Free Blood and Feathers by Lou Morgan

– they’re bastards. A bit like Gabriel.”
    “But he’s an Archangel. Isn’t he supposed to be...”
    “Angelic? Yeah, sure. Just like angels are supposed to live in dives and carry pistols. Just like they’re supposed to spend their lives scraping...” His eyes were empty, his face blank, and he looked like someone altogether different. But then he rubbed his hand across his face and became Mallory again. “Besides,” he continued, standing up, “Gabriel’s never been much of a fan of mine. He was all for making my little suspension permanent.” He shrugged, rolling his shoulders, and his wings opened behind him. The feathers shivered as he stretched. “Unfortunately for him, he’s not the only one with a voice, and I do have a few friends.”
    “Do you miss them?” He clearly did, but Alice couldn’t think what else to say.
    He smiled. “It’s not important whether I miss them or not. What matters is that I do my job.”
    “You’re not exactly what I’d imagine an angel would be like, you know.”
    Mallory’s eyes were already moving towards the bottle standing by the sink, and Alice recognised the signs. Talking about home was not a good idea. “I’d always pictured something, well, fluffier .”
    “I hope that’s a metaphor,” he said with a laugh.
    “I just thought, you know, guardian angels. That kind of thing.”
    “In my considerable experience, I have to tell you that the only guardian angels you’re likely to come across any time soon are me and my buddy here.” He waved the gun, setting it down on the worktop and picking up the bottle. He glanced back at her, casually, and he must have seen something in her face because he suddenly looked down at his hands and stopped. He put the bottle back down. “Sorry. I just... Sorry.”
    “It’s no big deal. I’d like to hear more, though.”
    “About Gabriel? Or the choirs...?”
    “God, no. Spare me the choirs.”
    “It’s dull. I get it.” He rolled his eyes. “You wouldn’t rather I told you about Raphael? He’s a good man.”
    “I’d hope so. Angel and stuff.”
    “And as I keep telling you” – he sighed – “angels aren’t so angelic. Our job is to keep the Fallen down, even if that means breaking them into pieces. They used to be our brothers. That’s not an easy job, and if you’re a good person, you’re probably not going to be doing it very long. Or at least you won’t be a good person for very long after you start. Gabriel’s been doing it longer than anyone.”
    “What makes him so different from all the rest of you?”
    “He enjoys it.”
    “Oh.”
    “Alice, when the lights go out and the world stops, at the end of time, and there’s nothing left but dust and ash and embers... Gabriel will still be standing there with blood on his hands.”
    “He sounds like a piece of work. You’re sure he’s one of the good guys?”
    “He is. He’s just a bad one.”
    “Can’t say I’ve ever seen much of a difference between the bad good guys and the good bad guys.”
    “Oh, there is one. Namely that he’s ours.”
    “Are you allowed to say things like that?”
    “Privilege of being an Earthbound. You get to say what you like. Don’t tell them, though. They might think I’m enjoying it too much and make me go home.” He winked.
    Alice was a breath away from asking exactly what it was he had done that had earned him his banishment, but thought better of it. The only time Mallory’s cheery facade slipped was when he spoke about his home – or rather, didn’t speak about it. His evasion skills were top-class, and whatever he was being punished for , it seemed pretty effective. Of course, he wasn’t all that bad at punishing himself, either – not if what Vin had told her before he skipped out was true. While Mallory prowled the church, Vin had drawn her close and whispered in her ear, “He’s given you the soldier speech, hasn’t he?”
    “Soldier... yes. Yes, he has. You’re not going to,