Chapter 7 ∣ If You Must...
-Isis
Fluffy wings?
Seriously, did he just call me fluffy wings?
The voice that spoke to me was demonic, and the drastic change in demeanor made it impossible to tell what he was going to do next. Yes, my energy had no effect on him, but what else was I supposed to do? Claiming that I was his mate was humorous, knowing simply that there was no possible way for that to be true.
"Come on fluffy wings, you want to hurt me so, badly don't you?" The demon Harlan chuckled and then shifted his stance so that his back was now facing me while his eyes gazed off in the distance. "I'll let you have one free shot," he taunts me, rocking back and forth on his heels like some overgrown man-child.
I angrily grip the celestial bow when he sighs, "Oh fluffy wings, I don't have all day."
"Stop calling me that!" I finally snap.
He glanced back over his shoulder and arched a brow before he enunciated, "F-L-U-F-F-Y W-I-N-G-S."
"Why must you call me that?" Gripping the bow harder, I scowled at his amused smirk.
"You have wings," he pointed at them as my feathers ruffled back into place, "and they are fluffy."
Drawing back the string, I aimed the bow at Harlan's exposed and offered back, a single celestial arrow morphing at my fingertips. The shot was lined up, fueled by the anger eating at my soul since he started taunting me.
The wisps of electric blue energy brushed against my cheek, the arrow drawn and the string taut. My eyes widened and I released the air I held in my lungs deeply. In the next moment, the energy released into its natural form, flowing lightly on the breeze that surrounded us.
Instead, I pushed off the ground and flew straight at Harlan's back, ready to slam my fist against it. Well, he had other plans as well, for when I neared him, he swiftly turned around and caught my fist in his hand. He drew me in close against his chest, hugging me while he exclaimed, "Oh fluffy wings! I knew you couldn't resist me!"
A scream erupted from the back of my throat, struggling hard in his grasp, I tried to escape. It almost seemed like I had a fighting chance, but the longer his skin touched mine, the very real feelings surfaced while that deep fog lifted from my back up my spine until it rested just below my skull.
"Please stop..." I slammed my fist against his chest, but his arms wrapped around my back and continued to entrap me against his solid form. Everything about this was wrong and now I wondered if I would ever have the life I once knew back to normal.
Harlan's lips brushed the outer shell of my ear, causing the hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end. His warm breath fanned my skin and a shiver traveled up my spine, both of my hands grasping the front of his dark shirt as he said, "Afraid of letting yourself go?"
"N-No," I replied quickly while I pushed against his chest once more to see if I could create some space between us. He wouldn't allow it though, because his muscles tensed each time, I made an effort to separate the two of us.
He wants this...I don't.
I gasped and cried out, "Please! Just stop!" There was something that slithered up my leg under my white dress and started to coil around my thigh just above my knee. I could only assume it was his tail, as I felt the spade flick the outside of my thigh before flattening out.
"You wouldn't listen to me before," his voice was dangerously low at my ear and fear crept under my skin with each word he spoke. I wasn't sure how I felt about this voiced laced in his normal tone that he used with me earlier, but if I didn't get out of this soon, maybe dying would have been a better option. "But now," I felt his tail move again, but one of his hands released my back and I found the grip of his fingers around my chin rather rough. His electric blue eyes locked with mine, my heart skipping a beat when he finished, "Maybe you will."
I didn't move, my breathing coming short as I stared up into those entrancing eyes.
"Now, come with me so we can talk," He pressed me further, wanting to take me away from the one person whose life I was supposed to protect.
"I can't," I returned, and he narrowed his eyes at me like I was playing him or trying to lie my way out of this. I wasn't though if I left Icarus...
"And why is that?" He tilts his head to the side.
I answered him back, "I cannot leave that human. It is my job to protect him until my assignment is complete."
"Why are you protecting him?" Harlan doesn't necessarily get any angrier with my responses, but more of an interest sparks.
Maybe if I tell him, he'll leave me alone and go about his business. Then again, I'm not even supposed to be talking to a demon, let alone allowing him to live and revealing a part of a higher plan. I didn't really have much of a choice...he wouldn't stop touching me.
"My varið is special," Harlan's lips twitch when I say the word and I just roll my eyes at him, "he is very close to creating an active virus that will destroy the vampire race once and for all."
Harlan is almost emotionless when I mentioned why Icarus is so special, but I heard him mutter, "...Adrasteia is safe..." he said something else, but I was more preoccupied with getting his tail to let me go to pay any more attention.
"That's why immortal creatures are trying to kill him," I continued my explanation, Harlan giving me his full attention, "That's why I thought you were trying to kill him...I can't let anything happen to him."
Harlan's eyes light up, "How long is that? What happens when you are finished with your...job?"
I breathed out very slowly, "Until he creates a live version of his virus...I don't know how long that will take, but from what I do know, he's very close." Harlan smiled at that response, but then his smile slowly transformed into a frown when I answered his second question, "I go back to Heaven and unite with my Link. I will carry a new angel into this world, finishing another 'job' and making this world a better place by filling it with ethereal beings of good."
"You're supposed to be with me," his voice sounds extremely annoyed, his tail tightening further and a small gasp left my lips.
I shouldn't like the way he's touching me...but some deep sick part of me was twistedly enjoying this...his touch, his need and want to be with me, I'd never experienced that before. I'd never been treated this way, as this type of connection is reserved for all other beings aside from my own species...our very existence revolving around keeping others safe.
Maybe just once, someone could save me.
But I don't think it will be a demon who does that...
"I'm sorry you're confused and maybe I can hel-" he quickly cut me off.
"I'm not confused, you're blind fluffy wings," he sneered at me and that's when I tried to struggle again. "You just need to open those wide eyes of yours further and accept this."
I'm disheartened by his statement, and maybe trying to avoid these new feelings from flooding my body wasn't worth the effort. Maybe I can't escape this, whatever this is...
Something happens that surprises me. Harlan's tail retracts from around my thigh, his wings disappearing from his back. When his eyes shift back to those unique purple irises, I breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe he had decided to accept his own fate, that he wasn't meant to be with me and that he was the one to make such a fatal mistake.
"I'm staying," his voice returns to normal, the demonic nature shifted back into the shadows silently.
"Staying?" I asked with confusion in my eyes. Harlan released my chin from his fingers and his arm moved away from my back. I was free and for once, I didn't want to run because his change in demeanor was startling.
He nodded with a grin, "I'm going to be staying near you while you do your thing with the puny human."
"He's not-"
"I'll show you exactly what this connection is, and you'll sway on your own in time," he chuckled when my face turned bright red.
"I won't forsake who I am just because you claim I belong with you," I adjusted my dress and glared up at him. "Maybe you'll learn that sex isn't everything and you can't always have what you want," I sighed while feeling a presence deep from within the institute.
Harlan chuckled once again, "Oh, I always get what I want. You'll just have to wait for the moment when I say, 'I told you so.'"
"You're such a child!" I huffed and blew the stray hairs that had fallen in front of my face during my struggle.
Harlan took a few steps toward me, my own caring me backward and to the door to the institute. When I can't back up further, he leaned in closer to my face and stated, "If you don't think you'll fall prey to your own emotions, then you're a bigger fool then I thought."
"I'm not a fool!" I snapped right back at him, shoving him away from me.
Harlan held up his hands in defense and shook his head, "Then you have nothing to be afraid of."
I'm not afraid...
Not afraid of what exactly, but still I'm not afraid of his little game.
"Fine!" I give up and sigh, "you can stay near me, but you can't jeopardize Icarus' life. If you do, I will kill you and if I can't...I'll find someone who will."
"Oh, the witch?" Harlan arched a brow, "I doubt she'll be any more of a threat to me as I am to you."
Wait, what?
"Y-You know?" I'm floored by his response. "And yes! You are a threat to me, or have you forgotten that you tried to kill me?!"
Harlan lifted his shoulders in a casual shrug and stated, "I know far more than you and I'm not a threat to you. I won't kill my mate."
I find that extremely hard to believe...
...but-
"Whatever...just don't reveal your presence," I watched his smile broaden and then that annoying smirk worked its way up into his lips, "I won't save you."
Published on Amazon as an ebook and paperback.
To Seduce an Angel by K. A. Young.
If you don't have a Kindle and can't purchase the book off Amazon, you are more than welcome to join my Patreon page and receive downloadable PDFs under the Pack Tracker Tier.
Please click on the link on my bio.
https://www.patreon.com/SerenityR0se