Cursed Demon Kissed 2 Page 0,73

down my face blurring my vision. My feet fumbled as I tried to keep walking, but I couldn't. I knew Shannon and I weren't friends the way we had been. The past was the past. We were best friends since we were born. During that time we were inseparable. But lately she was different. She was more Martis than anything else. She chose them over me. Seventeen years of friendship was destroyed in a couple of seconds - the second Jake kissed me, the second Collin saved me. But her hatred wasn't something that just happened. It had been going on for a while. Like last year, when I thought she'd helped me with without judgment when I flamed out after I thought my sister died. Apparently that wasn't the case. Her condemnation stung. I wiped the tears out of my eyes and sat down. The sound of distant demon birds filled the air. I'd move when the grackles got closer.

Crying does nothing, but for some reason the tears didn't stop. Maybe it was because she was right. I was evil, and I was crying for myself and not Shannon. I shouldn't have kissed Eric. I shouldn't have left him in the Lorren. But I did. And Shannon. My God, what did I do to Shannon? When I fought the Guardian, I felt power surge through me, but this was different. It felt like light and darkness combined and did something to her. She wasn't dead. Her heart was beating while the flashes of light did whatever they did. After the light dimmed there was an afterglow - a black mirror. I pressed on its hot surface. It was made of the same squishy stuff as the last one I'd seen, but this time I saw Shannon on the other side. She was lying on the floor surrounded by pews at St. Bart's. I backed away from the mirror, and it shattered. The black pieces fell to the ground and vanished. No, I didn't kill Shannon. I sent her home, but I had no idea how. My powers were out of control. I didn't know what they did or how I called them. Were they Martis or Valefar? Or something worse? Something that only the Prophecy One could do?

I slumped forward, resting my head on my knees. I'd undertaken the impossible task of trying to rescue Collin from the pits of Hell. What made me think I could do this? Love. The answer popped up in my mind instantly. I thought I could save him because of true love? It sounded idiotic, but it was true. After all, what was the difference between what I was doing and going back into enemy territory for a fallen ally? None. There was no difference, and I was on my own. There was no one to catch me when I fell. I was utterly alone, and I would be alone for the rest of the time I was down here. It made me wonder, how far would I go to save the people I loved? Instant bravery didn't pour from me when I needed it. It felt more like I was flying by the seat of my pants and they were ripping. When the Guardian went after Apryl I thought it would rip her to shreds. I fought that monster because I had to. My mission sounded insane, but my world was insane. I was at the center of an ancient prophecy. Everyone wanted a piece of me.

The rustling of the dragon's wings passed high above me. Good. As long as that thing was nearby the grackles would leave me alone. Perhaps sitting still wasn't wise, but I wasn't moving for the time being. I needed a plan. It was impossible to tell when my powers would surge. That made them very unpredictable. I was going to need another way to deal with the demons, Valefar, and Kreturus when the time came.

The demons and Valefar were down here although I hadn't seen any yet. But I knew they were here. I'd seen them in several visions. The demons and select Valefar surrounded a place that looked like black stone from the outside and a palace from within. It wasn't surrounded with pretty landscaping, but quite the opposite. The land was almost sickly looking - torn and bled dry. It rose high on spikes as far as the eye could see. It wasn't smooth rust colored stone like here. The ground was barren, hard,