Chapter 11~~~ Intruder
Lucia's POV
My eyes drift at the magnificent cavern with a mind of their own; my feet follow them all too willingly, around the crystalline water, through the heat of the brightly lit center, into the shadowy edges and on until I have seen as much as I can possibly take in and I am possibly closer to the outside world than I should be. The distant voices of the other four echo around me as they bounce from wall to wall; barely a muted mumble from where I now sit just inside the main entrance to the cavern. As far as I can tell yet another argument is in full swing. Sighing, I lean my head back against the gravely wall and focus my gaze out into the multitude of trees mere meters away from the entrance of the tunnel, it's all too easy to remain where I am.
As much as I love a good argument its nowhere near as much fun when people are arguing on whether you should die or not. Zak asked Carli to call her mother Ahreal, because if we are going to get back in heaven, we are going to need her assistance. Carli said no; apparently, she thinks his using me to get himself back in heaven and according to her it doesn't matter if it's what I want to do; an angel and it's his job to protect both humans and angels. It doesn't seem to cross her mind that going back that is exactly what we would be doing; protecting everyone, humans and angels alike. I left not long after that but their argument seems never ending.
"Shouldn't it be my choice?" I ask the empty air around me.
"Of course, it your choice Lucia." Heart racing I'm up facing the intruder, weapon at his throat before he can even get half way through his sentence. As my heart rate slows, back to its regular, steady beat, I actually take a look at who I have trapped behind my blade and release him immediately.
"Oh, John, I'm sorry." The words trip over themselves on their way out, leaving a jumbled mess that the doctor may or may have not noticed. I took a step back, away from him, "Sorry, I didn't realize it was you." Half a smile tugs up his lips as his kind eyes meet mine.
"Don't worry I should have never snug up on you like that my dear, I do apologies." He smiles slightly.
"Did you… did you do that on purpose?" This being the only conclusion I have for his reaction, though the idea in itself is ridiculous; why would he want me to attack him? Without a word he tips his head to where I was occupying prior to his interruption and slides into the place across from it, his eyes not breaking contact until I step back to my wall and slid back into place.
"You felt threatened right now, did you not?" I slight a nod and he continue, "Your automatic respond when you feel threatened in any way is to attack. Instantly. And without a question or thought. You, Lucia are not the sort of person that runs away. You're not the sort of person that gives up. You fight. You've been fighting your entire life as far as I can tell. So, yes, it is your choice. It's your life to do what you will. But never let your head talk you out of what your heart is saying. Because fear resides in your mind and fear controls your thoughts. Listen to your heart. Your instincts. What do they tell you Lucia? Do you want to die?" his words leave me stunned for a moment.
"I'm not letting fear cloud my judgement. I have two options go to the angels and let them decide whether I live or die, or don't and let Lucifer find me again and use me against all that I care about. My heart doesn't want to hurt them and yes it wants to die." His eyes drift away from mine to look at the word around us. His shoulders sloughing and he release a sigh.
"You have more than two options Lucia. The ones you just mentioned, you are choosing to give up on fear. Fear of something that may never happen. You are a fighter Lucia. So, fight. Your life is more important than you realize, don't throw it away out of fear." With a shake of his head he rises to his feet and disappears back down the tunnel.
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By the time I moved away from my spot against the wall, the argument was long over and darkness was starting to creep its way across the cloudless sky. Even then, the stars were out and I decided to make my way to the others. I crept towards them, attempting to remain silent as I searched for Nich.
"Where were you?" I swirl around too fast in attempt to locate their origin. Zak lifts himself up on his elbows and stares up at me, what looks like anger scrawled across his features. If not for the scowl on his face I may have given him an answer, but instead I just glare back.
"None of your business." I replied and the fire in his eyes only sparked deeper. I turn slightly from him, only to discover there were only two other people in the room. "Where is Nich?" Glancing back at where Zak still is, staring up at me, he raised his brow he returns to his previous position and roles his back and faces me. "Oh, come on!"
"I went for a walk down the actual entrance; I wanted to see the sky. John saw me down there didn't he mention it?" I whisper toward his back as I take few steps towards his tense form. He remains silent for so long; I give up and turn to leave. He sighs and rolls over back over so his dark eyes meet mine.
"I know where you were." He says in a voice that seems to question my sanity
"Well you did just ask me where I have been." He rolls his eyes like an idiot and rises to a sitting position, a slight hint to his previous anger returning to his features.
"Yeah, because you were gone all day and doc wouldn't let anyone check up on you; said you needed space or something. Anything could have happened to you. Demons attacked us yesterday, you do realize, that right?" A frown grows on my face.
"I'm perfectly capable of defending myself, you know." I growl at him. He hesitates for a moment at my words, before standing up and moving a step closer to me.
"Look, Luc. I know you're one of the best fighters in the army and that you can defend yourself on your own, without needing anyone else's help, but the demons come in drove, no single soldier can hold off that many on their own. Everyone needs backup sometimes." I glance away after he says this, knowing his right.
"Okay, fine, but you still attacked me first." He glances around for a moment and runs his hair through his midnight hair falling in his eyes. I turn to get back up. With a strangled grown he wrapped his hand around my wrist and pulled me back to face him again.
"Fine. I don't like the idea of demons fighting you or you getting hurt." He remains silent for a moment, his eyes drifting back to his hand on my wrist and sighs, "I kept thinking about them attacking you. About the last time they attacked you. How you had no one to back you up. How that demon…" He releases me like his been burnt and turn back to his previous position.
He was worried about me and I was…. Happy.
"So, do you know where Nich is?" I ask quietly.
"No" confusion threading through me, I attempt to ignore his odd mood swings, and turn around to begin searching Nich on my own.
As I'm walking towards the entrance tunnel, after giving the cavern a big search, I see a hunched figure moving towards me from inside of the tunnel. A brief flicker of hope flashes through me that it might be Nich returning from wherever he had been. But the image of a looming shadowy figure moving steadily closer filled me with a wild sense of dread, pulling the locks from the door I had to shut so many times, I turn and run away.
Despite my earlier confusion of him, I race towards Zak's prone figure and practically dove on top of him in an effort to wake him up. With a startled grunt he does just that, a wicked blade appearing in his hands, though it disappears quickly when he sees its me that decided to jump on him in the middle of the night. The confusion on his face is quickly replaced by worry as he sees the fear in me.
Sliding of him, I turn around and pint to the shadowy figure moving silently towards us. Without a sound he climbs to his feet, the jagged black metal blade back in his hand and those midnight wings flaring behind him and starts moving towards the approaching figure. Zak poses and turns back to look at me, anger glinting in his eyes though I get the feeling it is not all directed to me. He spins on his heels and walks back to me.
"Looks like you found your Nich." Fear dissipates as he speaks. He seems to relax alongside me. "Can you try not to elbow me in the stomach next time you decide to jump up on me in the middle of the night?" he asks with a slight smirk tilting his lips. I fight back the sudden burn in my face and glance away, embarrassment at my mistake surfacing in a wave. Noticing, despite the desire to just disappear, he puts a hand on my shoulder before he continues, "Its oaky, I would have been worried if I'd seen someone, I didn't recognize coming from that tunnel too. In fact, I was, as you saw."
I release the breath I hadn't been aware of holding and nod at his words, anger at Nich for being out so late and scaring me half to death, overcoming the previous embarrassment.
"You couldn't tell me it was you?" I growl at him when his close enough to hear without me yelling. Then I realize I'm too furious at him to listen to his reasoning and turn around and walk away instead, lying down not all that far away from where Zak had been before I attempted to break his ribs.