The Mark of a Fallen Angel

39: Strength

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The look on his face made me literally want to stab myself in the heart and wait for my painful death where I would descend into the one true place where I belonged: 

Hell.

I deserved to be shot. Or stabbed. Whatever. Which ever is longer and more painful?
The rain hadn't settled the least bit. If anything, it was worse. Lightening dashed across the sky followed by the thunder. Even though I liked the rain right now I wish it wasn't raining. 

Although his expression was blank I knew him well enough to know that he was bottling it all up. His hands were balled up into fists. His naked chest rose and fell at a calm and even pace which worried me. I didn't want him calm. I'd rather the onslaught than this.

As he stepped toward us he avoided all eye contact with me. He stopped but stayed a fair distance away which made my heart travel even further into my stomach. Maybe moving its way through my intestines.

His eyes travelled from the floor to the side of my face. His knuckles turned white and his jaw set. "What happened to your face?" He said so calmly that it actually made my eye twitch in anxiety. I hated his. It was torture. I wanted him to yell and scream at me not show concern about my face.

Before I could even attempt to open my mouth and speak, Cameron spoke to him. "She had a run in with-"

It was like Gabriel had just noticed he was there because his head snapped toward him and his eyebrow ticked. "Excuse me? Was I directing this conversation toward you? Why don't you speak when you're spoken to?"

Although he said it in a calm and even voice, the anger was clearly there.

Cam wasn't surprised by his anger but he replied, "There wasn't a need to-"

Once again Gabriel interrupted. "Did you not hear me?"

Cameron stepped forward. Finally getting the feeling and voice back into my body, my hand immediately lifted to pull Cameron back by his arm. It was the wrong move.
Gabriel's eyes zeroed in on my hand. I removed it straight away and started, "I can explain-"

But Cameron interrupted me. "You don't have to explain yourself to him."

"Yes I do." I turned to Cameron in outrage. "You need to leave."

He shook his head. "I'm not finished-"

"Yes you are." I stated firmly. "You've said enough; I've seen enough. It'd be best if you leave."

"It'd be best for who, you or him?"

Gabriel's hands shook badly with anger as he came at Cameron. I quickly stepped between them and put my hands on Gabriel's chest to stop him.

I glanced at Cam. "Cameron go." He gave me a look that said that this wasn't over but I shook my head at him. "Please."

He walked past us but not before giving Gabriel a long snarling look.

And then he was gone. 

The rain continued to beat down on us as I removed my hands from Gabriel's chest. He took a hesitant step away and I think my heart may have passed through my bowels. Because right now I felt as if I had no heart. I felt as if I didn't deserve one.

He stared at me blankly and then turned his back on me. My eyes filled up with tears. Wouldn't he let me explain? I shook my head. Maybe I didn't deserve to be listened to. Maybe I didn't deserve him. Maybe---

"Come to the house." 

I lifted my head to see him looking over his shoulder.

"W-what?"

He turned his body slightly. "We'll get Tristan to look at you."

I blinked at him and stupidly said, "But my father knows I'm here."

"It's never stopped you before." He turned to leave.

I started to follow him but my ribs protested. I stopped and said, "I can't run. I hurt my stomach and I think it's my ribs."

He kept walking and said over his shoulder. "Then we'll walk."

My eyes widened. "All the way there?"

"Yes."

All the way? That would take hours. Either he was being extremely sarcastic or serious. I chose the latter.

He started walking again so I followed. I put a hand on my ribs and gritted my teeth. Walking would be worse than running. The inside of my stomach felt like there were two pieces of sand paper being rubbed together. The silence between us was also getting to me, so I stopped again and said, "I think we should run,"

He stopped as well and turned. For a moment I considered screaming out my apology and grovelling at his feet. His jaw was still set and his hands were still curled into fists. He opened his mouth but turned again. Then he was gone. 

I sighed heavily. Gabriel wasn't going to forgive me. Who would? I wouldn't even forgive me. 
I held my breath, held a hand to my stomach and started running. It hurt like a bitch but I kept going. Gabriel's house wasn't far when I ran. Approximately three minutes. But when you're in pain it seemed like an hour. Gabriel was too far in front to catch up to but I could still feel him. 

When I stopped I bent over at the slicing pain in my side. I took deep breaths, squeezed my eyes shut to remove the tears and slowly stood upright.

We were in his back garden. He was watching me. And for the first time worry crossed his face and his feature bunched up like he was stopping himself from coming toward me. His thoughts were hidden from me so I couldn't be sure in exactly what he was thinking.

As I limped past Gabriel through the back door, I saw Tristan and Elizabeth first. Tristan was at the island eating a bowl of what I guessed was soup because he had bread next to him and Liz had her back to me. She turned around at the sound of the door and gasped. She came at me and took my face into her hands. "Oh dear lord. What happened to you?"

"Jeez now that you're half human can't you stay alive for a day?" Tristan joked. I snarled at him and he laughed.

Maryanne popped around the corner wearing a black spaghetti strap vest and black shorts. "I can answer that." She said with a smile. "I was flying by her school earlier when I heard it all happen."

I leaned around Elizabeth. She'd heard it all. "You what?"

"I saw it too." She smiled wider.

Pure liquid fury coursed through me. "And you couldn't help me?" I yelled. Liz took a step back and went to the sink. I looked at her and watched her run her hands under water.
I'd burnt her. I frowned. I didn't mean-

"I wanted to see what one training session got you." She looked me up and down. "You're alive so that's good."

I wanted to rip her throat out but right now wouldn't be right. I needed to talk to Gabriel. I turned to him and opened my mouth but Joe came around the corner. His face was clouded over and for the first time I felt threatened by him. He looked so angry...

He stood by Elizabeth and I watched Maryanne sit by Tristan. Joseph knew all of this had happen. I could hear him. He knew two days ago that this would happen. Meaning he probably knew when we had that council meeting.

He stared at me for a moment. Then he turned to the group. "I'm not sure school is the best choice for her right now."

He spoke as if I wasn't in the room.

"It's too dangerous." Liz added.

"Maybe," Tristan stood. "She could have protection?"

"Am I not enough?" Gabriel crossed his arms over his chest. "I wasn't with her for a couple of hours and this happened."

"She'd been alone in the past why now?" Maryanne added. The fact that she was getting involved in the conversation surprised me. "Protection would only draw attention."

"No school." Joe concluded.

I frowned. "But... School is the only thing keeping my life normal."

Everyone looked at me. All except Gabriel. Maryanne rolled her eyes while Tristan frowned.