Page 105 of The Dark Obsession

Rafael’s stance changes from barely bothered to defensive. His large back squares up, ready to attack.

I can’t stop looking at the strange glow that shadows Rafael. As Adriel enters my line of sight, I realise he has a glow too, not as bright as Rafael, but still he glows. I focus on the hole in his shoulder. It’s smaller than I remember it being moments ago, with barely any blood spilling out now.

“There is no need to involve her,” Rafael says, tension rising fast.

Dale strides towards me.

Rafael and Adriel move in unison as their bodies collide with his, and I hear a deafening crack resembling thunder.

Benjamin’s body jolts next to me, his mouth hanging open in shock.

Rafael holds Dale from behind, and Adriel stands in front of him. Their glow is more intense now, their shadows as bright as a torch.

“There’s no use hiding it now.” Dale laughs, blood trickling down his nose.

Benjamin jumps to his feet. “What thefuckis going on?”

My chest aches as the need to protect my brother intensifies.

Ben runs into the middle of the room and reaches to grab Adriel’s shoulder. A loud bang like a gunshot sounds and Ben’s body is flung across the basement, the second his hand touches Adriel. He smacks against the concrete wall, and falls to the floor with a thud.

I watch, frozen in horror, as his body convulses before becoming still.

Dale’s manic laughter blocks out the sound from Adriel and Rafael’s hush conversation.

Adriel’s face is as pale as a ghost, the panic flooding his eyes.

My throat seals, all the screaming stuck inside my brain.

“They are angels, Rose!” Dale bellows. “Filthy fallen angels!”

My heart stops, and my breath hitches in my throat. The hair on my arms rise as the images of wings from my dream flash in my mind. “Impossible.” I laugh dryly.

“Dale, be reasonable,” Rafael says, battling against Dale’s attempts to get free.

“Reasonable? Do you think it reasonable to make a human fall in love with you and not tell her the truth?”

Rafael’s silence is enough confirmation for me. “What has killing me got to do with angels?” I shout over the struggle.

“It’s a request from dear old daddy.” Dale shakes under Rafael’s muscles. “Rafael’s father, of course—not yours. Yours is dead.” Dale adds, cocking his head to the side as if to remind me.

Rafael has a momentary lapse in strength, Dale’s words catch him off guard.

Dale breaks free and whisks past Adriel’s attempts to grab him, revealing a silver knife which is at least ten inches long. “Daddy also gave me this.” Its jagged teeth glints in the light that shines off Rafael.

Rafael and Adriel run to me in unison, Rafael moves into a defensive position in front of me, and Adriel crouches, his glowing hand touches my forehead. “The adrenalin won’t hold her much longer.”

As he speaks an agonising pain spreads to my lower back my legs burning like they are on fire. I bite my lip, stifling my cries that beg for me to let loose.

“Don’t cry,” Rafael says once, his voice breaking.

My barely beating heart aches for the man who stands between me and certain death. My anger at his lies and my sheer terror at his true self bubble beneath the surface. Adriel’s hand moves around, reaching for my hand but I flinch out of the way.

“I won’t hurt you,” Adriel mutters.

Ben’s chest moves heavily but steadily.

“He’s just stunned.” Adriel hurries and nods in Bens’s direction.

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