Shadows of Fire (The Shadow Realms, Book 1) by Brenda Davies (free e books to read .TXT) 📕

She didn’t react for a second, and then shereleased a bark of laughter and sat back. “Oh my, someone is feistytonight.”

Cole didn’t reply as he glanced over atBrokk, who had his tongue shoved down the throat of the fae whostood behind him. The other straddled his lap and ran her fingersdown his chest as she undid the buttons on his shirt.

“Brokk!” Cole snapped.

When his younger brother didn’t respond, Colestretched his leg across the way and kicked his chair back. Theybroke apart when the chair skidded back a couple of feet.

“What the fuck?” Brokk protested.

Cole glowered at him, and Brokk glared backas the women pouted, and Becca laughed.

“In case you missed it, Becca said Orin washere,” Cole said.

Brokk blinked at him before shifting hisattention to Becca. He slapped the ass of the woman straddling himbefore pushing her away. “Later.”

Both the women moaned a complaint, but theymoved away as Brokk focused his attention on Becca. “When was hehere?” he demanded.

“Not so fast there, little brother,” Beccasaid as she waved a finger at him before giving Cole a pointedlook. “I don’t give favors without receiving them.”

Brokk glanced at Cole. His brother was awareof Cole’s antipathy toward Becca and of Becca’s determination toclaw her way into the role of a dark fae princess.

During their brief time together, Colelearned she was after far more than a fling, and Cole wasnot looking for a wife. That was something she didn’t wantto hear, and she had not taken it well.

To Becca, he was the key to her wearing acrown; because, with him, she could become a queen if somethinghappened to his father. It didn’t matter that Tove wasn’t goinganywhere anytime soon; Becca craved the power of the royalty.

She would not get it.

For some reason, she believed he consideredher something more than a good fuck. Unfortunately, though he’dwalked away, she wasn’t ready to give up. When her fingers brushedhis arm again, an image of Lexi rose into his mind. He moved awayfrom her touch.

She was the reason he didn’t want tobe here or anywhere near Becca. He already knew who he wanted, andit was not anyone from this place.

“Don’t,” he warned her, and Brokk scooted hischair closer to kick him under the table.

Cole shot him a fulminating look, and Brokkwaggled his eyebrows as he nodded toward Becca. “Take one forthe team,” Brokk mouthed.

Cole’s hands flexed, and the ciphers on theback of them shifted. Brokk didn’t understand—hell, hedidn’t understand, but there was no way he was screwingBecca again.

Last week, despite his abhorrence of Becca,he still would have taken her to bed if it meant discovering whatshe knew. It had never mattered to him before whether he liked hisbed partners or not, and Becca was an expert. She owned this place,she knew what men and women wanted, and she excelled at pleasingher partner.

However, her expertise in bed didn’t make upfor her conniving personality, which she didn’t hide well.

“I’m not playing your games, Becca. When wasOrin here?” he demanded.

She leaned back in her chair and crossed herlegs. She kicked one back and forth as she studied him.

“I don’t want you to play a game, Cole. Iwant you to play with me.”

“That’s not going to happen.” Cole pushed hischair back and rose. “We’ll find Orin on our own.”

He didn’t wait for her reply before he turnedand strode through the crowd. Immortal creatures scrambled to getout of his way as he stalked toward the stairs and descended to thepacked dance floor.

He shoved his way through the dancers, manyof whom were having sex on the floor, pushed open the door, andstepped into the cool night air.

Unlike in the Gloaming, where the air wasthick with the scent of crops this time of year, the air on earthwas heavy with the smell of burnt wood and scorched earth. Thearoma of the war and the destruction and death of this planet hungheavily on the air.

The stench had become all too familiar to himrecently. So much so that it no longer repulsed him.

“What was that about?” Brokk demanded as heemerged from the club to stand beside Cole. “We have to discoverwhat she knows about Orin.”

“I don’t care; I’m not fucking her to get theanswers.”

“It’s not like you haven’t fucked her forless.”

“Things change.”

Brokk’s aqua eyes studied him. “What is goingon with you?”

He wasn’t in the mood to discuss this withBrokk, especially since he didn’t have the answer. “Let’s go.”

Brokk glanced back at the BlackHole Club before falling into step beside Cole.“I was having a good time.”

“Then go back.”

But Cole wasn’t returning. There wassomewhere else he’d far prefer to be.

He recalled Lexi, standing in the doorway ofher manor, and something inside him twisted. He wanted to return toher, to see her again, and make sure she was safe.

When she’d invited them in earlier, he’dalmost accepted, but they’d been so close to Orin, and there was achance he might still find his trail. He hadn’t, and they’d gone toBecca’s in the hopes of learning more, but he’d turned his back ontheir one possible lead.

He loved his brother and wanted to find him,but he didn’t regret his decision to leave Becca behind.

“Where are you going?” Brokk demanded as hefollowed Cole toward the trees.

“I have somewhere to be,” he muttered.

“Care to let me in on this secret destinationwhere you have to be?”

“Del’s manor.”

“Delano Harper’s manor?”

“How many Dels do you know?”

Brokk stopped walking, but Cole didn’thesitate. He shouldn’t have left her alone earlier, not after theconfrontation with Malakai, and now a desperate urge to get back toher compelled him faster.

“Have you lost your mind?” Brokk demanded ashe jogged to catch up with him.

Cole wasn’t sure how to respond because hebelieved he might have lost it a little.

“Is this about his daughter?” Brokkasked.

Cole didn’t answer.

“She’s gorgeous, but Del was our friend,”Brokk said.

Something rippled inside Cole; he didn’t likeBrokk talking about her like that. “I know.”

“Then leave his daughter alone.”

“I’m going to make sure she stays safe.”

Brokk grasped his arm and pulled him to astop. Cole’s hands fisted as he kept his gaze focused on the woods,but his frustration wasn’t for his brother; it was forhim.

“She’s