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  The bolt of lightning that hit them this time was so strong that they cried out in unison and collapsed to their knees. Tom was certain he was going to die right then, and he almost didn’t care because the ecstasy that wracked his body was worth it. But when the sensation faded, he was still fully alive—and more desperate for Rafael than for oxygen.

  “R-r-rafael,” Tom rasped, reaching for him.

  But although Rafael looked equally stricken, he rolled out of range and lurched to his feet. “I’ve heard of this happening. This connection. But I never thought....” He took a deep breath. “I... I have to show you this, Tom. I’m not supposed to. You aren’t supposed to know. But I have to.”

  Show him what? The handcuffs, so he could drag Tom to the police station for attempted public indecency? The assortment of illegal substances he wanted Tom to body-cavity smuggle to Iowa? The collection of severed heads he’d stuffed into those cardboard boxes, and to which he’d shortly be adding Tom’s?

  No. Rafael smoothly pulled off his T-shirt. His muscles were as well developed as his tight clothing had promised, his stomach as lean. His skin was startlingly pale, like freshly poured cream, and hairless. But apparently showing off his pink nipples and six-pack wasn’t his goal, because he slowly turned away.

  Tom gasped. Two long, narrow scars ran the length of Rafael’s back, angling slightly from just between the scapulae to the bottom of his ribcage. They looked new—raised and angry and raw.

  “What?” Tom whispered. Without quite realizing it, he’d stood and moved closer.

  Rafael turned his head slightly, but not enough to look behind him. “I won’t quite heal. I keep hoping that’s a good sign, like... like maybe they’ll grow back someday.”

  “G-grow back?” Tom’s question came out in a squeak.

  Rafael’s shoulders slumped and he hid his face in his hands. “My wings.”

  And here was the thing: Tom believed him.

  Moving slowly and hesitantly, he reached out and put his hand on Rafael’s back, right between the scars. He wasn’t jolted this time. Instead, heat flowed from the point of contact through his body, as if his blood were being replaced by molten lava. Only nicer.

  Rafael made a sound that was either a gasp or a choked sob. Then he turned around to embrace Tom tightly. They were almost the same height, and their bodies fit together perfectly. As Tom hugged back, Rafael tucked his face into the crook of Tom’s neck, his hair tickling softly at Tom’s cheek. “It’s my own fault,” Rafael murmured. “I deserved to be punished.”

  “What did you do?” Tom couldn’t imagine what transgression would be worth such a desecration of Rafael’s body.

  “Hubris. I hurt others. The details don’t matter.”

  Tom was going to say that making mistakes was only human—but that wouldn’t have been an appropriate statement under the circumstances. So he simply held Rafael tighter and smoothed a palm over the bare skin of his back. Rafael shivered slightly when Tom touched his scars but didn’t try to stop him.

  “How can you stand it?” Tom asked. Not just the loss of flight, which would be devastating enough. But the loss of... everything. Because being grounded must have also meant being isolated from the others of his kind.

  “I watch the airplanes fly. I... I hope.”

  “Can I help?”

  Rafael’s body stiffened. Then he pulled away slightly so he could look into Tom’s eyes. Rafael’s eyes glowed like molten glass. “You want to help me? Why?”

  “If I can. Because....” Tom had to think for a moment. “I’m not really sure. This is easily the weirdest thing that’s ever happened to me. I’m not at all sure my sub sandwich wasn’t spiked with ‘shrooms. Or maybe I’m sitting in a chair at gate D5, drooling while I dream. But whatever. Something about you just feels right to me.”

  The smile he received in response was almost beautiful enough to blind him. “Maybe I’m dreaming you, Tom.”

  “Oh, I bet someone like you could dream something a lot more exciting than an unemployed marketing guy from Iowa.”

  “No. You’re perfect. You know that. You’ve felt it too.”

  Tom slowly nodded. The sensation he got every time he touched Rafael—while literally shocking—was as unmistakable as writing on the wall. You belong together.

  “So. How can I help?”

  “I don’t.... I’m not sure.”

  “But you have an inkling.”

  Rafael frowned thoughtfully but nodded. “I’ve heard of a few cases. It’s about balance, I think. When I messed up, I threw things out of balance. If that happens while flying, you’ll end up spinning into a crash.”

  Considering that, in theory at least, Tom was going to get on a plane in a few hours, he didn’t want to think about crashes. “You need to straighten things out. Make things right with the people you hurt.”

  “I can’t,” Rafael said, wincing. “They’re gone.”

  Wow. Exactly how long had Rafael been grounded? Tom didn’t ask. He pulled him close instead, trying not to tremble at the contact. “But it’s not hopeless?”

  “Maybe not. I told you I’ve been hoping. In the other cases I heard about, the punished ones atoned by doing for others. Helping them gain something good, something they longed for.”

  Tom remembered the conversation they’d had earlier, the one that had led him to thoughts about romance novel covers and couples making out in the rain. What he truly wanted was a long-term, deeply loving relationship with the man of his dreams. But since getting down on one knee and proposing seemed a little much at the moment, he decided to try something simple and straightforward.

  “What are you thinking?” Rafael asked.

  Tom gave him a gentle smile and began to strip.

  He did not have washboard abs or flawless skin, and he was moderately hairy. His endowment was fairly average. But the avid stare he received from Rafael made him feel like the most favorited guy on Jack’d. Rafael took off the rest of his own clothing so quickly that he was little more than a blur. Not surprisingly, seeing him naked was enough to steal Tom’s breath away. He was hairless below the waist too, perfectly proportioned, his erect cock the same pink as his nipples. And he had no navel.

  Now they were embracing again, skin against glorious skin, and they both shivered as electricity crackled through their bodies. The room had smelled of dust and cleaning fluid when they first entered, but now Tom swore he could detect his favorite scents: baking bread and sizzling bacon, brewing coffee, summer rain. And there was music, very faint and indistinct, like a choir singing far in the distance or a radio turned down low. When Tom licked Rafael’s neck, he tasted salt and honey.

  Rafael’s next words were muffled by Tom’s shoulder. “How do you do this without falling apart?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I can... can feel every bit of me vibrating.” Rafael laughed briefly. “It feels so good.”

  Felt good to Tom, too. But he was confused. “It’s not always like this for you?”

  “I’ve never done this before.”

  Shit. Very carefully, Tom asked, “Are you a virgin, Rafael?”

  “Yes.” The answer came as a whisper.

  No, really—shit. Tom’s legs had already been rubbery, but now he was in legit danger of swooning. The last time he’d had sex with a virgin, he’d been one too. He’d been fifteen and his friend Jimmy sixteen when they’d spent a long, sticky summer afternoon exploring the possibilities of two eager dicks.

  Undoubtedly noticing Tom’s shock, Rafael sighed and stopped groping Tom’s ass. “Is that a problem?”

  “Not... no. Except... what if I’m corrupting you?” Tom had never been particularly religious but, well, he was holding proof of something in his arms. What if that meant hell existed too? There was probably a very special corner of it reserved for schmucks who corrupted creatures like Rafael. Besides, despoiling the guy wasn’t going to help him earn his wings.

  Rafael palmed Tom’s ass again, maki
ng them both moan. “Does this feel like corruption?”

  It did not. It felt, in fact, very much like heaven. When Rafael pushed their groins together, Tom thought that some things were worth the risk of damnation. And then he mostly stopped thinking at all.

  Rafael’s lack of experience at kissing showed—they bonked noses at first—but he made up for it in enthusiasm, and he tasted wonderful. If he minded that Tom hadn’t brushed his teeth recently, Rafael certainly didn’t show it. In fact, he whimpered sexily and clutched Tom as if he’d never let go.

  Tom ran his hands over Rafael’s back, feeling soft skin and ridged scars, and then dropped them lower. He liked the way his fingers dipped into the dimples above Rafael’s glutes, but he liked even better how those heavy muscles felt when Rafael flexed and released them. Already, precome slicked their bellies and shafts, smoothing the friction where they rubbed together.

  Tom could have easily lost himself. Could have fallen apart, just like Rafael had said. He’d never known that desire could be so all encompassing.

  But he reminded himself that this was Rafael’s first time. He’d already suffered such loss that he at least deserved more than a hasty wham-bam. Besides, Tom wanted to discover Rafael’s body. Not just the obvious parts—magnificent as they were—but also the little bits, like that groove above his collarbones, the tender skin in the crook of his elbows, the corded lines of his wrists.

  They sank to the floor in a slow-motion tumble, Rafael writhing and gasping beneath him. Tom licked, nipped, and nuzzled. He grew drunk with the taste of Rafael, intoxicated with the sound of his needy cries. And yes, Rafael did his best to stroke whatever parts of Tom he could reach, but that was almost irrelevant. Their nervous systems had been invisibly spliced, so when Tom sucked on a tightened nipple, his own body—like Rafael’s—responded with curled toes and frenzied thrusts.

  Tom worked his fingers and tongue down Rafael’s torso. Under such close examination, his skin wasn’t quite flawless. He had a few tiny scars, silvery and thin, and near his left hip a constellation of light freckles invited Tom to tickle and caress.

  When Tom slid his lips over the crown of Rafael’s cock, Rafael called out in a language like ringing bells. He was close; they both were, with Tom’s balls tucked up tight beneath his untouched cock.

  But Rafael made a strangled noise and pushed him away. “Please!” Earlier, his eyes had glowed, but now they blazed like tiny stars.

  Crouched on all fours, Tom licked his lips. “What do you want, Raf?”

  “I want to taste you too.”

  Tom wasn’t about to argue with that.

  They lay on their sides on the hard floor, each of them face to crotch. Much as Tom wanted to dive back in, he took his time. He mouthed Rafael’s hairless balls, licked at the crease between leg and body, tongued delicately at his perineum. An eager student, Rafael mirrored his lead. And when Tom finally put Rafael’s wet glans in his mouth and Rafael followed suit, they formed an infinite feedback loop of pleasure.

  Tom’s orgasm tore through him at the exact moment Rafael’s salty come flooded his mouth. Tom felt them both—his cock in Rafael’s mouth, Rafael’s cock inside him—and tasted them both as well. Every cell in his body blew apart, the particles floating through the ceiling and into the night sky. Still jolting with ecstasy, he came back together... transformed.

  Eventually they squirmed around to face the same direction, and Tom spooned Rafael. The floor wasn’t comfortable, yet they lay there a very long time, neither of them yet capable of coherent speech.

  After giving a drawn-out and satisfied sigh, Rafael pressed back against Tom. “That was... was....”

  “Yeah.”

  Rafael wiggled his butt slightly. Tom’s dick was a bit oversensitized, but Rafael’s cheeks still felt really good against him. Then they were both still for a while, Tom holding Rafael tight.

  Finally, Tom kissed the nape of Rafael’s neck and then each of his wing scars in turn. “They didn’t grow back,” he said sadly.

  To his surprise, Rafael chuckled and then rolled around so their foreheads touched. “Was having sex with me your deepest longing?”

  “Well... it was really great sex. The best ever.”

  Rafael kissed his cheek. “But your heart’s desire?”

  Tom hesitated. If he couldn’t be honest now, with this particular person, wasn’t he pretty much doomed? “I want the whole shebang,” he admitted. “True love. Mushy pet names. Stupid in-jokes that annoy everyone else. Happily ever after.”

  The fire in Rafael’s eyes had diminished, but it was still there—a deep and comforting shine. “Do you think you could have those things with someone like me?”

  All the air whooshed out of Tom’s lungs. “I think I could,” he croaked.

  “Good. Because you know what? I want them too. And I’m pretty sure that if I had them, I wouldn’t give a damn about my wings.”

  “But... how could you give up wings?”

  Rafael smiled and nuzzled at Tom’s cheek. “There’s more than one way to fly.”

  As they settled comfortably against each other, Tom allowed himself a short vision of settling down with Rafael. He knew it was only a fantasy—what would an amazing creature like Rafael want with an ordinary guy like him? Still, it was a pleasant thought, and he drifted into a doze with a contented smile.

  TOM AWOKE with a start. He looked around blearily, trying to figure out where the hell he was. Oh. Yeah. Airport. He was scrunched on the floor in a corner, his suitcase digging into his side, and his sport jacket serving as a passable blanket. Quite a few sleepy-looking people were wandering by or sitting in chairs, many reading newspapers, but the large windows across the hall still didn’t show a hint of morning sun.

  Yawning, he looked at his watch. Just past four. Perfect—he had enough time to freshen up and get to his gate. He hoped he’d make it onto the Cedar Rapids flight, but for some reason the need didn’t feel quite as urgent as it had several hours ago. Perhaps because he’d managed a few hours of shut-eye. Or maybe because he could feel the last whispers of a very good dream tickling at his consciousness. He couldn’t quite remember what he’d dreamt. Was it something about flying?

  He found an empty restroom and used a wad of damp paper towels and some liquid hand soap to clean himself a little. He brushed his teeth, combed his hair, and shaved; he then changed into a clean T-shirt, underwear, and socks.

  By the time he emerged from the bathroom, he was energized and refreshed. He felt like a new man.

  When he got to the proper gate, he marched up to the desk. “Hi,” he said to the gate agent and held out his paperwork with a smile. “I’m on standby for this flight.”

  She smiled warmly in return. “Let me see what I can do for you, sir.” She took his papers and, of course, spent several minutes working on her computer.

  When she looked back at him, she appeared genuinely chagrined. “I am so sorry, sir. I know we’ve left you stranded here for a long time. But your chances on this flight aren’t looking very good.”

  “Oh.” Surprisingly, he didn’t feel anger rising. Just a minor curl of disappointment and a hint of resignation. He sighed. “How am I going to get home?”

  She clacked away again. This time when she looked up, she was grinning. “I have a confirmed seat for you on the next flight, which I’m afraid isn’t until one fifteen this afternoon. I do apologize for your numerous delays.”

  He decided she definitely wasn’t a robot. She was very pretty in a round, motherly way, her Afro forming a sort of halo, and her dark eyes sparkling with kindness. He glanced at her name tag. “Thank you, Gabi. I appreciate it.”

  “Hang on a sec and let me print your new boarding pass.” After she typed for a while longer, her printer whirred. She placed a little stack of papers on the counter and tapped the top with a gold-painted fingernail. “This is your new boarding pass. Window seat, and it’s guaranteed. I even got you a whole row to yourself. For now, anyway.” She gave
a conspiratorial smile.

  “Thanks.” He reached for it.

  “Hold on! I’m not done with you. I’ve arranged a few other things too.” She flipped to the next paper. “This is a meal voucher. The max I can make it for is six fifty, which is just ridiculous. So I’ve given you ten of them. You can have yourself a really nice brunch.”

  “Oh! Hey, that’s great.”

  She turned to the last page. “And this is a voucher good for five hundred dollars. You can apply it to any flight within the next twelve months. I’ve also added fifty thousand miles to your frequent flyer account.”

  “I... I don’t have a frequent flyer account.”

  “You do now. With those miles and this voucher, you probably even have enough for an international round trip. Maybe for a romantic getaway with a special someone.” She winked at him.

  He was almost speechless. “Wow. I didn’t.... This is really nice of you.”

  “Honey, you’ve had a tough time of it. I think you’re due for a few good things. My job is to make sure you get them.”

  He took his stack of papers, thanked her three or four more times, and walked away.

  Although he was hungry, it was too early for most of the restaurants to be open, so he took a seat near the windows. The first traces of dawn brightened the sky. He mentally revised his letter to the airline executives. Instead of complaining, he was going to praise the wonderful customer service he’d received from Gabi. He’d urge them to give her a raise.

  As he tucked the pass and vouchers into his pocket, it occurred to him that his parents were probably wondering where the hell he was and how the job interview went. As soon as the stores opened, he would buy a new cell phone charger so he could call them—and then likely listen to his father’s lecture about worrying his mom. Once he returned home, he’d still need to find a job, pay off his debts, and get his roof repaired before the next big storm blew his house away. For no good reason, a quiet internal voice informed him that all these things were minor obstacles, that everything would be all right. “Well, miracles do happen.”

  “They certainly do.”