Kristie Cook - Genesis

When it returned, she was back on the cliff top and she blinked against the bright light. Several paces away, Andronika and the old woman stared down at a body. Her body. How could that be? And there, on the edge of the cliff, stood a familiar figure. His wings were closed against his back. He turned when he sensed her.

“Are we on Earth or in Heaven?” Cassandra asked him, confused by seeing her deathly still body separate from herself, her soul. He appeared suddenly right in front of her and reached his hand out to touch her face. She nuzzled her cheek against his palm. His blue eyes filled with love and longing.

“In between,” he said. “We’re on the edge of the Otherworld, at the veil.”

She remembered the veil from when he’d shared visions of his past before leaving them on Earth. She wasn’t exactly dead, but— Oh, no! Andronika! Her hand flew to her throat. Father took it between his.

“You will return to the Earthly realm,” he said. “Your time there is not nearly over.”

She let out a sigh of relief, tainted with grief. “I’ve missed you, Father.”

“I’ve been here all along. Just on the other side of the veil.”

“What’s happened to me? What did Jordan do?” Her voice rose several octaves as terror overcame her. “Will I be like him now?”

Why didn’t he just kill her? She’d rather be dead than be evil.

“Yes and no,” Father said. “Those visions you saw before were images of the Daemoni—mages, vampyres, were-animals—beasts created by the demons as Satan’s army.”

“Jordan’s told me about them.” Her words felt heavy, her voice thick. She refused to be a part of them.

“Jordan has given you a potion that combines their qualities.”

Cassandra choked on the breath that lodged in her throat. Father wrapped his arms around her.

“Do not worry. All will be well,” he said.

“How can you say that? I don’t want to be like him! How can this happen? Couldn’t you have prevented it?”

“We allowed it.”

Cassandra pushed back from Father’s embrace and gaped at him.

“You allowed him to turn me into a … a monster?”

“We allowed him to create the potion. We allowed him to give it to you. That’s been his purpose all along. But this is actually our gift to you, so you may serve your purpose.”

“My purpose?” Her eyes flashed. “And what would that be? Hurting and killing innocent people? Because that seems to be all they do!”

“That’s what they do. Not you.” He took her hand again. “Come for a walk with me and let me explain. We have important plans for you and your descendants and I only have a short time to tell you everything before sending you back.”

Cassandra walked with her father along the cliff’s edge, the waves crashing against the rocks below them and sending up a spray that she could see but not feel. Although this was her and Andronika’s cliff that had become so familiar to her, it felt different—not quite real. She couldn’t deny her father’s request to clarify even if she wanted to, because she had no idea how to return to her own realm.

Father explained how the fallen angels—the demons—created the Daemoni and how the Daemoni were now building their army by infecting and turning innocent humans. He told her how they did this to Niko. She shook her head, denying that her husband could be like them. But then she remembered the vision she’d seen, what Father explained was a memory being shared with her by a vampyre named Zardok.

“Can I do anything for him?” she asked. “He can’t want to be with them.”

To her surprise, Father smiled down at her. “That’s exactly what your purpose is. No, Niko does not want to be with them. Neither do many of those they’ve turned. We allowed the creation of this potion, knowing Jordan would give it to you. We saw an opportunity for the Angels to build our own army on Earth, which is why we allowed it.” Father’s wings lifted slightly from his back. “The Daemoni need to be countered. They must be kept in check. Yes, you can do something.”

“But what? How? I’m just like him now!”

“You are not. Through this, we have given you our own gifts. Gifts of the Angels. You will use these gifts to convert those Daemoni souls that can still be saved. Some are already damned and you won’t be able to help them. But most retain some level of humanity and there is still hope for them. You can teach them how to live a good life, how to overcome their innate desires for human blood and flesh, how to use their magick for good, rather than evil.”

“They will want this?”

“Some will. Others will take convincing. Sometimes you may have to fight.”

“Fight?” Cassandra shook her head. “I can’t do that, Father.”

“You must, my daughter. Just as you saw me fighting that demon, this is a battle you must partake in. You are fighting for God and fighting for souls. If there is ever any reason to raise a sword against another, this is it.”

“I don’t even know how to fight, though.”

“Oh, but you do. We have given you powers, some to help people and others to aid you in battle.” He reached behind his shoulder and drew out a dagger from a sheath strapped to his back. “I made this for you. The vampyres will be the hardest to kill. The Daemoni believe only vampyres can slay other vampyres, but we have provided another weapon to be used against them and all the Daemoni. Silver. Like this blade.”

She stared at the weapon he held out to her, not wanting to take it. A large, purple stone was embedded into the silver and gold pattern surrounding the hilt. It was a beautiful piece of art. She shook her head again.

“I can’t … kill.”

“You must protect yourself and your people, Cassandra.You must protect those who cannot protect themselves. Even if it means killing Daemoni.”

Father pressed the hilt against her palm and closed her fingers around it. The hilt warmed in her hand and the feeling spread upward into her arm. Now that she held it, she couldn’t bring herself to let go. She swung it as she’d seen Niko do while practicing his skills and the feeling felt just as natural as scratching an itch.

She blew out a breath of resignation. “And I must do this alone?”

“We will be behind you all the time, just across the veil, helping when you need it. You will grow your army, though, with those who convert. They will come to your side and fight for you against the Daemoni. You will lead them and later, Andronika will take over.”

Cassandra’s breath caught. “Andronika? Oh, no, Father! Please don’t bring her into this. She doesn’t—”

“It is too late. She already drank the potion, remember?”

“But nothing happened to her.”

“Yet. We have infused the powers of the potion into her blood and bone so that she may pass the qualities on to her children. Then, when it is time, she will change, too. She will receive our gifts, gain her powers and eventually, lead the army you are creating. She will grow it even more and pass it on to her own daughter. Your female descendants will lead this army for as long as they continue to exist on Earth … or as long as the Daemoni exists.”

They walked in silence for several long moments and the more Cassandra thought about what Father had told her, the more she realized what a daunting task the Angels had given her. Why her? How would she ever be able to do this? Hundreds of questions flew through her mind but only one managed to come out of her mouth.

“How do I save their souls?”

“Lead them to the decision to desire it. Share your goodness with them and convince them to change. We will show the way from there.”

Before she could ask another question, Father suddenly stopped and whipped around.