An Angel's Ascent Read Online Free Page B

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    I decided to grab a drink from my little fridge and finish my email while I had time. Mainly, my coven saying they would either be late or miss our next semiannual meeting.
    Here I should say that my coven is unique. We’re not hung up on practicalities. We’re more of a free coven and basically just check in online. Every now and then we actually met in person. Nowadays, it was hard to get more than five sisters together at the same time. I was also dealing with the demon hunts, which of course were random but still necessary.
    The day was kind of slow, but the weekends near payday were hopping so I wasn't worried. I catered to several types of people so my business went well. If one area was slow, another may be booming. Typically, if you had even a little money, everyone found something here. Incense was five for two dollars and fifty cents. Various types of candles from scented to unscented, twenty or so different shades of colors, and then the pretty décor kind not for burning. All my items started from a dollar and up.
    I had an antique broker coming for lunch shortly. I'd already ordered small sandwiches from next door, and was hoping the sword and dagger he had for me were the ones I’d been searching endlessly for. I’d found a reference to them in a book some years ago and only recently stumbled upon the set. The man refused for some time to sell it to me. I have connections to book dealers and when he found this out, he decided a visit was in order. Yay for me… my connections were quite surprising considering my age, and the length of time I’ve been in business.
    The bell rang, and I looked up. Michael was here to take out my trash and help me with some heavy medieval armor I’d bought recently. I get shipments in at various times, sometimes twice a week or as little as once a month.
    He was a good kid and refused to take my money when I offered to pay him.
    “ Hi Angel, how are you today?” he asked, walking up to where I was rearranging a candle display. People tended to finger the displays. It apparently was an uncontrollable urge with adults as well as children. Who knew?
    “ Busy as always, and you?” Michael was a sweetie, and if I had to take a guess he had a huge crush on me. As if it wasn’t already obvious.
    I have to elaborate here though that throughout my thoughts I may sound a little biased maybe even conceited, it might be a trait others say I need to work on, but deep down, I don’t think I am. After the loss of my mother during the time I was an orphan, I quickly learned to praise and acknowledge my accomplishments like she would have. In this cruel world, you can’t do that enough, or the turmoil and utter pandemonium of everything happening around you could break your soul and change you for life.
    “ Did it come in yet?” he asked, helping himself to a soda. I was feeling a need to kick him for scaring me so badly the night before.
    “ Yep, it’s in the back; the delivery guys cried the whole time they were here about how heavy it was. Think we can do it?” I joked with him. My small frame amazed people when they saw how strong I was, well people other than Michael. I could lift two hundred pounds without breaking a sweat, repeatedly. If I didn’t know better I’d say one of my parents were not human. What a thought…
    “ Yeah, not a problem, I lift weights remember...” he said smiling. I tried hard not to laugh. I could just imagine him flexing his muscles. He probably was mentally. I didn’t think he was conceited, laughing at my humor.
    “ I hadn't noticed,” I said smiling back. I always teased him. Actually, I had noticed. It was hard not to. He was cute by any standards but was just barely eighteen, and I know twenty is only two years but older is older. I was, in my opinion, out of his age range. Again, I waited for the right one. Michael was great, but not that great. I wanted to see stars or swoon or something. I was starting to think this little town