“No, but some people have no idea what humans themselves are capable of doing. I’ve seen some awful things from your species over my manyyearstoo.”
“So have I,” shewhispered.
I drew her closer when I heard the sorrow in her voice. “Has anyone hurt you?” The question came out amazingly calm considering the fury slithering through me at the possibility of some human having done somethingtoher.
“I can handle myself,” shereplied.
“Wren—”
“I took care of anyone who tried anythingwithme.”
The steel in her voice cautioned me away from pursuing this questioning. This was the most she’d ever opened up to me; I wouldn’t be surprised to learn it was the most she’d ever opened up to anyone. Why she’d chosen me and this place, I didn’t know. I wouldn’t ask her either; she would only shut me out again ifIdid.
She remained silent for long enough that I believed she would stop speaking, but then she continued. “You said you were born, that all demonsare.How?”
“Well, when two demons love each other, they get together to create a child. I’ve heard you humans refer to it as the birds and the bees. I have no idea why, since I don’t think either of those things penetrates their mates, but what do I know? However, I can assure you there arenostorks involved,” I couldn’t help but tease and smiled when I sensed her scowlingatme.
“That’s not what Imeant.”
“I know.” I brushed my hand over her hair to soothe her as I inhaled her pine scent. “Do you know how the different realms of Hell, Earth, and Heaven wereformed?”
Her chin lifted against my chest in her stubborn way. “No,” she finally admitted, her curiosity winning out over herobstinacy.
“The planet was created by a colossal force of energy; I guess you could call it the Big Bang. That colossal force was also powerful enough to create what many call God, but over the years it’s been named many things, including numerous gods and goddesses. Demons and angels simply call it the Being because as far as we know, it has notruename.
“At first, Hell, Heaven, and Earth were all one thing, but they separated millions of years ago when humans and demons were the tiniest of evolving specks. When they were still together, the three realms battled one another to thrive. However, as time moved on and the massive energy that created the planet expanded, the dimensions of each realm became more clearlydivided.
“Hell was the first to break away. The loss of Hell’s severe heat made Earth more inhabitable for the life starting to grow within its waters. The newfound life that had thrived on heat broke away with the waters of Hell. The life in those waters managed to evolve until it became demons and other Hellcreatures.”
“Hell has water?” sheinquired.
“Yes. Its red currents are different than the waters on Earth and, from what Caim has said, the water in Heaven, but the red waterssustainlife.”
“Interesting,” she murmured. “So what happenedafterthat?”
“Heaven broke off after to leave the air on Earth more breathable for the burgeoning life there. Humans and demons evolved in a nearly parallel manner, as did the other beasts on Earth and in Hell. When Hell first broke away, the Being, or God, or whatever you prefer tocallit—”
“God,” she stated. “I gave up having faith in a higher power while I huddled under a sink fourteen years ago, but I was once abeliever.”
My teeth ground together at the reminder of what she’d endured. If not for her mother, Wren would be dead. Those demons would have torn into her with little consideration for the fact she was only achild.
“We were all confused and disoriented when Hell was suddenly opened by humans who had never been able to open a gateway into it before,” I said. “The initial blast of the gateway opening threw me and Kobal into the lower levels of Hell. The demons who immediately fled onto Earth struck out at anything they deemed a threattothem.”
“Are you trying to defend what they did to my mom and countless others?” shegrated.
“No. I am telling you what happened. From the way you described them, lower-level demons are the ones who killed your mother, but there were also upper-level demons, ones who fight on our side, that burst out of Hell and slaughtered anything in their way. The humans releasing their bombs only escalated the situation. It was a while before everything settled down enough for us to learn what had happened and that it had all been a giantfuckup.”
“I know,” shemurmured.
Yes, she would know. She’d been in the thick of it, and it would have taken the Wilders some time to grasp thesituationtoo.
“I didn’t race out to kill everything in sight like others. However, I’ve done my fair share of killing to those who deserve it, and I’ll continue to do so,” Itoldher.
“So will I,” she murmured and eased against me once more. “It seems I should have been praying all this time. There reallyisa greaterpower.”
“That greater power isn’t on this planet anymore,”Isaid.
“Where diditgo?”
