Runaway Devil

Jareth

I watched as the angel held Karau, under the impression that it was a farewell. I watched his hands closely; I couldn't take my eyes off of them. I felt a growl rumble in my chest as my gaze sharpened. He was far too comfortable touching her, his hands looked like they had been there before.

I clenched my fists, my control slipping. Balan stood next to me, watching just as intently. His hackles raised as he lowered his head, baring his teeth suddenly. I followed his lead and took a step towards them. There was strange energy emitting from them, from the angel. His gaze washed over her and I saw him murmur something so that only Karau could hear.

Karau's knees gave out and she collapsed in the angel's arms. Before anyone could move, the angel snapped his wings open, sending embers in all directions, and took off. I snarled, seeing red, and followed in pursuit. Balan ran alongside me, ignoring any fatigue, his muscles rippling beneath his heated skin.

"Son of a bitch," Balan's maw dripped with blood and saliva as he pushed harder, pulling forward. I did not take my eyes from the angel, holding his position steady.

I had come too far, fought too hard, and suffered too much to let her slip from my grasp so close to the end.

My skin felt like I had been lounging in the sun for hours. My body was languid, everything heavy and tired. My eyelids opened, closed, and opened again. I blinked tears back against the strong breeze and took a shaky breath.

Alec slowly came into focus, his strong jaw clenched and set. His eyes were sharp, darting back and forth, with determination in them. I opened my mouth, expecting words to come out. All that tumbled from my lips was a low murmur. Alec made no response. I tried again, fighting the blurry fog in my mind.

"Alec—"

"Ssshhh Karau, I'm going to need you to be quiet for me." He sounded like a parent looking for a parking space.

"I'm not a child," I pulled my elbow out from between us, which made him tighten his hold.

"Ssshhhh sh sh sh," a new wave of warmth blanketed me, encouraging me to close my eyes. Losing strength in my neck, my head fell back. The strong breeze whipped my hair around Alec's elbow and forearm. There were people following us. I squinted, straining against the cloud in my mind.

Jareth met my glazed eyes and pushed harder. Balan reached out, our connection vibrating with a solid, clear frequency. Something in the back of my mind told me to fight, to resist. But I was exhausted. My eyes closed against my will.

Jareth

The sky shook, small rippled parting the atmosphere above us. My lungs burned and my chest ached, I couldn't keep this speed for much longer. I was the tank of the battalion, I was not built for prolonged speed. If only Igoth or Tan were there.

I watched the sky, deep anxiety taking hold. He was going to take her. As soon as she passed that thresh hold, our line of communication would be lost. Any and all hope of getting to her would vanish. I clenched my fists at the thought, almost like I could keep her from slipping through my fingers.

Balan was possessed by a mad demon beside me. A part of him knew what was going to happen. His mouth frothed and bubbled with blood, ignoring any signs to slow down. His body worked like a machine, pumping blood to the overworking muscles, pulling in lungfuls of air every second. He watched as his other half, his demon, pulled further and further ahead.

The angel did not have nearly as many wounds as we did. I saw him from the corner of my eye during battle, mostly taking down enemies from a distance. I could tell that he wasn't there to fight; he was there to wait for the fighting to end. I snarled at the thought of Karau in his arms, incapacitated and powerless. I had never seen her drop so quickly. Once I got my hands on him, I would do so much worse.

A deep rumbling shook the ground, and for once, it wasn't me. The air shifted, so suddenly that it almost gave me whiplash. My eyes pulsed in my skull, suddenly assaulted by a bright light. I shielded my face, still pushing forward. The light was white-hot and blazing; it felt like it illuminated my veins. I roared and pushed harder than I had in my life. I didn't have to see where I was going to push through. It felt like I was flying towards the sun, the skin on my face boiling. I pushed against resistance in the air, like it didn't want me to go any further.

Just as quickly it arrived, it was gone, taking all the heat with it. I went tumbling, landing hard on the ground. My face felt ice cold in the normal air. I laid in a heap for what felt like forever. My heartbeat in my ears like a pounding metronome, counting every second I remained there. I rolled over, staring at the sky through blurred vision, not noticing the tears falling down the sides of my face. The pain in my chest tripled and I suddenly found it hard to breathe. I few short, pained breaths escaped me with a shaky gasp.

Balan looked around desperately, a low, growling whine resonating in his chest. He turned in circles, lowering his head to the ground in search of her. But he would not find her, not here, not in the human realm. Not anymore.