Angel of the lake

Chapter Fifty

The demon woke up before the angel warrior. And thank fuck he did. He wanted to appreciate this moment before destiny closed in on them.

He wanted to memorise it, keeping this pocket of time with him forever.

Because she was everything. His personalised dose of forever.

Everything he'd ever wanted.

She was beyond precious, her body tucked into his side, her head resting above his chest—exactly where she should be. A spot he'd fight to keep her in.

He used his body to keep her warm, eliciting a heat across her body to counteract the fresh morning air. Goosebumps had broken out across her skin, though he suspected they didn't have much to do with the temperature.

A week.

It'd been a week since he'd held her like this. A week since he'd woken up to her at his side.

The worst week of his life by a long shot.

She'd be going to the heavens today. Turning her face to danger. Throwing herself into the most perilous situation of her life.

He hated it. He hated it with a burning passion.

Still, he knew better than to fight her on this. He'd done everything he could to help her out.

The wings protruding from her back were evidence enough.

They weren't the wings she'd been born with. Those white, spotless wings were long gone. These were strong wings. Dark wings. Wings that would supply her with all the weapons she needed. A weapon no amount of TLC could cure.

Darkness ran at the heart of these wings, more evidence of the deal he'd made. But somehow, he'd pay the price. All dark magic came with a darker price. And when those eery bastards called in on their reward, he'd see it.

For now, he couldn't bring himself to care.

In the moment, he was paralysed by her beauty. By the surreal reality he had her with him again.

Never letting you go love.

She was his. His and nobody else's.

When she stirred, he was stroking her hair, his body shielding most of hers from the elements. She allowed herself a minute with her eyes closed to bask in the sensation of his hands. To take it all in before time escaped her.

And Gods, was it divine.

He made it all worth it.

"Claudio."

Fuck, he'd always love the way his name rolled from her lips. It didn't sound as good when anybody else said it.

"Good morning love."

She hummed, snuggling closer into his side. "Gods I've missed you."

His throat felt tight, like he'd won the lottery. "You have no idea how much I relate to that statement."

"This is the research you've been doing," She surmised. "Dealing with the warlocks."

"The warlocks were my first idea. I hoped I'd find something else, but everything I tried turned out to be a dead end. Trust me love, I tried."

She sighed. "I know you did." He'd been researching mercilessly, never explaining exactly what he was up to. "I—you got me my wings back."

They didn't look like the ones she'd had her entire life. They were different. She felt whole again. They were better.

"I'd do anything for you. You should know that by now. Anything you ever want is yours. You just have to name it."

"You. I want you."