Dangerous Diabolical: Book 1 (Iridescent) ✔️

Chapter 6 - Run Rabbit Run

About ten minutes after Leofstan had left, I bolted out of bed. This Grahame character might be able to protect Willow, but I didn't know him and I wasn't about to risk it. Heading toward the window I unhooked the old window stay and pushed the pane wide.

The moonlight caressed the landscape below. Dusky lamplights flickered as a few persistent cars still sat in the hospital car park. After a quick skim for any sign of life, I climbed on the window sill. Normally I'd push a bit of magic into the whole 'don't look here' vibe, but despite Leofstan healing the worst of my bumps and scrapes, the reserves were still shockingly depleted.

Standing atop the fifth floor, the wind ungracefully buffeted the flimsy hospital gown. My other clothes had disappeared. Considering the state they were left in, I wasn't too surprised.

I was sad to lose the jeans.

With nothing but a deep breath, I stepped out. There was something about being weightless. No matter how many times I did it, there was always the moment falling when the world went by quickly, but time slowed to a crawl. As soon as I pushed my wings free into the air, the force was not dissimilar to hitting the ground. The power of the air smacked into them with a jolt, suspending me momentarily and leaving the rest of my body, still human-shaped, dangling awkwardly.

The updraft gently floated beneath the stretched skin of the elongated bones and I greedily inhaled the scents carried within it. Drifting steadily to the ground I bent my knees slightly for the impact, snicking my wings back into my human guise. I stumbled as I landed, running a few steps to absorb the motion. Unpracticed, and under-transformed, my landing was too fast; propelled forwards - skinning my palms and the gem - off the ground, I froze, waiting to see if the world changed again.

Instead of a memory, a homeless drunkard gaped at me. "Well yeah, you try landing on two feet!" I snapped at him, struggling to stand. 

He merely took a swig of his drink, face agape. 

He was wearing several layers, the top being a deep green knee length number. "How about you give me your jacket and I let you live?" I proposed to him. He didn't need to ask twice. He shrugged it off, passing it over with trembling hands.

"Lord forgive me, I'm going to get sober. I promise I'll repay my debts." His voice wobbled.

The long trench coat was mottled with dirt and dried alcohol. It smelt acidic and was a strong contender for being worse than the hospital. It was either that or running in a hospital gown up the street. "Good for you!" I told him, shrugging the rough material on. Leaving the homeless man standing in a t-shirt I briskly made my way to find Willow.

Irritatingly as the club came into sight she was nowhere to be seen. Marching toward the club, I didn't wait for the bouncer, I slammed the door open myself.

"Whoa, Whoa, Whoa!" The bouncer called, his arm coming to halt me on my breastbone. Oh, I knew this one. Grabbing the thick wrist, I slid my hands to link through his fingers.

"Markus, you're not going to deny a girl some fun right?" Biting my lip as I looked up at him, he smirked handsomely back. He worked the most shifts so I saw him most nights more often than not.

"You know you'd have a lot more fun if you came home with me, Andy." He twirled me into his chest and I obliged. Whilst I could smell the human in him, underneath lurked something other. Like me, he seemed to fill more of a room when he was in it. Whatever his other self was, it was something big. Several times I'd daydreamed about taking him up on his offer.

"Sorry handsome, I've got errands to run, people to eat." I winked at him.

Watching intently from under his eyebrows he drew my hand to his lips, gently brushing my knuckles. I tightened my other hand behind my back, relieved he hadn't grabbed it. The smell of his longing hung in the air and the urge to drag him out back was beginning to overtake the previous worries about Willow.