Read Torn (Demon Kissed #3) for Free Online Page B

the paintings. “And you’re the key. Do you see anything in these? Does anything jump out at you?”
    I was about to say no, but something did seem odd. I knew all the people in the paintings. In every painting Collin’s face was obscured, but I knew it was him. One painting depicted Shannon swinging her silver sword like a warrior. That was the night we closed the portal on Long Island. I walked down the line looking at the paintings again, and instead of seeing my demise, I saw… something. Something with Collin and Eric. But what? I couldn’t wrap my brain around it. Collin and Eric. I stared at the paintings and realized it seemed like a piece of the puzzle was missing. I counted and there were only twelve paintings. After a moment I paused and looked back at Lorren. “There’s one missing.”
    He nodded. “There is. It’s the last one in the series. We were missing the first until recently. It was tossed in here a few months ago. But it’s that last painting that says what happens—who wins. If you win, you defeated Kreturus and take his power. That makes you Demon Queen. If he wins, if he steals your power when you die, then…God help us.”
    I looked up at him. “You don’t think that I’ll turn evil by the time I kill Kreturus, if that is what happens? How could you think that?”
    He looked at the painting and back at me. “Because. It’s all over your face. You don’t want to be this girl, and yet you are. She is you and you are her; and yet, you aren’t the same—yet. ”
    I laughed, but it was completely hollow. What were the odds that I would find the only Valefar who knew where these paintings were located? Valefar knew a lot and the ones I’d met were older for the most part. And everybody seemed to know more than I did, but no one knew where the other paintings were. I was lucky I’d seen the one. And as far as the Martis were concerned, the other twelve paintings didn’t exist any longer. I wondered why they thought that. While I was thinking about the odds of me stumbling on the one guy who knew where all but one of the prophecy paintings was, I decided it was luck. But, I was a little too lucky. I mean, what were the odds of that? And for that matter, what were the odds that he’d know how to heal me, too?
    I turned to him and shook my head. I couldn’t ask him directly why he knew all this stuff. That usually didn’t go over well. So I asked the next best thing, “So tell me, because I can’t figure it out. Why are you showing me this instead of sucking out my soul?”
    Lorren laughed. He laughed out loud like it was the funniest thing he’d ever heard. “Suck out your soul. Why would I do that?” A huge smile spread across his lips as he wrapped his arms tightly around his middle and tried to contain his laughter. “You really think I’m a Valefar!”
    My words sounded like I was offended, and I was. Lorren thought I was an idiot. A bumbling prophecy girl. I snapped at him, “Of course that’s what I think! You’re in Hell, you look like a human, and you’re slightly insane. You might as well have Valefar stamped on your head!” He was still laughing softly and shaking his head.
    I cocked my head and considered him for a moment. He didn’t show any signs of being a Valefar. It was just a weird place for anyone but a Valefar to hang out. “Fine. But, then what are you?” Lorren folded his arms and looked down at me. His green eyes sparkled as the corners of his mouth twitched slightly. His smiles seemed condescending at first, but I couldn’t really tell anymore. I wanted to kick him; he was irritating me so much. Instead I said, “You smile an awful lot for someone living in Hell.”
    He laughed again and replied, “I can’t see the harm in telling you, although I don’t think I’ve said this to too many people over my lifetime.” I had no idea what he was about to say, but since it wasn’t public information I was a little more eager to hear it. The