The whole room felt Jed's words pulsing through their heads.
An angel? There's no way.
Jed remained calm as everyone stared at him.
Oliver was first to react. He let out a nervous chuckle which to Vinny, was music to his ears.
"You're what?" He questioned as his smile dropped as quickly as it came. Surely he's lying... right?
Jed turned to him, there was no going back.
"I am an angel" He repeated.
Duke looked him up and down, his mouth slightly open from shock.
"You're lying," He said. This was too surreal.
"I know it's a big shock but-"
"Prove it" Vinny interrupted. He was watching Jed with interest. He believed him but his eyes needed solid proof.
Jed understood his request. It was hard to believe just words these days.
He looked around the room once more.
Oliver subconsciously gripped Vinny's waistcoat. He always got really close and craved his vampires protective manner when he's in a challenging situation.
"Okay, I'll show you proof. But please, this may be overwhelming"
Nobody could take their gaze away from him. Was he seriously telling the truth?
He's an angel!?
It was so hard to believe.
Jed stepped back and took a calming breath.
He hesitated but realised he has gone too deep, he couldn't take any of it back. Maybe it wasn't a bad thing that they knew who he really was.
"Just, brace yourselves," He said.
Everyone watched with interest but also with a hint of fear for the unknown.
As they stared at the man they once knew as a normal human, a faint white glow started to appear behind him.
Just then, as quick as a blink, a pair of incredible white wings hung effortlessly on his back.
Vinny felt Oliver's knees almost buckle. If they weren't holding onto each other, he may have fallen. He could feel how overwhelming this was for him and he too was extremely taken back by all of this.
"You okay?" He whispered without taking his gaze away from this... angel.
"Yeah," Oliver breathed. He too couldn't bring his gaze away.
Everyone gawped, blinked, and rubbed their eyes.
It was true.
Jed was an angel.
Standing in their dining-room.
How could this be? But wait...
Angels are real.
The wings were almost the same height as Jed as he couldn't resist giving them a stretch. He hasn't shown them for a long time and he was filled with relief now that they had room to breathe and move.
Fully stretched, they were around ten feet tall and almost twelve feet wide.
He watched everyone's faces, but they all had the same mix of emotions. They were amazed at the perfect white wings. Each feather was beautifully shaped and they were incredibly mesmerising.
Jed felt a little self-conscious, being the only angel in the room. He wondered if Oliver felt the same, being the only human.
After everyone had a few more seconds to process what they were seeing, Jed put them away.
Even after they were gone, nobody could bring themselves to say anything.
"I apologise for keeping this a secret" Jed said, trying to break the silence but he knew this was a lot for their minds to register.
"Jed... if that's even your name. Why are you here?" Vinny asked.
The angel looked happy that he was only getting questions. He didn't want anyone to act out of fear and threat.
"My real name is Jeduthun but you can still call me Jed. And I'm here to look after you and Oliver"
Madison glanced at her husband. Was this really happening?
"Who sent you?" The boys asked in unison.
Jed knew the boys may be more understanding about this and he was grateful for that.
"Maybe it's best to let this sink in first and then you can ask me as many questions as you like," He said as he looked at John who took a step towards Vinny.
"I feel like I need to bury my head in some snow for my brain to understand this," He said, making the angel smile.
"Can I feel your wings?" Oliver then asked.
Everyone frowned and looked towards the human. They have just been proven that angels exist and the thing he wanted to do the most was to touch his wings?
But they knew Oliver was a person who believed that if you don't ask, you don't get. Also, it was his way of dealing with things by asking questions.
"You can later" He smiled. "But for now, you need to get used to this"
Sure... yeah" Oliver said as he tore his gaze away to look at Vinny.
"Would you like to step outside for a moment?" Vinny asked him, he could feel how overwhelmed he was becoming.
"Yes," Oliver said, he was pumping with questions and knowledge. His mind was still trying to process that Jed was an angel.
Vinny then took his hand and turned towards the back-doors. They didn't have coats on but they would only be outside for a few minutes.
Everyone else took their gaze to Jed as the boys entered the gardens.
When Vinny shut the door behind him, they both just looked at each other.
"Pinch me," Oliver said as he held out his arm.
Vinny ignored that request and wrapped his arms around him instead.
"I didn't expect that," He said as he took his gaze around Oliver's face.
"Me neither," Oliver said. "but- but why? I mean, why would an angel be looking after us? Who sent him? And he said other worlds. Did he come from another world!? Wait, what if-"
Vinny put a finger over Oliver's lips, silencing his questions.
"Calm down. You can ask him these later and I'm sure he'll tell you" He said softly.
"Yes, you're right," Oliver said before taking a breath. "I'm just a bit overcome with it all. I want to know everything now, but I need to be patient"
Vinny smiled and nodded. He too was feeling like Oliver but he expressed it completely differently. He would preferably keep it all in until it went away. But Oliver lets it all explode out of him until it settles.
They then took a few moments of letting the icy air refresh their minds before Oliver started shivering.
"Are you ready to go back inside?" Vinny asked.
Oliver nodded and quickly turned to open the door.
It was freezing but the warmth of the mansion, as usual, hit him with comfort as Vinny shut the door behind him and walked over to the table.
Everyone was now sitting down, even Jed. But the silence was still ringing in his ears.
Vinny and Oliver sat opposite their bodyguard as they pulled their chairs close and leant into one another.
Vinny put his arm on the back of Oliver's chair so they could be that tiny bit closer.
They all couldn't get the image of his wings out of their heads.
"So um... If you'd like to start from the beginning Jed, that would be great" Duke said. His eyes would not let him believe that an angel was sitting next to him.
"Okay, sure. I'm going to explain it all so it would be great if you didn't interrupt. I would prefer to get it all out" Jed said, making everyone nod.
He then took a breath and sat back in his chair.
"I am an angel of a higher power. I was sent to this earth many years ago by another angel of higher power called Zachariah. He sent me with one purpose and that was to look after Vinny and Oliver. I knew your bond would connect to its fullest as I would not have been sent if it wasn't unique. Zachariah, the other angel of higher power currently looks after another couple called Panuleon and Corey. They live in another world and also share a unique bond"
Oliver's mind melted at the thought of another world even existing but he needed to let Jed speak before he broke down with questions.
"The reason I am here is because there is a threat that a great war will break out between the worlds. So far, nothing has happened and it isn't close to starting yet. But if the war does start, it will start because of one thing, and that's your unique bond"
Vinny frowned when he heard the name Panuleon, he was sure he had heard that before. But when Jed started talking about a war... his mind decided to concentrate on that.
"So, you came to look after us because of a war that's going to happen? When will it happen?" He asked.
"Not soon. There's no telling when it will happen but I'm here to protect you both if it does"
"How do you know that it isn't soon then?" Oliver asked.
"Because I can hear the angels whisper and they're holding back the war as much as possible," Jed said.
"Who's behind the war?" Oliver asked.
"I think it's best not to get into this. You shouldn't let the war get into your head. It'll most likely be thousands of years until it starts and there's no telling whether the angels will stop it before it does"
Oliver nodded, but he wanted to know more. Jed was right, though, he shouldn't worry his mind with it.
"So, even though you don't think the war will break out for thousands of years, you're still here, looking after the boys?" John asked. He was only just able to wrap his head around all of this.
"Yes, It's my duty," Jed said as he looked at them both.
Vinny was studying Jed and he felt the need to ask questions. Maybe it was Oliver's questions he wanted to ask but he was equally interested.
"Do angels live in heaven?" They asked in unison. This world carries myths of angels, but just like the other world, they are mystical and some people believe, others don't.
"Yes, but this earth is my current home, now that I'm looking after you both," Jed said.
"How long have you been on earth?" Madison asked.
"I've been your bodyguard for five years now and I was on earth for a whole year before that, learning the ways of a human so you wouldn't be suspicious. But obviously, I let that slide today"
"Well, you certainly had us fooled for all that time" She chuckled, but stopped when she realised that probably wasn't a good thing.
"acting as a human is easier than you think to pull off," Jed said. He felt like a weight had been lifted from his chest, now that everything was out in the open.
"Are you the only angel in this world? How many worlds are there?" Oliver then asked. He was dying to know.
"Yes, as far as I'm aware, I am the only angel that has been sent here. and there are only two worlds. This one and the one Corey and Panuleon live in" Jed said.
"Are they humans? Or are they Vampires? Wait... are they angels or just humans?" Oliver asked. He couldn't stop them from pouring out.
"Corey is human and Panuleon is an angel. But no, it's only humans in that world. Vampires do not exist"
"I don't think I can take much more. My head feels like it's going to explode" John said. Madison and Duke agreed but Oliver was only just getting started.
"I would really like you all to get used to this first before you ask loads of questions," The angel said.
"Oliver will not be used to it until he asks his questions," Vinny said as they looked at each other. Oliver loved that his soulmate knew him so well.
"Okay, but let me give you a few minutes of peace to talk among yourselves," Jed said before standing up.
Nobody said anything so he turned and walked back out the room.
When he was gone, still... nothing was said.
Everyone was still processing this.
They would never think, not in a million years that Jed was an angel.
He hid it so well.
Oliver then leant his head close and gave Vinny a quick kiss on the lips. He couldn't hold it back.
They hadn't forgotten about their special moment, but it was allowed to be put to the side as they concentrated on Jed.
But clearly their parents wanted to distract their minds, even for a minute or two.
"So boys, you've committed now?" Madison asked.
They frowned for a moment before realising what she was talking about.
"How do you know?" Oliver asked as his cheeks started going red. He hoped she hadn't walked in on them.
"How could we not know? After you both cling to each other all the way home and then hurry off upstairs. But does that mean you have?" Duke asked.
The boys looked at each other. Vinny gazed at Oliver's flushed cheeks as they smiled at each other.
"You have!" She said before leaning forwards. "This is amazing"
"Why?" Vinny frowned. "It's just normal. Why do you have to make such a big deal out of everything?" his tone was blunt and he didn't want to talk about it, not when there are bigger things to discuss.
"Because it's a big step in your relationship-"
"Just stop, okay" Vinny sighed as Oliver reached over and squeezed his hand.
"If you bribe me, I might tell you about it later," Oliver said to Madison. He knew this was not something Vinny felt like he was ready to discuss with his parents, but he didn't really mind talking about it.
"Alright," Madison said before giving Oliver a warm smile.
They then settled back into comfortable silence as their minds drifted back to Jed... the angel.
Their heads were racing. They all had questions about Jed, about this war, about why people would be after the boys and about this other world.
But Oliver really wanted to ask Jed just one thing.
"Do you think he'll let me touch his wings now?"