Demon Day Penelope Fletcher (which ebook reader TXT) 📖

theirleader Queen. There was reverence in Tomas’ voice when he hadspoken so I swallowed my pithy remarks about the title. Justbecause I found being called Lady Priestess awkward did not meanothers would not approve of being addressed by the title theirhierarchy afforded them.

“Well, we agreed that ameeting between demonkind would be best to decide what to do aboutthe Sect and the witches. We should work together to find apeaceful solution to the mess we’re in. If we remain dividedeverything will continue to spiral out of control.”

“What of your promise tome?”

I stopped fidgeting and glared at him.“I am helping you, albeit not in the way you expected.”

His brow furrowed, lips twisted inanger. “You gave me your word.”

“Breandan does not want togo,” I snapped. “I can’t, okay.”

“You let him control youthis way?”

I gritted my teeth and squashed therebellious voice that yelled he was right. “I know you’re anxiousabout what’s happening to your kind, but you won’tstarve.”

“No thanks toyou.”

Now I was mad. I tried totug my hand from his but he held on. Trying to argue with someonewhilst they clutched your hand like a lifeline was difficult, but Imanaged to keep my voice biting as I said, “Believe me when I sayI’ve done more for you than I’ve ever done for another. Never hasBreandan received the same blind faith as I’ve given you and he isbonded to me by magics. I’ve kept your secret about the fairy youdrained two days ago.” He jerked back and I got in his face. “Yeah,I know. I saw it. Felt it.” I thumped my chest. “If I didn’t carewhat happened to you I would have told Breandan or Conall, and noteven I could have stopped what they would have done to you.” Ibreathed in sharply through my nose, controlling the urges of whatI wanted to do for him for taking the girls life. “You keep killingpeople and while I can forgive you once, even twice I can’t simplyignore it or pretend it isn’t happening.” My voice lowereddangerously. “If I didn’t care, Tomas, I would have let you burn inthe sun. I risked everything, everything, turning my back on my kindwhen I saved you. Don’t you dare ignore or forget whatI have done foryou.”

It was clear from the blank look onhis face he was unmoved by my words. He made a fast movement withhis free hand. “This is your choice.”

“There never was one. Thisis who I am and I refuse to run from that anymore.”

He regarded me silently. “You’vegrown.”

His hand was cold as he stroked mycheek. His touch sent a shiver down my spine and I no longer knewif it was lust, fear, or my nature recoiling from him. Slowly andwith great tenderness Tomas wrapped his arms around me and pulledme into his chest.

“I’m going back to my Nest,to whatever fate awaits me, but … please,” he whispered over myhead. “Please do this for me. You know what I want, and what I needfrom you. To have you with me is something I never dared to dream.Two nights ago, I did not want to wake to the reality where you hadchosen him over me, but I understand. Now I only ask that you cometo help me save my Nest, my family.”

He sounded so forlorn andgrief-stricken it made my heart wrench. My conviction wavered.“Gods, Tomas, what you do to me….”

Working my bottom lip in my mouth Itried to make the decision that would let me have Breandan as mymate, and Tomas as my friend … that would mean I could go to hisNest on behalf of demonkind, and say the words that would make themhelp us.

Would making this kind of choice workfor everybody make me the Priestess believed I was destined to be?My heart sunk. But I didn’t truly believe I was destined to be thefairy High Priestess. Is that why this was so hard forme?

Was there a way to convince Breandanto let me travel with Tomas to the vampire city? Would he believemy desire to destroy Devlin had been doused by my wish to helpbring peace?

Devlin dying at my hand beforeLochlann was named High Lord would throw the entire fairy race intoturmoil, I saw that now, and I would not bring more harm to myrace. But my behavior in the past had been so mindless andself-absorbed the chances of Breandan believing me were slim. Iguess I could swear with magic…. No, no I could not go. It was tooclose to where Ana said the witches Coven was located, and Breandanwould have a fit at the idea of me walking into a vampire Nestwithout him. I doubted Tomas would agree to take my fairy with us,or protect him if things went wrong when we were there. More thanthis, I knew Breandan wanted to return to the fairy Wylds. Hewanted to see his brother and be in the presence of the Tribe. Icould understand that.

A secret part of me now yearned to seeWyld land too.

“Stay then,” I blurted.“Stay with me. I’ll keep you safe, and you can show everyone whatyou’re really like. You would be a great help. We will find someoneelse to see the Queen. I know it’s a lot to ask from you, but Ithink we could make it work.”

His shoulders shook and a grizzlysound broke from his chest. “I cannot lurk beside you like a silentshadow, and hide when your friends and mate try to kill me. Itwould not end well, Rae. There would come a time where your fairyand I would clash, and not even you could stop the endresult.”

The end result, one of them dead,stolen from me forever.

The thought of Breandan meeting hisend at Tomas’ hands was unconceivable, and went against everythingI knew, and wanted to know. When I saw Breandan and Tomas’ meetingin anger, I saw the end of him – the end of my vampire.

I closed my eyes, and twisted my handsinto knots behind my back letting him go physically as I knew I hadto do emotionally.

Yet I whispered, “Don’tleave.”

“My Rae, my sunshine,” hemurmured and wrapped his arms around me tighter. “I must.