Angel's Falling

Chapter Two:

All throughout the week Braiden had been tripping over himself, trying to get the Demon out of his mind. It was odd and something completely foreign to him, but it wasn’t completely unwelcome. He certainly didn’t like failing at his job and getting yelled at from every angle ever moment of the day. The Angels seemed to have been hiding and waiting for the right moment to find something to yell at him about. On the first day after his… encounter… they yelled at him for being a minute late from his lunch break, then on how he didn’t file the Dream right –which isn’t even my job, so how the Hell am I supposed to know where to file the damn thing? Was his response. He got slapped for it.- and then he was told to just take the day off. He did so, more than happily. The next day it was silly things, like forgetting to greet the secretary that had worked there for longer than he had and he still didn’t know the wenches name- what an impression she had made in his life. The rest of the week went similarly. By the end of his shift on the eighth day of the week, he was practically running to get down to Earth so he could go back to the bar and get drunk off his ass again. He hoped he didn’t run into James again. Though, he hoped he did run into him again. He was confused. But, he thought, the alcohol will clear that up soon. Yes, because that makes everything better, doesn’t it? His conscious  muttered bitterly. He had come to realize that his mind was a dark and bitter place.

******

Once again, Braiden sat at the bar humming around his drink to his favorite song that was playing on the speakers. Today, his drink was Hyn and Vodka. “I’m beginning to think your favorite drink is Vodka.” The bartender grinned, his piranha like teeth glinting happily. He was some cross between a Siren and a Vampire, but Braiden didn’t want to think of his Daemon side. He’d rather just focus on how good he was at his job. “Yeah, it kind of is. It’s pretty damn good with Hyn. Have you ever tried it?” “Vodka and bitter apple juice… Never thought the two would mix well.” He winked. Braiden wrinkled his nose at that. Hyn was apple based, but he preferred not to think about it. He hated apples. Braiden downed the drink anyways and looked at the bartender. “Please?” the man grinned back, his green skin shinning humorously. “Alright, same thing or…?” Braiden shrugged and looked out over the dance floor that was still pitch black with the random strobe light or cell phone light illuminating tiny spots giving the impression of globes of light. “Alright, here you go.” He broke his train of thought and Braiden nodded his thanks. The man moved on to another customer down the strip of wood, leaving Braiden to his thoughts. He sipped the drink daintily, as he scanned the bar for anyone- for someone. His hopes were crushed as he found no one- as he didn’t see the one he was searching for unconsciously. “Miss me, Cloudy?” Braiden shivered.

“Oh, it’s you.” Braiden stated as he turned his head to be met with those sinister green eyes. James smirked. “Yes, it’s me. So what’re you doing her, Angel’s Food?” Braiden rolled his eyes and turned back to his drink, taking another sip. “Drinking my life away, what about you, Devil’s Spawn?” James’ grin reached his ears as he responded with, “Ditto, Cloud.”

            Braiden just rolled his eyes at his immaturity. “Whatever.” James just grinned harder.

******

Braiden rolled over and groaned. The light filtering its way through the curtains was familiar in an odd sense and he wondered where he felt it before. He rolled onto his back and stared at the blank ceiling. Wait. The ceiling is blank? Where’d his Dream journal go? It always recorded his dreams, but it wasn’t there… Then it dawned on him where he was. The door opened just as he remembered. “You know, I should really stop waking up in your bed. It’s confusing me.” James grinned and said, “Well, my kind aren’t allowed in Odyssey and considering even if I was I wouldn’t know where the Hell you live, so the easiest place is mine.” Braiden just stared at him. “Breakfast is ready if you want any.” Then the tall man turned his back on the Angel and left the room. Braiden quickly followed. “What type of Demon are you?” “The kind that rapes women and eats children’s souls.” James said, not missing a beat, as he called it over his shoulder as he dished out their meal. Braiden snorted. “Yeah, whatever.” “I’m a high-ranking Demon, if you must know. I’m a Charn.” Braiden nodded his head slowly. He remembered hearing about those in his Demonology class. Charn’s were the bad-ass Demons, if you had to classify them. They ran the military in the Underworld. “So, you’re one of those Demons.” “What’s that supposed to mean?” James cocked an eyebrow and challenged the Angel. “It means,” Braiden said, copying James’ tone, “That you’re one of those I’m going to kill everything in my path kind of Demons.” James’ eyebrow rose further and he set down the plates, walking towards Braiden. Braiden backed into the counter and James pinned him there with his hips, his eye brow still raised. “I haven’t killed you yet, now have I, Dream Angel?” Braiden blushed and became flustered in his attempt to speak. It was an odd feeling being this close to another being and he couldn’t tell if he liked it or not. James just grinned devilishly, before walking back to their food. “Well, of course you haven’t!” Braiden stuttered, unable to come up with anything else. “Well, I could. Or I could turn you in for speaking to an Underworld Creature.” James said nonchalantly, shrugging. Braiden gasped at the realization. “Why haven’t you?” James turned around with two plates in hand and shrugged. “I find you intriguing.” Was his simplistic answer before he walked towards the table in the dining room, just off to Braiden’s right. “Come on, breakfast is served.”