Page 3 of Found In Destruction

“If this keeps happening, you’ll have to. You may need treatment, Diana. This isserious. Judas’ compound has someof the best healers outside of Heaven and I’ll drag you there myself if I think you’re in danger.”

Michael’s words filtered through my head as I clutched the basin, staring at my reflection. The room spun like a Tilt-O-Whirl, as if I had lost control of it. My magic bubbled over, shooting around the room as it bounced off the walls. I closed my eyes and took deep breaths, willing it to calm down. I wasn’t ready to go home yet. I couldn’t face them, even if I needed treatment.

Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out.

After a minute, I felt my magic winding down and my heartbeat returning to normal speed. The room wasn’t spinning anymore, nor was my magic going haywire. When I opened my eyes, my reflection wasn’t a glowing red, thank fuck. Cleaning the blood off my face was gross, but I had sustained much worse injuries before.

Staring at my own reflection, I grappled with the decision to keep running, or go home. Had I licked my wounds enough to face them again? Could I really sit there with them in meetings and be around them during training after what they did to me? How did you fight beside men you couldn’t trust?

There was a soft knock before the door opened behind me, which startled me out of my staring contest with myself.

“Diana?” Michael’s voice was worried.Maybe he doesn’t know…

“Come in.” I whispered.Why the fuck would I whisper? Is that normal sounding?

Michael opened the door slowly, then stepped inside. His light blond hair stuck out everywhere, like he had just gotten out of bed. He knew something was up—I could tell from the concerned set of his brows and the way his jaw tensed when he looked at me. That was his signature Dad look, how I knew hewas concerned. He had proven to be a really great father since we left the compound. As much as it hurt my Leo pride to say it, my first impression of him was wrong. He really did care about me and Oisín, but heaven’s red tape had kept him away from us.

Unfortunately for me, he was in full Dad-mode right now, asking a million questions I didn't want to answer.

“What was that?” he asked, choosing not to beat around the bush. The man may have taken a break from being second in command of upstairs, but he still had a no-nonsense attitude.

“Um, I’m not sure what you’re referring to.” I kept a neutral face, hoping that playing dumb would help.

“That burst of magic a few minutes ago. It was so strong that it woke me up. It felt like your signature.”

“I woke up with a nose bleed. The air here is so dry and stuffy. I used my magic to clean it off, and I think I overdid it.” Not a lie, but not the complete truth either. I felt awful lying to my father, but it had to be done.

I could try to be brave, but I knew deep in my heart, I didn’t have the capacity for it. My heart hadn’t healed yet. Going back right now wasn’t an option.

“Okay…” We were locked in a staring contest, and his Dad-stare was creepy sometimes, because it was like staring into a mirror—our eyes were identical. And he didn’t look old enough to be my dad.

He knew I was lying, but didn’t have the heart to call me on it. “If you feel any symptoms, tell me. You need serious medical attention if you have another incident like before, and I’ll need Zaz’s help at the compound.”

“Of course. We should be getting home sooner or later anyway. Can we go back to the 80s today, Dad?” Sometimes I called Michael by his name, and other times I called him Dad.

Right now, I needed to soften him up so he didn’t make me go home. He was a sucker for daughterly affection and althoughmine was genuine, I had to use it to manipulate him right now. Going to another time period would hopefully fix whatever was happening to me. It would give me enough time to pull my big girl panties up and prepare myself for what was sure to be a dramatic reunion.

“Of course we can. That’s my favorite time period. How about 1985 again?”

“Yes!” I said excitedly. “Sounds like a plan. I’ll let Mal know when he’s up and we can get ready.”

I gave him a kiss on the cheek and rushed back to my room before he had another chance to question me. He wasn’t stupid. He was one of the most renowned angels in the world and knew something more was going on.

I’ll go home in a week. Seven days to get myself emotionally ready, and then I’ll face them,I promised myself.

That would hopefully be enough time to set myself right.

2

AZAZEL

“I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do to help you,” Rafael said. “She hasn’t broken your soulbond, but it seems she’s shut out mindlinks. I’ve tried a few things, but she’s powerful and guarded. No one can force her to turn them back on.”

Those words pierced my heart like a thousand knives. Even though she didn’t break our bond, Diana shutting me out still hurt. I used to be a hero in her eyes, and now I’m not even the dirt on her shoes…and it’s all my fault.

I rose from my chair in the little one bedroom apartment he had in the heart of Los Angeles. If there was anyone else as talented with spells and wards, I would have met them instead, but Rafael was the best in the business. To secure a meeting with him took a while, and since I wasn’t allowed into Heaven, we had to meet somewhere safe on earth.

Running my hand through my messy, tangled curls, I started to laugh. “You must be loving this, Raf. Azazel the Fallen, still plummeting centuries later.”

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