Page 32 of Corrupt Shadows

He freezes, his eyes locked on me as if he’s a deer caught in headlights. There’s a tremor to his voice. “Please, don’t…”

“There are no mirrors here.” I don’t take my eyes off him for a second. “The demon can’t hear you, and neither can the Order. The only threat is me, so you better talk. Don’t make me ask again.”

“I don’t know—”

“Stop!” I shout before he can deny it. “You said he’s right, that I’m crazy,” I state. “Who is he?”

His eyes flutter closed, and he shoves his hands into the pockets of his tailored blazer. “I’m fucked anyway,” he states after whistling out a breath. “He will kill me for this.”

I lick my lips, my fingers freezing from the gusts of winds sweeping up the alley, rustling papers around us. “He doesn’t have to know.”

His gaze darkens. “He knows everything.”

“That’s such bullshit. I’ve read enough about demons to know they can’t do anything to us unless we let them.”

His jaw goes slack, and he steps closer, as if I’m not holding a deadly weapon. “You know about the Shadow Realm?”

My brows knit together. He knows I’m a witch—he has to—so I’m surprised he thinks I wouldn’t have researched everything and anything related to the dark portals that most in this world are ignorant to. However, I haven’t heard of that realm. Only Hell, the veil in between, and the heavens. I clear my throat. “They say ‘know your enemies,’” I say, deadpan. “Why did the Order send you?”

He hesitates, then Rosa’s voice echoes from the other side of the alleyway. “Evie?”

I whip my head around, and pain shoots through my fingers as Aiden twists my wrist to the side. The gun slips from my fingers and into his. My magic sizzles from my core, begging to be unleashed on this dick. I keep it locked up, barely, but the rage pulsing through me threatens to combust.

My gaze locks on his. “You might be holding my gun right now, but I swear I’ll kill you if you don’t tell me something.”

A shadow moves beside him, and he jumps, letting out a small scream. My magic grows closer to the surface, the vibration rising between us. Darkness threatens to take over, and a second shadowy wisp moves through the air.

No. This can’t happen again.

I clamp my eyes shut, my nails digging into the palm of my hands until I draw blood. “Evie?” Rosa’s voice reaches me through the panic, and I open my eyes. I can’t let it out. I won’t. Not with my best friend here.

Rosa turns to face him. “You better tell us something. I swear to God.”

“I can’t!” he yells and sighs. “Lorcan will kill me if I do.”

My eyes widen. “Lorcan?”

I suck in an icy breath, and Aiden’s face drains of color. Another shadow ripples from me, and he takes a step back. I try to hold them inside, but they’re going to combust. “Get away from me!” I shout at Rosa.

Aiden takes one look at my eyes, and his bulge. He drops the gun into a pile of trash and runs. I buckle at the knees, holding onto my stomach as I double over. Containing the shadows back drains all my energy.

“Evie, what’s happening?” She holds my shoulders. “Your eyes are… black.”

“It’s my magic. You need to run,” I beg, but she stays rooted to the spot. “I need a pill.” I point at my purse lying on the floor, while my magic bubbles under my skin, moving as if it has a mind of its own.

Rosa places two tablets against my lips, and I stick out my tongue, then swallow them dry. “Please,” I say with a whimper. “Go.”

“No.” She squeezes my hands, and I want to get away from her, but it’s taking all my energy to keep it from exploding out of me. I don’t want to move from this spot.

“Here, babe.” Rosa places a cigarette between my lips and lights it.

I puff out a cloud of smoke and close my eyes.

Rosa waits patiently at my side. She knows me well enough to not ask questions. Having her by my side seems to cool the magic down instead of encouraging it. We’re safe as I feel it coiling back into the place I buried it so many years ago.

“I need to go home,” I explain.

“What about Aiden?”

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