Page 10 of Twisted Souls (Twisted Souls #1)

Zara

Our mouths collided in a bruising embrace, his hand sliding to the nape of my neck, fingers tangling in my hair. His lips were soft and warm, and the brief touch of our tongues sent a spark through me. But then, just as suddenly, Jeremy pulled away.

My eyes flew open in surprise, locking onto his.

His golden gaze seemed distantand conflicted. He removed his hand from behind my head and took a step back. “I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have,” he whispered, his voice barely audible as his hands fell away from me.

Hurt and rejection surged through me, and Jeremy must have seen it flicker across my face. Hunger blazed in his eyes, feral and unrestrained.

“I’m going to hell anyway,” he muttered darkly, slamming the door shut with a forceful palm before launching himself toward me.

Our mouths collided once more, fiercer this time, and my heart pounded in my chest. His hand found the back of my neck again, and I melted into him, my fingers curling into the fabric of his emerald jacket as I pulled him closer. A low, sensual growl escaped him as he deepened the kiss, his teeth grazing my lower lip. I gasped breathlessly.

Jeremy lifted me, my legs going around his waist, and my stomach heated, the sensation of his mouth on mine overwhelming and…no…not heated, twisted.

Panic surged through me, and my eyes snapped open. Jeremy must have sensed it because he immediately pulled back, releasing my legs from around him and setting me back onto the floor. His expression shifted from confusion to shock as he noticed the dark mist swirling around us.

No, no, no—not now! Please, not now, not in front of him! I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping it would stop, but the sensation only deepened, and I knew I was disappearing.

When I finally opened them again, Jeremy was still holding me, his grip firm, but his face was a mix of shock and anger. Shit. Shit ! He disappeared with me! How was I going to explain this?!

Jeremy moved so fast that I barely had time to react. “Who are you?” he growled, the sensual edge gone from his voice, replaced with cold fury—a blade now pressed against my throat. “How is it that you can shadow?” he demanded, pressing the blade closer, his grip on me tightening to the point of bruising. His wild eyes bore into mine, and I could sense the panic rising inside me.

Shadow? Did Jeremy know what I had just done?

“You know what that was?” I managed to ask, my voice shaking.

“Don’t play games with me, witch,” he snarled, the word dripping with venom.

Witch?

“I have no idea what happened, how I’m doing this, or even where we are,” I rambled nervously, my throat tightening against the blade. “It just keeps happening.” My voice trembled, pleading, as the pressure of the blade dug deeper into my skin.

Jeremy’s gaze stayed locked on me for a moment, suspicion clear in his eyes. Then his focus shifted past me, scanning the area around us. His expression changed—he went rigid, his entire body freezing. Slowly, the dagger at my throat lowered, and he staggered backward, his eyes wide with shock at whatever it was he saw.

Cheeks red from embarrassment, I followed his gaze and scanned the room.

We were in a ballroom, but it wasn’t the one we had just left. This one was unsettlingly empty, the walls and floors composed of gleaming black obsidian that seemed to stretch endlessly around us. Above, a massive crystal chandelier hung from the vaulted ceiling, casting a warm glow over the space. A large dais with two jagged thrones caught my eye at the far end. They were pale white and appeared to be made from bones—the jagged pieces jutting outward in a twisted, threatening manner. I swallowed hard, the sight of it unsettling, and a chill crept up my spine.

Jeremy's face lost its color as he frantically darted his eyes around the room.

“Do you know where we are?” I whispered, my voice echoing into the room.

“He should.” A familiar voice echoed behind us, and Jeremy’s eyes widened, flashing with emotion I couldn’t place. The male’s tone was not friendly, and I could sense the air around us charging with power. I turned, my breath catching as my eyes landed on the tall, powerful male I had encountered the last time I had disappeared. With blazing eyes, he stalked toward us.

He was just as beautiful as before but much darker and more menacing. He wore all black, the fabric clinging to his broad shoulders and sculpted chest. The buttons of his shirt were open, revealing the hard planes of his torso and the taut muscles rippling beneath. The tattoos on his right chest twisted and writhed, as if alive.

He looked like a vengeful god, deadly and untouchable. My stomach tightened, a low, heated stir spreading through me at the sight of him. His emerald gold-flecked eyes were cold and unwavering as they locked onto Jeremy.

The beautiful male drew two long blades from his back and charged toward us. My eyes widened in horror as a gust of unnatural wind knocked me aside, sending me skidding across the smooth floor to the nearest wall.

As I scrambled to regain my footing, I watched the dark male advance with fierce determination. He swung his blades at Jeremy, who dodged the blows with unnatural ease. The other male was relentless, and his attacks kept coming faster and fiercer with each passing moment. They were moving too fast for me to see properly, and my heart pounded in my chest as I watched them dance across the room.

With a snarl of frustration, Jeremy thrust his palms forward. A powerful gust of wind sent the dark male staggering backward. “Xavier, stop!” Jeremy commanded, his voice cutting through the chaos.

“Give them back!” Xavier growled, his voice thick with fury. His anger crackled through the air as he charged forward again, blades slashing with deadly precision. Jeremy met each blow with a barrier of wind, deflecting the attacks but clearly struggling to keep up.

I watched, stunned at what unfolded in front of me. Jeremy had magic…and he knew this man, and he knew what I had been doing. Shadowing, he called it. My anger swelled in my chest, but Xavier quickly deflated it by landing a blow to Jeremy's shoulder, forcing him to stagger backward in pain. Blood now running down his arm.

“Stop!” I yelled, trying to move toward Jeremy, but an invisible barrier held me back. Jeremy briefly met my eye, and Xavier used his distraction to his advantage, landing another blow to his side. A cry of pain escaped Jeremy's lips as he landed on his back.

“Jeremy!” I screamed, my voice filled with desperation. Xavier's dark laugh echoed through the room as he pressed his sword against the base of Jeremy's throat.

“Jeremy?” Xavier's voice was cold, mocking. “You think I wouldn't retaliate after what you’ve done, brother?” Xavier's eyes blazed as he spat his venom-laced words at Jeremy.

Brother? My eyes widened at the words, a rush of confusion washing over me as countless questions began to swirl in my mind.

“Why?” Xavier growled, crouching over Jeremy and pressing the full length of the blade against his throat with both hands.

“It's the only place it could be,” Jeremy hissed, his voice strained, but he made no effort to defend himself.

“What could be?” Xavier spat, and then seemed to go deathly still. “The book?” he barked. “You risked our realm…their realm, over a hunch about that damn book?!” Xavier took a deep breath, and surprise flashed across his features. A broken growl broke through his lips as his gaze shot toward me, his eyes darkening as they landed on my face. He shook his head and quickly returned his gaze to Jeremy with a renewed intensity.

“I should kill you for this, Jaxon.”

Jaxon? I furrowed my brows in confusion as I stared at the two men. My head spun, and I felt like I needed to sit down.

“Give them back,” Xavier commanded.

“I can’t. You don’t understand,” Jeremy—no, Jaxon—said, but Xavier had cut him off.

“Why did you bring her here?” Xavier demanded, pressing the blade harder into his brother’s throat.

“I didn’t,” Jaxon hissed, his eyes flashing with irritation. “She brought me.”

“Why have you been sending her to me? To spy?” Xavier barked, his voice harsh and accusing.

Jaxon’s face twisted in confusion as he glanced between us. “You two have met before?”

Xavier’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Don’t play games with me, brother; I no longer have the patience for them.”

Jaxon turned his gaze to me, his tone commanding. “Leave, Zara, now.”

Xavier’s eyebrows lifted slightly, and a faint, mocking smile touched his lips. “Zara,” he said, his gaze locking onto mine. My throat tightened, and my heart raced in my chest.

“I can’t. I can’t control it,” I said, my eyes darting between the two men. “Please, let him go,” I pleaded, still trapped behind the invisible barrier.

“You are either a pawn or a fool to know my brother,” Xavier said, turning his head back toward Jaxon.

Anger prickled at my skin. “I demand that you let him go,” I said firmly.

Xavier turned back to me, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. “Demand?” he echoed, his voice laced with dark amusement. “And who are you to make demands of me?”

“I am the Princess of Velra,” I declared, summoning every ounce of bravado I could muster. “And I demand that you release my captain.”

Xavier went rigid at my declaration, and Jaxon muttered a curse under his breath.

“I don’t want to fight you,” Jaxon said, a hint of pleading in his voice, though resolve hardened his expression.

“And how is leaving me weakened helping, Jaxon?” Xavier retorted sharply.

Jaxon shifted uncomfortably, blood pooling underneath him. “You don’t understand, our—”

“Are you working with them?” Xavier interrupted, his voice cold and dismissive. “Are you my enemy now, brother?”

With genuine sadness in his eyes, Jaxon transformed into mist and reappeared beside me, freeing himself from his brother’s blade. I let out a yelp of surprise as he materialized. My mind reeling from the chaos of this entire encounter. Jaxon quickly grabbed my hand, entwining his fingers with mine.

Xavier crashed into the invisible barrier, his swords ricocheting off it with a jarring force that made me flinch. I clung to Jaxon as his other arm wrapped around me protectively.

Xavier’s eyes locked onto our protective embrace, and his glare intensified. A strange tugging sensation at my core began, but it was quickly overwhelmed by a wave of nausea as I braced for what came next.

“I'm sorry,” Jaxon whispered, and in the next moment, we were gone, leaving Xavier fuming on the other side of the barrier.