The Valentin Series, Book 2: Angel of Vengeance ( Winter Soldier Fanfiction)

Chapter 8: Involved

Angel pushed him away, Aaron laughed. “What do you mean, ‘not again’?” she demanded.

“Sweetheart, you’ve got that look in your eyes,” Aaron smiled fondly at her, “You’re involved with your target again, aren’t you?”

“When did you start speaking in an English accent?” she spat out, trying to cover up the truth.

“Oh, come now, love, you know you can trust me,” he walked over to her and put his hands on his shoulders, “You know that, right?”

“Untie me, then,” she snapped at him.

“Ah, but I don’t know if I can trust you,” he smiled, leading her to a chair and pushing her into it, “You were always so unpredictable when we were growing up, one minute you were all over me, the next second you were battering me with one of your swords.” He said as he crossed his arms and sat in a chair across from her. The tent was sparsely furnished: a small bed, a foldable desk, three chairs, one behind the desk and the two in front of it, travelling bags on the floor.

“I had to make sure my brother knew nothing about us, A,” Angel whispered, looking into his eyes, “I protected you, damn it,” she almost screamed, “I protected you from my brother, from my employer who wanted me to kill you, I helped you bury your tracks and kill the loose ends, and you won’t even UNTIE ME?!” she shouted the last two words, “My brother is dead, Aaron, I protected you, but I could not protect him.” She whispered.

The next second her hands were free and Aaron was pulling her into his lap. She buried her face in his neck and took a deep breath. He smelled different; the last time they met he was all expensive perfumes, clean cut hair, designer suits, now he was in fatigue cargo pants, military green shirt and Kevlar vest, and combat boots. The only thing that seemed the same was his haircut, albeit it was less well-kept.

He rubbed her back, like he used to when they were teenagers and she and her brother would have one of their vicious fights. She remembered one time Cristoff lost control and accidentally morphed into the Chimera, his lion form, and slashed her back from shoulder to hip. She ran, to Aaron’s room. He tended her wounds, bound her back, and she was sleeping in his bed when her brother found them. It was almost a bloodbath. She fought him off long enough for their guards to put him down.

“You can cry, you know, it is fine, I’ve seen you in more vulnerable stages, more awkward ones, too,” Aaron chided, and it made her smile, still the same.

So she did, if there was one safe place she was sure she could be in, it was Aaron’s arms. After a few minutes, she took another deep breath and looked at the man she once loved through puffy eyes. “Hey,” she whispered, softly tracing his jaw.

“Hey, beautiful, wanna let the wings out for a bit?” he said in return.

“Yeah,” and she pulled away then took off her thermal and let her wings out of her skin.

“Still with the halter tops, eh?” Aaron chuckled, languidly running his hands through her feathers, “Still so pretty.”

Angel laughed, “Why are you here?”

“We were sent to protect this dignitary,” he sighed, and leaned his head on her shoulder, “You don’t happen to be here because you poisoned a certain someone, yeah?”

“No,” Angel shook her head, “You know that’s not my style, but I might be tracking that guy’s killer.”

Aaron groaned, “Who are you working for, who is your target and why has he replaced me?” he asked, leaning back and looking her in the eyes.

Angel kissed him on the lips, a quick kiss, it made them both smile,

“I can’t tell you; you’ll die.”