Fallen: Celeste Read Free

her to turn her back on the very
person who had created her? Lucifer's voice had been so tempting and she had
been so gullible. It was only after her banishment that she had realized what
he had cost her. Others had figured it out as well. They had begged God to let
them come back, but He had turned away as surely as they had turned from Him.
    The water cooled as she tried to remember what Heaven looked like.
It wouldn't appear in her mind anymore, the memory having been wiped clean by
her turning away. Being a fallen angel wasn't what Lucifer had claimed it would
be. She had powers beyond mortal reckoning, but she was alone in the world. For
an angel, being banished from the mind of God was a horrible thing. It felt
like death, even though it took a lot for angels to die. It was even worse now
that she was an Enforcer. She had to hunt down those fallen that preyed upon
the mortals.
    She stood in front of the mirror. Wiping the mist from the glass,
she stared at the scar on her chest above her left breast. It was a cross. The
fallen called it the mark of Cain. Every Enforcer wore one. Mika'il, the
Captain of the Host, had burned it into her flesh when she'd chosen to hunt her
own kind.
    Tomas was one of the fallen whose mind had slipped into the black
abyss where his madness had taken control. He would kill until she stopped him.
Since she wouldn't be getting help from Heaven or the Host, she would have to
look to the mortal world. Adam Montgomery was her only choice. He had the power
and the men to search the city, street by street if need be.
    She remembered how quickly the lust had overcome her. That lust
would be a useful thing for her. Unlike Tomas, who gained his power from fear
and pain, Celeste and the other Enforcers gained their power from sex. Maybe
God had given that
power to the Enforcers to make up for their bleak existence.
    Her heart had reacted to Adam as well. She was afraid she was only
a few steps away from love. If she spent time with him, she could lose her
heart. It wouldn't be the first time. Over the centuries, she had loved many
mortals and she had cried each time one died. She could still feel the pain
each death had caused her and she wasn't sure she could deal with it again.
    Each day she felt herself crawling closer to the abyss. She didn't
want to turn into one of the creatures she hunted. She had vowed to herself to
end her existence before that happened. One more lover's death might just be
too much for her.
    The last victim's face flashed in the mirror. She saw the horror
and the fear. How many more would die if she didn't use Adam? She was afraid
she knew the answer. Tomas would never stop on his own, so it was up to her to
end his reign of terror. The risk to her heart and sanity were unimportant in
view of the number of women Tomas could kill.
    Her decision having been made, Celeste climbed into bed and
whispered a quiet prayer. Old habits died hard.

CHAPTER THREE
    Adam studied the group of men gathered around the table. They were
his top lieutenants in the Demons. These were some of the most feared men on
the streets, ruling with an iron fist and swift judgment. The only thing these
men respected was strength. Adam had proven his ruthlessness. His punishments
were severe when his rules weren't followed; because of this his men respected
and feared him.
    Adam had created his own mythology. He made sure his background
stayed a mystery. He had appeared on the streets at the age of twelve. Not even
the best investigators could find anything out about him. He spread the rumors
that he would kill anyone who asked about his past. Whether he really would or
not, after one look in his green eyes, the rumors were believed. If there were
any compassion or love in Adam's heart, he had hidden it deep. To be in control
of everything around him, he knew he had to be cruel.
    "Thanks for coming, gentlemen. I'm sure you have all heard about
the killer hunting in our streets."
    The grumbling among his men