Read Online Love Unfortunate by Claudia D. Christian - Free Book Online Page A

"He's getting better. Tonight was different. I will fix this."
    "I know you believe it, Liana."
    "Why can't you?"
    "I tried. I was more than willing to help you and did for over three-hundred years to make this right."
    "I never kept you from leaving, Cristophe."
    Exasperation laced his voice. "I’m not saying you did."
    "Then what are you saying?"
    "I’m saying I left because I couldn’t stand to see you continue to barter your life away to chase this dream. I left because this is never going to change."
    "You didn’t love him, Cristophe. You’ve never lost anyone like this. You wouldn’t understand."
    "I understand love because I love you. And I see what loving Laurent is doing to you."
    Cristophe’s next words shot out, designed to pierce through Liana’s apathy.
    "You’ve killed to keep all away. You’ve defied the Elders and threatened to send this world to Hell to keep this land. You’ve refused to change one thing of your appearance, but don’t you see? You can’t fix what we broke because
it is not meant to be fixed
."
    Liana yanked her hands away from his. She turned away and pushed the door open, uncaring of her nudity or the swarm of bodies who could see it.
    Cristophe viewed the milling crowd with mild disgust. The array of guards, scientists, and Shapeshifters gave his sister's madness legitimacy. It infuriated him. "You’re going back to the lab, aren’t you? Back to your data and reports?"
    "What do you think?"
    "I think that you’re going to end up destroying whatever is left of his mind! If it’s not destroyed already."
    She whirled about, rage contorting her fine features. "It’s not destroyed! Laurent, my Laurent, is still there. So stop trying to convince me otherwise!"
    Identical gazes glared in stalemate. Finally, Cristophe nodded his head and murmured, "I hope you are right, Liana. I truly do."
    She swallowed once and replied, "I’ll come to the next one after Iraq. I won’t let you shoulder our legacy alone."
    "Legacy? Curse is more apt. There is no rest for the wretched Children of Hel. But we are as we are, Liana. It's how we choose to live that determines the quality of our existence."
    Liana's patience with her brother's lectures had long since come to an end. "Go back to Rome, Brother. I don't believe you've prayed enough today."
    "My prayers are spent on you, Liana. Don't mock them." He didn't wait for an apology that didn't exist. Instead, he clasped her in his arms. "I have to leave, but I will see you soon. I'll send word of the next engagement."
    She returned his embrace. "Things are getting worse—even without me leaving this compound. Aries must be becoming fat."
    "He's been very busy, not that he minds." Cristophe kissed her brow and released her. "The Elders believe the seals will break before this generation grows old. What do you feel?"
    She watched her lead scientist approach with robe in tow. Accepting the garment with thanks, she slipped it on and motioned for Cristophe to follow. The final visual enchantments about the castle fell with a brush of her hand. A silver door appeared in place of battered stone. "Do you want to come up for a bit?"
    "No, thank you. I really have to go." Cristophe saw her nod her head in acceptance while reaching for the door. He repeated his question of before. "What do you feel, Liana?"
    "Yes, they're right. We have a little over twenty years left." Her hand tightened on the door handle. The cold metal reminded Liana of the fear spiking in her heart. "I’m running out of time."
    Cristophe remained silent. There wasn’t anything left to say.
    "Do you ever miss how we were?" she asked suddenly. "You know, before the Elders took us away."
    "Sometimes."
    "Why?"
    "It was just us. Hel didn't exist for me, Liana. Only you." Futile regret brushed across his words. "I know that's not what it was for you. I know she spoke to you. I know she tried to force her will on you while I dreamt. I know she scarred you in ways she couldn't do to