Page 51 of Claimed by the Fallen
It’s an easydecision.
“Sure,” I shrug. “Whynot?”
Mr. Cohen smiles and gestures for me to precede him into the living room. I walk in and see Periwinkle snuggled up on the corner of the couch. I move to sit by her as Mr. Cohen picks up the remote and turns on thetelevision.
The L-shaped sectional is spacious. Peri and I sit on the L end, Gabe sits in the middle, and Mr. Cohen perches himself on the otherend.
Cheering fans fill the screen as the camera crew pans across the stadium. I pet Peri, keeping my eyes on the T.V. even though I can feel the brothers’ gazes land on me from time totime.
I wait until after the opening pitch before I ask, “So… any idea who my biological parents are?” It was the question that kept me preoccupied until I fell asleep and dreamed of a fiery, violentworld.
“We’re working on it,” Gabe states, “but we need to bediscreet.”
“Why?”
Mr. Cohen answers, “If news gets out there is a full-blooded angel born after the fall, you can bet the High Councils will try to findyou.”
“Not to mention the fact you are both Light and Dark.” Gabe shakes his head. “There is no telling how Fallen will react when they learn of yourexistence.”
Neither of the angels say so, but I get the feeling my life might be in danger if others learn the truth aboutme.
I press for more information. “What’s the highcouncil?”
“The Light High Council and the Dark High Council,” Gabe begins, “think of them as the governing bodies overseeing the Fallen on Earth. They monitor and regulate the behavior of the celestial beings in theircharge.”
“So, there are two types of angels?” I glance between them. “Which areyou?”
“We’re Light Fallen,” Mr. Cohensays.
I tilt my head to the side, observing them. “I would’ve thought dark because of yourhair.”
“Our wings reveal which group we are a part of,” Gabe reveals. Without warning, a pair of stark-white wings pop out behind hisshirt.
I gape at the magnificent appendages. They look strong, yet delicate. Beautiful, yet dangerous. “I-I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to seeingwings.”
“You will,” he assures me, his eyes light with heat. “Promise.”
For a moment, I’m lost in his gaze. Their blue depths swirl in a mesmerizingpattern.
A throat clears, and I’m pulled from thetrance.
My cheeks warm, and I quickly try to hide my awkwardness by asking, “S-so Adrian and Zeke are darkangels?”
“They are,” Mr. Cohen answers patiently, giving no sign he sees the evidence of myembarrassment.
I think of Adrian’s dark wings, and the iridescent shades of blue and purple in the feathers. “Does that mean Adrian and Zeke are evil?” I find it hard to believe after they’ve saved me from yancor demons on more than one occasion, but I acknowledge I don’t know either of them very well. For all I know, they could be badguys.
“Not necessarily.” Mr. Cohen rubs the back of his neck. “Dark Fallen are more susceptible to evil acts, but they have the ability to not act onthem.”
“What about Light Fallen?” I look between the brothers. “Do you guys have evil impulsestoo?”
Gabe shrugs. “Some, but not as many as DarkFallen.”
“But didn’t you all fall at the same time and for the same reason?” I’m confused as to why there is a difference between the four angels who’d recently entered mylife.
I see shame creep into both Gabe’s and Mr. Cohen’sexpressions.
“Yes, all Fallen are guilty of following Lucifer,” Gabe answers my question while his brother stares blankly at the long-forgotten baseball game, “but Light Fallen are those who are trying to return to God’s good graces. We are spending our immortal life on Earth helping humans, with the hopes of one day being granted entrance back intoHeaven.”
