Divine Descent

Chapter Twenty-Four

"What did you do to her?"

"I didn't! She nearly fainted!"

"He didn't do anything," I whisper as Samael grabs my arms, looking over me intensely. "This is me."

"You? Cassandra, we don't faint."

I gaze at him as deliberately as I can manage, hoping he realizes before I have to spell it out. He gently pushes the hair from my face, frowning with concern. It takes him a few seconds to understand that the only weakness I have is something that he doesn't.

It's not a divine weakness.

I acquired this one on earth.

"Everyone out," Samael demands, effortlessly clearing the room while he helps me off the ground and into a chair, sweeping off the bits of glass that are stuck to my stained gown. "You're ice cold. How? How is this possible?"

"It's possible."

He blinks. "He's on earth. He's just a man."

"We're connected," I gasp, grabbing onto his jacket. "I have to see him, Samael."

"Of course. Just rest. I'll take you up when you can walk."

"I can fucking walk now," I snap, on edge, desperate to ensure Elijah's safety.

"Cassandra—"

"You promised he'd be safe. You promised you wouldn't harm him."

"And I haven't."

"Then show me."

He stares at me, noticeably frustrated. I half expect I'm going to have to rush past him to get there, but he surprises me, grabbing my hands, pulling me onto my feet.

"Come then."

I grab onto whatever I can to reach the top of the stairs, even Samael himself. He's completely silent behind me, like before, allowing me the freedom to discover things for myself. It's one part of him I admire. He gives me space.

By the time I'm standing in front of the mirror, trying to summon up the courage to see whatever ails Elijah, something in my body begins to change. My skin tingles as if there were fingertips grazing my arms lightly, except I feel the chill everywhere. And it's not fear.

It's desire.

It stuns me. As if Elijah were here, touching me, I become light-headed and my stomach flips with excitement. I can't think. My breasts feel heavy, my lips numb. The traces of pain are still there, but this feeling has an overwhelming power.

I turn suspiciously to make sure Samael has kept his distance. I find him not only a few feet away from me, but he's not even looking at me. He's standing at the desk, reading over a ledger.

I'm compelled to touch myself, to relieve my aching skin, to feel the kind of pleasure inhabiting my insides. I stare at the scrying mirror unsurely and then hold my arm out, pressing two fingers against the glass.

My mouth falls open while my eyes widen in horror.

My words are faint and unintelligible. I have nothing to say to this, but still I try.

The vision of the man I love is very different from the last one I summoned.

"Stop," I hiss fearfully to the mirror, wanting it to hear me, to listen.

But it isn't the mirrors actions that are horrifying. It's Elijah's.

He's in a room in Rome. He isn't alone.