The Dark Ones

by Rachel Van Dyken

  "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."

  "I couldn't." Cassius shook his head back and forth. "She was innocent."

  "So one of you will take her place." Sariel nodded. "One of you will take her place, and balance will be restored. It's as simple as that." He turned his head to me. "Choose, human."

  "Wh-what?"

  "Your destiny. You must choose."

  "I don't understand."

  "Who lives? Who dies?"

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

  Ethan

  ADRENALINE PULSED THROUGH MY BODY AS madness overtook me. All I knew was that I had to kill him — kill him for taking something important from me. But what?

  "Kill, kill, kill," the voice whispered in my head.

  Cassius wasn't fighting back. His eyes were white, haunted. It didn't register that he was giving up. I just wanted him dead.

  "Dead, dead, dead," the voice continued to chant.

  "Ethan, No!" Genesis screamed.

  I wrapped my hands around Cassius's neck, ready to snap, ready to kill. When his eyes met mine, something had me pausing.

  Why was I strangling him?

  Why was I so upset?

  I looked down at my hands, the same hands gripping his neck. Blue blood trickled from my fingertips.

  "Damn it." I pulled back, chest heaving as my hands shook.

  Aziel's blood was poison.

  "Kill, kill, kill," his voice whispered. "He took from us."

  "No." I fell to my knees, the blue blood continued to drip from my fingertips. I quickly bit into my wrist, letting more of the blood fall out of my system.

  "Choose," Sariel said from behind me.

  Cassius shook his head slowly. There was a piece I was missing, a piece of the puzzle that wasn't fitting together.

  A daughter.

  My mind replayed back the images. The baby was wrapped in a blanket — he or she wasn't human.

  Half-angel?

  A Dark One.

  "Mine," Aziel whispered in my head.

  "No." I choked out a hoarse cry. "You destroyed her."

  Aziel would live until the last of his blood left my body. Images flickered in front of my eyes as if I was watching a movie.

  Aziel crooked his finger at Ara. She didn't need any more encouragement than a flick of his wrist, a smile in her direction. Ara had been lost to him before she even took the first step in his direction.

  "Wanted her," the voice whispered in my head. "So bad."

  "You killed her." I hung my head.

  "You killed her."

  "Because it had to be done." I was arguing with a dead angel, arguing with the last of his lifeblood.

  Cassius reached for me.

  I gripped his hand and helped him to his feet. His face was covered in bruises. His lower lip bled blue. Dark hair mixed with blood caked on his cheeks.

  "You didn't kill her?" I asked.

  "Well done," Sariel said from behind us. "Didn't think a vampire could control himself, and now I see him touching a Dark One. Impressed, but this is going a bit too slowly for my taste."

  The room went black.

  A chill filled the air.

  The last thing I heard was Genesis scream before the room flashed again.

  Everything was in black and white.

  The house around us faded to an apple orchard.

  A little girl with bright blue eyes was climbing a tree, giggling as she went faster and faster.

  "Keep up!" she yelled. "You can't catch me!" She laughed harder.

  Cassius was standing beneath the tree, his hands on his hips. "Get down! You'll hurt yourself."

  "Nope!" She hung upside down, her long hair nearly sweeping the grass beneath her.

  Cassius grinned and grabbed her, setting her on her feet. "Remember to take your medicine."

  She crossed her arms. "It tastes funny."

  "I know," Cassius said in a low voice. "But it won't always be this way."

  "Promise." Her eyes filled with tears, the blue flashing with such ferocity that it turned white.

  "Promise," he echoed.

  The scene changed.

  The girl looked to be around twelve. The apple orchard was the same, only this time it was fall. Leaves were scattered around the grass, and she was reading a book.

  "Boo…" Cassius stepped around the tree. "I've come to say goodbye."

  "No!" The girl threw her book onto the ground. "Why? Why would you leave me?"

  Agony crossed over Cassius's face. "You hardly see me as it is."

  The girl hung her head. "It's my favorite part of the year. When you visit."

  Cassius sank to his knees so he was at eye-level. "It's for the best. Besides, you have a brother to take care of."

  "Yeah." She wiped her nose with her sleeve. "He's cocky though."

  "Heard that," a voice said from behind the tree.

  Alex stepped into view and shared a serious look with Cassius.

  "Please don't go." The girl wrapped her arms around Cassius's neck. "I'll miss you. You belong to me."

  "I don't." Cassius choked out the words. "Now, run along and help your mother with dinner while I talk with your brother."

  "Will I forget you?"

  "No," Cassius whispered.

  "You'll come back? One day?"

  "Yes."

  Satisfied, she ran off, leaving Cassius with Alex.

  "You lied," Alex said, leaning against the tree.

  "It's best this way." Cassius waved his hand into the air.

  The girl staggered forward, scratched her head, and then kept running toward the house.

  "The memories are removed. Just make sure she continues to donate blood and keep the glamour on her at all costs."

  Alex shook his head. "I swear they'll never discover her true identity. On my life."

  "Good." Cassius nodded. "That's good."

  "Are you alright?"

  "Of course!" Cassius pulled the hood over his head, covering his dark hair and white features, a pure giveaway to any of the townsfolk of what he was, what he was capable of. "Run along, Alex."

  Alex rolled his eyes and left.

  The girl stopped at the house, turned around, and lifted a hand in a cautious wave.

  "Goodbye… Stephanie." Cassius cursed and walked in the other direction. Each step he took covered the grass with ice.

  The scene faded.

  And Ethan was back in the house with Cassius, Sariel, and Genesis.

  Had they seen it too?

  He turned to gauge Genesis's reaction. Tears streamed down her face as she shook her head in disbelief.

  Cassius let out a pitiful moan.

  "So you see…" Sariel rubbed his hands together. "…an abomination was allowed to live — still lives — for I've marked her, tasted her blood to be sure of it. Balance was wrecked the day she was born, and now we have someone from the same blood line living." He turned to Genesis. "Your great-great aunt should have made the call, should have paid for her sins. But she's dead, and soon Aziel's blood will leave your mate, and he will be gone from this world as well. So I tell you again, Genesis. You must choose who lives and who dies."

  CHAPTER FORTY

  Genesis

  MY HEART WAS SHATTERING, BREAKING OVER and over again in my chest. It was hard to breathe.

  Watching Cassius with Stephanie — it was like I could feel his pain, his agony as he watched her skip off — knowing that she would never remember him.

  And things suddenly made sense. Why Stephanie was drawn to him. Why she loved hi
m.

  Why he pushed her away.

  When all he wanted was to hold her close.

  Tears streamed down my face at Cassius's helplessness.

  Ethan looked absolutely dejected, his eyes black as he swallowed and gripped Cassius's hand.

  It seemed, in the end, peace had been made between them. But who was I to decide? I loved Ethan, but I wept for Cassius, for what he'd gone through. I'd always been told Dark Ones had no capacity to love.

  I'd been taught wrong.

  Sariel, on the other hand, clearly had no heart — to put his son through that, to watch that and still ask me to choose who lived and who died.

  I knew balance had to be restored.

  It was my bloodline that had ruined everything in the first place. Ara had been selfish, and her selfishness had caused a split between our races.

  But her selfishness had also caused a Dark One to love. And I couldn't be mad at her for that.

  "Time's wasting," Sariel said in an irritated voice. "If you don't tell me, I'll just assume you wish for me to eliminate both of them."

  "I love Ethan," I whispered. "But does that mean Cassius doesn't also deserve to live?"

  "This has nothing to do with what Cassius deserves or your feelings for Ethan." Sariel pushed me forward. His feathers brushed against my skin. "This is logic, pure and simple. Two plus two does not equal three. For humanity's sake… for the sake of the immortals and keeping both races thriving… a life must be taken."

  I trembled.

  "You think me evil." Sariel's voice was so cold, so detached. "But this isn't evil. This is life and death. This is the most simple fact about both worlds — something that unites us, despite our differences."

  "What about yours?" I asked. "What if I spilled your blood?"

  Sariel's eyebrows shot up. "Interesting. You'd spill my blood to save them?"

  "Yes."

  "Impossible. But brave."

  "A girl has to try."

  He held out the purple feather. "Take it and make your choice."

  My hands shook as I took the feather between my fingertips. How could something so soft be so deadly? The tip was pointed, like a knife.

  "I love you." My eyes filled with tears as I looked up to Ethan. "You know that. You hear my heart."

  "Genesis…" His eyes flashed. "Whatever you're thinking — don't. I can't live without you, but you can live without me." His voice cracked. "Cassius will take care of you, Alex, Mason…" His eyes pleaded with mine as a red and blue tear slipped down his cheek. "I'll always be with you." His hands reached out toward the feather, but Cassius moved him out of the way.

  "I was the one who did wrong," he said in a strong voice. "I deserve punishment." His face cracked into a smile. "And I cannot love." His nostrils flared. "Even if I want to."

  "But you did," I argued.

  "In the past." Cassius eyes turned black. "And now I feel nothing."

  "Lie." My voice was hoarse.

  His breath hitched as he reached for the feather, his fingertips grazing the edges of it. "Genesis, stay with your mate."

  Sariel hissed out a breath next to me.

  "Sometimes it's best," I held the feather out. "To love for a moment than to never experience it."

  "Genesis!" Ethan moved toward me just as Cassius reached for the stem of the feather.

  I stumbled backward.

  And pointed the edge directly into my own chest.

  "No!" Ethan roared.

  Sariel turned his back to both men, covering me with his wings as I fell slowly back, my heartbeat slowing in my chest until I didn't feel a beat anymore.

  Sariel's face broke out into a smile as his wings blanketed my fall to the ground. His forehead touched mine, and with a brief touch of his mouth against mine, he whispered, "Fear is not welcome here."

  "Not afraid," I choked out.

  "I know." His eyes blazed white. "There is no greater sacrifice than laying down one's life for the life of a friend."

  The room flashed white.

  And I knew I was dead.

  CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

  Ethan

  I COULDN'T REACH HER IN TIME.

  My body screamed and a part of my soul, perhaps the last piece I actually possessed, went dead in my chest as the sound of her heart slowing brought me to my knees.

  Dead.

  I knew what death sounded like — and I'd just received the final blow of my existence.

  Sariel disappeared.

  Leaving her body behind. Her lips were blue as if the angel had infused his blood into her mouth before leaving me behind to pick up the pieces.

  I let out a guttural moan. Tears streamed down my face. I couldn't hear her heart. I couldn't feel the warmth.

  Heat seared my limbs as my blood boiled, killing any of the angel's blood still left in my system.

  Cassius slowly walked over to her body and shook his head. "Humans… are not supposed to die for darkness."

  I couldn't speak.

  It hurt too much.

  "Kill me too," I whispered. "Please."

  Cassius's eyes flashed. "She wouldn't want that."

  "She's dead!" I roared, charging him. "Just kill me."

  Cassius flung me across the room. I stumbled against the farthest wall and charged him again.

  With a flick of his hand, my body stilled. He'd frozen me, the bastard.

  Vampire blood boiled to the surface, heating the ice.

  "You'd do anything to get her back, but you take a chance she isn't the same." Cassius sunk to his knees. "You take the chance that you may lose her."

  "You mean to make her immortal."

  "Only I can bring her back from death."

  I turned my head. "You know what your touch would do to her."

  "Not with certainty," Cassius whispered. "No."

  "She may become immortal — but forever be tied to you."

  "But she would live," Cassius said. "It's your choice, but her heart stopped beating two minutes ago. We are running out of time."

  The ice completely melted around me. I rushed toward her lifeless body and shook my head in disbelief. "I'd rather she live — a full life — a life she deserves, even if it's apart from me — than survive one more second with her light extinguished from this world."

  Cassius nodded. "Grab her hands."

  They were cold, so cold that her fingertips nearly burnt me.

  Cassius leaned forward, his lips hovering over hers. Eyes white as snow, his face began to immediately heal as his mouth grazed hers, and then he whispered, "Breathe."

  She was still motionless.

  Blue lines made their way from his temples and neck toward his lips as he blew across her lips and whispered again, "Breathe."

  His hand moved to her chest, and with one more exhale, he pushed down and commanded, "Breathe, human."

  Genesis choked and then inhaled. I gripped her hands as hard as I could as her fingertips began to warm against mine. Body taut, I waited for her eyes to open, waited to see if they would be white like Cassius's — or green like mine.

  She was breathing.

  Her heart stuttered.

  And then began to take off.

  "Why aren't her eyes opening?" I yelled, reaching for her shoulders. "She's alive, she's breathing but—"

  "I don't know." Cassius rubbed his face. "It's been a while since I've actually given immortality to a human." His eyes were no longer white but bright blue, his skin pale.

  "I'm sorry." I choked on the apology. "I know what it cost you to do that."

  Cassius said nothing, rubbing his hands together as if to ward off the chill of his own blood.

  He would be weak for days, possibly weeks. After all, he was still part human.

  "What do we do?" Her heart still beat, but color wasn't returning to her face.

  "We take her home," Cassius whispered, "and wait."

  I rode home in the back seat, Genesis cradled in my arms. I kissed her neck — I even bit, hoping my bloo
d would help infuse some of what Cassius had given her of himself.

  I was desperate.

  I loved her.

  And I refused to believe that she would stay in that state, comatose, unable to react to the world around us.

  When Cassius pulled up to the house, Alex and Mason were already outside, running toward the car.

  Alex opened the door first. "What happened?"

  I couldn't speak. I just shook my head, holding her closer to my body as Mason shoved Alex out of the way and let out a guttural howl before changing in front of my very eyes and running off into the darkness.

  "It's still fresh, the death of his own mate," Alex whispered.

  With a nod, I slowly lifted Genesis up and got out of the car. Alex shook his head and glanced at Cassius. "Stephanie's been asking for you."

  "Stephanie is dead to me," Cassius said in a cold voice.

  I froze and turned slowly, ready to rip his head from his body. "She better mean more to you than you say, Cassius. It's because Stephanie breathes that Genesis sacrificed herself. Go. Now. Apologize. Tell her the truth."

  Alex cursed. "No." He shook his head. "No. It would destroy her. It's been over a hundred years. Just let her believe the lie. It's better for everyone."

  "She has no idea what she is!" I roared. "And Cassius saved her pathetic life only to have her turn over Genesis to the very archangel who commanded her death!"

  Alex hung his head. "She's my sister."

  "Not by blood."

  "In every way that matters." Alex clenched his teeth. "You're asking me to tell her I lied to her my entire life? About what she was? About who she was? You know the best part? I weakened myself purposefully to keep her strong, to keep the glamour in place, and now you want me to take that all away? All those years?"

  "Alex." Cassius held up his hand. "I should have never asked it of you."

  "You are king," Alex said in a deadly voice. "You speak. We do. Regardless of right and wrong."

  "And I was…" Cassius seemed to trip over the words. "…very wrong to ask you to limit your own immortality in order to shield people from what she was — who she is."

  As if hearing our discussion, Stephanie slowly walked out of the house, tears streaming down her face. "Is she dead?"