My lips curve with pleasure. “It brings me great joy to hear of this. Much will be required of you.” I reach up and cup my hand over his cheek. “In the beginning, my heart was split in two. It was you or Demetri, and I chose the darker path. But I know now, you were meant for another. We can both agree on that. And I have chosen whom she shall be. I believe you will be quite pleased. She will be a Nephilim, my own heir. Though you shall not be the only one for her, you will not have a heavy heart. You will find amusement in her, in her chosen suitor as well. For you will indeed be his relation, several generations removed. All of this will be done so that the Sectors will have two parallel lineages. That is the purpose you will serve outside of the spectacular leadership of your people.
“Do not let your mind be troubled,” I tell him. “She will appeal to your sensual side. And you will adore her. You needn’t be faithful to her until the end. No need to harness yourself before it’s time. But your spirit will bloom under the warmth of her attention, her affection, and her smile. She is no toy, no plaything. She will be mighty. Allow me to reiterate a few of the finer points. She will be of my own flesh. I shall enter the ephemeral realm known as Earth. I shall deliver a child, and she will rule on high. She will be Celestra, mingled with my own kind—almost pure in both respects. Though I will send a decoy as I have said, and she, too, will be a powerful Celestra. And I will utilize her as well. She will be a troubled seed, but her love for Celestra will be a fire that cannot be quenched.” I cast a glance to Demetri who draws ever so near. “Though he will try, he will not succeed. We will be the victors. I expect nothing less of you, Sector Marshall.”
Demetri enters our midst and the waters lap the shore with a marked violence, a thunderclap of disapproval.
“What’s this?” Demetri’s smile expands upon his lips. “A meeting of the minds, two powerful minds at that. Strategizing already, perhaps?” He steadies those dark eyes over the Sector’s. “You don’t win this. Contrary to the popular opinion between the two of you, this is my victory.” He sharpens his stare my way. “It’s as good as mine. Now come clean, what’s this whispering of an offspring?”
A full-bodied laugh bounds from me. “Yes, Demetri. You heard correct. Marshall has been granted rights to procreate—something those you hastened into wrongdoing didn’t think to ask for. Sector Marshall will have a blessed lineage, and I have plans concerning them. I, too, will indulge. At the chosen time, I will take on flesh and bone and live among the humans. I will find a man fit to be my king, and I will have him plant his seed inside me.” I pause to watch the flames of fury ignite behind his eyes. “Demetri, you are indeed a sorrowful creature. Be gone. Sector Marshall and I have much to discuss.”
“No.” It cuts from him like a threat.
“No? To which? My finding a man to please me, or my conversation with Sector Marshall? Both shall come to fruition.”
His jaw tenses, and his body twitches with rage.
“Your Grace.” He gives a slight bow. “May I ask permission to procure a lineage as well?”
“No.” I don’t hesitate with the answer.
Demetri straightens as he looks from the Sector to me.
“Very well,” he says. “It seems we’ve encountered our fist squabble. I’ll take this to the Justice Alliance and have them decide.”
“The Justice Alliance isn’t an open court. They are strictly overseeing cases from the Nephilim community. You do not qualify. Should one from your designated Factions have a bone to pick with another Nephilim—thatis a different matter.”
He takes a breath, rocking back on his heels as he evaluates his position.
“Grant me this gift, Your Grace, and I will not ask for another. Though you will use your might to advance Celestra—the fruit of the Sector, the fruit of your own womb, allow me equal footing on this one matter. You are wiser. He is stronger than me. Give me a fighting chance to lead my Faction and my people to victory.”
My gaze settles over him for quite some time.
I nod. “You will go to the Father if I dare deny you. I can see it in your eyes, read it in your heart. Do as you wish in that regard, but you are forbidden from mating with anyone in the Faction you hold charge over. Heaven help us if a Fem and Count have a child.”
“The power they would hold.” Demetri swoons at the thought.
“The possible wickedness they could breed,” I counter. “That is your only stipulation. But I suspect out of desperation you won’t observe the edict I lay before you. It will be a testament of your character if you do.”
“Very well.”
He gives a sly wink, and I should doubt he gave me his word. Nothing good ever comes from his mouth, not anymore.
Demetri leans my way. “Might I ask who this man might be that you have in mind to procreate with? Shall we take a look at Tears Over Humanity to gaze upon the future?”
“No. That is my well. You are not welcome to use it. Cry your own tears. Capture them for your own pit. I’m sure you’ll have more than enough tears for two or three. You can gift them to your children one day. Wouldn’t that be special?”
Sector Marshall chuckles. “Demetri, shed enough tears to fill oceans in the ephemeral plane.”
I nod to Demetri. “Why do you ask about this future man of mine? Does it pain your spirit to think of me immersing myself in someone other than you? It should. And that knowledge will spur along my pleasure all that much more. He will be a fine man. A well-rounded individual, comely, with kind eyes and an easy spirit.”
Sector Marshall curls his lips as he looks to Demetri. “Everything you are not. If that’s not a spear to the heart, I don’t know what is. How about we make our way to the fount of refreshment? The rest of the Sectors are already imbibing Eden’s wine. I’ll pour you a glass myself, Demetri. You might need two or three to resurrect your ego.”
Demetri growls as he examines me with a newfound malice.
“Very well.” His lips curl as he looks my way. “But why take on a coat of flesh?”
“Women carry children, Demetri,” I tell him. “It’s human biology. I’ll need to take on flesh if I want to have a proper birth. The two of you need only a moment of pleasure and the work is done. It will be a nine-month sentence for me. Such is the curse of a woman.”
Demetri traces my features with his eyes. “So you will live.” He nods. “And die.”
