Page 116 of Cursed
Malachi pulled out a black blade he must’ve lodged between Cain’s shoulders when we’d been talking. The Fallen angel smirked at me.
Lucian, standing a little farther away at Malachi’s side, crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Malachi. “Do nothing else to him until I command it, do you understand?” Lucian hissed.
The dark angel gave a curt nod of his head to Lucian. He might’ve appeared obedient, but I could tell by the look on his face he tried to hide his glee, and he was doing a poor job of it.
When Lucian’s stare met mine, his face turned impassive.
“Please don’t.” I couldn’t hide the tremor in my words and reached for Cain. Something invisible blocked my fingers from touching Cain’s skin.
“Tsk, tsk.” Lucian’s hard smile revealed perfect teeth. “You disappoint me, Cain. You’ve taken one of the greatest gifts I can bestow and turned it against me—against yourfamily.”
“You’re a damn monster.” My tone steadied, but inside, my heart raced and scattered thoughts flitted through my brain.What can I do to help Cain? How do I fight the devil and his evil sidekick?
“Quiet, little Nephilim,” Malachi crooned. “I told you he lied. How sweet it feels to finally see the traitor brought so low.” Malachi stepped around Cain to stand next to me, his attention riveting to Cain’s face. “Looks like I won after all these eons. Winner takes all, and I’ll make sure you have a front-row seat when I take your little—”
“Malachi, shut up.” Lucian blinked in front of Cain. He shook his head, reached out, and seized Cain’s bicep. “I’m your true father. How could you betray me like this?”
My power snuffed out, and I couldn’t fight, couldn’t move. All I could do was stare at Cain in horror and fear.
“You’re nothing to me.” Gasping, Cain opened his mouth to say something else, but only dark blood poured from between his lips. Panic twisted his face as his eyes lifted to mine.
I wanted to run to him, to tell him he was going to be okay, to hug him to me and pretend we were back on Earth, at the zoo or dancing in the masquerade, but I could do nothing. One of the Fallen—Malachi probably—wrapped a black chain of ether around my hands, pulling them together.
“So be it, my son.” With a snap of Lucian’s fingers, Cain dropped to his knees. Blood welled from his nose. Slowly, as if in a daze, he wiped the liquid with the back of his hand and stared at the smear.
“I can snap you right here with the flick of a wrist. The only reason I haven’t is because of who you are, the only child of mine who has ever survived.” His fingers settled against Cain’s cheek. “I might’ve been a harsh master, but if it hadn’t been for strict discipline, you wouldn’t be who you are today. You wouldn’t have survived.”
Lucian’s black gaze turned to me. “And then this little trollop comes along to destroy all I’ve created.”
Cain spit a glob of red-tinged saliva onto the ugly sand then took a deep breath. “Leave her alone.” His voice rasped, as if speaking hurt his throat. “She has nothing to do with this.” Naked fear flashed across Cain’s face as he sucked in another breath. His arm muscles bulged and strained, but whatever Lucian or Malachi were doing, it kept Cain in place.
Lucian sneered and pointed to his chest. “Imade you strong.Igave you a home.Igave you a purpose.” He pivoted toward me. “All she gave you was an attack of conscience and confusion.” Lightning quick, his hand shot out and squeezed my neck. “That is all humans are good for. I didn’t make them evil—the seed was already inside. I’m just here to collect the fruit of their bad decisions. Man makes us weak, Cain, can’t you see? They whisper promises of love into our ears then deceive us with their next breath. They’re fickle creatures, lovely on the outside, yet deceitful in their hearts. I see it every day, and it makes me furious.”
I gasped, the breath wheezing through my throat as I fought the blackness creeping into my vision.
“Wait. If you leave her alone, I’ll do whatever you want,bewhatever you want. Please.” Cain’s voice broke on the last word.
Hearing the word fall from Cain’s mouth felt worse than being strangled. I knew how much he hated people who begged. And now? He’d become the beggar.
Lucian’s lips twitched into a sly, lopsided twist. With his hand still closing off my air, he lifted me off my feet.
In his ebony eyes, my frightened reflection stared back at me.
I clutched at his fingers, desperate to wedge a space so I could breathe, but he was the devil...ageless, merciless, and ruthless.
“I know you’ll do anything to save her, Cain, that’s why she must die, why Anna has to die. They’re our forbidden fruit, and we must chop them down by the roots so they can never take control of our hearts again.”
Anna? Who the hell is that?Maybe I misheard and the lack of oxygen affected my hearing, but I couldn’t help questioning Lucian’s sanity. His bottomless eyes took on a distant stare, and for a second, he seemed to phase out.
Or maybe I hallucinated.Doesn’t matter, I’ll be dead soon.My eyes drifted closed.
“No,” Cain growled, his angry cry dragging my eyelids to open to slits. “Phoebe, fight, damn you.” The tendons on his neck stood out as he seemed to wrestle against the dark power locking him to his knees.
I tried to speak, but I had no air to breathe.I’m so proud of you, Cain. Don’t let them change the person you’re becoming. I love you.
As if he could hear my thoughts, he clenched his jaw, and with a powerful shout, he strained upward, rising to a crouch. Scarlet drops flowed faster from his nose, falling down his chin to plop onto the dirty rocks and rusty sand like a bloody waterfall crashing to the ground.
A flash of white light and feathers replaced the spot where Lucian stood, and suddenly, I could breathe. Unable to do anything other than fall to the dirt on my hands and knees gasping for oxygen, I tried to force myself to stay conscious.
