Fallen Memories: Book Two

Fallen Memories - [17]

Fallen Memories - 17

Raziel smiled cynically, reaching out a hand. Nailed to the spot, I could only glance at his hand coming toward my face out of the corner of my eye. Dirtied fingers, with nails chewed down to nubs, grazed my cheek. My feet stayed planted to the ground, though I recoiled, jerking my head back. In response to this, Raziel’s lips pulled back into a smile.

“Scared?”

I shook my head, “No. But I know what you did, and I don’t doubt for a second that you wouldn’t do it again.”

Raziel’s thickly muscled arms slowly curled over his chest, locking into place as he studied me. “What do you know?”

“You really want me to stand here and retell what the press already did?”

“Go ahead…who’s to say the press doesn’t lie, hm?” He sneered at me, showing a line of razor-sharp teeth. He must’ve had a rough fall. From his rugged appearance, his street-clothes, all the way down to his black, unlaced shoes…he screamed “bad.” He hardly looked anything like the clean, crisp boy I’d seen earlier at the corner store. Then again, he could’ve been calling on his glamour for help. With the ability to make himself appear as he wanted others to see him, he had me fooled, I had to admit. “I’m waiting.” Raziel’s eyes darkened a shade, the bright blue coloring of his irises clouding over.

“You kidnapped five teenage girls. Why?” I launched into my interrogation without holding back.

He stroked his chin, almost thoughtfully. Eyes darting around the room, looking anywhere but at me. “Pleasure? Revenge? Maybe because I was…bored?” Raziel shrugged, and the nonchalance that radiated off of him sent a series of nervous tingles down my spine.

“Bored?” I swallowed hard. “How could you resort to that?”

“Try wandering earth as a fallen angel, Ivy, and tell me that boredom doesn’t exist. It does, even for the dead. Even for angels, who’ve been cast out of Hell.”

“I don’t believe you kidnapped five innocent girls out of boredom. It might just me, but when boredom strikes, kidnapping isn’t a preferred pastime.”

Raziel looked me up and down. His eyes lingered on my face, drinking in my features. He looked down at his hands, threaded together. I took this moment to glance up, down the hall toward my front door. I had five years of track under my belt—I was fast—but Raziel was faster. No doubt there.

“I don’t know what your angel’s told you, sweetheart. But you’ve stepped over your boundary.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’ve got one foot in both worlds. Take your pick—you can’t have both.”

I forced a hard smile—one made of steel and cold, heartless emotion. “Too late for that. Someone interfered, and someone killed my boyfriend. They almost killed me in the process. You think I’m not meant to be involved? Think again.”

Raziel’s eyes widened just a bit. “Who knew you had such a fire in you. I like it.”

Even I was surprised at my outburst. I’d expected a negative reaction from Raziel, but he only stared at me, nodding his head in approval. The awkward, unexpected reaction didn’t last long. He smiled coldly, reaching out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear. I stepped back, smacking his hand away from my face.

“Tell your angel to keep his nose out of my business…or I’ll add you to my list.” His words caused me to shudder inside. Slowly, he took several steps back and began to turn away. “And by the way? I didn’t kidnap your best friend. You’re looking in all the wrong places.”