Free Angel Bait (Angel Assassins #1) by Tricia Skinner Page A

he towered over her, and he looked prettier than most women. Onyx hair teased over his shoulders. His features were sharp, almost pointed, giving him an air of menace she hadn’t noticed with Cain. She took a step backward.
    Kasdeja gave her a radiant smile. She felt like a heel because she knew he had no reason to hurt her.
    “Nephilim were said to be giants,” Cain said from behind her. “We’re the devourers of men, meant to destroy the world, or some such bullshit.”
    She pictured Kasdeja eating his way through a third-world nation.
    Not much of a stretch.
She wasn’t prepared for him to toss his head back and laugh hard enough so a ceiling fan shook.
    “Would it surprise you to learn I’m a vegetarian?” He winked.
    She was sure her eyeballs popped clean out of her head. “You can read minds.”
    A roguish grin spread across Kasdeja’s face. He tipped his head, considering her. “I am a world destroyer with many talents.”
    “I’m so sorry.” She thanked God her skin tone would hide some of the telltale signs of her embarrassment. “I didn’t mean to offend you.”
    Cain wrapped a lazy arm over her shoulders and she stumbled under the weight. “He ain’t offended, gorgeous. Kas is being rude. He’s not supposed to scope anyone unless it’s a mark or they give him permission.”
    “A mark?” Ionie asked.
    “I apologize,” Kas said, glaring hard at his brother. “You’re the reporter.”
    “Newshound by day, bane of secrets by night.” His affectionate chuckle put her at ease. These guys were all right, once a girl moved past the first impressions. “Are you really a vegetarian?”
    “Hell no,” Kas said. “I’d eat all the cows in Texas if I could get away long enough.”
    An image she didn’t want to dwell on. “I’ll alert the Texas Rangers to be on the lookout for a titan with a big bottle of A-1 Sauce.”
    The trio erupted, cracking up. Ionie hugged her sides, her eyes watering. Out of the corner of her eye, a movement in the corner of the room caught her attention. She tried to track it, but when she focused on a spot, it was empty. She turned to ask Cain, but met the curious eyes of another colossus. She jumped out of her skin.
    “God, you scared me!” Ionie gawked at the man. His rust-colored tresses shadowed most of his face.
    “Sorry.” His voice was rougher than Jarrid’s, like the vocal chords were rusty.
    “This is the quiet one,” Cain said. “Ionie meet Nestaron. Nesty, this is the reporter.”
    “Pleased to meet you.” She extended her hand. “I’m normally not so jumpy, but I’m new here.”
    Nesty accepted her handshake for a millisecond before releasing her and folding his hands behind his back.
    Guess Jarrid’s not the only one who doesn’t like touching
.
    “You just get back?” Kas asked. Nestaron nodded. “Sweet, let’s get some COD action before dinner.”
    “COD?” she asked.
    “Call of Duty,” Kas said. “A killer video game. Want to play?”
    Ionie pressed her lips together, smothering her smile. She was in a room with three behemoths from legend and they seemed more like overgrown teenagers. Her day had warped from stressing over finding an angel to hanging out with a trio of half-angels. She shook her head, amused by her luck. “Sorry, fellas, I’m more of a Solitaire kind of gal.”
    The air stilled around her.
    Uh oh
.
    Cain pinched the bridge of his nose. “How did you get past security?”
    “I’m calling the police,” Kas said, crossing his arms over his massive chest.
    Nesty hung his head, shaking it from side to side. Two of the brothers walked away. She sensed she’d lost a round of coolness points. Cain’s comforting arm returned to her shoulders.
    “It’s clear you were raised by cave trolls, but I forgive you,” he said, steering them away from the game room and into another part of the warehouse. “Let’s finish your tour before the brooding one comes looking for you.”
    True to his word, Cain walked them