The god complex (Book one of The Devil's Daughter trilogy)

Chapter seven.

We end up in my father's office, I offer Death the chair but he kindly declines the offer.

"You sit," he pushes me into the golden throne with rubies and diamonds adorned across the arms and top. Night stands to my right, his hand over lapping mine. Death smiles at us but it fades and is replaced with a dullness. He stands in front of the doorway to the VAULT OF HELL, or my father's room. He places his hand on the door and turns to face me, his hand starts to sizzle but he acts like it is nothing.

"What did you want to talk about Death?"

"Please call me Oliver, it makes me relate to you more." He smiles and looks like a work of art, I have to constantly remind myself that he is older than I am, much older and I was born a LONG time ago.

"Okay, Oliver," he nods and sighs.

"Before you were born, before I married Rose and even before I am what I am, I made a deal." I try to hide my horror at what has just been said but I fail terribly. "Not with your father, my parents were devout Christians, bless their souls," he makes the sign of the cross, I watch his hand travel from his sweat coated forehead to his flat stomach then his wide shoulders. "That's beside the point, when I was little, maybe four or five, what I thought was an angel came to me and told me the wonders of the world. The big bang, Heaven and Hell and everything in between. This "angel" told me 'I can show you the end times' but I didn't want to see that. I wanted to know how everyone dies, the angel showed me and I didn't think anything of it. That was until my mother died first, exactly like the angel had said down to the last detail."

Oliver looks empty and when he looks at me I see the same look on my face reflected in his eyes. "So when my father died I thought I was cursed, which I was, still am. That bastard gave it to me, passed it off like a cheap Christmas gift. Even after I died I still had the curse, that's what made me Death. That's when I met Rose, I couldn't force this on her, I wouldn't but it couldn't be helped. I fell hard for her and I could see it was mutual, she's lived many lives and I've waited for each one, but once we found out this life was different we wed and had a child. But then our children started to die."

Night clutches my hand and I take a sharp intake of breath and hold it in my throat. Oliver starts to cry now and I can't help but cry too. "Here I was killing our children, I would hold them in my arms and they would smile then the light in their little eyes would flash out. All Rose ever wanted was a family and a life, but she's caught up in this crap. I can't keep her safe because I was the one doing the killing." he shutters then returns.

"When Sally was born she was already dead, Rose thought it was her, that her body wasn't strong enough for children. I made her think that." He falls to his knees trying to maintain control but he's like me, lost in the spin cycle.

"No you didn't," I stand and walk to him and make him stand to his shaking feet. I lead him over to the throne but he pushes himself away from it, he's scared. "It's okay, it wasn't you." He snivels and I pat his back like a mother comforting a child. oops sorry.

"I'm okay, I'm okay," he says wiping the tears away. "We thought we lost another one but that's when Rose's mother Starlight came in and told us what she had seen. We gave her Sally and Starlight dipped her into a small pool of holy water, taking a small portion of our souls and combining them into one. She then dipped the soul into the water and when the soul touched the water Sally started to cry and scream. She didn't like the cold water, Rose plucked her out of the water and cried like a baby. Starlight pulled me away from Rose and the baby and told me what she had seen. 'Evil is at work here it hangs over you like a cloud of despair Oliver. Your baby is under it's control and will stay that way until someone with immense fire power frees her, and she will free you too. She will bring the light, she is shrouded in Night and Daye and will stay that way until the moon is brought down. Your daughter will play a crucial part in the savior's win, until then keep her under a permanent glamour. Only the savior and her companion will be able to see her, and only others will be able to see her when the savior is around. Protect the savior with your life, you daughter's and your wife's because she will save us all.'"

"Me?" I look at Night and then at Death in wonder. "Luna, you and Daye, we're all apart of the end of time." I shake my head, it can't be true I'm just some girl, with immense fire power. Death nods his head.

"Rose knows she doesn't like it especially since it puts our daughter in danger. Starlight never explained when it happens it just does."

"I need to call my dad," I reach for the phone but Night and Death stop me.

"Your father is not apart of this it is just you and your friends."

"I don't believe it." Night takes my hand but shakes his head. He can't believe it either.

"You need to believe it because that day is coming soon, I can feel it in my bones. Don't tell your father or anyone else besides the other two. Do I make myself clear Savior?"

"Don't call me that." I look into the eyes of Death and he smiles. He smiles like his life depended on it because it might actually. "My name is Fire, how am I supposed to save everyone and bring a new day when I can't even save myself?" Now his smile drops and he looks at me seriously.

"I don't know, I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I guess that is my part to play. And you must accept yours." I role my eyes and Death chuckles. Nigh hits me on the back of the head.

"Be serious Fire," Night mumbles, I throw him a dirty look and he shrinks back.

"Well I'll let you continue your night of fun, I'll take Rose and Sally home and be out of your hair in no time." Death looks at my bald head and pales. "Umm sorry about that." His smile returns, I like it when he smiles it makes him look younger.

"Its fine, just go." I wave him away, he leaves the room. "You too Night." I grit my teeth and hold in a sob. This can't be true, I shake my head as he tries to comfort me. He walks out closing the door behind him.

I pitch my arms forward and shove everything off of my fathers desk. "DAMMIT," I scream. I wasn't meant to do this, I don't even know why I was born."Oh CRAP, hold on. " An imaginary light bulb goes off in my head as I open the vault door. I step into my father's room, its hot as hell,(ha) and constant screaming. I search the massive room going for his dresser drawer first. I rummage through there but turn up empty. I run and launch myself at his bed, I land on his massive bed and hold in a moan. It's so soft, it makes me tired. NO, concentrate. I hold his pillow up and there it is. A picture of my dad, me and my mom.

Its your typical family photo, I was three too young to remember what my mom looked like. Her face is angular and tired, her green eyes filled with regret, her lips are pulled into a forced smile. She clutches me to her chest, I laugh with my arms wrapped around her neck. Dad holds her in his arms, his eyes shut and a true smile on his face. Her black and white hair is tied up in a loose ponytail, a strand tucked behind her ear. Your perfect family.

"Who are you?" I flip the photo over and in blue tight ink it reads,

Fire, age 3

With Daddy and Mommy.

"That doesn't really help." I move my thumb and in the corner in small writing is my neon sign shinning bright.

New York

"I need to go and find her, to understand this more."

She had been in there for thirty minutes now, I tapped my foot impatiently when I look up and see Death walking up to me. I turn to open the door to tell Fire that Death and his family are leaving, but I am lifted off of the ground by my shirt, upheld by Death. He clutches my shirt in his white knuckled fist, I try to pry his fingers off but he drops me to the ground. He slams me into the wall and gets in my face.

"Listen here and listen good guard. I didn't tell Fire a part about the "Prophecy," he makes air quotes around the last word. "And I'm about to tell you but under any circumstances are you not allowed to tell her. Understand?" I nod. "The savior will have to sacrifice the thing she holds most dear to save the world." He nods and lets me go.

"Oh no not Chaos."

"NO! You idiot its not her friend." He shakes his head and looks toward the room.

"Her DAD?!"

"No stupid," He points a finger at my chest. "The thing she loves most. That's you."

Oh crap.