Free The Department of Hate - A Love Story by Anthony O'connor Page B

going out, we moved in together and six months later we were engaged.” Cassandra smiled
    “That’s nice .” Jarrod seemed less than fully enthusiastic
    “Yes I suppose .” Cassandra then asked him the obvious question
    “So what happened? You say you were engaged but you didn’t say married .” Jarrod looked pensive
    “I don’t know what would have happened. But I know what did happen. She was killed – kicked to death in a park by some unknown assailant, who was never caught.  I was arrested and charged with murder – for a few hours at least.” Cassandra put her hand on his arm, reassuring him
    “That must have been awful.” Jarrod shrugged
    “I got over it, she didn’t.” He paused, surprised by a sudden thought. “Oh my God she could be here!” He thought about it. “She was a nice person but that doesn’t seem to matter.” He really didn’t want to follow through on the implications of this. If she was in heaven, fine – but if she was down here her options were very limited and none of them good. Cassandra meanwhile had found something lacking in his description of Beth, she asked him bluntly
    “Did you love her?” Jarrod replied slowly, thinking carefully
    “At the time I thought I did, but now thinking back, no, not really. I don’t think I’ve ever loved anyone.”  He wanted to add ‘until now’ but didn’t. He continued  “I loved her body, I loved having sex with her, I loved being with someone but I can’t honestly say I loved her or even really knew her that well. Terrible, isn’t it?” Cassandra smiled sadly, her experience with this was not inconsiderable
    “It’s honest. I like that about you. I can see it easily. You are completely honest, one hundred percent genuine. It’s very rare. Most people are fakes through and through, just players, full of shit from their toes to their eyeballs.” Jarrod nodded
    “That’s for sure .” He may not have loved Beth but he was already head over heels in love with Cassandra. He would do anything for her. They’d been sitting here talking for some time – he hoped that they would keep talking, all day and all night. He wanted to tell her everything and to hear from her everything there was to know about her. Cassandra could easily see the depth of his feelings for her. He was quite surprising, so different. She was starting to feel the same way. She moved in closer, pushing herself against him, she kissed him. Jarrod wasn’t expecting this. He was delighted. He responded. They kissed again. They were starting to take off each others clothes, at first slowly and with great care, but then with rapidly escalating passion, when suddenly there was the sound of a massive explosion from somewhere in the sky overhead.
     
    The explosion was followed by several more equally loud. They couldn’t ignore it - as much as they wanted to. For Jarrod it matched the pattern he was used to – he would have been surprised if something hadn’t interrupted.  They jumped up, adjusting their clothes and raced outside. Chaos and confusion all around!  There were demons running about everywhere in all directions, hundreds of them - carrying spears and battle axes and yelling at each other fiercely. In the sky above some kind of battle was taking place. Demons and some other beings were flying about, madly firing at each other. Bursts of light streaked out from one to the other and occasionally the target would burst into flames and plummet to the ground. Jarrod tried to make out the others – the attackers? They looked almost human only bigger. Abaddon raced out of the building. He saw Jarrod and Cassandra standing there looking up. He barked an order and instantly they were surrounded by a dozen demons, guarding them. Abaddon approached Jarrod.
    “We are under attack my Lord .” Jarrod was incredulous
    “Who by?” Abaddon spoke sharply
    “The Nordic Gods my Lord, from the Plains of Desolation. They often mount assaults, testing our