Descent (Kissed by Death) - Tara Fuller Page 0,56

Not here. Not ever again.”

“But—”

“We have to go now,” he said, urgently. “Before—”

“What’s this?” a menacing voice roared. Cutting down smaller demons in his wake, a beast with oily black skin and filmy white eyes shoved his way through the crowd. The ground vibrated and Easton jerked me into the camouflage of the crowd before he could spot us. A heavy cloud of fear moved though the air, choking out the joy I’d created. My breaths began rushing in and out of my lungs too fast, making the world spin around me. A demon shouldered past, pushing me back. A sudden blast of heat seared my leg. When I opened my mouth to scream, Easton slapped his hand over my lips and pulled me off the steam vent. Pain radiated up my leg while tears flooded my eyes. My knees seemed to buckle underneath me, so I sagged against Easton’s chest. He supported my weight and pressed his lips to my ear.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

I nodded, understanding that we had to get out undetected, and he moved his hand away.

The demon approached the woman, who cowered down, hunching over to protect the infant in her arms. He laughed at her attempt, and flies spewed from his mouth. As he reached down and plucked the baby from her arms, she screamed, rising up to beat on his chest with her fists.

The baby…no…not the baby. The joy that lived inside me, that ruled me, smothered the pain, forcing me to act. I began to struggle in Easton’s arms.

“No…” I wrenched free of his grasp.

Easton cursed under his breath. “Gwen, don’t!”

I shoved my way back through the crowd and came to an abrupt halt at the edge. The demon grabbed the woman by the hair and held her up for the hungry crowd to see.

“Let you all see what happens when you take peace that doesn’t belong to you!” he growled, then ripped the woman in two. Blood sprayed the crowd and they went into a feeding frenzy, gouging, tearing, biting. Chained souls were plucked from the line like sitting ducks waiting to be fed upon. A dark and angry pain ripped through me, doubling me over, swallowing me down a gullet of darkness into the belly of Hell. Spots danced across my vision. The healing energy of joy inside me fought a losing battle.

It was too much. Too much. Too much. Too mu—

“Snap her out of it!” Scout’s voice hissed somewhere past the darkness. “This place is getting out of control. We need to get out of here, pronto.”

The brunt of it all hit me so powerfully my knees gave out. I felt myself falling, but I was helpless to stop it. It was her…the mother. Even in pieces I felt her pain, the utter desperation, sucking her under, pulling her apart. I felt as if I’d been ripped in half. Before Hell, I’d never known real pain…but oh God…this hurt. It surpassed hurt and dragged me down to a place much darker than that.

“No you don’t.” Easton’s hands wrapped around my waist and pulled me back up against his chest before I hit the ground. His lips brushed my ear, his breath hot and hypnotic. “Listen to me, Gwen. I know it’s bad, but you’re tougher than this. I’ve seen it.”

I whimpered in response, unable to tell him I didn’t feel tough. I didn’t even feel like Gwen. I felt as if Gwen had been left behind and only this body and the pain swallowing it existed.

“Look at me. You’re going to walk away from this place and we’re going to go on. We’re going to get Tyler and we’re going to get you the hell out of here. You’re going to stand up and walk because you are the strongest person I’ve ever met. Understand?”

A ringing sound pierced my eardrum. Light barreled toward me like a freight train as joy wove a path back to consciousness. I blinked at Easton, still unable to speak, but that was enough for him. He nodded and helped me to my feet. I stumbled, but managed to stand with his support. Keeping my hand locked in his, he pulled me through the crowd. Every step away earned me a breath of relief, but it didn’t block out the hellish sounds of the riot behind us.

Chapter 20

Easton

I didn’t look at Gwen. I couldn’t. I felt her shivering against my side, but she was quiet. Too damn quiet. Again, I wondered how I could have agreed