20 For You

The darkness massaged her and wrapped itself around her, like a blanket swaddling a newborn. There was a quiet hum against her ear, and she felt her eyelids twitch. Who was humming?

A touch against her forehead burned before the coolness of ice extinguished the heat. Letting out a soft moan, she tried opening her eyes, but they were so heavy. Why was she unable to open her eyes? Why wasn't she able to move?

"I always wondered if I had taken you with me to Hell," the baritone voice, smooth and warm as honey, sounded so loud in her ears, "… if you had been as loyal to me as you are to your lover."

What? Who was this person? What was he talking about? She doesn't understand anything.

"Though you have many of my brothers and sisters within you," the man continued in a tone so melancholy that she wanted to hold the brokenness in her hands.

A stroke against her cheek before the smooth palm flattened, heating the skin in winter. The hum continued and she wanted to tell him to stop. She didn't want to fall asleep again! She wanted to know what was going on!

Who was this man?

"Many moons, many centuries I had wanted to prove to Him that I can be just as good, no, better than Him!" the man said as the palm curved following her jaw to her chin, "And yet… I still do as he asked."

As… who asked? Eve tried forcing the will to open her eyes, but they felt like rocks were weighing them down.

"It is time child," the man touched her forehead once more with his pointer finger and Eve felt a blooming sensation of clarity.

"Do not let Gabriel's sacrifice go in vein," the whisper ghosted her ears and her eyes shot open like a deer in headlights, "I will be with you."

"Father!" she shouted out breathing hard as if she just caught breathe from being underwater for so long.

Looking around, Eve noticed the walls of the shack, empty. The only thing in this shack was herself, bare as the day she was conceived. Blinking that in, she sat up feeling the twinge of pain against her abdomen. Pressing her fingers against it, she remembered the fight with Samael- the treacherous trash.

Fisting her hands, she forced herself to stand up on wobbly legs. Panting out as sweat dripped down her temples, she took a step forward and stumbled to the floor. Groaning out, she used whatever energy she still had to push herself up to a stand again.

She couldn't stay here. What if the traitor placed her here naked to be used! She was too weak right now to fight back properly. The small amount of power she still had seemed to be stroking the others to wake; Eve grabbed her chest as she stood letting the tears drops fall. Head hung low, she knew who's power this was and she took a deep breath as determination enflamed her.

That bastard and that so-called angel will die. She was going to make it happen.

For her father… for… Gabriel.

Holding herself against the wall as she walked, her body shook like a candle in the wind.

'Why was the door so far away!' Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to continue. She needed to find a safe spot, a place where she could recover enough to go to war. A place where she could think about Adam and hope he was okay.

'Adam,' her mind supplied, and she bit her bottom lips, worried that he would be in harms way.

If that happened, Hell and Heaven does not know the extent of her anger.

Reaching the door, she opened it slowly and cautiously.

Nothing. No one was there waiting to ambush her as far as she could tell. Still holding onto her suspicions, she took small steps and looked around the area. Trees and the chirping of birds made her eyes blinked. This was not a place she thought she would be at.

Glancing to her left and her right, she headed toward a sound at the back of the shack. Preparing for a fight, she took a deep breath and willed her body to feign strength. Turning the corner, the first thing she saw was Adam, the love of her life. However, what she also saw was the trail of feathers, once white now dirtied in blood, in heaps.

'The bones… Adam… he…'

Rushing to the man, she threw her arms around him and looked him over, worry crossing her face as she felt frantic.

"What… what have you done?" she began to cry, "What have you done Adam, tell me?"

Eve was touching the trail of blood that had soaked his tanned skin into a deep copper; her eyes were watching his face and the wounds on his back. Scooping up the drying blood, she tried to push it back to the wound as if his body would just drink it up. Her tears were nonstop as she felt like everyone who had cared for her was now gone.

First her father, Gabriel, and now… he can't. She will not allow it!

Warm hands cupped her face and she was forced to stare into his blue eyes, deep as the oceans and sky.

"You are finally awake," he breathed out and smiled making the worry in her heart ache.

"Adam," she whispered as he wiped her tears with his thumbs, "Your wings… did you…?"

She couldn't finish. The thought… it must've been so painful, but why would he do that? Why would he cut his wings?

"Yes," Adam nodded and let out a sigh, "I had too, so they can't find us before you healed."

This was… her fault! Her eyes widened and she tried to talk, but he shook his head. Placing his forehead against hers, she couldn't fight the sniffs and soft gasps of tears that left her lips.

"I still need to cut the rest of the bones," he whispered and Eve whimpered with her eyes shut, "I couldn't reach."

"Adam-" she tried, but he shushed her.

"I stole some first aid kit and needle and thread," he let out a soft laugh and the puffs touched her face- causing her eyelids to flutter, "Don't worry. I still have alcohol left."

'So Adam had been… out here sawing off his wings and mending his wounds by dousing it with alcohol? For how long was this going on? Today, days, weeks?'

Eve felt her body tremble at the thought.

"Okay," Eve nodded against the feel of his skin, "I will saw the rest off and then, we can rest as much as we can."

He kissed her lips as thanks, and she smiled against him. Pulling away, she grabbed the saw placed on the ground beside Adam. Gritting her teeth and seeing Adam nodding in encouragement, she stood behind him mentally preparing herself. She saw two large bones with sharp broken edges protruded from his back near his spine. The show of where his wings should be.

"Are you ready?" She questioned softly and when she saw him nod, Eve placed the handsaw as low as she could get close to the skin.

Then she started sawing.

Forward, backwards, she just kept going with the motion ignoring the harsh gasps and groans from her lover. She needed to just focus on the bones and get it done so Adam could heal.

Just keep going.

Up and down. Repeat.

The bone finally broken off.

Eve quickly took the alcohol and cleaned his wound as it stung Adam, who cried in pain. Grabbing the needle and thread, she began to sew him up as efficiently as a surgeon on duty. Pierce one side of the skin and loop it under the other. Repeat until the wound is closed. Eve cleaned the skin and went on to the last protruding bone.

"Adam," she sounded and the once-angel replied for her to continue.

Gulping down the thought of bringing Adam more pain, she gritted her teeth and repeated her process. Hand saw, alcohol, stitch, and clean the skin.

When Eve was done, she quickly went around to his front. Worried that the pain was too much, she saw his eyes were glazed as he was panting and swaying.

"Adam," Eve called out with furrowed brows, "Adam."

His glazed eyes caught hers and he tried a smile but failed. Adam fell forward against Eve as he passed out from the loss of blood. The female demon leaned him against the wall outside of the shack and pushed his hair out of his face.

"I will take care of you this time," Eve whispered and left a short kiss against Adam's lips.