Sandman (Forbidden Love Series II Book 5)

by Danielle James

  Somnus felt in his pocket, and found the forgotten bag of sleeping dust Angus had given him. He didn't want to, but his family wasn't going to give him any choice. Opening the bag, Somnus spread the magic throughout the room. One by one, his family members fell asleep, falling to the floor.

  "How nice of you," the demon laughed. "You've made them all easy prey."

  From the corner of his eye Somnus saw Rachel stand up, but he did not look at her. "You can't touch them," he told the demon. "Their minds are safe from you now."

  "But I can touch them," Baku corrected him. "I can crush them under my fist!"

  Rachel screamed, jumping into the air and coming down hard on the demon's back. The shock which her attack caused was all the time Somnus needed to ghost his family to safety and return to Rachel. She was sitting on the demon's back, just out of his reach, shredding the back of his neck and arms.

  The more he tried to reach her, the harder she fought back.

  Somnus charged forward, determined to end this thing once and for all. Using his vampire speed, he threw his fist into the demon's stomach over and over again. With one movement, the demon finally grabbed one of Rachel's wings and pulled, eliciting a scream of pain from her mouth. Somnus cringed as the sound split through the air, rattling his brain and making his ears ring. It wasn't just physically painful, though. Not for him. It tore at his heart and made him want to cry for her.

  He was done with the demon hurting her. He was done with the demon threatening his charges and his family. He was just—done.

  Somnus felt the fire building inside him, but he wasn't prepared for the explosion of rage that escaped him when he climbed the demon's body. He had every intention of killing the thing, consequences be damned. With his teeth bared, Somnus went for the throat.

  The demon used its enormous hand to circle Somnus’ neck, squeezing and cutting off his air supply. The black smoke billowed up from the floor, circling Somnus' legs and working its way up his body. He could feel the power draining from his body and he could feel his body becoming weaker and weaker. Darkness had begun to shadow the edges of his vision, but Somnus still fought. Just when he thought all was lost, he heard Rachel let loose a scream that would have made any self-respecting banshee jealous.

  As fast as lightning, she was on top of the demon, slashing and cutting with her claws, but also with her wings. The black appendages had hardened into steel, and she used them. With every beat of her wings, the demon lost more of himself. Somnus dropped free, but he didn't move. He watched with awe and concern as his mate tore through the demon as if she were a demon herself.

  When she finally backed off, the demon staggered. He was bloody, broken, but still alive. He weaved a moment before raising his eyes to Rachel's. "My Fury," he gurgled.

  The look on the Fury's face said it all. No. Nuh-uh, and nope. Rachel shook her head and opened her mouth. Her arms flew back behind her as her wings beat the air. The scream that she released shook the building, the floors, even Somnus' insides. Rachel screamed harder at it, her hair flying out behind her in a fiery wave, her claws clutched at her sides. Somnus felt his own ears bleeding as the demon backed away, shaking his head as if it could escape the Fury.

  When she ran out of breath, Rachel glanced at Somnus, then back at the demon. Lifting herself into the air, she drew in another breath. Somnus covered his ears and did the only thing he could do. He made himself as small as possible in the furthest corner of the room. When Rachel let her scream free, every window in the house shattered, every glass broke, everything rumbled and shook. The demon held his head and screamed in pain, but Rachel didn't relent. She pushed harder, forcing more air from her lungs in the deadly wave of sound that was reverberating throughout everything within a mile radius.

  Somnus wanted to run. He wanted to ghost. He couldn't. The horrific sound that was coming from his mate not only had the demon paralyzed, but him as well. He was helpless to watch his mate do the unthinkable. To do the incredible. To do what no one else could.

  She screamed again, this time with more force than before. The demon roared in pain, but then he was gone. He exploded into a fine mist of blood and goo which fell down from the air, landing on everything all at once.

  The silence that followed was deafening.

  Rachel raced to Somnus' side, helping him stand. He looked at her face, her beautiful Fury face, and could see that her lips were moving. He watched her lips move around her teeth, little sharp fangs peeking out from the corners. When she shook his shoulders, he looked up. She looked concerned. Why couldn't he hear what she was saying? Now that he was paying attention to it, he couldn't hear anything. The only sound his brain was registering was a persistent ringing. He shook his head and tried to watch her lips move.

  She was asking if he was all right. Somnus looked down at himself and realized he was covered in demon goo. Otherwise, he seemed to be unharmed. Well, except for the complete lack of hearing. He nodded at her, and she smiled.

  Epilogue

  "And here we thought Leigh was one badass female!" Gage exclaimed, holding his hand up to Rachel for a high-five.

  She slapped her hand against his and from the look on his face, it made his day.

  "Fuck off, King Smurf," Leigh retorted.

  "Is that any way to speak to your King?" Gage asked, pretending to be offended.

  "We've discussed this. I'm a dragon and I ain't bowing to any vampire."

  "Haven’t you learned not to piss off my mate yet, brother?" Rebel laughed.

  "He will never learn," Jacque said, pulling Frankie onto his lap.

  "It's time," Angel said, opening the front door and holding it wide. "Do not be nervous," he said to Rachel.

  She took Somnus' hand and followed him, Gage, and Angel out into the yard where a stage had been set up and the press surrounded it. A line of security guards from all species lined the path, protecting their King and the Clan Leader. As they walked up the three steps that led to the stage, Rachel watched in awe as the gathered crowd hushed and then fell to one knee. All heads were down as they showed reverence for their King.

  "Well, that's a head trip," Rachel muttered under her breath. Somnus elbowed her gently in the side and took a knee himself when they were in position. When Somnus cut his eyes up to Rachel, she bowed her head and took a knee next to her mate.

  "Good evening," Gage said into a microphone. "You may stand." The crowd stood and so did Rachel. "I have called you all here today to make an important announcement. It has come to our attention that there is a previously unknown paranormal among us lately. You may have heard reports, and you may have even caught a glimpse of her with your own eyes. I know that there has been some wild speculation on who or what this paranormal is. Today, we are here to tell you."

  The crowd remained silent and Rachel's heart thundered in her chest. "It's okay," Somnus whispered beside her. He took her hand in his own and held it tight. "You got this."

  We got this... the fury said inside of her.

  Rachel smiled. Yes, yes, we do.

  "It is my distinct pleasure to introduce you to a most awe-inspiring creature, a woman who has not only won over our hearts, but will be an integral part of protecting me and my family. It is an honor to introduce to you, The Fury."

  Rachel recognized her cue, knowing her name was being kept out for a reason. Girl, flame up, the Fury said. Rachel called on her magic, allowing her skin to darken, her eyes to blacken, and her hair to flame. Then she raised her head and stared out over the crowd of reporters. After a moment of gasps and sharp breaths, a roar of approval erupted from the gathered paranormals and reporters.

  She could feel the Fury inside of her jumping up and down with happiness, loving the attention. Rachel's human half wanted to crawl in a hole and hide. She knew, though, that it would never happen. She would never hide again. With Somnus at her side and this incredible new family, how could she? She had it all. She had her very own dream warrior and a dozen people that would lay down
their lives for her. How could she wish for anything more? She realized that she would do no less for any of them. They needed her protection just as she’d needed them, and she would spend the rest of her life making sure she never let them down.

  As Gage spoke, Somnus held her hand tight. The pride he felt for her was immeasurable and Rachel smiled. Gage continued on about her role at the estate and how she should be revered, but something caught the Fury's attention. Someone in the crowd was a liar. Not to be trusted. Someone was evil.

  Her wings snapped open and she dropped Somnus' hand. Leaning forward, she scanned the crowd with her black eyes. In her peripheral vision, she saw Gage and Angel back off, allowing her to do her thing. When her eyes caught on a red aura, her mouth opened and she hissed around her fangs.

  The crowd split down the middle, leaving an open path to the man who'd set off her radar. He took a few steps back and then took off at a dead run. Rachel opened her mouth and let out a scream, forcing those nearby to cover their ears. She took off after him, her wings beating against the evening air.

  "And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why you shouldn't cross my mate," Somnus said into the microphone. He looked to his family, who were all watching with smiles, and he knew that things would only get better from there.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty