The 13th Prophecy by H.M. Ward Read Free Book Online

refusing to look away from his eyes as I bared my deepest fears and darkest thoughts, “I was in full crash and burn mode when we met. I watched you and your perfect life—your perfect notes, your perfectly pressed shirts, and your perfectly white sneakers—and I envied you. You said I didn’t see you, that I didn’t notice, but I did. It was painful to look at you. It was agony to hear your chipper voice when my world was falling apart. Your smiling face brought me nothing but pain. It reminded me that life didn’t make sense. Bad things happened to good people.
    “Anger clouded your judgment. Even then. It took you lifetimes to abate your lust for vengeance. And it never healed you. You were never the same. You wore a mask, a fake facade to hold yourself together. And I sat next to you, every day doing the same damn thing.” I laughed, pointing my finger into his chest, looking up into his face. “You and I were so much alike.” I pressed my lips together and shook my head. “But not anymore... I’m done with this. I’m doing what I think is right, and to hell with everyone else. Including you!”
    Eric’s gaze was locked on my glistening eyes. His expression didn’t change while I spoke. I had no idea what he thought. He just continued to stare, taking in my words one at a time until I fell silent. Eric turned his back and walked away. He reached for the metal door to the basement, and tugged it open, not stopping or waiting.
    He spoke over his shoulder, as he disappeared into the stairwell, “The price of using the stone was higher than you think.”
     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER FIVE
     
     
    Collin cleared his throat. Concern etched his face, forming a deep crease between his brows. “We shouldn’t stay in the open.” I didn’t move to follow Eric. I couldn’t stand the thought of being in the same room with him. Collin wrapped his arms around me. I could hear his heart beating beneath his chest. The embrace should have made me feel better. It should have made me feel safe, protected, and warm or maybe even loved. But it was nothing more than pressure on my arms.
    I stared at the metal door leading to the basement, dreading confinement with Eric. I needed to rest. The Sapphire Serum in my chest was taking its toll. I spoke into Collin’s chest, too distraught to look into his face. The emotions lingered from tasting Eric’s blood. “I don’t know what to do with him, Collin. He could have left. He could have killed me.” I paused, shaking my head softly. “When we effonated here, I lost control and started to burn. He took all of my pain away and lent me his power. It’s things like that that make me uncertain. I can’t tell if he’s trying to help me or kill me. And there’s been more than one time that his life was in danger, and he stayed. Anyone else would have run. What is he, Collin? What have I done?”
    Collin’s fingers were under my chin, tilting my face up to meet his. “I don’t know what he is. And I don’t know if it’s because you made him that way. He was an angel before he was anything else. It influences him, but I don’t know how. All I know is that I can say with confidence that I understand demons, and whatever Eric is, he isn’t acting like one. His cruelty seems to be a need, not a want. Demons destroy for fun. That isn’t what he’s doing. And whatever he’s doing to you—it pains you—but it seems to help you. Am I wrong? ‘ Cause that sounds insane.” Collin looked into my eyes. His lips remained parted, breathing gently, but I knew this troubled him. And that was okay, because it scared the hell out of me.
    Licking my lips, I nodded, “It seems to help. It seems to do something that I can’t explain.” Looking into his face, I saw that he already knew what I’d admitted. “That’s why you haven’t killed him, isn’t it?” I didn’t doubt he could. And I wondered why Collin held such a tight leash on his power.
    He pulled me close, and