TRIGGER: Depicts graphic violence and suicideTODDI sliced through the flesh of the Nephilim in front of me easily, but it seemed like any time one died five more took their place. I grunted, pulling my sickle from the now lifeless body of this one. I felt like I had cut down damn near a hundred or more, and my stamina was running low to say the least. Shamshiel was still battling Baraqiel in the sky, the two of them moving so gracefully it looked like dancing. Except it wasn’t. Blood splatter periodically rained down from above as many Nephilim on both sides took to the skies, swooping and dodging as they fought. At this point it was practically raining blood, and it had become hard to see the sky, there were just so many overgrown bats up there. I swung my sickles, sending the excess blood flying and looked up to see my next opponent. He was a big guy, and I drew in a breat

LIAM Lightning cracked through the sky, painting the scene before me in a deathly light, the electricity crackling through the air causing the hairs on the back of my neck to stand straight the fuck up. I watched the sway and flow of Cassi’s body before me as she worked her ball and chain, the silver metal forged by an angel she murdered speckled in blood. The glint of it catching the lightning as it snapped and cracked above our heads, illuminating the deadly dance going on above us. My eyes could hardly look away as Shamshiel and Baraqiel wove and circled each other like wolves, their motions fluid and easy. That was until I heard the scream, the scream that caused my stomach to drop through my feet. We froze, not by choice, at the noise. Our bodies going stiff as we became living statues, forced to bend under the weight of Kokabiel’s scream. My mind began racing, we were helpless, and I knew without a shadow of the doubt the enemy would capitalize on that. I saw Verity out of the

SHAMSHIEL The son of Baraqiel had Verity in his arms, and he looked like he had quite literally been to Hell and back. His clothes were tattered and wings bloodied, he had been out here prior to our arrival then I gathered. I wanted to trust him, but he was Baraqiel’s son; and to be honest I wasn’t sure. Yes, he had gone up against me when I had taken Verity but that wasn’t enough for me to trust his intentions were good. Yet I had no time to stop him, my opponent greater than me in strength. I was holding my own, but it wouldn’t last much longer. I scanned the battlefield and was horrified to notice humans fighting humans, which meant The Officials had sent their army. The ground was covered in blood as the battle raged on, Nephilim on Nephilim, brothers and sisters divided. My own children divided. It had come to this. We had always known it would, and the thought upset me; and most of us on this side. The others, well, if Kokabiel was any indication, they probably didn’t care. I

TRIGGER: GRAPHIC VIOLENCE, FETAL DEMISE, STRANGULATION, AND GENERAL BRUTALITY. AS IN HOLD THE HELL ON, THIS CHAPTER ISN’T NICE. REMEMBER THIS ISN’T A HAPPILY EVER AFTER BOOK. CAIN A feral roar pierced the air, like no sound I had ever heard. It took a moment to realize that sound was coming from me, my throat burning and my chest rapidly rising and falling with exertion, my feet hitting the solid Earth again while Verity was rapidly born away, as I watched unable to do anything. My chest heaved wildly as I looked around, Kokabiel still a threat I hadn’t negated yet the fucker. Penemue had taken Verity but I saw Baraqiel closing in fast on them, where the hell was Shamshiel? Then my eyes found him. He was slumped over, his head hanging down, hair covering his face. His wings were pinned to a tree with several swords, his light whip was stuttering at his side; a clear indication of his waning strength. The ground around him was stained red, with what I instinctively knew was angel blo

CAINI let my rage wash over me as I roared my fury to the sky, hoping that God himself would hear it. Verity’s dead body lay not too far from me, and when I came to, her glassed over eyes had been the first thing I had seen. As I stared into their depths I felt my heart break all over again, my teeth grinding in rage. I sprang up and searched for the first enemy I could find. It just happened to be Penemue, Shamshiel currently busy with Baraqiel. With a shout I rammed into the asshole, taking him to the ground easily. He kicked me off him, the blunt force to my gut causing my breath to burst from my lungs. I rolled onto my side before struggling up, I knew I was in bad shape, but my adrenaline was pumping and my anger simmering just below the surface; so I kept going. The monster in me was out for blood. Like a wraith my dark soul shrouded me as I sized the angel up. Penemue was no weakling, but he wasn’t me. I was physically stronger than most, and had a huge advantage. After all, t