Free Angel Tormented (The Louisiangel Series Book 3) by C. L. Coffey Page B

tears were streaming down my face as
the train driver finally slammed the brakes on, sending deafening screeches
echoing around me, drowning out Michael’s final words.
    It was too little, too late.
    One moment Michael was there, and then he
wasn’t.
    I stood, rooted to the spot, watching the
large metal wheels that seemed nearly as big as I was passing in front of me
sending dust and gravel whipping at my skin until, suddenly, Cupid was stood
between me and the train, horrified. “Angel!” he cried. “Angel, stop screaming
– I’m here.”
    I was vaguely aware of the ground hurtling
towards me as I blacked out.

CHAPTER SIX
Lassitude
     
    I awoke in my bed some time later. For ten
blissful seconds I thought it was a dream – a nightmare… then instantly all I
was aware of was the pain. There was the constant, deep seated pain which would
never go away – the one caused by killing Lilah – but that was just the start
of it. My hands, knees, face, and various areas of skin were stinging. My left
wrist felt like it was pulsing pain everywhere in sharp bursts.
    All of which only momentarily made me
forget about what had happened.
    Then the memory hit me like a tsunami,
causing me to gasp and struggle for air as a new pain sucked me under.
    “Angel?” Joshua was at my side in an
instant and I launched myself at him, clutching at his shirt with my good hand
as he wrapped his arms around me. Without a word, he scooped me up, taking more
care with my physical injuries than I had, and maneuvered himself underneath me.
    I curled up into him, struggling to catch
my breath through shallow gasps as he created a protective cocoon around me. “He’s
gone,” I gasped, repeating the words over and over again, despite the bitter
taste they were leaving in my mouth. Joshua said nothing, just tightening his
hold around me.
    When I finally moved, it was because I
could feel the bile rising in my throat. I leaped from the bed, stumbling from
the pain in my feet, and just made it to the toilet before I emptied my
stomach. Joshua was there in an instant, holding my hair away, as he rubbed at
my back.
    When my stomach had emptied and the dry
heaving had stopped, I slumped back against the cool tiles of the bathroom
wall. Silently, Joshua handed over a bottle of water so I could rinse my mouth
out. I finally relaxed back, watching as Joshua closed the lid and flushed.
    “I need to see to the rest of your injuries,”
he said, softly, sitting down opposite. “I need to do more to your wrist than
bandage it up. I think it’s broken.”
    Numbly, I shook my head. “It will heal,” I
told him, my voice cracking.
    “Angel,” he started, but stopped at the knock
on my bedroom door. “Hello?” he called, when my croaks went unheard.
    Cupid walked in, lingering in the doorway,
but I couldn’t look up and meet his eyes. “How are you feeling?” he asked me,
his voice thick. I stared blankly at the water bottle next to me. “We need…”
Cupid cleared his throat. “We need to talk,” he finished.
    “Can it wait until morning?” Joshua asked,
even though all three of us knew what the answer to that question was going to
be.
    “We need you in the conservatory, please,”
Cupid said. “Joshua can come too.” From the corner of my eyes, I could see his
feet change direction, getting ready to leave, but they paused. “I’m glad
you’re all right,” he said, his voice barely a whisper. And then he was gone.
    “I will go tell them it can wait, if you
want me to?” Joshua offered.
    The thought of him telling a bunch of
angels where to stick their request amused me, but I couldn’t get my face to
show that emotion. “No,” I muttered.
    Joshua got to his feet and reached over,
wrapping his hands around my waist. “Ready?” he asked. When I nodded, he helped
me to my feet. I took a step and stumbled again, crying out at the pain that
shot through my foot. “At least let me see to that?” he requested.
    “I want to get this