Angel Manor (Lucifer Falls Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

getting cold feet? If you’re changing your mind, then tell me now, Freya. I can’t deal with this shit once we start. We’re either doing this or we’re not. It’s up to you; it’s your house.”
    “I’m not having second thoughts… I just…”
    “For fuck’s sake, Freya, we moved all the way from the Netherlands for this. I know I was moving to the UK anyway, but I turned down a perfectly good job in London to come live on an island, and Bam gave up moving back to the US and becoming a porn-star or something.”
    Freya slapped him on the arm, and Oliver chuckled. Then his facial expression changed to one of earnest. “If we’re doing this we’d better be serious about it, and we need you on board, okay?”
    “I told you coming here was hard for me. This isn’t a new fear, Ollie. You’re not being fair. I can’t even tell you what I’m afraid of. Not the legends, honest; I know those are bullshit. It’s more… I’m afraid of the family stuff, if that makes sense?”
    “Well, sister… get over yourself. Look at the wonderful opportunity you have here. What else were you going to do with your dead auntie’s house?”
    “Sell it, like my mum begged me to do?”
    Oliver’s eyes twinkled and he winked at her. “That would be boring. Besides, if we can’t make it work, you can always sell it.”
    Freya rubbed her face with both hands and inhaled deeply in an attempt to dispel the heaviness she felt.
    She forced a smile. “You’re right. You’re absolutely right. This place will be amazing, no matter how bad the inside might be.” She poked him in the ribs and ran after Bam, who was inspecting the courtyard. Freya knew she wanted this dream to work out as much as Oliver and Bam did. She longed for a new start. Her mother had been strangely silent about her decision, but mum seemed to contain her thoughts on her past better than she used to.
    “Look, angels.” Bam’s sing-song voice rang across the garden, and Oliver and Freya ran up the stone steps to join her.
    “This place is amazing, Frey. Look at the statues.”
    Two rows of stone angels stood on either side of the entrance. The sight of them made Freya’s stomach drop, as they had when she was little. There were six on each side and they loomed like silent guardians against the backdrop of the Manor. She still didn’t like the angels. There was something ominous about them.
    “I guess that’s why they call it ‘Angel Manor’. Have you seen these yet? The stones around the house?” Bam’s voice was high with excitement. She pulled up her hair and tied it in a bun at the nape of her neck. “Come and look.” Like a child who had just found a new candy shop, Bam pulled Oliver and Freya by the arms and led them to the front of the manor. Opaque white stones, possibly milk quartz, were set in the base of the building at regular intervals, and in the centre of each stone were symbols inlaid with gold leaf. Freya looked at Bam, who was squatting down at the side of the house, and Oliver, who was bent over right next to her, and realised how happy she was her friends were here. I hope they never get bored of this place and leave. The thought was so powerful she felt a slight tremor go through her body.
    “These look old.” Bam ran her childlike fingers, decorated with bright pink nail varnish, across the stones. She yelped, pulling her hand back, and placed the afflicted digits in her mouth and licked the fingertips. “And static.” Oliver followed her lead and placed his hand on the stone. The shock was so intense when his skin slid across the opaque material that Freya felt it from where she was standing.
    “Holy shit…” She took a step back. Oliver pulled his hand away and placed it to his chest. “What was that? Oh my God, Ollie… your nose is bleeding.” Freya squinted with a look of disgust.
    “So is yours,” Oliver shot back, then he pointed at Bam, “and hers.” They each touched their noses. Freya pulled her hand