When Angels Fall In Love

Chapter 9: Her Wounds

His name...the human had told her his name...Erelah couldn't help but feel giddy. Samuel...She repeated it over and over in her head, wondering in awe at its effect on her. It was such a simple thing but for some reason it meant the world to her. Erelah shared her own smile with Samuel, letting it reach her eyes in genuine happiness as they shared the moment.

The moment though was fleeting...

The ache in Erelah's side was growing with a fierce intensity as it made her smile falter. With a noticeably shaking hand, she touched her side practically doubling over in pain just as her fingertips barely brushed the ruined skin across her ribs. Samuel was quick to react, grasping her shoulders as she leaned forward and kept her from falling flat on her face. Fresh tears stung Erelah eyes before burying her face in Samuel's neck.

"Erelah," Samuel whispered. "Allow me to look." Erelah almost immediately nodded but there was a slight hesitance that struck a chord in her. Could she really trust a human? Could she trust Samuel? The thoughts was prominent enough to make her pause, she was about to put the fate of her life in the hands of a human she had just met...how could she be so sure of his intent? "Erelah, please." His voice sounded sincere, concern evident as he pulled away just far enough so their eyes could meet. Erelah searched his vibrant green orbs for any malicious intent, something that set any alarm bells in her head. She found nothing...

She wanted so badly to trust him, wanted to think that he was different from the rest of the humans. The fact he wanted to help her now already made him so much more than his species and it gave her slightest bit of hope. That was hope was all it took for her to say yes. Erelah gave Samuel a teary eyed nod before slowly releasing her wounded side. Her hand was wet with what could have only been her blood as she leaned her body to the side and allowed Samuel better access to her wound.

Erelah's skin felt hot and overly hypersensitive as she felt Samuel's careful hands pull away the tatters of her robe to reveal the carnage underneath. Erelah forced her eyes to Samuel's face, half expecting to find a look of horror marring his handsome features. He looked calm of all things, careful examining while she waited with bated breath.

"How did this happen?" He asked finally. The curiosity evident in his intense gaze as Erelah struggled with her worlds. She just couldn't tell him...the existence of demons was supposed to hidden from the humans, that's why they had enforcers like Erelah performing scouting patrols and guarding potential demon escape points. He already knew too much, this is where she drew the line.

The silence only grew between them as Erelah pleaded with her eyes, hoping he understood her hesitancy. Without a further word spoken, Samuel began to remove his tunic, pulling the clothing over his head before Erelah could protest. Her eyes subsequently roamed over his exposed skin, drinking in his muscular physique before snapping back to reality as he brandished a large knife.

Fear made Erelah tense as she shrank back from Samuel and pressed her body harder against the soft dirt. She watched the knife closely as he used the blade to cut at the tunic bunched in his thick hands. The knife sliced through easily, Samuel paying no attention to Erelah as he continued to cut the fabric into tattered bits and strips.

"Can you sit up?" He asked, finally looking back to her. Erelah still eyed the knife but nodded, managing with the little strength she had left to position herself upright but with the wound still exposed. Samuel caught her eyes watching the knife in his hand before immediately throwing it away from them. "You're going to have to trust me...I'm not here to hurt you, Erelah." When she finally nodded he resumed his work as he took the remnant strips of his tunic and began binding the wound. Her side screamed in agony as the fabric pressed against the jagged claw marks. It took everything she had not to push Samuel away, the pressure enough to make her vision go cloudy as he continued.

By the time Samuel finished Erelah was on the verge of blacking out again as her body screamed and writhed in agony from underneath her skin. Tears were silently slipping down her cheeks, her mouth feeling dry as a sandy dessert while she continued to grasp like a water deprived fish.

"Erelah..." Samuel's voice was a mere whisper calling out to her. "Come on Erelah...you have to stay awake." Erelah was slowly slipping into the darkness and though she wasn't dying the pain became too much to handle as her vision went completely black.