Chapter 36: Chapter Thirty-Six

Genesis

Aziel sat with me for what felt like hours. Sometimes he spoke, but mostly he rocked back and forth. It didn’t make me feel better.

When I tried to get up and grab something to eat, he told me that the food was poisoned.

I didn’t know if I should believe him or not.

I got up anyway because I couldn’t handle just sitting and staring out the window, even though that seemed to be his own specialty.

I found a bottle of water in the fridge and drank, then made my way back over to the couch. Sariel hadn’t returned. I wasn’t sure if Aziel was supposed to be my guard or just a punishment.

“What’s with the chains?” I asked, taking a seat next to him, careful to be out of his reach just in case he decided to put the same hands in chains on top of me, forcing my legs to go to sleep.

“A punishment.” His eyes went white as snow. “For my sins.”

“What did you do?”

“I wanted.”

“What did you want?”

His hair became more visible. Pieces of black and white tendrils fell across his face. “I wanted.”

“Okay…”

“Haven’t you ever wanted so desperately you’d do anything to have it?”

That was how I wanted Ethan, but it wasn’t just want. To say want almost seemed selfish— I needed him.

Just thinking about him had my heart racing. My entire body trembled with a need to just be in his arms.

“I wanted,” Aziel continued, “so I took.”

“And you were punished?”

“Very much so.” Aziel nodded. “I can no longer fly.” He shrugged. “I’m grounded with chains, and now I must watch history on repeat until the balance is restored.”

“Until humans stop dying,” I clarified.

“Yes.”

“Is it me?” I was afraid to ask but needed to know. “Will I bring balance?”

“We could have waited to discover the truth.” He ignored my question. “Better this way— to get it over with. I pushed Sariel to pursue it, though he’d deny my involvement. I smelled her on you.

“And I knew we needed to try.”

Great. So I had two people to blame for my captivity.

“Soon.” Aziel faded into the air briefly before flickering back. “Very soon now.”

The sun had already set, casting a pink glow across the sky.

Ethan was out there somewhere… I wished in that moment I could communicate with him, tell him not to come for me.

I didn’t think it was a trap, but something in my gut told me things wouldn’t end well, and I’d rather sacrifice myself than see him hurt.

I swallowed the fear.

Cassius had made sense when we’d talked earlier.

Fear was selfish. It kept me thinking about me and not about others. It kept my heart safe, because if I stayed afraid, I wouldn’t risk losing.

But for Ethan? I would risk it all.

My life.

My soul.

My heart.

“So the Vampire has decided to work with the Dark One.” Aziel clapped his hands together, shooting me an amused grin. “Perhaps you are worth the trouble.”

Sariel walked through the door, eying Aziel briefly before making his way toward me. “They're close. Shall we begin?”

I took a step back.

“Fear?” He smiled mockingly.

“Let’s try excitement.”

His mocking smile faded into a real smile. “Ah, that’s better.”

“What?”

“I can see why my son was so enraptured with you.”

“Aziel?” I guessed.

Sariel glanced to the couch and shuddered, “No.”

“Then I’m confused.”

“My son…” His eyes went from blue to icy white. “Cassius.”