© Jojo B 2020

All rights including those in copyright in the content of this story are owned by Jojo B. It's Illegal to steal and/or copy.

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Divine and Damned

Chapter 1

The razor trimmer buzzed in my hand, filling the air with its mechanic hum. A knot of anxiety coiled in my gut and my heart pounded against the cage barred across my lungs. Looking down, I held my breath.

"Okay, here it goes..." I exhaled, tilting forward.

"Don't mess it up," Joe's low voice warned me.

"Have some more confidence in me," I scoffed, meeting his blue-eyed glare.

My younger brother was sat on the toilet lid in front of me, wearing an oversized white t-shirt and some basketball shorts. His face was contorted into one of his trademark scowls, as if he wasn't the one who'd come to me for help.

"I can't do it if you're frowning like that," I pursed my lips, standing upright again. "Straighten your face."

He sighed heavily and tried once more, smoothing out his expression somewhat, but a crease of unease remained between his brows.

Eh. Good enough.

Letting out another quick breath, I bit on my lip before leaning down once more. Raising the trimmer to his left eyebrow, I paused to make sure I was in the right position.

"The corner of my eyebrow," Joe repeated for the hundredth time.

"I know," I rolled my eyes back.

All it needed was one slight touch, and then Joe would have the killer eyebrow slit he'd been going on about for weeks. I still didn't see why he hadn't attempted it himself, instead of putting all the pressure on me, but I was curious about doing it - so here we were.

Slowly closing the gap between the humming razor and his thick brow, I nibbled my bottom lip as I made the connection. The vibrating metallic edge kissed my brother's brow, and I carefully guided it along. Joe was stock still, holding his breath as I held his reputation in my grip. If it went wrong...well, everyone would know it.

"Okay, I've almost got it," I nodded to myself. "Just this little bit here."

"Okay," he mumbled back, his eyes locked on my hazel ones.

I'd just about created the perfect slit when I adjusted my footing a little and my hand slid.

As did the rest of Joe's eyebrow.

My eyes rounded as I watched half his eyebrow disintegrate and sprinkle down, peppering his t-shirt with tiny hairs.

"Shit," my voice was quieter than a whisper.

"What did you do?!" Joe hissed, his eyes just as wide as mine.

I stepped back, shaking my head and opening my mouth as I prepared to argue. Joe leapt up from the toilet and spun around to look into the bathroom mirror, his face a mask of horror as he rubbed his partially missing eyebrow.

"I mean, it's not that bad," I tried. "It could be the new thing!"

"Vienna," Joe growled, his shoulders stiffening in growing rage.

I crept towards the door, "Having half an eyebrow is fine! I could do the other one for you to make it even if you like."

"Don't you dare," he turned around to face me, jaw clenched.

"Come on," I put the razor trimmer down and smiling sheepishly. "At least your new piercings make you look cool! I mean look, I can see them through your shirt right now!"

I waited for him to glance down at his chest before legging it.

Racing out the bathroom and down the corridor, I couldn't help the hysteric laughter that escaped my lips, knowing full well that would only make Joe angrier. His fast approaching footsteps almost matched the pace of my heartbeat as I came to the top of the stairs.

As I hurriedly descended the first step, I felt a hand grab my ankle and I shrieked loudly as I sensed myself falling. My heart plummeted a split second before the impact hit me like a punch to my gut. Pain exploded in my stomach and chest, making me groan as I tumbled down the rest of the steps, completely winded.

Coming to a stop, I lay there for a few moments, too stunned to move. I was pretty sure that was my first time ever falling down the stairs. Despite the agony, I was certain I hadn't broken my neck. Pulling my throbbing body into a sitting position, I glowered back up at Joe who was still standing at the top of the landing, his mouth open like an 'O'.

"That was a little too much, don't you think?!" I cried in disbelief, my cheeks flushed with rising anger.

"I didn't do anything!" he was quick to defend himself. "You tripped by yourself."

"Oh, shut up," I snapped, my hands balling into fists. "I felt you grab my ankle!"

"I swear Vienna," he shook his head, his eyes screaming the truth. "I was nowhere near you when you fell, it wasn't me!"

Taking in a couple deep breaths to cool the fire burning in my chest, I shut my eyes and exhaled slowly. By the time I opened my eyes, Joe was still surprisingly standing at the top of the stairs, and that alone showed genuine concern. Maybe it really wasn't him – and that worried me. It wasn't the first time something like this had happened in the last few weeks.

"I'm fine, just...go sort out your eyebrows," I grumbled as I hesitantly picked myself up.

Joe waited until I was on my feet before he walked away, back to the bathroom, and I grudgingly went to put on my Dr Martens boots, deciding to go over to the cabin.

It was summer, July, to be exact, and the weather was more than adequate. The skies were painted baby blue and sunlight sang through the leafy canopy as I strolled through the forest. I rubbed the back of my neck, my fingers brushing over my feather tattoo. The pang of pain almost caught me off guard, making me grimace as I thought about how much I missed Sariel, my Guardian Angel. It had been nearly three months since he made the ultimate sacrifice, exchanging his life for the lives of the fallen ones. Words still didn't describe the feeling I got when I remembered his smile, his laugh, his light.

Sighing harshly through my nose, I dropped my hand back down to my side as I walked over the crisp undergrowth. A week ago, a big branch had almost fallen right on top of me, and the week before that, it had been a near miss with a speeding car. I didn't know if I was simply paranoid, or if something was stirring the waters, but if Sariel was still there looking out for me, I might have got the answer.

The boys were renting the cabin from my mother now, using money from their summer jobs. She knew they were 'out of this world', since Raphael had told her so, but she'd never asked many personal questions. She likened them to Joe's actual father, the Archangel she thought she'd seen in a dream, whilst suffering from post-partum depression.

Except it hadn't been a dream and my brother had been the product of their brief encounter, making him nephily- nephli- half Angel, half human, whatever that was called.

The lake was the first thing that came into view as I approached the cabin, its crystalline surface giving the sun a selfie of itself. The cabin door was never locked since it was almost always occupied. It was also uncommon, but not unheard-of, for people to trespass into my family's private property, on which both it and the lake sat.

Entering the polished wooden home, I followed voices to the kitchen where I found Nathan and Micah. The tall, red haired man-child had his back to me as he waved his hand in the air, chatting to Micah who was leaning against the kitchen counter.

"...and my bitch called, talking about some drama..."

My brows immediately creased together, and I clasped my chin, tilting my head, "Your bitch called? What bitch with what drama do you have, Nathan?"

Nathan pivoted, visibly stunned, "I...uhh..."

"Because I called you earlier, Nathan," I continued in a steady voice. "Talking about whether you guys want to watch IT tonight or go out for a walk instead."

Micah's green eyes lit up in amusement and he grinned, stifling his laughter with his hand as he smartly kept silent.

"I was not talking about you!" Nathan quickly argued. "Someone else - "

"Who, Nathan?" I gave him a blank look. "Who?"

He thought about it, then sighed deeply, "I just...I heard it in a song..."

"How many times do I need to tell you not to copy everything you hear on TV and in music," I rolled my eyes, walking past him to the fridge. "One day you'll mess up and say something you shouldn't in front of someone you shouldn't. Trust me, I've been there many times."

Micah chuckled out loud, "I believe her. Nathan, you should really take that advice."

"Shut up, Micah," Nathan muttered dejectedly.

I scoffed quietly, trying to find something to eat in the bare contents of the cool cavern.

"Have you guys eaten?" I asked.

"Not yet," Micah replied.

"You should always eat breakfast, Micah," I reminded the green-eyed brunette.

He just shrugged, an easy-going smile spreading on his face, "I am not yet hungry."

"What he means is that he is very fussy and does not like to eat," Nathan translated with an eye-roll.

I chuckled, shaking my head to myself. Nathan wasn't wrong. Micah had an acquired taste, as we'd found out after taking him through the kitchen's contents to discover that he didn't like meat, didn't like cheese, was basically vegan, except he was obsessed with chocolate bourbon biscuits.

"Where is everyone? I thought today was everyone's day off," I asked, turning around to lean against the counter next to Micah, a strawberry yoghurt in my hand. "As for me, I slept in late and then I was helping...erm Joe..."

"What happened?" Micah started to grin, easily reading the guilty but amused smile on my face.

"Ohh, I ruined his eyebrows...it's hard to explain, but you'll see it," I peeled the lid off my yogurt and grabbed a spoon.

"Sucks to be him," Nathan chuckled darkly. "Having you as a big sister, that is."

"Alright," I fixed him a pretend serious look. "Enough of that."

"Gwen went to the store with Cassiel and Raphael," Micah explained. "They will be back soon, I think."

"Yeah, I was going to say the fridge was looking sparse," I pulled a face at it. "Good thing Gwen's already on it."

My sister was usually the one who thought ahead and got things done like the organised person she was. It was no surprise she got a summer job at a bookstore in town, and even less of a surprise that Raphael applied and got a job at the same place. As Gwen's former Guardian Angel (and current boyfriend), old habits died hard, I supposed.

As for the rest of us, Nathan, Micah, Cassiel and I were working at the supermarket. Nathan was usually in the bakery, Micah tended to be in the produce section, and Cassiel and I were mostly stuck stacking shelves and frozen foods. I complained about it, but I secretly liked sneaking kisses with Cassiel behind walls of Coco Pops and Kellogg's Clusters.

I couldn't help but think more about Cassiel as I slowly ate my strawberry yoghurt. I'd saved the last lemon flavoured one for him, since he loved anything citrus – especially lemon.

Rubbing my collarbone through my t-shirt, I tried to dispel the sudden itching sensation that constantly flared up on my skin. The eczema was pretty persistent, despite me having never had eczema before in my life. It had appeared after the fight with Randal, Holly and Sammael. The battle with the demons was a night never to forget. Joe died. Sammael became the first ever ice demon – with implications following a faulty ritual. Randal attacked me after I killed his bitch girlfriend Holly. Micah miraculously brought Joe back to life. And, of course, I could never forget the way Cassiel held me in his arms as he prayed for my life, breaking his own promise to himself never to pray again.

I blinked at the sound of the front door being barged open, accompanied by the glorious melody of stuffed shopping bags of food rustling against each other. Putting my empty yoghurt pot and spoon on the side, I headed out the kitchen to meet the trio in the hallway. Walking straight past Raphael and Gwen, who were carrying a fair amount of shopping, I went straight for Cassiel, who was just coming in.

The sun's rays lit his hair gold and highlighted the sparkles that appeared in his eyes when he saw me. Without hesitation, I looped my arms around his neck, guiding him down to hug me. Cassiel chuckled as he lowered the bags to the floor, his arms then encircling me.

"Good morning," I murmured into his shoulder, my voice muffled as I inhaled his citrus shampoo.

"Afternoon," I could tell Cassiel was smiling.

"Fine, afternoon," I pulled back to grin at him. "How was shopping? Did you forget to use your staff discount again?"

"No, Raph reminded me," Cassiel replied.

"You know that's the only reason they take you along, right?" I arched a brow, smirking.

"No, that is the only reason they would take you along," he corrected with a cheeky smile. "As for me, I am good company."

"Wow," I stepped back and patted his chest. "Alright then."

"Wait, no," he called after me as I turned to go back to the kitchen. "I love your company."

I whirled back around to face him, closing the distance between us once more.

"And that's what I thought."

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The gang are back! What did you think?

More of a recap chapter, but any favourite parts?

J

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