Dawn.
Would she forgive me? I doubt it, since a mate is more than a choice. As much as I hate it, it’s fate. He is as much hers as I am, doesn’t mean I won’t try to kill the smug fucking bastard. My only consolation is that my wings are better. His look like fucking bat wings, while mine are soft and feathered. She seemed to enjoy them last time, my cock buried inside her as I wrapped them around her while we plummeted.
I groan, shifting as I turn, trying to ignore my now hard cock. I really shouldn’t think of my mate’s pussy when driving. I might crash and then I would scratch up my bike. It took me years to save up enough to buy it and customise it how I wanted.
I wonder if I could get Dawn one once this is all over, then she can ride beside me…no, I want her in front or behind me, wrapped around me, clinging to me as I speed across the world. Not alone anymore.
I pull up to the gates and wait for them to open and let me in. They don’t for at least five minutes as I idle there, and I instantly know what kind of mood the council is in—a testing one. They are wondering what I want. I wasn’t called, so they are showing me their power by making me wait.
Fucking bastards. I push back the darkness and madness, which is whispering for me to kill them all...not yet.
Finally, the gate swings open, admitting me to the sprawling manner. I pull around the fountain and park my bike out front. A little rebellion, but I know it will annoy them, disrupting their splendour and outward show of money and power. Standing back, I lean against my bike, knowing if I head inside they will punish me. Instead, I must wait outside like a dog called home, and often for hours. Once they left me out here for a full day even after ringing me to come back for a briefing. The fuckers. I used the time to debate all the ways I could kill them, and when I got bored I started flying loops around their fountain and doing target practice. It’s safe to say they never made me wait that long again.
They are quick for once, probably due to their curiosity of why I’m here. The door opens, and standing there is the council’s bitch. I stand tall and brush past him without a word, heading inside.
“Stop!” he calls, but I’m done with formalities. They are testing my patience and I can feel myself itching to rain holy fucking madness down on them. They can rip my damn wings off again, see if I give a shit, the smug assholes.
I barge through the marble reception area, ignoring the winding steps that lead upstairs, and instead head right to the waiting room. They won’t see me straightaway, but I’ll be damned if I sit there taking shit from that lackey. I head through the double doors and take a seat on the elaborate chesterfield sofas, purposely putting my dirty boots up on the spotless gold and glass coffee table between them.
I snort at the paintings in the room, all depicting battles the council members have won. There is one in the middle opposite me of the moment they took down the angel operation—the angel who gave life to me. They show him in chains on the floor as they lord over him, with children hiding behind the council like they’re their saviours. Fuckers, they don’t see themselves for what they really are. Us children were taken from one life of servitude to another, at least with the angel we knew what he wanted and he cared for us. We were his holy children, his reason for living, the council? To them we are nothing but disposable blades, something they wish to squash and mould into their own personal killers and most did. They gave themselves over, acting as nothing more than an assassin, no emotions or regret. No dreams of the future, just a blade to be wielded. Not me, I made a deal with the devil to save the one I loved and look where it got me…
Right under their boot and she’s dead. But now I have something else to live for, to fight for, and I’m back where I started, on a disadvantage under their boot. The only difference this time is that I’m smart enough to not let them know it. Or let them use it against me.
The door opens to reveal Veyo. He takes in my boots and narrows his eyes in displeasure, but he knows to pick his battles with me. “We weren’t expecting you, fallen, they did not call.”
I don’t reply and he stands taller.
“If you wish to see them, you will have to wait, they are very busy people and do not come when called like you, dog,” he spits.
I raise my eyebrow, my eyes undoubtedly melting into shadows as I try to rein in my anger. He huffs at my lack of response and turns his pompous ass around and leaves me there. Closing my eyes, I lean back and wait to be seen. I need to make them think I’m coming home, that I miss this place, and that I want to serve and be with my kind, but I can’t lay it on too thick or they will know I’m lying. It’s a fine balance between being an asshole and a servant.
I let my mind drift as I wait, trying to sit still, but there’s that pull again, that one to Dawn. She’s close, I can feel her, and I want to storm through the corridors, demanding to see her and killing those in my way. My fists clench at my sides as I fight off the madness and need.
Instead I sink into it, unable to resist as it wraps around me, drawn by where I am, my memories crowding my head, screams tugging at my consciousness. Mine and hers, and I roar and fight it, but it’s no use, it’s too strong, and without Dawn here I plunge into that pit, into the darkness...
“Griff, run!” comes her scream as she’s dragged away from me, her human arms frail as she beats at their armour to try and get to me, her brown hair whipping in the air, out of place. I idly think she would hate that. I stand there, my arms held on either side as she’s dragged kicking and screaming down the aisle to be thrown before their seats.
I follow behind her, rushing to her side. I push myself in front of her, my wings and arms spread wide, their golden chairs towering over me. “You promised! We have a deal!” I shout helplessly.
I look to my brothers, those who were raised with me for help. I search their faces, all blending together where they stand shackled around the neck like pets. But there is nothing left of them, they are blank soldiers waiting for orders. I stare at the council with a plea, anger coating my voice. “We had a deal!” Is it not enough that they took and killed my father, now they want to kill my human mother? Grief flashes through me. I made a deal, they have to honour it! My life for hers, she would be safe. I didn’t care if it would cost me, that I would be theirs to do with what they wanted. All my life I have been owned, hidden like a dirty secret, but behind closed doors...my human mother loved me.
I was the only one kept with her, allowed to be raised as my father looked on, stoic and calm, but with us he was so much more—loving, caring, a family. Now that is all gone. She grips my back and cries for me to run, even now worried for me, her human body weak and not enough to stand before them.
I see it in their eyes, in their faces as they watch me in disgust. They never intended to keep their end of the deal.
“This is a lesson to those who think they can betray us, who are above the rules...this experiment, this abomination, pleads for a human, for us to save her because only we can, but she’s nothing. A sheep, her purpose fulfilled. We can’t condone what happened, but we will not turn our backs on these children, these fallen...we will take them and train them, give them a purpose, but that purpose does not need a family, a mother. You are an experiment, a weapon, that is all.” He watches me as he speaks, and I want to scream as my arms are taken by forces stronger than me and I’m dragged before the beings in the seats and my mother. She reaches for me, crying, her blue eyes filled with so much pain and grief. “They do not require love or a mother, do not let them fool you, they feel nothing...just another illusion to gain sympathy. It speaks of a deal, as if we would make a deal with such an atrocity. Today I will show you how we will keep those new soldiers in line, with pain!” Some of the crowd cheers, but I don’t look away from my mother’s eyes as I feel my wings lifted up straight, and something cold pressed against the joint where it meets my back. What will they do to me? To her...