Rise of the Fallen 1 - My Soul to Keep Read Free Page A

trivial or something somebody’s wished for before.
    This wasn't happening. I wasn't going to lose my soul over a wish,
especially one that I didn't want. I didn't see an answer on the horizon. That kind
of pissed me off and started me thinking. I thought of every supernatural being
I had ever heard of and tossed the thoughts as quickly as they came. Nothing would
help. I stared at her. I wanted to outsmart her in the worst way. Inspiration struck.
    “I want to be like you, I want to be one of The Fallen.”

 
     
    Chapter 3
     
    She moved so fast I didn't even see it. One moment she sat on her motorcycle
looking quite bored. The next she stood behind me and had me in a headlock. Quite
shocked, I watched the beautiful Harley tip over and fall to the ground on its side.
I could feel arms trembling as she held me. She seemed almost nervous, like she
was expecting somebody to show up at any second. Moments passed as we stood under
the streetlight above.
     “Listen very carefully, worm,” she hissed in my ear. “The Fallen are
not made, they’re born, and none in the last eight millennia to boot. You can’t
wish for that. I need you to very clearly and slowly say the word, 'Rescind.' Can
you do that for me?” She loosened her grip on my head but slipped her other hand
over my mouth. I nodded I would, and she very slowly took her hand away.
    “I want to be one of the Fallen,” I said as fast as possible. Her hand
shot back to my mouth, clearly not expecting me to disobey her. Stupid Fallen,
tricks are for kids.
    “You frigging idiot…”
    She let go of me, took three steps back, and looked up at the sky.
The moon was bright, even though it was only a half. The clouds rolling in unnaturally
fast blocked it quickly. Something very bad was coming. Something very, very bad.
    I turned to start running like I should have done to begin with. Before
I even made it an inch, she had me back in an ironclad grip. Not a headlock, this
time she merely grasped my shoulders from behind and turned me to face the approaching
storm. The clouds split and moved around us as they sank lower and lower. The sky
turned a sickly shade of greenish-black, completely blocking the stars above. The
cloud formation started rotating clockwise, forming a vortex around us. The blackness
thickened and I could vaguely make out a shape in the center. The more I watched,
the larger it grew. I realized it wasn't flying.
    It was falling.
    Just before it crashed into the street it unfurled its wings with a
resounding whump. That slowed it down enough to keep it from punching a crater
into the asphalt, but only barely. The dust-cloud its wings kicked up took a moment
to settle. Once it did, a winged man with glowing red eyes stared angrily at the
two of us.
    I couldn’t help but stare at his wings. He drew them in close to his
body as he placed his hands on his hips. Even without the wings he was impressive
and frightening. He stood over six-feet-tall and made most body-builders look flabby.
Apparently he liked leather clothing, too. Pants, vest, and boots were the only
things he wore. The Fallen must all have biker tendencies.
    “What in the mortal realm is going on here?” He sounded even more pissed
than he looked. I tried not to start shaking. The Fallen holding me probably would
have thought it was funny.
    “It’s the boy, Darius. He made an incomprehensible wish. I gave him
the chance to rescind, but in a fit of stubbornness, he repeated it.”
    “I heard his wish, Clarisse. Did you explain to him it is not possible?”
    “I did. I don’t know what to do.”
    I didn’t like being talked about while I stood right in between them.
I also didn’t like the look Darius gave me as he moved and circled around Clarisse
and me. I lost sight of him as he walked behind us. When he came back into view,
his wings were gone and his eyes had faded into a smoldering blue color which looked
a lot more appealing than the red they'd been moments before.
    “Can