Page 3 of Bellamy

He came for me that night, the man with white hair and blue eyes. He walked into the establishment naked from the waist up, wearing only black trousers. Despite the shade of his hair, he appeared young, no wrinkles or signs of old age. Seeing him caused an unusual rolling in my belly and a prickling at the top of my scalp.

He had the same marks on his shoulder blades that I did.

“Bellamy,” the man said, expression hard as he regarded me. “You look so much like your father.”

Given his glare, I concluded that wasn’t a good thing. It soon faded though, and a flicker of something else washed across his face. Compassion?

“Who are you?” I asked.

“Lazarus.”

“And you’re like me?” I patted my back, hoping he understood my implication. He did.

“Yes.” He took a knee in front of me so that we were at the same eye level. Gold threaded from his pupils, weaving into the blue irises. “I’ve come to take you from this place.”

My chest ached. “I don’t want to be sad anymore.”

Softness touched his once icy eyes. “There are other boys just like you. Boys who are special. They’ll become your brothers. Your family. But life will not be easy.”

“It’s not easy now,” I whispered.

“I know.”

“Are you one of them?” my mother exclaimed from behind me. Venom laced her tone as she asked, “Are you likehim?”

Lazarus straightened his stance, rising back to his full height. He only stared at her.

“Come now, Mariel,” Delia said, grabbing her arm. “You’re drawing atten—”

“Take him!” Her shrill voice cracked. “Take him away!”

The mother I knew was gone. Something had snapped in her mind, the darkness that had slowly consumed her over the past several months finally taking hold completely. With her wide eyes and quivering chin, she looked manic. Mad.

Lazarus picked me up and carried me outside. I didn’t fight him.

Anywhere was better than here.

As he released his wings and lifted into the sky, me in his arms, I stared up at the stars. I felt empty on the inside. Hollow.

“You knew my father?” I asked after a long stretch of silence. We were flying over the sea, the dark water passing below us.

“I did. I cared for him once. I cared for all of them.”

“Them?”

“The angels who fell from the heavens.”

“Angels?” I wasn’t familiar with the name.

“Celestial beings of great power,” Lazarus explained. “We’re the watchers of the universe.”

“Universe? Like the world?”

“All the worlds,” he answered. “Yours. Mine. And the ones not of this realm. Your father and the others who defected betrayed us all.”

“Why?”

“That’s enough talking for now.” He rested a hand on my hair, fingers pressing to my temple. “Sleep.”