Free Demons (Darkness #4) by K.F. Breene Page A

prepare me for the council with the violent magic. This race of people fought, bled, and challenged each other mercilessly. I was one of them now.
    I was nowhere near ready, and Toa knew it.
    I groaned.
    “What’s up, Sasha? Cramps?” Charles glanced away from the intricate and awe-inspiring dance Adnan and Claudia were doing through the trees.
    “Charles! I am not on my period!”
    Jonas flinched. Charles said, “And you think I’m gross?”
    “What, because I said period?”
    Jonas sent me a disgusted glare.
    “Oh really?” I shot back. “You talk about all sorts of disgusting crap, but I say period—stop flinching! Jonas, how the hell can you body-check a demon with a grin and a snarl, but flinch when you hear that word? It’s the real word for the thing!”
    “Would you stop saying it?” Charles demanded. “Guys don’t want to hear about any of that.”
    I threw up my hands.
    Adnan, rivulets of sweat running down his face, had glowing arms in a soft red. He tore at Claudia, raking nails down her arm. He followed it up with a punch, then a kick, stamina holding strong. She was physically flagging, though. Aiming for any weakness she could find. Spells came next, blasting at him, forcing him to try and defend himself magically while she followed up with physical bombardment. Getting dirty to try and counter his limitless energy.
    “See, bro?” Charles said, once again analyzing the fight. “Females are much better at multitasking.”
    “It’s why a red is Secon d-Tier Watch,” Jonas remarked, agreeing.
    “You guys have tiers?” I asked , flinching as Adnan took a hard hit to the chin. I opened up, immediately fighting the surge of power that rushed me. I felt everyone around me, their strong glow of magic within them, beckoning. Calling. Feeling mine and wanting to join. To take our small fires and create a huge blaze.
    I focused on Adnan , knowing he needed a power boost. He was younger, after all. And it’s not like I was cheating. Charles did say that if he was with me, and on Watch, he’d be awesome. Well, here was some awesome-sauce.
    “Why are you chuckling?” Jonas asked suspiciously.
    Ann and I had finally played that joke on him a while back. His butt was glued to the toilet seat for three hours. He was so damn pissed. Afterward, whenever he was an extra big dick, I thought of it and chuckled heartily. Now, every time I randomly snickered, he got suspicious.
    “Just marveling at my wittiness.” I focused on Adnan’s suffocated glow, the pressure of the fight making him tense up, cutting off some of his flow. Like a fan to fire, his magic felt my coaxing, burning it brighter.
    His arms flickered, the red getting deeper. Deeper still. Matching Claudia’s now as he blocked a physical charge and lashed out magically, the spell jumping the short distance from his skin to hers, something only those stronger in magic could do, and even then, they usually needed the tattoos. I was the exception, as always.
    With a growl she wiped her hand through the air, probably shaking whatever it was off. Too late. That stall had Adnan landing two intense kicks, one to her stomach, and one bashing against her thigh. Her feet saw sky. The dull thud of her body sounded like it hurt.
    She struggled to get up.
    “That’s enough,” I said in a firm voice. Claudia glared up at me from the ground. “Look, Claudia, you’re good, I’ll give you that. And you’d keep going, but I’ll need you here protecting things when we’re gone. I need you healthy for that.”
    “I could still take him!” she seethed, staring hard.
    My hackles rose at the same time as my confidence wavered. I could feel Jonas’ stare.
    Yes, yes, I know—I’m supposed to lead.
    Preventing myself from taking a deep breath, I returned the stare, magic crackling in my body. I felt Stefan through the link, feeling my tumultuous emotions and sending a blast of fire, fueling my courage.
    In a breezy, calm voice, I said, “You reached