The Book of Azrael (Gods & Monsters 1)
The Book of Azrael: Chapter 12

MY EYES FLUTTERED OPEN AND I SQUINTED AT WALLS SO WHITE THEY WERE ALMOST BLINDING. I was in a room. Wait, a room? I quickly sat up and immediately regretted it. My head throbbed, and every muscle in my body ached. I groaned. Being hit by a convoy going full speed would have hurt less. I gripped my head, trying to ease the agony in my head.

The memory of silver eyes flashed through my mind. Samkiel had grabbed me and pulled me back, but how? I hadn’t even had time to process what was happening before hitting the ground. Then he was standing over me, the water from the sprinklers raining down on his massive frame, plastering the ill-fitting clothes to his body. I remembered calling forth the flames to get him away from me. My throat had tingled before he’d slammed his hand over my mouth. I’d watched his eyes glow a shade brighter before silver light traveled down his arm, igniting those strange tattoos. I tasted his power and knew I was dead.

I turned around, looking at the room. If I was in Iassulyn, it was a shitty version. It looked like an insane asylum. My pants suit and matching crop top were gone. In their place, I was wearing a loose -fitting tank and black sweats. After a steadying breath, I pushed to my feet, my knees shaking. Gods, what had he done to me?

I rolled the waistband of the pants so they would stay on my hips as I glanced around. The cell was a ten by ten white box with one wall made of bars. I walked to a corner and slid my fingers against the walls. They were smooth, cool to the touch, and hard as stone. There was no furniture, no toilet, nothing. So this wasn’t a prison. It was a holding cell, which meant they weren’t planning to keep me here long. My anger rose. If they thought they could imprison me, they were sadly mistaken.

I inhaled a deep breath before I expelled a thunderous roar of lethal fire. The cell went up in bright orange and yellow flames, singing everything they touched. I let it burn for several minutes, knowing that much heat would have at least melted the bars.

I allowed the fire to die out, expecting to see a smoldering open expanse. Instead, bright blue beams glowed where the bars had been. Molten metal pooled on the floor, but otherwise, the structure of the cell was intact. It was another reminder I was not dealing with anything mortal. I cursed and kicked the wall nearest to me. The only thing I had done was turn my cell and every wall in sight an ashy dinghy color. I narrowed my eyes and placed my hands on my hips. The bars still glowed merrily, mocking me.

Fine, I’d just have to try a little harder.

It had been two days, two days of lighting this place up, and nothing. I had tried changing shapes and slipping through the bars, but I’d been electrocuted and my body thrown against the back wall. I sat cross-legged, my cheek resting on my fist. I stared at the bars for a long time before I got up. Maybe if I endured the pain long enough, I could get out. I had gone through worse. How bad could it be? I stopped in front of them, the electric buzz filling my ears as I got closer. I reached out, my hand hovering mere inches away.

‘Athos, Dhihsin, Kryella, Nismera, Xeohr, Unir, Samkiel, grant me passage from here to the Netherworld.’ I saw what looked like tears form in his eyes as he tilted his head back and plunged the dagger into his chest.

I jerked my hand back as that night played through my memories again. Everyone thought I had killed him, and I let them. It had earned me immunity from Kaden and his horde. They saw me as a threat, and now so did Samkiel and his people. Little did they know those memories haunted me.

The look on Zekiel’s face as he plunged that knife into his chest was one I was all too familiar with. I had seen it on Gabby’s face and my own as I fought to save her life. It was the look you got when you’d lost all hope. I would never forget the sound of the blade entering his body. The single tear that fell from his eye before the blue light burst from him and he exploded into the sky would haunt me forever.

‘I would advise that you don’t touch those.’

His voice preceded the three forms that shimmered and solidified in front of me. Flames burst in my hands, and I didn’t hesitate to throw a fireball straight at his head.

Samkiel side-stepped and lifted his hand, stopping the ball of roiling flame. It rotated for a second beneath his palm, those damned gray eyes boring into mine as he extinguished it with a single clench of his fist.

I couldn’t hide my shock. My voice was barely a whisper as I took a step back. ‘How did you do that?’

Samkiel— No, Liam. Kaden said they called him Liam now. He looked at me as he lowered his hand to his side, keeping the other in his pocket. ‘I am more prepared now that I am aware of your powers.’ His accent was thick, another sign he was not from here.

I swallowed, taking in his appearance. He looked so different. Who made him hot? Why was he hot now? His shorter hair looked more modern than I thought it could. It was cut close to his head and styled with gel that made it stick out in different directions. His beard was barely a whisper of what it used to be, more a five o’clock shadow that curved around his annoyingly perfect jawline.

It didn’t matter the perfect sculpture they’d tried to make. He was still the World Ender. He was still the hated and feared god who would gladly end me and those I cared about. They could dress him up all they wanted, but I could still see the truth of him. He may not have fangs, but I sensed the predator beneath those sad gray eyes.

‘And if you are referring to how we appeared before you as you were preparing to throw another tantrum—‘ He paused, looking toward the man I had seen at the bar. ‘What is the word for that, Logan?’

‘The mortals call it teleporting, sir, or portaling,’ Logan said, his hands gripping the front of the tactical gear they all wore, all except Liam. He wore a casual white shirt with the sleeves rolled up and black slacks. Just as with the suit, they seemed too tight. I could see his muscles tense with every move he made. He had a strong yet lean build, made for speed, power, and killing.

I could see why they called him the most beautiful son of Unir, and how he could have brought even goddesses to their knees. He was every bit as magnificent as the books had described. He knew he was powerful, and it showed in the way he held himself. The gray hue of his eyes sparked with intelligence, and the bronzed color of his skin glowed with health.

Beneath his new and improved mask, self-loathing lay heavy on him. He had it wrapped around himself like a cloak. I saw it at the meeting in how he responded and talked. He’d zoned out a couple of times as if he wasn’t even on this plane anymore. Maybe taking him down would be easier than I’d thought.

‘Ah, yes, teleporting. Think of it as a refraction of light or displacement. Molecules are broken down to their purest form and reformed in another space, so to speak.’

‘That’s so cool.’ I kept my eyes trained on him, ignoring the others. After tasting his power, I had no desire to experience it again. If I even felt it stir, I was prepared to fight. ‘I don’t care.’

The man on his left scoffed, shaking his head. ‘Do you know who you speak to?’ His voice was a snarl.

A slow, mischievous smile spread across my face, but I never turned away from Liam. The shadows danced lazily around me. ‘Of course, I do. The Son of Unir, Guardian of the Realms, Leader of The Hand of Rashearim,’ my smile grew dark, ‘World Ender.’

Liam’s gaze did not waver from mine. ‘You know me, and yet you still attacked the embassy. Why fight?’

I shrugged. ‘Call it a personality trait.’

He shook his head as if he couldn’t believe it. ‘That’s an arrogant notion. You know what I can do, and that death would be imminent. Yet, you risked it regardless.’

My lip curled up in a half–smile, my canines slowly descending. ‘Arrogant? I heard that’s your thing, not mine.’ I stepped closer, the shadows beneath me bending. ‘But I am curious, World Ender. What do you fear?’

My shape changed as my voice deepened, dark, thick, and rich. ‘Most men fear the forests at night and the creatures that hunt.’ My form changed to a massive canine beast as I paced, snapping my jaws at them. Shadows danced once more as I changed. ‘Or is it beasts of legends that drive the hairs erect on your body?’ I took up the entire space as I shifted into my favorite shape, the black –winged wyvern. ‘Or?’ This time, I took the form of a man. I stopped in front of him, the same height, same look, same posture. ‘Is it what you see in the mirror?’

He held my stare for only a moment before his eyes darted away, and I knew I’d hit my mark. My smile was cruel, but it didn’t last long. The celestial on his left stepped forward. Earrings lined his ears like they had Zekiel’s, and I had no doubt each of them would produce a weapon. His eyes were the same blue as the ball of light that shot from his hand, sending me sailing across the room.

‘Vincent.’ Liam held his hand up. ‘It is fine.’

Okay, so that was Vincent. I stood, straightening my ugly sweats as I laughed. His power may have sent me across the room, but it didn’t burn like Liam’s.

Although his build was leaner, Vincent was nearly as tall as Liam. His straight hair was as black as mine, and he had it tied back, half up, half down. I glimpsed a tattoo along his collarbone, the bold dark tribal lines a beautiful contrast to his lightly tanned skin. It reminded me of the one I had seen on Logan at the bar. I wondered if they all had one.

Vincent folded his arms and narrowed his dark eyes at me. The corner of his lips twitched, making me want to smash my fist against his perfect, angular jaw. His stance screamed retribution if I dared to insult his precious leader once more.

The sound of a door opening and approaching footsteps had us all turning. I recognized the woman that approached as the same one I’d seen at the club. I had knocked her unconscious when I snuck into their meeting. She stopped beside Liam, the celestials that had followed her in fanning out behind her. They wore the same tactical gear as everyone else and stared at me with narrowed eyes that glowed the same iridescent blue. Oh, they were angry.

The woman met my gaze with a look that promised death before turning her back on me to address Liam. Guess we weren’t going to be best friends.

‘We are ready, sir.’

Ready? Ready for what?

‘Thank you, Neverra,’ Liam said.

I didn’t have time to voice my questions before the floor of my cell lit up. A circle formed around me, and I recognized the pattern as the same one Zekiel had used in Ophanium. The symbols around the circumference glowed, forcing me to the ground. I fell to my hands and knees with a hiss. The power beneath me made my skin burn, and I gritted my teeth. It wasn’t as all –encompassing as in Ophanium. No, he meant to immobilize me, not distract me with pain. I raised my head as the cell bars disappeared, and Liam, Logan, and Vincent entered.

‘If you wanted me on my hands and knees, you should have just asked,’ I sneered through gritted teeth at Liam. Sweat formed on my forehead as I pushed, trying to stand. I managed to lift my hands the tiniest bit before the circle pulsed indigo, and the invisible bonds on me tightened. I grunted as my palms slammed against the floor again.

Logan paused, surprise and caution flaring in his eyes. Good. They were scared. They should be because if I—

‘Ow!’ I snapped as a cool metal cuff was slapped onto my wrist. I turned my head, seeing Vincent place another on my ankle. Before I could try to make a move to kick him in the face, Logan had my other wrist shackled. As soon as the last cuff snapped close around my ankle, it felt as if the air was being sucked from my lungs. I fell to the floor with a hiss, trying to catch my breath.

‘You will be weak while the Chains of Abareath are upon you,’ Liam said. ‘A safety precaution for your interrogation.’

The circle beneath me disappeared, and Liam stared down at me, his arms behind his back. He nodded toward Logan and Vincent. A low grunt escaped me as they grabbed me under my arms and hoisted me up. Any fight I had in me was gone. I felt weak and sick. They dragged me out of my cell, my feet dragging on the floor. For the first time in centuries, I couldn’t feel my fire, and that terrified me.

Neverra waved the celestials forward, and they led the way. I heard footsteps behind me as we turned down the large hallway. We passed several cells identical to mine before pushing through the doubled doors. As they dragged me through the corridors and up a small set of stairs, I tried to get my bearings. The inside of this building wasn’t as regal as the one in Arariel, and I wondered if we were still in the city. Wooden benches and chairs took up a lot of the hallway, but I hadn’t seen any other people. I soon realized why.

The sound of voices grew louder the closer we got to a large, dark wooden door. The celestials in front stopped, opening it wide enough for us to enter. Neverra went in first, and then they dragged me inside. I saw what looked like a large brown four –poster chair. The heavy wood was engraved with alien symbols, and the seat looked like it had seen better days. When Logan and Vincent hoisted me onto the seat, the cuffs around my wrists and ankles locked into place, securing them against the arms and legs.

I tilted my head back, shaking the hair out of my face as I scanned the room. A long metal table sat in the middle, a woman in a pencil skirt and matching blouse at the end of it. She had a laptop in front of her, and several notebooks sat beside her. She didn’t even look at me, her attention on Liam. I craned my head, seeing several blue -eyed celestials glaring at me, and I recognized a few mortals from Arariel. Rows of seats formed a circle around the chair so all could see the prisoner at the center. Hmm, so this was how they did interrogations.

‘I thought I had killed you.’ My voice came out weak as I looked at the mortal man wearing a sling. He had bruises and a few burn marks, but I remembered him as one of the ambassadors.

He glared past his swollen eyes but did not speak and stepped back.

‘Do not fear the Ig’Morruthen. She is completely disabled,’ Liam said, standing in the center of the room. Logan, Neverra, and Vincent flanked him, stoic and ready to defend him. Not that he needed defending. I pulled at my bonds, testing them, but I was held tight.

I laughed, actually laughed. It started as a small chuckle before growing to a full –body experience, and it took me a moment to regain control of myself. I watched everyone look at me and then each other and couldn’t stop another fit of giggles. Liam cocked his head to the side and raised an eyebrow.

‘There is something in this situation that you replace humorous?’

‘Yes.’ I tried to sit up a little more. ‘You. Them.’ I nodded toward the crowd. ‘This. Seriously, what are you going to do? Torture me? I thought you were the special chosen one who believed in peace and all things good in the world? Or wait, are you going to hit me? Slap me around a little bit? If you do it hard enough, I might like it.’ The smirk dropped from my face as I leaned forward with all the strength I could muster. A few people in the crowd gasped, but Liam didn’t move a single muscle. ‘Don’t you get it? Don’t you see there is nothing you can do to me that has not already been done? You can’t break me, World Ender.’

He regarded me, an expression I couldn’t define flashing across his face. It was somber and stirred something inside of me I didn’t understand. It was so fleeting that I would have missed it if I hadn’t been looking right at him.

‘We will start with a series of questions. The chair upon which you sit is imbued with—‘ He paused and looked at Logan. He spoke in what I assumed was their native language. Logan responded, and Liam nodded before saying, ‘A certain power. It will emit a sound, signaling to me that you are not being truthful. The runes will alight, and the more you resist, the more you will burn. If you do not answer, you will burn. You try to escape—’

I rolled my eyes, already annoyed. ‘I get it. I will burn.’

‘Very well. Let us begin.’

Liam walked to the long metal table. The woman opened her laptop, looked at me, and then continued to steal glances at Liam. I watched as he shuffled through some pages before turning to me.

‘The power I felt when you first arrived was not just yours. Especially given the signal that sounded before you attempted to retreat. How many of you are there?’

‘Ninety-nine.’

A shrill beep sounded, symbols lighting up on the chair and floor as energy, white and hot, blasted through me. I grunted, my body jerking with agony as every nerve in my body caught fire. The woman who had started typing looked shocked and glanced up at Liam.

‘Can you give me an accurate assessment?’

I shrugged my shoulders, catching my breath. ‘Um— four hundred.’

Agony ripped through me, rocking my body back against the chair. I hissed through gritted teeth until it stopped. I leaned my head forward and blew out a breath, my heart beating wildly in my chest.

‘Damn. You weren’t kidding.’

Liam looked at Logan, who translated my words once more.

‘No, I am afraid I was not,’ he paused, struggling with the foreign words, ‘kidding as you say. Now, let us try again.’

‘Was the attack on the Embassy in Arariel premeditated?’

‘What’s an Embassy?’

Another shock and my fists clenched around the chair’s arms.

‘They say you are a god but not whole, part god, part celestial. I heard you are a weak coward of a man who hid away for centuries,’ I snapped. I was beyond angry. Two could play this torture game, and I knew exactly what buttons to push.

‘The information you have is not new. Everyone is aware.’

‘So they weren’t wrong?’ I asked, shock skittering through me.

Everything Kaden had told us was a lie, and on top of that, Zekiel had been right. An actual deity lived, and I had brought him back. I thought I had spoken to myself, but when he leaned forward, I knew he’d heard me.

‘Who wasn’t wrong?’ he asked, trying to appear calm.

I cleared my throat and shifted away from him, ignoring his question. ‘So why do they call you Liam if your name is Samkiel? Embarrassing family name, huh? Other kids make fun of you?’

His nostrils flared as if I’d touched on a sensitive topic. ‘This is not my interrogation. It is yours. While you were indisposed, I did replace out your name. It is Dianna Martinez, correct?’ he asked, turning back to the papers on the table and flipping through them, his face stoic.

My lip curled as I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly. ‘So you’ve heard of me? Good for you. You’ve found my name. I’ve lived a long time. I have many.’

He nodded and leaned back, raising one hand to rest upon his chin, a single finger curving over his lips. ‘Lived a long time? And how long would you say?’

Dammit, I was trying to remain cocky and giving him too much information. I needed to focus on getting out of these damned chains, out of this building, and far, far away. I moved out of reflex, and the sting in my arms caused me to hiss.

‘Are you done?’ Liam asked, watching as I tried to recover from the pain.

‘Not even close,’ I bluffed. Those shocks hurt too damn much for me not to respect them. He gauged my expression and leaned back, turning the contents of the folder toward me. He licked his thumb and flipped through the pages. I didn’t have time to read any of it and completely lost interest when he held up the pictures. Rage twisted my gut as I blinked at the images of Gabby, Tobias, Alistair, and me. My breath hitched as I recognized where these had been taken. It was my lunch date with Gabby. Fuck. That was what Tobias and Alistair had sensed. One of them had been close to us, and I hadn’t known. My heart raced in my chest.

‘As you can see, you and your comrades have been on our radar for a while now.’ He settled those piercing eyes on me once more. ‘So, tell me, who do you work for?’

My eyes met his, and I hissed. ‘I’ll tell you nothing.’ Any information would damn me, but more importantly, it would damn Gabby. He already knew what she looked like and her name. I would rather burn a thousand times over in this chair than allow anything to happen to her.

His lips thinned into a hard line. ‘I had assumed you would not, but I did hope for a different outcome. A more pleasant one.’

What was he talking about? The thought had barely formed in my mind when my entire being was consumed with pain. My head snapped back, and my body lifted off the chair as much as the magic would allow. The sudden burst of electricity was much stronger this time. It felt like my body was burning from the inside out. I let out a blood-curdling scream, unable to hold it in, the sound shaking the room. And then it stopped as quickly as it had begun. My head fell forward, my hair blocking my vision as I panted in the sudden silence.

The crowd gasped as I flung part of my sweat –drenched hair from my face, tendrils clinging to my cheeks. I knew my eyes were bleeding red as my anger rose. It was a small smoldering flame that I could feel even with these damned chains on, and I took comfort in it. I gasped out through ragged breaths, ‘Is that your idea of torture? This is just a Saturday night for me, baby. You are going to have to do better than that.’

He shook his head, his face unreadable. ‘I do not want to torture you, but I have questions that need answers. Many of my people are hurt because of you, dead because of you and your kind. I need to replace out why.’

‘Oh, please, I did you a favor. Half the humans didn’t even like you or your people. That entire meeting was one big circle jerk over who is and isn’t in power. And now?’ I looked around the room. ‘They think you are some great hero who can save them.’

‘Is that what you consider a favor? Senseless killing?’

I laughed in his face. ‘Oh, you’d know all about that, wouldn’t you? Senseless killing? How many have you buried, huh? How many have you slaughtered, thinking we are nothing but monsters with teeth? If we don’t look like you. If we don’t eat what you eat, behave how you behave, then we are nothing and beneath you, right? I’m so fucking sorry. Allow me to pretend to care. Your kind has hunted and prosecuted mine for eons.’

‘How curious? You think to understand me? You are nothing but a creature built and designed for killing. Do not presume to know anything about me,’ he said, not missing a beat. ‘You are right, though. You are beneath me. Lower than a measly worm that the fowls pick up for breakfast.’ Every word dripped with hate, and I knew he meant it. I could see it in his face and in the expressions of those around him.

I hissed, leaning forward, the cuffs biting into my wrists. ‘Such a dirty mouth for such a noble man. Does it work? Does it get women off when you talk like that?’ I leaned forward again, uncaring of the painful bite on my wrists. ‘They may look at you as a savior, but I know the truth behind those lovely eyes. Your hands are just as bloody as mine, Samkiel. You are no savior. You are a coward who hid away. At least I fight for something. Paint me as the bad guy all you want, but I’m not the one they call World Ender. You are.’

I waited for him to explode. I expected him to yell, for the room to shake, and for him to use that blasted power I had seen before. Everyone in the room seemed to be watching, too, holding their breath, but all he did was stare at me.

‘I’m going to ask you again. Who do you work for?’

I blew another strand of hair from my face as I tried to sit up better. ‘Are you ignorant enough to think a woman couldn’t lead all by herself? Did they not do that on Rashearim?’

‘The women on Rashearim are very different from you. They are respectful, with tremendous strength and intelligence. I knew goddesses who led armies and fought with dignity, not cheap tricks. You don’t compare at all and couldn’t touch them. I have met women like you. Do you know where the vile, vicious, and vindictive women like you are now? They are dead.’

‘Oh, baby, I doubt you’ve met anyone like me before.’

Liam nodded once and dropped his hand, returning his gaze to the pages in front of him. I thought I had earned a small reprieve since I didn’t immediately feel like I was being set aflame. Unfortunately, my relief was short –lived as the power ran through me again. My body rocked back as my hands clenched, the cuffs biting into my flesh. I felt the beast in me try to break free, the dark power coiling beneath my skin. Finally, the pain ended after what felt like an eternity, and I sagged in my seat.

‘I’ll ask you again—’

I didn’t have the strength to move. Sweat drenched every part of me, and my body trembled. ‘Ask me over and over, and I’ll tell you nothing. Burn me all you want, Samkiel, but you won’t get anything from me. So come on. Do your worst. I fear no kings and no gods.‘ The last part left my lips on a sharp hiss as my eyes remained on him.

Liam didn’t move, but annoyance flickered in his eyes. He was growing bored with this, and so was I. ‘Are you sure about that?’ he asked, leaning forward.

I shifted my hands, those damned cuffs rebelling, but I did not stop as I flipped him off with both fingers.

He stared at me for what felt like forever. I dropped my hands, my wrist slamming back down against the chair, pain vibrating through my arms. He shuffled the papers before holding some up in front of me.

‘I believe, as you said earlier, that everyone has a weakness.’ His voice was soft, almost a whisper. ‘And I believe you have one too. I do not recall Ig’Morruthens sitting down and having lunch with mere mortals, but she’s not like you either.’

I blinked a few times, trying to stay calm and not show the terror slithering through me.

He moved more photos out of the way. ‘So, do you want to tell me who you work for or who this woman is to you? And please do not lie to me.’

My eyes stayed fixed on him. ‘Go fuck yourself.’

I saw confusion fill his eyes. I rolled my eyes and snapped at Logan, ‘Translate that for him.’

When he did, Liam’s nostrils flared for a split second as if no one had dared to speak to him that way before. ‘If you cannot answer, I will have to ask her.’

‘You go near her, and I promise it will be the last thing you ever do,’ I snarled, straining against my restraints. I felt my canines grow and my vision grow red.

The air was sucked from the room as pressure built, immense and oppressive. A storm made flesh. That’s what Liam reminded me of. ‘Are you threatening me?’ he asked, his eyes going pure silver. It was a color I had come to hate in the last few hours, and I knew it would haunt my nightmares.

‘You know, I am usually a fan of a quick death. A quick snap of the neck or a roasting tends to be my preferred method,’ I hissed. ‘But you? I am going to take my time with you. I’m going to hurt you in ways you can’t imagine and laugh as the silver dies in your eyes.’

He held my gaze. No one talked, and no one moved. He turned back to the table and sat. It was a moment before the heaviness in the room evaporated, and the silver faded, his eyes returning to their normal shade of gray. I nearly laughed at the thought. This man was anything but normal.

‘After the many failed attacks on our temples, it would appear you are looking for a relic of ours. Please elaborate.’

I didn’t.

I didn’t speak when asked what we were looking for, not when he asked where I was from or who I worked for again. He asked question after question, hour after hour, and I burned with each one. I can’t remember which one finally knocked me out, just that at that moment, I’d felt peace.

How strange.