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

sake of the High Lordship? Would he hurt hisyounger brother that way? I knew him to be stuffy, and cold, buteven he could not be that cruel.

I waved Alec on, not wanting to sharemy revelations until I had worked it through a few moretimes.

We’d reached the edge of thegrasslands and were lightheartedly jumping over the low grownshrubs and bushes that unexpectedly shot up to become young treesat the edge of the forest. Alec seemed to be following a specifictrail since he took us in a curving, zigzagging path that wentdeeper into the forest then back out again into thegrass.

“You going to Change?” Iasked absentmindedly.

“I’ll stay human for awhile. My senses aren’t as good, but I want to enjoy what’s on showfor a while longer.” He wiggled his eyebrows.

I did not get it. “Can’t you see as acat?”

“Can’t see colour and youare extraordinarily colorful.”

He leered at me and I snorted. It wasrelaxing to muck around with someone.

“Where are we going?” Iasked grumpily.

He pointed across the grass in noparticular direction I could see; only that we would be enteringthe forest again, and that was good enough for me. I breathed indeeply, enjoying the rich smell of soil and greenthings.

Alec himself smelt nice too, sort oflike sweet grass and warm animal. With his dark hair and green eyeshe was not ugly either, by the way the shifter-females reactedquite the opposite. He had a pleasantly square head and wasunshaven. His body hair was raven black, like his cat form, and hewas long of torso and short of leg. Byron said he was the PackOmega, second-in-command, and I understood why. Despite his youthhe had a commanding air about him. An innate calm. He was pleasantto be around, and I was glad I was here, even if my body wasalready beginning to miss Breandan’s touch.

So far the bond had not becomeannoying, but I wondered if one day always needing my fairy closewould upset me.

“You and the fairy are sostrange. I’ve never seen your like,” Alee said.

I huffed a sigh even as I felt a pangof hurt. “Being different is not so bad.”

“Your love is cold,awkward. So odd. I would say The Claim between you two is strongerthan anything I’ve ever felt, and I am not of yourspecies.”

“I’ve never heard of thisbefore.” My brows furrowed. “The Claim?”

“It is what we call theurge to mark our mate. A sign to others that you are mated toanother.” He shook his head as he walked, muttering to himself. “Acold love.”

“Because we don’t cuddleand sigh in each other’s ear – in front of others – makes us cold?The connection between us goes deeper than words or touch. I ambound to him, and he belongs to me.”

I straightened and looked down,incredulous at myself. Did I really say that out loud?

“I never meant to offendyou,” Alec said. “I didn’t understand. As cats we’re open in ouraffection. We see no shame in nudity or excessive displays ofcourting or passion.” He blushed. “If I felt half as passionate toany female as you seem to feel for him I would not be able to takemy hands off her. His gaze rarely leaves you, but I thought it wasmore to do with protection than passion.” He took my hand in hisand held it solemnly. “I didn’t understand it was thatcomplicated.”

I shrugged, feigning nonchalance.Neither did I until a few moments before. “Breandan is exercisingcontrol. It’s not that he doesn’t want to touch me; he mustn’t tomake sure that Conall … his brother needs me to be … uh, it’smessed up. He’s different when we are alone.” From the dubiousexpression on Alec’s face I was not explaining myself well. “We’rebonded. A rare connection and–” I hesitated, remembering thewarning from both Ana and Conall about speaking of the bond freely.That and the fact I had told Lochlann I would be discreet about myrelationship with his brother. If Alec ever spoke openly about thisto my Elder…. “You can’t tell anyone about this. If youdo–”

He tightened his grip on my hand. “Iswear.”

I breathed out and with it came atorrent of words. “It’s magic. Pure power. When we don’t touch itstarts to build, and we do touch it explodes between us.” I couldhear the excitement in my voice. “It’s not so bad when he’s close,a few paces away, but any further and my skin starts to itch, andmy mind can’t focus on anything for more than a few moments beforeit seeks him out. It’s frustrating and exhilarating all at the sametime.” I felt a rush of relief. It was good to talk tosomeone.

Alec chuckled. “Had we met in anyother circumstance I fear I would fallen quite in love withyou.”

His eyes became distant,wistful.

“Who is she?” I asked. Hiseyes became hooded, expression clouded. I scowled at him, crossedmy hands over my stomach. “I bared my soul to you, time to exercisesome faith.” When he said nothing, I rolled my eyes. “I swear Iwon’t tell.” A ripple of wind passed over me, I shivered. Socreepy. “Happy now. You have an iron clad promise sealed by magic.Spill.”

“She is….” He seemed at aloss for words. “She is the sun, the light of my heart. When I runthe forest I feel closer to her.”

Well, I was confused. “She’s notPack?”

He avoided my eyes. “No.”

“Is there any reason otherthan this why you can’t be with her?”

“She’s never seen me, I’venever let her,” he said in a low confession. “She will rejectme.”

I held up my palm. “Please tell meyou’re not stalking some poor shifter-girl as a panther.” Hissilence told me everything I needed to know. “Gods, Alec! Stalkingis not sexy. Breandan tried that crap with me, and I ended uptaking a tumble down a cliff, and getting lost, and–” I was gettingmyself angry. I took a deep breath. “Stop tormenting the girl andman up.”

Avoiding my eyes he mumbled, “I’venever actually, well, seen her.”

I stared at him. “What are you talkingabout? How can you be in love with someone but never laid eyes onthem?”

“Her scent is everywhere,”he blurted. “In my head and my heart. But you see, I cannot simplylook at her. I