Silver Mortal (The Gracen Chronicles) by Jenna Kay Page A

don't want to be a Night Viper. I don't like to cause others pain, I don't want to be the cause of any suffering mankind goes through. I don't like to lie, cheat, and I absolutely loathe demons.”
    I react to his words by laughing out loud. “Oh please! Forgive me for my outburst, but you're not going to sit here and convince me you're wanting to rebel against your true nature. I'd have to be pretty dense to believe such a lame story.”
    “I'm telling the truth!” he expresses, slamming his fist on the table, clinking the silverware together. “And that's not the whole story. There's a group of us hiding out in the city. We've broken away from the Viper clan. We've escaped the demons that had imprisoned us and now we are in hiding, taking refuge here.”
    “Um...what?” Watching him carefully I note the sincerity all over his face. I'm still unable to trust him, though. Every word sounds off alarms in my brain, causing my suspicions to grow.
    “There's five of us,” he continues, leaning his elbows on the table and locking his hands together. “Three weeks ago we were able to break through the walls of the compound we called home, though it never felt like a home. It felt more like a prison in Hell.
    “We took a stand, fighting for what we believe in, tired of being pushed around by the lowest of demons. They beat us on a daily basis, tortured us if we didn't follow their heinous commands. Sometimes they would make us watch as they physically hurt and tormented innocents. And it wasn't just the demons that did the tormenting—our fellow V ipers took it upon themselves to dish it out.
    “One night they made me watch as a group of male Vipers raped a woman repeatedly. She begged them to stop, but they didn't listen. They ravaged her over and over again, until she was pleading for death.”
    The Silver Eagle begins to weep in my heart. “Did...Did they kill her?”
    Averting his eyes he nodded. A single tear fell down his cheek, and when his gaze caught back up with mine I could see his eyes darkening even more, the memories of that night coming back in haunting measures. I know how he's feeling—I have a few disturbing memories of my own.
    “We don't want to be evil,” he whispers, taking a paper napkin and wiping off his face. “We want to be good. We want to protect the innocents, not destroy them.”
    I blow out a breath that I hadn't noticed I was holding in. Studying Phoenix, reaching out to him with my supernatural feelers, I know he's telling the truth. The pain he feels is genuine, and I know his heart is broken, possibly beyond repair. All the years of his life have been nothing but pain, heartache, and misery. What he's gone through makes my short life look like a fluffy slumber party.
    “Phoenix, I know that what you're telling me is the truth,” I admit, adding, “though while we've been talking the black viper on your face has been taunting me, reminding me of what you really are.”
    A pained expression crosses his face. “If I could erase it I would, but I can't. Evil doesn't exist,” he points to his heart, “in here anymore. There's no room in here for darkness. Never again.”
    “What does any of this have to do with me?” I ask wearily, rubbing at my now-aching temples. “Why are you going to my school? Why are you telling me your story?”
    “Because we have no where else to turn,” he responds, his voice shaky. “You and your mother are the only Silver Mortals in the city. We've sought you out—”
    “ Hey,” I interject as a quick thought filters through my brain, “Is one of your guys blonde?”
    A shocked expression covers his face. “Y eah. Anyway, we need—”
    “Who is he? What's his name?”
    “His name is...” he wavers, then continues. “His name is irrelevant. Right now at this moment we, in a nutshell, need you guys to help us.” This frustrates me.
    “Help? You want us to help you and your group of rebel Vipers?” I lean forward, my palms pressing down