Broken Wings (Hidden Wings Series Book Two) (25 page)

I exhaled
and focused my eyes on Dominic. There was blood everywhere, but he was still fighting hard to release his arm from the Hell Hound’s death grip. Every second he looked like he was getting weaker and weaker. He tried to release the sword he’d embedded in the creature’s eye, but it was stuck.

I ran toward him as fast as I
could, hoping he would be able to hold on until I reached him. His arm looked like it wasn’t going to hold out much longer. The creature had nearly dismembered it, torn it to shreds, and burned it.

I lifted my dagger and
prayed it would hit its mark.

As I neared them, I jumped up behind the creature, and thrust my dagger
into the back of its neck. I pushed down with all of my might. The sharp blade found its mark and easily went through the creature’s thick skin.

The hound yelped
in pain and immediately released its grip from Dominic’s mangled arm. It looked around and had no idea what just hit it, because I was still invisible. I gripped the handle of my dagger and pulled it from its neck. Its cries pierced my ears. I raised my dagger again, and thrust it down, from one side of the Hell Hounds neck, straight through to the other, taking its head completely off.

At that moment
I felt strong. Stronger than I’d ever felt before. Total kick ass.

I had just slayed one of those Hell Hounds single handedly and
saved Dominic. Damn. We just might be able to survive.

Three dead
Hell Hounds and three to go.

Dominic’s eyes were furrowed, with a
deep look of confusion in his eyes. He was completely baffled at what had just taken place. He had no clue that I was there, or that I’d just saved his life. 

I reached down and touched Dominic’s should
er, and watched his body disappear.

W
ithin seconds I could see his hazy figure. He glanced at me, his eyes became wide, and after a few moments, he grinned.

“Emma?” he asked.

You need to get out of here. Hurry.”

“Emma, you just slaughtered
that Hell Hounds ass,” he smiled and shook his head. He then winced in pain, so I released. He took off his shirt and wrapped it tightly around his bloodied appendage. I was glad he did because I didn’t think I could take seeing the mutilated flesh and bone hanging from his arm. Within seconds it was soaked and dripping with blood.

I
touched him again, making him invisible, and helped him to his feet. I made sure to keep a hand on him as we made our way back to Samuel. My heart dropped as we got closer and I noticed that Samuel wasn’t there. I quickly glanced behind us, and saw him standing between Danyel and Malachi.

They were all
standing back to back, crouched, with their weapons drawn. Three warriors against three beasts.

I helped D
ominic take cover behind the boulder and then I let go of him. He was safe for now, but my job wasn’t finished. I needed to help my father and my friends.

“Emma,” Dominic called out
. I stopped and turned back to him, but then realized that he couldn’t see me.

“Yeah
?” I answered.

“Thank you.
”

“You
’re welcome,” I answered.

“T
hey need you. The Hell Hounds can’t see you coming. Just stay away from those teeth. We don’t want them turning any part of your pretty little self into hamburger.”

“Deal,” I answered, and headed toward the others
.

I couldn’t explain
all of the emotions that were running through me as I watched my father and friends surrounded by those horrifying beasts. They were growling, and snapping their sharp teeth, setting up their next attack.

There was one Hell Hound
which was larger than the others. I noticed that the other two kept turning their heads toward it, like they were looking for confirmation on when to strike. The larger creature lowered its head. Its eyes were set on Danyel. The other two had marked their targets and were also ready to strike.

I was moving as quickly as possible and was now about fifteen yards away.

It was now, I wished I could call on some super speed.

With a loud growl, the large one shot forward. Samuel was right. They did move like the wind, and were so fast that their movements were blurred.

Samuel, Danyel and Malachi all dove in
opposite directions as the beasts made their attack. It seemed like all had missed, until I heard a bloodcurdling cry.

The larger beast had pinned Danyel down. His sharp claws were embedded into his
chest, and his face was inches from him.

I gasped in horror.

My heart hammered against my chest as I ran toward him. I held my dagger tightly in my hand, ready to stab the beast, when I was knocked from behind. I went flying forward, and my dagger flew from my grasp as I slammed into the sharp rocks.

“NO
!” I screamed. Malachi’s beast had pounced out of nowhere, knocking me down.

“Danyel!” I scr
eamed, glancing over to him. He had lodged his weapon into the creature’s side, but it did nothing to stop the attack. Danyel struggled to push it off, and to get out from under its weight, but his efforts were useless.

I shot up,
and quickly searched for my dagger. It was lying about five yards away, in the opposite direction of where Danyel was. I ran to it grabbed hold of it and turned back toward them.

The creature’s claws were still
locked in his chest. Danyel lifted his arm to shield his face, but the creature sunk its teeth into it.

“Danyel!” I screamed
. Danyel turned his head toward me, like he knew I was there. “Danyel!” I cried, charging toward him.

He was still facing me when
he smiled. He smiled, but his eyes showed a deep sadness.

“Be strong
, Emma. Take care of your father for me,” he yelled.

And
then… my heart shattered. 

I helplessly watched as the Hell Hound
released its teeth from Danyel’s arm, and sunk its teeth deep into his throat.

“NOOO---!” I screamed in comp
lete and utter terror.

Danyel’s eyes
shut tight, and in one quick snap, the Hell Hound tore his head from his body.

My body dropped to the ground
, numb, as I watched the beast take his head and crush it between its jaws.

Shock.

Horror.

Sorrow.

Pain.

N
ot just any pain… excruciating pain radiated through my entire being, crushing my heart to powder.

Every negative emotion
ever known or experienced to man had overcome me. I sat there, completely numb, and watched the vile creature mutilate my father’s best friend. My friend.

And then,
I began to experience a whole new set of feelings. Feelings that began to blaze, like a huge inferno, inside of me. Feelings that soon torched and overtook all other feelings inside of me, filling me to overflowing.

RAGE.

HATE.

REVENGE.

I grasped the dagger in my hand and rose to my feet. The creature had no clue what was coming. I was a few yards away and there was too much blood on his muzzle for him to smell me. I sucked in a deep breath, let out a loud yell, and charged toward it. I jumped up and with all my might, thrust my dagger deep into its skull. I felt the splintering of bone as the dagger went through. The hound shrieked in pain, and violently thrashed its head, sending me flying backward.

It growled, and snapped at the air
around it, trying to figure out what had just hit it. I noticed Danyel’s sword, still embedded in its side, and my fears were again extinguished by the rage.

I jumped
up and tightly grasped the handle and yanked it out. The creature wailed, but was already fading from the injury it sustained from my dagger, which was still lodged in its skull.

W
ith every last ounce of hate and revenge I had in me, I swung Danyel’s sword. I swung so hard that the blade tore right through the creature’s neck, and I watched with complete and utter satisfaction as its head fell, and its lifeless body dropped to the ground.

A
s gratifying as it was to see the creature dead, the fact still remained. Danyel was also dead. His lifeless body was trapped under the weight of the beast.

T
his time he wasn’t able to heal himself, and would never wake up.

But I
still had to snap out of it. My job wasn’t over.

As I glanced back,
Malachi’s beast had faced me. Its eyes were steeled on its slain leader, which was now dead and headless. As it paused, I saw the opportunity and took it. With every ounce of strength I had left, I lifted Danyel’s sword and swung. I swung with one purpose. My eyes locked onto my mark. In a split second the next beast’s head was severed from its body, and tumbled to the ground, a few feet away from the other. I had now slain three Hell Hounds.

Malachi stood bewil
dered, looking around him at the carnage left by me, who was still invisible.

One beast remained.

“Malachi,” I yelled. “It’s me, Emma!”

“
Emma? Where the hell are you?” he called, looking around in all directions.

“I’
m in front of you. Invisible. But you need to help Samuel!”

He turned
to Samuel.

The last beast was fast, dodging
all of Samuel’s advances, but Samuel was also dodging its deadly teeth.

“Don’t worry, Emma. Wherever you are. Just stay put. I’ve got this,” Malachi said,
then charged to Samuel’s aide.

The beast was outnumbered. Samuel and Malach
i gave each other another nod, as if they already had some sort of plan already figured out. The beast charged at Samuel, snapping its razor sharp teeth, but Samuel side-swept it. At the same time, Malachi flew from above, and took its head off.

It was done.

The Hell Hounds had been defeated, but we’d also lost one of ours in the process.

I
watched as Samuel glanced over to Danyel. His companion, partner, and best friend since the beginning. Since the Fall.

Danyel
didn’t have to come back to help us. I knew he came back because of my father, and because Kade had asked him to make sure I was safe. I didn’t care if he was one of the Fallen. Danyel was a good Angel. He was a true friend, and Guardian, and I hoped that God had seen what he did and would reward him.

I
suddenly felt the emotions, which I had blocked out, flood over me once more as we stood and looked at Danyel. I hated my new life. I hated that there was so much death and pain in it.

Why?

Why me?

Why couldn’
t I have been left alone to live a normal life?

I didn’t want
to be a hero, or the answer to some crazy prophecy. I was seventeen, dammit. I just wanted to live a normal life. I wanted my parents, and my best friends, Jeremy and Lia, and a boyfriend. Just a normal boyfriend who I could be with, without any crazy supernatural laws being involved.

I glanced at Samuel, but immediately had to turn away from him
.

I couldn’t bear to watch the
pain that was deeply embedded in his eyes. As I looked down, I realized that I’d become visible again. The suit had saved me again, but it was useless when I needed to save Danyel.

I walked over to Samuel and hugged him
tightly. He wrapped his arms around me while I wept.

“I’m so
sorry,” I sobbed.

“It’s alright, Emma. You don’t need to shed
any more tears for Danyel. He wanted this. His suffering is now over, and he will be able to rest in peace,” Samuel answered.

He and Malachi removed Danyel’s body from beneath
the Hell Hound, and carried it over to where Dominic was. Malachi had found Kade’s flask attached to Danyel’s body, and it was filled. I wished it worked on Immortals, because Dom really needed it. At least I knew he was going to live.

Samuel made me take a drink, and a
s soon as the liquid magic touched my tongue, I instantly stopped shaking. Its effects were fast, and tingled as it made its way through my battered body. It helped stabilize me, and I needed that. I was broken. We all were.

They
carefully laid Danyel’s body out, and built up a small wall of stones around him. We all gathered around him, and Samuel began to recite some ancient words. They were beautiful, poetic, and melodic, but I couldn’t understand a word he was saying. He was speaking in another language. The language of the Angels.

As soon as Samuel
finished, Danyel’s body burst into flame. I didn’t question it. I just assumed that it was all part of the process of burying a fallen member.