Demon Day (39 page)

“
Banish the thought,”
Breandan roared and took hold of my arms to shake me roughly. “What
one can achieve does not pass over to the other. Every fairy is
unique and none do the same thing the same way.” He lowered his
voice and trembled as he struggled to control his reaction. “Should
you try we cannot predict what would happen to you.”

“
Our mother died, Rae,”
Conall said softly as an explanation for Breandan’s fearful anger.
“She was found dead in a circle of burning grass and you were
gone.” My brother shrugged hopelessly. “Just … gone. Her magic had
burnt out on the return journey. The only reason we knew you were
still alive is when the years passed and a new Priestess was not
born.”

When I had shifted us I had barely
been able to stand and think straight. Attempting it again would
have probably killed me … like it had killed my
mother.

Oh, Conall. My heart hurt for him.
Everything and everyone he loved, the life he’d once had, simply
disappeared overnight. My whole life I had thought my family had
abandoned me, but it looked like I had been forced to abandon them.
Amelia had told me Conall had visited her great grandmother
searching for me. He had held onto the hope that I was alive and
that he would bring me back to my rightful place amongst out
people. He had shouldered the shame of our family, the burden of
our legacy. Son to the murderess who broke the balance and sent
away fairykind’s one hope to restore order.

There could only be one Priestess and
since I was still alive for two hundred years the fairy race lost
their spiritual leader. No wonder we were so fractured and lost.
Worse, when she was found not only was she selfish, foolhardy, and
scatterbrained, but she didn’t mate with the High Lord. She fell in
love with his younger brother. And not any old mating, a dangerous
bonding that rocked the foundations of their race a millennia
before; their lost Priestess who spilt blood for vampires, and the
humans who wanted them gone.

How could I repair such damage? I
needed time to learn and grow but they needed me now. Things were
happening now and as always I was hesitant, or too afraid to throw
myself into what I was in fear I would lose myself.

Lochlann was an ass, but he did what
he thought was best. Just like Conall. He had seen Lochlann as a
leader who wanted to bring positive change. If I had been in his
shoes wouldn’t I have done the same?

“
I’m sorry,” I said to
Conall quietly and before I talked myself out of it, I wrapped my
arms around his waist. He was so bulky and big it took some effort
on my part. I rested my head lightly on his chest. “I’m sorry I
left you and that we had to spend our childhoods alone.”

Conall wrapped his bulging arms around
me and buried his head in my hair. “All will be well,” he said
roughly.

There was a soft thump of boots trying
to walk away quietly and my eyes snapped open.

“
Ana,” I said firmly and
she froze, looking sheepishly over her shoulder.

“
You and I are nowhere near
done.” I disentangled myself from Conall’s arms and waited arms
loose by my side. My wings flexed and extended again and the witch
swallowed loudly. “Did your father send you to spy on the
fairies?”

Ana lifted her chin. “It was my job to
get close to Devlin, yes. To use my Sight to convince him I was on
his side. I was to return after one month and report all I knew.”
That month had come and gone yet still here she was. That spoke for
itself. “I don’t want to be like him, Rae. Surely you can
understand that? Not wanting to be like your parents … I don’t …
fit in,” her eyes welled with tears. “I don’t bend to the darkness
like they do.”

“
But that is where your
magic comes from, isn’t it,” I said. “Humans were never supposed to
be able to touch the Source and use magics. The Vodoun can use
magics because their power does not come directly from the Source
but from the Loa. They can only infuse other objects with magics
and that’s why they use charms and fetishes or the bodies of those
who have passed on.”

Everything came together. A clear
understanding of how each race was connected and how they used the
forces around us. I touched the amulets around my neck and glanced
at Lex from the corner of my eye who nodded her head
slowly.

“
They can’t manifest like
we fairies and the witches can,” I carried on, confident I was on
the right track.

I had learnt a fairy’s temperament had
a depth that made it complex. We were ruled almost entirely by
instinct and our nature. It helped us adjust to things quickly, but
humankind didn’t adjust well to sudden change they had no control
over. They were passionate, strong-willed, resilient yet stubborn
and single-minded. Their collective nature couldn’t handle the
power, and always did they choose to walk the left hand
path.

“
But you’re an exception,”
I blurted out loud, and my eyes widened. “Because of your Sight!
You don’t have to choose one path because in a way you walk them
all. You’re able to choose your own destiny.”

Triumphant, I beamed at her. Tears
streamed down her cheeks, and my grin slid from my face. Ana
dropped to her knees in front of me and bowed her head. Nimah
started forward but Amelia held her twin back. I didn’t quite
understand what was passing between those three, but I really
didn’t have the time to worry about it.

Flustered, I waved my
hands. “Well, don’t
cry
,” I squeaked, panicked.

I looked to Breandan for help and
flushed harder. His face was a smug mix of pride and
accomplishment. No doubt my bout of clarity helped prove to all
present that no matter how much I proclaimed I didn’t know what I
was doing that I was born to do this … that my wisdom was something
that did not come from a passing of time but from whom I
was.

“
I’ve felt so alone and
wicked for walking out on my family,” And said. “And in one moment
you make my choice worth it.” She smiled up at me through her
tears.

I opened my mouth to repeat my wish
for her to stand the hell up, but something at the edge of the
courtyard moving in the shadows over the rubble caught my
attention.

My eyes slitted with
resentment. Seriously, the crazy-assed fairy with snake hair, and a
dangerously unnatural affinity with knives had come
here
? Wasp was Devlin’s
life mate, and completely loyal. Was he here? Why had Ana not seen
this? My gaze darted past her into the shadows from which she
emerged. I narrowed my eyes further when no one appeared after her,
and hissed, my hair crackling with the power I called to me, my
wings unfurling.

Breandan side-stepped so he stood in
front of me protectively, his wings sprung out to shield me. I
blinked at this and felt disgruntled. It had taken me hours to use
my wings without falling over and I was still getting the hang of
them.

“
I am alone,” Wasp said in
the gritty voice I remembered, and stepped forward into pale beams
of moonlight.

Breandan and Conall all looked at me,
waiting for an answer. I shrugged. At my calm acceptance, the
tension in the air wound down, but I was still taut. A memory of
this girl pulling Lex’s neck back flashed across my memory, but
before I could say anything around binding her, a shriek of rage
shattered the stillness.

A streak of white knocked Wasp over.
She flipped up to land silently on her feet then spun and kicked
Lex in the stomach when the zombie-girl lunged for her again. Lex
landed in an ungainly sprawl as Wasp eased into a loose
crouch.

She cocked her head. “They made you a
zombie,” she laughed without mirth and without missing a beat her
gaze flicked to me. “You are pathetic.”

“
Enough,” Conall barked. He
picked Lex’s trembling body up and patted her on the head as one
would a favorite pet. Ro came to her side and hovered, wary of the
fairy. Conall left them and turned to face Wasp, crossing his huge
arms across his torso and tilting his head, face displeased. “You
are not among friends. You will show respect here.”

Wasp narrowed her red eyes at him. She
straightened. “By fairy law I am leader here.” She tipped her head
back in a queenly way, but I saw a flicker of doubt crack her
untouchable facade. “You will not harm me. I am the mate of the
High Lord.”

I blew out a breath, fed up of her
posturing, and stepped around Breandan. “You think that means
anything to me?”

Her lip curled. “You are not my
Priestess, you vapid excuse for a royal.”

“
And you are not my High
Lady,” I replied easily. She could not offend me with disrespecting
a title I had no love for. “You’re lucky you’re still standing in
one piece. The fairies may not bother to hurt you but there’s
shifters here whom I’m sure want payback for how you and Devlin
treated them.” My eyes flicked to look over her shoulder and I
pursed my lips thoughtfully. “That is … if a witch doesn’t get you
first.”

Breandan sighed and in a blink was
behind Wasp, catching a thin arm mid swing, and holding firm. Wasp
stumbled back, eyes wide with shock, but kept her mouth shut. She
nodded, stiff-necked, as thanks to Breandan who did not
respond.

My fairy shot me a look of
consternation and I stared back blankly. He fought a smile. “I will
make a peacekeeper of you yet,” he murmured. He plucked the knife
from Ana’s grip and shook his head at her. Handing back the knife
hilt first and said, “This is not who you are.”

She snatched the blade from him and
slotted it back into her boot. “She hurt me.” A rare glimpse of
vulnerability claimed Ana’s expression, and her eyes shone with
tears. “She hurt me, and I want to hurt her.”

Breandan’s fingers brushed away a
tear. “You know that is not the way.”

She swallowed and surprisingly looked
at me for back up. I hesitated, but the sliver-kissed pressure at
the edge of my mind spoke to my sensibilities. I shook my head.
“He’s right. She’ll pay for her crimes,” my voice hardened, “and I
promise her punishment will be more than suitable for the pain
she’s caused. But even I know killing her will achieve
nothing.”

“
Especially if you fools
wish to try and finish your nonsensical attempt at rebellion.” Wasp
rallied her courage and stood hand on hip. Her dreadlocks bristled
and her scarlet eyes were cool as she locked gazes with Breandan.
“The vampires have Devlin. I want him back and you, boy, you and
your insipid mate are going to help me.”

Ignoring her poisonous tongue,
Breandan and Conall shared alarmed looks.

“
The grimoire?” Conall
asked. “Do they have the book?”

“
Hidden,” she replied then
tutted at their expectant stares. She flicked her hands at us all
with blatant derision. “Not by me, fools.”

My fairy hissed. “Says one idiot
enough to pass through a vampire city.”

“
We had no choice we were
trying to lose those who hunted us.” She glared at him pointedly.
“The vampires ambushed us as we passed the inner city, and forced
us into a corner.” Her handsome face creased with pain and her
forest green skin paled. “I was separated from Devlin and the
others were slaughtered. Only Loki and I made it out alive.
Everyone else was drained dry. We went back during the day with the
intention of freeing him but the Nest is … larger than we
expected.”

I frowned and glanced at Breandan who
did not react at Loki’s name. I thought he had killed the fairy
warrior loyal to Devlin. I vaguely remembered his up-titled eyes
and red Mohawk.

“
How big?” Conall
asked.

“
Four hundred strong at
least. That excludes those who went underground elsewhere in the
city.”

“
Lies,” Alec interjected
and I started. I had forgotten he was there next to Byron who still
had his beefy arms around his daughters. Maeve was tucked under
Alec’s arm and smiled at me shyly before her gaze travelled up to
the shifter again, not bothering to hide her adoration. Hell, when
we fairies fell we fell hard. “No Nest is that big,” Alec
finished.

Wasp turned to glare at him. With a
few flicks of her ruby irises she had his measure and sneered,
ivory fangs glinting in the failing daylight. “I am a warrior,
kitty-cat. I can infiltrate a Nest and steal something from those
dead things with my eyes closed. I know what I saw.” She turned her
attention to Breandan and a cruel, seductive smile curled one side
of her pouty lips. I resisted the urge to throw myself at her and
gouge her eyes out. “You know I’m telling the truth. I swear it.”
The air thickened with magics as she said the words.

Conall sighed heavily, his big chest
puffing out and collapsing, slumping his shoulders. “This is not
good. The humans will regroup and there is no doubt they will
declare open war. Our race is fractured, and we have lost the
grimoire.” Conall turned to Wasp and was sincerely apologetic.
“There is no time for this. I would not wish Devlin’s predicament
on any being, but we cannot–”

“
But we have our weapon,”
Wasp interjected irritably, and jerked her chin at me. “Useless as
she seems she is all we need. We throw her power at them, scatter,
and confuse them. They’ll be too busy fanging every shadow that
moves and trying to work out how to get their lips on her pretty
neck rather than worry about Devlin.”