Rage and Redemption (Rebel Angels) by Cyndi Friberg Read Free Book Online Page B

matter that she had done nothing wrong. Gabriel had betrayed him! He refused to remember the longings released within his soul by his brief exposure to her purity.
    She was human!
    That alone was reason enough to justify his actions. Gabriel didn’t understand his resentment of humans. Neither did Michael. They were mindless sheep, willing to serve and obey without thought or question.
    This is your last hope, Gideon. You must find peace within the madness or you will be consumed completely by your own rage.
    Michael’s words echoed back through Gideon’s mind and he spat a curse into the night. There was no peace in this madness yet something within him still fought against the rage. He was trapped between two worlds, neither good nor evil, neither angel nor demon, neither light nor dark.
    With an angry snarl, Gideon stood. There would be no comfort in the silence tonight. He was simply too distraught. Focusing his energy on the image of a falcon, he spread his arms, crouched and launched himself upward from the hill.
    For a long moment he hung suspended above the earth with no substance or form. He could feel the currents of air flowing through his being. Then he concentrated, focused his energy, and took on the outward shape of the bird.
    His wings flapped strongly. His bright golden eyes were all that remained of his human shape. He soared. High above the Krak he flew in lazy circles, at home in the sky, at one with the night.
    * * * * *
     
    “Thankfully you sent Gideon to find me. If I’d walked back to the Krak on—”
    “I did not send Gideon to you.” Gabriel’s gaze narrowed   on Naomi’s face, cautious yet intense. “Did he tell you this?”
    Fear’s icy fingers stroked Naomi’s spine. She sat on one of the infirmary’s cots as she had for the past five days. Her ankle was still swollen and discolored, but with her foot bound firmly for support, she was able to walk with only a bit of discomfort.
    “Aye, he said you sent him to look for me.”
    Brother Gabriel glanced away and Naomi felt even more uncomfortable. He fiddled with the wooden cross suspended from his neck, sure proof of his anxiety.
    “Why does your brother mean me harm?”
    It took a long time for him to answer. “Gideon is angry with me, and he knows harming you will hurt me more deeply than any direct assault.”
    His compassionate gaze moved slowly across her face. Warmth seeped through her. He’d always been able to calm her fears and set her mind to rest.
    “What does he believe you did? Why is he so angry?”
    “I’ll speak with Gideon,” Gabriel evaded her question. “You must stay away from him.”
    Naomi laughed. The thin, nervous sound was harsh even in her own ears. “I’ve tried to avoid him. He seeks me out. I knew he followed me that night, but he said you sent him to protect me.”
    Brother Gabriel knelt beside her bed, capturing her icy fingers in the warm cradle of his hands. Naomi savored the familiar beauty of his face.
    “Fear not, Naomi. I will not allow anything to harm you.”
    For the first time in her life she doubted his assurance. “I think perhaps this time ’tis I who must protect you.” He looked so crestfallen at her words Naomi immediately regretted them. “Or perhaps we must work to protect each other.”
    “Forces are at work here that you don’t understand,” he said. “I’m not sure if you’re even more powerless than I or if you’re the only glimmer of light left in his darkness. I don’t know how to advise you.”
    “Especially when you love us both?” she guessed from the pain in his eyes.
    He nodded stiffly.
    “I am not afraid of Gideon.”
    His gaze flew to hers and his expression hardened. “Nay. You must fear him. You must not trust him. You must suspect everything he tells you and everything he does.”
    “I’m not a fool. I know what he’s about. His weapon is seduction and he wields it masterfully. He cares nothing for me. He wants only to torment you.”
    Again