Demon Day Penelope Fletcher (which ebook reader TXT) 📖

Watched, as my fairy gripped Tomas’head in hands that glowed with silver light.

Then ripped it off.

Epilogue

I remember flashes. Pain. Screams.Blood-curdling shrieks razed across my eardrums, and drowned mycries of terror. My heart took stabs of emotion, splinters of pain.I had been braced, prepared, yet still my world rocked, trembled,crashed down. Then I was sprawled on the ground as my legs failedme, buckled, the strength knocked away by shock. It did not matterhow hard I screamed, how wildly I shook my head, how quickly mywings fluttered.

Breandan’s bellow as he dropped Tomas’head was savage and triumphant. Now the lightning silhouetted him.Thunder rumbled across the sky and he roared back, but the end wastinged with misery and sorrow.

Gwendolyn’s grief-stricken wail seemedendless, hollow, as she crawled to Tomas’ side. She grabbed at hisclothes and pulled his headless body toward her, draping herselfover him. Her body shook as she extended a hand to the head thatlay face down a few paces away.

Daphne stood still, head bowed, lipsmoving in silent prayer.

Breandan stepped over the vampireQueen and crossed the distance to loom over me. He scooped me upand cuddled me close. His nature was sated and rolled over mine incomfort.

I stopped screaming, and stared intohis face still struggling … no … unable, to comprehend what I hadwitnessed.

The absence of Tomas’ darkness wasstark. The cold clarity of his demise reached me and I shook. Myeyes landed on the headless body sprawled beneath Gwendolyn. Shestared at nothing, face slack and dazed.

Tears blurred my vision and I gasped,chocked on the air, on my own tears. I could not breathe. I couldnot think. The darkness on the edge of my vision ebbed. Like clearwater washing a stain, a silver-blue glow bloomed, and I shook myhead to try and stop the purge. I sobbed, but it caught in mychest, a bubble of pain that bloated, and pressed down on my heart,restricting its erratic beat. It hurt. Oh, Tomas. A numbingdisbelief crept through my legs and arms, sucking away all feeling,all hope. My eyes burned so I clenched them tight, and tucked myfisted hands into my stomach – holding myself together.

“The Queen,” Breandanmuttered, weary. “I must–”

“No,” Daphne murmured.“She’s no danger to us right now, and besides, Cael won’t let herlive long once he discovered Rae was here. Is she alright?” Sheasked and it sounded as if she spoke from down a long windy tunnel.“I’m out of practice with this kind of thing, being immortal andall, but she looks feverish.”

“We should not havelingered here,” Breandan said quietly. Sighing, his chest heavedagainst my body. “It is too much for her. Let me pass.”

There was a faint and cool pressure onmy forehead. “She’s burning up.”

“It is how we grieve.” Hisarms tightened around me. “Her body and mind are fighting to acceptthe loss. She will bear the pain and live. Now let uspass.”

“I’m coming withyou.”

Breandan was quiet before saying in acurious voice, “You stopped the Nest Queen from hurting my Rae.Why?”

“Saw that did you?” sheasked dryly.

“Why?”

“Tomas told me all abouther as she slept off the effect of his feeding.” Her dainty handpressed against my forehead again, trying to cool me down. “She isspecial, isn’t she? Even if he had not explained who she was, Iwould still feel the need to help you. He told me it was likely youwould follow her here, and that you would challenge him. He knewthe chances of facing you and surviving were slim. He wanted to tryand protect her as best he could, so, he gave her me.” Daphnesighed heavily and I could imagine her white-blonde braids fallingover her shoulder as she titled her head. “And as for why I am notattacking you … I understand what has happened here. I accept it.Tomas knew despite Rae’s promise that when the blood tie formed itwas likely the end of him. She had a high fairy mate; of course, itwas over for him. He brought her here to try … to just … try andsee if there was even the slightest chance he could make it work.But you and I know it was nothing but a matter of time beforeGwendolyn killed her. Even with Tomas’ protection added to my ownwe could never hold back an entire Nest, and Rae can’t use magic inthis city because of Cael’s enchantments. It was best you came forher.”

Breandan was quiet for a long time. Islipped deeper into the darkness. “I am her protector,” hesaid.

“Yes, and I am not tryingto steal that from you, but I swore that I would guard her bodywith my own. Tomas is…. Tomas is gone but I will honor my promise.I have never been one to believe in destiny, but I think it mightbe my calling to protect her. And that is what I’m going to dowhether you like it or not.”

“I have no quarrel withyou.”

“Despite what you think Ihave none with you because she doesn’t.” Daphne touched my cheeksoftly.

“The day she does?” Wasthat humor in his tone? Breandan talking to a vampire and soundingamused?

“On that day I hope you’reready to see how a warrior of my kind fights. But the way Rae feelsabout you … I don’t think I’ll have to hurt you for a long whileyet.”

“If you betrayher–”

“Never,” Daphne repliedfiercely then urged in the same breath, “but I don’t have time toconvince you of that. We must go. We cannot be here when the Nestreturns. We must get Rae out of the city. Cael will be furious whenhe discovers she was here and Gwendolyn kept her from him. He’llsend the Nest to find her, and we must be far from the city. Safe,so she can rest. We don’t have much time, and I’ll need to findsomewhere to rest for the day.”

“Her safety is my mainconcern but I–” Breandan cursed the gods under his breath. “I mustfind the grimoire. My brother needs it.”

Daphne breathed out sharply. “I havethe grimoire.”

His body tensed. “How did thathappen?”

“Who do you think capturedthe High Lord?” Daphne sounded proud, fierce. “I am the Nesthunter. No other of my kind