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

she moved sogracefully, but now it was like she had planks of wood forlimbs.

She reached my side and breathed out,sent me a dagger like look under her colorless lashes.

I leaned closer and from the corner ofmy mouth whispered, “S’up with you?”

“She’ll find it hard aroundme,” Papa Obe answered. “You did not bind her to you leaving heropen to the influence of others.” He tutted.“Dangerous.”

I looked at Lex, took in hersubmissive posture and terrified expression. “You won’t do anythingto her will you?” Feeling less and less happy about the nefariousexpression flickering across his face I stepped in front of Lexprotectively. “Let’s be clear from the beginning, it’s not okay foryou to control her do you understand?”

The sinister look that had warred overhis face was swept away by sheer delight. He laughed boomingly.“It’s not me you must fear girl, but her. And them nasty witches.They could mess with your girl’s mind until she loses it.” Hetapped his temple. “Twist her into something evil, you hearme?”

The thought of a witch using Lex forevil left me cold. My friend was in danger yet again because of mymistakes. It was bad enough I had to live with what I had done toher, that she had died simply for knowing me, but still my badchoices came back to haunt her. She had to live as a monster andnow must face the fear of one day being controlled byothers.

I inhaled sharply. I would not letthat happen.

“Then show me show toprotect her,” I said fiercely. “Teach me how to use magics like youdo.”

He shook his head. “Too late, nothingyou can do. She must guard herself.”

I pulled my brows together and ran mytop teeth over my bottom lip, considering what he was saying. “Sheis the last of her kind, a Mambo,” I muttered.

“And a zombie,” Ro addedthoughtfully.

Papa Obe nodded. “She has the power,but I cannot teach her how to use it. I am a Houngan. The male doesnot teach the female.” He motioned to himself then her and sighed.“Look how I run my mouth. All this talk yet we avoid that which bemost important. Why you come here, Priestess? What you want fromme?”

I wanted exactly squat from this man.I looked to Ro since it was his idea.

He straightened and lopped his thumbsinto his jean pockets. “I tell you I need help. We need help.” Hejerked his head at me. “A hideaway until her man and brother comeget her.”

The Houngan laughed throatily. “Youchoose to come here instead of hide up inside Temple. Them Clericsfigure out you are the Bokor they hunted all theseyears?”

Ro’s lips twisted. “They know enoughnow.”

“You come to me with thelost fairy Priestess, her vampire lover and the dead daughter ofMama Odette?” His eyebrows rose. “You think I should let you in myhome.”

Ro pouted. “Had little choice,Papa.”

“I know. I hear and seemany things, boy.” He stepped back and pointed through the door,into the darkness of his shack.

Tomas stepped forward.

“Stop!” Papa Obe’s voiceboomed. His hair lifted, crackling with electricity, and magic slidover my skin making my shiver. “You may not step here, vampire.”His eyes rolled into the back of his head leaving white orbs withfine red webs of veins at the edges. “Something about you stinks ofwitchcraft.”

An unexpected glint of steel appearedin Tomas’ eye. “Calm yourself, Houngan.”

Papa Obe’s eyes rolled forward and hismilky gaze switched to me. “I want to help, but you must understandthat I cannot let him enter. I sense witches’ darkness.”

“Why,” I asked, truly at aloss. “Tomas won’t hurt you, I swear it.”

“Your word is your oath,but his is not.” Papa Obe’s head dipped down to peer at us fromunder his thick and short lashes. “Vampires are tricky, selfishthings.” He jerked his chin toward Tomas. “He cannotenter.”

“He won’t harm you,” Isaid.

“No dead one can harm aservant of those who have power over life itself, child. The Loakeep me safe from their kind.”

Tomas squared up to the man. “I’m hereto help Rae. It is as simple as that.”

“It’s never that simplewhen it comes to your kind,” Papa Obe replied evenly.

This was ridiculous. It seemed everydemon had issues with any not of their kind and it was beginning tofrustrate me. “Enough,” I huffed, and placed my hand on Tomas’chest to firmly push him back a step. “We need to get off thestreet. Ro brought us here because he thought we could trust youand that you could help. I want to stay, but I won’t if I have toworry about Tomas roaming around out here.”

The Houngan said nothing. He loweredhis chin, expression dark, and slinked out of the way.

Tomas nodded once and moved passedhim. His shoulders relaxed and he sent the older man an impatientlook. “I told you I mean you no harm.”

“And there was no harm inbeing sure,” he replied. Confused, I looked between them. “No onethat means me ill can enter,” Obe explained and waved meforward.

Magic hung in the air. It was like aconstant itch between the shoulder blades you could not scratchbecause although you could use your arms you did not have aparticular type of hand to scratch that particular itch.

The air smelt herby. Sniffing, Ifollowed my nose and nodded in satisfaction at the fresh and driedherbs stuffed into a weave basket hanging from the ceiling. Thewood floor was covered in soft, dark sand. The grains were roughagainst the soles of my feet, and oddly warm.

Ro tapped my shoulder and handed me apair of boots, dark trousers, and a sleeveless muslin tunic.Nodding my thanks, I ducked behind a woven screen in the corner andquickly got dressed. The clothes fit fine, better than Tomas’shirt, but the footwear made me unexpectedly tearful. The bootsAlec had gotten me were quite lovely and these could not compare.Walking back out I tugged at the tunic to get it to fall properlyaround my wings and handed Tomas back his top. I couldn’t keep myglamour on any longer, I felt too constricted and weak.

The shack was one of the larger I hadseen in the slums and one of the best kept. Not that it meant muchwhen it came to the slums. Tattered, yet