What the Halo? I ONC2020 I

Chapter 14: Cain

Her weight in my arms awoke a hunger for revenge inside of me. It was a feeling I had long since buried away, but her small hands clinging to my chest, her warmth pressed to me, withering away, yet still trying to help someone other than herself made me crazed with rage. Thoughts that were not my own slipped into my mind, fire ants...had she seen what I'd done? Rules, training, my dark father's approval, and then there was her. Michaela had intended the thought of her obedience to be what drew my happiness, but instead, I found that it was her face in my mind's eyes that incited it. Bright beautiful emeralds for eyes, crimson curls, a sprinkling of freckles across her porcelain skin as if intricately painted.

It was true that her work ethic had set me on edge and made me question why I had been paired with such incompetence. But her strength, her will to fight even while her life force drained, the way she wanted to prove to me how strong she was, made me feel protective over her, made me want to help her succeed and see her enemies fall. I knew then as she laid limply in my arms, her small briefcase resting across her stomach, allowing herself to not only be vulnerable but to willingly seek solace in my touch that our alliance had been cemented. We would succeed together or not at all.

I exited the coffee shop and inquisitive eyes set heavy on Michaela in my arms. I wanted to shield her from them, but so many curious faces lined the street as I carried her sleeping body out into the cloud-covered city.

"Aw, is the little angel tuckered out?" Amalia leaned in close, her nose wrinkling as she inhaled Chaela's scent. What used to be sweet had gone rotten, and I narrowed my eyes as a warning against Amalia's proximity. "I know, I know, I'm not gonna touch her, keep your flames in your pants."

"So where is it?" I asked, adjusting my arms so that Chaela's head lolled into my chest. Amalia stepped off the curb and a yellow taxi came to a screeching halt.

"5th ave." She said flicking her head toward the rear passenger door and sliding into the front seat next to the belligerent driver.

"No! You can't just jump and I stop... stupid!" He spluttered, red-faced.

Amalia turned her head and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Relax, honey," she purred. And just like Michaela could shut a human down with happy thoughts, Amalia could control them with lust. The driver hung his head defeated and patted Amalia's hand.

"So sorry, pretty girl, very pretty girl," he hummed in a thick accent.

"Good boy," Amalia grinned, "fifth ave, St. Patrick's Cathedral."

I winced at the name of the location, and slid into the back seat of the cab, Michaela sprawled across my lap because I refused to set her down.

"Hallowed Ground," I grunted, this wasn't just a catholic school for children to frolic and attend bible study, this was sanctified ground, and to step foot on it meant pain for a demon.

"Oh, yes." Amalia giggled from the front seat. "It's gonna hurt. You sure she's worth it?"

I looked down at the angel who had caused me so much distress over the last twenty-four hours, sweat beading on her forehead. Was she worth the pain of stepping onto the holiest ground in New York City? She was my partner in this and if the child was at the cathedral, I had to see it through. "It's not a matter of her worth, it's about what I'm willing to do in order to succeed and you should know the answer to that."

"Keep telling yourself that, baby." Amalia snorted.

My lip curled, but I ignored her comment. "How can the child be in such a place?"

Amalia's head jerked over her shoulder, her eyes assessing me beneath her lashes."Your daddy didn't tell you?" She bit her bottom lip playfully. "Of course, he didn't... the toddler isn't merely one of us, Cain."