“Where are your nesting grounds?”
The vampire gawked. “I can’t tell ya.”
“Stupid,” Naomi muttered.
I agreed, but making the creature aware of the fact
and subsequently annoyed wouldn’t help.
Scrambling onto his feet, he snarled at her. “My
gut feelin’ takes me home. I can’t give directions.”
“An instinctual preservation of the collective?
Fine.” I gestured to the street. “Show me.”
Despite his obvious fear, Raj frowned and jerked
his head side to side. “My Queen–”
“Answers to me,” I interrupted. “Save me the
trouble of a messy decapitation to scare the others watching from the rooftops.
One of which will gladly do what you stupidly refuse to keep their head and
neck joined.”
Raj struggled with the threat for longer than I
considered wise before making a throaty noise of agreement then scurrying down
the street.
I followed through the foul, malodorous,
rat-infested, gag-inducing pits he trudged through. His journey through the
secret bowls of the city rather than the open streets satisfied my caution he
led me true rather than into a trap.
Raj glanced over his shoulder irregularly to ensure
I kept up. Each time our gazes met, I laughed quietly at the pang of
disappointment flittering across his ashy face. My amusement disturbed him
more, and oh, that tickled me.
My Children squabbled behind and I made a vague
note to self to keep an eye on Naomi. Eva kept her obedient, but now my old
mentor was dead her power-hungry daughter would be troublesome.
I panted for fresh air when we emerged from a break
in the wall of the flooded building we passed through. I thankfully caught my
bearings, knowing I could find my way back to my Wyld unaided.
Trembling, Raj pointed a dirt-encrusted finger at
the stone building opposite. Head bowed, his gaze remained averted, giving me a
chance to study him without having to glower or intimidate.
He was younger than me. Most demons that survived the Rupture are . However, his youthfulness
was rooted deeper than physical appearance. I suppose he’d been roughly the
same age as Ana when biology caught up with him, and he turned.
I looked a handful of years older. The longevity of
my fairy blood served me well. My only tell was my eyes. Age rested heavy
there. Few could withstand the despair clouding the molten gold of my irises.
The gold colour was a family trait I know knew.
The years of my life bled into a lingering
procession of time.
As would this vampire’s.
The youthful innocence I glimpsed in him would
bleed dry through a thousand cuts masquerading as years of life. Death and disappointment, that is all life
holds. He’d do evil things. Partake in depraved acts that would shock and
terrify him to the point of denial or insanity.
Knowing this saddened me. Affected my cold heart in
a way that was uncomfortable.
Would life
be different if Conall saw purity within me? Had he given me a chance at birth
would he and Rae love me as they do each other?
Hatred and jealousy battered that train of thought
into dust. I glared at the vampire. “Are you thirsty?”
Startled, his gaze flashed to mine, wavered in fear
then darted to safer sights.
Irritated, I cuffed him upside the head. “Answer
me.”
Rubbing his ear, he scowled. “Yeah.”
“Did you not feed on my Children?”
His throat bobbed. “I’m a fledglin’. Turned less
than a year ago. The old ones are faster. Better at huntin’ stuff.” He jabbed a
thumb towards my Children. “Only seven of ‘em entered the city.” He turned the
thumb on himself, expression morose. “Guess who didn’t get a taste.”
A quick count of the auras standing next to me
revealed only two had fallen. “Drink from Naomi.”
“What,” she shrieked. “You can’t expect me to let
that leech–”
I held up a finger to silence her. I kept my gaze
on Raj. “Escort them back to the Coven Wyld then drink from Naomi until she is
woozy.” I loomed over him. “Nothing more. Take more
The vampire gawked. “I can’t tell ya.”
“Stupid,” Naomi muttered.
I agreed, but making the creature aware of the fact
and subsequently annoyed wouldn’t help.
Scrambling onto his feet, he snarled at her. “My
gut feelin’ takes me home. I can’t give directions.”
“An instinctual preservation of the collective?
Fine.” I gestured to the street. “Show me.”
Despite his obvious fear, Raj frowned and jerked
his head side to side. “My Queen–”
“Answers to me,” I interrupted. “Save me the
trouble of a messy decapitation to scare the others watching from the rooftops.
One of which will gladly do what you stupidly refuse to keep their head and
neck joined.”
Raj struggled with the threat for longer than I
considered wise before making a throaty noise of agreement then scurrying down
the street.
I followed through the foul, malodorous,
rat-infested, gag-inducing pits he trudged through. His journey through the
secret bowls of the city rather than the open streets satisfied my caution he
led me true rather than into a trap.
Raj glanced over his shoulder irregularly to ensure
I kept up. Each time our gazes met, I laughed quietly at the pang of
disappointment flittering across his ashy face. My amusement disturbed him
more, and oh, that tickled me.
My Children squabbled behind and I made a vague
note to self to keep an eye on Naomi. Eva kept her obedient, but now my old
mentor was dead her power-hungry daughter would be troublesome.
I panted for fresh air when we emerged from a break
in the wall of the flooded building we passed through. I thankfully caught my
bearings, knowing I could find my way back to my Wyld unaided.
Trembling, Raj pointed a dirt-encrusted finger at
the stone building opposite. Head bowed, his gaze remained averted, giving me a
chance to study him without having to glower or intimidate.
He was younger than me. Most demons that survived the Rupture are . However, his youthfulness
was rooted deeper than physical appearance. I suppose he’d been roughly the
same age as Ana when biology caught up with him, and he turned.
I looked a handful of years older. The longevity of
my fairy blood served me well. My only tell was my eyes. Age rested heavy
there. Few could withstand the despair clouding the molten gold of my irises.
The gold colour was a family trait I know knew.
The years of my life bled into a lingering
procession of time.
As would this vampire’s.
The youthful innocence I glimpsed in him would
bleed dry through a thousand cuts masquerading as years of life. Death and disappointment, that is all life
holds. He’d do evil things. Partake in depraved acts that would shock and
terrify him to the point of denial or insanity.
Knowing this saddened me. Affected my cold heart in
a way that was uncomfortable.
Would life
be different if Conall saw purity within me? Had he given me a chance at birth
would he and Rae love me as they do each other?
Hatred and jealousy battered that train of thought
into dust. I glared at the vampire. “Are you thirsty?”
Startled, his gaze flashed to mine, wavered in fear
then darted to safer sights.
Irritated, I cuffed him upside the head. “Answer
me.”
Rubbing his ear, he scowled. “Yeah.”
“Did you not feed on my Children?”
His throat bobbed. “I’m a fledglin’. Turned less
than a year ago. The old ones are faster. Better at huntin’ stuff.” He jabbed a
thumb towards my Children. “Only seven of ‘em entered the city.” He turned the
thumb on himself, expression morose. “Guess who didn’t get a taste.”
A quick count of the auras standing next to me
revealed only two had fallen. “Drink from Naomi.”
“What,” she shrieked. “You can’t expect me to let
that leech–”
I held up a finger to silence her. I kept my gaze
on Raj. “Escort them back to the Coven Wyld then drink from Naomi until she is
woozy.” I loomed over him. “Nothing more. Take more
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