Ethereal

Nina's POV

As I ran down the hall, a chest-naked Phillip popped from his bedroom. I couldn't help but slow when I saw him buttoning his jeans—or when I spotted Serena's head popping over his shoulder. They were both flushed.

Dawn would have some choice comments about this.

Phillip's drowsy look vanished when I rushed past him. Cam came out in a hurry, I could hear the heavy footfalls behind me, but he stayed in the hall talking to his brother.

My heart was beating so fast, jumping so crazily, I thought it was going to leap from my mouth. I couldn't get to cellar fast enough. I slapped the lights on, crossed the small space from the stairs to the parted door and before going in, I grabbed the triangle key from its hanging place.

Lucas moved as I stepped foot inside the metal room. Gray eyes searched for mine in the badly lit cell, I licked my lips. It was the first time I was around Cam's body and didn't feel tingles. It felt... wrong. Scary. Like he was gone—I stopped myself. He wasn't gone, he was upstairs, breathing.

But it was also the first time I faced Lucas/Lucifer after learning the truth. The Devil had a heart. Unbelievable.

"I didn't give that Witch enough credit. She's smart." He said, making me relax. I thought he'd yell some cruel threat. "She's powerful, too. I can see why Phillip likes her."

"I guess he finally figured out his type." I hadn't been it. I took long steps toward where he was sitting, one leg stretched out, another drawn to his chest. It was his favorite pose, I recalled from Etna's memories. "I saw everything," I crouched. "I mean, I saw what I needed to see. I know about you and Etna, that you are Twin Flames. I know you... love her. You're in love with her, that everything you did—to Phillip, to Cam, to me—you did for love. Because you want to find her."

Lucas stayed silent. A layer of raw emotions played on Cam's face, I knew that facial expression. It was the one Cam had when he was angry and sad, when all he wanted to do was shut everyone out. I'd been on the receiving end of it many times before he finally trusted me.

"I've seen where she is, where the Witch took her." I tilted my head when Lucas jerked his other leg up, resting his elbows on both knees. He looked at a wall. "I want to help you find her."

He barked out a rough laugh.

"Me being in your boyfriend's body has nothing to do with that, I'm sure."

"Of course it does." I said bluntly. "But it's not the only reason. A part of me genuinely wants to help you, because what happened wasn't fair, Michael shouldn't have sent an army of Angels to kill her. Each person should be free to lead their lives how they like, with who they want."

Lucas' lips curled up.

"Michael was always a righteous asshole." His eyes softened, then. "You know where she is?"

"I do..."

A loud thud came from upstairs. Crap—Angels were invading our yard.

"But right now, we need your help. Raphael is out there with a dozen of other Angels. Serena had to put a seal on your Power because—"

"Mortal souls can't handle that much Power without breaking." I blushed, of course he knew that. "And what exactly do you want me to do about them?"

I unlocked the Golden Chains.

"You can use Cam's Power." Lucas leaned away from the wall and rolled his shoulders, then his neck. "We don't know why they're here. They could want to kill—"

"Does it really take this long to free him?"

Behind me, by the door, was Cameron. He'd pushed the door open some more and was standing there with arms crossed. His eyes glinted in the brim of darkness.

"This is creepy," the Fallen mussed, getting up. "Like looking in a mirror." Or at his twin brother who I was currently hating.

I dusted off my jeans, making my way to Cameron. Cam whirled around without a word, stepping into the lighted area outside the cell. It wasn't until now that I realized just how disturbing this was. My boyfriend was in his uncle's body and vice-versa. My soul, my heart, all gravitated toward Cameron's own. But my teenage brain seemed programmed to make googly eyes at his body.

Cam lightly brushed his fingertips on the underside of my wrist, my pulse turned erratic.

"I'm going to see what Raphy's intrusion is all about. Especially since I warned them what would happen if Angels came to this town." Lucas somberly hissed before vanishing up the stairs like a blur.

Cameron wrapped my wrist in a strong, gentle, grip. I was twirled around to face him, barreling into a man's chest. Lucas' body was strong and big. Bigger than Cam's. I... just didn't seem to fit against it, which was good. That would only peak mine and Cam's longing.

"You shouldn't be alone with him."

"I came to free him."

"This long?"

"I told him what I saw—the summarized version—I was trying to get his trust." Cam scoffed. "What?" I shoved the center of his chest. An ugly emotion cut through our connection. "You're..."

"I'm nothing. I just don't like him alone with you. Why? Maybe because the bastard tortured my brother—his own blood—he lured us into a trap. He took over my life for two months, he kept me from you, he made you suffer. You might say he's done all this for Etna, but it doesn't change the facts." Cam's free hand curled up, forming a shaking fist. "You have no idea what it felt like, Nina. I could always feel you, I could never reach you, though. And when he touched you... I wished my own hands would fall of. Or when he spoke to you, I wanted to cut off my tongue. We were supposed to be together," his hands ran along the waves in my hair, stopping when they had my face clasped. Cameron froze my breathing with the sheer fervor in his eyes. "We should've been happy. I should've helped you with Sam—I wouldn't have let you search the school for her alone. Zeke would be alive! He's responsible for that, too."

My face suddenly went cold as he turned around, slamming a fist into the crafting table. I winced. He did it again—breathing ruggedly.

"And I'm trying," he hissed. "I'm trying to keep it together. Because you need me to—you want me to." My hand inched slowly, on its own, towards his back. Cam's bent head snapped quickly, I stopped. "I'm jealous," I withdrew my hand completely once he glanced at me. "For all the time he spent with you, touched you, talked to you—I'm jealous. It should've been me."

I latched for his elbow, tugging him around, he came willingly but there was anguish on his face. I ran my fingers over a high-boned cheek, wishing I could absorb all he'd felt in the last months into myself.

"I love you," I whispered, wiping at the wetness running down my left cheek. Cam leaned into the touch, holding our eyes in place. "I do, I love you, Cameron. God, I wish I could kiss you right now."

We'd sunk deep into our personal little bubble just when a crack sounded above our heads. Followed by a hollow thump.

"We better get up there," Cam said, eyes fixed on the stairs. From a back-pocket of his jeans he pulled out an Azure dagger. "I found it in your bedroom. Underwear drawer? Sexy choice."

I flushed from head to toe thinking of him snooping through my undies and bras.

We moved carefully upstairs, not sure what scenario we'd find. Cam was holding the dagger at middle-chest level, slightly tilted forward. That's how he emerged from the cellar. A hunter ready to gut any prey.

In the library we saw the round table was broken in half, chairs were knocked over, wood pieces scattered. An Angel had been flung through a tarp-protected window. She was dusting herself off.

Her eyes squinted at us. Then, a smirk later, she heaved a laugh throwing back her head.

"Do you think you can touch me without a whisk of Power? Foolish."

Cameron cocked his wrist and the blueish blade glinted. He didn't charge. He stayed rooted, for once in his life, contemplating rash behavior. Because without Power Cameron was mortal.

More human than me.

"Why have you come here?" he asked.

My eyes moved from the blond female to the now empty window frame. I saw Angels stationed outside, heard angry low voices but couldn't see who was talking. I had a pretty good guess.

"Michael has come to his senses about you."

Golden eyes snapped back to her.

"This is Cameron, their souls are switched—"

"He knows. We know. I'm talking about Cameron." The Angel took an unafraid step forward, then another. "He has finally given the Court orders to convict you." Perfectly designed lips whipped up a glib smile. "I can tell you the Trial you'll be enduring will be one of the most painful."

I felt rage cooking up my insides.

"He wasn't the one who killed those Angels in New Orleans! I—"

A big warm hand slapped over my mouth. I grabbed his arm, pulling it away and failing. Cameron sent me a deadly serious glare once I opened my mouth to bite him.

"It's not that," the female said. We looked at her. Cam's hand slowly dropped from my lips. "It's something much worse. He knows what you did, Nephilim. And he wants justice."

W. T. F.

"What are you talking about? What I really did...?"

Great. Even Cam was on the outs. Could it have been something Lucas did when in control of Cam's body?

"You know very well what you're responsible for."

She had walked to us and was now standing three feet away.

"You killed—"

Her head snapped violently to the side, marked by a sick crack. The Angel fell to the polished wooden floor, her neck looking oddly shaped.

In the library's doorway was Serena. Her hand fell to her side.

"Remind me never to piss you off." I wrinkled my nose at the currently unconscious woman. "That's a handy skill."

"Snapping necks with a flick of a wrist? Yeah... Second time I used it." That explained why she was looking pale and nauseous leaning on the entrance's threshold. "She looks dead."

"She's not," Cam said. "Her neck will heal and she'll be good as new. Let's get out there."

As we headed into the parlor Jade came to mind.

"Where's Jade?"

"I told her to stay upstairs no matter what she heard." Serena was a life saver. "Maybe you should stay there, too. You know, since that Angel said they're here to take you on a not-so-friendly-vacation?"

Cameron pretended she hadn't said a word, heading for the tall, sculptured front door that was thrown wide open.

"Does he have a death wish?"

"Sometimes I think so." I sighed following him.

Phillip was outside, Lucas too. They were standing five feet from the final porch step. Raph was in front of them, mainly looking at Lucas. Raphael's group of Angels formed a half moon around them. But as soon as Cam stepped out on the wrap-around porch, eyes turned to us. To him.

"I hate family reunions," I heard him mumble while stepping down the stairs. "Who threw the Angel inside?"

"That was me. She pissed me off." Phillip declared moodily.

"You owe me a mahogany table." I blinked. Really Cam? "And you're supposed to keep them outside of our house, not throw them in!"

Okay. That was better.

"My aim's a little off. Maybe from not playing basketball?" he pondered like there wasn't a small army of Angels ready to drag Cameron to God knows where.

"Maybe," Cam agreed, a shadow of a smile tugging at his lips. It died when he finally glanced Raph's way. "What's all this about?"

Raphael had nothing in common with Lucas, Gabriel or the twins. His eyes were a sparkly rich champagne color, his hair was blond, cropped neatly above his ears and his skin was paler. Today Raph was wearing a gray sport coat, a white Tee underneath and faded jeans. He could easily pass for a handsome College football player, the kind Zeke would never have a chance to become.

That was a gut wrenching thought.

Raphael's eyes were strapped on Cameron, revealing shock. I could tell when Cam flashed him a yeah-I'm-in-my-uncle's-body-get-over-it-already look, because the Archangel sobered up, breathing in, before speaking.

"The Court has ordered that you be taken to Trial—"

"Yeah, the nutcase inside the house told me that. She was just about to say why before her neck got snapped." Raph made a tsk sound. "Apparently the two idiots back in New Orleans are no longer the reason."

"They're not."

"Okay," Cam's fingers turned white from how badly he was clutching the dagger at his side. "Who did I supposedly kill?"

Phillip crossed his eyes looking at their former-fake-uncle.

"Go ahead," the younger twin said. "You said you'd only tell us when Cam was here. He's here. Talk." Phillip's blue eyes were trained on the half circle of Angels, prepared to strike at the littlest of twitching.

A twist in my stomach gave me chills. I found myself stepping closer to Serena in fear, anticipation of what was to come. She touched my forearm passing me a strong, reassuring look. I mentally thanked her.

"Michael found out something a couple of days ago. It was... something I kept from him for a long time, for ten years. I kept it from everyone in Heaven..." he paused looking at the grass and leftover snow. "Michael found out that you killed your Father." A silent cold breeze brushed everything, everyone's skin. Raph repeated, "That you killed Gabriel."

I swear my own knees buckled.

It was one thing to hear it in my mind, where Cameron was safe from judgment, safe from pain, guilt, embarrassment—it was another to hear someone say it out loud. In front of some many people. Serena looked at me in shock. I bit the inside of my cheek. He didn't do it on purpose, I wanted to yell, He was just a kid—a scared eight year old who'd just seen a guy rip out his Mother's heart!

Lucas didn't move or speak. He knew what Cameron had done. I knew for a fact he'd loved Gabriel, just as Cameron loved Phillip, and he wasn't hunting his nephew for it—for an accident.

"He..." it was Phillip who found words first. "He didn't know?" Raphael shook his head.

"I told him he died in the fire."

"Why? I mean," Phillip's face flashed between confusion and loss. "It was an accident. It wasn't like he planned it! You can't blame him for what happened that day, you can't blame him for New Orleans, either. This is bull."

"Phillip—"

"Who told him?"

My heart stuttered at Cam's icy cold tone. In Lucas' voice he sounded more authoritative and lethal than ever before. It caused Raph to stand straight, no joke.

"If you never told anyone," Cam paused holding his head high. "How did Michael find out?"

"Uriel. Somehow—I don't know how—she found out. She came back to Heaven days ago and she... just knew. And she told him. Because she knew Michael would be so deeply betrayed and angry that he would—"

"He would sentence one of our brother's sons to death? Because no one survives the Trials. Well, almost no one. So you can call it by what it is, Raphael. A death sentence." Lucas paused, lips puckering in thought. "Rash, violent decisions he can never make amends for... It sounds like Michael."

"Keep out of this." Cam hissed.

"Ah," Lucas sighed stepping up to Raphael, clapping a hand on his shoulder—hard. "Kids are so dramatic." He smirked. As Raph attempted to shrug off his hold, Lucas pulled back an arm and slammed a fist into the Archangel's cheek.

The impact was so big it made Raphael stumble once, and taking advantage, Lucas grabbed his neck until veins popped up. He flung him left. Raphael crashed into two stunned Angels, knocking them over like bowling pins.

Chaos ensued.

The Angels still standing dashed forth, heading for Lucas, Phillip and Cam. Lucas' wasn't fazed by their speed, slamming a stomach kick into one. The guy was sent flying. Next, he dodged a punch to the chin—I think these Angels were Authorities they seemed weak—and grabbed the Angel's hand, bending the wrist left. The female hollered but Lucas took no pity quickly sweeping her legs.

Cam was tackled!

A burly looking Angel straddled Lucas' body. The dagger had flown from his hand to the ground, inches from his reach. The exaggeratedly large Angel pinned him in place by stomping a hand on his chest. Cameron tried wiggling his fingers... With his other hand, the Authority seized his throat. Cam kicked his legs to no avail. His face was turning red from the lack of oxygen.

I gritted my teeth.

I still had muscle pain from my car accident, a few stitches in my neck, but I ran. I ran across to where the dagger was and didn't hesitate—I grabbed its hilt and plunged it in the first body part I could.

Unfortunately, I just targeted his shoulder.

He wailed in agony, shaking. Azure crystal must really have a nasty bite, I thought. It made sense since it was the only thing that healed at human paced.

Cam recovered somewhat, punching the bastard in the spleen. He tumbled over twitching and yelling.

"Nina—"

"Are you seriously going to lecture me for saving your life?" I snapped. Adrenaline pumped me.

He smirked widely, "I was going to say how hot that was." Oh. In that case— "And also incredibly reckless, little idiot."

I huffed as we drew back from the ongoing battle in the front yard. An orange warmness caught our eye.

Phillip had dug into his special magic trick. He literally played with fire. A circle of tall flames kept four Angels trapped. The flames grew past their hip height, stopping for moments at shoulder level until he made them taller and closed the dome of fire above their heads.

"Is he..." Roasting Angels?

"Fire consumes oxygen. He has them trapped in a dome of fire..."

"He's burning the air inside it so they'll pass out!" I hissed clinging to Cam's arm. "Wow. That's really smart thinking."

Cam looked proud.

Somewhere behind us chanting carried out. I turned to see Serena with her eyes closed and arms outstretched, palms turned up, as if expecting rain. It was then I noticed Raphael—and the Angels he'd knocked down—weren't getting up, they were contorting in agony as Serena slowly lowered her hands. Their bodies became squashed against the ground, destroying winter grass, crunching snow—it was like an invisible weight was pushing them.

"I never thought I'd say this," Cam began, a smirk stretching coral lips. "But having a Witch on our side is wicked awesome."

Just as her lips turned up in a wobbly line a trickle of blood ran from Serena's nose. Her knees buckled once, she stumbled and her outstretched hands faltered.

"Shit," Cam cursed setting forward. Soon, he was steadying Serena against his side. "You need to stop. Raphael's too powerful to keep down, even for you."

Phillip must've caught wind of Cameron's sound advice because heat somersaulted in all directions. Flames grew at his feet, lighting a path to where Raphael was, trying to stand against the invisible force Serena's Magic was still generating. The lower Angels couldn't move still.

Flames licked higher and higher once they reached Raph's shoes, climbing pants, burning holes quick—skin was burning. It was faint. But to me... to me that smell was unforgettable. Memories from my family's suffering were drowned when a hand clamped around my throat.

In a swift hoisting motion, feet kicked air trying to find a solid body part to hit. Only the air was fading fast from my lungs, oxygen draining quick from my bloodstream and making it so much harder to move... or think. Faintly, I made a grab for the hand strangling me. Cam called out when spots threw a parade in front of my eyes.

"That's not how you pick up ladies, Ezekiel." A dull crack pounded its way into my brain—I gasped in pain after hitting the hard ground. A hand pressed to my chest as I heaved deeply, greedily. "He always did have trouble discerning what wooing and non-consensual touching means." Cam's voice—but not Cameron—said.

I kept coughing and breathing but pain radiated from somewhere on my neck. Fingers brushed over the skin. Oh no. The stitches were torn.

"That's not good," I murmured numbly staring at my fingers, coated with some blood. A tear later, ripped cloth was pressed against the seeping cut on the side of my throat. Golden eyes fluttered to meet gray.

"Keep pressing on it." Lucas ordered in a firm monotone, getting up.

Keeping the T-shirt piece on my neck, I took a wild glare at who'd almost suffocated me. It was the buff Angel I'd stabbed. Now he had a broken neck. Good for him.

Screams brought me back from the edge I'd been treading. Raphael found himself on the ground—again—only this time, it was voluntarily. Fire clung to him with a vice-grip. Burning clothes, skin. Any part of him it touched.

Phillip had drifted closer and... it was scary.

I'd never seen him do this—to a Demon, yes. To a person? No. I bet the time he set the Tapeworm on fire, in the cafeteria, fire hadn't burned this hot. It was making me sweat and I was a good couple feet away.

"Phillip," I heard Cam grit from behind me.

Those blue vibrant eyes didn't flinch. Phill's head remained rooted in place, staring dead-ahead at the gory scene before his feet.

I took a look at the other Angels. Most were on the ground, passed out from Phillip's neat stunt earlier, others had broken necks—courtesy of Lucas—and others were dazed and dizzy thanks to Serena.

Wind picked up. Fast and strong it knocked into me, whiplashing my hot skin. A tremor shook my body.

Now Raphael's Power was coming out to play.

Purely blond hair struck my face. Cam had lowered Serena beside me and was walking with big strides to where Phillip and former-uncle Raph were.

"Cam..." my voice was lost to the howling wind.

"He's... so powerful." Serena whispered clinging to my arm as I did hers as tragedy seemed to strike us in the face. "If I could..." she swallowed. I could see how weak Raphael had rendered her—she was fighting not to show it, but Serena was panting.

I shook my head slowly, dizzy myself from the blood my neck kept putting out. The cloth was warm under my palm.

"You can't..."

Thunder struck. For real. The sky just melted into a big ugly black cloud and it came down. One giant bolt of electricity. Striking precisely where Raphael stood.

Cameron and Phillip were blown back thanks to the impact, getting tossed roughly fifteen feet.

Lucas stood near the scorched ground, looking down.

"I hate cold winds." He sneered down at the Archangel whose skin had turned into pure carnage. Raphael's head was missing clumps of flawless hair. His face looked... God. I averted my eyes. "That should take him a while to heal. Which means, we should leave. Now."

A stupidly brave or just stupid Angel got up. His eyes were brimming with animosity and repulse as they switched between Lucas and Cameron, who'd just gotten up. The Authority couldn't seem to decide who to hate more—lastly, Cam won.

He disappeared from view only to show up in front of Cam. His hand aimed for the right of Lucas' chest, but his hand never made impact.

Phillip grabbed him by the shoulders flinging him back. His shoulders were arched back, tense.

"How can you protect him? He's a murderer!" The Angel spat rolling over his side, eying Phillip with wide horror, anger. "He doesn't deserve anything from you. He killed your Father—"

The Authority's voice halted, his body balked like someone had severed contact between his brain and muscles.

Power washed out from Phillip in a hazardous hot mess.

To everyone's surprise—even Lucas' stared with curiosity—the Angel's skin began showing tiny cracks on the surface, blood oozed from those tiny cracks. Then, blisters grew all over his face, arms, hands—they were red. Blood splattered when they popped like overgrown zits.

Phillip lifted blue, darkened eyes marking the man before him with glare.

"I think it's time for you to die."

Cameron lurched a hand for his brother's shoulder... it was too late, though.

The Angel exploded in front of our eyes. I expected guts to fly, hit us. There were none. Only blood flew about crashing into the twins and cinders fell on the grass, like tainted snow. The only reminder that there'd been a person standing.

Phillip had made his blood boil quite literally. He'd exploded him. An Angel.

Serena heaved heavily staring ahead—at Phillip. He was breathing sharply, taking a new breath before he finished taking the previous one.

Nobody said anything. No one but Cameron.

"You're a moron." He sounded angry. I wasn't sure why—sure I was stunned by Phillip's frigidness, but I couldn't say I felt sorry. "This is holy ground, Phillip. Do you remember what happens if you kill someone—an Angel—on holy ground?"

Phill met his brother's hard stare.

"It becomes violated. It becomes normal ground."

"Exactly," Cam passed a phony grin. "Normal ground. Making our property fair game for any unholy bastard." Cameron shook his head walking away from his twin, coming to where I was looking disgruntled.

Deep down, it didn't matter that their home was no longer unholy-creatures-proof. Not now. Because Lucas was right.

We had to leave.