Demon Heart (The Darkworld Series Book 3) by Emma L. Adams

Author:Emma L. Adams [Adams, Emma L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781620076828
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Published: 2015-10-16T23:00:00+00:00

“Ash.”

The voice sounded chilling and familiar, both alien and disturbingly close to home. I opened my eyes, although I knew almost instantly that I was dreaming.

I lay in the centre of a field, although no grass grew around me and the ground was scorched black. The ruin of the Blackstone manor sat nearby. A girl stood in front of it, smiling a sinister smile. The doppelganger. Her demon eyes found mine, and her smile turned cruel, making me feel as though she stripped me down to the core.

“Long time, no see,” said the doppelganger.

“Go away,” I said.

“You wound me, Ashlyn.”

“This is a dream. You can’t hurt me, so don’t even try.”

“Have you learnt nothing from your dreams? I am more real than you are, Ash. And at least I’m not in denial about my true self.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You’re a fool. You might wear your frail human heart on your sleeve, but your other heart needs nourishing, too. Otherwise, it’ll take what it wants for itself.”

“What’re you―”

Before I could finish, cold pierced me all over, and shadows sprung up, wrapping around my wrists. The pendant burned against my chest, and my vision darkened, turning into the purple-tinted monochrome of a demon.

I fought against the shadows, but they held me like the arms of a giant.

“Let me go!” I screamed.

Never.

The voice echoed, both in my head and aloud, both mine and not mine. But the doppelganger hadn’t opened her mouth.

Was that me? The demon?

No. It couldn’t be.

“Conflicted, Ash?”

“You. What have you done?”

“I’ve not done a thing. I’m trying to help you, even though you destroyed my second chance at life. You’re like us, and the sooner you accept that, the better.”

And suddenly the surroundings were clear again, including the building behind the doppelganger. But it was no longer a ruin. The mansion all but gleamed, its white walls and balconies as spotless and whole as if newly made.

No way.

“A word of advice, Ash. Choose your path wisely. There’s no turning back from the Darkworld.”

Now we stood inside, in Melivia’s bedroom. The painting of the girl smiled at me from the wall. Another painting had been pinned to a canvas in the centre of the room, showing a whirlwind of flames engulfing a mass of shadowy black shapes.

And the room was burning, too. Flames leapt around us, devouring the gilt paintings, the rosewood desk, the plush carpets.

The doppelganger vanished, and in her place crouched the frail shape of Melivia, trembling as she faced the flames.

“Burn,” she whispered, “burn with me.” The fire answered, flickering toward her.

“That won’t be necessary.”

Another voice spoke out of the shadows. I tried to turn my head to see who it was, but paralysis gripped me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the figure offer Melivia a hand.

“I can help you,” whispered the voice, and it sounded so… emotionless. Human, but chilling as any demon’s. “Come with me.”

Melivia shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut as though hoping to push the demon away.

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