IX

▬▬▬

"the devil has no sympathy.

he simply does not care."

▬▬▬

I DIDN'T KNOW who to tell, so the first thing I did when I got back to Zane's house was call Luci to tell her that I was fine and to meet me at the Student's Union for Thursday night Karaoke. If I could trust anyone, it was my cousin.

Zane had left me to my own devices as long as I stayed in the house. With the group eating downstairs, I grabbed a towel from the stairs and climbed into the pristine shower.

I shivered as a jet of cold water washed over me, before the liquid turned a steaming hot. There was still blood stuck to the most peculiar parts of my body: clumps in my hair; dried scarlet drips under my armpits. Not to mention the fact that I reeked of someone who had been in bed for days - which, according to Zane, I had.

He had been brief in telling me what being a half-angel meant. As the water gushed over my body and I threaded some shampoo through my hair, my mind lingered on the journey back. Apparently, they all possessed greater strength and lived until they were killed by a heavenly object or being. Menace had the ability to be very persuasive, which was why I'd left when I came back to the house with Zane after the accident. They had used healing remedies to keep me alive and revive me within days, and despite my absence from university, the only people I had to ring up and assure that I was alright were Luci and Evie. My mum rarely checked in on me.

It's all a wind up, I screamed in my head. The water drowned out the words. Zane was just fucking with you, manipulating you like every single guy you have come across.

But- but why would he lie? How could someone compose a lie so complex and layered? And what else would explain me surviving a high-speed collision without a scratch on my body? What else could explain Zane having wings disguised on his back as a tattoo. What I had seen was no nightmare. It was very real. Zane's world was very real.

I rubbed shower gel over my body, scrubbing at my skin until there was no blood left. Part of me wanted to absorb into the droplets and disappear down the drain, just so that I didn't have to endure the situation I had wound up in. But, with a defeated sigh, I shut off the water, dried myself off, and climbed into the wide-leg jeans and black band t-shirt Zane had left me. I stole one of his belts for good measure. For a one-thousand-plus-old man, he surprisingly had style.

The voices of the residents faded with the thumping of my feet down the stairs. I swallowed the nervous lump in my throat and entered the open plan kitchen-living room clutching one of my soaking locks.

"Sambuca or tequila?" Isarius pointed a finger at me the moment I walked through the doorway, his eyes fixated on the luxurious bottles of liquor displayed on the kitchen table.

I opened my mouth to respond, but Isarius' eyes flickered up and my breath caught in my throat. His complex hazel irises narrowed, and my heart began to pound like a siren. I couldn't move an inch, stuttering on the air in my throat.

"Tequila it is," he smirked, flashing pearly teeth. In a split second the intense eye contact we had been holding snapped, and on que air rushed into my lungs until I was euphoric. At least Isarius had a personality, whereas Zane's good looks were as far as his demeanour went. The blonde pointed to the people around the table. The others ignored the gesture. "We have a lime, right?"

Menace was sat at the head of the table with her bare feet on Cassian's lap. The beautiful woman rolled her eyes. "We're not doing shots."

"We have nothing better to do," Isarius retorted. He shuffled next to me and poured a more-than-substantial amount of tequila into a water glass with a wink. "Right? You guys look like we just murdered our pet hamster. We're finally going back home. We should be partying."

Isarius looked at me expectedly, urging me to agree with him. But instead I felt like an outsider. The four half-angels – or whatever the fuck they were – had a dynamic that felt like family. Albeit, a disjointed family that was missing multiple cogs and screws, but it was still a family that I wasn't welcome in. They sat around the kitchen table with ease, Menace ignoring Isarius' pleas as though she had done it a thousand times before. She probably had.

Instead of words, I took the water glass and swallowed the clear liquid in one gulp. Tapping it to my head, I scrunched my nose as the tequila enflamed my throat in a familiar sensation.

"I'm with Isarius."

The boy smiled devilishly. "That's my girl."

My heart skipped a beat at the exact same moment Zane jumped out of his chair, fists clenched like he was going to start a fight. He edged towards Isarius as though he was gliding, an animosity in the air which was thick enough to cut with a knife. But instead of throwing fists at the much taller half-angel, Zane snatched the bottle of tequila from Isarius' hand in a brutal motion. Zane copied my antics, downing gulps without even wincing.

Isarius leant against the kitchen counter and scoffed. "Did not see that one coming."

My jaw fell, and I was reluctant to pick it up. Zane's dark eyes locked on mine and he smirked. "What, Bambi? I know how to have fun, too."

I rolled my eyes. "The fact that you have to say that is slightly concerning."

Zane's eyes narrowed to slits, and Isarius didn't help the situation as he snaked an arm around my shoulder. I should've felt tingles from the contact, but instead I visibly shivered. Isaruis was freezing to the touch, unlike his warming presence.

The tension in the air doubled. Menace and Cassian shifted uncomfortably in their seats. The kitchen was huge, with large emerald-painted wooden cabinets and grey tile, yet it felt like the walls were beginning to close in. I drew in a breath but I couldn't breathe. There was something rotten about the air that was circulating the space and I had to get out.

The urge to run had been in my mind constantly throughout the day – but how did you run away from four half-angels? They had healed me after the car crash, nurturing shattered bones and irreversible damage back to health in three days. The could fly; scour the skies for me presence. There were stronger, cunning. Whereas I stumbled over every pebble in sight. I didn't want to admit it to myself, but I was terrified of them.

A shiver ran down my spine, the temperature in the room plummeting as Menace's icy eyes grazed over my form. I didn't belong here. Every cell in my body was telling me to get out. Get s. They say that curiosity kills the cat, and here I was, my life in the hands of a group of incompetent beings because I had seen Zane's wing tattoo. I was the cat, but I did not have nine lives. Only two.

"That's it," I shook my head. "I'm going to see my mate, and if any of you try and stop me, I will maim you."

Zane's eyes narrowed, "Bambi, you're not going anywhere alone."

I turned my back to the group and waved my middle finger in his face. "Then come with me. Looks like you need some karaoke to cheer up anyway."

For some reason, Zane let me gather my coat and open the door without stopping me. I slid on my Doc Martins and rearranged my brunette curls so that they weren't flattened by my puffer jacket, all without looking back. If they wanted to take away my freedom, then I would push their limits. I needed to see how far they would bend to keep me under their control.

I jumped as a pair of hands grabbed the coat hung up next to me. Expecting it to be an angry Zane, I was surprised to see Isarius smiling at me with glee.

"Did someone say karaoke?" He muttered and threw me a wink, sending my stomach spiralling into knots. He was the definition of cheeky, and I loved it.

"What're you doing?" Zane questioned and appeared in the corridor. His frame was clad with dark clothes and his mood indefinitely matched. "Dude-"

Isarius waved a hand to shut him up. "We get it, you're missing three feathers and you can't fly." The blonde man took a long black trench coat from the railing and chucked it at Zane. "But you know what will cheer you up? Singing Taylor Swift at karaoke."

Zane's face fell. "I am not singing Taylor Swift at a Students' Union on a Thursday night."

"There's also Bieber, One Direction, and Oasis. Take your pick."

Zane looked like he could kill a bunny with his glare. "Just because I'm called Zane, I am not singing One Direction."

I laughed as I made the connection. "Oh no you have to now. It's a right of passage."

The beautiful man rolled his eyes and grabbed a pair of car keys from the table beside the door. "That's it, I'm driving." Zane threw open the front doors to the inky night and gracefully slid into the front seat of Isarius' car.

I expected Isarius to be furious that Zane was taking his car yet again, but the blonde just sniggered. "I can drink? How generous."

Tentatively I climbed in the back seat with a few deep breaths, allowing Zane and Isarius to sit in silence next to each other. Their friendship was strange – if could even be described as such. The lack of laughter, the clear tension between stares, yet the unfathomable depth of their relationship was evident. They had spent that last century together. Although there was a lack of conversation, you could tell that they knew each other from the inside out.

"You haven't told anyone, have you?"

The question caught me off guard. Zane's eyes slid into view in the review mirror, picking intensely at my facial expression. I shook my head, scratching my arm knowing full well that I was going to tell Luci everything. She was my cousin and my best friend – I couldn't do this without her.

"Because if you do, then you'll be dragging them into all this. I don't have the energy to protect you and your friends," Zane continued and my heart flew to my throat in guilt. He was right, if I told Luci then she would be exposed to a world where secrets could easily get her hurt. I didn't even know the extent to the danger I was in to begin with. I was still in denial about angels existing.

But the world was simple so far – Zane and his friends were half-angels. They had been cast from heaven and followed Lucifer to hell. The group had served them until a plot was unfoiled to steal Lucifer's wings. Lucifer's wings gave the user the ability to raise the underworld and trigger Armageddon. Lucifer accused Zane and many other half-angels of participating in the plot and cast them away to the Inbetween, otherwise known as Earth. But Earth was a dangerous place for a half-angel and a previous follower of Lucifer. If aware of their presence, angels would be summoned to destroy any half-angel walking in the Inbetween. Zane, Isarius, Menace, and Cassian just wanted to get home, no matter the consequences upon their arrival. And to do that, they needed to find the earthly entrance to hell and beg Lucifer to forgiveness. And to do that, they needed me.

I still didn't quite understand what I was, but Zane was correct. I had died, and during those minutes under my soul had transported to the afterlife before being pull back to life by my father. I was an Echo. A part of my soul had attached to death. It terrified me. Zane didn't know what my capabilities were, except seeing the winged tattoos on his back. I was able to see signs to the gates of hell, but that was all they knew. Once upon a time, to them I was a mere prophecy.

The fact that their lives depended on a twenty-year-old university student with a crippling coffee addiction and drinking problem was petrifying. But I was trapped by the group – ensnared. Even if they would never admit to it. There was no running, and no hiding.

I folded my arms. "Good to know."

"You've told them, haven't you?" Zane accused.

"No."

"I can tell when you're lying, bambino."

This man would not give me a break. "If you think I'm going to risk my friends' and cousin's life for your little boy band, you have me solely mistaken."

"One more One Direction reference and I'm turning the car around," Zane moaned.

"You're the one who took that as a One Direction dig, Zane! Harry was my favourite, anyway."

Isarius turned around in the passenger seat and winked. "Harry's my favourite, too."

Zane's knuckles visibly tightened on the steering wheel, dark eyes flicking back to the road hurtling around us. This time, he was taking the speed limit more seriously. Edinburgh was empty for a warm winter night, the red ooze of streetlights sliding past the windows with comfortable ease. I had expected it to rain this evening, but the moisture in the air suggested that a storm was creeping up on the city. It even smelt like it had poured down, but maybe that was the inside of the car. It was well loved, but there was only so much you could do to mask the scent of ancient teenagers.

The rest of the journey continued in perpetual silence. No words were uttered as Zane parked up in a zone clearly marked that parking was not allowed, locked up and we walked off towards the Students' Union. There was something off about Zane, but my breath hitched the moment he glanced back to check that the pair of us were following him.

"What's got him so grumpy?"

The handsome blonde chuckled. Unlike Zane's ebony dress code, Isarius sported a vintage red Reebok jumper, indigo skater-boy trousers and a pair of shoes that were so white they were blinding. He fitted in well with the university crowd, whereas I suddenly felt weird to be wearing clothes that were not mine.

"He's just moody because he can't fly."

Zane spun around on his heel, "I can hear you, you know?"

"I was counting on it," Isarius muttered and turned my way to wink before striding away to catch up with his housemate. Isarius put an arm around Zane who eased into the man's hold. It was obvious how comfortable they were around each other. "You need to cheer up, buttercup."

I chuckled. Zane was far from being described as a fucking buttercup.

The flashing of multicoloured lights indicated that we had arrived at the Students' Union. The bar was vast, set in an idyllic ancient setting. Cobblestones paved the way up to the entrance, where the queue was only a couple of people long. In all fairness, we were late and I didn't want to think how long Luci had been sat on her own for.

We stood in the queue for two minutes, embracing the brisk cold air before showing our student IDs to the bouncer and entering the threshold. It confused me why Zane and the others had decided to guise themselves as ordinary university students in Edinburgh when they could've been anyone – how old had they pretended to be? How had they gotten the correct documents? I didn't want to know.

Once we were through the door, I held my breath and scoured the huge room for Luci. The student's union was vast, yet with a low ceiling and stonework that peeked out from beneath white paint, it was perhaps what one might describe as cosy. The area was shrouded in lustrous purple light, speakers sending vibrations through the air as a girl sang Seventeen Going Under in a horrifyingly bad pitch. I could smell the testosterone radiate off Zane and Isarius as they followed me through the bundles of students, laughing, smiling, all oblivious to the powerful beings on my trail. The thought that all life used to be was drinking, getting black-out-drunk, throwing up the cheesy chips from the night before, and then repeating felt foreign. The innocent scouse fresher who had been dropped off by her mum to start her first year had been blown to fragments and collected; moulded by Zane's hands to be his weapon. To him, it was all a game. I was just a pawn, and he was the bishop guiding the way in a canted path. It was the devil's game, and he knew how to play.

The search for my cousin was fruitless, so I sighed, grabbed a drink from the bar and managed to find a seat close to the stage. With winter drawing close, students had started to make their way home for Christmas. I had no choice but to stay – in fact, that was something I hadn't even thought about yet.

"Ada!" An over-excited voice screamed. "Oh my god, thank god you're alive."

I smiled nervously. Thank God I was alive. Or not – it was an angel that had tried to kill us.

I turned and hugged my cousin. Her grip radiated warmth through my body, and I tightened my arms to bring her closer. Even her sweet perfume reminded me of home – the place I felt the safest. It reminded me of cold nights, the fire alight in our council house, sitting by the flames and watching as they danced, entangled in a crimson trance.

But, as I pulled away, I was horrified. Behind her stood the rest of our friendship group, Evie grinning and Nora ready to open her arms wide in a hug. The had probably expected me to be ecstatic, but my heart plummeted. Fuck. All this was doing was putting them in danger.

Zane did not look impressed. At all.

"You are not scaring me like that again," Evie murmured and stormed over to embrace me. It felt so natural to fall into her arms, but I was terrified. If there was any chance that they could get harmed by association then I would never forgive myself. "Fucking hell, I've missed you. Are you ok? Luci said you've never been silent like that before." Her Marc Jacobs perfume was sweet and comforting.

"I'm so sorry, Evie. I'll never do that again. I just had some shit come up and Zane put me up at his," I exhaled, finally feeling as though I could breathe. Who knew what was going through Evie's head at the mention of Zane? They probably thought we'd just spent the last couple of nights together, and I wouldn't blame them.

Evie stepped away and raised a perfect eyebrow. "Oh, have you now? That's so exciting, how was it?" She paused. "Wait how is he, is his back ok?"

Somehow, given the introduction to a whole new sentient world, I had completely forgotten about our night rushing Zane back to his house as he bled out. He wouldn't be out of his hospital bed with his injuries by now, let alone at a students' union drinking pints. I hadn't even been able to explain the tattoo situation to her – blaming it on the alcohol was the only lie I could fathom in the moment.

"Um yeah, it's all healed. It wasn't as bad as we thought. He's got a few scars, but paracetamol sorted him right out." I forced the lie. I glanced away, unable to hold eye contact with her intense blue stare. "And unfortunately, it's not that exciting. It's... complicated."

"Oh ok, I'm glad he's ok. I mean, he looks great," Evie replied. "That's unlike you, chica. I love it. Boyfriend material?"

I almost spat out my sip of cider. "God no."

Evangeline laughed. She really was the definition of beautiful. "Tell me about it later."

I bowed my head. I didn't have the heart to tell her that there wouldn't be a later.

Zane didn't look impressed that my friends had shown up, but Isarius had jumped straight in and started to talk to Luci. The pair were sure to hit it off. They were both too stubborn, had a long list of one-liners to pull out, and very easy on the eye. It was a relief that some of the pressure had been lifted off my shoulders for me to entertain them.

Our group signed up our songs for karaoke and sat down in the booth, talking over the music as though nothing was wrong. The lies slipped off my tongue – I had told them that I went to check on Zane and had just stayed over for a couple of days to make sure he was ok. They could imagine what happened during those days for themselves. They just really wouldn't believe me if I told them Zane was an angel.

"Thought you said you hadn't told anyone," Zane said from beside me.

I crossed my arms. "I didn't know they were coming."

"It's your problem if they get put in danger, not mine."

"Ah, thank you so much Zane for reminding me of what a charmer you are," I retorted. "All you give a fuck about is your wings and getting home."

Zane ran a hand through his hair. "Unfortunately Bambi, I can't argue with you there."

Something inside me snapped. I was not about to give up my friends for his supernatural afterschool club. Nor was I about to waste my university experience because he needed to get home. I needed to get home. I needed to see my mother, Abuela and sister for Christmas. "Look Zane, I know you don't care. About me, about anyone. But can we make a deal?"

Zane's turned to me, his stunning eyes zoning in on my face and locking in. "Go on."

"I do whatever you want, willingly. As long as you protect my friends if they're dragged into this."

"Whatever I want?" Zane winked.

I slapped the boy hard on his arm. "You know what I mean."

"So, a premature deal? Bambi, I'm not sure if you're aware, but you already don't really have much choice but to do as we say. You're lucky I'm not Ace, she would've locked you away in the cellar without hesitation."

The lump in my throat grew and refused to budge. I already knew that, but it was worth trying to squeeze blood out of the stone. "Please, Zane. Anything you want. I won't argue. If the angels – or whatever – go after them, that's all I can ask." The words felt stupid coming out of my mouth, but Zane's world was real. I had to accept that.

"You're lucky I'm a fan of deals."

I raised a brow. "So that's a yes?"

Zane's brown eyes bore into mine. "It's a maybe. But if it's a choice between your life or theirs, I won't hesitate to let them die."

He really was the devil in disguise.

I nodded slowly, but I had said my piece. All I could hope was that my friends would never find out about this world. Hell, hopefully the angels didn't even know about my existence yet. How could they?

Zane nudged closer, running his arm along the top of the bench so that his hand fell on the small of my back. I continued to study him with intrigue. His stubble had grown out slightly to a length that gave his jawline depth; hazel eyes flickered with green and gold strands. My breath hitched from the electricity that buzzed between us, almost hearing a hum in the air.

"-Nadia, Zane, Isarius and Luci," Interrupted our intense stare. It rung loud across the Student Union speakers, reverberating off the cobblestone walls. If I had to be (forcibly) babysat by a group of premature half-angels I was going to have my fun with it.

A smile inched across my face as Zane's fell. "Nadia, please tell me you haven't queued a song for us."

I stood up excitedly, downing the last of my Thatchers Haze cider and grabbing Zane's arm. It was almost stone cold, and the look that I received was more so. "You bet I did, Azaziel."

"No, absolutely not."

"Who made you so fucking boring?" Isarius appeared from behind me and helped me drag Zane to his feet.

"I am not singing One Direction. I'd rather have my wings incinerated." Zane moaned like a kid throwing a tantrum.

"You know full well our wings don't burn, Zane," Isarius rolled his eyes. "It's not One Direction, we wouldn't give you the pleasure. You might actually enjoy this one, buttercup."

"Call me buttercup one more time, Isarius-"

"And you'll what?" The blonde smirked. "You can't even fly, Azaziel."

Ouch. Way to rub salt in the wound. Zane looked equally as hurt but he shrugged off the anger.

"What? We're getting your feathers back tomorrow drama queen, and what better way than to pass time than singing Highway to Hell by ACDC at karaoke?"

Zane didn't get the chance to reply. We dragged him to the stage, placed him next to a microphone and let the music blare. The song choice was perfect. It had been Isarius' choice after all, and Luci had agreed it was a great choice because none of us could actually sing. Maybe screaming down a microphone was our best option.

The stage was limited, with only space for a small group to perform. Edinburgh University's Students' Union was a beautiful collection of old, tarnished wooden beams and exposed stonework. The acoustics were definitely awful, but that was expected from the ancient building. We faced onto a crowd of drunk students, a few of which I recognised as passing faces from nights out and halls. This was my third karaoke Thursday; I was no stranger to the stage. A tickle emanated from my gut, but I squashed the nerves and let the song reverberate through me.

Zane looked uncomfortable but I could tell that he wasn't scared, or even nervous in the slightest. What did you have to be nervous about when you had been around the sun a thousand times? When he opened his mouth to sing after the intro, I understood why. He did sound like a dying cat. I guess he had to one flaw, after all.

I chuckled, letting the rhythm pulse through me. The crowd and glaring lights merged, alcohol in my hand and swaying to the heavy beat. The people at our feet cheered, but my eyes were cast to Luci, Isarius, and Zane. Isarius and Luci were sharing a separate microphone, staring into each other's eyes and laughing as they yelled to the seams of students.

"Lovin' free," I screeched, making eye contact with Zane and smiling. This was the university experience I owed myself, and this was the university experience that was inevitably going to be torn away from me. Tonight was my night of freedom, and I was going to relish every second.

Zane began to loosen up and I was surprised when he smiled back. He was beautiful. His teeth glistened purple in the luminescence, perfectly aligned. His dark stubble toned his face, and hazel eyes were merely brown in the lack of lighting.

"Season ticket on a one-way ride," We shouted in unison. The lyrics on the screen in front of us chased onto the next line, and we continued to belt out the words. A heavy metal song was strangely welcome tonight, and our fellow students were yelling the words back to us in mismatched harmony.

We continued to shout at each other, my arms moving wildly, and at one point Zane even decided to start banging his head as he loosened up. The smile on his face was mysterious, brown tufts of curled locks shaking with the beat. And when we finally reached the chorus, I stood my ground and pointed my finger at the half-angels. I prepared my voice, knowing it would be gone in the morning.

Zane locked eyes with me. There was a glimmer of spite in them, but they captured me and I was mesmerised. His ability to make me breathless was something that caught me off guard.

I clutched the microphone in my hand and yelled "I'm on the highway to hell!"

We were on the Highway to Hell. And it didn't look like we were turning off anytime soon. 

____

An update is finally here? I know, I can't believe it either nor can I believe that it took so long, I can only apologise :(( but I missed Nadia and Zane's journey and it's only to get darker, more hellish from here ;) hope you all enjoyed and I'm sorry it's not my best!

Love you all and thank you for the endless support <3

Lotte