Free Demon Dark by Penelope Fletcher Page B

throat. I flung my arms around his neck and happily locked my legs around his waist, rubbing myself against him. Breandan s hands smoothed down my sides and gripped my hips.
     
    Ah, Rae?
    Daphne s voice floated past my ear.
    People are looking, and they look & confused.
     
    I broke away breathing hard and licked my bottom lip, enjoying the sweet taste that lingered.
     
    Rae &.
     
    Breandan rested his head on my shoulder and narrowed his eyes, glowering at the interruption. I kissed his jaw and patted his cheek to let me down. He released me reluctantly and kept his arms looped around my waist.
     
    I spun in the circle of his arms and found a stressed looking Daphne.
    Yeah, I ve hidden the book under these boulders I found,
    she said.
    You ve got to have the strength of my kind to lift them, and I think they re dense enough to absorb some of the book s energy.
    Her eyes scanned the edge of the clearing.
    People are watching us from the trees.
     
    It s okay. You came with us, so you re safe.
     
    Okay, I ll rephrase. People are watching you, rather, watching you rub all over each other like bitches in
     
    Okay then,
    I butted in loudly. Feeling Breandan grow angrier behind me from the stiff lines of his body, and the repeated flexing of his hands on my waist, I thought it prudent to disrupt her chatter. He didn t like reminders of his brother s claim on me.
    The last time I was here Lochlann made it look like & well & um & he made it seem like we were, ah, y know. Together.
     
    Oh. Is he cute?
    Daphne s eyes twinkled mischievously, and she slyly glanced at Breandan.
    Yours is handsome, but I prefer a more mature man.
     
    I took Breandan s hand and tugged him along before his head exploded.
    We should probably get to the Meet. If it s started, we need to be there. I did call it after all.
     
    Breandan allowed himself to be towed along until his dark mood passed and he took the lead again. We passed over a wooden bridge engraved with what looked fairies frolicking with wolves, cats, birds and bears. Shifters. I pointed this out to Breandan in the hope of engaging him long enough to stop scowling at Daphne who ambled along gaily.
     
    We used to have strong ties to the Prides, Aeries and Packs. We even visited the bears, and you know how temperamental they can be.
    He remembered that I didn t know, and smiled, brought our joined hands to his lips for a kiss.
    Well, you will know, I m sure.
     
    Breandan led us from the clearing up a path that lead into denser thicket. There were many smaller paths leading off in different directions, but Breandan kept us on the main path until he took a deep breath and clasped my chin.
    Stay strong,
    he murmured and kissed me fiercely.
     
    By the time he d finished, and tugged my hand to get me moving, I was worried.

CHAPTER FIVE
    The first thing my drifting gaze fixed on was Lochlann. Bulkier about the torso than Breandan, and rugged in appearance, his ears had the point of fairy, and his skin the faintest of green tinges. He had no tail or wings, but what he did have was a powerful and commanding presence that intimidated me, and made me say foolish things. His hair brushed his shoulders in a blonde mane, and the clean cuts of his jaw were attractive, a more severe forming of Breandan s sensual jaw line. The most striking thing about this fairy lord was that he had one green eye and one blue, both as wintry and aloof as his aura.
     
    So much of my Breandan was reflected in Lochlann, and through his piercing stare it made me hot and uncomfortable.
     
    Tradition dictated that Lochlann should have been the one to mate me, not his younger brother. Would things be different now if Breandan had never helped me when I saw Maeve captured by the Clerics? If I had met Lochlann first would I have accepted his claim on me? Maybe, but I suspected things would have gone downhill the moment Breandan and I saw each other. One touch, and we would have bonded, and betrayed everything the Tribe