Wings & Horns

Chapter Four - The Grief of a Warrior

Unedited

Oh dear, oh dearie dear." The Witch Doctor said, waving his fingers rhythmically. Leo was glancing out the window, through the blinds. The Wendigos had no doubt felt the lack of prescence of Kelsio's energy. They'd be here soon. He couldn't be here then. Mynth already seemed suspicious, and Wendigos . . . well, for a bit of good standing in the celestial Records, they'd sell him out quick. "Um, I wasn't here." He said quickly to the Witch Doctor, ruffing Kelsio's collar, and seeing dirt on it, unusual considering he was a very clean-cut appearance-keeper. Kelsio was wearing a white shirt, and black slacks, with formal black shoes. His dark hair was combed carefully, the curls styled to look classy, and his toned skin seemed to glisten. Lotion.

Why only one mark of dirt? A struggle? No. A struggle would show more signs, rips there, tears here. There was nothing other than that one muddy mark.

Curious.

Leo was about to step away, when he spotted black ink on Kelsio's neck. Quickly, he leaned the empty vessel's face to the side, seeing what it was. A tattoo. The ink swirled and blew across the dead man's skin, in shapes and patterns distinctive to one thing. A scorpion. Leo ran through the signs that he'd learned Monsters used in formed gangs. This matched up to none, but Leo was certain that Kelsio had been involved in shady business. Something else? A discreet gambling den, or club, or worse? Or perhaps a cloak-and-dagger brand, to mark his place in a coven?

Leo had no time to waste standing there. He bade farewell to the Witch Doctor, going out through the back door and cutting through an alley that opened out to a main street, where he quickly blended into the faceless crowd, dull and gray. But Leo's thoughts whirled. He sill had no real clue as to how the Angel's connected with these murders, not really. And things seemed to be intensifying. If he didn't hurry...Leo didn't want to think of what might happen.

He walked dully, not completely certain as to where he was going, until he stopped outside the building.

A chapel. Great.

"Didn't peg you for the religious type." A cold voice, made him turn around, until Mynth crept out of the darkness, her hands on her hips and an eyebrow raised. "Would you believe the day I've had?" Leo shrugged. "I wouldn't know." He replied. Mynth nodded her head, leaning away from the chapel wall. "You here to pray to her? She won't answer. I heard she's got someone new. Celebrated your Falling with a new special someone. To her, you're a mistake."

Leo blinked, his fists clenched, the nails digging into his flesh. "Shut up." He said darkly. "You have no idea what you're talking about, creature. I suggest you stop, before I destroy you." The dull pain that alerted him his eyes were changing would usually have stopped him, but Mynth's words echoed.

"Celebrated your Falling."

"Got someone new right after."

"To her, you're nothing but a mistake."

Leo's eyes, the eye whites black, and the iris red, were probably the only thing that unfazed Mynth. After all, she was Wendigo, and powerful one. She could manipulate his weakness, and he oonly had one.

Her.

Thinking about her, was like sentencing himself. Every good memory brought back a haze of hurt as her tears slid down her face, dripping onto his arm as he hugged her, refusing to let her go, even as they began to pull him away. It had been desperation, or perhaps love.

Angels felt love, however they did not bring any physical intimacy with it. They connected through souls, much different than the carnal ways of the Humans.