Vendetta (24 page)

"I thought this was about you," she says, following me. "They say you want to kill me."

"You wanted to kill me, first," I remind her.

She frowns. "Is that all you took from
our last little encounter? Because I never said that."

"You told
Arsen
to kill me."

"You had a choice," she says. "We asked you to help us. It's not our fault you chose wrong."

My eyes narrow. "You set Ernie's on fire. You killed Stu."

"You killed
Arsen
,
" she says, shrugging casually. 

"Stu was a good person.
Arsen
was a demon."

"Tell me, Genesis," she says, pacing in front of me, her thin, evil eyes boring holes into mine. "Is there even a difference?"

"Yes," I whisper, uneasy.

An egotistical smile. "So
, you think you're a good person. Is that it?"

The lights overhead continue to hum, growing brighter. "Better than you."

"Maybe," she consents. "Maybe not. Exactly how many of my demons have you killed this summer?"

"You killed Stu," I reiterate. "You kil
led Selena. That little boy. God knows who else."

"I'm glad I left such an impression. The truth is, though, when it comes down to it? You're no better than I am. You're just like me.
A murderer
." She forms the words slowly, taunting me.

The lights overhea
d waver, hesitating, casting a harsh, sallow glow.  

"There's a difference between killing innocent people and killing demons sent to destroy you," I counter, jaw tightening.

"You sought them out, and you
murdered
them," she says, voice growing louder. "
Let me ask you something else. Humor me, for just a moment. Do you think murderers go to Heaven?"

"It isn't the same," I assure her. Killing demons and taking the lives of innocent people . . . it's not the same.

"Isn't it? We should probably get a third
opinion. Just to be fair. Because, you see, I don't think
anyone
who's murdered should be allowed into the Eternal Kingdom. I wonder . . . what does
Seth
think?"

I hear the shuffle of feet behind me.

"Genesis!"

My head whips around in time to see two men
holding Seth by the arms, pulling him away from me. My heart fumbles a beat, tripping over itself.

"Seth?"

"Seth," Viola says, a delighted smile coloring her tone. "You've been avoiding us."

He struggles against the demons, desperate to wrench free.

"
Honestly, what took you so long?" she asks. "You know, it doesn't matter. What matters is that you're here now. Maybe you can help us. See, Genesis and I are in the middle of a tiny disagreement, and I'm hoping you can clear something up for us." 

Seth st
ops resisting, freezing, and his eyes meet mine. They're dull around the edges, full of . . . something. My pulse quickens. "What's going on?" I ask.

"No, this is where you ask him if he thinks murderers go to Heaven." Viola passes a look between us.

"What
is she talking about?" I demand to know, voice rising.

A tiny laugh escapes Viola's lips. "He didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

Viola moves closer, draping her arm around my shoulder. She's warm, and she smells fresh, like the outdoors. Sun-dried cloth
es. "Seth," she says, whispering into my ear, "is no longer your Guardian. He's
fallen
."

Seth's eyes remain steady, fixed on mine as the air escapes my lungs in one massive rush. My throat tightens. Closing. Eyes narrowing. "
What?
"

"When he killed your mo
ther's boyfriend? He broke a commandment. You know, thou
shalt
not kill and all that. The Council stripped him of his proverbial wings and damned him forever. Good guys, they are."

His defeated look confirms that everything she's saying is, in fact, the tr
uth. "All this time? You
knew
. Why didn't you say something?"

"Sad, isn't it?" Viola breaks in. "I mean, he was only trying to protect you. God knows what Mike would've done if he hadn't of intervened."

It all makes sense now. Why I felt so hollow. So empt
y. We weren't connected. I couldn't feel him. He couldn't feel me. He was fallen. One of
them
. It's why Viola was allowed to get so close, to screw with my visions. My head. This entire time, Seth wasn't my Guardian.

"It wasn't Mike," I mutter, fingers tig
htening around the handle of my knife. "You and I both know that."

But Viola ignores this. "You just never know what some people are capable of, Genesis. I mean, who would've thought you had it in you to become a demon hunter?"

"It
wasn't Mike
," I repeat,
the bile rising in my throat.

This . . . it's all her fault. The reason Seth and I aren't together. That he's fallen. The reason all of this is happening. . . .

A burst of anger surges through my veins, taking over. In one swift motion, I shrug Viola's a
rm away, slipping beneath it. In the next moment I rise to my full height, knife in hand, and sling my arm, slicing a thin slit across her throat. Her eyes widen in shock, mouth gaping.

I step back, breathless, shoulders heaving. Because I do have it in me
. And yes, I might be going to Hell, but there's a difference between me and Viola and people—demons—like her. I only kill those
worth
killing.

Her hand rises to her throat, trembling as she drags it across the wound, red lips pulling into a deep frown. B
lood leaks from her neck, dripping from her fingers and splattering on the concrete floor. An evil grimace twists her lips, and, in the next staggering moment, she wipes the blood away.

The gash is gone. Her neck is stained crimson, but there's no evidence
of any irreparable damage. I blink a few times, convinced my eyes are playing tricks on me, trying to make sense of what just happened.

"Wrong," she whispers.

I step back, moving closer to Seth.

"Did you get it out of your system?" she asks, all humor g
one. "Because I can't have you trying to kill me. Not if we're going to work together." She exhales, eyes closing, as if calming herself. "I have a favor to ask. You're allowed to refuse, of course, but I have to say it's probably not in your best interest
."

"Haven't you done enough?" I ask, eyeing her warily.

"I need your help."

My jaw tightens. "Why?"

"The details are irrelevant. I only need to borrow you for a while."

"Borrow me," I repeat, disbelieving.

"I hope you're not refusing."
She flicks her head to the side and gives a nod. The two men—the
Diabols
—standing with Seth tighten their grip, ready to haul him away.

I pull out two knives, one in each hand, preparing to throw.

"Don't!" Seth insists. "It's okay, Genesis. I'll be okay."

My throat swells, eyes wet with the tears I'm desperately trying to restrain.  I brush them away with the back of my hand and wipe my nose across my sleeve.

"Kind of sucks, doesn't it? Watching someone you love disappear forever?" Viola asks, eyes full of
heat.

"What do you want?" I whisper.

"That's confidential. I only need you to promise you'll help me."

"What happens to Seth if I don't?"

She shrugs, resigned. "He's already fallen. But I'm sure you'd like him back."

I turn to face her, eyes tightening. "
You can do that?"

"There are alternatives."

"Such as?"

"Alternatives."

"Don't believe her, Genesis!" Seth's voice carries across the warehouse, echoing, reaching the far corners. "It's not worth it. You can't trust her!" It will be his voice—these words—I
hear for an eternity should he be right.

"How do I know I can trust you?" I ask Viola.

"The way I see it, you don't have much of a choice. Seth is one of us. The Council has left you unguarded. My offer is all you have left. This actually worked out bette
r than I ever could have hoped. Who would've thought the Guardians would pull away so quickly, and without an ounce of dissent?"

"And if I refuse?"

"You've already lost everything. You've nothing more to lose with this arrangement, Genesis. And everything
to gain."

"Genesis," Seth pleads. "No. You
can't
trust her."

His eyes catch mine, holding them. His face is tired, desperate.

"I don't have any other choice," I tell him, voice barely a whisper.

"You do," he says. "You can say no."

More tears. Angry tears
. "I'm
not
going to lose you!"

"You
have
to forget about me!"

"Get him out of here," Viola commands.

"No!" I bolt toward him, but she grabs me from behind. The two demons pull Seth backward.

"I never regretted coming back to you!" Seth speaks quickly as th
ey drag him away from me. "It was worth it, for the time we spent together. And I'm not sorry for any of it, only that I put you in danger."

I swallow the lump in my throat. He mingles with my tears, blurring. "I love you!" I call to him. "Forever."

I bli
nk. The tears slip down my cheeks. The two demons? Seth? They're gone.

Viola sets me free. "You didn't even let me say goodbye!"

"'Goodbye' is a luxury people like us can't afford."

My jaw tightens, smarting. "I want him back."
             

"You're
agreeing to help me, then?" she asks, a hint of satisfaction in her voice.

"Yes," I say, swiping the stray, furious tear from my face. "Yes. I'll help you." A fierce smile curves her mouth. "On the condition that Seth is returned to me, unharmed."

She ext
ends her hand, as if to shake on our agreement. "Don't worry, it will be over quickly."

She lifts the sleeve of my black
hoodie
, then wraps her skinny fingers around my wrist, covering the razor-thin slits. She grips tighter, eyes burning as she concentrat
es, and I watch as ink melts into my skin, stinging as it climbs, growing. I feel it reach my shoulder, the reds and greens and blues snaking up my arm. It's tribal, full of vines and leaves and flowers. Viola releases me, and I examine the art in the fluo
rescent light. She smiles, pleased. The tattoo is eerily similar to hers, and the weight of its meaning presses into me. I've been marked.

Viola owns me.

"Now what?" I ask.

"Don't worry. I'll come for you."

In the next moment she's gone. The lights flick
er overhead, and, one by one, begin to shatter, bursting. Sparks rain from the ceiling, and the room grows darker. I turn on my heel, sprinting for the exit, those worthless knives rattling in my pocket.

Outside I fumble with my keys, desperate to unlock t
he car door, to get away. An explosion thunders, shaking the ground beneath me. I shield my eyes, protecting them, ears ringing as the world goes silent. I turn back to the warehouse, frozen, as flames lash the night sky. 

T
WENTY-EIGHT

I shove th
e door to the pool house open and rush inside, crashing into a hard, stiff object. I scream, and a warm hand clamps over my mouth, silencing me.

"
Shhh
!" Carter slams the door shut and flips on the light.

I am both horrified and relieved at the same time.
"Carter! He's
gone
!"

"What?" he asks, not understanding. "What are you talking about?"

"Seth. He's gone!"

"What happened?"

"When he killed Mike. And he didn't tell me. He's fallen and now Viola has him. I can't have him back unless I help her." The words
tumble out, one after the other after the other. I exhale short, shallow breaths, temples pounding. "I promised."

I pull away from him, lifting the sleeve of my black
hoodie
, revealing the bright tattoos, the green and blue and red images creeping up my
arm. Dancing in the light. He examines the design, running his fingers over it. His expression is so guarded, so muted, and I'm desperate to know what he's thinking. If he's disappointed in me. In what I've done. For what it means.