Forsaken by Daniele Lanzarotta Read Free Book Online

partially because he seems
     weak because of the illusion.  My leg comes in contact with his right hip.  He grins
     like he is proud of how far I’ve come… or how much he has taught me.  I’m about to
     move toward him again when we hear a high-pitched sound, like someone screaming.  We
     both freeze, and our eyes widen as we stare at one another and hear the scream turn
     into crying.  
    The crying stops and I shiver.  The demon isn’t alone.  
    I can’t even explain what I feel… I can’t put into words… there is this power.  
    “Do you feel this?” I ask.  
    Samael nods.  
    “We have to take whoever this is with us when we go.  Either that or destroy it.  We
     can’t leave this kind of power on Ezra’s hands,” Samael says.  
    I nod.  
     

TWELVE  
    Day in and day out, we train and train and whenever we can, we work on the wards inside
     the building.  They were strengthened since we heard that sound.  The weird thing
     is that no one ever comes for us.  I expected the demon to come and give Samael what
     he promised by now, but he never does.  
    We still don’t know how long we’ve been here.  Before we got lost in illusions, Samael
     could estimate how long we had been gone, but that is no longer the case.  We sleep
     when we’re exhausted and wake up whenever.  I can tell that Samuel looks at least
     a few years older.  I can’t even imagine what I look like.  Older, I’m sure… and that
     makes me think of Hunter and how he is immortal and that even when we do get out of
     here, it will already be too late for us.  
    “What is on your mind?” he asks.  
    I shrug.  
    He leaves it alone.  He always does.  
    “Do you think he is still trying to find me?” I finally ask.  
    He shrugs.  
    “Well, thanks for the reassurance.”  
    “I’m just being honest.  I don’t know.  I mean… it obviously has been a long time.”  
    My eyes widen.  “Do I look a lot older?”  
    He gives me a strange look.  “You actually look about the same.  I mean,” he looks
     me up and down, “you look better.  Anyone could tell you’ve been training.”  
    There is an uncomfortable silence.  
    “You should cut your losses and move on,” he finally says.  
    I watch him curiously then burst into laughter.  “You mean, move on with you?”  
    He grins.  “I don’t see anyone else around.”  
    “Stop it, okay?  Obviously, being locked in here for this long is getting to you.
      I’m getting out of here and—”  
    “And what?” he snaps, startling me.  “Do you think you are going back to your life
     before all of this?  Because I can damn sure guarantee you that your life there will
     never be the same.  By now, everyone fell back into a routine.  Your sisters grew
     up, your parents got older, they have grieved, they moved on.”  
    “Why are you in a bad mood?”  
    He sighs and I notice he clenches his fists then slowly takes a deep breath before
     looking me in the eyes.  “I’m sorry, okay?  I just… I know we’ve been here for a long
     time and I don’t know what his plans are or if someone will ever even come for us.
      Yeah, let’s say we get out of this house, then what?  There is nothing but destruction,
     lost souls, and fires out there.  We’ll never find our way back.”  
    I walk over to the window and stare outside.  None of the other lost souls ever came
     close to where we are.  From a distance, I can see the two who I healed and they stand
     there, at opposite sides, like they are guarding the place.  
    I almost have a heart attack when I feel Samael breathing against my neck.  I flinch
     and turn around.  
    He’s too close for comfort.    
    “What are you doing?” I ask.  
    “Don’t you miss it?” he asks like if I can read his mind.  
    “Miss what?”  
    “Human contact.  Kissing… hugging…”  
    I look down, avoiding his gaze.  “Well, I do, but that doesn’t mean—”  
    “Kayla,”