A boy stood watching me. He was a little older than me, about the same height as Alex, with brown hair that fell in loose curls. A glint of stubble; high cheekbones and strong features – a beautiful face that I knew had been through great pain, yet it held such humour and tenderness that it twisted my heart.

We stared at each other. I had no idea who the boy was, but the thought of ever being without him filled me with despair. The unexpected feeling robbed the breath from my throat, so that at first I couldn’t speak.

“Who are you?” I whispered at last.

In answer, the boy stretched out his hand. “Come, querida,” he said softly.

His eyes were urging me to say yes, and part of me wanted to link my fingers through his so badly that it hurt. No, I’m in love with Alex, I thought. And then: But, oh my god, to not be with you – how could I possibly bear it? I woke up with a start. It was still night-time; I was in the tent, safe in the sleeping bag with Alex asleep beside me. What had all that been about? Heart thudding, I pressed against Alex’s bare chest. He shifted in his sleep and pulled me closer; I hugged him hard, feeling almost guilty. Even in a dream, how could I have ever felt that way about someone else?

Especially now. My cheeks heated slightly; I smiled to myself as Alex’s breath stirred my hair. We’d been taking things slowly since we first got together, and then earlier tonight...well, basically we’d both been kicking ourselves that Alex hadn’t made another purchase along with the hair dye and scissors at the drugstore. We’d managed to hold back, though, and meanwhile it had still been just –incredible, and wonderful. I kissed his shoulder, feeling the warm weight of his bare leg looped over mine.

Okay, forget the part about the boy, I told myself. That was just the dream disintegrating into weirdness. But the rest of it...I frowned as I went over the images: the endless city; its huge square pulsing with music and people. Then the twelve fiery angels exploding – the heaviness of my wings, the millions of angels screaming. Remembering it all, urgency tugged at me even stronger than before – along with a cold dread that coiled in my stomach.

The dream was a premonition, I was sure of it. Wherever this city was, Alex and I had to go there.

Chapter Three

THE ANGEL DRIFTED IN AND out of consciousness, memory mixing with the now.