Antonio was three sheets to the wind, was a testament to how much he drank.
So it was no surprise to find Jake pacing back and forth in front of the nearest bar, cursing under his breath. “Hey,” Antonio said softly.
“How the fuck can I get rip-roaring drunk if no one can fucking see me?” Jake demanded, spinning on his heel to face the angel. His face was distorted with a combination of rage and frustration.
Antonio’s heart hurt for the man. This was so much for him to take in all at once. Hell, it was no cakewalk for Antonio when it had been him in this position, he could only imagine what it must be like for a human. “Come with me,” Antonio said.
“No, I’m getting drunk. Just as soon as I figure out how.” Jake turned his back on Antonio.
“I know,” Antonio said to his back. “But unless you want to explain to everyone why you have a huge set of wings and are wearing chain mail, I suggest you let me help you.”
Jake turned to look at him. “I’m listening.”
“Come on,” Antonio said, walking around to the back of the building. Jake followed him.
When they reached the back entrance, Antonio stopped. “What, are we breaking in?” Jake asked, eyeing the door.
“No,” Antonio said on a chuckle. “First, you gotta get visible. Then we have to hide your wings.”
“And just how the fuck do I do that?” Jake asked.
“You have to want to be seen,” the angel told him. “Concentrate on that first.”
Jake did as he was told. He felt his body shimmer, for lack of a better description. Then Antonio nodded at him in approval. “Now make your wings disappear.” Jake willed his wings away and they obeyed. He stood there in front of Antonio, who had done the same thing, a mere man. There was nothing to indicate that Jake had become an Elite Warrior or that he currently resided in Hell. Hell, he had decided, was not necessarily in one specific place, but existed everywhere. “Now,” Antonio said, “Let’s get a drink.”
CHAPTER TEN
Jake followed Antonio into the little dive bar that he had chosen. It wouldn’t have necessarily been Jake’s first choice, but it was the first one he had come upon during his flight away from his charge.
The air smelled of stale cigarette smoke, sex, and alcohol. The bar was lined with rough looking men, as were the tables. There were two waitresses on staff, it appeared, and one bartender. The girls looked tired and Jake was fairly certain that one of them was on Meth. The bartender was built like a tank and he made no secret of the shotgun he kept behind the bar. It was hanging like a trophy on a pair of hooks on the wall behind him; easy to access, and Jake had no doubt it was loaded and ready for action.
“Nice place,” Antonio said under his breath as they found a clean-ish table to sit at.
“Beggars can’t be choosers,” Jake replied, taking a seat.
“Hi, boys,” their waitress said, standing by their table. “Whaddaya havin’?”
Jake just knew they were gonna get the meth-head to wait on them. “Tequila,” Jake answered while trying not to make eye contact.
“Make it two,” Antonio said. The waitress grinned at Antonio with a definite come hither look, never mind that she was missing half her front teeth and the other half were rotting away in her gums. Jake rolled his eyes. Stupid angel even smiled back at her. Jake thought the woman was going to faint.
“Ok, sugar,” she cooed. “Be right back.”
“Ew,” Jake grumbled.
“What?” Antonio grinned. “What can I say? I have a way with the ladies.”
“I never did understand Meth,” Jake grumbled.
“Remember that I told you not to judge too quickly?” Antonio asked, throwing back his shot of Patron.
“Yeah,” Jake said on a harsh
So it was no surprise to find Jake pacing back and forth in front of the nearest bar, cursing under his breath. “Hey,” Antonio said softly.
“How the fuck can I get rip-roaring drunk if no one can fucking see me?” Jake demanded, spinning on his heel to face the angel. His face was distorted with a combination of rage and frustration.
Antonio’s heart hurt for the man. This was so much for him to take in all at once. Hell, it was no cakewalk for Antonio when it had been him in this position, he could only imagine what it must be like for a human. “Come with me,” Antonio said.
“No, I’m getting drunk. Just as soon as I figure out how.” Jake turned his back on Antonio.
“I know,” Antonio said to his back. “But unless you want to explain to everyone why you have a huge set of wings and are wearing chain mail, I suggest you let me help you.”
Jake turned to look at him. “I’m listening.”
“Come on,” Antonio said, walking around to the back of the building. Jake followed him.
When they reached the back entrance, Antonio stopped. “What, are we breaking in?” Jake asked, eyeing the door.
“No,” Antonio said on a chuckle. “First, you gotta get visible. Then we have to hide your wings.”
“And just how the fuck do I do that?” Jake asked.
“You have to want to be seen,” the angel told him. “Concentrate on that first.”
Jake did as he was told. He felt his body shimmer, for lack of a better description. Then Antonio nodded at him in approval. “Now make your wings disappear.” Jake willed his wings away and they obeyed. He stood there in front of Antonio, who had done the same thing, a mere man. There was nothing to indicate that Jake had become an Elite Warrior or that he currently resided in Hell. Hell, he had decided, was not necessarily in one specific place, but existed everywhere. “Now,” Antonio said, “Let’s get a drink.”
CHAPTER TEN
Jake followed Antonio into the little dive bar that he had chosen. It wouldn’t have necessarily been Jake’s first choice, but it was the first one he had come upon during his flight away from his charge.
The air smelled of stale cigarette smoke, sex, and alcohol. The bar was lined with rough looking men, as were the tables. There were two waitresses on staff, it appeared, and one bartender. The girls looked tired and Jake was fairly certain that one of them was on Meth. The bartender was built like a tank and he made no secret of the shotgun he kept behind the bar. It was hanging like a trophy on a pair of hooks on the wall behind him; easy to access, and Jake had no doubt it was loaded and ready for action.
“Nice place,” Antonio said under his breath as they found a clean-ish table to sit at.
“Beggars can’t be choosers,” Jake replied, taking a seat.
“Hi, boys,” their waitress said, standing by their table. “Whaddaya havin’?”
Jake just knew they were gonna get the meth-head to wait on them. “Tequila,” Jake answered while trying not to make eye contact.
“Make it two,” Antonio said. The waitress grinned at Antonio with a definite come hither look, never mind that she was missing half her front teeth and the other half were rotting away in her gums. Jake rolled his eyes. Stupid angel even smiled back at her. Jake thought the woman was going to faint.
“Ok, sugar,” she cooed. “Be right back.”
“Ew,” Jake grumbled.
“What?” Antonio grinned. “What can I say? I have a way with the ladies.”
“I never did understand Meth,” Jake grumbled.
“Remember that I told you not to judge too quickly?” Antonio asked, throwing back his shot of Patron.
“Yeah,” Jake said on a harsh
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