Angelfall: Theosophi Box Set

Chapter 2-2

Dawn on the fourth day and Jason woke to the rustle of feathers again. Clenching his eyes tight, he buried his face in the pillow, and willed the imaginary sound to go away. It was too close to what he craved, too close to what he wanted to hear in the real world. Nothing would make him happier than his guest to wake up and spread those great wings out, inviting Jason to touch at his leisure instead of the guilty little thrill he got cleaning the black feathers, being as clinical as possible.

Bolting upright after a minute, he realized he could still hear a soft shifting, and he whipped his head around, staring at his bed. Eyes as blue as midnight pierced him, down to Jason’s soul. His surroundings faded away, he was so thoroughly caught in those eyes.

“Etharzi.” The voice was parched from disuse, broken over the strange word and whatever spell the man had on him broke.

Jason tripped getting to his feet and stumbled past the bed. He almost didn’t make it to the door before he was shouting. “Guys! He’s up!”

They sounded like a cattle stampede as his brothers came from all corners of the house. Levi crowded the doorway first, grinning wildly. Danny and Adam weren’t far behind and almost plowed into their petite youngest brother.

He faced the being propped stiff against the headboard. The stranger seemed at ease despite that, with his legs crossed under the blanket and wings that framed him like a cloak of shadow. Jason figured he would start simple. “What is your name?”

At first, he thought the being didn’t understand what Jason asked, but then a large hand rubbed at his neck and a light bulb went on. As he rushed into the bathroom across the hall for some water, Levi and Adam slipped farther into the room in the seconds Jason was gone, though Danny stayed at the door. His hazel eyes watched their brothers like a hawk and it should’ve been funny, except it wasn’t. Just because their guest seemed harmless, didn’t mean any of them could afford to let their guard down.

But if they were going to get any answers, Jason had to put himself on the line. He crept forward a cautious inch at a time, giving the being time to watch his approach, Jason came close enough to sit on the side of his bed. Telegraphing his intention, Jason held out the cup for the man and suppressed the shiver that raced through him as their hands touched.

With a quizzical stare at the plastic cup, the first tentative sip, the being hummed quietly and then gulped down the rest. A pleased smile blossomed on the handsome face, lips damp and glistening. The pink tongue that swiped across the lush bottom lip nearly killed Jason.

Just as Jason reached for the cup, the being struck, snake fast. He grabbed Jason’s face between large hands, grip unbreakable. Danny shouted and Adam leapt forward, smashing into a sudden barrier of steel strong feathers. As the wings wrapped tighter around him, the man dragged Jason in enough to almost straddle his lap, so close he could feel the man’s breath ghost delicately across his face.

He cursed his foolishness as he clenched his eyes shut, getting so close to an unknown creature. And Danny was never going to let him forget this, if he was still breathing by the end. Jason found he wasn’t really afraid, though. The blatant display of strength had set his heart racing, but fear was the last thing on his mind.

Instead of tearing him apart, or taking a bite out him, the being’s eyes fluttered shut and pressed his forehead against Jason’s. The touch had barely enough pressure against his skin to feel. Then he noticed it, an unknown murmuring voice that he heard, but the guy’s mouth was still. There was a pressure right behind his ears and he wanted to squirm, to shake off the weird sensation. The f**k was that?

As quickly as the situation escalated, the being eased up and stroked a thumb across Jason’s cheek. It was soothing and Jason could only sit there, mouth opening and closing, brain stalled on something to say.

“I apologize.” Stunned, Jason nodded to show he’d heard. The voice was low and deep and smooth like a calm river, marred with a gruffness that said the guy was still parched. “I have never needed to learn a human language before, so if I was overly aggressive with you, I again apologize. I did not mean to frighten.”

“Jason?” Levi cleared his throat. “Are you okay?”

Jason took a deep breath and chuckled. The whole mess was absurd. “Yeah!” He caught his captor’s dark eyes. “You didn’t scare me, but could you let me go? My little brothers are freaking out.”

Midnight eyes slid away from Jason and a dusky rose color stole across the being’s cheeks. With a whisper, the black curtain of feathers parted. Adam wasted no time as he yanked Jason away from the being by his bicep, and planted himself between them with a scowl. “What the hell are you?”

Straightening up, wings mantled high, the being met Jason’s eyes. “I am called Castiel. Commander of the Shield, who sits below Michael’s left hand.” Castiel deflated a little, and quietly asked, “What has happened to me?”

“You don’t know?” Jason touched Adam’s shoulder and jerked his chin in a silent order to move. He kept himself out of easy reach, but sat on the bed again. “I don’t have much to tell you except I saw a fireball falling out of the sky. I went looking for it, but came across you instead, comatose in the pumpkin patch.”

For a second, Castiel looked horrified. “I fell?”

“Were you the fireball?”

“Yes.” The being flung back the blanket that pooled in his lap and stood, legs shaking. “I must return.”

Castiel took a step forward and his legs collapsed. Jason dove forward beneath flailing wings and caught him before he hit the ground. The lamp on Jason’s night stand and Adam weren’t so lucky; the lamp was flung across the room first to smash into a wall, and his little brother smacked hard into the opposite wall immediately after.

“f**k!” Adam yelped.

Jason struggled to help Castiel back to the bed, trusting Danny to keep their brothers out of the line of fire, so to speak. With a last awkward pivot, he tumbled Castiel back to sit on the mattress. “Damn, those wings of yours can do some damage.” Breathless, Jason laughed.

Castiel had an unmistakable pout on his face, who looked more like a puppy then someone of his stature should. “I hurt.” He stated it with so much confusion that Jason cracked a wider smile. “Why do I hurt?”

“Oh hell. Haven’t you ever felt pain before?”

“I have never possessed a flesh and blood body before.” He raised a hand, clenching and releasing it for a moment. “It is very different.”

Jason hadn’t noticed his brothers had moved closer to them until Levi crouched in front of their guest and kindly placed a hand on Castiel’s forearm. “Your muscles feel too soft and loose, am I right?” A tight nod was his answer. “It’s because you’ve been asleep for almost four days. Your body is sore, but you will bounce back in no time.”

Bless Levi’s tact for not overwhelming Castiel with a bunch of questions right off the bat. Jason was pretty certain Castiel would have clammed up fast and gotten hurt trying to leave. Poor guy seemed to need a safe space for a little bit longer.

“Well then.” Jason decided the moment was getting tedious and wanted to move everyone to the next part of Castiel’s care. “Let’s get you cleaned up right. I don’t know if you can tell, but you need a bath.”