Cassandra came to a stop a few feet away, shaking her head sadly. “I tried to find you before this. You hide very well.”

“I didn’t know you were here.”

“Would it have made a difference to you?”

“I don’t know.”

Tears slid down Cassandra’s cheeks. “You have one chance, Marissa. Only once chance. Go back to the Hollow. Leave this city in peace. You’ve caused enough destruction.”

Bishop shook his head. “I can’t do that. He released me. He won’t take me back so easily. I don’t want to go back.”

“All a damn distraction,” Connor mumbled, loud enough only for me to hear. “What’s his game? Where the hell is he hiding?”

I glanced at him. Who was he talking about?

“I hoped it wouldn’t come to this.” Cassandra’s voice broke. “You have no idea how much.”

“You abandoned me,” the angel whispered. “My sister. You left me to fall and never tried to help me.”

“You were damaged,” Cassandra said, wringing her hands. “I knew that. There was nothing I could do for you anymore.”

“Sister?” I managed. “She’s the one you mentioned to me? The one created at the same time as you?”

She glanced at me and nodded. “That’s right. We were like sisters. But there was something missing with Marissa. A lack of joy. Her depression only grew. It caused her to rebel against orders she was given. Finally, she’d done too much damage to be forgiven. They burned a soul into her and sent her to the human world. It wasn’t all that long ago.”

“Forever,” the angel whispered through Bishop’s lips.

“No, not forever.” Cassandra’s beautiful face was etched with sorrow. “Oh, Marissa. Why are you hurting people? Can’t you stop?”

“The more I take, the more I want—but there’s no end to it. Please help me, Cassandra. Help me.”

“I will help you.” Cassandra approached Bishop.

“What are you doing?” Roth growled at her, catching her hand.

“What I was sent here to do.” She glanced over her shoulder at him before she pulled her hand from his grip, her expression filled with both regret and determination. “My mission.”

She reached out and touched Bishop’s arm.

Chapter 28

I nearly screamed. Cassandra didn’t know what that meant. She didn’t know a touch was what transferred Marissa to a new victim.

Or...maybe she did know.

The transfer happened with a violent gasp from Cassandra, and Bishop fell to his knees. When he looked up, his blue eyes were clear again.

Cassandra’s were now glazed.

“Cassie!” Roth reached toward her, but she stepped out of his reach.

She shook her head and held up her hands to stop him from getting any closer. “No, Roth. I have to do this. I have to control her. Only I can. She trusts me. Don’t you, Marissa? You know I want the best for you.” She smiled. “I can hear her in my head. She feels better now.”

“I have a plan,” I blurted out, knowing I had to do something, say something. “If you can hold on to her long enough...and if we can find Stephen, then maybe...I—I honestly believe he’s not completely evil. He still loves Jordan. He could help us. He could use his hunger for good this time—and it wouldn’t kill you since you’re an angel.”

To the left, the police were supervising the breakup of the party. All the kids, still in costume, were scattering. Running past us, but not even looking at us.

“Cassandra, no!” Bishop suddenly roared.

My head whipped in her direction to see that she now had Bishop’s golden dagger out of its sheath and clutched in her right hand.

“Cassandra!” I managed. “What are you doing?”

“Stay back,” she said as we all collectively took a step toward her.

I exchanged a panicked look with Bishop. His face was tense, his expression strained.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing with that?” Roth growled.

“You approved this plan, Roth,” she said through gritted teeth. “Remember?”

Clarity sparked in his gaze. “This is different.”

Tears streaked down her cheeks. “It’s not. This was the plan all along. I knew it might come to this—worst-case scenario, but unavoidable. I hoped I’d find another way, but I now see there isn’t one. I can’t let her hurt anyone else. I’m sorry.”

Roth’s eyes widened. “Don’t do this. Please.”

A small smile played at her lips. “I would have liked more time here, with you, but—” she swallowed hard “—there’s no other way this can end.”

She didn’t wait another second. She thrust the dagger into her chest—a horrible mirror image of what Zach had done. Only Cassandra did this of her own free will.

“No!” Another scream tore from my throat.

“Cassie!” Roth lunged toward her to grab the knife, but it was too late. She yanked it out and threw it to the side just before she fell to her knees, her expression filled with pain. He collapsed right in front of her, grabbing hold of her shoulders. “What have you done? Why would you do this?”

Anything else he said was swept away by the Hollow as it opened wide.

“I’m sorry, Roth,” she whispered. “Forgive me.”