Read Online Torn From the Shadows by Yolanda Sfetsos - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Yolanda Sfetsos
Ads: Link
excitement—not tonight.
“Let’s go.” Ebony led the three teens—Jana, the blonde, and the two brunettes, Claire and Juliet—dressed in matching black outfits, down the narrow and short street.
Lavie and I hung back.
“So, how long have you known?” I finally asked Lavie, having avoided the topic during our drive.
“How long have I known what?”
I gave her a sideward glance. Lavie didn’t care about camouflage—she was wearing a lime turtleneck and bottle-green corduroy pants. Enough fabric to ensure her demonic seeds didn’t scare the living daylights out of anyone. She had several snake-like creatures coursing beneath her skin. A condition she’d contracted during an unfortunate sexual encounter.
I hadn’t forgotten my promise to help her figure out how to get rid of them—the task was on my mental to-do list.
“You don’t have to pretend anymore, Oren told me about the Alliance order.”
“I’m sorry,” Lavie whispered, leaning closer and wrapping an arm around my shoulder. “I’ve wanted to tell you since my aunt and I found out, but we were sworn to secrecy. I wondered how long Oren would be able to keep it quiet.”
“I’m not going to question the fact they want me, but what kind of organization would target a teenage girl?” I sighed, stepping over the asphalt we were traversing.
She squeezed my shoulder, pressing me tighter against her side. The ease with which she physically acted around me enforced how strong our friendship had grown.
“I don’t know what to say,” she whispered, leaning her head closer to mine. “But off the record, Saul thinks there’s more to this order than meets the eye.”
I stopped, kicking up some loose gravel with my boots. “Your demon friend is also part of the Alliance?”
She was quiet for a moment too long so I turned to face her, forcing her arm to drop to her side. Lavie wasn’t someone who cowered away, so she looked me in the eye. She’d willingly stood by my side when Maya the Lamia—a member of the Obscurus— attempted to steal my power via a dark ritual. If not for Lavie’s help, I doubted any of us would’ve made it out of that basement. So why was she skirting my question now?
“Is the demon part of the Alliance?” I repeated.
She shook her head.
“So you told him, but couldn’t tell me.”
“I’m sorry, okay?” she said, making a grab for the strap of her backpack. Only one was draped over her left shoulder, and with her incredible, big and kind hazel eyes, she looked just like a schoolgirl. “I had to tell someone—it was driving me crazy. I really wanted it to be you, but Oren and Aunt Sally warned me against it. They didn’t want to add to your troubles.”
Yeah, my trouble quota was always too long. I nodded, refusing to take my dark mood out on her. “Fine, what did he say?”
“Saul reckons there’s got to be more to it than just trying to eliminate a potential threat. It’s all hypothetical excuses, and he thinks there might be something rotten going on within the ranks.”
Yeah, there was something really rotten about a woman who was prepared to place a death order on her own great-grandchild.
“But don’t worry, he’s looking into it.”
“Why would he do that? The guy doesn’t even know me.” Why would he care?
Lavie shrugged, her eyes twinkling under the dim streetlight. “That’s just Saul. He cares about people and wants to help. Besides, don’t forget, he’s friends with your yummy boyfriend.”
Of course. How could I forget the connection?
A smile spread across my lips. “My yummy boyfriend, huh?” That was one of the many things I loved about Lavie—she could make me smile even while my life was on the line.
“I call it as I see it.”
A chuckle burst out of me. It helped release some of the tension bubbling up inside.
“Don’t worry about it. We’ll make sure the order never comes to pass,” Lavie said.
This Alliance, headed by a necromancer who used to be my
“Let’s go.” Ebony led the three teens—Jana, the blonde, and the two brunettes, Claire and Juliet—dressed in matching black outfits, down the narrow and short street.
Lavie and I hung back.
“So, how long have you known?” I finally asked Lavie, having avoided the topic during our drive.
“How long have I known what?”
I gave her a sideward glance. Lavie didn’t care about camouflage—she was wearing a lime turtleneck and bottle-green corduroy pants. Enough fabric to ensure her demonic seeds didn’t scare the living daylights out of anyone. She had several snake-like creatures coursing beneath her skin. A condition she’d contracted during an unfortunate sexual encounter.
I hadn’t forgotten my promise to help her figure out how to get rid of them—the task was on my mental to-do list.
“You don’t have to pretend anymore, Oren told me about the Alliance order.”
“I’m sorry,” Lavie whispered, leaning closer and wrapping an arm around my shoulder. “I’ve wanted to tell you since my aunt and I found out, but we were sworn to secrecy. I wondered how long Oren would be able to keep it quiet.”
“I’m not going to question the fact they want me, but what kind of organization would target a teenage girl?” I sighed, stepping over the asphalt we were traversing.
She squeezed my shoulder, pressing me tighter against her side. The ease with which she physically acted around me enforced how strong our friendship had grown.
“I don’t know what to say,” she whispered, leaning her head closer to mine. “But off the record, Saul thinks there’s more to this order than meets the eye.”
I stopped, kicking up some loose gravel with my boots. “Your demon friend is also part of the Alliance?”
She was quiet for a moment too long so I turned to face her, forcing her arm to drop to her side. Lavie wasn’t someone who cowered away, so she looked me in the eye. She’d willingly stood by my side when Maya the Lamia—a member of the Obscurus— attempted to steal my power via a dark ritual. If not for Lavie’s help, I doubted any of us would’ve made it out of that basement. So why was she skirting my question now?
“Is the demon part of the Alliance?” I repeated.
She shook her head.
“So you told him, but couldn’t tell me.”
“I’m sorry, okay?” she said, making a grab for the strap of her backpack. Only one was draped over her left shoulder, and with her incredible, big and kind hazel eyes, she looked just like a schoolgirl. “I had to tell someone—it was driving me crazy. I really wanted it to be you, but Oren and Aunt Sally warned me against it. They didn’t want to add to your troubles.”
Yeah, my trouble quota was always too long. I nodded, refusing to take my dark mood out on her. “Fine, what did he say?”
“Saul reckons there’s got to be more to it than just trying to eliminate a potential threat. It’s all hypothetical excuses, and he thinks there might be something rotten going on within the ranks.”
Yeah, there was something really rotten about a woman who was prepared to place a death order on her own great-grandchild.
“But don’t worry, he’s looking into it.”
“Why would he do that? The guy doesn’t even know me.” Why would he care?
Lavie shrugged, her eyes twinkling under the dim streetlight. “That’s just Saul. He cares about people and wants to help. Besides, don’t forget, he’s friends with your yummy boyfriend.”
Of course. How could I forget the connection?
A smile spread across my lips. “My yummy boyfriend, huh?” That was one of the many things I loved about Lavie—she could make me smile even while my life was on the line.
“I call it as I see it.”
A chuckle burst out of me. It helped release some of the tension bubbling up inside.
“Don’t worry about it. We’ll make sure the order never comes to pass,” Lavie said.
This Alliance, headed by a necromancer who used to be my
Similar Books
