Page 31 of Claimed by the Fallen
Thirteen
I’m backin my family’s living room, sitting on the couch, reeling from the insanity of the last half hour. When I walked back into my house, I’d stopped short of passing my mom’s antique cabinet. The figurines I’d considered destroyed were all repaired and positioned as they’d been before the angels crashed into them. None of the angels had commented on the objects. Instead, they’d all passed me to enter the livingroom.
Now, all three angels are standing against the wall in front of me. None of them come closer. I suspect they are trying not to overwhelm me with their presence, but that’s next to impossible when their wings are still out behind them. I’m not even sure they notice. Each of them seems perfectly comfortable having the odd extremities out in the open. I ponder where the wings are when they aren’t out. I’m so caught up in my thoughts, I miss a question directed tome.
“Veronica?”
“Hmm?” I tear my eyes away from Adrian’s blue-tinted wings and meet Gabe’s expectantgaze.
“I’m sorry,” I defer to my southern politeness. “What did yousay?”
His lips twitch. “I asked if there is anything you wish to know? Something we can use to start this…discussion.”
“Oh.” I chew on my bottom lip as I ponder the question. Part of this still doesn’t seem real, but I cannot deny the evidence in front of me. The men are obviously not human, and their wings suggest they are angels like they say. Still, they tried to sayIwas an angel. They can’t be in their rightmind.
Then again, I did shoot light from myhands…
Obviously, there is something unnatural going on with me, and the men are my only sources to find out what, exactly, thatis.
“So… fallen angels arereal?”
All three of themnod.
“Right.” I swallow the lump in my throat. This isn’t going to be easy. “And fallen angels sometimes have children? Withhumans?”
“Sometimes, yes,” says Mr. Cohen. “Though, our Council of the Fallen prohibits Fallen-humanrelationships.”
“So, I’m not supposed to evenexist?”
“Technically, no. Whoever your father is, he broke the Council’s rules when he decided to lay with yourmother.”
I feel my cheeks flush when I hear my teacher use the old-timey term for sex. I quickly keep the conversation going. “You keep talking about my father, but can’t my mother be a fallenangel?”
“No,” Gabe jumps in. Then, he modifies his statement. “Well… that is to say, female angels are not able to reproduce like humanwomen.”
I looked at the coffee table in front of me. I wonder what circumstance led to my birth mother meeting and having a child with a Fallen angel. Did she know what he was, or did my biological father keep the truth fromher?
Is that why she gave me up? Could she somehow tell there was something different aboutme?
The insecurities I’d long conquered come roaring back with a vengeance. I try to push them out of my mind. My mom and dad love me. I don’t need to worry about why a strange woman might’ve given me away. If she didn’t put me up for adoption, I wouldn’t have the life I have right now. My adoption was the best thing that could’ve happened to me. I’m sure ofit.
“Is the fact I’m alive okay with your council?” I lift my eyes and look between the angels. Adrian’s hate-filled expression catches myattention.
“What is it?” I ask him, knowing the angry look isn’t a result of anything I’vesaid.
Adrian’s features soften when he sees I’m speaking to him, but he still looks irritated. “It doesn’t matter what their council thinks of you, Veronica. You will be safe now that I’ve foundyou.”
Mr. Cohen and Gabe bristle, but I continue, “I guess that means they won’t be okay with me?” I phrase my words like a question even though I’m pretty sure I know theanswer.
Adrian continues to scowl as he swings his eyes to the brothers beside him. “If the light boys know what’s good for them, they won’t breathe a word of your existence to theircouncil.”
Gabe growls and steps forward, but Mr. Cohen stops him by placing a hand on his chest. Still, Gabe says, “We would never endanger Veronica’s life. Notever.”
The emotion behind the words shocks me. Gabe speaks as if we are close when, in reality, I’d only just met him. He shouldn’t sound so protective. He doesn’t even knowme.
“For your sake, I hope that is true. I’d hate to have to kill another lightboy.”
I gasp. Did he just saykill?
