Read Online Obsidian Wings by Laken Cane - Free Book Online Page B

British accent. He glanced
at Lex again. “The last time I was this close to a demon, it nearly destroyed
me.” He studied her intently, appearing not to notice that everyone in the room
was staring at him with disbelief. “Can you tell me,” he said to Rune, “just
what sort of demon it is?”
    It.
    Lex’s body began to jerk with fast, hard vibrations. “Me?”
she asked again. “Is he talking about me?”
    “You’re mistaken, Kelic,” Rune said. “Lex is not a demon.”
    “Clearly she is,” he disagreed. “She appears to be a Kourgya . The vibrations…” he frowned. “But the eyes. I’ve
not seen that before in a demon.”
    “Are you stupid?” Rune asked him. “Are you a stupid fucking vampire?”
    He focused on Rune. “I do not believe so.” His words were
suddenly stilted. He knew he’d fucked up. He gave an odd little bow. “Again, I
apologize.”
    “You’re not very old, are you?” Rune asked, genuinely
curious. He couldn’t have been an old vampire—he was too socially awkward.
    “No,” he admitted. “I’m not.”
    “What do you mean?” Lex asked. “Why did you call me a
demon?”
    The vampire blinked, a spark of confusion in his eyes. And
maybe a touch of fear.
    “Lex, he has no idea what he’s talking about.” Rune squeezed
Lex’s hand.
    Simon gave a quick nod. “Your mistress is correct, Ms. Love.
I was mistaken.”
    “Mistress?” Lex asked. “Mistress?”
    “Dude,” Jack said. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
    The vampire ignored Jack and kept his stare on Rune. “I’m
not old, that’s true. But I have the keen senses of any vampire. Are you not
her…” he gestured. “Do you not command her? Call her?”
    “But what do you mean? ” Lex asked.
    Finally, Simon faced Lex. “All demons must be held, for lack
of a better word, or they will grow sick and their power will fade. I sensed a
connection between Rune and you.” He inclined his head. “Unfortunately for me,
I was careless with my words. Perhaps the connection I perceived was nothing
more than the bonds of friendship.”
    The crew looked at each other, quick, uneasy glances that
spoke volumes. They all remembered Lex’s episodes. They remembered her getting
better after she met Rune. Maybe Ellis’s exercises and dances had not made her
better. Maybe Rune’s blood had not made her better. Maybe Rune had.
    And maybe, just maybe, that was why Rune had been able to
heal her.
    Because Lex was a demon—half demon, at least—and she was
Rune’s to call. To hold. To command.
    Of course, what Simon sensed could have been Lex’s addiction
to Rune’s blood.
    Rune rubbed her temples . Fuck me.
    “What does this mean?” Lex asked, her voice a monotone.
“That I’m a slave to someone? Again?”
    Rune ground her teeth. “Lex, you know better than that.
You’re not a demon and I’m not your fucking bitch of a mother. We’re exactly
who we were before this dead fuck came in here and opened his mouth.”
    Simon sighed. “I’ve made mess of things.” He took
Elizabeth’s hand and looked at Rice. “I will assume this means Spiritgrove is
off the table.”
    “Do not assume anything, Simon. Will you excuse us for a
moment?” Elizabeth asked.
    “My men and I will wait in the hall,” he said, a hopefulness
in his tone that was impossible to mistake.
    Elizabeth nodded and waited until the vampires had cleared
the room before she spoke. “I’m sorry our meeting went so far off track, but
the fact remains that we need a decent master in this city. He’s awkward, but I
like him. He’s the least…vampire-like vampire I’ve ever met.”
    “He’s a clumsy moron,” Rune said.
    But she knew Rice and Elizabeth had already decided. River
County had a new vampire master, and his name was Simon Kelic.
     
     

Chapter
Fifteen
    “You doing okay, Lex?” Lex was dragging, and whether she’d
admit it or not, in need of some rest. Rune was taking the girl to her house,
having already convinced Lex to