Fallen Angels (3 page)

Then one night while stalking my next meal I ran into a very spunky young Asian woman, who was indeed a full-blooded demon. She was the same height as me, but you would never lose her in a crowd because of her electric-blue, shoulder-length hair and her cute girlie punk outfit.

Her knee-high buckled platform boots had a heel that resembled a spike. She had world-class, thin, creamy white legs, although her black and white plaid pleated miniskirt cut my view of perfection short. My eyes followed her black and white lace corset to the impeccable cleavage peeking out of the top.

She was stunning to look at. Even more stunning was how she swooped in and stole my meal right in front of me. She left her victim alive, then turned to me.

“You may be new in town, but we all know who you are,” she said with a pleasant giggle. “I’m Jeanie and you are making quite a mess around here. Come on, let me buy you a drink.” She turned away and strutted out of the dark alley.

I couldn’t believe what just happened. Jeanie definitely piqued my interest, and I quickly followed her through the crowded streets. “How do you know me?” I asked.

“Everybody knows you. You think you’re hiding, but we’ve been watching you since you arrived in Seattle,” she said with a sassiness that reminded me of Kara.

I stayed quiet after that, humbled by the fact I hadn’t noticed I was being watched. Jeanie led me to the industrial area, where we entered what looked like a boarded-up empty warehouse, but it was far from empty. Cigar and cigarette smoke filled the air, and the musky scent of demon blood was just as thick as the smoke.

The warehouse served as a secret demon bar, and it even had fresh humans on the menu. Several doors lined the wall to the side of the entrance, and in front of them were a dozen or so scantily clad men and women, all of whom were human. It was dirty and clearly established on a severely low budget, but it was packed.

“Welcome to Wonder Lust!” Jeanie exclaimed, pointing to the circus-like sign above the pine bar.

I thought the name was fitting since it offered up nearly all of the sins a demon could want. Sex, blood, and booze, and as Jeanie pulled me along toward the guarded door in the rear of the open bar, I realized Wonder Lust also offered the fight all demons wanted. It was the shouting and the cheering that grew louder as we approached the door that gave it away, along with the smell of demon blood.

When the large guard opened the door for Jeanie and me, anticipation bubbled under my skin like a kid in a candy store as we entered the crowded space. Two demons fought in a small makeshift ring lined by rowdy fans waving money in the air, hoping their choice would win the fight.

“This is your place?” I asked in awe as we weaved through the crowd and up the old wooden bleachers surrounding the ring.

“Yep, this is my baby,” she replied proudly.

“I can’t believe I never thought of this.”

“That’s what everyone says. Everyone tends to overlook the obvious, but not me, I see everything,” Jeanie said with a wink. “Ooh, don’t go anywhere, it’s time for the next match.” She moved into the now-empty ring with a megaphone in hand.

“Who’s ready for the main event?” she shouted. The crowd went wild.

I watched in admiration while she worked the crowd into a frenzy before introducing her star fighters. Watching the fight made me want to get in the ring and take on both challengers. I was so focused on the blood being spilt, I didn’t even notice Jeanie was sitting beside me until she nudged me with her elbow, drawing my attention away from the ring.

“Let’s get a drink,” she said with a smile before pulling me back into the bar.

We sat at a small wooden table and were quickly served drinks. Lighting a cigarette I leaned back in the wooden chair and stared at Jeanie for a moment while she smiled at me. “How do you know me?” I asked.

“Are you serious?” she asked with a giggle. “Ravyn, every demon has heard of you. You’re a legend. The half-breed who killed Astoroth to save her human lover. So romantic!”

“Why did you bring me here?” I quickly changed the subject. I hated that my legend had become a tale of romance.

“I can help you control your thirst,” she stated.

“Who said I want to control it?” I replied with a grin.

“You hate what you’ve become. You don’t want to be here, you want to be with Kara.” Jeanie’s assumption made me laugh loudly.

“You can read my mind, but you fail to see the truth Jeanie. I would never hurt Kara. I stay away because I cannot approve of the child within her.”

“Kara’s pregnant?” Jeanie replied in shock, and then muttered something in Japanese.

“I can’t stand the smell of her. Can’t stand the thought of that thing being born. This is why I stay away,” I confided to the girl I’d just met.

“That’s not very fair. Kara never cheated on you, Ravyn. How can you blame her?”

“I’m not blaming her. How can I be around her when all I want to do is kill the thing inside her? I’m doing her a favor by staying away,” I said flatly.

Jeanie shrugged, and by the look on her face I could tell she was mentally debating my conclusion. After a moment she nodded. “Only time will tell.”

“Did you bring me here for tales of lost love?” I asked with a wry grin.

“Nope. I brought you here to help you and because I want you to fight in my ring.”

“I’ll do it.” I jumped at the chance for a fight.

“Hold on there tiger. You are not ready to get in my ring.” Jeanie laughed.

I leaned over the table. Looking her in the eye, I said, “I could have killed both of your fighters in seconds.”

“That is why you are not ready to enter the ring.” Her words melted my cocky grin away. “Come with me.” Jeanie stood.

“Where are we going now?” I asked, irritated.

“Well, if you had furniture in your place we would go there. Since you don’t I am breaking my rule and taking you to my place,” she said with a brilliant smile.

“Why?” I asked, worried.

“Because you need to learn to control that beast inside of you. Let’s go,” Jeanie said, pulling me out of Wonder Lust.

Chapter Three

Ravyn

Helping Hands

Jeanie brought me to her tiny studio apartment, which was only a few blocks away from Wonder Lust. It was small but offered a warm atmosphere with cappuccino-colored walls, a small glass dining table with two chairs, and a queen bed that was neatly made with a brown comforter and an array of pillows.

“Make yourself comfy.” She pointed to the bed, and then disappeared into the bathroom.

I stared at the bed for a moment, wishing it were my own bed with Kara’s delicious body welcoming me. But it wasn’t and here I was, my demon telling me to get in the fucking bed while my mind yelled at me to go home. I don’t know why I suddenly wanted to go home, but I did. Maybe it was Jeanie’s shock at the news that Kara was pregnant? Whatever the case, Kara weighed heavily on my mind.

“You want a drink?” Jeanie’s voice lifted my eyes from the bed, but she no longer looked like the wild girl I had met only a short time ago.

Jeanie’s blue hair was now long and dark brown, and her blue eyes replaced by a brilliant amber color. She was a few inches shorter, and her punk style was gone; in its place were girlie pink pajamas. The look on my face must have said it all, because when she approached and handed me a glass she was laughing giddily.

“Hi, I’m the real Jeanie.” She introduced herself again.

“I like this Jeanie. She looks real and very good,” I replied, feeling the grin tug at my lips. Her bubbly spirit seemed to seep into me and remind me of Kara.

“You didn’t want to get comfy?” she said, taking a seat on the bed.

“Oh…Uh…I really, I’m fine.” I struggled to find the words to turn down her offer.

Jeanie shook her head while her infectious laughter spilled forth. “Not that comfy, silly. I don’t have a couch so the bed has to do the job when I have company.”

I felt absolutely ridiculous in that moment and couldn’t help laughing at myself while I took my place beside her on the edge of the bed.

“There ya go. They say laughter is the best medicine,” Jeanie said, and then the smile fell from her face. “So much happening in that mind of yours.”

“Why do you think I need so much help?” I asked.

“Because you’re a mess,” she sighed, shrugging. “I tend to be drawn to those who need help and girl, you need it.”

“I really don’t need help.”

“Finish your drink, then give me your hands.”

“You need my hands?” I asked.

“Just humor me.”

Chugging my drink I got up and set the glass on the tidy counter in the tiny kitchen. “Where do you want me?” I groaned, wondering why I was going along with this nonsense.

“Ooh, right next to me. Lay down facing me and give me your hands,” she said with a smile, lying on her side and patting the space on the bed next to her.

With a loud sigh I did as she asked and was quickly lying on the bed, eye to eye with Jeanie. I was oddly uncomfortable with the situation.

“Close your eyes and relax,” she whispered. My eyes closed, but I could not relax, no matter how hard I tried. “Relax,” she repeated.

Jeanie could have told me to relax fifty times and it wouldn't have happened. I just couldn’t, I felt like being in the same bed with her while thinking about Kara was a weird form of cheating. What the fuck was wrong with me?

“Tell me about her.” Jeanie’s voice interrupted my thoughts and my eyes popped open. Her eyes stared into mine while her hands rested in my own. “You aren’t cheating on her. She would approve if she knew I was only helping you. Now, tell me what you miss about her.”

I didn’t even have to think about Jeanie’s request, because I was already whispering one thing after another about Kara. The more I rambled on about what I missed and how much I missed it, the more I wished Kara were here with me instead of Jeanie. After several minutes of mindless rambling about all of the things I missed about Kara, Jeanie abruptly pulled away and sat up on the bed fanning herself. “What’s wrong?” I asked, quickly sliding off the bed.

“You two are seriously intense. You shouldn't be here. You should be with her. She is the only thing you want,” she urged frantically.

“I want her, but there is a small issue with her. Did you miss that key piece of information?” I said, silently berating myself for being stupid enough to open up to a stranger.

“There has to be a way to get past that,” she said, worried.

“There’s not. Is this the only reason you brought me here? Because this isn’t helping at all.” I said, feeling the anger grow within me.

“No, sorry, but I had to see for myself that there was no other way. Anyway, I brought you here because I want you to fight at Wonder Lust, but you have to learn how to fight first.” A glint of excitement appeared in her eyes as she spoke.

“I don’t know how to fight?” I laughed loudly while watching her head to the kitchen.

“That’s right, did I stutter?” Jeanie’s sass returned in full force as she set her glass on the counter top and turned to face me. “The crowd would hate you and I wouldn’t make a damn dime,” she said while strutting toward me. Leaving only a few inches between us, she stared up at me with a dangerous smile gracing her picture-perfect lips.

I didn’t know if she had forgotten who she was talking to, but the confidence in her statement made my grin return.

“You think this is funny?” Jeanie asked, her tone relaying a playfulness that I didn’t expect, but she suddenly had my full attention. “You need control. Do you have control?” Her eyes were clearly focused on the scar on my chest. She couldn’t resist reaching out and slowly running her finger over the jagged red line peeking out of my shirt.

It was the first time anyone had touched my scar, and Jeanie seemed fascinated with it. Her soft touch made my body tense uneasily. “I have control,” I said firmly, pushing her hand away. Immediately her other hand smacked me hard enough to turn my head. My demon sprang from its cage with a snarl while I glared down at her, only to find her smiling.

“Where is that control you insist you have?” She giggled. “Demon form is not allowed in the ring, my fierce killer, nor is death always welcome. You must control it no matter what occurs. Now put your fangs away. I have never witnessed a scar on our kind. It’s incredible, you know?”

“Incredible is not the word I would use to describe it. Incredibly painful maybe? Definitely an incredible disappointment,” I replied softly.

“Incredible because you were able to take your own life. The blood of the Fallen forces us to fight for our survival.” Jeanie revealed her true self with a smile.

She was the last of the Fallen I had yet to find, and as it turned out she found me. Only four of the original Fallen Angels remained. I was born into it when I killed the strongest of them. So I guess we were five again. Weird that I missed that piece of the puzzle. “It was the human blood within me at the time. That’s how I was able to kill myself. I can’t do it now though, believe me I have tried many times. Is this why you want me to fight for you?”

“Fighting other demons will help you. It will offer you a release so you can stop drawing so much unwanted attention, and I think it might help you get back to Kara.”

“When can I fight?” I asked. There was no doubt I wanted in, I needed in. And I was quickly growing fond of Jeanie.

“When I feel you are ready. If you do not control your demon you will be killed. You cannot make the fight personal; it is simply an entertaining sport. A sport where the crowd decides if you or your opponent dies. If the crowd favors you the money will flow like a raging river.”

“I want in that ring as soon as possible,” I replied.

“Are you sure? You will have to listen to my every word and do exactly what I tell you and when I tell you.”

“Only while we are training.”

“No, until you are ready to fight. When you reach that point you will be on your own again,” she said.

“No deal.” I shook my head and headed for the door.

“Don’t go,” she said, a tiny hint of pleading in her voice. Her hand suddenly grabbed my arm. “You need this.”