Falling for the Devil

Falling for the Devil Table of Contents Title Page Falling for the Devil (Fallen Angel, #1) Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Epilogue About the Author Sign up for KC Freeman's Mailing List Also By KC Freeman Falling for the Devil The Fallen Angel Series KC Freeman This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locale are used fictitiously. All characters appearing in this work are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the written permission of the author/publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. For permission requests, write to the author/publisher at [email protected] © 2023 KC Freeman All Rights Reserved. Cover design by Ammonia Nikolova at Ammonia Book Covers. Published in the United States by KC Freeman –––––––– FIRST EDITION: JANUARY 2023 Dedication To my steadfast advance reader, reviewer, and supporter—RA Winter. If not for her, my stories would likely never see the light of day. Chapter 1 Let the Games Begin Several Millenia Ago in a Realm Faraway The clashing of steel reverberated throughout the arena. To Diana, it brought an odd uptick in her heart. She was the goddess of wild animals and the hunt, the moon, fertility, childbirth, and children—not war. No one expected her to rejoice in the chaos and brutality of battle. Still, it held an allure to her otherwise sweet nature. She sometimes envied her brothers, particularly Ares—the god of war. He always returned to Mount Olympus blood-splattered, with a vicious smile that transformed his otherwise serious features. When she had been much younger, he used to spend hours regaling her with stories of battles and his victories. Even her twin, Apollo—the god of light—was a great warrior, renowned for his heroics. She, however, was just a girl. But that was all in the past. Still young—for an immortal—she was no longer considered a child to be coddled. Diana had passed the time for daydreams and play. She was expected to live up to her duty to preside over the hunt, protect the hunters, aid in fertility for the women, and safeguard children. None of that required strapping on a sword and shield. Instead, her weapons were her bow and arrows, and her empathy for humanity across all the realms. Diana swept around the wide columns leading to the coliseum and took a step toward the large balcony reserved for Zeus and his family. The brilliant sun refracted off the warriors’ shields, momentarily blinding her. Her foot missed the step down and she stumbled, tripped over the hem of her ivory gown, and landed with a smack at the bottom step leading up to her father’s oversized throne. “Dammit.” A rough hand jerked her up until she was eye-level with obviously annoyed amber eyes—the color of honey straight from the hive. “Sister, you are late, as usual. And a pillar of virtue such as yourself should not be cursing.” For a moment, she was paralyzed. Yes, she was not permitted to utter foul language. Her brothers could, but it was forbidden to her and her sisters—at least in public. However, it was a bit of a shock that it was her own twin scolding her so harshly. He was the one who’d taught her all those words in the first place. Apollo’s lips quirked up on one side, followed by strong arms pulling her in for a crushing embrace. “Got you good that time, didn’t I?” he whispered, before letting her go. “But seriously, you’re lucky Father is too enthralled with the war games. If he had heard you, it would be another vacation with Uncle Hades. It’s Persephone’s time topside, so he’s not in a jolly mood, either.” She punched him playfully on the shoulder, just beneath the ends of his glorious hair that rivaled the beauty and radiance of the sun itself. Whereas he was the epitome of the golden child, she’d somehow ended up pale as ivory, with hair the color of flames. The only attribute they had in common were their golden amber eyes. “Yes, I would appreciate a better climate for my next sojourn. The last time I was there, my skin burned, blistered, peeled off, and my hair frizzed outward like one of Father’s bolts of lightning had struck me. No. Thank. You. I’ll pass on a repeat trip.” She pulled him into another embrace, clinging to him with all her strength. It had been eons since they had been together. He had been across the realms, imposing his own brand of justice, while she had endured the gods’ version of a finishing school for girls. She’d learned all the proper attributes for a female god—balance, dancing, nursing, and proper protocol when addressing other gods and even mortals. The one redeeming feature had been learning all aspects of hunting. It was the closest she’d ever get to fighting like a warrior. Her heart nearly burst with happiness having her twin back at