Bonus Chapter 10
Bonus Chapter
Azrael
I stood above him, the machines beeping lightly, telling me that his heart was working just fine.
Luckily for the mouse, I supposed.
I couldn’t stay for long, Seattle was calling, but I couldn’t very well leave my soft-hearted brother alone before I knew for sure if he would survive.
The bullet caused some damage, but if he truly was one of us, he’d be up and seeking out his mouse well before he should.
I glanced around the room. The warehouse father dearest had commandeered for this little operation was a small one, but still far more massive than we would ever need.
The doctors and nurses had set up a little sterilized room surrounded in plastic specifically for the cub. There were bright lights and machines that recorded his heartbeat. They were positive he would live, which was saying something with the damage that the not so stray bullet had caused.
I pulled out my pocket watch and checked the time. It was nearing midnight. I would have to catch a flight soon. The Church of Daylight would be mourning the loss of one of their great Leaders, I wouldn’t want to miss that.
I slid it away and stepped up to the bed, feeling the edges of impatience tease me. I slapped his cheek and grabbed his jaw, his eyes flashing open, his entire body jerking in response.
“Shh,” I cooed, looking down at him, rage taking over the panic in his eyes. “You’re still under heavy pain killers, you might not even remember this, which is fine with me—”
“Azrael,” he spat, the word slurred and choppy.
“Don’t try and speak, little cub, you’ll only hurt yourself.
” My grip around his jaw tightened as I leaned in.
“Listen to me very carefully,” I began, looking at him in the way that always unsettled him, “Louis’s men didn’t shoot you, but I think you already know that.
Your loyalty has limits, Greyson,” I hummed, seeing the confusion cloud his eyes.
“You need to find them and put that loyalty where it truly belongs. Your little Snowflake, as you call her, needs you now. She will need you more than you will ever know, especially in these coming years. I respect her for not wanting to be a part of this world, it would shatter her, which is not a terrible thing. Be the Shadow I know you can be, Grey, it matters now more than it ever has before.”
I released his face and straightened, offering him that smile that chilled his very bones. “Tick tock, little cub, all of our heartbeats have a limit, let’s not find yours quite so soon.”
I turned away from him and headed for the makeshift door. There was a pathetic man child awaiting my taunting far away from here. The weak link, I called hi—
“Azrael.”
I paused and glanced over my shoulder at my garbled name.
“You called me Greyson,” he panted, his eyes already growing heavy again.
I kept my expression emotionless. “Don’t get used to it, I don’t do sentiment—”
“What’s wrong?” he asked as I turned away.
I ignored him and continued for the doors of the warehouse.
“Azrael, something’s wrong,” he half whined, half growled, trying to fight through the medication.
But by the looks of the drugs he was on, I held my doubts that he would remember anything about this conversation. Perhaps the feelings. The feeling of fear, the feeling of wanting to protect the mouse, the feeling of dread. So long as those seeds were planted, I had nothing to fear.
But he did, and so did the little mouse.