I don’t want to release him. I need this tonight. I need him. I need to get rid of all my problems, all of my stress and worries and just let him handle it. I can feel it in his kiss—in his warm embrace—that he isn’t going to let me go, that he isn’t going to ever let anything happen to me again. He regrets so much of what had happened to me, and so do I. I hate that I was so weak or so vulnerable. I feel like I can never get angry with him for longer than a few minutes. He’s too beautiful, too different. He tries his hardest to make me happy and that is all that I need—the effort.
He pulls away, but not too much because his lips are still near. He stares into my eyes, and then my lips again. “I truly am sorry, Alexandria. Please forgive me,” he pants.
I nod, panting heavily, too. “I do. But I want you to explain everything that I don’t know tonight. I don’t care if it takes all night. I want to know everything.”
“I will, I promise. Let’s go back to get your brother before—”
Jules’ sentence is interrupted as Liam’s truck purrs and screeches down the road. I pull away from Jules to wave for Liam to stop but he doesn’t bother to. He just rolls past us and I can tell by the roar of the engine in his truck that he did it purposely. I grimace as I watch him continue down to a stop sign.
“Do you want to go after him—because we can,” Jules insists, digging in his pocket for his keys. “I’ve seriously had enough of him. He’s wearing my patience.”
“No, I’ll see him tomorrow. But before we leave for London, I have to go see Felix. I have a word with him about manipulating my brother,” I hiss.
Jules smirks as he reaches for my hand. “Not a problem. Better you than I.” He grins as we begin to walk back towards Red Lobster to reach the parking lot. “Come on. Let’s go pack you some clothes.”
****
My phone felt like a heavy weight in my back pocket. I wanted to turn it on but I refused, mainly because I was with Jules and any emotion that I felt, he felt. And I knew that Felix had text me back. I just knew it. But I refused to look at it. I didn’t want to hear from him or see his name on my screen. I know that if he knew where I was, he would come for me. And I don’t need that. I don’t need any more drama tonight.
But when Jules and I arrived at my apartment, Liam’s truck was parked in the parking lot. I was relieved to see it because that only meant that he came straight home instead of possibly going out to do something reckless.
“Do you need me to come in?” Jules asks, eyeing Liam’s truck before looking at me.
“Uh—yeah. Just in case,” I murmur then push out of the car. Jules hops out and immediately meets on my side.
I pull out my keys to unlock the door and inside, the music is blaring. It’s Kid Cudi again and my only hope is that Liam isn’t smoking. But whenever Kid Cudi is playing, he’s usually high. We barge into the heat of the apartment and Liam is sprawled out on his favorite loveseat, his eyes squeezed shut, and his head bobbing up and down to the bass of the music.
“Liam,” I call over the music.
His eyes flip open. He spots me and his face remains casual but as he spots Jules, he scowls. “What?” he grumbles, reaching for the remote to turn the volume down.
“I’m staying the night with Jules again.”
He perks himself up rapidly. “Why, Alex? You’re perfectly fine here at your own home.”
I shake my head. I’m really not okay here. Felix could show up at any moment. I don’t need to see him. I just need to get away. Instead of answering Liam, I turn to make my way to my bedroom. I reach for my red duffel bag, head for my closet, and pull out a few pair of jeans and flannel pajama pants instead of shorts this time. I grab for my sports-bra, a few colored t-shirts, and some furry bedroom slippers. But it isn’t until I make my way to the bathroom to grab my toothbrush and other toiletries that I realize that Jules didn’t follow after me.
I pause, hesitating on whether I should finish packing or go out to see if Jules is causing trouble. The music is still playing and I can’t hear a thing. I’m sure they aren’t just sitting in silence out there. I rush to grab my toiletries, stuff them into my bag, but as soon as I zip the side pocket, a deep and bone chilling “NO!” roars from the living room. I rush out and spot Jules but his face is as pale as a ghost as he faces the wide-open front door. He then rushes towards the door and his sweater rips in the back to let his large, gold wings spring out quickly. It all happens so fast that I don’t even have a chance to blink.
“Jules!” I scream, rushing to grab for him but I’m a few seconds too late. He is out of the door and he is after something. I turn to see if Liam is around but he isn’t inside. I then rush for the door and spot Jules’ gold wings flapping quickly in the distance but I also see a blur of eerie red a few feet ahead of him.
My heart drops and a whirl of panic takes over my body as the night air brushes against me.
Hellion.
I grip onto the cold, silver railing in front of our door as I continue to stare off but as I turn to my right, I hear footsteps clambering up the stairs of our complex. I whip my head and think about running into the house but as I spot the shiny black dress shoes, the ironed black suit pants, the pressed suit-jacket, and his flustered cheeks, I gasp and remain still. His hazel eyes are worried, bothered. It isn’t until he takes a step toward me that I realize that the whole back side of his suit is ripped, most likely from the sprouting of his wings.
“Alexandria,” he breathes.
“Wh-what?” I ask, but I’m not sure why I’m asking what. I guess because I don’t know what’s going on and I don’t know if I should be worried that Felix is here and he may be after me. Maybe this is a set-up.
“Alexandria, you have to come with me,” he insists, reaching for me but I jerk away. I act on instinct and rush for the inside of my apartment, trying to shut and lock the door behind me but he pushes against it. “Stop—Alexandria! What is wrong with you? What are you doing?!” he roars, using all of his strength to push the door open without hitting me with it.
My heart beats frantically as his hazel eyes spark and become icy to glower down at me. He cocks his head but his eyes aren’t angry or intimidating—what I was expecting—they are confused and offended. “Please, Felix, just don’t hurt them. I don’t care if you take me, just don’t hurt them,” I beg, my eyes pricking with tears.
“What? Alexandria, why would I hurt you? I have to take you with me. Jules told me to! They have your brother!” He steps in closer now but I don’t budge or run away. My legs are too wobbly to move. I know that if I do try to run, I’ll most likely collapse and black-out again. “Alexandria,” his voice drops to a coo as he reaches out for me again.
I pull away. “I don’t want to be alone with you. I want Jules,” I croak, shakily.
His eyes widen as he steps back, baffled. “You don’t want to be alone with me? What did I do?”
“Braxton told me everything!” I step back and rush to get to the balcony door but he catches me by the hook of my arm before I can open it.
“What do you mean everything?” he asks in a growl.
I gulp with wide eyes, “Please, just don’t hurt me.”
“Alexandria, stop saying that! Why would I hurt you?” he asks, frowning sympathetically. “I would never hurt you—never. I’ve told you this.” I shake my head, panting and breathing uneasily with wide eyes. “Stop. Calm down,” he demands softly. “Look, you have to come with me. The Hellions know where you live. We have to—”
His mouth snaps shut rapidly as he spins around. His entire body tenses and a deep growl comes from the heart of his throat. He turns to look towards the door that he didn’t completely shut and I glance around him, spotting the bright blue wings, bright blue eyes, and shaggy brown hair.
“Braxton,” I say, relieved to see someone that I know I can trust. I begin to rush for him but Felix stops me, gripping onto my arm with a squeeze.
“Braxton,” Felix hisses. I frown, confused. Th
is is his brother. Why does he sound so cold and annoyed to see him? Maybe Braxton was right.
“I’m glad you’re here, but I need her so hand her over,” Braxton says, his voice sounding completely different. He still has his accent but his voice has a menacing growl to it. Something that I’m not used to—especially from the bubbly Braxton that I’m accustomed to.
“Hell no—damn it, I should have known all along! I just didn’t want to believe it was you out of them all!” Felix growls, pushing me back farther.
What? What should he have known? What the hell is going on?
“Felix, Dad is an impatient man. He wants her tonight. Now give her to me or I’ll have no choice but to tell him that you couldn’t make it.”
I shudder. I thought their father was dead? What is he talking about and what the hell is wrong with Braxton? Why is he talking like this, so evil and haunting . . .?
Suddenly, in the midst of my train of thought and confusing questions, Felix growls again and rushes forward. His silver wings spring out through the rips of his suit and he flaps, knocking over all of our picture frames and belongings. But just as Felix is charging for Braxton, Braxton gains a challenging stance, ready to take on the all-mighty Felix. But what I pay attention to most is the smug sneer on Braxton’s face, the eerie, glum look cascading in his smiling eyes—and then it hits me.
Braxton told me that story purposely, to make me believe that Felix was the bad one but it was actually him all along. It was the perfect opportunity. He didn’t want anything pinned on him and, of course, I would believe it because Braxton is the nicest person that I’ve known (well at least I thought he was) and Felix just has that serious, intimidating mentality that will make you believe that he is evil. That’s what Braxton wanted me to believe. But it was all just a bluff, all just a setup. He knew what he was doing and he did it all too well. The story he’d told me, he was really speaking of himself. He wanted to make Felix seem as terrible as possible so I could stay away from him—so I couldn’t have as much protection. He knew Jules couldn’t be around me at all times so he lied about Felix, made him seem like some kind of monster when he was really only trying to protect me. But from what?
Is it his father? Does Felix really know what is going on? Maybe that is why he wants to protect me so much.
Felix rams into Braxton with a heavy thud and they both fall over the guardrail in front of my door. I scream but that scream doesn’t even compare to the next scream that fills my lungs. A Hellion appears in front of my door. His eyes are furious, red, and dangerous. His hair is cropped short and he is bulkier than any Hellion that I’ve seen thus far. No, this Hellion is beyond bulky. He’s huge, gigantic, just like the ones that had taken those friends of mine in the nightmare that I had last night.
The Hellion smirks, delighted, as if he’s been waiting for his part in this the whole time. Had Braxton really been planning all of this? But what for—and why? And where is Stacy? Oh, God, please don’t let Stacy be in on this, too. What is he getting out of all of this? This whole time, he’d been setting his brother up. Felix was the one being questioned. But maybe Felix did know about me and was trying his best to protect me. Felix knows something that he isn’t mentioning. I think of Jules and the fact that he’d told me about Guardian Angels earlier:
“There are rare cases where Guardian Angels are bad and if there is one, it is a terrifying thing because Guardian Angels are more cunning than Fallen Angels. We are more powerful, mightier, if I might add.”
Of course, now it all makes sense. Braxton was being cunning and of course he was the one that was mightier in this situation.
I scream again but the Hellion rushes forward, grabs me, and wraps a hand around my mouth. He grunts, gripping me hard. I try to let out another scream but it is too late. I hear the rustle of the Hellion’s wing behind me and before I know it, I am flying through my door in his arms. I feel him squeeze me tight and a sudden shade of black takes over my sight. Is he making me unconscious? I don’t know, but I do know that now I don’t know where I am going, what is happening, or where Jules is. Once again, he’s left me. But this time it wasn’t his fault. He had no clue, he acted upon impulse—he had no choice but to go after the Hellion that snatched Liam away. It was all a trap. It was all just a set up that has completely fooled us all.
LEAST SUSPECTED
The slam of a heavy door wakes me up. I groan groggily as I lift my chin. My head is spinning out of control, nothing is in its place but everything is dark. The air is thick, humid—too muggy for me to breathe comfortably.
Droplets of water are falling somewhere, pattering in the distance. The silhouette of someone large passes by me and I try to call for them but my mouth is too dry. It’s as if I haven’t drunk anything in days. Lights flicker above and another person passes by me. But this person looks familiar. His shaggy hair, glowing blue eyes . . .
I gasp softly, straightening up and forcing myself to snap out of this stupor. I give my eyes a stretch and as I spot Braxton’s glowing blue wings and a pair of glowing red wings, my eyes widen. They’re talking about something, for which I am truly glad for. Maybe I should pretend that I’m still sleep. I glance down at my ankles that are bound with heavy metal shackles. My wrists aren’t in sight but they feel tight and uncomfortable and as I wriggle them, I see why. They are behind my back, wrapped tightly with what are most likely more shackles and chains. I want to move but I know any sudden movement will only let them know that I am awake.
“Just shut up!” Braxton roars, tossing a single sheet of paper across an old wooden desk.
The Hellion frowns, stepping in closer and it isn’t until I catch a glimpse of the profile of his face that I realize that he is the one that grabbed me. “I’m telling you, three days is way too long to be waiting,” his deep, gravelly voice beckons. “They are going to find out soon. Deal with her before I do.”
“She’s been out cold because of you! You used too much power. We can’t just deal with her,” Braxton barks, stepping in closer. “We have to wait until my father is ready and until she awakes to gain more strength. We will train her down here so she can gain her wings but until then, shut the hell up,” he pushes the Hellion against the chest, “and stay in your place which is under me!”
The Hellion barely stumbles backwards but I know that Braxton used most of his strength to push him. The Hellion huffs angrily. His eyes flare with an intense red as they both glare into each other’s eyes. He then spins around, muttering something demonic in a language that I don’t understand.
Three days? Have I really been out for that long? No wonder I’m so thirsty. I begin to panic, glancing from Braxton to my trapped ankles. The wall behind me is cold and hard, not comforting at all. Braxton glances over his shoulder slowly but I shut my eyes and let my head fall backwards. My heartbeat climbs in rate as his footsteps seem to come closer but then they become distant and a door slams again. I slowly open my eyes and to my relief, the room is empty.
There is a bookcase filled with old books on the west wall. The old wooden desk that Braxton and the Hellion were standing in front of is in the corner of the east wall and is piled with papers and books. The walls are a shade of dark, metallic grey with uncomfortable ridges that are poking at my back. I press my lips together and try to pull my ankles away from the shackles but it is no use. They’re on so tight that I can feel my ankles bruising.
A heavy thud comes from outside of the room and it isn’t too long before the black door flings open again. The body of a Hellion flies inside—back first—and tumbles on the floor. I gasp and I want to shut my eyes and fake sleep but I am too shocked and too alarmed to do so. A deep growl comes from the thick throat of the Hellion on the ground. His eyes flame in a deep shade of blazing red and as I glance up at the familiar blue wings, I’m still stunned.
“Don’t you ever question me again!” Braxton roars, glaring down at the Hellion. The Hellion hops to his feet but unlike the previous Hellion in the room,
this one has black ink all over his neck and bare arms. His black shirt is sleeveless and his blue jeans look like they’ve been over-washed multiple times.
“You’re being a fucking idiot! Let’s just get this over with! We don’t need the Leaders of the Angels joining in. Felix and Jules are already too much!” The Hellion growls back, his back still facing me.
Braxton grimaces. “Felix and Jules will be too late, even if they do come for her. Now shut the hell up and get out!” The Hellion doesn’t budge. He glares at Braxton and Braxton raises an eyebrow. “Don’t challenge me, Marcus. I am stronger and faster than you, and you know it. Don’t be a fool,” Braxton warns.
“The only fool in this room is you,” Marcus hisses, still standing his ground.
“I’m giving you three seconds to get the hell out or I promise that you won’t be seeing the next hour.”
“Three seconds my a—”
Marcus begins to speak but Braxton bolts forward in a flash, already facing him. He reaches to grip Marcus’ head and twists it with what looks like most of his strength. Marcus’ body tumbles down and crashes against the floor. Braxton watches his body boil red before turning into dark grey ashes. It all happens so fast that I’m not even sure if I’ve caught it all. But I didn’t blink so I had to. Braxton glances up and spots my wide open eyes and my heart drops, afraid. Braxton is a completely different person. He isn’t the same bubbly guy that loves to speak his mind. He is far different, far more dangerous. What the hell is going on with him?
“Alexandria,” he sings, and I swear he is back to the old Braxton that I’d first run into. “So glad you’re awake. I was waiting for you to open those pretty green eyes of yours.” He scuffles forward, stepping through Marcus’ ashes to reach me. He squats down to eye me, his eyes still glowing a sparkling shade of blue—almost like the sparkling ocean water near the Bahaman island, but with a great amount of fluorescent light shining through it. It’s a shame that those beautiful eyes have to belong to a monster like him.
OBTAINED (Book One) Page 22