Torn(Demon Kissed Series)

CHAPTER TWELVE

The sapphire serum turned to ice in my chest as we effonated. It seemed to swell and the normal pain of effonation was compounded. I screamed in silence and I clung to Collin. As the boiling blood coursed through my veins, I locked my fingers tightly around him. Losing him before we touched ground at St. Bart’s would be disastrous. Collin told me that if I effonated incorrectly, I could peel the skin off my body. There were some things that sounded painful no matter how powerful you are. I didn’t care to find out what splicing myself felt like, so I focused on Al and the church as fiercely as possible. My nails dug into Collin’s back. I couldn’t help it. He could tell something was wrong, but was unable to speak or help. Not until we arrived.

That particular effonation was hard to describe. When a Valefar effonates, everything becomes incredibly vivid—like it’s a supersaturated version of its normal self. It doesn’t matter if it’s a person or a chair. It’s just more. Then it feels like liquid flames are poured through your stomach. The burning fans out into every inch of you until you can’t possibly stand it another second. There’s no air, there’s only burning pain and intense heat as your blood literally boils your body into mist. That was why the pain in my chest at the site of the poison was so much worse. The serum was cold and didn’t resist the burn of effonation. I’d thought that if I aggravated the crystalized poison that it would melt, but the cold place turned grew and grew. My body was rigid as fire and ice fought to kill me from within. The roar of flames that flooded my ears increased and drowned out my cries. I’d aggravated the sapphire serum and it was no longer frozen in place in my chest. It shot out crystalized tendrils within me, making me feel like I was being stabbed by tiny swords from within. Then, the poison leaked out and melted into my blood. I could feel it happening and couldn’t do anything to stop it.


Collin’s eyes were wide and his arms pulled me tighter when he saw the look of panic on my face. We weren’t there yet, but I couldn’t bear it. Not for another second. I did the unthinkable and stopped focusing on the church. The result was instantaneous. My skin felt like liquid and began to peel away off my arms. Collin looked at me in horror, screaming for me to focus, but I couldn’t. The shard of ice was growing and stabbing me so fiercely that I couldn’t stand it. I could feel Collin trying to maintain his own effonation, as the heat surrounding him increased. But, it wasn’t enough to help me.

Suddenly, we collided onto the dark brown floor. A voice was screaming, echoing in the silent hallways. Feet ran at us from every direction. Collin jumped to his feet, but I was unable to move. I rolled onto my side, curled into a ball, and clutched at my chest. Sections of my arms and legs had no flesh, but that wasn’t what was causing the scream to pour out of my mouth. It was the poison. It was melting and I could feel the serum sliding back inside of me in a slow trickle. It was like being stabbed with the fang all over again. The seepage finally stopped as the serum turned to cold crystal again as the last of the effonation effects wore off. Tears streamed from the corners of my eyes. I was aware of people around me, but I didn’t respond. I didn’t care where we were or who was there. The agony finally surpassed my pain threshold and I passed out.