I only pray to those I trust will listen - Michael [xxx]

It had been almost a week since she had arrived home from her getaway to Bali. Even though she had gotten a lot better, she still felt shitty from time to time. Her body had healed almost completely, so it was her mind that needed the last bit of care.
She had returned to the house outside of Gaia. The house itself was something she had been used to living in before she moved in with her late fiancé, so it was the closest thing to a safe space for her. The elderly couple she had lived with back then had also passed away, leaving her feeling alone once more. Although the usual stray cat and other small animals kept her company, she preferred to live her life in isolation. She even ghosted her best friend and the man she had admitted to might have fallen in love with, only because she couldn’t handle any more suffering in her life.

Wearing nothing but a beige silk dressing-gown that had been tied shut around her waist, she walked into the kitchen with the empty mug in her hand. With a gentle flick at her wrist, the kettle started making noises as it began boiling new water. Using magic was beginning to feel normal again for her - thankfully! She had felt out of touch with magic ever since she had lost her temper and attacked Jerry. Now, she felt like it made sense once more. She was humming, as she looked out at the last sunrays leaving the sky. Dusk was a beautiful time for her - everyone settling in for the night. Tonight, however, settling in wasn’t in the cards.

It started with a hard hammering on her door. She froze and turned slightly away from the noise, as she was in no way going to open the door to anyone. Then, the noise stopped. She grabbed the kettle with the now boiling water and poured herself another mug of tea; he hands trembling like crazy. Her heart raced as it was a derby-horse, making her lightheaded. ‘’Oh darling, you shouldn’t wind yourself up so much… Although, I’ve always loved the taste of you when adrenaline rushes through your veins,’’ a voice whispered, although no one was in the kitchen with her. She closed her eyes, as she felt how tears formed. ‘’You’re not here. You’re not real.’’ She said with a shaky voice. ‘’Oh, but I am. That little ward you made at the human-boy’s flat worked wonders, didn’t it? What a shame you didn’t think of protecting yourself as well,’’ the voice mocked her, before a rather tall and fair-skinned man emerged from the shadows.

Cassandra dropped the mug on the floor, making it shatter in a million pieces. She was frozen, as the man approached her. ‘’Cassandra,’’ he called in a luring voice. ‘’Where’s he?’’. That question made her snap out of her freeze, only to look at the man with a confused expression. ‘’Where’s who?’’ she asked, making the vampire slap her hard across the face. ‘’My son, you dumb bitch!’’ he yelled at her, making her move a step back, only to be stopped by the counter. The slap had not been enough to hurt her, but it was enough to scare her. Yet, she looked at the man with pure disgust as she straightened herself up and regained her composure. ‘’Get. Out. Of. My. House.’’ She demanded, making the man laugh mockingly at her. ‘’Not without Calsifer!’’ he demanded, making Cassandra shake her head ever so slightly. ‘’Calsifer died, Jonathan. You killed him.’’ She said, grinding her teeth. That was too much for the man, making him walk straight over to Cassandra once more, only to grab her by the throat and lift her up. He threw her across the room, making her fall up against the stove. ‘’I killed him!? You have some nerve, little witch! You’re hiding him from me! You want him all to yourself! Selfish little bitch!’’ he yelled as he once more moved closer to her. She got up from the floor, while a growing pain in her side told her that a rib had been broken.
He grabbed onto her hair and pulled her with him as he went out into the hallway. ‘’Which room is his!?’’ he demanded to know, as he threw the witch down in front of him. Cassandra barely got to say anything, as she looked at a closed door by the end of the hallway. A cupboard that she used to storing her cleaning-supplies. The vampire moved quickly, as he walked down the hallway to open the door - only to discover a broom, a mop, brushes and other cleaning utensils. He growled loudly at her, as he turned around to look at her with a warning expression on his face. However, she was gone. She had dragged herself to the bathroom, where she had closed and locked the door. It was a standard wooden door, with a simple lock. It wouldn’t keep him out for long.

She had not seen him this angry since she had left. Normally, Jonathan would never harm her, unless he had not been feeding for a while. It had gotten worse after the loss of their son - making her fear that he this time had lost any control completely. She climbed inside the bath tub as she tried to keep her breathing as silent as possible. However, the loud hammering that had been heard on the front door mere moments ago now sounded at the bathroom door, making her fold her hands and web her fingers as she prayed. she never prayed to gods - not anymore. Neither did she this time. She prayed to the archangel she knew existed; Michael. In a silent prayer, she begged him to make the vampire leave her alone. She begged him to grant her some safety from the life she tried to survive and leave behind. All the same, the vampire seemed to almost have broken through the door, as he now tried to force the handle as well, making her tremble immensely.

Outfit

His head was resting in the palm of his hand as he was reading through another chapter of myths and legends in Gaia. Ever since he’d arrived in the city, he’d discovered strange creations and phenomena that he hadn’t met before. He stopped reading at the image of a new symbol, opening his journal to write a few notes about it. Then he looked at his watch, to the bottle of whiskey on the kitchen counter, considering to pour a glass and call it a night. Alcohol was usually the only reason he ever got some sleep, and even then, he’d not get much more than three or four hours.

In the back of his mind, he heard a whisper, a familiar voice praying to him. He looked up from the journal as he focused on her words. As he realized what it was about, he quickly got up from his seat, picked up a knife that he hid away in his jeans and ran outside. He ascended into the colorful skies, using his ability to control the winds, making him fly fast and unseen. By the time he reached the house, he’d created a storm that made hundreds of leaves fall from the trees. He hurried inside the front door and stopped for a split-second as his eyes landed on a man hammering his fists against a door. “Hey!” he yelled before he went over and grabbed a hold of him, trying to shield him from the door. “What the hell are you doing?” he asked, but his presence obviously didn’t please the guy. Instead he bashed Michael through the door, breaking it so he landed with his back on the bathroom floor along with the shattered pieces of wood. “Son of a bitch!” he exclaimed. Violence was never his first choice, but it seemed like the man wouldn’t listen to reason. He got up to his feet with a cold demeanor before he forcefully pushed the vampire out of the bathroom and into the hallway. He took out the knife and transformed it into a wooden spike with the shattered wood from the door. Then he walked in front of the doorway to block the entrance. The rage lingered underneath his skin, making the lights flicker for a moment, until he regained control over his ability. Doing everything he could to restrain himself. Hoping that he'd just escape.

The guy went at it again, but this time he kept standing despite the hit to his jaw. He looked a bit down at the taste of blood in his mouth, opening it slightly to see it drip down to the floor. He put up his hand to greet his fist as it came towards him again, holding it steadily, before he looked back at him with a dark look in his eyes. Then he grabbed him by the throat with one hand, forcing him up against the wall in the hallway. “I’m going to kill you if you ever step onto this property again, you hear me?!” he yelled, strengthening his grip around his throat, as he looked at the guy. “Hell, if you as much as touch her,” he said. He’d already seen enough to spike him, but it was always the last way out.

She had heard the sound of a storm brewing; yet she had no idea that it meant that he had heard a single word of her silent prayer. She just hid in the tub, trembling as she rocked herself manically back and forth, trying to keep her mind on begging someone to make it all stop. Then - she heard a voice break through the hammering on the door, before the hammering stopped for a moment. She opened her eyes, just in time to see Michael - the archangel she had begged would hear her desperate plea - bash backwards through the now shattered bathroom door and land between the scattered pieces of wood on the floor. She would have screemed, but instead, she curled even more tightly together in the tub, hiding from the vampire she knew would kill her if he realized she had just begged an angelic being to save her from him.

The vampire seemed to have no sense of logic, as he had hammered the archangel through the door. He simply didn’t care, it seemed. Instead, he looked directly at Cassandra for a brief moment, while the archangel regained his composure; resulting in the vampire to grasp out at her. Then, the archangel exclaimed a combination of words that didn’t seem very angelic, which resulted in the vampire to look back at Michael. As the archangel got on his feet and forced the vampire out of the bathroom, Cassandra started trembling again, as she realized that this might be her last night as a witch, if Michael didn’t ward off Jonathan.

She noticed lights flickering, while everything else seemed dead silence. It scared her even further, when she heard the sound of something colliding; a punch? Michael wouldn’t be stupid enough to punch a vampire, would he? Another punch sounded; this time muffled. She wasn’t sure on what was happening, but it made her fear the result even more. A loud thud could he heard, as Jonathan was grabbed by the throat and forced up against the wall. Yelling ensued, making Cassandra sob quietly. She had been as the receiving end of this encounters far too many times, both as a girl and as a young woman. Up until now, it had always been Jonathan yelling; protecting her. Now, he was the one she needed protection from; making her feel like nothing in the world could ever feel safe again. Tears streamed down her face as she tried to keep her sobbing muted so that the two men out in the hallway wouldn’t hear her.

The archangel’s yelling seemed to have little effect on the vampire. He smiled slightly - almost looking like a maniac - as he turned to a shadow; slipping out of the Michael’s grip. ‘’One day, you won’t be here to protect her anymore,’’ he whispered from the shadows before all lights went out for a moment. ‘’She’ll always be scared of the dark,’’ his voice sounded, before the lights turned on once more, and the vampire had disappeared; only leaving a path of destroyed belongings.

Cassandra had kept her eyes closed as the lights went out, as she had rocked herself back and forth, sobbing muted. Usually, she was strong and fierce - and she had felt so after she had returned from Bali. She had forgotten about Jonathan trying to attack her and Bienvido; she had forgotten about Jonathan being convinced that their son was alive and that she was hiding him. She had tried to move on; she had been wrong. Her teeth were rattling although her jaw was so tightly clenched to prevent her from sobbing loudly and her whole body was trembling from the chock.

His eyes widened as the vampire turned into a shadow, escaping from his grip. He looked around him to try and spot him, but he was nowhere to be seen. The moment he turned off the lights Michael walked down the hallway to try and catch a glimpse of him, but he was gone and there was no point in trying to chase a shadow. He wondered who he was, if he wasn’t out hunting for blood, how did Cassandra know him? He walked up to the front door, looking out at the storm he’d created before he sighed and closed the door. Stopping the winds from destroying anything else in the house. He leaned back against the door as he lifted his sleeve up to his jaw to dry off the blood. Letting the adrenaline calm down for a moment.

He walked back into the bathroom with careful steps as he looked at her, noticing the mark on her throat from where he must’ve grabbed her. He might’ve just killed him if he’d seen what he'd done prior to his arrival, but either way there was nothing to do about it now. “I’m so sorry this happened,” he said in a low voice, looking briefly at the broken pieces of the door, before he went over and kneeled down by the tub. He placed his hand on her arm, feeling her body trembling. “It’s okay... you’re safe,” he said calmly, looking into her brown eyes and caressing her arm in a comforting way. “Do you need a healer?” he asked, rarely feeling the desire to take away someone's pain as much as hers. He’d already seen the vast amount of pain in her eyes from the night they met. It was hard to even look at them now.  

“I’m happy you called me…” he said, smiling faintly for a few seconds before he looked a bit away from her. He didn’t dare to think of what would have happened if he hadn’t shown up. He slowly moved his hand down her arm before he let go, resting the arm on the tub instead. “Who was the vampire?” he asked, knowing that they had some sort of history together from his comments about her. He’d understand if she didn’t want to talk about it, but he was going to find out eventually.

The witch had shared so many good times with the vampire she now feared more than anything; making her doubt if any good time in reality simply was the prelude to yet another disaster. As the archangel joined her once more in the bathroom, she didn’t even dare to look at him. Tears still streamed down her face, but the sobbing had stopped. Now, it was almost just a silent weeping. To most, it would surely had been an overreaction, but few knew the fear being hunted by one you once loved. It was terrifying; knowing that they would kill you even though they once had held your heart on their strong hands. At first, when Michael kneeled down and talked to her, she said nothing. She wasn’t okay - she wasn’t safe. His words could not change that, which made her fear even him. As he reached out to her and placed his hand on her arm, she silently thanked her dressing-gown she was wearing for keeping their skin separated. She wasn’t sure that she would even be able to control what he would have seen if he touched her.
As he asked if she needed a healer, she shook her head a miniscule amount. She was a healer herself, so it wouldn’t take long to heal whatever damage the vampire had left in his wake - once she regained her composure. As he exclaimed that he was happy she had called for him, his hand moved down her arm. She didn’t think of it until she felt his hand on her bare skin, making her feel how darkness surrounded the both of them, as they got dragged down into her memories.


The rain hit hard against the large windows; making such noise that it was hard to hear anything else. The taste of blood grew in her mouth while her mind begged her to turn around; yet, her legs wouldn’t listen. In front of her was the vampire - Jonathan - with his throat torn open. He called for her in her mind, begging her to help him as he was terrified of dying. The witch walked closer, slowly, as she didn’t know if the werewolf still lurked in their flat. Blood ran from the vampire’s throat as he looked at her with a scared expression on his face. A ‘please’ sounded in the room, making Cassandra go down on her knees, which was hard enough as it was, as she was eight months pregnant. She leaned in over the vampire, before a heat spread in her hands as she started whispering ancient words. the blood started gathering itself from the floor and flowed back into the throat of the vampire before the wound closed almost completely. Then, as she silenced her incantations, she felt how the vampire grabbed onto her and looked her straight in the eyes. His eyes had changed from their grey color to red, warning her that he was on the hunt. She opened her mouth to say something to him, but instead she whimpered as she felt how his fangs entered her skin. She felt how she grew dizzy, before she managed to pull herself away from him. With fear in her eyes, she noticed how a trail of blood followed her - but not from her neck. Then, the pain in her womb jolted through her, and everything went black…
As the next memory appeared, it had changed from their flat to a hospital ward. Her, dressed in a surgery-gown, pale as a ghost, with the vampire sitting by her side. He held her hand, as the doctor emerged, only to tell them that their son had not made it. Jonathan - the vampire - looked down at the floor while Cassandra turned on her side, away from Jonathan. He looked at her, only to see that she wouldn’t even look at him. The silent weeping stained the pillow on which she had rested her head. Then, everything grew dark once more, before they once more emerged, this time back at the bathroom where Cassandra was sitting in the tub and Michael had his hand on her arm.


Cassandra curled even more up like she tried to keep her body from falling apart. Her eyes avoided Michael’s, as she with a tiny whisper tried to get a word past her lips, but it wouldn’t form. She rubbed her face slightly before she looked at the archangel’s lips instead of his eyes. She couldn’t handle the compassion right now. ‘’My… My ex…’’ she mumbled, rather baffled by the fact that she had even said it. Jonathan surely didn’t think of them as exes. He still saw her as his, and that alone was terrifying. She closed her eyes once more, as she felt how a knot in her throat threatened to make her cry once more.

As he moved his hand down her arm and asked about the vampire, everything turned dark. His heartbeat accelerated in his chest until he realized it was a memory. He didn’t feel bad for the vampire, even as he was dying in front of him. He never did for someone he believed to be evil. He knew God meant for him to die in that moment. Cassandra interfered with that destiny, using magic to heal him. The moment the vampire bit into her, he felt sick to his stomach. Realizing she’d lost her baby because of it made everything worse, the pain quickly spreading from his abdomen to his heart, increasing its intensity. He started to feel guilty for not killing him because how could he deserve to live after something like that?

Then they were back. He took a deep breath in as he looked at the wall with teary eyes. His lips parted slightly, but his throat felt tied down, and even if he could speak, what could he possible say? He’d already said sorry to her many times. She could tell he was sorry from a single look at him, but it didn’t change the fact that the vampire was still out there. That he’d threatened to come back one day. He looked back at her when she answered who it had been. He’d figured he was an ex, but it didn’t explain why he came tonight. It didn’t exactly look like he came because he still loved her. He parted his lips again, wanting to promise her that he wouldn’t let him, or anyone hurt her, but he knew he couldn’t. He didn’t even know how much longer he’d stay in Gaia. He’d have to commit another credit card fraud to afford his rent after November. He just had to believe that a girl like her had others that would protect her, like the friend she’d mentioned when they met. He looked down at his hands as the thoughts overwhelmed him.

He meant what he’d said earlier, that he’d kill him if he ever got close to her again. Another part of him wanted to hunt him down, but for now he needed to forget about it. He looked back at Cassandra, trying to think of a solution to all of it, any way to make things okay. He had never lost a child in that way or had an evil ex, he knew to not pretend like he knew how that felt, but he did know was that it often helped to talk about it. “I know you might not be ready to talk about what happened, but just know that I’m here if you ever need to talk,” he said slowly. He wouldn’t leave her side, even if the rest of the night went on in silence.

“Let’s get you out of there,” he said, not wanting her to sit in the bathtub any longer. He got up to his feet and was about to reach his hand to her when he realized it might trigger another memory. “Do you often share memories if someone touches you?” he asked, knowing that if she did, he’d have to be cautious about it. He could imagine that it wasn’t many things she’d want others to see.

It was very rare that she didn’t show a memory when someone touched her while she was agitated. That had been the primary reason for asking him to keep his distance the first time she had met him; she didn’t want to share such intimate details with him. Now, however, he knew far too much about the events that had led to this; although it wasn’t solely the loss of their son. Had Michael been allowed to see it all, he would have known that there was so much more to Cassandra and her past with Jonathan, but it felt like right now, none of it mattered. He had attacked her, making her fear him even more. They would never be able to work it out after such a thing.

She noticed hos affected the angel was from the memory. She understood it, although she wasn’t sure of how much he had seen, heard or felt. All she knew was, that every time she showed a memory, she lived through it once again. She felt everything, heard everything… She hated every second of it. Slowly, her breathing slowed down as she tried to calm herself. She looked at him as he told her that he was there to talk if she wanted to. A part of her wanted to tell someone what had happened, but… Even Bienvido and Tidus didn’t know about the reason she had lost the child. She didn’t want to give Bienvido another reason for hating the vampire - although he certainly deserved it after this. All she could muster to leave her lips was a ‘thank you’, almost as silent as her broken words had been moments ago.

As he got up to help her out of the tub, he seemed to have understood what happened when she touched someone. What was she supposed to answer? She didn’t know. It had happened a few times before, and almost on the most darned times. She wasn’t even sure of why it happened. She nodded slightly to the notion of getting her out of the tub, as she gathered herself enough to get up on her feet. For a brief moment, she just stood there, until she reached for his shoulder to hold on to while she stepped out of the tub. After that, she removed her hand from his shoulder and looked at him. ‘’I… Sometimes… I don’t know…’’ she said, not really sure if she could even explain when it happened. She knew neither why, when nor how.

She stepped between the pieces of the shattered door, as she carefully moved from the bathroom and out into the hallway. She noticed the blood on her floor, making her turn around and look directly at Michael. Then, without saying anything, she moved closer to him and with a gentle touch of her fingertips, she looked to see if the vampire had hurt him. Her eyes met his for a fraction of a second before she moved away again, this time walking towards her kitchen once more. ‘’Tea? Coffee? Whiskey?’’ she asked. She figured that since he had showed up, she might as well be a good host and offer him something to drink. To be honest, she needed something stronger than brewed herbs, so she picked out two glasses and the pitcher with whiskey she had in a locked cupboard. She placed the things on the dining-table before she gathered the shattered mug that used to be her favorite from the floor and placed the pieces in the dust bin.

He watched her as she got up from the tub, trying to see if her body was in pain. Her answer told him that she couldn’t control it, so he’d just have to be careful. He walked behind her as she moved into the hallway, looking to the blood on the floor when she did. He stopped when she turned around and touched him with her fingertips to see if he was hurt. It didn’t matter if he’d bled because he healed instantly, but it was a weird feeling when someone cared about that. He followed her into the kitchen, quickly noticing the destroyed mug on the floor. “Whiskey,” he replied and sat down by the table, leaning his back against the chair. He watched her as she put the whiskey down in front of him. He poured himself a glass from the pitcher before he lifted the glass up to his lips and took a sip, looking at her as she cleaned the shattered mug from the floor. “Do you live here alone?” he asked, somewhat hoping that she didn’t. From what he remembered, it wasn’t just her ex that she couldn't be safe from.

He placed his hand on the table, looking at the golden liquid as his fingertips traced down the glass. He felt like drowning the glass, but it wouldn't exactly be good manners. He then looked back at Cassandra. He understood why she hadn’t said much earlier, but he couldn’t help but wonder what went on inside her mind. He could only imagine what other memories she had. He was happy that she hadn’t been able to see inside his mind through her ability. To see his traumas and nightmares was the last thing anyone would want to see. He only wanted her to see good memories, for her to be hopeful about the future. “What did your ex want?” he then asked. He knew there wasn't necessarily a reason, and perhaps it was irrelevant, but it just seemed like he had wanted something from her and whatever that was, it would be the reason for his return.

The witch had been used to being alone for longer periods of her life, so living alone was no issue for her. However, she felt it rather unpleasant when someone entered her home unwanted - clearly affected by the whole thing, she joined the angel at the table, pouring herself a drink as well. "I do live here alone," she confirmed, as she guided the glass to her lips. "I don't function well with others when it comes to living space." she then said with a little crooked smile on her lips; showing the scar on her lip from when it had been busted five weeks prior. She took a sip of the whiskey, before she closed her eyes as the liquid burned through her mouth and down her throat. She sighed, as Michael asked what Jonathan had wanted; briefly wondering if she should tell the truth or not. What use was it to lie to an archangel, she asked herself silently, before she looked back at Michael.

"Jonathan had heard that our son survived back then." she then said, shaking her head slightly. She didn't know how to explain that Calsifer indeed existed, but not as a human being. "I left the day after the miscarriage. Jonathan didn't take it nicely. Ever since I left, he shows up randomly to either try to get me to come back to Dublin or to talk about Calsifer." she said, before she took another sip of her drink.
"I guess he got tired of try to ease out whatever information about Calsifer that he thought I might be keeping from him..." she said, looking down at her hands, which still ached from time to time. She didn't know why the vampire seemed so eager to see his son. It had been years now...
" thank you for getting here so fast... " she then said, as she poured even more whiskey in her glass. She needed to drown the tremble she tried suppress with all her might.

//beklager hvis der er fejl (og hvis længden er lige lovlig kort) - skriver fra mobilen

He nodded when she expressed that she preferred to live alone. He understood that. “In that case, you should protect your house better against intruders,” he said, turning the crease of his mouth upwards. He always ensured to paint a devil’s trap on the roof and keep some holy objects around his place, but she could probably cast some protective spells that would do the job. He took another sip of the whiskey as she explained what her ex wanted. “Why would he think that?” he asked, clearly confused. He’d heard the doctor tell them that their son had passed away, so why would he think the opposite?

He smiled when she thanked him. It wasn’t always people expressed their gratitude, so he appreciated it when they did. “Yeah, no problem,” he said before taking another sip of his drink. He knew it had taken him about a minute, but guardian angels would’ve arrived the moment she was in danger. “I just wish I could’ve done more,” he added, looking down at his hands, then at the pitcher as she poured herself some more to drink. He wished that he could’ve made sure the vampire would leave her alone. Every now and then, he expected Jonathan to come back through the door. “Thank you for having faith in me,” he then said. Without her prayer, he wouldn’t have known to come. He finished his drink, before he ran a hand through his hair and turned his gaze towards the window as it started to rain. He didn’t want to tell her that being a part of a mafia or being involved with demons and vampires came with severe risks, that she’d never be safe living that life, because she should already know that. He just didn’t understand it. Why all of this was happening. He understood why stuff happened to him, because he actively sought out danger and evil, but it didn’t make any sense for her.

‘’I’ve only been back for a few nights… Last time I saw Jonathan was right after the assault. I had no idea that he even knew that I was here,’’ she said, making excuses for not having secured her own home enough. She knew that being involved with beings such as Jonathan came with great risks, which was why she had fled from him after the miscarriage. She knew she had been foolish in thinking that she could have a few nights peaceful rest before having to think about safety once more. She closed her eyes as the archangel - clearly dumbfounded by the vampire’s assumption - asked his question. ‘’Well,’’ she said, before she took yet another sip of her drink. ‘’It’s complicated…’’. There, it was closed. No more to say about it; her past was complicated.

‘’Faith in you? If I had no faith in you, I would be ungrateful. You are the first man to say to me that you are sorry for what happened to me - even though you aren’t at fault.’’ She said, as she looked at him with a crooked smile; a smile that proved that she meant it. ‘’I have always been told that it was my own fault. Tell someone something long enough, and they’ll believe it.’’ She said, looking down at her glass. Of course, both Tidus and Bienvido told her that she wasn’t to blame; that she was a victim. She didn’t feel like one. She could have left Jonathan to die; she could have stopped Jasper from assaulting her; she could have avoided killing Josiah. She could have had a normal life, but it seemed like whatever she did led her to misery and heartache.

She emptied her glass once more; allowing the burning spirits to run down her throat. ‘’After we lost Calsifer, I had to spend the night at the hospital. Jonathan went home to clean up before his sister returned,’’ she said, looking at the empty glass in she held between her fingers. ‘’I was heartbroken,’’ she admitted, before she shortly looked up at Michael. She had never told anyone about that night. She had maybe told Tidus how she had met Calsifer, but she had never told him what had happened. ‘’I didn’t find any reason to stay alive, so the moment the nurse left my room, I began searching for things to use to kill myself…’’ she admitted, before her eyes once more fell on the glass before her. She sighed; knowing that he must have found her story quite pathetic. ‘’I was about to down a bottle of random pills when I saw him… At first, I thought I was having some sort of hallucination,’’ she said, quietly. Her eyes did not move from one certain point on the glass, as she could almost see the phantom in front of her once more. ‘’I didn’t know back then, that I was half draconian,’’ she then said. ‘’Him taking form as a dragon didn’t make any sense to me,’’ she said as she looked shortly at the archangel.

‘’My baby did die. I wasn’t even allowed to hold him in my arms. They didn’t even show him to us.’’ She then said, as she tried to make sense of why Jonathan might think that Calsifer - his son - was alive. ‘’However, something did survive. Something was born, spiritually.’’ She said, knowing that what she said might not make any sense. She bit her lip slightly, before she looked up at him as she raised one hand. The hand drew a symbol in the air and few moments later a dragon on the size of her fist appeared in her palm. Although it was a phantom, it stood as solid as Michael in her hand, yawning slightly. Then, it started to wander up her arm while it grew to that size of a large housecat. It sat on her shoulder, clearly heavy enough to weigh her down a bit, as it looked at Michael with big golden eyes; the same eyes as she had whenever she lost control of herself. ‘’This, Michael… This is Calsifer,’’ she then said, as the dragon stepped down from her shoulder and onto the table; looking curiously at the pitcher with whiskey.

‘’This is the reason why Jonathan thinks I am hiding our son.’’ She said, as she stroked the dragon over its long thorny back. It purred like a cat, before it turned its attention to Michael once more, showing its teeth in a warning. ‘’No!’’ Cassandra said, with a stern voice, making the dragon flinch and return to her. It jumped onto her lap and nudged its snout against her chin, making her scratch it.
‘’I am not sure of what he is… I only know that he appeared to me right after I lost my son. To me, this is my child. This is who I was meant to meet after the birth - and this is the reason for me to not live with others…’’ she said, as she gently stroked the attention-seeking dragon. She looked at Michael with a careful expression on her face. Would he freak out at her for this? After she had been so vulnerable back when he had first met her; her breaking down and admitting to wanting to see her son… It was the truth. She wanted to see the son she never got to meet. However - to her, this was her child. A child she would protect by any means necessary.

It sounded like she was making excuses for not protecting her house, either way he didn’t care. He just wanted her to take precautions from now on. He lifted his chin up as she said it was complicated, he had plenty of time to listen to it, but he couldn’t force her to tell him anything. Instead he assumed that her son was a spirit on earth, and that she’d seen him from time to time. However, it sounded almost too normal to be considered complicated.

He looked into her eyes when she said he was the first man to tell her he was sorry for what had happened. “It’s what any good person would say,” he said, not thinking he was more special for that reason. However, he couldn’t be certain that anyone would’ve hurried to her place like he’d done. “I blame myself too, all the time… and I know I should tell you that it’s not your fault, because I try to tell myself the same thing, but I know it’s more complicated than that… some things you just can’t forget and even if you can, it takes time,” he said before looking down at his hands, slowly fiddling with the silver ring on his finger. He looked up as she poured yet another glass, kind of surprised at the speed she drowned the drinks. Not that he could blame her. Then he poured himself a second glass as he listened to her.

He looked at her with melancholy as she said she wanted to kill herself after the miscarriage, feeling his heart ache at the thought. He’d once drowned a bunch of pills himself. He’d done it for a reason, but he wouldn’t have done it if he didn’t think his life hadn’t mattered at that point. Then his face changed expression once more as she explained seeing her son as a dragon. “A dragon?” he said, clearly surprised by the fact she was half draconian. He’d heard myths of dragons, and he’d seen them before, however it seemed like it was ages ago and in another world. He looked at her hand, before a small dragon appeared on top of it. He placed his arms on the table and leaned a bit forward to take a closer look, before the dragon walked up her arm and grew to the size of a cat. “Unbelievable,” he said, fascinated by the dragon. Leaning slightly back as the dragon was now walking around on the table. He smiled when the dragon showed his teeth to him, happy that he was protective of Cassandra.

“I think you’re right,” he said, looking as she stroked the dragon. He had no doubt that she was meant to meet him after the miscarriage. “It explains how you left burn marks in the woods,” he then said with a teasing look in his eyes before he took a sip of the whiskey. “Thanks for telling me,” he then said. It required a certain amount of trust to tell him all those things. “I’m sure you and Calsifer will be very happy here,” he added with a sincere voice. At least he hoped it gave her some sort of happiness.

It seemed like he understood just why she had reacted the way she did. ‘’I do not judge someone by good or bad based on how they speak to me. That would be foolish, considering that so many vile beings are born with silver-tongues,’’ she admitted, as he had said that any good person would have said that they were sorry for what had happened. Although she felt somewhat safe with Michael near her, she knew that the safety was like a comforter for her; one day, it would be so worn and torn that even that couldn’t keep her warm any longer. Her sense of safety had an expiration date.

‘’Either you blame everyone else, or you blame yourself… I find it hard to discover the balance.’’ She admitted, slightly apologetic. As an archangel, he surely had no trouble deciding when someone else was to blame for the misfortune he experienced. ‘’Whoever said that time heals all wounds surely never lost faith. I wish we were all that fortunate,’’ she sighed with a melancholic smile on her lips. With Michael being as old as it could get, she somehow felt that her pain and suffering was miniscule and pathetic compared to his. She had been selfish and spoiled when she had met him at first; thinking every little thing was about her… She had not even dared to listen to his words, as he had tried to explain that his God surely didn’t have only suffering in store for her. Why would a god she didn’t even take as a real being ever bring her any fortune? She had brought this on herself. No one else.

He seemed surprised when she explained how Calsifer had appeared as a dragon. Had she not told the archangel in front of her that she was half draconian herself? Maybe it had slipped her mind. As he studied the dragon from a relatively safe distance, she smiled gently. Although Calsifer was protective of her, he had only on rare occasions been of any service to her. He had once killed a man on her command, but only because he had grown impatient after she had been out all night. ‘’I was once able to control and manipulate fire and heat.’’ She said, and shortly she was brought back to the memory of how she had attacked her former mate and sent him in a coma that would kill him later on. She sighed, making the dragon look up at her with a concerned gaze. Calmly, she continued to stroke it over the scales.

‘’I don’t always have control over the magic… It has gotten a lot better, after I got some time alone to return to a somewhat collected state of mind, but… I still lose control whenever my feelings take over.’’ She said, shaking her head slightly. ‘’I couldn’t dream of attacking you, though. Back in the woods, I… I was so angry at everything and everyone. My apologies,’’ she said, looking at the archangel. ‘’You can touch him if you want. He doesn’t bite unless he is told to.’’ She said. It was a lie, but nothing that would affect the angel. Calsifer did bite, but only Tidus and only in fun. If he ever showed violence, it was because he was protecting someone. The dragon let out a big yawn, showing off his massive teeth and his powerful growl. Then, Cassandra said something to it in a quiet growl as well, making the dragon tilt his head and look at the archangel with a calm expression, before he stuck his head out towards Michael; awaiting the angel to touch him.

‘’And we are happy here. Calsifer gets to run free when he wants to, and I… I get to be left alone when I need it. Sometimes, solitude can be the best form for healing,’’ she said with a little smile. she missed her father, her friends… She missed being around other people, but right now - right in that moment - she needed to feel safe in her own skin again before allowing anyone close to her. Michael was an exception, since he had just saved her life. That, and he seemed to be understanding when it came to her past and her feelings.

He knew that it was true, that many people would manipulate you to think what they wanted. That sociopaths mimicked emotions to try and seem sympathetic. It was only a good thing she wasn’t credulous, but he hoped his actions had proven more than his words ever could. He thought about what she said, if it was true that there wasn’t a balance. Him and his brother were quite opposite when it came to blaming others or themselves. He scoffed quietly as she mentioned the popular expression. “Yeah me too,” he said with a wistful expression. It certainly hadn’t been true for him, but perhaps it would be to someone with a normal life and normal wounds.

He nodded when she explained about her magic. He knew that magic was much affected by emotions, so it didn’t surprise him. It was the same thing for him. He looked back at her when she said she wouldn’t dream of attacking him. “Don’t worry about it,” he said to her apology. Even if she had attacked him, it would have probably been accidental, and he would’ve just defended himself. “I’d take your attacks over a demon or vampire any day,” he added with a small smile and took another sip of the whiskey. He sent her a doubtful look when she said he didn’t bite, but either way he reached his hand out, placing it gently on the head of the dragon, before he stroked its scale. “Hey,” he greeted him in a soft voice, smiling as he looked at him.

He understood that she needed time on her own and that she might have a hard time letting anyone close to her after Jonathan. He’d lived most of his life in solitude, not because he wanted it that way, but because he knew nothing good came out of letting people into his life. He didn’t think he deserved love, and the friends he had, he didn’t want to be dragged into his mess. “Can you transform into a dragon?” he asked, thinking back on the golden eyes he’d seen when they met, just like the dragon in front of him had. He didn’t expect her to transform into a full dragon, but he was curious to know more about what it meant to be half-draconian.

She didn’t like herself when she doubted the intentions of those surrounding her. In this case, it seemed rather foolish to doubt the good intention of an archangel. His way of reacting to her notion on time healing all wounds told her that he had dealt with a fair share of heartache himself. Had she just been too blind at their first encounter to actually see that?

‘’But I do worry about it,’’ she stated. ‘’You did me no disservice or harm. If I had attacked you, it would have been out of pure spite, and… well, may the gods strike me dead if I did such a thing to you,’’ she said, smiling gently at him. ‘’I’ll take that as a compliment to my pretty face and gentle being, rather as an offense to my strength as a witch,’’ she said, more or less meant as a joke rather than a statement. Calsifer - the dragon - stretched out so that the angel could touch him. As Michael spoke to the dragon, he closed his eyes for a moment, simply listening to the voice. Cassandra smiled gently at the sight. Usually, only Tidus was allowed to touch Calsifer, besides Cassandra herself. Tht would change, once Bienvido got to know of Calsifer - but for now… He was a secret only shared with the very selected few she dared to trust.

After a moment or two, she got asked if she could transform into a dragon herself. She chuckled slightly, as she shook her head. ‘’To be honest, I don’t really know. My eyes change when I am agitated or using magic, and I have experienced more things changing from time to time but… No, I’ve never transformed into a dragon. If anything, I look more or less like what humans seem to think a demon look like,’’ she said with a crooked smile. she was a witch, after all, so it seemed fitting.

He looked into her eyes when she said she did worry, just like she'd done the night they met. She probably had no idea how often he was attacked out of spite. He was so used to it, that the thought of a witch caring about him being unharmed seemed strange. He chuckled lightly when she said the gods would strike her dead. “They couldn’t care less about what happened to me,” he said, almost refusing to believe she really cared about it. Sometimes it felt like his own father didn’t care if he lived or died. He looked at the blood stain on his sleeve, then to the doorway as the winds outside made something creak.
“Yeah, it’s definitely your pretty face and gentle being,” he said as the smile returned to his face. “Dark magic may not kill me, but it's one of my biggest weaknesses,” he admitted, having no doubt that her strength as a witch had the potential to harm him greatly.

He stroked the dragon gently, still amazed by the fact that he existed. “Perhaps me and Calsifer could go flying sometime,” he said with a small smile as he studied his wings. Then he placed his hand back on the table. He would understand if she wanted him to stay inside, but he could only imagine that the dragon would love it. He drowned the second glass of whiskey, nodding once as she said she’d never transformed. He didn’t see her in the same category as demons, but he’d understand if humans saw it that way. “You know they often portray the devil as a dragon,” he said, thinking of the revelation and the artworks of him slaying a dragon. "Anyway, I'm sure you don't look anything like a real demon," he said with a small smile as he looked at her.

Cassandra was well aware that most simply didn’t care to be known for caring about others. Why should they? Caring about someone only made one seem weaker in this world, which was exactly why she did it. She proved to herself that caring wasn’t a weakness, and that no matter how much she tried to deny caring for someone, that in itself hurt far more that the person she cared for ever could harm her.
“That depends on the god or goddess you turn to, Michael... As I told you first time we met; I feel no love or faith for your God. He has not given me hope, love, protection or faith. I do not doubt his existence, for that would be to doubt you and that would be vile, considering that you are right in front of me.” She said, clearly rambling as the alcohol started to affect her sore body and fractured mind.

The wind made something creak, reminding her that the house was large and empty as it could be. She looked down at her empty glass, before she looked back at Michael while she poured herself yet another drink - she saw no reason to hold back, as the only being there besides her was an archangel. He would not harm her, so why keep her guard up? She took the drink to her lips, but before she could take a sip, she stopped. “Hey, Michael... just a thought... aren’t you considered a holy symbol?” She asked with a raised eyebrow. “Just, because, you know... witches get uncomfortable around those, and... we’ll, I’m not uncomfortable around you...” she stated, before she took a rather large sip of her drink. Her voice was beginning to fault her; making her sound intoxicated. She placed the glass in front of her, before she looked at calsifer. Maybe he did miss the sky, but right now, she couldn’t release him outside, as she didn’t want to risk him getting taken away from her by someone malevolent... the dragon curled up light a cat, right on the table, and simply fell asleep, right in front of Michael and Cassandra.

“Demons takes many forms, do they not?” She then asked, as she looked into the green eyes of the archangel in front of her. “Both in species, beings and appearance...?”

He didn’t really care for any other god than his father, and since he was the closest being to that of a god, why should he? He just listened to her when she said she didn’t have faith in his father, only acknowledging his existence because of the archangel's presence. “Oh sweetheart, don’t you see he’s already given you protection and faith from letting me hear your prayer tonight?” he asked with a faint smile on his lips. Michael did hear other prayers from time to time. People mentioned his name all the time, but it wasn’t all prayers he heard. Only the ones God wanted him to - or so he believed.

He narrowed his eyes slightly as she asked if he was considered a holy symbol. “Not per se,” he answered, wondering where she was headed with her question. Then she explained that she didn’t get uncomfortable around him. All beings got affected by his aura - demons and witches were no exception. It was only the darkest of creatures who were able to deny the holy light. “You’re not uncomfortable because of my aura… I would be worried if it didn’t give you a sense of safety and comfort,” he said as it would mean she was darker than most. “And to be fair, you did flinch at my holy light in the forest, so I don’t think you’re completely immune to divine beings,” he said with a teasing look in his eyes, leaning a bit forward to get closer to her. He knew that this could just as well be because of how bright it had been in the dark woods. “Or you might not be affected by it because you’re a hybrid…” he said thoughtfully before leaning back. There was rarely anything certain about hybrids. “Anyway, an angel’s touch won’t burn you like a holy object, if that’s what you’re worried about,” he explained, but she already knew that. For that reason he always had to use holy water or other objects to weaken the unholy. He knew that she was getting drunk, so he just grabbed the pitcher over to his side, pouring a small glass for himself and let it stay beside of him so she wouldn’t easily be able to reach it. He felt a bit tipsy as well, so he wasn't certain that his answer had given her a clear explanation.

He looked into her eyes as she asked about demons. “Yeah…” he replied before he looked down at his glass and took a sip. He’d hunted many demons, but the hybrids were the ones that stood out in appearance and being. He lifted his gaze to the dragon on the table that had now fallen asleep. “Cas, would you mind if I stay the night?” he asked, looking into her eyes again. He’d feel much better for staying with her with what had just happened, and he assumed she felt the same way, but he had to ask.

Cassandra had looked down at the table as he had called her sweetheart. In some way, it ached in her chest by the nickname, although he surely meant nothing by it. It was nothing but her mind playing tricks on her once again. Maybe it was because the mind hand grown tired of denying that it yearned for being held tightly and whispered sweet nothings into her ear. It felt wrong just to think it. ‘’Maybe you are right,’’ she said, before she looked at him once more; noticing the faint smile on his lips. Was he mocking her for her defiance? Or was he teasing her with his nickname and small smile?

His aura… that might be it! That might be the reason she didn’t feel like gnawing off her own skin every time she was close to him. Although, it seemed rather odd. He leaned closer to her, as he commented on her flinching in the forest where she had first met him. ‘’To be fair, archangel, I only had one good eye back then and your little lightshow easily blinded me for a - brief - moment,’’ she said, repaying his teasing look with one of the same expression.

As quickly as she had felt a yearning for his touch grow, as quickly it faded as he leaned back once more. His words - hybrid - made her look down at her glass. Only few called her a hybrid instead of a mutt, mistake or crossing. She scoffed to herself, as she was briefly reminded by how her former boss had called her all sorts of things every time he had tried to break her spirits before taking her by force. Then, she looked back at Michael. She went with a slight nod to express that she had understood his explanation, and as she saw him remove the pitcher from her reach, she understood that he deemed her to have had enough to drink for now.

The topic turned to demons and their appearances. He just agreed with her, making it easier for her to accept the fact that it seemed to be a topic he knew a lot more of than he was leading on. She wasn’t going to dig any further into his mind for that. His question made her look at his eyes once more. Those green eyes; almost hypnotizing her; making her want to just forget the fact that he had just saved her from a violent being. No, it wasn’t to be. ‘’Of course you can stay the night,’’ she said, before she took her almost-filled glass to her lips and drowned the drink down her throat. It was sure to hit her hard in a moment or two, but by then, she would be in her bed. She got up from her seat; Calsifer growled in his sleep, assuring her that he didn’t wake up from her leaving the table. She then moved past the archangel, before she moved to the bedroom. Unlike most of the house, which had small trinkets and gadgets; souvenirs and memories all over the place, the bedroom was cold and bare. The huge bed was fitted with white sheets and the side-tables held nothing but a lamp, a book and a bottle of water. It was clear which side the witch slept in, as the other side was untouched. She stood in the doorway and opened the silk-ribbon that held her robe closed up; revealing her usual sleepwear; a cropped top and panties. Right above her hip, she had a tattoo of a full moon and a raven, and most of her torso was covered in different types of scars; most of them fresh and still slightly pink. She went over to the side-table and grabbed her book, before she looked shortly at the archangel. ‘’If you prefer it, you can stay in the guest room. It’s the next door on the right.’’ She said, before she pulled the duvet off to one side as she sat down on the bed; still looking at the archangel.

He wondered if she finally realized the truth when she looked down, that believing in him would be to give love and faith to God, at least in some sense. He tipped his head slightly when she said he might be right. If he wasn’t, then he wouldn't be here. He chuckled at her response and shook his head lightly as he looked away from her. “I think my dazzling looks would blind anyone for a moment,” he said jokingly, only saying so because of the alcohol in his system. He noticed her scoff after he’d called her a hybrid, wondering what she was thinking about, but quickly let it rest when she nodded to his explanation.

He probably would’ve stayed nearby if she said no, searching the area for the vampire before he’d travel back. “Thank you,” he said as he watched her drown the last drink. When she got up from her seat, he finished his drink as well and got up to follow her. He stopped in the hallway as she stood in the doorway, looking slightly past her shoulder into the bedroom. He looked down her body as she opened the silk-ribbon, feeling the heat from her presence hit him. He took a breath in and looked a bit away from her to avoid staring. He then moved to the doorway when she’d walked in, looking around the bedroom for a moment before he looked at Cassandra. “I’d prefer you feeling safe,” he said, before he took of his plaid shirt and held it one of his hands. He wasn’t so sure she’d protect herself if the vampire came back because it seemed that she’d been too paralyzed with fear earlier. He looked behind him at the floor in the hallway before he went over to pick up the wooden spike he’d created. He came back into the bedroom with the weapon in his other hand, walking to her side of the bed and put it down on the side-table. “I want you to keep this,” he said, trusting that she’d use it, if it came down to it. After all, they both knew he couldn't stay with her and that the vampire would come back some day. He then looked from Cassandra to the cover of her book to see what she was reading, waiting on her to either insist on him sleeping in here or not. The last thing he wanted was to impose. He only wanted her to feel as safe and comfortable as possible.

His comment on his dazzling look didn’t go by unnoticed, yet she chose not to comment on it as she had a slight fear of coming across as flirty. It was a common thing for her, that whenever she had been drinking, she would end up flirty and all intimate with those she felt comfortable with; in this case, Michael. It wouldn’t be fair to him either, as she would surely not be able to keep up with any sort of relation to him besides possibly as friends. Oh, the turmoil.

She had noticed how he had looked away as she rid herself of her robe. Was it out of politeness or disdain for her body? He was a man, so it would be weird to think that he did not like the naked skin she showed. Yet, at the same time, he was an archangel. Did that mean that he did not indulge in carnal pleasures? She dared not to ask, as it might be seen as her suggesting that they did more than maybe share a bed for the night. ‘’I do not feel less safe with you in my bed than with you in the guest room,’’ she said, quite honest. It would not be the first time she shared sheets with a man she felt no romance for, and as long as he didn’t expect any intimate relations as a result of joining her for the night, then she would not fear him one bit.

He left the doorway to go pick something up form the floor in the hallway. As he returned with a wooden spike, she looked at him rather puzzled. Then she remembered that vampires and wooden spikes didn’t go hand in hand very well and gave a little nod to signal that she understood why he presented her with that. ‘’Thank you,’’ she said, before she looked down at the book in her hands. Usually, she didn’t read much. She had started reading Jane Eyre as she had returned from her getaway to Bali. She hadn’t even unpacked the bag, which stood in a corner of the bedroom, still with the luggage tag on the handle.

‘’By the way,’’ she said, before she looked at him with her brown eyes, ‘’I am sorry for dragging you into my mess of an existence. I am sure you have enough to deal with on your own,’’ she said, as she placed the book back on the side-table. To her, it seemed rather demanding of her to ask of him to stay with her for the night and make sure she didn’t fell victim to a rancid vampire-ex-boyfriend. She looked at him shortly, before she smiled a gentle smile. ‘’I want you to sleep where you feel the most comfortable yourself,’’ she then stated. She was not the one to push anyone to accept her presence.

He gave her a long look when she said she wouldn’t feel safer with him in the bed. His aura made anyone feel safer, so he couldn’t really tell if she meant it. With the way he lived, he always longed for intimacy, but he understood that sharing a bed with a man might be the last thing she wanted, so he was more inclined to think that it was best he didn’t. He tilted his head slightly when she said sorry. “It’s okay, you don’t have to apologize for that,” he said, looking into her brown eyes. “Besides, I’ve grown quite fond of your company,” he admitted as a warm smile appeared on his lips, letting her know that he didn’t mind being dragged into her mess. Regarding him having enough to deal with, she was right. “And I do… but coming here tonight, saving you from Jonathan, it was the most important thing to deal with,” he said, not daring to think of what would have happened if he hadn’t arrived. He lifted his chin slightly as she said he should sleep where he wanted to, thinking that it was a polite way to reject him. After all, she hadn't expressed any desire to be close to him. For that reason, it didn’t matter that he felt more comfortable staying with her. “Okay, well… Goodnight Cas,” he said in a low voice before he stepped out of the room, hesitating for a moment in the doorway before he continued.

He breathed out as he turned on the small light by the bed in the other bedroom. He kicked off his boots and undressed until he was standing in boxer shorts. He kept the door open, so it was quicker to get out if the vampire came back. He laid down in the bed and pulled the covers up to his abdomen, looking up at the ceiling for a moment as he listened to the sounds outside the house. He thought about Cassandra and said a silent prayer for her. He then turned around on his side and closed his eyes to try and fall asleep.

she looked at him, as he tilted his head slightly. Her apology was accepted and yet denied at the same time, as he stated that she needed not to apologize for dragging him into her messy life. His admittance then left her slightly puzzled; he had grown fond of her company? What was that supposed to mean? Maybe it was the whiskey making her thoughts all cloudy, but she wasn’t sure if the warm smile on his lips was sincere or simply a way of making her more inclined to ask him to stay with her in her sheets, for the night.

She gave a slight nod, as he stated that he indeed had his own things to deal with as well, but she had been more important to him. Why did that comment feel so familiar to her? As she stated that he should sleep where he felt the most comfortable, he confirmed her suspicion by lifting his chin and saying his goodnight before leaving her alone in the room. For a brief moment, time stood still, as the archangel stood in the doorway, as if he was trying to reconsider if he should stay with her or not.

Then, he left the room entirely, as he went to the guest room. Although the house was rather big and made creaking sounds whenever the wind got hold of the roof, she felt a terrible silence fill the air. She heard him kicking off his boots before silence once more seemed to take over. As she sat in the bed, she reached for her book once more. She got comfortable in the bed, as she was sure that she wouldn’t be able to sleep. Then, she opened the book, only to look at the words as they danced on the pages. Letters moved so that they arranged new words she did not wish to read. As if she had looked at the page for only a minute or so, time had flown by her. Almost an hour had passed before she was able to return to her own mind, making her slam the book shut with a loud thud to follow. Her breathing had quickened, making her dizzy - but she blamed the whiskey more than the hour that had been stolen from her as she had gotten lost in dancing words and juggling letters.

She closed her eyes for a moment, only to see Jonathan’s face. She shook her head, while she whispered ancient words and slightly rocked back and forth. Between the incantations, she would whisper the same stupid sentence again and again, as quietly as humanly possible; ‘’Get out of my head… Get out of my head… Get out of my head…’’. The lamp on the side-table was still turned on, leaving the bedroom in a warm and yet emotionless light, as Cassandra was terrified of the darkness - or, what lurked in the shadows, to be honest. To those that understood what it was like to fear the monster under the bed; fearing they would snatch you the moment you fell asleep, this was logical. For a brief moment, she had forgotten the archangel that had taken residence for the night in the room next to hers.

A thousand thoughts crossed his mind, flashes of people he couldn’t save, of torture and death, but the alcohol helped numb them a little, making him fall asleep eventually. Later in the night he opened his eyes as if something had awoken him, a bit confused at the whispers he heard. Then he realized it was Cassandra in the room next to him. It sounded like incantations between telling someone to get out of her head. He sat up in the bed as he listened for other sounds, but it seemed like it was just her. He then moved the covers away and got out of bed. In the hallway he noticed that her light was still on, thinking that she probably hadn't been able to fall asleep.

He appeared in the doorway and looked towards her with a concerned expression. “Cassandra?” he said quietly, but it was clear to see she was in a bad place. He crawled up on the bed to embrace her, wanting to comfort her and get her out of her state of mind. “It's okay... he’s not here, he can't hurt you,” he said, hoping that his aura and warmth made her feel better, that this distracted her from what haunted her mind. “Just try to think of something else, something that makes you happy,” he said as he looked into her eyes. “It’ll be okay,” he said calmly, wanting nothing but for that to be true. However, he knew that even if he did remove the physical threat, that it might not feel that way mentally. He still lived with many scars of the past, things that constantly haunted his mind. He'd gone insane many times because of those horrors. If it wasn't for other angels taking away some of that mental pain, he wouldn't have been able to continue living like this.

She breathed shallowly as she rocked herself and tried to get the vision of Jonathan out of her mind. It didn’t help. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw him lurking; closer and closer for every moment. She heard a voice pronouncing her name, but she just shook her head and continued her slightly manic incantation and whisper. She began trembling, as she gathered her hands in what could have looked as praying, until it became clear that she was in reality forcing her hands together so that she could scratch at her fingers with her nails; leaving red marks that warned her that if she continued the scratching, then she would end up bleeding.

She felt how someone joined her in the bed, but the voice seemed distant and distorted. Her incantation silenced, leaving nothing but their breathing and Michael’s words to break the deafening silence. The warmth of his embrace made her lean slightly up against him, before he looked her in the eyes. She saw those green eyes looking at her, trying to calm her. Somehow, it seemed to work, as she simply allowed her body to seek refuge from her mind in his embrace. Her breathing continued its rash pace and shallow nature for a solid minute or so, before it seemed to slow down every so slightly by each breath.

She didn’t close her eyes, even though she was exhausted from the whiskey that slowly had started to loosen its grip on her. She feared, that if she allowed herself sleep, Michael would turn out to be a dream and she would wake to the sight of Jonathan by her bed once more. No matter how much she needed rest, she feared the consequences. Therefor, she simply leaned up against the archangel; feeling his calming heat radiate onto her, as she stared out into the darkness of the dimly lit hallway. ‘’I’m sorry for waking you,’’ she said; her voice slightly rough from the whispering. For the time being, she didn’t even think about the fact that a man - in nothing but his boxers - was in the bed with her and she pressed herself up against his naked upper body. Right now; it was simply for the sensation of safety - although, had she been a little more relaxed with the whole thing, she might have just accepted that her insides yearned for a pleasant sensual encounter with a man.