Chapter 31 — It’s complicated

Amara:

The campus is quiet and solemn by the time Kell and I get there. While we wait, we take a seat at a nearby bench and wait for Azazel, who’s running late. I guess we can’t complain, considering we made him wait earlier. We don’t mind the wait, though. We simply sit comfortably in each other’s arms and kiss. His lips feel so soft and pliant against mine. Wrapping my arms around him, I nip at his bottom lip, then soothe it with my tongue as Kell groans and pulls me closer to deepen the kiss.

It’s so still and quiet at this time, and it feels like we’re in our own world. There are no students lounging on the grass, studying, or playing football at this time of night. It's eight o’clock, and there are very few students rushing to get to their classes. It’s just like the vision I had. The breeze is blowing gently through the trees, and the leaves sway lazily, making the bushes shuffle. The moon is out, and the sky is covered with an eerily foggy cloud of dark onyx and grays. There are no stars in the sky, and the cicadas are off in the distance playing their mating songs.

A throat clears in front of us, stirring us from our reverie. Kell and I break apart and gaze at a chagrined-looking Azazel. “Sorry to interrupt such a touching moment, but I believe our quarry is about to walk this way.”

He points to an area near the library where a slight figure is making its way in our direction. Surprised, Kell and I search for the girl.

“Is that her?” Kell asks.

Azazel quirks a brow and shrugs. “She fits the picture in the file. Bree Hudson, twenty-three years old and a nursing student at Cal State. Has a younger sister named Lana Hudson? Shall I go on?”

We both shake our heads and turn back to the quiet figure. The girl is tall with wavy blond hair. It’s hard to see her features due to the darkness, but you can tell that she’s beautiful. She’s wearing a brown newsboy cap and a lavender belted shirt dress with brown leather ankle boots. Her stride seems intent, and her arms are crossed in front of her chest. As she moves closer, you can see her messenger bag bouncing around in agitation. Before she can see us, we face each other and pretend to be in the middle of a conversation. Fortunately, she doesn’t glance in our direction as she makes her way up the paved path. She simply passes by us and makes her way to the parking lot.

I look at Azazel in hopes that he has a suggestion on how to approach this, but he simply shrugs. Ugh! Way to plan! I think.

Taking control of the situation, I slide my hand inside Kell's and follow behind her. “What are you doing?” He whispers quietly.

I shake my head and gesture to the girl, Bree. “I don’t know, Kell. Maybe we can follow her. I mean, if she’s being hunted, then she must be supernatural too, right?”

Azazel simply snorts and falls in step with us. “It’s worth a bloody try, mate.”

We follow behind her but try to look inconspicuous as we do. Unfortunately, she’s parked in an obscure part of the parking lot, and it’s difficult to keep her within my sight. The boys don’t seem to be bothered by this, though. They probably see better than I do, considering that they all have supernatural powers.

Just then, a dark shadow splits off from a nearby tree. Like in my vision, Bree is talking on her cell phone, completely oblivious to the danger nearby. Kell and Azazel give each other worried looks and stop where they are. I stop too and give them an irritated scowl. “What are you doing, guys? We need to help her.”

Azazel shakes his head and puts his index finger in front of his lip, signaling for us to be quiet. “Shush, love. We’ll help her. We just need to find out the intentions of the shadow first.” He says as he ushers us closer and takes cover beneath the shadows of a nearby tree.

I know that Azazel is right, but I can’t help but feel a sense of familiarity as I watch the scene before me when it hits me. This is the vision I had before. It’s just too eerily familiar. I know that I have to do something to save this girl.

I’m about to say so when it happens. Bree’s bag falls off her shoulder, and all the contents hit the ground. De Ja Vu strikes me when I see her bend down and gathers her things. Seeing that things are going to get worse, we all rush forward.

However, the shadow is faster and closer to her. Terror seizes me at the thought that this girl is going to die because I was too slow to save her. Remembering the visions, I look around for the red-eyed monster in the visions. That’s when I see the other shadow standing in an obscure part of the parking lot. Just like my vision of Bree, all I can see is that the figure has red eyes and nothing else because it’s covered in a thick black cloak. As if in slow motion, the figure moves behind her.

Kell and Azazel use their supernatural speed and are almost on them when something amazing happens. At that very moment, a large body lands on the roof of the girl’s car and does this really cool flip and kicks the girl’s attacker in the head. We all stop in wonder as the man punches the attacker in the jaw and lifts its unmoving form by the neck.

The man is definitely supernatural. He’s very tall with long, wavy dark hair, paper white skin, and extremely pale eyes. He’s unnaturally beautiful and deadly in his neck to toe black leather suit with various weapons strapped in strategic parts of his body. He looks like a character from a science fiction show.

The other figure must see that his associate is in trouble because it steps out of the shadows. Unfortunately, it’s also covered in some kind of thick cloak, and I can’t see who it is. Lips tight, I observe as the figure reaches into its pocket and aims some weird silver staff at the man in leather.

A blue light spreads across the staff and hits the man in the chest. The man slams back with the force of the light, dropping his captive in the process, but there’s no sign of damage on him.

The girl, Bree, screams out and rolls down on the floor when another bolt of light crashes near her body. I watch as her head slams painfully on the side of the car, and her body goes limp. The man looks up when she screams and rises up to cover her unmoving body with his. Just then, the unconscious form of the other attacker begins to rise and withdraws a large ax. A silent scream lodged in my throat as the form aims its ax at the man. But the man does not run screaming. Instead, he removes the knives strapped to his chest and prepares to fight. He’s definitely outnumbered but seems unconcerned by it. Fortunately, Azazel and Kell step in and shoot at the form.

The man in leather gives Kell and Azazel a measuring look, as if gauging their threat level. He must decide that they’re not a danger to him because he turns and begins to fight the creature with the ax. He’s incredible as he wields the knives at his attacker. The red-eyed creature must see that they’re outnumbered because suddenly, it lets out a loud shriek.

We all flinch and cover our ears at the high-pitched shrill. My eyes glaze over, and my head begins to spin as the scream cuts through my ears like a sharp knife. Unable to contain my strength, I fall to my knees and notice that the others are on their knees too. It’s the most unbearable sound in the world. Worse than the sound of nails on the chalkboard or a siren’s wail. I blink my eyes as some type of liquid begins to slide down my face. At first, I think that it’s water, but as I get a closer look, I see that it’s darker. Shit, it's blood. My blood.

My head starts to pound, and I start to lose consciousness. Before I fall, I see that the others are falling too, except for the man in leather and the man with the ax. They both seem fine. Unfortunately, the man with the ax manages to run off when the man in leather kneels over Bree’s prone form and lays over her protectively. As soon as the screech started, it stopped, and both figures instantly disappear.

I lay there, covering my ears for a few moments and close my eyes as I try to steady my balance. I’m almost scared of uncovering my ears, but I know that I have to make sure that Kell and the others are alright. Taking a couple of deep breaths, I uncover my ears. My ears throb with a humming sound, and my head pounds painfully as I gaze over to where Azazel and Kell are. They both shake their heads in bewilderment as they look around. Kell rushes to me and throws his arms around me. “Are you okay, babe?

I don’t answer at first. Instead, I flex my jaw and rub my ears for any sign of damage. Thankfully, the fact that I can hear him means that my eardrums are still intact, but my ears still feel like they’re on fire. He takes my face in the palm of his hands and inspects me. “Your nose is bleeding.” He says as he rubs at my nose with the sleeve of his sweater.

Rising from my perch, I shake my head and lean on his arm. “I’m fine. I’m fine. Are you okay?” I run my hands across his body to make sure he’s not harmed. He shakes his head and looks at Azazel. “We’re fine. That thing...” He stops talking with a confused look, then takes my hand and leads me towards Azazel.

Azazel is standing in the same spot, frozen in place. His body is stiff as he looks at the leather-covered male who is now standing aggressively over Bree’s body.

Azazel narrows his eyes sharply at the man and visibly tightens his hand on the handle of his gun. “What are you doing here, Fallon?”

A shiver crawls through my body, and all the hairs on my back stand on end when the man tilts his head and says in a gruff, sexy voice. “I wouldn’t try shooting me, mate. You know that I don’t take kindly to having a bullet cut through me. It’s bloody irritating and makes me want to kill someone.”

I swear that if I wasn’t so in love with Kell, I’d have thrown myself at his feet. It’s as if all of my sexual nerves have been pulled. It’s definitely some supernatural power that he has. Azazel’s lips tighten, and his eyebrows wrinkle with a frown. For a moment, he looks angry enough to shoot the other man, but then he lowers his gun and backs away.

Both men are a breathtaking sight as they stand there with equal aggression. Not only are they incredibly hot, but they look extremely deadly. I look at Kell for an answer, but he seems as confused as I am. We both watch as the man steps back and lifts Bree’s unconscious body into his arms. She looks like a ragdoll, small and delicate in Fallon’s arms. Azazel moves closer and crosses his arms in front of his chest with a questioning frown. “I’m going to ask you again, Fallon. What the bloody hell are you doing here?”

Fallon’s mouth tightens in anger, but he doesn’t answer.

I almost die of shock when Azazel asks. “What interest would the son of Lucifer have with a mere human?”

No. There’s no way that this guy can be the son of Lucifer. Is there? Fallon’s head snaps up from his obvious preoccupation with the girl. “I wouldn’t cast any stones my way, you sod. Your kind is not necessarily a favored brand in the supernatural community.”

Azazel shrugs and spits out angrily. “Let the girl go, Fallon.”

But Fallon isn’t intimidated by Azazel’s threatening tone. He simply snorts and pulls the girl closer. “Have you gone insane? I don’t have to answer to a demon! Now get out of my way before I rip your bleeding bollocks off and stick them up your arse!”

I would have laughed if the situation wasn’t so scary because I had never heard such an amusingly terrifying comment come out of anyone in my life.

Of course, it might have to be because the first and only British people that I’ve met are Azazel and Creighton. Yet, Fallon looks like he's one-hundred-percent serious about hurting Azazel. His eyes begin to glow a deep red, his teeth elongate, and somehow, his body becomes bigger and scarier. But that’s not the freakiest part. In a flash, large wings sprout out of his back. Unlike Kell’s wings, Fallon’s are large and leathery-looking with sharp points.

Everyone steps back and gasps at his threatening stance. However, Azazel is not fazed by his anger. He simply releases his leathery wings and hisses out. “Sod off, Fallon! I’m here to protect the human girl, and I’ll fight you if I have to.”

Fallon’s eyes become hooded. “Since when are you in the business of protecting human girls, Azazel?!” He spits out angrily.

Azazel shrugs. “I work for the Council now, and this girl…? He says, pointing at the girl in Fallon’s arms. “…is under the Council’s protection. Those things that attacked earlier are trying to use her in a ritual that might end the world.”

Fallon’s face softens as he gazes down at the unconscious girl. Then, he loses all expression and looks back at Azazel. “Who told you that?”

Azazel looks in my direction and gives me a slight nod. I swear I can almost hear him say, “Your call, love.”

Kell wraps his arm around my elbow and holds me still. “Don’t say a word, beauty queen.” He whispers urgently.

Somehow though, I know that I can be honest with this…man. I don’t know if it’s the second of softening I saw in his eyes or the way he is holding Bree protectively close, but somehow I know that he will do anything to safeguard her.

So I loosen Kell’s hold from my arm and step forward. “I’M A BREIJA!” I yell out nervously.

Fallon’s eyes narrow with suspicion, but I don’t let it frighten me. “I had a vision…I had a vision of her,” I say, gesturing to the girl with a wave of my hand. “In the vision, she was walking home and was attacked by those things. I’ve had similar visions of the same thing happening to other girls who were later found dead. We’re here because we want to save her.”

At first, it looks like Fallon is about to argue, but then he surprises me when he says, “Perhaps we can talk.”

At his words, we breathe a sigh of relief. Azazel lowers his gun and says with a strict tone. “Very, well. How about we go somewhere private.” Fallon raises his chin and says with an authoritative voice. “Follow me.” He doesn’t release the girl as he flutters his wings powerfully and takes off into the air. To my astonishment, Azazel flies up into the air and signals for us to follow. I look at Kell, who pulls me into his arms and whispers. “Hold on, beauty queen.”

It’s definitely one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Kell’s beautiful wings extend as we float up into the night sky. The breeze glides over my skin, making my hair flutter around me, and my skin prickles from the cold. I roam my eyes across the sky as I take in the amazing scenery below me. The lights of all the buildings gleam like fireflies below us, making peace flow through me as we rush through the air. I look at Kell with his beautiful golden brown locks and sapphire eyes. My angel looks even more ethereal beneath the light of the moon. And I know I would follow him anywhere.