The Shadow Stealer (Silver Moon Saga Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page A
Author: Melissa Giorgio
position against Charles, but he was still…” He took a deep breath and I gripped his hand for support. “The best. They both were.”
Which was why I didn’t understand why someone would want to kill them just to prove a point. How freaking evil did you have to be to do something like that? “I’m sorry I made you relive all of this stuff tonight.”
“No, it’s okay,” Rafe said. “I should talk about them, shouldn’t I? So I don’t forget?”
“You’ll never forget. The good and the bad—it’s always with you.” I was speaking from experience. Mom was gone, but I’d never forget her, even on the days when I wanted to.
Rafe tapped his foot against the floor. “The truth is, I’ve been thinking about this ever since that day in the hospital. Even though I don’t want to. Even though I want to forget what you told me, I know I never will. But I can’t help but wonder: If I do find out who’s responsible, will I be able to move on?”
“Whatever you choose to do—pursue this or leave it alone—I’m with you, one hundred percent.” I leaned over so I could kiss him on his cheek, but paused when I saw an odd expression on his face. It was like he was struggling over whether to tell me something or not. My heart started racing. “Wait— do you know something?”
“It’s just a feeling—I could be wrong. Actually, I hope I’m wrong,” he added darkly.
I waited, my body tense with fear.
“There was this hunter. I haven’t seen him since I was a kid, but he hated me and my dad. The last time I ever saw him, he was arguing with Dad about something.” Rafe shook his head, looking frustrated. “I never found out what, just that Dad was accusing him of doing something and how he wouldn’t be able to get away with it. I didn’t ask Dad about it because I didn’t want him to know I’d been listening when I shouldn’t have been. Those days, even the smallest things set him off, and I didn’t want to piss him off. But now I’m wondering if I should have asked…”
I placed a hand on his knee, leaning closer. “Who was this other guy? This hunter?”
“His name is Collins,” Rafe said. “He’s not a nice guy, Gabi. He used to say stuff about me, and he tried to force Evan to become his apprentice, even when Evan said no. Dad told me to stay away from him, and all these years later, I still want to listen to him.”
This Collins sounded terrifying. “Do you think he could summon a demon and send it after you and your parents?” I asked.
“I don’t know,” he confessed. “I really don’t know, but I can’t stop thinking about the last time I saw him, and how mad Dad had been. What if Dad discovered something, and Collins used the demon to shut him up, all the while pretending it’d been a test for me?”
My mouth dropped open. “God, Rafe, do you think that’s possible?” I frowned as something occurred to me. “But I thought a person who summons a demon is marked somehow? That’s how you find sorcerers who’ve summoned one before, right? Wouldn’t Collins have that mark, that stain on him?”
“Yeah, you’re right,” Rafe said. “I can’t See the mark, but others would have been able to.”
“Could he hide it?”
Rafe and I exchanged a look, and I could see the fear in his eyes. “If he can do that, Gabi, then I’m scared to find out what else he can do.”
I pressed my body closer to Rafe’s, shivering a little. The thought of someone that strong and evil frightened me. “We should tell the others. Tomorrow. We’ll invite everyone here.” I tapped him on his knee. “I don’t mean just Phil and Kain, you know.”
Rafe stiffened. “But—”
“No buts,” I interrupted. “I can’t believe you’ve been ignoring Alex all this time! And when are you going to make up with Evan?”
“I’d rather kiss a demon,” Rafe said flatly.
I gave him a look. “That can be arranged, Mr. Pessimistic, especially if you continue to be so
Which was why I didn’t understand why someone would want to kill them just to prove a point. How freaking evil did you have to be to do something like that? “I’m sorry I made you relive all of this stuff tonight.”
“No, it’s okay,” Rafe said. “I should talk about them, shouldn’t I? So I don’t forget?”
“You’ll never forget. The good and the bad—it’s always with you.” I was speaking from experience. Mom was gone, but I’d never forget her, even on the days when I wanted to.
Rafe tapped his foot against the floor. “The truth is, I’ve been thinking about this ever since that day in the hospital. Even though I don’t want to. Even though I want to forget what you told me, I know I never will. But I can’t help but wonder: If I do find out who’s responsible, will I be able to move on?”
“Whatever you choose to do—pursue this or leave it alone—I’m with you, one hundred percent.” I leaned over so I could kiss him on his cheek, but paused when I saw an odd expression on his face. It was like he was struggling over whether to tell me something or not. My heart started racing. “Wait— do you know something?”
“It’s just a feeling—I could be wrong. Actually, I hope I’m wrong,” he added darkly.
I waited, my body tense with fear.
“There was this hunter. I haven’t seen him since I was a kid, but he hated me and my dad. The last time I ever saw him, he was arguing with Dad about something.” Rafe shook his head, looking frustrated. “I never found out what, just that Dad was accusing him of doing something and how he wouldn’t be able to get away with it. I didn’t ask Dad about it because I didn’t want him to know I’d been listening when I shouldn’t have been. Those days, even the smallest things set him off, and I didn’t want to piss him off. But now I’m wondering if I should have asked…”
I placed a hand on his knee, leaning closer. “Who was this other guy? This hunter?”
“His name is Collins,” Rafe said. “He’s not a nice guy, Gabi. He used to say stuff about me, and he tried to force Evan to become his apprentice, even when Evan said no. Dad told me to stay away from him, and all these years later, I still want to listen to him.”
This Collins sounded terrifying. “Do you think he could summon a demon and send it after you and your parents?” I asked.
“I don’t know,” he confessed. “I really don’t know, but I can’t stop thinking about the last time I saw him, and how mad Dad had been. What if Dad discovered something, and Collins used the demon to shut him up, all the while pretending it’d been a test for me?”
My mouth dropped open. “God, Rafe, do you think that’s possible?” I frowned as something occurred to me. “But I thought a person who summons a demon is marked somehow? That’s how you find sorcerers who’ve summoned one before, right? Wouldn’t Collins have that mark, that stain on him?”
“Yeah, you’re right,” Rafe said. “I can’t See the mark, but others would have been able to.”
“Could he hide it?”
Rafe and I exchanged a look, and I could see the fear in his eyes. “If he can do that, Gabi, then I’m scared to find out what else he can do.”
I pressed my body closer to Rafe’s, shivering a little. The thought of someone that strong and evil frightened me. “We should tell the others. Tomorrow. We’ll invite everyone here.” I tapped him on his knee. “I don’t mean just Phil and Kain, you know.”
Rafe stiffened. “But—”
“No buts,” I interrupted. “I can’t believe you’ve been ignoring Alex all this time! And when are you going to make up with Evan?”
“I’d rather kiss a demon,” Rafe said flatly.
I gave him a look. “That can be arranged, Mr. Pessimistic, especially if you continue to be so