Tempted Read Online Free

eyes, and the other they used to fly as they stood guard. They looked on silently as Sarah dropped to one knee and bowed her head.
    “ Father,” she said as warmth enveloped her body. Being this close to Father always had this effect on her. The cares and concerns of the Earth were forgotten as she knelt, basking in the glow surrounding her.
    “ My daughter, Sarah,” boomed Father’s strong but gentle voice. “How wonderful it is to see your beautiful face. How are things on Earth, my child?”
    Sarah frowned. “Discouraging, Father,” she answered. “But I am your servant and remain ever-vigilant in our mission of saving lost souls.”
    “ Very good, daughter. I have summoned you here today on a matter of great importance. I have something that I want to entrust you with, something that reaches beyond your duties as a messenger.”
    Sarah’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. Father had never asked her to perform outside of her usual tasks. She waited with baited breath for him to reveal to her what the assignment was.
    “ The first part of your task is simple. There is a human man I’ve chosen to add to the ranks of our earthly Guardians. He is strong and I have bestowed great power upon him. Of course, he is unaware of this power. I wish for you to enlighten him, and bestow upon him my seal if he chooses to become a Guardian.”
    Sarah nodded but remained silent. The first part was simple enough. Father chose humans, only those who possessed certain qualities, to become earthly Guardians. As a messenger, one of her jobs was informing those people that they’d been chosen. It was a great honor.
    “ Unfortunately, the man I’ve chosen is not likely to accept this assignment easily. He is scarred and angry; he will reject the assignment at first.”
    Where did that leave her? She’d never seen an assignment like this rejected. Most Guardians were people who were aware on some level that they were different. They were always happy to accept.
    “ I’m getting to that,” Father said with a chuckle before she could speak her thoughts aloud. “You and I both know that the Evil One will not just stand by and do nothing. Once he finds out that I have appointed this man as one of my Guardians, he will do everything within his power to stop it. Until he accepts he is a target, and I do not want him influenced by the other side.”
    “ What would you have me do?”
    “ I am putting him in your care. You will watch him. Keep him safe until he makes his decision. As always, you will not influence free will. Once a decision is made, he becomes off limits to hell if he accepts, and heaven if he does not.”
    Sarah was taken aback. She had never been charged with a human’s protection before. Her assignments concerning humans had been limited. As a result, she hardly understood them. Emotionally driven creatures, they were foreign to her. She hadn’t the slightest notion how to go about interacting with one. If Father was right, and he always was, this man would refuse the offer at first, and she would have no choice but to become his guardian. But she would not question the will of Father. If he had confidence enough to give her this task, then he must know that she was capable of completing it.
    “ Will you accept this assignment?”
    Of course she would accept it. As an angel she could not refuse his will without suffering the consequences, but as always he offered her a choice. Even angels were allowed free will; it was why Nathan was now one of the Fallen.
    “ Yes,” she answered with a firm nod.
    “ Very good, my daughter. The man’s name is Jackson Bennett.”
    The image of a man filled her vision. His face was mask of tormented sadness. His eyes were haunted windows to a turbulent soul; hooded, gray storm clouds. Sarah could not stifle the gasp that escaped her throat. It was him! The man she’d bumped into on the street, whose turbulent emotions had caused her to become ill, was her assignment.
    She just