Chapter Three

He stood in front of her, a sword in his hand with a blood red hilt. Those eyes continued to flash from black to brown, staring through her. She was cornered, with no weapons and no way out. Cassie was scared; more scared than any other time she had been in her life. Above anything, she feared death.

“I’ve got you now.” He stepped towards her, a grin that she would once think innocent but now threatening on his face, as he twirled the sword. Cassie had nowhere to back up to. “You will die slowly and painfully and I will stand over you and watch the blood pour out.”

The wall Cassie had her hands on was damp and she was freezing. Her hair on her neck stood and her heartbeat was loud enough to hear miles away, she was sure of it. He took another step towards her and she closed her eyes. Cassie could feel the tip of the blood against her throat and she knew her time was up. Slowly, just as he said, he pressed the blade to her throat and cut it.

It wasn’t a deep cut, but it still bled. The blade moved from her throat to her stomach, where he didn’t hesitate to press it through, just as she had done to him. Cassie screamed and doubled over, her hands on her stomach where blood was now pouring from. As she looked up at the boy, his eyes finally stopped flashing and were brown. He leaned down next to her and smiled. “I will not be the last looking for you.”

À

 Cassie shot up, sweat dripping from her brow. Looking around, she realized she was still in the room in the cabin that she and Klaus had found just off a highway in the woods. She tossed the covers off her and wiped the sweat from her face. Pain shot through her back and she moved a hand to where she had been cut by the strange boy the day before, before she had killed him. Klaus’ piece of shirt was still wrapped around her stomach, covering the cut.

The door squeaked open and Klaus stepped in, leaning against the doorframe. “How’s your back?”

“It needs to be washed and it needs a new bandage.” She began playing with her hair, keeping her eyes on the bed, aware of the way Klaus was looking at her. Her hair, which was normally braided, was curly and everywhere and she felt like a child, needing help all the time. She was also aware that Klaus knew about her dream. There was an expression on his face that gave it away, but he said nothing to her.

He nodded. “Come on then. There’s a working shower, but the water doesn’t get very hot. I’ll see if there’s anything to wrap it with.”

She followed him to the bathroom and he left her alone. After turning on the water, she stripped down. She hadn’t gotten anymore bruises from any angels since she’d met Klaus. The only mark on her was the cut and it reminded her of the child �" no, the demon. Letting out a sigh, she stepped into the shower, relieved to feel the warm water spilling over her. She didn’t stay in the shower to long, but when she was washed, she got back out and put her clothes back on, careful to not pull her shirt down over the cut.

Klaus met her outside the bathroom with bandages and Cassie sat silently as he wrapped it once more. There seemed to be a silent agreement between the two of them to not speak of what had happened the night before. But that didn’t mean Cassie couldn’t ask again what had happened to Klaus. She turned around to look at him, her lips in a straight line. “What made that cut on you last night?”

He stared at her, his face expressionless. “I got jumped by some looters.” Klaus said it calmly and his eyes never left her, causing her to shift uncomfortably.

The door to the cabin slammed open and they both jumped, Klaus spinning around so his back was away from the door. “Tell her the truth, brother.” Jonah stood in the doorway, a sword in his hand, glowing like the way Klaus had carried with him.

“Brother?” Cassie backed up, away from the two men and glanced between them.

“Be quiet, Jonah.”

His brother laughed. “Or what? You can’t run to daddy now, Klaus. You aren’t his favorite anymore.”

Cassie pulled the daggers from her boots, unaware of who she’d have to fight. “What is going on Klaus?”

But he didn’t answer her. “Jonah, I won’t ask you again. Leave.”

Jonah turned his gaze to Cassie, smiling. “You’re the one everyone’s looking for, Cassie, you know, angels and demons, all of that. But, there’s something you’re not seeing.” He glanced over at Klaus. “You’ve been with an enemy all this time.” Jonah’s eyes flashed black and Cassie gasped.

Klaus came at Jonah, having pulled his sword from the sheath on his back. The two blades met and rang as the brothers lunged at each other. After a few minutes of this, Jonah winked at Klaus and disappeared. “Cassie, I can explain.”

“You’re one of them.” Her voice broke, pointing one of the daggers at him. “I’ve been with you all this time and you’re a demon.”

He sighed. “Please, Cassie. I can explain everything.”

“You have ten seconds.”

Klaus let the sword fall from his hand. “There is an Oracle that prophesized your arrival. You are to bring a peace to our worlds and yours. You have an unspeakable power, Cassie. That Oracle chose me to find you and protect you from those who wish you dead. I knew you wouldn’t allow me to come with you if you knew what I was.”

Cassie understood now. She understood why he regretted calling the boy she’d killed a monster �" he was just like him. “Who are you?”

He ran a hand through his hair, his eyes begging her to understand. “I’m Klaus. The only difference now is that I’m not human. But that does not change what I’ve done.”

            

    “And Jonah, is he a demon too?”

Klaus let out sigh. “Yes, Cassie. My father is Lucifer.” He held his gaze with her, not knowing how she’d react.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Her voice shook as she spoke, as did her hands.

He rolled his eyes. “I’m Klaus, son to Lucifer. No biggy you know, son to the king of Hell. That would have made a better impression, I’m sure of it.”

Cassie closed the gap between them and grabbed his shirt, pulling him towards her and putting the dagger to his throat. “I’m not joking, Klaus. My world has been overrun with your kind and angels, all because of me. My family is dead because of this stupid war!”

“What are you going to do? You don’t have many choices, Cassie.” He spoke softly, his gaze hard.

She kept the dagger against his throat as she thought. Finally, she brought her hand down and shoved him away. “I want you to leave.”

Klaus stared her, dumbfounded. “I came to protect you! You’re the reason for this war and it was either the angels, the demons, or me. So choose. Choose being used as a weapon, torture and then death, or me.”

Cassie stepped back and leaned against the wall, taking everything in. Demons were real and one stood in front of her. Angels had slaughtered her family and hundreds of others searching for her. She had an unspeakable power that threatened both those kinds. She had been betrayed by one person she had come to trust.

“Please, Cassie. I don’t want to let you go out there alone. My brother isn’t like me. He will torture you and tear you limb from limb and my father will do the same. They aren’t like the angels. I need you to trust me.”

“Trust you?” She screamed, angry with herself and with him. The pain from her back shot through her body and she cried out. As Klaus reached out for her, she batted his hand away. “You’re one of them! You’re a murderer and a demon. I want you gone.” Though her voice was cold, her eyes showed a sadness Klaus had never seen. Tears began to fall down her cheeks and she slid down the wall, dropping the dagger at her side. “My family is gone. I’ve been alone for weeks and you come along. I wanted to trust you, I did. But you lied to me. You’re just like the monster I killed.”

Her words felt like a blade twisting in his chest. Klaus knew humans to be fierce, but he didn’t ever think he’d feel hurt by their words. He picked the sword up and returned it to the sheath on his back and headed towards the door. As he walked out, he glanced over his shoulder. “Be safe, Cassie.”

Klaus left her there, alone and crying, as he shut the door behind him. He had been chosen by the Oracle to protect the mundane and he had failed. Like Cassie, he was now alone with nowhere to go. As he got further away from the cabin, he felt something trying to pull him back, but he ignored it and walked on, unable to return to face the mundane whose words had hurt him so.