Was it my imagination, or did his eyes hold a hint of sadness?
"Balance always needs to be restored, and you, Genesis, will be tested. I wonder, are you strong enough to do what needs to be done?"
I gulped. "What needs to be done?"
"Telling you defeats the purpose, now, doesn't it?"
"So I'm your prisoner… until blood is spilled?"
"Think of it as a vacation." He shrugged. "I've provided for all of your needs." He pointed to an open kitchen I hadn't noticed before. "You won't starve, you won't thirst — unless it's blood your body craves — and you have a view. What more could you want?"
"Is that a trick question?"
His grin blinded me. "I enjoy humans… so small."
My eyebrows knit together in frustration. "Thanks."
"…and interesting."
"You said you had sons." I tried changing the subject.
His face shadowed. "I have… sons, yes."
The conversation must have been over because he quickly walked out of the room.
I thought he'd left me alone…
Until someone or something walked in. I wasn't sure how I knew since I hadn't actually seen anything, but I felt something.
And then I heard chains.
I had a brief vision of watching Christmas Carol and shivered, sitting on the nearby couch and pulling my knees to my chest. "Hello?"
"Hello." The voice was smooth, like a caress against my face.
The couch sunk next to me.
A hand reached out of the air. I followed the fingertips up an arm; the body slowly came into focus.
It was a man. Not an angel.
A Dark One — or something else entirely.
He had chains around his feet, though clearly he'd still been able to walk, and his hands were chained together as well.
"I'm Aziel." He leaned back against the couch. "I hope you're stronger than the last human who visited."
"The last human?" I repeated.
"She looked like you." His eyes went cloudy as he stared out through the windows, his jaw set in a firm line. "The same blood flows through your veins."
"She died?" My mouth was like cotton. I wasn't sure how much more I could take.
"She was murdered." His teeth snapped. "I would have made her my queen."
I tried to scoot away, but he put his chained hands onto my legs, holding me in place.
"She was tested," he sighed in a cheerful voice, "and found lacking."