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

asshe approached him. Memories of what passed between them in thelibrary flooded her, and her mouth went dry.

If he didn’t move, she’d either be stuck inthis room with them or forced to squeeze past him. And if Lexitouched him again, she might kiss him, and if she did, she didn’tknow if she would stop.

“You don’t have to rush off on my account,”Cole said as his gaze raked over her.

Her step faltered. “I’m not.”

Though she was.

After the library events, and then withMalakai, she wasn’t entirely sure what to do about him. Shecouldn’t deny she was coming to like and even care for him, but ifshe allowed herself to get closer to him, it would only lead toheartache, and her heart had been battered enough this year.

And since they were leaving soon, she had toput some distance between them.

• • •

Cole reluctantly stepped out of her way so she couldpass. She glanced at him, but her gaze fell to the floor as sheslipped by him. The blush warming her cheeks was endearing andadorable.

It took all he had not to clasp her wrist andhalt her, but he didn’t move as she left the room. Stepping back,he watched the sway of her hips as she strolled down the hall anddescended the steps.

When she was gone, he turned his attentionback to his brother, who grinned at him. When Cole scowled at him,the smile slid from Brokk’s face.

“I’m warning you, Brokk, don’t fuck withher.”

Brokk pushed himself up higher on the bed.“Unlike you, brother, I have no intention of doing so.”

“I’m not fucking with her,” Cole said.

“Maybe not, but it’s obvious you desire her.And not only is she an innocent, but she’s a good person, and Ilike her. Del was also our friend, and I don’t want to see hisdaughter hurt.”

“That’s not going to happen.”

“You’re part dark fae, Cole. It’s what thefae do.”

“You’re as much dark fae as I am.”

“I didn’t say I wasn’t, but I’m also nottrying to screw our host. So, in that sense, I’m less dark fae thanyou while we’re here.”

“I’m not trying to screw her,” Colesaid.

“Yes, you are. You can deny it, but we bothknow the truth. It’s what the dark fae do. But this time, beforeyou act, take a look at what you’re leaving in your wake.”

“You nearly died, but I’ll still beat theshit out of you.”

Brokk laughed as he lifted his book. “Youcould try, but we both know you love me too much to mar theperfection that is me.”

Normally, Brokk’s arrogance made Cole smile,but as his gaze returned to where he last saw Lexi, he didn’t feelmuch like smiling. What did he want from her?

No doubt, he planned to have her in his bed,but what would the aftermath be for her? She was an innocent; hecouldn’t deny that. After hundreds of years, he knew how to spotone, but so what?

She wouldn’t be the first woman whoseinnocence he took, and she wouldn’t be the last. Something insidehim recoiled at the idea of taking another woman to his bed, but hewas dark fae, and that was what they did.

It’s what he’d done his entire life, but evenafter he moved on, he would make sure she stayed safe fromMalakai.

“I’m enjoying this book,” Brokk said.

“I told you it was good,” Cole muttered ashis attention shifted back to his brother.

“These witches and wizards are much morelikable than our witches and warlocks, though.”

This time, Cole did laugh. “That theyare.”

CHAPTER 42

The howling wind rattling her windows woke Lexi. Sheblinked into the darkness before rolling over to stare at the nightpressing against the glass.

Rain plastered the window as the wind blew itagainst the panes and whipped it across the land. Normally, sheloved the sounds of a storm, but there was something about thisstorm that made her feel lonely. It was as if the world beyond thatwindow had ceased to exist and only she remained.

Pushing aside her blankets, she rose andwalked over to the glass. She rested her fingers against the coolsurface as a rolling wave of thunder built to a crescendo thatshook the manor. In the distance, lightning pierced the earth.

Electricity crackled the air as more boltsilluminated the scorched earth beyond the glass. The broken andbarren landscape didn’t help her feel less alone in the world. Sheturned away from the window.

She eyed her bed, but sleep would elude herfor as long as the storm raged. She grabbed her robe—her adultone—pulled it on, and tied it. Leaving her room behind, she paddeddown the hall to find something to munch on while watching thestorm.

She was almost to the end of the hall when amuffled shout halted her. Straining to hear over the rain beatingagainst the roof and the howling wind, she listened for anothersound but didn’t hear anything.

Had she imagined it? Did the storm create thenoise?

Turning, her eyes fell on Brokk’s door, andshe crept toward it. Had he experienced a setback?

Her hand fell on the knob, and she hesitatedbefore starting to turn it. She didn’t want to knock and riskwaking him if he was sleeping, but she couldn’t just walk inthere.

When the thunder faded away again, anothermuffled shout sounded, and she realized it wasn’t coming fromBrokk’s room. She retreated from his door and retraced her stepsdown the hall until she stood outside the room she’d given toCole.

She rested her hand on the knob but didn’tturn it. However, when another muffled shout started seconds beforeanother clap of thunder boomed through the night, she knew shecouldn’t walk away without checking on him first. For all she knew,someone had broken into the manor and was attacking him.

That possibility speared her into motion, andbefore she could think about it anymore, she turned the knob andinched the door open. If someone was attacking him, then shecouldn’t alert them to her presence.

The element of surprise was her biggestadvantage here. And if no one was in the room with him, then shedidn’t want to wake him.

However, when the door was open enough forher to see into the room, she realized he was alone. Flashes oflightning revealed the small dresser, fireplace, and bathroom dooracross from the king-sized bed. Dark blue curtains