Darkness Betrayed (Torn) Read Online Free Page A

with.
    “I am going to release the shackles, Samantha. Do not try to fight, run away or scream. I need your tru st, however reticent. I promise I will not hurt you, unless it’s necessary.” Her lips curved upwards into a smirk, like she was hoping I’d do something wrong.
    My sharp retort was lost in my throat and I involuntarily nodded at her words. All my desire to fight had wa ned. With the flick of her hand, my shackles unbound and I rubbed my wrists absentmindedly as I kept my eyes trained on her face. I figured I might as well play along while I figured out how to get out of there. If only I could keep my focus linear.
    “How can you help me?” This should be good.
    Ignoring the sarcasm that dripped from my words, she clapped her hands twice as if she were calling upon a servant. “That’s better. Malakai!” Malakai?              
    I watched as he stepped into the room, head bowed. I thought he died.
    “Please get Samantha a glass of water and something to eat.”
    “Yes Malena.” He backed out of the room, eyes never leaving the floor.
    “How? What? I thought he died?”
    “No. He’s always been skittish. He expects us to dispatch him at any moment. Truth is… we’ve grown sickly fond of him. It’s so hard to find good help these days.”
    She spoke as if I was supposed to share the secret in her head then shook it off as Malakai returned with a glass and an apple. I remembered the fruit as the only thing afforded me when Sebastian took me. What is it with these people and their damned apples?
    Malena let out a throaty laugh as her arms spread out beside her. “Isn’t it obvious? Wasn’t it the apple that began all of this?” Her eyes darkened to black for an instant and immediately, I felt a familiar rise of rage.
    Frowning, she considered me. As she did, I took a bite of the apple and grew calm once more.
    “It would do no good for you to get angry,” she snapped.
    “I’m sorry.” What? Why am I apologizing?
    “Oh, Samantha. You are going to be a difficult one to tame. And tame you we must if we have any hope of defeating Sebastian.”
    “Tame me?”
    “Yes, Samantha. Like a wild animal, you must be taught to submit.”
    “I don’t know who you think you are but –“
    “Hush, now. We wouldn’t want the boss to get angry.”
    My thoughts raced quickly to Malakai’s message. “You work for Damien?”
    She hardened and whi spered. “Yes.”
    I considered the apple that had been offered and took another bite. “And you need me to defeat Sebastian.” It wasn’t a question and she smiled wryly.
    “You are our best hope of defeating him.” As she spoke the smile left her eyes and I was left with a cold shiver in my blood.
    “What do you need me to do?” I spoke through a mouthful of apple and Malena’s face twisted in disgust as pieces flew from my lips landing near her feet. I didn’t care. “I can’t kill him, you know. At least I haven’t figured out how to yet. And he said he couldn’t kill me either. So I’m not sure how you expect me to do this.”
    “No one said anything about you killing him yet. And with training you will be able to kill him, destroy h im; free the world from him forever.” Pain shadowed her face and a strange thought snuck up on me.
    “Do you love him?”
    “Love who?” As she replied I knew she was being evasive. I knew she could read my thoughts but, for the sake of getting the hell out of here, I played along.
    “Sebastian.”
    As she stood, her chair flew back and shattered against the wall and she lifted me from the floor, her hands outstretched in front of me.
    “Do not talk about such things. Do not presume to know me. Do not be fooled. You are merely a means to an end and if I thought for one minute…”
    From the door a voice interrupted her. “Malena, put our guest down please.”
    His voice was like silk , but his eyes burned a hole through her. She cowered and stepped back until she was flush with the wall