Divine Descent

Chapter Thirty

Our advisor stares at me across the table, patiently awaiting my next order. Between my fingers I'm holding a photograph of a young musician at the peak of her career. I listened to her once or twice before, blaring loudly over the outdated radio in Joe's diner.

She's not bad.

"I think we'll have it done by car. Middle of the day, in a very public setting."

Samael, seated beside me, nods in agreement when I hand him the picture. "Yes. Traffic, so there will be by-standers to spread the story."

I stand, putting out my cigarette. "Ensure she doesn't die right away. The world needs to hang onto the hope."

With a flash of movement in the archway, my eyes flicker towards the whoosh of cream-colored fabric, a natural blend of silk fashioned into a garment robe, knowing of only one being that would enter through the gates of Hell in white.

Jehovah doesn't enter farther than the entrance, leaning into the column.

It's been one year since we made those fateful vows on the rooftop of the tribunal, one year since the world found light again. On earth, the time has passed far more quickly.

The humans are about to celebrate their third year with the return of the sun.

Not only the humans...

I cast my gaze down, loathing the arrival of the God of Light. With his presence, I'm susceptible to emotions I've expertly learned to suppress. Emotions of a man—a vampire—I cannot help but feel pulled to. 

After a year in this void, handling my duties, standing beside the Lord of Darkness, it's not so hard anymore. At the beginning of my sentence, my mind was weak, at the cusp of sanity. I suspected it wasn't just me inflicted by the torment, which made it worse.

I'd said goodbye to the only man I'd ever loved. And I cast him out of my thoughts.

I had to. I had to be able to look Samael in the eye with unwaveringly loyalty, and make him believe I wasn't repulsed at the sight of him, his voice, his hands... his body. Those days were dark, the ones where his weight settled on mine, a foreign man with foreign intentions, but I managed to execute them with a liar's agility.

As I'd expect from the man whose name is tied with sin, he's an excellent lover. Passionate and giving. I no longer cry at his touch or flinch... I don't even really mind it anymore.

For the past year, he's doted on me, in some small part, making up for the violence he inflicted on the rooftop. He's mentioned it once or twice, his regret. While at first I was plagued with the reminders of him strangling me, his eyes inked black, those memories have faded away along with every else I wish to forget in order to move on.

After one coy suspecting glance my way, Samael addresses his brother. "Jehovah, this is unexpected."

"Please, continue brother. What I came for can wait."

I smirk when Samael pins me with a look of annoyance, shifting in his seat to advise his council. "There can be no straying this time. The deed must be carried out swift and precise. Cassandra, who would you have carry out the task?"

Ignoring the godly presence in the entrance, I clear my throat, shrugging off my unease. "We'll need a strong one for this, in case she perishes in the impact. They'll need to enter the body, prolong the dying process. I'd say Franco."

Samael smiles proudly. "Franco is an excellent choice."

Jacques, the demon that replaced the ill-fated Grey, is pleased to hear his partners name mentioned. He has many partners, but none he admires as much as Franco. "I will see he's informed."