The Evanescence (Fallen Soul Series) - By Jessica Sorensen Page 0,5
both crumble to the floor in a pile. They move at the same time to get up, wrestling each other, hitting and kicking; I can barely tell who is who. Laylen’s head smacks against the floor as Evan slams his boot into his cheekbone.
“Dammit!” Laylen screams, bending his knees as he tries to shove up to his feet.
Evan’s fingers wrap around his throat and he forces his back to the ground; his hands blazing fiercely with violent orange and red flames. Smoke hisses from Evan’s arms as he presses his fingers into Laylen’s skin, strangling him as he hovers over him.
“Is that all you got, boy?” Laylen coughs as he kicks his foot upward, aiming for Evan’s stomach. He twines his arms around Evan’s, wrapping his hands around them and then grabs onto Evan’s arms. “You think a little manhandling is going to break me?”
Evan shifts his weight to the side and Laylen’s foot grazes his rib. “No, this is all just for a little fun.” Evan lets out a soft laugh as he constrains Laylen’s head to the floor. “Mere entertainment for myself… What happens next is going to break you.” A chilling smile spreads across his face. “It might even kill you.”
“Kill me?” Laylen laughs and then hacks for oxygen. “I’m a Vampire, boy, which means I’m Immortal.”
I decide to intervene and step up next to them, enjoying that I get to break Laylen—or Alexander’s—power trip. “Actually, you’re not,” I say, looking down at Laylen. His eyeballs are red, his skin white as snow, and his lips are turning blue. “My sister—your great-great-granddaughter or whatever—removed Laylen’s Mark of Immortality so you can die and pretty easily.”
The little color in his face drains. “That’s not possible.”
I grin and his eyes widen. “It is for a very powerful Witch.”
Laylen panics and his movements become sharper and more fueled by fear. He starts kicking his legs and turning his head from side-to-side. However, Evan is quick, and with a simple alteration of his position, he manages to dodge every attempt Laylen throws at him.
Evan’s normally dark eyes scorch as he angles his chin over his shoulder to look at me. Sweat beads his forehead and his hair is damp. This is taking a lot out of him and it shows. “Alex, this is going to take all of my concentration,” he explains. “Be ready to start questioning. And make it quick.”
I nod and inch around him so my boots are stationed near Laylen’s head. “I’m ready, now go.”
He targets his attention back at the horrified-looking Laylen. “Laylen, if you can hear me, I’m sorry buddy... but as for you, Alexander, I don’t really give a crap, so get ready for some pain.”
Laylen’s body starts to tremble, quaking with the vibrations of a thousand earthquakes. The stones below his head begin to rupture, cracking down the center and pieces chip away as his head cracks against them. Evan’s gaze intensifies, kindling with power. It’s like someone has struck a match inside each pupil, his normally black eyes now fill with rays of scorching red. He positions a hand on each side of Laylen’s head and secures it between his palms as he stares directly into his eyes. Seconds later, Laylen’s body stills and his arms fall slack to the side of him.
“Okay,” Evan says, panting and sounding exhausted. “Go ahead.”
“Laylen,” I say, crouching down beside him. “I need to know how to save Gemma… I need to know how to get Helena out of her without killing her.”
Laylen’s lips part and his voice is slurred, like he’s intoxicated. “D’ya think yeeer gonna save her?” he asks. “My beautiful Helena can never be beetin’.” He tries to laugh as he says it, but it turns into a strangled cry as Evan’s grip constricts on his face, his nails prodding deeper into Laylen’s cheekbones, so deep the skin splits open and blood drips out.
“You know, I was starting off easy on you,” Evan growls. “But I’ve changed my mind.” Flames burst from his eyes, raging, and flare towards Laylen’s face.
Laylen lets out a high-pitched squeal, his head tipping back, and his eyes roll into the back of his head. “No…”
“Careful, Evan, we don’t want to kill him,” I warn, leaning back on my heels to get out of the path of the flames.
The flames retreat back to Evan, sucking back into his eyes, and Laylen stills again. “Try again,” Evan orders, his gaze fixed on Laylen.