Free Before the Fall by L.G. Castillo Page A

she reached out to get the basket. “Nothing.”
    “Mother, why does your voice sound funny?”
    “Perhaps your mother is tired,” Raphael said.
    “Oh, you caught me by surprise, that’s all.” The strain in her voice was obvious even behind the gentle smile. His brow furrowed with worry. He wondered if something happened to her in the city. Maybe she had run into Baka. It wouldn’t have been the first time it had happened. Baka’s presence was like a spur in Raphael’s belly, and for once, he wished he thought like Lucifer and was able to be rid of Baka for good.
    Rebecca’s hand moved over the fish, cleaning it, keeping her back to them as she spoke. “I thought you would have dropped off the fish first before you sent Jeremiel with my mother.”
    “Sarah is here? Why, that is wonderful news,” Raphael said. “You’d been hoping she’d come to see Jeremiel. Where is she?”
    “Didn’t you see her when you went for Jeremiel?”
    “I’ve been at the stream the entire day with him.”
    Her hand froze in the air. Slowly, she turned to him, her face pale.
    “That’s not possible.”
    The air was still as he gazed into her panic-stricken eyes.
    “Jeremiel, go out back and milk the goat. The pail is next to the door.”
    “Yes, Father.”
    As soon as he heard the door shut, he went to her. He took the knife out of her hand and placed it on the table. “You’re trembling.”
    “You came to me early this afternoon. You said my mother had taken Jeremiel. Oh, no!” She looked up at him her wide. “I should have known. My mother would never have come on her own.”
    “What happened?”
    “I thought . . . I thought it was you that . . . that...” She closed her eyes and tears spilled down her pale cheeks.
    “That what?” he gently shook her shoulders as his voice rose frantically. “That what?”
    “You . . . you forced me submit to you,” she sobbed.
    He sucked in a breath. “Was it Baka? Did he come in disguise?”
    She shook her head. “He-he-he had your face, your body. It was you except the eyes. The eyes were so . . . c-c-cold.”
    His body warred between rage that someone had violated her and despair that he hadn’t been there to stop it.
    “Who did you see in the city? Did anyone follow you home?”
    “I don’t think so. I was alone for some time before I returned. I saw my mother, and my father saw us. He was with Baka and Lucifer.”
    His nostrils flared. “Did Lucifer say anything to you?”
    Her hand pressed against the side of her right temple. “I-I-I can’t remember.”
    “Please, Rebecca. Try. Try to remember.”
    “All I remember is a dark fog and cold and a voice whispering in my head.”
    Mind manipulation. Only the angels had that kind of power. But not even angels had the power to change form into a body that differed from their own. Only the black powers of evil were strong enough to do so. There was only one person he knew that would dare to use them.
    “Lucifer,” he growled. Why would Lucifer do this? He had no lust for women as Uriel did.
    “No! Please no.” She wailed incoherently into his chest. “Please forgive me. I thought it was you. I thought you had forsaken me. How could I have believed it was you?”
    “Shh, my love.” He held her tight and kissed the top of her head. She was so soft . . . delicate. The thought of Lucifer’s hands on her, hurting her, taking her . . . his rage surged. “You are not at fault. I will find Lucifer, and I shall have vengeance.”
    Even with all the angelic powers he had, he couldn’t end Lucifer’s life, only seriously wound him. He had to make sure Lucifer would die so that he could never harm another person again.
    There was only one way to kill an angel. It would mean turning against the Heavens, against good, against morals—turning to the black powers of evil.
    As if sensing his thoughts, Rebecca tightened her hold on him. “Don’t leave.”
    He looked down at Rebecca and studied her beautiful face. Gone