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

eyes widened, but she didn’t recoil fromhim again; even still, more waves of self-hatred swamped him. Heshould be trying to calm her; he was making things worse.

“Lexi,” he whispered. “I’m sorry. I didn’tmean to…. I would never do this to you on purpose. I swear, I wouldnever do this on purpose. I….” He glanced at the windows asa crashing wave of thunder shook the house.

His nightmare rushed back to him; only itwasn’t a nightmare. At one time, it was as real as the storm ragingoutside. He’d stood, covered in blood, on that field. The thickliquid had clogged his nose and filled his mouth as he hacked hisway through so many.

When the falling bodies littered the field,he climbed over the growing mound they created. He lost himself tothe bloodlust as he sought to survive, but he didn’t let the lycanpart of himself take control.

He relied on his fae magic, superiorstrength, and fighting skills to carry him through the battle.However, knowing she was in danger—even if he was thethreat—caused the beast to prowl beneath the surface. His clawsscraped the wooden floor as they lengthened and retracted.

“It won’t happen again,” he said as he edgedaway from her. He’d make sure Malakai stayed away from her, but sowould he. “You should go.”

But he didn’t want her to leave. He’d giveanything to shelter her from the world as he lost himself to herkiss again.

She would chase away the nightmares, he wassure of it, but in the process, he might become her biggestnightmare. He refused to let that happen.

“What… what were you dreaming about?” shewhispered in a hoarse voice.

The rawness of her voice made him wince, andhe crept further away. His fangs extended as his teeth groundtogether.

If anyone else had dared to do this to her,he would have torn them to shreds, but he couldn’t destroy himself…no matter how badly he wanted to.

“It doesn’t matter,” he said.

“It does matter,” she whispered.

“No, it doesn’t.”

He rose, and when her eyes became saucersthat latched onto his waist, he recalled his nudity.

CHAPTER 44

Lexi forgot about her sore throat as she took himin. The thick wall of carved muscle was so deep across his stomachshe could dip a fingertip into the hollows they created. A trail ofblack hair ran down from his belly button, and when shelooked….

Her jaw almost became unhinged as she took inall of him. She should look away, but her attention remainedriveted on the limp cock resting against his thigh.

She’d never seen a naked man before, and itwas as fascinating as it was startling. Her hand fell away from herthroat as she tried to process everything she was seeing.

It was rude to stare, but she remainedriveted on him. And then her gaze traveled lower to his thighs andlegs as he stood with his feet braced apart. Despite her everyintention not to look again, her gaze returned to his dick beforehe turned away.

She found herself staring at his taut ass andwondering what it would feel like to grip it in her hands before hemoved out of view. Once he was gone, the fire burned up her neckand face.

She’d been openly ogling him, and he’d seenher do it. What was the matter with her? He’d just been chokingher, and she was pondering what it would be like to grab hisass.

The lack of oxygen to her brain had causedsome damage.

Resting her hand against the wall, she took adeep breath and steadied the tremble in her legs before rising. Asmuch as she’d love to remain huddled on the floor, she couldn’t doit.

However, she had to walk around the bed andin front of him to leave the room. She wasn’t sure her shaky legswould carry her that far.

As she waited to make sure she wouldn’t makean ass out of herself by falling on her face, she turned todiscover him sitting on the other side of the bed with his hands onhis knees.

More ciphers ran across his shoulder bladesand down his back, where they stopped at the edge of his waist. Hehad far more of the markings than she’d realized.

How powerful is he?

Her attention was drawn away from themarkings as his shoulders hunched forward and his head bowed.Misery radiated from him. If it wasn’t for her throbbing throat andthe panic still thrumming through her, she would have climbed ontothe bed, hugged him, and offered him some solace.

However, when she considered doing that, sheflashed to him on top of her as his hand clamped around her throat.His mouth had twisted into a snarl that revealed his four fangs asshe beat against him.

When his eyes flew open, she’d seen savagery,the likes of which she’d never witnessed before, in their silverdepths. She’d also seen an emptiness that turned her blood toice.

Before, when he looked at her, she alwaysfelt seen. But when he was choking her, he looked straight throughher to something else. She’d realized he could kill her withoutknowing it was her.

Her struggles had increased, and she’d beatagainst him, but it hadn’t lessened his hold. It wasn’t until shelanded a blow that shot his head back that he emerged from the gripof whatever controlled him.

She saw the clearing in his eyes and thedevastation on his face when he realized what he was doing beforehe released her.

And now, she saw the dejected despairenshrouding him. Whatever he’d been dreaming about, it stillhaunted him, and so did his actions.

Still, she couldn’t stay here. He’d nearlykilled her.

Her gaze traveled to the doorway as she edgedaround the bed. She couldn’t bring herself to look at him as shecompelled herself not to run for the door.

He’d leave tomorrow. She did not doubt it.Even if Brokk weren’t ready for travel, he would go after theevents of this night.

She ignored the sadness accompanying thisrealization. It would be better if he left. They should stop thistreacherous game they played, but she didn’t want him to go.

She told herself she wouldn’t look back, butwhen her hand fell on the knob, she couldn’t stop her gaze fromreturning to him. His shoulders tensed as another round of thunderboomed throughout the room.

Darkness descended before lightningilluminated the room in a series