SWNOVELS Chapter 27: Charmed
Angel’s POV
It had been a long morning. Tired and totally drained of emotion left her pushing hard to keep up the fake persona she thought the city patrons needed in order to trust her. They had 4 days to make agreements and collect vials so she needed as many people to like her as possible.
Then there was Alastair drinking them out of house and home, and she had blatantly stopped washing his cups before refilling them. She made a mental note to never offer unlimited drinks to a demon as Castiel had done. She snuck behind the bar to rub her headachey temple.
Castiel joined and lightly stroked her arm over the sweater. “Hanging in there love?” She nodded slowly looking over him. With the charm in place, what would she feel when she looked at him? She’d jump and hump him right here and now if she was honest. That would change. He smiled weakly and ran a hand through her hair, seeming to read her mind. “Me too.”
Taala cleared his throat from the doorway. They both turned to look at him shaking his head. He took large steps to the bar stools and gently sat down in one, perhaps worried his massive body would crush it. His red eyes glared at Castiel expectantly.
Castiel reached out and gripped Angel’s hand. He lifted a silver cross necklace from his jeans and slid it towards Taala on the bar. Taking a deep breath and squeezing Angel’s hand he gave a monotone request. “Demon Taala, I wish to ask a favour.” Taala nodded once. Castiel sighed a breath and lifted Angel’s hand to kiss the back of it. “I offer a gilded sword in exchange for a repulsion charm. We previously discussed its requirements.”
“I am agreed.”
—
Castiel’s POV
Castiel fiddled with the chain around his neck. He wasn’t used to jewelry. It had been an hour since Taala handed it back to him, and it was an easing of emotion rather than a hard stop as he had expected it to be.
Now, as he looked across the room at Angel and Taala on the couch, he realized there was clarity in his mind again. He wasn’t envious of the demon sitting so close to Angel. He wasn’t shaking with lust at the memories of what he’d done with her in nearly the same postion Taala was now sat. He wasn’t overwhelmed with wrath thinking about what she had been forced to learn in her past that made her so good at those activities last night.
He asked himself the question again, would he let God’s will be done if He commanded to level the city? Logic answered in his mind that he would now let Angel be swept away in the flood. A sad pang nagged his heart.
Taala nodded to Angel and strode from the bar, while Angel remained on the couch. Castiel went to her and stood in front with arms crossed. “So.. Learning about charms today, I assume?”
She nodded looking lost. “And reasons why our forms..” she added air quotes and a mock deep voice to impersonate “.. ‘cannot be changed without detriment to natures’. There doesn’t seem to be a way we can be together that doesn’t lead to you being an untouchable demon.” She glanced to her clasped hands in her lap. She looked sweet sitting there and he felt affection for her the same as he had for that pain in the ass Gabe. Friendship. Respect. She sighed and lifted brown eyes to him. “Can I have the rest of the day out of the bar? My head feels fuzzy and I have some questions to ask Dai about those blood donations.”
“Take Alastair with you until you reach the Yard. You should still not walk alone. After the bar close tonight I will speak with my angels about gathering our blood vials. We should have some tomorrow afternoon.” His heart panged again at his authoritative tone with her. This wasn’t him.
She nodded and chewed her bottom lip. “Thank you.” She rose and side stepped Castiel to head to Alastair, who nodded and followed her from the bar. He still needed to speak with that sullen demon about what he knew. Angel’s distraction had him neglecting his duties to the Church mission and the building war outside, but the charm had helped right that train.
Fiddling with the necklace he watched Angel disappear from sight.