Bloody Angel. Book 2

Frazzled Day

A/n: Thank you to everyone for being patient and understanding. I was able to finish this chapter up (as I had most written before my mom had to go to the hospital), so I'm able to update. It's a bit of filler, mainly. I'll post the next chapter once I've got it written.

Enjoy!

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Copia woke early, before the sun had even begun painting the sky as he always did, but instead of lingering as he allowed himself to every other morning, he rose and readied for his day. Annie lay sleeping soundly, face easy and peaceful as though last night's events never happened. And, for her, they hadn't because she would have no memory of it.  He worried if he had made the right choice in allowing Lilit to alter her memory, but deep down, he knew it was for the best. She had looked so utterly broken, her eyes dull and lifeless. Whatever that spell had done to her, it truly got to her.

He would make sure, whoever it was, would get what was coming to them. They just had to figure out who it was. a task that was proving to be most difficult. They had gone over everyone, but nothing stood out. Not in observing, not in the records. And he’d personally gone over them multiple times. It just didn’t make any sense.


Sighing, he leaned down and placed a whisper soft kiss to her forehead, and made his way down to his office. He had hours yet before anyone else was up. Before the day truly started. He would go over the siblings' personnel records again and write up new orders and safeguards for the ghouls to implement. He also had to ensure they would be ready in case of attack. He hadn’t given it much thought. Of the Magistratus daring to target the Ministry itself since there were so many ghouls, wards, and protections. But with such blatant attacks on Annie from someone who was now confirmed to be not only a witch but the daughter of a High Priest that sided with them? He wouldn’t take chances. He felt foolish for not focusing more on this. Maybe if he had…



When the bells above tolled seven, he sent a group message to all the ghouls requesting their immediate presence in the Chapel. It was Saturday, and breakfast was not until 10, so there was no worry about the kitchen ghouls being late to start cooking. Grabbing the folded habit the ghouls had found last night, he made his way to the chapel.


“Mornin, boss,” Aether said with a smile behind his mask as he ran into Copia in the hall. “What’s with the impromptu meeting?”

“I’ve made some adjustments for security and added shifting patrols that will keep watch and do rounds 24/7. Need to give the ghouls their new schedules.” Copia sighs, his eyes focused on the floor in front of him. “After last night… I realized I have not put as much focus on what’s been going on. I'm making sure all is well here at home and Annie keeps paying for my oversight.”

“Copia..” Aether sighs lightly. “Don’t do that to yourself. Things have been hectic lately. You know that.”

“I still could have been doing more!' Copia nearly shouted, his face screwing into a grimace of an expression,  his left eye flashing. "Should have done more!”


Aether recoils, feeling a harsh scalding flash of heat radiate from the man next to him and looks around the hall quickly before grabbing hold of Copia's arm, dragging him into an empty classroom. Closing the door behind them. He pulls off his mask and balaclava before crossing his arms over his chest, giving the Cardinal a hard look.


“You need to calm yourself, Vincenzo.”

The use of his proper name throws the Cardinal off guard. “Scusami?”

“You heard me. You need to calm down.”

“I am calm.”

“You aren’t.” Aether sighs lightly, his look and stance softening. “You don’t realize what happened, do you?”

Copia looks at him with confusion before slowly shaking his head.

“Your power flared because of the mood you’re in, because of the anger and rage you feel and if I were not a ghoul, the intensity of the heat I felt just then would have probably burned me. Lucifer told you you were awakening powers, and we know you’ve made fires rise and burn with intensity with your mood.” Aether uncrosses his arms and steps closer, placing a hand on Copia’s shoulder, his voice soft and soothing, full of understanding and concern. “So yes, you need to calm down. We don’t know what’s going on with you, but the last thing we need is you to accidentally hurt someone innocent because you’re pissed at someone else. That includes yourself.”