Divine Descent

Chapter Ten

It's Elijah's clothing.

My lips tremble along with my body as I crumble the material to nothing, balling it in my hand, remembering the scalding pain that coursed through my veins, the pain that made it impossible to think, to speak, to beg.

I was so helpless then.

A hand rests on my shoulder. His hand.

"I will kill them if you won't," I growl, so close to hysteria.

He says nothing while he pulls me away from the haunted place, reminding me that he's without a doubt the strongest person I've ever come in contact with.

Paris and Damien are equally stirred to rage by the tribunal's version of a guerdon, a reward they took mindlessly, unsure of the consequences darkness would reap upon them.

Between the four of us—five—as Erika approaches, bloody weapons in hand, there isn't a single ounce of remorse for what we are doing.

Erika sheathes her blades. "We have taken every room. What do you want me to do with the ones who surrendered?"

"Rally them and bring them to the great hall. We will decide then," I say, already sure of how I plan to test them. Luckily, I can decipher the repentant ones from the liars. Damien and Paris go with her after a nod from Elijah.

"The guards aren't protecting the hall anymore. They abandoned them," I say.

Elijah doesn't look away from his progenies, no longer feeling the need to question how I know what I know. "They are smart."

"Damien will cross paths with them."

Elijah smiles slightly, but it lacks warmth. "So they're doomed, then."

We come upon the massive double doors, a familiar sight not only for him, but for me. I've been here in visions, also in human form. Achille tortured me within these walls. He praised me within them too.

The original tribunal members are buried in the crypts below, awarded honored resting places while Elijah was cast out to a crowded, unassuming cemetery. As I saw in my overworked mind, there are no guards to be seen, and the vampires locked inside have no idea they've been abandoned.

All of this feels almost serendipitous in a way.

The doors unlock and open abruptly... not because anyone has their hands on it, not because I want them to. It's all Elijah. The groan is loud enough to get the attention of every person inside, and there are nearly a dozen of them.

Like before, they are of all shapes and sizes, all nationalities, men and women.

And they stand no chance.

Rising from their places surrounding the council table, a place I once saw Elijah lead from, they gawk as if after all this time, even with the terror they had to have heard since we arrived, they couldn't bring themselves to believe Elijah could truly be in the flesh.

It's understandable. The last they saw of him he was no more than bones, peeling flesh, barely living, if that's what you can call it. They treated him as a traitor, when in fact, he was doing everything for the good of the world.

Elijah's intentions have always been pure, even when he was lying.

He wasn't always this way, I know that. The Elijah I know is selfless and cunning and brave... powerful. He is worthy of a bent knee, of the fear he is striking into these creatures faces. It pleases me to see them cower, and then to see them fight back.

I won't let them get to the doors, but they don't even make it half that far.

Elijah is quick. He uses both his body and his mind. I've seen his power before, the power that is rare to his kind, almost unheard of, but it's strength right now is stunning.