Changeling: Black Petals, #2

By Tarisa Marie

When everything is questioned, friends becomes foes and foes become friends. 

Megan has recently become a pure blood demon and she struggles to hold onto her humanity and control her crazed hunger for human souls. But at the moment, this is the least of her worries. As hell's darkness seeps into Aiden and his life is put on the line by the rebels, an ancient prophecy passed down by the alchemists for millennia is beginning to surface and it seems that Megan just so happens to play a large part in it. The demons are at war with the rebels and the rebels seems to have the upper hand. Then, when the pearl in Aiden's mother's jewelry box turns out to hold not a random stranger's soul, but a dear friend's, the pieces of an ancient puzzle begin finally falling into place.

In the second adventure of the Black Petals series, many lives will be lost, friendships broken, and affections questioned.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tarisa Marie
• Release date: Feb 5, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386860266

Tarisa Marie

Tarisa Marie loves interacting with fans on her Instagram account @TarisaMarie_Author and encourages them to send her selfies with her books. You will be her favorite person if you review one of her books, she reads every single one and appreciates them all. 

Book preview

Chapter 1

W hat do you think she’s going to do when she finds out she’s being babysat by two people she absolutely despises? A man’s rough, deep voice wonders through a light chuckle. I’m drowsy and I don’t recognize the voice right away. I sit up in the itchy bed I’m in and look around. Where in the hell am I?

Speaking of the little devil, she’s awake, another male voice says, sounding almost excited.

Landon bursts through the bedroom door and stops a few feet from the bed I’m sprawled on to stare at me. How are you feeling? he asks, rushing to my side like he’s some sort of nurse eager to check up on me. What is he doing here? I see Forrest’s head poke into the room after Landon. You have to be kidding me. What’s going on?

I open my mouth to say something when Forrest speaks up, cutting me off. "Megan, I’m really sorry about what I did. Honestly. I’m really sorry. He holds up his hands like he’s walking towards a wild animal. I know you probably want to kill me, but understand that I had to do what I did to get my brother freedom."

I clench my jaw as memories come flooding back. It’s Forrest’s fault that I am what I am. Tears of anger and sadness overwhelm me and fall down my cheeks. Didn’t Maxwell have freedom? Wasn’t Aiden going to let him be free anyway since Forrest brought him the weapon? Whatever. I’m too groggy to care much at the moment. To my surprise, Landon smiles.

Megan! Megan, why are you crying? Landon asks enthusiastically. He grabs one of my hands in his and I don’t pull it away. I don’t have the energy to. I’m so done.

I cry a moment longer while Landon stares me down intently. Finally, I mumble, Where am I? through the sobs. I don’t recognize my surroundings at all.

Landon wraps his arms around me tightly in a hug, surprising me. You’re safe, sister.

I hate to break up this touching moment, but can we figure out if she’s lost her marbles or if she’s still Megan? Forrest asks, coming into the room fully and closing the door behind him.

Landon pulls away, still grinning. I think you can answer that question yourself, Forrest.

Megan, what emotions do you feel? Forrest asks bluntly. Landon scowls at him. I need to know for sure if I’m about to be attacked by a newborn demon, Landon. SO, how do you feel, Megan?

Oh, I don’t know. Pissed off? Angry? Sad? Worried? Aiden. Where’s Aiden. Where’s Aiden? I demand and stand up from the bed. I nearly fall over as the world starts to spin around me.

Both men look at each other, exchanging glances. It’s Landon who speaks up. Rebels or someone attacked Tartarus. He told us to get you out of there. We brought you here.

Rebels? I sort through memories trying to recall every last detail about the rebels. I thought they were nonexistent in this day and age.

We’ve heard rumors in town here that the rebels were defeated and Aiden is fine. We’re not going anywhere until he comes to find you. It’s not safe out there, Forrest adds, fixing his hair like it’s an art.

I try to remember the last thing I remember happening. I fell, no, I passed out with exhaustion. I drank something. It comes back and I look at Landon. The alchemist potion. Has it worked? This is why Landon and Forrest are wondering how I’m feeling. I mentally feel myself and poke around for emotions I know should be gone by now. They’re still here.

It worked, I mouth. Forrest squints at me. I’ve spoken too quietly for his demidemon ears to hear. Landon hears though and his attention is moved back to me completely.

Landon seems to breathe a sigh of relief. He bites his bottom lip and laughs lightly. Thank god.

You must be starving, Forrest observes. It isn’t until he says this, that I realize that I am in fact starving. Only, what I’m hungry for isn’t something I want to consume.

Go get her someone with cancer or something, Landon instructs Forrest. Someone who’s dying anyways in case she can’t do what I’m about to show her. Get a couple actually.

What he’s about to show me?

I’m not your servant, pure. I was freed from that life years ago, Forrest bites back with clear venom in his tone.

Landon’s expression turns dark and he glares at Forrest. Would you rather stay here and watch while I go do it? I’m sure you’d rather not risk your demidemon life babysitting a new demon.

Forrest takes off to fill his request without another word but he doesn’t look happy about it.

"Megan, the way Aiden lives isn’t the only way to live. Souls heal. It takes a lot of self-control, but you can take part of a soul and it will come back."

Forrest told me this once. Something occurs to me...Aiden knows this and yet he continues to kill people? Even if they are criminals? Landon reads my expression. Evil souls go to hell anyway. Aiden’s actually doing them a favor by consuming the evil souls instead of letting them go on to be eternally tortured in hell. You can’t always easily find criminals, Megan. Aiden can read human minds. He can send servants to find them. Regular joes like us don’t have that luxury so we either take souls from any human, killing them and damning them to never live again, or we learn self-control.

We sit in silence and Landon sips what looks to be a beer. If I don’t have to kill people every time I take a soul, if I don’t have to take people’s chances at living further lives after this one away, then I’m ready to learn anything.

It’s a few minutes later when Forrest returns with two humans dressed like servants. Found these two. They were pulled from servant duty because they became too ill to work.

Please, let us go. We just want to live our final days in peace, one of the men, an elderly man with white hair begs. The other man looks barely conscious. He’s around the same age and looks very sick. Do these men know what they’re about to face? Clearly they do. I wonder how much the human servants really know here in hell.

They’ll do, Landon approves. The trick is to go slowly, Megan. Don’t let yourself blackout. If you feel like you’re going to lose control, stop, take a break. When you start to feel the soul vibrate, that’s when you know you’ve taken enough and you need to stop.

Landon takes the nearly unconscious man from Forrest and brings him to me. He lays him down on the bed beside me. The man stares at me with blank eyes. Is he even in there? The pull I feel to the man is strong. Yes, I’m starving. Before I know it, I’ve found myself pulling the man’s soul out like nothing. It’s second nature. If only the halfling Megan could see the pure blood Megan. What would she say? I start to lose control but I can’t bring myself to pull away. I don’t want to pull away. I can’t. I continue to pull the soul from the elderly man’s body.

A second later, when the soul begins to vibrate like Landon said it would, the edge of my vision begins to fade like I’m about to pass out. Landon must sense this because he pushes me backwards and away from the man. Then he nearly tosses the man at Forrest.

I’m so angry with Landon for taking the man away that I nearly lunge at him before I manage to snap myself back into reality. The blurry edge to my vision leaves slowly. Landon stares at me, not angry or disappointed, but worried.

Shit, Megan. You’re like our father, Landon exhales. This is something Aiden told me the first time I consumed a soul. You’re violent when you’re consuming and unpredictable.

Forrest stares at me with wide eyes. Is my behavior not normal then? At least I didn’t attack Landon like I sometimes do Aiden when I take souls. That has to mean something, right? You almost tore the guy apart, Forrest says in a rush. I find myself looking at the man in Forrest’s arms, the limp one. Scratches and blood cover the man. How? Forrest takes the man’s pulse with his fingers and shakes his head. His soul is fine, he is not. Forrest drops the man to the ground. The second man in Forrest’s arms looks petrified, terrified.

No, please, please don’t give me to her! the man cries in terror. He struggles uselessly against Forrest’s grip.

A part of me feels terrible, feels like crying because this man is scared of me. The other part of me though, the starving demon part, the hunger frenzied part, finds his terror amusing.

Landon and Forrest share a glance before Forrest hands Landon the second man and takes a step away from me. Is Forrest scared of me?

The pull returns. This time something deep down in me tells me that I shouldn’t kill this man. I falter and look up at Landon. Landon grimaces.

Be careful, he warns. "You don’t want to kill him."

His words shake something in me and I find myself backing away from the man towards the door and towards Forrest. I shake my head erratically and rush past Forrest out of the room.

Don’t let her out of the house, Landon pleads, and I hear both men rush after me.

My hunger rages uncontrollably. The feeling I get when I rush past Forrest is almost uncontrollable. I almost lunge at him for his soul. What is wrong with me? I almost make it to the front door of the shack we’re in when someone grabs my hand and throws me into a wall harshly. My forehead hits the drywall so hard that it smashes it. I’m then spun around by Forrest. He holds me to the wall with both hands on my shoulders.

Megan, it’s me. I don’t want to hurt you, he begs, sounding worried. Snap out of it. You’re fine. Breathe.

Landon stands behind Forrest, eyes wide. Is he shocked, worried, scared? I can’t tell. Forrest back away from her. She’s not in control.

She won’t hurt me, Forrest replies. Will you? he asks me. I’m not so sure. In fact, I’m not sure at all. I use all of my restraint and still I feel like I’m going to fail.

Go, I manage to grunt out. Now. The strongest pull I’ve ever felt makes me want to grab Forrest and pull him into me with force. I want to take his soul. Actually, it’s the only thing I can even manage to think about.

Forrest, looking unsure, glances back at Landon. Landon takes slow steps towards us. Megan, Forrest is going to go and we’re going to get the other human and...

He trails off as the front door opens with a bang and a man in a hooded trench coat comes inside. The hood falls from the man’s face. It’s Aiden. Rain soaks the coat, running off of it to the floor. A glance outside tells me that it’s begun raining. A flash of bright lightning flashes, startling me but there is no thunder.

Aiden turns and takes in the situation. He doesn’t look impressed. In fact, he looks pissed. He raises one hand and then Forrest is flying off of me and across the room. He glides into the wall at the other side of the room, his back hitting it with a bang. He slides down the wall to the floor in a slump.

He can’t be anywhere near her when she’s hungry! Aiden booms. "Not unless he wants to end up a changeling slave the rest of his life. She will take his soul. She has no control. Hell, he shouldn’t even be around her anyways after what he did to her." Aiden throws off the trench coat and approaches me quickly.

His words, though true, make me feel weak. I am weak even though I am stronger than ever before, physically at least.

Aiden approaches me slowly as I cower against the wall. He places a hand on the wall between my shoulder and head. Are you okay? Breathe, Megan. I’m here now, he purrs. A warmth trickles into my heart replacing the fear and dread. Aiden’s voice is soothing and soft.

I start to get ahold of myself again even though the hunger is still very apparent, almost crippling really. How does Aiden go an entire month on one soul? I can’t even go a whole day without a full one.

Should I go get the other human? Landon asks Aiden.

Aiden shakes his head. "No, she needs to learn restraint. One a day is enough. She wants more but she truly doesn’t need more. She has to learn the difference. Just let her calm down and get ahold of herself."

Landon watches Aiden and I. Forrest starts to come out of his daze and get up from the floor. He straightens his clothing.

The sight of him sends a thrill through me. Not just hunger, but the slight lust that comes with it. Why? This guy is at fault for my becoming a demon. The thought of lusting over him is insane and stupid. I should want to punch him in the face and I do, but other things also poke at my thoughts. I should be repulsed by my thoughts.

Aiden seems to sense what I’m feeling and turns to look daggers at Forrest. Forrest, get out of here. You’ll need to keep low for a few days while I get word out that you’re being released.

Being released? But the council decided to hold him prisoner.

Where’s Maxwell? Aiden asks Forrest.

Safe, Forrest answers.

Aiden takes a vial of something from his pocket and tosses it to Forrest who catches it. My blood. To get to the human plane. I wrote an address on the vial. Go there until I send someone to find you. You don’t know the human world. You can’t just screw around. Got it?

Forrest nods and then takes off out the door. Once I can no longer see Forrest, my frenzy begins to wear down. Landon gets the human killed and disposes of the body. The other human must’ve escaped because it’s nowhere to be seen.

Aiden continues to stare at me like I’m about to lose my mind.

I’m okay, I promise him once I’ve calmed down enough to be sure.

He takes a step back. I wouldn’t have blamed you if you sucked Forrest’s soul out, but I figured you might never forgive yourself, he admits with a humored expression.

I nod in agreement. I would’ve regretted it even though I hate him.

Let’s go back to Tartarus. I have more guards up now. It’s safe. Far safer than here.

That’s when I notice that Aiden hasn’t brought a single guard with him. Why? I nod. You came alone?

He nods. I have to get back soon or I’ll start getting missed.

He throws on his trench coat and hood. It’s raining so his disguise isn’t too crazy or strange. Landon returns just as we’re leaving.

"Thank you. For everything," Aiden says.

Landon nods. I feel like I’m missing something from this conversation.

See you soon, sister, Landon says to me with a half-smile. Was I wrong about Landon before? Is he really not as bad as I first assumed?

What was that about? I ask Aiden after Landon has taken off in another direction.

Aiden leans down and whispers. I’ll tell you later. Not here.

We sneak back through the tunnel that leads to the hole in the floor in the slave quarters.

As we come out of the room and start heading through the hall for the stairs, a loud voice begins to get louder. It comes from upstairs. When we reach the source of it, it’s Terry yelling at Mason. I somehow managed to completely forget about Mason and his being a changeling so I’m shocked to see him at first.

What’s the problem, Terry? Aiden asks sternly, eyeing his brother.

Terry sighs. He refuses to train. He says he’s already trained.

Aiden approaches Mason. "Mason, I hate to do this because I know it’s against your will and I know you won’t be able to disobey me, but you have to train, man. Everyone has to train. Every single changeling in training for guard duty trains. I have enough to worry about. Can you just listen to Terry, please?"

Mason looks about to snarl something at Aiden but nods in compliance. I can’t imagine not having free will.

And listen to Terry, please. That is an order, Aiden adds with a sigh of exhaustion. Terry, I’m going topside for a few days. Don’t let anyone know. Anything urgent, get information to me. Anything that can wait, you know what to do.

Terry nods. Yes, sir.

Forrest and Maxwell are fine, Aiden whispers in a quiet voice to Terry. Terry nods in appreciation. They’re topside.

During my time in hell, I’ve learnt that ‘topside’ means the human realm. It’s some sort of inside joke or something because hell is supposedly below ground or I don’t know. I really don’t know.

Terry seems satisfied with this.

Come, Megan, Aiden instructs and I follow him hastily. He leads me into his office. He pulls a book from one of his shelves and a box from a drawer in his desk. He tucks each into a small cloth bag and then we head back for the hole in the basement again.

We arrive in the familiar field back home in the human realm and walk to Aiden’s home a few miles away. When we drove here last time, it seemed so far, but today it doesn’t seem far at all. When we arrive, we use one of his cars to drive into Toronto to a house I recognize well, though, it’s been awhile since I’ve been here. I’m back to where it all began. We’re at Blayk and Landon’s house. Deja vu hits me hard and fast as the events of that day come back to me. I realize something important. Landon helped me. This entire time I’ve had such a negative image of him as one of my kidnappers, but now I am able to see him as something more. Blayk is to blame for my abduction all those months ago not Landon. Landon is responsible for my getting out alive.

My ears ring with buzzes, voices, and other sounds. It is far, far louder here than in hell. Humans are louder in general and with all of the electricity and signals and vehicles it’s aggravating. Aiden wasn’t kidding when he once told me this. It all gives me a headache. How did he live here? I guess it’s probably why he lived outside of the city.

The wrought iron gates of the property are closed but they open promptly upon our arrival. I begin to shake. I’m not sure if it’s post-traumatic stress or what.

You alright? he asks me as we pull the sleek black sports car through the gates.

I nod. Memories is all.

He smiles. "I’m honestly so glad that you’re you that I’m not so worried about how you’re feeling right now to be honest." I know he’s partially joking, but I don’t laugh.

What are we doing here? I ask concerned. Is he here to speak to Landon about the alchemy potion he gave me? Potion...is that even the right word? It sounds too...surreal. Then again, demons are real. I am a demon. So... Oh my god. I am a demon. You’d think I’d be starting to get used to this fact by now, but I’m not. Not even close. I tell myself that it’s only been a few days so I should just take things slow.

Long story. Landon has some explaining to do. I have questions for him and I’m sure you do as well, Aiden explains with uncertainty. He almost sounds nervous but why would Aiden be nervous? He’s the king of hell for heaven’s sake.

No guards today? I ask him, looking around us. Shouldn’t he always have guards on him?

He shakes his head promptly. No. Not today. This is...secret...confidential. You mustn’t tell anyone of anything that you learn today.

I nod in understanding. What is going on? I have a feeling that we are not only here to speak to Landon about the strange liquid he gave me.

We pull up to one of the many ‘front doors’ and Aiden gets out. I follow his lead. Landon is seated on a bench a few feet from the door we’re parked in front of. He wears a pair of dark sunglasses.

Thought you might show up here, he mutters and offers a slight smile to us.

Blayk still gone? Aiden asks quickly.

Landon nods once. Until Saturday. Forrest and Maxwell are inside probably burning shit down. I picked them up from the address you gave me earlier. They were blowing shit up in the microwave when I found them.

Aiden looks a little worried. No one can know that they’re out of hell. It would cause an uproar. I need the people’s trust right now. I also need your help and them to be babysat by someone I can trust. You helped Megan more than once so you’re as good as I’m going to get.

Landon seems to know where this is going. His smile falters. Are you kidding? he asks sounding irritated. I’m going to be responsible for two grown men?

I have a house in Belize right near a passage to hell, Aiden continues. I am going to send you, Maxwell, and Forrest there along with ten guards to make sure Forrest keeps in line. Keep an eye on him. He’s a sneaky little shit. They need to be introduced to society and integrated. I will be coming to visit regularly and hopefully you won’t have to be there long. I don’t trust your brother. He won’t be able to track or find you where I’m sending you.

Landon looks about to argue but seems to think better of it. Yes, all mighty king, Landon jokes with a small smile. Then his smile fades a little. I’m sure Megan doesn’t want to go back to hell. She’s welcome to stay with us, too. If I’m babysitting, I may as well go all the way with it.

Aiden seems to think about this. He eyes me and I eye him back about to shake my head in protest. She’s fine with me for now. She needs to learn more control before she’s here around so many humans. You know how she is. Like your father, like Blayk.

I grimace. I don’t like being compared to either of those two men even if it’s true. Landon nods. Very well then, sir.

The front door swings open and Forrest slips out holding a cellphone in his hand and scowling at it. Why is this thing so annoying? he asks, scowling at the device.

That’s my phone. Give me that, Landon says harshly and snatches it from him. Was it ringing? he snarls with annoyance.

Forrest looks confused. "Ringing? I wouldn’t classify that as ringing. It was more like screaming."

Landon presses something on his phone and then shoves it into his pocket. It’s just Blayk. I’ll call him back.

There are too many sounds, Forrest whines, before noticing Aiden and I. "It’s like torture. Everything here makes a sound. He scowls at his surroundings. Literally everything."

I nod in agreement. "You’re not kidding. I have a huge headache."

Landon removes his sunglasses and shakes his head slowly, his eyes studying me. You are a bunch of babies. You’ll get used to it. Before you know it, you’ll be able to tune them all out and focus on what matters. Aiden’s hearing is far stronger than all of ours, and look, he’s fine.

Aiden nods. Mind over matter. The cellphones bother me the most. Electricity has been around a while longer so I’ve grown used to its buzz for the most part. Cellular phones, though... Aiden shakes his head in disgust.

"How do you get used to it? Forrest groans. Looking around like a paranoid cat. I can’t focus on anything, guys. It’s overwhelming."

You haven’t heard anything loud and annoying until you’ve heard a refrigerator hum, Landon promises him. That’s why I don’t have one here.

Aiden nods in agreement. Yeah, I acquired one when Megan moved in with me. Definitely annoying.

I’m not sure what a refrigerator is, but I don’t want to know, Forrest replies and slips back into the house.

I huff out a sigh. Thinking about all the noises around me only makes it worse. I hear Landon and Aiden continue to speak, but I can’t hear what they’re saying exactly because I’m