SWNOVELS Chapter 18: Confrontation
Angel’s POV
Angel was not-so-secretly looking forward to closing time. She had pre-picked songs and really REALLY wanted to get her hands on the bulky angel currently speaking with someone at the door. Was that Adam? No, Army Aaron the angel, she remembered now. She was getting good with names when she tied it to something like Dai did, and felt a little bit proud.
Castiel brushed both hands through his hair and then nodded to Aaron who left quickly. Angel frowned as Castiel crossed toward her with his face full of concern. “Angel love, I have to go to the Church. I’m going to get there and send someone back to be here with you. I don’t think I will be back tonight so both of you just lock the door early and get home safe.”
Angel nibbled her bottom lip and nodded. “Yes sir.” He lingered in front of her, not wanting to go just as much as Angel wanted him to stay. He sighed and strode quickly out the door and into the sky.
Angel looked around seeing white-eyed demon Alastair at a table staring out the window and a vampirina leaving her finished wine glass on the bartop. She waved sweetly to Angel, a black sparkly dress dragging a train behind her. Angel bet herself that vampires didn’t own a single t-shirt or pair of shorts among them.
She turned to the jukebox to replace the silence with music. She flicked through the library for new songs and a token chose ‘Gravedigger’ by Dave Mathews Band.
No sooner than the jukebox clanged to life did Angel hear the door and a blur rammed her hard against the wall. She gasped with the wind knocked out and side eyed a shirtless brown shoulder covered with a dragon tattoo. She hissed and struggled but both arms were wrenched behind her and pinned to her back in one hand of the ridiculously strong attacker. Another hand gripped the base of her hair and yanked it to the side so her cheek was pressed to the splintery wood wall, a thumb digging into her jaw. The dark-featured face she saw on the angle was pure rage. “I’m going to FUCKING kill you and make you the first to pay.” Every spat word was between gritted teeth.
Tears had started falling from her eyes at some point but something inside her still wanted to fight. She hissed a sound that was almost a growl, but it only made the anger ball of a man press his whole weight into her against the wall. Her pinned hands painfully squished against rock hard abs and a knee was bruising the back of her thigh. “Why?” she managed to breathe out before feeling all air crushing out of her chest against the wall.
“Fucking freak, because you killed my father and my brother! You and that fucking skybird! You may have started the war, but we WILL reclaim our city from all the fucking filth!” He whisper-yelled in her ear as he nearly lost control. His eyes had shifted to a paralyzing amber yellow, and Angel mentally begged for either help or death.
“Falkner, step off.” Alastair! He sounded close to them.
“Fuck off hellhound! Or rather, do me a favour and go fuck yourself! I’d even let the bitch watch before you both lose your heads.”
“Falkner, she didn’t kill them. Breathe pup, come back. The angels will be here soon, so you need to leave.”
Falkner growled like a bear right in Angel’s ear, squishing her so she saw stars. Alastair spoke again, it sounded like his voice was retreating.. NO! “Or, well, maybe you’d rather join your family by the same blade. Suit yourself pup.”
The wolf roared in her ear again and slammed his hand against the wall after releasing her face. She watched his glaring eyes literally change from yellow back to brown before he pushed off and full ran out the door. The weight lifted and she fell to the ground gulping air.
Blinking tears to restore vision and coughing hard, she saw Alastair on one knee beside her, hands shoved in his sweatpant pockets. His voice came steady and low. “Angel, we don’t have long. Listen clear. Do not tell anyone this happened. The city is not yet ready for the war. If the angels learn Falkner was here, we will all perish. We need time. Angel I cannot touch you to help, but you must get up. Now!”
Angel obeyed the stand command, though her legs felt like jelly and she needed her hip and hand on the wall to stay upright. She didn’t however want to obey his request of silence. He stood alongside her, white irises boring holes in her waiting for her acknowledgment. Was he nuts?! Was he protecting the wolves?! He spoke like he was protecting the whole city, yet that wolf would have killed her and sauntered out without so much as a slap from Alastair. Did hellhound mean Alastair was one of them once?
“What war?” It wasn’t what she actually wanted to ask.
“The wolves will attack the city. Ours first, then others. I imagine on the next full moon when they are their strongest and can shift. Angel, did you hear the rest of what I said? Not a word, right?”
Angel glared and couldn’t sort her thoughts fast enough. Paramount was how in Hell was she supposed to be safe if she was nearly killed in a safe space and couldn’t tell anyone?
Alastair blocked her view of the door but she heard it open and a female voice call out “Angel?”
“Um, here.”
“I’m supposed to lock up and walk you home. Are.. you ready?” She must just be staring at the brick wall of Alastair’s back as Angel still couldn’t see her.
“Yes.” She stared at Alastair as she said it to answer both him and the angel. She was too sore and freaked out to fight him right now. He nodded back to her and turned to silently stalk out past the skinny angel holding the door open.
“Erm, niiiight!” She called after him. “Rude.” She snorted as she watched him leave. Angel walked on wobbly legs to join the lady outside and head for the Yard.