Wings of Darkness

Chapter two

Screams rang out, fire coating the world. Black orbs stared into my soul and a hot pain skittered down my arm. I screamed but my voice was lost in the other shrieks.

I was dying. Or I was going to die. Pain, so much pain-

~~~

I lurched forward, hauling myself out of the dream. My head was over the side of the bed, nausea churning in my stomach.

Hands rubbed smooth circles on my back, soothing my nausea.

"It was just a dream." He comforted and I sagged back.

I took in the black wings, it took all of my restraint not to run my fingers down the soft, feathery-

Those eyes made my heart give a sharp twist. There was an angel next to me.

"Where am I?" I croaked.

"My apartment." He replied.

The past day crashed into me. Page. Where was Page. I said as much and the angel smiled. It was beautiful and I would've taken a second to marvel that beauty had my fear not been spiking.

"She's here," he said softly. As if he'd summons her, Page came running into the room.

She threw herself at me and I caught her, hissing in pain as the movement tore into my shoulder.

Her auburn hair was tickling my face as I clutched onto her. "I was so worried," I whispered as I exhaled, relief washing through me.

"Askari said that you were so brave," she said. It sounded more like;
Skari said tat you were rave.

"You were brave." I said back.

I glanced at the angel leaning on the threshold.

"You called me brave?"

"Well, you were half dead and you held your own against me. So yeah, I'd say your brave," he said, voice deep and soothing.

"About that battle - "

"I apologise, I lost my senses, plus you... Smelt like them, probably after fighting them for so long. Again I'm sorry."

I tensed. Page looked at me, a lick of fear in her wide eyes.

"It's okay, it was probably just from all those other demon's," Askari reassured, misinterpreting their fear.

"On the subject of you fighting demons," he said with a pointed stare at my shoulder, "what the fuck were you doing?" His eyes widened in apology, glancing towards Page.

"I was getting Page, obviously." What else would I be doing?

"Not that, smart ass, the demon. Why fight it? You could have dodged that hit. You could have died," he exclaimed, sounding rather exasperated.

"You are clearly overestimating my abilities. I'm human." Could I have dodged it? Had he even seen that? I set Page down on the bed beside me, stroking her flaming hair.

"Yes. I guess so," he mumbled.

"How did you defend yourself against me? An Angel-"

 I cut him off sharply. "No more questions, let me be in pain without a fussing angel asking me questions." Askari's eyes filled with remorse, but he grumbled and left the room and closing the door.

I turned to Page. "Are you okay?" I blurted out.

"No. Skari didn't let me help. Are you' kay?"

"Yeah."

She leaned up and prodded my shoulder. I yelped as the pain sprung to life. The little girl raised her eyebrows.

"It was a Demon. It scratched me. I'm fine."

A small, wicked grin spread across Page's face. "Demon gotcha shoulder," I groaned, falling backwards onto the soft blanket.

I sighed, almost wishing Askari would come back. Floorboards creaked, alarming me that someone was coming. And it wasn't Askari who entered the room.

I grabbed my sword that had been leaning against a table.

Page hid behind me.

"I'm not sure how much damage you can do to me with that," a white haired angel said, getsuring to her shoulder.

What is it with angels and reminding me I was injured?

My eyes widened in realisation. He was the one who saved me against Askari. Also the leader of the angel legion.

"My name's Charlie, what's yours?"

"I don't know you. I won't tell you." I said, leveling him with a stare that would have sent lessor males running.

He laughed, and my shoulders relaxed as I lowered my sword. Just an inch.

"Hello there! What's your name?" He asked Page.

Page looked at me first, just like I told her. I inclined my head and Page repeated the words I had said moments ago.

"I don't know you. I won't tell you."

He laughed. "You are cute aren't you?"

"Yes."

"M.J." I said, holding out a hand.

He took my hand, but brought it to his lips. I yanked my hand out of his grip, sending it straight into his nose.

A soft chuckle rang out behind me.

"I like you already," someone said. I turned around and took in the silver-white hair, pale blue eyes and a rose tattoo that inked down his arms and just peaked through the collar of his shirt.

"M.J," the new-comer mused, "is that a acronym?"

This new angel missed nothing, then.

"So what if it is?"

"Ignore Kai, he's just a paranoid bastard," Charlie said with a smile of affection to Kai.

Kai's cold eyes didn't so much as shift at the affection.

"What does M.J. stand for?" Charlie asked. I became aware of Askari's arrival, no one else in the room seeming to notice who was leaning against the door frame. I met his stare, caught the surprise that flared in those dark eyes.

"Tat is none of your conhern."

I was surprised that Page had said that. Even Charlie seemed to blink in surprise. Kai's lips lifted slightly.

"I think  you and I are going to have a lot of fun," Charlie said with a wicked grin to Page.

"Why," I started, "would we be here long enough for you and Page to have...fun."

I had no idea what Charlie's fun consisted of. Kai's eyes sharpened, and Charlie couldn't meet my gaze.

"You can't go back." Kai said.

My stomach lurched.

"What?"

"You can't go back to the mortal realm until the demons are under control."

Mortal realm?  I glared at Askari.

"Where. Am. I." I seethed. Charlie rubbed the back of his neck, becoming very interested in the patterns of the carpet floor.  Askari, it seemed, likes to look at books.

"You are in the angel realm," Kai said, unsurprisingly cold.

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Hehe. Well, this is an unsuspected turn.

How you all coping?

Like the story so far?

See you all next chapter!