Facing the door was a desk finished in rich mahogany red. Nice black leather couches lined the perimeter of the room. Each couch had purple velvet pillows. The entire room was gaudy, as if it belonged in another time period.
Not to the present.
The chair behind the desk was turned.
Someone was sitting in it, I could see the top of his or her head, but the color of the hair was unusual. Red and dark brown?
“So, she comes on her own.” The voice sounded so familiar, masculine, warm. The chair spun slowly.
With a gasp, I covered my mouth with my hands.
He smiled. “How nice… to meet you in person.”
“But…” I shook my head. “You’re Darkness…”
“I prefer the name Bannik.”
My world crumbled around my feet. Because Bannik had been Sariel’s brother, Bannik was there in the beginning.
He was also in my mind, though a dark black haze had always been in front of him, transforming his features.
But they were the same.
I felt it.
I knew it.
Terrified, I took a step back.
But Timber shoved me forward. I turned to punch him but he was already exiting the room, leaving me alone with—
I whipped my head around. “What are you?”
His black and red hair shimmered within the heat of the room as my body felt heavy.
“I believe the question that’s been plaguing your mind is… what… my dear…. are you?”
“I’m a Dark—“
“If you say Dark One I’ll simply laugh.” Bannik’s smile was cruel. “Did you know, I was never meant to be in the US? It wasn’t my territory. Twelve of us were sent to the ends of the earth to watch. Only this time, we knew human emotion. Imagine the difficulty in watching, helping humans keep the peace…. and knowing nothing but fighting and war? My brother was never good at following the rules, and I learned soon after, when he refused to see me because of his shame, that I was tired of following them as well.” He shrugged. “It seems that warmth… agrees with me.”
“You’re like Sariel,” I said dumbly.
“I’m exactly like Sariel.” He shifted in his seat. “If Sariel hadn’t repented.” He paused. “And so are you.”
“What?”
“Ever wonder why the darkness calls?” His smug laughter was grating on my nerves, along with the way he spoke down to me like I was stupid. “It calls because it is in your nature. But by all means, sugarcoat your true identity and call yourself a Dark One… yet you are still the same as I.”
I licked my dry lips. “An Angel?”
“Hah!” He clapped his hands. “You amuse me.” He spun his large body around in the chair before slamming his hands down on the desk. “You. Are. Evil.” His teeth snapped and popped as his jaw clenched together. “Humans and Angels do create half breeds, beings so powerful that they are condemned to the earth. But the half breeds must even make a choice, serve their angelic fathers… or follow after the ones that are fallen. You call yourself a Dark One, but really? You’re half of a Fallen Angel… just waiting to turn into a Demon.”
I let out a little gasp of disbelief. “But, Demon are a race. They’re in the immortal book as a race that was created—”
“Goody,” he said dryly while blocking a yawn with his large hand. “Please continue, don’t let me interrupt.”
My head was spinning out of control.