Chapter 17

A/N

Hey guys, sorry it took me such a long time to update. Life has been pretty crazy since I last updated, I just started my senior year in August and I've been working steadily on applying to colleges. I got accepted to a couple so far! So excited! EEEEPPPP! Also, there have been some…developments within my family, my little cousin is really sick and he's been a real trooper, but we're all really worried about him. If you guys could please just pray for him, I would really appreciate that, and I know his parents would too.

Rest assured, I have definitely NOT given up on this story, and I promise I will complete it. It's just taking longer than I thought it would take because of everything going on right now.

Thank you guys for all of your reviews and comments!

FYI: This chapter goes a little into the past, so some of the events in the previous chapter have not occurred in this one yet.

Max's POV

Recap:

"Max!" I heard Fang call from behind, and soon followed the slapping of soles upon the pavement as he chased after me. I ran all the faster, dodging this way and that, down one alleyway and then another. Still, Fang kept pace, hot on my heels.

I turned and suddenly I was facing a brick wall. I turned to go back but heard Fang running my way. Flipping around, I faced the brick wall. I knew I had no choice but to go through it, even though I hated phasing through walls, I had to do it this time.

For Fang's sake.

I took a deep breath and sprinted towards the wall, leaping through it.

Passing through the brick wall, I couldn't help but cringe as I felt it pass through me. I hated phasing, even more since I had met Fang.

Fang.

He had touched me. His hand had been wrapped around my arm. He "saved" me from an oncoming car. He had held me in his embrace.

How had he—how could he have been able to do that?

Impossible.

But the truth smacked me right in the face.

He had touched me. I didn't phase through him. His arms had held me—held me as if my body had substance, as if my body was real, not the ghostly form I had never grown accustomed to.

It felt so right.

But it was so very wrong, if the Angels ever found out about him… I shivered as I stood and began to walk. I had no destination in mind. I simply moved as I dwelled on what had just occurred.

What did just occur?

I couldn't seem to wrap my head around it.

I hadn't even noticed his skin had made contact with mine, not until he had brought it to my attention. This ability would get him killed. It would make him a target, not only of demons, but of angels as well. He was special, and that made him dangerous.

Now you might think I've lost my mind, and maybe I have. But I was less concerned with the demons finding out about his ability than the angels.

Demons love to exploit humans for their abilities, as they did with Hitler and his ability to give inspirational speeches to large crowds in order to kill millions. Demons would more likely see how they could use Fang's ability to their advantage than to see him as a threat.

Still the thought of a demon trying to manipulate my ward made my stomach sour and turn.

The Angel authorities on the other hand, would only see Fang as a threat, and no matter how pure a soul he might be, they would never allow the risk that a demon might use his ability to make the human world aware of our presence.

Our cardinal rule, no human could ever know for certain the existence of angels or demons.

A human had to believe in our existence on faith alone.

They would kill Fang and call it mercy.

Mercy. The word left a bitter taste in my mouth.

As an angel, I would be expected to tell them about this gifted boy.

The thought of even doing so made me feel as if I had become a demon. My wings ached at the thought, along with my chest. It was a deep and unforgiving pain that swallowed my being.

No. I can't. I won't! I refuse.

I won't do it.

And just for that refusal, they'd tear my wings from my back, let me fall from heaven to the hard earth bellow, and become neither angel nor demon, but Fallen. A soulless creature, cursed.

If they knew.

But they won't.

I will protect my ward.

And he will not die under my watch.

With my resolve set, I looked up, determination in my gaze which soon turned to confusion. I glanced to my left, my eyebrows knitted together in a desperate search, and then, finding nothing, I turned to my right, but I didn't find what I was looking for that way either. So I flipped around. Nothing.

I sighed in annoyance.

Great, I'm lost.

"Figures." I sighed and began walking towards what seemed to be the more populated area of town. Highly populated areas of cities are far more likely to have maps that I could use to make my way back to Fang's house—

But—wait a second…Fang isn't at home—oh, crap! I left him on the street back there, he's completely unprotected. How could I be so stupid? I need to get back to him now! I spun around, trying to figure out which way I had come from. Soon, however, I realized in a panic that I didn't recognize anything, anything at all.

Come on, Max! I chided myself. There's got to be something that you remember seeing.

My eyebrows furrowed in concentration as I looked for just one tiny little insignificant detail that would clue me in on which way to go.

Come on, come on, there's got to be something!

I stood there for several more minutes.

Nope. Nada. Nothing.

"Great." I groaned and began to walk down a random street, hoping I was going in the right direction as I silently freaked out.

What if Fang got himself into trouble? What if he got kidnapped? What if he's harming himself again while I'm away and can't stop him?

What if Sam got to him?

I let out a frustrated and anxious cry, throwing my head back. Guess that whole keeping silent while I freaked out thing was out the window. I stared at the sky; somehow its intense and deep blue always calmed me, even when I felt like I was going out of my mind.

As I looked up into the deep blue, a sudden realization came over me and I felt like facepalming.

Oh, I am so stupid sometimes.

I'm a freaking angel.

I can fly.

"Max, you've got to stop forgetting those blatant and all important details, girl." I told myself as I came to a stop and prepared to leap into the air.

Once I got into the air it would be a piece of cake to spot Fang's house and fly over to it.

I can't believe it took me that long to realize that. How embarrassing?

As I leapt up into the air, berating myself for my stupidity, a shadow stepped out from the alley and wrapped around my ankle. Searing pain shot through my body and I crashed to the ground in a heap. The fiery pain spread and caused me to involuntarily scream.

"Oh, Maxi, how I miss those cries of agony…" A chilling voice spoke from behind me; my heart stopped and rose at the same moment.

Fang was safe, because Sam was here.

Intense pain seared my being, my mouth opened wide in a silent scream. Sam was stronger and his ability to cause pain had heightened greatly from the last time I had endured his torturous touch. It was as if the fires of Hell were consuming me, burning me to a crisp, and then burning what was left of me until I was no more. But the pain still endured; there was no escape from it in my conscious form. Slowly, my world became black as night as the agony became too much to withstand.

Only the knowledge that Fang was safe from Sam's grasp comforted me.

A/N

So what do you think?

I'm sorry again for how long it took me to write this chapter, I'll try to update again soon, but I can't make any promises as to how quickly I'll be able to do so. I'm approaching a part of the story I didn't make too many notes on, so it may take me a bit longer to come up with something, any ideas you might have as to where the story should go are appreciated. Reviews are also appreciated, so please let me know what I'm approaching a part of the story I didn't make too many notes on, so it may take me a bit longer to come up with something, any ideas you might have as to where the story should go are appreciated.

Reviews are also appreciated, so please let me know what you think of my story so far, and please pray for my cousin as well.

Thank you guys, and have a Spook-tacular Halloween!