Demon Day by Penelope Fletcher (best novels in english .TXT) 📕

here either so do not worry about that.It’s community labor we value, and I’ll pick up your tab.” I madeto protest, but he shook his head with finality. “I’ve got to makesure none of the women need anything and run the territory, but youcan tag along if you like and help. That would be payment enough.”He jerked his head toward the clothes stalls and I fell into stepbeside him, walking down the gentle slope. “To be honest I’msurprised you guys are willing to wait around here for so long.When you first arrived it seemed like you were in arush.”

My attention was rapt on the communityaround me. Shifters prowled past, and I roughly pegged the Pridepopulation at no more than two hundred. It was amazing how muchbustle such a small number of people could make. The smell ofcooking meat had my stomach rolling dangerously. Did they eatnothing else?

“We decided to stay for awhile,” I replied, pressed a hand to my stomach and praying I didnot start to retch. “Breandan wants time to plan the rescue ofByron’s daughters, and well, I just want sometime to breathe.Things have been crazy these past two days, and a few more to getthings straight would do me the world of good.”

“You’re not doing badly.When I shifted for the first time I thought I’d lost my mind.Didn’t take me long to figure out what I was.” Alec becamereflective, stopping us in front of a stall piled high withleathers and fabrics. “Only the gods know what would have happenedto me if Byron hadn’t taken me in. Between the Clerics, fairies,and vampires I wouldn’t have lasted long.” He shook himself up,head to toe like a cat coming out of the rain. His dark hairflapped about a bit and he scrubbed his hands through itagitatedly, sending me a rueful look. “Morbid, yeah I know. So, youare staying on Pride land? It’s not like fairies to spend so muchtime in the presence of other demons.”

He pointed to a pair of plain russetleather pants and I nodded, rummaging through the piles to find asize that would fit me. Picking up a pair and pulling on them tomake sure they were tough enough, Alec plucked them from my handsand motioned to the tunics.

“No?” I asked, feigningnonchalance, not seeing any of the tops that took my fancy. Sigh. Imissed my tee shirts and jeans, but I had to get out of this dress.It was disgusting, crumpled and covered in mud, blood and sweat.Not a good look for me.

“By nature fairykind aresecretive and proud. Well, most of you are. I’ve never met any likeyou before.”

Though my hands were on the scratchyfabric of the tunics, my eye had snagged on something else. I shotAlec a quick grin. “And you never will again.”

I wasn’t much into clothes, as aDisciple I was given tokens that allowed me to collect what Ineeded, the basics, once every six months or so from theseamstress. Unlike the other girls, I had never altered mywardrobe, slashing the tops and jeans to show more skin. I just didnot care how I looked. But since I’d met Breandan… Not looking acomplete mess had become something of a priority.

The tops I could not stop staring atwere no more than bras with all kinds of buckles and leather strapshanging off them. Alec caught my preoccupation and I hastily turnedmy attention to the sensible tunics on display, finding the beigeand gray shades less than delightful. Alec took the scandalous topdown and waggled it on the tip of his finger. It looked like ascrap of spare material in his big hands. He nodded his head towardthe lace up boots, looking at my dirty bare feetpointedly.

Refusing to be distracted, I shook myhead and leaned in closer. “I can’t wear that.” I made to snatch itfrom him, but he bunched it up with the trousers under one armpit,and snagged my elbow to push me in front of the bootselection.

“It’ll look good on you.Now how big are your feet?” He ducked down to catch my ankle andpull my foot up. Head swinging from side to side he selected a pairof soft-sole boots.

Picking the shoes up and hugging themto my chest, I glowered at him. “I’m not wearing it.” I spun on myheel to go look at the belts.

Jogging up beside me, he laughed.“Don’t you want to look pretty?”

“That’s not the point. Youdo not need to show the whole world your entire hide to be pretty.I don’t need to prance around half naked for people to notice me….Not that I want them to … in fact, the less people notice me thebetter.”

“Then why didn’t you pickup a tunic?”

I stopped and cursed, ready to goback. He grabbed my hand and pulled me on. Fumbling to keep hold ofthe boots with one hand, grumbling to myself, I followedhim.

His hut was small and a bloody mess.The walls were covered in scratch marks and the bedding looked likeit had been attacked by a pack of, well, cats.

Alec dropped all my clothes on thefloor and winked, stepping outside to give me privacy.

I ripped a hole in the trousers abovethe seat; they were pocket-less, which made things easier. Isighed; it was a shame to vandalize such good workmanship but anecessity.

I dressed quickly my eyes taking inthe wooden beams, rumpled sheets and, mish mash of personalbelongings. It was simple, but homely too. Shiny rocks and driedleaves were scattered everywhere, on the windowsill, propped upagainst the wall. Each was so lovingly displayed it was clear Alechad chosen them for a reason.

Finished, I clutched the dress looselyin my hands. With a quick thought, it went up in flames, and turnedto ash. I dusted my hands off.

In honesty my new outfit was the mostcomfortable I had ever worn. My wings were free to move withoutrestraint or the irritation of fabric rubbing at the base of mypinions. The air on my back, stomach, and shoulders wasdelightfully refreshing, I’d always run hot, a fairy trait itseemed. The leather trousers molded to my curves like a second skinand hugged my ankles, tucked into the soft-soled boots