I insisted. I didn’t even know his ethnicity, which had always puzzled me. People assumed because of my last name and my two Cuban dads that I was the same, but only Mater knew for certain.
“Your father is dead,” she said flatly. I knew that already. They’d been imprisoned together and found companionship in one another’s arms. He’d died from exposure to the elements after being weakened by starvation. A tragedy, Mater once said, but she only ever referred to him as her “Adam.” Did she even know his name?
“But who was he?” I pressed. “Where was he from? What was he like?”
She studied me for a long while, then said, “Your father was descended from gods and the last of his line, before you. I chose him as my Adam because I wanted your claim to the throne to be indisputable. You are the child of two great and powerful nations, and the only one who can lead our Parousia.”
Parousia was a Grigorian prophecy that a bloodborn Nephilim would one day unite the twelve tribes and rule over the earthen realm, as was our birthright. “To walk as giants among men,” Mater had said. Presently, the tribes were scattered across the world, each of them clinging to their shrinking ancestral lands, tiny islands in a sea that was largely controlled by Azrael. According to Mater, he sought to isolate us and pit us against one another, and if that was the case, how could my bloodline alone unite them?
“Is that the only reason you had me?” I asked. “To lead your Parousia?” Mater told me I would be at the forefront of this revolution, but I didn’t know my role or why I even mattered, other than because Mater said so.
She looked at me like I was being ridiculous. Her snakes looked irritated as well.
“It’s not my Parousia, Vincere. It’s our Parousia. And what nobler sacrifice could there be? What greater contribution to the cause could I make than to give birth to the revolution from my very own womb?”
Despite Mater’s declaration, I knew there was a lot to be gained by her and our tribe if Azrael’s Imperium toppled, but she seldom spoke about what would come after. My thoughts drifted back to you. Your loyalty to Azrael was far greater than your loyalty to our mother. I couldn’t see you following her direction on anything, especially not a full-on war.
“You think Henri will follow you?” I asked.
“No, I think he will follow you. That is our greatest obstacle, Vincere. Gaining Henri’s trust and devotion. We can’t accomplish this revolution without him. We must be united on this, at least.”
She was clearly underestimating your stubbornness.
“Henri is his own man, Mater. He does what he thinks is right.”
“You tamed your cats well enough. And a tiger. How hard could it be it to get one demigod to fall in line?”
Her challenge made it sound like you had no will of your own, as if you were no more than an animal. I didn’t wish to dominate or manipulate you. Then I was no better than Azrael. Or her, for that matter.
“Henri kissed me.” I studied her face to see what her reaction might be.
“That’s it,” she said with a slow, all-knowing smile. “That’s what’s different about you. Did you seduce him?” There was no judgement in her tone, only admiration.
“Not in the way you think.”
“It was only a matter of time,” she said as though it was fated. It didn’t make sense to me, not with the way I’d struggled.
“Why would you say that?”
Her eyebrow arched and she studied me. “Because you are desirable in every way. And there’s a bond between you that outlasts all others.”
“Brotherhood?”
She shrugged, still with that inscrutable smile. “Things are coming together now, Vincere. I can feel it. Before long, you and I will be reunited with both of your brothers at our sides. And with the four of us in our bloodborn bodies, we will be unstoppable.”
“Henri is not my subject, Mater. He’s my…” Brother, lover, mentor, friend… I didn’t know what you were to me, but I knew that I wanted you as my equal. I wanted you to choose me. And us.
“He’s mine,” I said at last.
“Make sure he knows that, Vincere. Do whatever you must.”
16
Vincent
“Vincent, I don’t believe you understood what I meant when I asked you to pack lightly.”
We were at my parents’ house. I surveyed my outfits laid out on my bed and the clothing still on hangers.