Rebel by Kristina Douglas Read Free Book Online

why I thought safety was an issue. There was no reason to think that Cain was any particular danger to me. Why should he be?
    Anyway, I had no intention of giving him the satisfaction of driving me away. I was an inventive woman—I could tell him I’d had a vision requiring me to move. That I was supposed to be close to Allie as her time grew nearer.
    I hated the thought of using my visions, of lying to get out of an uncomfortable situation. The prophecies were already extremely dodgy—if I started manufacturing them whenever things got difficult, I would destroy what little credibility I had.
    I pulled myself into a sitting position, listening, but there was no more sound from the rooms next to mine. Maybe I’d be better off if everyone ignored my dreams and portents. They were a curse, nothing but trouble, and I’d be much happier slipping back into my role as quiet little Martha, Thomas’s widow.
    I’d even considered lying about my confusing bona fide visions. I didn’t dare risk it—knowing Allie was pregnant before she did enabled her to take better care of herself. Knowing the ancient Romangoddess of war, Victoria Bellona, needed to come to Sheol before the first battle with Uriel meant we had a chance of surviving. Knowing Tory was going to die in that battle gave Allie a chance to save her, bring her back.
    No, I couldn’t turn my back on my responsibilities, no matter how difficult. And I couldn’t run away simply because I found our newly returned fallen angel unsettling. I wasn’t used to all that charm and intensity directed at me. I didn’t like it. But I could put up with it.
    Besides, sooner or later he’d go off hunting for a mate—in my experience, the Fallen didn’t remain single for long. And once he did, he’d probably settle down and become like all the others.
    Or not. I couldn’t quite see it. Cain was too different from the rest of them, with that wicked, taunting smile. The Fallen had never been much for smiling. More likely he’d simply leave once more and not return until long after my mortal life had ended. One could only hope.
    Pushing myself out of bed, I paced my room. Sleep was evading me—maybe tonight would be better. Now that the dark man of my vision had arrived, I didn’t have to fear dreaming so much. Another prophecy was unlikely to come for weeks or even months. I could throw myself into the preparations for the baby, the first baby ever to appearin the endless time since angels had first tumbled to earth. After all, in my mortal life I had mostly raised the children around me, siblings or not, and I knew about babies. I had even helped my mother deliver one of them in our dismal apartment with no electricity or heat, only running water. Allie’s delivery would be a piece of cake compared to that, and Rachel would be in charge.
    A hot shower went a ways toward making me feel human. For some reason, it took me much longer than usual to dress—everything seemed to fit strangely and feel uncomfortable. I finally ended up in a dress, something simple, with ankle-length skirts flowing around me and a high-enough neckline to cover my scars. I seldom bothered with makeup, but my face was pale, my eyes looked a little hollow, and I didn’t like my reflection. Brushing on some blush and mascara, I stared at the new and improved Martha in dismay before wiping it all off.
    I took off the discreet gold hoop earrings that Thomas had given me when we were mated, earrings that I never wore. I would have gone back and changed my dress to an enveloping shroud if I’d had time, but the dinner chime had already rung, and Raziel would grumble if I was late. Even worse, Tory and Allie would wonder why, and quiz me until I came up with a believable answer. Or, worst of all, they might make a totally absurd guess that I wasreacting to the appearance of the new man in our midst, which was obviously ridiculous.
    I hurried along the hallways, keeping an eye out for Cain. The last thing I