Read Online The Demon Hunter by Lori Brighton - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lori Brighton
Ads: Link
states, not after what had happened. The police might still be looking for her. She had been lucky enough to escape the U.S. Perhaps she could stay with Miranda until things settled.
Devon didn’t head toward the trail that led to her cottage. Instead, he caught the path that went to the back rose gardens. A garden overgrown and lonely, left to its own devices.
“Hell no,” she muttered. “You’re not leaving until I get answers.”
But he didn’t follow the trail into the woods and beyond to the road. No, instead, his pace slowed as he reached the small family cemetery. A rusted iron fence separated the living from the dead and a large oak tilted over the headstones providing plenty of shade where moss could grow and add to the eerie ambiance. Devon paused at the entrance where a gate used to be. For one long moment he merely stood there.
Curious, Ellie started after him. Twigs snapped unnaturally loud underfoot, but he didn’t flinch at her approach. Perhaps he’d known she was coming, or maybe he just didn’t care. At the fence, she paused next to him, clasping onto the cold, iron bars. She stood so close that she could feel his body’s heat, but he didn’t seem to notice her presence. He didn’t even look her way, merely stared at those gray tombstones that rose from the dirt like gnarly teeth.
The ancient family plot.
It had never creeped her out before so why was she hesitant to enter the space now? Devon’s heaviness hung around them like the fog drifting in through the woods. Yet, that handsome face was completely devoid of emotion. Not for the first time, Ellie wondered what he was thinking. Who was this man? Where had he come from? She knew only three things about him. One, his first name was Devon. Two, he had once lived here. Three, he was most certainly superhuman.
He stepped through the opening.
Ellie glanced back at the manor where the windows were now ablaze with lights. “Devon, we should go. Lord Templeton is most likely calling the police.” Sure, the man had been responsible for getting her fired, but for some reason she didn’t want him arrested.
He didn’t respond.
She stepped through the opening, the ground soft and spongy under her feet. “You could go to jail.” Even worse, she could go to jail.
Devon ignored her warning, weaving his way around the tombstones, about twenty in all, gently rubbing his hand over each, lichen crumbling to the ground like ashen bone. What did he search for? She knew he searched for something. Not just the sword, but something more personal. Toward the back of the small cemetery, he finally paused, barely visible in the shadows.
Ever so slowly, he knelt in front of a large rounded tombstone, the edges crumbled and decayed. The letters were too weathered to read from where she stood, but she couldn’t help but notice the sword carved into the marble facade.
A sword.
Startled, the fine hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.
Her rational mind told her it was merely coincidence. Her instincts told her to grab her clothes and run before the police arrived, or worse, Devon dragged her even further into his mess. Yet, Ellie couldn’t seem to move. An inexplicable link tied her to the man who had arrived so mysteriously into her life.
Ellie started through the cemetery, dew soaking her flats and mist clinging to her skirts like ghostly cobwebs. She was going to get answers and she was going to get them now. Reaching his side, she lifted her skirts, sank into the damp grass and studied the headstone. Waist high, there was nothing out of the ordinary about the marker. A name of some sort, a date beneath that was too weathered to read. Narrowing her eyes, she leaned forward, focusing on the first name.
D E V…
A shudder of awareness whispered through her body. “Devon.”
The world around her seemed off balance, the air too thick to breathe. Slowly, she turned her head and looked up at Devon. He was pale, a fine sheen of sweat glistening
Devon didn’t head toward the trail that led to her cottage. Instead, he caught the path that went to the back rose gardens. A garden overgrown and lonely, left to its own devices.
“Hell no,” she muttered. “You’re not leaving until I get answers.”
But he didn’t follow the trail into the woods and beyond to the road. No, instead, his pace slowed as he reached the small family cemetery. A rusted iron fence separated the living from the dead and a large oak tilted over the headstones providing plenty of shade where moss could grow and add to the eerie ambiance. Devon paused at the entrance where a gate used to be. For one long moment he merely stood there.
Curious, Ellie started after him. Twigs snapped unnaturally loud underfoot, but he didn’t flinch at her approach. Perhaps he’d known she was coming, or maybe he just didn’t care. At the fence, she paused next to him, clasping onto the cold, iron bars. She stood so close that she could feel his body’s heat, but he didn’t seem to notice her presence. He didn’t even look her way, merely stared at those gray tombstones that rose from the dirt like gnarly teeth.
The ancient family plot.
It had never creeped her out before so why was she hesitant to enter the space now? Devon’s heaviness hung around them like the fog drifting in through the woods. Yet, that handsome face was completely devoid of emotion. Not for the first time, Ellie wondered what he was thinking. Who was this man? Where had he come from? She knew only three things about him. One, his first name was Devon. Two, he had once lived here. Three, he was most certainly superhuman.
He stepped through the opening.
Ellie glanced back at the manor where the windows were now ablaze with lights. “Devon, we should go. Lord Templeton is most likely calling the police.” Sure, the man had been responsible for getting her fired, but for some reason she didn’t want him arrested.
He didn’t respond.
She stepped through the opening, the ground soft and spongy under her feet. “You could go to jail.” Even worse, she could go to jail.
Devon ignored her warning, weaving his way around the tombstones, about twenty in all, gently rubbing his hand over each, lichen crumbling to the ground like ashen bone. What did he search for? She knew he searched for something. Not just the sword, but something more personal. Toward the back of the small cemetery, he finally paused, barely visible in the shadows.
Ever so slowly, he knelt in front of a large rounded tombstone, the edges crumbled and decayed. The letters were too weathered to read from where she stood, but she couldn’t help but notice the sword carved into the marble facade.
A sword.
Startled, the fine hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.
Her rational mind told her it was merely coincidence. Her instincts told her to grab her clothes and run before the police arrived, or worse, Devon dragged her even further into his mess. Yet, Ellie couldn’t seem to move. An inexplicable link tied her to the man who had arrived so mysteriously into her life.
Ellie started through the cemetery, dew soaking her flats and mist clinging to her skirts like ghostly cobwebs. She was going to get answers and she was going to get them now. Reaching his side, she lifted her skirts, sank into the damp grass and studied the headstone. Waist high, there was nothing out of the ordinary about the marker. A name of some sort, a date beneath that was too weathered to read. Narrowing her eyes, she leaned forward, focusing on the first name.
D E V…
A shudder of awareness whispered through her body. “Devon.”
The world around her seemed off balance, the air too thick to breathe. Slowly, she turned her head and looked up at Devon. He was pale, a fine sheen of sweat glistening
Similar Books
