Oh. That’s actually a very logical thing to do. I wish I had learned that little trick sooner… Fuck, maybe he is real. Or maybe I’ve slipped into an alternate dimension. I don’t know. I don’t know anything anymore. “Okay, but I could still be hallucinating?—”
“If I’m a figment of your imagination, Dawn, then how could I have just told you something you didn’t already know?”
I curse under my breath. He’s right, as much as I hate to admit it. The only option left is the one I’m least willing to accept. There has to be a trick somewhere. “Then why are you here?”
“I don’t think you’re ready to know.”
Unamused, I flatten my tone and shape a demand: “Tell me, you so-called angel.”
When he responds, his voice is equally straight and serious, but a smirk lies on his lips. “Say please, you so-called human girl?—”
“Are all angels so unbearable?”
Malak shrugs, completely unbothered. “You’re actually lucky they sent me. I’m one of the better options.”
“So therearemore of you?”
“Already that distracted, darling?” He leans forward, resting his elbow on his knee to stare me in the eyes. “I thought you wanted to know why I’m here?”
Instinctively, I move to back away, though my back is already pressed into the arm of the bench as far as it’ll go. Malak’s eyes track the movement, too, but his expression shows no remorse. If anything, he seems to be enjoying my reactions. Why wouldn’t he? I’m playing his game, and he holds all the cards.
Trying my best to ignore the cold shiver that crawls over my skin, I take a moment to collect myself before speaking again. “Would youpleasejust tell me?”
“Fine, but only since you asked so nicely.” Malak resumes his casual posture, looking off into the distance with an enviable nonchalance. “If you go to a chapter in the Bible called Revelation 9, there’s a prophecy about a star falling from Heaven that gives someone the key to opening the Abyss, therefore unleashing millions of locusts on the enemies of God during Judgement Day. For reasons we don’t understand, that star landed on yoursoul, which makes you the key. Or, at least, the holder of its power. Oh, and the world is ending, if you didn’t gather that. Sorry. Questions?”
My expression morphs from disbelief to shock to genuine fear. “Like my nightmares.”
“You’ve been having nightmares?” His eyebrows lower slightly, pinching towards each other. “For how long?”
Far too long.
I snatch my feather off the ground and jump up. “I’m going to go to bed. I’m sleep-deprived and extremely unwell right now.”
“Kae,” Malak growls, immediately jumping up to block my path, his gold eyes staring down at me with an intensity that spans centuries. “This is real?—”
“Yeah, we’ll see about that.”
As soon as I try to walk around him, he steps to the side, blocking me again.
I scowl up at him, to which he only smirks in return. I wish I could smack that look off his face. I hate it. I hate how pretty he is, how convincing he sounds, how nothing seems to bother him… I’m tired of this insanity.
One of his neatly groomed eyebrows draws upwards. “Do I need to pop my wings out again?”
“Please don’t.”
“How about I perform some more miracles for you? Lightning’s my specialty, but I have many talents.” He has the nerve to fuckingwink. “We could even go for a little flight, if you want.”
“I’m not kidding. I need to go to sleep. Desperately.” Possible hallucinations aside, I’m quickly approaching the cliff where I can no longer function enough to drive. If that happens, I’ll have to sneak into an on-call room and crash for however long the nightmares will let me.
“Well, I’m sure you’ll be relieved to know that I won’t be giving you any more nightmares, now that I’ve found you. Sorry about that.”
I snap my head toward Malak. “You. Did.What.”
“It wasn’t intentional. An occupational hazard, if you will?—”
“You’re telling me thatyouarethe reason I’ve been in aliving hellfor the pastfive months?”I can’t contain my rage, my embittered voice escalating to a shout as I wave my finger at him. “Youare the reason I had to drop out of school the semester I was supposed to finish? Some goddamn piece of shit angel you must be!”
Malak steps backward, holding his hands in front of him, palms facing me. There’s not a trace of his smile anymore. “I can make it up to you.”
