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

out of the doorway, he strolledtoward her. He crossed the Oriental rug to settle in the chair afew feet away from her. She was so engrossed in her book she didn’trealize he was there until he cleared his throat.

CHAPTER 34

Lexi squeaked and almost threw her book when a soundcame from only a few feet away from her. Her head shot up, and shespotted Cole sitting in the other chair and grinning at her likethe Cheshire cat.

That smile and the carefree way he draped hisarm over the back of the chair as he turned toward her caused therapid beat of her heart to shift from alarm to excitement.

“I didn’t hear you enter,” she said.

“I know.”

It wasn’t fair he looked casual and carefreewhile she felt so thrown off by his sudden presence.

“What are you reading?” he inquired.

Lifting the book, she turned it toward him sohe could see the name on the cover. When she entered earlier, she’dsought escape, so she chose one of her favorites.

His smile grew. “Harry Potter and theSorcerer’s Stone.”

“Have you read it?” she asked.

“No.”

“It’s really good. The series is one of myfavorites.”

His gaze wandered over all the books beforesettling on her again. “Do you mind if I pick something toread?”

“Not at all.”

She couldn’t help but marvel over his size ashe unfolded himself from the chair and rose with a fluid grace shewouldn’t have associated with someone of his size. She knew alllycan were massive, but she hadn’t been around many of them.

She tipped her head to the side as shewatched him studying the shelves. She was extremely curious to seewhat he picked. “How is Brokk doing?”

“Much better. He’s still sleeping, but hiscolor has improved, and so has his breathing.”

“That’s great. Will your father be worriedabout you?”

“I sent him a crow this morning.”

Cole stopped his perusal of the shelves andremoved a book. Lexi bit her lip as she impatiently waited to seewhat he chose. He examined the book for a minute before returningto the chair.

“Did you find something you liked?” sheasked.

He turned the book toward her, and shelaughed when she saw he held the Chamber of Secrets.

“Someone told me it was a good series,” hesaid with a smile that showed off his dazzling white teeth.

“They were correct.” She closed her book andheld it across the gap between them. “I’ll trade you. I’ve alreadyread it half a dozen times, and it’s better if you start at thebeginning.”

He took the book from her and handed her theone he’d claimed. Leaning back in the chair, she opened the book,but she couldn’t concentrate as her gaze repeatedly returned tohim. He didn’t have the same problem as he flipped through thepages.

The rustle of turning pages was the onlysound in the room as an hour slipped past. She was acutely aware ofhis presence in the room, but it wasn’t uncomfortable.

A sense of peace enveloped her as hismasculine scent teased her nostrils. She had no reason to feel safein his presence, but she hadn’t felt this secure since her daddied.

When the grandfather clock down the hallchimed the hour, he set his book down and rose. “I should check onBrokk.”

Lexi buried her disappointment. He left theroom, and she returned to her book, but unable to concentrate, shekept rereading the same page.

She was about to give up when he returned.She hated the leap of excitement her heart made. Becoming moreentangled with this man could be the biggest mistake of her life,but she already craved the rush of life he made her experiencewhenever he was near.

However, the dark fae were loyal to very few,and she was well aware of what they needed to survive. She wouldonly be one of many to him, but she still itched to feel the cordedmuscles of his arms around her again.

“Is he okay?” she asked to distract herselffrom her wayward thoughts.

“He’s still sleeping.”

“I’m sure he’ll wake soon.”

“So am I.”

He said this, but his brow remained furrowedas he reclaimed his seat. He didn’t pick the book back up. Instead,he stared at the empty fireplace. Her gaze swung between him andthe fireplace as the unsettling possibility he might somehow seethe entrance to the tunnel plagued her.

There’s no way he knows it’s there.But sweat broke out on her palms and beaded along her nape. Getit together, or he’s going to notice!

This was true, but she wasn’t one forsubterfuge, and she could feel herself unraveling as she waited tosee what he would do.

“How has it been for you since the warended?” he asked after a few minutes.

Her shoulders relaxed as she stared at thefireplace and tried not to laugh in relief. The entrance was toowell hidden to see. She had to calm down, or she was going to blowit.

When he turned toward her, she recalled hisquestion and pondered the best way to answer it. He probablyexpected her to tell him things were great, her father’s side hadwon, but she couldn’t say that. She lost her dad in the war, andeverything had been a struggle since the dragons torched the earth.She couldn’t lie about that.

“It’s… been… difficult,” she admitted.

“How so?”

An unexpected lump formed in her throat. “Nothaving my dad, for starters. He took care of so much around here,and he was my… everything.” Her gaze fell to her hands as shefiddled with the edge of her shirt. “Trying to keep this placerunning after his death and after so many workers deserted us hasbeen a challenge, but Sahira and I are doing it.

“We have a human handyman who still comes tohelp Sahira and me with some repairs, but our live-in help is gone.The people who used to work and live here know we’re immortals now;there’s no point in continuing to hide it from them. Even if wenever hurt them and always helped them, they still fear us. And whocan blame them?”

“Who indeed?”

“Before, Sahira used to cast a glamour overus to make the humans think we were aging like them, but she gavethat up after the war. There was no reason to drain herself bykeeping up the pretense.”

“It’s a big place for the two of you to takecare of on your own.”

Lexi