Read Online Darkness Betrayed (Torn) by Christine Hughes - Free Book Online Page A

have to do, regardless of how others perceive you, you won’t feel so torn.”
    His grip on my hand tightened and I wondered whether all of it was really just inside me. Was it something I wanted or something that would come to fruition? Had I suddenly figured out a way to perceive the future?
    I bent down to pluck a white daisy growing alone in the field of carnage. “I already made my choice. I stand with the Faithful. I’ve chosen to remain the balance between it all.”
    Taking the flower from my hand, he smiled slowly. “Oh, Samantha. If that were entirely true, you and I wouldn’t be having this conversation. They’ve made it sound so easy.” He tucked stray strands of hair behind my ear and lifted my chin so I could look into his eyes. “You’re too conflicted to balance anything this way. I think, and this is just based upon my observations, you have to choose a side completely before you can work towards evening the scales.”
    “But I just told you…”
    Damien shook his head. “No. I must not be explaining it correctly. I don’t think this is a simple matter of choosing sides, despite what we all may have thought. You must live one way or the other. The light inside of you is constantly at war with the darkness. That is no way to live. Not in a constant state of struggle. There is a plan for you. One to which none of us is privy. Again, all of this is mere conjecture on my part.” The ease with which he spoke calmed everything around me. Even the low buzzing sounded like a melody. A song about losing my religion began to play in my head.
    “Why are you helping me? Why are you giving me a choice? I thought you wanted me to join you.”
    “I do. Samantha you have no idea how long I have waited for you. You and I could do many wonderful things together. But my hands are tied. You must choose me.”
    “You didn’t let Malena choose.”
    His eyes burned red for an instant and I knew I was right. “ Malena couldn’t choose.”
    “So you made the decision for her.”
    “It’s more complicated than that.”
    “You’re no better than Sebastian if you couldn’t afford her the opportunity to think for herself.”
    “I never said I was any better than him.” His voice was filled with anger. His face twisted for a second to reveal the demon living inside. Fear crept into my heart. The thought of him as a hunter flitted in and out of my thoughts.
    He seemed to know he was losing my acceptance. “Here, eat this.” He reached above to the tree branch and plucked a perfectly ripe apple from the limb. Without hesitation, I took a bite. Calm replaced my fears. Knowledge of ordinary miracles replaced hesitation.
    “You are beautiful, Samantha. I can feel the heat between us and I know you can feel it to o, in here.” His hand reached out and touched my stomach. A swarm of butterflies raged and I ached with desire. “And here.” His hand moved to my heart and it began to race. Sweat beaded along my brow. “And here.” He brought his lips to mine. He tasted as sweet as the apple I’d just eaten. The kiss deepened and I wanted nothing more than to follow him wherever he wanted me to go.
    When he pulled away, breathless, he pointed to a small cleared space. Two doors stood, one black and one white. “It’s all a choice, Samantha. Your choice. Which door will take you where you want most to be?”
    Tentatively I stepped to take a closer look. Other than the color, the doors were the same. Instinctively I reached out and touched a silver knob, turning it ever so slightly.
    ***
    My eyes flashed open and I looked around trying to figure out where I was.
    Curtains.
    Ceiling.
    Walls.
    I sat up and noticed Ethan sleeping soundly in the chair. I was a mess of sweat and jumpy nerves. My head ached like I’d been thrown, headfirst, into a wall. Throwing the blanket off me, I peeked through the closed curtain. It was still dark outside. I had no clock in my room and wasn’t sure what time it was. I tiptoed out