Chapter 16

My hair was still wet from the shower as I stood in the kitchen waiting for the coffee to brew. The house was quiet in the morning light, and I suspected I was the only one there. After coming down from my shower I had found a box of donuts on the counter and a note telling everyone to help themselves. Nisorca was waiting patiently in my room as I scavenged for caffeine and food, and as I waited I wondered where all the other girls had gone off too.

The coffee light finally went off and I poured myself a generous cup, steam swirling into the air and the scent making my toes curl. I loaded my cup with heavy cream and sugar, mixing it together with a spoon and hating that coffee was always too hot to drink right away. It was near torture to be able to smell its deliciousness but knowing that if I took a sip now I would burn my tongue.

"Hey, Valery." I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sudden voice.

"Hey Danny, where are you off too?" I asked as I turned to see Danny coming from the hall, a camera bag flung over her shoulder and a file folder tucked under her arm.

"Going out to take my sample photos for class,"

"Sample photos?" I blew into my cup, trying to cool the scorching liquid inside.

"Yeah, didn't you read the class requirements? The teachers want us to being in fresh samples for the first day of class to see where we are at as far as skill and all that. Most of the girls already left to do the same, I got a late start this morning,"

My stomach did a little flip flop with dread; With everything that had happened since I had gotten here I had not gotten the chance to read through class requirements. I thanked Danny quickly, clutching my cup carefully in my hands as I rushed back up to my room. Classes started tomorrow and I was already behind, you wouldn't think that taking pictures would be that hard but there was more to it than you thought. You had to get the right lighting and find a good layout to take pictures, I was not well acquainted with the area and it would take me forever to find a place to start shooting.

I flung open my bedroom door, Kieran and Emrys catching my eye long enough for me to trip over my own feet. My coffee went flying as I stumbled to catch my balance; I closed my eyes and cringed, waiting to hear my mug shatter on the hardwood floor, but the sound never came. Slowly I peered through my lashes to see my mug floating peacefully in the air, Nisorcas hands poised in the air, a soft light emanating from her palms.

I reached out and took my coffee from the air hesitantly, Nisorca dropped her hands as I did so, "Strange," I muttered to myself, walking slowing through the room this time, setting my mug down of the nightstand.

I started digging through my things, fishing my camera off the night stand and my bag form out of the closet. I made sure my extra memory card was still in the front pouch then went digging around in my closet again looking for my tri-pod, stopping when I remembered that I remembered I had never taken it out of my Jeep when we were unpacking my things. I tucked my camera into my bag then stopped at the vanity to throw on some make-up, then went to the closet again to pull on a scoop neck knit sweater over the gray tank top I had put on after my shower.

I glanced over the class requirements as I tucked my feet into socks and shoes, sighing with relief when I noticed that I only needed five sample pictures. I had seen plenty of places to town to take pictures, but I imagine that most students were already there. Colorado was a pretty state, and there were some very Victorian style buildings around, I didn't want to chance taking the same pictures in as another student. I was sure there were other places I could go to, I just didn't know where they are, I have not had the chance to get out and sight see since I got here.

"I understand you are going to take pictures now, may I suggest you travel into the forest? I took a walk through the trees last night and the landscape is very beautiful,"

"Perfect, thank you, Nisorca," I gathered up my things and headed downstairs.

As I ventured back into the kitchen to grab another donut I noticed Kieran and Emrys were following me. Apparently they planned on going with me, which I didn't mind, I was just glad for the small blessing that all of the other girls had gone already. I had no desire to try and explain who they were and what they were doing here, the other girls might assume that one of them had been the guy I had run off with the other night. Of course I had been with both of them but I didn't want the girls knowing that, knowing Kieran and Emrys they would not be shy to admit I had slept with them last night as well.

"If you guys are hungry you can have a donut before we leave," I held out the box to them.

They peered into the box suspiciously, taking a moment before reaching in, Kieran grabbing a jelly filled one and Emrys a chocolate glazed donut. They stood there looking down at the confection in their hands, then watching me as I brought the last piece of my glazed donut to my mouth and ate it. As they watched me, examining my actions it occurred to me that maybe they have never eaten before, at least I was sure they had never had a donut anyways. I swallowed and gave them a small smile and watched as they mimicked my actions. A look of pure disgust crossed their faces as they forced themselves to chew and swallow.

"That was terrible, why would you eat such a thing?" Emrys nodded in agreement, holding the donut as far away from him as possible.

I frowned at the two of them, I happened to like both the chocolate and jelly filled donuts, though the plain glazed were my favorite. Then I though that I really only liked the Chocolate ones when I was having a rough day, and the jelly filled ones when I needed the extra energy. I mused over that fact for a moment, wondering if I was going out of a limb with my assumptions, without a second though I took the food from their hands and switched them. Giving Kieran the chocolate glazed one, and Emrys the jelly.

Hesitantly they took another bite, preparing themselves for the taste. This time they both moaned with their mouths full, closing their eyes with delight as they swallowed and took another bite, then another. Maybe they were just like regular people and they had certain likings for certain foods, but I didn't think that was the case. Kieran was a demon, is was from a dark and depressing place, it only seemed natural that he would like chocolate: And Emrys was from Haven, the exact opposite, the glazed jelly filled donut was packed with sugar and happiness.

As we headed outside Kieran and Emrys were chowing down on their third donuts, looking as if each one were more delicious than the last. I had the strange feeling of delight at seeing them enjoy themselves, even if it was just because of a snack. I let my eyes wonder as we passed through the trees, trying to catch a good spot, my bag flung over my shoulder and my tri-pod tucked under my arm. Nisorca had been right, the landscape as beautiful out there, I was not going to have much trouble taking a good picture, especially in the morning light.

I turned to my left and smiled, there was an opening in the trees that gave way to a lake, and some mountains in the background. There was a thin mist rolling off the surface of the water still, and there was not a cloud in the sky, without even thinking to venture further I began setting up.

"Valery, what is a picture?" Kieran asked as I unfolded my tri-pod and pulled my camera out of the beg.

"Its where you capture an image. I press this button on my camera and it takes a copy of whatever I am pointing it at,"

"I don't understand," He said as he came to stand behind me, looking over my shoulder as I held up my camera for him to look at.

"Here, I will show you," I thumbed the power button and turned the camera to take the picture of the two of us sanding together, "Stay still," I said to him as I took our picture. There was a soft click as it was taken and I turned to let Kieran see the screen.

"That is amazing, did it hurt?" Emrys asked as he came to see what I had done

"I didn't feel a thing, do it again" This time I turned to stand with Emrys, taking our picture as I had done with Kieran, the click sounded again, and I held the camera up for them to see.

From that point on Kieran and Emrys were glued to my hip, watching intently over everything I did. They murmured and mumbled to themselves as they watched me take picture after picture, pressing buttons whenever I looked away. They were like little kids in a toy store, awed by everything they saw, each piece a new discovery. It was charming to say the least, maybe a little frustrating at times, but the sight of them poised with new intelligence in their eyes humbled me.

I could have stayed out there all day taking pictures with them, but I remembered I had told April I would go to lunch with her today. I had filled up almost the entire memory card by the time we got back to my room, snapping random photos as we walked, loving the way my new camera sounded. I managed to catch a few pictures of them together while they were not looking.

 Emrys and Kieran met me in my room, seeing as how some of the other girls had returned, Cloe letting me know that April was staying in town and that if I still wanted to go to lunch with her to meet her at The Grill. I had no idea where The Grill was, but I imagined it could not be that hard to find.

"Valery," Kieran started in the moment I shut my bed room door behind me, "I understand that your camera takes pictures, but I don't understand why,"

"Yes, what is the point in taking a picture?" Emrys followed his thought.

"Well, most people put pictures up on their walls for decoration, like this," I gestured to the picture above my bed, the same scene as the view out my balcony. "Then some people have pictures of their family like the one on my night stand, or other people use photo albums,"

Kieran was examining the picture of me and the family on the night stand while Emrys looked over his shoulder, "Whats a photo album?"

I went to the vanity and pulled the photo album my mother had given me out of the top drawer, moving around the bed to sit with them where they could see. I flipped it open to a random page and let them look with me, turning the pages slowly as we viewed pictures from when we had all been kids, all the way up to last year after I graduated high school.

"Those pictures you took in the woods, you can take them from your camera and put them on paper, like these?" Emrys asked, thumbing a page.

"Yes, why?"

"I want one,"

"I want one as well," Kieran agreed.

I looked up at them in surprise, "Why?" I asked confused, I had not thought that the pictures had been that interesting to them.

"You took a picture with each of us, I want the one of me and you."

"I want the one of me and you as well, Valery," Emrys echoed.

"Alright," I set the album down and went to the vanity, powering up my laptop and removing the memory card from my camera and plugging it into the laptop. Moving to the closet I dug out my printer and photo papers, hooking it up to the laptop as well. I pulled up the two photos they wanted and printed them out, waiting a few moments as the printer hummed to life and got to work.

"Here" I handed them each a freshly printed picture, the paper still warm from it, while I kept the two extras I had printed off. I had to admit they were very good pictures of us; I was smiling in both, my hair flowing around my face down to my shoulders making me look earthly in the tree strung background. Neither Kieran nor Emrys had smiled, but they both had this look of wonderment shinning in their eyes. You had to be looking close to see it though, because Kierans rugged and dark looks, as well as Emrys angelic beauty would sidetrack anyone in their right mind.

They were both staring down at the picture they held in their hands, brushing their fingers over the ink in silence. Then, out of no where they spoke at once, same words, same tone, same strange look on their face.

"Your beautiful,"

My breath caught for a moment, that being the last thing I had expected either of them to say, let alone them say it at the same time together. Apparently neither of them liked that their confession had been shared, because they each turned and glared at each other. I was glancing around the room frantically, trying to think of something to say to break the tension, when my eyes caught sight of my alarm clock. It was nearly noon and I had to get going if I wanted to make it to lunch with April on time. I was thankful for the excuse to leave, I had no idea how to even begin to handle the situation that had been dumped on me.

Kieran and Emrys were equally good looking, and after seeing Nisorca I had come to the realization that all angels, and mostly likely demons, were breathtakingly beautiful. I might have been pretty, but I was no where near comparing to Nisorca, and who know what the other angels and demons looked like. I highly doubted that the three of them were just lucky to be so good looking, I had a feeling that they were all that way. Which made it even more unbelievable, and unexpected, that they had called me beautiful, I just couldn't wrap my head around it.

I had long auburn hair, and was fair skinned. My eyes were green flecked with brown, I was short and in shape, but still didn't have much visible muscle. I was nothing compared to Nisorca, not even close. With everything that was coming at me, this was something I didn't understand in the lest.

So I left in a rush, sputtering good byes and telling them I would be back later. Even as I crawled into my Jeep I was too flustered to be happy that it was in one piece after they had taken it this morning. I was just happy it was there and made my get away easier, I didn't even have the sense to wonder how they had drove around town with no experience. As I sped into town and as far away from them as possible I faintly realized that I was not even certain where I was supposed to be going.

I didn't have long to worry though, because I never made it to lunch: About five miles from town something caught the corner of my eyes on the road, fearing it was a deer I slowed down a little and carefully handled the turns. Next things I knew I was being sideswiped by something big and black before I went rolling into the ditch. My ears were ringing and there was something warm and wet dripping down my face, I tried to open my eyes and look around but I was suddenly too tired. Moaning I leaned my head back against the seat, totally oblivious that I was sitting upside down, and decided to rest my eyes for a bit.