Broken Wings (Hidden Wings Series Book Two) (15 page)

Heck yeah. I was
all for that, and ready to leave…like yesterday.

“We
will
not
leave,” Samuel yelled back. “And if you do not let us pass, we will have to kill you.”

Holy Crap! He
did not just threaten that ginormous horrifying beast. He was asking for a death sentence!

The creature began to laugh loudly
. So loudly that everything around us began to quake again, sending more sharp rocks crashing down around us.

Kade grab
bed my arm and pulled me down, bending over me, shielding me.

“
You? Kill me?” The creature roared with laughter. “Why do you think Lucifer assigned me as watcher of this gate? I’ll cook you with a breath, and then eat you. And when I’m done, I’ll pick my teeth with your bones.”

Samuel and Danye
l looked at each other for a moment. They looked like they were pondering his advice. Were we going to leave? I seriously couldn’t tell. Then, Samuel whispered something into Danyel’s ear, and there was another brief pause. They looked at each other and then burst into laughter.

I watched the
creature’s eyes flame with malice.

“W
atcher of the gate,” Danyel announced loudly. “You have done your job well, until now. But I’m deeply saddened to announce that you will be relieved of your duties this day, and for the rest of eternity.”

Oh G
od. They were seriously flirting with death. I hoped they knew what they were doing. They were used to fighting in battles together, and hopefully had some kind of a plan. If they didn’t, I’d be running toward that exit just as fast as my legs could carry me, hopefully with my feet intact after running over the razor sharp rocks.

I glanced
behind me to see if I could find the easiest route out, but there was no easy route. It was a nightmarish maze of razor sharp rocks, and I was shocked that we’d even made it this far.

“Hey, don’t worry about them,” Kade whispered in my ear. His
warm breath on my cheek sent tingles through me.

“Are you seeing that creature? Look how huge it is
, and it breathes fire. They’re gonna be toast. Burnt, crunchy toast!” I breathed, and then looked into his hazel eyes. He was smiling, like he knew something I didn’t. “Am I missing something?”

“
Emma, they’ve been trained from before the Fall, and have been in battles for centuries. They are two of the best warriors, of Angel and Fallen, that have ever lived,” he whispered.

I stood there
staring at him. My father and his best friend were not only centuries old, but two of the greatest warriors that had ever lived. Wow. I turned towards them and looked with a new admiration. They didn’t look old, not even close. Their bodies were fit, tanned, muscular, and glistening with sweat. I shook my head in complete disbelief.

“
You insignificant scum. Prepare for your death,” the creature roared, baring its razor sharp teeth. Liquid dripped from its mouth and as soon as it hit the ground it burst into flame.

It
s eyes burned an even brighter red, as I watched it crouch, ready to strike again. It suddenly leapt at Danyel, but Danyel ran and slid under its belly, popping up behind him.

With a
quick swish, its scorpion tail whipped over its head and smashed right next to Samuel. Over and over it struck, but Samuel dove and rolled across the sharp rocks, dodging every strike.

I didn’t realize I was holding my breath until I exhaled a loud sigh of relief when Samuel was finally out of its reach. 

I watched Danyel raise his sword and slice the creature’s tail. A blood-curdling roar reverberated off the walls, sending even more rocks crashing down around us. Fire spewed from its mouth like a flamethrower, torching everything in its path. I was horrified as I saw the flames heading toward Samuel.

“Samuel!” I screamed. He looked at me and grinned
.

In a second, the most beautiful black wings appeared from his back and wrappe
d around him. The creature aimed its fiery breathe toward him. I screamed as his body was engulfed in flames, but Kade put his hand over my mouth.

“He’s
alright, Emma,” he whispered.

My instincts were to run to Samuel, but Kade held me back.  

And then… the most horrifying thing happened next. The creature fixed its fiery eyes onto me and Kade. We didn’t have anywhere to hide.

As I watched its chest expand and its mouth open, my life flashed before my eyes.

We were going to be burned to death.

I
quickly turned and looked into Kade’s eyes, and hugged him tightly. His eyes were steeled on the creature. 

I
n an instant, I felt a searing heat.

Burning.

Excruciating.

I gritted my teeth and
felt Kade lift me. He turned me around from the heat, and took the flames directly on his back.

I felt him groan,
and watched his face wince in pain. I couldn’t watch, and wouldn’t allow him to die for me, not like this. I pulled him, trying to turn him away from the flames, but he held me tightly in place. Hot flames engulfed us, but he kept his arms wrapped tightly around me.

“Kade!” I screamed.
“Kade move!”

But he didn’t move, or say a word
. He just kept me steady, away from the flames. The heat was almost unbearable, but then it… suddenly stopped and we were covered in darkness.

In
a few moments, there was light again. Samuel had come and shielded us from the scorching heat with his wings.

Another loud scream
sent shockwaves over the ground. Danyel had sliced the creature’s belly and injured it, but it was now pissed.

“Emma, I have to help Danyel. I’ll be right back,” he said, with a look of concern on his face.

“Okay, but please hurry,” I urged. “Kade needs help.”

“I will,”
he said, before taking off in a split second.

Kade
’s eyes suddenly rolled back and he became limp. I tried to hold him up, but he was too heavy, and we both fell to our knees.

“Help!” I screamed
, but they were busy battling the creature.

Kade moaned and then slumped over, unconscious.
I caught him and placed his head on my lap, and that’s when I noticed his back. My stomach lurched and I began to sob. It was the most horrific sight I’d ever seen.

The back of his
shirt was gone, completely melted, along with his skin. All I saw was charred flesh, and bones, and blood oozing from the massive wounds. My heart broke, thinking of the pain he was enduring. Thank God he was unconscious right now.

In a flash
Samuel was back, standing next to me. 

“Emma, when he wakes
you’ll need to give him the potion from his vial. It will help ease some of the pain,” he said, placing his arm around my shoulder.

“Is
he going to die?” I sobbed. Just the thought was killing me inside.

“No, Emm
a. But he’ll need that potion as soon as he wakes. Do you understand?” I nodded, and looked into his deep brown eyes, mesmerized for a moment. I knew there was something familiar about him, the first time we met, and now I knew why. I had his eyes. “You’ll need to be strong now, strong for him, strong for all of us.”

“I will,” I whispered.

Samuel leaned forward and kissed my forehead. He started to rise, but paused. “I’m proud of you, Emma. I’ve always been. I’m sorry I never had the chance to be a father to you, and I do wish things were different,” he said with sad eyes. He jumped up and was gone before I could answer him. 

Tears cascaded in
waves down my cheeks. I wanted to tell him that it was okay. I wanted to tell him that even though he wasn’t there for me before, he was now. I wanted him to know that I loved and appreciated him. I hope he knew.

It wasn’t his fault that he fell in love with Alaine. And it was absurd to
think their love was forbidden, and that their love child, me, was even more forbidden. It was no wonder why they wanted me dead. At least the good angels sent Guardians to protect us. 

Kade
moved slightly and moaned in pain, and I didn’t know what to do. His eyes suddenly popped open, and he tried to get to his feet.

I grabbed hold of his arm to keep
him down.

“Don’t move,” I sobbed
. “Please don’t move.”

He raised his head; his
hazel eyes were bloodshot, and riddled with pain. I reached in his pocket and pulled out his blue vial, twisted the cap off, and held it to his lips. “You need to drink this.”

He
didn’t refuse and took a sip.

W
hen he was done, I noticed there was only enough for a few more doses, and we hadn’t even made it past the first level yet.

A wave of d
oubt crashed over me, drowning my hopes. How was Kade going to survive through the rest of the levels without the potion? I wasn’t even sure if he could stand, let alone walk. How were we supposed to go on? There was
no way
I was going to leave him. No way in hell.

“Hey,” he said softly
, breaking my sudden panic. I knew he was in much more pain then he was allowing me to see.

“Kade, I’m so sorry. You shouldn’t have turned around. This suit would have been able to take the heat,” my voice trembled.

The flesh on his back had completely melted off, his bones were showing, he was bleeding, and yet, he still managed to hide the pain and make me feel like everything was going to be okay.

“I wasn’t about to take that chance,” he breathed. His breaths were shallow and his voice was weak.

“
How are you feeling?” I asked. That was an extremely stupid question, and I knew it the second it left my lips. He wasn’t good. He should be in a hospital, in critical care.

“I’ve had better days,” he laughed, and t
hen winced in pain.

“You can’t go on. You need to go back
and let Alaine help you,” I said. I didn’t want Kade to leave me, but even more than that, I wanted him to get the medical attention he needed.

“No,” he said shaking
his head.

I knew he’d say no. He wa
s my Guardian and thought it was still his duty to stay and protect me. 

“You need
to get help, Kade. You’re severely burned, and we don’t have much potion left. I don’t even know if you can walk, and we still have a long, long way to go. There is no way I’ll be able to leave you. You have to go back,” I pleaded.

“I’m not leaving you, Emma. I’ll be fine. Just give the
potion a moment to take effect and I’ll be able to move.”

I knew the potion should have already taken affect. It was instant, but showed that it was barely taking away his pain.

An ear-piercing scream sent a shiver up my spine. Samuel had just removed the creature’s stinger from its tail. The creature was pretty sliced up and bloodied. Its golden fur was soaked with crimson blood, and one of its horns was missing. There were several deep gashes across its sides.

“If you let us pass, we will let you live,” Danyel said,
with his sword held to the creature’s neck.

“Even if you l
et me live, Lucifer will kill me for allowing you pass,” he growled. “I’d rather die by your sword, than to be tortured forever in this Hell.”

Danyel looked up to Samuel, and Samuel gave him a slight nod.

The creature lowered its head to the ground and closed its eyes. Danyel raised his blade into the air, and in one, quick fluid motion his sword came down, severing the creatures head from its body. It happened so fast that if I blinked, I would have missed it.

Danyel
stepped away and wiped his blade. I almost had pity for the creature, until I heard Kade moan. And then, I was glad it was dead. It had gotten well what it deserved, and was lucky it didn’t have to suffer like Kade was.

Danyel and Samuel hurried back
to us, and their faces grew wide with concern as they noticed Kade’s back. Samuel knelt next to me, resting his hand on my shoulder, and Danyel stood behind Kade. His eyes were deeply troubled.

“
Kade, have some of my water,” Danyel said, bending down to hand him a flask.

Kade drank, and I could see a bit of relief on his face as the ice-cold water touched his
lips.

“That needs to be
tended to,” Danyel said, looking at Samuel, gesturing to Kade’s back.

“Is there any
potion left?” Samuel asked.

“There is enough for a
bout two more doses,” I replied, handing him the vial.

Samuel
took it, unscrewed the cap, and then leaned over Kade, pouring most of what was left of the liquid onto Kade’s burns. Kade’s jaw tightened and the look on his face told me he was in agonizing pain, a pain I wish I could help relieve or take away. I watched, helpless, my heart shattering. That should have been me, but because of Kade, and the suit, I barely had any burns. Whatever I had would probably be healed by morning.