Her Black Heart (The Dark Amulet Series Book 2) Read Online Free Page A

she’d become an adult. She captivated him. He’d never been the same since.
    “Julia?” he said, peering into the dim lighting. She didn’t answer but he heard the rustling of clothing. “I know you’re here.”
    “Get away from me.”
    “No. I’m—” He inhaled deeply. Julia wouldn’t recognize his real name. “I’m Pan and—”
    “I said get away from—wait, what did you say your name was?”
    “You called me Pan.”
    “This night just keeps getting weirder.” She leaned forward in her crouching position against the wall. “Holy shit. Wow. You look different . But I can still kind of see the resemblance.”
    Aza’zel looked at her sharply. “You can?” He stepped toward her. A single bare bulb dangled in his path. He batted at the fixture, suspended from a cord attached to the partially rotted out ceiling. He grumbled under his breath and ducked as the bulb came back at him. Again, the light returned and conked him on the back of the head. “What the fuck,” he snarled and caught the cord.
    “No. Don’t!”
    Aza’zel ripped the cord out of the ceiling. He jumped to the side as plaster, along with a lot of dust, landed on the concrete floor.
    Crackle. Zzzz.
    A bare wire still stuck in the ceiling sparked and white smoke billowed. He threw the fixture to the floor.
    Buzzz. Pop!
    “Fuck.”
    Julia snorted. “Slick!” She bounced up from her squat against a wall and rushed past him. “Come on, let’s go, Pan . Before this whole place goes.”
    The wire continued to arc and buzz. Heat scorched his back and prodded him forward. He followed her to the exit of the building.
    “How do you recognize me?” he asked, jogging to catch up with her. He no longer had horns and red skin, or goat legs.
    “I just can,” she called over her shoulder near the exit. When she reached the door, she stomped her feet. “What are you doing? Are you crazy? Water and electricity don’t—”
    Zzzz. Whoosh!
    Blue flames shot out from the ceiling. Sparks flew. Fire flared behind him with temperatures close to molten rock and he arched his back. Julia pushed the door open and went out of sight. Aza’zel exited before the rusted metal panel had a chance to shut in his face. Outside, the rush of air cooled his skin. It had rained here; the pavement was wet.
    Julia sped down the alley away from the fire, jumping over puddles. He raced after her, reveling in the rainwater. His hand made contact with her shoulder and he whipped her around so she faced him. He regretted the touch instantly. He stared at his palm.
    “What’s wrong? Burn yourself?” she asked.
    “Where are you going?”
    “In case you hadn’t noticed, you started a fire. I’m leaving, unless you wanted to stick around and toast marshmallows.”
    He searched her face for her meaning. “I might. What are marshmallows?”
    She rolled her eyes. “Pan. Oh, my God. Jesus .”
    He sighed. “This is not my name.”
    “If you’ve come looking for the necklace you gave me, it’s gone. Stolen by some freaks.”
    “How’d you know this is why I came to see you?”
    “Well, everyone else wants it, why not you too?” she snapped. Her eyes went round for a second. 
    “I was told to help you find it.”
    She scrunched her face up. “By who, and why?”
    “Deus.”
    “Who?” He blinked at her.
    “Deus. The amulet must be destroyed.”
    She mouthed, wow , turned, and began walking. “Okaaay. Let’s try this again.”
    He caught up to her and kept pace alongside her. “Try what?”
    “Ohmygod.”
    “No. Deus.”
    Julia gave her head one quick shake and mumbled to herself, “You are so much dumber than a box of rocks.”
    Aza’zel was insulted by the assumption. True, he was a bit addled; he knew this, but the comparison wasn’t accurate. Rocks didn’t have brains. “Julia, maybe we can help each other.” Okay, now he was only repeating what Deus told him.
    “You want to help me steal the amulet back, sooo…you can destroy it, is that