Angels, Pop Stars, and...More Spies? Oh My!

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Joshua

Upstairs, I heard a loud bang. My head snapped up from it's downward position, staring blankly at my iPhone. That sounded like it came from...Ember's room. Ember! Ignoring the confused glance from Skylar, I shot up and bounded upstairs. Ember's door, right near the stairs, was closed. My feet slid across the fresh white carpet of the hallway and I grasped Ember's door knob. I jimmied the knob. Locked. Dammit. I tried knocking.

"Ember, it's Joshua. Please let me in."

No response. I bit my lip, fear settling in the pit of my stomach. Whoa, dude, calm down. I reassured myself that she probably fell asleep as I took a bobby pin out of my pocket and picked the lock. One of the perks to having a spy girlfriend, she can teach you cool (and sometimes very dirty) tricks. My eyes darting around the room, I gasped. Ember lay on her bed, motionless. Her eyes were closed and her wings were out. Crossing the room in two large steps, I seized her shoulders and shook her.

"Ember! Ember, please wake up!" I pleaded, my voice breaking.

No response. She remained limp. I let go of her shoulders, forcing myself not to panic as I took hold of her wrist. When someone is unconscious, always check for a pulse and a clear airway...or is that when someone's choking? Oh, fuck it. I found her pulse (much to my relief) and let go of her wrist. Her right wing, right on the curve, was a large bloody wound. Crimson blood poured onto her white sheets and pearly white wings. I couldn't help the slight feeling of awe I felt along with my anger and confusion. They truly were beautiful. Suddenly, President McGallen and Mrs. McGallen stepped into the room. Mrs. McGallen gasped, leaning against the threshold of the door for support as her legs shook. Ariana rubbed her mother's back, whispering to her while darting glances at Ember's unconscious form. President McGallen grabbed a shirt off of Ember's floor, surprisingly calm as he pressed the shirt to the wound.

"Margaret, call an ambulance."

Mrs. McGallen nodded. I clutched Ember's limp hand, smoothing back her wind tossed hair. She'd gone out flying...but what happened to her wing? President McGallen kept a straight face as he lifted the shirt to inspect the wound. Raising an eyebrow, he picked something out of the wing. Ember's body jerked but her eyes didn't flutter. I cocked my head to the side, squinting to see what he held in between his index finger and thumb. A wave of anger ran through me as I recognized what it was.

"A bullet. Ember was shot." he said in a calm tone as Mrs. McGallen called for help on her cellphone.

Ariana's face was ashen as she inched closer. Preston stood in the doorway, protesting his mother trying to keep him away. Then a realization dawned on me.

"Dad, humans aren't accustomed to seeing real life angel wings, let alone healing them."

President McGallen glanced up at me as he reapplied the shirt and placed the bloody bullet on the nightstand next to Ember's phone. His glasses slid to the bottom of his nose. I took a deep breath.

"I know a doctor at the hospital she will be going to. Margaret knows what to do." he answered, pressing down on Ember's wing to apply pressure.

I worried my lower lip as we waited in anxious suspense for the ambulance. Stroking her hair, I felt a large bump forming on her head. Oh, shit. Is she going to have another concussion? Suddenly, Ember's eyes popped open. She looked around frantically, gasping. I clutched her hand, grabbing her chin and forcing her to look at my face. Her breathing slowed as she realized it was only me and President McGallen.

"J-Joshua?" she said in a whisper.

I shushed her just as the paramedics walked in, gurney in tow. Their calm expressions told me that they weren't surprised by the wings. Unfortunately, just as they moved her, she went unconscious again. President McGallen went with her into the ambulance, followed by Margaret. Ariana offered to stay home with Skylar and Preston. I went with the Secret Service agents to the hospital. Whoever did this had a damn good aim. Ember is a flawless flier. For her to get shot in the wing...it's almost unthinkable. Fury coursed through my veins, along with worry, as we drove to the hospital behind the ambulance.