Page 4 of Touched By Darkness

I cringe. “Say something.”

“You escaped Eden and got kidnapped by fallen angels.”

“Yes.”

“And then you found a way back through your ‘mind?’”

“Yes, there was a tear in the veil.”

“A tear in the veil?” She blinks again.

Shifting in my chair, I pull a face. “I know how it sounds.”

She laughs. Lightly at first, but then it bubbles out of her. She can’t stop. I knew this would happen, so I didn’t want to tell her.

“Okay, okay.” She tries to control herself, but fails miserably. “I want to believe you, I really do. But you haven’t been gone. You’ve been here every day, Aurelia.”

“I can’t explain it…”

She wipes tears from her eyes. “I’ll humor you. What are you going to do?”

If only I had an answer to that. How do you get yourself kicked out of Eden? And do I want to leave?

Yes, I do.

I can’t live out my existence in here knowing what I do.

“I don’t know.” I shrug. “What can I do?”

She regards me for a moment before leaning forward and taking my hand. “So, maybe I find this all crazy and hard to believe, but I’m here for you, Aurelia. You’re my best friend. You know that, right? Whenever you need to talk, I’m here. I promise to listen and not judge. Even when I struggle to understand. Deal?”

My lips twitch. “Deal.”

Satisfied, she nods, relaxing back into her seat. “So, kidnapped by fallen angels, huh? What were they like?”

When I smirk, her eyes widen. Whether she believes me or not, she’s drawn in. Even I’m questioning the legitimacy of my claims as I think back to Daemon, Alaric, and Ronan. It seems so far away. So distant, like a foggy memory. But no… memories press on my mind. I’ve witnessed things and experienced emotions I never knew existed. I have tasted desire, jealousy, and heartbreak. It can’t all be my imagination.

Nudging my knee with hers, she says, “Go on, don’t hold out on me.”

A blush creeps up my neck before I can stop it, and my cheeks flame.

“Oh, girl,” she says, her eyes wide. “You have it bad!”

Chewing on my lip, I regard her. I want to tell her the truth, but where do I start? How can I explain what happened to me? Some parts I don’t want to tell her. Freya is happy here in Eden. This is her home. If I told her about desire and death, I could put her at risk. “The stories were true. The fallen angels have hair as dark as night, smoky eyes with flames flickering in their depths, and majestic black wings.”

“You’re swooning.”

A laugh rips free from my mouth. “Maybe I am.” Growing serious, I reach for her hand. “There is so much I want to tell you, but I can’t. Eden is your home. I don’t want to do anything to jeopardize your safety here.”

She looks skeptical, but lets it go. “What can you tell me that’s within safe boundaries?”

My smile breaks free again. “They can conjure hellfire with a click of their fingers.”

ChapterTwo

AURELIA

Aurelia…

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