My Fallen Angel

Chapter 7

We landed back on the grounds of the manor gracefully, the soft black feathers of Jungkook's wings brushing against my skin and sending shivers down my spine. I moved to head inside, but Jungkook seemed reluctant to let me go as he squeezed me closer to him. 

I bit back a smile at the pleasure that little show of possessiveness gave me. 

"Jungkook."

The word was spoken with such gravity that all traces of a smile vanished from my face. I turned in Jungkook's arms to peer at the speaker. Standing at the entrance, arms folded and eyebrows furrowed, stood Suga. 

"What's wrong?" Jungkook wasted no time in picking up on the seriousness radiating off of the other angel. His hands tightened ever so slightly on me. 

Suga's gaze flicked to me before he replied, as though reluctant to reveal his information in front of an outsider. "We don't exactly know yet. Jimin sensed something strange coming from the center of the city, but—"

Before he could finish, a rumbling beneath our feet cut him short. As the world quivered, I clung tightly to Jungkook, both of our eyes wide and confused. There was a distant sound of crumbling rock, and then, gradually, the earth stilled and fell silent. 

"What—" I began, but Suga and Jungkook were ahead of me. Suga's wings were out, long and white and mesmerizing. They were so pure and bright that I began to blink rapidly just looking at them. 

Jungkook hesitated a moment. I could guess at the conflict in his mind. But he steeled himself and lifted his chin, extending his jet black wings. Suga's only response to this reveal was a slight raise of his eyebrows. He said nothing, taking off into the sky. 

Jungkook scooped me into his arms, his muscles tight with tension, and we followed swiftly after him. Curiosity burned my mind, and I started and cut off a million questions as we flew, but somehow I knew that now was not the time to talk. Something terrible was happening. And I was right in the thick of it. 

We landed at a familiar spot. It was the church that Jungkook and I had been to only an hour or so ago. Or, I should say, it used to be the church that we'd been to. Where the beautiful stone columns once stood laid an enormous pile of rubble surrounding a cavernous hole that seemed to disappear into the center of the earth. Six angels were gathered amidst the ruins, sifting through debris, for what, I didn't know. 

Their eyes turned to gaze at us, switching from me to the wings that Jungkook had yet to tuck away. Namjoon rose to his feet from his crouch on the ground and slowly walked toward us. His eyes were much softer than they had been when I'd last seen him. Gone was that rage, that smoldering frustration and hurt. There was unfathomable concern and pain in his eyes now, as he softly murmured, "Jungkook, what happened?"

A muscle ticked in Jungkook's jaw. He was emotional, I could feel it in the stiffness in his entire body, but I knew him well enough now to know that he would never show it. Not when there were other, more important things to focus on. 

"We don't have time to go into it. Just catch me up on what happened here."

After a searching glance, Namjoon nodded. He turned to gesture to the ruined church. "Seems like something big and powerful escaped here. This might be the biggest demon we've ever seen come out of hell yet. It came out here and took the church down with it," he paused to examine the rubble anxiously, "but the building came down on top of it and it went back down into the ground. We don't know why it's waiting there, but it's only a matter of time before..."

Even as he spoke, I began to become aware of a dark feeling pushing at the edges of my senses, like the vague discomfort of anxiety with no discernable source. I knew, without knowing how I knew, that something immensely powerful and terribly dangerous was shifting, breathing, coming closer every second. 

Namjoon turned back to Jungkook. "We'll need everyone on this one, JK. Are you prepared for that?"

Indecision warred on Jungkook's beautiful face. Determination battled against the painful fear that he wasn't going to be able to do enough, to be enough, for what they needed. Eventually, he nodded stiffly. "You know now that I'm—that I'm fallen. I can't help you purify this thing. But I'm with you to the end on this, Joon." His voice faltered, breaking my heart. "I'm with all of you."

I was so proud of him, but a little twinge of nauseous fear tugged at my gut. He was speaking like he was expecting the worst. Things were about to become dangerous, I knew that, but... but he made it seem like he wasn't planning on getting out of this. 

Suga coughed softly. "This is sweet and everything, but shouldn't you get your girlfriend out of here before all hell literally breaks loose?"

And I hated myself, I absolutely despised myself for that little thrill of joy that I felt at that simple word. We were on the brink of life and death, of heaven and hell, and there I was, fixating on my relationship status. I shook the thought out of my mind.

Jungkook looked down at me. I couldn't read what he was thinking, though I was pretty sure I wouldn't like it. 

He opened his mouth to speak, probably to tell me to go somewhere safe, but the demon had other plans. 

The ground quaked, sending the loose stones of the destroyed church tumbling dangerously around us. The angels jumped back and watched the dark void with tense trepidation. Then the shaking stopped abruptly. A few rocks slid and settled. Then there was silence. No one spoke. No one moved. I held my breath. 

And then a wave of heat and darkness erupted around us. All was pandemonium and confusion. I cried out as Jungkook jerked away from me. I felt around me blindly, trying desperately to find my way out of this suffocating terror. I tripped over something and sprawled on the ground, hands stinging from catching myself on the broken concrete. 

Lying there alone in the dark, I huddled in on myself and whispered incoherent pleas and prayers. 

Then, mercifully and unexpectedly, the chaos began to numb in my mind. I just focused on my breathing. In, out. In, out. And then I made light. Even without opening my eyes, I could recognize the soft warmth in my fingertips that Jungkook had shown me before, and I knew that I could illuminate my own way out. 

I stumbled to my feet, letting that glow light my way. 

Jungkook. I needed to find Jungkook. 

It wasn't difficult once I had gotten control of the mindless panic that pushed in on my soul. Somehow, inexplicably, I could sense where he was. As I stepped closer, he squinted at the light in my hands and a wave of relief crossed his face. He tackled me into a lung-crushing hug. He stroked my hair and whispered my name over and over again. 

"I'm okay," I whispered back. "It's okay."

He pulled away and searched my eyes. A frown overtook his relief. "You have to leave," he murmured. "It's not safe here."

I shook my head. "Jungkook, I can help!" I gestured at my hands. "You need me. I can purify it. I think. Just tell me what to do and—"

He pressed a finger to my lips to cut me off. A sad smile spread across his face and his gaze traveled over me, as though committing me to memory. "No, Evie," he whispered. "But I love you for being brave enough to try."

"Try?" I demanded. "I am not leaving you, Jungkook. Let me help."

He shook his head. "I'm sorry, but this is not your fight. It's ours." He glanced over my shoulder and his features hardened. "It's mine."

Suddenly, he pushed both of his hands against my shoulders and I felt myself soar backwards through the darkness. I couldn't even draw breath to scream. Then I hit the ground and the air whooshed out of me. I gasped and rolled onto my stomach. 

When I lifted my head, cold horror filled my gut. 

I was no longer at the church. 

I was on the edge of the city, miles and miles away from danger. 

And miles and miles away from the love of my life, who was about to get himself killed.