Westward Ho! Or, The Voyages and Adventures of Sir Amyas Leigh, Knight, of Burrough, in the County of Devon, in the Reign of Her Most Glorious Majesty Queen Elizabeth by - (best books to read for self development TXT) 📕

Daniel felt like shit as he stood in the shower. How long could he keep this up? He didn’t want to fuck his beautiful angel. He wanted to make love to her. He wanted to hold her and make her laugh. He wanted to tell her he loved her and never let her go.

She would stop letting him touch her if she knew how badly it hurt him, so he hid his feelings. Getting to be with her like this was better than nothing.

Even if I feel like she’s turning a slow knife in my heart.

He’d known Mark had found another Immortal before the druid had even said the words, and he didn’t want to think about it. Their mission put Surcy in danger. It might be the only way to show her that Caine must be overthrown, but he didn’t have to like it.

And so, he’d touched her. Felt her warm body. Plunged into her tight pussy, needing to feel connected to her, if only for a moment.

The others couldn’t understand—they wouldn’t understand—but this is what he needed to do. It was the only way to stop him from completely losing his mind. And so, he touched her and pretended that they weren’t about to step into danger again.

Turning off the water, he dried, styled his hair, and dressed. In the mirror, he saw an asshole. A man with sculpted good looks and an arrogance that hovered over him like a cloak. Most fire mages were good-looking assholes like him. Their exterior helped conceal just how dangerous they were deep inside.

His gut clenched. Going to his door, he locked it and pulled the lighter from beneath his bed.

Collapsing onto the edge of his mattress, he stared at it, flicking it open and closed. He was going nuts. Touching the fire would calm him.

But you’re clean. You haven’t used fire since you died. Except for when Surcy and the others begged him to call his fire to save that damn Immortal.

If I could use it then, I can use it now. Just a little.

Taking a deep breath, he rolled his thumb. Flames shot from the lighter, and he groaned. Plunging his finger into it, every hair on his body stood on end. This was power, delicious power. And he needed more of it. He wanted to coat his flesh in it and allow the warmth to curl over his body.

Surcy knocked on his door. “They’re back,” she said, her voice muffled.

He closed the lighter and stuffed it back under his mattress, his heart racing. He knew the door was locked, but still, he wondered, what if she comes in?

He raced to the window and opened it wide to let in fresh air, just in case. “I’ll be out in a minute!”

He didn’t understand Surcy’s mumbled response, but he sensed her leave.

Out of danger for the moment, he perched on the window seat to regulate his breathing. His finger looked the same as before, but power hummed through it. Fuck, that was amazing.

But it was only a finger, and he had only used a little bit of fire. He was fine. The others didn’t have to know. They wouldn’t understand. No one understood how the fire called to him. Standing, he smoothed down the fabric of his well-tailored shirt and went to join them.

Out in the living room, the other three were equipping themselves with weapons. Surcy could still use her soul-blade without attracting the other angels, so she only carried a dagger on her ankle beneath her jeans. Since the demons couldn’t use their special swords, they slid well-made ones into sheaths on their backs and concealed daggers wherever they could. When they were done, everyone moved closer to each other.

“Ready to go?” Mark asked.

Daniel nodded. “Do we know where and what we’re facing? At all?”

Mark shook his head. “I’ll send Surcy the image, and we’ll teleport there. I’ll know more then.”

Daniel didn’t like any of it, not at all. But he moved closer and took Surcy’s hand, ignoring the tingle that moved through his body at her touch.

Whatever they would find there, he already knew it wouldn’t be good.

4

Caine glared at the Fate. She was no longer just a tiny, filthy thing; instead, she was a bloody, filthy thing. Every day since she’d helped Sharen’s demon-scum escape, he’d dragged her out into his throne room and watched as his guard beat her senseless.

Not only did she help a traitor, she allowed one of the Immortals to escape my reach. And both crimes deserved punishment… a lifetime of punishment.

Yet still, when the Fate looked at him, her bright green eyes were filled with defiance.

Will nothing break her?

She spit blood onto his polished floor and lifted her head. Her back was in shreds from his guard’s whip. Her clothes had long ago fallen to pieces around her, and yet, when she opened her mouth, he knew only insolence would spout from her lips.

“Did you get off yet, Caine?”

He didn’t need to send his dark magic swirling. His guard automatically whipped her again, over and over again until he heard a sob explode from her throat.

“Enough,” Caine called, punctuating the command with a swipe of his hand.

She’s not useful to me unconscious.

His guard stopped and stepped back, whip still in hand.

“Today is not just about your punishment,” Caine said.

She didn’t lift her head. “Yeah, it’s about you masturbating in that fucking black shadow of yours.”

His teeth ground together. “Today you will tell me how to take The God Finder from Surcy’s demon.”

He watched the rapid rise and fall of her blood soaked chest. “I have a feeling today I’ll be bleeding in my cell, like every day.”

Why must we play these games? You cannot lie, and I will get the truth from you.

He glanced up at the pale blue wisps that had gathered on the ceiling of his throne room. With the slightest gesture of his hand, the souls lowered. He neither brought them to the