The electric-blue light sucked inside of Angel as quickly as it had come. He gasped for air and sat bolt upright. Scrambling backward, he pressed against the car door, nearly feral with fear.

"What the fuck?" he exclaimed.

Nyx stared at him from the other side of the backseat. Her eyes were wide in wonder and horror. Mascara and eyeliner smeared across her face, mingling with the streaks of blood on her cheeks. Terror gripped him, worried it was hers. The tight crusted layer of blood coating his chest made him realize it was his own.

I'm fine. Better than ever really, so where did all of this blood come from and why does she look so devastated and awe stricken? Why is Cassie peering at me from the driver's seat like I have ten heads?

The last thing I remember is getting drinks... then Jeff's announcement... Nyx stomping on my foot... Carl...

"What the fuck?" he repeated. "Was I fucking dead?"

"I - I think so," said Nyx. Her voice was low and hoarse. She threw herself against him and he reflexively hugged her, still reeling and numb. Her tears were wet against his bare chest. "What were you thinking?"

"I wasn't," he said.

"Should we - should we still go to the clinic?" Cassie asked.

Nyx pulled away to look up at his face, her body still pressed close. She pinched Angel's cheeks, turning his head side to side. "How are you feeling?"

"Good. Really good actually," he said, squirming away from her grip. Even the dull ache he felt earlier that evening had disappeared. "I don't think there's any need for the clinic. I'd only be wasting Dr. McGill's time."

"Maybe you should, just to be safe?" Cassie suggested.

Nyx nodded, wiping her eyes with the heels of her hands.

"No." Chills settled in and he trembled, cold despite the summer humidity. "I wanna go home. We can figure something out in the morning."

Cassie pulled the car onto the road and continued toward the village. Respecting Angel's wishes, she turned down the backroads toward his cabin.

"Are you sure?" Nyx asked.

He nodded.

"I've only seen something like that once before," said Nyx. "When Ivy came to the island that day."

A shiver rippled up his spine. "That's an incredibly rare ability, and so far as anyone knows, she's the only one to ever be born with it. How could I have it and not know all this time?"

"You've never been dead before," said Nyx. "How should we know how this works? It's not like Ivy is a chatterbox."

"You're resilient right?" Cassie asked. "Maybe that has something to do with it? Daisy can't even read your emotions. Maybe energy stuff doesn't mesh well with your body or something?"

Angel considered it. Daisy was frustrated to no end that she couldn't get a handle on him when she easily absorbed and read everyone else. He was the only one on the island capable of lying to her and that alone was enough to drive her batty. She had mentioned on several occasions that this had annoyed her about his mother Ember as well, so perhaps there was truth to Cassie's theory.

They made it to his cabin and parked in the driveway. The small yellow house was in darkness, looking lonelier than ever. Nyx and Cassie followed him out of the car.

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"It's ok," Angel said. "Maybe you two should head home. I'm only gonna go to bed."

"No way am I leaving you alone after that," said Nyx. She clung to him like a burdock, wrapping her arms tight around his waist.

The warm wind was refreshing against his too hot skin. He was torn between needing comfort and wanting to be alone. Nyx and Cassie followed him inside through the backdoor. He didn't protest.

When he clicked on the kitchen light, he saw just how much blood covered his chest. Cassie seemed to be the only one to make it out with minimal damage to her clothing. Blood splatter stained splotches of her white tank top and the top of her chest, hands and cheeks. Other than Angel, Nyx got the worst of it, she was almost as caked in it as he was.

Cassie stooped over the kitchen sink and scrubbed off the blood with dish soap anywhere she could reach.

"I'll bring you something to wear," said Angel, rubbing his eyes in exhaustion.

"No, it's ok," said Cassie. Her shirt was damp from the splashing water. "If it's ok with you guys, I think I might head home. It might be better if I get out of the way. Unless you need me here?"

"I got it," said Nyx. "Thanks Cass." She hugged her sister. Both girls sniffled and fought off their tears.

"You can both go if you want," Angel grumbled "Don't let me keep ya."

"I'm glad you're ok," said Cassie. Her eyes glimmered. The Kitchen's bright white light washed out her complexion. "I really thought you were -" she couldn't finish her sentence. Cass turned and hurried for the door. "Sorry, I'll -"

"Cass, wait," Angel said, stepping toward her.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you. You really had my back in there. I appreciate it."

"Yeah, well," she said, and smiled through budding tears. "Anytime. Call if you need me."

Cassie stepped out and shut the door. He braced himself against the wall to keep balance. A bloody hand print stained the wood.

Angel headed for the bathroom and hopped in the shower. The water turned red at his feet, swirling down the drain. He shivered despite the warmth and steam collecting in the small space. He couldn't stop shaking. The bathroom door opened and clicked closed again. He could see Nyx's silhouette through the frosted glass.

"I brought us some clothes from upstairs," she said.

"I'm fine. You don't have to stay with me. Maybe you can catch Cassie before she leaves?"

"You're not fine. No one is expecting you to be even slightly ok."

He turned the water off. "Will you make yourself useful at least and hand me a towel?"

She passed him one through the door. He scruffed at his hair with it before tying it off around the waist and stepped out, still dripping.

It twisted his heart to see her staring at him with such wide, blood-shot eyes. The shambles she was in all because of him.

He wanted to cry, to tell her he'd never do anything like this ever again, but he didn't want to lie to her either.

"You ruined my shirt," he said instead, pointing at the green flannel button up.

"More like you ruined my shirt."

Her eyes looked so tired. He was sorry for that more than anything. He watched her nimble fingers unbutton the top, shrugging it off and stepping out of her jeans before climbing into the shower.

He dropped his towel and followed her in. She shifted position to make room.

"What was the point of drying off in the first place?" she asked.

He shrugged and put a glob of shampoo in his hand, rubbing it through her wet hair.

Nyx caught his wrist. "Why did you fight Carl?"

Angel gently tugged free of her grip. "I didn't intend for that to happen. Not like that."

"What did you think was going to happen?"

"There was a ten thousand dollar prize. I couldn't help it. Carl had fought like, five people already, I figured I might have a shot or it'd at least be fun to try."

"Fun?" She scoffed. "What part of that was fun?"

"Most of it. Obviously I didn't think Carl was going to murder me. That part was less than ideal." He reached over and she let him work the shampoo lather out of her hair. He tried not to shudder, thinking of the void he'd been pulled from. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"This has to stop," she said. "I couldn't take it if anything happened to you. If you -"

Nyx tossed her arms around him. He felt her warmth, and wanted her close but the flash of blue light made him think of what Nyx said about Ivy. Angel let go.

"What is it?"

"I don't want to hurt you. What if I -"

"Oh," she said and thought for a moment. "I don't think it works like that."

"How could we know?"

She put her hand on his cheek. He tensed, but didn't stop her, leaning into her touch. The crackle of her energy was warm beyond her usual body heat. After the initial trepidation, it was an oddly soothing sensation. It still felt like her, but more. There was a firmness there - an unyielding softness. Fear fled from him. He reached out to her, finding more of the buttery feeling wherever his hands landed. It was as though he were touching her for the first time.

"See?" She leaned forward until their noses nearly touched. "You'd never hurt me."

He pressed his back against the cool tile. Goosebumps rose up on his arms at the sudden contrast between the heat of her body, the water and the cold of the tile under his skin. Her lips brushed against his and he anticipated a kiss. Instead, she pressed her face to his chest, breaking into wracking sobs.