Then she noticed someone move in the shadows further away.
It wasn'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 Vincent said there are several ways.”
She 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. “No, 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.
“But he also told me that he is not my friend.”
“Meaning 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 idea,” 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!”
Chapter 27
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 concentrated 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 coming, 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 ma
n 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.
The 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.
Chapter 28
Where ever Inez looked, she saw chaos. The cave was filled with a grey fog, and the sharp, bright light from the harmless thunderbolts made her see stars. She desperately tried to blink them away.
To her right Aledyan fought with the younger man who seemed to be a very good fighter. On her left Cerin and Vorian did everything to avoid Vincent's and Yorin's attacks. Sadness and disappointment filled her heart. She had expected something, what she didn't know, but not this from Vincent. He went full on at Cerin who didn't seem to be used to fighting. Vorian did everything to defend his friend from the warlocks.
Despair was written all over Cerin's face, and determination over Vorian's. Their huge wings had disappeared, just like Aledyan's. Inez assumed it was easier for the angels to fight without them inside the cave. Vorian swung his huge sword and made Yorin jump back, but it was obvious that the warlock enjoyed himself. She could hear him laugh loudly before he attacked again. The younger man who tried to hurt Aledyan did the same thing.
It was also obvious that neither Yorin nor Vincent wanted to cause Cerin any severe damage. They didn't use any weapons or any magic against him, just their pure body strength, probably to weaken him and get him of balance so that they could take him down. Vorian, on the other hand, was hit full on. She heard him scream every time he got hit by some magical and painful spell. Burn marks were on his arms, and Vorian's handsome face was covered in his own blood. He became weaker and weaker with each blow, and Inez screamed on the inside.
Somehow Vorian managed to push the warlocks away from Cerin again. He placed himself between the other angel and the warlocks, but a few seconds of trembling on his feet was all it took for Vincent to see his chance. She had no idea how he did it, but one second he had stood in front of Vorian, and in the next he stood in front of Cerin. He quickly turned around, showing his back to Cerin. Vincent made a twist with his hand, and Vorian was sent through the air. He landed right on Yorin, taking the warlock down with him in his fall.
Inez heard Yorin curse, but she never took her eyes off Vincent. She saw him spin around again, facing Cerin and send the same shock wave that he had used on Vorian toward the angel. It knocked Cerin of his feet. Cerin didn't stand a chance.
Everything happened so fast. Inez barely managed to take two breaths before Vincent knelt beside Cerin. The angel looked dizzy, and pain was written all over his face. He placed his hand against the back of his head and made a grimace. Inez understood that he was hurt. The blood on his fingers told her so.
Determination was written all over Vincent's face when he placed his hand against the angel's naked chest, keeping him down.
Inez was breathing fast, and her eyes became big. What was he going to do? Was Cerin done for?
Vorian was still down, struggling with Yorin on the ground. He desperately tried to reach his friend, but Yorin stopped him. He made sure Vorian didn't get the chance to get up on his feet. Vorian screamed Cerin's name and tried to shake Yorin off himself, but in vain. The warlock was strong, way too strong for a regular human man.
Vincent started to say something to Cerin. Inez could see his mouth move, but she couldn't hear what he was saying. But the serious gaze in his eyes was unmistakable. Cerin calmed under the warlocks grasp and seemed to listen before he nodded with a grim expression.
Vincent suddenly looked straight at her. Inez jumped and wondered what was going on. She saw sadness in Vincent's eyes, as if he did all of this because he had to, not because he wanted to. But the look between them lasted for only a short second before Vincent lowered his head to look at Cerin again.
He grabbed the angel's arms and said something.
Cerin started to glow.
A red light surrounded his body. Vincent kept on talking, as if he chanted a spell, repeating the same words over and over again.
In the background Vorian's desperate calls for his friend intensified, but it didn't help. In front of her eyes, she saw Cerin become transparent.
And then he was gone.
Inez gasped and couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. She stared at the place where Cerin had been just a few seconds ago. There was nothing there now, only Vincent who still kneeled.
Vorian's frustrated screams turned into furious roars. He found his strength and managed to throw Yorin away from himself before he lunged for Vincent. Vincent didn't move from the spot. He let Vorian come for him.
Aledyan still fought with the younger man, and it was impossible to say how it would end. She wanted to do something, anything to make it all stop. Throwing the small rocks that lay on the ground next to her at Yorin and the younger man would do no good. If she had just had a branch or at least long nails to claw with ...
Something.
Anything!
The frustration grew, the desperation wasn't far behind. She began breathing hard, and it was almost painful. Stress lived like a burning fire within her. There was no sense of control anywhere. All she could do was watch.
Vorian was alone against Yorin and Vincent.
Aledyan was alone against the younger man who seemed to be as strong as ten men. Aledyan was thrown around like a bag. Scratch marks covered his pale skin and he also had burn marks. Some on his arms, some on his shoulders.
Vorian and Aledyan looked so tired. The warlocks were laughing. They were winning, and they knew it.
&n
bsp; But just when she thought the angels were done for everything changed.
Silence.
From one second to the other.
The light started to suddenly disappear. It was as if something had set off a huge suction of some sort, like a vacuum cleaner. Everything sped towards the cave’s exit, and she turned her gaze there. The warlocks and angels stopped everything and turned their gaze to the entrance also.
Everyone stared at the man who stood there. He was huge and dark, and his golden eyes showed no mercy. It was as if death had just walked in.
Chapter 29
“That's enough!” Adenar yelled. His deep voice echoed against the cave walls, sending goose bumps across Aledyan's skin. Adenar had one hell of a voice, but it also had an effect on everyone.
From where Aledyan lay, he saw several things going on.
Inez stared at Adenar. Her chin dropped, and her eyes became big. She looked him over as if she couldn't believe that an angel like him existed. Aledyan assumed she had believed, before they had met, that all angels had white wings and halos above their heads. Adenar sure broke that theory apart with his black wings, dark skin and golden eyes.
For a short second jealousy erupted in Aledyan's heart. The last thing he wanted was his woman to become interested in another. Once they got away from here, he would make sure that Inez never would need another man but him. He was her last, and that was final. But at the same time he knew she would never want another man again. Their bond was as final as his decision.
Simon was also on his back, a bit away from Aledyan. Aledyan had managed to push the irritating and annoying little warlock away from him. But Aledyan's legs had given in, and he had fallen to the ground, almost unable to stand anymore. His body ached everywhere. Simon started to get up slowly.
Yorin had Vorian pressed against the wall with his hand around the angel's throat. Vorian was badly weakened, but it was obvious that he would fight until his last breath. He kept on going. Vorian had surprised Yorin with a left hook. Yorin had groaned and bent his head in the direction Vorian's hit had sent him.
Angel in chains (Forever yours) Page 10
