Chapter 3 #2
“I’ve never met an angel before,” I pointed out before frowning slightly. “I haven’t asked you…actually, I’m not positive I can ask…but is that what you are? An angel?”
“Yes.”
“Like Azrael… the Angel of Death?”
His eyes darkened at me saying his name again, and I mentally cursed myself for messing up already. At the same time, I was curious if I was correct, remembering everything I’d been forced to read by Pastor Malcolm.
You know, in retrospect, I found it odd that Pastor Malcolm had chosen Christianity to force upon me, especially with him being a witch—then again, I suppose the most material was available for it since the humans assumed my previous home was a church.
“Yes, I’m the physical embodiment of the Angel of Death—the namesake of the ability to separate the soul from the physical form,” he explained softly.
“That’s crazy,” I whispered before smiling knowingly. “So since you’re an angel, you wouldn’t have let Bella get hurt, right?”
His eyes warmed. “The tiny feline you love? No. I made sure she was spared any mistreatment. Animals are sacred creatures, ones that most of humanity don’t deserve.”
Oh my. This man was an animal lover.
I couldn’t help but melt into his touch further. The Angel of Death loved animals. My eyes started to tear up with emotion.
“What?” he asked in alarm.
“I love that,” I whispered.
“I…I’m confused on why you’re crying then.”
I brushed a tear away and shrugged. “I’ve sort of been extra emotional lately… I just find it sweet that you love animals. I love them also.”
“Of course you do.” He chuckled, his eyes warming with affection. “That doesn’t surprise me, mon lapin. I’m not sweet, though—far from it.”
Oh, I disagreed with that completely.
Suddenly a crack of thunder sounded ahead and drew my attention from Azrael to the sky. He gently helped me up to standing, and I noticed briefly that he kept close to me, his hands hesitating over my skin.
Didn’t he realize how much I wanted him to touch me? Did he realize that my skin lit up under it?
The thought made me feel a weird surge of guilt, wondering if the way he was touching me would bother my other mates. I didn’t like the idea of that at all. Nervous energy slammed into me as I clutched my chest, finding it suddenly hard to breathe.
After a moment, I realized that Azrael was speaking to me, gently touching my shoulder and trying to get my attention.
“Maya—breathe.”
I let out a sharp exhale as I looked up at him, tears welling in my eyes. “I don’t understand what’s going on with my emotions right now—I feel like my skin is burning up and so reactive.”
His eyes shaded with some knowledge, and he nodded in understanding. “Let’s find your mate and figure out how to get out of here,” he suggested. Despite the harsh and somewhat cold mannerisms Azrael had first exhibited, he was far softer and sweeter than I could’ve imagined.
“I know how to get out of here,” I said. “Well…I think I do. The man who visited me told me I needed to find the highest peak and soar off of it.”
“What man?” he demanded, looking panicked.
I nibbled my lip. “I’m not sure how to explain that fully without going into everything… Do we want to find Anani first?”
Azrael blinked and then nodded in agreement, looking around us. “The barrier is gone, so we have no point of reference.”
I didn’t think the best way to find Anani was wandering around this odd realm anyway.
Instead, I closed my eyes and channeled what I was searching for, pulling on my bonds.
I felt a surge of relief that there wasn’t a separation between me and Anani anymore—I could completely feel his dragon and magic.
Opening my eyes, I intertwined my fingers with Azrael’s and led him through the trees in front of us, not wanting us to get separated. When I looked back at him, he was staring at me with wide eyes. I considered pulling back my hand, but as if he knew, he tightened his grip on me.
I would happily hold his hand.
A soft rain began to drizzle over us, the trees blocking most of it, and as we went through thick foliage, I realized that while we were getting closer, everything looked the same around us.
I was glad I had my connection to Anani because without it, it would be near impossible to find him.
This place was like a maze we could easily get lost in.
I couldn’t afford to get lost. I had to get back to my mates.
“They’ll be fine.”
I turned sharply into Azrael, nearly slamming into his chest. “Did I say that out loud?”
His ears heated as he examined my face. “No, I can sometimes pick up on your thoughts. I…I didn’t mean to intrude, but your concern is loud, and I can tell how worried you are.”
I deflated. “I don’t mind you in my thoughts—I’m worried, you’re right. I don’t fully understand what’s going on, and I’m worried we left everyone in terrible danger. Especially the little ones. What if they?—”
“Despite being young, they are powerful, and they know how to keep hidden.” Azrael tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. “Half the time the guards would forget about them, and the other half I would force them to.”
My throat tightened. “You protected them?”
“I did what I could get away with. Ry sees everything I do, but sometimes I managed to turn the guards’ attention. None of those children deserved to be there. It was the least I could do.”
I examined his words and saw only truth there. “You were a prisoner also.”
“Yes,” he hissed, looking down at his wrists, his gaze darkening but almost seeming to spark with lightning. “But not anymore. He has no control over me.”
I smiled at his clear happiness as the pieces to who Azrael was started to fit together.
He protected the innocent. Even when he was a prisoner, he had put those who couldn’t fend for themselves first. He wouldn’t have hurt Bella, and it was obvious he hadn’t wanted me to end up in Ry’s grasp.
I could feel the good radiating off the man, but I didn’t say that.
Instead I just wrapped my arms around him and gave him a hug.
I instinctively knew he would reject the label of being ‘good,’ but that was okay—I knew his secret.
He didn’t hug me back right away, but after a few seconds his hands slid around me and he tucked me under his chin so I was wrapped up in his muscular arms. The sound of rain coming down around us was peaceful and I let out an exhale, knowing we needed to keep moving but loving that he was giving into this moment.
Finally, I pulled back and offered him a small smile, intertwining our hands once more and leading him forward. Though we walked in companionable silence, I could practically hear his thoughts, worries, and concerns.
I would show him he didn’t need to feel that way though. There was something important between Az and me, even if it scared him.
When we finally broke through the last tree at the edge of the clearing, I dropped Az’s hand and sprinted forward, falling to my knees in front of Anani. He was knocked out, his handsome face completely relaxed as if he were simply sleeping.
I brought a hand up to cradle his face, needing him to wake up. “Anani.”
My simple call of his name had his blue eyes snapping open, and I couldn’t help but smile, moving forward and searing my lips to his hard enough that he let out a growl that vibrated through every part of me. I pulled back and felt tears well in my eyes, so happy to see him okay…and alive.
Holy shit. He was alive. Anani was alive.
Az cleared his throat. “I’m going to fly up and see if I can find that peak.”
Anani offered him a nod, sharing a look with him, as I heard the flap of his wings.
My head tilted up to watch him fly away before looking back down at Anani.
I would’ve taken the time to appreciate the moment and how beautiful Azrael looked flying, but there were a lot of emotions overwhelming the awe I felt.
“I thought you were dead.” My voice was wobbly and uneven, filled with the pain I felt at the idea of him being hurt, let alone dead.
“Peanut,” he breathed, his voice rough. “My beautiful, beautiful mate—you jumped right in front of his fucking fire. You sacrificed your life for me?—”
“And I would do it again.” Tears spilled out of my eyes and streaked down my cheeks. “I would do it again, because I love you. I love you so much, Anani. I’m so sorry I put you in danger.”
“I’ll always follow you into danger, always, and when you went to save Az, I knew what I was doing when I stayed by your side to help. I understood what I was risking, and I absolutely do not regret it.”
Pressing my forehead against his, I relaxed into his frame, feeling his magic wrap around me as he let out a low rumble in his throat that lit up every element of my being all at once.
I could feel his dragon reconnecting with my phoenix, and the relief I felt because of that was like nothing else in this world.
When I suddenly felt him slide something onto my finger, I looked down to find that on my right index finger he’d placed a delicate gold sigil ring that had me swallowing, feeling an overwhelming sense of meaning. I didn’t know what it represented, exactly, but I could tell it was important to him.
“What is this?” I asked in quiet curiosity.
“It was my mom’s ring. She wants you to have it.”
His words took a moment to process before my mouth popped open, my gaze widening in realization. “Your mom? She’s alive? You saw her?”
“She appeared to me, but she’s not alive,” he explained, his eyes filled with heavy sadness and happiness, an odd mix to be sure. “She said a lot to me, most of which I want to explain to you and Ledger together, but she wanted you to have it and I would love for you to wear it.”
I couldn’t help but bring my hand to my chest, cradling the sentimental piece. “Then I’ll wear it. As long as that’s what you and Ledger want.”
“I’ll need to tell Ledger,” he said, looking concerned over the prospect of relaying what happened to his twin. “I’m not sure how he will possibly believe me. I can barely believe that it happened myself.”
“He’ll believe you. He will one hundred percent believe you.” Ledger was one of the most understanding people I knew. I had no doubt he would take the word of his own brother.
Suddenly, a loud thump caused both of us to turn to find Az standing in the middle of the clearing and offering us a sharp nod.
“I think I found what we’re looking for—it’s only a short distance away.
It’s not very high, but considering everything else is so flat, it has to be what your stranger was talking about. ”
“Who is your stranger?” There was a possessive energy to Anani’s words that made me feel a warmth of happiness and familiarity. Also desire—there was definitely desire at his heated tone.
Both of us stood up, Anani’s hands never leaving me, and I tried to keep the information concise to not waste time. My other mates were in trouble, and I needed to get back to them.
“There was a man who appeared to me; I don’t know His name, but He told me a lot of stuff, namely how to kill Ry. More importantly, we have to kill him. I can tell you the other stuff later, but right now I want to get back to the others…. I can’t imagine how they’re feeling right now.”
Pain. I knew how I would feel if I had lost one of my mates. The agony would be unbearable.
Anani made a sound in his throat. “You may not need to worry about killing him, peanut.”
“Why?” I asked in confusion.
“Because if our flight thinks you’re dead, they are going to slaughter him.”