Book 1 <Hybird>

Everything is changing

Nevaeh

His beautiful muscular body is straining. However, my eyes are focused on the magnificent wings standing proudly behind his back. "They're beautiful. Can I touch them?" I whisper softly. Even though I can't see his face, I know that he is beautiful. He smiles, running his hand caressingly over my arm and whispers sensuously. "Nevaeh, you are my Sodales semper, my love, always." He says in a deep, gravelly voice. I move forward, my hand extended. I want to touch him so badly that my body is shaking with excitement. As he moves closer, I can feel his breath on my face. His wings move as if seeking my hand. My hand strokes the feathers. They are soft and warm to the touch. I run my hand caressingly down his wing, enjoying the soft downy feel of his feathers. His wing flutters and his breathing quickens with desire. Biting my lip, I shyly gaze at him through the curtain of my dark hair. His hand moves down my shoulder as I move mine over his wings. Eyes focused on his mouth, lick my lips, and prepare to kiss him. We are so close we are practically breathing the same air. His mouth moves towards mine slowly. It's almost hypnotic. Closing my eyes, I lean close to kiss him.

Bang, bang into the room…"

My body jolts at the sound of my cell phone going off. I open my eyes. I'm back in my room. He's gone. Feeling a sense of loss, I sit upon my bed and listen for any sounds within the house. I can hear the honk of Travis's car horn in the distance. Then my cell begins to ring. "Bang, bang into the room…" The sound of my Adriana Grande ringtone continues interrupting my usual morning routine. Taking a deep, fortifying breath, I reach for my phone and hit the answer button. It's my boyfriend, Travis. I guess he got tired of honking the horn.

"What the hell, babe? Where are you? I've been sitting out here for ten minutes?" I shake my head, clear my mind, and grasp the covers as I roll out of bed. "Sorry, Trav, my alarm didn't go off. Just go ahead without me. I'll take my car, okay?"

I listen as he takes an impatient breath before he replies. "Fine, but you have to get a new alarm. It sucks to wait here every time your alarm messes up."

I look at the clock on my phone again, run my fingers through the tangled mess that is my hair, and reply. "Yeah, sure. Bye," I hang up quickly.

To be honest, I'm getting tired of Travis's demands. We've been together for nearly a year, and I'm just not feeling the attraction any longer. At this point, every demand from him is annoying, and every moment we spend together feels like an obligation.

After I've brushed my teeth and thick hair, I put on my cheerleading uniform and head down the stairs. First, let me introduce myself. My name is Nevaeh Rivera; I'm a senior at Arcata High. I am the cheerleading team captain, dance, choir, president of the student council, and Social Committee. Let's just say that I'm a very busy girl. I live in a small town called Arcata, located in California. My dream is to be a writer, so I'm super smart. My greatest assets are my long brown hair and deep golden eyes. I've been told that my hair has a natural wave to it that girls go to the salon for. You know, the soft romantic curl? I'm told that I look like my mom, but I really don't see it. I'm slim, about five feet five, with a toned body. Being a cheerleader has helped keep me in tip—top shape. My friend Jezelle says that my olive skin and dark coloring make me look exotic.

Leaning close to a nearby mirror, I roll my lip gloss over my full cherry lips and line my eyes. My last boyfriend, Shane, used to say that I didn't need to line my eyes because they were large and soulful. He was so sweet. Unfortunately, he moved to Florida, and a long—distance relationship was not in our plans.

As I make my way down the stairs, I hear my mom's car drive away from the house. I roll my eyes at her hasty retreat. God forbid she say goodbye. The kitchen is empty, and there's no breakfast ready.

"At least there's no one fighting," I mumble to myself. My parents have never been the warmest, but lately, it's been a constant deluge of arguing back and forth. My mom harping on something, and my dad screaming back. It's been a nightmare for me because I know what the next step is. I have plenty of friends with divorced parents. It just saddens me that my parents have no regard for my feelings.

My phone rings again. "Bang, bang into the room…" Ugh, I need to change my ringtone. Jez and I used the ringtone as a joke, but it's getting old already. Hitching up my bag, I take an apple from the kitchen table and make my way out the door. My messenger bag rests heavily against my side.

I scowl when my phone rings again. Seriously, I'm almost out the door. People can be so impatient. As I make my way out the door, I grab my car keys and reach for my phone. It's Jezelle. She's probably waiting impatiently by the school's front door. "Hey, Jezelle─"

Her voice breaks through my speech. "Don't hey Jezelle me! Where the hell are you? I've been waiting…" She continues to rant as I get into my jeep and turn it on. "Sorry, Jez, give me a few minutes. I'm on my way." I hang up quickly, not letting her finish her rant. Sometimes that's the way to deal with her. The girl will run through her data, berating me for being late.

Settling my arm on the steering wheel of my Jeep Wrangler, I hit the road and make my way to school. I love my jeep. It used to belong to my Uncle Mannie. He was a war photographer. He died last year while he was on assignment in Africa. He was in a hot zone and caught a bullet in the heart. It was a very sad moment for us. Uncle Mannie knew I loved the old jeep, so he left it for me in his will. I was his favorite niece. I always shared my writing with him. He loved everything I wrote. I remember he told me that he was proud of me and that I would be a great writer someday. I miss him so much.

It doesn't take long for me to pull the jeep into the school's parking lot. The lot is quiet and still at this time of day. School doesn't start for at least another hour, so most kids are still home. However, I'm late for cheerleading practice, and by the look on Jezelle's face, it isn't good.

Right now, she's standing near the entrance doorway, looking annoyed. Jezelle is pretty with brown and blond highlights. She has beautiful, crystal blue eyes and lush lips. Her five—foot frame vibrates with energy as she paces in place. Not wasting another moment, I grab my things and rush over to her. Her face breaks into a smile as she pulls me close and gives me an air kiss. "You're late, Nev. Are you ready?"

I nod my head, giving her a sardonic smile. "Sorry about that. But I'm here now, so let's go."

As we walk toward the gym, our cheer skirts make swishing sounds with every shift of our bodies. We usually wear workout clothes for practices, but we have school pictures today. Jez pushes the doors open and walks ahead. The rest of the squad is doing stretches, practicing a few moves, or talking.