"Now we begin," Sariel said in a calm voice, picking up his pace as he stalked towards Cassius.
Confused, I watched as Ethan fell to his knees and reached for me, his face ashen, his eyes black.
"What did you do to him?" I yelled.
"Simply making him… a bit more human." Sariel shrugged, stopping directly in front of Cassius.
Cassius clenched his fists, his stance predatory. "It's been a while… Sariel."
"Father." Sariel shrugged, "And apparently I've been a horrible one… neglecting my children. Then again, you know all about being a father, don't you… son?"
In a flash, Cassius had his hands around the angel's neck. He threw him against the wall.
Sariel simply shook his body, his wings elongating to at least seven feet across. "I see I've touched a nerve."
"Ethan." Cassius growled. "Get her out of here."
Ethan shook his head then slowly stood and stumbled toward me. When his hand touched mine, it was slapped away by chains.
Aziel laughed. "No, no. The vampire watches. This concerns him, after all."
"Be silent." Sariel sneered, waving his hand at Aziel.
"Did you think you could bring the balance all on your own?" Sariel laughed mockingly, making my ears ring with its loudness. "Did you think that you were strong enough to shield all the immortals and humans alike from your sin?"
Ethan reached for my hand again, tugging me close to him.
My head slumped forward on his chest.
I didn't know if it was my blood getting all over him or his getting all over me. But I felt safe — finally.
Until Aziel lunged for me.
Ethan kicked him in the chest, causing a snarl to erupt between Aziel's lips. "If I were whole, I'd rip you limb from limb — then again, I've already taken everything from you. Do you know…" He stood to his full height, which I hadn't noticed until now, matched Sariel's. "She gave me her body — her very soul — before you killed her."
Ethan shook in my arms, his fangs grazing my neck.
"And when I took her over and over again," Aziel laughed, "I promised her I'd make her immortal. If she did one tiny, little thing for me."
"Ethan, don't listen to him." I gripped the sides of his face. "Focus on me."
"Birth me a son," Aziel yelled. "And you know what that bitch did?"
Sariel had Cassius by the throat. With a growl, he punched Sariel in the chest, sending the angel soaring through the air again. "No!"
He was running toward us.
My mind wasn't putting the pieces together fast enough.
Aziel leaned down and whispered in Ethan's ear. "She gave me a daughter."
Cassius fell to his knees.
Sariel walked around him, pulling a long sharp feather from his wings. "One should never have to kill his own offspring."
"Cassius! Behind you!" I yelled.
Cassius hung his head like he wanted to die.
In a flash, Ethan's fangs were in Aziel's neck. He hunched over him, blue blood dripping from his fangs as he completely drained the angel.
When he stood, his eyes were white just like Cassius's. In two strides, he had Cassius by the neck and tossed him against the wall.
A crack ran from the bottom to the top of the ceiling as plaster fell from overhead.
"This is my favorite part," Sariel sang, removing himself from the fight between Cassius and Ethan and coming to my side. "Where they are finally forced to finish what they started so long ago."
In my weakened state, I saw two of Sariel. I shook my head. "He can't die."
"Which one?" Sariel asked.
"Both." I forced the word out. "They'll kill each other."
"Ah, but balance must be restored."
"I don't understand," I whispered. "Ethan, stop!"
Cassius wasn't fighting anymore. It was like he wanted to die.
"Please!" I reached for Sariel, my fingers coming into contact with his soft velvet feathers. "Please."
"You know…" His eyes closed briefly. "That's the first time a human has dared touch me in… years."
"Sorry."
"It was warm." He sighed. "I've been cold for a very long time."
The air in the room shifted, turning to ice.
Ethan growled, his fangs nearly dipping into Cassius's neck when Cassius finally punched him in the jaw and stumbled backward. "I couldn't do it!"
"A daughter!"
"She wasn't yours!"
"You still killed her!"
Cassius fell to his knees. "No. No, I couldn't."
The room stilled as if someone had pressed pause on the TV.
"And so the truth reveals itself." Sariel put his arm around my shoulders. I was too weak to do anything but lean against his cold body.
"A daughter," Ethan hissed. "You would kill an innocent human."
"Abomination," Sariel said in a deadly tone. "Another Dark One. No Dark Ones have been born since Cassius — since my sin."
Cassius flinched.
I wanted to hug him.
His own father thought him an abomination.
"No more Dark Ones must live." Sariel sighed. "And now that Aziel is dead, I am almost appeased. You see, balance was shattered the minute Cassius allowed the Dark One to breathe."