WHACK.

Angela smacked Mary's head once more. She cackled evilly, then yanked her by the hair and threw her into the dark closet. Ash closed and locked the door hurriedly.

"Now, you stay there until you've thought about what you've done!" Angela shrieked. The loud words rang through Mary's head. It was throbbing, and she could hear her blood gushing in her ears.

She let out a whimper as the dull ache in her right wing began to make itself known. She gently pulled the limp appendage towards her, the blood sticking to her fingers. It glistened in the dim closet light. A tear rolled down her cheek.

Luckily Mary was small for a 12 year old, as this "closet" was really more of a cabinet. She was extremely thin and short, and her pale skin was covered in bruises from the repeated beatings. This sort of thing had been going on since Mary was born. She didn't understand why Angela and Ash were always trying to "cleanse" people, but whenever she asked them questions, they locked her in the closet.

"I'll probably go without dinner for two days now," Mary thought, remembering the hunger pains of the last time she had been so cruelly punished. She was growing tired of it. Couldn't there be some way of escaping this hell?

Escape.

That's what she needed to do.

Mary mustered up all of the anger in her body. The pain, the sadness, all of it-was fueling her anger. Her hate.

And her ability to kick down the closet door. She scrunched her petite form into the back of the closet and tightly as she could, a coiled cobra ready to strike. Finally, she took a deep breath and released her energy onto the door through the soles of her feet. As soon as the door flung off its hinges, Mary was on her feet, running as fast as she could to the window.

She jumped out onto the quiet London street below, extending her wings as a parachute. The cool air stung when it touched the bleeding wound, and the young angel winced. But now was no time for that. Angela and Ash were screaming behind her, and Mary knew she had to hurry.

The feeling of adrenaline pouring into her veins created a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach, and Angel and Ash were still following her. Mary continued running through the empty streets until she reached the outskirts of town.

When she could take no more, she glanced behind her, panting, and the two monsters were nowhere to be seen. The girl collapsed to the ground in a heap, a sigh of relief spreading oxygen to her weary limbs.

"Wh-what will I do? I have no home. Nobody." The realization of the results of her escape hit her in the head like a ton of bricks.

"I can't stay in London. They'll find me. I have to leave." Mary suddenly became aware of an odd wetness on her right shoulder blade. She craned her neck backwards to look, and gasped at what she saw.

Her right wing, usually a light gold color, was now dripping in blood. The red substance had soaked completely through the back of her once white dress, and the chilly air had begun to cool it. Mary began to shiver, and what feelings of relief she had left were disappearing quickly.

She couldn't leave due to her injury, but couldn't stay in fear that she would be captured again. Her head began to spin with the flurry of conflicting thoughts. Slowly, she drifted off into unconsciousness, her head settling on the cobblestone sidewalk.

When Mary awoke, something was poking her.

"Hello? Are you okay?"

She opened her eyes a crack, only to see a boy poking her with a stick. She shrunk back. The boy's eyes widened, and he crouched down to Mary's eye level. She wriggled in her spot, attempting to get away. But the boy firmly grasped her wrists. She looked up at his emerald orbs, her body quivering with fear. His expression softened.

"Look miss, I'm not going to hurt you. Would you at least tell me your name?" Mary stared at him. He had short, dark brown hair, and shining green eyes. He looked about 14.

"M-my name is...M-Mary..." she looked down. The boy slid a finger under her chin, forcing her to look at him. Her cheeks heated up.

"My name is Viktor." He spoke with a thick Russian accent. But it did make sense, this was the part of town where the foreigners lived. "So, wh-" Viktor was shocked when he noticed the dried blood on her back. He was even more surprised when he saw a...wing?

He took a few steps backward, before falling to his knees. "A-are you...some kind of angel?" Mary nodded, a shaky smile forming on her lips. "She's beautiful," thought Viktor, stricken.

But a look of worry replaced his shock. "We have to get you bandaged up. Here, let me take you to my house." Viktor suddenly picked her up bridal style, carefully avoiding touching the injured spot on her back. When the pair reached the Russian's house, Viktor shouted to see if anyone was home. There was no reply, and he sighed in relief before setting the blonde girl on an old, wooden chair. He left the room quickly, and returned with a box of medical supplies.

"Miss Mary, how did this happen to you?" Viktor asked quietly. Mary inhaled deeply, but exhaled sharply when she felt the pain shoot to her right shoulder. Viktor took note of this, and patted her hand. "It's alright, you don't have to tell me. Yet." He smiled at her. Eventually she fell asleep, and when she awoke again, she was in a different room.

It was slightly cluttered, books scattered in a few places and matryoshka dolls lining two shelves. The door creaked open, and Viktor had a tray in his hand. He smiled at the girl in the bed.

She looked down wondrously at the bed. It was so...comfortable. Where she used to live, Mary slept on the floor. And the food on the tray. It smelled like sausages.

Viktor chuckled at her adorably confused expression, and placed the tray gently on the bedside table. "Eat up!" he instructed cheerfully. But downstairs, a door slammed loudly.

"Viktor!" A loud voice called out his name angrily, and he rushed over to lock the door.

"Sorry Mary, guess my parents are home." Viktor scowled. "I hate them."

"At least you have parents," said Mary, quietly. He looked at her, a curious expression on his face.

"What do you mean by that?" Mary took a deep breath, hesitant to explain her current situation. but she swallowed, and told him everything.

When she was done, Viktor looked surprised. "Y-you mean to say that...other angels...abused you?"

"Yes." Mary shifted uncomfortably, but Viktor grew enthusiastic.

"We should run away together! And escape our lives. We can start a new life together. We can go to Russia, and join the-" Viktor stopped talking immediately when he heard a loud slamming on his bedroom door. He quickly pushed Mary towards the window. "Here, step out onto the ledge!" She quickly did as she was told.

Once on the ledge, Mary heard sounds of flesh hitting flesh. She peeked into the room, and saw a tall, bearded man beating Viktor on the back. "Stop!" she shrieked, terrified for her newfound friend.

Viktor stared at her, horrified. The man, presumably his father, halted in his abuse immediately. He looked towards Mary, and the veins in his temple looked as though they would pop. As he came closer to the windowsill, Viktor shoved him aside and quickly hopped out the window to join Mary. He swiftly grabbed her hand and pulled her with him to the end of the ledge at the side of the building. There was a ladder, and they used it to get down.

Viktor kept his hand intertwined with Mary's as they began to run. They were already in the outskirts of town, so the countryside wasn't far. After about ten minutes of running, they were safely on a dirt road, surrounded by trees.

"Viktor?"

"Hm?"

"How come you're letting me run away with you and you barely know who I am?" Viktor grinned.

"I don't know, but there's something about you that makes me want to trust you," he replied.

"Well, where are we going?" Mary questioned.

"Russia. I used to go to a ballet school there when I was younger. We can act like siblings, and say that our parents sent us." Mary actually thought that his plan sounded like a good idea. Except for one thing.

"Viktor, I can't dance," Mary said, concerned. Viktor snorted.

"Of course you can. With a figure like that, they'd practically be begging you to join." Mary looked down at herself. All she saw was a scrawny little girl with wings.

"Whatever you say," she sighed.

~4 years later~

Four years after arriving in their final destination, Mary and Viktor had become close friends and successful ballet dancers. Mary had finally gained a friend, and Viktor found someone he could trust in.

But lately, Viktor had been walking around with a strange, tall man after class. The man had strange catlike orange eyes, and black hair swept back into a long ponytail, a few strands framing his oddly pale face.

Mary became increasingly concerned for her Russian friend, as his time seemed more and more consumed by this strange man. There was always a dark aura hanging around him, and he reeked of something foul.

Finally, on her sixteenth birthday, Mary decided to confront Viktor about the issue. "Viktor," she paused, "I'm becoming a bit worried about you."

"What? Me? And on your birthday?" he questioned, trying not to give away signs of nervousness.

"Who is this man I keep seeing you around? The one with the orange eyes and black hair." Viktor's face became serious.

"Mary, there is something that I meant to tell you four years ago." He sighed. "I have made a contract with a demon. His name is Lucius."

Mary stood up from her seat at the dorm table. Thankfully, it was empty. "You WHAT?!" she shrieked.

"I made a contract...the day before I met you. He's the reason that I have been so successful. I am truly sorry, but your progression in the ballet company has not been aided by me at all. I was lured in by him at a weak moment, and now I am trapped. I am so sorry."

Mary's eyes watered a bit. Then she clenched them shut in fury. "I cannot believe you did this to me." Tears slipped out. "There is only one way that you can be saved now."

"And what would that be?"

"If you let m-" suddenly, the large window on the wall shattered into a thousand tiny pieces. The cause was Lucius. He glared at Mary, furious.

"How dare you interfere with my contract!" He grinned slyly, noticing that Viktor was standing right next to him. He snatched him by the top of his arm. "Because I might just do this."

On his last word, Lucius began sucking the life out of Viktor. "No, Viktor!" Mary cried out, but to no avail. What is done is done.

Lucius carelessly tossed the Russian's body to the side, as though he were a piece of garbage. He smirked at Mary, his pointed teeth gleaming in the moonlight.

"NO!" Mary screamed as she lunged at the demon. Lucius swiftly dodged her attack. She grunted as her wings unfolded from her back, and unsheathed her angel sword. "Die now, in the name of God!" With that, the angel lost all control.

The demon's smirk quickly turned into a frown as the power surged through the other being's veins. her eyes were glowing with rage as she took a swing at the enemy, never ceasing to attack. Finally, the battle began to turn around. Lucius had figured out the strategic movements of the angel in this form, and was easily able to perform his finishing motion.

He cleanly sliced his thin blade through Mary's abdomen.

Her face blanked as the sword was yanked out. Immediately, blood began to pour out of the wound.

Only one thought registered in her head.

Now I must flee.

And with that, she flew off into the distance.