The Blood Bracelets #3: Soul Scarred

Chapter Nineteen

Kael realised, belatedly, that he was meant to be impressed by Wrath, possibly even in awe or, at the very least, intimidated. That was how Wrath held himself, anyway, as if anyone who came within his orbit should stare, wide-eyed, and hope he didn't notice them.

Kael felt none of those things, of course. Instead, he felt that sharp, barely-contained frustration sitting just beneath the surface of his skin that had him wanting to throw a solid, well-aimed punch into Wrath's face just so he would get out of the way.

'Listen,' said Kael, not bothering to suppress his irritation as he pinched the bridge of his nose, 'I'm really not in the mood for any witty exchange of banter or that infuriating wordplay all you demons are so fond of, so either attack me like you mean it or get out of my way.'

'"you demons"?' said Wrath, his brow quirking. 'You speak as if you're not one.'

'Not technically,' Kael quipped.

'But you wish to be,' Wrath mused, tipping his head into the cup of his hand as he regarded Kael. 'No need to deny it, either. I've seen into your heart.'

'How was it? I've been told its cold in there.'

Wrath smiled wryly. 'On the contrary, actually. But I suppose I have a particular knack for understanding hearts like yours, whereas others... might misinterpret.'

'Right. Here we go.'

'All eyes seem to be on Fury these days, how dangerous she is, how powerful she is even trapped in the body of that hybrid girl,' said Wrath thoughtfully, as if he was talking more to himself than Kael – who debated subtly sneaking away –, 'so much so that everyone has forgotten about you and your potential.'

Kael pressed a hand over his eyes. 'As flattering as that is—'

'After all, you've seen your heart too haven't you?'

Wrath's voice was at his ear so Kael turned sharply, his fist swinging around in an explosive left-hook, but he met only empty space. He looked back over his shoulder and found Wrath in the same place, watching Kael with keen, knowing eyes.

'Something wrong?' asked Wrath innocently, his gaze giving a cursory sweep around them, until his gaze fell to the ground beneath them. 'Oh, I see.'

Kael looked down as well, and felt a chill go through him at the sight of his shadow spread across the pavement. Like before, it was a shadow of his former self, with sharp wings flared high at his shoulders and hands tipped with claws, and even though they weren't featured in his shadow he saw, in his mind, the prominent fangs that he had once used to tear out the throats of mortals just for fun.

'Doesn't it make you just a little angry?' said Wrath, his voice at Kael's ear again – even though Kael could see him, at the edges of his vision, standing where he had always been. 'You used to be one of the most feared demons, on par with Infernum, and yet now that power and infamy is out of your reach. There are things you can't stop, because you lack that power, people you can't protect... Taryn Nyte, for example.'

Kael's eyes jumped back to Wrath at the mention of Taryn, his fists clenching at his side.

'I heard what Lust did, between the girl and that Angel boy,' Wrath continued, and although his voice was no longer against Kael's ear he felt Wrath's words pressing against him, as if the air had thickened with their weight. 'More importantly, I felt how it enraged you. It was remarkable.'

Kael thought of that surge of anger he had felt, how his soul's energy had crackled around his fingertips in response to that quiet, steadily-building fury. Even now, Kael felt that anger swelling again and even the understanding that it hadn't, truly, been Seth's fault didn't dampen what Kael felt. He had never been the type to react to his anger, not like Zed with his short temper, because after being overwhelmed by mortal emotions when he first changed Kael had learned to experience those same mortal emotions from a distance – to regard them with a certain detached apathy.