Chapter 39: The Envoy

Kael walked in without knocking, his jacket covered in snow that melted into dark stains on the carpet as he brushed it off lazily. His gaze scanned the room, taking in Dorian who was lying in bed holding his stitches, Mira who was huddled on the floor with Zoe kneeling next to her, Vance who was stuck behind the desk with his fingers grasping the grimoire tightly, and Jenna who was standing next to the window with her hand resting on the iron rod.

His eyes landed on me, and his usual confident smirk appeared on his face again. "You must be the witch they've been talking about."

I said nothing. The pain in my bandaged hand throbbed and pulsated as I clutched it with a fist.

"You look terrible, little brother. That wound just happened. Your skin looks paler than ever now, doesn't it?" He hesitated for a split second and added: "Actually, you have always been pale."

Dorian's jaw clenched, and he bunched his fists tighter into the blankets. "What do you want, Kael?"

"Just to pay you a visit, little brother. I've heard you have some problems with vampires and demons." His gaze lingered on me for a while, his smirk widening. "And with some witch."

Jenna shifted her weight, her knuckles going white with the grip on the iron rod.

Kael moved further into the room, his heavy boots making wet prints on the carpet, and stopped right next to the desk where Vance was looking at his open grimoire. "Binding spell, old magic that you couldn't handle on your own." He looked at Vance, and the grin disappeared from his face momentarily. "No offense."

"No offense taken," Vance muttered, pulling the book closer to his chest.

"You're protecting that book of evil, are you?" I walked towards Kael and stood between him and the desk, making sure that he wouldn't be able to grab the grimoire anytime soon.

"Well, that was the whole point of it," Vance replied dryly.

Kael rolled his eyes. "You have to admit that it's rather childish." He straightened up and looked at me. "What do you want, witch? Or should I call you Arya?"

"What do you want, Kael?"

"I can help you." He waited a while and let the word sink in. "The vampire council is on its way, and it has three envoys that will reach you before dawn. They're all older than you and much stronger than your beloved Cross."

"How do you know that?" Dorian asked from the bed, trying to sit up. A pained expression appeared on his face as soon as he felt the pain of his injuries. His forehead was sweaty and covered with drops of perspiration.

"I'm the one that the council has sent to scout this place. They're waiting for me to give them a message." Kael dragged the chair from the corner of the room and sat down. "But I'm willing to change their mind."

"You mean that you're working for them." Zoe got to her feet and walked to Mira who was shaking with every few seconds.

"Nope." His tone sounded more friendly. "I work for me. I'll be able to convince the council that Raze is already dead and that the grimoire is useless. They'll stop pestering you and return to their luxury homes in their beautiful castles." Kael crossed his arms over his knees. "What's the catch?"

"How can you help us now?" Jenna tightened her grip on the rod again.

"I can give you some time. I'll send the council away and come back for you after some time. But you'll owe me something in return." He opened his palm, revealing a silver coin. "What do you think about my offer?"

"What is your debt?"

"A debt. I just want to owe you something. A debt, that can be redeemed anytime I want, for whatever purpose I want." Kael got up and approached me, looking directly into my eyes. "In case you are interested in helping me in the future, that is." He grinned. "I know that you're clever, Arya."

My hands started trembling slightly. I clutched the material of my skirt hard, but the shaking continued nonetheless. "What is it that you expect me to do?"

"It's very simple. One day, when you decide to settle down with your lover and have kids, you'll owe me your firstborn baby." He paused and studied my reaction. "When you are ready to give birth and the baby comes to life, I'll take it from you. I won't give you any choice in it."

"No!" Dorian shouted. He struggled to sit in bed again and swung his legs over the mattress. The effort seemed to hurt him a lot, and he fell back into bed. Jenna helped him and held him by the shoulders to keep him there. "I'll never let him near you. And he's not touching my sister. Not in my life."

"I'm a nephilim, Arya. I don't get old and I don't have children." He tilted his head slightly. "But one day you'll become a mother, and then I'll claim my kid." Kael waited until I would understand his point. "It'll change everything for me and for you."

"I don't understand," I said hoarsely.

"It's a deal or nothing, little witch. Either you owe me your child someday or you let me be." He glanced at Dorian and at Vance who still looked worried about me and our decision. "If I leave now, the council will be here before dawn." He stepped closer. "I'm the only person who will protect you from them today."

"I'm warning you—" Dorian threatened and squeezed my wrist.

"I don't care what you say to me. You know that there's no other way. Even if we wanted to, we couldn't do anything against the council, especially considering your condition." I freed my wrist from Dorian's grasp. "Do you think that we will manage to survive today?"

"Not if you agree with Kael," Zoe answered and got to her feet, leaning on the wall for support. "There has to be another way."

"There isn't," Kael stated flatly. "The council wants this book and the witch who possesses it. Otherwise, they'll burn this place down to ashes with all the people who are here inside."

Jenna hugged Dorian and whispered something inaudible in his ear, trying to calm him down.

"Are you sure that we have only one hour left until the council reaches us?" I looked at Mira again and saw her shaking uncontrollably once again. This time she lifted her head from the floor.

Her back bent backwards and her eyes turned into pitch-black holes. "Don't listen to him! He's as bad as I am. He'll take everything you have!"

"Raze has possessed Mira again." Zoe took hold of the girl by the shoulder, but Mira struggled to get loose. She fell into a convulsive fit and started trembling fiercely.

"He's terrified of me. You shouldn't believe him," Kael muttered. "Now tell me, are you still considering my offer?"

"What should I do?" Dorian pleaded.

"We're running out of time." I knew that he couldn't hear me, and he had to decide fast.

Kael smiled. "I'll give you another fifteen minutes. After that you'll have to choose, Arya." He stepped aside and went to the window. "The sooner you make a decision, the safer everyone will be. I need to call them off before they get too close."

The headlights of a car lit up the snow that covered the street and reflected off the window.

Kael's smile faltered, and he put his palm against the pane for a while. Then he stepped away quickly. "That wasn't mine."

Jenna ran to the window and looked outside. "There's a car in the parking lot. Someone is getting out of the vehicle now."

"Do you think that the council has changed its plan?" Dorian's eyes widened.

"Indeed, they have." Kael's expression softened momentarily. It was the first time when he looked scared. "The vampire council has sent someone else." His boots scuffed quietly against the carpet. "They aren't here to talk, and that's the problem."

Heavy footsteps approached our apartment house slowly.

We all looked at Dorian with desperation and dread.

"We're out of time." My stomach clenched in anxiety as we heard a familiar tune coming closer to us.

The doorbell rang.