lissa’s apartnt was exactly what I expected from a stressed, recently single mortal woman in her mid-twenties: small, neat to the point of obsessive, and decorated with the kind of generic inspirational quotes that made want to vomit.
"Live, Laugh, Love" stared at from above her couch as the two males – Derek and his friend, whose na I hadn’t bothered learning – dumped onto the cushions with all the grace of falling rocks.
"Jesus, he’s heavy," Derek grunted.
"That’s what happens when you actually have muscle," I muttered.
lissa shot a look that said not helping, then ushered the two out with promises that she had everything under control and yes, she’d call soone if she needed anything, and no, she didn’t need them to stay.
The door clicked shut. Silence fell.
We stared at each other.
"So," she said finally, arms crossed under her chest – which only served to push her breasts up in a way that the system imdiately highlighted. "You want to explain the wings?"
I glanced at the shredded appendages draped over her couch. White feathers – now stained with blood and gri – littered her floor. One wing twitched involuntarily, making her jump.
"Would you believe if I said I’m an angel?"
"No."
"Then I’m a very dedicated cosplayer who fell off a building."
She didn’t laugh. Instead, she moved closer, studying with an intensity that most mortals lacked. Her eyes tracked over my face, my body, lingering on the wings.
"Those are attached. Actually attached to your back." It wasn’t a question.
"Yes."
"And you’re bleeding from... I can’t even tell where. Everywhere?"
"Accurate assessnt."
[Target Curiosity: Maximum]
[Target Fear: Moderate but decreasing]
[Target Attraction: 85% and holding]
[Ti Remaining: 3 hours, 42 minutes]
She stood there, processing. I could see the war playing out across her face – rationality versus what her eyes were telling her. Finally, she sighed and sat on the coffee table, facing .
"Okay. Let’s say I believe you. Let’s say you’re actually an angel – "
"Fallen angel. Important distinction."
"Right. Fallen. What happened? Did you do sothing bad?"
I laughed, then imdiately regretted it as pain lanced through my ribs. "I killed the wrong angel. He was the Archangel Michael’s nephew."
"There’s angel nepotism?"
"There’s nepotism everywhere, lissa."
She blinked at hearing her na from my lips. Sothing flickered across her face.
[Target Attraction: 2%]
[Note: She likes how you say her na]
"So they threw you out of Heaven for...angel murder?"
"He deserved it. He was trafficking human souls for his own amusent."
That made her pause. "That’s a thing?"
"Everything’s a thing when you’re immortal and bored." I shifted, trying to find a position that didn’t feel like being stabbed by a thousand knives. Failed. "I reported him. I followed protocol. I did everything right. But family protects family, even in Heaven. So they fabricated charges, held a sham trial, and here we are."
She studied for a long mont. "You’re telling the truth."
"Unfortunately."
"And you need... what? Help? dical attention? A priest?"
[Ti Remaining: 3 hours, 38 minutes]
[Warning: Blood loss approaching critical levels]
[Recomnd imdiate action]
I needed to tell her. The system had made it clear – there was only one way I was surviving this night. But how did you ask a mortal woman you’d t an hour ago to fuck you to save your life without sounding completely insane?
"I need energy," I said carefully. "My divine core is shattered. Normally, angels draw power from Heaven itself, but I’m cut off. To heal, I need... another source."
"What kind of source?"
Here goes nothing.
"Life essence. Human life essence, specifically."
Her eyes narrowed. "Please tell you’re not about to say you need to eat people."
"What? No. I’m not a demon." I paused. "Though I understand the confusion. No, I need... intimate energy. The kind generated through physical connection."
The apartnt went very quiet.
lissa stood up, walked to her kitchen, and poured herself a glass of wine. She downed half of it in one go, then turned back to .
"Let get this straight. You’re telling you need to have sex to heal."
"Essentially, yes."
"That’s the most elaborate pickup line I’ve ever heard."
"It’s not a line."
"Right. Because you’re a fallen angel who needs to fuck to survive." She laughed, sharp and disbelieving. "This is insane. I’m insane. I brought a crazy person to my apartnt."
[Target Skepticism: High]
[Target Attraction: 87% but conflicted]
[Recomnd: Proof]
"Give your hand," I said.
"What?"
"Your hand. Give it to ."
She hesitated, then approached, extending her hand like soone feeding a dangerous animal. I took it gently – my fingers wrapped around her smaller ones.
And I pushed.
It was barely a trickle – the last dregs of power I had left – but I channeled it through our connection. Warmth flooded from my palm to hers, and with it, a feeling: peace, safety, euphoria.
Her eyes went wide. Her lips parted.
"What..." she breathed.
"That’s what I am," I said quietly. "That’s what angels feel like. We’re creation’s gift to humanity – or we’re supposed to be. I don’t have much left, but that’s real. I’m real."
[Target Skepticism: Eliminated]
[Target Attraction: 8%]
[Current Total: 95%]
[So close...]
She pulled her hand back slowly, staring at it like it had betrayed her. Then at . Then at my wings.
"Holy shit."
"Technically, yes."
"You’re really an angel."
"Was. Now I’m just a fallen idiot bleeding on your couch."
She downed the rest of her wine, set the glass down with a decisive clink, and turned to face fully. When she spoke, her voice was different – steadier, like she’d made a decision.
"How does it work? The energy transfer thing."
[Ti Remaining: 3 hours, 29 minutes]
"Physical contact. Skin to skin. The more intimate, the more energy transfers. At my current state, I’d need..." I trailed off, eting her eyes. "Complete intimacy. Full connection."
"Sex."
"Yes."
"And if you don’t get it?"
[Ti Remaining: 3 hours, 28 minutes]
"I die. Probably in the next three hours."
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