AZRIEL

CHAPTER FIVE

"Why is the little girl so sad?" an elegant voice mused tauntingly, "You're acting as though I have you shackled to the floor in a cell."

I knew that voice.

My head snapped up to see the same man from the forest, his wings now nowhere to be seen. The room was still dark and so I was only able to make out his slender outline, straight and tall. Wiping my tears from my cheeks roughly with my sleeve, I barked in frustration, "What happened to my ears?! Was this your dirty doing?!"

I watched him stalk closer with that regal grace, and he slowly dropped down into an easy crouch in front of me. I tensed against the wall in an attempt to back away from him as much as possible. The light provided from the window now shone directly on his features, allowing me to see his intense amber eyes which sparkled with amusement.

The corner of his lip tugged into a smirk, "I thought a hello would be nice."

"Just answer!" I snapped. It was as though all the fear and confusion I had experienced in the past however many hours had bubbled into nothing but frustration and anger.

He shrugged passively, a beautiful and easy gesture, "You needed to fit in. Wings weren't an option because you probably couldn't handle them, so I decided to give you the classic fairy look."

"Why the hell do I need to fit in?!" I wailed.

"Angels of my type despise mortals - an inner hatred they can't get rid of. If anyone was to realise you were a human, the results wouldn't be pretty."

I shuddered at the thought, tightening the grip around my knees as I stayed sat on the floor, "W-Why did you need to bring me here? Just tell me - am I dead? Did you take my soul?"

"No, you're not dead," He began, examining his nails, "In fact, you're probably more alive than ever - with all the food, clothing and personal care that's available here." His eyes flickered away from his nails to give my seated body a quick look, "You're bones and no flesh. Didn't they care to fatten you up before they threw you into those woods?"

Dickhead.

Before I could open my mouth to reply, he swiftly continued, "And no. I didn't take your soul because I'm not among the angels of death," He locked eyes with me again, his voice now a smooth murmur, "Besides, taking out the souls of pretty little girls like you isn't my thing."

I felt my cheeks heat up as I tore away from the eye contact between us, focusing my attention on examining him instead. His whole persona combined with his shadowed appearance screamed that he belonged to something dark or fearful.

"Then what are you?" I chewed my cheek in anxiousness, "And why am I here? What do you need me for? Who even are you?"

He cocked his head to the right, a sensuous smile appearing on his lips again, "So many questions for a little teeny human."

"Can't you ever just be straight up?!" I asked irritably, my voice beginning to sound like a desperate plea.

"Ah, see, for that you'd have to make me straight up first, darling."

It took me a couple seconds to process his innuendo and while groaning in frustration at his response, my head fell back between my knees in defeat. What an absolute prick.

He laughed a lover's laugh - smooth, rich and gentle before saying, "Alright. First thing is first - let me get an introduction, and then perhaps I'll inform you regarding all the details as to why you're here."

I kept my head buried between my knees with my eyes clamped shut, a desperate attempt to just block out his existence before my blood began curdling in rage. After he realised I wasn't intending to respond, he mused, "My offer expires once I leave this room."