I stood in front of the mirror, sucking in a very deep breath. This time I would keep my eyes open so I could bear witness, and see for myself if invisibility was or wasn’t one of my gifts. With apprehension, I willed invisibility, just like I had when wearing the suit.
A tingling started at the top of my head and I gasped, immediately watching my reflection flicker in the mirror, then completely vanish.
I knew it! I knew I would have invisibility!
Then as I did before, I willed visibility and watched my reflection reappear. I squealed quietly, and had a little dance party all to myself.
I wondered if I should go invisible, sneak up on the guys, then reappear right in the middle of them.
No, I better not. An instant flash of Dom, Thomas, or even Kade, smacking me with their instinctual Guardian reflexes would not make it fun. The last thing I needed was a superhuman karate chop to the face. It was a cool thought though, and would have been hilarious if they weren’t warriors.
It was thrilled to have the same gift as Alaine, but was aware I didn’t feel drained or tired at all. I actually felt strong and… powerful.
I raised my arms and flexed them in the mirror. Sadly there was no change; just the same thin un-muscular arms. I guess that’s what was expected for someone who never worked out. I sighed and thought of Kade, and how he was given his wings. How unbelievable would it have been if I had wings?
Just for fun, I held my arms out to the sides and wished for wings, dreaming about what it would have been like to be able to fly whenever or wherever I wanted.
Pain tore through my chest and felt like it ripped straight through my back. I gasped, doubling over, grabbing hold of the sink to hold me up. What the hell was that?
As the pain subsided, I took in a deep breath and straightened up.
I screamed as I saw my reflection, then quickly covered my mouth. My breath seized, my heart stopped, and I froze.
Oh. My. God.
I was completely floored, trying to wrap my head around what I was witnessing.
Was it real?
It couldn’t be. I couldn’t have been given more than one gift, right?
But as much as I blinked, what I saw didn’t go away.
Folded behind me, were two of the most glorious white wings I had ever seen. They were perfectly shaped and the purest white… completely flawless. Excitement bubbled inside of me, and began to spill over into a squeal. I took in a deep breath and tried to calm myself.
Still a little doubtful, I reached backward and brushed my fingers across the side. They were as soft as silk and ruffled under my touch, sending a tingle down my spine.
I couldn’t believe it. How? How was I worthy of such magic?
I had wings.
I—had the most amazing, magnificent wings.
Hidden wings.
Overwhelmed with adoration, my eyes began to water. Then, I whispered quietly, hoping the Creator would hear my words. “Thank you.”
I wiped the pooled tears from my eyes and leaned closer to examine them. They were shimmering: gilded with strands of gold which were intertwined within the delicate pure white feathers.
I stood up and exhaled. “Oh my God. No one is going to believe this.”
I needed more room.
Overcome with excitement and disbelief I slowly backed out of the bathroom into my bedroom, so could still see myself in the mirror.
“Now, how do you work?” I whispered to my wings.
My wings softly fluttered behind me, shooting a rush of electricity through my veins.
None of the others had to speak to get their wings to work, so maybe it was just a thought process, like how it worked with invisibility.
Well, I was about to give it a try.
In my mind I willed my wings to spread out. As soon as the thought was released, I was almost thrown off balance as they unfolded spreading out to my sides.
“Holy smokes,” I squealed quietly. I tried to settle myself, but this was too freaking exciting. I mean… who the heck gets wings for their eighteenth birthday?
And these things didn’t come with an instruction manual. It was learn-as-you-go.
They were extended out so long, beyond the door frame, so I couldn’t see them in their full glory. As I looked to the sides, I was dumbfounded and dazed at how perfectly symmetrical they were. Fully extended, they were approximately seven feet long on each side.
Laughter from the guys next door snapped me back into reality. I wondered what they would think when they saw my wings?
Then I had an amazing idea. I would keep my wings a secret and reveal them on the day of the wedding. That would be the shocker of the century, and I was totally in. But I also hated surprises and had the hardest time trying to keep them.
In the meantime, I would show them my invisibility, hoping my wings wouldn’t magically pop out in the process. That would be shocking, but not the full reaction I wanted.