Kristie Cook - Genesis

A rush of air blew in her face and the next thing she knew, they stood in the entry of the crevice, now packed full of bodies, only one of them human. A big bear of a man still held Andronika whose fearful look made Cassandra gasp.

“Just as I said.” Jordan swept his arm out at her with a grin. “We meet again, little sister. Finally. I’ve been looking for you for ages.”

Cassandra didn’t understand his joy—true joy she could feel emanating off his body—when it was he who had been trapped. He and his two troops were out-numbered. But … why did her own followers just stand there? Why weren’t they doing anything?

She glanced around the room. Niko’s eyes remained on their daughter and his nostrils flared with anger. The vampyre she didn’t know towered over him, his hand gripping Niko’s shoulder, holding him still. And the others did nothing. Cassandra’s heart sunk to the pit of her stomach. So much for their ambush. So much for their loyalty.

“Did you really think they would fight me?” Jordan asked her and her eyes cut back to him. “These are my troops, Cassandra. Not yours. You can’t change Daemoni. You can’t eliminate the evil that they are. It’s in their blood. In their souls now.”

No! she screamed in her mind because Michael’s hand over her mouth kept her from screaming aloud. Michael—her first convert after Niko. Holding her captive.

She’d been wrong all along. They’d only pretended to convert. Had this been Jordan’s plan? Her eyes swept the room again and a lump formed in her throat. She didn’t have to listen to their minds—the truth was right in front of her. Inga’s eyes danced with joy and a small smile curved her lips.

Inga, Cassandra could almost understand. She hadn’t been with them long enough. She probably still had evil coursing through her veins, especially as she’d been born Daemoni, not turned. But the rest? How could they?

“They’re mine,” Jordan said, his face suddenly right in front of hers, his hot breath blowing against her cheeks. His icy blue eyes tinted red. “And now you are, too.”

Everyone suddenly came to attention, standing straight and tall behind Jordan. Backing him. Everyone but Niko.

Father lied. I don’t have the power to save them.

“Don’t believe it, Cassandra,” Father’s voice spoke in her mind. “He lies. They are yours. They are God’s. The Daemoni’s most powerful weapon is deceit. Use the powers we’ve given you. You can win this fight.”

Fight. Exactly what she didn’t want. She’d accepted her powers that she thought she’d used to help these people, but she refused to use her powers to hurt.

“You have to,” Father said. “This is why we gave them to you. You have to protect Andronika and the rest of them. You can do this, Cassandra. Listen to their thoughts and you’ll know the truth.”

I can’t, Father. I can’t invade their minds. I can’t let their thoughts invade mine. I can’t stand it!

“Cassandra, you MUST do this. You must do it now. If Jordan wins, all humanity is at stake!”

Cassandra’s breath caught at her father’s voice thundering in her head. She’d never heard him so angry and adamant. She felt his truth wash over her and it gave her strength.

With no time to probe their individual minds, Cassandra blew out a breath of resignation and let down her mental shield completely. She let the voices pour in. Andronika’s screams of panic. Jordan’s plans for taking them to the Ancients. His vampyre and bear-man impatient for their orders. Inga’s delightful, “Finally!”

And the others all surprised her. On the inside, Niko was calm and felt in control of the situation. Faiz and Michael waited for orders, too, but not from Jordan. From her. The werewolves were just waiting for the word to change. Her heart leapt with hope.

She gathered the good force within her, pulling it all into a ball of energy in her chest. It charged and swirled within her and its warmth filled her with confidence. She prepared to unleash it.

NOW! She silently bellowed as she pushed the energy outward.

Before Jordan could do anything, chaos broke out.

Michael freed Cassandra just before a burst of energy exploded from her. Blasius and Erik screamed like women. Andronika flew to the corner. Then Erik exploded into a bear, a rain of goo falling around them. His lips pulled back from his mouth to reveal sharp teeth as he threw back his head and roared. With two more messy bursts, the werewolves changed, as well.

As much as he wanted to see a fight, Jordan wouldn’t have his troops battle each other for no apparent reason. They were all on the same side. He opened his mouth to deliver orders.

But then everything went wrong.

The werewolves charged at the bear’s throat. Michael attacked Blasius, freeing his hold on Niko. The traitors! For a moment, Jordan felt a sense of pride in how well they had deceived even him, but he had to focus on the issue. He was outnumbered. He needed to act.

He twitched his hand and Andronika flew into his arm. He pinned her to his side and flashed outside the crevice, drawing Cassandra out.

She appeared several paces in front of him. He threw a fireball out of his free hand. She dodged it. With a tight grimace on her face, she threw her hand up, her palm face out at him.

Jordan tried to lift his own hand, but he couldn’t move. What had she done to him? She held him in some kind of invisible grip, paralyzing him like a statue. Only his eyes could move as Andronika wiggled out of his stiff arm and ran behind Cassandra.

“We don’t have to do this,” Cassandra said. “We don’t have to fight each other.”

“No, we don’t,” he answered with a thought, unable to move his lips. “We can fight with each other instead of against each other.”

That’s right.

“You and I together, little sister. We can do this.”

Cassandra nodded. But he knew she wouldn’t agree so easily, that she hadn’t had a change of heart. What was she up to?

I can help you, she told him and she lifted her other hand. A low hum of goodness pulsed from her palm, licking fire at his skin.

He wanted to laugh. His eyes narrowed. “Never. You come to my side, little sister. You can’t beat me.”

He flexed his own internal power, pushing back against her hold. Her hand began to tremble. He moved again. Her paralyzing power strengthened, but only for a moment. He broke free. His arm shot up, his palm held out toward her. The corners of his mouth lifted. He began to twist his hand.

Someone screamed.

And a blue streak of light hit Jordan in the chest.

He flew high into the air, far above Cassandra’s head and then slammed back down to the earth. The air flew out of his lungs. Blackness flashed over his vision. What just happened? He lay still on the ground. His eyes blinked at his attacker. Inga?

“I’m not as weak as you thought,” she said.

“No,” Cassandra screamed, appearing at his side. She fell next to him and scooped her arm under his shoulders, cradling his head in her lap. “No, no, no.”

His vision went black.

But only for a moment. A bright light shone in his eyes, blurry and vague at first, but then it sharpened into an image. Although he hadn’t moved, knew he wasn’t in the real world, he suddenly stood face-to-face with Father. Father, with pants covering his legs, his bare torso crisscrossed with belts holding various weapons and wings rising from his back. Not thin and black, but white and feathered. Father opened his mouth to speak but a screeching sound drowned out any words he might have said. Then he was gone.

Jordan was back in his body. His eyes blinked open.

“Oh, Jordan,” Cassandra cried. “You’re alive!”