39 Visions of the past

Previously...

"You want things to go back?" I questioned feeling confused. "What do you mean?" I then asked. "You mean you met me way before this?"

"I'm not entirely sure?" Azrael said making it sound as if he was asking a question.

We met before?

Maybe in another life?

***

~Death's memories~

I was chained, I couldn't do anything to stop what was happening as the life drained from her eyes... I was frozen like a deer in headlights, stuck in place with her in my arms and unable to know what to do or how to feel... I was numb but what did you expect, I was Death after all. The guy who everyone claims has no emotion and at that moment I ironically, even as I numbed and switched off the pain like I always do... I became weak... because... because I lost someone that gave me strength... I lost her... she died in my arms that day as tears lined my eyes and just like that I had lost the one who knew me better than anyone... or at least that's what I thought until I met Alice.

Alice and Eden were so alike and yet so different but Alice's aura and the power she radiated was somehow similar and I picked up on that... however Alice... she sure is something else.

Eden was dead. She was gone or at least I thought that. Only now I think she was reincarnated because of a forbidden bond between an Angel and a White Witch, which had me questioning the Creator. Why did he not mention this and why did he not want it to happen? The balance? You see the Creator said nothing about this after her death and yes even though we are immortal and can't die that is only applicable to humans... among ourselves, we can die, not from old age but perhaps if we fought each other to the death. With my abilities that was impossible though since I am Death so I was gifted with being unable to die since I was already basically dead however, with Eden's, she could die but she had the ability to heal herself. To me though Eden was still dead even if she was reincarnated, which I did not think was possible, because Alice is a complete different person... a clean slate and all the memories we shared were gone.

Our memories... they were faded into oblivion and there was no way I'd get them back but maybe just maybe if she is the person I remember so well... maybe I can spark them again.

....

...

..

Back to the present moment...

"Alice, you sure are something else." Azrael mumbled to himself. His boyishly handsome face resting near to her ear as a smirk tugged at his lips. He envisioned her with her face flushed from embarrassment in a shade of red, the same reaction Eden used to give him but of course she wasn't Eden anymore and in reality she was lights out as he rested her down on the bed.

"It's been a long day, I guess." He sighed. "If only she remembered me." He whispered to himself as he looked out the window, the moonlight filtering in the large room as he walked towards his now permanent, resting place, of the sofa. Nonetheless it was still comfy even though he did prefer his bed over it but it was now Alice's bed. The things he did for the girl. If only she knew how special she was.

"Night princess." Azrael whispered as he looked over at Alice resting peacefully on the bed. She reminded him so much of Eden with her sleeping expression.

Why had the Creator not mentioned that Life itself could be reincarnated and try to stop it from happening once again? Azrael pondered. The Creator forbid it... but why? Life... Eden was no disruption to the balance and even if she came back she would bring balance but the Creator always lived with the rule that whatever dies should not comeback but be erased from existence entirely. Meaning if you die as an Angel there is no coming back, just an abyss of darkness and a void of nothingness.

"I don't understand it..." Azrael said, still whispering to himself in the dead silence of the room. It was so quiet he could hear Alice's faint breaths in her peaceful slumber. When he finally reached the sofa he walked towards the closet and got some home clothes to change into.

Alice was completely lights out so instead of changing in the bathroom he used this as a golden opportunity to change on the spot he was standing. He placed his clothes on the sofa, removed his coat he had decided to wear for their "date" then he began removing his black T-shirt and just as it was about to go over his head, the sweater practically covering his face, he heard Alice's voice murmur... "Azrael w-" her voice sounding unsure, "what are you doing?" I'm changing, genius. Azrael flatly deadpanned in his head. He was face planting internally. But it took Alice awhile to process what was going on before she said... "Geez Azrael, put on a shirt."

After remaining still (he stood as still as a statue) for awhile because he did not expect Alice to be up right now. Okay she's up. He thought to himself when he heard the second part of her sentence and finally managing to get his words back, he shot her with the comment of... "What does it look like I'm trying to do?"

He heard her shifting on the bed. "Mmm..." Alice paused as if trying to think. "Put on a shirt?" She questioned nonchalantly. He could hear her yawn a little and shift a little more like she was rubbing her eyes but of course, he still could not see her since he still had not managed to remove the sweater from his head.

As if things couldn't get more embarrassing. He thought to himself but he shrugged it off as he removed the sweater fully now and quickly grabbed the one he had placed on the sofa. He slipped the top on in haste and turned his head to Alice once his exposed torso was covered. "Precisely." He answered her. She still seemed a bit sleepy but as he examined her features he noticed that she seemed flushed, her cheeks a light shade of red. Was she as uncomfortable as he was? He smirked to himself at the thought.

***

"Stop looking at me like that." I said looking down as I caught him giving me a once over like he was scanning me. His eyes meeting mine is what caused me to look away.

"Well I wouldn't be staring at you..." Azrael paused as a devious smirk tugged at his lips, "if your face wasn't so god damn red." He finished off with. Oh, no?!

"What?!" I exclaimed feeling my cheeks and indeed they were warm. I felt so embarrassed. I needed a comeback. I needed to say something but all I could think of was him with his top off. What the heck is going on with me and guys without sweaters lately? First Felix and now him the only difference was that he was my kidnapper and not to mention Death. "Well..." I paused thinking of what to say next, "you took your top off in front of me so what do you expect." That's all I could come up with at the time but I feel like I made a valid point, don't you think?

"I didn't expect you to wake up." Azrael said nonchalantly with a sigh.

"And I didn't expect you to give me a strip show." I stretched out the word "and" as I snickered to myself. Gosh now you sound perverted. Said the sarcastic voice in my head. Yeah, yeah, I thought subconsciously, but you got to admit it was kind of funny.

"Me? A stripper?" Azrael chuckled raising an eyebrow teasingly and smirking a bit but soon enough his smirk began to fade. "Did you forget who you're dealing with?" He questioned rhetorically in a serious tone all of a sudden (yep he definitely has bipolar) as I noticed his face becoming more chiseled, he took a gulp, his Adams apple moving up and down in the process and his jaw clamping. Why do I find this attractive?

He stood still in his place but took a step forward in my direction, not moving any further. I'm pretty sure that was to intimidate me but somehow, I still found the urge to break the "silence" and by that I mean tension. "Why didn't you just change in the bathroom?" I questioned quizzically as I furrowed my eyebrows.

He took a breath, a heavy sigh was heard after. "I told you, you were asleep and I figured I'd just change and I didn't think you'd catch me in the act, plus-" He placed his hand on his face surely annoyed as his eyes peeked through the gaps between his fingers. Awwe, it was so adorable.

"You could've still changed in the bathroom." I cut him off looking at him blankly as I furrowed my eyebrows once again and then looked down a bit. "plus..." he continued now causing me to look up at him, "this is my room so I can do what I want."

"What??" I looked at him, confused.

"This is my room..." he went on, a devilish grin making its appearance on his face, "my house and my rules. Before you got here I could do whatever I wanted. If I felt like walking around naked..." Wait Death walks around naked? "I would, but now that you're here, I have to constantly watch what I do cause you're around." He said sarcastically, he seemed a bit agitated.

"Well, I didn't ask for this now, did I?" I said feeling annoyed that he was upset with me when he was the one who put himself in this situation. I wouldn't be in his space if he didn't kidnap me but hey, I guess we don't always get what we want, now do we.

"You right you didn't but you're here now so maybe you should just get used to it." Azrael said sarcastically as his eyebrow raised, a knowing smirk on his face.

"So that gives you the right to just undress wherever you want?" I questioned not long after.

"Yeah, it pretty much does." Azrael said nonchalantly with a deadpanned expression on his face as he went back to being playful and grinning like a lunatic.

"You're such a pervert." I sighed pulling a face. Of course I wasn't being serious when I said this (I know he's not a pervert, I just call him that cause I like teasing him).

"Well, last I checked it wasn't me watching the strip show." He said emphasising the words I used earlier of "strip show" and then raised an eyebrow, a quizzical look on his face as he gave me a boyish grin. You got to be kidding me! Did he just use my own words against me? Well, obviously he did, said the sarcastic voice in my head.

"Jerk!" I shot, responded with, not knowing what to say. Sadly it seems like I'm out of comebacks.

"Tell me something I don't know." Azrael shot back at me, smirking in triumph.

I just signed and went back to being quiet since I didn't feel like going on with him anymore but I knew he wasn't being serious, he was just teasing and I guess I was a little annoying plus I don't think he likes being told what to do?

Obviously he didn't expect me to wake up so suddenly however, I still think he should have been more cautious if he didn't want this to happen. His reaction this "I can do whatever I want" line he used was probably just a front he put up to hide his embarrassment. Well, in my opinion. This is also an assumption so I could be wrong, keep in mind that I'm also a huge ov-

"Alice?" I heard someone question, dang it, can't you see I'm talking to the reader?! Anyway, I was going to say. "Alice?" I heard again, give me a minute I'm still thinking, still lost in my thoughts I dazed off. Anyway I was going to say "keep in mind that I'm a huge overthinker." Finally I said it. Let's get back to-

"Alice?" It was Azrael's voice obviously. Cut off again?!

"Yes?" I questioned breaking out of my daze and shaking my head almost like a dog shaking itself off when it got splashed with water (but in this case I'm not a dog and I never got splashed with water). I blinked my eyes a couple of times before looking back to where Azrael was standing.

"You not going to continue with the comebacks?" He continued raising a brow and grinning childishly at me. "You know..." he still went on when I left him with no answer, "you really are cute when you angry."

My cheeks flushed a bit. "I'm not angry!" I exclaimed. Wait, why is it when people say "are you angry?" or imply you are angry that all of a sudden you become angry? "I mean I'm not angry." I made the volume of my tone decrease so that I sounded more calm.

"If you say so." Azrael said nonchalantly as he shrugged his shoulders. The sarcasm in his tone clearly meant he didn't believe me. "Hopefully tomorrow you won't be so moody." He teased.

I just gave a slight nod, not bothering to explain whether I was moody or not. I guess he assumed my silence earlier was because I was mad at him when clearly that was not the case but hey, let's let him think what he wants.

He went to the bathroom quickly and when he got back the pants he placed on the sofa was now on him. I looked at him as he walked through the doorway and headed towards his sofa. I was still sitting up as I observed him.

"Well, I'm off to bed." He said as he got on the sofa and puffed his pillow, pulling his blanket over him in order to make himself cosy. It was really an adorable sight, kind of like when a dog walks around on one spot before siting on it (but obviously he wasn't a dog). Once he pulled the blanket on himself he placed his head on his pillow and closed both his eyes. I still stayed siting up on the bed. I couldn't sleep for some reason. "You going to sleep?" Azrael's voice shot through the room as he opened one eye to see me while the other one remained close.

"No... um..." I paused looking up a bit towards the window where the moonlight was shining in, "I'm not tired."

"Well, you going to have to sleep at some point." Azrael said raising a brow.

"But I'm not tired." Both Azrael's eyes shot open as I whined sounding like a baby. Sometimes I'm childish give me a break.

He sat up. "Do you want me to lay next to you?" He questioned as he raised an eyebrow once again, it seems he had made this a habit. Share the same bed?! Of course... NOT. Obviously he wasn't being serious, right?

I'm pretty sure he knew that saying that would intimidate me to go to sleep and honestly speaking, it kind of did. I mean, do I trust Azrael? Still the answer is... NO. Do I still wonder when Felix will rescue me? Yes, I do but I'm also getting a bit tired of playing the friggen damsel in distress lately. Did Felix forget about me? I hope not but it's just two more days to go so I'm pretty sure I'll be fine. I'll be fine, right? Right?

"Wait?! Why am I asking you? You just the reader. Okaaay this is awkward. Don't mind me. Just ignore this monologue."

Back to me answering Azrael...

"No." I said as his eyebrow remained raised and a deadly smirk appeared, another habit of his, I suppose.

"Then go to sleep!" Azrael whisper shouted at me with an agitated expression on his face. I know he said I looked cute when I was angry but in this case it was likewise.

"Fine." I said reluctantly with some bitterness in my tone as I fell back, my head landing on the soft cushy pillow behind me. I watched Azrael as he signed like having me around was exhausting. He stared in my direction for a bit as I forced my eyes to shut so that I could hopefully fall asleep and avoid him laying next to me at all costs. I heard him shift and then I heard a thump like he had landed on his pillow just as I had earlier.

"Good night, Alice." I heard him whispered, his voice sounding like honey. Sweet but rough at the same time. Maybe his not such a bad guy after all?

"Good night..." I paused for a bit, "Azrael." What? He said my name. Stop looking at me like that. I was just returning the favour. I opened one eye quickly as my head was rested on the pillow and glanced over to Azrael before he could fall asleep. "And just to be clear," I now said sounding all sassy, "this doesn't mean I like you." I finished off with.

I heard him softly mumble something to himself before I heard the words... "Night, Alice." He sighed in annoyance but then I heard him say softly... "We'll see about that." As if I wouldn't have heard that.

"What was he insinuating?"

After awhile I heard Azrael's silent breaths, implying that he had fallen asleep and I too, had eventually managed to fall asleep due to forcing my eyes shut.

~Time passes~

Drifting further and further into her dreams Alice sleeps peacefully until suddenly she had the urge to wake up.

....

...

..

I woke up in an instant, my eyes shooting open as I rolled over to check the time on my alarm clock, which to my dismay was not on the stand beside me. Oh yeah, I almost forgot this isn't my room. You'd think I'd be used to this by now. I looked down to see Azrael once again sleeping on the couch like the night before and in the same position. Damn, that guy never moves from his sleeping position. He sleeps almost like he was in a coffin.

Death sleeps like he's in a coffin? Questioned the sarcastic voice in my head, I thought only vampires did that.

I sat up and glanced around the room a bit. I did a quick stretch and a silent yawn as I rubbed my eyes (I have no idea how this was possible. Can a yawn even be silent? I mean, I know you get silent farts but can one yawn silently?) since I didn't want Azrael to wake up.

My feet landed on the soft black feathered carpet as I was still seated on the bed. I stood up, still managing to remain silent and glanced around the room again. Azrael's chest rising and falling in the distance as my eyes fell on him. He was still sound asleep.

Well, I'm up now. I thought to myself. What do I do? I think I'm missing something? But what? Oh, yeah the phone. This is what I thought to myself as I still stood on the feathered black carpet as I move my gaze away from it's focus, which was originally Azrael, to where I had hidden my phone that was still or at least I hoped, under the feathered carpet that was under the bed.

I looked over at Azrael once again to make sure he was still sleeping as I crouched down next to the bed and placed my hand under the carpet. Slowly, I began to remove my phone from its hiding place and once I got it out from under the carpet I placed the carpet carefully back on the ground in its original position so that nothing looked out of place. (We got to hide the evidence, you know, which is ironic since I'm the victim here).

I laid back down on the bed once I had the phone in hand and rested my head on the comfy, puffed up pillow. Looking downwards towards the foot end of the bed I glanced down at Azrael once again to make sure he was sleeping. I heard his breaths encompass the silence of the room. He was definitely lights out.

Slowly, I put the phone on and the screen light up, it's light almost blinding me since I was so used to the darkness. I blinked a couple of times as my eyes adjusted to the light before my vision became less blurry and I could finally see. The time read 3:30 and the battery power was on 50%. Can 50% last me another two days? I don't have a freaken charger.

I unlocked the screen to see...

🔔58 notifications

✉ 32 messages

❌📞 26 missed calls

Most of the messages were from Felix and I got a few messages from Eva, James and Sam as well, asking where I am and if I'm okay and almost all the miss calls was from Felix's number. It was kind of heartwarming to know that my friends and "maybe boyfriend" (hey, a girl can dream, but who am I kidding, we do really like each other there just isn't a "label" for whatever this is) were worried and cared about me so much.

I read through all of the text messages and replied to each of them.

Eva's last message was...

Eva

I didn't see you at

school today is

everything alright?

Felix told me earlier

you got sick. Did AJ

actually drop you

off last night? Oh

and uh? I hope you

get well soon.

James's last message was...

James

Did you get home

safe yesterday? Eva's

super worried about

you. She texted me that

you didn't show up at

school today because

Felix said you weren't

feeling well. I hope you

okay. Get well soon.

Sam's last message was...

Sam

Hey! I hope you

got home safe last

night. I heard you

got sick from the

others. I hope you

feel better soon.

and Felix's last message was...

Felix

Alice, if you get this

message I'm coming

to rescue you. I know

Death was behind

this and just a heads

up... I told Eva and

the others you were

sick when they asked

me where you

were.

Felix didn't forget about me... he was on his way. Such a nobleman. He truly was my knight in shining armour. (Oh my chicken nuggets, I can't believe I actually said that and I'm not talking about the chicken nuggets. You bloody author, making me sound like I can't defend myself. What the freaking frik. I'm not going to just sit around here and be the damsel in distress. I have to do something).

"I may be weak but I'm not that weak."

Still laying on the bed I sent a reply to Felix and then stuffed the phone under my pillow for the time being.

Alice

I got your message.

I hope we can

figure this out

together.

I sent that because honestly, I didn't know what else to say. In fact I just couldn't respond at all. I got myself into this mess, it's only fair that I should get myself out. I hate the fact that I'm relying on Felix even though I do know he's doing this out of his own and because he's my Guardian. I just wish I could do something. I find it really ironic that Death said I was the strongest of the Angels, or in this case half breed, when it is clear that I'm an unaccomplished weakling. What do these boys even see in me? (Damn you author, making an average girl like me seem attractive to hot guys. That's not how real life works).

A few minutes later I heard a soft ping sound coming from under my pillow.

"A few minutes later..."

It wasn't loud enough to be heard by Azrael, who was still sound asleep, since the sound was also muffled by the pillow. I slipped the phone out from under it and clicked the on button. The phone lit up once again, almost blinding me. I unlocked the screen again to see...

🔔1 notification

✉ 1 message

Felix

I'm on my way

don't worry. And

Alice...

I saw that he was still online when I got the message so I replied quickly.

Alice

Yes?

Honestly, I still wasn't sure what to say.

Felix

I miss you.♥

Felix misses me?

Am I finally going to get out of here?

To be continued...