Page 19 of Angel Captive

I couldn’t heal her. No matter how hard I tried. I closed my eyes tight and willed with everything I had to help her. I’d give my talent of tasting lies if it meant healing her.

A tiny sigh came from her lips and I opened my eyes, willing hers to follow suit, but she stayed asleep. More water wouldn’t come until morning.

I hated this fucking place. I hated that I had to wait on my enemy to bring water and food before I could give either to her.

Thunder boomed and shook the walls as though answering my anger.

“Hang in there, Riley.” I held her close to me, hoping my body heat would keep her warm enough.

My healing sleep yanked hard on me again and I gave in, sheltering Riley in my arms, but I knew as soon as the Roulex came with our meal, I’d wake again. And I knew that if I was Riley’s salvation, then she was mine too.

I just couldn’t allow the Roulex to know that. They’d use whatever they could to break me to their will and I couldn’t bear to see Riley hurt. It twisted something deep inside my chest.

The next morning,while the guards came with water and bread, I pretended to be asleep as they whispered about me holding Riley. Fuck them. Let them think their beating and drugs to make me mate were starting to work.

As soon as they left, I gently laid Riley down and picked up the water cup.

She shuddered, sitting up and rubbing her arms. She looked better and my heart leaped in my chest.

“Here.” I handed her the water.

Her eyes widened. “You need it more than me.”

“Drink.” I pressed the cup into her hand. “I will take the other.”

We drank and ate in silence each of us watching the other and I found myself wondering what she was thinking.

She swallowed the last of her water. “I-I’m so sorry, Xaden. I’ve been selfish with your time and getting me up to speed about this place. If I hadn’t you wouldn’t…”

“Don’t.” I shook my head. “This is how the Roulex operate. They take what they want by force and whatever nefarious means they can.”

Tears glistened in her green eyes. “But your wings. I mean I did what I could to help them mend, except there was so much damage. I’m sorry.”

I grimaced. True, I had no idea the amount of shape they were in; only that they produced a constant throbbing ache. I needed to continue my healing sleep to fix them faster, but I found myself not wanting to and missing out on time with Riley.

“The wings will heal, or they won’t. Let’s talk of something else, as you say, to keep my mind off my pain.”

“Oh God, you are in pain, aren’t you?” She wrung her hands, glancing out at the bars. “Will they give you anything… no, of course, they won’t. Maybe if I bargain with them, give them what they want to hel—”

“No.” My voice boomed through the prison and she flinched. I cleared my throat. “Please, talk to me of your planet or your friend, Melody?”

Her face softened. “You remembered.”

“I was listening to you, even if I didn’t speak to you at first.”

A pinkness blossomed in her cheeks, fascinating me.

“Why do you color like that? Are you part chameleon and can change colors?”

“Wha—no.” But her face turned a bright red. “Don’t your people blush?”

“We do not change colors; everything stays the same from our skin to our eyes to our wings as when we are born.”

She shook her head. “Humans blush whenever we’re embarrassed or shy.”

“You’ve never struck me as shy in the short time I’ve met you.”

“No, I’m not usually.” She tucked a strand of her brown hair behind her ear.

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