Dark Sonata Read online

  “I had almost forgotten,” he sounded confused.

  Moron. She was a moron.

  The desire that was so evident was now fading from his dark seductive gaze. The silver necklace around his neck caught the little glimmers of light making her wonder again where she remembered it. Her memory just was not cooperating.

  “Come here,” he ordered without any emotion.

  Tori nodded then looked around for a blanket and grabbed the pale sheet that was somehow on top of the comforter. She had a couple theories on how the blankets became messed up. This time he did not stop her from covering up, his eyes just watched her from where he stood like a statue. So, he was going to bite her now. Wrapping the sheet around her like a towel, she got up on her weak legs and stood before him. “You said it won’t hurt?”

  “I will not hurt you,” he whispered.

  She shivered, his voice moving over her like a soft caress.

  Ezra pulled the sheet from around her waist and jerked her closer to him. She held her breath as his hand caressed her jaw line so tenderly then moved to her hair, tucking the strands behind her ear.

  “So beautiful,” he barely said as his gaze traveled over her face, ending on her lips. She could almost feel his lips on hers again, the memory fresh in her mind. He locked gazes with hers, “You taste like paradise in case you were wondering. Something I’m not used to but want, need more of. I’m addicted now more than ever, for you have poisoned me.”

  She could not believe she was hearing these words of endearment come out of his mouth. He was looking at her so lovingly that she was at a loss for words. In fact, half of the time she was in his presence Tori found that she couldn’t talk. The air around them seemed to spark and crackle, the memory of their passion still clinging.

  Something caught her eye and she frowned. His necklace seemed to be glowing dimly. Not sure if it was just a play on light but it really appeared to be emitting a ghostly glow.

  His voice drew her eyes back up to his mouth making her dismiss all other thoughts. He spoke so softly, “Hold still love, I promise this will not hurt.”

  Ezra lowered his head to her neck, his lips softly kissing her there. Tori exhaled, loving the feel of his touch, wanting it never to end. His hands pulled her in close as they smoothed their way up her back. Oh, he was massaging her, his hands were now molding to her backside, pressing her into his hard groin. And then she felt a slight prick on her neck, then the feeling of his hot tongue swirling over her skin.

  Oh … that wasn’t so bad.

  His movements suddenly stopped.

  Frozen in place he just stood with her in his arms, face in her neck. Tori could feel his slow breathing and his heart beating. She had to say something. “So,” she whispered, “Who am I then?”

  It seemed like an eternity before he raised his head to look at her. And the look that was on his face she was not expecting.

  Oh God …

  Ezra was pale, even more so now. He was now horror personified, his eyes were wide, almost disbelieving. Tori’s heart was now pounding in her chest, praying she was just imagining the look of utter shock on his face. “Talk to me,” she ordered, her voice wavering. “Who am I?!”

  Dark blood trickled slowly out of his nose. He backed up from her, wiping the blood and looking at it in the moonlight with wide eyes. “Michael … you son of a bitch,” he mouthed.

  “Talk to me!” she felt tears stream down her cheeks, knowing something bad was about to happen. “What is going on?!”

  Ezra collapsed making Tori scream in shock. She took his face in her hands. “Ezra!” she shook him, screaming his name at the top of her lungs. “Help! Somebody!” she yelled to the walls of her bedroom. She glanced back to Ezra who looked like he was coming in and out of consciousness. “Ezra! Wake up!” she shook him more, “wake up!”

  Ezra’s eyes fluttered open and they were a shocking silver. Tori tried to calm herself, being no use to him if she kept freaking out. “Can you hear me?” she spoke calmly, despite her rapidly beating heart.

  His gaze focused on her, then wavered.

  “Ezra, stay with me!” Tori turned and yelled, “Somebody help!”

  He looked at her again and raised his hand to his neck. Tori followed his careful movements and frowned when he ripped the chain from around his neck.

  “What are you doing?!” she asked, feeling the impending doom surround them both. “Ezra what are you doing?!” she sobbed. “Ezra, what am I? Please talk to me,” she wept, feeling the tears stream down her face.

  This cannot be happening. She gritted her teeth to keep from screaming, forcing herself to stay calm. He handed the necklace to her without a word, just a pleading look in his silver gaze.

  Horror struck she shook her head and wiped tears from her face. Tori spoke carefully, “Why are you giving me this? Talk to me Ezra, you’re scaring me.” She could feel her calm reserve slipping; panic was setting in and taking over. “What am I Ezra?!”

  Ezra coughed up dangerous amounts of blood and sputtered for what seem like an infinite amount of time. Her weeping fell on deaf ears, wildly wondering why no one has come to help yet. “Somebody help! Please!”

  Time seemed to stop all together when he finally answered her question. He held up his arm and touched her bottom lip.

  “Death.”

  Chapter fifteen

  A vibration in time.

  The sound of a heart break is complete and utter silence, the deafening void of soul-wrenching pain.

  “Victoria …”

  Tears stained her flushed cheeks. She was not sure if Ezra had said her name out loud or maybe it was in her mind, but her constant shaking, screaming his name at the top of her lungs did nothing.

  Ezra wasn’t dead yet.

  He appeared gray and unresponsive, so different from his known magnificence. Not this barely living body. Everything around her went quiet except for the dull humming in her head, the slow beat of her heart. Time ceased to exist. Tori lifted her trembling hand to feel his pulse, praying for God to spare his life. It was weak, so very weak. She had little time.

  Why on Earth was Michael not barging in here?!

  Wasn’t he the all-knowing Archangel? He had to know by now. Tori gritted her teeth and slowly exhaled. Michael is going to pay for this. Her fury raised the blood in her veins to a blistering temperature.

  He loved her and only wanted a chance at life. Ezra beat all odds and the definition of a demon—his mother’s necklace allowed him to be himself and love like he was always meant to.

  Tori knew it with every fiber of her being. She could not accept or wrap her mind around what just occurred. If she didn’t do something he would be dead in a few hours.

  Tori raised her heated gaze to the door then stood with vengeance seeping out of her pores. It was as if she now carried the weight of the world on her shoulders, knowing what deception must have taken place here. Ezra had cursed Michael’s name before he passed out. Why?! She had a feeling that Ezra had been tricked.

  She was out for blood.

  Victoria, fists clenched, stared down at Ezra. “I will see you soon, my love.”

  If I was Death then so be it. She would not stop until whoever was responsible for this was killed, suffering a brutal death. Tori quickly donned a slip and spare corset and stormed out of her chamber and noted that the door was somehow unlocked. Another sign that things were not what they seemed. The long hallways were empty, completely soundless, perplexing her. It was like whatever was going on here had just stopped, suspended in time.

  The play was over, the curtains were drawn shut.

  Her anger was now boiling, being on the verge of combustion. As she stormed down the deserted hallways something suddenly dawned on her. She stopped, only hearing her rushed breaths as she thought. It seemed like the game was over. Someone had won hadn’t they?

  Mission impossible had just became … possible.

  Tori place a hand over her mouth as tears streamed down
her face. This mission was not about her. It never was about her. It never was about her. She was just a pawn, another player in this twisted game. She looked back and shook her head, feeling the absolute misery of what she had done. This was about the fall of one man, a great man.

  Ezra Stone.

  He was a threat to Michael and the Liorian race and they needed to get rid of him. She was his only weakness. And to think that she was the one who would eventually end his life. Until the poison took over his body.

  “Michael!” she screamed, knowing he must still be here. The coward. There would be no way he’d miss the finale. Tori opened up every door she passed then slammed them shut. “Michael!” she yelled again, her voice breaking. “You bring him back!” she cried again as tears fell. “You bring him back!”

  “Why?”

  Tori whipped around to see Michael casually leaning up against the wall. He wore all black, his golden hair pulled back making his cobalt eyes seem to glow in the dim hallway. He stared at her intensely, something about his gaze made her nervous.

  “Bring him back,” she hissed and wiped her tears.

  “Why?” he asked again, his voice equally as cutting.

  Tori didn’t know what game Michael was playing now but she could tell he was testing her again. “He didn’t deserve this and you know it. You made a deal with him long ago and you just deceived him.”

  “'He didn’t deserve this’?,” he paused to think, as if the concept was too much. “I think that is highly debatable. And, good for you in figuring out the truth.” He said softly, his tone so odd to her.

  Something seemed off about him.

  “It’s your fault, not mine.”

  He smiled. “Oh? Enlighten me.”

  She wanted to smack the smug look off his face. “You knew who I was. And I believe you always have. You should have known when Ezra tasted my blood he would die but you failed to tell him that. I bet you were pissed it took this long for him to do it,” she spat. Tori glared at him and dared him with her eyes to deny it.

  He just stared at her for what seemed like forever. He shifted, his big frame seeming to take up the narrow hallway. “Do you know what you are then?”

  She took a second as sadness tore through her. “Death, is what Ezra said. And seeing what happened to him I think I agree. He is dying quickly.”

  “That’s a good guess. Your mother was not a healer like she had everyone believe, but a powerful Spell Master. Not many know of this for she was very good at pretending to be what she was not. I daresay she had us all fooled at one point. Some say she went rogue and tapped into the dark arts.” He continued when she didn’t comment. “Her powers went beyond any spell master I have ever encountered.”

  “Who is my father?” she whispered, trying to take this all in.

  Michael sighed. “Your father is Azrael, the Master of Death,” he paused, “the Angel of Death.”

  Her heart started to pound. “Death.”

  Michael tilted his head at her. “I guess you do not understand the full impact of what I just said. Azrael is the single most powerful Liorian of our time. Wholly evil, completely soulless. So powerful in fact that he cannot be killed. He is currently locked up and has been contained for hundreds of thousands of years in a prison of time.”

  Tori swallowed, not sure what to say. “My … father is Azrael.” She said it as a statement. “How do I know you’re telling the truth? I have no birthmark.”

  “Yes,” he said, “you have no birthmark because you were not conceived the natural way. You couldn’t have been for Azrael has been contained for hundreds of years. No contact of any form.”

  Tori frowned. “Well, then, how can he be my father?”

  Michael took a step towards her. “Assiel somehow stole his genes and impregnated herself. I’m guessing it was a form of the black art, but possibly done with good intentions.”

  She laughed. “This has to be a joke,” she continued. “Good intensions? What does that mean? So am I a Demon or a Liorian?”

  “You’re neither.”

  Tori huffed and paced around, feeling faint.

  “Though you do have a pure soul, don’t miss my meaning Victoria.” He eyed her. “Assiel somehow manipulated Azrael’s genetics into something quite unique and dangerous. You are not a clone of him for you do possess his abilities but you have more.” He continued, “You are not Death.”

  “What am I then?”

  “The Destroyer.” Michael did not look like he was in a joking mood, his gaze severe and focused on her.

  “Excuse me?”

  “If you smell or taste demon blood you will transform into the Destroyer, wracking havoc on the damned. And if the damned tastes your blood it’s instant death.” Michael smiled, “You are a warrior, a secret weapon to our kind. Assiel had made you good, not evil.”

  Tori rubbed her eyes with hand. “Why all of this then, this acting, telling me that it’s all fake?”

  “That was not for you but for Ezra,” Michael said carefully. “He had to believe we were on his side, trying our best to find you or he would have not done what he did tonight.”

  Tori stared at him; not believing what he was saying—admitting to betraying Ezra as if they were talking about the weather. “You bastard,” she barely got out. “Why kill him? I would never have thought someone like you would be capable of betrayal. He wanted to be saved! He didn’t want to be evil so why?!” she felt her eyes fill up with tears. She would put money on the fact that Michael’s soul was blackened.

  He tilted his head at her. “What makes you think I betrayed him?”

  Was he a moron?!

  “He will be dead in an hour!”

  “Yes.” He said levelly.

  Tori gritted her teeth, wanting this man to die. A thought occurred to her suddenly, a brilliant thought! If Michael did possess a blackened soul and if she tasted his blood … she would transform and kill him. She would avenge Ezra.

  Michael narrowed his gaze on her.

  Tori took a breath and smiled sweetly at him. She walked up to Michael to where they were so close. “So I’m guessing you have your noble reasons for killing him then?”

  He looked down at her; his cobalt gaze was unnerving almost making her lose her courage. The man was definitely intimidating. “Quite.”

  Tori nodded and before she could change her mind she asked, knowing that she needed to taste his blood. “Kiss me.”

  Michael stared down at her like he was debating her request.

  “I need comfort, please. A distraction.” Tori bit her lip, hoping her lame excuse worked. Once he kissed her she could bite his tongue.

  Before she could say something else to convince him his lips lightly touched hers. Tori instantly got over her shock and tried to kiss him back. This was so weird. Michael didn’t kiss her like Ezra. She tried to deepen the kiss so she could get his tongue in biting range without seeming to obvious. Michael cleverly moved his mouth over hers and pushed his tongue past her teeth.

  It was odd how he did it, like he knew what she wanted to do.

  She bit down hard.

  Michael lifted his head and held his tongue for her to see, not in the least bit surprised. Tori slowly licked her lips, tasting the coppery tinge of blood. Her heart pounded in her chest as she waited.

  Nothing happened.

  Tori looked up into his eyes seeing no anger there, no shock of what she did. She swallowed; each second seemed like an eternity. “You knew what I was going to do. How?”

  He straightened and exhaled. “I know too much,” he whispered. “It is my duty.”

  His words soaked in, not making sense. “I’m confused,” she admitted. “So you didn’t betray Ezra?”

  “Never.”

  A single tear fell from her cheek and shattered on the ground like glass. “Why is he dying?” she looked up at him. “Can you bring him back?”

  “No, I do not have the power to combat your poison,” he admitted softly.

&nb
sp; She just didn’t understand why in her novel Michael worked so hard to keep Ezra alive to just kill him now. “Were you aware of my book I wrote? Was everything in it true or fabricated?” Tori asked, needing to get the facts straight in her mind so she could understand. Her mind was so befuddled with conflicting information.

  “Very true. It seems Assiel gave you a rare gift that not even I have seen before.” He continued. “You can never be stripped of your memory.” He looked at her oddly as if trying to hint at something.

  How he knew so much about her she would probably never know. “Can you see the future?”

  “No.”

  She frowned.

  Michael leaned against the wall again and took a moment to respond. “I just know what needs to happen and do everything in my power to make it happen,” he continued, crossing his arms over his chest. “If I fail, it will have traumatic effects. Devastation.”

  Tori wanted to trust him but it was so hard. God, she didn’t want to believe this was her fate. “So you’re saying Ezra needed to die this day to keep everything going to plan?”

  “Absolutely.”

  Tori narrowed her eyes at him, her anger back with full force. “Fuck your plans.”

  Oh dear.

  His eyes widened to a degree.

  “Send me back,” she walked up to him. “You did it once before, and you can do it again. I want to go back to the start of everything.”

  He gave her a look. “But that is impossible; what is written must happen.”

  Tori glared. “I will rewrite it.”

  Michael tilted his head at her and grinned for the first time. “Well now. That’s the spirit.”

  Chapter sixteen

  “Do you realize the gravity of what you’re asking me to do?” Michael inquired quietly.

  “Of course.” But did she? Tori glanced at Michael and smiled, not being able to help the grin. “I will see him again. That’s enough to make me walk through Hell and back.”