Page 62 of Cosmic Power

“You’re going to drain us?” Lilith gasped, her horns lengthening as her anger skyrocketed. “Over a fucking myth? A legend? You don’t even know if it will work!”

“Yeah, I gotta agree with the demon here, Barney. I mean shit, this whole thing is so far fetched it feels like I’m living in some twisted Sci-Fi movie,” Zamorra scoffed. “Not only that, but what even makes you think we’re these so-called ‘descendants’?”

“Do any of you know your lineage? Your heritage? Because I do. I’ve studied every bit of lore on the Originals, every scrap of information I could get my hands on. I tracked their every move from the moment they arrived on Earth, and I can tell each and every one of you about the ancient blood that runs through your veins.” He looked at the dark mage who still stood at the door, trying to get past the guards. “Gabriel HaDantè,” he said, his voice loud and clear.

The dark mage turned and looked him in the eyes.

“Did you never wonder why your power far outweighed those around you? Why you were able to do things other mages—both light and dark—couldn’t? How with a mere thought, you were able to destroy an entire town?”

Surprise flashed across Gabriel’s face.

Barnabas chuckled. “Oh yes, I know all about what happened to that small little town in London. What was it called again? St Austell?”

Gabriel paled, sweat gleaming on his forehead.

“It’s because the power of an Original is in your blood.” Barnabas turned to the light mage next. “And you, Benjamin? Granted, in your senior years, you’ve managed to get a grip on the devastating power you hold, but when you were a teenager?”

Benjamin swallowed, unease flickering in his eyes.

“How you were able to hold an entire school full of kids hostage by taking over their minds and then forcing them to do what you wanted? Like beating each other to death? A little dark for a light mage, but hey, I guess that much power can corrupt even the lightest of beings.”

Gritting his teeth, Benjamin glared at the Alpha shifter, his fists clenched so hard he drew blood.

Barnabas looked at Lilith and smiled. “Ah, Lilith. Sweet, dear, Lilith.”

“Don’t,” she whispered, her body shaking.

“Why?” he cocked his head to the side. “Don’t you understand how truly magnificent you are? How much power you possess? Only one descended from the strongest demon on earth could rip a soul from someone’s body with a single look. Refresh my memory. When your father was murdered by the hunters, how many humans did you kill before you were stopped?”

Lilith didn’t answer. She squeezed her eyes shut as tears flowed down her face.

“Ten? Twenty?” Barnabas chuckled. “No, it was a little higher than that wasn’t it? You went to a concert filled with hundreds of people and sucked every soul out of their bodies. And I bet you barely even broke a sweat,” he laughed.

He turned and locked eyes with the vampire, who raised his chin in the air, jaw clenched hard.

“Now, Daeva. You, I will admit I don’t have anything substantial on. It seems your whole life you’ve managed to keep a tight lid on the power you have. Whether that’s because you’re the actual son of an Original, and not a descendant with generations before you, I’m not sure. But what I do know is that you’re one of the strongest beings on this Earth. That you have enormous black wings and enough power to kill us all without even trying. If you were able to access it, that is.”

Zamorra gasped softly. “I knew vampires could fly,” she whispered under her breath, staring at Daeva in awe.

When Barnabas’ sharp, critical blue eyes landed on her, she tensed. “I don’t have anywhere near that kinda power, Barney. I think it’s safe to say you got the wrong shifter descendant.”

Barnabas shook his head. “Oh, you do, my daughter. Have you never wondered why you are so different from other shifters? Why your eyes blaze silver? Why it was so easy for you to bond with your creature and do things others couldn’t?”

“You’re talkin’ about that time I was able to stuff twenty Oreos in my mouth, huh? I’ve just got a big trap, that’s all.”

“Enough with the jokes,” he snapped, slamming a hand on the table. “The blood and power of the Original Shifter Vargas flows through you and you will not treat it with such disrespect. You will understand what a wondrous gift you’ve been given and be proud…thankful for it.”

She scoffed, shaking her head. “Proud? Thankful? Are you fucking kidding me? It’s time to climb out of that delusional fucking world you live in, Barney. Why would I be thankful for something when it’s clearly going to be the reason for my death?”

“True. In that case, I can understand why you might feel a little…resentful. But don’t fret. You’re going to make history. You all are. Tomorrow, your life force will open a portal so powerful it leads to another world. And that, my darling daughter,issomething to be proud of.”

ChapterSeventeen

“Luther please! No more! No more! Have mercy! Mercy!” Leilani screamed, tears streaming down her face and pain in her earth-shattering cry. Her body thrashed on the steel table, even though there wasn’t a chance in hell she was getting free. Silver cuffs five inches thick covered her wrists and ankles, forearms and legs. As well as a long bar that stretched across her torso, each one bolted to the table to ensure no escape.

Ophelia sat huddled in the far corner of the room, a heavy silver chain wrapped around her ankle, watching with terrified eyes as Luther took the revenge he’d been waiting over five-hundred years for. Her fear tainted her scent, mixing with the glorious aroma of Leilani’s pain and Luther revelled in it, licking his lips. Maddox sat beside Ophelia, trying his hardest to appear unaffected by what Luther was doing, but the fear wafting off him betrayed him. He was scared beyond belief.

Gripping her manicured nail with the pliers, Luther pulled it out of the nail bed, ripping it straight off her finger. Leilani screeched so loud, he was surprised it didn’t shatter his eardrums as he plopped it into the bowl with the others. So far, he’d ripped off seven of her ten fingernails, and each one brought him more and more satisfaction.

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