“Why did I know you were going to say that?” The sleeping bags gave a soft rustle as he rolled towards me. It felt much warmer in the tent now; almost cosy.

“I don’t know, maybe because...” My voice trailed off. Alex had taken my hand and was kissing my fingers, one by one. His lips seemed electric, zinging at my nerve endings as if I were an exposed wire. I felt myself go weak as he bit gently at my little finger; then his warm mouth slid down to my palm, pressing against it, and I shivered.

“Let’s stop talking for a while, okay?” he whispered.

That night I had a dream.

I was standing at the top of a high tower, gazing out at what had to be the largest city in the world. It was endless, like something from a science-fiction film. Low mountains crouched on the horizon in every direction; the city crept over them and kept right on going, fading into hazy infinity. Somehow I knew this was in Mexico – and that it was where Alex and I were meant to be. My heart tightened with urgency as I stared at the sea of buildings. We had to come here. We had to.

In the middle of the city lay a broad stone space: an immense square, with a cathedral at one end and a long, official-looking building stretching down the side. There was a stage set up near the cathedral, and rock music playing – it thumped through me as thousands danced. Dozens of angels glided over the square, too, like hawks hunting over a field. I took a panicked step backwards. They’d see my aura; they’d know what I was—

The world whirled and shifted; the crowd scene disappeared. Now twelve angels hovered over the city, brighter than any I’d ever seen – like twelve blazing suns that poured light over the concrete buildings below. An ancient, ruthless power connected the twelve; I shuddered as I felt it. The angels started to glow even brighter still, burning my eyes until I had to duck my head away. As I did, they vanished in an explosion that was sensation rather than sound – a shock wave that howled past, knocking me off my feet.

Seamlessly, I was in my angel form, flying from the tower as the screams of a million angels tore through me. But my wings were too heavy. I couldn’t stay aloft; I was falling – I had to hold on tighter, fly harder—

I landed with a bump. Silence, so still and perfect, like cut glass. I was in a park, in my human form again. Soft green grass; palm trees mixed with poplars and cypresses. The twelve angels were gone...but I wasn’t alone.