Page 91 of Caelum

THIRTY-TWO

EVE

I felt light. Lighter than a curvy girl like me could ever hope to feel.

I was sure that no matter how many squats I dropped or how little I ate, I’d always be solid. Heavy. But now? I was like a feather.

Beneath me, there was something soft, softer than silk, so comfortable I could lay here for a lifetime, and if my mates were nearby, I would definitely settle for eternity on this bed of sumptuous comfort.

My eyes were closed, and I pulled a face when I tried to open them, but a hand reached out and covered them, making me jerk in response.

A voice sounded then and confused me with its words: “If you look upon me then that is it, child. No more Eve, no more options.”

The hand didn’t move, and I was glad because, of course, the instant the voice uttered those words, my eyelids finally opened.

Sighing irritably, I was surprised when the other person laughed. “They always fail that task. I’ve come to learn to protect them from themselves.”

“Who are ‘they?’” I rasped, surprised at how deep my voice was.

“Those whose path was similar to yours.”

I thought about that. “Other Jannah? ” When there was an affirmative hum, I sucked in a breath. “Does that mean you’re God?” His voice did sound familiar…

“Well, someone had to take the job,” came the teasing retort.

His words were soft, gentle, and so unlike the mean God that Father Bryan had preached about all my life. That God definitely didn’t have a sense of humor.

“In my line of work, you have to laugh, child. If you don’t, you’d cry.”

My thoughts whirred, and I blurted out, “I can’t blame you. Humans are capable of horrible things.”

“But beautiful things too,” He countered instantly, and before I could say another word, He murmured, “I’m going to move my hand. Please, do not look upon me.”

I clenched my eyes shut and turned away from the voice, rolling onto my side so I gave Him my back. It felt incredibly rude, but it was either that or disobey. In this position, whatever I lay on wasn’t as comfortable, so I sat up and felt the surface beneath me shift. I was tempted to look, but God lived in Heaven, and I wasn’t ready for that.

Wasn’t ready to see Heaven because if that was the case, then that meant I was dead, and if I was dead, I’d left my mates alone.

“I left them behind,” I whispered, so sad I could hear the tears flooding my words.

“You did,” was God’s sorrowful retort. “Because of me.”

I shuddered. “No, for you.” It was true. Even though I’d acted as though another’s will had overtaken my own when I’d dived into the pit, I’d acted freely too. The world had enough monsters in it without the Ghouls lurking around every corner.

That hand patted my shoulder, and I tried to calculate if it was large or if it was small. If it was like a human’s or oversized like in a Michelangelo painting. It was hard to tell, and that made no sense. But it was like my mind blurred the answer, as though it knew I wasn’t capable of learning that information.

“Do you know what the Jannah is?”

I frowned. “A kind of genie?”

“Yes. But the race existed to grace Eve with anything she could desire as she forged a new world, one touched with my spirit.” His tone darkened, deepened, and I felt His anger like it was a physical touch as He stated, “When Eve fell, she took that right with her. The wishes became finite, purposeful because, with her tainted line, the Jannah , and their abilities, became the only thing that could rectify her mistake, and you accomplished that. Accomplished what those before you couldn’t for you are the last of your kind.”

That had my frown deepening. What was I supposed to say to that? Gee, thanks?

A laugh sounded, and I realized God could read my thoughts.

Then I wondered how stupid I had to be to have only just figured that out.

In fact, He could hear this too. And this.

Yikes.

Shut up!

Grimacing and forcing myself not to utter another thought, I fell silent.

God murmured, “You’re different than the others. A child of your generation, I suppose. And yet, it is that child who brought about a day I was coming to fear I’d never see.”

His words stirred me, and I blurted out, “Why did killing an Original Ghoul kill the whole line?”

He clucked His tongue. “I can’t answer that.”

Can’t or won’t? Well, that was boring. I sighed. “What can you tell me?”

“That you have my thanks.” His tone was amused again, and I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to be amusing or not.

Father Bryan would probably have whipped me by now.

“Fear not, he might believe he is on his way to Heaven, but he most assuredly is not.”

I stilled at that then released a relieved breath. “Thank you for that.”

“No thanks necessary. He earned that right, or the lack of, himself.”

That Father Bryan would be punished soothed something inside me, but even as a part of me relaxed, my curiosity stirred to life once more.

“You may ask, but I may not answer,” God replied, and I heard the smile in His voice again and was thankful for it.

“How did I Choose my mates?”

He laughed, and the sound was so beautiful it made tears prick my eyes with joy. “You Chose them of your own volition, with a lot of pheromones helping you along the way. My plan was only for you to forge a Pack with seven guardians worthy of protecting you, strong enough to keep you safe along the path to fulfilling my will. But sometimes, these things forge a life of their own, and I can’t be sad about that.”

Inside, my heart lurched. “How is that even possible?”

“Sometimes, true love comes of its own will.”

That had even more tears pricking my eyes as a soul-deep need for my men to be at my side hit me. But equally, that would mean that they were dead, and I couldn’t bear that. Couldn’t handle it.

I needed them to live. More than I needed them with me because I could cope without them for the time being. Until they were returned to me here, after having lived what I hoped would be long and fulfilling lives.

God sighed. “So sacrificing. They are fortunate.”

“I’m the lucky one. Even if Dre has an attitude problem.”

“Diamonds in the rough usually are worth the trouble,” He consoled.

“Oh, I know,” I told Him, aware my tone was cheerful. “He and I have come to an understanding.”

“Really?” He asked, sounding amused again. “What kind of understanding?”

“If he talks to me like I’m—” I cleared my throat. Swearing here was a big no-no. “I mean, he knows I just won’t talk to him if he’s being mean.”

God snorted. “I understand more than you think.”

My cheeks tinged bright pink as I thought about what God did know and had probably seen.

Yikes.

“What do the marks mean?” I asked, curling my fingers into my palms where Nestor and Dre’s felt like they were burning me as though they were brands. I also thought of the huge pieces of ink the others sported on their backs.

Their delicious backs.

Their thickly muscled, yummy backs.

Goodness, I missed them already.

“It is the oldest of tongues . Older even than what Adam and Eve spoke those first few days.”

I frowned, thought about what He wasn’t saying, and hesitantly asked, “What the angels speak?”

Another soft laugh that made me tingle like a drop of rain falling on the tip of my nose—gentle and warm, not frightening. “Yes.”

“What does it say?”

“It is a song. One of benediction and glory. Of joy and wonder.” He hummed. “I thought it apt.” He sighed, then, and the motion was so heavy that it stirred my hair, lifting it from my shoulders and letting it settle in disarray. “But now, I’m left with you. A child who was too young for such a burden, who fought for me even though she’d been shown no love from those who should have loved her. Who led her into a religion that was not sanctioned by me or mine.

“A child who loves with all her marrow, who sacrificed herself for a cause that wasn’t her own…”

My heart sped up at His words. “May I ask what happened?”

“As the rivers of Eden soared into the pit, the fires of Hell surged out in response—for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. The two forever flowed and burned and ensured Satan was contained within, kept locked behind the gates of my forging. When Erlik, with the purest of Satan’s taint from Eve’s sin, and you, with my light inside you, collided with the two…”

“We destroyed them?” I bleated.

“Essentially, yes.”

“What’s stopping Satan now?”

“A lot of rock,” came the retort, and it was amused again. But His tone had darkened when He stated, “Fear not, this task does not rest on your shoulders.”

It didn’t?

Then on whose?

“An answer that is above your pay grade, child,” God answered, making me wrinkle my nose in dismay. “Now, you smote the three children born of the purest taint of the Original Sinner, and your men used their final, seventh wish on?—”

“Wait!” I blurted out, blushing red when I realized how rude I was being. But I needed answers! “Their final seventh wish? What do you mean?”

“Just as Derinkuyu was the portal to Hell, Caelum is the portal to Heaven. Once you left its gates with the Tree of Knowledge inside you and guiding you, the Jannah was truly awakened. Your men had seven wishes, one apiece, and they’ve used them all. They can’t bring you back.”

“But you can,” I replied hopefully.

“Indeed, I can. If I grant you one last wish, what would you do with it?”

As I thought of my men, each of them grieving me now that they knew I was dead, everything in me, heart, body, soul, longed to be back with them.

And yet, one thing swirled to life inside me.

God had been patient with me. Kind and forgiving when I was rude or asked a question I ought not to. Only once had His voice stirred with wrath.

When He’d spoken of Eve.

Adam and Eve who still lived.

Who bore the guilt of their sin every single day of hundreds of thousands of years.

Who lived without the love of the Father who had borne them, spawning a line that could and would destroy their other children.

Who were destined to live a life tainted by the curse of their Father’s wrath.

And even though I wanted to be back with my men so badly it hurt, I thought of Bartlett and Avalina. The sadness in their eyes, the way they mourned each day they lived, and I couldn’t do it .

It hurt like a physical pain inside me, but if anyone deserved peace, it was them.

My mouth quivered with the desire to be selfish. With the need to be with my men, but I just. Couldn’t. Do. It.

“I-I wish you’d forgive Adam and Eve of their sins.”

Silence fell at my words, and I had the feeling I’d struck God speechless.

Not for long.

“They’re the cause of all the sin among my children,” He said, the words and His tone flat.

“So, why did you give them nine lives if you didn’t want them to redeem themselves?” I questioned, confusion lacing my words. “They have, haven’t they? There are no more Ghouls.”

“There are no more Ghouls for now .” Before I could fret over that, God stated grimly, “I saw a day when the end was nigh, and saw a day when hope arrived. Nine lives… even I have to have faith, child.”

My throat closed at that, but I had to speak on Adam and Eve’s behalf. He didn’t sound like He’d forgiven them, even if they’d done as He’d asked. How was that fair? “If you can forgive the others, why not them? They’re only human, aren’t they?” When it boiled down to it, beneath even the Jannah , that was my species.

Human. Homo sapiens.

Flaws and all.

My words didn’t deserve an answer apparently, and this time, the anger was back in His voice as He said, “So be it.”

I wasn’t sure what to do next. Should I open my eyes? Should I slink off and hide somewhere? I’d annoyed God, and that wasn’t something anyone survived, surely?

Then, I heard a deep, loud sigh and a beard tickled my cheek. Deep in my ear, God whispered, “You know not what you’ve done with your wish, but I thank you for your sacrifice. Open your eyes, Eve.”

This was it.

I was done for.

Blowing out a breath of my own, one so loaded with regret that I’d angered the Lord Almighty, I opened my eyes, realized that I was being jostled in someone’s arms, and saw…

Caelum.

I was home.