Angel in Chains (11 page)

Inez was tired and her body weak after two long days with almost no food and very little sleep. She had tried to save the food for as long as possible because she didn't know how long Aledyan would be gone.

Yorin had left
without another word shortly after he had used his powers on her, but she knew he would be back. He didn't seem to be the kind of man who'd just let this go, but she had no idea what he was planning. Some kind of trap, most likely. Aledyan seemed important to his cause, whatever it was.

Inez l
ay on Aledyan's bed with her eyes closed. She tried to feel as little as possible. She knew she would cry if she let her emotions come to the surface. But the damn chains were getting to her. They became heavier with each passing minute. She couldn't understand how Aledyan ever got used to them. The skin under the metal rings around her wrists was already itching. She tried not to scratch, but at a point she just had to, when it became too much. Now the area was red and irritated. A few more days and she would have unpleasant infections, but at the same time it didn't matter. By then she would be dead anyway.

Inez kept her eyes closed
, and pulled the blanket up to her nose. It didn't help at all. She still froze, just like she had done these two past days. It was cold inside the cave, and it frustrated her that the warm sunlight was just out of her reach. If the chains had been just a little longer, she would have been able to sit outside the cave and warm herself, but this was not possible.
She had to stay in here and wait, either for Aledyan, or death.

Inez never noticed when she fell asleep
, but the next thing she knew was that a hand was stroking her cheek. She yawned and moved against the hand. It was warm and caring, just what she needed.

“Wake up, my dear,” she
heard Aledyan's voice whisper.

Inez opened her eyes and blinked, taking in her surroundings. She was still lying on the bed, but now Aledyan
sat beside her, and he was smiling.

“You're back,” she said
and sat up, putting her arms around him while she gasped from joy. She leaned her head against his chest, and his arms closed around her. She felt safe and loved again. She felt it all in his embrace, every single emotion of caring that he had for her.

“You have to leave,” she
said. “Yorin will be back any minute.”

“Don't worry
. Everything is going to be just fine.”

Without
a second thought, she pressed her lips to his. He answered with a moan, and invited her inside his mouth. Their tongues touched, and the need for him grew fast. She longed for his touch, to feel him inside her, to let him take over and show her pleasures she had never experienced before.

A haze of feelings swept over her
. It was desire, love, lust and passion. He was the only one who could make her forget everything, but when she slipped her hand under his shirt he grabbed it and stopped her. Inez gave him a confused look. He was still smiling, but his body language told her to stop. Hurt filled every part of her soul. Didn't he want her after all?

Then
she noticed someone move in the shadows further away.

It was
n't just one person, it was two; two men who heard and saw everything they did. She blushed and lowered her head, feeling embarrassed, but the men didn't seem to be bothered with their kissing and hugging.

“Wow,” she heard
one of them say. “How did you manage to stay sane inside this place?”

The man
looked around before he came closer. Her eyes had become accustomed to the dull light inside the cave. It made it easier for her to see him. He was muscular build with wild, dark hair and a masculine face with plenty of sex appeal in his charming eyes and flirtatious smile. Aledyan seemed to keep a watchful eye on him, especially when the angel eyed her over without shame. He seemed to like what he saw. It made Inez feel uncomfortable. She wasn't used to someone ogling her like that, but when the dark haired angel noticed the chains around her wrists and the tears in her eyes, his smile faded away.

Inez got up from the bed.
Aledyan stood behind her with his hands on her shoulders.

“They are here to help,” he said. “Before the day is over we will all be far away from here.”

“Really?” Inez turned her head to look at him.

“Really,” he said with a smile.

She looked forward again. The other man came closer.

“I'm Vorian,” the dark haired angel said and gently touched her fingers, not really
grabbing her hand before he let go. Inez assumed he thought that she was in pain, and didn't want to hurt her further.

The second angel approached
, and her eyes became big when she saw him. He was huge! She barely reached his chest, and all the red in him made him look like a walking flame. And his wings were amazing! They seemed to sparkle in several red shades.

“I'm Cerin,” he said.

Inez swallowed and was unable to answer them. Instead she just nodded, but when Cerin came too close she pressed her back against Aledyan and gasped.

“Don't worry,” Aledyan said with a comforting voice. “Cerin is a healer. He will take care of your wrists while
we wait for Adenar.”

“Adenar?” Inez asked
.

“Another angel. He's
the only one who can set you free. He needed to prepare himself. He will be weakened afterwards, and I know that I ask much of him, but we have no other choice. He is your only chance.”

“But Vincen
t said there are several ways.”

S
he felt Aledyan tense behind her.

“Vincent?”
Cerin asked.

“One of Yorin's men,” Inez explained. “
I have met him twice. The first time he found me hiding in here after Yorin had knocked Aledyan out, but didn't reveal my presence. The other time was yesterday. He seemed eager to get me out of here.”

Aledyan
turned her against him. “I know who Vincent is. Inez, he is one of those who helped Yorin to imprison me. He has been involved from the start.”

Inez gave him a confused look.
“But ... he seemed to care.”

“
He never moved a muscle when Yorin tortured me. He is playing you.”

She shook her head. “N
o, I don't think so. I think he is trying to help, and that Yorin doesn't know about it. It was he who made sure I was drawn to this place. It was he who made sure that there were several ways to release me. He told me that. He has perhaps been in this from the start, but I think his intentions are different from Yorin's. He looked sad.”

Aledyan
looked stunned.

“B
ut he also told me that he is not my friend.”

“M
eaning that he can't be trusted, but he doesn't matter right now. You matter. As soon as Adenar gets here he will set you free, and we will leave this place once and for all.”

“While we wait I can take care of your wounds,” Cerin said.

Inez watched Cerin suspiciously. He grabbed her arms and moved his fingers as close to the wounds as possible. His big hands were warm, and he gave her a caring smile before the heat from his hands increased. It didn't burn her. She couldn't say it was very comfortable either, but when Inez saw the irritation disappear in front of her eyes she couldn't help but stare.

Vorian came closer and watched the process take place. “I know. It's not the most pleasant feeling, but it
works.” He grinned and winked with his right eye.

Aledyan immediately grabbed him by the arm
, giving the angel a threatening glare. “Careful. Don't flirt with her.”

Vorian's smile faded
, and he took a step back. He raised his hands in surrender while he stared at Aledyan. “Feeling possessive, my friend?”

“You have no ide
a,” Aledyan answered.

Inez stared also, but
at Aledyan. There was no doubt in his mind that she belonged to him, and that made her smile on the inside. She had an angel of her very own, and she loved it. How many could say the same thing?

Cerin removed his hands from her arms. “
Feel better?”

She nodded and gave Cerin a smile while she carefully
rubbed where he had held his hands. A strange and tingling feeling remained, along with the heat, but it slowly faded away.

“Well, well. Look what we have here!”

When Aledyan heard that voice, a cold chill went through him. He had come to hate that voice over the years, and he didn't need to raise his head to know it belonged to Yorin, but he did anyway. He stared at the warlock with hatred in his eyes, wishing that looks could kill. Vincent was with him, along with a young man with a naive look on his face. Aledyan had never seen him before, but he had learned never to underestimate warlocks.

“What a nice surprise,” Yorin said with a wicked laugh. “Two more angels to
drain. Aledyan, you really are too kind, bringing these gifts to me.”

“You wish,” Vorian said
, and a second later a heavy and scary looking sword manifested in his hand.

Yorin grinned
, his eyes flashed, and Aledyan saw the expectation grow within the warlock. He seemed to be looking forward to a fight. It couldn't be mistaken in his self-confident eyes.

Yorin started
to move around, never taking his gaze away from them. He was watching them, planning and grinning some more. Vincent and the other man didn't move. They remained silent as if they just waited for Yorin's instructions.

Yorin
looked Cerin and Vorian over before his gaze locked on Vorian. The angels tensed. They prepared themselves for anything, but Aledyan saw clear discomfort in Cerin's eyes. He hated to fight and avoided it if possible. He was a healer after all, not a fighter.

Yorin took a deep breath and concentrate
d for a while before he looked at Vorian. “Interesting, a warrior. There's a lot of strength within you, meaning a lot of power for me. I like that.” His eyes glowed.

Vorian made a disgusted face, but before he got a chance to say anything Yorin went on. He turned his
gaze toward Cerin, and his grin widened.

“Now
this is even more interesting. A healer, just what I have been looking for,” he laughed. “You have just given me the best present ever, Aledyan. Your friend there is everything I need.” His gaze hardened. “Meaning that the others will be of no use to me anymore.”

“You bastard!” Vorian yelled and
raised his sword to attack, but Cerin placed himself in the angel's way, stopping him from attacking the warlock. He gave Vorian a serious and threatening gaze, telling him to get a grip over himself before he turned his head toward Yorin.

“This is a battle you can't win, warlock. More of us are comi
ng, and you are only three.”

“Do you really think that you can stop me? Please, don't be naive.”
Yorin pointed at Cerin. “You will be mine, angel, and you will sustain me, forever.”

Yorin raised his arms
, and all hell broke loose.

Aledyan saw the younger man raise his arms
also, and in the next second an invisible force hit him, sending him flying through the cave, hitting the nearest wall. Pain surged through his body, and in the distance he heard Inez scream. His instincts took over. He needed to get to her, fast, to defend her from harm, but his head spun, and his wings ached. He barely managed to get up on his feet before the younger man came running toward him with a roar.

The man placed his
hands on Aledyan's shoulders, and the touch made Aledyan scream from pain. The hands felt like fire against his skin. They burned him, peeled off his flesh. Aledyan managed to push the man away and hissed when he saw blisters appear on his skin. He hadn't expected that. The man sure had a few surprises in store, and Aledyan didn't look forward to any of them. The stinging on his skin was enough.

The man
seemed to be in his early twenties, but Aledyan saw nothing but lust for power in his eyes. The madness and the nasty grin added to the impression.

“Who are you?”
Aledyan asked.

“You're worst nightmare, but you can call me
Simon.”

Aledyan snorted. Judging by
the man's appearance, he didn't seem to be anyone's worst nightmare with his pretty face, but his cold eyes told another story. His abilities as well. Not many could throw an angel across the room and burn with his hands. Simon was a dangerous warlock, just like Yorin.

Th
e cave became chaotic. Lightning appeared from nowhere, filling the cave with a thundering sound, and blinding him. It didn't do any damage, instead it seemed to be summoned only for distraction. Wherever it struck it made him jump and created a singing in his ears. He could barely see Simon's vicious grin. He seemed unaffected by the lightning. Aledyan couldn't tell who had summoned it.

He barely got the chance to look for
Inez, or get a grip on the situation. But through the bright light from the lightning, he saw Vorian and Cerin defend themselves against Yorin and Vincent. They were fighting for their lives, and it was obvious that Cerin was the target.

Inez seemed to be forgotten, which Aledyan was
thankful for. He got a glimpse of her pressed against a wall with fear in her eyes. Her gaze was locked on him. He was glad that she didn't try to intervene. There wasn't much she could do against three warlocks anyway.

Aledyan
knew that Simon wasn't going to let him go anytime soon. The man just waited for him to make a move, and Aledyan had a few ready for the young warlock. He had recovered from his two hundred year long imprisonment thanks to Cerin. Aledyan gladly showed Simon his real self, but his gaze returned to Inez all the time. He could see her mind working, wanting to do something to help. This was the first time, and definitely the last time, he was glad that the chains stopped her. He could see it in her eyes. If she had been free, she would have run toward him and thrown herself at Simon, without any second thought of her own safety. If something happened to her, he wouldn't survive it. She was his life, his soul, his everything, and he would die to defend her.

With a roar
, he threw himself at Simon.