Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 66383 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66383 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
“What a delight that would be.”
I can’t help the warmth that floods me at his words.
Chapter Eight
As I touch him, he offers me one of those smiles that have started to make my stomach flutter.
“Are you sure?” I place my hands on his shoulders.
“Positive,” he states.
I close my eyes and immediately begin to feel the pull of his power as it slithers into me. Max’s power is unlike any other I have felt. It holds something I’m not quite sure how to describe, like a feeling of home, I guess. It’s comforting, in every way possible, and it’s as if his power was meant to be shared with me.
I pull away and open my eyes. Max is watching me with an eager expression, not sure what is happening.
“You are so beautiful.” I cup his cheek.
Maxilliam lets my touch linger for a moment before he looks past me to Alan. “Do it.”
When Alan lays his palm on me, a relief washes over me yet again. I feel myself drain from the high, but not as if I am coming down and need to sleep. It’s more of an alertness, a sharpening of my senses.
“Miss, I’m to whisper the words to you, and you will need to say them loud enough for the gods to hear.”
I look at him, confused. Gods? No one uses that term anymore. Where I am from, Gods don’t exist, just the one who sent the Angels.
Nodding, I glance back to Max. He stands and drops my hands, then backs away. He starts pushing everyone back, so it’s just Alan and me now with a large space around us.
Then Alan quietly recites the words I am to say.
"Worlds apart.
Worlds collide.
Give me worlds to combine."
I repeat his words aloud, and I feel something being sucked from me when I do. When Alan lifts his hands, the high comes right back, but I feel it being pulled from me in an instant, like a snake releasing its hold and slithering away to something else.
When I finally get my wits about me and manage to glance down, I see a portal. Max pushes his people through as soon as it is wide enough. I’m unable to move, as it takes all of Max’s power from me. I drop down to all fours when I feel it start to touch my own power. As soon as I do, Max is there, lifting and throwing me over his shoulder.
“As soon as you are through, it will close.”
I feel him moving, but I’m too drained. It’s a similar sensation to when I give someone their power back. Exhausting. Almost debilitating. However, this time is worse. This time it’s my power.
“Hold on, Talia.”
Goddamnit! I can’t do what he is saying, but I feel the pull when he leaps into the opening, and then a drop. Maxilliam holds me to him as we fall, as if he can protect me.
Maybe he can.
I have no idea.
My eyes become heavy, and soon everything stops moving.
“Talia, can you hear me?” Someone caresses my face. I manage to open my eyes. “Talia, take what you need.” I feel something warm and smooth under my palms. When I look at them, I see they are under Max’s shirt, resting against his bare skin. “Talia.” He basically growls my name. “Take.”
And I do.
I pull as little as I can because it’s hard to do so. I feel it right away, and when I’ve gotten enough, I stop and drop my head back.
“Where are we?”
“Is this your world?” Max asks, angling my head so I can see where we are. He lifts me up again, and this time he carries me gently instead of putting me over his shoulder.
“Alan?” I ask.
“It took a lot out of Alan. He has passed out.” Tearing my gaze away from those icy-blue eyes, I check my surroundings.
My eyes widen when I see a familiar house. “Stop,” I say, and he does. “That’s where I lived.” I smile, point in its direction. Half the house is still missing from attacks, and I haven’t been back since. It appears so ruined, devastating, so vacant.
“Should we be worried about the witches?” Maxilliam asks me. I see a few forms step out and look our way. Some lock eyes with me and go straight back to where they came from.
“Talia.”
Everyone stops at the voice.
Standing in front of us is Bronik, who I once thought was incredibly handsome, but now I can’t stand the sight of him.
“Angel,” Max hisses.
Bronik turns to Max, who is still holding me.
“Half-breed,” Bronik growls.
“You can put me down now,” I tell Max. As I get my feet under me, I see him.
Everything stops.
Everything falls away.
Apart from him and me.
“Little fighter,” he whispers, and I feel the hairs on my neck rise as I stare at him.
Max is still as I try to get out of his hold and turn around. When I’m finally free, my heart picks up a beat, and my hands grow sweaty at the sight of him.