The Broken Angel

by Monica La Porta

  “Leave her alone!” Samuel’s voice echoed in Martina’s ringing ear.

  She was grabbed by her shoulders and lifted from the ground. For a moment, she was airborne.

  Chapter Two

  Samuel ran to Martina’s side. Like a broken doll, she lay with her body sprawled on the pavement, and her head propped against the wall she had hit full force. “Martina?”

  Her breathing was shallow, and her eyes flicked open at the sound of his voice, but she closed them again a moment later. Samuel passed his hands over her body, scanning for broken bones and internal injuries, and was relieved to find none. In times like these, he was ever so grateful for the residue of what was left of his former talents, but it also angered him that his healing powers were gone. She moaned in pain. In frustration, he punched the wall behind her, when what he really wanted was to grind the three werewolf brats to a pulp.

  “What have you done?” He looked up at the trio standing a few meters from him.

  The shifters stared back at him with eyes slowly focusing on the scene. The siren grew louder, a flashing blue light already tinting the nearby walls. One of them let out a streak of blasphemies while the girl shook her head and the other boy looked paralyzed on the spot, hands covering his face.

  “Run.” The one who had just sworn grabbed the girl by her arm and pulled her away, then sprinted off. Soon, the second boy followed their example. He disappeared behind the archway as the police car entered the court.

  Less than half an hour later, Samuel had been admitted to the ER of the Umberto I Hospital and was waiting to be examined. He nervously sat on the edge of a hard bed, peering from behind a screen separating him from half a dozen patients. He and Martina had been separated as soon as the ambulance had reached the ER entrance. He had talked to her during the short ride and she had been able to say two or three words in a row, but kept dozing off.

  “So, what happened to you?” A nurse in her late twenties, a cute little thing with freckles on her nose and green eyes, smiled at him while waving a white light before his eyes. Her green scrubs had tiny hearts strewn across the garment and they seemed to float around as she moved.

  “Attacked by street thugs and saved by a knight in shining heels.” Samuel looked behind the woman’s shoulder. One of the nurses who had carried away Martina had just appeared in his line of sight.

  His nurse laughed. “So, it’s true what they’re saying. Women like her make all of us proud.” She scribbled on her notepad, then rolled a dark-gray band around his right arm to check his blood pressure. After reading his numbers, she nodded satisfied. “You’re in good shape.” She patted his arm and made to leave. “Besides the scare, you got out of the fight without a scratch. I can sign your papers for you to leave if you want.”

  He nodded. “Do you know where the lady has been taken?”

  The woman seemed to think about it, then winked at him and smiled. “Third floor, neurology.”

  He made to stand, but she applied pressure to his arm to halt him.

  “Wait, I’ll fetch you a wheelchair.” She left him for a few seconds then came back with a shiny wheelchair and promptly helped him in it. She secured his cane to the side of the chair, then pushed the screen out of the way and let him out. “Elevator at the end of the hallway, on the right.”

  Samuel wheeled to the third floor, then asked for Martina at the front desk. A nurse in her fifties, dressed all in white, told him only family members were allowed in the patient’s room.

  He understood protocol, but couldn’t leave the hospital without checking on her first. “I’m a friend of hers. My name is Samuel and—”

  The woman’s eyes lit in recognition. “Are you the Samuel she’s been asking for since she’s been admitted?”

  He smiled, pushing with the palm of his hand on the right wheel to move the wheelchair back and forth on the marble floor. “I must be. I don’t know if she’s into saving Samuels more than once per day.”

  The woman chuckled. “Come with me.” She left the desk and strode past him toward the end of a smaller, secondary hallway. She stopped before a door, opened it wide for Samuel’s wheelchair, then she walked to the opposite wall where Martina was lying on a bed under the window.

  Samuel navigated the narrow aisle and nodded at the two women resting on the beds closer to the door. Martina was awake and saw him coming. A smile formed on her face, soon followed by a grimace.

  “Do you need anything, sweetheart?” The woman helped Martina upright by sliding one arm under her back and raising her torso.

  Martina shook her head and thanked her.

  “We called your husband. He said he’d be here right away. He sounded very worried.” The woman gave Martina a maternal smile.

  Samuel’s heart plummeted to his stomach at the mention of a husband, then noticed the look of terror that passed over Martina’s face and wondered what the story was.

  She was fast in schooling her expression and lowered one corner of the linens to move both legs to the side of her bed free from the bars. “I feel much better and I have so many things to do today. I’d rather be home.”

  The nurse frowned. “A concussion is not something I’d recommend leaving unchecked. Wait for your husband to arrive at least, then decide what’s best.” She pointed at Samuel while giving Martina a smile. “Besides, this friend of yours really wanted to see you.” The woman checked Martina’s vitals, then parted ways with a nod to Samuel. “If she’s too tired to talk, you can come back later, okay?”

  “Okay.” Samuel moved the wheelchair aside to let the woman pass, then tried to position it flush with Martina’s bed, but between the bed’s bars and his own barriers, he couldn’t get as close as he wanted. He settled with leaning against the rails and reaching through the bars. “How do you feel?” He touched her skin. Since that first time he had sparred with Martina at Alexander’s, he had wanted to get to know her better, but never dared propose a date. He had limited himself to popping in at the gym whenever she came to train, helped by Drako, who found the whole situation amusing.

  “Are you in love with her or what?” Alexander had the habit of discussing the most intimate topics during their boxing fights.

  Samuel punched his friend straight on his jaw. “I like her.”

  Alexander grunted and smiled at the same time. “How many times do I have to tell you the face is off limits?”

  “Ravenna likes you no matter what.” Samuel evaded one of Alexander’s famous kicks and reached for the man’s midsection with a vengeance.

  “That’s the beauty of love, isn’t it?”

  Samuel’s thoughts went to Sahadeva and his betrayal. The look of disgust in his lover’s eyes had made him feel ashamed of his clipped wings more than any insult he could have thrown at him. “I want that. The ‘no matter what’ part.”

  “She’s human.” Alexander kicked him on his chest.

  “I know, but she seems different.”

  “Be careful.”

  “Of what?” Samuel snorted, then hit Alexander with a series of upper and lower jabs. “I’m already fallen. I can’t dig my hole deeper, can I?” He rotated his leg to the right to give his last kick a twist and sent Alexander to the mat once and for all. “Just let me know when she’s here, okay?”

  “You’re so cold.” He longed to warm her in his arms, but steadied his fingers instead, not to betray his desire.

  “I’ve been worse. Nothing to worry about. It’s just a concussion.” Martina gave her a second attempt at a smile, and once again she shut her eyes in pain.

  Samuel squeezed her hand, then released it on the linens. “You shouldn’t have tried to fight those guys.”

  “And leave you being beaten to death without doing anything?”

  Her voice was soft, but Samuel could detect the rage hidden behind her words. “I don’t know how to thank you. Not everyone would have come to my rescue. You were incredibly brave.” No one had ever put their life at risk for him. His eyes lingered a
moment too long over her mouth. He had been drawn by her pink lips since day one and would have settled for a brush, only to feel their softness over his mouth.

  She blinked, looked for a moment outside the window, then focused back on him. “Do you know those guys?”

  The late afternoon sun bathed half of the room in a warm light, and Martina glowed in the center of it. Her chestnut hair sparkled with golden threads falling mid-length over her shoulders. At the gym, she usually tied her hair in a ponytail, and he had always wondered how she looked with her tresses loose. A few hours earlier on the bus had been the first time they had met outside of the gym, and he had been granted one of his wishes. He itched to curl his fingers around one of the strands, but once again refrained from acting on his impulse, then tried to angle his chair to the side so he could see her face better.

  “No, I’ve never seen them.”

  “What’s happening with the world that kids would attack someone like you—” Martina blushed and brought a hand to her mouth. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to insult you.”

  “No offense taken.” Samuel shifted in his chair. He felt uncomfortable hiding his true nature from Martina. Because of that false portrait, she had endangered her life to save him. He grabbed the bar before him, resting his forehead on it. “You’re always nice to me—”

  A loud voice and equally loud, staccato steps interrupted Samuel. A handsome man in his late thirties wearing a business suit stormed into the room, his eyes zeroing on Martina, whose face became ashen. “Here you are. I can’t believe you did something so stupid. What were you thinking? Have you no sense of self-preservation at all?” He walked to her bed, seemingly not noticing anyone else in his path.

  The nurse, who had attended to Martina a few minutes earlier, stepped back in, her eyes on the newcomer. “Mister Severi, as I was saying, your wife—”

  The man didn’t turn to answer the nurse. He raised one hand, his eyes locked on Martina. “I don’t care what you were saying. Bring me a wheelchair. I’ll sign for my wife to be released and I’ll take her to a private clinic.”

  A stormy look on her face, the nurse pivoted on her heels and left.

  “I’m not going anywhere with you, Giulio. Please, just leave.” Martina had lowered her voice to a whisper.

  Samuel straightened against the back of his chair, unsure of what to do. He couldn’t be of help in his disguise.

  The businessman, whose last name sounded vaguely familiar to Samuel, neared the bed and towered over Martina.

  She seemed to shrink under his stare, but chest heaving, she shored up on her elbows. “You can’t force me to come with you.”

  “I can. You have a concussion and are unable to make decisions for yourself. As your husband, I was called to do so.” He leaned closer to her. For a moment, he shut his eyes and breathed in as if to inhale her scent.

  Samuel saw Martina recoil at her husband’s proximity. She was shaking, her fisted hands grabbing at the linens as she covered herself up to her chin.

  The businessman’s lips turned up into a cold smile. “You’re coming home now.”

  Samuel fought the urge to rise from his chair, summon his true form and his wings, and thrash the man to a pulp. Instead, he took advantage of the fact Giulio had taken no notice of the cripple in the wheelchair a mere meter away and reached for the button to call the nurse.

  ****

  Her face turned to Giulio, Martina saw Samuel’s hand stealthily move around her pillow. When the red button starting blinking, she could have kissed him.

  “What is it, sweetheart?” The nurse her ex-husband had rudely dismissed before peeked from behind the door.

  “How long does it take to find a wheelchair in this hospital?” Giulio stepped out from the bed, giving the woman his full attention.

  Martina was used to his ways, yet they never failed to anger her. With time, she had learned to ignore him. She gave the nurse a tentative smile, then grimaced. “My headache’s suddenly worsened.” She pressed the palm of her right hand over right eye. “I see red dots everywhere.”

  At her words, the nurse had promptly reached her bed. “How much pain are you in?”

  Martina closed her eyes shut, then moaned.

  “I’ll send for the doctor.” The nursed took her wrist, then shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think you can leave.”

  Martina’s heart soared. She moaned once again and opened her eyes to find Giulio staring daggers at the nurse.

  “She will leave at once.” Giulio stepped before the woman. “I know what she needs better than anyone.” He grabbed Martina’s free hand and squeezed. “Tell her you’re leaving with me.”

  His words triggered Martina’s memory of the first of many horrific nights she had endured under his care.

  “You won’t leave this bed until I say so.” Giulio pressed his fingers over her arm. He was drunk.

  “Please, you’re hurting me.” She had never seen him drunk. She didn’t even know he liked to drink.

  “Stop arguing with me and I won’t hurt you. Now, lay still.” His breath smelled of whiskey and cigarettes. He pushed her down to the mattress, then straddled her and finished ripping her camisole with his mouth.

  When his hands cruelly probed between her legs, she sobbed and tried to stop him from touching her more intimately by closing her knees. “Giulio, you’re scaring me. Please, stop.”

  He forced her legs open again. “You should’ve given me a son by now.”

  “I’m following the diet the doctor prescribed and I’m exercising to lose weight as you asked. I’m trying—”

  “You aren’t trying hard enough, you little whore.” He slapped her.

  She cried. The shock more than the pain.

  “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” He fell over her, looking for her mouth. “Forgive me, my love.”

  Martina received his kisses in a dazed stupor, unable to understand what had just happened.

  “She won’t leave until a doctor says so.” The nurse lowered her eyes to Martina. “I’ll make sure she checks on you right away.” She gave Giulio a daring look and hurried out of the room. Her back straight and her clogs squeaking against the marble tiles, she turned to send Martina a smile as she exited, leaving the door open.

  Giulio barely waited for the woman to be out of sight. “Gather your things. We’re leaving.”

  “No. You’re leaving.” Martina wasn’t standing, yet her legs were trembling. Old habits die hard.

  Giulio raised his hand toward her elbow, but Samuel was faster and intercepted his hand from between the bars. Taken by surprise, Martina stared at her unlikely rescuer.

  Samuel, his body angled sideways on the chair to keep his hold on Giulio, looked up at him. “You heard her.”

  Giulio sneered. “I see you’ve got a new stray.” He jerked his hand free from Samuel’s. “This doesn’t concern you, cripple.”

  Samuel didn’t flinch at the insult. “It does now.”

  Martina would have touched Samuel’s hand to caution him from saying anything else, but it would have made things worse.

  Giulio moved his eyes from Samuel to Martina, then started laughing in earnest while pointing a finger in Samuel’s direction. “Let me guess. That poor excuse for a man is the reason you’re here?” He suddenly shifted his weight from one leg to the other and lurched over Samuel, his fisted hand swinging low. The punch he threatened Samuel with hovered less than a centimeter from his nose. “I was just told by the police that my wife had to save you from three kids and you think you could stand up to me?” He laughed cruelly, then stared down at him for a few seconds. “Do you even know who I am?” He bent over, level with Samuel’s eyes. “I am Giulio Severi. I could send you to the emergency room and the police wouldn’t dare apprehend me.”

  Martina noticed that Samuel hadn’t moved a muscle throughout Giulio’ tirade. Not even when the punch had almost made contact with his face. Samuel’s gaze hadn’t faltered, only a vein on his throat throb
bed, betraying the emotions he must be keeping in check.

  Giulio, in his conceitedness, was still berating Samuel when the nurse came back followed by a doctor.

  “What’s happening here?” The nurse eyed the trio with a weary expression.

  Samuel wheeled around to face the woman and the doctor. “She’s feeling worse.”

  “Let me check your eyes.” The doctor, an older woman with taut features and a pair of no-frame glasses perched on her nose, had visited Martina upon her being admitted in the neurology ward. She passed Giulio to stand by the free side of the bed. “You look dazed.” She sat on the edge of the bed and leaned closer to Martina until her thin frame shielded Martina from the rest of the room. “Do you need help?”

  The whispered question startled Martina, but she was thankful and nodded, worried Giulio could be eavesdropping.

  The doctor turned to the nurse and tilted her head to the side, then turned to face Martina, patted her hand, and stood. She gestured for the nurse to come closer. “I’m afraid we’ll need to keep her the whole night. I’ll order a few exams to be on the safe side.”

  Martina watched as Giulio listened to the doctor, his rage visibly growing. “I’ll take her somewhere else where she can receive better treatment.”

  The doctor ignored him. Instead, she took a step toward Martina. “I recommend against leaving these premises.”

  “I don’t want to go anywhere. My head’s hurting so much.” Martina was telling the truth. Even if she hadn’t smashed her head against a wall, she would have experienced the same searing pain between her eyes. The migraine specialist had told her they were triggered by stress. Even without laying a hand on her, Giulio still had the power to make her feel physically ill.

  “You should come with me. I know what’s best for you, my love.” Giulio had the audacity to take her hand and caress it.

  She snatched it out of his hold, her stomach cramping. “I feel nauseous.” She looked at the nurse from behind Giulio’s frame. “Could you please help me reach the bathroom?”

  The nurse rushed immediately to her side. One hand on Martina’s forearm, the woman pulled her up, then accompanied her to the lavatory. Once inside, she closed the door behind them, her eyes worried. “Do you want me to call the police to get rid of your husband?”