Angels & Demons: The Series

by Megan Linski

  “I guess that’s your guys’ cue to leave?” I ask glumly.

  “Yep. Duty calls” Cassia gives a long sigh, gets up from the couch, and joins her boyfriend. “It’s going to be a long night, hon.”

  “It won’t be so long,” Cairo says. He stands up and brushes back her hair. “We’ll be together.”

  He kisses her forehead. Thames looks away.

  “It was nice getting to meet you, Lena,” Cassia says warmly. She reaches out and wraps her arms around me, giving me a light hug. Not too close, but not far away, either. She smells like flowers, and spring. Her embrace is wonderful… it reminds me of… my mother.

  If such a thing is possible. I barely remember my mother. It’s like Cassia brings her back.

  “Maybe we can hang out later this week,” she suggests, pulling away. “I’m free Friday.”

  I nod. “Yeah. Yeah, that would be great.” I look around. “The four of us could go on a double date.”

  Thames eyes are on me, and I redden. “Or something.”

  “You’re a sweet girl, Lena,” Cairo says, shaking my hand very formally. “I’m glad my brother found you.”

  His gaze flickers to Thames before jumping back to me. He’s being so obvious. Cairo’s hoping for the same outcome between Thames and I as Cass is.

  What a sucky position he’s in, having to constantly choose between his brother and his girlfriend. He’s hoping I’ll alleviate that pain. The pressure on me to date Thames feels ten times heavier than it was before.

  Cassia grabs Cairo’s hand. She gives me a wave before they vanish on the spot.

  Thames comes up behind me. He loops his arms around my middle and draws me to his chest. I can feel his heartbeat, fierce and strong, beating into my back. It reminds me how brave he is.

  “Do you like them?” he asks, whispering. His lips brush my ear, and I shiver.

  “Yes,” I say quietly. “I’m… I’m glad to have more friends.”

  I tilt my cheek against his. “Do you really think she could be my sister?”

  “Anything’s possible,” Thames says. “But I think I knew the truth the moment I saw you. For me, there’s no doubt.”

  “Is that why you like me? Because I look like her?” I hush.

  Thames turns me around. He grasps my arms firmly. “I like you for you, Lena. No other reason.”

  His hands slid down my arms, taking his hands in mine. “Come with me.”

  We vanish, then reappear. We’re back on campus and big, puffy snowflakes are falling heavily from the sky. It’s coated everything in a thick layer of white. A billion stars blaze above us. A twinge of green, blue and purple colors whizz across the sky… the aurora.

  Thames has brought us in front of the cathedral on campus. It’s large and beautiful, with dozens of stained glass windows and spires that shoot up into the sky. Campus is deserted… it’s like Thames and I are caught in a beautiful painting.

  “Why are we here?” I ask, looking around.

  Thames doesn’t answer right away. He jiggles my hands up and down, thinking… hesitating.

  “Hey, Lena… no promises?” he asks tentatively.

  Then he dives in to kiss me.

  Any daydreams of what my first kiss would be like are nightmares compared to Thames kissing me. Heat wraps around me, from the bottom of my feet to the top of my head. His mouth moves over mine expertly, like he knows exactly what he’s doing. One hand presses into my lower back, drawing my body to him, while the other entwines in my hair and cradles my cheek as he deepens the kiss. His tongue brushes over the top of my lips, and I open my mouth wider, to let him in.

  I thought kissing Thames would be hot and fiery. It is, but it’s more than that. It’s passionate, tender. Who knew a bad boy could be such a softie, could know every movement a woman could want in a kiss? I swear, my wings are open and I’m flying.

  Thames is incredible. He’s everything I ever wanted. I didn’t think I needed anyone to save me, that I could save myself, but I do. This princess needs a knight in shining armor.

  Thames backs away. When I open my eyes, warmth is there and the snow is gone. I’m back in my room.

  It’s agony when Thames withdraws his lips from mine. He puts his thumb on my chin, and says, “Goodnight, Lena.”

  I’m still lightheaded when he teleports away.

  I twirl around my room happily, like some fairy princess in a cheesy cartoon. Thames Deacon kissed me! I can’t believe I’m so lucky.

  I fall backwards on my bed and sigh. Unfortunately, my perfect moment is ruined when my back crushes a handful of papers and a textbook corner pokes into my spine.

  “Ouch!” I say. I sit up. I landed on my Physics homework, which I left on the bed this morning and forgot about. I’d planned to do it when we got back, but we were out so late.

  It still needs to get done. Ugh. Of course homework would ruin my blissful night. I don’t want Dad yelling at me again.

  If I stay in my room I’ll end up falling asleep. The library is open twenty-four hours a day. I’ll head down there and have a binge homework session.

  Groaning, I put my books in my bag and leave. The snow is still falling heavily… it reminds me happily of Thames, and what his kiss felt like on my lips.

  I stop by the student center and pick up a coffee before I go to the library. There are a couple students in here like me, cramming before an exam and using caffeine to keep themselves awake. I head around the back of the library to find a secluded table.

  It’s mostly empty, but it’s not quiet here. Someone is on the phone, and it sounds like they’re yelling. I peek my head around a bookshelf. It’s Cody.

  My lip curls in disgust and I turn to leave, but his voice catches my ear. “I told you I’m laying low! But it’s pretty damn hard to do when you’ve got a filthy cambion with his hand around your neck!”

  My eyebrows raise. Cambion? Is he talking about Thames? I press myself closer to the bookshelf and listen in.

  Cody makes a sarcastic noise. “I wasn’t going to blow my cover. Believe me, if I wanted to reveal myself the first thing I would do is take out the cambion. I’d incinerate that self-righteous jerk.”

  Whoever is talking to Cody is screaming at the top of their lungs. I can’t decipher anything they’re saying, only that it’s a male voice, and he sounds pissed.

  “I told you nothing’s going to happen to her. She’ll come around. I’m working on it,” Cody insists. He’s starting to sound nervous… I imagine that he’s sweating buckets. “She’ll see things from your point of view, sir. She just needs more time. I need more time.”

  What the hell is Cody talking about? Is he working for someone? He sounds pretty scared right now. I start to get dizzy… I find I’ve been holding my breath, and I remember to take a silent gasp for air.

  “I promise I’m doing everything I can. It’s almost ready,” Cody pleads. “The Nephilim haven’t found me out yet. They don’t even suspect me. I’m just an average college kid to them, I promise.”

  Cambion. Nephilim. These are immortal terms. So there is something more to Cody than meets the eye.

  Cody’s back hits the book case, and I jump at the noise. “As long as you honor our agreement, you have my word. This will be good for both of us.”

  The male voice on the other end of the phone dulls, until I can no longer hear it. My heart is pounding.

  Cody is silent for a moment, before he adds, “Very well. I won’t let you down, sir. Goodbye.”

  Cody hangs up. I hightail it out of the library and back to my dorm room before he gets the slightest hint that I was around to listen in on his conversation.

  If I wasn’t certain before, I know now.

  Cody is a demon… and he’s working with someone who’s got something really bad planned.

  Really, really bad.

  On Friday afternoon when we’re supposed to hang out with Cairo and Cassia, Thames appears at my dorm room with flowers.

  “Yellow orchids
,” I say, taking them from him. “My favorite. How’d you know?”

  “I’m pretty good at guessing what my girl likes,” Thames says gently. He bends down and plants a seductive, caring kiss on my lips; something I’ve been missing all week.

  I kiss him back gently, running my fingers over the stubble on his cheek. I missed this.

  When he ends the kiss, I say, “I haven’t heard from you in days. What’s going on?”

  “I’ve had to hide, unfortunately,” he says glumly. “The Nephilim council has been going crazy lately with all these demons popping up. They’re on high alert. Cairo figured it was best I destroy my phone, so they can’t trace me if they get suspicious.”

  “Did you want to get rid of your phone?” I ask. I get out a (teal!) vase and put the flowers inside. I place on my desk and fill it up with a leftover bottle of water I hadn’t finished.

  “No.” He shakes his head. “I wanted to keep in contact with you. But then Cairo convinced me I can’t talk to you at all if I’m dead.”

  “Don’t say that,” I say, too sharply.

  I quickly change the subject and say, “So what’d you do all week if you were stuck at the cabin?”

  “It was pretty boring.” His eyes flash. “Mostly, I’ve been thinking about you.”

  “Aw.” I kiss his cheek and give him a hug. “You’re such a sweetie.”

  He puts a hand on the small of my back. “I try. Come on. They’re waiting for us.”

  Thames teleports us to a parking lot a tiny roller rink. Cairo and Cassia are sitting inside a rather large and expensive Silverado.

  “We were wondering when you two would show,” Cairo says, and he hops out. “We’ve been waiting forever.”

  “Thames had to stop and get flowers,” I say, squeezing his hand. Thames blushes.

  “Oh, Thames, that’s so cute,” Cassia says before she reaches out and gives me a one-armed hug. “It’s nice to see you again.”

  “You too, Cass.” I jerk my head toward the entrance. “Come on, guys. Let’s see how bad Thames sucks at roller blading.”

  “I do not suck,” Thames mutters. The other two laugh.

  Roller skating is fun. I feel kind of bad about my teasing earlier, because Thames… can’t skate. At all. Cassia’s not great, but she has Cairo to help her wheel around. The guy is naturally perfect at roller blading, like he’s perfect at everything. As attractive as it is to Cassia, it’s annoying to me.

  Thames is clinging to the boards for dear life. I inch over to him and say, “Take my hands. I won’t let you fall.”

  “I’m a big guy,” Thames says as his feet slip out from under him. “If I fall you’re going down with me.”

  “I’m stronger than you think.” I hold out my hands to him. “Trust me.”

  Tentatively, Thames grabs my hands. I start by skating backwards, pulling him along and going slow. He smiles a little. I let go of his hands and skate around him, placing my hands on his back.

  “What are you doing?” he asks nervously.

  “Hold on!” I squeal. I start skating faster and faster. Thames makes a noise. I giggle as we whirl around and around in circles.

  “You’re going too fast! Slow down!” he whines.

  “Stop being a baby! Woah!”

  I lose control and trip over the stop on the front of my skates. I go hurtling through the air and Thames reaches up to catch me. We end up crashing in the middle of the rink, lying in a heap and moaning.

  Cairo and Cassia appear above us. “I… think we’re done for the day,” Cairo says.

  “Please,” Thames whines. I’m lying on top of him. I elbow him in the gut, and he groans.

  We have lunch at some barbeque place the guys keep raving about. After they’ve eaten a whole rack of ribs (each!) and Cassia and I have split one, we go for a walk around town. It’s cold, but not bitterly so. The snow’s falling lightly enough that it makes for a pleasant stroll.

  Well, almost pleasant. Cairo and Thames are arguing about sports or something. I lean in to talk to Cassia. “Do these two ever stop competing?”

  She rolls her eyes. “No. The rivalry between them never ends. One of them has always got to be the best. I’m just glad you’re here to distract Thames. Usually he can’t stop trying to get my…”

  Cassia’s words trail off as we notice someone lying facedown in the snow on the outskirts of town. The figure is wearing nothing but a black leather jumpsuit and there are two large holes ripped in the back…

  Holes that are leaking blood.

  “Oh my God,” Cairo breathes. “It’s Margie.”

  The name causes the three of them to react. They sprint toward the figure, and I follow. As we come to her side I have to force down a wave of revulsion that crawls up my throat.

  Her back has been shredded, pieces of the jumpsuit clinging to the mottled tissue in frayed strings. On her shoulder blades are two hideous wounds, ones that are as wide as my hand and a few inches deep. The wounds go all the way down her spine and end just above her hipbones. They’re gushing blood.

  “I… saw your truck. Needed… help.” The voice comes from the weakened individual.

  “Margie, what happened?” Cassia asks thickly.

  “My wings,” she rasps. “He destroyed my wings.”

  “We have to teleport her to the council,” Cassia says. She bends downward as if meaning to lift her, but is unsure where to touch.

  “She’s not strong enough. She won’t make the trip.” Cairo’s face is pale white.

  “He… ripped them.” The Nephilim gasps again. “He tore them off.”

  “Who?” Cairo presses. “Who did this, Margie?”

  The Nephilim sputters, like she’s trying to get something out. Then her eyes flicker. The light dies and a shadow passes over them, settling there forever. She gives a last breath before herbody stills.

  Dead.

  Cairo’s shaking hand extends, to close her eyelids. Cassia’s voice is confused… frightened.

  “How?” she asks. “We could’ve saved her if—”

  “No, we couldn’t,” I cut her off. “A Nephilim can’t live without their wings.” I feel haunted. I’ve never seen anything like this. Who could be so cruel— so powerful— that they could remove a Nephilim’s wings?

  Cairo stoops down. He picks up Margie’s body in his arms and cradles it gently. The blood spurts from her wounds all down the front of his jacket. “Cassia and I will bring her body to the council. They’ll send someone to clean up the mess. Thames, get Lena to somewhere safe. The council will do a sweep once they know Margie’s dead. You two need to hide.”

  Thames nods. He removes his coat and then takes off his shirt, tucking both into his left arm.

  “Um, what are you doing?” I ask, thinking that this isn’t the time for a strip show.

  Thames doesn’t answer. He grabs my hand and the snowy town around us vanishes.

  It’s replaced by somewhere hot… sunny. A beautiful seaside, white shores and the sound of seagulls. The ocean crashes onto the sand in front of us, vast and unbelievable and wide.

  I always wanted to come to the beach with Thames. But not like this.

  I’m instantly hot. I shed my coat and sweater. “Where are we?”

  “North Carolina,” Thames responds. “I have a beach house here. It’s where I lived when I was going to school.”

  “The council won’t track you here?” I ask.

  “I’m only banned from Michigan. The council promised not to touch me anywhere else,” Thames says. “I’m safe here, but we still need to keep you hidden, Lena. They don’t know you exist.”

  Thames walks toward a white shack only a few yards from the shore. I follow him into the little hut and look around.

  Thames’ beach house is cozy and small. The windows are open to the sea air, and it’s decorated in a very “I’m-rich-but-am-trying-to-pretend-that-I’m-not” kind of way.

  “Doesn’t look much like a bachelor pad to me,” I say, naviga
ting around the wicker furniture and fancy decorations.

  “My mom did it,” he tells me. “She wanted the place to feel like home.”

  He grabs the TV remote, and turns the television on before plopping on the couch.

  “Well, at least it has electricity,” I mutter before sitting next to him.

  “You don’t like that I don’t have electric at the cabin?” he asks, amused.

  “Honestly? No. I don’t like you living without anything, even if you don’t need it,” I respond. “You deserve everything.”

  Thames chuckles, then sighs. “Oh, Lena.” He kisses the side of my head and says nothing else.

  There’s a movie playing on the TV, but neither of us are watching it. We cuddle, and kiss a little, but we’re too worried to do much else. How long do Cairo and Cassia expect us to wait here? Are they okay? Who’s out there, hunting them? Hunting Nephilim?

  Thames ends up making me spaghetti for dinner, which makes me very happy (a man who can cook! Yay!) but doesn’t get rid of the pit in my stomach. We get bored and Thames turns on his game console, but both of us die over and over while playing our favorite game. We can’t concentrate when our friends are out there—

  There’s a crash. Thames and I jump up and drop the controllers, but we sigh in relief when we notice it’s just Cassia and Cairo. Cassia knocked over something when she teleported, a wooden seagull. It goes rolling across the floor and into the wall.

  “Forget it. I hate that stupid thing. It stares at me,” Thames says as Cassia bends to pick it up. “Are you guys okay? What happened?”

  Both of them are covered in blood, but it’s not their own. They seem exhausted.

  “We’re fine,” Cairo says, wavering. Cassia notices. She guides him over to the couch, and they sit down. “It’s chaos, though.”

  “The council is in an uproar,” Cassia explains. “They’re looking for him now.”

  “Him?” I ask.

  “The demon we talked about,” Cairo explains. “The one that’s creating familiars and setting them loose. Margie figured out who it was and went after him, but he killed her before she was able to tell us anything.”