Bloody Angel. Book 2

Safe

"Copia, you need to calm down."

The Cardinal glared over at the broad ghoul walking next to him. They had just finished the ritual, just barely, the crowd still roaring behind them as they walked to their trailer. Aether was checking his phone, a deep frown on his face. Mountain was already at the trailer and ducking inside ahead of everyone else, as he usually was. Eager to get back to his mate.


"I can't. Something is wrong, I just know it! That face you're making isn't helping things."

"Sorry. Let's get our stuff and we can go back home to wait."

Copia heaves out a sigh, rubbing at his head. It was pounding, centered behind his left eye, and it had been getting worse. He was hot, too. Why was it so hot?


They see a faint green haze, the tail end of Mountains phaze as they enter the spacious trailer. The other ghouls are lounging about looking worn and tired. Copia sighs when he doesn't see Annie or Kali anywhere and his stomach churns.

"Copia, you don't look well," Cumulus says, her soft voice laced with worry as she rises from the chair she was occupying. "Come sit down. Swiss, grab him some water."

"I do not feel well. My head… it is pounding and getting worse." He sits in the vacant chair, slouching over and holding his head in his hands, elbows resting on his knees. "It is very warm in here. Is anyone else hot?"

"I could name a few," Swiss laughs, glancing over at Dew with a wink as he hands Copia a cool bottle of water.

"Not what I meant. Cazzo, my head…"

"Yo, boss…" Copia looks up at the multi ghoul, eyebrow quirked in question as he drinks from the bottle. "What's going on with your eye?"


Aethers head snaps up at that and he quickly moves over, shoving Swiss aside. He crouches down to be level with Copia, gently taking the man's face in his hands as he turns it to get a better look. Copias left eye is pulsing with a faint glow, the pupil dilating and constricting.

"Vincenzo, this is not good. What are you feeling?"

"Pain. Immense pain. I can… can hardly…ahh!"

His eyes flutter before clenching shut, his face screwing into a grimace as he doubles over clutching his head, fingers gripping tightly in his hair. The ghouls feel a surge of…something that presses on their own heads making them hiss out, the sound barely heard under Copias sudden roar of anguish. Just as soon as it started, it was over. Copia groaned, swaying before falling forward into Aether who catches and steadies him.

"Satanas, you're burning up! Cu, cool him down. Rain, more water. We need to-"

He's cut off by everyone's phones going off with multiple notifications, his own ringing loudly. He shares a panic laced look with Cumulus as he reaches for his phone, swiping the green icon to answer it. Even before he puts it on speaker you can hear Sunshine's frantic voice.

"Aeth?! Thank Satan! You need to get back here. Now! Something happened. It was like that night the girls came here. Mountain and Seth are already going to the forest with a handful of ghouls."

"Annie…" Copia says weakly, looking up at his ghoul. His eye is glowing a steady bright white, the pupil wide.

"Aeth, I'm scared," Sunshine's soft wavering voice sounds from the phone. Aether looks around at the ghouls, seeing them frozen with nervous apprehension.


"We're coming."

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Copia fought and protested against the broad ghoul when he phazed them to Copias chambers. He was beyond agitated and wanted to go out with the others to search for his beloved, but the ghoul wouldn't have it. Aether finally convinced him he would only slow down the search, and so the Cardinal stayed back, restless and pacing while Aether joined the others. He found Seth with Mountain and the other Ministry ghouls before they made it out of the gardens and told him to go back and wait with Copia.