Free Falling Darkness: The second book in the Falling Awake Series by T.A Richards Neville

ever loved?" I was pushing my limits of nosiness to the extreme, but I might as well get any answers I need while I had the chance. Instead of answering me though, he asked me, "Do you understand love?"
    "I think so."
    "Have you ever been in love?"
    I didn’t want to answer this. I wasn’t even sure I knew what the honest answer was. I thought I understood love, but did I? I knew hardly anything about the world, and the parts I did know, were shaping up to be something else entirely.
    "I don’t know,” I said. It was true. I had no real idea about love. A vague understanding of it, yeah. But that was all.
    "I'm not sure my kind are capable of love." That piqued my interest.
    "Why do you say that?"
    Drake tugged out the rubber band that held his blonde hair back in a short ponytail on the crown of his head. His hair fell around his face and he pushed his fingers through it, forcing it away from his face, creating a natural M shape. I smiled in spite of myself. He really looked like a pirate now. This was the first time I had seen him with his hair out. It suited him, he looked somehow younger and in a small way, vulnerable.
    “Love is the epitome of being human. Everything about what it is to love, is human.” He cut me a sideways look. The sharpness of his cobalt blue eyes saw right through me. “Do you know what I mean?”
    I shook my head. I could feel the lines cutting into my forehead from confusion.
    “Humans can love someone regardless of whether or not that love is returned, or mistreated, or ignored. They make mistakes and end up with broken hearts and they do it all over again. They let themselves love another. Love is fragile, but it’s strong in humans.”
    “Love is so totally blind,” I mumbled. We just let ourselves get hurt over and over, never knowing when to give up. How many times was I going to go round in circles with Caleb? Could I be strong this time and really walk away from him?
    “Exactly. Love is blind, and so it should be. Love should be unconditional and reckless. Fallen angels, they see and know too much. They can’t let themselves get lost in love the way a human can. The fallen are wary, untrusting. We were once good, but not anymore. We’ve seen too much of the world to think that being in love with someone is the greatest thing to happen on earth. To us, it’s a fleeting romance at best.” He shrugged. “I dunno. Maybe the feelings could grow, but you can’t let it get that far. Human’s age and we don’t, and there’s no room for love to grow there. By the time there is, I’ll need to leave.”
    This had taken a sharp turn in the direction of him and Mellissa. Drake was normally so blasé’ and carefree. I had never heard him speak this way before. I didn’t want him to leave Mellissa. And I was sure Mellissa didn’t want him to leave her either. How many times had Drake had to walk away from someone he truly cared about, all because of what he is? Or Caleb for that matter?
    “You can just tell her you know,” I offered.
    “And put her at risk? Or let her think I’m some kind of raving lunatic? No thanks. Its better I just go. Not yet, but eventually, I’ll have no choice. You understand that right?”
    I did, but Mellissa wouldn’t. He was going to crush her. She might never trust anyone again. If he left without a good enough reason. She was already having serious doubts.
    “That won’t be for a long time yet anyway,” I said. “A few years at least?”
    “It gets harder the longer you leave it.”
    So they would be leaving sooner rather than later. When I died or lived? I wanted to ask him, but I couldn’t. I always seemed to forget that this little set up wasn’t forever.
    I lay my hand on his leg. “You should just let yourself love her. You might be surprised. She’s pretty persuasive you know. Soon, you might have no choice.”
    “The only one dumb enough to pull a move like that is-” He rubbed his hand along his jaw and let out a grunt.