Wingless ~Book Two of Winged~

End

I pass out sometime while Malachai is working on stitching up one of the gaping wounds. I begin to regain consciousness and I feel that I am being carried as my head bobs. I struggle to lift my head and end up resting it on Malachai's chest as he carries me through the forest. He doesn't say anything as he walks, knowing that I am awake now.

"You lied to me..." I whisper and he slows his pace slightly before continuing.

"I did..." He admits. "Like Eli said, you wouldn't have trusted me when you saw me in Barzakh." He explains lightly.

"So you used me to get out? How did you know that I was getting out when you first saw me?" I question.

"I didn't use you to get out. I was extremely surprised when you suggested that I leave with you two. I pretended to be death with everyone I met so that that they thought I was weak." He explains blandly and he walks out of the forest and into a dark parking lot. I look up at Malachai and then at the sky where angels are still falling.

"One won't the ground for an hour or so... It's a very long, painful drop." He says and I look back at him. I almost forgot that he too fell... That he was is an Angel of Death.

"I want to see your wings." He furrows his eyebrows together and looks down at me.

"What?" He questions and stops walking.

"I want to see your wings." I repeat and he thinks about what I said then sets me down on the hood of a car. He looks around for people despite there only being two cars in this parking lot. He pulls his shirt over his head to avoid ripping it and as soon as his shirt is resting on the car beside me, he wings begin to unfurl. His eyes are slightly pain, like it hurts to unfurl them, but the look goes away once his wings begin to stretch out their full span. He watches as I stand up and walk over to one of the wings. I rest my palm flat against the feathers. It's surprisingly smooth and soft despite all the damaged, clipped wings. His wing twitches away from my hand and I look over at Malachai to see he is leaning forward on the car. I put my hand up against his wing again. It twitches, but stays in place as I run my hands down the span of one. I run my hand against the way the feathers are laying and Malachai leans forward more and tries to hold back a moan. I quickly remove my hand from his wing as he regains his composure.

"No, continue." He places my hand back onto his wing and I stare up at him before gently running my fingertips across the feathers. I go against the feathers again and hesitate as Malachai moans again, this time more loudly. I rub one of the feathers in between my thumb and index finger before continuing to run my fingers across the wing.

"Malachai?" I whisper and his wings flinch away from my hand.

"Yes?" He replies and looks at me.

"How long has it been since someone last touched your wings?" I question and he stares at me.

"I can't remember... Before I was dropped into Barzakh for sure though..." He replies and his wings fold close to his back. I watch him as he stares at me before my eyes move to his wings. The stitches on my arm begin to itch so I rub my arm slightly.

"Don't mess with those..." He comments, "You'll rip out a stitch." I remove my hand from my arm and try not to focus on the itching sensation.

I look around the parking lot, "Where are we?"

"Not sure... I only know coordinates." He replies. "I don't know the present day location for where we are." He explains. I nod and watch his wings expand then twitch, folding back to his back. How are we going to find everyone else? I am hidden under the radar by the tattoos so they can't find me, but they could possibly locate Malachai if they know he is with me. I turn and look around the parking lot and walk a little bit before turning around and seeing Malachai opening the door to a car. He looks up at me.