Ceiling high cherry wood doors are thrown open, revealing a room full of massive shelves lined with countless books. Normally, I’d be thrilled to encounter a library and eager to explore each aisle. In addition to helping me train with my powers, Lukas exposed me to several texts about the history of angels and the stories surrounding the Fall, but his collection had consisted of little more than a dozen volumes. There must be over one hundred books on one bookcase alone. I can only imagine what kind of information I can find in their pages.
Unfortunately, the large gathering of Fallen standing in between me and the enticing library would make any exploration impossible. Adrian, Zeke, and I are not immediately noticed. Without a word being exchanged between us, we’d stopped walking the moment we turned the corner, and each of us become consumed with our own thoughts about the crowd before us.
I knew the moment we’re noticed. A female Fallen, I think she’s only the third or fourth I’ve ever seen, had been flicking back her hair when her eye was drawn to the three figures standing in the entrance of the hallway. I watch as she turns to the male beside her, tapping his shoulder and whispering excitedly. Straining my ears, I manage to pick up the words, “Zeke”, “Nephilim”, and “council”.
I don’t bother to think about what she’s said. For all I know, everyone here knows the council is blackmailing Adrian and Zeke to work for them. There is no point in wondering. I’ll learn what everyone knows soon enough.
The male looks up after the female stops talking, taking note of our presence. Then, he turns and says something to the group of angels around him. Like wildfire, news of our arrival spreads through the gathering. All eyes are on us, and it takes all of my self-control to not step behind the Dark Fallen to hide me from view. I’ve never been under such scrutiny. Not even when I performed a monologue during one of my middle school plays. The students and parents in the audience had been too busy looking at their phones to pay attention to me stutter through my lines.
I peek up at Adrian and Zeke on either side of me. They wear bored expressions, but there is a hard glint in their eyes. They look every part the stoic, yet formidable warriors I imagined them to be. Why else would the Dark Council go through the trouble of ensuring their service? My two bashertens are powerful, and it looks like all of the Fallen in front of us are acutely aware of that fact.
The staring continues, and I do my best not to fidget. I feel their eyes trail over me from head to toe. Several angels whisper, but I don’t try to listen this time. Chances are I won’t like what I hear.
Near the back of the group, closest to the open library, a broad Fallen begins nudging people aside, making his way towards us. I’m surprised when I recognize him.
The Fallen’s name is Jude, and he is the massive angel I met on the night Mrs. Hutchins brought me to the embassy. He’d led us to the chamber where the Dark Council was meeting, but unlike our first encounter, Jude appears almost friendly. He isn’t staring at me with thinly-veiled disapproval. In fact, he isn’t really staring at me at all. The massive angel only has eyes for the two Fallen at my sides.
“Ezekiel. Adrian.” Jude arrives and reaches out to shake their hands. “It’s been too long.”
“Jude,” Adrian returns. “Indeed, it has. How is Vera?”
The brute breaks into a beaming smile, and his joy nearly knocks me off my feet. “Vera is well. Thank you for asking.”
Zeke jerks his head towards the rest of the crowd. “Do you know what The Council wants to discuss with all of us?”
“The battle, I assume.”
“Hm.” Zeke hums. “Well, hopefully it won’t last long. We do not enjoy exposing our bashert to mindless ogling for longer than necessary.”
I feel like my eyes are going to pop out of my head. I look at Zeke in horror. Why in the world did he just say that? With all these angels around to hear him?
Inside, I am screaming at him for the slip up, but then I register his calm demeanor. I glance at Adrian and notice that he, too, appears at ease despite the informational bombshell Zeke just detonated in front of the crowd.
I hazard a glance around Jude’s large frame and am stunned when I notice the angels are no longer staring at me. More than that, every single Fallen is making a point to avoid even a glance in our direction. My lips turn down, wondering what caused their collective change in behavior. Is it really because Zeke openly claimed me as their soulmate?
“Yes, speaking of your bashert, I do not believe we have been properly introduced.” Jude’s voice catches my attention.
I look up and see a sheepish expression covering the broad male’s face. “My name is Jude. It is nice to meet you, Veronica.”
Ice fills my veins, taunting the dormant monster into stretching its violent thoughts. It’s been a while since I’ve sensed the violent part of my psyche. “We’ve met before.”
Jude winces. “Indeed. Please, allow me to apologize for my brash behavior upon our first meeting. I hope you understand I was only doing my job as a guardsman. I’d mistakenly believed you to be a rogue Nephilim, brought to The Council for justice. Had I known the identity of your bashertens, I never would have shown you such blatant disrespect. I humbly ask for your forgiveness.”
Well, that explains why he’d looked at me like I was worth less than the dirt beneath his shoe. Not that I blame him. I’m sure I wouldn’t welcome a suspected criminal with a bright smile and open arms.
Hearing the logical explanation manages to subdue my inner beast, much to her disappointment. “Apology accepted.”
Jude’s shoulders lose some of their tension, and he hazards a cautious grin. “It is truly an honor to meet the soul who’s managed to ensnare these two rogues.” He shoots a teasing glance at each of the brothers, and they chuckle in reply.
“Veronica certainly has a strong soul,” Adrian states, nudging me playfully.
“She must in order to put up with the chaos which follows the pair of you around like a shadow,” Jude continues, sounding equal parts serious and joking.
“The Creator knew what he was doing when he paired our souls,” Zeke replies.
I’m caught off guard by two things. One, Adrian and Zeke are almost acting like Jude is a friend. I know they told me not ever Dark Fallen hates them, but with all the talk about how they like to live on their own and how much they despise the Dark Council, I didn’t expect them to have friends. I realize now how silly that idea is. Adrian and Zeke have been alive for thousands upon thousands of years. Of course they have friends. It would be impossible for them not to.
The second thing that surprises me is hearing Zeke credit God for linking our souls. Again, after hearing about the Fall and how Dark Fallen do not wish to regain favor with the all-powerful entity, I didn’t expect him to have a favorable opinion about God. I make a note to address both subjects the next time we are alone. For now, I need to focus on the upcoming meeting with the formidable members of the Dark Council.
Sensing my growing unease, Adrian lowers his lips to my ear. “You do not have to go in there, Angel.”
Jude politely turns to Zeke and begins asking him about his experience during the recent fight with The Darkness. I want to eavesdrop, but Adrian’s breath tickles my ear, and forces my attention up to him.
“I’m fine,” I whisper back.
His eyes dart between mine, and I almost don’t hear him say, “Liar.”
I chew my lip, hating how easy I am for him to read. My anxiety spikes as I think about being trapped in a room with not only the council, but also the dozens of Fallen I see standing in front of the library. Every single one of them knows I am Zeke’s and Adrian’s bashert. They aren’t staring anymore because they fear Zeke and Adrian, but what about later? The more attention I get, the greater the chance someone will realize I am not Nephilim. Right now, Sarah is the only other Dark Fallen who knows, and she keeps my secret out of loyalty for her sons. I might not be so fortunate with the next Fallen who figure out what I really am.
But asking Adrian, or any of my Fallen, to stop worrying about me is like asking them to stop breathing. Just as they can feel my emotions, I can feel theirs. And right now, I know Adrian would rather chew off his left hand than walk me into a situation which causes me such unease. But we don’t have a choice. They can’t leave me unprotected. Someone is out there, and he knows my secret. This individual wants me to stop interfering in The Darkness’ plans, and I wonder if the fact my bashertens are actively involved in such actions will count against me.
Adrian releases a dissatisfied growl and runs his hand through his hair, making it stand on end. The motion makes my lips twitch. He always does that when he’s irritated, typically after I’ve done something to annoy or frustrate him.
Adrian’s expression softens as he zeroes in on my lips. “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing.” I let my lips blossom into a full smile. It seems to mesmerize Adrian. His lips part slightly, and I feel heat gather in my stomach. “I think you’re cute when you’re frustrated.”
“Cute?” He tilts his head to the side, and there is heat in his gaze.
I chuckle, sounding a little breathless. “Fine... I think you’re handsome when you’re frustrated.”
He shifts forward, leaving less than six inches between our bodies. I inhale his masculine scent, and my pulse goes haywire. This is not the time to be distracted by such things, but I am not strong enough to resist the connection between us. It’s nothing short of a miracle that I hadn’t immediately thrown myself at Adrian the night we met. He’d looked so hott standing on the metal staircase in his tight V-neck and midnight black jeans, staring down at me with the same smoldering look he gives me now. I suppose the ward on my powers is to thank for my initial self-control when it came to him and all of the Fallen, but now that it is gone and I can feel every aspect of the connection linking our souls, I want nothing more than to bury myself against him and kiss him until we’re both senseless.
Someone coughs. Both Adrian and I are freed from my unintentional spell.
Heat, not the good kind, rushes up my neck and covers my face. I can’t believe I nearly lost control in a room full of Fallen. I seriously needed to get a grip. Rather, my ridiculous soulmate hormones needed to get a grip. I’d never felt so drawn to someone, so my experience with resisting public displays of affection are severely lacking. I need to learn soon, or else I will inevitably find myself in an embarrassing situation.
Adrian turns his neck and sees Jude looking at him with a sheepish expression. “Forgive me,” the male rubs the back of his neck, “but I couldn’t help but overhear Veronica doesn’t wish to attend the meeting.”
When Adrian does nothing more than stare in silence, I step forward and place a hand on his back. I can’t tell what he’s thinking, but I don’t want him to rip off Jude’s head just because he interrupted us. We should be thanking him. God only knows what I might’ve done otherwise.
“I don’t like crowds,” I offer Jude. He doesn’t believe me, but he is gracious enough not to say so out loud.
“Why not stay in the library? I’m sure the meeting won’t take more than an hour.”
“No,” Adrian states.
“Absolutely not.” Zeke steps so his body is slightly in front of mine.
Jude observes the situation and backs away, allowing more distance between him and me. He lifts his hands. “I mean your bashert no harm.”
Of course he doesn’t. Even I can see that. But my two Dark Fallen are not so easily convinced.
“Guys?” Both of them look down when they hear my voice. I give each of them a meaningful look, “Take it easy.”
I sense the aggression seep out of them. Once I know they aren’t going to rip off Jude’s head. I return my gaze to Jude. He is looking at me with a mix of awe, amusement and appreciation.
“My bashertens are wary to leave me unprotected now that The Darkness has grown bolder in its attacks.” I try to explain their irrational behavior.
“Of course. Naturally.” Jude glances at Adrian, then Zeke. “I only suggested the library because it is one of the most fortified chambers within the embassy. Aside from the council chambers, of course.”
My head perks up. “Really?”
Jude gives me his full attention. “Yes. Wards and soldiers guard all library entries and exits, and no physical weapons are permitted inside. The embassy will know every soul who walks in and out of the library, and they will know if anyone wields any sort of attack.”
I don’t miss the fact he said, “physical weapons”. While most angels I’ve encountered are skilled with swords or daggers, it is their mystical weapons which distinguish them from other opponents. My Angel Fire is all I have to fight with, and it proves to be more than useful in life threatening situations than a blade. But I suppose it would be hard to try and force me to leave my Angel Fire out of a room. It’s not like I can turn off my angelic abilities.
“Why protect the library? Are there valuable items inside?”
Jude nods and gestures to the open doors behind him. “Those books contain the entire history of the angelic race, both before and after The Fall.”
“From before?” I look at the shelves of books eagerly. Information about Heaven is contained within those leather-bound pages. My fingers itch to get ahold of one of those books.
“Angel,” Adrian mumbles, sensing my desire to run off and explore the library. Even if I couldn’t already sense his worry, the hard set of his lips shows it.
“Is the library really protected?” I look between him and Zeke.
Zeke looks equally concerned, but he says, “It is.” I can already tell Zeke won’t go against me if I say I’d rather wait out their meeting in the library. So, I focus on Adrian. I still have a hand on his back, and I move it to rest on his shoulder.
“I’ll stay in the back, completely out of sight. No one has to know I’m in there.”
He shoots a pointed glance at Jude, and I see the Fallen duck his head, as if that will make him invisible.
I tighten my grip, forcing Adrian to look at me. When he does, I throw out my emotions, letting him sense my anxiety about the meeting again. This time, though, the emotion isn’t dulled. I understand they want to keep me close. I know they are afraid of what might happen to me if they’re aren’t around, but I send out confidence, silently reminding him I have Angel Fire. I can protect myself, at least for a little while. If I run into trouble, I will send out a “bat signal”. I will let them know I need help.
“I’d rather not face the council again if I don’t have to,” I whisper, well aware Jude can hear me, but hoping the other Fallen can’t.
Adrian looks at his brother. I hold my breath and let them have their silent conversation, but I continue to release how I’m feeling. Appreciation for their concern, confidence that I won’t come to harm in the hour that they are gone, and determination to defend myself if I end up being wrong.
The seconds seem to drag on as I wait for an answer. I sense Jude’s inquisitive stare. I ignore him, focused entirely on two of my soulmates, hoping they will allow me this one moment of freedom and the ability to avoid facing the formidable council for the time being.
At last, Zeke releases a breath. “Jude, will you give us a moment?”
The Fallen disappears in a flash.
Zeke brushes my arm with his fingers, making my skin sing. “We will escort you to one of the less frequented sections of the library.”
Before I can speak, Adrian adds, “And you are not to leave that section under any circumstance. Are we clear?”
I’m too thankful to be put-off by his bossy tone. “Yes,” I throw my arms around his neck. “Thank you.”
He grumbles something I don’t even try to hear, but he returns my embrace. I step back and show Zeke the same appreciation. “Thank you,” I murmur. I know
he more than likely is responsible for convincing Adrian to let me stay behind.
“You’re welcome.” His hands press against my back. “But remember the deal. No wandering around.”
“No wandering.” I nod my head over his shoulder, noticing that I’ve regained the attention of the crowd of Fallen near the library, but too happy and relieved to care. “I promise.”
Seven
Zeke and Adrian weren’t joking when they said they’d escort me to an isolated part of the library. The room is massive, and I am tucked in a corner against the far-east wall. I am completely alone. The only sound comes from me flipping pages of the various tomes around me. If it wasn’t for the endless information at my disposal, distracting my mind, I would find the quiet unnerving.
After untangling myself from Adrian’s neck, the guys escorted me through the sea of Fallen, into the library. We passed row after row of filled bookcases. The leather-bound books taunted me as the guys briskly walked past them. I had to squint to try to catch a glimpse of the titles. Some were in English, but the majority were not. My eagerness grew. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on one of the mysterious volumes.
Our journey took several minutes until Adrian and Zeke found a space they determined safe enough. When the guys finally left me on my own, I searched the shelves in my immediate proximity, excited to explore their contents.
Now, I sit on the floor, staring intently at a page not written in English. Viewing the foreign script closer, I realize it is not a language I’ve ever seen before. The calligraphy is unique, and I assume it must be Angelic. I have the thought I might be able to teach myself the language, or perhaps some subconscious part of my mind already understands it. But after several minutes of not blinking, I give up. My magical abilities do not include reading unfamiliar languages.
With a sigh, I close the book and lay back on the ground to rest. The ceiling is decorated with frescos and gilded light fixtures. It reminds me of Catholic churches in Italy. Not that I’ve ever been. But I’ve seen pictures, and the artwork used to decorate the immaculate cathedrals are stunning.
Protected by the Fallen: A Fallen Angel Reverse Harem Novel (The Fallen Harem Book 3) Page 5
