The Hunted One (End of Days, 1) by Meg Collett

Author:Meg Collett
Language: eng
Format: epub

22

Asz looked like hell in every way possible. His drooping, black wings made him a shadow, a spot of darkness easily overlooked. Dull, inky eyes stared down at Michaela, unblinking and uncomprehending. He reached to touch her face, but his hand paused, and a tremor ran down his body.

“Michaela. Michaela,” he whispered. “I’ve been looking for you. I thought I wouldn’t find you in time. But here you are. You found me.” He swayed. Michaela resisted to the urge to steady him.

“Michaela?” Clark echoed. His body was wired tight beside Michaela, his eyes darting from the angels to the empty hallway.

Michaela’s slick, sticky hand still grasped Clark’s arm. Her shirt, soaked with her blood, stuck to her shoulder where the poison burned deeper into her muscles. Her vision was blurring, but even if she could have seen clearly, she wouldn’t have recognized Asz.

The angel in front of her was lifeless and certainly posed no physical threat. Even his feathers had no gleam, as if he might disperse into a legion of floating feathers any moment. He looked like a dead man walking.

“It’s fine, Clark. This is Asz,” she said.

“I know who he is,” Clark said.

“Let’s talk in the office.” Michaela motioned to the door from which she and Clark had just catapulted. She steered Asz into the room, and Clark softly shut the door behind them, sliding the lock into place. Asz saw the slain Siren and cringed away.

“A Siren tried to suck out Clark’s soul, which I thought was interesting considering they were forever damned to eternity in Hell.”

“They were freed.” Asz’s lips barely formed the words.

“Asz, what happened?” Michaela couldn’t help her anger. Asz had been the only angel in the cave the night Molloch attacked her, who might have helped her. Instead, he had left her with Molloch’s body, knowing Lucifer was coming to take her wings. “Asz!”

Michaela was shaking Asz before she realized what she was doing. Her shoulder protested, the torn skin pulling and oozing blood and mucus.

“Michaela,” Clark said. He pulled her away from Asz. “Give him a minute.”

Asz shrank away, chewing on his fingernail and bobbing his head. His shrunken form folded in on itself. “I’m so sorry. I’m so…so…confused. I don’t understand anything anymore.”

Michaela sighed and Clark let her go. She had expected the fallen Archangels to be happy and thriving under Lucifer’s thumb. She had prepared to hate them for it. But she couldn’t hate Asz like this, so broken and hollow.

“It’s okay. I’m sorry too.” Michaela touched Asz’s arm. His eyes were hopeful when they met hers.

“That’s why I needed to find you. I want your forgiveness, Michaela. I need it. I know I don’t deserve it, but…” Fighting tears, Asz searched the room.

Michaela took his hand and squeezed it. “It’s okay, Asz. This whole thing was out of your control. I don’t blame you for what happened in the cave.” The words were hard to say, and the angry, bitter part of Michaela resisted speaking them. But forgiving Asz was the right thing to do.

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