Nephilim the Awakening (Wrath of the Fallen Book 1)

by Elizabeth Blackthorne

  Amadi nodded. “Of course. Tell you what, here. Call us, if you feel so inclined.” He passed me a business card, and after a wink, he took Alex’s hand before they turned and strolled back down the nave towards the main entrance.

  What the hell was that? I glanced down at the crisp white business card in my hand. In sapphire blue letters, it read, “Amadi Gisemba, Personal Trainer,” and listed a phone number and an email address. Well, that explained the bulging biceps. I certainly wouldn’t mind him putting me through my paces. Did he really just hit on me in front of his partner? And did he mean what he said about having extra company? My imagination kicked into overdrive as I visualised Amadi’s lips on mine, his hands tightening on my hips. Alexei stood behind me, his lips trailing down my neck...

  What’s wrong with me, thinking about a threesome in a cathedral of all places? I am definitely going to hell, I admonished myself. I made my way towards the door, shaking my head.

  It was only later, as I was pulling up at work for the night, when I realised the two men had left the cathedral just after talking to me, avoiding the cloisters entirely.

  “Hey, can I get a beer please?”

  Looking up from the stack of shot glasses I was trying to separate, I locked eyes with a man leaning casually against the bar, his tanned, folded arms resting on the worn surface. He was definitely not a student, at least, not a fresher. His long, sun-streaked blond hair tumbled into his eyes, and by the looks of what lay under his half-open blue Hawaiian shirt, it seemed his tan extended beyond his arms. A brown beaded necklace with a bronze metal charm hung around his neck, and bead and shell bracelets completed the look. I took a breath as the room suddenly seemed to shift, and I heard, or felt, that weird click again. I shook my head, wondering if I was actually losing it or if I was just suffering in weird ways from sleep deprivation. Realising I must look as crazy as I felt, I glanced back at him, and for a moment, I pondered why on earth a guy like this was in a cramped nightclub in the northeast of England instead of on a tropical beach somewhere.

  “I don’t think you’re supposed to ogle the clientele.” His tone was deep and amused, and I blushed slightly as I raised my eyes from the exposed glimpse of his chest. His white teeth shone in the club’s flashing lights as he grinned at me.

  “Who said I was ogling? I would have called it staring in disbelief. You’re at a nightclub, not a surf club.” I arched my eyebrows and gave him a slight smile. He might be hot, but he still had to work for it.

  He laughed. “Ah, but I own a surf club, and I do like to dress the part. Ever been surfing?”

  “No, I hate deep water. What are you after?” I finally freed the remaining glasses and set them under the bar where I could grab them quickly.

  “Just a beer, please, love. Why do you hate deep water?” He dropped a fiver into my hand, and I fed it into the till, passing him his change.

  Turning, I pulled a green bottle from the fridge behind me, using the gadget on the wall to flip off the top. I passed it to him, noticing how warm his fingers were as he took it from me. “I went on a school trip to a beach when I was a kid, and a friend and I got caught exploring some caves. We liked to wander off. I guess we should have known better. The tide started coming in, and we didn’t notice at first. I barely made it out. She didn’t. I haven’t been back in the water since.”

  “Well, shit, no wonder. I thought you might not enjoy getting your hair wet. I’m sorry about your friend.” He took a drink of his beer.

  “It’s fine. Like I said, it was a long time ago, but I don’t like deep water. And I have no problem getting my hair wet, I’m definitely not that kind of girl. I shower and everything!”

  He laughed. “Well then, I guess I’ll have to take a shower with you instead of inviting you to come surfing with me. It’s not my idea of a date, but it has its benefits. No wetsuits, for starters.” He took another drink, and his eyes drifted down my body. I could feel his gaze lock onto my hips, where my loose purple staff polo shirt was tucked into my tight black leather pants.

  My breath caught, and my face grew warm, along with other parts of my anatomy which had been neglected for several months. Damn, it had been way too long. I slowly leaned forward on the bar, as if I was leaning in to kiss him. He froze, his blue eyes rising to meet mine before dropping to my cleavage, which was now deliberately visible as I leant farther forward, bringing my lips to his ear. “Now who’s ogling?” I whispered, and quickly drew back, landing flat on my feet. He laughed, and I grinned. I liked this one. He felt... easy. Not in a bad way, he was just easy to talk to, to be with. Some guys, well, most of the guys I usually went for had this whole intense, brooding thing going for them. It was sexy as hell, but exhausting after a while.

  “Hey, Faith, aren’t you on at one?” One of the glass collectors dumped a full tray of dirty glasses on the bar, hesitating as she gave Surfer Dude a lingering look. I shot her an amused glance, and she blushed before wandering back off into the crowd with an empty tray. I shook my head. First years. Pulling my phone out from under the bar, I checked the time. It was five to one, so I’d better hurry. The boss wouldn’t be happy if I was late to my spot. I glanced back at Surfer Dude.

  “Nice to meet you, but I’m going to have to cut the ogling short, I’m afraid. Duty calls.”

  He cocked his head. “You’re a dancer too?”

  “Yep.”

  “Now that I need to see. Lots of opportunity for ogling.” He grinned, and I felt a fluttering in my stomach that I hadn’t felt in months.

  Laughing, I moved away from the bar, letting another bartender move up to cover my space, and stood back out of the way while I pulled my polo shirt over my head to reveal the black satin corset underneath. It always amused me that the bartenders had to look respectable in this club when half of them doubled as dancers and had to dress for that part too. Reaching up, I pulled the clip out of my hair and fluffed out the flame red lengths with my fingers, shaking my head slightly so it fell down to my waist. It was way too hot behind the bar to leave my hair down, but it definitely got the guys going when I was on stage. Leaning closer to the mirrored wall on the back of the bar, I pulled red lipstick out of the clutch hidden from sight and dishonest hands and applied it quickly. When I turned back around, Surfer Dude was still watching me, and I felt a frisson of excitement that he was still there.

  Hmmm, maybe he’d stick around until the end of my shift. I could ask him...

  Nodding at the other three bartenders, I squeezed past them. I pretended to ignore Surfer Dude and slowly made my way towards the dance floor, manoeuvring between the heaving bodies. It was packed, and more and more people were drifting towards it as the alcohol they had been knocking back since eleven took effect. I edged my way to the DJ’s box, the dark brown carpet sticking to my boot heels. It wouldn’t have surprised me if the club owner had let more than the maximum capacity in again, and as the most popular nightclub in Durham, the students had taken full advantage. Bodies pressed in from all sides, and hands ended up in places they shouldn’t. Freshers’ week was always crazy busy. Everyone was rather drunk and very friendly, and most were looking to score. They also just received their student loans and had yet to spend the funds, which usually meant the tips for this week would be decent.

  As I reached the cage at the side of the dance floor and placed my foot on the first step leading up to it, a couple of girls tottering on dangerously high heels staggered past, knocking me off balance. I stumbled and fell backwards, colliding with something hard. Large, muscular arms covered in tattoos came around me, one hand landing somewhere I definitely didn’t approve of, and my elbow smashed back into his chest—a subconscious reflex from having worked in a nightclub as long as I had.

  “Relax,” a deep, musical voice murmured in my ear, his lips brushing my skin as he got close enough for me to hear him above the music. He moved forward carefully and gently pushed me up on the step, his large hands gripping my waist. “Just your knight in shining armou
r.”

  I turned around in his arms, suddenly recognising the voice, and nearly fell off the step again. My eyes closed briefly as I silently groaned. “Cas.”

  I hadn’t seen him in five years, and he was the very last person I ever wanted to see ever again. Not that he wasn’t insanely hot to look at. By all appearances, the last five years had added to his appeal. He was six foot four of pure muscle and tats, with long, dark brown dreadlocks and a scar cutting through one of his eyebrows. Cas had dark eyes that could see into your soul, a mouth that the Devil would lust after, and a scent all his own, a mixture of leather, whisky, and petrol.

  My eyes locked onto his, and I couldn’t tear my gaze away. His hands tightened on my waist. I could already feel myself leaning into him. My hands were spread over his chest, and I could feel his racing heart under my fingertips. His lips parted slightly, and for a moment, I thought he was going to kiss me.

  “Still falling for me, Faith?” He gave me a cold smile instead. The spell broke, and I braced my hands against his pecs to push him away from me, feeling irritated at his arrogance and my own reaction to his presence after all these years.

  “You wish.” I tried to push away from him again, but his hands tightened on my waist and I froze. He grinned down at me.

  “I don’t need to wish. I’ve been there many times. And I can honestly say you’ve definitely grown up since I saw you last.” He leaned back slightly and gave my body an appraising look, his eyes coming to rest on my breasts. “Filled out a bit too.” I wanted to punch him in the face. Maybe even break his nose.

  “You’ve got some fucking nerve.” I felt a deep, primal hatred rise up inside me, and I twisted in his grip. All he did was wrap his massive arms around me, pinning me close to his body.

  “Now, now, babe, don’t be like that. Someone might think you didn’t like me anymore.” His smile was cold and mocking.

  “Fucking tosser. Let me go.”

  He cocked his head, looking down at me. “Now, are you sure you mean that? I seem to remember you loving it when I held you.” He leaned in to brush his lips against my ear. “And you definitely loved it when I was a bit rough…” I closed my eyes, trying to control my breathing. I needed him to back off, to leave me alone. Just being this close to him made my legs feel unsteady, made me feel as though I couldn’t control my own body. I desperately wanted to lean forward and run my hands over his tight T-shirt again, feeling the hard, sculpted muscles I knew were underneath. I wanted to grab the edges of his biker jacket and pull him forward to kiss me with that sinful mouth of his. To feel him wrap his arms around me and kiss me like he used to... I squeezed my eyes shut tighter and snapped my head around, catching him straight in the face. He released me immediately, stepping back and bringing his hand to his nose.

  “What the... What the hell is your fucking problem?” he roared at me.

  “You’re my fucking problem, Cas. What part of ‘I never want to see you again’ did you not understand five years ago?”

  He narrowed his eyes. “I thought by now—”

  “You thought what? That I’d have forgiven you for what you did? No fucking chance. You’re a disgusting human being, Cas Hardy. I still can’t believe you aren’t behind bars.” I couldn’t believe this guy.

  “Funnily enough, they couldn’t get the charges to stick, no thanks to you.”

  “Yeah, well, stay away from me, or I’ll report you for stalking. Now fuck off.” I turned away from him and stomped up the stairs to the cage. When I reached the gate, I glanced back to see him disappearing into the crowd. I leaned against the bars for a moment, breathing hard, trying to let the adrenaline settle. As I scanned the crowd, I caught sight of a newly familiar face. Surfer Dude had left the bar and was standing at the back of the room with an unrestricted view of the cage I was next to. As I watched him, he glanced up, and his eyes locked onto mine. Smiling, he took a drink, never taking his gaze off me. I grinned. Perfect distraction. I slipped into the cage next to me, ignoring the whistles and catcalls that came from the crowd below.

  The song switched to a popular dance track with a Latin vibe that I loved, so fixing my eyes on a certain tanned chest, I pushed all thoughts of Cas out of my mind as my body swayed to the beat. The dance floor filled up, with people grinding against each other, some in time to the music, others to their own rhythm. A small circle of men gathered around the bottom of the cage as they grinned and shouted up at me. I ignored them. At the bar, I had to talk to them, but up here, scantily dressed where everyone could see me, I was untouchable.

  I glanced across the dance floor and saw Cas leaning against the wall, a glass of whisky in his hand, his dark gaze fixed on me. Surfer Dude stood near him, looking even hotter now that I could make out his tight, ripped jeans and trim waist. I considered briefly whether to make a move. It had been a few months since my last fling, and I was definitely feeling antsy. Remembering his blue eyes undressing me at the bar, I made my choice. I held his gaze and began to dance like he was the only one in the room. My movements became more sensual, my hands sliding down my body, skimming over the laces of my corset and my hips, my black leather skinny trousers slick under my fingers. I stretched my arms slowly into the air, elongating my body, then let my hands drift down through my hair. Turning, I leaned back against the bars of the cage, writhing slowly to the rhythm of the music before dipping down low then sliding back up nice and slow. When I spun around, Surfer Dude had given up any pretence of looking anywhere but at me, and I held his attention for the next four songs, my moves getting sexier and more daring with every new tune.

  Eventually, the next dancer showed up to relieve me. Abandoning my own pretence, I descended into the mass of heaving bodies and sashayed towards him. He opened his mouth to say something, but I reached up, slid my hand behind his neck, and brought his mouth down to mine. His lips moved over mine, soft and warm, and I felt his tongue flick against the swollen flesh. He pulled back and smiled down at me. I put my finger over his lips as he was about to speak, and ignoring the black looks I was getting from Cas, I grabbed Surfer Dude’s hand and pulled him towards the corridors that led to the toilets and the back door of the club.

  Outside in the dark shadows of the alley, I pushed him against the brick wall, grabbing the front of his shirt and pulling him down to kiss me again. A charge ran through me as his lips claimed my own, his tongue pushing into my mouth, much more demanding this time. I pressed myself up against him, feeling his hardness grow against my belly. Breaking away slightly, he trailed his lips down my neck, and I shivered in delight, sliding my hands up under his shirt to trace the outline of his muscles.

  “Sam, we need to go. Now. Call from work,” a familiar voice shouted from the back door.

  I groaned. What the actual fuck, Cas?

  Surfer Dude sighed and leaned his forehead against mine. “Sorry, baby girl, duty calls.” He brushed his lips across mine again, and I pulled him close for another heated kiss, threading my fingers into his hair to keep him against my mouth as long as I could, hoping to convince him to stay. Eventually, I released him when I heard Cas sighing impatiently. I plastered a fake smile on my face and turned to my ex.

  “Hey, Cas,” I said breezily.

  “Faith.” He didn’t look happy, and a perverse sense of enjoyment bubbled up inside me. I was finding it extremely amusing that they seemed to know each other, and that Cas obviously didn’t like the idea of me making out with his friend. I turned back to Sam, who bent down and brushed his lips across mine again, distracting me. He smelled of fresh sea air and pine trees, and I breathed in his scent, forgetting about Cas for a moment.

  “Do you really have to go? Right now?”

  Sam looked from Cas to me, and I pressed my body gently against his. Desire flashed in his eyes, and he raised his hand to my face, running his thumb over my lips. “I’m afraid I do. But I really, really wish I didn’t.”

  My skin tingled with my desire to feel his hands on me, and I completely igno
red Cas as I slid my lips over his thumb, sucking gently, before pulling away. “Shame.”

  His eyes glittered as he took out his phone. “Can I get your number?”

  I opened my mouth to answer, but Cas beat me to it. “She doesn’t do numbers. Too much commitment, right, Faith? She just likes to fuck and get out of Dodge.” I felt like he’d just punched me in the stomach, but it didn’t stop me from stepping forward and slapping him across the face. He didn’t react, just stood there smiling at me.

  I glared at him for a moment then turned to Sam and smiled. “Ignore him.” I took his phone from him and quickly tapped in my number. “Call me soon. I’d really love to continue where we left off.”

  Standing on my tiptoes, I kissed him one more time, pressing my body against his. The display was only partly to annoy Cas. This guy felt good, and I definitely wanted to explore him further.

  “I’d better see you again,” I murmured in his ear. I shot Cas a winning smile, then turned and walked away without looking back at either of them. I sashayed slightly up the steps to the back door, letting Sam get a decent look at one of my better attributes before disappearing back into the club, leaving the two of them standing in the alley.

  Chapter Two

  CASSIEL

  It didn’t take us too long to reach the address Hargreaves had sent me. I pulled round the back, with Sam following me in his VW, our tyres crunching on gravel that looked like it could have used a good weed suppressant spray. As Sam jumped down from the camper, I could see his slightly pissed off demeanour hadn’t changed since we left the club. To be fair, mine hadn’t either, so I seized the opportunity to wind him up further.

  “What’s with the scowl? You look like someone stole your chew toy.”

  He brought his hand up in front of his face and slowly extended his middle finger. “What do you think? It’s supposed to be my night off.”