A streak of silver moonlight shimmered across the river in front of the beach hut as the small family touched down lightly in the hut’s enclosed courtyard. Within a few minutes they were settled indoors, the woodburning stove had been lit and Luna had been settled into her own bed. By some miracle, she had slept through the whole journey. Jem suspected that his mother may have had a magical hand in that.
“I need to hunt,” declared Trine when she came back upstairs into the living room. “I’ll only be an hour or so.”
“Take your time,” replied Jem. “Remember to collect some blood for Luna too.”
His partner nodded, “We’ll need to be really organised with that. No staff here to supply it on demand. Just us.”
“Exactly,” he agreed with a smile.
While Trine was hunting, Jem busied himself with checking the hut over for storm damage. All in all, their home had weathered the winter gales well and there were only a few minor repairs needed to the roof.
“Jem!”
Coming round from the rear of the house, Jem found Trine standing in the courtyard clutching a piece of paper.
“You ok?”
“You need to see this,” she said quietly, handing him the A4 sheet of paper blank side up.
He turned it over and his blood ran cold when he saw the photograph printed on the other side. It was his daughter from his “human” life. According to the details and the dates, she had disappeared suddenly and been missing for a week.
“Where did you find this?” he asked, his voice wavering slightly as he wrestled with his emotions.
“They are posted all over the area. I also found a newspaper dated yesterday. She’s still not been found.”
“I need to look for her….” began Jem.
“She could be anywhere, Jem. Plus, she thinks you’re ….”
“I know! I need to search for her. See if I can sense her here. If she weas dead I think I would be able to tell,” he replied then added, “I still sense her and her brother.”
“There’s not long til dawn.”
“I’m not waiting. I’ll be back before dawn. Promise.”
Before Trine could talk him out of it, he spread his magnificent wings and disappeared into the night sky. As he flew over the village to the southwest of the beach, Jem thought back to his life when he lived there with his wife and children; thought back to the days pre-Anna. Where to start searching? On a whim, he headed for the old family home. It was as good place as any to start. He still owned the house but hadn’t visited it in quite a while. Going back always reminded him of the life that been taken from him by the dark angel.
Taking care to stay in the shadows, he touched down between the garage and the house. Instantly he could sense that there was someone close by but something about it felt off. It was a weak sense but he was sure there was someone there. The side door into the garage looked as though it had been forced open even though it was currently closed. Soundlessly, he walked over to it and opened the door. A sour smell caught in the back of his throat and as his eyes scanned the familiar space for anything out of place, he spotted what looked like a large pile of rags that hadn’t been there before. He approached the pile with caution. Kneeling down beside it, Jem’s heart broke.
His daughter lay curled up in a foetal position on top of the several paint splattered dust sheets he used to use for decorating and had covered herself in his old oil and paint-stained boilersuit.
“Beth,” he said softly, touching her shoulder gently.
She stirred slightly then groaned.
Carefully he peeled back the boilersuit then froze.
Beth was also wrapped in a pair of partially grown silvery white wings with pale blue and pink feathers forming at the tips.
“Beth,” he called a little louder and firmer. “Beth!”
This time she opened her eyes and stared at him in disbelief. “Dad?”
“Oh, Beth. What…” he began
“Dad!” she sobbed as she scrambled to her feet. “I’ve been so scared. She promised to help me find you. Told me you were alive. I didn’t believe her at first. She gave me proof. She gave me medicine. Enough to last years but it ran out… she left me like this.”
“Who?” asked Jem already knowing the answer to his own question as he wrapped his arms around his frail daughter. The last time he had held her she had been a little girl. Now she was a grown woman but still the same little girl at heart.
“She said her name was Anna. Said she was your friend,” sobbed Beth. “I haven’t seen her since October. Then I began to feel ill without her medicine and then…” Her voice faltered as she fluttered her fledgling wings. “Help me, Dad. Can you help me?”
“Of course. Hold on tight. Everything will go black for a minute but it’s the quickest way,” Jem assured her. “Do not let go until I say you can.”
Without a moment’s thought, he wrapped his wings around her and transported them both back to the beach hut. When he materialised in the living room, Trine looked up from the book she was reading. Spotting the woman in his arms, she gasped, “You found her!”
“Get me some blood wine,” he instructed sharply. “Anna’s started this and then abandoned her. She’s half-starved.”
“Take her through to our room,” said Trine getting to her feet. “I’ll warm the wine a little too. She looks cold.”
Jem nodded and carried his daughter through to the bedroom. He laid her down gently on the bed.
“Dad, what’s happening to me?” Beth asked weakly. “Where have you been? You still look the same as I remember.”
“Long story,” he said sitting beside her. “It’ll take some telling. You’re safe here. We’ll look after you. This is my home now.”
“What about Craig and my girls?” she asked tearfully.
“We’ll talk about that later too. For now, you need rest and food and something warm to drink.”
At that moment Trine came into the room carrying a large glass of warm wine.
“Thanks,” said Jem taking it from her. “Beth, you need to drink this. Drink it slowly. You’ll feel much better once you do.”
“Who’s that?” asked Beth staring suspiciously at Trine, her faced filled with fear.
“That’s Trine. She’s my partner. You’re safe here with us,” he explained gently. “Now, please drink this while it’s still warm.”
Beth did as he asked.
“Should I send for Meryn?” asked Trine looking concerned.
“Not yet,” replied Jem. “Maybe tomorrow.”
“Who’s Meryn?” asked Beth.
“My mother,” explained Jem. “Your grandmother.”
Once Beth had drained the last of the wine from the glass, she curled up on her side and lay staring at him with fear-filled eyes.
“You have wings too,” she observed, fingering the warm brown feathers lightly.
“I met Anna too. A long time ago,” admitted Jem. “A lifetime ago.”
Coral McCallum 