Demon Dark

by Penelope Fletcher

  I rocked back on my heels, for once, leading with my brains rather than my emotions.

  Lochlann eased himself back and crossed his arms in faked diffidence.

  What is this Breandan? You have never before shown an interest in any honours among our people above that already entrusted to you.

  Lochlann then added in a harder voice.

  An honour you forswore and turned your back on just a few days past.

  I know what I have done,

  Breandan replied.

  Do not think to scold or bring me to heel, brother. Despite what you may think, I am not going to take this from you. I have no desire to hold the throne, and even if I did, I would not fight you for it. You would give it to me and I would take it.

  The crowed rippled uneasily at the barely concealed threat and its implications.

  Lochlann s arms dropped to his sides. He looked at me and saw my face was as shocked as his own.

  You cannot hear the pride in what you say?

  Breandan slowly moved his head from side to side and gave a small smile.

  You are a good man. You do whatever is right for our people, sacrificing everything and everyone close to you if it means right prevails over wrong. I could never place anything above Rae and her safety.

  Breandan scrubbed a hand over his head.

  If I was meant to be High Lord, you would make it so. If you believed you were meant to be mates with Rae to win this coming war you would already be with her. Nothing would have stopped you from trying to take her from me.

  Breandan motioned forcefully with his hand.

  And nothing would have stopped me from keeping her from you.

  Lochlann studied his brother.

  You know me better than I thought you did.

  And you know me better than you like to admit.

  Breandan held out his arm, palm up in offering.

  I cannot swear myself to you, because I have no doubt you would use it to try and control my mate, but I wish you well. I will fight with you as long as she needs me to.

  Lochlann clasped the hand offered to him and the magics in the air around us settled. The gloom passed and the Wyld was bathed in cool moonlight.

  I breathed out a shuddering breath and closed my eyes. Sent up a quick prayer to the gods who must be watching over me.

  Maeve, unable to contain her wee self, bolted from Alec s arms. She pushed her way past Breandan, only stopping to gaze up at him with adoration marred by a hint of exasperation. She spoilt Lochlann s illusion of a fearsome warrior lord by throwing her wiry arms around him and pressing a kiss to his cheek, giggling.

  Lochlann coloured slightly as the demon leaders chuckled and drifted forward, sensing the danger had averted. He embraced his sister briefly then set her bubbly self aside.

  One by one the demon leaders approached him and paid respect, either clasping his forearm, or with a deep bow of the head.

  Distracted, Daphne released me and moved to stand before him. She held out her hand, retracted it when he stared down at her. Gathering her wits, she offered it again, but blushed, and closed it into a fist when he went to take it. She became flustered before she eventually held her arm steady for him to clasp. Lochlann stared at her hand as if it were a rattlesnake coiled to spring and bite. Instead of being insulted, Daphne lifted her chin and waited.

  Who?

  Stood in the crush of bodies wanting to congratulate the new fairy lord, Wasp suddenly was at my side. The impish sparkle had left her eyes. Her lips were pressed together, and her skin deepened in pigment. Her scarlet dreadlocks wilted, and her long limbs usually taut to reflect her aggressive nature rested limply at her shapely sides.

  Who?

  That one word carried enough malice to stand the hairs on the back of my neck on end.

  Unable to help myself my eyes darted to Daphne, thinking of what she had told me about Cael and Gwendolyn.

  Wasp caught the look and turned her head slowly. Her height allowed her to see above most of the heads in the small crowd and single out her target.

  At that moment, Lochlann reached cautiously to take Daphne s arm and accept her tribute of congratulations.

  The tortured shriek that erupted from Wasp made me reel back whereas Breandan was already reaching to restrain her. He was moments to late. The cunning fairy slipped from his reach and navigated through the crowd with stealth and ease that terrified me.

  Breandan yelled a warning to his brother, an orb of power manifesting in his palm. He demanded everyone move from his path, and pushed Maeve out of the way so he had a clear shot.

  Lochlann s back was to us, but he heard Breandan s call and acknowledged it with an abrupt twist of the head. Without looking for the threat, he yanked on the forearm he clasped, pulling Daphne into him. He quarter turned and raised his hand, long fingers splayed. His back straightened, and his legs slid shoulder width apart. Struggling, Daphne was tucked into his chest, his arm pressed into her neck to restrain her.

  Daphne fought to get free, her instincts calling forth her vicious temperament. Her fangs ran out. She clamped her mouth down on Lochlann s forearm and her eyes flashed black.

  Hissing, Wasp flung herself bodily at Daphne, hair flying, limbs spread-eagled. Her dagger rose high for a downward blow.

  Slashes of brilliant light leapt from Lochlann s palm as Breandan hurled his glowing orb.

  Lochlann s attack smacked the lunging fairy dead on her torso. She was snapped back by the force of his magics then pushed forward as Breandan s power slammed into the small of her back. Deftly prying Daphne off, Lochlann caught Wasp s shoulder. In the blink of an eye, he grabbed her throat, and alternated her aimless direction by forcing her down to earth with a stomach-churning thud.

  CHAPTER SIX

  The leaders of demonkind growled. Fairies hissed. Those present at the Meet murmured uneasily at the display of brute force, and were wise enough not to intervene.

  Wasp was dangerous.

  Daphne stood ready at Lochlann s curved back. Blood dripping from her pale lips, she hissed at the fairy, braids jiggling around her small shoulders as she trembled under the onslaught of her anger.

  I moved to stand by her side, as did Breandan, keeping an eye on Wasp who laid deceptively still. Her eyes sparked with fury, and tracked Daphne s agitated movement like a predator does her prey.

  Lochlann s mauled arm healed ripped seams of skin blended effortlessly. The evidence of Daphne s vicious bite was the drying splash of blood on his skin. He wore her fang marks but barely glanced at the scars. As unconcerned as he tried to appear, he shifted off-kilter a fraction, winded. I wouldn t have noticed had Breandan not tensed and focused his attention solely on his brother. Blinking rapidly, shaking off whatever had made him pause, Lochlann raised Wasp s upper body one handed then slammed her back down, cracking the hard-packed earth.

  Her eyelids fluttered. The lethal gaze she so often wielded was unfocused and confused.

  Lochlann shook her back to her senses.

  Look at me,

  he demanded gruffly.

  She did, and I watched them battle through sight alone.

  Lochlann won.

  So you protect her kind now?

  Wasp spat and halfheartedly pushed him, more to show her resistance than breaking free of his punishing hold.

  Lochlann lowered his face until it was a hairsbreadth away from hers. His hair fell like a veil about his angular face.

  You do not know it was she who ended him,

  he explained with quiet rage.

  Fairy law demands we raise no weapon at the Meet and you have broken this most sacred of covenants. You go too far.

  Then why did the Priestess look to her when I asked her to name the one I plan to tear apart with my bare hands?

  She struggled, her own words riling her up again.

  I swallowed hard, and rather than be spoken about as if I wasn t there, said,

  I was thinking about Daphne, not laying blame.

&nb
sp; Said vampire laid a hand on my arm, and I fought hard not to flinch. The tension was wearing on me.

  It s not your fault,

  she murmured before raising her voice so all could hear.

  I captured Devlin, and I would have given him a warrior s death, but I was ordered to take him alive. I did not kill him. When I was able I gave his body a proper burial, by fire.

  Lochlann turned his head as if to look over his shoulder at her but stopped himself.

  You subdued him? Alone?

  Daphne slanted a look down at him let her scrutiny linger longer than I thought normal. She looked almost & hungry.

  Yeah.

  Devlin had been powerful, and excepting one, the beings that had stood a chance at destroying him in a fair fight were present at this Wyld Meet. From his pensive expression, Lochlann realised the vampire diminutive in size was a power he should reckon with.

  Wasp cackled. The sound was not her usual bitter mockery but hollow with grief.

  I d watch my back if I were you High Lord.

  She sneered at him and knocked his hands away. He let her. She was broken, and continuing to fight her was pointless. Getting to her feet, Wasp flicked her dreadlocks over her shoulder.

  She took down one lord, she may take another.

  Wasp pinned Daphne with a glare.

  You say you captured him, but did not kill him. Who did?

  Daphne met her icy stare for icy stare. Her eyes returned to normal, the inky black leaching away.

  The Nest Queen, Gwendolyn. She took the last of his life & though when Cael was done there wasn t much left.

  Wasp trembled.

  You bloodsucking little bitch.

  Daphne stepped forward, expression fierce.

  What would you have me say? He came onto vampire territory without permission. How stupid does one get? And is it my fault you ran away instead of staying to fight with him?

  Daphne shook her head with mock pity.

  You don t remember me, but I remember you. Your looks are not those someone could forget. When there were too many to defeat, you and the other one, Gunarr, ran away. I saw your cowardly backs disappear into the dark, and so did he. Perhaps that s why you re so full of anger. Not at me, not even at Gwendolyn, but at yourself. You abandoned the mate you were supposed to protect and love, and it s constantly thrown back in your face because you see that no matter what Rae would never do that to Breandan. She would never leave like you did.

  Stop!

  Wasp put her hands over her ears, her torso fluxed with her rapid intakes of breath.

  No!

  Daphne was relentless.

  I know that if I ever gave myself to someone to love I would rather perish at his side then run away.

  She skittered back, pale face flushing a tad when Lochlann held up a hand in a threatening manner, ordering her to stop.

  He turned to Wasp.

  You are a great warrior and are welcome to stay and fight with us if you swear yourself to me. Though, I have no problem with you choosing to leave and seek out your own revenge.

  Wasp did not hesitate. Her words were short and punchy.

  I stay. I swear myself to you as long as it means the destruction of the ones called Gwendolyn and Cael.

  Her oath was sealed with magic, and accepted by Lochlann with a small nod.

  Shoulders slumping, Wasp backed away until she stood in the shadows. I was not the only one respectfully ignoring the tracks of tears on her cheeks. Baako might have gone to comfort her if she hadn t snatched up her knife, and started caressing the blade with murder in her eye.

  Lochlann stepped back into the centre of the Meet, trying to bring order. His movement was smooth and controlled though his shoulders were too tense, too rigid to hide his frustration.

  Daphne watched him with a curious expression on her face.

  We must stay focused,

  he said urgently.

  There is much to accomplish and little time.

  He turned back to Breandan and me.

  I ask again and maybe this time I will get answers what happened?

  Ignoring the dozens of eyes on me, I started from the beginning, planning to leave out nothing. I didn t get far before there was uproar. When I spoke of Tomas ability to use his compulsion on me the few fairies at the Meet nearly lost their minds.

  Lochlann simply crossed his arms over his chest and studied me.

  How?

  I didn t understand what he wanted from me.

  Say-say?

  How did he manage to compel you? This ability does not work on fairykind, it never has, and still it s ineffective. Why you?

  Compulsion works on the rest of us,

  Kalcifer interjected.

  Maybe the vampires have evolved. Maybe they really are the superior race.

  An ominous silence came over the Meet.

  The idea that vampires could control all demonkind if they were able to subdue us for long enough to work their magic was an unsettling thought. Though Tomas and Daphne had shown me a different side to their species, I couldn t help but shudder at the vision of a world wholly under their control.

  It was one Lochlann was not prepared to entertain.

  You, vampire, come here.

  He snapped his fingers at Daphne and made a come hither motion with his hand.

  She glared at him, the arrogant gesture not going down well, and sent me a sour look.

  I sent her one back with a shrug.

  You wanted to come with me.

  I reminded.

  With a roll of her eyes, she slouched over to him and adopted the same closed-off pose as he; hands over the chest, leaning back, and chin jutting in defiance. She did not avert her eyes; instead her top lip curled in aggression.

  You summoned, oh mighty one.

  Lochlann smiled, a bright thing that lit his grim face. The harsh lines of his face smoothed, and his thunderous brow lifted.

  Breandan started beside me, and Maeve sucked in a breath. The one person on this earth less likely to smile than my fairy-boy was his older brother.

  Lochlann s eyes twinkled with mirth, and the smile tapered of into a rueful twist of the lips at our dumbstruck expressions.

  Compel me,

  he ordered.

  Daphne s hands fell to her sides. Her expression morphed from annoyed to shocked & then simply worried. Her braids swayed as she cocked her head to the side.

  To do what?

  Anything that does not cause me to do permanent harm or take a life.

  He stepped closer to her and leaned down from his lofty height to get in her face.

  Do it.

  He enunciated the words and narrowed his eyes, challenging her.

  Accepting the dare, gritting her teeth, Daphne placed her hands both sides of his head to pull him close. She shook her head once, as if questioning what on earth she was doing. She became still in that creepy lifeless way vampires do. It was quiet. She stared at him, focused as she tried to hypnotize, and bend his will to her own.

  I knew how it felt to be caught in a vampire s snare, and I watched the High Lord carefully for signs that he had fallen under her thrall.

  Lochlann slipped a hand around the nape of her neck and roughly jerked her into him, crushing her mouth under his with a kiss.

  A scandalized gasp rippled through the crowd. Murmurs of,

  It s true,

  and

  The vampires can control the fairies,

  and

  We re doomed, we re all doomed,

  managed to reach my ears through the general panic.

  It was exceedingly dramatic.

  I was too stunned to do anything but watch as my estranged brother-by-mating slipped his tongue into my guardian s mouth. More outrageous was her willing, no, eager response. She curled her hands into his blonde mane and tugged him closer, passionately pressing her small frame into his larger one, nestled into his chest.

  Daphne and Lochlann broke apart, wrapped around
each other, flushed in the face, eyes heavy-lidded.

  Lochlann released her abruptly and took a large step back, expression utterly closed off. I only caught it because I was looking, but I glimpsed bone deep terror in his eyes.

  That proves it then,

  Kalcifer said stridently into the cutting silence.

  The vampires can control you. There is no point risking our lives and aligning ourselves with you if victory is not certain. I m sorry, truly I am, but

  I told him to kiss Rae.

  Daphne s small voice sliced through Kalcifer s. Clearing her throat, her eyes still on Lochlann, she said it again with emphasis.

  I told him to kiss Rae.

  Lochlann remained quiet, his attention fixed on the middle distance.

  Kalcifer closed his mouth and his heavy brow plunged in impatience.

  Baako cocked his head.

  But he kissed you.

  Daphne s eyes shuttered, and she nodded offhandedly.

  Seems he wanted to teach me a lesson for trying to make him kiss her,

  she paused for effect,

  such a thorough demonstration really wasn t necessary.