“Why?”
My head tilts to the side, confused with what he means by the question. “Why do I want to be a doctor?”
“Yes.”
Shrugging, I answer honestly, “I don’t really know. I’m good a science, and I like helping people. It just always seemed like a good fit for me.” Now that I think about it, my healing powers will really come in handy if I pursue a medical career.
“Do your parents pressure you to go to medical school?” Adrian leans back, crosses his arms and gives me a probing stare.
“Of course not. Mom and Dad would support me in anything I want to do.”
“Anything?”
“Yes.” I answer with complete confidence. I know how lucky I am to have landed in my parents’ home. I’ve heard countless tales about pushy, controlling parents. Mine are nothing like that.
“Hm. I am sure I can think of something that your parents would not approve of.”
I don’t miss his serious tone, and I take the bait. “I doubt it.”
He smirks. “How do you think your mother and father will react when they learn you have four boyfriends?”
I choke on saliva. Coughing, I lean forward and try to hide my flaming cheeks as I struggle to clear my throat. Did he really just say “boyfriends”?
“Yes, that is exactly what I said.”
I think he’s reading my mind. I’m ready to vehemently protest the invasion of privacy right as Adrian says, “You’re projecting your thoughts, Angel. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what is causing your near-heart attack.”
I haven’t a clue what to say. My reaction seems silly, even to me. After all, I’ve accepted the four Fallen are my soulmates. It’s hard to deny now that I have access to my powers, allowing me to feel each individual connection. My link to Adrian, Zeke and the Light brothers is deep and undeniable. I’ve accepted it. I really shouldn’t be shocked by the romantic title.
“No, you really shouldn’t be.” Adrian grins, teasing me.
“A-are you sure you can’t read my thoughts?” I sputter.
“If only, Angel,” he sighs dramatically. “My life would be so much easier if I knew what thoughts danced around that pretty little head of yours.”
I refuse to be flustered by the fact he called me pretty. “Well, you’re definitely making good guesses,” I mutter in accusation.
“What can I say? You’re easy to read.”
“Whatever.” Still not fully recovered from my coughing fit, I force another cough to try and clear the scratchiness in my throat. The effort fails, and my eyes tear up. I pick up the crystal goblet in front of me and take a healthy sip of water. The cool liquid soothes my raw esophagus.
Adrian waits until I lower the goblet to speak. “So, how do you think they would react?”
“What?”
“Your parents.” Amusement sparkles in his warm brown eyes. “How will they react when they learn their little girl is being courted by four males?”
“Courted?” I repeat the old-timey word. “Is that what’s happening?” Fighting demons, running from The Darkness and hiding out among Dark Fallen to avoid discovery by Light Fallen is hardly my idea of dating.
His amusement grows. “You’re avoiding the question.”
“Because it’s a ridiculous question.” My entire body warms. I snatch the goblet and take another sip, using the move to give my face a reprieve from his uncanny scrutiny. Adrian, like the other three Fallen, knows my expressions too well.
“Then it should be easy to answer.” Adrian will not let the matter drop. He’s persistent. Especially when I put up a fight.
I have no choice. I have to rip off the band aid. “I honestly don’t know how they will react.” I never really thought about it. Obviously, my mom and dad will not be thrilled to learn their only daughter is dating four men. Just thinking about admitting that to them makes me want to laugh out loud. Talk about an awkward conversation…
Arms still crossed, Adrian stares at me with purpose. “You do not think they will handle it well.” It isn’t a question.
“No,” I admit. “I can’t think of a parent who would.”
Adrian pretends to be affronted. “I’ll have you know there are many angel and Nephilim parents who would be honored to have us as their daughter’s bashertens.”
I laugh. “Yes, I know. Vera pretty much told me all about what a catch you two are.” I give a dramatic eye roll.
“I knew I liked Vera.”
Again, I laugh. This time, it is incredulous. “Really? Is that why you got all grouchy at Vera for showing me around the library?”
He shrugs. “She thought nothing of it.”
I scoff. “Really? How do you know?”
“Because it is expected for me to be protective.” His smile morphs from teasing to sweet. I feel my heart thump. “Vera will never be offended by my reactions when it comes to you. Trust me.”
I nod and pull my attention away from him. “Well, my condolences to all the parents who will be disappointed to learn about me.” My joke doesn’t land as well as I thought in my head.
Adrian, fortunately, breezes right past my poor attempt. “There will be many, I assure you.”
I chuckle despite my embarrassment and look up again. “You are so vain.”
“There is a fine line between vanity and confidence.” His grin lingers. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Adrian smile so much. I decide I like this side of him. I prefer it to the broody lectures or disapproving stares whenever I do something to upset him. Which, inevitably, is pretty often. I decide to play along with the conversation.
“What about your parents? What do they think about you having a measly Nephilim as your bashert?”
“You aren’t Nephilim,” he points out.
“But everyone thinks I am.”
He shrugs. “My mother adores you, of course.”
“HA!” I bark in disbelief. “Whatever. No, she does not.”
“Of course, she does.”
“Please,” I roll my eyes for what feels like the one-hundredth time this past week, “I’m nothing more than an excuse to reconnect with you and Zeke. Then again,” I pause and purse my lips, as if I’m having an idea for the first time, “I suppose she may like me for that fact alone. I bet I could be a bratty, insufferable terror and she would say she likes me because it keeps you two around.”
“You’re wrong, Angel. Our mother would not be cordial if she didn’t think you are worthy of her two desirable and powerful sons.”
“You are so full of yourself!”
Adrian laughs, and I join in. I’m so caught up in the moment, I don’t realize where my head has gone until the question passes my lips and it’s too late. “What about your father?”
Light fades from Adrian’s expression, and his body stiffens. All of the warmth flees the room. I shiver. “What about my father?”
I lick my lips, nervous. “Would he like me?” I try to sound calm, but my heart pounds in my chest. Adrian really can be terrifying.
“We will never know.”
The short reply intrigues me. “Why not?”
“Because you’ll never meet him.” There’s a finality in his words, but I don’t acknowledge it.
“Why is that?”
“Angel… let’s drop it. Okay? Not all of us have loving parents who we want to introduce our significant others to. Speaking of which, when can I expect to meet Mr. and Mrs. Messenger?”
He’s trying to distract me. Not wanting to ruin the levity of the meal, I let him. “I’m not introducing you. You haven’t even asked me on a date.”
The terrifying look is gone. His smile returns. “Do you want to go on a date with me, Angel?”
“Not a pity date,” I fake pout, crossing my arms and looking at the back wall, avoiding his gaze.
Adrian plays along, assuring me our first date will not be a pity date. He compliments me endlessly, swearing he will show me a good time, begging me to give him a chance. Our fli
rting is fun and easy, and the rest of the meal proceeds smoothly. But if Adrian thinks I’m not going to look into why he won’t even mention his father’s name, he doesn’t know me at all.
Twelve
“Vera, what do you know about my bashertens’ parents?” I sit next to the petite Nephilim, pretending to be absorbed in the book on the table, like I haven’t been contemplating how to broach this subject for the last five minutes.
“Hm?” Unlike me, Vera is actually engrossed in the text. I’d been happy when Zeke told me Vera had invited me to spend the afternoon with her. With nowhere else to go that is as heavily protected, we are hanging out in the library. Thankfully, the guys didn’t insist we stick to one area this time.
I’d worried Vera would be disappointed with the location, but I’ve learned Jude’s bashert is a little bit of a bookworm. She spends a lot of time in the massive space, and she showed me to a section full of books discussing additional reasons for the angels Fall—a section not protected by Master Nate and his inquiring eyes.
For an hour, we’ve scoured through countless pages. You’d think I’d be interested to learn some people believe God had been jealous of angels’ beauty, and he cast them out of Heaven to rid his home of those he envied. You’d think I’d be horrified to consider the possibility that all Fallen angels are murderers, and their punishment for their heinous crimes is living out the rest of their immortal life walking the Earth, never tasting the blissful myrrh flowing through Heaven’s streams.
On any other day, I’d be devouring the information, logging it away to ask the guys for their input. Today, though, I’m unable to get my mind off of the Dark Fallen’s mysterious father.
If I were considerate, I’d force myself to heed Adrian’s request and drop the subject. But I can’t.
What can I say? I’m nosy.
“Zeke and Adrian. Their parents. What do you know about them?”
Vera looks up with a frown. “You’ve met their mother. She is the leader of the Dark Council.”
“Yes, I’ve met her,” I say. “But what about their dad? Is he around?”
Vera’s stare is unnerving. She looks at me like I have two heads. I wonder how many more times I can ask her questions before she abandons being polite and finally asks me why I don’t know anything about my bashertens or Fallen in general.
Thankfully, Vera still has a little patience with me. “No. Their father is not here.”
“Does he live somewhere else?” Is that where his sons get the inspiration to live away from other Dark Fallen? Are they following in their father’s footsteps?
She closes the book and turns to face me. “Why do you ask?”
“Oh… uh… I don’t know. Just curious, I guess. The guys never really talk about him.”
She nods, as if she’s already gathered as much. “Did you ask them about their father?”
“Once,” I admit. Telling the truth seems like the way to go.
“And it didn’t go well?”
“No. Adrian shut down the conversation.”
“I’m not surprised.” Vera sighs, giving me a sympathetic look. “Jude used to be the same way, always withholding the bad stuff from me. I swear, bashertens treat us like we are fragile, breakable things, incapable of handling even the tiniest bit of unfavorable news. Don’t worry, their protectiveness should let up in the coming centuries.”
I gulp. Centuries? I can barely think a month in advance. I suppose I’ll have to come to terms with my own immortality at some point.
Another aspect of her statements stands out to me. “Are you saying their father is bad?”
“That depends on what you consider bad.” She pitches her voice low. “He and their mother were lovers. As in: not married.”
Oh… Is that all?
“And that’s considered bad?”
“Of course.” Again, I am given the exasperated “how does this girl not know anything” look. “To have children outside of a committed relationship is unheard of among angels. Their coupling caused quite a scandal, or so I’m told. I obviously wasn’t alive to witness it firsthand.”
So Adrian and Zeke were born out of wedlock. That’s not a big of a deal, and I can’t imagine Adrian thinking it is. There’s something else. There has to be.
“If their… coupling was such a bad thing, how come no one holds it against Sarah?” Becoming the leader of the Dark Council would hardly be possible without the support of her fellow Dark Fallen.
Vera shrugs, then reopens the book in front of us. She wants to move past this conversation and return to reading. “I suppose it’s because she’s one of us.” Her eyes move over the page, and I know I’m close to losing her.
“One of us? Are you implying their father isn’t Dark Fallen?” Could it be two of my soulmates are also dual-Fallen. Immediately, I know that’s not the case. Adrian and Zeke wouldn’t keep that from me, and no one would think twice about my existence if dual-bloodline angels already existed.
Still staring at the page, Vera shakes her head. “I-I shouldn’t say anything.”
“What? What shouldn’t you say? You can trust me, Vera. I…” I pause, and an idea comes to mind, “I just want to know my bashertens better. I care about them, and I want to know why talking about their father upsets them so much.”
My emotional declaration lands its mark. I fight the urge to pat myself on the back when Vera, once again, tears her attention from the book, closing it to keep herself from becoming caught up in its pages.
In a whisper I am barely able to hear, she says, “Their father isn’t Fallen.”
“Excuse me?” My first thought is that they’re Nephilim. Again, I know that’s not possible. “What are you talking about?”
She looks from left to right, and I see genuine unease in her eyes. I regret causing her discomfort, but I can’t deny I’m dying to know what she is saying.
Confirming we are alone, Vera continues in a nearly-soundless whisper, “Adrian and Zeke are the sons of an angel.”
I blink. “Yeah, I know.”
“No,” she shakes her head. Again, she double checks that no other soul has drawn near. “You don’t understand. Zeke and Adrian are the sons of an angel. Meaning, their father is not Fallen.”
Thirteen
I forget to breathe. Only when I feel my lungs burn do I finally draw breath. Gasping, I ask, “Are you serious?”
“Deathly serious,” Vera murmurs. She leans closer, pushing the book away. I’ve obtained her undivided attention. “Apparently, their Father seduced Sarah shortly before the Fall, impregnating her and then abandoning her to live on Earth alone with their children. Adrian and Zeke are the only known Fallen to be direct descendants of a Fallen and an angel.”
My head is spinning. “Sarah was pregnant when she fell?”
“Yes,” Vera nods.
I don’t know if that supports or denies the rumor that Fallen fell because of illicit relationships. The Book of Enoch discussed human relationships being the cause of the Fall, but perhaps Sarah’s relationship with her angelic lover also qualified as illicit.
“But Adrian and Zeke’s father didn’t Fall?”
“No. Which makes Adrian and Ezekiel the only angels born on Earth. By default, they are Fallen, but they never actually committed an act which warranted their banishment from Heaven. As a result, they are the most powerful Dark Fallen in existence.
“What about Light Fallen?” I find myself asking the question without thinking it through. I think of Gabe and Joseph. It’s hard to believe Adrian and Zeke have an advantage over them. I can’t explain it, but I feel like all four of my soulmates are equal. Perhaps I’m biased.
“Light Fallen are different.” Vera no longer seems caught off-guard by my lack of knowledge. “They’ve been able to retain aspects of the original powers they possessed in Heaven. The Fall diminished them for all Fallen, but Light Fallen work tirelessly to keep ahold of the smallest amount of their Heavenly gifts.”
How d
id I not know this? God, I really am ignorant.
“So why doesn’t The Light Council try to take control of the Dark Fallen? If they have powers from Heaven which makes them stronger, why not conquer their enemies?”
“Because that would go against their puritan ideas, of course,” Vera says. “Unprovoked attacks would result in Light Fallen losing all ties to their Heavenly gifts. Though the link is small, it’s still enough to distinguish them. Light Fallen like to maintain their advantage, even if that means not using it against their rivals.”
I think of the Light Fallen I know. Gabe and Joseph have engaged in verbal altercations with the Dark Fallen, but they’ve never attacked them. And Lukas and Charles fight against The Darkness, often working with both Light and Dark Fallen in the process.
“Would you say Adrian and Zeke are just as powerful as the strongest Light Fallen?” I hold my breath, not sure if I truly want to hear the answer.
“Yes,” Vera answers without a pause. “No question. Adrian and Zeke are the most powerful of the Dark Fallen, hence The Council’s desire to have them join their ranks. Your bashertens could overthrow their mother if they wanted, and no one would think twice about it because… well… they should lead us.”
I have some serious questions for Zeke and Adrian.
As if conjured by my thoughts, my stomach flutters, revealing one of my Dark Fallen is nearby. Zeke rounds the corner, and his charming smile throws me. His smiles used to be rare. Now, they are almost as common as Gabe’s smiles.
“There you two are,” Zeke closes the distance between us, peering at the closed book on the table. “What have you been up to?”
I bite my tongue, resisting the urge to reveal all I’ve learned about him and his twin. I want to know why Adrian refused to tell me about their father. I want to know if the angel is truly a villain, or if Vera’s story is exaggerated. Have Adrian and Zeke ever met their father? Can heavenly angels visit Earth?
“Reading,” Vera answers after an uncomfortable beat of silence. “Your bashert’s education is severely lacking.” Her voice is light, showing no evidence of our secretive conversation. “I’ve decided to take her under my wing and teach her about all things Dark Fallen.”
Protected by the Fallen: A Fallen Angel Reverse Harem Novel (The Fallen Harem Book 3) Page 9
