Prophecy: Dark Moon Rising Read Free Page A

encircled her, holding her tight while sleep beckoned her. She didn’t resist. Closing her eyes, she slipped into the comforting darkness.

 
    Chapter 2
    Valentine looked down at the girl in his arms while he walked across the dark runway. In the dim light from the hangar he was heading towards, he could see how pale she was. Her lips were almost as white as her cheeks, drained of colour just like she’d been drained of energy. The magic had taken everything from her, every ounce of strength and even some of his. When he’d held her hand, he’d felt the pain inside of her. He’d felt the intense pull on her energy and how she was beginning to falter. The magic had bound their hands. He’d watched threads of it weave around their fingers and then melt into his flesh, stealing energy from him to feed itself and help Prophecy close the portal for good.
    The pain he’d felt was just a fraction of what she’d experienced, and he hadn’t been surprised when she’d passed out. Destroying his family’s mansion in St. Petersburg must have been child’s play compared to obliterating the portal and Elena’s little world.
    He gently adjusted her in his arms so her head was resting against his chest and then walked into the brightly lit hangar. He headed straight towards the Cessna jet that was awaiting him and mounted the steps.
    “Tell Christophe to get off the ground as soon as possible. I want to be back in Prague before daybreak,” he said to the stewardess when she hurried towards him.
    “Yes, my lord.” The stewardess nodded and gave the briefest of glances at Prophecy before walking off up the length of the cabin.
    He was surprised that one of his bloodline was taking the presence of her so well. The others back at the mansion had done nothing but glare at Prophecy, much like her family glared at him whenever he entered their house.
    It was hard enough getting his house to obey him, getting the two houses to work together was going to be nigh on impossible. It had to be done though. If they were going to win the war that he could feel on the horizon then they had to work together. He wondered how the two families would react to having to work with the Tenebrae too. When he’d last spoken to Mia, she had told him that the Venia had sided with Elena against them. The Nocens had not forgiven Prophecy for what she had done to their family in Budapest and the Vehemens were also in league with Elena. The only family yet to choose a side were the Validus. He couldn’t see Hyperion lifting a finger to help Prophecy or Elena, not when he was so concerned with the fate of Ineru.
    He settled Prophecy down onto one of the padded seats, making sure that she was comfortable before buckling her in. He was thankful that his new position within his family afforded them a better means of transport. Flying by private jet was far less dangerous and far quicker than travelling by train.
    The engines of the Cessna whined into life. He sat in the seat opposite Prophecy and fastened his seatbelt, his eyes never leaving her, not even when the stewardess returned.
    “Christophe has a window. We should be back in Prague before sunrise. It will be close, but I am told the winds are with us.”
    He nodded his thanks and rested his right elbow on the arm of his chair. He propped up his chin on his thumb, curled his fingers around and pressed his index finger against his lip. She looked so pale.
    “Is there anything I can get for you, my lord?” the stewardess said. “A cloth? Or some blood perhaps?”
    He considered her offer for a moment and then shook his head.
    “Does she require anything?”
    He was surprised to hear the question and looked up at the stewardess. He held her gaze, trying to see if she had asked that question out of anything other than obligation to him as her lord. She smiled, her eyes filling with nerves over his studying her.
    “No,” he said and held his hand up when she went to leave. “But thank you … for