Uriel looked over Lucifer’s shoulder and saw Baka charging toward them. “What is he talking about, Lucifer?”
“Leave him to me,” he muttered. “Ah, Baka. I see that we are eager today. I have yet to make my decision whether or not I will have Saleos join me. Are you not satisfied with the generous gifts I have so graciously bestowed on him thus far?” Lucifer’s voice was soft and melodic. Underneath his smooth tones, Uriel could hear a touch of irritation.
Baka’s eyes blazed as he approached Lucifer. His bulky body, rivaling the size of some archangels, loomed over him.
“Your gifts are not enough. It was obvious to all that Jeremiel had been holding himself back.”
“And so he does. He pays heed to what he is told to do—unlike others. Saleos is strong enough . . . for now.” Lucifer lips curled into a smile that made Uriel shiver.
“Uriel has identified other men in Jericho who may be more worthy of the gifts I can give them. Some of them even rival Saleos . . . only they are not as stubborn.”
“Saleos yields to me,” Baka growled.
“He needs to yield to me.” Lucifer’s voice was deathly low. “And if you want your sons to rise as leaders in my army, you will do as I say.”
“Your army?” Uriel asked.
Lucifer waved a hand, silencing him, as he continued to glare at Baka.
Uriel watched as Baka’s hands curled into fists, waiting for what he expected to be fierce blows between the two. He was astonished when Baka took a step back, unclenched his fists, and gave his head a slight bow. Baka, the fiercest warrior in all the land with a reputation for yielding to no one, was yielding to Lucifer.
He knows who we are.
Uriel had heard the rumors spoken in hushed voices in all the cities he had visited. They spoke of angels roaming the Earth. He and Raphael with a couple of other angels had been the first to come down with Lucifer. Over the years, others had joined Lucifer. And even though they had all kept a low profile, somehow the humans knew.
He had thought this would stop Lucifer from encouraging more angels to join him. He had thought wrong. Lucifer wanted more. He had been furious when Raphael decided to have nothing more to do with him and was satisfied living in the countryside in relative anonymity with Rebecca and Jeremiel. It had been even worse when Lahash was born.
“If the change occurs, it will be done at a time of my choosing,” Lucifer said.
“What is this change you speak of, Lucifer?” Uriel asked.
Lucifer arched an eyebrow.
And then it hit him. The pieces of the puzzle slid together: the search for the strongest men in Jericho, the recruitment of more angels, the army.
“You can’t do this, Lucifer. It is not for you to decide who is to become one of us.”
“Who says they will be one of us?”
He balked. “Demons? Are you talking about demons? You can’t be serious!” He turned to Baka. “You cannot mean to want Saleos to become a demon?”
“I want my son to be as powerful as his brothers,” Baka growled. “My progeny shall live forever through Saleos.”
“And what of your other sons?”
“Jether and Joab are born of one of you. They are Nephilim.”
“For now,” Lucifer said.
It was like a veil had been lifted and he could see Lucifer with new eyes. He was finally seeing what Rachel had told him long ago. He felt his stomach plunge as he began to see Lucifer’s true self. How could he have missed it?
Rachel’s sweet voice echoed in his mind. ‘Your heart is pure’ she had said to him. Was it true? Was this why he refused to see or even believe that Lucifer was so in love with power that he would turn to evil?
He shook his head. Rachel was wrong. He wasn’t innocent or naïve. He was selfish. He wanted what Lucifer could offer him. He wanted freedom from his role as the Archangel of Death and all the responsibilities that came with it.
“Come now, Uriel.” Lucifer placed a hand on his arm and spoke gently to him. “Surely, you knew. Don’t tell me you’ve turned a blind eye to all that was happening around you.”
He ducked his head, ashamed. And then it hit him: Lucifer had known that he would.
“Changes need to be made here. Humans are weak and not worthy of all they have. It is our kind that watch and protect them. It is our kind that brings balance when the evil of man overwhelms their weak spirit. So our kind should be in command and be served by them.”
He couldn’t believe what Lucifer was saying. Deep in his heart he knew it was wrong. Lucifer had spat out nonsense like that before. He had always ignored it. He never thought Lucifer would do something to act out on it. He had to convince him somehow to stop.
“The Nephilim are enough,” Uriel said, lifting his head to meet his eyes. “They are revered by the humans. Look at Jeremiel. Others see him as a god. Why not stop at that and be satisfied?”
A flash of anger crossed Lucifer’s face and he smoothed it over. “The Nephilim are powerful, but they will not be enough. They have only half the gifts we have, and they are mortal for they are tainted with human blood. No, the only way is to change them.”
“You mean you will change the humans and the Nephilim?”
“We shall start with Jericho. I will journey there while you wait here. Keep watch on Jeremiel and Lahash. Jether and Joab will give you no problems. They have learned their place well.”
“And Saleos? What of Saleos?” Baka asked impatiently.
“Perhaps if his attitude has changed by the time I return...”
“You shall have it. He will serve only you, just as Jether and Joab do,” Baka said.
“Then when I return, Saleos will be the first to be changed, followed by his brothers.”
Baka’s smile sent shivers down Uriel’s spine.
He had to do something. He couldn’t just wait around for Lucifer to come back. He couldn’t just stand by and watch Lucifer slowly build an army of demons. He had to go back home and tell the others.
Would anyone believe him? He had followed Lucifer willingly. What would he risk if he went back and told the others that he had sided with evil? Rachel’s face flashed across his mind.
“Uriel.”
The sound of his name rolling off Lucifer’s tongue caused a sickly feeling in the pit of his stomach.
“If you value your life, you will do as I say.”
He looked at him confused. Angels can’t die.
Lucifer’s cold gray eyes held his knowingly. And in that moment, he knew that somehow Lucifer had found a way to destroy his own kind.
15
Lahash waded in the stream, careful not to disturb the fish. Its body slowly moved through the water without a clue that a spear hung high above its head.
Sweat rolled down Lahash’s forehead and into his eyes, stinging them. He didn’t dare move to wipe it. He didn’t want to make any sudden movements that might scare away the fish. This was the tenth fish he had tried to catch this morning, and each one had managed to get away from him.
He paused, muscles flexing as he tilted his spear at just the right angle. He plunged the spear into the water.
“Got you!” he cried as the fish stuck at the end of his spear. The fish flapped around frantically as he tugged it off the spear and tossed it into the basket.
“One down. Three more to go,” he said as he plopped down on a smooth rock beside the stream.
He looked down at the tiny fish. “All that work for you.”
He shook his head and sighed. Ever since his return from Ai, he hadn’t been able to concentrate on his work, and it showed. A couple of sheep had gone missing. Probably stolen in the middle of the night by travelers. The goat gave him dirty looks whenever he tried to milk her. And now, he couldn’t even catch enough fish for a decent meal.
“It looks like it’s going to be mostly figs and dates again tonight,” he mumbled.
He picked up the basket and decided to try farther down the stream. He knew what his problem was. He couldn�
�t get Naomi out of his mind. Every time Jeremiel left for Ai with their mother, he wondered if he was going to see Naomi. Jeremiel didn’t mention her, and he wasn’t about to ask him about her either.
It killed him not knowing. For a crazy moment, he had thought about volunteering to go to the well himself in hopes that he might accidentally run into her. He had decided against it because that would bring too many questions and relentless teasing from Jeremiel.
He paused when he heard someone humming. The sound started low and slowly climbed upward. Then, the voice opened to an “ah” sound as it held a high note for a moment, vibrato trembling. It was so exquisite it sent shivers along his arms. The voice sang higher until it paused, then dipped down into the singer’s lower register. It was a hauntingly beautiful melody sung by an equally glorious voice.
He walked toward the voice, pushing away the thick brush that hid its owner. As he got closer, he heard a splashing of water and then a familiar laugh.
He pushed the last branch away and froze. He stared in awe at Naomi’s naked back. His heart slammed against his chest as his eyes drank in the way water droplets slowly rolled down her milky white shoulder and along the curves of her back and her buttocks.
Her skin glistened under the sun as she submerged herself into the water. Bubbles floated on the still water’s surface as she stayed for a moment underneath the water. When she stood, her hair hung thick. The dark tresses lay plastered against her, making her pale skin shimmer.
She leaned forward and with slender hands gathered her hair into a thick black strand. She squeezed out the water and then flipped it back, her body turning toward him.
He gasped when he saw her face. Was it possible she had grown more beautiful in the days since he last saw her?
He stood fixated. He knew he should leave. He shouldn’t stare at her nakedness. He couldn’t help himself. He had never seen anything as exquisite as she was at that moment. She was perfection.
And that voice. His heart ached at the sound of it with every note that she sang.
She dipped herself back into the water and began to swim. Her arms curved, delicate fingers swishing the water as she moved them.
He was mesmerized by every move she made. Oh, how he wanted to know what it felt like for those fingers to touch his arms the way they stroked the water. And how much he wished that he could press those hands against his cheek just as she did when she splashed water onto her cheeks. He yearned for that voice to sing his name and to caress each syllable the way she caressed each note.
She swam farther away and disappeared from his sight. Without even thinking, he stepped out of the brush and into the clearing.
She screamed.
He froze as Naomi frantically ducked lower into the water, her arms frantically covering her body.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” he said when he finally came to his senses. He slapped his hand over his eyes and quickly turned away from her. “I didn’t see . . . I mean I wasn’t going to . . . I . . . I’m leaving.”
“Lahash? Is that you?”
His heart beat frantically when she said his name.
“No . . . I mean, yes.”
“Don’t go.”
He paused, keeping his back to her as he spoke. “I’m sorry to intrude. I was looking for a place to fish and I heard a lovely voice, then I saw you.”
He heard movement behind him.
“Why do have you your hand over your eyes? Your back is facing me.”
He felt his face heat up with embarrassment as he dropped his hand to his side.
She chuckled. The sound of it was delicious. “Would you hand me my clothes? They’re lying on that stone to your right.”
He glanced over to the stone. Lying on it were a simple white tunic dress and a red sash. He grabbed the clothes and closed his eyes. Turning, he held them out to her.
“Thank you,” she said. Her fingers brushed against his when she took them out of his hand and he quivered at her touch. He spun away from her, afraid that he would be too tempted to look at her. The image of her curves and porcelain skin was seared in his mind.
After a moment, he felt a soft hand on his shoulder. “You can turn around now.”
“I didn’t mean to disturb you,” he said, turning toward her. “I’ll just get my spear and be . . . on . . . my . . . way.”
His voice faltered. Dark, wet lashes framed two pools of blue.
She tilted her head as she looked up at him. “What’s wrong?”
“Your eyes. I don’t remember them being so . . . blue.” He found his hand drifting toward her face. The pads of his fingers traced her cheekbones. Her skin was like velvet. “They are like a cloudless sky.”
Her face beamed and pink lips curled into a smile. “No one has ever said that to me before.”
What was he doing? He caught himself caressing her cheek and quickly dropped his hand. He couldn’t believe what he had just done . . . and said. She must think him a fool.
“It’s true. You . . . you have lovely eyes,” he stammered as he placed his hands behind his back, not trusting them. They obviously had a life of their own.
He looked at the ground and rubbed his foot against the wet grass and mud. He didn’t know what else to say. And if he looked up at her, he was afraid he would say something even more stupid. At that moment, he wished he was more like his brother. Jeremiel would know what to do. He was never at a loss for words for charming anyone—male, female, young, old, they were all drawn to him. “I . . . uh . . . I think I should be heading back.”
He scanned the ground, looking for his spear. He had just had it in his hand a moment ago. How could he have lost it so fast? Great. Now she was going to think he was a fool and a moron.
“I haven’t seen you in the city since the games ended.”
His head shot up. “You were looking for me?”
He bit down on his tongue when he realized he had blurted it out rather than thinking it.
Her cheeks turned a delicate pink, making her look even lovelier than she already was.
“Yes. I wanted to thank you for what you did for my sister.”
“It was nothing . . . really.”
She touched his arm, sending a delicious tingle through his arm and to the pit of his stomach.
“It was everything,” she said. “I don’t know any other man who would’ve stopped in the middle of the race to help a little girl . . . especially not a man who was winning.”
“I’m sure someone would have.”
“No, they wouldn’t have. Not with so much money at stake. It was a lot of gold.”
“I wasn’t trying to win the gold.”
They stared at each other. The air was thick with electricity. He had never felt so alive as he did at that moment, with their eyes locked on each other. He could hear her breathing as it picked up pace, the wind rustling in the trees, water bubbling in the stream, and his heart beating an irregular rhythm. He wanted to tell her why he had really wanted to win. What if she laughed? What if her heart, like so many others, belonged to Jeremiel?
“I’m sorry you lost,” she said, breaking the spell. “Maybe I can repay you.”
“No, please. I’m just glad your sister is all right.”
She glanced down at his basket. “How about I help you get some more fish?”
“I don’t want you to spend your money.”
“I’m not going to buy them in the market. I’ll help you catch them.”
He blinked, confused. “Catch?”
“Yes, catch. Why do you look so surprised?”
“I . . . uh,” he looked at her delicate arms. “My spear is heavy.”
She scowled. “I can carry a spear.” She looked over his shoulder. “Is that it over there?”
She walked past him. “See. Here I am picking up your spear.” She lifted it and tossed it to him.
“I didn’t mean you couldn’t lift it.” Great. Now she was mad at him. How had he gotten himself into this?
“I meant that you would have to lift it over your head for some time before you could spear the fish. It gets heavy after a while.”
She smirked. “Maybe for someone who fishes like that, it would be a problem.”
“What do you use?”
Grinning, she lifted her hands and wiggled her fingers.
“Watch and learn, Spear-boy.” She gave him a wink as she headed back to the stream.
At the stream bank, she lifted her tunic, gathered the material, and tied it into a knot just above her knees. Slender legs stepped into the stream. She wadded a little into the water then stood still.
“Are you sure you don’t want the—”
“Shhh.” She flapped a hand at him.
He went closer in toward the edge and saw a fish swimming in circles around her legs.
She dipped her hands into the water, careful not to make any ripples. When her hands were completely submerged, she wiggled her fingers slowly.
His eyes grew wide as the fish turned and swam toward her fingers.
Without a sound, she moved her hands slowly in the water, her fingers still wiggling. He held his breath as he watched her hands go underneath the fish, moving gently back and forth. She was tickling the fish’s belly!
In one swift movement, her hands clenched around the fish and she tossed it onto the bank.
“There!” She beamed. “How many more do you need?”
He gazed down at the fish flopping around at his feet and then back at her. She was amazing.
There was a clapping sound from behind him.
Her smile froze and her eyes widened.
“That is very impressive, Naomi.” Saleos emerged from the trees.
Lahash tightened his fist around the spear as he watched Saleos’ black eyes roam over Naomi’s body.
“Although I can think of much better things that you can wrap those hands around.”
Naomi gasped.
Lahash immediately placed himself in front of him. Saleos’ muscular body stood over him threateningly. He didn’t care. He touched the tip of the spear to his thick neck.
“Leave,” he growled.
Saleos looked down at him with an amused expression on his face. He then glanced at Naomi and then back down at him again. He threw his head back and laughed.
Before the Fall Page 11
