Demon Day Penelope Fletcher (which ebook reader TXT) 📖

would not survive it. I would want to Claim her andshe would reject me.”

“Surely you can mate with ashifter from another Pack?”

He sighed and looked away. “It doesn’tmatter. No one will understand.”

I shut up. He did not want to talkabout it and I was in no mood to push him. He inhaled deeply, chestrising and expanding. Not liking the silence I blurted, “I wish Icould see the world you do.”

Alec’s eyes bulged, and he shook hishead at me, baffled. “You are fairy, Rae. Other demons cannotexperience the world as your kind can. You are connected toeverything.”

I burrowed my toe into theundergrowth. “No I’m not,” I confessed in a whisper. “I feel betterin the forest or when I am near green things, yes, but I don’t feelthem. I know that Conall and Breandan do, they almost speak to theland. It sings to them not me.” I shook my head. “I don’t think I’mthis Priestess they claim I am. I keep trying to make them see thatI bring nothing but trouble. But they laugh and smile as they throwthemselves in mortal peril for me.” I thumped my chest. “I’m goingto get everybody killed. And y’know what, I will say I told you so.They have made a mistake and they are so stubborn they can’t seeit.”

“Horseshit.” Alec grippedboth my shoulders as I wrinkled my nose at his language. The visualit brought to mind was not pleasant. “I know you. The first time wemet, you didn’t run, hide, or snarl. You stood and faced me, a bigstalking cat even when your entire body was trembling. You touchedme; you petted me for gods’ sake. Why did you do that?”

I beamed at him. “You werecute.”

His lip curled in disgust. “I chooseto forget you said that. You touched me because you knew I meantyou no harm. I know this because when you did it was like a flashacross my skin, a wave of … of … knowing. A crisp clarity thatallowed me to be certain I would be safe with you.” He shrugged. “Ihave never felt such a kinship with anyone but my Alpha, andprobably never will again until I Claim my mate. And I’m not theonly one. I spoke to Byron last night and he said if you’d not ofbeen present there was no way he would’ve agreed to align himselfwith the fairies. I, we, the whole Pack feel like we need toprotect you. And as much as I would love to say it was all down toyour sparkling personality and likeability.” I scowled and helaughed. “I think it’s a chemical reaction. Your brother is right.You are their missing Priestess; our reaction alone would suggestthere is more to you than a girl with wings and a tail.”

I harrumphed. “I still wish I couldsee the world better. Sense things better.”

“It’s only a lack of focus,Rae. You are a bit of a scatterbrain. Flaky.”

My mouth dropped. “I am notflaky.”

“Close youreyes.”

I did as he asked. “Whatnext?”

“Quiet yourself and bestill.”

Okay, I could do that. Be quiet andstill. It is not like it was hard to stand and be. I made a smallnoise of annoyance. They treated me like a baby. I was not dumb. Irubbed my hands on my legs where the slash of my jeans used to be,anxiously. How long was I supposed to stand still for? My tailthumped my shoulder, and I flexed my wings, enjoying the lightstretch. I peeked an eye open and flushed.

“How the hell was thatquiet or still, Rae?” Alec rubbed the bridge of his nose with histhumb and forefinger. “Your tail and wings were everywhere. Yourhands could not stay in one place. And whilst I’m sure Breandangets a kick out of watching you rub your own body I would suggestnot doing that in front of other males. You made odd humming noisesand you … well … twitched. A lot.” He pursed his lips, shookhis head incredulously. “No wonder you have trouble controllingyour magic. Isn’t it all about focus and patience? If you cannotstand totally still and quiet for less than a minute, how do youplan to cast spells? Or be still enough to track a mouse throughthe undergrowth in a storm.”

I was bright red and flustered. He wasright, of course, but still it was embarrassing.

“Twitchy seems a bitharsh.” He prodded me in the side, in the shoulder, laughing. Islapped his hands away, giggling. “Okay fine, maybe I’m twitchy.Stop making fun of me and help me.”

“I already have,” he saidproudly. “When you can learn to be still in your mind and body youwill learn how to control your body.”

“Gods you demons suck. Younever give me anything decent. Always I have to go away and work oncontrol, or patience, or awareness.” I yanked at my hair. “I thinkI may scream if I don’t learn something I can use soon.”

Alec stopped laughing and eyed me indisappointment. “Have you considered you aren’t improving as fastas you could because you’re resisting what you’re being told? Whatif you stopped and listened? If you tried what you had been taughtyou’d learn more and faster.” He nodded at his own words. “Fairieslearn fast.”

“Unguh, whatever,” Igrumped bad naturedly and stomped off.

Yes, he was right, but it was gallinghe felt the need to say that to me. Did I not listen to what I wastold?

My boots fared well in the forest, andI was able to move with surprising ease. Hearing Alec behind me, Imoved into a jog, which in a flash became a run. Hearing him pullbehind, I slowed, knowing he would not be as fast in humanform.

It was easy to forget that shifterswere essentially humans who had evolved differently, likewitches.

“You like to run,” Alecpanted at my elbow, bent over with his hands to his knees. “Thatwas a flat out sprint, impressive, and as much as I want to giveyou time to cool down, my head would get torn off if anythinghappened to you.” His hand landed on my shoulder and spun me round.He looked deadly serious even with the colour high on his cheeksmaking him look boyish. “So don’t do that again, okay?”

Opening