Page 38 of Angel Captive

"Come on, we have to go, now."

I stood with her and we raced to the door.

"Not so fast," Charred screeched. He had jagged metal and glass pieces sticking out of the scales and pointed a tractor device straight at us.

Without thinking, I dove forward, my shredded wings giving me a little more lift than I thought possible in their condition, and I plowed headfirst into his chest. We fell together and I landed punch after punch into his scaled face.

Riley grabbed my arm, yanking me off him. "We have to go now." Her voice was more insistent than I'd ever heard it before and there was a panic behind her green eyes.

I looked back at Charred and then at the equipment that had sparked before and noticed it was now flickering with flames. I swooped up Riley in my arms gathering every ounce of strength I had left and hobbled with her out the door, kicking it closed with my foot. A blast of fire followed by another and another shook the building.

"Hurry, Xaden, there's going to be a whole lot more explosions when the batteries blow."

I grasped her hands and kissed her quickly on the mouth. "You go I'll try to hold them back for you."

"No way." She frowned, then there was a glimmer in her eyes. "Besides, I rigged the door to electrocute anyone who tried to open it from the inside."

I took her hand and we started racing to the stairwell that led up to the roof. "Do you mean it will give them a shock and knock them out?"

"More like it will give them 20,000 voltage through their body. I only hope that Charred is one that touches it."

Inside the stairwell, we took the steps two at a time and got to the outside door, but it was locked. I slammed my shoulder into it before Riley placed her hand on my arm.

"Let me try." Her voice was soft and sure.

I stepped back and she bent down taking out one of the many tools hitched to the top of her pants. She unscrewed the doorknob and then press the lever inside. The door clicked open and fresh air rushed over me. Scattered guards hovered in between the shuttles, but none seemed to notice us. We ducked down, running to the nearest shuttle. When we rounded the side to open the hatch, a woman with brown curly hair stepped forward and beside me, Riley tensed.

"What is it?" I asked.

She looked at me with tears in her eyes. "It's my friend— was my friend. Melody."

25

Riley

“Iknew you’d try to hop on one of these.” Her hips swayed as she walked over to us.

The Roulex guards came to attention at her words and hustled in behind her, their weapons drawn.

“Why are you doing this?” I asked, tears clogging in my throat. “Is it money? Is that worth more than our friendship?”

She laughed and the scent of rotten eggs drifted on the wind straight toward me.

Xaden pushed me behind him. “That’s not your friend.”

“Not any more she isn’t.” And even though I knew what she’d done and why, it still stung. Who walked away from their best friend like that?

“Come with me, Riley, and I promise you safety.”

The guards pointed their guns at Xaden’s chest.

“If you don’t, they’ll kill your lover.” She placed a hand on her hip. “Your choice. Oh, and in case you get any ideas…” She snapped her fingers.

Xaden swooped at the group, his wings, wrapped with the edges of my pants, flutter in the wind.

“Go, now,” he yelled, and several tractor beams struck him mid-air.

“No!” I yelled, but it was too late, he was trapped in the green light. My feet felt like they were encased in concrete as I hobbled to the shuttle and opened the hatch, diving inside.

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