Ruined (The Seraphim Series Book 1) (5 page)

“You got stabbed?” Lilliah shrieked, moving closer to the bed. Why hadn't Rebecca mentioned that before? “What the hell happened in that house?” she demanded, eyes darting over every bruise and scrape on Sebastian’s body.

“Okay, well, I’ll leave you guys alone for a little bit,” Rebecca suggested, already heading out the door.
Lilliah just smiled thankfully and sat on the side of the bed, bringing her legs up as Sebastian began to explain.

“So, you just came home and they were there?” Lilliah asked after Sebastian had finished. Those people, or things, whatever they were called, had been waiting in their house. The thought was petrifying.

“Yeah, all three of them. And I still don't understand what happened to Mum, but it was as if she was in a deep sleep.” He shook his head, trying to find a better way to explain it. “It was so strange. They attacked us both. I heard her scream, and then I looked over. She was breathing and moving, but she was oblivious to everything around her.”

“Was she okay?” Lilliah asked, feeling sick. “The last time you saw her, was she unharmed?”

“Yeah, they didn’t hurt her in front of me.” He breathed in deep. “I tried to fight them off. I swear I did, but they were just so fast.” He stopped talking, trying to get his breathing under control. “I only got a few hits in, and when I did, he said the strangest thing,” he mused, looking to Lilliah, frowning. “He said, ‘Oh, I'm not surprised one of you is already here,’” he finished, looking worried and expecting Lilliah to have answers. “What does that mean?”

“I don't know.” She shrugged honestly. “I literally have no idea what's happening. I just woke up to this fucked-up mess. I mean, Rebecca was acting like she was high or something.” They both smiled. “Have you seen Azrael or that other guy? Benedict?”

“Yeah. Benedict seems like a cool guy. I’ve only seen Azrael once.” He paused. “Who the hell are they, Lilliah?”

She didn't know how to answer. She didn't know who they were.  

They sat in silence for a few minutes, both deep in thought. Sebastian leant to get his glass of water from the bedside table.

“I’ll get it!” Lilliah stressed, jumping off the bed to reach the drink first.

“Oh, that was weird.” He took the drink as she passed it. “You being this nice and attentive, it's weird. I'm not sure I like it.”

“Fine.” She held up her hands defensively while trying not to smile. “I won't help again.”

No sooner had the words left Lilliah’s mouth than the door opened.

“Rebecca said you were awake.” Benedict smiled, walking farther into the room.

She smiled back, trying to study the man for the first time. Although his beard was thick and long, it looked well kept, like that was the exact length he wanted it to be. His hair was still swept back from his handsome face. He wasn’t much shorter than Azrael, but he looked a little older, possibly late twenties to early thirties.

“I don't think we've been formally introduced.” He turned so he was fully facing her. “I'm Benedict Ravensmith.” He extended a hand for her to shake.

“Hello.” She nodded, taking his much larger hand in hers, trying not to wince at his tight grip. 
Is he one of the bad guys or one of the good guys?

“I want to check Sebastian over for a second. To make sure he's healing correctly.” The soft way he spoke made her want to smile. She didn’t. “Why don't you go downstairs and eat? You’ve got to be hungry.”

As if on cue, Lilliah's stomach growled, confirming that she was in fact starving. She was still about to protest when Sebastian cut in.

“Yeah, Lil. You go and eat. We'll talk later, okay?”

Nodding, Lilliah reluctantly left the room, only realising she didn’t know her way when she was already in the hall. Refusing to go back and ask for directions, she started walking, hoping to seize the opportunity to try and snoop. One thing that became apparent very quickly was how huge the place was. She stopped to examine a large painting that was leaning against the wall, as if ready to be hung. Her eyes widened. It was Azrael staring back at her.

“It’s amazing,” she whispered, carefully running her fingers over the paint. From his pitch-black hair to his hard, crystal-blue eyes, the painting looked exactly like him. She stepped back to get a better view. It looked old, like something she’d see on the wall of a stately home. But honestly, she had no idea. She wasn’t exactly an art major.

“I want you to look after the running of the club for a while. I’m not sure how long for.” Azrael’s voice echoed in the distance, making Lilliah leap out of her skin and twirl around.

“No, I’ll send Dena to help,” Azrael continued.

Realising he wasn’t going to round the corner, Lilliah followed the sound of his voice.

“So what have you heard?” she heard Azrael demand, getting goose bumps from his voice.

He's still the enemy. He's a bad guy.
She chanted the mantra to herself as she peered through the door. The man in that room was such a mystery to her. On one hand, she had heard him talking about wanting her blood, and he had killed a man in her kitchen! But on the other, he had saved her, her brother, and her best friend. She wasn’t sure why he’d saved her, or even how he’d known she was in trouble, but he had.

Rebecca’s words from earlier came rushing back: “You can’t kill someone who's already dead.”
It just doesn’t make any sense,
Lilliah thought, peering through the open door again, trying not to be seen. She saw Azrael pacing, phone in hand.

“Well, find out!” he roared. “I need more information, so get it for me.” Ending the conversation, he threw the phone on the nearby sofa.

With no one else around to judge her, she let herself shamelessly gawk at him. She took in his full six-foot-two height; he truly was like no one else she had ever seen. He was built like a swimmer and looked like a frigging god. How could someone be so good-looking? She saw how he could look scary; he had this untamed look about him that screamed, “Wild and uncontrollable!”
Is this wrong?
she wondered for no more than a second.

“Are you going to come in?” Lilliah bent slightly, trying to find who he was talking to, and jumped when the door flew open and Azrael stared down at her. “Were you going to stand out there all day, or were you eventually going to come in?” he asked, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.

For a moment, Lilliah was taken aback. She couldn't speak.

“Lilliah?” he asked again when she didn't get up from her crouching position.

“You look less scary when you smile.” She hadn't realised she'd spoken the words out loud until it was too late.

“Really?” He looked bewildered for a second before composing himself.

“Yeah. I just thought you would like to know,” she finished lamely as she stood.

“Oh, well, I’ll try and smile more then.” He stood back, motioning for her to walk into the room.

She took a shaky breath and followed him. “I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop . . .” she began to explain, but stopped when she saw his raised eyebrows. “Okay, maybe I was,” she said, deciding to come clean. There really was no way to deny it; she’d been caught red-handed.

”I didn’t know you were awake. I would have come in and seen you.”

She watched as he walked around his desk, gathering some papers.
“I wouldn't have expected you to be there.” She paused. “But I guess it was good that Rebecca was. I mean, after everything that happened the other day.” She tried to gauge his reaction.

“Yes, of course.” Azrael nodded, losing his smile. “We have a lot to talk about.”

“I'm just so confused,” Lilliah began, trying to find the right words to explain the turmoil happening inside her. “And scared.” She tried again.  “I don’t know where my mum is, or what the hell happened in my house.”

“I know.” He walked around the desk so he was standing in front of her. She took a step back.

“Who are you?”

“I’m going to tell you everything.” He looked grim at the thought. “Come on.”

Taking her hand, he led her out of the room. Instead of trying to figure out where they were going, Lilliah just let him lead her, too busy concentrating on the feeling of his hand holding hers. Was it normal for complete strangers to hold hands? Was it normal that she liked it so much? Should she be putting up more of a fight? She didn't know, but she was scared and excited all at the same time.

“I’ve been collecting for years now,” he explained, stopping outside a large wooden door.

“Wow.” She breathed slowly, walking farther into the room. The walls were all covered by paintings. There were so many of them. Her eyes darted from one to the next. “They’re beautiful.”
It’s more a museum than a house
, she thought.

“I have more in my house in New York.” She could feel his eyes on her, watching her closely as she walked around the room. “I thought it might help with what I’m about to tell you.” He walked up to a particular painting.

“
War of the Heavens
,” Lilliah read out loud, moving so she was standing beside him.
It really is stunning,
she thought. The painting was big and bright, covered with angels in Heaven surrounded by white and gold. On a closer look, she realised the angels were fighting. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered, still taking in the small details, not really sure what it had to do with what he was going to tell her. Was he an art thief?

“The world isn’t as simple as you once thought,” he started. “And people like you, and me, are part of a much bigger picture.”

Lilliah didn’t speak at first; she just followed Azrael as he walked around the room, stopping at another picture of angels. This one was a beautiful angel falling through the sky.
He definitely has a theme
, she thought with a smirk whilst looking at the second painting. It was just as beautiful as the first.

“What are you trying to tell me?” she asked directly. She didn’t like the suspense he was building. She never liked surprises.

“We're different,” he carried on, still not just coming out and saying it. “We're not mortal.”

Lilliah looked up, her brows pulled close together.
Not mortal?
“As in not human?” she clarified, her voice almost breaking on the last word. A silence spread out between them as Lilliah stared deeply into Azrael’s eyes, her heart pounding in her chest.

“No.” he shook his head. “We’re the Fallen.” He spoke the words, his eyes burning deep into hers. “Fallen angels.”

“Angels?” she repeated the last word disbelievingly, a laugh building in her chest. “Angels?” she said again, unable to stop the giggle.

“Yes, angels,” he repeated a little more sternly. Taking her smaller hand in his once again, Azrael led her to another painting, but she wasn’t looking at it. All her attention was focused on him.
Is he kidding? Has all of this been a sick joke?

“Thousands of years ago, Heaven broke into a civil war. Lucifer didn’t want to be controlled anymore; he wanted his free will and every other angel to have free will also. The archangels didn’t agree.”

“Angels don’t have free will?” Lilliah asked, dazed, trying to take in what he was saying and trying to understand it. His face was very serious.
If this is all a joke, he’s very good at it.

“No. They’re given orders that they have to follow.” A sad smile tugged at his lips. “When the war began, everyone had to pick a side. There was no staying neutral. Not in the archangels’ eyes anyway.” He frowned. “And Lucifer was so charismatic. He gave us so much hope.”

“Ironic.” Lilliah tried to smile but couldn’t. Azrael turned to look at her, his face expressionless. “So you picked Lucifer?” She ran her hands through her hair, unsure of what else to say to him. She wasn't an angel; it was impossible.

“Yes,” he admitted, leading her towards a sofa so they could both sit down. “I was a soldier. A warrior designed for one purpose: to protect Heaven. But in the war, I led Lucifer’s army. I fought against Heaven.”

“Heaven.” She thought for a moment, deciding to play along. “So God is real then?”

“God, Zeus, Muhammad. They are all one and the same. The same story told in many different ways, many different times. I guess it’s just how humans perceive the messages sent down from the Creator.”

“The Creator?”

“Yes. The light that made everything. The one you call God.”

“So you’ve met him? It’s a him? What’s he like?” Lilliah smiled as she spoke, but Azrael was completely straight faced and serious.

“No one has met the Creator. Not even the highest of archangels. We’re just like humans in that respect. We need to have faith.”

A little twinge of doubt started to form at the bottom of her stomach. “Right.” She took in a deep breath, for the first time trying to really imagine what he was telling her. “This is crazy.” She shook her head before turning back to him, her knee bouncing with energy. “So if all of this was real, who was I? In Heaven and in the war?”

“You didn’t fight,” he replied softly, moving to tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear.

Lilliah stared at him for a moment, a little shocked by the intimate gesture. She spoke after a second of silence. “But you said people had to fight, that they didn’t have a choice?”