AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Aveline, Aveline…
"Tell me I’m not the only one hearing that," I breathed, fighting back a shudder.
"You’re not," Taj growled, his fangs bared and angry lava-veined muscles bulging in his arms.
"He’s baiting us," Arkan said, close to my left, his expression terrifyingly blank. "What’s the plan?"
"Well, baitinghimdidn’t work," Joseph sighed, casting me a worried look. I gave him a reassuring smile, as if I wasn’t scared to my bones and bleeding, bruised, and aching.
We fell silent when we reached the top of the slope, a freakishly tall door in front of us. I swallowed hard. Ireallydidn’t want to go in here, but Eidolon was here—this was all aimed at me. The funfair where he thought I’d killed Dev’s brother to get his attention. The funfair he’d kidnapped me from. We’d come full circle.
"X, stay with Avie," Dev murmured, giving us each a hard, commanding look.
"Joseph and Arkan, you go ahead—"
"No," I squeaked out, trying to grab them in my panic. "No splitting up. That’s the cardinal rule of confronting a scary monster. Has no one seenScooby Doo? Nothing good happens when Scoob and Shaggy are alone, guys.Nothing."
"We’ll be okay," Joseph soothed, his soulful eyes holding me for a stare we didn’t have time for.
"We’re not splitting up," I argued, and shoved past them, plunging through the door and into a maze of mirrors. "I can’t let you—"
"Babygirl," Dev called calmly, and my heartbeat thudded hard against my ribs. "What did we talk about?"
We will kill him. Together. That's the only offer on the table.
"Ican’t,"I growled, flinching as that voice calledAveline, Aveline…
"We’re not delicate flowers," Taj said, although reassuringly, gently. "We can hold our own, Lina."
My throat tightened painfully. Panic made my skin crawl, my breathing race.
"You stay in touch through the bondthe entire time,"I hissed at Joseph and Ark. "If you dip out for even a second, I’m coming after you."
Joseph nodded, a serious expression on his face. Ark laid his hand over his heart in silent promise.
"And you,” I fired at Dev, "need to remember you all nearly died, and I’m unhinged. You can’t reason with broken, crazy people, Dev."
Air brushed my face like a caress when I turned to my devil, and then Joseph and Ark were gone, taking advantage of my distraction. I choked on a whimper, needing them back, needing them hereright now.Something bad was going to happen, something was—a rush of reassurance hit my soul from Joseph, and I sagged.
"They’re okay," I breathed, and swallowed hard. "So—what’s our plan?"
"Follow my lead," the devil replied mysteriously. I tried to kick him as he passed, but he was too swift.
X and Taj fell into step in front and behind me, the narrow entrance to the fun house forcing us into single file. I hated it.
"Follow my lead,"I muttered sourly.
Silence ate at my nerves as we walked carefully through the mirrored corridor, our reflections jumping from mirror to mirror. And all the time that voice calledAveline, Aveline…
A flutter of love came down the bond to reassure me Joseph was fine, an echoing rush of calm coming from Arkan. Iknewthat calm though, knew its false promises. That was the cold he used to ice out his emotions. I sent him a sharp jab in return.Stop lying to me, wraith daddy,the jab said, in very specific terms.
"That’s not Eidolon’s voice," X said behind me, reaching out to brush my back with his fingers, reassuring himself I was still there. I jumped, but I put a knife in my mouth and reached back to squeeze his hand.We’re fine, we’re going to be completely fine.
Aveline, Aveline…
Shit, X was right. That wasn’t Eidolon’s voice, but it was familiar. Why was it familiar?
I let go of X’s hand and took the knife out of my mouth, needing both weapons. Icy premonition clawed down my arms until I buzzed with adrenaline and dread.
