A_Taste_of_Decadence_ARE

by Blake_Harte_Quinn_Ryan_Rylon

  Striker shrugged. At least it hadn’t been him. This time, instead of an all-out war of opposing forces, he’d take over from the inside. The other council members were old, unaccustomed to fighting in these times of peace. Even though angels were immortal, age did matter. As time passed, they became stuck in their ways and refused to embrace new things. With their experience came selfishness and haughtiness. They were the easy ones to mold and bend to his will.

  It was the warriors who created the problem for him. Shade and Ambrose, in particular. Ambrose was older than he was and would be hard to take down. Angels’ powers increased as they aged, a fact that pissed Striker off to no end. No matter how far he progressed, the bastard went even farther. Ambrose did have one large weakness—his protégé and best friend, Shade. Luckily, Shade had a more immediate problem involving his dust. Shade needed to clean up his mess or risk exposing the supernatural. If he were to fail, then the warrior would lose his wings, and he’d be out of Striker’s way when the time came. If Striker worked it right, then Ambrose’s need to help his friend would lead to his downfall, as well.

  Striker laughed and wrung his hands. Yes. This would all work. It had to work. He just had to make sure the human woman figured out something was wrong with the dust, and exposed everything that was hidden. Striker would rule them all with an iron fist one way or another, but would she find it fast enough? He might have to intervene. That was what he did best. After all, he was the one who’d given the greasy human male, the woman’s boss, the dust in the first place.

  Once the warriors failed, Striker would have his opening, and he’d finally get what he deserved after he lost it in the Angelic Wars. Power.

  Chapter 3

  Lightning sparked the night sky, and a heavy wind shook Lily’s car as she drove to the bar after she went home to change. She hadn’t planned on stopping to change what she was wearing, but she’d been soaked to the bone. After finding a cute top, pants, and calf-boots at home, and of course making sure everything was tidy, she’d scrambled back to her car and hurried to the bar. Cleaning up hadn’t been for something like bringing a man back or anything. Lily snorted. She might be lonely, but not that lonely. Now she was running late. She hated running late.

  Her windshield wipers slapped against the glass, and she squinted to see. The rain came down in sheets, but the town had enough streetlights that it was safe enough to drive at night. Her house was located in the lower middle class area of town that merged with the not-so-nice area where Dante’s Circle was about five minutes away.

  She loved the city. It was a smaller one, but not so small that everyone knew everyone else’s business, but not so big that she felt lost in the shuffle, even though sometimes she felt just that. Luckily, she had her friends to help her.

  She pulled up to the bar and parked under the awning that Dante had added a few years before to keep everyone dry. Since it always seemed to rain in their town, it was needed. She noticed that her friends’ cars were already there.

  Darn it. Her chest tightened as anxiety filled her. Being late wasn’t like her. Early was on time; being on time was late. Showing up over forty-five minutes late was painful. She turned off the car and grabbed her purse and her phone.

  Six missed calls.

  Aww. They were worried about me.

  That should tell her something—either that her being late was an oddity, or that they really loved her. Probably both. Stupid work. Stupid boss. Stupid samples. She really needed that drink and to decompress with her friends.

  Lily got out of the car and walked under the awning, careful not to step on any cracks in the pavement. Some might call her weird, but those were her quirks and she could live with them. Her friends might tease her about them, but they loved her for who she was. If only she could find a man to do the same.

  She sighed. What was with her tonight? Lonely much?

  When she opened the door and took a step inside, she smiled and sighed. Oh, how she loved this place. Dark cherry wood paneling on the bottom of the walls darkened the room, but the light cream paint on the top made it feel homey. Mirrors, framed photographs and pictures, and assorted knickknacks covered the upper part of the walls. Despite the fact it looked slightly cluttered, it fit the atmosphere.

  A pool table stood off to the right where a group of drool-worthy men played. They didn’t look up when she walked in, and she tried not to let that hurt her. It wasn’t as if she dressed provocatively or anything, but it would be nice to have someone ogle her just once in a while.

  Really? Get a grip, Lily.

  Dark wood tables with mismatched chairs were positioned randomly on the floor. Though her fingers itched to re-organize everything, this wasn’t her bar so she’d let it be. The large wooden bar stood in the back with its original Irish taps and mirror sent over the pond years before by the Dante family, or so he’d said.

  Her usual table sat in the back corner on the way to the kitchen and bathrooms, but it was directly across from the bar and was the only large round table in the place. Her girlfriends were already sitting there, their drinks of choice in their hands.

  “It’s about time you got here,” Dante said with a wink when he saw her enter. Built like a Mack truck, the man was damn sexy. He had broad shoulders, a trim waist, and arms that man would envy. Women fawned over him, but he never gave them a second look. He just smiled and poured their drinks. He had long blue hair with black streaks, that was currently in a ponytail, and tribal tattoos running down his arms—and maybe other places. Small black hoops hung in his ears, along with a smaller hoop in his right eyebrow, and he had a tongue ring that gave most women shivers. But not her—he was just a friend. A hot friend, but not one she’d ever date. Becca, one of her other friends and Dante’s bartender, often wondered if he had other piercings, but Lily was too afraid to ask him.

  “Sorry, Dante.” Lily smiled and blew her bangs from her face. “Work ran late, and the weather sucks out there.”

  “You want the usual?”

  “That sounds great.” Oh, how she needed that drink.

  Dante poured her an apricot wheat draft and slid it across the bar. She loved when he did that.

  “Thank you, Dante.”

  “No problem. Now go see those girls of yours. They were worried about you.” He looked over her shoulder at her group, and a look of longing passed over his face before he quickly blinked it away.

  Did she imagine it?

  “Lily! Get over here!” Eliana called. Her shaggy red hair falling in her face as she shook her head in Lily’s direction. A new bandage on her arm caught Lily’s attention. Eliana was an artistic welder who made the most beautiful metallic designs. Lily tilted her head in question, but the other woman just shook her head.

  Okay, then.

  “I’m sorry. Work caught up with me.” Wow, she sounded pathetic.

  “It’s okay; we understand,” Nadie said. “We were just worried about you.” Nadie was the compassionate member of the group, a kindergarten teacher with soft, straight blond hair and vivid violet eyes that seemed to hide something beneath the sweetness.

  “I saw the calls,” Lily said. “Thanks, you guys.”

  “It’s no problem,” Jamie assured her. “It just wasn’t like you. I see you have your beer. Tell us about work.” Lily had always admired Jamie’s striking looks. She had beautiful brown hair that framed her caramel-color face, but Lily knew she could never pull off the blunt bangs. She was the owner of a small bookstore where they sometimes hung out when not at the bar.

  “Just the usual,” Lily explained. “Too much work, not enough time. I hate my boss.”

  “That greasy man?” Faith asked. She ran her fingers through her black bob, leaving it in its perpetual state of disarray. Faith was their resident photographer and always had a camera on her or nearby. Lily looked down at the floor near Faith’s feet, and saw the camera bag and she held back a smile.

  “Yes, that greasy man.” Lily sighed. “I don’t understand
how he can always smell like burritos. I’m sure he eats other things. Come on!”

  The women broke out in laughter and took another sip of their drinks.

  “Another round, Dante!” Amara called out, waving her arm. Her auburn curls danced around her pale face. Her eyes looked tired, and it was no wonder. She was the manager of the local inn, and she attended business school at night. She hoped one day to start a business of her own. Tonight was one of the rare times she didn’t have to work.

  “Okay, ladies, but only one more since you are all driving,” Dante answered. “Becca? Do you think you can get those? I need to go change out one of the kegs.”

  Becca gave a dramatic sigh and rolled her big green eyes. “Fine, but don’t think I’ll do anymore. This is my night off.”

  Dante gave a dramatic bow, his long, blue ponytail brushing the floor. “Of course, my lady. I shall ever be in your servitude.”

  “That sounds about right.” Becca chuckled, then tripped on her way to the bar. “Damn new shoes,” she mumbled.

  “Or, it could be your two left feet, doll,” Faith called out.

  Becca flipped her off and went behind the bar.

  “Hey,” Lily objected. “Be nice. She’s about to get your drink. Just think of what she could do.” She visibly shuddered. She didn’t normally like going out to eat since she couldn’t be sure of the cleanliness and germs, but she trusted Dante to keep the place clean.

  “Too true,” Nadie added. “I’m going to go up and help her. Should I add in our normal food orders? Appetizers?”

  Everyone agreed, and Nadie skipped off to help Becca.

  “So, I told you about my lovely boss,” Lily said. “Now, tell me about your days.”

  “Not too much,” Jamie answered. “We got a new shipment of western romance novels. I already have most of them on my Kindle, but I like having some of them in paperback anyway.” She shrugged. Though the rise of e-books hurt her business somewhat, she’d taken a chance on a venture and had added a small café in the inn that attracted many loyal customers. She also hosted in-house events that invited patrons to gather and share their book recommendations with others.

  Some bought them there or went home and bought it online. Either way, she made money, and Lily was proud of her.

  “I had a shoot today with an uppity bitch, but it was okay,” Faith added. “I’d rather have been down the block taking pictures of kids playing on the playground, but those don’t bring in any cash.” Faith could bring inner beauty and soul out of anyone she photographed; or she could capture the nitty-gritty and not-so-beautiful that lurked beneath the surface. She was truly a talented artist.

  “We had about four cancellations today that annoyed the hell out of me,” Amara complained. “The linens were late so we didn’t have table cloths for the first thirty minutes of the brunch. Of course, our owner decided at that moment to visit, but I think I took care of it. I’m just happy that I don’t have classes this week, and I got a head in my work, so I can actually try and enjoy myself tonight.”

  “What about you, Eliana?” Lily asked, afraid of the other woman’s answer because of the bandage on her arm.

  Eliana frowned and took the last drink of her beer. “Not much. This piece is just pissing me off, and the damn paper boy scared the hell out of me, so I burned myself.” She held up her hand as the others tried to soothe her. “I’m fine. Really. It’s not that bad. It just itches like a bitch.”

  “Okay, we have drinks,” Becca interrupted, a tray full of appetizers in one hand and Nadie behind her with chips and salsa. “Dante will bring out the rest of the food when it’s ready. He can get off his lazy ass and take care of it. I’m off.”

  “I heard that,” Dante called from the back.

  Becca rolled her eyes. She scooped a large dollop of salsa on a chip and shoved it in her mouth.

  “You should be nicer to him,” Nadie admonished. “He does a lot around here.”

  “You just think he’s cute,” Becca said with a snort and nearly choked. She waved her hands in the air indicating she’d be okay. She took a big gulp of her drink and smiled.

  Nadie blushed, and Lily reached across the table and squeezed her hand. Nadie’s crush on Dante was a well-known fact in their group. Not that the quiet woman would ever act on it. She gave shyness a whole new meaning.

  “You know, you should just ask him out,” Faith said. “I mean, what could go wrong?”

  “Shh! Oh, I don’t know.” Nadie bowed her head and didn’t look at anyone. “He could say ‘no’ and then kick us out for annoying him, and then we couldn’t be friends anymore.”

  “That’s ridiculous,” Lily countered. “You’re beautiful and sweet. Any man would be lucky to have you.” It was true, but that didn’t make her feel any better about her own loneliness. She shook her head, not wanting to think of that anymore. “Let’s talk about something else.”

  “Okay,” Jamie agreed. “Like what? We already talked about jobs, and apparently, the topic of men is off the table.”

  “You know, doing it on the table is quite nice,” Becca added.

  Lily choked on her beer. On a table? “Really?” Wait. Why did she ask that?

  Becca raised a brow. “Come on, sweet Lily. Don’t tell me you’ve never tried it.”

  She blushed and shook her head. Was there another way to do it other than with the lights off and missionary?

  “I thought we were going to talk about something else,” Lily mumbled.

  Eliana sighed. “Like what? The weather?”

  Dante set down their food and left before they could even thank him. Such an odd man.

  “Well,” Jamie said. “It is storming out there harder than usual. I’m surprised we all got here like we did. I had expected that some of us wouldn’t want to drive.”

  Lily shuddered, a tingling feeling running up her spine. “I know what you mean. I was even later than I would have been because I needed to go home and change. I got soaked just walking from my office to my car. In fact, we should probably call it a night soon, just in case the weather gets worse.”

  Everyone nodded, drank from their waters instead, and finished their food as they talked about work and guys. The other patrons filed out as they finished their drinks, so it was only Lily, her friends and Dante left in the bar. No matter how some of them tried to steer their conversation away from the topic of men, they were seven single women after all. Seven single women. Of course they talked about guys and sex. Oh, how she missed sex, even the boring kind she used to have. Maybe with that dark-haired imaginary stranger who kept coming to mind. Oh, yes, someone she didn’t know and who didn’t know about her craziness. Since she was imagining a man anyway, he’d have broad shoulders, caramel skin and would taste like chocolate. Oh, yes, and she’d run her tongue up his abs and maybe down to his—

  “Lily,” Jamie called out, bringing Lily out of her sex-driven thoughts.

  “Yes?” Blood rushed to her cheeks. Did they know what she’d been thinking? From Becca’s raised brow, just maybe.

  “Do you want to go to the park tomorrow afternoon and play dominos again if it’s dry?” Jamie continued. “I’ll have time off, and we haven’t been down there together in ages.”

  One of her horribly kept secrets in life was her dominos addiction. There was just something about using numbers to align pieces in a precise order that got her blood pumping and her competitive edge going crazy. She used to play with her maternal grandfather before he’d passed so long ago. Now she couldn’t stop playing. She’d go down to the park, play dominos with her grandfather’s friends and enjoy herself. Maybe that explained why she couldn’t get a man.

  “I’d love to. Hopefully, this weather will clear up soon.”

  Someone opened the front door to the bar, and a gust of wind knocked over a chair, startling everyone.

  “What—” Lily stood up to see what was wrong when another gust of wind knocked her back. The lights flickered, and the building shook. Out
of the corner of her eye, she saw Dante run into the room and cover Nadie with his body as the glass windows shattered and a bolt of lightning struck the room. Not a piece of furniture…but the room.

  The bar stood silent in an eerie glow, and time seemed to stop. The bolt of lightning branched out with spindly fingers, its tips reaching Lily and her friends directly in the chest. Lily’s body tingled and her hair stood on end. The lightning bolt ran through her system, sending her into a state of shock. She heard someone scream, and Lily struggled to breathe. Her friends stood around her in the same state. She turned to reach for Jamie’s hand, but the lightning intensified, causing her to fly across the room and she landed with a thud on the floor. Her body convulsed and darkness pulled her under as Dante roared into the night.

  * * * *

  Shade pulled his bike over to the side of the road and ripped off his helmet. His hair flew on the wind as the rain pelted him.

  What the hell was that?

  The road had felt like it had turned into a roller coaster, and a bolt of lightning—an electric shock—had shot through the town. He’d lived through countless storms, natural and paranormal. He’d never felt anything like that.

  He looked around, but from what he could tell, nobody came out of their homes to see what had happened. He shrugged and put his helmet back on. He’d continue on his way home, and if he passed anyone who needed help, he’d stop. There wasn’t anything he could do now short of driving all over the city searching for the power source.

  He pulled up to the small house he’d rented for the duration of his assignment, opened the garage, and pulled in. As he got off the bike, Ambrose rushed out, a scowl on his face.