“You smell so good—like something dark, rich, and sinful.” She leaned in as if to kiss him, but instead whispered her request. “Make love to me, Eli.”
How could he refuse? He half growled, half laughed as he wrapped his wings around her, kissing her with long slow caresses.
Epilogue
Lucca stood before the elders. His head held high with arrogance he must have been born with.
“Lucca, son of the Angel Arizul, you took it upon yourself to be judge and jury, using your own force to eliminate Eli. You revealed your true nature to the humans with intent to cause bodily harm and death.” Chaz narrowed his gaze on Lucca. “What say you to these crimes?”
“My only regret is I failed to kill Eli.” He turned his head and spat, blood dripping from his cut lip. He’d put up a good fight before Zaiden apprehended him.
Chaz’s gaze shifted to Eli. “You heard him. He shows no remorse for what he has done. His vendetta was against you and your chosen mate. According to Grigori law, you may choose the sentence.”
Eli looked at Lucca. The half-angel was so full of hatred, the rotted stench of it was like a live entity ready to devour. He could easily sentence Lucca to death and be done with him. The half-angel expected death and welcomed it, but what he had in mind was so much more fitting. He faced the brethren. “I sentence Lucca, son of the Angel Arizul to a life among humans.”
“What?” Lucca’s gaze turned to panic, but Eli didn’t miss a beat.
“He will remain there without a chance to visit the otherworld until he learns to live among the humans with respect.” He met Lucca’s heated gaze now. “You are half-angel, but you’re also half-human. It’s time you become acquainted with that half.”
“You can’t do that.” Lucca’s gaze shifted to Chaz, beseeching him to grant his plea. “I choose death. Do you hear me? I choose death. I will not live among humans.”
Chaz stepped down from the throne. “You will do as you’re told!” His voice thundered, silencing him.
Lucca lowered his gaze, but his body hummed with fury, heating the room like a furnace.
Chaz stepped closer to Eli, his voice lowered so only he could hear him. “This is your sentence, then? You are sure? Lucca may seek you out and cause trouble for you on the human realm. It might be easier to let him have the death he seeks.”
“No, I don’t want his death on my hands. I’ll handle him on the human realm, monitoring his moves. My sentence stands.”
Chaz nodded and turned toward Lucca.
Eli rested his gaze on the condemned Watcher and noted the resolve in his eyes. Lucca wouldn’t take his own life, but he may see fit to enter fights that would do the honors for him. “Elder Chaziekal, one more request?”
The elder looked at him with a raise brow, but nodded for him to continue.
“Bind Lucca the way you must, but allow him to keep the power to heal. I wouldn’t want him to take the easy way out.”
Lucca growled, furious Eli knew him so well.
Eli walked over to him. “I do this not to punish you, but in hopes you will let go of your hostility toward humans. It festers and I fear your hatred will be your undoing.”
“You do not punish? This is worse than death and not honorable. I will never respect the species. Never!”
Funny how the Watcher spoke of honor. He previously thought nothing of sending Hashasheen demons after him.
Eli sighed. “It is your choice, Lucca.” He placed a hand on his shoulder but Lucca shrugged it away.
Chaz looked to the guards. “Remove his shirt.”
“No.” Lucca struggled to be free, but the guards held him still, while the third used his dagger to slice through the shirt, giving the elder full access to bind the wings and sear the image of them to his back.
Lucca turned his gaze on Eli. “I will never forgive you.”
“I know,” he said sadly. “But I forgive you.”
The chant began and Lucca closed his eyes, a tear slipped down his cheek, but he remained still and he didn’t cry out when his skin burned as the intricate tattooed wings etched a path down his back.
“He is truly one of the Fallen now,” Zaiden had moved beside him.
“But unlike our forbearers, he has a chance to reclaim his wings.”
Zaiden looked at him. “Do you believe Lucca will find a soul mate among the humans when he despises them so?”
“He has eternity. I’m hoping he’ll just learn to like them.”
Zaiden lifted a brow. “I believe you have too much faith, my friend.” He clasped his shoulder.
Lucca fell to his knees, his long hair hiding his features. The tattoo wings glowed on his back as if they were trying to resist the bind. The elder raised his hand once more and in a flash of the light, Lucca was sent from their realm, banished to live out his punishment.
The others who attended the sentencing used their glamour to leave the realm of the Grigori and go about their business, but it seemed Zaiden wasn’t ready to depart just yet. He placed a hand on Eli’s arm asking him to wait a moment.
Once alone, Zaiden’s gaze swept over him, searching his eyes for the truth. “You are happy. You positively glow from it.”
His lips twitched. “Ryden is my light, my beacon.” He placed a hand over his heart. “I feel it here, this connection to her. God will surely bless a union that is pure of heart. I will do right by her, protect her.”
Zaiden nodded. “Are you not a warrior?” his gray and black wings snapped and he clicked his tongue with a harrumph.
“Yes, but Ryden will also have my back.”
“A human?” The pitch of his voice told Eli that he thought the idea ludicrous.
“Don’t act so surprised.”
Zaiden still didn’t seem convinced.
“It’s all about faith and trust. We have a chance to save our souls, a true commitment, not a lie shadowed by our glamour as the Fallen Angels before us had with their mates. The rules set for the Grigori kept us prisoners. No more darkness for us, only light. To find our soul mate is proof we do have souls and we don’t have to taint the union with magic. We’ll no longer be known just as the Watchers, the bystanders in life with no hope for heaven. The tomes will have a new chapter for us.”
Zaiden nodded. “Hmm, yes. As in the legend, the Fallen who sought their true soul mates were called: Warriors For The Light.” He met his gaze. “Does that not have a nice ring to it?”
Zaiden’s life had always been about violence. He was a warrior, trained to be a Guard of Judgment with only death as a companion, but he could see it in the depths of the Warrior’s blue eyes that he craved to escape the darkness and he would fight for the chance to do so. “Yes, I believe it does have a nice ring.”
About the Author:
Karen Michelle Nutt lives in California with her husband, three fascinating children, four dogs, three cats, and a guinea pig. Jack, her Chihuahua/Yorkshire terrier is her writing buddy and sits long hours with her at the computer.
Her book, Lost in the Mist of Time, was nominated for New Books Review Spotlight Best Fantasy Book of the Year Award. The Object of Romance Anthology feature’s her novella, “Mr. O’Grady’s Magic Box.” It was also nominated for P&E's Top Ten Reader's Award. A Twist of Fate was a nominee for Best Time Travel P.E.A.R.L. Award for 2008. Creighton Manor won Honorable Mention P.E.A.R.L. Award 2009.
In her spare time, she reviews books for PNR—Paranormal Romance Reviews. An avid reader of history, romance, and the paranormal, she tends to combine the three in her writings. She enjoys travel, old movies, books, and the chance to weave a tale.
Visit the author at: www.kmnbooks.com
Stop by her blog for Monday interviews, chats, and contests: kmnbooks.blogspot.com
Also by Karen Michelle Nutt:
Time Travels
Lost in the Mist of Time
At the Stroke of Midnight
Creighton Manor
A Twist of Fate
Otherworldly Ro
mance
Destiny's Prerogative (shifter)
Moon Shifter (Irish werewolves)
Autumn Moon (vampire)
Short Stories and Anthologies
Heart of a Warrior
Black Donald’s Coin
Shattered Illusions
The Second Time Around Anthology,
“The Spirit of Love”
Author’s Note:
The Book of Enoch and the Fallen Angels called the Grigori or Watchers inspired the Warriors For the Light Series. All my tales are a figment of my imagination, but if you’re interested in knowing more about the Book of Enoch, I’ve listed a few interesting tidbits.
In the first section of the Book of Enoch, it describes the fall of the Watchers. These were the angels who fathered the Nephilim. This book was believed to have been composed in the third or fourth century BC, according to Western Scholars.
The first section of the book depicts the interaction of the Fallen Angels with mankind. Semiazaz compels the other 199 Fallen Angels to take human wives to “beget us children”.
“And Semjâzâ, who was their leader, said unto them: ‘I fear ye will not indeed agree to do this deed, and I alone shall have to pay the penalty of a great sin.’ And they all answered him and said: ‘Let us all swear an oath, and all bind ourselves by mutual imprecations not to abandon this plan but to do this thing.’ Then swear they all together and bound themselves by mutual imprecations upon it. And they were in all two hundred; who descended in the days of Jared on the summit of Mount Hermon, and they called it Mount Hermon, because they had sworn and bound themselves by mutual imprecations upon it.”
The Twenty Leaders of the Grigori
Samyaza or Samjaza also Shemyazaz was the head leader of the Grigori. The name means “infamous rebellion.” Based on the Ge’ez (thought to be the original language) copies of the Book of Enoch, Michael Knibb lists him as “he sees the name.” There is a tale about Semjaza knowing the explicit name of God and making a deal with Istahar, who is human to tell her the name.
Arakiel “Earth of God” He was the second on a list of twenty leaders of a group of 200 fallen angels called the Grigori or “Watchers.” He taught the “signs of the Earth” or geomancy which was a method of divination that interprets markings on the ground or the patterns formed by tossed handfuls of soil, rocks or sand.
Azazel “Arrogant towards God” He is the third leader. He taught men the art of warfare, of making swords, knives, shields, and coats of mail, and women the art of deception by ornamenting the body, dyeing the hair, and painting the face and the eyebrows. He also revealed to the people the secrets of witchcraft and corrupted their manners, leading them into wickedness and impurity until at the Lord’s command, he was bound hand and foot by the archangel Raphael and chained to the rough and jagged rocks of Duduael, where he is to abide in utter darkness until the great Day of Judgment, when he will be cast into the fire to be consumed forever. (Enoch viii. 1, ix. 6, x. 4-6, liv. 5, lxxxviii. 1; see Geiger, “Jüd. Zeit.” 1864, pp. 196–204.)
He is also known as the seducer of women because he taught them the art of beautifying the body by dye and paint. He was considered to be a supernatural being mentioned in connection with the ritual of the Day of Atonement (Lev. xvi.). After Satan, Azazel is the most mysterious extra-human character in Jewish sacred literature.
Kokhabiel “Star of God” He was considered the angel of the stars. He was the forth Watcher. He taught astrology to his associates. In the Book of The Angel Raziel, he was a holy angel, but still considered by other lore to be one of the fallen. He was said to command an army of 365,000 spirits.
Tamiel “Perfection of God” He was the fifth Watcher. He was also called Kasdeja or Kasyade, meaning “observer of the hands” in Enoch, Chapter 69. “He taught ‘the children of men’ all of the wicked strikes of spirits, the strikes of demons, and the strikes of the embryo in the womb so that it may pass away (abortion), and the strikes of the soul, the bites of the serpent, and the strikes which befall through the noontide heat, which is called the son of the serpent named Taba’et (meaning male) during the days of Noah.
Rameel “Thunder of God” Also known as Ramiel, the angel of hope. He was the sixth Watcher. He was responsible for divine visions, and guides the souls of the faithful into Heaven.
Daniel “God has judged” He was the seventh Watcher. He was the angel who taught the signs of the sun.
Chazaqiel “Cloud of God” He was the eighth Watcher. He taught men the knowledge of the clouds, meteorology.
Baraqiel “Lightning of God” He was the ninth Watcher. He taught men astrology during the days of Jared or Yered.
Asael The name might mean “Creation of God” but scholars aren’t certain. He was the tenth Watcher. Many confused Asael with Azazel, but scholars are now convinced that they are two different Fallen Angels with two different ranks and their names mean different things. Asael might mean “creation of God” or “made by God” but Azazel means “arrogant towards God”.
Armaros “Cursed One” He was the eleventh Watcher. It is speculated that Armaros was the Fallen Angel that had the idea of “swearing on an oath; we will bind ourselves by mutual imprecations not to abandon our plan but [to] execute our projected undertaking”, which were the Nephilim.
Batriel The name was generally believed to be “valley of God” bathar-el and Babylonian in origin. “Rain of God” was Michael Knibb’s translation of the name based on the Ethiopic Book of Enoch. He was the twelfth Watcher.
Bezaliel, also Busasejal, Basasael was the thirteenth Watcher. This angel was probably one of the most controversial of the list of fallen angels in the Book of Enoch. He was often left off the list of angels because it was believed his name was a transcription error. The name Bezaliel (Shadow of God) was taken from Chapter 69 and was the thirteenth angel listed there.
Ananiel “Rain of God” He was the fourteenth Watcher. His name was often confused with Hananiel.
Zaqiel The name was believed to mean “purity of God” (zaqaq-el). He was the fifteenth Watcher.
Shamsiel “Sun of God” His name was also spelled Samsâpêêl, Shamshel, Shashiel or Shamshiel, was the sixteenth Watcher. He taught men the songs of the sun during the days of Jared or Yered. He led 365 legions of lesser angels in the Zohar and it was believed that he was assigned by God to guard the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve were expelled. If the legend were true, this would make him a cherub. There was apparently some disagreement in sources as to whether or not Shamsiel was a fallen angel. He was still regarded as the ruler of the 4th Heaven in some beliefs.
Satariel The name was believed to be of Babylonian origin a combination of shetar and el (God) with the name meaning “side of God”. Michael Knibb believes the name to mean “Moon of God” or “Dawn of God.” He was the seventeenth Watcher.
Turiel or Turel The name was believed to originate from tuwr, el (God) meaning “rock of God”. He was the eighteenth Watcher.
Yomiel or Jomjael Michael Knibb translates the Ethiopic version of his name as “Day of God”. He was the nineteenth Watcher.
Sariel “Command of God” He was the twentieth Watcher. He was also known as one of the archangels from Judaic tradition. Other versions of his name were Suriel, Suriyel in the Dead Sea Scrolls translation. In Enoch, he was one of the four holy archangels who were “of eternity and trembling.” In Kabbalistic lore, he was one of the seven angels of the earth. In Gnosticism, Suriel was invoked for his protective powers. Like Metatron, Suriel was a prince of presence and like Raphael, an angel of healing. He was also a benevolent angel of death, (one of a few). Suriel was sent to retrieve the soul of Moses. It was said that Moses received all his knowledge from Suriel.
Crimes of the Fallen and Quotes from the Book of Enoch:
The Nephilim (Genesis) or Anakim/Anak (Giants) were the children of the angels and human woman.
“And they became pregnant, and they bare great giants, whose height was three thousand ells: Who
consumed all the acquisitions of men. And when men could no longer sustain them, the giants turned against them and devoured mankind. And they began to sin against birds, and beasts, and reptiles, and fish, and to devour one another’s flesh, and drink the blood.”
In the Book Enoch, it also discusses the Fallen Angels teaching the humans their gifts. Mostly Azazel does the teaching.
“And Azâzêl taught men to make swords, and knives, and shields, and breastplates, and made known to them the metals of the earth and the art of working them, and bracelets, and ornaments, and the use of antimony, and the beautifying of the eyelids, and all kinds of costly stones, and all coloring tinctures. And there arose much godlessness, and they committed fornication, and they were led astray, and became corrupt in all their ways. Semjâzâ taught enchantments, and root-cuttings, Armârôs the resolving of enchantments, Barâqîjâl, taught astrology, Kôkabêl the constellations, Ezêqêêl the knowledge of the clouds, Araqiêl the signs of the earth, Shamsiêl the signs of the sun, and Sariêl the course of the moon.”
Michael, Uriel, Raphael, and Gabriel appeal to God to judge the inhabitants of the world and the fallen angels. Uriel was then sent by God to tell Noah of the coming apocalypse and what he needs to do.
“Then said the Most High, the Holy and Great One spoke, and sent Uriel to the son of Lamech, and said to him: Go to Noah and tell him in my name “Hide thyself!” and reveal to him the end that is approaching: that the whole earth will be destroyed, and a deluge is about to come upon the whole earth, and will destroy all that is on it. And now instruct him that he may escape and his seed may be preserved for all the generations of the world.”
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