Read Online The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker by Leanna Renee Hieber - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Leanna Renee Hieber
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knee.
“Lazy,” Jane scoffed, batting at Elijah’s foot.
Withersby’s face twisted into something pale and helpless, and he wrested away with a growl. “Oh, and to waste such fine brandy!” He turned to face a long mahogany bar, where a decanter and tray of glasses lay broken on the floor in a pool of dark, pungent liquid.
“Well, our friend here seems to have escaped after last night’s melee. Most of the offenders were driven back to their proper place, thanks to Miss Percy, but this one managed to indulge his fancy for Van Courtland’s innards. He’sright terrible, and took many a soul with him on his way to his mass black-death grave.” Noticing Percy out of the corner of his eye, he said, “Why, my dear Miss Parker, are you all right?” Everyone turned to stare at her, sunk upon a nearby stool. She supposed she looked as ill as she felt.
“You just wait,” the spirit gurgled, its voice wet from inside the mortal trappings of Van Courtland. “Wait and see what we’ll do to you when you’re dragged to the other side. Especially you who look just like us. I’m sure special treats await.”
Percy flared with righteous indignation. She turned to Alexi and tried to speak calmly. “He’s taunting, saying such things as would not befit a lady’s repetition. Be thankful you have deaf ears tonight, friends.” She waved a hand that they might not worry further over her.
Alexi turned. “In the presence of a lady? How dare you!” His hand issued a more powerful jolt, binding the victim in shackles of light. There was an immediate shift through Van Courtland’s skin, the spirit within struggling to pull free.
The sight was revolting, but Percy watched. Alexi’s sparking cords squeezed closer and closer, and she heard the spirit’s tirade become struggling gasps. Josephine opened her bag to reveal its contents: a small shimmering painting of an angel. Lifted out to hang upon the opposite wall, the image filled Percy with peace and joy all at once, and she felt the warmth of the phoenix pendant around her neck, flying upon the ruffled folds of her fine dress. Glancing down, she could see her pendant glowing with an empathetic light similar to that in the air here.
Josephine squinted, adjusted the corner of the frame and turned to kneel beside Jane. “Van Courtland, mon chéri, ” she murmured near the man’s ear. “Do look at that image. It will soothe you, ease your troubled mind.” She had to force open his lids, but once he caught sight of the painting, hiseyes ceased their rolling dance of panic. “ Oui, Matthew, focus. Your guardian angels are by your side, helping you fight. Now, you mustn’t remove this painting. It’s your guardian angel for life.” Her hand was stroking mousy brown hair from his temples. Percy couldn’t help noticing Elijah make a face.
With a small flutter of her fingertips, Jane countered the man’s convulsions, some of which brought either blood or bile trickling from his thin lips. His muscles unclenched and the fluids ceased, but the battle raged on within him. All the while, it was as if Alexi was drawing the slack from his illuminated threads of sapphire flame, binding his body partly like a weaver, partly like a conductor, constricting the terror with each deft movement, crushing the vehemence out of the terrible presence, light against the force of darkness.
Rebecca, secretarial duties sufficiently undertaken, returned pen and paper to her reticule. Her eyes closed then shot open, a pained breath escaping her. Michael was at once nearby, giving a soft, relaxing sigh. She gifted him with a genuine smile, all discomfort in her features vanishing.
“We must put it down as best we can, Alexi,” she said, catching her breath. “There’s nothing that it seeks in restlessness that it will not try to inflict by vengeance. It doesn’t want peace and so we must dispel it.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Alexi replied, picking up the tempo of his
“Lazy,” Jane scoffed, batting at Elijah’s foot.
Withersby’s face twisted into something pale and helpless, and he wrested away with a growl. “Oh, and to waste such fine brandy!” He turned to face a long mahogany bar, where a decanter and tray of glasses lay broken on the floor in a pool of dark, pungent liquid.
“Well, our friend here seems to have escaped after last night’s melee. Most of the offenders were driven back to their proper place, thanks to Miss Percy, but this one managed to indulge his fancy for Van Courtland’s innards. He’sright terrible, and took many a soul with him on his way to his mass black-death grave.” Noticing Percy out of the corner of his eye, he said, “Why, my dear Miss Parker, are you all right?” Everyone turned to stare at her, sunk upon a nearby stool. She supposed she looked as ill as she felt.
“You just wait,” the spirit gurgled, its voice wet from inside the mortal trappings of Van Courtland. “Wait and see what we’ll do to you when you’re dragged to the other side. Especially you who look just like us. I’m sure special treats await.”
Percy flared with righteous indignation. She turned to Alexi and tried to speak calmly. “He’s taunting, saying such things as would not befit a lady’s repetition. Be thankful you have deaf ears tonight, friends.” She waved a hand that they might not worry further over her.
Alexi turned. “In the presence of a lady? How dare you!” His hand issued a more powerful jolt, binding the victim in shackles of light. There was an immediate shift through Van Courtland’s skin, the spirit within struggling to pull free.
The sight was revolting, but Percy watched. Alexi’s sparking cords squeezed closer and closer, and she heard the spirit’s tirade become struggling gasps. Josephine opened her bag to reveal its contents: a small shimmering painting of an angel. Lifted out to hang upon the opposite wall, the image filled Percy with peace and joy all at once, and she felt the warmth of the phoenix pendant around her neck, flying upon the ruffled folds of her fine dress. Glancing down, she could see her pendant glowing with an empathetic light similar to that in the air here.
Josephine squinted, adjusted the corner of the frame and turned to kneel beside Jane. “Van Courtland, mon chéri, ” she murmured near the man’s ear. “Do look at that image. It will soothe you, ease your troubled mind.” She had to force open his lids, but once he caught sight of the painting, hiseyes ceased their rolling dance of panic. “ Oui, Matthew, focus. Your guardian angels are by your side, helping you fight. Now, you mustn’t remove this painting. It’s your guardian angel for life.” Her hand was stroking mousy brown hair from his temples. Percy couldn’t help noticing Elijah make a face.
With a small flutter of her fingertips, Jane countered the man’s convulsions, some of which brought either blood or bile trickling from his thin lips. His muscles unclenched and the fluids ceased, but the battle raged on within him. All the while, it was as if Alexi was drawing the slack from his illuminated threads of sapphire flame, binding his body partly like a weaver, partly like a conductor, constricting the terror with each deft movement, crushing the vehemence out of the terrible presence, light against the force of darkness.
Rebecca, secretarial duties sufficiently undertaken, returned pen and paper to her reticule. Her eyes closed then shot open, a pained breath escaping her. Michael was at once nearby, giving a soft, relaxing sigh. She gifted him with a genuine smile, all discomfort in her features vanishing.
“We must put it down as best we can, Alexi,” she said, catching her breath. “There’s nothing that it seeks in restlessness that it will not try to inflict by vengeance. It doesn’t want peace and so we must dispel it.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Alexi replied, picking up the tempo of his
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