Angels & Demons
Raphael spread his wings wide, using his panic to fly faster. His thoughts were filled with horrific ideas of what that demon bastard was doing to his beloved Laurie. He pumped his wings harder, the ground nothing but a blur beneath him as he soared through the night sky, desperation practically suffocating him.
Because Laurie was his mate, he could've found her with his eyes closed. His heart naturally led the way to her, beating as quickly as his wings. He hoped he was not too late. It was all his fault for making a deal with the demon. The irony was, he had done it to protect her, but that had clearly backfired.
It enraged him.
He heart pumped harder when he hovered atop an abandoned house with a foreclosure sign on the front. He landed roughly, quickly scrambling into a run for the front door. He had barely caught his balance and nearly tripped over his own feet.
He hadn't noticed he dropped from the sky right in the middle of a friendly neighborhood. All he saw was the abandoned how were his heart told him Laurie was being held. He didn't realize there were children in the yards all around him until one of them yelled, "Oh my goodness, a real life angel!"
He tried to ignore their gawking as he barreled into the house, praying the children would be smart enough not to follow. Just like a demon to do this sort of business in a populated area where the body count would be higher, if things were to go south. Raphael didn't doubt that it could, but he sincerely hoped it wouldn't.
He didn't call out her name, though the urge to do so was overwhelming. He tuned in his hyper-hearing, listening to the creaks of floorboards a couple rooms down the hall. He tiptoed towards the sound, clenching his fists in barely contained rage. He would be unstoppable once he got his hands on that evil bastard. No one would be able to control him from ending what he started, for cleaning up his mess.
He reached behind his head, gripping the studded hilt of his sword. He used his other hand to gently push the door open where the creaks were coming from. He peeked in, confused when the room was vacant, and it clicked only a moment before someone ambushed him from behind.
A trap.
How had he been so foolish? He should've predicted this.
He shrugged the arm off his shoulders, spinning to grab the culprit's wrists. He swings the man into the wall, unsheathing his sword simultaneously to bring the blade to the mere mortal's throat.
A lackey, then. So where had the demon gone?
Raphael snarled at the boy, whose eyes widened in terror. "Where is she?" he growled, a tone he often used to scare his commanders into getting his way. A tone that made weak men melt to the floor.
When the boy didn't speak, Raphael pushed his blade a little further into his skin for incentive.
The boy whimpered, managing through quick, terrified breath, "I-I don't know. He-he took her."
Obviously.
Raphael bit his tongue to refrain from snapping. Instead he shoved himself off the kid, knowing it would be no use to question him further. He was just as clueless as Raphael as to where his beloved had been dragged away to.
But she had to be here.
His heart would not lead him astray. Not from his mate.
The boy ran from the house while Raphael stepped inside the room where he had heard the floorboards. Someone must have been here, or he wouldn't have heard anything. He narrowed his eyes, focusing intently on the four walls for any indication of a secret door or exit. He scrutinized the wooden floor with the same intensity but to no avail.
He felt like screaming.
What had happened to her since he'd been gone?
He should have never left her alone knowing the demon had gotten loose. He should have waited to go hunting for it when Laurie felt good enough to go with him. He should have known the demon would take advantage of his absence. He should have, he should have, he should have.
He raked a hand through his hair out of frustration, resituating his grip on his sword. He wanted to tear down the entire house, break apart brick by brick until he found her. He wanted to rip up the floors, board by board until he saw her waiting for him. He couldn't lose her. Not after everything he'd done to ensure she was his and his alone.
It was then that there was a noise beneath him, like rats scurrying underground. He knew better than that. It was no coincidence that he had heard scuffling in here earlier. He started to stomp around on the floor, searching for an area that sounded hollow. Maybe the door was so hidden it was impossible to see. Maybe there was a button somewhere he needed to press or--
A scream. Right below him.
Panic flared through his as he kicked the floor harder, finally finding an area opposite of the door that sounded empty. He fell to his knees, his hands quickly sliding along the floor for a hint of an opening, a draft or a crack. When he couldn't find anything, he scrambled to his feet and felt around the walls for a button or a spot that gave--anything that would be useful.
Another scream, very clearly feminine.
He shouldn't have, but he couldn't stifle the need to yell back to her. "Laurie, I'm coming!"
Unable to find any sort of key or button, he got down on his knees again on the hollow spot and used all of his strength to punch it. He channeled his angel abilities, praying to the Lord above that it would crack enough for him to break through. He had to get down there. He had to save her. What if he was already too late?
Desperation and anger drove him, and the Lord either heard his prayers or he was finally getting some luck. He heard the crumble of the wood where his fist repeatedly landed. He felt the dent he was making. He kept going, harder and harder, until the door gave away entirely and he fell through with it.
His knees ached when they collided with cement, but he wasted no time in standing. The room was pitch black with stale air that suffocated his adept senses. He felt like he was choking. The room was so cold, he was sure he could see his breath if only there were light.
This time, he didn't hear the attack until the demon was right there with an arm around Raphael's throat. Before Raphael could defend himself, a needle was jammed into his neck, his muscles instantly contracting. It was a paralytic, not meant to knock him out but meant to keep him still and restrained.
He wanted to fight back so badly, but his limbs were already betraying him, already numb. He tried to growl, but even that didn't work.
He heard the demon laugh before he started pulling Raphael's body away. Raphael couldn't see anything still. It was driving him absolutely crazy, especially now with not being able to move.
The demon grunted as he hefted Raphael up into a chair. As if for more reassurance that Raphael couldn't escape, the demon wrapped chains around his wrists and legs, all chained together so it would be a giant tangle to get out of. The lights came on. Raphael tried to glare at the monster before something else caught his eye.
Laurie.
Instinctively, he tried to jerk out of the chains but he couldn't move to do so. He stared at her with wavering eyes, scared eyes. She had duct tape over her mouth--which the demon was currently putting on Raphael--and her head was hanging down. He could see a red bruise blooming on the side of her face that was angled towards him. He could see the marks the ropes were carving into her delicate, pale skin. He could hear his own heart beat in time with hers, though hers was gradually slowing.
"Unfortunately, the paralytic won't last long on you," the demon said in a deep voice, raising his eyebrows in amusement. "But even without it... this is going to be so much fun."
He walked behind Laurie, yanking on her hair to force her face up. Raphael was seething. He would be shaking were it not for his inability to.
The demon traced a finger along Laurie's jaw, his nail razor sharp and ready to draw blood. "Where should I mark first, do you think?"
Raphael would be crying terrified tears if he weren't filled to the brim with rage.
"She does have nice cheekbones, doesn't she?" He dug his nail in under her left eye, dragging all the way to her temple. The sight of blood dripping down her cheeks was enough to make Raphael go insane.
The demon hadn't lied about the paralytic being short-lasting, though. Already, Raphael could feel his fingers and toes again. It was only a matter of seconds before he ripped out of the chains and tore the demon's head from his shoulders.
"You know what the most fun is?" the demon asked, simply to have an ego boost. "Hearing her scream. She has the prettiest scream."
Seeming to be regaining consciousness, Laurie groaned as she felt his nails slide down to her neck, tauntingly slow. She went to roll her head right when he slammed his claws into her skin, evoking a scream out of her just as he'd wished for.
Raphael was shaking now.
He was trying to get the feeling back into his arms.
Laurie's sobs quieted down as she opened her eyes, meeting Raphael's immediately. She choked on a cry, tears mixing with the blood on her face. "Raffe," she whispered, voice hoarse. "Raffe, you idiot."
Of course she would say something like that. She always told him if Satan himself captured her that Raphael should stay out of it. She was always putting her life before his, as if she were the immortal one and not the other way around.
"Now that you're awake," the demon said, "I'd like to enjoy my time with the oh-so-heroic angel before he breaks away."
"Please," she says quietly. "Don't hurt him."
"Silly mortal. He'll heal without a scar, unlike yourself."
"I don't care," she snaps, gathering some of her strength back. "Hurt me instead."
Oh, she really was a silly mortal...
Raphael wasn't sure if he should be proud or horrified of her bravery.
Without warning, the demon snatched a knife from his belt and shoved it into Raphael's shoulder. With minimal feeling, he was able to hiss and grit his teeth, but he wouldn't have given the demon more of a reaction even if he could.
Laurie was crying again. Begging futily.
However, the demon miscalculated the paralytic. He had mistaken Raphael as a common angel, not as a warrior. He did not think Raphael would be free so soon, and Raphael returned the favor in not giving the demon a warning. He yanked his arm down viciously, the chain snapping instantly, and brought his now free hand up to the knife. He snatched it out of his own body and was quick to stab it into the demon's instead.
The demon stumbled back, clutching his abdomen around the knife. A knife would not kill a demon, but Raphael's sword would, since it was blessed from heaven and this beast was scum from hell.
Raphael retrieved his sword from where it had clattered on the floor after he broke through the secret door. The demon was trying to drag himself away, but there was nowhere to run. Raphael would not have let him after what he's done.
He made a quick job of finishing the demon off by shoving his sword through the back of the demon's neck. The demon's body disintegrated, black smoke wafting into the air before slamming into the concrete, disappearing back to where it came.
He hurried over to Laurie next and rapidly untied her, reflexively pulling her into his arms as soon as she was free. One of the feathers from his wings got into her mouth and she laughed, blowing it away.
"Impressive," she noted as he wiped the blood from her cheek with the hem of his shirt. There were hole in the back of it for his wings.
"Well, you should know," he replied. "When there's a battle between angels and demons, angels will always win."
She pushed his shoulder playfully. "Don't get cocky. Besides, we still have a gate to hell to close, remember?"
He pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, his heart rate finally slowing for having her back in his arms. Back in his protection. He pulled away and made a grand gesture. "After you."