An Angel With Borrowed Wings

Hidden Agony

Damien's POV

Persephone and I stood at the front door of a large, old, victorian house that I'd never seen in my life. Yet here I was, lying through my teeth about how I'd lived in this house my entire life. A fully winged Persephone bounced up and down on the steps, unknowing that I could see her true form, and eagerly waiting for me to open the door, but I felt a sickening sense of foreboding behind it. What if Sebastian had laid a trap for persephone, not trusting me to complete the mission? I hated the thought of anyone harming persephone, even though those were my exact intentions. Taking a deep breath, I cautiously unlock the door and step through, closely followed by persephone.

"Oh, young master. I see you have returned from school." A sinister voice echoed down the hallway.

My heart skipped several beats as I swung my fist towards the unknown sound, and I heard persephone shriek as my knuckles collided into flesh with a gruesome thud.

"My, my. Abusing your butler the second you step inside? I really thought I'd taught you better than that." Drawled the familiar voice of Sebastian.

"If you didn't want to get punched, you shouldn't have snuck up on us." I snarl back.

How dare he follow me?! I'm so stupid, I led persephone straight to him, I thought. I glance over at persephone who seems to have forgotten her fear and is throwing me a look of rage. Hang on, rage?

"Damien! Why on earth would you hurt your poor butler? He was clearly just welcoming you home." Said persephone in what was clearly meant to be a reprimanding tone.

Too bad there was something wrong with my brain, because all I could register was how cute she looked with her hands on her hips, and the faintest frown on her face. Wow, cute? Where did that come from? What the hell am I doing? Get it together Damien, the pretty angel is what stands between you and your parents freedom. I wince slightly as I recall my latest deal with Sebastian.

"Young master? Who is this lovely girl you have bought home with you?" Sebastian asks, bringing me out of my head.

I glare at him. As if that snake doesn't know who she is, he just wants to deceive persephone so she'll walk right into his trap.

"She's a friend from school. What's it to you? Go brew some tea or something." I replied wanting to get persephone as far away from him as possible.

I grabbed Persephone's hand and went to drag her up the stairs to find a room upstairs, ignoring sebastian's smirk on the way up. When we reached the rooms, I noticed persephone was being awfully quiet, I was about to inquire when she started speaking.

"You're terrible. You treat your butler like nothing when all he's doing is taking care of you. I thought you were better than that, your lack of sympathy is disgusting." She said, trying not to show how badly she was shaking.

I was shocked. Honestly, this girl wouldn't last a minute near sebastian unless I fend him off, and instead of being thankful that she was still in one piece, she had the nerve to lecture me? I could feel my anger rising, but before I could retaliate, persephone hissed in pain and fell to her knees. I barely had time to process what was happening when she let out a strangled cry. I rushed to her side and gathered her in my arms, her skin was burning up so quickly even my fingers tingled from the heat.

"What's wrong? What happened?" I asked desperately trying to help her.

I should've known better, she was in such agony that she couldn't even scream out. I held her shuddering body close and hoped that whatever it was would go away, I thought of calling Sebastian but what if he took advantage of her weakened state? I held her tight and tried to ignore the weird pain I was feeling in my own chest. A few minutes later she stopped struggling and lay gasping in my arms.

"Persephone? Are you alright?" I whispered into her soft hair.

She nodded weakly and tried to rise, but fell back into my arms.

"Don't move for now, you'll make it worse." I wrapped my arms around her to stop her moving away. As I did, I felt something soft fall into my palms. Two snow white feathers had somehow come loose from her enchanting wings. I looked up in horror and met her chocolate eyes. I searched for some sort of answer as to why this was happening, but I found nothing but endless fear and grief. Two emotions I didn't know could exist in angelic beings.

Persephone's POV

"Hey....Hey. Persephone, what's going on?" I heard a fading voice inquire, but I was already far gone, drifting into the unconscious world, dragged down by my mental and physical exhaustion.

A field filled with cornflowers under the dazzling summer sun. The sweet scent of a million flowers blooming harmoniously drifts lazily on the cooling breeze. My hands are entwined with his like vines on a tree trunk, dependant. His? Who is he? The only source of sanity in this place, I guess. I feel at peace, I could stay here forever. Suddenly, we are running through the cornflowers. Hands still interlocked and petals forming a whirlwind around us, blocking my view of his face. Running so fast that even gravity couldn't stop us if it tried, we reach the edge of a cliff and run off it, my wings carrying us high above the fields, making the flowers form an endless cobalt sea. And then we fall...