Darkness Betrayed (Torn) by Christine Hughes

We’ll get started today. Sebastian will know Lucas is here. Whether or not he sent him has yet to be determined. Either way, he’s ready to face you.”
    He lifted his hand and my iPod started to play a comforting playlist of songs I’d compiled for times of stress. I smiled and closed my eyes when I felt his lips on mine.
    “I will always take care of you , Samantha.”
    His loaded promise blanketed me in doubt and anticipation.
    ***
    My skin felt raw after I’d showered and scrubbed the shadows off of me. Looking in the mirror, as I brushed my hair, I contemplated the pendant hanging from my neck. It still hadn’t worked the way I was told. It didn’t bring me light. All it ever did was increase the amount of negative energy that swirled around me. For a moment I grasped it in my hand and thought about taking it off, if only for a little while.
    Instead, I moved closer to the mirror until my nose touched the cool glass and stared into my black eyes. My breath fogged my reflection and I saw a distorted view of myself. Could I have changed that much, already? No trace of blue was left; all that remained was the color of raven’s wings. I blinked a few times, willing myself to change back. But each time I opened them, burning coals stared back. Sebastian had shown me eyes like mine, like they were cut from the same hard, cold, black stone. But he could change his back to that of a tranquil green meadow. How sad that all I could think about was the color of my eyes and the wish that they’d return to blue.
    I stepped back from the mirror and turned. Head over my shoulder, I spread open my wings and contemplated them in the glass. They were beautiful and took up the entire space. Silver and black moved and shimmered with each subtle movement. Even on the outside, light and dark were vying for control. I reached my hand over my shoulder and felt where they connected to my body.
    The dull ache that had accompanied the arrival of my wings had long since evaporated. Now they were as much a part of me as my elbows and knees. I plucked a small feather and held it up to the sunlight that streamed through the window, completely lost in thought.
    Samanthaaa ...
    I steeled myself at his words as my spine straightened.
    You have something I want.
    No.
    Lucas has been a very, very bad boy. Return him to me.
    I shook my head and pivoted, looking for him.
    Join me. I know about your little plan.
    I closed my eyes to erase his connection but when I opened them, he was staring back at me through the mirror with a wicked smile on his face, those green eyes of memory fading to black.
    I can give you everything.
    He was just as beautiful as I’d remembered. His skin was just the right color of warm caramel. The line of his jaw angled just so. The color of his lips held just the right amount of red. I reached and grazed my fingers on the mirror and he did the same. I frowned. He frowned. I touched my own face. He touched his. Backing up from the mirror I reached for my hairbrush and saw hi m reach for something, too. The brush flew towards his reflection. His laughter echoed over the sound of breaking glass.
    ***
    I tore down the stairs to find the lot of them sitting quietly, attentive to Damien’s commanding presence in the middle of the room. Surveying the room quickly, I saw Mara eating an apple and Ethan leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. Even Cal and Noah were entranced by the words of the devil. Malena, on the other hand, looked bored, picking at her freshly polished fingernails. A smile tugged at my mouth. She really doesn’t give a shit. The only two missing were Branna and Christian, until I remembered Lucas. Where’s Lucas?
    My encounter with Sebastian became lost as I took it all in. “Ahem.” I cleared my throat to get their attention.
    “Ahh. Here she is.” Damien walked over and put his arm around my shoulder like I was some celebrity guest. “As I was saying, we need to do everything we can, put all our