The Forsaken Read Online Free

body gravitate toward the stage and realized he too was caught up in the crowd’s anticipation. A mass of excited people, four levels deep, stood between him and the dark backdrop. Muffled conversations and hushed whispers thickened the air. The mood in the place moved from partying delight to sweet ecstasy. The curtains swung up like a billowing cloud and there before him stood four Cherubs, their heavenly bodies on display in clothing that would make the Mistress weep. Each wore a pleated black-and-white skirt barely covering their bottoms, high-top red sneakers with black laces that traveled all the way up to the knees, and white blouses tied into halter tops that showcased more of their honey-colored, heavenly flesh.
    You’re kidding me . Nathanael blinked. What were the odds the Cherub he’d been thinking about for days, the one who had saved him in the alley, would be the star of the show? Guess one hundred percent. He hoped his surprised expression didn’t make him look like an idiot, but he had to get closer. Elbowing his way forward he stood to the side of the stage.
    Two members of the band had blonde hair that fell in tight ringlets to their waist, one had straight pixie-cropped white hair with red-dyed ends framing her small face, but the one center stage bore the traditional thick, straight blonde locks of a Cherub, and she was the female who had saved him in the alley. The tiny gold star embedded in her belly button winked at him. Her skin glowed like a warm candle and she, like the rest of the Cherubs, looked about seventeen. With the thick outline of black makeup around their eyes, they were a spellbinding sight.
    Nathanael wasn’t sure what to think. He sort of thought the females banished would be boot ugly, and secondly crazy. That was how the rumors made them appear. Instead they were all Cherub beauty and their eyes were filled with keen intelligence.
    The hush in the center grew. Nathanael became acutely aware of his own ragged breathing. He eyed the lead Cherub hoping she’d catch his look. Once again she wore skintight black pants but this time she had on black boots that went to her calves, and they looked military issue except for the silver buckles along the seams. Nathanael didn’t like how she made his heart race. He was used to being in control of his emotions, but she made him uneasy.
    A bell rang, a second and third. A soft, haunting melody of a hum started, growing louder with each Cherub until the girl at center stage threw her head back and sang. The wail of the sorrow-filled song filled him with both sadness and beauty.
    Nathanael felt the power of her song realizing it stroked each person’s soul. She was allowing the purity of her voice to work its magic, easing all of their anxiety, allowing them in this moment to let their heart truly love.
    Every cell in Nathanael’s Seraphim body recognized the song. He’d heard it sung by other Cherubs growing up but never had it sounded so good. He enjoyed the foreign words she sung. Ancient Hebrew, the cadence rolled off her tongue like the taste of heavenly red wine. Her words caused the fine hairs on his skin to rise with pleasure. If he’d had his wings, they’d be arched back, proudly displayed. Shaking his head, Nathanael forced his body to cool, taking another dreaded sip of his drink, wanting the bitter tang, anything to force his mind to heel from the fantasy he was envisioning. He wasn’t a youngling but he wasn’t entirely in control of his body either and he didn’t like that. When the remaining Cherubs threw their voices into the melody of the song, a flood of such intense love slammed into him, he felt like he’d had one too many urdal —the blessed seeds from the heavenly plant many Seraphim chewed to experience a more divine holy prayer.
    Nathanael worked his way through the crowd. He shouldered some stupid humans out of the way, glaring at them if they dared look at him. At the stage door, where the lighting dimmed,