St. Salvatore's Academy for Boys I: Angelus [boyxboy]

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

I’m positive I passed out.

I waited for Michael to appear and tell me what happened, tell me why he let me get hurt like that, but he never showed up. I was bathed in blackness after I fell unconscious, but it didn’t last long. Long enough for the others to find me and move me to Asmodeus’ bed, though, because when I woke up, I wasn’t lying on the stone cold floor of the hallway to freedom.

I was back in my little prison, but this time, I didn’t have Asmodeus beating me or tormenting me. In fact, my heavy eyelids fluttered open to see Asmodeus soaking a blue cloth in a nearby bowl of water that made me realize how cotton dry my mouth was. I moved my lips, but no sound came out.
Asmodeus glanced at me out the corner of his eye, then back at the bowl before he lifted the cloth out and squeezed the excessive water from it.

“I can’t tell if you’re stupid or intelligent.” He muttered flatly as he brought the cloth to my forehead, dabbing at it before he moved the cloth to my back, which felt numb and prickly, like your legs when they fell asleep. I tried to speak again, but I only manage to wheeze and cough. Asmodeus sighed and called something in Latin over his shoulder before he turned back to me.

From this angle, I realized I was lying on my stomach still. I tried to move, but Asmodeus touched my shoulder firmly enough to let me know that turning over would be bad, so I flopped back on my stomach, but not before I saw something white flash out of the corner of my eye. I scrunched my nose up in confusion, cocking my head to try and look before me, but Asmodeus turned my face back to his.

“What happened?” I managed to say at last, my voice hoarse and small. I grimaced and Asmodeus frowned, then looked up as Beelzebub came in with a glass of water. Beelzebub cast me a long stare before he turned away with a nod to his brother and disappeared from the room in silence. I felt confused, watching him vanish, before Asmodeus took my chin and lifted my head enough so that I could gulp down every last bit of water in the cup. I sighed in relief, resting my head against the sofa silk pillow under my head, closing my eyes.

“Michael just likes making my life more complicated, that’s what happened, little lamb.” Asmodeus spoke at last, his tone bitter and crisp. I frowned, peeking my eyes open to look at him, puzzled.

“What’d you mean?” I asked tiredly, shifting a little so my hands were on the pillow on either side of my head. Asmodeus didn’t speak for a while, just soaked the cloth, then dabbed at my back. Everywhere he touched stung and I flinched away at first, before relaxing as the cold softness of the cloth became soothing.

“You’ve gained something very important, little lamb. Something that I could kill you for.” He muttered dryly.

“A sense of humor?” I asked hoarsely before coughing. Asmodeus snorted, then reached out and pinched my back. I yelped out loud in pain, clenching my fists and trying to pull myself up into a sitting position, but my back suddenly felt sharp pangs and aches, so I settled for propping myself up on my elbows.

I looked at Asmodeus, confused, before looking at my back, then froze.

My blood turned to ice in my veins, freezing me to the core as I stared at a pair of large white wings jutting out of my back where the skin was obviously stitched and healing. I stuttered, but nothing came out in actual words as I gaped at the white feathered wings that reminded me of Michael’s. Pure white, save for the spatters of pink from blood smearing on them.

I trembled and snapped my head to look at Asmodeus, who was on his feet now, his eyes narrowed down at me.

“However, Michael also overestimated you. As an untrained angelus, you know nothing of their use. They’re merely a burden to you now. This changes nothing. You will participate in the ritual and you will obey Lucifer’s command. You will become his power source and you will be easily discarded like the rest of us, so don’t go getting a big head, little lamb. It’s almost time for the slaughter.” He announced, his tone cold. I opened my mouth to speak, but Asmodeus turned his back on me and went for the exit.