Solo Flight

Nulli's latest picture called to two different characters. The first is an existing character from There's a Fine Line, Alicia Johnston Simons. The other is a new character that's still forming in my head. While he simmers and stews, I'll post up the tiny short concerning Alicia. This takes place after both stories and all shorts, several months after the end of Fine Line.

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Characters:   Alicia Johnston Simons
World:            After the Reveal
Word Count:  370
Prompt:          Picture - Aerial view of Denver at night
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The city was beautiful up here. Quiet. Serene. The lights twinkled and danced in the city below. The wind blew through her hair and over her wings. Ever since the change, the temperature was ignored while the thin air was irrelevant. She was a perfect blend of demon and vampire. She was Alicia Simons. She was bennu.

An owl approached her on her right, curious about the large bird that intruded upon his territory. They soared the thermals together as he tried to classify her into known predators and prey. With a loud cry, he ceded the air to her. It had taken only a few moments for the great night hunter to recognize a superior predator. Alicia rendered the retreating bird a crisp salute, giggling when the gesture threw her slightly off balance and into a wobbly descent.

With powerful strokes, she regained her equilibrium and soared even higher above the sprawling metropolis. As she circled, she listened to the muted roar of automobiles, factories, and human bodies as they rushed along on their nightly routines. The occasional blast of a horn or rhythmic scream of a siren shattered the still night air, but otherwise, all was quiet. As much as she adored her vampire mate, Alicia savored these moments of introspection and solitude. It was at the height of a warm rise of air or the beneath the press of a powerful gust of wind that she found new wells of strength. Up here, above the noise that still hurt her sensitive ears, away from the bright lights that stung her eyes, up here, she questioned and wondered and reaffirmed all that was important to her.

Tucking her smoky wings tight against her body, she fell into a dive. The wind whistled between each crimson-tipped feather and she laughed as she pulled up and climbed the warm air of a man-made thermal. Alicia performed more acrobatics, practicing control over her recently acquired wings, until her shoulders ached but her soul flew free. She felt the loving caress of Blake’s tender mind-touch and knew he shared in her joy. Eager to return to him, she gave the city one final look, offered it her gratitude, and headed for home.