She giggled at Nathan, who shook his head and kissed her absently on the head.
Clare felt her body tense, with all their eyes on her, including Kole. He pierced her with his snake-like
green gaze, which she recalled was grey at the Eiffel tower, before they became firing lava.
Tash looked at her, “It’s quite obvious that Phillip is in love with you, he sends my friends messages all
the time, about you, quite cheesy if you asked me.”
Phillip remarked, “Unfortunately,” abruptly bumping Clare, “for Phillip, it appears Clare’s heart dwells for
another.”
Kole saw him, and in a flash was standing in front of Clare, with his drink in his hand, giving Phillip a
grave stare.
Clare was nervous, her brother Calub was grinning, enjoying this.
Tash gave Clare an impatient look.
Kole still devilled eyeing Phillip, the tension heating up between the two, like the heat of an open fire,
“Quite unfortunate for you.”
“Well,” Tash said, “aren’t you going to tell us.”
Clare stood stunned not knowing what to say.
“Yes Clare please, enlighten us,” Phillip’s voice was loud enough for all to hear his sarcasm, “Who is
the man who got you so wrapped up.”
Kole started patiently at her. While she was still trying to gather her words. Nathan didn’t look as
impressed as the others, in actual fact, he was more annoyed than anything, but kept quiet and waited
patiently like the others.
They all had a death in their eyes, all hidden with secrets, but Kole had dark ones. He was suddenly
pushed across the kitchen floor by an eye-catching bright light.
Nathan jumped to his feet, Calub already there helping Kole up. His glass now shattered in tiny bits
across the black tiled floor, with the liquid splashed onto the cabinets and walls. Clare could smell the
brandy, a small piece of the glass cut her hand. She looked at the blood as her wound healed, she then
lifted her head. Kalbreal stood in front of Kole, his face and body ablaze in orange and red flames with
high watts of light shining through it. Clare compared it to the sun at its highest peak, because she
knew that he was not in his true form. An angel's true form would be with his wings, the house itself
would disintegrate with that much heat.
Clare was a bit surprised that she didn’t disintegrate by looking at him as she had been led to believe
she would at the bayou.
Tash standing next to Clare remarked playfully, “Well we all know who you have wrapped around your
finger after all little sister."
Clare couldn’t hold the blush in her cheeks from showing, maybe it was out of relief, “You are going to
have to take some getting use to Tash.”
Her attention swung full-on to Nathan, he was shouting at them, “She is still a kid Kalbreal, come on,
it's normal to lash out and leave.”
Kalbreal pushed him, “He crossed the line, stay out of this Nathan.”
Kole got up, “Kal, calm down she’s fine, what in the realms is wrong with you.”
He shouted louder at Kole, “You have no right, what if something happened to her, what if she hurt the
deceptors or worse killed them.”
Clare was astounded and upset, hurt deceptors she thought, she would never, she could barely
remember much but she would never hurt innocent people. She walked slowly towards Kalbreal, his
body on fire, the heat a lot to bear, but he was more beautiful than she had ever seen. He had all that
lightness which you’d dream of the Angels have. His eyes did not meet hers but she knew it was
beautiful, in its glowing sun. The thought made her desire to move closer to him.
Calub moved next to her, grabbing her arm, “Easy their tiger, you not able to resist the temptation, you
are still nameless, don’t go too close you will die.” Calub let go of her arm and folded his arms, “He’s
been like this the whole day, you know. I mean the blazing part, he can’t control it, apparently, some
Angels glow when they angry.”
She shouted at him, “You are enjoying this.” Smacking his head, “Get upstairs now, go watch a movie
or something, or phone our father. Let him know I’m fine.”
Calub looked at her in disagreement but obeyed, storming out. She turned just to make sure he did.
While Clare might have not been with him all these years, she was still his older sister and felt the need
to reprimand his inappropriate behaviour.
Kole kicked Kalbreal back, but he didn’t flinch, it just made his body glow more.
“STOP IT, KALBREAL, you are fighting because of me, I would have left with or without Nikolai.” She
screamed at him, remembering to keep her distance.
She wanted to kick herself for defending him. Maybe it was the guilt for leading him on, for kissing him
or calling him a drunk Caster, but it was done. If Kalbreal wanted to fight it should have been with her,
not Kole.
Kalbreal turned without fully facing her, “You should get out of here, Clarebella.” He warned, “I will talk
with you later.”
Kalbreal And Kole both disappeared before Clare could say anything more. Nathan, Tash and Nathans
girl ran outside through the kitchen door. She followed them to an open garden which was mostly grass
but had a few pot plants. She wondered how big this yard was, including a few scattered Christmas
and hedged trees.
Finding Calub already standing there as she turned the corner of the house, she didn’t say anything.
She kept replaying Kalbreal’s words, they were final and made her quiver. Clare barely knew him, but
being the cause of Angel’s fiery temper, scared her. He was an Angel after all and could snap her neck
in the blink of an eye if he chose to. Fear crept up through her as she moved toward Nathan and Tash,
seeking safety in their vicinity.
Kole and Kalbreal still fighting, Kole mostly just blocking shots from Kalbreal. His movements had
speed, but at times seemed to allow the occasional kick or punch. Which must’ve been painful
considering their size difference. Kole was much smaller and slightly shorter than Kalbreal, not to
mention Kalbreal being an Angel and Kole a Caster. She ran toward them but stopped to hid behind a
tree out of view.
“Putting a blocking spell on her.” She heard Kalbreal, shouting.
He kicked Kole, who flew a meter at least above ground landing a few feet away from Kalbreal, “I have
left you since you got back, to waste your immortality yet again,” he kicked Kole again. Kole didn’t
move he just took it, the pain in his face said it was bearable, but it hurt, “But not at the expense of
Clare, you should know better Nikolai, you left me for a year, a year Nikolai, and you come back like
this, I don't know how they put up with it.”
Clare felt her heart shuffle, the way Kalbreal had spoken Kole’s name, with so much passion, “Jullie is
on her way, we have things to discuss, Liam won't be happy by this.” Kalbreal’s back was turned on
Clare. Kole was still on the floor, his gaze fixed to the ground.
Parts of Clare felt guilty, it was her fault, she should have left alone. But a small part of her was glad
she went with Kole. He made her feel better like he’d known her and knew exactly what to say, and
what not to. Kalbreal’s body started cooling down, to a light glow, he was still angry but calming down.
“What happened last year is done, mourning time is over. Clare is under my protection, don’t defy me
again!” He knelt, Kole still on the floor now looking at Kalbreal, “We don’t have time for this, I have
known you too long.” Pause, “It's time you accepted the faith of those whom you love.”
“You talk as though you are older than me. But I forget that you have a claim to her. She was distraught
when I saw her, I was acting out of kindness that is all.”
She peeped behind a tree not wanting them to see her, for the first time she saw Kalbreal with all his
guards that he hid so well, falter, as he sat next to Kole, silently.
She didn’t know what claim he meant, but Clare didn’t want to interrupt this unexplained occurrence,
the son of a Tempter besides pure blood.
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