Soulstone [4] by Katie Salidas

Author:Katie Salidas [Salidas, Katie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy
Publisher: Rising Sign Books
Published: 2012-03-25T13:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 16

The thick, enveloping smoke began to dissipate on its own, as if someone had opened a door and sucked it right out of the back of the room. But none of the doors had been opened.

I shook my head to help clear away the remaining haze. Lights flickered on around us. The crystal fell from Ariana’s hand, and I gasped as it tumbled into the coffin.

Ariana sank to the ground.

Lysander had again become motionless, looking as if he were sleeping. If I hadn’t known better, I would have thought nothing had happened. But I’d seen him move, heard him speak. Something had definitely happened. But why didn’t it work? What went wrong, and why did Lysander say he wasn’t alone? Somewhere, deep down, I feared we might have just lost our shot at saving him. Whatever was with him in that crystal might never let him go. A tear welled in the corner of my eye. I fought back against the feelings of despair, unwilling to give up just yet.

Ariana clutched her head in her hands and let out a groggy moan on the floor. I rushed to her aid along with Fallon.

“Are you all right?” I asked.

Her head shot up, and her eyes, filled with an unusual fire, locked onto mine. A wave of pure hatred rolled off her. It crashed into me with such force I felt my own anger surging to meet it.

“Get away from me, death bringer!” she spat the words out. Then, her voice deepened. Ariana said something else. I couldn’t quite make out the words. She sounded strange, as if someone else were speaking through her. The next thing I knew, a shock like a bolt of electricity hit me. Suddenly, I was on the other side of the room, my head colliding with the wall.

“What the fuck?” Stars danced in my vision. My ears rang and the back of my head throbbed where it had struck the wall.

Across the room, Ariana sat up and scowled as she looked around at the other vampires surrounding her.

Fallon was still at her side. “Why did you do that?” she asked.

“Vampires. Death bringers. You have no power over me. I am the true master of death.” Ariana turned her head toward Fallon. “Get behind me. I’ll protect you from these murderers.”

The rest of the clan froze in their spots and exchanged confused glances as if trying to determine the best way to handle the situation.

“They’re our friends.” Worry tinged Fallon’s voice. “Don’t you remember?”

“You’re friends with these leeches?” Ariana eyed Fallon suspiciously.

“So are you,” she replied back.

Confusion played across Ariana’s face. Her lips quivered, and for a brief moment her eyes rolled backwards in their sockets.

Nicholas must have caught her momentary lapse. He bent down to Fallon and Ariana. “She doesn’t remember.” He reached out a hand toward the fallen witch. Instantly, the confusion on her face turned to a scowl.

“Do you know who I am?” Nicholas asked.

Ariana’s eyebrow quirked. She lifted her hand and pointed a finger at Nicholas.

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