Read Blood and Feathers for Free Online

conscience.”
    “Taken him where?”
    “Where d’you think?”
    “No. That’s ridiculous. It is. It just... You’re kidding me, right?”
    “Alice.” Mallory crouched in front of her, his eyes level with hers. “Let me be very clear about one thing. I never joke about the Fallen.” His face was stern; more serious than Alice had yet seen it. She nodded mutely. “This is the way it works. Everyone knows the rules – your father did too. Better than most. In the meantime, you are fair game, so you’ll stay here, where it’s safe.”
    “How do you know they won’t find me?”
    “Find you? They don’t need to find you. They already know you’re here. But the point is that they can’t come in, so they can’t get you. As far as you’re concerned, right now, this is the safest place on Earth or in Heaven. You don’t move from here without our say-so.”
    “Unless,” Gwyn chipped in, “she catches something first. Cholera, perhaps? Dysentery?”
    “Would you stop, alright? I’ll get the place cleaned up. We can’t all live...” Mallory didn’t finish his sentence, and instead stared at the floor.
    Gwyn raised his eyebrows. “You were saying?”
    “Nothing.” His eyes were fixed on his boots, and Alice could have sworn she saw something like triumph on Gwyn’s face.
    “I know it’s probably a stupid question,” said Alice, “but why here? I mean, what’s so safe about this place? Shouldn’t we go to the police or something?”
    “You’re an innocent, aren’t you? It’s touching. Naive, but touching.” Gwyn slid down from his chair. “And what do you think the police would do if you walked into a police station and told them that the Fallen were trying to kill you? That Lucifer had sent his Wolves after you?”
    “Wolves?” Alice shuffled on the sofa, making the air even dustier. No-one had mentioned wolves. Angels, yes. But now, the devil? And wolves?
    It was Mallory who answered her question. “They’re not actual wolves. Those wouldn’t worry me in the slightest. He means the Wolves of hell, the Twelve. They’re assassins, if you like: Lucifer’s generals and his personal guard. They’re ambitious, and they’re only out for one thing: promotion. Nothing else. If any of them had the balls, they’d take on Lucifer himself... not that they’d win. But it’s almost certainly the Twelve who’ll be on your trail.”
    “And that’s why you’re here. To stop them.”
    “Amongst other things. But that’s for another time. For now, I think it’s time you got some rest.”
    “Because that’s going to be easy, isn’t it?”
    “You’re safer here than you’ve been your whole life, Alice. Nothing that would harm you can cross that threshold.”
    “Don’t tell me: hallowed ground?”
    “Something like that.” Mallory pulled his gun out of his belt pointedly and ejected the magazine, checking it over before reloading.
    “Well. That’s settled, then.” Gwyn was moving towards the door. “I, for one, can’t stay here any longer. The smell....” He wrinkled his nose and Mallory sniffed.
    “It’s not that bad.”
    “If you say so. Besides, you’re right. She needs to rest.” He turned to Alice. “Sleep. While you have the chance.”
    As he laid a hand on the doorknob, he looked back at them. “Keep her safe, Mallory.” He made a small gesture with his fingers – something that was too quick for Alice to follow – and stepped through the door, closing it behind him.
    Her body suddenly ached, and she shivered. “It’s because he’s gone,” said Mallory from somewhere behind her. “He’s so bloody sanctimonious, it’s easy to forget he is what he is. But being around a Descended, it makes humans feel... well, better . Everything you should have felt – everything since we came – it’s all still there. You still felt it, but you didn’t know it, not with him around. He protected you. And now he’s not here... It’s just shock. A good sleep and you’ll