Narrator POV
Ezekiel lay wheezing on the ground of Xander's lair, coughing up angelic blood.
His hands shook violently as he stared down at his aching fingers. The pain shooting through his hands was nearly unbearable.
A strangled cry left his throat as claws shoved his regular nails out, replacing them. They were bloody, like a newborn child.
He sobbed, shaking his head.
"No...what's happening to me..." his choked cries were drowned out by the click of footsteps approaching him.
Holding his bleeding stomach he looked towards the noise.
Xander walked towards him, just looking down at the sad scene. His gaze was like ice and Ezekiel coughed before he growled.
"You bastard! Y-you knew—"
"That he would kill you?" Xander interjected, then laughed, "yes! I did!" He then growled and kicked Ezekiel to the side.
The fallen angel gasped and choked on a scream. The pain in his chest and stomach was searing and intense.
Like his insides were melting.
"However, I was hoping you would be able to perform just one simple task before he did. It seems everyone I trust to do a job is just fucking incompetent," Xander said, throwing his hands up.
Ezekiel couldn't get up. His legs were refusing to lift him, the pain getting worse and worse. Tears dripped down his face as he stared at the claws he now had.
"What have you done to me..." he whimpered, giving up on trying to stand.
Xander scoffed before chuckling, "the only one to blame for your current condition is yourself. Had you simply accepted the fate handed to you, you would still be very much an angel, still up in the city of gold," he exclaimed dramatically, thrusting his hands towards the ceiling.
He then walked over to the poor man, bending down and grabbing him by the hair, lifting his head to look into his eyes.
Ezekiel could only look up into the crazed eyes of this demon he trusted.
How foolish.
"But...you just couldn't let go of the hatred in your heart. Falling from grace...just like the rest of us."
Xander dropped his hair, letting Ezekiel's head fall back to where it had been.
"However, you're useless to me now. Not only that, but you betrayed your end of the deal..."
Ezekiel's eyes widened, his body trembling. Silver blood pooled around him.
Suddenly he felt Xander's foot against his back, shoving him into the ground. He then felt the demon grab both of his wings, pulling them taut.
"Not completely useless..." Xander mumbled before yanking against the, now black, wings.
Ezekiel screamed in agony as the wings tore from his shoulder blades, flesh tearing away with them.
The bones of his shoulder blades were exposed, the angelic blood flowing from the gaping wounds.
Xander looked over the large wings, holding the heavy objects as if they weighed nothing.
"These will make for a nice trophy..." he spoke to himself, taking his foot off the wailing man's back.
With that Xander began to walk towards his workshop to taxidermy the wings for hanging. With his hand he motioned towards his pets that laid waiting patiently, hunger in their eyes as they stared at the bleeding former angel.
"Attala, boys, dinner," he said casually.
He disappeared around a doorway, leaving Ezekiel alone with the hungry hyenas.
The man watched in terror as the glowing red eyes slowly moved towards him, growling filling the tense atmosphere.
He shook his head, struggling to pull himself back.
"No..." he begged, holding his hands up, "please..."
The animals ignored him. The only person they answer to had already given them their order.
In an instant they pounced on him, and screams filled the air.
From his workshop Xander's smile widened, and he sighed happily.
"How lovely..." he mused at the sounds of agonized screaming.
Then simply continued his work.
Alastor's POV
"There..." I whispered quietly, healing the last cut on Aria's skin. Luckily, it seems that was the extent of her injuries.
She sat at the edge of our bed, her hands in her lap and her eyes cast down.
She's been quiet ever since we got home.
Gently I tilted her chin up, looking into her bright orange eyes. Her lips formed a soft pout and she tugged away from me, hiding her eyes once again.
I watched her lip tremble slightly and she desperately tried to hide her face.
I took her hands up in mine, sighing softly.
"Honey..." I started gently, "you're allowed to cry in front of me, why are you hiding?" I asked her, and she shook her head.
"No I'm not," she said, her voice cracking as she forced the tears back, "that was all my fault. I put everyone in danger just because I didn't take my situation seriously..."
Her strained explanation broke my heart and I gently rubbed her thighs, kneeling in front of her.
She looked down at me a moment, her eyes clearly full of tears. She sucked on her bottom lip, tiny fangs poking out as she did so.
"Aria," I started firmly but still gentle with my tone, "none of that was your fault. It has never been your fault. Don't blame yourself for things out of your control..."
I reached up and used my knuckles to rub over her cheeks, cupping her face gently.
"If you want to cry, you're allowed to cry."
That was all she needed to hear as she threw herself into me, breaking down in my arms.
I held her close, rubbing her back and letting her get it out. All that fear, all that stress...
Anger rose steadily in my chest just thinking about the utter audacity of this demon.
Xander.
When I find where he resides, I'm going to tear him apart.
The lights in our room flickered as the static rose from my emotions flaring up. The sound of Aria's sobs weren't helping with my anger, but at the same time they reminded me I need to keep my cool.
The atmosphere went back to normal and I just sat with her, rocking her slowly side to side.
"You're ok..." I whispered softly to her, "if he ever touches you again I'm going to make sure it's the last thing he ever does..." I reassured her, and she sniffled, clutching me tightly.
Reminding me just how much she relies on me, the same as I do for her.
Reminding me that no matter what, I need to do everything in my power to be there to prevent anything like this from ever happening again.
I placed a kiss against the side of her head, cradling her in my arms as she cried.
"I've got you..." I said soothingly, running my claws through her hair.
I've got you, my love...
**
"We need to figure out how to keep her safe until I can find where he is."
I stood in front of Charlie's desk with my hands behind my back. She tapped her claw against the wood, seemingly thinking.
After Aria cried herself out, I laid her down and told her to get some rest. Angel Dust is in our room with her.
As much as I am not fond of him, I firmly believe he's the only one who would protect her with the same vehemence that I would.
"I have an idea...but I really don't know if—"
"Charlotte, I will take anything you have to offer. Until I can figure out a plan of action, I need to keep her safe."
She pursed her lips and sighed, then looked down and clasped her hands together.
"My father has a vacation home...he never uses it anymore, and only really took me there when I was younger. He actually gave me the key," she took out the key and slid it towards me.
It was a heavy cast iron skeleton key.
"This place was designed to keep royals safe. To keep me safe...so I think it will be just fine in keeping her safe. It's enchanted, my father's friend Stolas put a protection spell on it..." she explained.
I took the key, looking it over.
"There's just one thing..."
I looked up, and she had her eyebrows furrowed.
"It's deep in the southern part of the pentagram...outside the city...deep in the woods on the outskirts. It would just be you and her..."
Just her and I...?
While I'm fine with that...how would she feel? I wouldn't just want to...steal her away from her friends.
Hopefully it would only be for a few short months...depending on how long it takes to find him...
It could be months...
It could be years...
I sighed, placing the key safely in my pocket.
"Thank you...this is very helpful and generous of you, Charlie," I said and she nodded and smiled.
"Of course. Aria is family now, just like you. I want both of you to be safe. If I hear any word of his whereabouts, I'll contact you. I already sent word to my father, but you know him..." she glanced off to the side and I nodded.
"I know...thank you, dear. I'm going to...go break the news..."
With that I turned and headed out of her office, teleporting up to the fourth floor and walking down towards my room.
I let my features fall into a relaxed frown, and pulled the key from my pocket. The cold iron felt nice in my palm, but I was worried about how she may take this news...
I prepared to open my door, but paused when I heard something from the other side.
Tilting my head I put my ear to the door, listening in.
Is Angel...singing?
His voice was extremely soft, the melody sounding like a lullaby. The language he was speaking was one I didn't quite understand...Italian I think.
Gently and quietly I opened the door.
Confirming my suspicions, Angel was singing...very, very softly.
He had Aria wrapped up in all six of his arms, her head rested against his chest. Her arms were wrapped around him as well, and she seemed to be sound asleep.
I slipped into the room, and he opened his eyes, not missing or stumbling a single word in his lullaby. The way he was holding her was so...loving.
In a completely different way than how I love her.
He was cradling her like a baby, singing to her...maybe there really is more to this spider than I let myself believe...
I approached the side of the bed quietly, ignoring that Angel was laying in just his underwear. It's Angel Dust, you just learn to get used to it.
One check on her breathing told me Aria was fast asleep, and Angel wasn't far from falling asleep himself.
I sighed softly and he looked up at me, then started moving to get up.
"Here smiles—"
I cut him off, raising my hand and shaking my head. He slowly laid back where he'd been, and I snapped my fingers, putting them both under the covers.
I walked over and tugged the covers up, making sure they were both covered. Angel eyed me curiously, but kept quiet.
Gently I pushed Aria's hair back and placed a kiss on her forehead. Then I laid my hand on Angel's head, leaving it for a moment as a thank you for laying with her.
I'll tell her in the morning...
With that I walked over to the chair by my reading nook and sat down, grabbing a novel off the shelf.
I wasn't really tired anyway.