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

Left alone with my thoughts thecreeping doubts returned. Things were starting to make far too muchsense to me. The more I learnt the more I began to believe I wasmeant to lead these demons from the darkness. As impossible as itwas, they listened to me and respected my opinion. No matter howmany times I messed up or said something stupid they still turnedto me and trusted my word. Even more worrisome, though I couldfight for them, and be the warrior they needed me to be, I stilldid not think that I was meant to be their Priestess. Being a voiceof reason when others damned the human race was one thing. Leadingan entire race for millennia was another.

A crunching noise caught my attentionand I slipped into a crouch and spread my wings. There was a softcurse, more snapping twigs, and I relaxed.

I knew that voice. I straightened, andcrossed my arms over my chest, my unease dissipating. Ana came outof the bushes and froze when she saw me. Her blonde hair wasplaited into an intricate braid and a few wisps framed her elfinface. Ana was short, shorter than me and petite in frame. She had afunny shade of blue eyes and high cheekbones.

Ana the white witch was young andpowerful, extremely powerful. She could see the possible futures ofpeople she looked upon or touched and was often simply referred toby the fairies as the Seer.

Even now her eyes glazed over as shelooked at me. Ana had told me Breandan and I were overwhelming tolook at, and that we had many futures, each more dangerous than thelast. Whatever she saw when she looked at me now troubledher.

“You shouldn’t be here,”she muttered.

I arched my eyebrow at this. “What thehell are you doing here, Ana?” I narrowed my eyes. “I know you livein the upper dwells, but you’re off track to be atTemple.”

She untangled herself from thebranches caught in her clothes, and stomped up to me. Shehesitantly brushed her fingertips over the Temple wall andshuddered. “I was following the pull of black magic. Believe mewhen I say I’m more surprised to see you here.” She pursued herlips and spread her hands out in front of her. “I’m here becausesomeone is working a spell. Powerful.”

“Someone you know?” Iquestioned, curious.

Her eyes flickered, unfocused, and shegrimaced. “Possibly, but superior practioners of witchcraft don’tleave a signature in their castings, and the amount of power beingthrown here is immense.” She shrugged and her hand dropped. “Oldmembers of my Coven had this much power.” She focused on meabruptly and her hand lifted once more to feel the air, but thistime around me. “You reek of death and your futures are hazy to mySight. What have you been doing?”

I remembered the blessing ceremonywith a quiver of revulsion. “You don’t want to know.” Pushing thehair out of my face I raked my top teeth over my bottom lipthoughtfully. “Uh, I never realized you belonged to aCoven.”

“I don’t,” she saidsmoothly. “I used to, of course, but I left. Didn’t I tell youthis?”

I jerked my shoulders not bothered.“Maybe.”

“So you’re here for …shifters … I thought for sure you would carry on for Devlin whenyou reached this far. What happened to the grim–” She lookedtroubled and rubbed her temples focusing. “It’s so strange…. Ican’t see him anymore. His path is no longer entangled with yours.He’s just … gone.” She shot a puzzled look at me.

“What does thatmean?”

She gave me an irritated look. “We’vehad this discussion before. I can’t tell you reasons why. Only whatis and what isn’t. I don’t like repeating myself.”

“Helpful,” I said dryly.“Maybe Breandan will know.”

“Whatever. I’m not here totoss theories around with you. I’m here to–” She stopped and cockedher head, staring through me.

I rolled my eyes down to look at herand my brows furrowed. “You’re here to….” I clapped my hands infront of her face.

She twitched then her head snapped tothe tunnel opening. “I came to stop the witchcraft, but sinceyou’re here….” Ana backed up, shaking her head. “The vampire isdown there.” She took another step back. “I shouldn’t havecome.”

“Stay,” I begged andlistened to the sounds down in the tunnel. A strangled yell cut offmid way. Soft grunts were almost drowned out by half bellowed criesof terror. When she took yet another step I pinned her with aglare. “You say there is witchcraft here and I don’t know if I willbe able to handle it on my own without Breandan.” I took in a deepbreath. “So please stay with me.”

The noise down the tunnel got louder.I listened carefully to the sound of many people coming toward usat speed. I could hear Lex’s fluid footfalls, her two separate feetalmost indistinguishable. Ro’s heavier singular thuds were a fewpaces behind. I could also hear what may be claws scraping alongthe floor. Paws?

Yellow eyes glinted in the gloombefore a cougar burst out the tunnel opening a moment later,sailing overhead. Amelia. She turned to scream at us in triumph,blood-stained jaw opened wide to show four dagger-like caninescurving inward.

Nimah tumbled out behind her sister.“Oh,” she said dryly. “You again.”

Lex glided into view next and herchest was drenched with blood. Gasping, I stared at her. Sheroughly swiped the back of her hand across her mouth, wiped herother hand down her front, but it just made matters worse,especially when she sucked a bloodied finger into her mouth andgroaned, “Mmmm.”

Ro staggered out the tunnel next,looking bewildered, a pale goblin-child attached to his back. “Notso easy this time,” he grumbled. Blood ran down his temple and hismovement was sluggish.

“Where is Tomas?” I askedand stepped forward into the mouth of the tunnel then stopped. Allthe walls closed in around me and I gasped, stumbled back. Icouldn’t go in there … I couldn’t. “Tomas,” I called and my voiceechoed down into the dank dark.

An answering snarl and the sound ofboots scraping along the floor echoed from the passageway. Tomasappeared from the gloom a moment later, his movement silent anddeadly. He dragged a Cleric by the throat behind him, legs flailingas he scratched at Tomas’ hand.

A gust of wind blew the Clericscrimson hood back,