DESCENDANTS OF AZAZEL

CHAPTER 8 — THE LAST SON

CHAPTER 8 — THE LAST SON

The car was silent.

Not peaceful.

Silent.

There was a difference.

Jack sat in the back seat with his forehead against the cold window, watching Ravenwood disappear behind them. Streetlights passed across his face one after another, bright for a second and gone the next.

His mother sat beside him.

His father drove.

Nobody spoke.

Jack could still hear everything.

The tires against the road.

The engine.

His mother's breathing.

His father's heartbeat.

And underneath all of it, his own thoughts were screaming louder than anything else.

The Last Son.

Those three words had followed him out of the house.

They had followed him into the car.

They were still sitting beside him now.

Jack finally broke the silence.

"Where are we going?"

Marcus didn't answer immediately.

"Somewhere safe."

Jack gave a humorless laugh.

"Safe?"

His father glanced at him through the rearview mirror.

"Jack—"

"No."

Jack sat upright.

"You don't get to do that anymore."

"Do what?"

"Tell me to calm down. Tell me everything is fine. Tell me you'll explain later."

His voice cracked slightly.

"Later almost got me killed."

Elena reached for his hand.

Jack pulled away.

The movement hurt her more than he intended.

She looked down at her lap.

Marcus tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

Jack noticed.

For years, his father had always looked like the strongest person in the room.

Tonight, he looked tired.

Almost afraid.

"Who was the Last Son?" Jack asked.

Marcus remained silent.

Jack's anger grew.

"Was it me?"

Elena looked at him.

"No."

The answer came too quickly.

Jack stared at her.

"Then why does everyone keep asking me about him?"

His mother swallowed.

"Because your bloodline began with him."

Jack looked toward his father.

Marcus finally spoke.

"Not exactly."

Jack frowned.

"What does that mean?"

"The story isn't as simple as I made it sound."

"Of course it isn't."

Marcus sighed.

"The Last Son wasn't the last Nephilim."

Jack waited.

"He was the last true one."

The words settled heavily inside the car.

Jack remembered the vision.

Rain.

Dark water.

A wooden structure towering above him.

A crying child.

A man carrying a baby.

"That was him," Jack whispered.

Marcus looked at him through the mirror.

"You saw him."

Jack nodded.

"I saw a man carrying a baby toward the Ark."

Elena's face changed.

"You remember?"

"I don't know."

Jack rubbed his forehead.

"It wasn't exactly a memory. It felt like I was there, but I wasn't."

Marcus nodded slowly.

"Your blood is beginning to remember."

Jack looked at him.

"What does that mean?"

"It means the closer you get to the truth, the more your blood may show you."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

Jack stared at the back of his father's head.

For the first time, Marcus didn't have an answer.

That frightened Jack more than the attacks.

They drove for another twenty minutes.

Eventually, Marcus turned onto a narrow road surrounded by trees.

At the end stood an old two-story house.

It looked abandoned.

Jack stared through the windshield.

"This is safe?"

"It belonged to my grandfather," Marcus said.

"Does anyone know about it?"

"No."

Jack looked toward his mother.

"Does Maya know?"

"No."

"Does anyone at school know where we are?"

"No."

Jack nodded.

For the first time that night, he felt a little relief.

Then his enhanced hearing caught something.

A faint sound.

Jack turned toward the woods.

"What?"

Marcus immediately looked at him.

"What did you hear?"

Jack listened.

Nothing.

Then—

A branch snapped.

Elena froze.

Marcus reached beneath the driver's seat.

Jack saw the dark weapon.

The same weapon his father had used before.

"Stay in the car," Marcus said.

Jack's anger returned.

"I'm not staying behind."

"You don't understand what you're dealing with."

"Neither do you."

Marcus stared at him.

Jack opened the door.

"Jack!"

He stepped out.

Cold air hit his face.

The woods were almost completely dark.

His hearing expanded beyond what his eyes could see.

Wind.

Leaves.

A bird somewhere in the distance.

Then—

A heartbeat.

Jack's head turned.

"Someone's there."

Marcus stepped out of the car.

"Where?"

"Left."

Marcus moved toward the trees.

Jack followed.

They reached the edge of the forest.

Nothing.

Marcus looked around.

"Maybe it was an animal."

Jack shook his head.

"No."

Another heartbeat.

Closer.

Then another.

Jack's breathing changed.

"There's two."

Marcus raised the weapon.

"Get your mother inside."

A figure suddenly stepped between the trees.

Male.

Tall.

Black jacket.

Hands visible.

"Marcus Carter."

Marcus froze.

The stranger smiled.

"I was beginning to wonder when you'd finally bring him here."

Jack stepped forward.

"Who are you?"

The stranger's eyes moved toward him.

"You're Jack."

Jack felt something strange.

Not fear.

Recognition.

He had never seen the man before.

But something about him felt familiar.

Marcus stepped in front of Jack.

"Leave."

The stranger laughed quietly.

"You still think you can protect him?"

"I don't need to think."

The stranger's smile disappeared.

"You should."

A second figure appeared behind him.

Then a third.

Jack's heart raced.

Three heartbeats.

Again.

Marcus moved his weapon into position.

"Inside. Now."

Jack didn't move.

One of the strangers suddenly charged.

Marcus met him halfway.

The impact shook the ground.

Jack watched his father drive the attacker backward.

The second attacker rushed from the side.

Elena grabbed Jack.

"Move!"

They ran.

Jack looked back just in time to see Marcus block a punch.

The sound of bone cracking echoed through the trees.

Marcus stumbled.

"Dad!"

"GO!"

Jack and Elena reached the house.

Elena unlocked the door.

They rushed inside.

Jack turned around.

Marcus was still fighting.

The first attacker grabbed him by the throat and lifted him from the ground.

Jack's chest tightened.

Something inside him reacted.

His vision sharpened.

His heartbeat became thunder.

He took one step forward.

Elena grabbed his arm.

"No."

"But Dad—"

"Your father told us to go."

Jack looked at her.

The attacker threw Marcus into a tree.

The impact made Jack flinch.

Marcus dropped to one knee.

The attacker walked toward him.

Jack couldn't stand there anymore.

He pulled away from Elena.

"Jack!"

He ran outside.

Marcus looked up.

"No!"

The attacker turned.

Jack stopped.

For a second, everything became strangely quiet.

The stranger looked directly into his eyes.

"Original-Blood."

Jack's fists tightened.

"You keep calling me that."

The stranger tilted his head.

"You don't even know what it means."

"Then tell me."

The stranger smiled.

"You are carrying the blood of the Last Son."

Jack felt a sudden pressure inside his chest.

The same strange sensation he had experienced during the vision.

The world blurred.

Rain.

Dark water.

A crying baby.

A wooden boat.

A man carrying a child.

Then—

A voice.

Not from the present.

From somewhere buried deep inside him.

RUN.

Jack's eyes opened.

The stranger was suddenly standing inches away.

He grabbed Jack by the throat.

Jack gasped.

Marcus charged.

The stranger threw Jack aside.

Jack flew backward and crashed through the wooden porch railing.

Pain exploded through his shoulder.

He hit the ground hard.

Elena screamed.

"JACK!"

Jack tried to breathe.

Everything hurt.

He looked at his arm.

His shoulder was badly bruised.

But he could move it.

Slowly.

That should have been impossible.

The stranger walked toward him.

"You still haven't awakened."

Jack stared at him.

"What?"

The stranger crouched.

"All this power."

He touched Jack's chest.

"And still dormant."

Jack slapped his hand away.

"Get away from me."

The stranger laughed.

"Your blood is waiting."

"For what?"

The stranger leaned closer.

"For death."

Jack froze.

The stranger stood.

"When you truly believe you're going to die, that's when you'll finally understand what you are."

Marcus attacked again.

This time, he drove the dark weapon directly toward the stranger.

The stranger barely moved.

The blade cut across his side.

For the first time, the stranger's expression changed.

He stepped back.

Blood appeared beneath his jacket.

Jack stared.

The wound began closing.

Slowly.

Marcus breathed heavily.

"Inside!"

Jack looked at his father.

"Dad..."

"NOW!"

Jack ran.

Elena followed.

The moment they reached the doorway, the third attacker appeared.

He grabbed Elena.

Jack reacted without thinking.

"LET HER GO!"

The words came out differently.

Not louder.

Stronger.

The air seemed to tighten.

The man froze.

His eyes widened.

For one brief second, his body obeyed.

He released Elena.

Jack stared at him.

The man staggered backward, confused.

"What did you just do?"

Jack didn't know.

Neither did Marcus.

The man touched his own throat.

"You..."

He looked terrified.

"You compelled me."

Jack's breathing became unsteady.

Marcus grabbed Jack's shoulder.

"Don't do it again."

"I didn't mean to."

"I know."

The attacker suddenly lunged.

Marcus blocked him.

The dark weapon struck the man's chest.

He screamed and fell backward.

The other attackers retreated into the darkness.

Marcus stood there, breathing heavily.

Jack looked at him.

"What was that?"

Marcus didn't answer.

"Was that compulsion?"

Marcus nodded.

"But I thought I wasn't awakened."

"You're not."

"Then how did I do it?"

Marcus looked into his son's eyes.

"That's what scares me."

The forest became quiet.

The attackers were gone.

For several seconds, nobody moved.

Then Jack noticed something.

Blood was dripping from his father's side.

"Dad."

Marcus looked down.

A deep cut ran across his ribs.

"You're hurt."

"I'll be fine."

Jack stepped closer.

His father's wound was already beginning to close.

Jack stared.

"You heal too."

Marcus gave a tired smile.

"I told you."

Jack shook his head.

"No."

He looked at the weapon in Marcus's hand.

"You told me what you wanted me to know."

Marcus lowered his eyes.

Jack's voice became quieter.

"You've known my whole life."

Marcus didn't deny it.

"You knew what I was."

"Yes."

"You knew what would happen."

"I knew what might happen."

"And you still let me believe I was normal."

Marcus looked at him.

"Because you deserved to have a normal life."

Jack's eyes filled with anger.

"I didn't get one."

"You did."

Marcus stepped closer.

"Until someone came looking for you."

Jack looked away.

"You should have told me."

"I was trying to protect you."

"You were lying to me."

"I was."

The honesty stopped Jack.

Marcus continued.

"And I would make the same decision again if it meant keeping you alive."

Jack stared at him.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then Elena stepped between them.

"Enough."

They both looked at her.

"You're both scared," she said. "And you're both angry. But fighting each other isn't going to solve this."

Jack looked toward the woods.

"Who were they?"

Marcus looked away.

"I don't know."

Jack laughed bitterly.

"You really don't?"

"I know what they want."

"What?"

Marcus's face hardened.

"You."

Jack swallowed.

"Why?"

"Because your existence proves something they thought was impossible."

"What?"

Marcus looked directly into his eyes.

"That the Original-Blood survived."

Jack stood silently.

Then he asked the question that had been haunting him.

"How many are there?"

Marcus didn't answer.

Jack's expression changed.

"Dad."

"Jack..."

"How many?"

Marcus looked toward the darkness.

"That's the problem."

Jack waited.

"We don't know."

A phone suddenly rang.

Everyone froze.

Marcus pulled his phone from his pocket.

Unknown number.

He answered.

"Who is this?"

Static.

Then a voice.

Calm.

Female.

"You brought him to the old house."

Marcus's face went pale.

Jack heard every word.

"You should have known we'd find you."

Marcus ended the call.

Jack stared at him.

"Who was that?"

Marcus didn't answer.

The phone rang again.

This time, Jack reached for it.

"Jack, don't."

But Jack answered.

"Hello?"

Silence.

Then the woman's voice.

"You're asking the wrong question."

Jack frowned.

"What?"

"You keep asking who you are."

Jack's blood ran cold.

The woman continued.

"You should be asking who came before you."

The line went dead.

Jack lowered the phone.

Marcus looked at him.

"What did she say?"

Jack stared into the darkness beyond the windows.

"She said I should ask who came before me."

Marcus closed his eyes.

Jack immediately understood.

"You know."

Marcus opened his eyes.

"Yes."

"Then tell me."

His father remained silent.

Jack stepped closer.

"No more secrets."

Marcus looked at his son for a long moment.

Then he said quietly:

"The man who carried the Last Son onto the Ark..."

He paused.

"Wasn't his father."

Jack frowned.

"Then who was he?"

Marcus looked toward the window.

"He was one of Noah's sons."

Jack's breath caught.

"And he didn't know what he was carrying."

Outside, somewhere deep in the forest—

A heartbeat began.

Slow.

Heavy.

Powerful.

Jack turned toward the sound.

Marcus heard it too.

His face changed.

"That's impossible."

Jack stared at him.

"What?"

Marcus whispered:

"He's here."

Jack's heart stopped for half a second.

"Who?"

Marcus slowly reached for the dark weapon.

"The man who has been looking for your family."

The heartbeat grew louder.

Closer.

And then a voice came from outside the house.

"Marcus."

Jack recognized it.

The stranger from the forest.

But this time, there was something different in his voice.

Something almost amused.

"I think your son deserves to hear the rest of the story."

The lights inside the house suddenly went out.

And Jack heard the front door open.