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“Horrible. Every ounce of game I have flew out the fucking door as soon as I got close enough. Her friend made up a glaringly obvious excuse just to get away, so I doubt she’ll ever talk to me again.”
“Eat, Raph. You get like this when you’re hungry,” Theo tells me, pushing my tray toward me.
Perking up, I meet his gaze. “I do? It’s the hunger? Oh, thank the Archangels!” I devour my food, eating like a barbarian and feeling my charm refill with every swallow.Maybe I’ll get another chance!
Theo sits up straighter, watching as I wolf down the food in front of me like a starving angel on the brink of death. “Well? What’s she like?”
“She’s perfect,” I mumble around a mouthful of now-cold egg before swallowing. “I don’t think she’s in either of our houses, but she dodged the question, so I didn’t pry. Her voice is pure sin, Theo. Pure fucking sin. Oh, I kind of offered that you’d show her the Knowledge house library … maybe we can plan some sort of chance encounter or something, so it’s not weird if I just show up.”
He laughs. “Dude, when have I not enjoyed spending time in any library? Of course. Once she’s settled, let’s invite her to hang out with us. I’d like to meet the angel who has you so wound up.”
A lightbulb goes off in my mind. “Brilliant idea! Once I’m no longer hungry, I’m sure I’ll have a few good ones of my own to contribute too.”
With a friend like Theo, this disaster of a day might just turn around.
4
Start-of-termpartiesaremyfavorite, partly because I can switch off from worrying about demons, but mostly because they’re one of the few times we Fallen have our own thing. And as house leader, it means that I can plan this exactly how I want.Having no one to answer to sure has its perks.
Our parties last year were lame, and I don’t just mean boring. I mean full on everyone-brings-their-favorite-textbook lame. When the old leader stepped down before graduation, the rest of the student population picked me as his replacement, and I’ve been making changes ever since.
Tonight’s the last night of freedom before term starts, when every single student here will fight to keep their spot at SCU. I’m no different. I’m here to follow in my father’s footsteps by joining the Assassins’ Guild, and I’ll do everything in my power not to let him down. Music blares from the speakers, and the neon body paint that coats our clothes and skin glows beneath the flickering black lights.
There are so many angels here, but I’m searching for one in particular. Hayliel hasn’t shown up yet, and I’m starting to worry that maybe she won’t come at all. I shouldn’t care. She’s only one angel in a sky full of other angels, but then why can’t I stop hunting for her?
With the back doors swung wide, I can see most of the students outside dancing or lounging on the plush sectionals along the deck. It looks like a damn rainbow out there, gleaming bodies grinding against one another to the beat of the music.
As Fallen, it always shocks me to find that some of us are shy. With the Pure assholes I can understand, but not among our own kind. We’re the only ones who understand what it’s like to be cast aside for our differences. Judging anyone for who they are would only make us hypocrites.
I walk out back, assessing the scene and finding three angels snuggled together amidst a pile of pillows. Two guys take turns kissing the girl and then each other, oblivious to the onlookers. Or maybe they get off on it. Who the fuck am I to judge?
I wonder what Hayliel will think of this party, and if she’ll partake in the festivities or prefer to watch.And why do I hope she’ll only have eyes for me?
The front door opens just as I come back inside. Hayliel walks in, accompanied by Dina. She and I haven’t interacted much since before the summer, but she was pretty wild last year, if my memory serves.
“Zeke!” Dina shouts over the music. “I haven’t missed it yet, have I?”
I chuckle, pulling her in for a hug and shaking my head. I forgot how much fun she’d had at our end-of-term party last year. “Nah, things are just getting started.”
“Thank fuck. Best parties ever, dude, I swear. If you’re feeling adventurous later, Hayles, come out back. But don’t wait too long or you’ll miss all the fun.” She shoots us a wink before taking off outside.
“Do I even want to know?” Hayliel asks, a smile tugging the corner of her lips.
“I guess it all depends on where your tastes lie. We’ve got some time to figure it out though. Come on.” I gesture for her to follow me into the lounge area where neon paint is laid out in various colors.
“How attached are you to these clothes?” I ask, fingering the bottom of her top. The heat of her bare skin brands me, yet I can’t seem to pull away.
She bites her lip, looking both confused and intrigued by my question. “Not even a little.”
“Good.” I pick up the yellow paint and a brush, then draw a sun on each of her cheeks. After dunking the brush back in the pot, I flick it toward her shirt, leaving little dots of paint along her clothes. I do the same with each of the colors until she’s the prettiest rainbow I’ve ever seen.
“Looking good,Hayles,“ I tell her, repeating Dina’s nickname.
“Thank you, thank you.” She spins once, then stops, looking me up and down. “Hold up. Why aren’t you covered in paint? And don’t you dare give me some lame-ass bullshit abouthouse leaders needing to set an example, because Dina told me you planned this thing.“ She picks up the brush I just laid down and eyes me critically.
“Maybe I was just waiting for you. Would you like the honors?”
“To bedazzle the house leader? I thought you’d never ask. Now … How attached are you to these clothes?” she mimics, laughing and walking around me as I stand in the center of the room.
