Heaven Sent

Chapter Thirty-Four

Cassandra

For a split second, I experience pure ice in my veins, filling all of my crevasses with hatred.

For a split second, I remember what it feels like to worship the darkness.

My protective instinct takes over with an urgency I've never had to take in front of this particular god. All I can think about is Paris, who is surely already racing to this room. Erika, who has already retired for the night with her girlfriend. Elijah and Damien, who are speeding back here thinking I've fallen ill.

For a split second, in my fear, I wonder who I'm more afraid of... Samael or Jehovah.

"If you think I'm going to agree to this-"

"You are going to agree to this. This is the path."

"You said nothing about me losing my family! You said nothing about a massacre!"

"Your man is The God of War. I told you a battle would come. The answers were right in front of your eyes, Cassandra!" He holds his hand up. "Still... we're making good time."

I'm choking on a thousand questions. "What?"

"My brother is planning a siege, I'm told. You want to know who your assailants will be?"

"I'm not doing this-"

"Vampires, Cassandra," he snaps, making my mouth snap shut like a turtle. "He will turn every single one against you. Even the ones that love you. He will displace Elijah, making it impossible for him reach you in time... and you need to let all of this happen."

I stare at him in disbelief, overcome in my new terror. He has the appearance of someone chaste and pure. He has gentle eyes, and a small mouth. Any preconceptions of what a god is supposed to be must be cast aside, because while Jehovah's intentions may be for the greater good, he chooses those to suffer for that outcome. He will drive them into the dirt to ensure his success. To ensure his brother doesn't possess the power to cast the world in darkness.

"Never did I think I'd see a day where Samael becomes the more merciful brother," I whisper with disgust. Jehovah doesn't look fazed by my malice. He must have been expecting it.

"My brother doesn't have the responsibility I have. He thinks he makes hard decisions? He'd rue walking a day in my shoes. The path to righteousness isn't an easy one, Cassandra. It requires sacrifices."

I point at him in warning, eyes widening. "If you're telling me to sacrifice Elijah, let me tell you, you are going to be damn disappointed!"

"Elijah isn't going to die... He is going to suffer."

"Hasn't he had enough of that!?"

"Haven't you? Haven't I? Hasn't Samael?" Jehovah presses his hands to the table. "This is what it means to hold power! You are standing on the precipice of light and darkness... of good and evil. Whether or not you care to admit it, Samael created vampires. In his millennium of power, he made a weapon too great for me to extinguish. He's held them over my head for thousands of years. This is my one chance to right that wrong, to save this planet before he can destroy it."

"Samael doesn't want to destroy the world, Jehovah. He cares about the order of things. You know that!"

"My brother is impulsive. He's never had power over me before. You, out of all people, know what Hell does to someone, how consuming it can be. Can you actually say you believe my brother wouldn't bleed that darkness onto this earth? Can you?"