Page 23 of Frosted Torment

“We existed too, but we forged our flesh when we fell,” Jossy countered, intertwining our fingers. “The world is corrupt, and most people don’t care about our kind, but you experienced our world for yourself. Did you imagine it all, Noa?”

I shook my head, chilled to think something as sinister as a demon could reach me. “What about vampires?” I asked.

His face puckered as though tasting something foul. “People put more stock in the devil and his loathsome minions. It’s absurd.”

“Wait. You’re telling me vampires exist?” I gasped.

“They’re nothing like the movie versions.” He said it in such a casual way like it would be easy for me to hear. “Vampires are like zombies, but quite rare.”

I scratched my head in shock. “For a mere mortal with alcohol issues, this could push me over the brink,” I said.

“We’d never let that happen, Noa,” Jossy assured me. “Every woman in your family who came before you knew about us.”

I looked at him, searching for a lie. “My mom?”

“And your grandmother.” He nodded and began rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. “They tried to protect you.”

I rubbed my chest as anxiety swelled. Jossy’s voice faded to a muffle, and I struggled to hear him over the pounding in my ears. When I looked up, my stomach twisted in a knot. With an unpleasant retch, I vomited from the uncertainty of my own sanity.

“It’s all right, I’ve got you,” he said, reaching for me. I recoiled, signaling him to wait as I shook my head. Still hunched, I met Ivy’s eyes as she handed me water.

Rubbing my forehead, I muttered under my breath, “I need a second, okay? This is just... too much.”

The fog lifted as Ivy’s soft voice broke through. “Puking is part of learning how to portal, but that will wear off soon enough.”

“Thanks.” I poured water into my mouth before swishingand spitting it out. I wiped my lips with the back of my hand. “Where did you even find these?”

She shrugged. “An unassuming coat closet inside the church.”

My skin prickled at the realization of my best friends as fallen angels. Resolving myself to accept this reality was daunting, but something in me was worth everything to them. Dread gathered in the pit of my stomach, but unlike before, I tamed it.

Isolated, the sun was almost eye-level, with gentle hues of orange and purple coloring the sky. I took a deep breath and fought to make a choice. Trust my friends or continue looking over my shoulder, as demons sought me out while I figured it out alone.

My mother’s soothing voice penetrated deep into my mind, urging me to go with them. I glanced up and saw how much more of what they were now. Daunted, feeling several inches smaller in comparison, I wanted to turn heel and run again, but I didn’t.

I was suspicious, but I found the courage to ask, “Why did it take so long for you to realize it was me?”

“I don’t know,” Jossy offered me a smile. “We had a limited role, only to ensure that you wereyou.”

I steeled myself before voicing my irritation aloud. “You knew about this and kept it from me,” I huffed. “Well, nothing says ‘beaming target’ like ignorance.”

Jossy’s gaze softened, the tension in his brow easing as he regarded me. “Noa, we have to be cautious,” he said, his voice low and steady. “Your safety is paramount, and Vincent will explain the other details.”

The urgency in my chest ignited a fire in my words. “Get usa car,” I declared, my voice cutting through the charged atmosphere.

Ivy stopped playing with the white tips of her hair, a bored habit I had come to recognize. “Wait a minute,” she interjected, her brow furrowing in disapproval.

Lex’s eyes flickered, as though he could see the storm brewing within me and wanted to stop it. “What if we could help you disappear for a while? It’s possible.”

“I didn’t take you for a coward, Lex,” I challenged, crossing my arms over my chest.

His nostrils flared as his arms remained at his sides. “We need to think this through because they could have a damn army built by now.”

“If I have a supernatural tracker in my head, they’ll find me, right?” I countered. “I want answers, and I want to know how to fight off demons from killing me.”

“Demons and fallen angels aren’t ones to mess with, Noa,” Ivy warned. “If they catch you, they won’t kill you.”

“I’m sorry?” I chuckled, certain she meant to saywill kill.

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