Angel Excerpt

Something flickered briefly behind her and Ethan froze.  “You’re an angel.”

A frown touched the corners of her mouth.  “Something like that,” she said.  “Are we going to get on with this?”

Ethan shook his head, backing away, left hand up showing his palm.  “No.  I don’t…I think there’s been a mistake.”  Had to have been a mistake.  His.  Or Gabe’s.  But there was no mistaking the glimmer of ethereal wings when she turned just so.  Hard to see if you weren’t used to them.  If you didn’t believe they might be there.

She straightened cautiously out of her three point crouch.  “Oh, okay.  So no hard feelings, right?”  Her voice was dripping with sarcasm.

Whatever he was about to say to that exploded out of his lungs with the last of his breath as a force like a Mac truck slammed into his chest and hurled him backwards.  He blinked up at the murky night sky, ears ringing, his heart slamming laboriously against his ribs.  On the bright side, he was still alive.  He could just as easily have been dead, which would have presented him with a whole new set of problems he didn’t really want to think about.  Ethan closed his eyes, worked on getting his breath back and slowly propped himself up on his elbows.  She was standing a few feet away, hands on hips, the light from the end of the alleyway flowing around her, illuminating the edges of her wings.  And those, curiously dark, were trembling with something just short of killing rage.

At this point an apology seemed entirely inappropriate and though Ethan felt the need to say something he had no clue as to what.  Honestly, he wasn’t even sure he could talk since breathing was presenting enough of a challenge all its own.

“You’re Gabe’s boy, aren’t you?”

He didn’t like being referred to in that manner but arguing was out of the question so he merely nodded.

A ripple ran along the edges of her wings and they flexed once before folding flat.  “I guess I should be honored.”

For an angel she was pretty good with sarcasm.

“I should just kill you and send your body to Gabe in a box.”

Ethan snorted and it hurt.  “He might thank you for that,” he croaked and it turned into a cough that put him back against the damp pavement again.  Note to self, never, ever, let your guard down around an angel.  Ever.  He could feel her standing there, even with his eyes closed, contemplating his fate.  Felt her move closer and crouch down beside him though she never made a sound.

Ethan looked at her through his lashes.  It surprised him that her eyes were hazel.  They should have been blue.  He didn’t know why.  Still, they were beautiful eyes.  Flecked with gold and green.  Amazing to pick out so much detail in the faint light of the alley but they were almost glowing.  Well, if he was about to get sent back to hell at least he had that image to take with him.

“Come on,” her voice was soft with none of the anger that should have been in it.  “I’ll buy you a coffee.”

She laid her hand on his chest and Ethan sucked in a sharp breath.  Soothing warmth spread out from that touch, flowing through him like a good shot of rum but with none of the harsh kick afterwards.  The kick this had was of a whole other sort.  A sort not even remotely appropriate given the circumstances.

The corners of her mouth lifted mischievously before she drew back her hand and stood, looking down at him.  “Are you coming?”

Note:  All works found here, unless otherwise specified, are © K. L. Schwengel.