... Hybrid creatures product of the union of a demonic being with a human female. Biblical references checked. Creatures of force and extraordinary violence. They can manifest all kinds of supernatural faculties proper to their demonic ancestry with whom they share an almost total blood relationship. Their blood is effective in turning humans into vampires. Recent research suggests that it is also the other way around, getting vampires back to their human state...
Ali didn’t keep reading. She didn’t want to do it. Annabeth... Annabeth! The vampire had bitten her and drunk her blood on the day of her revenge. Then Darry had returned her as a human. Larsen knew it: you are not completely human. No, I'm not like you... Patrick said it in the letter: the secret is in the blood. Then Mikah...?
“Yes” he answered as if he had read her thoughts.
Mikah stopped a few steps in front of her, his hands inside his black tailor suit and bored expression. Ali, on the other hand, had completely lost her composure.
“You knew it!” Ali shouted.
Her broken voice scratched her throat painfully. Ali jumped up, clutching the book to her chest.
“You would have lived a peaceful mortal life, under the protection of divine forgiveness, if your curiosity hadn’t gone so far. If your rebellion hadn’t gone so far”, he remarked.
Ali started to step backwards as Mikah approached. He extended his hand.
“Return the book” he ordered, still calm.
“No”.
Ali ran out of the cathedral. She didn’t hear his footsteps behind her but when she was halfway to the street, Mikah fell in front of her, fast and shining like thunder.
“Return the book!” He ordered, this time with the slip of a threat in the voice.
Ali slowed and stepped back.
“You knew everything and you never did anything! My father! Me! Kaliel!” She clenched her teeth.
“And will you be the one to save them?” Mikah asked mordaciously. “You already condemned Kaliel... Twice in your short life you dragged him to perdition. This will happen, one by one, with everyone who approaches you. The nefilims only bring death and destruction”.
Mikah continued advancing towards her, cornering her in the direction of the cathedral. His amber eyes glowed fiery. His wings appeared around him and unfurled, immense and radiant, to show her that his power had no end and that, if he wanted to, he could end her with just thinking about it.
“Give me the book, Alanis” he offered extending his hand. “Stay here and pursue your redemption...”
“No...” she murmured, fleeing from his reach.
She pressed the book firmly against her chest.
Mikah gave her a stern look. This was her last chance. No. She couldn’t give up now and abandon her father. Nor did she want to give up Kaliel but... A last desperate action: she summoned the fire and closed it in a circle around her.
Mikah went through it easily. His eyes flared with anger and his light spread over the fire, choking it.
“Think well, Alanis” he warned. “If you leave now we’ll have no choice but to hunt you like any enemy of the Throne...”
That was all. She had no choice.
“Larsen...” She whispered to the void. “Larsen...”
The shadows came to her as if she had conjured them. They crawled from every dark corner and rose like black smoke, just behind her. Even without seeing him, she could feel the satisfaction of his broad smirk.
“Well, let's see if they can catch me” she said to Mikah with a defiant look.
Then she smiled with Larsen's smile and turned to him. He wore a black uniform that made him look like a prince of darkness. Larsen held out a hand and she took it.
“My lady...”
Then, she turned once more to Mikah.
“You knew my father was not...” She let the question dance in her eyes.
Mikah nodded. His lips, pressed into a tight line of disgust.
“Your father is Samael”.
Alanis turned to hide her strangled expression. Larsen held her over his chest to keep her from collapsing.
“I told you, princess” purred in her ear.
Then, the shadows and darkness devoured them.
Dark Temptation Page 25