by T. G. Ayer
My heart tightened at the sight of Ari who flung her arm out in a wide arc, sending a blast of air with the power of a bomb behind it. The surge of energy hit me hard and though I grabbed for Steph’s fingers, desperate to ensure she remained near me, it was a hopeless attempt. I was flung into the air, soaring until I hit the higher shelves of one of the bookshelves. Windows shattered and desks and chairs went hurtling into the air, blasted away by the power of Ari’s magic.
I fell hard to the ground, and though my instinct had been to draw a magic shield around me, I didn’t want to give away what I’d learned. As far as Ari was concerned, my powers were no more developed than when we’d gone head to head in Mithras.
Suppressing a groan, I blinked and tried to crawl toward Steph. But my body hurt way too much. I thought of jumping, but when I tried I hit a total blank, as though someone had shut down my access to the ether itself.
What was going on?
Fear ripped through me as I turned to check on step. Samuel’s words were ringing in my head and even as I called her name to warn her to leave Steph out of this, mnys sister began to laugh.
“No!” I screamed, hand clawing the air hopelessly as ari knelt and wrapped an arm around Steph.
I was still screaming when Ari disappeared, taking Steph with her.
38
When I opened my eyes, I found myself lying on a pillow soaked in tears that I’d no doubt shed while I’d been asleep. Someone was shuffling around the room, whispered words drifted to me and I could have sworn I could smell the musk of incense. Which meant Natasha was somewhere around my house.
I cracked open an eyelid, caught sight of a sexy ass that definitely belonged to Saleem, then closed my eyes and sighed.
Shuffling sounded beside me on the edge of the bed, then the mattress bounced softly and I groaned.
“Sorry,” Saleem whispered as he scooted in beside me.
“I’ve re-warded the house,” Natasha whispered. “The wards are functioning at full power. Anything gets past my spells and I’ll eat my wand.”
“You don’t use a wand, witch,” I whispered, laughing softly even though it hurt.
Natasha snorted then left the room.
“How are you feeling?” Saleem asked softly.
“I hurt,” I whispered, smashing my face into the pillow again.
“Is there anything you need?” he whispered.
I smiled. “You don't have to whisper. I’m fine.” I shifted upright and slowly moved to sit with my head resting the headboard. “I recall asking for a do-over at some point.”
“That was a couple days ago.”
“Really? I honestly couldn’t tell.”
It was true. So much had happened that all the days had blended into each other without me noticing. And here I was lying in bed when there was still an endless list of things to do, an endless number of problems to fix.
“Hey, stop thinking and just rest.” Saleem’s voice was near my ear. “Everything else can be dealt with when you’re better.”
I nodded slowly though I wondered how anything could be better. I’d killed my mentor and friend, and just because he asked me to do it doesn’t take the reality of my actions away.
Worse still, Ari was able to find another way to hurt me; through Steph. Ari had taken Steph. I had to get her back. I needed to get her back before Ari found a way to hurt her the way she’d hurt Samuel.
I must have spoken the words out loud because Saleem gripped my shoulder and squeezed. “We’ll find her. Don’t worry, Mel. We will find Steph. But for now you need to rest.”
I wondered then if he really understood the ramifications fo everything we had on our plate. He was dying, Steph was abducted by my psycho sister, Samuel was dead by my hand, the Sharaita was still going to choose one of our lives as her price, and the future of Drakys still hung in the balance.
If I even had to find one kernel of good that had come out of this disaster, it was that Samuel was finally at peace. But even that truth brought no happiness, no joy to me.
I closed my eyes and shut out the world. A do-over wasn’t going to happen so I prayed that when I did wake up and greet the next day, that maybe there was the tiniest hope that tomorrow wound go better for all of us.
Any day would be a better day than today.
39
THE END
Thank you for reading DEMON BORN. Sadly we must end here as Mel recuperates after her losses, as she faces the things she’s done—both good and bad—and the what she hasn’t yet manage to achieve.
The next book in the DarkWorld: SoulTracker series is DEMON SCOURGE and it is now available for presale, with release early 2020.
If you’re a DarkWorld Universe fan, look out for the next in the DarkWorld: SkinWalker Series Rebel Heart which is also on presale and releases in December 2020, or Resonance DarkWorld: Irin 3 out now
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About the Author
I have been a writer from the time I was old enough to recognize that reading was a doorway into my imagination. Poetry was my first foray into the art of the written word. Books were my best friends, my escape, my haven. I am essentially a recluse but real life usually has something else to say about that…
My heart is currently broken in two. One half resides in Africa where my old roots still remain, and my heart still longs for the endless beaches and the smell of moist soil after a summer downpour. My love for Ma Afrika will never fade. The other half of me has been transplanted to the Land of the Long White Cloud. The land of the Taniwha, beautiful Maraes, and Hobbits. The shires rich with pure green, beauty that truly inspires.
And because I am so torn between these two lands – I shall forever remain cross-eyed.
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BLOOD BORN
A SOULTRACKER NOVEL BOOK 8
Copyright © 2019 by T.G. Ayer
All rights reserved.
Cover art © T.G. Ayer. All rights reserved.
eBook Edition, License Notes
This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, businesses, characters and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, actual events or locales is purely coincidental.
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