Page 54 of The Nephilim's Finesse

I surveyed the crowds milling around the various stalls and gaming stations. Despite the unpleasant smell, laughter and excitement filled the air. Maybe I could enjoy myself, if just for one night.

Mike turned to Azariel and grinned. "Surprise me."

We wandered through the crowds, passing by a group of fae with glittering wings and sharp, angular features. I also noticed a few warlocks and witches, their magic crackling around them in colourful red auras.

John nudged me, pointing to a stall where several fae were lounging, their wings draped casually behind them. "Check out the wings on them," he said. "They could at least have tried to dress up and not go as themselves.”

“But today, they can show who they are and don't have to hide their true selves,” Charlie remarked.

John shrugged. “Maybe. The main thing is that they look hot.”

I frowned at him. "Focus, John. We're here to have fun, not chase after every being that catches your eye."

He shrugged, unrepentant. "Can't blame a guy for looking. Besides, they are gorgeous!"

I opened my mouth to retort when a burst of laughter caught my attention. Mike and Azariel were playing a racing game, shoving and taunting each other good-naturedly. Despite my irritation at John, I smiled at their antics.

“See, the Joker always wins!” Mike laughed when he stole Azariel’s controller and drove through the finishing line first.

Continuing our way through the hall, we passed people in brilliant costumes. I was especially impressed with the guy in a self-made giant space wolf suit from Warhammer 40K. We made our way outside, the chilly, fresh January wind pleasant after the sticky air inside the hall.

We passed by a giant Nintendo console where two people were playing Super Mario Bros projected on a house wall. John's eyes lit up. "Dibs on the next game!" He dragged Andrew over, leaving me with Azariel, Mike, and Charlie.

Azariel slipped her arm through mine again, her eyes dancing with mirth. "Boys. Always so easily distracted."

I smiled wryly. "Tell me about it."

While John and Andrew were playing, one had to press the D-pad to move forward, the other the A and B buttons to jump and fire. I noticed how Azariel and Mike scanned the crowd while waiting for them to finish their game. After the kidnapping of Andrew and Charlie, both were hyper-aware of their surroundings to make sure that this would never happen again. I was happy for them to find love when they never thought they would. Especially Azariel.

After John and Andrew finished their game—they came up to level three—we wandered around, taking in the sights and sounds. A robotics club was demonstrating a massive battle bot, its metal limbs whirring and grinding as it crushed a hapless car. Back in the hall, a sword-fighting VR game had a long line of eager participants, including several faeries and a minotaur. The neon lights of the arcade machines flickered over our costumes as we walked by.

Azariel’s grin widened as she pointed out a faded PlayStation console running an old version of Tekken. Some stereotypical nerd slouched there, his greasy hair hanging limply around a face cratered by acne. His shirt was stained and wrinkled, smelling faintly of old sweat and Doritos.

When he beat this opponent and the guy vanished into the crowd, he turned and sneered at John. In a nasal tone, he said, “That costume is all wrong. Link’s tunic is supposed to be a brighter shade of green.”

John bristled, but Azariel clamped a hand on his shoulder. The nerd turned his glare on her next but didn’t say a word.

“Is the spot free?” Azariel smiled her sweetest smile at him.

I gritted my teeth against the urge to wipe that smug expression off his face. “Yeah. I can explain how the game works. With this button, you jump, and with this, you kick. This is a complicated game where you have to do combinations, but I’ll go easy on you so that you can learn.” His face turned red when Azariel sat next to him.

"See, you gotta know how to do the combos and special moves to really master the game. I've been playing Tekken since the first one came out, so I know all the tricks." He glanced at Azariel, turning even redder. "If you need lessons from a real pro, I'd be happy to show you the ropes."

She looked at him innocently, and Mike and Andrew had to hold it together so as not to laugh. “Oh, she loves it when some guy tries to mansplain video games to her. She has been playing Tekken since we were kids,” Mike whispered to Andrew. He nodded knowingly.

"Is that so? How about we make a little wager then?" Azariel said sweetly. “Fifty bucks says I can beat you.” Azariel's eyes narrowed, her grin turning predatory.

The nerd scoffed. “Please. I’ll go easy on you at first since you’re a… a...” he sputtered for words, realising what he wanted to say.

The guys tensed behind her, but she shot them a warning look. This was Azariel’s fight.

Azariel cracked her knuckles and grabbed the controller. The nerd selected his character, Eddy Gordo. Azariel chose her favourite, Nina Williams. The battle began.

Despite his boasting, he was pathetic. He telegraphed each move before executing it, and Azariel easily dodged or blocked every attack. She continued to dominate the first round, finishing with a decisive victory pose from Nina.

Within minutes, Azariel had wiped the floor with him, not even giving him a chance to land a hit. The nerd gaped at the screen in disbelief, then whirled to face ‌her.

“You cheated!” he shrieked. “There’s no way a girl like you could beat me fairly!”

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