It would no longer be possible.
This was not that day.
“Twelve.” I sighed. “I will save twelve.”
Eva bowed her dark head. “Thank you, Cassius.”
“Do not thank me.”
“I will always—” She took a step forward and held out her hand. “—thank you, when you show the weak mercy.”
I took Eva’s hand without thinking and was nearly brought to my knees as the emotional connection she offered burned through our palms. She had no idea what her touch did to me—what it made me crave.
“Earthquake,” I whispered again, this time the ground beneath us split down the middle. I pulled Eva into my arms and envisioned the docks. We landed with a thud against the wood.
People scrambled about mindlessly as the ground shook and then the volcano erupted into the sky.
It would be the ash and the gas that would destroy the people… the heat alone… I refused to think about it.
“You promised,” Eva reminded me as she stepped into the boat and waited.
I glanced at the pier.
“You.” I pointed to a young boy. “Where is your family?”
“I—” The boy’s face was spattered with dirt and blood. “They got trampled, sir.”
“Then come,” I instructed. He stepped into the boat. Eva embraced him and offered a warm smile.
“Eleven more to go, Cassius.” Eva said.
“Irritating Vampire,” I grumbled, as, with each life I saved, the darkness receded, restoring my humanity.
Within five minutes I had another eleven.
All children.
“Let’s go.” I waved my hand in the air as the water carried the ship to safety.
When I turned back to glance at the once Great City, it was to see Sariel hovering over the volcano, his eyes sad.
Clouds spread around his wings, and then a large being descended next to him.
“The Angel of Death,” Eva whispered linking her hand with mine. We watched as his black feathers descended slowly covering the city until all was blackness.
And then…
It rained red.
Cassius
THE SCREAMS OF PEOPLE I’D killed seemed to lessen the farther I walked into my house. It had always been a safe zone.
Quiet.
Where I conveniently forgot all the blood that was on my hands.
My heart, stupid muscle that it was, refused to stop slamming against my chest as perspiration collected around my temples. My knees buckled, my vision blurred. It wasn’t a heart attack, I at least knew that much.