Dark flight - Lore of the angelic book 1

Gas station coffee

I browse the stand of cheap novels, the chips I picked from the shelf clutched in my left hand. I finished the other novel John had bought for me on the way here and he told me to pick whatever I want. I'm startign to suspect he has a lot more money than he lets on but is terrible at hiding it. I pick up the second and third part of the novel series, they aren't high literature but... well they entertain me. I've become quite attached to the characters.

"want something to drink? this place has coffee..."
John offers. when did he show up behind me? I turn to face him with a smile.
"Gas station coffee?"
He chuckles and nods gesturing to the bored looking clerk.
"yes, it's horrible"
I laugh and smack his chest with my book
"then why would you offer it to me?"

I turn back to the window and look out at Michael who was previously sulking in the car, but somehow found the finished book I left behind and is trying his best to look desinterested as he reads.
"I think I'd rather have a soda instead of terrible gas station coffee..."
I turn back and find john is standing much closer to me this time. I look up at him, he is still smirking, I'm starting to think he only smiles around me. bummer really, his smile is very pretty.

"what?"
I try my best to pout but I have to grin too.
"I'm just looking"
he brushes his hand over a loose lock of hair on my shoulder.
"maybe you should wait until we're not in a shitty little town gas station to stare at me with bedroom eyes"
where this sudden confidence came from I don't know, but the surprised expression on his face is worth every second. his lips part to shoot back a remark but he is interrupted by Deliah who has loaded her arms with various sweets.
"Boo, get a room!"

His head snaps up and he takes a step away from me instinctively.
"If I buy all that for you you better share with the others"
she flips her hair back and laughs.
"no way, I have my own money."
I'm starting to think I'm the only dependent one here... then again haven't I always been? In a way it's better now than ever before...

"Hey John, we should get a snack for Michael too"
John furrows his brows.
"why? he said he didn't want anything..."
"He's stubborn, you know it. he's just trying to look tough"
I reply quickly.
"at least get him a bottle of water?"

He sighs and turns to grab a soda for me and some water for the sulking angel in the car.
"I hope we get rid of him soon"
I step next to john and grab his hand gently, as nervous as I feel that very second.
"He might be a great addition to our team in the end. he seemed pretty strong when you fought him"

John is quiet, but I think he knows I'm right. I just silently pull him to the counter so he can pay for my stuff.

we are forced to sleep in the car for the next few days, luckily having a big warm wolf snuggling in next to me and Deliah at night keeps me relatively warm. I learn that Angels and fallen angels don't actually need to sleep at night but they can if they want to, I don't know how John and Michael spend their nights, probably fighting in random parking lots... they argue like an old married couple (one that's been divorced for four years) whenever they have a moment, so why they don't both have completely raw throats by now is a mystery to me. Drives are usually spent with Deliah and Naz either bickering, playfully bullying Michael, who tries to defend himself vehemently or Michael and Deliah teasing Nazim about snuggling up to us girls every night, to which he in return vehemently defends himself. 

I often lament that John barely looks at me these three days, except to ask what I want to eat, he only ever asks me. we take frequent breaks and no trouble arises that I know of. sometimes we hear a search message about me on the radio or about my "kidnapping" in the news but John usually changes the channel quickly. Michael stays silent. the first time I have a genuine conversation with him is on a much milder night than the previous few, the climate is getting slightly more bearable. we are all in a park in a rural area, deciding to have a little late night picnic. Naz has turned into a wolf and is playing fetch with Deliah, and John has left to go find a bathroom, so it's just us.

"do you really want to do this?"
I look up from my book.
"Huh?"
"go with them? your father really wants you back..."
I carefully place the feather between the pages and close the book before I face him.
"and why do you think my father wants me back? because he loves me? no... he wants to marry me off to some asshat who I barely know..."
Michaels brows furrow.
"Your feance was worried sick for you."

I press my lips together... could it be they maybe do genuinely care for me? But still... I don't want to go back...
"I never said yes to the engagement or do you see a ring on my finger?"
he shakes his head, no, then just looks down at his own hands
"my father wants me back because I'm apparently a powerful arch angel being who can make some vague prophecy come true or whatever..."

I take a sip from my soda cup and cross my arms over my chest. I'm wearing another one of Nazim's hoodies, I have mostly been borrowing clothes from him. I wish I had more of my own... the ugly shirts I do own have become somewhat of a comfort item for me. I wear them underneath the hoodies.
"you haven't been told the prophecy?"
he asks and I shake my head. He clears his throat and closes his eyes trying to remember.
"A book of a thousand, a daughter of two, wings of six tear down kings ten to take the place on one throne for the false ruler"

"is that what they told you it is?"
John sits down next to me and lays his hand on mine without hesitation. before Michael can cut him off he continues.
"A book of a thousand voices, a daughter of eight, wings of six slice the wind of ten who call themselves kings, two reclaim the throne of one kingdom united under the true heir"
He squeezes my hand and looks up at michael.
"they lied to you as well"

"wait are you..."
Michael looks between us in confusion.
"you're the fallen prince, aren't you?"
I look over at John, thinking he will correct him, but he just nods... impossible... he can't be the fallen prince from the stories my mother told me when I was a child...

that would mean he's thousands of years old.