Free Her Black Wings (The Dark Amulet Series Book 1) by A.J. Norris Page B

became labored. He forced himself to continue, to fight the pain and fatigue setting in, which threatened to send him into a full-on panic.
    Red-eyes glowed. Shapes began to solidify. Within seconds he was surrounded. He pivoted, wondering how many demons there were. Ten, fifteen…maybe twenty. Automatically his brain sent a message to his wings. Flight or fight. But the nerve endings didn’t know the parts no longer existed, only knew the appendages should be there. An intense searing ignited. He howled. His knees gave out and he went down to the dusty ground. The demons’ whispers returned as he lay writhing in agony. This time he could make out what they were saying.
    “You lost your wings.”
    “Deus will be angry.”
    “You’re such a disappointment.”
    “An angel without wings is a demon.”
    “No!” Elliott cried. “I don’t believe you!” He covered his ears hoping to muffle the voices. Then the laughter started.
     
    A flash of a memory surfaced of someone Elliott wasn’t able to recall. A young boy sobbed on a school playground, curled up on the ground, shielding his face and neck while other kids kicked woodchips on him. The bullies had constantly teased the kid without mercy. They pointed their stubby little fingers at him and taunted him just because they could. The boy had grown up but suffered mentally into adulthood. He continued to endure the hurt of his past until he was killed, run over by his own car. He’d begged the guy to get help. There were some things an angel couldn’t do. For decades he tried to save him, make him a better person, not for the rest of the world but for himself.
     
    The vision dissipated. Elliott’s failure lived on, festering in his soul.
    The shadow demons laughed and danced delighting in the angel’s misery. They hissed, “He’sss hereee in the place for the mosssst vile.”
    “You failed him!” they chorused.
    “No! No, no, no! Stop it!” Elliott became the young boy from the past. He curled his body into the fetal position covering his ears. “Stop, p-please.”
    “You failed!” they bellowed.
    “It wasn’t my fault. It’s not my fault.”
    “Oh yes, it was.”
    “Stop,” the angel whimpered. The shadow demons closed in. Their calloused hands pawed at him. Claws ripped his jeans then his flesh. He had not the strength, nor the weapons with which to fight them.
    A screeching like nails on a chalkboard, only shriller, echoed. The tormentors covered their ears with the meaty parts of their palms. Another screech resounded, not stopping. They cried for the noise to end. One collided with another until they all toppled like dominoes.
    Elliott lay still. The screeching had been deafening, however the effect on him wasn’t as severe. He knew how to block certain frequencies, an angel’s trick.
    “Angel, get up,” a familiar voice said.
    Aza’zel?
    “You…sonofabitch.” Elliott had meant to yell at him and wanted to kick his ass. Again. But relief washed over him instead.
    “We don’t have much time, they’ll recover quickly.”
    “What did you do to them?”
    “What do you mean?”
    Elliott resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Aza’zel presented him a hand…claw. He clutched the offering. The strength of the demon surprised him. He was yanked to his feet in a fluid motion.
    “We have to go back.”
    The worry in Aza’zel’s eyes was strange. “I found the woman. I think. Black hair, she’s—”
    “Oh no, I’m leaving. I’m not going back.” Elliott shook his head. “The exit is this way, right?” He motioned with his head.
    “Angel, the woman is—”
    “I don’t care, all right? She made her choice.”
    Aza’zel shoved Elliott into the wall, putting a blade to his throat. “No one makes that choice. Everything here is a lie.” The demon and the angel’s eyes widened. The words Aza’zel used stunned both of them.
    Everything here is a lie.
    Elliott met the goat’s stare. Sensing the shadow demon’s movement, he broke