Torn(Demon Kissed Series)

CHAPTER ELEVEN

As we made our way to a portal, we crossed some difficult terrain. The Underworld was similar to the human world above in some ways. The creatures of the realm used paths to travel down there, and generally speaking, each kind of being kept to their own. They didn’t wander around, but we did. That left us out in the open and vulnerable. On the way, we’d crossed through places where creatures attacked us. The grackles even followed us into other territories, hoping to peck my eyes out. As we continued towards the portal, Collin explained that the deeper you went into the Underworld, the more creatures there were. When we passed through the outskirts on the way in, we didn’t see many demons, dragons, or the like. But now, I’d seen more evil creatures than I ever wanted. Before I went down there, I wasn’t sure if I believed that there were truly evil beings—but now—let’s just say that I had no more doubts.

When we were closer to the portal, we had a confrontation with some demons. I had no shadows to shroud my scent, and they noticed me when we passed too closely to them. Collin was careful to maneuver me around other beings so that they couldn’t tell I was there, but this time, the demons took us by surprise. They were eager to make me their own. I didn’t quite understand what that meant, and didn’t ask for details. Collin and I fought them like we were born for this. Nightmarish creatures no longer scared me. I could battle them with my silver comb in hand and flaming purple hair. Back to back, we fought them off until there were none left.

Fighting demons no longer scared me. The things that truly terrified me now were limited to my own reflection, and the thought of losing the boy standing next to me. I couldn’t bear to accept what I was becoming, but I knew I was changing. I wasn’t the same girl as I was a year ago. I knew things now, and saw things, that had changed me. There was no going backwards. And, recently, it seemed that everything had a price—a price that was too steep for me to pay. I was in way over my head with no way out. Those things lurched to the front of my mind in a sickening suddenness, and I shoved them back just as quickly. I’d deal with it later.

I squeezed Collin’s hand and looked over at him. He returned the squeeze and smiled at me. Collin made me more confident. It felt like I could manage whatever was thrown at me when he was nearby. It’d always been like that. The only difference was the things I was dealing with before paled in comparison to the demons and damnation stuff that was thrown at me now. One misstep and I’d lose my soul, and cost Collin his life. Collin saw my face falter and gave my hand a little squeeze again. I feigned a smile, but it didn’t reach my eyes.

The closer we got to the portal, the more the butterflies in my stomach tried to eat me from the inside out. My nerves were relentless, and I wanted nothing more than for this part to be over. When we emerged from the portal, Shannon might be standing there. I was going to be forced to kill her. I was surprised at myself, realizing that I didn’t want revenge. She totally screwed me. She made Eric think that I was the one who killed him. Technically, my demon kiss did kill him, but the girl who looked like me and doused him with Brimstone dust was the true murder.

And that was Shannon. Confident, carefree Shannon.

It was unbelievable. But when she spewed words of hatred at me outside the Lorren, I believed it. She changed. Shannon and I no longer saw eye to eye on anything. And up until this point, I thought I’d want to wring her scrawny neck. I thought nothing would give me more pleasure than gouging out her eyes with a piece of Brimstone. But now that the moment was here, now that I might have the opportunity—I was filled with dread. It felt like I swallowed glass and the shards were ripping through me. Collin made it very clear not to hesitate if she was there. I had to kill her first, or we would die—both of us. We had the element of surprise. She might know we’d escape through a catacomb, but she wouldn’t know when or which one. If my previous best friend was there, it would be luck. And the way things usually go for me, it would have been my kind of luck too.

Collin had taken me to a different portal than the one we entered through. Shannon, Eric, and I went into the Underworld through the catacombs in Rome, but this time, when Collin and I emerged we were in the catacombs under Paris. Apparently the Valefar used the graves of the deceased to leave the Underworld. And most of the Valefar never returned to Hell. Collin was an exception; he threw himself into that pit portal last fall and fell into Hell, and directly into Kreturus’ clutches. No, most creatures that made their way out of Hell didn’t want to go back. And I couldn’t blame them.

When we surfaced in the tombs, every muscle in my body relaxed. No one was there. No Martis. No Shannon. I smiled at Collin, grateful that we caught a break for once. When we made it out of the tombs without incident, the night air washed over me. I breathed it in greedily, as if I couldn’t get enough. The air had such a different quality to it than the air in the Underworld, where it felt, tasted, and smelled of death, decay, and hopelessness. But the air up here wasn’t like that. It smelled of hope.

And freedom.

After we were certain no one was around, I wrapped my arms around Collin and smiled up into his face. “Are you ready?”

“Since when do you ask?” he laughed pushing a curl behind my ear. I felt fine. The weakness seemed to fade from the time I left the Lorren and I was ready to take us out of this place.

Smiling up at him, I started the effonation. Heat licked through my stomach and climbed my throat the way it usually does. I fixated on Al and St. Bart’s church in New York. This was the longest distance I’d ever tried to effonate two people. It was slightly insane but we both agreed that it was much safer to move around up here this way. I was public enemy number one and the Martis would kill me on sight. The best way to avoid them was to avoid being seen. As for the other Martis that were in the church, we’d have to deal with that when we got there.

If I’d known how the sapphire serum affected my abilities I wouldn’t have tried to transport both of us. But, I wasn’t aware of what crystalizing the poison had done to me, and now it was too late.