Torn Page 0,23

Collin found out that I'd planned on using the portal at the Roman catacombs, he cautioned me against it.

"You can't go that way," he said shaking his head. "Not if the Martis knew you entered there. And you said they followed you guys down here." We'd been walking through the Underworld like it was normal. Hand in hand, we strolled past the jagged cliffs that tore through the cavern floor and stretched up into the inky sky and out of sight. His dragon was nearby, but didn't get closer. The beast's massive wings were hypnotic looking. They seemed impossibly thin to carry such a massive creature. When the dull red glow that illuminated the caverns lit the dragon's wings he looked terrifyingly beautiful. So, I did my best to ignore the beast or acknowledge him the same way I would a cat or some other normal creature that decided to stalk me. Collin didn't acknowledge the dragon, but then why would he, if it was his? I didn't really care that the dragon was there, and the creature did keep the demons and grackles away. Collin and I walked on in silence with the beast looming in the distance like a dark cloud.

Collin hadn't asked what happened to my friends yet. I told him that they'd come down here to help me, but I didn't mention what happened after that. As we traced the paths that I'd walked with Eric and Shannon, emotions began to bubble from deep within me. They were too strong to hide and I could tell that Collin could sense my dismay through the bond.

"Ivy," he started hesitantly, pushing his dark hair away from his eyes, "if you don't want to talk about it, we won't - but, what happened to them? Where are Shannon and Eric?"

We stopped walking suddenly, as I was unable to control a shudder. What happened to them? It was the question I was dreading. I wrapped my arms around my middle to chase away the chill that shook me, but it didn't help. Nothing could help. Nothing could change what happened on the way to rescue Collin. I lost both of them. Taking a deep breath, I looked up into his eyes. Collin's face was full of compassion. He knew something was very wrong. But he was right; I didn't want to talk about it. Staring into his eyes, I knew that I couldn't admit that I drained Eric's soul. And, I could barely talk about Shannon without spewing venom so thick that it made my throat hurt. No. I didn't want to talk about them at all. Blinking, I looked away from his gaze.

My voice was flat, concealing the tremors that were shaking me apart inside, "Shannon turned on me. She said that I was corrupt from the time Apryl died. She'd been pretending to be my friend since then. We fought. She tried to kill me. So, I sent her to the surface by shoving her through a black glass. And Eric..." I paused, swallowing hard. How was I supposed to admit to Collin that I turned someone into a Valefar? The one thing that Collin wanted the most was his soul. The thing he confessed to me from the very beginning was that he would do whatever it took to undo the Valefar curse. And here I was, adding people to the Valefar army of the damned. Collin was understanding, but I didn't think he would understand my actions.

Not this time.

To confess that I turned Eric would poison our relationship. Collin would never look at me the same way again. The last time Collin and I spoke of souls and demon kisses, I was terrified. And now? Now, I admitted the idea held some appeal. A demon kiss - the act itself was horrendous - but I was part Valefar and it called to me. And at some point during my time in the Underworld, I noticed that I didn't have to try to act Valefar anymore. I just was. I didn't have to flip off my Martis side and intentionally change to my Valefar side. Somehow they became equally accessible, anytime I needed that part of me.

Swallowing hard, I said the only thing that I could admit that wouldn't skew Collin's perception of me, "Eric's dead." That was all that I could admit. And it was true. The Eric I knew was dead. The new terrifying version was still around, but I was too ashamed to admit