The Evanescence (Fallen Soul Series) - By Jessica Sorensen Page 0,55
steps beside him, running her lips together. “It really was.”
They both laugh as they stare at the body, and then walk around it, heading to the gate. They pass body after body and I recognize four out of six of them, one blond-haired vampire, a golden-haired witch, a tattooed Omnia, and a violet-eyed girl, whose heart has been broken.
When Alex passes my body, he pauses. “I really do kind of feel bad about this one.”
The Banshee grabs his arm and tugs him towards the gate. “Don’t worry, you’ll forget soon enough.”
He nods, walking away, leaving our bodies in the fog, in the dark, soulless.
I suck in a sharp breath as my body trembles. “We have to get out of here.” I push to my knees. “Now.”
Aislin chases after me. “Gemma, calm down. You have to think rationally.” She seizes my elbow, but I jerk it away. “Gemma, you’re acting insane.”
“I know.” I pause at the boulders, shoulders slumping as the pressure builds. “Aislin, there’s something I need to tell you—something bad.”
She stops beside me, swallowing hard. “Okay.”
“It’s about Alex,” I say softly, staring at my feet. “H-he made a deal with Draven—the Lord of the Afterlife.” I take a deep breath and turn to look at her. “He made it back when we were trying to stop the portal. He said that he’d be in debt to him in exchange for some information.”
She starts shaking her head, over and over again. “That idiot. For how long?”
“A year,” I say quietly.
“A year!” She starts cursing as she turns in a circle. “That jackass. How could he do this to me… leave me here all alone?”
I frown. “You’re not alone… you have Laylen… and you have me.” And I guess if I look at it that way I’m not really alone, either. “Besides, we’ll save him.”
She keeps shaking her head, like she doesn’t believe it. I know exactly how she feels because, deep down in the bottom of my soul, I can feel something breaking off, like his soul is trying to disconnect from me.
Chapter 28
Alex
I blink my eyes at the ceiling above my head. It seems like I have been here forever and it has only been a couple of days. I stretch my arms above my head and throw the blanket off me. Swinging my feet over the side of the bed, I step onto the rug. I open the closet door and view the clothing inside. Draven has made sure that there is plenty for me to wear, all black, though, “fitting for a Lord” as he put it. I throw on a pair of black jeans and a black shirt.
After I lace my boots, I make my way to the dining area at the end of the tunnel. I was hesitant to eat anything after my first experience dining with Draven, but there hasn’t been a maggot incident since. I decided that I’d cooperate with him, at least for the time being, because I don’t really have an alternative and it seems like the longer I stay down here, the less I want an alternative. It’s freaking strange, but I’m starting to see why I should be here. Besides, I might be able to gain some insight on what Helena and the Lost Souls are up to since Draven hates her about as much as I do.
The table is fully stocked, like usual, and I sit down, picking up a piece of toast and spreading some butter on it. For a second, my minds drifts back to the real world—back to Gemma—but everything seems so hazy and disconnected.
I take a bite of the toast and my thoughts are interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching. The Banshee enters, wearing a long, velvet, maroon dress, her hair done up, and loop earrings dangle from her ears.
“What do you want?” I ask, reaching for the sausage.
“Now, Alex, is that any way to greet me?” She walks to the side of the table, grabs the back of a chair, and leans over. “You better be nice to me or I won’t be nice to you.”
“Now there’s a bonus.”
“That’s what you think until we get so deep into this that I’m all you have.” She pulls her hands back from the chair, and her heels click as she circles to the other side of the table where she stops beside me. She places one hand on the table and uses her other to trace a line down my cheek. “Your innocence is