Demon Girl (17 page)

My tail curled around my waist to jiggle in
front of my eyes. I clasped the tip in one hand and pushed it
behind me. “You’re going to get bored having to explain every
comment to me really soon, but outcast fairies?”

“It’s nice to get a new perspective on
things. Don’t worry; you deal with all this rather well.” She spoke
with confidence, and scratched her nose. “Where was I?”

“The, uh, outcast fairies,” I reminded
her.

“They hold no allegiance to the Tribe or us
rebels, around three quarters of our kind.”

“Why so many? Don’t they like having someone
to guide them?”

“Well, you have to think about it without
taking sides. The fairies are divided into two squabbling
factions,” she made a sweeping gesture, “and wedged between the
rest of the supernatural kingdom. Make no mistake, we are the most
powerful race.”

“Proud,” I said.

“Honest,” she said back. “The vampires
launched the Rupture, and we had no choice but to fight since the
humans tarred all demons with one brush. It was either fight or be
slaughtered. Devlin has made relations between fairies and other
demons terrible, unbearable. Made mistakes that got us stuck in
mess we are in now. If you were the outcast fairies, who would you
trust?”

There were once only two people in the world
I trusted, I could relate. But still. Lightening split the
picturesque sky and the hairs on the back of my neck rose.

“Crazy,” I said.

“No, I am not and neither are you. This is
the way it is.” She paused. “It could be worse.”

“Time is up,” a voice said from behind
me.

Breandan had arrived with Conall a few steps
behind. Streaks of mud dirtied his face and sculpted chest, as if
he had been rolling around on the floor. I didn’t see any serious
wounds on him, but it was hard to tell under all those tattoos. I
wondered again why he had so many. My gaze drifted up his chest and
locked with his. I picked up his intoxicating scent of earth and
sun, and I dragged in a lungful like it was a drug.

“Breandan,” someone squealed from a
distance.

The world shunted back into focus and my eyes
left his. Ana launched herself onto him and he scooped her up into
a bear hug, swung her round in a wide circle. I managed to keep a
semblance of calm, keep my expression neutral, and I’m proud to say
I did not drag her off him by the hair.

“Ana,” he said solemnly. “Whatchasee?”

“Everything,” she said, laughed.

“You made a joke,” I said then stood and
busied myself brushing bracken off my jumper, refusing to meet the
curious stares. It was just that Breandan didn’t seem the kind to
crack a joke, and the fact he was doing it with her and not me was…
irritating.

Beaming up at him, Ana swung her arms and
smiled coyly. I was getting a definite crush vibe from her. He
dropped his hold on her and extended his hand to me. I stepped
forward to clasp it, felt contentment. He didn’t ask about my
missing glamour or make reference to my changed form, and I was
grateful. His eyes rested for a long while on my wings then my
tail. Heat crept up my neck and spilled into my cheeks. I ducked my
head down so my hair covered my face.

I peeked up, and Breandan’s face was set, but
glowing.

Ana rolled her eyes and ran her hand through
her hair. “I’ll see you soon, Rae. Try to remember it’s pointless
to run from yourself.” She paused as the lightening above struck
again. Taking a last look at my face, she shook her head. “Be
safe,” she called and made her way into the gloom of the trees.

I barely heard or acknowledged her. The
clouds darkened and the air hummed with electricity. The panicky,
manic urge to run made my breath come in shallow pants. I loved
storms; already I could feel my skin prickling.

Conall’s face was turned to the sky. “Rae,”
said and he looked at me. His eyes sparkled and cheeks glowed with
two spots of colour. “I still have much to show and tell you, but
now is not the time. I will see you soon and we’ll frolic. Enjoy
the storm.”

He winked at me then the pale soles of his
boots flashed through the trees, ponytail streaming until he was
lost to sight. Man, he was fast.

It was hard to concentrate with the ruckus
overhead. My palms began to sweat. My wings twitched madly, and my
tail thrashed so quickly it almost vibrated. I concentrated hard on
a single action before turning to face Breandan. I brought my fist
hurtling forward and encountered air. His face creased with
amusement as he moved with the fluidity of water. My punch missed
him by a mile and in a move to fast for me to defend against
Breandan spun to my front, grabbed my leg and opposite arm to hold
me taut above his head. I wriggled and writhed unable to break his
hold. The first fat drops of rain landed on my cheeks and neck.

“You have not been taught to fight well,” he
said calmly despite my tail thumping his face.

“I cannot believe you didn’t tell me you
arrogant, stupid sonofa–”

“Oh, you’re mad,” he said and dropped me.

I landed lightly on my feet, wings
jack-knifing out to beat hard beside me. Straightening in a flash I
got in his face. “Stop throwing me about.”

“You are not a weakling. To treat you as such
would be an insult.”

As if channeling my anger lightening flashed.
Thunder crashed behind it and the rain started to fall harder. The
trees began to sway in the wind, boughs bowed steeply.

“You moron,” I said and seethed with
anger.

His face flickered with hurt before falling
blank. “What exactly are you upset about?”

“I looked like a fool. I didn’t even know
there were rebels or amulets that could sway the balance of power
into the hands of evil,” I sucked in a breath. “You told me
nothing.
Nothing
.” Regulating my voice to conversation
level, I thrust my hands into my pockets and pulled my wings back,
embarrassed. The fire to fight left me and I felt an urge for the
comfort of four walls. Rain plastered my hair to my head, dripped
from my nose and fingertips. I closed my eyes and breathed in the
scent of the wet soil beneath me. “I’m the guardian of one third of
the key, aren’t I? That’s what this thing is hanging around my
neck. But why didn’t Ana know and why do you, Conall and Devlin
know?” My voice was barely a whisper. “I feel lost.”

Breandan drew me into him and his chest
heaved with a sigh. His hand met the skin at my shoulder blades,
between my pinions, and he started there. He stroked my wings in
long, sweeping movement. I relaxed and let his touch soothe my body
and mind. I was too stressed to deny myself this pain relief. No
matter how twisted a message it gave.

“We should be enjoying the storm,” he said
gently.

I looked into his face and unsuccessfully
tried to hide my shock. “We like storms?”

He shook his head; a rash excitement lit his
eyes. “We love storms. Our nature sings to its tune. You should see
us during heat waves.”

I blushed deeply. “All this time I thought it
was strange. The urges I got to run and dance. I could never figure
it out.”

“Do you want to talk about what you’ve
learnt?”

And just like that I was stiff. “You mean how
you’re running around leading a rebel demon force until your
brother gets his deserting ass back here?” My voice shook
again.

“Ana was wrong to scare you like that,” he
said.

I composed myself. It would be silly for me
not to ask him anything. “Wait.” I pressed my hands into his chest.
Rapt, I watched my fingertips sink into the firm, smooth skin. “I
have a question about the Tribe’s last Priestess, the one who
shifted the balance.” To make myself feel better I slid my fingers
down his hard abs, developing a whole new appreciation for touching
him.

Breandan looked perplexed. “I thought you
didn’t want to talk about this.”

“I want to know more about fairies. I want to
know more about you. Avoid the bits about me, okay?”

He stroked my hair and tilted my head so he
could hold my eyes. “Ask.”

“You lead the rebels now? Until your brother
gets back, I mean.”

“Yes. The majority are sensible allowing me
freedom to pursue other interests. Few break the rules. When they
do they are found by the warriors, and brought to me for judgment.
We’re a solitary people. We don’t need a ruler to dictate everyday
life.”

I chewed my lip, slotting the information in
with what I already knew. “The Tribe is lead by the High Lord,
right?”

His hand went still on my back and after half
a breath resumed its gentle rub.

“Yes. The fairy High Lord has held the Tribe
for centuries and lived more years than I, but less than Lochlann.
Those under his charge are still alive and only the last fifty
years has he allowed himself to be overcome by his baser
nature.”

“How many centuries has he held the
Tribe?”

“Seven,” he answered.

I blinked at his words. “Seriously?” He
stayed quiet and I drummed up courage.

“How long have you been alive?”

His lips twitched. “Twenty years. I’m little
more than a child in the eyes of some.”

My fingers scrunched together on his chest,
left shallow slashes that healed the instant I made them.

“I knew you were older, but I never figured
the gap was that small.” I laughed in relief. “I’m eighteen.”

“You’re not eighteen.”

I frowned. “Uh, yes I am.”

Breandan slid one of his hands to entwine his
fingers with mine. His other tilted my head up and held my chin.
“Rae, you were born two hundred years ago.”

The warmth of his touch helped smother the
rumbling of hysteria into a tremble. “I don’t understand.”

“You’re birth would have superseded mine, but
something happened. The little I’ve found out suggests your birth
mother laid a spell on you to–”

“Stop.” I tried to pull my head away, wiggle
my hand free.

Breandan held firm. “Be calm.”

“I told you I don’t want to talk about
me.”

“You told me you wish to know of the
Priestess.”

“Yeah,” I said wary. “I do. Who was she?”

I knew who she was. Of course I knew, but I
needed to hear him say it.

“The last pure fairy and tribal Priestess was
your birth mother.” He paused letting me take this in. “She gave
you that amulet and hid you among the humans.”

“What–” I swallowed hard. “What did she do to
tip the balance? Her bad decision what was it?”

“She chose to break her vow to her husband
and lie with a human male.”

“The human male was my father?”

Breandan shook his head. “No. You are
pure-blooded fairy. As is–” Cutting off his jaw clenched, and for
once, he avoided my gaze.

“Whatever it is you’re keeping from me I will
find out. You need to start being honest with me.” The hypocrisy of
my words had me cringing inside.

“Some secrets are not mine to tell.”

I rubbed at my face and nodded. Considering
the secrets I held, I was not going to push him. “Okay. So she
broke her vow to my dad, got in trouble. How does that break the
balance?”

“Your father killed the human and your
mother. She didn’t…handle it well.”

“She got mad and did it on purpose, you
mean.”

“Her heart was broken and she could no longer
see the reason for her being. She abandoned her purpose and split
the amulet in three. She gave two of the pieces to those who were
closest to her heart. The amulets of protection and,” he touched my
chest where my pendant lay, “wisdom.”

I stifled a laugh. This thing was supposed to
inspire me with wisdom? Yeah right, like anything I had done in the
last day had been wise.

“And the other?”

He shrugged. “We are not sure.” He stroked a
finger down the bridge of my nose. “Do you feel better informed
now?”

“At least I understand some of why this is
happening to me. Why you’re so eager to be with me.”

“No matter how you try to reason it, you
belong to me and I to you. No matter what has happened in the past,
or future forces that will try to keep us apart. Lochlann will
return and take his rightful place. Then I can focus on helping you
become who you are destined to be.”

Who was I destined to be? I didn’t feel ready
to hear what I knew was coming, and I threw a question at him
before he could continue.

“We are immortal?”

“We live for millennia, but are relatively
easy to kill if damaged quickly enough so we cannot heal.” Contempt
entered his tone. “Vampires are immortal.”

Uh oh. No. I did not want to talk about
vampires.

“It’s too heavy, let’s change topic,” I said
hastily. “Tell me why you left the Tribe, I want to understand what
I’m facing. Were you just following Lochlann?”

“The decision was mine, and I made it. The
Tribe is made up of simple fairies trying to live their lives.
There are a core few devoted to Devlin and his way of life. These
influence and control the rest. It is because of them demonkind is
experiencing the darker side of the fairy race.” He face was sad.
“It’s their nature which leads them to dominate. To twist things
for their own gains.”

“They’re evil,” I said.

“Yes,” he replied bluntly. “I will not
pretend that my brother is a saint, but he wants peace. Lochlann
wishes to bring back the old ways.”

I pressed my fingertips to his face; let them
trail along his scar to his jaw, careful this time for my talons
not to scratch him.

“And you think that will be a good
thing?”

He shrugged. “It cannot be worse than how we
are now.”

“Lochlann is losing. He was hoping to have
two amulets, but now he has none and the Tribe has one.” Breandan
stiffened and his jaw cracked beneath my hand. “Apart from you, the
rebels have no clue where any of the amulets are, but Devlin knows
I have a piece.” At the surprise and hesitation I caught passing
his face, something clicked for me. “Lochlann knows,” I said. “He
thinks he knows where one is. That’s why he left so suddenly, isn’t
it?”