Torn (Demon Kissed #3) by H.M. Ward Read Free Book Online Page A

been quiet; walking away from me quickly like my question pissed him off. “By choice,” he shot me a sharp look. “And, I wasn’t kicked out. I check on things once in a while. We noticed there was a lot more going on in these parts than there had been—portals being opened from the wrong side.” He shot me a snide look, “Ya know, from up there,” he gestured upward with his thumb, “and that’s a bit unusual. Most people don’t want to go into the Underworld. A few months ago a portal was opened somewhere near New York. And then another one was opened a few weeks ago near Rome.” We entered the golden room where he drew most of the poison out of my chest. The silver rose that he used to heal me lay on the ledge where he left it. He picked it up before turning to me. Tipping the petals toward me, he said, “That was you. You were the one responsible for opening the portal to the Underworld. Both times.” It didn’t sound like a question, but it seemed like he was asking me. It seemed like he was leery of something, but he didn’t give me any idea of what.
    Hesitantly, I confessed, “I opened the catacomb in Rome, and I was there when they opened the portal in New York. But it wasn’t me who opened it. It was the Valefar.”
    He walked toward me and stopped less than a foot from me. I could feel the heat pouring off of him like he was on fire. I tried to step back, but he took another step toward me. Why did everyone think they could intimidate me? I was short, but I wasn’t powerless. Angel or not, I could fight back. Part of me wanted to scream at him to back off, but part of me wanted to know what he was afraid of. I could see it in his eyes. He was afraid. What types of things scared angels?
    His voice was deep and came out in a whisper, “The Valefar couldn’t have opened the portal without you. You have the key.” His eyes burned into me as his gaze intensified. “One Valefar can pass through a portal without your key, but that wasn’t what happened, was it? Demons tried to escape. Valefar went in. And Kreturus tried to come out. You tell me that you aren’t helping him, and yet you’re the one who opened the portals, you are the one who has the key, and you are the one who gave him part of your soul.” He inched towards me as he was speaking, like he was scolding a child. His face was inches from mine. His eyes blazed with fury.
    I bristled, “You don’t know what you’re talking about. You weren’t there. I told you that I don’t want this. If you had the means to break the prophecy and make it so that it didn’t exist, I would tell you to do it right now—no matter what it cost me. You don’t think that I feel guilty about everything that’s happened? You don’t think that I tried to stop it? When you found me, I was half dead. I gave up my life to end all of this! You’re blind if you can’t see that.” Somehow my angry speech made me stretch to my tip toes, so I could scream in his face. Breathing hard, I noticed how angry he made me. I didn’t care if he was an angel or not. I knew who I was, and what I wanted, but he had no clue.
    There was silence. Neither of us said a word. I backed away from his face, but I didn’t look away. Lorren ignored me for a moment and gazed at the wall. Finally, his eyes cut to me. “I believe you.”
    What an ass! My jaw dropped open in disbelief. He acted as if I needed his approval—as if I cared what he thought. When words finally formed a coherent thought, my voice was sharp, “I don’t care what you believe.” I pushed past him and into the labyrinth. “I’m leaving.”
    He called behind me, “I’m here to draw out the rest of the poison when you need me.” I didn’t turn around to acknowledge him. My hands clenched into fists at the thought, If I needed him . Shit! I totally needed him. If I didn’t get the sapphire serum out of me, I’d make the prophecy come true that much faster.
    And it’d be that much worse.
    But, the