A Cloak Of Feathers

Chapter 13 - Eternal

A low hiss wakes me from a dreamless sleep, I go rigid. A heavyweight on my chest pins me to the bed, my limbs immobile.

I feel something cold and scaled slither over my leg, wrapping its long body around my thigh. I whimper, unable to move in my paralysed state. The hissing grows louder as more of the cold scaled bodies slink into my bedsheets, around my limbs. I can only move my eyes as I reluctantly peer down through my eyelashes to see a tangle of black red-eyed snakes wrap around my body. A scream is stuck in my throat as the snakes coil around my neck and through my hair.

One snake, the colour of ice blue rises up from the foot of my bed. Its eyes glow brightly in the darkness. I clench my fists as it slithers towards me, coiling around my scarred wrist.

My scar, I see it out of the corner of my eye. Its glowing again, blue light beams pulse beneath my skin, swirling around V shape etched there.
I watch the blue patterns dance, the snake moving in time with its rhythm. The light brightens, I hear a strangled hiss, long fangs bite into my scarred skin. I yelp in pain as the blue light beams release from my wrist, the snakes fade away as the room grows brighter and brighter until I can't see anything but harsh glaring light. My ears ring like a high pitched whistle as I try to breathe through my tight lungs.

I awake feverishly, banging my head against the wall. "Ouuuuuch" I groan, clutching my forehead as sit up from the hardwood floor. I stretch my limbs, feeling stiff from spending the night on the ground outside Azraels room.

I look down at my wrist, half expecting to see a snake bite over my scar. Instead, I could have sworn I saw a flash of blue. Another vivid nightmare I muse, my throat feels dry like I had been screaming.

"That isn't normal," I mumble under my breath, I'm too tired to care about what the hallucinogenic nightmares mean. I have enough to worry about right now. Like Azrael. I immediately flashback to last night, seeing Sophie's body on the table, angels in mourning as they looked at me with such distrust, such sorrow. I remember Azraels feverish breaths, and his last words to me.

"Why do I care so much?" I angrily hiss to myself, shrugging off the intrusive thoughts.

"Is that you Keira?" I hear Remiahs muffled voice from outside my door. "Come in, he's ok."

I fling the door open almost instantly, marching in to see Azrael sitting on the edge of his bed with a half smile on his face holding a steamy cup of blue liquid.

"Were you worried about me?" He smirks, stretching to stand.

"Whoa, easy there brother," Remiah grabs his arm, steadying the almost spilling cup of souls. "You aren't to full strength yet."

"Azrael..." My words are stuck in my throat as I stare at him in astonishment. He looks so strong and well, a mere shadow of how he was just last night, fighting for his life.

"Did you think I was dead?" He raises an eyebrow, "you know it takes more than that to get rid of me," Azrael laughs gently, a cocky grin creates dimples in his cheeks.

"I know what it takes," I say hotly. Remiahs jaw clenches slightly as she sharply breathes in. I swallow, immediately regretting what I said.

"I didn't mean it like that," I look to the floor, my scuffed up boots in contrast against the pristine floor.

'Its ok," Remiah smiles weakly. "Azrael, there's something you must know, I'll leave it with Keira."

Remiah gives me a nod as she exits the room. I exhale with dread. I guess as a price to my human nature, I'll be breaking the news.

"Is there something wrong?" Azrael frowns, his smile replaced with worried confusion. He sets down the empty cup tentatively on the nightstand, still shaky from the poison in his veins.