Rise From Darkness Read Online Free Page B

Boon’s voice. “Shut up. No one asked you.” Alexander released Boon with a shove.
    Boon rubbed his throat and put distance between them then reached down to retrieve his glasses.
    Alexander turned on Sammy. “Why would you fight your own brother to save this demon?” A demon that hangs with Forras , the one who killed that woman in the car… He swallowed, his words caught in an iron trap of fury and remorse.
    “He didn’t do anything wrong. Never once did he try to seduce me or attempt to convince me to be one of them. He isn’t happy with the others. He’s different. If you give him a chance you could see—”
    “Never, and you will never talk to him again. He’s a demon. They’re all the same. I swore to protect you and that’s what I’m going to do.” The muscles in his face twitched with rage as he turned to face Boon. “You will stay away from my sister or you will die.”
    “You must not. It would destroy you. Murder leads down a dark path.” Boon spoke in a calmed hush voice, brown eyes wide.
    “Boon’s right. We were put on this Earth to protect humans, not to pass judgment.” Sammy’s pained expression tugged at Alexander’s heart.
    “I know what I said, but he-is-not-innocent. And I will risk everything to protect you.”

    “Isn’t that what caused us to fall in the first place?”

Chapter Three

    Gaby awoke refreshed and ready for a new day. She couldn’t remember the last time that happened. Since the death of her mother, each morning she had to concentrate on getting out of bed, but today was different.
    Inspiration to draw hit her the minute she opened her eyes. She pulled her art supplies from an old trunk her mother had given her. The colored charcoal pencils seemed to have a mind of their own as the picture took form and life.
    Exhilaration filled her.
    Her hands moved against the paper, smearing and shading the colors. Army green edges mixed with charcoal grey and a smidgen of tree bark brown encircled stark white and canary yellow. A distorted form appeared at first with no real shape. Gradually, the picture revealed itself to her, a cocoon of some sort. An exquisite golden light with puffy wings wrapped around it.
    A tingle danced on her skin, at the sight of wings wrapping themselves around her. “That’s crazy.”
    Although through the years, Gaby had talked to herself, recently it had become chronic. She guessed that’s what happened when she had only herself for company.
    She lifted the picture and studied it, wishing she could share it with someone. But since her mother’s death, there was no one. It would be pointless to show it to her father since he didn’t approve of wasting time ‘doodling.’ Sighing, s he tucked the picture into her portfolio.
    She pulled on her pink bikini bottoms and slipped the tied string of her top over her head and secured the back hook. Scanning her body in the full-length mirror, hanging on the back of the door, the lightning bolt pattern on her abdomen still shone bright. She shuddered at the sight and traced the lines with her fingers.
    Part of her didn’t want to go near the beach, but Sammy would be there. A chance to have a real friend. That was reason enough. Besides, she’d probably made too much out of it. Let her imagination run wild again.
    If Alexander showed she could find out more information about what happened. She could feel the corner of her mouth rise at the thought of him. Shaking her head, she stopped herself. The only reason she wanted to see him was for more information about what happened. He’d been aloof. But did she even thank him for saving her life? If she didn’t he could have thought she was just as rude and ungrateful.
    Throwing on a beach cover-up, she headed out of her room with her art supplies and picture in tow.
    A stifling musty odor greeted her when she opened the door and descended down the creaky stairs. The house appeared put together like a jigsaw puzzle. Her room had been an attic at