Grounded ~Book Four of Winged~

Deals

"Malachai slaughtered 23 people in order to get Azrael on our side and not to hurt you." Dominic speaks slowly and I stare up at him blankly for a few seconds before I fully process what he just said. Azrael drops the piece of my hair he was messing with.
"...He didn't..." I whisper and Dominic slowly nods. "Is he okay?" I question and the look in Dominic's eyes tell me he isn't.
"He is breaking away from reality... Most likely the way he did before he was sent to Barzakh." I turn and look at Azrael. His red eyes look down at me. "You shouldn't trust him, Trinity... He isn't good and you're not safe around him." Azrael looks behind me at Dominic.
"I keep my promises." He speaks monotone. I feel Dominic's hand brush against my arm before suddenly Azrael reaches out and jerks me toward him. He holds me tightly against him and I watch Dominic stiffen.
"Let go of her."
"Stop doubting me. I am on your guy's pathetic side now. Keep questioning my motives and maybe I won't protect her or I'll tip off both sides so an all out war will happen right here and Trinity will no doubtful get killed in the process..." Azrael lowers his head closer to me ear and he lightly blows on it, making me cringe slightly. I tilt my head away from him since I am being held against him. Chills spread through my body and I break out in goose bumps. My muscles all tense up and I can't move an inch. An icy hand wraps around my heart and breathing becomes difficult. I get lightheaded and my eyelids become heavy as it looks like I am looking through a tunnel at Dominic. Dominic starts to become panicked.
"Stop..." Dominic begs and Azrael continues to trap me against him. My legs give out from under me and Azrael holds me up. "Stop!" Dominic yells and Azrael lets go of me. I immediately begin to drop and Dominic uses a passage to get to me and catch me. I fall against him and he tightly wraps his arms around me, smoothing out my hair. He sharply looks up at Azrael and glares.
"Stop doubting me." Azrael says blandly and he walks around us, in the middle of walking he disappears. I can still barely keep my eyes open and my body feels heavy. Dominic looks down at me and he stands, picking me up. He carries me to my bed and with each and every step, my head bobs. I pass out before he gets the chance to lay me down.

Dominic

Zerach dabs a cold washcloth across Trinity's forehead and lightly puts the back of his hand on her cheek. Azrael sapped away her energy. He drained her. I stare at her face. She can't be around Azrael... She is not safe around him. I have to do something.
You can't fucking win against me so you can either be with me and your little girl will be safe. Sammael's voice echoes through my head and I watch as Trinity makes a pained expression in her sleep. I open up my mind.
"Sammael..." I wait for a response and never get one. I stay with Trinity for another hour or two to make sure that Trinity is going to be completely fine before I use a passage and go to Hell. I step out into my old bedroom and briskly walk to one of the bookshelves. My eyes skim the spines of the books. I need something that will help protect Trinity.
"Sorry, I'm late." I turn and look at Sammael, standing by my bedroom door. "Do you need something Asmodeus? Or are you looking to be killed?"
"Trinity is not safe anymore... Sammael... You said that-"
"I would protect her." He finishes my sentence and his eyes briefly skim over my room, covered in a layer of dust.
"Will you?" I question with a slight touch of desperation. He narrows his eyes at me slightly and he takes a few strides closer.
"If she helps get Mammon back from the pits, I will protect her and after, I will never bother her again." I barely think about the deal before closing the distance between us and holding out my hand.
"Deal." He takes my hand and we shake.
"So where is she? I want to get Mammon back soon." I stare at him for a second. Zerachiel will immediately fight Sammael until one or the other is killed and if Azrael is there, my bets that there is a better chance that Sammael will be the one who gets killed or Trinity in the process since it would be two Archangels against him.
"I'll bring her to you. Just give me a little time."

Trinity

"It looks like the storm is beginning to pass." Zerach comments and shuts the front door. He goes into the bathroom and brings back a towel, drying the floor by the door that has a puddle of water from opening the door while it was raining.
"When do you think it will stop raining completely?" I question and examine the cards in front of me.
"A few days maybe. I'll be able to take the boards off the window probably tomorrow." He lays the towel down by the door so if he opens the door again the rain will soak into the towel instead of creating a puddle on the floor. I move a card over to a different row and Zerach comes over to the table, to see what I am doing. "Solitaire?" He questions and I nod. I look up at him as he stares intently at the cards in front of me.
"Is something wrong?" I question and he looks up from the cards and at me. His eyes analyze mine and I wonder what he is thinking.
"No, are you hungry?" He changes the subject. On cue, my stomach growls quietly and he nods, turning and going to the kitchen. He goes to the fridge and opens it. I look back down at the cards and can't see another move for me to make so I push all the cards together, giving up. I organize the pile of cards so they are all facing the right way in the deck. Zerach comes over and sets a plate down with a sandwich on it. I stare at the bread for a second, wondering how and where he got the bread. He must have made it at some point. A passage opens across the room and I watch as Dominic steps through. He makes eye contact with me immediately and shows a small smile. He looks around, glancing at Zerach.
"It's good to see that Azrael is not hanging around anymore." He casually walks across the room to the table.
"You were gone when I woke up yesterday..." I pick up the sandwich and take a bite out of it. Zerach comes over and leans against the back of my chair. Dominic glances behind me at Zerach and then looks at the sandwich in my hands and then at me.
"Sorry... I got busy, but I am here now. How are you feeling?" He questions caringly and pulls out the chair across from me, sitting down in it slowly.
"Better." I reply and smile. He smiles back at me.
"Good."

Etheriel

"Malachai calm down..." I say carefully as Malachai stands with his fists clenched and are visibly shaking violently. He looks away from the window, where someone just walked past, and at me. He is extremely unstable and just keeps getting worse.
"I'm perfectly calm." His voice is unsteady and I can tell that he doesn't believe those words at all. He knows he is losing it and he is trying so hard to stay sane. "Where's Dominic? He hasn't been around for a few days." Malachai changes the subject. A car door shuts outside and grabs his attention immediately.
"...I don't know." Malachai is completely right, Dominic hasn't been around since he left to go to Trinity. I hope she is fine and I hope that Dominic comes back before Malachai loses it. I won't be able to handle him on my own.