Half-angels, known as Nephilim, have all but destroyed the surface of the Earth. Yet for Kali Michaels, her life is now much more complicated than simply surviving. Grappling with her own powerful identity, she worries her connection to the world of Shadows could destroy those around her.
And what if she hurts Tiamat Wormwood, the Nephilim outcast who has given everything to save her? Tiamat and Kali know they have no future—not when outside forces and Kali’s own power push both the humans and the Nephilim to the brink of extinction.
As she fights to stop the inevitable, she is led to question who her real enemies are, and whether the ultimate threat may actually be herself.
My heart was breaking. I didn’t know what to do. I ran my hand down his back, along the smooth skin between his wings, and rested my cheek against his head. Tears threatened, but I wouldn’t let them come. Not yet. Perhaps he simply needed some rest. Or maybe, with that Shadow inside him, he was now lost inside himself, just as I was a short time before.
“You want him to live.” It was a statement, not a question, tinged with the wonderment of a child. I had already forgotten the boy was there.
“Yes.”
“Why? He is one of the Nephilim.”
“I told you. We came here to protect your camp.” I was weary of his company and wished the child would just go away. “He isn’t like the other Nephilim.”
“And you love him.”
“Yes.”
He was quiet for a moment. “I saw what you did. People can’t do that. No one can do that.”
I wasn’t certain how to respond. How could I explain to him what I was? If these people were afraid of the Nephilim—which, by all means they should have been—how would they respond to someone like me? “You need special people to watch over your camp,” I replied. It wasn’t really a lie.
He was quiet again. “What are you?”
I let out a long breath and straightened to look at him. I wondered if he could see the sorrow in my face, because I could see it in his. But there was something else there too; I was sure I could see a hint of wisdom that belied his years. It didn’t seem to fit. Who was this child? “My name’s Kali,” I answered.
He picked at a scab on his arm, looking uncomfortable. “What are you, Kali?”
“A friend. That’s all you need to know right now. I won’t hurt you. Neither will he.” I sighed, looking down at Tiamat. I bit my lip to keep it from trembling. More to myself than to the child, I mumbled, “I wish I knew how to help him.”
Tiamat’s dark hair was still in front of his face. Ever so gently, I pushed it back on his forehead, revealing a beautiful, pale-skinned profile. The moment his face was clear, however, I heard a sharp intake of breath from the boy beside me.
I swung my head again to look at the boy. His focus was fixed on Tiamat’s face, his expression strangely neutral. However, I knew I saw it, that glimmer of recognition just simmering under the surface. “Are his eyes blue?” he asked. His voice sounded so small.
“Yes. As far as I know, all the Nephilim’s eyes are blue.”
Without shifting his focus in the slightest, his next words came out as a command. “You want to help? Then burn him.” And with that the boy padded away, swallowed by the darkness at the back of the cave.
“You want him to live.” It was a statement, not a question, tinged with the wonderment of a child. I had already forgotten the boy was there.
“Yes.”
“Why? He is one of the Nephilim.”
“I told you. We came here to protect your camp.” I was weary of his company and wished the child would just go away. “He isn’t like the other Nephilim.”
“And you love him.”
“Yes.”
He was quiet for a moment. “I saw what you did. People can’t do that. No one can do that.”
I wasn’t certain how to respond. How could I explain to him what I was? If these people were afraid of the Nephilim—which, by all means they should have been—how would they respond to someone like me? “You need special people to watch over your camp,” I replied. It wasn’t really a lie.
He was quiet again. “What are you?”
I let out a long breath and straightened to look at him. I wondered if he could see the sorrow in my face, because I could see it in his. But there was something else there too; I was sure I could see a hint of wisdom that belied his years. It didn’t seem to fit. Who was this child? “My name’s Kali,” I answered.
He picked at a scab on his arm, looking uncomfortable. “What are you, Kali?”
“A friend. That’s all you need to know right now. I won’t hurt you. Neither will he.” I sighed, looking down at Tiamat. I bit my lip to keep it from trembling. More to myself than to the child, I mumbled, “I wish I knew how to help him.”
Tiamat’s dark hair was still in front of his face. Ever so gently, I pushed it back on his forehead, revealing a beautiful, pale-skinned profile. The moment his face was clear, however, I heard a sharp intake of breath from the boy beside me.
I swung my head again to look at the boy. His focus was fixed on Tiamat’s face, his expression strangely neutral. However, I knew I saw it, that glimmer of recognition just simmering under the surface. “Are his eyes blue?” he asked. His voice sounded so small.
“Yes. As far as I know, all the Nephilim’s eyes are blue.”
Without shifting his focus in the slightest, his next words came out as a command. “You want to help? Then burn him.” And with that the boy padded away, swallowed by the darkness at the back of the cave.
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Kali, thrust from the surety of her world into the boundless hell of Tiamat’s, must try to find a way to survive in the Earth’s vast, devastated landscape. Plagued by a legion
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Thank you so much for this awesome post, Lauren. I'm thrilled for such a wonderful shout-out about my new release, Angel of Shadow (and I really appreciate all the time you put into this)!!! xo D.H. Nevins
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