Pretty Dark Sacrifice (16 page)

“And did it? Give you secret wisdom?” Kaemon asked, already knowing the answer.

Eve nodded, her hair covering her face. “Eating it showed me many things, both strange and terrible, things I dare not repeat. All these thoughts are clouding my mind. There is a strange fight going on inside of me, both beauty and despair. I’ve never been … afraid before.” The word was foreign on her tongue and in her thoughts. “I no longer feel safe.”

“What is twisted cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted. This world is not a safe place anymore. You saw to that. Such is the burden of wisdom. Lilith knows how to manipulate even the strongest of creatures.” It was a half-truth, but it seemed to comfort the girl.

“What do we do now?” Eve asked.

“What you do with the knowledge you have is your choice alone. I am sorry, Eve. You are the master of your new fate, as is Adam. Harmony is broken, but you will have to hold yourselves together as best you can.”

“What about the garden? Who will look after it?”

Kaemon turned back to the garden. The devastation was immense. Everything withered and died; even the two suns were drained of their light, leaving the garden draped in shadow. Bones crunched beneath his feet, dead animals that once freely roamed the place of paradise. “The garden is dead. You will be banished to a new realm. The gates will close. No one will be allowed in. It is poisoned beyond repair.”

As an Elite warrior within the order, it was now up to him to restore the balance and find them a new home, a realm where their taint would be contained.

Eve wiped a tear from her eye and straightened her spine. “There is nothing I can do?”

“You’ve done enough. Your retribution is just beginning. Your new realm will not be quite the paradise you’re used to. From this day, you will forever stumble in dark while seeking The Light. Some days it will elude you, some days you will find it, but have faith always. Now, Adam, give me your hand.” Kaemon drew his sword, and Adam shrunk back, but Eve stood tall, looked him in the eye, and gave him hers instead.

“No, little one, it is his turn to feel the weight of his actions.” Kaemon motioned Adam to come forward. Adam took a tentative step toward him, glaring at Eve. Using his sword, Kaemon sliced open Adam’s finger, letting his blood soak the dying ground. His blood would create a new realm for them to live in, one suited to the resonance of their new essences.

With the last drip from Adam’s finger, a portal opened before them, revealing a young garden with grass pushing through the arid land in small tuffs. A waterfall trickled down a cliff, and beyond, a beach looked out into a vast ocean. Their new home was a rough copy of the realm they had desecrated. A mix of the old and the new, just like their souls. It would do.

“You cannot stay here another moment.” Kaemon stepped through and offered his hand.

Adam clung to Eve and shook his head, but Eve lifted her chin and stepped over the threshold into the new world, dragging Adam behind her. With a snap, the portal closed behind them, and Adam ran, fear driving him into the familiarity of a nearby cave. Eve didn’t even look back. Instead, she watched Kaemon with eyes the color of night, the box clutched to her chest.

“What about Lilith. Will she return?”

“I am afraid that your taint makes you vulnerable. The very knowledge you carry can both repel the darkness and draw it to you. Finding your own way is crucial. Because of your betrayal, the veil is thin between this realm and the Underworld. But it also falls under the jurisdiction of The Light, as Eden did. Now, give me the box.”

Eve looked at the polished wood. “It was a gift from The Light on my naming day, the only thing I have left from my home.”

“You know what it holds inside. Lilith would not hesitate to release the rest of her horde into your new world. I cannot allow you to keep it.”

Eve nodded and handed him the box, the runes glowing bright as their hands touched. “What does it mean?” Eve asked.

“It is nothing to concern you. It will be safe. That is all you need to know.” The box lay cold and unassuming in his hands. He turned it over, examining all sides. The runes faded, and there was no latch, no way to open the box. Who would ever guess it housed Lilith’s evil spawn within its walls? “I must go. I have a duty that requires my full attention.”

“Can’t I stay with you?” She swiped a tear from her eye. “I don’t want to be left alone with Adam. There is a strange look in his eye. One I have not seen before, and I am afraid.”

“That is called anger. You will feel it, too. It is part of the taint, part of this humanity you have both become. Do not worry. It will pass, and he will love you again. Forgiveness will be learned by both of you.”

“I don’t want him to love me.” Eve wound a strand of hair around one finger. “I would rather stay with you.”

Kaemon cupped her cheek with his hand and sent calming vibes through his link. What was this girl doing to him? He shook his head, concentrating on the task at hand.

“Your duty is to your husband.” Kaemon swallowed a lump in his throat. “Do not fear him. You will need to work together to survive. He will give you many children, and you will forget you ever knew me.”

Eve shook her head. “I’ll never forget.”

“You must.” Kaemon rubbed at a pain in his chest and took to the skies of this new Earth. She would be fine; a warrior’s spirit thrived inside the frail, skinny body of a girl. Eve could take care of herself, but he wasn’t sure about Adam. No concern of his—he must put his mind from Eve and back to the task. Taking the box to the Dominions to study in Arcadia was the logical thing to do, but Kaemon didn’t run on reason, he ran on instinct, and instinct said no one should possess such an abomination, not even The Light. There was only one thing to do.

“What did you do with the box, Kaemon?” The pressure in Aaron’s head increased as Lilith’s voice wrapped around his memory. “If you didn’t take it to the Dominions, where did you take it?” Lilith’s presence in his mind burned like acid. “You must know.”

“Hey, hey, look who’s here!” Marcus grabbed Quinn around the waist, lifting her off the ground in a giant bear hug. “School hasn’t been the same without your fine frame to look at.”

“Hey, Marcus.” His hug was the first thing that had made her feel normal all day. When he finally put her down, a real smile graced her face.

“Glad you’re finally out of the house. I know not everybody has delicious brown skin like mine, but you’re seriously starting to make vampires look tan. You’re not going to burst into flames with all this fresh air and sunshine, are you?”

Quinn rolled her eyes, but couldn’t suppress a giggle, glad for the lightened mood. She could always count on Marcus for a good laugh. “So, does Reese know I’m here?” Quinn sucked at her bottom lip.

“Yeah, I told her the minute I got your text. I need to warn you, she’s still kind of pissed. Especially since you didn’t tell her you would be here today,” Marcus said.

“That’s because she’s been giving me the silent treatment since the memorial.” Quinn sighed. “I’m stuck. I can’t move forward, and I can’t go back. She doesn’t understand.”

“She might if you’d let her in,” Marcus said. “How are you really feeling?”

Quinn rolled her eyes and sighed. “Fine. Great. Perfect. Okay, maybe not perfect, but great.”

“Your nose twitches when you lie.”

“I don’t belong here anymore. I can’t pretend that everything is okay and go back to cheerleading and gossiping with Ami. That night changed me, and I can’t undo it. I’m an outsider now, and I don’t want to go back in there.” Quinn waved a finger at the double doors leading back inside.

“You don’t have to, not today anyway.” Marcus pulled her into the crook of his arm, the way Aaron used to do, shielding her from the world. “What say we go grab some pizza instead? I’m sure Mr. Navarro can make it through physics without me.”

“Best idea ever. Plus, I have something to show you. You’re not going to believe what I found.”

“So what’s the big emergency?” Reese let the metal door slam behind her as she stepped out into the parking lot.

“Hey.” Quinn took a step forward.

“What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be at the gym or still in your pajamas or something?” Reese replied, her eyes straying to the ground.

“I thought I would surprise you.” Quinn shrugged and held out her arms. “Surprise?” she squeaked.

“I don’t like surprises.”

An awkward silence stretched between them, Quinn chewed on her lip while Reese tapped her foot on the floor.

Marcus elbowed Reese. “Aren’t you going to welcome her back?”

“Why? I wasn’t expecting her today. Actually, I wasn’t expecting her ever,” Reese said, arms crossed over her chest. “She sent
you
a text, not me. What kind of friend does that?”

“Of course I sent him a text. You haven’t replied to any of my messages since the memorial.” It was hard not to sound defensive, but Quinn couldn’t help it. They both had played a part in the unraveling of their friendship. “The phone works both ways, you know.”

“Yeah, Quinn, it does. How about finding out from Ami that you’re dating some guy that works at the gym? She seems to think you make a cute couple and keeps asking me about it. How would I know? You don’t tell me anything anymore. Is that why you’ve been ditching school? Ditching me? For some guy?”

“I’m not dating anybody. He’s just a friend.”

“Come on, girls. Can you two hug it out now? All this fighting is making me hungry.” Marcus grinned. “Or maybe kiss it out? Go ahead, I’ll watch.”

Reese tried to hide her smile, but Quinn saw the gleam in her eye. “God, Marcus, you really know how to ruin a good BFF fight, don’t you?” She sighed. “I’m tired of being angry at you. And I’m sorry I haven’t returned your calls. I have missed you, but the whole thing with Aaron at the cemetery freaked me the hell out. You freaked me out.” Reese embraced Quinn in a tight hug.

“I’m sorry I freaked you out.” Hugging Reese was like coming home. “You have no idea how much I missed you. And I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about Caleb, but there was nothing to tell, really.”

“Now that we’re all friends again, want to grab some pizza with us?” Marcus asked. “We’ve decided to take a half day.”

“I really shouldn’t. I’ve got an economics quiz.” Reese glanced back at the side door of Westland High.

“Please, Reese, I can’t go back in there.” Quinn bit her bottom lip. “My hand kind of ran into Kerstin’s face.”

“What?” Marcus and Reese said in unison.

“She said Aaron was dead because of me. I snapped.” Quinn left out the part about Kerstin being possessed by a demon. “If people thought I was psycho before, today will be the nail in my coffin. Besides, you’re already late.” Quinn bumped her hip on Reese’s. “Please?”

Reese put her arm around Quinn and squeezed. “Fine. One slice, but I want to be back before physics. We’re making special glasses for Thursday’s solar eclipse.”

“Oh, I forgot about that. Be sure to make one for me too, okay?” Marcus winked. “And can you add X-ray vision to mine? You know, to help me with human anatomy?” He waggled his eyebrows.

“If you mean girl anatomy, I think you know enough.” Reese punched him on the arm and grinned. “And no, I won’t do your homework for you.”

“So you’re just going to let me go blind staring straight into the sun without that paper box thing?”

“You won’t go blind. You’ll just damage your retina beyond repair. It doesn’t hurt or anything, you’ll just get afterimages that look like flocks of crows in your vision. You would know that if you had been paying attention in class last Friday instead of passing me drawings of Mr. Navarro in awkward situations.”

“Hey, those drawings might be worth something someday. I think I’ve got some real talent.” Marcus opened the car door for Reese.

“I think you better come back for physics with me if you know what’s good for you.” Reese patted his cheek.

“Hey, do you guys mind if I invite Caleb to join us?” Quinn pulled her phone from her purse and replied to his latest text. “He gets off work in ten minutes. I think you both will really like him.”

“We would love to meet your new friend.” Marcus mimed quotation marks with his fingers when he said the word friend. “Right, Reese?”

“Yeah, I guess. At least maybe Ami will stop asking me about him if we do.” Reese hopped into the passenger seat. “Well, come on, let’s go.”

***

Tony’s was practically empty. Quinn guessed that not many people ate pizza before noon. Quinn slid into the booth beside Reese and across from Marcus. Putting her arm around her friend, Quinn sensed how happy Reese was that they were finally doing something normal, but if she could see Azrael standing just outside the window, she would know that life for Quinn was anything but.

“Before Caleb gets here, I have something I want to show you.” Quinn placed Aaron’s journal on the table.

Marcus picked up the notebook and held it reverently in his hands. “It’s his song book, all right. Josh and I looked all over his room for it. Where did you find it?”