SONDER : Prologue

0.3.B : ALPHA - AZRAEL, Leader of Lost Souls

** The result of choice B from Part 0.3 is below! If you wanted to see the outcome of a different choice, comment on Part 0.3 . **

"Don't worry," he showed her his empty hand - the one that he could move - and closed the distance slowly, her eyes darting as her chest heaved with rapid breaths. "I won't hurt you. But I need your help. Will you come with me? Just to talk?"

If suspicion could kill, he'd be shredded. Those eyes melted from black to misty aqua as her body processed the essence she had stolen. He wondered if that crystal blue could be her natural eye colour. She seemed new, so it very well could be. He could get lost in those eyes. Too bad they'd change.

He stepped over the body, slowly reaching for her hand, his movements as gentle as he could make them. She flinched away, "don't touch me—"

"Hey, you won't hurt me," he cooed. "Not like our friend here, it's okay."

Her eyebrows shot up and those beautiful eyes widened in horror as she looked down at the crumpled form, "is he—"

"Yeah. He is."

"I didn't take much—"

"Hey, it's okay," he grasped her hand. She tensed to pull it away but he held her firmly, bringing the backs of her fingers to his lips and placing a chaste kiss. "See? You won't hurt me."

Her cheeks bloomed pink. She probably hadn't touched anyone in quite some time. He kept her fingers in his hand, brushing his thumb over her soft skin and he bowed his head to her, "I'm Azrael." Her eyebrows descended and she frowned at him. He stepped closer, raising her hand to pull her gently away from the wall. "Does my touch unsettle you?"

She blinked, then yanked her hand from him, scowling, "I'm not used to it."

You will be, he wanted to say. She was his answer to everything. He couldn't let her go. Instead, he stepped closer. She pulled away, her back hitting the wall. "What's your name, little rose?" He wanted to touch her again, but he didn't want to scare her anymore than she already was. He brought his hand towards her cheek, but dropped it before it made contact. He took one half-step away to let her collect herself, fighting the urge to drag her back to Luke, strap her to a horse and steal her away.

"How can you touch me?"

He smirked, "you can touch me too."

She grabbed his hand with both of hers, squeezing her eyes shut to brace herself. When nothing happened aside from his chuckle, she opened her eyes, playing with his fingers. "How?" She clasped his hand in both of hers, meeting his gaze, "how is this happening?"

He laced his fingers through hers, giving her hand a gentle squeeze, "if I promise to tell you, will you promise to come with me?" She tensed. Wrong line, too soon! "Or at least hear me out. I need your help. A lot of people, actually, need your help. Children."

Her brows furrowed in thought, but the tenseness remained. She leaned back, away from him, pulling her hand out of his and holding it to her chest as though he had burned her. The movement made his eyes dart to her breasts— he couldn't help himself— and their closeness allowed his greedy gaze more than she would have liked.

Her eyes lit up then with a challenge and she ducked from him, bolting down the alley. He turned just in time to see her purple skirt disappear and his jaw dropped. She was fast! He should have swooped her up when he had the chance!

He sprinted after her, down winding, cobblestone streets. But he lost her in the waking flurry of people, her small form quickly swallowed out of sight. "Damn it!"

He spent the better part of the day hunting her. His frustration grew, and with it settled in an uneasy apprehension. What if he couldn't find her? But another part of him was thrilled. Of course he'd find her. And when he did... He didn't know what he'd do yet.

As the sun climbed higher in the sky, her scorching kiss scalding his neck and shoulders, his arm was grabbed and he turned, fist balling, pulling back-

"Azrael, I've been looking for you!"

"Oops, sorry Luke," he grinned sheepishly, but it didn't reach his eyes. He had forgotten all about his man.

"You said we would leave immediately, it's almost the end of the da-"

"How many horses did you get?"

"Two-"

"Good. That'll work."

"Sir, are we leaving?"

"Not yet, I have to find her."

"Her?"

"Yes Luke, our answer!"

"Answer? Az, what the hell?"

"Keep up, Luke. She's—" he paused, what colour was her hair? "She's blonde? Maybe? Something light. Blue eyes. Tiny." He measured his hand at the bottom of his chest to show Luke. "We have to find her."

"Who, Az?"

"I don't know her name! Just help me look!"

"You spent all day chasing after a girl?"

"Not just any girl— the girl."

"That makes it all so much better."

"Just help me find her-"

"No need, gentlemen, I found myself," Azrael spun about as he heard her voice, relief flooding him. "Azrael, who's your friend?"

His eyes caressed her form from head to toe, leisurely slow as he soaked her up. She really was stunning. He reached for her but she walked past him. That would not do, not at all. He stomped after her, and puzzled, Luke could only follow.

"You're back-"

"You said children needed my help."

"Yes, I did."

"That's why," she spun around, poking a finger into his chest. "Not for you, for the kids. You will behave if I'm to even hear you out. Keep your eyes where it's appropriate. Just because you can touch me, doesn't mean you have an open invitation not to treat me as a lady, Azrael."

His eyebrows perked and he couldn't help the immense smirk from plastering onto his face. He grabbed the wrist that held the offending finger poking at him and used that to pull her into him, releasing her wrist to snake his arm around her waist to keep her close. "I like how you say my name, little rose," he breathed, his face too close to hers. "But I need to warn you. If you run from me again," he dropped his voice, letting his breath tickle over her ear as she shuddered. "I'll catch you. And I won't let you go."

He didn't know what came over him, but he meant every word.