Page 57 of Protected by the Fallen
Another whine escapes the beast, and I feel a wet nose brush against my neck as the beast lifts its head. The creature stares down at me. This close, it looks like a big dog, rather than a massive wolf. Friendly eyes assess me. Still, natural fear of the sharp canines makes the blood run out of my face. Wide, intelligent brown eyes stare back at me, and I can see pain in the creature’s expression. That’s when I see the crimson color seeping over brown fur, dripping onto the marble floor in sickening plops.
“You’re hurt.” I pant, still lacking oxygen. Is it possible the creature took a shot meant for me?
No, that can’t be. It’s with the demons. The beast isn’t an ally.
But then why hasn’t he sunken his jaws into me?
The creature whimpers and shocks me when it dips down to nuzzle my cheek, then shifts off me. I take a lungful of air, gasping. I roll onto my stomach, grimacing as I pull tender flesh. My eyes are drawn back to the animal.
The wolf hunches over, and I can barely believe my eyes when I see its fur-covered body fade from view with a bone rattling shudder. The massive animal shrinks in on itself, until all that’s left is a half-naked tan body, covered with blood. The man’s cheek lies flat against the floor
My heart stops beating in my chest, and horror consumes me. “Joey?”
Twenty-Five
Joey Mestas,my best friend, lies unconscious next to me. I scramble to him. I lift a hand, but I hesitate. Should I touch him? What if this isn’t really Joey? What if this is some next-level demon magic I know nothing about?
I see the burned flesh streaked across his back, and I immediately abandon every suspicious thought. I place my palms on my friend’s arm and push my healing powers into his body. I take care, not wanting to dose him with too much angelic power. I’ve never healed a human, and I don’t know how it will affect him.
But he’s not human, is he?
I shove the question away. There will be time for an explanation later. Right now, I need to heal Joey. Now that I know it was him who tackled me to the ground, I don’t doubt he took a shot meant for me. I’m determined to take away his pain.
Faster than it works with Fallen and Nephilim, my powers erase charred, bloodied skin, cleaning his wounds of debris before sealing them closed.
Joey’s features relax. I take away his pain, and his eyes open seconds later. Familiar brown eyes find mine, and his tentative smile makes me want to cry. “Hey, Ronnie.”
I choke back tears. “What are you doing here?” I hold onto his arm like it’s a lifeline.
“Saving you, of course.”
I’m not given time to respond. A bright flash of red light blinds me. I duck and shield my eyes. Joey winces and covers his face with his forearm. I’ve never seen anything so bright. My eyelids feel like they’re burning.
The light subsides. Vision blurry from tears, I look up and see the Fallen have been just as affected by the light. Several blink and rub their eyes, while others can’t even bring themselves to look up.
My attention is drawn to the center of the room. There, standing directly in front of Zeke and Adrian, is Odette, the sorceress Lukas’ hired to lift the ward which kept me from accessing my angelic powers. Her dark eyes are locked on me, and her ruby red lips part in a bright, white smile.
“Cursed One, we meet again.”
All fighting has ceased. It’s like the sorceress’ arrival neutralized everyone’s ability, or desire, to attack one another. Even Adrian and Zeke have abandoned the barrier separating them from the hoard of demons and beasts. All eyes are on her, and based on her smug expression, that’s what she wants.
I don’t respond to her greeting. I want to act like she’s not talking to me, but I remember her referring to me as both blessed and cursed. Why she couldn’t go with the former title is a mystery to me.
“A sorceress,” Paul’s raspy voice breaks the silence. “I haven’t seen one of your kind in centuries.” Is it just me, or does he sound reverent?
Odette doesn’t look at him. Her attention slides onto mybashertens. “I’m here for the Cursed One.”
Again, does she really need to call me that?
Joey stands. I wonder how he wears pants after shifting from a wolf, but I don’t dwell on the thought. One, he’s my friend. I don’t like thinking about him naked. And two, I’ve got bigger problems. He positions himself slightly in front of me, though he doesn’t look afraid of Odette. In fact, he looks at her expectantly. Did he know she was going to show up?
I observe the demons and other beasts. Like Joey, they watch the sorceress with calm belying their earlier violence. Why are they so at ease? They are still in the Dark Embassy. Shouldn’t they be on their guard? Why do I get the feeling this entire attack has been staged?
“There is no Cursed One here,” Sarah projects with an authority I admired the first time I heard her use it. “You and your minions are not welcome in this embassy. I suggest you leave now, before my sons decimate you.”
Odette laughs. The musical sound would be charming in any other situation. As it is, she sounds deranged… and deranged people shouldn’t be messed with.
I inch closer to Joey’s back, determined to do my best and protect him if something goes down. My friend gives me a look and rolls his eyes. I glare at him.
