The Demon of Angels (Bk. 2) | ✓

ⅩⅢ

MY CONSCIOUSNESS FADED in and out, and I was only able to remember little snippets of what had gone on while the Hybrid took control.

I remembered Noah standing over me, screaming, then a flash of white light and Michael appeared, taking his place. I remembered Zeke's terrified face hovering over me, ordering me to wake up and take back control of my body. Evan's fear-strucken face and then Hannah had appeared, tears streaming down her face.

There were flashes of a hard chest pressed against me and the swift scent of pine. One moment I was in the middle of the field, and the next, I was lying on the couch in the living room.

Now, a soft sheet blanketed me, the fabric clutched in my heavy fists. There were soft voices in the background, murmuring things I couldn't understand. My head felt like a rock, and nothing that came through my senses made sense.

A faint whimper fleeted from my lips as I tried to focus. My body felt restless and utterly exhausted. I began to feel frustration bubble to the surface and started condescending myself for being a damn baby, but nothing came out when I wanted to scream.

"–much longer?" a voice demanded, words hazy, but I managed to comprehend the words enough to understand them.

Finally, I sighed to myself.

"I don't know," Michael responded. His voice sounded stronger than it had been previously. Warmth bloomed in my chest as Michael's full strength restored, no longer holding my demon at bay.

"Why not?" Zeke growled. I could hear his patience wearing thin from here. It wasn't that he was mad at Michael. I could feel through the bond that he was rather stressed with his anxiety through the roof. I wanted to reach out to him then, but something was holding me back.

"Patience, brother," Evan scolded. "We all want her to wake up just as much as you do." A deep warning growl reverberated in the hybrid's chest, but he didn't respond.

"What happened to her?" Noah whispered.

Michael sighed. "You saw her eyes, child. Take a guess."

"But that's not possible," Zeke snapped. "She's a hybrid, not a High Demon."

I whimpered again. Flashes of my Hybrid taking control of my body flew behind my eyes. I'm no saint, but I am no High Demon.

"She's still whimpering," he growled. There was a hard pinch at my heart, and I bit back a cry. It wasn't even my own pain that I was feeling. It was theirs.

Nothing in my body wanted to move, but I forced it. Slowly, my cracked lips parted, and I pushed my voice out. "Zeke."

There was a loud burst of several pairs of feet shuffling, rushing toward me. Acting on instinct, I curled into a ball and cried out.

A possessive growl erupted from Zeke's throat. "Get back," he ordered. A deafening silence followed his demand, but there were no protests.

Slowly, I uncurled myself from my cocoon of safety and peeked open my eyes. Zeke was kneeling in front of me, relief gracing his features. Noah and Evan stood a couple of feet behind him to the right, Michael on his left. Each of them wore different expressions of worry, relief, and deep concern.

My eyes found Zeke's again as his hand lifted and cupped my face. "Hi," I croaked.

He couldn't help the small relieved chuckle that escaped his lips. "How are you feeling?" His eyes searched mine as if trying to find any hint of something being off.

"I'm alright," I answered honestly. Zeke frowned, knowing my words went deeper than they would initially intend.

Zeke glanced over his shoulder. "I'm bringing her up to her room." His words had an edge to them. He had meant it as a statement, not a request. Michael and the boys made no move to stop him.