"Congratulations, Maggie Brumfield. You're officially a killer."

I had hoped to finally wake up from this terrible nightmare, but unfortunately, Laudon's voice is what I hear after regaining consciousness.

"Maybe there's a place for you in Hell after all," he concludes with a quiet chuckle.

"What happened to me?" If I didn't feel like complete garbage right now, I would've responded with something edgier. "The last thing that I can remember is me being flung across the cave by that giant... monster. After that, it all goes black."

"Well, before that, your hands began to glow as Myrlande went to approach you. She became even more curious about your powers and, in response, recklessly had Atiko try to trigger them by having him launch an attack," Laudon answers, looking sheepish. "You don't have to accept it, but I apologize on her behalf."

"How sweet of you." It even hurts to roll my eyes. "Fuck. It feels like I've been stomped out by an entire football team."

"I tried to block any pain that would come as a result of Atiko's attack, but it appears your body may have rejected the spell," Laudon says. "Even still, you remain full of surprises."

"Thanks anyway for trying to help," I mutter while struggling to sit up on what I now recognize is a fancy chaise lounge. It's deep red in color and is probably the softest thing that I've ever been on. We're someplace different this time, a cozy looking bedroom. Instead of there being lethal weapons hanging on the walls, up against them are bookcases that nearly touch the ceiling.

From my peripheral view, I see Laudon make a move to approach me while I'm taking in my new surroundings. I'm too weak to argue with him, so I say nothing when he takes a seat at the foot of the chaise lounge. His black eyes begin to assess me even harder this time around, and it makes me question what all went down while I was unconscious. Nothing good, I assume.

"You said something about me being a killer," I speak again. "Care to explain how?"

"I told you once before that blood tells a story." Laudon's eyes briefly flicker to my right wrist. I look down and see a small cut that's now scabbed over. "While you were unconscious, Myrlande was able to get a blood sample. She ran many tests, all of which came back inconclusive. Then the incident with Atiko happened, and that basically confirmed what I already knew about you."

"Which is what?" I ask, growing nervous.

"That you're not entirely human," Laudon replies. "During one of the tests, Atiko—Myrlande's pet—accidentally came into direct contact with your blood. Seconds later, he turned to stone because of it. Your blood killed him. Fortunately for Myrlande, she'd worn gloves throughout the whole process."

"That doesn't explain what's so damn toxic about my blood," I say while panicking internally. "How can it kill demons? There's obviously more that you're not telling me."

"Because there is still so much that we were unable to uncover." Laudon sighs while running a hand through his long dark hair, suddenly looking troubled. "My father and I are built differently. Practically immortal. Well, he is. But when it comes to the average demon, they can be eliminated by three things; weapons from Heaven that have been blessed by God, what you humans call holy water, and the last is... the blood of an angel." 

Laudon meets my inscrutable gaze, speaking slowly enough for me to process his words.

"At first, Myrlande thought you might be a half-breed, but then research proved that couldn't be the case because the color of your blood is..." Laudon pauses, then curses in frustration. "This would be easier if only you knew the history of the original seven."

I want to hide my fear behind lame jokes and sarcasm, but I quickly discover I no longer have the energy for either. I'm not sure why, but I reach over to place a hand on Laudon's shoulder. Then something weird happens. Similar to that of shuffling your feet across a carpet and then going to touch something metal, we make eye contact and pretend we don't feel the spark of electricity that occurs in response to me touching him.

Somehow, someway, there is a connection that travels between us. A connection that we both are aware of, but are not yet ready to acknowledge.

"I've yet to run out of here screaming," I speak softly. "Whatever it is that I need to know, just tell me. I can handle it." I drop my hand and pull away from him. "What were you going to say about the color of my blood? And how does it pertain to whatever the original seven is?"

Laudon is quiet for a while, but then he asks, "Are you religious?"

"No." I shake my head. "I'm more spiritual than religious."

"Interesting," Laudon says. "I'm aware that you humans have thousands of different religions from which you practice, and the number is even higher regarding all the faux Gods being worshiped."

"Faux?" I question, then it suddenly clicks. "Oh. When you say the original seven, you mean..."

"Yes. There have only ever been seven deities since the beginning of time," Laudon explains. "Six Gods. One Goddess. Seven kingdoms. The only thing strong enough to kill a God is another God, so five eventually perished after having picked unnecessary battles with one another. Greed is rumored to be the cause of it all. Now, only three kingdoms remain in existence—Heaven, Hell, and your home, Earth. My father, Lucifer, obviously rules over Hell. His father, your God, rules over Heaven and Earth. I say all that to get to this point..." Laudon sighs again, and I wonder if he's as mentally exhausted as I am right now. "Angel blood is fatal to my kind, which is why Myrlande immediately assumed that is what you might be after what had happened with Atiko. However, that didn't make any sense to me because the color of your blood is unlike that of angels."

"I'm guessing we don't all bleed red?" I ask. Laudon shakes his head. "Shit. Then just what the fuck am I?"

"As your body gets acclimated to everything that's been changing inside of you, Myrlande suspects we won't find out what you truly are until after your powers fully develop," Laudon answers. "Regarding the blood, Humans bleed crimson red; Angel's bleed a shade closer to mahogany; Demons bleed black; Deity's bleed a color resembling silver. Your blood is a shade of red that has never been documented before. Not all the way human, but not quite angel. You are definitely not something that my father would have ever created as an experiment, though because you are human..." Laudon's eyes widen as a new thought comes to mind. "Perhaps God is building a new race of humans and you're His first—"

"Test dummy?" I finish after catching up. Laudon gives me an apologetic look while nodding. "If this is really what's going on, then tell me why God would select a non-believer like me? It doesn't make any sense."

"I'm afraid it is not my place to question such a thing," Laudon says. "Though, I have heard reports that God will occasionally bless certain people with angelic abilities, but nothing like what you have brewing inside of you. Regardless, per the laws set up between Heaven and Hell, any being that has been blessed by God cannot be harmed in any way by those from Hell, including my father. Not unless we want a war to break out."

It takes a minute for me to digest his words.

"Then, going with the scenario that God is the reason for my powers, where does this leave you and me?"

"I'm not willing to roll the dice at making a second attempt to try and take your soul," Laudon says. "If it turns out that God does have plans for you, then when the time comes for Him to call upon you, I'd rather you not be anywhere down here."