Page 10 of Azriel

The light from the window to Vali’s right hit his face just so, and Azriel’s eyes widened.

“What?” Vali squinted. “Did I say something?”

That was why he had such unnatural hair. Did he know?

“Why are you being so nice to me?” asked Azriel.

Vali opened his mouth slightly. “I mean, if you’ve been hiding in my attic and using me for angel candy, I would imagine you need help, and I should help if I can. I don’t really get why you’re here, but it’s not fair to leave you in the attic or kick you out on the street. You seem…scared. I don’t think you’re really supposed to be here at all, are you? Is God mad at you or something?”

Azriel would kill himself if he ever had to go back home, not that God cared or even spared a thought for him. It wasn’t like He’d force him to return. Azriel wasn’t about to explain all of that right now. Besides, the human had a Mother, but there didn’t seem to be a Father around. When he’d listened through the ceiling, he’d only ever heard two people.

“Erm, where’s your Father?” asked Azriel.

Vali shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

Vali shook his head and rolled his eyes. “I don’t know, I don't wanna know, and I don’t care. He left because he didn’t want to raise a baby. He fed Mother some lies and skipped off once real responsibility came around. He gave her money and stuff, but that was it.”

“Do you know what you are?”

Vali scowled. “I know I’m a bastard kid. I’m sure God’s not thrilled with that, but it’s not my fault. Mother was young too, and it’s not like she’s a bad person.”

He kept mentioning God and seemed to have no idea.

“I didn’t mean a bastard kid. I meant…you’re a nephilim.”

“What? I’m a Camadayian. You’re in the kingdom of Camaday.”

“No, you’re a nephilim.” Azriel slowly said the last word. “That’s why your right eye is blue, and the other is green.”

Vali stared at him for a moment. “Huh?”

“You’re part angel and part human. Your Father must have been the angel.”

Vali laughed. “My Father wasn’t an angel. He was a piece of shit for dumping her.”

Azriel shook his head. “You’re a nephilim. Cambions have a demon parent.”

Vali squinted. “Aren’t nephilim mentioned in the Bible because angels wanted human wives? They were big, strong guys, and God rid of them. I’m not big, I’m not special, and I’m all human. The eye thing-” He gestured at his face. “It’s not common, but Mother says it happens once in a while.”

“You have orange hair.”

“Yeah, I noticed. Please, no jokes about carrots.”

Azriel tilted his head. The human was in denial, so his Mother must have kept it a secret. That wasn’t fair because he had a long life ahead, and someone would eventually notice. “I bet you grew slowly.”

Vali had straightened up, but he stilled. “Yeah…”

“You’re not all human.” Vali seemed frozen, and Azriel suddenly wondered if he should have kept his mouth shut instead. “I’m sorry. If you want me to go-”

“No, no, no. What are you talking about? I’m completely human.”

“You have orange hair.”

“So? It’s just…a defect. I know it’s ugly, but I’m not a fairy, and I’m definitely not an angel. Is this some kind of angel joke to play on humans or something?”

Azriel bit his lip as he stepped back. He should have kept his mouth shut. Unvern had been right when he once said Azriel was bound to fuck up at everything, and he was only good as an energy source. He hadn’t even been here for very long.

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