Read Online Broken Heart 06 Come Hell or High Water by Michele Bardsley - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Michele Bardsley
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though I found it hard to believe she would tell them to go to my house and pick up Connor. If she'd known Connor was a demon in disguise, she would've added a team of Broken Heart security. Patsy was not fond of demons, not since she'd nearly been killed by one several years before.
I glanced at Connor, flinching at that terrible covering over his eyes. Had Nera never heard of gauze? Maybe some antibiotic?
"Connor, is there a way to make your eyes heal faster?"
Hey, if Nera could heal me with some spit, then she could probably do something about Connor 's eyes - especially seeing as how she took 'em. If not her, then some other demon. I wasn't sure what I would bargain with. Giving up my body parts squicked me out, but Connor had done it. So could I. Vampires regenerated, too.
Connor nodded. "I dinnae think you're gonna like it."
I loved it when his accent got all thick and sexy. A little shiver went through me. Focus, Pheebs.
"No good deed goes unpunished," muttered Connor, crossing his arms. His jaw clenched. "Like all creatures created by the gods, demonkind have a purpose. It's not a nice one, mind you." He sighed. "Unlike most demons, I have a soul and a conscience. I dinnae often assuage my demon side."
"Oh, Connor." I put my hand on his thigh, feeling sorry for him. He hadn't chosen what he was; he could only decide what kind of man, or demon, he wanted to be. I was still figuring it all out, but one conclusion I had was that everything was not black and white. I was dancing in the shadows of gray.
He lightly squeezed my hand. "The more a full demon fulfills his purpose, the stronger he gets. Violence, fighting, rage... these are doorways to evil. Despite what you believe about me, I try not to open them."
"Is there an EpiPen for evil?" I asked.
Connor looked down at me, which was sorta useless because he couldn't see me. His lips quirked. How I wished I could see the humor sparkling in that amber gaze, could know he was whole and that he wasn't suffering anymore because of me.
"It seems like being nice is an allergy." I chewed my lower lip. "If you're mean, will your eyes regenerate faster?"
"Aye. My demon side likes a bit o' the naughty. But I am not ruled by my genetics, Phoebe. I determine my own actions."
I felt small and vulnerable. Did I really think I could help Connor? God. This whole thing was so wrong. Right up there with diet soda, fat-free Ding Dongs, and redoing the original Star Wars films.
"I have to be careful," said Connor, as though I were still questioning his moral fortitude. "Evil's attractive, you know. Dresses up a like a whore in expensive jewelry."
"Nice imagery."
He snorted. "Evil whispers things like, 'There is no right or wrong; there's only power,' and you believe it. You use every justification to wipe out conscience and humanity. You forget about love and sacrifice."
"You didn't," I said softly.
"I did," he argued. "Look at what I did to you."
"A lesser evil to prevent a bigger one," I said. Or so I assumed. And I was doing a lot of assuming. Oh, Phoebe. You a sucka.
His eyebrows went up, a half expression of surprise.
"You told Lilith you wouldn't release her from her hell-bond. She's stuck in the Pit and she wants to get out."
"She must never get out." He sighed. "But she is not just trying to free herself. She's trying to prevent Astria's prophecy from coming true."
"Maybe she should have a chat with Koschei, Durga, and Lia," I said, naming the Ancients who'd tried to circumvent another Vedere prophecy - the one that said the Ancients would cease to rule their own kind and that a Turn-blood named Patricia would become queen of vampires and lycanthropes.
Guess who was wearing the crown? And guess who was either banned or dead?
"So this prophecy... ?"
"It'd be better if Astria told the tale. 'Tis her prophecy."
"All right." I paused. "I'm from the Family Durga, so I have demon mojo. Does being evil make me stronger, too?"
"No!" He sucked in a breath. "No,
I glanced at Connor, flinching at that terrible covering over his eyes. Had Nera never heard of gauze? Maybe some antibiotic?
"Connor, is there a way to make your eyes heal faster?"
Hey, if Nera could heal me with some spit, then she could probably do something about Connor 's eyes - especially seeing as how she took 'em. If not her, then some other demon. I wasn't sure what I would bargain with. Giving up my body parts squicked me out, but Connor had done it. So could I. Vampires regenerated, too.
Connor nodded. "I dinnae think you're gonna like it."
I loved it when his accent got all thick and sexy. A little shiver went through me. Focus, Pheebs.
"No good deed goes unpunished," muttered Connor, crossing his arms. His jaw clenched. "Like all creatures created by the gods, demonkind have a purpose. It's not a nice one, mind you." He sighed. "Unlike most demons, I have a soul and a conscience. I dinnae often assuage my demon side."
"Oh, Connor." I put my hand on his thigh, feeling sorry for him. He hadn't chosen what he was; he could only decide what kind of man, or demon, he wanted to be. I was still figuring it all out, but one conclusion I had was that everything was not black and white. I was dancing in the shadows of gray.
He lightly squeezed my hand. "The more a full demon fulfills his purpose, the stronger he gets. Violence, fighting, rage... these are doorways to evil. Despite what you believe about me, I try not to open them."
"Is there an EpiPen for evil?" I asked.
Connor looked down at me, which was sorta useless because he couldn't see me. His lips quirked. How I wished I could see the humor sparkling in that amber gaze, could know he was whole and that he wasn't suffering anymore because of me.
"It seems like being nice is an allergy." I chewed my lower lip. "If you're mean, will your eyes regenerate faster?"
"Aye. My demon side likes a bit o' the naughty. But I am not ruled by my genetics, Phoebe. I determine my own actions."
I felt small and vulnerable. Did I really think I could help Connor? God. This whole thing was so wrong. Right up there with diet soda, fat-free Ding Dongs, and redoing the original Star Wars films.
"I have to be careful," said Connor, as though I were still questioning his moral fortitude. "Evil's attractive, you know. Dresses up a like a whore in expensive jewelry."
"Nice imagery."
He snorted. "Evil whispers things like, 'There is no right or wrong; there's only power,' and you believe it. You use every justification to wipe out conscience and humanity. You forget about love and sacrifice."
"You didn't," I said softly.
"I did," he argued. "Look at what I did to you."
"A lesser evil to prevent a bigger one," I said. Or so I assumed. And I was doing a lot of assuming. Oh, Phoebe. You a sucka.
His eyebrows went up, a half expression of surprise.
"You told Lilith you wouldn't release her from her hell-bond. She's stuck in the Pit and she wants to get out."
"She must never get out." He sighed. "But she is not just trying to free herself. She's trying to prevent Astria's prophecy from coming true."
"Maybe she should have a chat with Koschei, Durga, and Lia," I said, naming the Ancients who'd tried to circumvent another Vedere prophecy - the one that said the Ancients would cease to rule their own kind and that a Turn-blood named Patricia would become queen of vampires and lycanthropes.
Guess who was wearing the crown? And guess who was either banned or dead?
"So this prophecy... ?"
"It'd be better if Astria told the tale. 'Tis her prophecy."
"All right." I paused. "I'm from the Family Durga, so I have demon mojo. Does being evil make me stronger, too?"
"No!" He sucked in a breath. "No,
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