once.” She spoke the words almost to herself, her eyes widening. “Of me falling. It felt like I was on fire and . . .”
“It was a memory,” he finished. “Most likely, anyway. The pain was your wings being burnt off,” he stated matter-of-factly. “Michael and Lucifer were in a battle, both equally matched, but then something unexpected happened. Michael injured Lucifer. Not a lot, but it was enough for him to get the upper hand. The archangels saw it as their chance to protect themselves. They knew they were outnumbered, so in their holy wisdom,” he added bitterly, “they decided it was better to just seal Heaven’s doors, locking out whomever wasn’t behind them.” He watched the realisation appear on Lilliah's face.
“They just locked out everyone?” Lilliah asked, a small V forming between her brows. “Even the angels fighting with them?” The more Azrael told her, the more she wanted to know.
“Yes.” He ran his hand through his tousled hair. “Everyone still in Heaven was safe, but the ones outside were cut off. They had to act quickly, while Lucifer was still weak. Of course they couldn’t have Lucifer and his armies roaming Earth. So from behind the safety of their walls, they created Hell to lock Lucifer and his followers away.”
Lilliah tried to imagine the fight, but it all seemed so far away. Even the possibility of it being real seemed absurd.
“I wasn’t. . .” she stopped, unable to believe she was actually going to say the words out loud. “I wasn’t in Heaven, was I? When they closed the gates?” she finished, trying to figure out what kind of man Michael was. “Did he know where I was?”
“I don’t know,” Azrael told her honestly. “You see, this world wasn’t made for us, for our kind of power. That’s why he gave you this,” he whispered, running his finger over her necklace.
“My necklace?” she asked, staring down at the stone she had worn all her life.
“Yes. It’s not just a necklace. You see, while Lucifer's army was locked in Hell, all the angels who fought with Michael were left to wander the Earth, and because this world wasn’t made for us, in time, it changed us. That’s what vampires and werewolves are. It’s what happens to a fallen angel that’s been cursed by Earth; it weakens them, making them slaves to the moon or to their thirst for human blood. Over time, they start to decay until one day, they turn into stone, into living statues,” he finished.
“Turn to stone?” Lilliah repeated, horrified. She didn’t know why but this shocked her more than anything. It just sounded so brutal.
“Yes, but only the original vampires and werewolves.” He chuckled at her expression. “Your world wasn’t built for something to last for eternity. All of the original fallen angels turned long ago. Unfortunately, these curses are contagious to humankind. That’s why there are more vampires and werewolves now. These vampires and werewolves won't turn to stone. They'll simply die. They'll get to live for a few hundred years or so, but eventually, their time will be up.” He stood and walked over to a nearby table to pick up a book.
“So there are loads of vampire and werewolf statues somewhere?”
“Yes. Both races believe that one day they'll be able to awaken their ancestors, the creators of their bloodlines. They keep their elders locked away, safe, waiting for the day when they can be awoken.”
“Right,” she agreed. “It’s what I would have done if I was a vampire or werewolf.” Lilliah suddenly burst out laughing.
“What’s wrong? Why are you laughing?” Azrael demanded.
“I’m sorry.” Lilliah managed through giggles. “But I just heard myself talk.” She cut herself off again, her body shaking with silent laughter. “I was like, ‘Yeah, that’s what I’d have done if I was a werewolf.’ ” She smiled again. “This is madness. All of it.”
“You need to listen to me.” Azrael turned to her. “This
“It was a memory,” he finished. “Most likely, anyway. The pain was your wings being burnt off,” he stated matter-of-factly. “Michael and Lucifer were in a battle, both equally matched, but then something unexpected happened. Michael injured Lucifer. Not a lot, but it was enough for him to get the upper hand. The archangels saw it as their chance to protect themselves. They knew they were outnumbered, so in their holy wisdom,” he added bitterly, “they decided it was better to just seal Heaven’s doors, locking out whomever wasn’t behind them.” He watched the realisation appear on Lilliah's face.
“They just locked out everyone?” Lilliah asked, a small V forming between her brows. “Even the angels fighting with them?” The more Azrael told her, the more she wanted to know.
“Yes.” He ran his hand through his tousled hair. “Everyone still in Heaven was safe, but the ones outside were cut off. They had to act quickly, while Lucifer was still weak. Of course they couldn’t have Lucifer and his armies roaming Earth. So from behind the safety of their walls, they created Hell to lock Lucifer and his followers away.”
Lilliah tried to imagine the fight, but it all seemed so far away. Even the possibility of it being real seemed absurd.
“I wasn’t. . .” she stopped, unable to believe she was actually going to say the words out loud. “I wasn’t in Heaven, was I? When they closed the gates?” she finished, trying to figure out what kind of man Michael was. “Did he know where I was?”
“I don’t know,” Azrael told her honestly. “You see, this world wasn’t made for us, for our kind of power. That’s why he gave you this,” he whispered, running his finger over her necklace.
“My necklace?” she asked, staring down at the stone she had worn all her life.
“Yes. It’s not just a necklace. You see, while Lucifer's army was locked in Hell, all the angels who fought with Michael were left to wander the Earth, and because this world wasn’t made for us, in time, it changed us. That’s what vampires and werewolves are. It’s what happens to a fallen angel that’s been cursed by Earth; it weakens them, making them slaves to the moon or to their thirst for human blood. Over time, they start to decay until one day, they turn into stone, into living statues,” he finished.
“Turn to stone?” Lilliah repeated, horrified. She didn’t know why but this shocked her more than anything. It just sounded so brutal.
“Yes, but only the original vampires and werewolves.” He chuckled at her expression. “Your world wasn’t built for something to last for eternity. All of the original fallen angels turned long ago. Unfortunately, these curses are contagious to humankind. That’s why there are more vampires and werewolves now. These vampires and werewolves won't turn to stone. They'll simply die. They'll get to live for a few hundred years or so, but eventually, their time will be up.” He stood and walked over to a nearby table to pick up a book.
“So there are loads of vampire and werewolf statues somewhere?”
“Yes. Both races believe that one day they'll be able to awaken their ancestors, the creators of their bloodlines. They keep their elders locked away, safe, waiting for the day when they can be awoken.”
“Right,” she agreed. “It’s what I would have done if I was a vampire or werewolf.” Lilliah suddenly burst out laughing.
“What’s wrong? Why are you laughing?” Azrael demanded.
“I’m sorry.” Lilliah managed through giggles. “But I just heard myself talk.” She cut herself off again, her body shaking with silent laughter. “I was like, ‘Yeah, that’s what I’d have done if I was a werewolf.’ ” She smiled again. “This is madness. All of it.”
“You need to listen to me.” Azrael turned to her. “This
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