Read Online Two Halves Series by Marta Szemik - Free Book Online

rode on her soft breath, brushing my face, travelling from my ear and across my cheek to touch my mouth. After teasing the corner of my lips, it squeezed between them to settle into my lungs, warming my insides.
    The aroma of black roses entered my lungs and I wasn’t sure when my fingers clenched the gem. I felt the spin of the vortex as it took me through the forest, then into the underground. With my eyes closed, I breathed heavily through my parted lips, ready for hers to crush into mine, expecting to find myself facing my black queen at any moment.
    The swirling went on longer than usual. When it stopped, the heat that hit my body made me think Xela must have added more logs to the fire in her lair. I inhaled, ready for the sweet smell of roses to invade my nose, but smelled only the stench of dirty old socks. My eyes flew open as the pull to the underworld released me. Gone was the dark forest, replaced by flickering orange and red light. The pervading stench settled inside my mouth before the room came into focus. I had stepped into an oven of hell.
    Part of me prepared to fight because I wouldn’t go down without putting on a show. The other part was eager to see Xela. I sensed her presence. She had to have been near, to summon me the way she did.
    I scanned the grand hall. The hundreds of glowing orange seeker eyes surrounding me made it seem smaller. Demons I did not recognize smirked, their eyes sparking with a hint of purple, heads held high. They were smarter than the seekers. Predatory gazes fixed on my unmarked wrists, then run along my body. My muscles tensed voluntarily when I saw the mark of the sphere glow on their wrists, as if they wanted to make their stature known. I recognized some as shifters and movers when a few at the side showed off their powers. Most had arms crossed over their chests. They weren’t going to fight, considering themselves too important to face only one shape-shifter. These demons were here to observe.
    Before them, Aseret stood with Xela at his side.
    I kept my defensive stance, ready to take on anyone who moved. The seekers knew me well enough not to start a fight, but with their master watching, most were ready to show off, even if it meant taking a chance at death.
    “Well donnne, Xela. How assstute of me to have you on my sssside. Where isss the other one?” Aseret asked her with a hiss.
    “She’s not connected to me.” Xela’s answer was flat.
    Aseret wasn’t impressed. “I told you to bringgg them both.” His claw rose to smack her, but I flew at him with all my strength, shifting into a vampire halfway, and struck the side of his jaw. An orange gash opened on his neck that stretched up to his ear.
    Within seconds, seekers were after me, and I released my long-held frustration on them, driving three to their knees in one swift move, careful not to kill them. That would make Aseret’s plan to mark me too easy.
    “Ssstand downn, or she diesss,” Aseret threatened, emphasizing the last word so I understood that death would not be quick. He crooked his neck to the other side; I assumed he was trying to ease the pain from the gash. His nose twitched. “I mean it, Xannderrr.”
    Fury raged through my body. I was sure I turned green and the shade would remain on my skin a while. My focus regained as I whirled to glare at him. He held the sharp nail of his forefinger on her neck just above an artery. Xela’s blood oozed around the nail. I stopped.
    The closest demons grabbed my arms, their fiery palms burning my skin though they left no scorch mark.
    “Ahh, he caresss for you. How sssweet!” Aseret mocked. “Xander, you want herrr? You can have herrr.” He pushed Xela toward me. She stumbled, falling into my arms. The seekers holding me stepped aside.
    “Are you all right?” I asked her.
    “It’s a trick, Xander. I didn’t summon you,” she whispered. “Don’t listen to what he has to say.”
    “All you have to do isss joinnn me and she can be