A short excerpt from an earlier chapter...
"See?" A scar-faced human who needed a shave leered down at Nathaniel, careful not to step into the circle. "He's not dead."
"Gabriel will kill you anyway," Malachi whispered, and struggled to his knees. His left eye was swollen and purple, and a bruise marked the temple where the first blow had landed. Blood darkened one sleeve of his shirt.
"Where's Jordan?" Nathaniel asked, struggling to keep his voice low.
Malachi nodded towards the opposite side of the circle. "Out there. With them." He glared at the human, who stepped back into the shadows with a short laugh. "They seem to be waiting for someone."
"Undoubtedly," Nathaniel whispered. "They didn't seem the type to plan this." It took concentration to indicate the glowing circle, but at least he could move his hand.
"They knew who you were," Malachi said, not meeting his gaze. "They knew."
"Jordan told them, I’m sure." Speaking exhausted what strength Nathaniel had left. He closed his eyes.
"He says not," Malachi said. "He says they already knew."
"He spoke to you?"
"Before they dragged him out, yes." Nathaniel heard Malachi shift position. A moment later, he settled next to where Nathaniel lay. "Don't fall asleep again."
"I'll wake up." Nathaniel almost smiled. "I'm too stubborn to die."
"Gabriel will kill me if you die," Malachi said. A growl rode the back of his words. "I'll bite you if you fall asleep."
"See?" A scar-faced human who needed a shave leered down at Nathaniel, careful not to step into the circle. "He's not dead."
"Gabriel will kill you anyway," Malachi whispered, and struggled to his knees. His left eye was swollen and purple, and a bruise marked the temple where the first blow had landed. Blood darkened one sleeve of his shirt.
"Where's Jordan?" Nathaniel asked, struggling to keep his voice low.
Malachi nodded towards the opposite side of the circle. "Out there. With them." He glared at the human, who stepped back into the shadows with a short laugh. "They seem to be waiting for someone."
"Undoubtedly," Nathaniel whispered. "They didn't seem the type to plan this." It took concentration to indicate the glowing circle, but at least he could move his hand.
"They knew who you were," Malachi said, not meeting his gaze. "They knew."
"Jordan told them, I’m sure." Speaking exhausted what strength Nathaniel had left. He closed his eyes.
"He says not," Malachi said. "He says they already knew."
"He spoke to you?"
"Before they dragged him out, yes." Nathaniel heard Malachi shift position. A moment later, he settled next to where Nathaniel lay. "Don't fall asleep again."
"I'll wake up." Nathaniel almost smiled. "I'm too stubborn to die."
"Gabriel will kill me if you die," Malachi said. A growl rode the back of his words. "I'll bite you if you fall asleep."
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