Page 6 of The Merciless

Angel opened his mouth to respond but Jack simply held up a firm hand, not listening to another word, “I’m out of here. Get some sleep and I’ll see you in a bit.”

He heeded Jack’s words as he stepped out of his room and closed the door behind him. The first thing Angel did was step into the bathroom and take a hot shower. Time went quicker after that. Maybe it was because he was exhausted by the time he got out and lay on the bed long enough to pass out. Or because the coolness of the room was refreshing in a way.

Or because his mind couldn’t keep up with the day’s events anymore.

* *

“Keep your father happy.”

Her voice. So soft. So, loving. Enough for him to nod, for him to breathe his acceptance.

The sky was dark when his eyes finally fluttered open.

Angel never did have nightmares about his mother’s death. He didn’t know if it was a blessing or curse, but when he did see her in his dreams, she only repeated those same words over and over again. Reminding him, directing him as she always had.

Because what had been herpath, was now his.

The glass shard of his necklace that was now digging into the flesh of his cheek was a painful reminder of that fact.

Angel stirred him awake. He was laying on his stomach with his hands stretched upwards when he blinked his eyes open by a centimeter. He groaned softly, not moving an inch and desperately enjoying the moment of silence his mind had granted him. Despite the memories of his mother fresh in his mind and the red glass pressing into his skin, Angel hadn’t felt this relaxed in a while.Not since he’d spent that one night looking after Ray.The thought jarred him awake, but his eyes remained blissfully shut. He remembered that night, it was just a few days ago, but thinking back on it now. It was like a series of images replaying in his mind.

“Hands up Ray.”He had said, making sure to keep his tone gentle as she had swayed and groaned softly.Gods, he’d loved that sound.Angel had laughed silently, but had kept her uprightwith a hand braced on her shoulder, “Come on Storm. I’m just putting this sweater on you.”

And for the first time, she’d listened to him. Had laced her hands around his neck when he had picked her up and placed her carefully on the bed. Had whispered inaudible words that he hadn’t understood when he’d stood back up. And looking down at her then, a part of him had melted, and he’d placed a shaking hand on her forehead, removing those blue-black locks from her hair.

“Go to sleep, Storm.”And had continued almost hastily. Almost as if he were saving himself fromhimself.Fromher, “You’re allowed to be like this only for tonight. Then you’re going to go back to hating me.”

“You have to.”

Angel breathed out now, forcing himself to step out of his thoughts as they twisted in his mind. As the image of her asleep on the bed was replaced by the image of her on the hospital bed. With her skin deathly pale and the only sign of life coming from that wretched beeping of the heart monitor.

The wind howled desperately through the open windows, snapping Angel out of his reverie. Angel blinked his eyes open and stretched on his comforter, trying to blink the laziness from his eyes–

Open windows?

Angel stilled in his place.Someone was here.

He knew with enough experience that if someone was here, that ifanyonewas looking at assassinating him, they’d do it the moment he moved. So, Angel remained rooted to his spot, with his eyes fluttering shut.

He relaxed, focused on keeping his breathing in check as he sorted through the sounds echoing in his room.

Wind whistling. The curtains hissing.

The bed rustling softly under him.

The quiet, but noticeable sound of footsteps muffled by the carpet in his room.

That’s it.Angel bid his time. Waiting for the steps to near him slowly.Oh, so softly,and just when he wassurethe person was standingrightover his body, Angel moved.

The movement was smooth, was practiced when Angel twisted on his bed and got up with a hand held up to defend himself and grabbed the wrist of the opposite person. He heard the soft hiss that escaped their lips before he rushed ahead without making a single sound. There was a knife twisted in his free hand when he pushed until the person’s back was touching the cold wall of his room. He caged the shorter, smaller body with his own, and twisted their wrists right above their head, making sure to keep his hold tight enough tohurtas he poised the metal edge of his knife right above their throbbing pulse.

Becausegod,he didn’t take well for killing someone in their sleep.

“Tick tock,” Angel clicked his tongue dangerously and slammed the wrists against the wall again. The figure let lose another surprised breath as he whispered, “There goes the clock. Are you going to tell me who you are?”

He didn’t bother pushing the body further, not when they’d moved in such ease. He still towered over the figure though, and couldn’t get rid of the terrible feeling climbing up his spine when he drawled slowly, running the tip of his knife against the cheek of the slumped figure before him,

“Tickfuckingtock,” he echoed, “You’re going to die–”

---