Beloved Purgatory (Fallen Angels, Book 2) by Katherine Pine Read Free Book Online
Authors: Katherine Pine
back of my neck stand on end. "I
was the one who padded James' car, and I acted alone."
Then she ran to Forneus and hugged his arm.
"I'm sorry, dear uncle, but he deserved it."
"Enough!" James' father erupted. "We already
know that Kim girl was involved. She admitted it."
"No." Jasmine's voice shook. "She was just
trying to protect me because I've never gone to school before. I
don't know how to act around other people. I just wanted to
help."
James dad looked to the principal. "Are you
buying this? How did she know where my son's house was? That his
car would be outside?"
My temples pounded from grinding my teeth. I
didn't like anyone talking to Jasmine that way. "She knew because I
told her," I said.
"Stop," Jasmine warned.
I refused to listen. Oz had
reassured me everything would be fine. However, if he thought I'd
accept this as fine , he was even more deluded than I'd thought.
James father scowled. "So the two of you
were involved?"
"No. Just me. James did a rotten thing to
Kim, and I wanted him to own up to it. Kim didn't do anything,
though." I turned to my friend. "Right?"
Kim hid her face in her hands. Her mother
rubbed her shoulder, murmuring something in Vietnamese. It sounded
like an apology.
"Devi." Jasmine's voice sounded somewhat
threatening. If I didn't love her so much, then I would have backed
down. Her green eyes narrowed, and I glared right back.
"This isn't how you make friends," I
said.
The air was still for a moment after those
words, save for James' father's heavy panting, and Kim's muffled
sobs.
The principal groaned. His chair creaked as
he leaned back, and for a moment he looked longingly at the parking
lot. I guess this wasn't a very good day for him, either. "Devi and
Jasmine, do you take full responsibility?"
Before I could answer, white light began to
grow in the corner of the room. The darkness broke apart, scurrying
behind the bookcases and door like frightened shadow puppets made
by children's hands.
I should have hidden, too.
There was nothing for me in that light, and no compassion in that
sacrosanct man's eyes. But it called to my blood like the haunting
wail of a siren. I, too, would dive into the sea and accept certain
death for a second glimpse of that beauty, even though I hated
it--perhaps especially because I did.
I felt myself rise from my seat and step
forward into that heatless, shimmering fire.
The angel didn't try to touch me. He'd
learned that much, at least. "Devi, I know you feel responsible,
but you don't have to do this. Azazel will be fine."
I tried to mirror the angel's dead gaze.
"Responsibility?"
The angel took a step back. I almost did,
too. Nothing I'd done had ever elicited such an obvious response
from him.
"Devi," Jasmine called quietly from across
the room. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Forneus' bony
fingers wrap around her wrist.
I ignored it. This wasn't about them, but
about me and the angel. 'My' angel. I gasped and pressed my palms
to my eyes. "What do you know of responsibility? You always do as
you're told. You don't know anything of love or friendship, or
trying to protect someone when you can't..."
I grabbed his shirt and fell forward into
his chest, too tired to beat my fists against him. Not that it
would have mattered. Nothing you did to this creature mattered.
"All you do is steal things--even if it's the thing they love most,
you'll take it--and when you do it your face doesn't even change.
You don't feel anything for anyone--not the people you hurt, and
not the people who love them."
Something pressed into my shoulders. I looked
down to see two caramel colored arms wrapping around my stomach.
Jasmine, I thought, warmth flowing through me as her fingers
entwined.
"Devi," Jasmine pleaded into the center of
my back, but I did not turn. Nothing--not even the one I
loved--could prevent me from looking at those calm, indigo
eyes.
"I hate you so much," I whispered, "and it
doesn't even matter, because you don't care."
His
was the one who padded James' car, and I acted alone."
Then she ran to Forneus and hugged his arm.
"I'm sorry, dear uncle, but he deserved it."
"Enough!" James' father erupted. "We already
know that Kim girl was involved. She admitted it."
"No." Jasmine's voice shook. "She was just
trying to protect me because I've never gone to school before. I
don't know how to act around other people. I just wanted to
help."
James dad looked to the principal. "Are you
buying this? How did she know where my son's house was? That his
car would be outside?"
My temples pounded from grinding my teeth. I
didn't like anyone talking to Jasmine that way. "She knew because I
told her," I said.
"Stop," Jasmine warned.
I refused to listen. Oz had
reassured me everything would be fine. However, if he thought I'd
accept this as fine , he was even more deluded than I'd thought.
James father scowled. "So the two of you
were involved?"
"No. Just me. James did a rotten thing to
Kim, and I wanted him to own up to it. Kim didn't do anything,
though." I turned to my friend. "Right?"
Kim hid her face in her hands. Her mother
rubbed her shoulder, murmuring something in Vietnamese. It sounded
like an apology.
"Devi." Jasmine's voice sounded somewhat
threatening. If I didn't love her so much, then I would have backed
down. Her green eyes narrowed, and I glared right back.
"This isn't how you make friends," I
said.
The air was still for a moment after those
words, save for James' father's heavy panting, and Kim's muffled
sobs.
The principal groaned. His chair creaked as
he leaned back, and for a moment he looked longingly at the parking
lot. I guess this wasn't a very good day for him, either. "Devi and
Jasmine, do you take full responsibility?"
Before I could answer, white light began to
grow in the corner of the room. The darkness broke apart, scurrying
behind the bookcases and door like frightened shadow puppets made
by children's hands.
I should have hidden, too.
There was nothing for me in that light, and no compassion in that
sacrosanct man's eyes. But it called to my blood like the haunting
wail of a siren. I, too, would dive into the sea and accept certain
death for a second glimpse of that beauty, even though I hated
it--perhaps especially because I did.
I felt myself rise from my seat and step
forward into that heatless, shimmering fire.
The angel didn't try to touch me. He'd
learned that much, at least. "Devi, I know you feel responsible,
but you don't have to do this. Azazel will be fine."
I tried to mirror the angel's dead gaze.
"Responsibility?"
The angel took a step back. I almost did,
too. Nothing I'd done had ever elicited such an obvious response
from him.
"Devi," Jasmine called quietly from across
the room. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Forneus' bony
fingers wrap around her wrist.
I ignored it. This wasn't about them, but
about me and the angel. 'My' angel. I gasped and pressed my palms
to my eyes. "What do you know of responsibility? You always do as
you're told. You don't know anything of love or friendship, or
trying to protect someone when you can't..."
I grabbed his shirt and fell forward into
his chest, too tired to beat my fists against him. Not that it
would have mattered. Nothing you did to this creature mattered.
"All you do is steal things--even if it's the thing they love most,
you'll take it--and when you do it your face doesn't even change.
You don't feel anything for anyone--not the people you hurt, and
not the people who love them."
Something pressed into my shoulders. I looked
down to see two caramel colored arms wrapping around my stomach.
Jasmine, I thought, warmth flowing through me as her fingers
entwined.
"Devi," Jasmine pleaded into the center of
my back, but I did not turn. Nothing--not even the one I
loved--could prevent me from looking at those calm, indigo
eyes.
"I hate you so much," I whispered, "and it
doesn't even matter, because you don't care."
His