytime we talk about her siblings. "I need to pick them up," Then she looked down her wrist watch. "At 9,"

"Do you want me to accompany you?" I offered.

Celestine shook her head and she laced our fingers together. I love the feeling of her skin and warmth against mine. "You don't have to Salt, beside I have my car,"

"Okay but if something happens don't ever hesitate to call me,"

Celestine laid her head over my shoulder. "I definitely will,"

I planted a kiss on the top of her head. We are both watching something on television about Asian food. "Can I ask you a question?" She just nodded her head as a yes. "Have you ever thought about having kids?"

"Of course!" Celestine said, straightening. "I love kids and I would love to have one someday," Now her brows were furrowed while looking at me. "Why are you asking?"

"Nothing. Just a random question," I laughed nervously. So, This only means that Celestine is not Blaire's mother? Then who? Was it really a coincidence that they both look alike? Everything is totally confusing now and turn into more difficult puzzle.

When Celestine left to pick up the twins. I immediately called Suruel for few questions but it took awhile before he pick up the phone.

"Why didn't you.." I took a deep breath. He already knew the reason why I called him but I can't really get mad at Suruel. "You are going to be the death of me,"

"But I know you would love it," I heard a masculine laughed from other line. There was music in the background. Suruel loves classic songs. "I know you are hurting but you were really good in hiding and pretending. So, I decided to confront and kill Celestine," well he was joking about the last part. "But it turned out that it was a nonsense kiss because the other chick got drunk and forced herself to Celestine!"

"Right," I sighed. "Anyway. Can we talk tomorrow? I have something important to tell you,"

"Why not now? I can fly there,"

"Tomorrow Suruel, I know you are tired from work," I opened the window. "Get some rest and see you tomorrow, bye!"

My wings spread out when I jumped off the terrace as gravity pulling me down. The coldness of the wind whipped my face and snow is tickling my feathers as I glided over the sleepless city. I have been trying to sleep with no success. My heart feels restless and I could not stop thinking about Blaire.

The Orphanage is quiet and cold. There was no other light aside from the lamp post across the street. Then something caught my attention on the second floor. Slowly, I flew near the window and saw Blaire was sitting behind her table while busy stretching here and there.

"Blaire..." I whispered with a smile on my face. I honestly didn't know why I'm doing this. I saw her dropped the pencil. "I'm here,"

Blaire jerked her attention away from the table to my direction but she did not see me because of the thickness of ice in the window. "Who's there?" she asked in a small voice while looking behind her just to make sure everyone are asleep before climbing up on the table and opening the window.

"My lovely one," I murmuned.

The gust of wind greeted Blaire. She brushed the hair off her face as our eyes met. There was no fear and cowardice in her eyes.

"Mommy?" Blaire's thick lashes swept up and she blinked.

Hearing Blaire calling me her mother set my heart on fire and uncharted emotions. "Do you want to fly with me?"

A huge smile crept across her face. "Yes Mommy. I want to be with you," without wasting any time Blaire gave me her tiny hand that I gladly took.

"Are you not afraid because of my wings?" I asked Blaire as we flew up in the air and fully stopped in the middle of nowhere, no clouds but only moon and stars. "Because I'm different?"

Blaire shook her head eagerly with a frown. "You are my mother,"

My fingers stroke Blaire's smooth hair and concentrated on her face. I will surely do everything to get her out of the orphanage. I may not know the truth about Blaire by now but the right time will come when destiny itself will answer all my questions. We spent time flying around and telling Blaire about the story of Moon Lovers until she fell asleep in my arms.

••

"What do you mean you visited Blaire last night?" Suruel asked in misery and almost spitting out the coffee he was drinking. We are currently eating breakfast in one of the restaurant here in the hotel. "You let her see your wings?"

I lifted my head from my plate and face him. "You heard me loud and clear," my fingers were playing on the table. "But don't worry about it, Blaire will forget everything when she wakes up,"

Suruel crossed his arms and gave me inquisitive stares. "How can you be so sure that she will forget everything that happened last night?"

"Blaire would thought everything had happened last night was only a dream," I told him, shrugging my shoulders. "Anyway, can I ask you a favor?"

"Yeah sure,"

"I want to adopt Blaire," I stated while watching my best friend's reaction. He gave me unreadable facial expression. "Please help me Suruel," I held his hand. "Blaire and I have a strong connection though you might not fully understand me right now but in my heart she is a part of me,"

Suruel shook his head in disbelief but didn't say a thing. I couldn't hear his heart beat as well because he knew how to hide it from me. We just continue eating without talking but it was not an awkward moment.

I dropped my wine glass when I felt throbbing pain in my chest and saw Celestine was crying behind my eyelids.

"What is wrong?" Suruel asked worriedly as he stood on beside me.

"I-- Celestine,"

"Are you okay?"

"I saw Celestine," I took a long and deep breath when pain deceased. I have a bad feeling in my stomach that Celestine needs me, worse she is in danger. "I need to see her,"

"But Sal--"

"I NEED to see her," I slightly pushed Suruel out of my way and walked fast towards my car. I wanted to use my wings but I could not because there was a lot of people around me.

"Wait!" Suruel trailed behind me. "You know I won't let you go alone," he opened the passenger seat door for me. My heart sunk even more when Celestine didn't answet her phone. What if something happens to her and the twins? My best friend gave me a comforting squeeze. "Relax,"

"How could I? She Celestine was crying!"

Suruel put more pressure on the gas and drive even more faster. "If only car has a wings!" he muttered under his breath. He maneuver around the corner over take some cars in front of us.

"Stop right there!" He did what I told.

I vanished into thin air the moment I opened the car's door and appeared inside Celestine messy house. All the furnitures, pictures frames, clothes and the tv scattered on the floor.

Then there is Celestine sitting on the floor while hugging her knees. She has some bruises and cuts on her skin. I wordlessly kneel in front of her. "Celestine..."

Celestine lifted her head with tears on her face. She looks so down and broken. "Salt..."

"What happened?"

Celestine didn't say anything but enveloped me with her arms. She burried her face between my neck as she cried harder. "I came home from work and found out that Aaron took the twins,"

Suruel handed me a piece of paper. It's a letter from Aaron who demanded the money from Celestine in exchange of the twins.

I slowly pulled Celestine from me and gently swept the tears off her face. "Don't worry, I will find Aaron and bring the twins back,"

"Wh-what? You can't do--" Celestine tried to argue but I gave her a look that made her blood run cold.

"Trust me okay," I whispered to her. She hesitantly nodded her head with worried look on her face. "I will be right back,"

"Please take care of her," I told my best friend.

"Salt..."

I gave Suruel a tap on his shoulder. "Let us not fight over this," there is a tension between us. All these years Suruel has been there for me, to protect me from harm.

"Please Salt," he said in worries. "Be safe!"

"No Salt-" Celestine tried to stop me but I already left the apartment.

I clumped my eyes and trying to feel the familiar presence of the twins. There were voices talking inside my head but a distinctive cries of kids got into my nerves. My feet moved as though they were alive and knew where to go until I found myself standing in front of four storey building. It was old, covered by vandalism and trash bags scattered everywhere.

"Hey, can I help you beautiful?" a bald guy asked who was standing against the door frame when I went inside the building. "Are you lost or looking for someone?"

"I'm actually looking for someone," my eyes wandered silently. There is a stairs and four door here in the first floor. "My cousin told me he is living in this apartment,"

"Who is your cousin?" he threw his cigarette on the floor and stepped on it.

"Aaron,"

The bald guy stared hard on my face like he was trying to figure out if I was lying or not. "Second floor, 008,"

"Thank you!" I gave the guy a weak smile before going to the second floor. There are eight rooms and the 008 is second the last. My heart is beating fast when I slowly approaching the room. The familiar voices of Sue and Rue kindle my heart.

"I said fucking shut up!" an angry voice yelled inside the 008 room but the twins did not stop crying. "I will kill the both of you once I get the money!"

"I hate you!" the little girl screamed. "I h--"

"Don't hurt my sister!"

I kicked the door and burst inside the room. Anger erupted my veins like a volcanic explosion when I saw Aaron was trying to choked the little girl.

"What are--" Aaron didn't even finish was he was going to say when I strangulate him. My nails slowly scraped his neck. "Le-let me-" he was holding my arm and trying to remove my hand.

"How could you be so heartless?" I spoke in my clenched teeth. "How much money do you need! I will give it to you!" this is the first time in my life here on Earth that I feel an intense hatred towards any human.

The twins clung onto me, their bodies were shaking in fear. "Don't. You might kill him," Sue cried out.

Aaron is turning purple and the veins on his forehead are coming out due to suffocation. It took me a lot of power to removed my hand from his neck before I kill him. Aaron helplessly drop on the floor, coughing and breathing hard.

"Let's go," the twins tugged my hands and pulled me towards the door.

"You can't just leave!!" Aaron snarled at us. "I will make you pay!!"

"Go outside hurry!" I said to the twins. They hesitated at first but did what I told. I felt some thing hard smacked on my forehead but there was no pain in me. Slowly, I turned around and face the stunned face of Aaron. "Are you done?"

"Wha-what are you..." he was terrified.

Blood is dripping from my eyebrow but it will heal itself later. Aaron stepped back before releasing a punch but his fist landed in my hand. This time I have no mercy in him. "Aghh!" Aaron cried out. I twisted his arm as I put more pressure in it. "Nooooo!" we both heard the breaking sound of his bone from shoulder to the tip of his fingers.

"You can not hurt Celestine and the twins anymore,"