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

His disheveled, dark brown hair hung aroundhis handsome face, and his brown eyes burned with an intensityshe’d never seen before. It made her skin crawl as she searched forsome way to bolt, but she wasn’t getting past him.

“Hello, Lexi,” he greeted.

“Malakai.”

“How have you been?”

She swallowed to wet her suddenly parchedthroat and forced herself to smile at him. “I’ve been fine, andyou?”

“I’ve been fighting a war.”

Unlike the look of horror, wisdom, and agethat shone in her father’s eyes when he spoke of the war, the lookin Malakai’s eyes was one of almost twisted, perverse pleasure. Herstomach churned as she realized he enjoyed the fighting, the death,and the brutality of this unnecessary war.

She could never express how his enjoyment ofthe war made her feel sick. It was treasonous, and he would use itagainst her. She was supposed to be for the war; she wassupposed to want the humans to know about them so immortals couldwalk the earth freely and stop hiding in the shadows.

But it never bothered her that she had tokeep her true nature hidden from the humans. She much preferredhiding to watching the slaughter of countless mortals and immortalsevery day.

“We are going to win this war,” hestated.

“I’m sure you are,” she said and glanced overhis shoulder again. “If you’ll excuse me, I have some things I haveto do.”

When he didn’t move to let her pass, shetried dodging underneath one of his arms. He laughed and loweredhis hand to her hip to keep her in place. Lexi buried the angersurging through her at the intimate gesture.

He wanted to rattle her, and she refused togive him the satisfaction of seeing it happen. But she had no ideahow to get out of this.

Lifting her chin, she was about to ask him tomove his hand when he said something that stole the words from her.“I intend to marry you, Elexiandra.”

She couldn’t keep her jaw from falling at thestatement; she also couldn’t stop a nervous chuckle.

“You find that funny?” he asked.

Not funny, more astonishing, but the malicein his eyes caused her chuckle to stop abruptly. “No, I don’t findit funny at all.”

She’d never spoken truer words in her entirelife.

“We come from good families, our propertiesadjoin each other, and you will give me fine children,” hesaid.

Lexi could only stand and stare at him. Shehad no intention of marrying him. Of course, she didn’t say that tohim, but he would soon learn it didn’t matter what he wanted. Hecouldn’t make her marry him; her father would never allow it.

Lexi grimaced as she replied, “I’m notmarrying you or anyone else.”

He smiled as his gaze raked her. Despitekeeping her shoulders back, her spine straight, and her chinraised, she had to resist covering herself with her hands. She worea black sweater and jeans, but she’d never felt more exposed in herlife.

“Malakai, where are you?” his father’s voice,drifting through the barn doors, didn’t make Malakai move away.

“I’m coming back from this war, Elexiandra,”he told her. “And when I do, I expect to claim all the rewards theLord of the Shadow Realms promised us for winning. You will be oneof the first things I claim.”

“I am not a spoil of war.”

She was not one to push back or fight againstothers, and she had no idea where those words came from or how shefound the strength to utter them, but she refused to be somethinghe claimed.

If she did marry, it wouldn’t be to a man whobelieved he could own her. It would be to someone who treated heras an equal, and that would never be Malakai.

He smiled as he lowered his hand to run afinger down her cheek. Lexi compelled herself not to recoil fromhis touch; she would not give him the satisfaction.

“But you will be mine,” he murmured.

“Malakai!” his father called fromoutside.

He lowered his finger from her cheek, andbefore she could stop him, he kissed her forehead. Lexi was toostunned to respond, and by the time she formed a response, he wasstriding down the shedrow. His swagger caused her teeth toclench.

Now that she could see beyond him, shespotted her father and Malakai’s stepping into the barn. Hisfather’s irritation was evident on his face, but she couldn’t quitemake out his clipped words. When they disappeared, her fatherwalked toward her.

The light filtering through the windows andthe doorway at the end illuminated his broad shoulders and solidframe. Stubble lined his jaw, and dark circles shadowed his eyes,but they were still sharp as they narrowed on her.

“What did he say to you?” her fatherdemanded.

“He said the Lord of the Shadow Realms haspromised to reward the fighters, and he intends for me to be one ofthose rewards. He wants to marry me.”

Her father snorted as he ran a hand throughhis pale blond hair. “Well, since he ranks far lower than me, youwon’t have to worry about that. It’s not something I’ll ever lethappen.”

Her shoulders sagged, and she smiled as shelinked her arm through his. “So, you don’t plan to give me awayanytime soon?” she teased.

The smile slid from his face as he patted herhand. “I never want to give you away, and I’m certainly not goingto give you to someone you don’t choose.”

His words had assured her. He was herprotector; he was stronger and held more power than Malakai. Shenever had to fear being forced into marriage.

But that was months ago. Now her fatherwasn’t here to protect her, Malakai’s father was dead too, and shewas standing beside Malakai, who had that awful, leering grin onhis face. It was the grin that said he could see straight throughher clothes, the one that said he’d come to claim his reward.

CHAPTER 8

Cole watched Elexiandra as she stood beside Malakai.Her delicate chin jutted out, and fire shown in her eyes as shekept her hands clasped firmly before her. He couldn’t hear whatMalakai said to her, but he could tell she didn’t like it.

Malakai held his hand out to her, and shestared at it before glancing around the dance floor. Cole sensedher panic as she stared at the couples with desperation in hereyes.

He stepped forward to intervene, but Brokkblocked his way. Cole