More Than This Fierce, Untamed Girl

When Emily came back, she found Hayden lying on the couch. He had pounded on the door for what seemed like a lifetime, but he was too tired to try again—there was just no way out of here. Sitting there waiting for Emily while she was out there putting herself in danger for him was an absolute agony. He jumped up and hurried to the doorway as he heard a click coming from the opposite side and the knob twisted. Breathless, Emily rushed into the room as like she had just fled for her life, which she probably had. Overwhelmed by relief that she was still alive and undamaged, Hayden embraced her tightly and wouldn't let go. Or so he believed.

"All right, Hayden. Although I'm happy to see you too, could you please let me go now? With a strange note in her voice, she inquired.

Letting go, he took a step back. "Avoid doing that to me ever again!" he cried.

"All right," she said in a strained tone. At that moment, he saw that her arms were firmly wrapped about her midsection, seemingly in discomfort.

With fear and worry beginning to seep into his voice, he questioned, "What is it?"

With her teeth clinched, she mumbled, "It's nothing."

You appear to be in pain, Emily. Tell me where it aches, please! His voice rose in desperation as he begged.

With a pale face, she insisted, "I'm fine."

She seemed to feel even more anguish as he took her by the tops of her shoulders and gave her a light shake.

"Please, Emily—"

She interrupted him, saying, "Okay!" "That's my back."

He led her over to the couch and took a seat. "All right, show me."

"No," she answered obstinately.

"Emily," he snarled in caution.

"It's okay."

The door was slammed behind them as Xavier and another Obsidian Angel burst into the room. They were out of breath, too.

"We may have lost them," Xavier gasped.

Then he saw Hayden and Emily sitting on the couch. "What was it that I missed?"

Before she could say anything, Hayden said, "Emily is hurt, but she won't show me where."

He said casually, "Oh, she was whipped on the back."

"What?" With a gasp, Hayden turned his head back to face her. The female Obsidian Angel interrupted her as if to refute it.

"I understand that you're concerned about her, Hayden, but we're dealing with more pressing issues right now."

With fear building in his chest, he questioned, "Like what?" He was also curious as to how she was aware that his name was Hayden.

The female Obsidian Angel pleaded, "We must depart immediately, as the Obsidian Angel Dominion will search the entire town for us."

He objected, "No, we can't until Emily's back is fixed." She was in no condition to be relocated.

But when they discover us—" she started to protest.

"At least apply bandages or something to the wounds!" he yelled.

"All right," she moaned in frustration.

"You don't have to do that, Tara. Emily glared at her and protested, "I'm OK. She gave Hayden a deadly look.

"No, she is correct. Before we leave for our life, we need at least tend to your wounds," Tara quickly acknowledged.

As Hayden sat with Emily on the couch and held her hand, Tara and Xavier started looking for any medical supplies. His mind roiled with ideas of what he would do to the Queen if he had the strength, ideas that were both gratifying and terrifying. Trent and Loren burst into the room at some point during the search. Loren was dressed in a black T-shirt and black leggings, while Trent was dressed in his typical basketball attire.

And Trent said, "Whoa." "What gives them wings?"

Loren rolled her eyes and yelled, "I told you, but you didn't believe me." He must have heard about Obsidian Angels from her.

Trent swallowed, his eyes so big they seemed to be about to burst from his skull.

"Who asked the humans to come?" With a tone full of annoyance, Xavier asked.

Hayden grinned and remarked, "I guess I'm in charge."

"Hayden! How were you able to? Emily looked at him and gasped, her voice a mixture of surprise and betrayal.

He said, "Well, I called them to bust me out because you locked me in here."

"They should not be involved in this!" she cried, her voice increasing in annoyance.

Loren gave a shrug. “It’s too late, we’re here now.”

Emily glared at her pal.

"Why is the backpack there?" Xavier inquired in a suspicious tone.

Loren said, "Oh, it carries supplies we might need." "It contains medical supplies, food, water, and a flashlight."

"Excellent! Emily needs that! What do we possess? Tara asked quickly, clearly in a hurry. She wanted them to start as soon as possible, Hayden surmised.

Loren started removing goods from the bag after unzipping it.

Trent approached Hayden and said, "Dude, this isn't a dream, right?" in a whisper in his ear.

"No, it isn't," groaned Hayden. Trent looked at Xavier anxiously as his eyes expanded once more.

Xavier saw his expression and gave him a frightful smile, showing off all of his dazzlingly white, razor-sharp teeth.

Tara gave him a significant elbow while holding ointment, tape, and bandages in her hands.

She reprimanded, "Stop frightening the humans."

With a chuckle, Xavier obeyed.

"Really, Tara, it's okay," Emily reassured her.

"I'll judge that for myself. "Turn over," said Tara.

Emily complied, taking off her jacket with a sigh. Hayden was appalled by what he saw when she lay on her stomach on the couch. Long, scarlet scars crisscrossed over her skin, covering her back. The feathers appeared tangled and disorganized, and there were a few red spots on her wings—those beautiful black wings. She looked as if a mutant, enormous bear had ravaged her. As Hayden's gaze wandered down Emily's back, a graphic scene made him tighten his hold on her hand. He couldn't stand to look at her, but he heard Loren gasp behind him. Feelings of rage, disdain, and hatred surfaced along with the overpowering guilt. The Queen, whom Hayden currently saw as the most repulsive being in the entire Universe, was the primary evident fact behind this. He had to acknowledge that he also experienced a wave of self-loathing. After all, Emily wouldn't be in this predicament if it weren't for him. There would never have been any harm to her. It had been foolish of him to believe that this relationship might succeed.

After taking a deep breath to regain her composure, Tara squirted her hand with white cream. After rubbing her hands together, she started rubbing Emily's back with the lotion. Emily's body jerked a little when she snarled, but she didn't move. Hayden now understood that if he didn't think of a way, Emily would suffer harm—possibly even worse than this. He would, too. That left him with two options: remove himself from the equation or become an Obsidian Angel, which was practically impossible. He realized what he needed to do at that point.