Chapter 1
Katelyn
I woke up screaming and covered in sweat as the pain shot through my back. It wasn't your regular kind of back pain, it was much worse, it felt like something was trying to claw its way through my skin.
I've been having these fits for the past month now, it would always start with a very high fever and then the pain would come.
I fought hard to hold back another scream, because I didn't want to wake my mom, since there was nothing she could do to take the pain away and she would only get worried even more. But the pain got worse, which made me fail my last attempt and my piercing scream echoed through the house.
A moment later my mom rushed into my room with a wet towel and wrapped it around me. That usually helped with the fever, but did nothing for the unbearable pain. Not that I would tell her that.
"It's getting worse, isn't it?" She asked worried.
"No." I replied, but my strained voice betrayed me. I hate lying to her, but I hated the fact that she was so worried even more.
"Maybe I should take you to a doctor."
"You've taken me to five different doctors already and none of them could say what was wrong, a sixth doctor won't help."
"I have to do something."
"The only thing that seems to help is the wet towel."
She threw her arms around me and hugged me tightly; "Oh my dear baby, I promise that I will find out what's hurting you and fix it."
But for some reason I knew that there was no way to fix it. I had a very bad feeling about whatever was causing these fits, the feeling in my gut told me that this was going to change my life forever, though it made no sense, how could a couple of fit change my life so drastically?
Though I was very afraid.
After my fit was over mom left my room and I tried to catch my, thin I rested my head on a pillow, but it was useless; once I had a fit I couldn't go back to sleep.
I sighed and got my favorite book; Fallen, and started reading it until it was finally time for me to get ready for school.
I caught up with my best friend Tammy on the way and we both entered the school together; she told me what happened on her favorite T.V show, even though she knows I watched it as well. Suddenly she froze and a smile appeared on her face; "In coming." She gestured towards Ash, who was getting out of his black Bugatti Veyron. He had pitch black hair, emerald green eyes and a perfectly sculpted face and body.
Yes, yes I'll admit it; I have a crush on him! But which girl doesn't? The only problem is that he never talks to anybody, but that's what attracted me towards him; he was a loner, and in a way I could relate to that; I actually fitted in with anybody even Tammy.
The only reason we are friend is because we grew up together and being friends was part of our lives and we didn't want to change that even thought we started to differ over time.
"Hell, he's perfect!" she added, "You're so lucky that you get to sit behind that perfect Greek god in History."
"Not really since we never talk."
"You still get to stare at him without it looking like staring."
"All I can see is the back of his head."
"Don't forget that perfect statuesque back of his. Gosh I'm getting goose bumps just thinking about it."
"I wonder what he's like."
"I bet you ten bucks that he's a player."
"What makes you think that?"
"He is drop dead gorgeous, which automatically means he is a player."
"I disagree." I shook my head, "Just look at him, he's a loner, which is the complete opposite of a player."
"Hmm, good point."
"Besides, even though I don't know him I feel safe around him and I get this strange vibe from him."
"Good or bad vibe?"
"Definitely a good vibe." I watched him walk up the stairs and into the school building and as always he was alone, but suddenly I had the strange urge to join him.
Finally it was the last period and our History teacher, Mr. Thomson, entered the classroom; "Good evening students."
"Evening Mr. Thomson." The class replied half heartedly.
"I have an assignment for you." The sound of the students groans echoed in the room, "You and a partner must do research on any historical, religious or mythological event,." He carried on ignoring the sarcastic comments that came his way, "and since you get to choose the subject, I get to choose your partner." He went down the rows of students, assigning them to the person behind them.
Wait! If I'm the last person in my row, the person in front of me would become my partner, which was Ash...
Oh my gosh! I'm going to be partners with Ash! Ash, as in perfect Greek god Ash!
Then Mr. Thomson said the magic words; "Ash Rivers you'll be partners with Katelyn Danvers."
After assigning everyone he gave us the rest of the period to choose a subject.
Ash turned his chair around to face me, but there was an awkward silence; "Do you have anything specific in mind?" I asked, wondering what his voice sounded like, but to my disappointment he merely shook his head in reply.
The thing was I had something in mind, but I was afraid that he would think it was stupid; "What about the fall of the Nephilim." I blurted out. Can you believe it, betrayed by my own mouth, he looked at me surprised, "Nephilims are half human half fallen angel." I felt the need to explain it because most people didn't know what they are.
"Yeah, I know, I just didn't think that you would." His voice was smooth like velvet, which gave me goose bumps.
"I'm kind of into that kind of stuff."
"Hmm, that's odd."
"Why?"
"The girls around here are into fashion, pop music, dogs that fit into handbags and a whole lot of other crap."
"I've never really been one of the crowd."
"A loner?"
"I guess so."
"But what about that girl who is always with you?"
Wow, that means he actually noticed me before.
"We grew up together so we've always been friends."
"Oh. So when you say the fall of the Nephilim, do you mean the Great Flood?"
"Yes, but I doubt that they're extinct, for even if they were wiped out during Noah's flood, what would stop the Fallens from making more?" He looked at me amused, "Hell, you must think I'm a freak for believing in Nephilims."
"No, on the contrary I totally agree."
We actually have things in common.
I had to sit alone in lunch, because Tammy left school early claiming that she was 'sick'.
So there I was sitting alone, when I notice that Ash was coming my way, but he was probably on his way to another table.
"Hey Katelyn." I stand corrected.
"Hey." I can't believe it; he's actually talking to me outside of the class.
"May I sit?"
"If you don't mind ruining your loner rep."
"I'll manage." He replied with a smile and sat right next to me.
Then there was another awkward silence, though Ash looked completely comfortable with it, I on the other hand was use to the sound of Tammy's constant chattering.
"So..." Ash finally broke the silence, my discomfort was probably all over my face, "the food looks..." he hesitated, looked at his food and frowned, "uh... eatable."
"For the first time in months, the cafeteria lady must be in a good mood."
He smiled; "Yeah." Then came yet another awkward silence.
"We should probably meet at the library after school to get started on that assignment." I didn't want to bring it up, but I was more desperate to break the silence.
"Sounds cool, but we don't have to do much research though, between the two of us we could do most of it based on general knowledge."
"So basically all we have to do on the net is find pictures and confirm what we know."
"Exactly."
After school I met up with Ash at the library and signed on to two computers that were beside each other.
I switched mine on and nearly got a heart attack; as if some extremely sick joke, there was a big picture of a creepy clown as the background. Chills ran down my back as I immediately pushed the off button and switched to the computer on the other side of Ash.
He frowned; "What's wrong?"
"Clown." I simply replied.
"You're afraid of clowns?" I could see he was trying not to laugh.
"Yeah, they are evil demonic creatures that come straight from the depths of hell."
He burst into laughter; "I'm really sorry, but that is really funny."
"Go ahead, laugh it up, but when a clown attacks you I'll be that one laughing." I made it sound like a joke, but one day he'll realize I was serious.
"I could take him."
"You would beat up a clown?"
"I'd be able to." He replied confidently.
"Really, what makes you so sure?"
"Let's just say I was taught to fight the brutal way."
"What do you mean?"
"That, my dear, is classified."
"All right then, but since you know my biggest fear it's only fair that you tell me yours."
He thought about it, then looked me in my eyes; "I'm afraid of going back to the place I dread the most."
"And where is that?"
"Just pray that you would never have to find out." He replied in a grim tone. I inhaled deeply, the sadness I saw in his eyes made me regret bringing it up. "What made you start fearing clowns?" He asked, obviously trying to take the spotlight of himself.
"No you're going to think I'm crazy."
"Trust me, I won't."
"Ok," I took a deep breath, I haven't told anyone this story in years, "when I was five my mom took me to the carnival, after a while we got separated, as I tried to find her this clown grabbed me and tried to drag me away, but then this man with black wings knocked him out and took me away to a ride that was only a few feet away from my mother, but since there were no clowns in that carnival and the mention of a winged man, no one believed me." It was funny; it looked like he actually believed me.
"Well, I don't find that crazy at all and I do believe you."
"Thanks."
"What do you think the winged man was?"
"Hmm, I don't know, maybe a guardian angel."
"Impossible, Guardians have white wings."
"Then what kind of angel has black wings?"
"Only two, Fallens and Nephilims."
"Why would a Fallen or Nephilim save me?"
"Yeah that does sound very unlikely, maybe he had a grudge against the clown."
"Again, why?"
"My guess is that the clown wasn't human."
"Which would mean he was a Fallen or Nephilim."
"Or perhaps a demon," he chuckled, "in which case you would've been right, he was a creature straight from the depths of hell."
"I told you so."
"Remind me never to argue with you again." He said with a smile.
"So, you really believe me?"
"Yes, it's not that impossible."
"I wish my mom would've seen it that way."
"How did she react when you told her?"
"She send me to a psychologist."
"Ouch."
The more I talked to him, the more I realized how much we had in common and for the first time I felt like I could actually relate to someone.
We did research and talked until the library closed, then he gave me a ride home in his Bugatti and left with a smile.