Page 6 of The Fallen

?She moved closer to her on the bed and put her hand on Marie's cheek, “Just try,” she begged.

?Marie couldn't stand lying to her mom or keeping secrets from her, but what would she accomplish by telling her the truth? There was no way her mom would understand this, especially since she didn't understand it herself.

?She couldn't tell her that the pounding in her head was becoming more frequent, as were the images she saw. She hated when her mom worried. She didn't know how to tell her she was changing, becoming different and how it was scaring her.

? She pulled away and walked to the other side of the room to lean against the wall. She put her hands over her eyes and slid down the wall.

?This clearly wasn't the best time, but all she could think about was Brenton. “I really need to talk to you,” she said into her hands, forgetting her mom was in the room with her. His face appeared in her mind once more.

?She heard her mom in the background saying she was there for her, but all she could focus on was Brenton's face.

?“I'm here. Come find me,” he said in her mind and then she saw a clear shot of the woods they were in the day she collapsed.

?She jumped, bumping her head against the wall. Her mom was startled and ran to her aide. She wasn't sure what happened, but she knew she needed to go to the woods to see if he was there.

?“Baby, you okay?” her mom asked.

?“Yeah, I'm fine. I just need to get out of here for a minute, maybe take a walk and clear my head. Is that okay?”

?Her mom was reluctant, but she gave in. She kissed her on the forehead before leaving her alone.

?Marie scrambled around trying to find something to throw on. She had to get to the woods, get to Brenton. She had plenty of questions and she was convinced he had the answers.

Chapter Five

The sun was setting and the air was crisp. Everyone was settling in for the night. All the children had long gone to bed; tired from working and playing in the hot sun. The women would soon follow while their husbands gathered together in the courtyard.

?Semjaza stood watch with the rest of the angels, waiting for the last light to go out. They were soldiers, warriors in God's army. Though on this night, they were on a self initiated mission.

?The women drew them to that same spot every night. Their beauty so captivating and alluring. It was against God's wishes for them to lust after the women, but they disobeyed, wanting to have freewill as the humans did.

?“What should we do this night Semjaza? We have come here often only to gaze upon the women. What else would you have us do?” asked Azazel.

?“We will take the women for ourselves and have them bare us children as they have for their mates.”

?“But that is against our Father's will.”

?Semjaza looked out over his brothers, all waiting for instructions. God gave him authority to rule over these angels and he did so proudly.

?He stood tall, shoulders back, chest out. He knew they would follow him anywhere, do anything that was asked of them. They needed to be led. He gazed over the multitude, wings swaying in the wind, glistening brighter than the rest of them, and raised his head.

?“Brothers,” he yelled. “We have fought for our Father and obeyed His will. He then made these feeble creatures in His image and gave them the right to choose a path for themselves. I ask you, who among us doesn't want the same choice?”

?The gathered looked around at each other. The murmurs began and soon turned into loud banter. Semjaza raised his hand in the air and a hush immediately fell over the crowd.

?“I say we choose this day to make our own path as well. We will take the women for ourselves and they will bare us children and we will live in the image of our Father who created us. Who will stand with me?”

?Cheering from the multitude went up with applause. Semjaza walked further up the mountain on which they stood and turned to face his brothers again.

?“I require an oath from each of you. Decide now, my brothers, to take destiny in your own hands.”

?He walked to each individual angel and they repeated an oath. One by one, the angels gave their word to mate with the women and seal their fate.

?The angels then stormed the city, easily persuading the women to follow them as they led them from their husbands and into the night.

?It would be days before the women returned to the city. And when they did, they had all changed. Every woman who was seduced by the angels became sirens. There was a look of hunger in their eyes, something food wouldn't satisfy. The look of lust and power replaced the humble, submissive women and the men were afraid.

?Not able to go back to the Father, the angels continued to live among the humans, mating with the sirens and teaching them everything they knew, violating God's Law. The brothers had made an oath and it was too late to turn back now.

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