Sinful Obsession

28. 28 – Michael

28 – Michael

I pace behind my desk, my hands clasped tightly behind my back as Gabriel and Raphael sit opposite, their forms rigid and tense. Their usual ethereal calm is gone, replaced by a rare, simmering anxiety.

“It’s happening,” I growl. “The balance is tipping.”

Gabriel tilts his head slightly, his golden eyes narrowing. “Are you certain?”

I slam my hands down on the desk, the sound reverberating through the room. “Of course I’m certain! Do you think I wouldn’t feel it? The portal is cracking— again . And this time, it’s different.”

Raphael leans forward, his expression dark. “We’ve been watching every patient closely. None of them fit the characteristics. The horsemen are contained. They’ve shown no signs of regaining their full power. You even drugged that poor human last night.”

I stop pacing and turn to face them, my jaw pulled tight. “It’s not the horsemen.”

Silence falls, tension so thick that it’s nearly suffocating. Gabriel exchanges a glance with Raphael, his brow furrowing. “It can’t be.”

I take a deep breath, my chest tightening with frustration. “It is. It’s Vienna.”

“Vienna?” Raphael scoffs, his wings shifting slightly, a faint rustle of feathers. “She’s human! She doesn’t have—”

“She’s not human,” I snap, cutting him off. “Not entirely. Not anymore. Can’t you feel it? The shift in energy, the way her presence warps the balance around her?”

Gabriel’s eyes darken, his voice dropping to a cautious tone. “You’re saying she’s Lilith?”

“She is Lilith,” I reply, my voice cold and steady. “Or rather, she has become her. For centuries, we’ve waited, watching, ensuring that when Lilith resurfaced, we’d be ready to contain her. We have been so careful, retrieving her presence and hiding it back in the mortal realm so that Asmodeus wouldn’t get to her. And yet, here we are. The one thing we didn’t account for—a human body strong enough to house her essence. And now, Asmodeus has found her.”

Raphael slams a fist on the armrest of his chair, his composure breaking. “How is that possible? Lilith has never been human! Her essence should have burned through any mortal form.”

“Apparently, this one was strong enough. Or Asmodeus prepared her in ways we couldn’t foresee. Regardless, she is here, and she’s stronger than we anticipated.”

Gabriel leans back, his golden eyes narrowing further. “What about the horsemen? Their connection to her is amplifying the cracks in the portal, isn’t it?”

“Of course it is,” I hiss, resuming my pacing. “But separating them at this stage will be nearly impossible. They’re drawn to her, and she to them. It’s part of the design—an inevitability we’ve been fighting since the beginning.”

Raphael speaks, his voice heavy with conviction. “Then we kill her. Or at least one of the horsemen. It will break the cycle.”

I stop dead in my tracks, glaring at him. “Do you have any idea what that would do to the balance of this world? Killing Lilith—or even one of the horsemen—would tear the fabric of reality apart. It would be far more catastrophic than the apocalypse we’re trying to prevent.”

“Then what do you suggest, Michael?” Gabriel asks. “She’s here. Asmodeus has awakened her. The portal is cracking. The world is already tipping.”

I rake a hand through my hair, my frustration mounting. “We keep her contained. We reinforce the barriers. We isolate her from the horsemen and from Asmodeus until we find a way to close the portal.”

Raphael snorts. “Containment? We all felt that shift in power. Medication won’t work anymore. Restraints won’t hold her if she decides to unleash herself.”

“Then we’ll make sure she doesn’t decide to,” I snap. “We’ll control her environment completely. No contact with anyone. No stimuli. If we can keep her weakened, keep her second-guessing herself, we might be able to stall her long enough to reinforce the seals.”

Gabriel folds his arms, his gaze unyielding. “And if we can’t?”

I meet his eyes, the weight of the question settling heavily on my shoulders. “Then we lose. And the apocalypse begins.”

The room falls silent, the gravity of the situation pressing down on all of us. For centuries, we’ve fought this battle, maneuvering in the shadows, pulling strings to maintain the fragile balance of the world. And now, it’s slipping through our fingers. I know that we will rebuild but I hate the destruction that always has to come first.

“Raphael, monitor the horsemen. Any sign of them attempting to reach her, and you report it immediately.”

He nods, though his expression is grim. “And Vienna?”

“She is not to see anyone, until we figure out how to contain this, she is to remain locked in her room. No exceptions.”

I turn to leave, my wings shifting against my back as I stride toward Vienna’s quarters. My frustration boils over as I approach the door, its edges glowing faintly with the energy radiating from within. She’s more powerful than I ever imagined and the thought of what she could unleash if left unchecked sends a shiver down my spine.

I reinforce the locks with a sharp gesture, the sigils flaring bright before settling into the metal. The door won’t open—not for her, not for the horsemen, not even for Asmodeus. Not until we’re ready.