A Beautiful Evil (A Beautiful Book. 1) #Wattys2015

Chapter Twenty-One - Seeing Violet

"He sure knows how to go out with a bang, doesn't he?" muttered Charles from behind, his hand on my shoulder.

I didn't answer. I was shocked by what just happened. Was it really that easy to get into purgatory? It couldn't be. But Avery sure made it seem that way.

Heaving a sigh, Charles walked over towards the man that was still clothed. Unconscious. His feet made soft imprints in the warm sand.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"I need new clothes," he replied, gently easing the man's arms out from his shirt. It was white with gray stripes. "I'm not going to flaunt around my true identity in Purgatory. Do you have any idea on the demons and Fallen Angels that live there, banished either by God or your father?" He moved down to the pants. "If they find out who we are, they could easily capture us and hold us for ransom or something."

"Do any of the demons there know you?"

He looked at me over his shoulder, now working on the man's socks and underwear. He shrugged."I don't know. Maybe a few. Your father kept you in the dark for a long time, didn't he?"

I thought back to the little white feathers sprouting on my wings. "Yeah, maybe too long."

Charles chuckled. "Perhaps. But luv, if you wish to see me in the nude for a second time, feel free to watch. I'm not going to stop you. But I really need to Shift and change so..."

Blood rushed to my face. "Oh, um. Okay, yeah." I turned, listening to the sound of his chain mail fall to the desert floor, and the soft scratches of clothes being pulled over skin, followed by a few grunts.

"You can turn around now, luv."

I did, and he was his normal self again. No more black wings, and sharp pointed cheek bones. His blue eyes caught mine. "So, how do I look?" He splayed his arms out to the side. I gave him a look over. He wore the striped shirt and soft, denim jeans that were a little worn at the knee. He wore brown leather shoes on his feet.

"You look... nice."

He chuckled. "Nice, huh? Not the word choice I was looking for, but I assume it'll do for now." He flashed me a wild grin.

I smiled back, feeling the corners of my mouth stretch into a smirk.

Breaking eye contact, he glanced down at the two naked men and woman. "So, wanna get the show on the road, luv? I'm guessing Avery is waiting for us on the other side. And you know he's not a patient man."

I sighed, pushing down the feeling of dread and excitement rising in my chest. I pulled the blade my father had given me out from between my waistband and hipbone. It seemed to glow in the sunlight. I looked at Charles, and he was inspecting his identical weapon too.

The man that Avery killed was still looking at me, though his eyes were glazed over and tiny particles of sand stuck to his tongue and lips. His neck was a mess of blood and gore.

A shiver raced through my body.

"Let's do this," I said, my voice low.

Charles nodded, a series of emotions that I couldn't put my finger on were swimming in his eyes. He was biting the inside of his cheek. Nerves, I guess.

I walked over to Charles, our shoulders touching as I laced my fingers in the woman's hair - which was a dirty blond and reminded my of straw. I pulled back, revealing her throat. Her breathing was slow and steady.

Charles did the same.

The blade seemed to come alive, pulsing with the urge to cut. To slice. I could have sworn it wasn't my movements that brought my arm high above my head, slashing down with a curved arch across the woman's jugular vein and esophagus. It was the knife's.