The Taking (18 page)

“Isn’t this the room you had me trapped in?”

Zacharias shakes his head, and I think I see a beginning of a smile on his weathered face as he raises his hand to touch the surface. “You were never trapped. But yes, this is the room you were in.”
 

Folding away my wings I wait for Zacharias to open the door.
 

“What did you do that for?” he asks.
 

“This is going to be difficult enough for both of us, let alone him seeing me with enormous wings coming out of my back before we even start talking.”

Half a smirk rises on his face. “He is going to find out sooner than you think that you are an angel.”

A white light pulses out of his hand and into the door. Holding my breath while it slides across, I peer into the small room. Lying in the foetal position on the cold stone floor in the far right corner is Ethan. He is facing the wall wearing a black jumper over long blue jeans and brown boots. He must be freezing and uncomfortable.

I look at Zacharias. “How come he doesn’t have a bed or at least a mattress with sheets and blankets?” My voice is a little snappy, but I don’t care.

Zacharias shrugs.
 

I frown. “What about food, drink and access to a bathroom?”

He shrugs again. “I am not used to being around humans for more than a few minutes.”

“I can see that. He needs these things instantly. Hasn’t he been here for days? He must be starving,” I snap then gaze back at Ethan. “I am assuming that it was Archangel Gabriel who arranged the clothes then?”

“Oh, I don’t know. He just arrived like that,” Zacharias grumbles.
 

I shake my head as I look at Zacharias. “Can we get this organised immediately? Surely the monks can spare a bed with accessories and prepare some food.”

“Alright, alright. As I said, I am completely out of touch with their needs. I will organise this.” He steps out the door and turns to face me. “Just be on guard, alright.” His eyes flick to Ethan crumpled on the floor. “I know you care for him, but he is not the same as what he used to be.” He retreats out the door closing it behind him.
 

My eyes gaze over Ethan’s sleeping form. He does not stir, and I think that perhaps this is because he is feeling weak from lack of food, water and a good bed. My footsteps echo back at me as I cross the small empty stone room. When I nearly reach him, he suddenly turns, startling me for a moment into a statue.
 

Pale brown eyes stare up at me, and a frown creases his forehead. “Aurora?” He sounds confused.
 

I take a deep breath; here we go again.

Squatting down, I run my hands down the thighs of my dark blue and green pants finished with flecks of gold.
 

He sits and his black jacket opens revealing a white shirt underneath. Light stubble is growing on his chin and his top lip. His short, light brown hair is tousled from days without attention. It is a look I had grown to love over the years I was with him. He runs a nervous hand through his hair while his eyes never leave me, studying my face and clothes. “Is that you?”
 

I nod. That lump is caught in my throat again.
 

He scurries forward and throws his arms around me as I do him, and we embrace, neither one in a hurry to let go. My hand strokes through the back of his hair affectionately roughing it up the wrong way. His firm hands grasp my back and run up and down my sides.
 

“How are you here?” he asks his voice is breaking with emotion. “We buried you. You were . . . dead.” His chest pulses up and down as his body shakes with the release of pent up emotion.
 

I hold him closer, tighter. “You are correct.” I softly whisper as I hold his head firmly against my chest. “I am dead.”

He pushes away and looks at me, his forehead gathers. “Then how are you here?”
 

I hate going through all of this again, but to him it is the first time. As I gaze into his warm honey eyes, I am looking for the difference I was warned about. I cannot see it. I can only see my caring Ethan.
 

Keeping my eyes firmly on his, I say, “I am an angel.”
 

The frown on his face deepens.

Placing a hand gently on each side of his face, I continue gazing into his eyes expecting to see the shock register as I let out my wings. As soon as my wings spread to full capacity, it is my face that registers the shock. Something flicks across his face and his eyes have lost their warmth. I baulk, and I am about to pull my hands away when I find myself suddenly flipped and pinned against the floor. Hands press hard against my throat, and knees dig into my torso, holding me down. My eyes widen as I contemplate his angry face.
 

“Ethan,” I choke past the pressure against my oesophagus. My hands grasp at his wrists as I try to pry them away. Hurt barges its way into my heart as I assess the sudden change in his attitude. Struggling to see past the face that I love, I pull from my training and swipe my arm across my body using every bit of force, knocking off his secured arms. Using the momentum from his flying arms, I tilt with his weight knocking him off as I roll to stand. This feat would have been near impossible as a human female but having angel strength I had an advantage.
 

Standing with my legs apart I leave my arms dangling. Despite what had happened, it is still hard to process that my kind hearted Ethan has just attacked me. I stare at him as he climbs to a stand. His smouldering eyes never leaving me.
 

Not seeing the old Ethan return, I ask, “What’s going on?”
 

My response is a sneer, and the words do not come.
 

It must be part of the consequence from the removed conscience,
I think.
They did warn me that he would not be the same.
I didn’t want to believe it, but now I am staring at the evidence.
I want my Ethan back.
As I watch, the evil continues to flicker in his eyes, I long to insert him with a conscience but I hear Archangel Gabriel’s warning in my head, so I leave him.
 

He runs at me, forcing me to lift my hands in defence. Not wanting to hurt him I wait until he is upon me and step aside, watching him pass. I feel the little wells in the corner of my eye as he turns and glares at me, ready to attack again.
This is my kind hearted Ethan, the one who always protected his little brother, the one that always showed me nothing but love. What have they done to him?

Angry tears begin to trickle down my face when he takes another dive at me. I don’t want to stand here and fight him; rather I need to train to fight Separus so I can defeat the scum of a demon. When he is within kicking distance, I jump and kick a roundhouse to his head, knocking him out cold. As he falls to the floor, I land firmly on my feet and dive to catch him just before he hits the hard ground.
 

Instantly, I raise a hand to his head to check he is only unconscious and not vitally hurt. When I find he is fine, my breath gushes out.
 

Tears of anger and disappointed flow freely, as I say, “I promise I will get you back. I will not let them turn you.”

I lay him on his back onto the floor and sit beside him with my knees tucked into my chest, rocking back and forth. My eyes never leave him, studying his features on his face, longing for him to be the soul that I knew.
 

Behind me, the stone door grates across, Zacharias must have returned. I don’t intend on turning around until I hear shuffling of more than one set of feet. Joseph and Peter are dragging in a single mattress equip with bedding and Zacharias holds a meal in one hand and a bucket in the other. He takes one look at me, and a knowing crosses his wrinkled face.
 

“Went well I see,” his voice sounds as gruff as always but I see a flash of something else in his eye. For a moment, Peter and Joseph stop to assess the room then continue bringing the mattress inside.
 

I don’t feel like talking about it, so I stand and help Peter and Joseph. We lay it in the far corner, and I smooth over the sheets and bedspread then fold it down. With Peter at Ethan’s shoulders and Joseph at his feet, they scoop him off the floor and place him gently between the sheets. Removing his shoes, I fold the covers over the top of him.
 

Zacharias stoops down and places the food next to his pillow on the floor. “I guess he is not really in a condition to eat this now.”

“It will be okay to stay there for a fair few hours,” Joseph says. “This will not make him sick sitting that long in this coolness. I will bring some more food then.”

I peer into the bowl and see simplistic food of local bread, nuts, dried fruits and fresh cooked vegetables. Not exactly Ethan’s favourite foods but he will get by. Zacharias pulls out a bottle of water out of the bucket and places it beside the food, then walks to the far corner setting the bucket there.
 

“What is that for?” I ask.

“That’s his bathroom, apparently.” Zacharias grumbles as he pulls a face.
 

“Lovely,” I don’t bother hiding my sarcasm.
 

“Well, I’m not doing bathroom duty every time he needs it, and the monks will not be able to escort him as he will be too dangerous to them,” he grumbles. “And apparently they tell me the humans need to go to the toilet every few hours, if not more.”

I screw up my nose. “Okay, I get your point.”

Peter pulls something out of his monk clothing. “I believe he will need this.” I watch as he places the toilet roll next to the bucket.
 

I don’t want to know any more. We exit the door, and Zacharias closes it. In a way I am glad to leave the room, it pains me too much to see Ethan this way, but I know I will be back. At least he is safe enough for now.
 

Peter and Joseph bow slightly to Zacharias and walk away.

“Thank you,” I call before they rush away.
 

They turn back and smile.
 

“You should always thank them, Zacharias,” I chastise lightly. “They may be human, but in case you haven’t noticed they do help us.”

“They’re annoying,” he protests.
 

A half chuckle escapes my mouth. “You find everyone annoying, angel, human or demon.”

“So, do I thank you?”

“No, but it wouldn’t go astray when we do something beneficial or worthy of praise that you tell us that it is good.”

“You’ll be waiting a while.” His rough voice does not completely hide the slight softness I hear. I smile internally. Maybe Cindy was right. He will like us, eventually.

We reach the training room. Zacharias opens the door, and the stone slides across. He enters, and I follow. Once inside I see Cindy and Ben both sitting with their backs against the wall.
 

“You’re awake!” I cry out with joy. I am about to hurry to them wanting to embrace them when my eyes connect with Ben’s. His face is flat and unreadable, yet deep in his eyes I see hurt.
 

My face drops.
It is not like that.
I don’t know if he has his channel open, but I can still try until we get alone time together.
Relax. I just went to see if he is alright.
I am attempting to portray the message through my eyes also but his face doesn’t change, and he looks away.

- Chapter Seventeen -

Before I continue my training, I inject healing power into Cindy. My energy has not fully returned either so I only shoot a little into them.
 

Her face is paler than normal, and she leans her head against the wall. “I still wish I could do that,” she whines, but her eyes are not harsh or jealous.
 

I smile at her. “Don’t knock your gift Cindy. I would love to have your power at times.”

When finished, I give her a hug. “It is so good to see you awake again. You had me worried for a while.”

“It’s good to be back.”
 

I stand and go to Ben. He also slumps against the stone wall. “Your back must be cold, pressed up against that wall,” I say. “Would you like me to get you something to be a barrier for you where your wings don’t protect?”
 

He shakes his head.
 

I wish he would talk to me.
I squat down and place a hand on his chest. It is warm, and I feel his heart pulsating under my palm. I long to take him in my arms also, but I am not sure if he would accept a hug right now. “It is really good to have you back. You had me worried too, but then Archangel Gabriel told me that you were constantly talking to them, letting them know where we were.”

His blue eyes just stare at me remaining unreadable.
 

“Thank you.” I lean forward and give him a kiss on the cheek. Before I know it, I am breathing in deeply. He smells so good. Even after everything he went through, he still emanates freshly washed and right now, I yearn to kiss him properly as he often provokes me. Instead, I whisper in his ear, “Please talk to me. You know I need you.” I pull away and look back into his eyes. I think I see a softness forming in them, but I don’t push further. My hand remains over his heart, and I drive healing energy into him.