In The Arms of an Angel - 2. Chapter 2 - Meeting the Angel

Anna came hurrying into the hall as they were stumbling through the door, the angel slung between them. When she saw him she screamed.

The angel’s head jerked up and he answered her with the chilling screech he’d made in the car. It shattered the glass vase on the table. The sound of smashing glass shocked both of them into silence.

“What the fuck is that?”

“I’m not sure. I think it’s an angel.”

“You think?” Recovering from her shock, Anne hurried forward and touched the angel’s face, brushing the sodden hair away to look into his eyes. They were even more startlingly blue than they’d seemed in the yard. “You poor thing. What happened to you?”

“I hit her with the car.”

“Him,” Pasha corrected and Lukas looked at him, confused. Hauling the angel straighter, Pasha nodded at the evidence.

“Oh,” Lukas and Anna chorused.

“Well, I don’t care if it’s a ‘him’ or a ‘her’, the poor thing’s soaking wet, cold as hell and maybe hurt. Bring him through.”

Anne preceded them into the living room and dragged a throw off one of the chairs, spreading it on the sofa. It took some doing to get the angel settled. Finally he was pretty much lying down, propped up on cushions stuffed around his wings. He didn’t look too comfortable but at least they could get a good look at him. And boy was there plenty to see. Pasha had to look away.

“Get some alcohol from the kitchen Pasha, and some hot tea… and there’s a first aid box under the sink.”

“Yes ma’am.” With bad grace he slouched from the room and found the kitchen. Gathering the things he’d been sent for he hurried back, juggling a bottle of dessert wine, mug of tea and box he assumed was the first aid kit.

By the time he got back, Anna had covered the angel with a blanket, for which he was glad. He just wasn’t used to looking at that kind of perfection. It was unsettling.

“Here you go, sweetheart,” Anna said and took the cup from Pasha. She held it out to the angel who stared at it but made no move to take it. Anna helped him sit up a little and held the mug for him to sip. At first he burned his mouth but after Anna had explained carefully about it being hot, he tried again and sighed with pleasure. “There you go darling. Is that making you feel warmer?”

The angel stared at her with his unnervingly direct gaze. He smiled but didn’t look as if he’d understood what she said. She knelt down and took his hand.

“Do you understand what we’re saying? Do you speak our language?”

The angel’s eyes flicked from Anna, to Lukas, to Pasha and back. He nodded. “I… understand.” His voice was light and musical, but didn’t have the same strange tone they’d heard at the roadside. This time it could have belonged to… well, a human. It was think with an accent no one could place.

“What’s your name?” Anna asked gently, holding his gaze.

The angel closed his eyes and frowned. Then he shook his head. “I knew once. Now I know not.”

“Oh fucking great,” Lukas snapped. “It wasn’t enough I had to run over a fucking angel, it’s an angel that can’t even remember his name.”

“Hush, Luke,” Anna admonished then smiled at the angel who was looking alarmed and a little frightened. “It’s alright,” she said laying a hand on his arm. “Don’t worry. You don’t have to remember, not just yet. Do you remember anything?”

“Swords,” he said quickly. “Swords and wings and darkness.” His eyes took on a distant look and he frowned in concentration. “Fire and blood and birds, black birds. Little black birds.” He shook his head and looked at Anna. “I might have dreamed.”

“You might have. Do you hurt anywhere?”

The angel nodded. “I’m bruised but there is nothing damaged beyond repair. My wing… my wing is sore. I don’t think it will fly me for a while.”

“That’s alright. You don’t have to fly anywhere. You can stay with us until you’re feeling better, until you remember.”

The angel nodded and reached for the mug, guiding it to his lips to drink again with obvious enjoyment.

“Are you hungry?” Anna asked and the angel thought about it.

“I don’t remember what… hungry is.”

“Do you need to eat?”

“Eat?”

“Food. No, never mind. I’ll get something for you. Just rest and keep warm.”

As she passed, she pulled Lukas aside. “I think the poor thing must have hit his head. I’d really like to get him checked over by a doctor but that’s not an option is it?”

Lukas shook his head. “We have to be careful. If people find out… Who knows what they might do.”

“True. Come help me in the kitchen.”

Left alone with the angel, Pasha found himself without anything to say.

“You were first.”

“What?” Pasha jumped. He hadn’t expected the angel to speak.

“You were first… to help me.”

“I… I guess so.”

“Come to me.” Without quite knowing why, Pasha found himself drawn to the angel and knelt on the floor beside the couch. The angel studied him carefully. Pasha grew more and more uncomfortable under the steady gaze. He picked at the hem of the blanket to distract himself. The angel raised his hand and touched Pasha’s face. His hand was cold. The touch sent chills through him. “You… looked at me… differently.”

“Differently? What do you mean?” Despite his nervousness, Pasha was intrigued.

“Differently to the other one. Differently when you saw I am a man. You… desire me.”

It wasn’t a question but Pasha shook his head vehemently. “No, no of course I don’t… I…” The angel silenced him. With an iron grip on the back of his head, he pulled him down and kissed him.