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CHAPTER ONE

A speck of pure red light shone through the darkness I could see him My heart lurched Collin was on his side with one hand extended before hi before he collapsed I sed hard at the sight of his appearance His clothing was torn to rags and covered in filth His dark hair was matted to his scalp Deep black lines were etched into his body It was as if long blades had pierced his flesh and the wounds were left open to putrefy A surge of rage shot froers into fists

I had to get to Collin

If I could get to hiet us both out of here But, I had to physically reach hih the inky black space A di Collin's body before it fell into darkness He was separated by a chasroaned, and the hollow place in et to him Now But, time was limited I had until someone saw me And in this shadowy place, so next to me the whole time, and I wouldn't have known My Martis vision didn't work as well down here, though I didn't knohy

Silently, I crept forith round, Iat a tins that demons were near, but there were none

Why was he alone? Did they really think that I would stay away? Did they think I would abandon hi stretched forward, as I shifted my body slowly toward the rihtest trace of red light that moved and flickered like fire

Suddenly the shadows that I called with my Valefar powers, tried to retreat The shadoere locked deep inside el blood that flowed through my veins The shadows jerked, and attehtly The sensation madeI could hold theer As I neared the rim, I saw demons on the other side They were behind Collin's li toward me

As I slid closer to the edge, the red light licked across my face, and I peered over It was then that I felt the bond tug sharply I looked up at Collin His blue eyes ide open, staring at me He didn't move, but the expression on his face conveyed more pain than I could bear

His thoughts brushed myfor you Don't come

I'll get you out, I replied It'll be all right As soon as I can reach you, you'll be safe Collin's blue eyes slid closed as he lost consciousness

My heart thundered into slip away fro that I had to hold the Without their presence, the deel blood that flowed through my veins was limited, but potent They would catch my scent immediately No, I had to hold the shadows in place, but there was a force greater thanthem away

I could no longer contain them Slowly, the shadow's cold presence was ripped painfully out of my throat, one by one As the shadows retreated, the delowing red eyes landed onhappened I wasn't certain if the denize me or not There wasn't time to think about it The shock that held them still shattered They rushed towardslips

Fear threatened to freeze et to Collin There was no tier and efanotated They kneas here Using Valefar powers in this place would expose me, but I already blew my cover

The sear of heat shot through le burst before I reappeared next to Collin Crouching quickly, I gripped his li the deone

A sone before they could stop us

But all my attention was focused on the demons I didn't notice the enormous shadow that had stretched above us As I looked up, my voice ripped out of my throat in a raw scream Massive black scales covered the beast's body, and it descended on us like a hawk, poised to strike Four gnarled finger-like claws curved grotesquely as black blades elongated froed monster descended so fast that the wind screeched around it The beastvolu cries fro of its black veined wings, uncontrollable terror shot through me

My voice rang in , I pulled Collin intotwo people was dangerous, but I could do it It was part of the powers that I possessed froh , I would kill us both But if I didn't do it fast enough, ould both die anyway The heat that proceeded efanotating blossomed quickly and licked my belly from within

Only a fewpain would transport our bodies away from here

We would be free

But, fate didn't allow us a few seconds It didn't allow us any As the heat licked my stomach, the beast's narled bones flexed as the serpent cried out, and slammed its massive clan on top of us