Ж Redemption Ж [Part one]

    One single sweat drop ran down my temple, and I knew. He had followed me; my plan had worked. With every breath I took, I noticed the air suddenly reeking of danger. I should’ve listened to their warnings—although that was beside the point in the moment—but how? It’s not like I could do anything to help my problem. Was it even a problem, though?

     It was chipped inside of me now, and I had to feed it.

     By killing them, I did.

     The wind howled against the ghostly silence that had fallen over the suburbs. The town appeared as if it was submerged in a peaceful, deep sleep. Anyone who walked alone at this hour—without the knowledge only some of us possessed—would think nothing bad could ever happen. This was Melrose Street, after all. Here, the terminology, ‘after curfew’ only implied you would lose hours of precious sleep, because not anything would ever go wrong. Nobody broke the rules.

     Well, people were stupid. That’s why they’d believe that.

     The lights above me flickered twice, sending a shrilling jolt of electricity through my body. That didn’t stop me, though. If only, it acted as a beacon. I knew I was getting closer and closer now, with every step I took, toward the darkened alley around the corner. Right next to where the roads crossed.

     It’s definitely there, waiting for me.

     My hand curled tighter around the knife as I pulled it out of its hiding spot, and that’s when I heard it. Loud and clear, almost too familiar for my liking: the sound of wings stretching. He probably knew I was here, too. Their radars were way powerful than mine, but that wouldn’t stop me. I sought for a fight, so nothing—and no one—would keep me from getting it.

     With my heart on my throat and my veins boiling with adrenaline, I rounded the corner with determined steps, stopping shortly as I took in the scenery in front of me. Indeed, one of them stood right in the corner of the alley. It looked just as if he was lurking the shadows, moving its wings in a slightly morbid way. Like they were getting ready for a fight, as well.

     The hairs on my arms and nape reacted unconsciously, and they felt just as if they became wires, filled with electricity. “Does Pretty Boy know you’re here, Cassie?” The man asked, stalking forward from his little hiding spot and walking toward the lighted section. He kept his distance, though.

     “Does that matter? With or without his permission, I’m still gonna kill you.”

     He let out a dry chuckle, taking one step closer. He was in his mid-thirties—at least his vessel was—and baldness appeared to be taking over his head quickly. “You’re cute, thinking you can kill me…” he stopped for a moment, snorting. “Thinking you can take all of us, actually. I guess someone has to teach you archangels don’t like to be messed around with.”

     “Don’t worry, I don’t play with my food before I eat it.” I took a step and then another, all the way until I was so close that my body felt like it would explode. Their energy acted as a lighter, and I was filled with gasoline. I stopped five feet away, though, seeing a sneer grow on his lips.

     “Unfortunately, it looks like you won’t be getting the chance to do that tonight, Munchkin,” he said, and I saw him bating his wings strongly.

     When I tried to run after him, I couldn’t.

     I’d registered a shadow materializing from behind me, but I was left with no time to react before two horribly familiar arms restrained me. Before I knew it, the silent houses were gone, vanished, replaced solely by lines and lines of leafless trees, accompanied by the loud cries of owls and unknown creatures roaming around.

     I let go of the knife and squirmed my way out of his grip. “What the hell are you doing?”

     Turning around, I noticed the expression on his face was purely indignant, which only made me angrier. “What the hell am I doing? What the hell where you doing?”

     “Oh, I don’t know! Did it look like I was about to chase a bunny through a meadow? I was going to kill him!”

     “You could have died,” he growled, and I could see every single muscle on his body tensing. Part of me was flooded with guilt, but the other knew I had the right to do whatever I wanted to. “Are you listening to me?” He walked closer, his feet crushing the dead leaves beneath them. “You could have died, and I didn’t know where you were. You snuck out. Again.”

     Great. He sounded hurt.

     “Theo—”

     He didn’t let me finish, though, our lips meeting suddenly. His hands were big enough to wrap my head completely, and his bare chest and wings acted as a shield to the cold wind out here. “What do I have to do to make you stop being so reckless, Cassandra?” He breathed, pushing for the slightest of spaces between us. “You’re messing with fire.”

     “I’m not scared of getting burned,” I murmured, and he winced.

     “Stop,” Theo pleaded, his blue eyes flashing with pain. “I can’t keep on with this careless version of you. I can’t bear the idea of one of them hurting you…. We’ve been through enough.”

     “You’re just saying that because you’re my Guardian.” The words flew out of my mouth without notice, and I bit my lip, instantly regretting it.

     He pressed his lips into a line, slowly stepping backwards and leaving me to face the cold air again. “Wow.”

     “No, Theo,” I began, guilt building up quicker inside of me now. “I didn’t mean that.”

     “We should go. It’s already late and we have to get up early tomorrow,” he said simply, standing up under a small clearing in between the trees.

     I could’ve tried to fix the words I’d said, but his face said it all. He didn’t want to talk, and I had to respect that.

     I’d screwed up.

     Curling my arms around his neck, I let my legs spring up and adjust to his waist. “Tighter,” he said softly into my ear, and I held on harder, breathing into him.

     “I’m sorry,” I murmured, feeling how the wings swayed gently, lifting us over the trees.

     But he didn’t answer. I was left to fall asleep in silence’s company. An angered, resentful company.