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anymore. I'm not killing people, Valefar, angels or demons, or Martis without being forced to!" I jumped to my feet, feeling the need to run to burn off the anger.

Collin jumped up next to me and grabbed my wrist. The look I gave him must have been horrible, but he didn't let go. "You can't go. If you run, the poison will only wear you out."

Un-contorting my face, I felt the tension building in my shoulders. Practically crying, I looked up into his eyes and said, "I can't live like this. I can't be the person responsible for this. Look at me, Collin!" I shook off his hold and pressed my hands to my chest. "Look at me! I'm becoming exactly what the prophecy said I'd be!"

His arms wrapped around me tightly, as he crushed me into his chest. His hands cradled the back of my head and forced me closer to him. I struggled, half wanting to pull away, and half wanting to punch him. Somewhere inside of me, I blamed Collin for what I was. I blamed everyone. Eric. Shannon. Even Al. But the truth was I am who I am because of no one but me. It was my fault that woman would die. It was my fault that I had to steal Eric's book. It was my fault Eric was a deranged Valefar and Shannon was - whatever she was. Tears streamed down my face silently, as I stopped struggling in his arms. The rich warm scent of Collin filled my head as I breathed. The strong pull of his arms made me feel safe, and the way life had been lately - I needed to feel safe for a little while - even if it was a total lie. Collin's arms dropped to my waist so he could look down at me, but I kept my face buried in his chest.

"We'll do things your way from now on. I'm so sorry that I upset you like this." He kissed the top of my head. "You're right. Everyone is after us anyway. We can do things your way next time, even if it seems risky to me. I won't make you do something like this again."

Looking up into his face, I felt my stomach clench. It was all I could do to nod, and break away from his hold. I turned my back to him, and looked out over the still water. The night sky stretched down and touched the bay's inky blackness somewhere too dark to see. It looked as if the bay stretched right up into the heavens - some place I would never go. Closing my eyes, I wrapped my arms around my middle. "Maybe you're right. Maybe one person shouldn't matter...but I can't do it."

Collin stood behind me, brushing my hair out of my face as he stood next to me. The ends of my hair were brown now. The anger that was burning within me had extinguished itself. "It's because you're you. You matter more to me, than anything else in this world. You see justice through the darkness. You changed my life in a way that I never even hoped for. You are the most courageous woman I've ever known." A smile pulled up the corners of his lips, "And you scare the shit out of me sometimes." I looked up at him and laughed one short laugh.

His hand lifted to my face, and gently brushed my cheek before drifting back into my curls. He wound the spirals around his fingers while gazing at me. "You're beautiful, Ivy Taylor..."

His eyes were locked on mine, as his lips parted slightly. Lowering his head slowly, he meant to kiss me. The thought brushed the front of his mind, so gently that I could tell it was all he wanted. When Collin's lips touched mine, I felt his warm breath slide across my mouth. The butterflies that were tickling the top of my stomach went wild, and shot into a thousand pieces inside of me. His kiss was all consuming. It made me forget everything and feel everything at the same time. The muscles in my chest tightened as he pressed his lips harder against mine. Icy hot sparks shot through me, leaving me feeling vulnerable and blissful at the same time. It was the dichotomy of the kiss that was intoxicating. It was a kiss that could kill, and it was a kiss that showed Collin could love someone like me.

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