Demon Girl (19 page)

“What do we do?” I kept my hands clamped
around his waist. My neck ached from trying to see in every
direction at once.

Slowly, the Tribe fairies drew closer with
their leader closest. The prospect of wining so alive in his eye,
Devlin seemed a lunatic.

Breandan searched my face for something then
said, “Run.”

“No.” My voice only wobbled a little. I would
not leave him here, no matter how afraid I was.

“Hear me, Rae.” There was deep persuasion in
his words as he tried to compel me. “You must run.”

I snorted at the stupid idea of him giving
his life for mine. As if I could live without him after he’d gone
and made me all devoted and loyal. We would leave together or not
at all. I was ready to die here, with him. They would have to kill
me for I would never stop trying to kill them if Breandan died.

He shook his head in a movement so
infinitesimal I could barely see it. “I can’t defend against their
spells and conjure a portal to take us. I don’t have enough focus.
Please, Rae.”

“No,” I repeated, firmer this time.

Hissing, I bared my teeth at the copper
haired fairy as he took a large, crouched step toward us. His hand
twitched on the hilt of his knife. The lack of light made his
titled eyes sinister in what would be a handsome face.

“What about Conall?” I asked in a burst of
smarts.

For a second time he shook his head.

We needed to escape, and an idea tickled the
back of my mind. I knew magic was the only way to survive this, but
if what I was planning didn’t work we would die, painfully. The
alternative, Breandan fighting three fairies singlehanded, was not
an option. I would not die like this, trapped and afraid because I
was worth much more. I was strong and smart. Less than a day ago
when I had believed I was human, I’d been the best at everything I
did, and I was not set on changing that now. I was strong and I had
magic.

“I’m a demon,” I murmured, locking my sights
on the amulet.

I shifted away so I had room to move.
Breandan’s gaze flashed to my face, puzzled by my change of tone.
He clasped my hand as if to keep me anchored to him.

The fairies launched their attack. Teeth and
blades glinting, they lunged for us. Lurching forward to meet their
charge, I smashed my fist into Devlin’s chest and scrunched my
fingers together until I felt the cold, hard press of the amulet
and simply…moved. We were shunted sideways. Pushing through a
thick, unyielding wall of rubbery substance. It stretched against
me, refusing entry, but I forced the pressure to abide my will and
felt us slip through the hole that opened. Our surroundings shifted
from vibrant green to faded grey stone.

I stumbled, releasing both Breandan and
Devlin in shock at the abrupt shift of location. Shocked and a
little misty eyed, I looked down at the palm-sized green and gold
amulet clutched in my fist. Runes I didn’t recognize were etched
into the circumference, and it had two smaller rings in the circle.
It looked like you could slot two smaller pieces in. I had hoped
Devlin would have slotted the two pieces the Tribe had together,
but this was only one third. The power of it hummed, rattled my
bones. The amulet seemed to sigh and ripples of power slid across
my hand, up over my torso and flowed over my legs. Biting down as
it adjusted itself to its new master. Then it bubbled out,
extending until I felt more connected to everything. Huh? I didn’t
feel protected, I felt wide open. I knew my amulet was meant to
inspire wisdom (yeah right), but his one was meant to protect. I
made a noise of triumph that morphed into one of annoyance. I’d
meant to leave Devlin behind with the others and take us to my dorm
room, not the crumbling church I’d met the white witch in earlier.
And, I had meant for this damn thing to go to Breandan, not attach
itself to me. I tried to drop it on the floor hoping it would
reverse whatever had happened, but my hand wouldn’t let it
fall.

The gods be damned, I could not catch a
break.

I stuffed the amulet in my pocket then the
sheer impossibility of what I had done caught up with me. Giggling
in disbelief my brain rattled in my skull, settling back into place
as I toppled over to puke my guts up. Scraping my mouth with the
back of my hand, I whirled in fright at the commotion behind
me.

Devlin and Breandan darted around each other
in smooth, bold movement. The fight was beastly and magnificent.
Their speed alternated from painfully slow to supernaturally fast.
I couldn’t see half the moves they executed, but when I could I
felt sick.

The need to protect Breandan submerged the
rock of my fears in a sea of courage. Confident we had broken away
from Devlin’s guard, I felt for the Source. Grasping the pulsing
energy a wave of nausea rolled over me, head to toe. Stomach
heaving and pitching dangerously, I steadied my legs. My attention
was drawn once again to the fight at the sound of a pained grunt.
Gone was the illusion of normalcy and tentative peace. Both feral
and vicious, the boys feinted around the space with lethal intent.
Breandan and Devlin smacked each other about with their fists and
feet, and loud thumps, and hollow crunches accompanied each
blow.

I spat a curse and planted my feet, swallowed
the bile burning the back of my throat and nose. It tasted sour. I
drew deeply on the Source until I thought my body would burst from
the pressure bubbling my blood. Focusing my energies on what I
wanted was hard. Each of Devlin’s punches on Breandan’s body was
like a blow to my own. I molded the mass of chaotic energy I
summoned into a fist of air, panting under the strain.

Breandan lost concentration; eyes darting to
mine they filled with concern. Victory flashed across Devlin’s face
as he struck with fatal precision.

Releasing air, I reached to fire. A ball of
light appeared before me and grew. Larger, and larger until I
realized it was more than I could control. Breandan would be too
close to use the damn thing, so what did I do with it? The flames
stared to burn blue then whips of white started to flash across its
surface.

“Rae, hold very, very still and do
not
let it go.”

I looked up to see Breandan and Devlin had
stopped fighting. They stood side by side, and the alarm on their
faces terrified me.

My lip trembled and the fireball bloated
slightly.

Breandan took a hesitant step toward me.
“Rae, love, please stay calm.”

“I think… I think it’s a little big,” I said
nervously. “At least you’ve stopped fighting.”

“It was either stop or watch you kill us
all,” Devlin said angrily.

A ferocious hate blazed across Breandan’s
face as he looked at the fairy-lord, but he schooled his expression
and focused on me. His face was blank, but his eyes were tight.
“It’s going to be fine. I want you to do exactly what I say,
alright?”

I nodded manically. The ball of fire hovered
in front of me, rolling, expanding and collapsing in on itself
slightly. What would happen if it exploded in my face?

“I have courage and I can do this,” I said
out loud.

Devlin rolled his eyes.

“Yes,” Breandan agreed. “You are very brave.
Now, I want you to think of the fire ball as the wind.”

“Like a tornado?”

“No!”

The fireball lengthened, and spun into a
cyclone of flames. A face flashed into my mind and then it was off,
sucking Devlin into its centre. Consumed in wildfire he bellowed in
anger. The fire swirled into a glowing ball leaving him singed, but
unharmed. He bounced the bloated sphere of death in his palm then
hurled it toward Breandan.

“Stop,” I cried and reached out to call the
power back.

The fire winked from existence, but the heat
of it enveloped me. Falling to my knees, I batted at the small
fires that erupted on my clothes, and watched in confusion as the
fist of air I’d conjured hurtled toward the fairy-boys, who had
returned to their fight. I was powerful enough to conjure two
spells at once? Even as I realized something was wrong with my
conjuring, my eyes widened at the glow surrounding them, and I
understood too late they used magics of their own.

The casting broke with such impact the ground
shook.

Shields conjured for protection bent and
exploded. Both boys were flung back and carried by an unstoppable
force. The churning energy of their spells rent apart fanned out,
like ripples in a still pond. I vibrated as the force encountered
my mass and hammered it. I was thrown from my knees, and kicked
across the floor at breakneck speed. Each ripple slammed and beat
at me until all I could do wait for it to end. A wall was in my way
and as I crashed through it the stone dragged at my skin. I lay
dazed. Unable to move, think or breathe. Black spots danced across
my vision and my ears filled with a high note of sound. I scrunched
my eyes shut. There was blood in my mouth and dirt rammed to back
of my throat. I couldn’t smell anything, my nose felt thick and
throbbed.
Amulet of protection my left butt cheek.
I gasped,
my chest expanding to suck in air in heaving gulps. The busted up
thing known as my body was numb.

A hand pressed on me, checking I was
whole.

“Breandan,” I sobbed. “It hurts so bad.”

Coughing up speckles of dirt, I lay a hand on
my chest and brought it away to see dark red.

“Lie still.”

The voice, familiar yet unwelcome caused
bizarre dread to gush through me. It was not the voice I wanted to
hear.

“Get off me,” I said, breathless. “Don’t
touch me.”

Despite the pain I wrestled and twisted and
attacked with my hands but Devlin deflected me without
difficulty.

“Let go.” Breandan loomed above, not a
scratch on him. His blade bit into Devlin’s jugular drawing blood
that trickled to soak his collar. Yet he hesitated to let me go. I
glared up at him like he was a mad man. “Now,” he snapped.

Breandan clasped my extended arm and pulled
me into him, keeping his eyes deadlocked on Devlin. On his knees,
Devlin’s hair and eyes were half crazed. My blood stained his
hands, and his clothes were singed and smoking at the edges.

If I were a were-cat I would be roaring.

My heart battered my chest as I reached the
conclusion the fight had ended. Breandan had won, and I saw in
Devlin’s face he was facing something nasty. The defeat at the
hands of a younger and weaker enemy, something a tribal leader
could never live down. Sweat slicked my palms, and I rubbed them on
my jeans. I thought it through quickly, if I wanted to suggest
something extreme. I mean, reverse the situation and Devlin would
kill Breandan without hesitation. Was his life Breandan’s to claim?
The fairy culture seemed deeply steeped in honor and tradition.
Lochlann was the rightful leader of the rebels, not Breandan. If he
killed the tribal leader I didn’t know what it would mean. It could
cause more damage to the fairy hierarchy than leaving him alive
would. My eyes travelled down to a puddle of my blood dripping in
steady plunks to the floor. I swayed, but before I staggered, I was
in his arms.

“This is your own fault for not minding your
own business,” Breandan said and looked down his perfect nose at
me. “Our shields were only conjured to protect. If they had
triggers attached you would be dead. Using magics on a whim is
beyond irresponsible, Rae. It puts you in danger. You must not go
beyond your capabilities.”

Tossing my head back in defiance was a bad
idea, the forest rolled.

“He was going to kill you,” I said
petulantly.

The look he shot me had me cowering in his
arms. “Such little faith you have in your mate.”

Breandan glanced at Devlin, who was still
frozen like stone; decided he was not a threat and turned his back
to set me down on a fallen log.

Devlin shifted, coming back to himself after
the shock of losing. Pressing a hand to his temple then threading
his fingertips through his white-blonde hair, his hand kept
travelling down until it swept around his neck and chest. His eyes
widened, went wild as they darted around the ground. His gaze fell
on me, and I met it with cool indifference. Swallowing at the look
of expectation on his face, I couldn’t help but slide a hand over
my pocket. Devlin followed my gaze and then grinned.

He moved onto Breandan, “One would think you
want to kill me, boy.” Smiling impishly, dimples appeared on his
cheeks.

Breandan growled; a low rumble that darkened
his expression and heated my blood. A hiss seeped from my parted
lips, and I placed a hand on his stomach, scrunched my fingers
together so my talons pierced his skin. The pain was intentional to
ground him. His hand slipped into mine as he regained control.

“You will both pay for this,” Devlin said and
smiled. “In ways you could never imagine.”

Breandan made a small noise, but remained
still. The smile slid of Devlin’s face and his eyes narrowed.

“Breandan,” I began wearily. “What–”

He placed a finger on my lips. “Rae, go back
to the Temple now.”

I blinked up at him. “But, why can’t I stay?
I want to go with you.” I spoke with his fingers on my lips.

“I’m taking Devlin to the Grove.”

I breathed out slowly. “Okay, why can’t I
come to? After all I’m a fairy too. I should know where this place
is.” I lifted my chin defiantly. “I want to see it.”

Breandan risked turning his back on Devlin to
grab me by the shoulders, lift me up and set me on my feet. I could
feel my face morphing to a sulky expression. He looked me in the
eye. “I want to you be introduced to the people with no
distractions. Not tainted by his association. Do you
understand?”

After a pause I nodded. I could see his
point. I would be a great point of interest if I turned up looking
like hell with Breandan dragging Devlin behind him. It was
frustrating, because it felt like he was keeping me in the shadows.
But there was no logical reason for him to do that, so it was just
me, silly Rae overacting.