I don’t have time to correct Aeriel’s gross confusion of human slang before a thunderous crack shakes the ground beneath us. Dust, rock and other building debris rains down on top of us. The floor shivers and groans, like a giant beast that wants to open up and swallow us whole. A loud piercing wail rips through both of my inner ears and I whimper at the pain that follows.
It feels like someone has taken an ice-pick and shoved it all the way in one ear, and out the other. The pressure inside my head is worse than any sinus infection I’ve ever experienced and I’ve had some bad ones.
Muted voices penetrate the pain-filled fog enshrouding my head and I pry my eyes open, blinking furiously when some dust gets blown into them.
“Andrea?” Daniel’s directly in my face but his voice sounds like he’s far away. “Can you hear me? Are you alright?” Correction, it sounds like he’s trying to talk to me underwater.
I start to shake my head, but freeze when the slight motion initiates a fresh wave of pain.
“No.” The one word sets off a bout of coughing and I’m torn between breathing and holding my head to keep it from bursting off my shoulders. “Hurts!”
Something warm and moist touches my forehead and I squint through the settling dust to see Daniel pulling away from me.
“Better?” he asks and I realize everything but his voice is silenced.
“What did you do?” I ask in surprise. “The pain is gone.”
He flashes a cocky grin and rises to his feet, reaching down to offer me a hand.
“Angel, remember?”
Adding “healing” to his growing list of superpowers, I shake my head and take his extended hand. My legs wobble once I’m on my feet and his hands go to my waist to steady me. I’d be lying if I denied the fresh wash of excitement that floods my body. My eyes search out his, and I desperately search for the slightest indication that he feels the same way I do; if only to allow myself to hope.
“Whenever you two are ready,” Aeriel calls from where she perches by the gaping maw the door once was. She has dual swords, drawn and ready, in case something ambles inside. But I can’t see anything through the dusty haze still hovering in the air.
Dropping his hands from where they rested on my waist, Daniel gives me a stern look.
“Stay here, I’ll check out the street.” His voice is tight, authoritative even and I stop myself before smiling. It won’t help his bodyguard persona if I laugh in his face for trying to protect me. “We don’t need you brandishing your Soul-hungry blade anymore,” he mutters and eases toward the hole in the wall.
He takes a stance against the remainder of the wall, facing Aeriel and calls his sword. It appears in a flash of blinding light and he smiles. With a brief nod at his partner, they lower their heads, raise their swords, and rush out into the street in tandem. Every movement is a mirror of each other’s, and I catch myself wondering how long they’ve been partners. Being angels, I understand their ability to communicate telepathically, but the ease in which they seemed to understand what the other meant came from years – possibly centuries – of working side-by-side.
I’m almost jealous at their connection, their friendship, their bond. I’ve never had anyone – not even a best friend – that knew me that well. My mind wanders at the ‘what ifs’ and ‘should have beens’ until I realize I’ve lost track of how long they’ve been outside. Panic surges in my stomach and I argue with myself for a few moments before deciding to ease toward the doorway. But before I’m able to take one step, a bulky shadow – complete with extended wings, and a sword dangling from one hand – fills the doorway.
“Daniel,” I call. “What’s wrong?”
Folding his wings against his back, he takes one step inside and my stomach sinks at the mask of horror resting on his face.
“What is it?”
He sucks in a deep breath and extends his arm, the sword fading from his grasp. Reaching up to run his now empty hand through his spiked hair, he blows the same breath out roughly.
“You need to see this,” he mutters and offers me his hand.
AUTHOR'S NOTE : Please forgive the delay in posting this chapter, I've had lot going on. Enjoy, and please don't forget to vote!
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Genesis 2.0 (Monster Apocalypse Survival) Sci-Fi/DarkFan/Horror
Science-FictionThe End was the Beginning. Adapt and conquer, or die. Sixteen-year-old Andrea Collins survives by the skin of her teeth: always on the move, and trusting no one. Until the one day, the truth hits her - and he has wings. Taking advatage of Creation'...
