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

I might have focused on how wrong thatwas had Tomas not cried out and fallen to his knees.

In two steps, I was right there withhim, ignoring the damp and dirt. His hands wrapped around my wristsand I did not know if he was going to crush me to him or throw meaway. As it was he simply held me then collapsed forward, his darkhead resting on my lap as his entire body shuddered under thestrain of his emotion.

“You choose him,” hegroaned and rocked back, seemingly unable to stay still.

He let his head fall back, the palecolumn of his throat taut with tension, moonlight streaming acrosshis tormented expression.

His hands slipped away from me andslammed into the earth. Roaring his aggression, he beat at theground causing the earth to shift and split open, creating shallowcurvatures where he pounded. My cool and rational vampire went madwith jealousy, and his resentment and hurt were palpable. Whendelivering blows to the ground did not ease his pain he turned hisfingers into rakes and scraped finger wide gouges into the earth. Itrembled as he raged around me, gutturally screaming in what musthave been dead languages. I prayed to the gods I would never hearsuch words uttered again, so evil and malignant they sounded asthey rasped across my ears, and tore into my soul.

In the midst of his frenzy, I placedmy palms on his cheeks, and slowly moved my head from side toside.

“I need you to understand.”I let my hand move over his head, ran my fingers through his softhair then gripped two fistfuls tightly. “Please.”

“Why?”

I let my head drop, unable to meet hisgaze as I mumbled, “It was one kiss, Tomas. It shouldn’t havehappened, and I’ll never be sorry it did as it probably saved yourlife.” I looked him in the eye. “If you hadn’t taken my blood Iprobably would have let Lochlann kill you. So no, I’ll never regretit, but I’m rational enough to see that whatever this is betweenus,” I motioned to him than me, “would never work. Not whenI–”

“A bond with magic is notlove,” he bit out harshly.

“And a bond made enrapturedby bloodlust is better?” I pressed my fingers to his jaw, nottrusting myself to touch him any other way. “The first moment I sawBreandan he ensnared me. I was lost before he touched me and thebond was made. Do you remember the first time we met? How terrifiedI was? The first time I met you I felt nothing but fear. Can’t yousee? Our blood tie was made from succumbing to desire not love.” Hetried to pull away from me, but I grabbed his hair and tugged hishead back. “I am your friend, and I trust you. So don’t ruin whatwe have by forcing me to explore a side to our relationshipdestined to fail.”

Regaining some calm, he watched mesilently. His fangs slid up and his eyes cleared. “Then what do youask of me, friend?”

I winced at the coldness of his words.“I could use your help. I made a pact with an Alpha to save hisdaughters. They’re still beneath Temple.”

He blinked at me, and I could neversay what passed through his mind. Taking a series of short breaths,he grunted and rose from his knees. He offered his hand.

“Come then.” I curled myfingers around his and stood. I flushed when he paused and did notlet go. “May I hold your hand as we catch your allies up?” he askedso politely I found myself nodding.

I was faster than him but reined myspeed in so we could run side by side. It seemed my vampire couldmove faster than me, but only for short periods of time. I wonderedwhy that was. Was it to do with how their bodies moved and how muchblood was left in their systems? Did a lack of blood tire him likea lack of sleep and food would tire me?

“Have you eaten,” Iblurted.

Tomas slanted me a look out of thecorner of his eye. A felled log was in our path and instead ofzipping round it like I had planned he yanked on my hand, swept meup into his arms, and jumped over it. My heart thumped as Iremembered the similar jolting sensations from when he had firstcarried me. He did not let me go when we touched down on the otherside. He did pull me closer and look down on me with the saddestexpression on his face. I used both my hands to smooth away thelines the troubled look caused, letting my fingers linger on hisbold and objectionable features. How had I ever thought him ugly?He had character, and an aura of charming imperfection only thosetied to the dark could acquire.

He made a rumbling noise low in histhroat and leaned down to slide his nose along my neck, inhalingdeeply. I bit my lip and my eyelids fluttered.

“Rae?” Lex’s voice was softand apologetic.

Tomas set me down on my own two feet.He moved away to stand before the Wall and waited, staring at thewires with rapt attention, making me think he was not actuallyseeing the Wall.

My palms dampened with sweat even asmy mouth went dry. I had done this before, so I could do it again.The klaxon had only gone off last time because my power hadwhiplashed out unexpectedly, a side effect of my exhaustion andemotional turmoil.

Lex rolled her eyes and walked over tothe wires red hot with electric current. Like a spider scuttling upa web she scaled the Wall as if it wasn’t sending high-voltagebolts of electricity into her body. She vaulted over and climbeddown, her arms and legs moving in a liquid crawl. Her colorlesshair fell forward and obscured her face. When Lex reached thebottom of the steel web she walked forward on her hands, legs stiffin the air and toes pointed. With an odd jerk her back bent and shelowered her feet to the floor. Bowed in a rigid arch on all fours,stomach facing the sky, her torso rolled her upright. She turned onher heel and waited for us, hair still